Fall Pasta with Pumpkin, Sausage, and Sage

(If you don't eat pork, which we rarely do, I use chicken sausage and and add extra sage)




It's a Rachael Ray recipe, but this is a great place to get the perfect instructions...



http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2009/09/fall-pasta-with-pumpking-sausage-and.html

 
[from Raegan]

Breakfast Casserole

Here is another Breakfast Casserole meal:




2 1/2 cups frozen hashbrowns (drain on paper towel)

2 cups shredded cheese

2 cups sausage, bacon, or ham, chopped

1 can cream of mushroom soup

4 eggs (beaten)

3/4 tsp dry mustard

2 1/2 cups milk



Place hashbrowns in the bottom of a 9x12 baking dish. Top with cheese. Combine soup, eggs, mustard, and milk. Pour over top. Bake at 350 for one hour.

[from Valerie]

Chard Soup Bliss

This soup is served at the Olive Garden. It is very good. It is my husband's most favorite soup ever.



1 lb ground sausage, cooked *We used country sausage for the sausage and Nate loved it. You could also do Italian.

1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper *I didn't use any red pepper because I don't like spicey foods

1 large Onion, diced

4 Tbs bacon, chopped

2 Tbs garlic puree

10 cups water

5 chicken bouillon cubes

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb potato peeled and diced (3 large potatoes)

2 cups chard or kale



1. Sauté sausage and crushed red pepper (if using). Drain. Refrigerate while prepping the rest.



2. Saute onions, bacon, and garlic over low-med heat for about 15 minutes or until onions are soft.



3. Add bouillon cubes and water. Heat until it starts to boil.



4. Add potatoes. Cook until soft (about 30 minutes).



5. Add heavy cream. Cook until heated thourouly.



6. Stir in sausage and chard/kale. Heat through.
 
[from Valerie]

Scrambled Egg Muffins

tomorrow is scrambled egg muffins, croissants & fruit:


cooked sausage, 1 egg per muffin tin, chopped onion, green pepper, salt & pepper, garlic powder, shredded cheddar.


beat eggs & add onion, green pepper, salt & pepper, and garlic powder. stin in cooked sausage & cheese. spoon by 1/3 cupfuls into greased muffin cups. bake 350 for 20-25 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

[from Molly]

Cabbage Soup

Cabbage Soup (again EASY!)



1. Brown diced smoked sausage (I add onion)


2. Add water (about 1/2 pot for full servings)


3. Add carrots (let cook 5-10 min)


4. Add potatoes (let cook 5-10 min)


5. Add cabbage and salt and pepper (cook until wilted)


Be warned Val, the soup tastes GREAT, but the house will have the aroma of cabbage. DH closes all the door to the bedrooms when I make this, so we won't be smelling cabbage as we sleep! btw, I don't actually had a 1/2 pot of water (that's my mom's recipe). I add maybe 1/3 pot water and then add more towards the end if needed (rarely). The less water, the more the sausage taste soaks into the veggies (and therefore less salt needed) which is the way I like it.

[from Improvingmama]

Sausage and Mushroom Polenta "Lasagna" (Master Recipe)

Made this last night...YUM!
Sausage and Mushroom Polenta "Lasagna" (Master Recipe)

•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling

•2 tablespoons unsalted butter

•1/2 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (I used chicken sausage)

•1 portobello mushroom , stem removed

•1 small yellow onion , chopped

•4 large cloves garlic , chopped

•2 sprigs fresh rosemary , leaves stripped and finely chopped

•1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

•Salt

•finely ground black pepper

•1/2 cup chicken stock or broth

•Zest and juice of 1 lemon

•2 cups ricotta cheese

•1 egg

•1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

•1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

•1 tube (24 ounces) prepared polenta , plain or flavored, cut into 21 disks about 1/4-inch thick

•1 cup shredded mozzarella



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450°.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the 2 tablespoons of EVOO (twice around the pan) and the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the sausage, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon. While the sausage is starting to brown, cut the portobello mushroom in half and then thinly slice and add to the sausage. Chop and add to the pan as you go the onions, garlic and rosemary. Season the sausage and mushrooms with the red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Once everything is in the pan, the sausage is lightly browned, and the mushrooms and onions have wilted, add the chicken stock and lemon juice. Continue to cook over high heat until the liquids have evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes.

While the sausage and mushrooms are cooking down in the liquid, in a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with the egg, lemon zest, Parmigiano, and the breadcrumbs.

Brush an 8-inch spring form pan or an 8" x 8" baking dish with a little EVOO and place 7 disks of the polenta on the bottom of the dish. If they overlap a little that's fine; it will vary depending on what kind of dish you are using. Divide the sausage and mushroom mixture into 3 even portions. Do the same with ricotta mixture.

Using the back of a spoon, spread one third of the ricotta mixture on top of the polenta. Don't make yourself crazy doing this—just mush it out over the polenta. Top the ricotta with a third of the sausage and mushrooms. Repeat the layers two more times, starting with the polenta and finishing with a sausage and mushroom layer. Sprinkle the top with the mozzarella. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, transfer to the oven, and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. To make sure it is cooked through, insert a knife into the center of the dish, wait a few seconds, and then remove it. Touch the knife with your fingertips and if it is hot, the lasagna is done. Remove from the spring form (or cut loose from the baking dish) and serve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raegan, that sounds very yummy! I have never seen prepared polenta in a tube. What part of the grocery is that in?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I always find it in produce. At Wal-Mart it's where all the stuff like Tofurkey is. :) It's refrigerated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[from Raegan]

Gemelli with Sweet Sausage and Spinach

Gemelli with Sweet Sausage and Spinach


Michelle (MMmom)

Serves: 4

• 3/4 pound gemelli, penne, or rotini
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach (used 2 c frozen, thawed first)
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (I tossed in a few more)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the gemelli until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook over med. high heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and crushed red pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with the back of a spoon, until no trace of pink remains. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook just until softened.

Add the gemelli and Parmesan cheese to the pan. Add reserved cooking water as needed. Cook over moderate heat, lightly crushing the tomatoes, until heated through. Season with salt and serve. Add additional Parmesan cheese to each serving if desired.

**I added a diced red pepper before the spinach (would've added yellow and orange, but got distracted and had no time to chop the rest up!)

I also served it with penne because it's what I had. DH ate it with spaghetti because he refuses other kinds of paste :)

[from Improvingmama]

Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

1 beef smoked sausage (sliced)

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans red beans, drained

fresh chopped parsley (I use two small handfuls)

2-3 Tbsp worchestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. thyme

salt and pepper to taste

4 cups cooked rice (we've used brown, white, and Jasmine and they are all good with this recipe!)


Saute sausage, onions, and garlic until onions are soft. Drain grease if needed. Add seasonings, beans, and one can of water. Simmer for 20 - 30 minutes adding more water if necessary. Serve over rice.

[from Kristi]

Cabbage Soup

INGREDIENTS


Smoked Sausage (sliced)

Water

Baby Carrots

Potato (diced)

Cabbage (sliced)

Salt and Pepper



DIRECTIONS
1. Cook smoked sausage

2. Add water (about 1/2 pot for full servings)

3. Add carrots (let cook 5-10 min)

4. Add potatoes (let cook 5-10 min)

5. Add cabbage and salt and pepper

[from improvingmama]

Sausage and Cabbage

One of our favorite recipes here is sausage and cabbage. It's the most simple thing.
One smoked beef kielbasa cut up into bite sized pieces. Throw it into a big pot and let it cook and render it's juices and flavor.... cut up one head of cabbage and throw it into the pot and mix it up together so the cabbage has the juices of the cabbage on it cover the pot and let it cook. When the cabbage is as done as you like, enjoy! Some days I add salt and pepper depending on what brand of sausage I buy. But I usually let the meat do all the work for me.

Now I like it this served over rice or barley, but hubby likes (well, I mean loves) it plain. Or you can add potatoes and steam them with the cabbage/meat. But if you add potatoes (which is good) you'll definitely want to spice it up yourself... I use plain salt/pepper/garlic powder.



Easy-peasy.

[from Charisa]