Tag Archives: sausage

Sausage and Pasta with Feta and Tomatoes

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Pasta and Grains, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , , , ,

I took it as an omen that I should try to make a pasta dish with feta cheese and tomatoes when I saw two different clips on YouTube about baked feta and tomatoes in a sauce. My version of the recipe includes spicy sausage. What can I say. My family enjoys meat. Of course this recipe can be made meatless for the enjoyment of my vegetarian friends. Either way my Sausage and Pasta with Feta and Tomatoes came out a winner.

Until hubby came into my life I was never big on feta cheese. It was not a cheese I would automatically pick up at the grocery store having grown up using cheddar, Swiss, Gueryre and mozzarella cheeses. Feta just looked really bland to me so it was easy to bypass for other cheeses. I cannot say I didn’t like the taste of feta cheese because it sometimes was a topping for salads when we dined out. However, with all of the other flavors in the salad my palate must not have been sophisticated enough to distinguish its tangy taste way back when. Hubby introduced me to the delicious flavor of feta while eating at various Italian restaurants while we were dating. Now, I incorporate feta into a variety of recipes to add a level of tang and creaminess to the dish.

I think this Sausage and Pasta with Feta and Tomatoes dish is quite tasty and oh so simple to make. The hardest part of prepping the recipe is browning the sausage and cooking the pasta. The feta cheese and cherry tomatoes bake together in a casserole dish with a few herbs. Once baked the tomatoes and feta are turned into a delicious creamy sauce which is tossed with the sausage and pasta. Talk about quick and easy. I can make this dish within an hour and have it on the table for my hungry crew to gobble down.

If you have pasta lovers in your house, try this recipe. They will love it!

Sausage and Pasta with Feta and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

3 spicy fresh sausages with casing removed

2 pints of cherry tomatoes

1 block of Feta cheese

1 box pasta. [Prepare according to cooking instructions]

1 bag baby leaf spinach

¼ cup olive oil + 1 tbsp

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

½ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp dried basil

1 tsp Sea Salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place cherry tomatoes in a casserole dish and drizzle with ¼ cup of olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Toss until coated with olive oil. Make a well in the middle of the casserole dish and add the block of feta cheese. Place sprigs of thyme and rosemary around the tomatoes. Drizzle a little olive oil over the cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes until cheese is slightly golden brown and the tomatoes are roasted.

While the feta cheese and tomatoes are baking prepare pasta according to the package. Brown the sausage and drain on a paper towel then add to a bowl along with the spinach. Toss the two together and the heat from the sausage will wilt the spinach.

Once the feta cheese and tomatoes are finished baking remove from the oven (leave the oven on) and remove the sprigs of thyme and rosemary. Mash the cheese and tomatoes with a fork then mix the two together. Add sausage and pasta to the casserole dish then gently toss everything together until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Top with a little mozzarella cheese and stick in the oven a few minutes to melt the cheese. Serve with a nice salad.

Pasta with Sweet Italian Sausage in Sauce

Dressing/ Sauce/ Dip, Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Pasta and Grains, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , , , ,

Let me say from the start that even though this recipe is about pasta and sweet Italian sausage this is not necessarily an Italian recipe. It is more of a combination of Italian and Mexican flavors.

Whenever my youngest son asks what’s for dinner and I say pasta he breaks into his happy dance with sound effects. I have said this more than once in my blog… my family loves pasta. Maybe the next time I make pasta I’ll see if I can film the dance and share it on my blog.

Today, I decided I didn’t want to make the usual spaghetti meat sauce using sauce from a jar. Instead, I opted to make my own sauce using canned tomatoes, veggies and sweet Italian sausage. I also wanted to create a few different textures in the sauce so I added white beans which provided both texture and more flavor. Although everything was soft in the sauce, there were different levels of softness if that makes sense. The pasta was al dente. The beans were creamy. The veggies were smooth and the sausage had a nice soft chew. Fortunately, it all worked together and had me doing my own happy dance.

Pasta with Sweet Italian Sausage in Sauce

Ingredients:

2 packages Sweet Italian Sausage links

1 can small white beans drained and rinsed

1 can Mexican stewed tomatoes

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

1 small green pepper diced

1 small red pepper diced

2 cups water

2 tbsp grape seed oil

2 tbsp fresh hot salsa

½ tbsp ground oregano

½ tbsp dried basil

½ tbsp Adobo

1 tsp Kosher salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

Heat grape seed oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add sausages in batches and brown on each side. Slice the browned sausages then set aside. Wipe out the dutch oven if the bottom is too brown. Lower the temperature to medium. Add a little more grape seed oil to the pot then add onions ad peppers along with the seasonings. Stir and cook for approximately 2 – 3 minutes. Add both cans of tomatoes, white beans and tomato paste to the pot and stir until well blended with the onions and peppers. Cook for 3 minutes then add the sausages to the pot. Stir and let simmer for 20 – 25 minutes over medium low heat to allow the sauce to thicken.

While sauce is simmering cook pasta according to the package. Spoon sauce over a bowl of pasta and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

 

 

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Queso Fundido

Appetizers, Dressing/ Sauce/ Dip, Meat/ Poultry, Side Dish, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

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Tortillas are a staple in my kitchen.  Between making chicken burritos, breakfast burritos , tortilla chips and soft tacos as a quick meal I make sure I always have tortillas on hand.  I was searching for a new way to use tortillas when I just happen to come across a delicious looking Mexican dish that included tortillas.  I had never heard of Queso Fundido which means “melted cheese”.  I discovered that Queso Fundido is actually a very popular dish even in the states.

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In most areas Queso Fundido is made as an appetizer but my research showed some folks like to turn it into a sandwich.  Since I was new to making the recipe I thought I had better stick to making it an appetizer.  There were so many different recipes out in the cooking sphere I decided to find a basic recipe then add my own little twist.  The standard ingredients for any Queso Fundido is spicy sausage, tomatoes and cheese.  After that you can add whatever seasonings you like.  Chorizo is the sausage of choice in most recipes because of the level of heat and spice.  If you are not into spicy sausage, you can still make this dish but use a milder Italian sausage.  Nobody will care.  Use whatever makes you happy.  But if you want the Queso Fundido to be authenic, use the chorizo.

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Be prepared for this dish to disappear quickly.  If you have cheese lovers in your house, they will definitely love Queso Fundido.  Serve it up while it is hot and bubbly along with warm tortillas.  Talk about Yummy!

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Queso Fundido

Ingredients:

1 pkg ground chorizo or spicy Italian sausage

6 flour tortillas

1 jalapeno seeded and chopped

1 clove garlic chopped

2 plum tomatoes seeded and chopped

2 cups mozzarella or Mexican cheese

¼ cup diced onion or scallions

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp cilantro chopped

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp ground cumin

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat olive oil in medium sized skillet. Brown chorizo until cooked and slightly crisp. Remove sausage from the pan and drain on paper towels. Add garlic, onions, jalapeno tomatoes and seasonings to the skillet. Stir to mix well. Reduce heat and cook for 3 – 5 minutes until veggies are soft. Add sausage to the mixture and stir to combine.

Spray a pie dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle ½ of the cheese in the bottom of the dish. Layer ½ of the chorizo and vegetable mixture over cheese. Sprinkle a little more cheese over the chorizo mixture then top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until cheese melts and dish is slightly browned and bubbly. Serve with warmed tortillas.

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DMarie’s Jambalaya

Soups/ Salads / Stews, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

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Jambalaya is a combination of sausage, seafood and chicken. At least in my recipe. Although Jambalaya is similar to Gumbo there is a slight difference. Gumbo is considered a thick soup or stew you can serve with rice. Jambalaya on the other hand is really a rice dish. Both are delicious with incredible flavors. I like to make Gumbo strictly with seafood not sausage or chicken. However, my Jambalaya is a little bit of everything.

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Although the mantra of dmariedining.com is Healthy, Quick and Easy, this recipe takes some time to make but you won’t be disappointed at the time well spent. Most folks will want to come back for a second helping and the leftovers will be few.

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Good down home cooking is not easy to get in parts of the northeast. I have been fortunate to discover a couple of restaurants along the east coast that have fantastic southern dishes and occasionally Cajun dishes that truly remind me of the South and Cajun country. Unfortunately, I have to travel too far to enjoy those wonderful dishes on a regular basis. So, I am left to create my own versions of those delectable meals. DMarie’s Jambalaya comes close to what I experienced in Louisiana but even I know nothing will ever beat the real deal.

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Still, I haven’t had any complaints so I must be doing something right. Enjoy!

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DMarie’s Jambalaya

Ingredients:
1 14 oz pkg smoked kielbasa sliced
1 14 oz pkg andouille sausage sliced
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 lb ex-large shrimp peeled and deveined
1 large onion diced
1 large green pepper diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 10 oz can of tomato puree
1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 12 oz bottle “good” beer (Dogfish Head India Pale Ale)

Seasonings:
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp Adobo seasoning
2 tbsp flour
½ tbsp chopped fresh or dried parsley
½ tbsp gumbo file seasoning (if available)
½ tbsp black pepper
½ tbsp basil
½ tbsp thyme
1 tsp old bay seasoning
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Boil chicken thighs in 1 quart of water, ¼ cup of diced onions, 1 stalk diced celery, salt and pepper until cooked all the way through. Remove chicken then drain broth from vegetables. Shred the chicken thighs and set aside. Reserve 1 cup of chicken broth and freeze the rest to use later for soup or another recipe creation.

Brown andouille and kielbasa in 1 tbsp of oil. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Place oil in a large pot and heat over medium heat. Whisk flour into oil and continue stirring until mixture turns to a rich brown color to create a roux. Be careful not to let the roux burn. If necessary, turn down the heat a little to prevent burning. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and beer to the roux. Add seasonings, tomatoes, tomato puree, green pepper and onion. Simmer for 20 minutes then add chicken and sausage. Let simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Add raw shrimp and stir into mixture once they turn pink.

Serve with corn muffins.

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Red Beans and Sausage with Rice

Meat/ Poultry, Soups/ Salads / Stews, , ,

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I promised my friend Girlie Girl that I would come up with a red beans and rice recipe she could make. I try to keep my promises although I have broken a few in my lifetime. Most of the promises were to myself but still I try to keep promises whether to myself or someone else.

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That being said, I did come up with a red beans and sausage recipe I think she and her hubby will enjoy. Like most of my recipes this one is made to tweak however you want. This can be a strictly meatless dish but I thought I would take it to another level by adding both andouille sausage and smoked sausage. Other Louisiana style recipes I have seen also include sausage or some type of ham. Since my family likes spice and lots of heat in my dishes I added the andouille sausage.

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Girlie Girl is from the mid west but I sometimes think she has the heart of a southerner. She enjoys down home cooking and seems adventurous when it comes to trying different foods. Truth be told I think her hubby does most of the cooking but she likes to eat which I appreciate.

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Red beans and sausage with rice is a great dish that becomes a great meal when you add a little corn bread on the side. Next time your family asks you what’s for dinner tell them red beans and sausage. They won’t be disappointed.

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Red Beans with Sausage and Rice

Ingredients:
1 lb andouille sausage sliced
1 lb smoked sausage sliced
1 smoked turkey leg or 2 smoked turkey wings
2 14 oz cans pinto beans undrained
2 14 oz cans pink beans undrained
1 medium onion diced
1 small green pepper diced
2 stalks celery sliced
4 cups chicken broth

Seasonings
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp cilantro
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp Adobo seasoning
1 tsp Cajun seasoning (optional)
1 tbsp salt
1 bay leaf
1 6 oz can tomato paste
4 slices of lemon (seeds removed)
½ jalapeno pepper diced

Place smoked turkey in a pressure cooker and cover with water. Add ½ of a onion sliced. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes to tenderize the turkey. If you are not comfortable using a pressure cooker, cook the smoked turkey in a large pot for 1 to ½ hours until the turkey is tender. Cool the turkey then pull the meat off the bone. Set aside and reserve broth from the turkey to add to the beans.

Add beans, veggies, seasonings, 4 cups of the smoked turkey broth, lemon slices and sausage to a crock pot. Add the turkey meat then stir to combine all of the ingredients. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hrs until the beans are tender and the sausage is cooked. Stir in tomato paste ½ way through cooking.

This dish can also be prepared in a large pot using the same steps as above. Beans and sausage will cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until tender.

Serve with brown or white rice.

 

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Stuffed Peppers with Sausage

Meat/ Poultry, Rice, Vegetables, ,

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If you want a make ahead meal that is relatively quick to assemble, then stuffed peppers is the way to go. This is a one of those entrees that incorporates a meat, veggies and a starch all into the same dish. All you need to do to make it a full meal is add a nice green salad – or not.

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The great thing about stuffed peppers is that you can stuff them with whatever you like. They can be strictly vegetarian, stuffed with meat or seafood depending on your mood when you fix them. This recipe is made with savory sausage and rice. I have also stuffed peppers with crabmeat and shrimp using the same basic recipe but created a different type of sauce.

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One of the tricks to making stuffed peppers is to cover them with foil so that the peppers can steam. Otherwise, you may wind up with a pepper that is not properly cooked through or if cooked too long turns out soggy.

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Like I said in the beginning, you can make the peppers a head of time and either freeze them or let the peppers sit overnight. If you decide to make this dish for company, try using different colored peppers to brighten up your presentation. The meal will be both pleasing to the eye and delicious to the tummy.

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Stuffed Peppers with Sausage

Ingredients:
4 large peppers
1 cup rice (saffron, white or brown)
1 10 oz can tomato sauce
½ lb sweet Italian sausage
½ lb hot Italian sausage
1 small onion chopped
½ cup Mexican cheese
½ cup mozzarella cheese
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil rice in 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt for 20 minutes uncovered. Set aside.

Remove sausage from casing and brown along with onion in a large skillet. Drain off grease and add tomato sauce and seasonings. Cook for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and blend in rice. Stir in Mexican cheese. Fill each pepper with rice mixture then top with mozzarella cheese. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place peppers on a rimmed cookie sheet.  Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let the peppers rest for a few minutes before serving.

Serve with a side salad.

Cabbage and Tomatoes with Sausage

Vegetables, ,

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After a long day at work I do not want to spend a lot of time pulling dinner together. Healthy, quick and easy is my goal during the week. My tomatoes, cabbage and sausage dish accomplishes just that. Plus, there are not many dishes to clean up with this one pot dish. All it takes are a few veggies and your favorite sausage to make this a healthy and hearty meal that everyone will enjoy.
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As with a lot of dishes, cabbage is even better the next day after the seasonings have time to settle in. Make sure to pick a cabbage head that has a few dark green leaves to help brighten up the dish and add rich color. Luckily, cabbage is available year round so I can fix this dish anytime I am low on time to get a healthy meal on the table. I like to use beef kielbasa for this particular recipe but turkey or chicken kielbasa works well if you are not into beef. If you want to spice it up a bit, you can mix in andouille sausage too.
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Even picky eaters like my grandson are drawn to this dish because of the vibrant colors and wonderful smell. If a dish smells good and looks good, you are half way to delicious. Tasting it will take you all the way there.
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So…… What’s for dinner?

 

Cabbage and Tomatoes with Sausage

Ingredients:
2 slices of smoked bacon cut in half
6-8 links of beef kielbasa cut into ½ inch pieces
1 small to medium head of cabbage sliced thinly
1 medium onion peeled and sliced
1 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 14oz can spicy red diced tomatoes
1 ½ cup chicken stock or broth
½ cup water
2 tbsp frying olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp red pepper flakes(optional)
1 tsp Goya Adobo all purpose seasoning
1 bay leaf

Optional:
Turkey or Chicken Kielbasa

Directions:
In a large pot cook bacon over medium heat until bacon fat is rendered. Add onions and stir to coat with bacon fat. Cook onions until they begin to turn soft. Add tomatoes, cabbage, chicken stock, water, bay leaf and seasonings then stir to mix together. Allow cabbage to simmer over medium low heat. Add additional broth if necessary.

While cabbage is simmering add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large frying pan and brown kielbasa. Drain on several paper towels then add to cabbage mixture. Continue cooking until cabbage is done. Approximately 25 minutes.

Serves: 4 – 6