Chicken sausage with pesto pasta

This is a recipe I found on RealSimple.  It's a great fast weeknight dinner - I love the efficiency of boiling the pasta and the vegetables together in one pot.  Although the original recipe calls for only 8 oz. of sausage, I use an entire 12 oz. package of Aidell's and the ratio of sausage to other ingredients is just fine.

I wanted more pesto flavor, so I amped up the amount from 1/3 to 1/2 cup.  Your mileage may vary here, especially depending on what pesto you use.  If the sauce is lumpy or not coating the pasta properly, thin it out with some water, preferably reserved cooking water from boiling the pasta (since this contains gluten). My preferred brand is the Cucina & Amore "Pesto alla Genovese".

Also, remember that Parmesan cheese can be quite salty - don't add extra salt to your sauce until after the cheese goes in!


Chicken sausage with pesto pasta
serves 6

Brown in olive oil for about 6 minutes:
one 12 oz. package of Italian chicken sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

Boil for 9 minutes:
3/4 pound medium shells pasta

For the last 7 minutes, add to boiling pasta:
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

For the last 3 minutes, add:
1 cup frozen peas

Drain pasta and veggies. Return to the pot.

Toss with:
1/2 cup pesto (adjust to taste)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
salt to taste
if needed: add water to loosen the sauce

Once the seasoning level for the pasta and veggies is right, add in the browned sausage rounds.

Cornbread stuffing with sausage, apples, and bourbon

I don't have an Old Family Recipe for Thanksgiving stuffing, so one of my friends sent me theirs.  It sounded delicious, but involved making turkey stock and cornbread from scratch, and most of the quantities for spices were after-the-fact guesswork.  So I went hunting on the Food Network for a kissing cousin and found this recipe from the Neelys, who are Southern and therefore know a thing or two about cornbread.

Most of the flavor from this dish comes from the Italian sausage, so it pays to get a really good brand that packs a big punch.  (I used a spicy Italian turkey sausage.)  Also, stick to Granny Smith apples, since they don't fall apart during cooking.  Chop the apples on the medium to large side to provide texture in the finished dish.  (This is especially important if, like me, you're leaving out the nuts.)  As for the cornbread, you can either make it yourself, cube it, and dry it out, or buy pre-made cornbread stuffing from the grocery store.  I went with the pre-made stuff and it came out great.

Cornbread stuffing with sausage, apples, and bourbon
serves 6

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take the casings off 1 lb. of Italian sausage.  Break it down into smaller pieces, similar to hamburger, and brown until cooked through (5-7 min.) in a large skillet.

Add and saute until softened:
1 medium white onion, diced fine
2 stalks of celery, chopped

Add and saute for 2 minutes:
1 Granny Smith apple, diced medium
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
1 tsp. minced fresh sage

Add and simmer for 2-4 minutes until alcohol flavor is gone:
1/2 c. bourbon

In a large bowl, combine:
1.25 lb. cubed and dried cornbread
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
2 c. low-sodium chicken stock (or other stock of your choice)
2 eggs, beaten
optional: 1/2 c. chopped pecans or other nuts

Add the sauteed sausage and vegetable mixture to the bowl. Stir together until totally mixed. Pour into a large oven-safe casserole dish and bake uncovered at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

Gumbo can have almost any protein in it, but this is my favorite combination.

Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

serves 4-6

Brown in a skillet on medium heat, then drain and reserve:

1 lb. smoked sausage, in 1/4" slices

Combine in a Dutch oven:

1/4 c. oil (neutrally flavored like canola or peanut)

1/4 c. flour

Stir roux continually over medium heat about 10-15 minutes until it browns; the traditional shade is the color of a copper penny.  Once the color starts to turn, it goes fast.  Be careful: roux is also known as "Cajun napalm", and it can spatter!

Add and simmer on medium low, stirring occasionally, about half an hour:

2 c. chicken broth

1 medium green pepper, diced

1 medium white or yellow onion, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 bag frozen sliced okra, thawed

1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried parsley

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Tabasco to taste

the reserved sausage

At the end, add 1 lb. small raw shrimp, peeled.  Serve in bowls over scoops of cooked long grain rice.

Recommended product:

Sausage can vary wildly in its fat content, so pay attention to the labels at the store.  The traditional choice is andouille, a Cajun spicy pork sausage.  I use my slightly healthier stand-by, Jennie-O hot Italian turkey sausage.

 

Sausage & Spinach Pene

This recipe comes courtesy of Cook's Illustrated and is one of their skillet recipes.  It's a great 30-minute weeknight meal that takes only two pans (and just one if you brown the sausage first, then boil the pasta), but is a complete dinner including protein, vegetables, and starch.

Sausage & Spinach Pene
serves 6

Create sausage

Combine all dry spices in large bowl:

2 tbsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. fennel seeds

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

Stir in:

1 tsp. sambal oelek

Mix in by hand and form small balls:

1 lb. ground pork (80/20)

Cook pasta and sausage

Bring to a boil in a saute pan:

2 tsp BTB chicken bouillon

5 1/2 cups water

Add and boil, uncovered, for 13 minutes:
8 oz. pene pasta

1/2 tsp. salt

While the pasta cooks, cook sausage balls completely in a frying pan. 

Add to saute pan with cooked pasta:

1 lb. sausage, browned

1/2 lb. fresh spinach

2 roma tomatoes, diced

Cover for about 2 minutes to wilt spinach.