I’m over at Reluctant Entertainer today as a guest and I’m serving up one of my favorite meals to entertain with. Head over for the recipe and to read about how I’ve learned to avoid feeling a little “nutso” before big get-togethers.

Have a great day!!

Ingredients

• 5 Italian sausage links (sweet, hot, or a couple of each) – you can use pork or turkey Italian sausage
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into 2 to 3 inch long strips
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into 2 to 3 inch long strips
• 1/2 bell pepper of another color (yellow or orange or purple), sliced into strips 2-3 inches long – I used yellow
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced into slivers
• 1/2 large sweet or yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons
• 1 small (15 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp of dried basil
• 1/2 cup Marsala or red wine (optional) – I used Marsala wine
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) - You can use up to 1/2 teaspoon based on taste and the type of sausage used.  I used 1/4 tsp.
• Salt to taste
• Toasted French Bread, sliced to fit sausage

Preparation

1 Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet with a lid.  When the oil is hot, add the sausages and brown them slowly.  You want to brown them gently.  Cook for several minutes, turning them occasionally so they brown on all sides. When the sausages are browned, remove from the pan and set aside.

2 Increase the heat to medium-high and add the onions and peppers. Toss them in the pan and coat them with the oil that was left from the sausages.  Sear the peppers and onions, stirring occasionally.  You want some blackening of the vegetables.  Once the onions and peppers soften, sprinkle some salt on them.  When the onions and peppers have been seared and slightly blackened, reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Be careful not to burn the garlic.

3 Add the Marsala or red wine (if using) and scrape the bottom of the pan to release all the browned and blackened bits. Let the wine cook down by half.

4 Add the can of crushed tomatoes, basil and red pepper flakes (if using).  Stir well to combine.  Add the sausages back into the skillet.  Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low.  Cover and simmer until the peppers are soft and the sausages are cooked through, about 15 – 20 minutes.

5 Fill a toasted french bread piece or hoagie roll with a sausage along with some peppers, onions and sauce.  Sprinkle with some parmesan cheese if desired.

Great as leftovers (if there are any!)    Enjoy!

Mom’s Cooking Club Lesson:  Adding the Marsala or red wine to the dish is optional but I highly recommend it.  The wine gave so much flavor to the sauce mixture and took it to another level which made these sausage, peppers and onions something extra special

So, our nephew Ryan has been staying with us while his new apartment is getting ready for him.  You may have heard me mention Ryan before, he was the mastermind behind this delicious Tropical Fruit Salsa we served over grilled salmon last summer.  What’s fun about Ryan staying with us is that he likes to cook so it definitely adds to the creativity going on in the kitchen.

This meal was a collaborative effort between us.  I told him what I had on hand and wanted to use up…he sparked the idea of using a bruschetta topping and broiling the patties with cheese and serving open faced on an English muffin.  The result was amazing and enjoyed by the adults in the home.  And although I’ve cut down on eating meat considerably over the last few months, I couldn’t resist taking a bite of this one.  What struck out the most was the juiciness of the burger, adding sauteed vegetables to the meat will do that.  And the freshness of the basil in the patties definitely made your taste buds jump up and down as well.  This one is a keeper.  Thanks Ryan for the inspiration!

Ryan’s Bruschetta Patty Melts

(printable recipe)

1 lb ground pork
1/2 green pepper, minced
1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 mushrooms, minced
small handful of basil, chopped finely
1 egg
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
couple of splashes of wine
salt and pepper

Topping:
Bruschetta
Cheese (we used shredded mozzarella and Parmesan shavings)

English Muffins, toasted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Saute pepper, mushrooms, onions and garlic and let cool. Combine basil, egg, Parmesan cheese and wine in a bowl. Add cooked vegetables and ground pork to bowl and gently combine. Form into patties. Place on broiler pan and cook for about 15 minutes.

Take cooked patties out of oven and top each one with a spoonful of bruschetta, Parmesan and cheese. Turn broiler on and place burgers back into oven. Cook until cheese is completely melted and slightly browned. Serve open-faced style on toasted English Muffin.

Pulled pork is such a crowd pleaser and by adding these chipotle spiced onions you are really taking it to another level.  You can easily prepare a meal like this for plenty of people, or a smaller family dinner…just freeze your leftover shredded pork in freezer bags for future meals.  The tender meat works really well in quesadillas or tacos.

#4 Bbq Pulled Pork and Chipotle Onion Sandwiches

Bbq Pulled Pork and Chipotle Onion Sandwiches
Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen

(Printable Recipe)

1 Boston butt or pork shoulder roast (4-6lbs, depending on the size of your slow cooker)
1 large onion, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 whole, crushed garlic cloves
1 cup water
your favorite Barbeque sauce

1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1-2 tablespoons of oil
2 teaspoons of chipotle chili powder
couple – few dashes of Tabasco Chipotle hot sauce

Place pork roast in the slow cooker; add water, sliced onion, salt and pepper and garlic cloves. Cover and cook on low for about 9 to 11 hours, or until very tender. Drain all juices off, discard any fat and bone. Shred or chop pork. Continue cooking on high for about 1 hour.

Prepare onion topping by adding 1-2 tablespoons of oil in non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add onions to pan, salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until soft. Add 2 teaspoons of chipotle chili powder and a couple of dashes of Tabasco Chipotle sauce to onions. Combine and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. If onions are sticking to bottom of pan, deglaze by adding a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to pan.

Serve shredded pork on potato rolls with your favorite barbeque sauce, top with caramelized chipotle onions.

Hope everyone is enjoying their holidays…we have been busy spending time with family and friends the last couple of weeks so my blogging time has been quite limited.

But don’t think for a second that I have been too busy for the kitchen…

I will be posting recipes to all these yummies soon, but since you’ve probably had your fill of sweets and such this past week, I wanted to do something fun and different here at Aggie’s Kitchen.  Over the next five days I will be posting my favorite recipes of 2009.  These are recipes that were cooked and loved over the past year and with the help of my husband I was able to narrow it down to our top 5 favorites.

Check in each day and enjoy the countdown! 

One of our favorite breakfasts ever…if you like your food with a kick this is a must try for you!

#5 Chorizo and Eggs

Last week at the gym, a friend of mine came over and asked if I had a lasagna recipe to share.  I thought about it and realized that though I’ve made lasagna plenty of times, I’ve never actually written down a recipe.  I went home that afternoon and decided I wanted to make lasagna.  I normally make it with seasoned ground beef but I just love how crumbled sausage tastes in almost any pasta dish.  I had most of the ingredients in the pantry and fridge, but did run to the store for some ricotta and sausage.

There’s something about pouring yourself a glass of red wine and spending some time in the kitchen making a classic home cooked meal like this.  It’s just comforting to me.  I ended up baking the lasagna for a teacher at my son’s preschool who is recovering from surgery.  Using some leftover noodles and filling, I did make a few lasagna rollups that the kid’s ended up eating for their dinner.  Rollups are quicker and easier to make than lasagna and is a great way to use up any leftover noodles and filling.  To make a rollup, lay the noodle flat, spread about 2 TB cheese filling over noodle, top with small amount of meat and sauce.  Roll up from one end to the other, loosely.  Bake in additional tomato sauce and topped with mozzarella until bubbly.

Sausage and Spinach Lasagna
Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen

(Printable Recipe)

1 box of Barilla lasagna noodles (or your favorite brand)
1 lb Italian Sausage or Turkey Italian Sausage, removed from casings, cooked and crumbled
Semi-Quick Tomato Sauce (see recipe below, best to make ahead) or 2 jars of your favorite sauce
2 cups whole milk ricotta
12 oz box of frozen chopped (or leaf) spinach, defrosted and drained very well
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 TB dried parsley flakes
2 good pinches of salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste
2-3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (it’s best to buy a block and shred yourself)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare noodles as directed on package or take this shortcut: Spread uncooked noodles in large pan (I used an aluminum roasting pan). Bring water to a boil, using a large tea kettle if you have it. Pour hot water over noodles, making sure there is plenty to cover all the noodles.  Add a little olive oil to water to help prevent sticking. Let them soak while you are preparing the filling.  Drain well when ready to use.

In a large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt and pepper. Spray 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread about 3/4 cup of sauce over bottom of baking dish. Place 4-5 noodles over the bottom, slightly overlapping each other. Spread half of the cheese and spinach mixture over the bottom layer of noodles. Then spread half of the cooked crumbled sausage over the cheese mixture. Top layer with about a cup of sauce. Repeat next layer the same. Top last layer with noodles and remaining tomato sauce (about 2 cups), if you made the sauce using my recipe you will have sauce leftover. You can freeze any unused sauce for future use.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Take aluminum foil off lasagna and spread shredded mozzarella over top layer. Cook uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned and sauce is bubbly

Let pasta stand for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with grated Parmesan, red pepper flakes and garlic bread.

Semi-Quick Tomato Sauce
Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen

(Printable Recipe)

2 TB olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 large can of tomato sauce
2 tsp oregano flakes
1 tsp parsley flakes
pinches of salt, pepper and sugar (sugar is optional)

In large saucepan, heat olive oil and add minced onion and a small pinch of salt. Saute over medium heat until onions are softened. Add both cans of tomatoes to pot. Add a small amount of water to each can and swirl to grab any leftover sauce and add to pot. Bring sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Add oregano, parsley, salt, pepper and sugar. Sugar is optional, depending on taste.

Continue to simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Taste for any additional salt and pepper.

GO GATOR S!!

Bring home another SEC Championship!

Chomp…Chomp…

Penne with Sausage, Spinach and Tomatoes
Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen

Serves 3-4

1/2 lb whole wheat penne pasta
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 links Italian Turkey Sausage, casings removed
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 small can of Italian diced tomatoes
1/2 bag of fresh spinach
Parmesan cheese, for serving
Red pepper flakes, for serving

Bring pot of salted water to a boil to cook pasta. Cook pasta according to directions on box, slightly under cook because you will be adding pasta to sauce while still on heat.

In a large saute pan, drizzle a couple of teaspoons of olive oil and start to cook onion and garlic. Once onions start to soften, add sausage and begin to crumble and cook in pan. Cook sausage completely, approximately 8-10 minutes. Add cans of crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes to pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook together for about 5-8 minutes so sauce flavors combine. Add fresh spinach leaves to sauce and combine. Add cooked pasta to sauce and toss.

Serve with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

(for a printable version of this recipe click here)

I don’t feel like I’ve been doing a whole lot of cooking lately. This past week has been a whirlwind…started the week recovering from vertigo and an inner ear infection, on Tuesday my daughter woke up with a fever and virus and on Thursday my son was scheduled to have his adenoids removed. Thankfully his surgery went well and he is recovering fine, but I am beat. I am physically and emotionally drained.

I did plan one good meal last week, these stuffed peppers. They are a favorite around here, and very healthy and satisfying. We usually just eat the peppers by themselves, but if you want to round out the meal serve them with a side of ziti and leftover sauce from the peppers.

Stuffed Peppers
Recipe by Aggie

1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 can chicken broth
6 medium green (or red) peppers – all around the same size so they cook evenly
1.25 (or so) lbs lean Ground Turkey, Beef, or Pork
1 lg onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 container Baby Bella mushrooms (or regular mushrooms), rough chop
2 regular cans of Diced Italian SeasonedTomatoes
1 large can of Tomato Sauce
lg pinch of dried Basil (small palmfull)
lg pinch of dried Oregano (small palmfull)
lg pinch of dried Thyme (small palmfull)
Salt and Pepper
Grated Parmesean Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Cook rice – bring can of chicken broth to boil, add 1 cup rice, bring back to boil then turn temp all the way down to let simmer, cover tightly with lid and leave alone for about 30 minutes. Don’t take the lid off during cook time.

2. Prepare the peppers – cut the tops of peppers off so there is a hole, remove ribs and seed on the inside, wash them.
In deep baking dish, line them up. Sprinkle salt and pepper inside peppers before filling them.

3. For filling – saute chopped onion, garlic in some olive oil in large skillet. Season w/ salt and pepper. When soft, add ground turkey. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, basil and oregano while cooking. When turkey is almost done cooking, add chopped mushrooms and cook everything through. Add 2 cans of diced tomatoes and cook through. When rice is done, add rice to skillet and mix everything together. Spoon filling into each pepper. Top with grated parmesean cheese.

4. To bake -Pour large can of tomato sauce all over peppers. Add water to leftover sauce in can (about 1/4 of the can), swirl around to get all the sauce then add to the bottom of the baking dish. Wrap tightly with foil or lid. Bake for about an hour, until peppers are soft. Take off foil, add mozzarella, bake another 20 minutes to finish off and melt cheese.