Spicy Salsiccia

Brandon makes this for our pizza nights - yummy!

-Serious Eats

1 pound coarsely ground pork

1 Tbsp. fennel seeds

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. garlic powder

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together well. Form into a single 1-inch-thick patty, and par-cook in a skillet over medium-high heat to just above pink, about 2 minutes per side.

 

Break patty into grape-size nuggets, being careful not to make them too small, as the sausage will dry out. Place sausage chunks on top of the cheese before baking your pizza.

Spicy Sausage Pasta

I love skillet dinners and this one is a winner. It can be a little spicy for young children - I add a little sour cream to their portions to calm the heat.

-Kevin and Amanda

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb smoked sausage

1.5 cups diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles, Mild

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 oz penne pasta

1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with scallions. Broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly.

Hash Brown Cups

These hash brown cups make a great weekend breakfast. Customize them to fit your taste! 

-Tiphero.com

20 oz. bag refrigerated shredded hash browns

4 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil (2 Tbsp. if using a Demarle tray)

1 tsp. kosher salt

½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

pinch ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Use a Demarle Straight-sided muffin tray (no spray), or Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick spray. Spray generously to keep the cheese from sticking.

2. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until combined.

3. Scoop about 1/3 cup of the hash brown mix into each muffin tin. Press the hash browns down into the tin and up the sides. Let it come up over the top a little bit, as they will shrink down once baked.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown on the bottom.

Filling

6 large eggs

3 Tbsp. heavy cream or half and half

pinch of kosher salt and ground pepper

cooked and crumbled bacon or sausage

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or melting cheese of your choice)

1. Scramble the eggs together with the cream and salt and pepper in a large measuring cup with a spout.

2. Divide the bacon or sausage evenly among the muffin wells, then top with the cheese.

3. Then pour the egg mixture evenly, filling each about ¾ of the way full.

4. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the egg is no longer runny in the middle.

Baked Ziti

My family prefers this meal over lasagna. It freezes well and is a winner when I need to take in a meal to a friend. Makes 2 8x8 pans, or one large 9x13.

-Six Sisters Stuff, modified

1 lb. dry rigatoni or ziti pasta
1 onion, chopped
½ lb. ground beef (season with salt, pepper, onion powder)
½ lb. ground italian sausage
2 (26 oz.) jars spaghetti sauce (I like Classico)
8 slices provolone cheese
1 ½ cups sour cream
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes; drain.

In a large skillet, brown onion, ground beef and sausage over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 8x8-inch pans with non-stick cooking spray. Layer as follows in each pan: ¼ of the pasta, ¼ of the sauce, 4 slices of Provolone cheese, ½ of sour cream, ¼ of pasta, ¼ mozzarella cheese and ¼ of sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella cheese.

If freezing, let cool, cover with foil, and place in freezer. To thaw, place in refrigerator at least 24 hours in advance.
If baking immediately, bake covered for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.
When baking cold from refrigerator, 45 min.
When baking from frozen, 90-120 min.

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

I was assigned to bring a main dish to our Halloween recipe exchange in October - I decided mummy dogs wouldn't be appropriate for such a nice girl's night out.... lol

So I did some research and found this recipe. I must say it was pretty delicious - it might fool your taste buds into thinking it's a curry!

P.S. Even the pumpkin hater in our family thought it was good! :)

-Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons
1 cup dry white wine (or chicken stock)
1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating
Pumpernickel or whole grain bread, as an accompaniment

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine (or chicken stock) by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana

Thanks for this recipe Anna! I've never had kale before and I thought the flavor might be a little overpowering, but it is so yummy!

-Anna Hampton

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1 to 1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of kale, ribs removed and chopped

Saute Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

In the same pan, saute bacon, onions and garlic for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft. Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.

Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour. Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in the sausage. Add kale just before serving (I cooked it until it softened). Delicious!

Cowboy Breakfast Sandwiches

Pioneer Woman Cooks is a food blog I visit regularly. I enjoy Ree's sense of humor and the home-and-ranch style food she prepares with step-by-step photos. I tried these sandwiches with and without the Miracle Whip. Brandon and I agreed they were better 'with'. Leave the jalapenos off for the kiddos and you have a yummy, hearty weekend breakfast!

Photo: Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman Cooks

-Ree Drummond, PW

Texas toast, toasted on buttered griddle

Miracle Whip

Breakfast sausauge patties

Scrambled eggs

Bottled sliced jalapenos, sauteed/grilled with a little butter

American cheese slices

Sausage Gravy

1 lb. pork sausage
3 Tbsp. flour
2-1/2 to 3 cups milk
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink; drain. Add flour and stir. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened - 2 to 3 minutes. Serve over toast or biscuits.

Egg Rolls / Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce

- Denise Raban/ Sherrie Farnsworth

1 pkg. egg roll wraps
1 lb. ground sausage
1 large head of cabbage, shredded
1 can bean sprouts, drained
1 can water chestnuts, sliced & drained
1 bunch green onions, diced
1 cup grated carrots
Garlic to taste
Soy sauce to taste
Ground beef bouillon to taste

Brown sausage in a large skillet or wok. Add cabbage, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, green onions and carrots. Sprinkle garlic, soy sauce and bouillon over all. Stir and cook until cabbage is wilted and carrots are soft. Put 1 ½ TBSP. egg roll filling in corner of egg roll wrap, fold in side corners, roll and tuck. Seal corners with water. Deep fry until golden brown. Serve with sweet and sour sauce.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Combine and set aside:
½ c. white vinegar
½ tsp. salt
½ cup sugar
4 tsp. cornstarch
2 TBSP. water

Heat 2 TBSP. cooking oil in saucepan. Pour in ¼ c. ketchup, stirring lightly. Add vinegar mixture, stirring until the sauce thickens, boils, and all ingredients come together.

Quick Sausage Supper

This became a family favorite after Sister Coons brought this meal to our family when my mom had knee surgery. If you use Italian seasoned tomatoes, there are only 5 ingredients and you can have it ready to eat in about 30 minutes.

-Mom Pulsipher/ Melanie Coons

1 lb. ground pork sausage (I like to use Italian Sausage)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. flour
1-16-oz can tomatoes, diced, undrained (If using Italian seasoned, omit seasonings below*)
1-4-oz can mushroom pieces and stems, undrained (I use fresh mushrooms plus a couple tablespoons of water when I add the tomatoes)
1 tsp. oregano*
1/2 tsp. basil*
1/4 tsp. garlic powder*
1/8 tsp. pepper*
1 can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (7.5 oz)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Brown sausage and onion (plus mushrooms if using fresh); drain. Sprinkle with flour. Add tomatoes, mushrooms (if using canned), and seasoning; mix well. Heat until hot and bubbly, stirring until slightly thickened. Reduce heat; simmer while preparing dough.

Separate dough; cut each biscuit into four pieces. Pour meat mixture into casserole dish or 11x7 pan. Arrange biscuit pieces over hot meat mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 for 12-16 minutes or until biscuit pieces are golden brown. 5-6 servings