While so much is so awful, it’s important to celebrate the good things as best we can. So, this Tuesday, to take a moment to enjoy our anniversary, my sweetie and I poured some good wine and I made a very simple, not very classy pizza supreme dip.
Supreme pizza dip ingredients.
We listened to music while it came together in minutes on the stove top, and then while I tried not to over-broil the cheese on top. We enjoyed it with bagel chips, because then you can have pizza anytime.
Chances are good that if this were a normal year, we would have done something similarly simple. However, I think in these circumstances, and after the year we’ve had, it took on an extra significance of enjoying those things we can.
Pizza dip and zinfandel might not be everyone’s ideal anniversary dinner, but it suited us, and it’s part of why we suit each other.
Here’s to our 8 happy years, even in tough times, and here’s hoping for many more.
8 to 10 oz. bulk Italian sausage (I used fake sausage crumbles that came in a 10 oz. bag)
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can pizza sauce
1 c. pepperoni pieces, chopped or sliced
1 small can sliced black olives
1 c. Italian cheese mix, shredded
Bagel chips or baguette-style bread slices, for serving
Directions
Preheat broiler.
In a seasoned or greased 9-inch cast iron skillet, cook the sausage, onion, and green pepper, until sausage is browned. (Since I used fake sausage, I didn’t need to worry about breaking up the meat as it cooked nor draining the fat, but if you use real sausage, you may need to do those things.)
Stir in the pepperoni, pizza sauce, and olives. Continue to cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbly and warm, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.
Broil the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes about 3 to 4 inches from the broiler, or until the cheese just starts to brown (and looks like a lovely supreme pizza). Let cool very slightly, and enjoy with bagel chips and/or bread!
I’m very much a traditionalist when it comes to Thanksgiving. By that I mean, I’d prefer to have the classic sides I grew up with and/or adopted years ago rather than getting overly experimental the one time of year I make most of these dishes.
The one year I tried alternative takes, I was disappointed for an entire year that I didn’t just make my favorites and enjoy them. I’m sure cornbread stuffing is fine, and in fact, when I made it at not-Thanksgiving, it was quite good. But when I made it in place of my usual bread and sausage stuffing, it was just wrong.
Since declaring myself a traditionalist, I have been in control in the kitchen and gotten accustomed to my meals and have everything timed just right.
That is, until this year. We have for the first time in years planned to spend time with my family out of state, and I won’t be making my full array. I may still try to sneak in one side or dessert.
But because of that, it’s giving me a chance to experiment with things that I most definitely would not be making at Thanksgiving. So, digging into Food & Wine’s Thanksgiving edition, I was excited to find things that I could now try without ruining my own traditional dishes.
Of course, what stuck out most was the thing that looked like it was basically my sausage stuffing stuffed into artichokes.
Sausage stuffed artichokes ingredients.
It was not a meal to make mid-week and not one to make on the night of the most recent Democratic debate but between volunteering for my preferred caucus candidate, taking care of aging cats, and work and life in general, it was the only time I had.
The stuffing, however, was much more like a meatball, even with my addition of way more bread material than called for. But if you’re like me and can eat an entire artichoke on your own, it at least had artichoke-sized servings.
The additions of potatoes, while tasty, are not necessary considering the amount the artichokes make but if you are an experimenter at Thanksgiving, it’s a great way to make two sides at once.
For me, it won’t replace my usual stuffing recipe any time soon, but it was quite delightful and I’m glad I made it.
Not only tasty but it looks pretty good if you’re looking for a fancy side dish.
If you’re more experimental or just want to save it for later, here’s what I did, making some slight alterations to the original:
Ingredients
4 large fresh artichokes
1 lb. fresh pork sausage (recipe recommends bratwurst with casings removed, but as I’ve mentioned, I love Beeler’s breakfast sausage for any sausage needs; it’s perfect)
1 c. ¼ in.-cubed baguette
1 c. panko, or other dried bread crumbs
1 c. Chardonnay, divided
¼ c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 T. garlic paste
2 large egg yolks
1 T. Dijon mustard, plus more for serving, if desired
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 ½ lb. small gold potatoes (optional)
Melted butter, for serving (optional)
Directions
Bring a large pot (or pots, in my case, and definitely not my too-short-for-stemmed-artichokes Dutch oven) of water to a boil over high heat on the stove top. Add salt, if desired, and add the artichokes. Place a heatproof dish on top of the artichokes to keep them submerged, and boil on high for about 15 minutes until a paring knife can easily be inserted halfway through the stems. Remove the artichokes from the water and let drain in a strainer, stem sides up, until they’re cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the sausage, bread cubes, panko, ¼ c. of wine, parsley, garlic, egg yolks, Dijon mustard, and pepper. Use your hands to combine until roughly meatball texture.
When artichokes are cool enough to handle, remove the stems and loosen the leaves at the center of the artichokes. (While it’s good to be careful, I found the artichokes to be fairly pliable so it was easiest to push out the tougher pieces to be sure to remove the prickly center chokes. A spoon helped but fingers still worked best, even if it was painful.) Stuff the sausage mixture evenly into each cleaned artichoke center.
Place the artichokes, stem sides down, in a large Dutch oven. Arrange the potatoes, if using, around the artichokes. Add water to a depth of about 1 inch (I didn’t measure, just guessed, and reused the water from the initial boiling.), and then add the remaining ¾ c. of wine to the Dutch oven. Over medium-high heat, bring the liquid to a simmer. Once boiling, cover the Dutch oven and place in the preheated oven.
Bake for about 55 minutes, or until the artichokes and potatoes are tender and the sausage cooked through. Remove from heat and let stand about 10 minutes, and then enjoy with additional mustard and butter, as desired.
Programming note: I’ll post my next pseudo-Thanksgiving dish on Wednesday, ahead of the holiday, and it’ll be a dessert that can be made any time over the holiday, or likewise saved for later.
I love barley, so much so that it is a totally fall ingredient that I have definitely eaten during the summer. In the words of Icona Pop, I don’t care, I love it.
Now that it’s officially barley season, though, I was so excited to find a new, fun way to use it. In an Italian casserole, no less.
Italian barley casserole ingredients.
The recipe my sweetie found online randomly from Better Homes & Gardens had all the right ingredients, but the amounts seemed way off, and it included mushrooms, ick. So, I took the ingredient list, sans “fresh button mushrooms,” and ran with my own amounts.
The recipe also called for dividing it into cute, tiny casserole dishes, and even if it weren’t for my Dutch oven theme, I can’t imagine dividing this into single-serve sizes. This is a casserole, dammit. It needs to be big, right?
I want to say I really thought about the proportions, but I really just threw in amounts that made the most sense (who uses a quarter of a package of sausage?!) and hoped for the best. It turned out pretty damn good, because it turns out it’s usually pretty hard to screw up a casserole. Even better, it made a lot more than the four single-serve dishes. A lot being like six servings.
I should note, however, that barley does take a long time to cook, so I recommend preparing in advance or making this dish on a weekend when you have more time.
Alas, it’s all gone now. So much cheese and sausage goodness.
Here’s what I did:
Ingredients
1 c. dry barley, cooked to package instructions (best prepared in advance)
Nonstick cooking spray
16 oz. Italian sausage, or other sausage (I love Beeler’s breakfast sausage so much that that’s what I used)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced (I used the jar stuff, sorry)
2 c. tomato sauce (I actually used actual pasta sauce, and went for arrabbiata)
2 c. mozzarella, shredded, divided
½ c. Parmesan, shredded
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 (12 oz.) jar roasted sweet red peppers, chopped
½ c. pitted green olives, chopped
Fresh basil, to taste
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, on the stove top, coat a large Dutch oven and heat over medium. Brown the sausage, stirring occasionally. Just before the sausage is cooked through, add the onions and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes, and continuing to stir. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Remove from heat. Add in the cooked barley, pasta sauce, half the mozzarella, the Parmesan, the roasted red peppers, olives, tomatoes, and basil to taste.
Cover the mixture and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, take off cover, add the remaining mozzarella, and then continue to bake uncovered for about 10 minutes more until the cheese is melted. Add extra basil to the top before serving, if desired, and enjoy!
When I made this week’s recipe, I was mad at myself for not making it sooner and not making it more often throughout my life. Seriously, what have I been doing missing out on the best, easiest brunch dish ever?!
Strata is the ultimate impress-company-without-doing-much-work meal, and I didn’t think to make it regularly so that I could have breakfast, brunch, and/or lunch for almost a week. I’ve been a fool.
Strata ingredients.
I’ve learned my lesson now, though.
Recipes abound for how to make this but there’s no real universal dish or way to make it, so I did it my way, and therefore I loved it. But this is one of those recipes where you can substitute pretty much anything.
For my tastes, I wanted sausage, pepper, and onion. I also wanted the, well, sour taste of sourdough bread instead of the plainer french bread. But your mileage may vary and that’s fine.
Prefer bacon? Do it. Hate onions? Skip ‘em, or replace with another veggie.
Oh, and it can all be made in one pot.
It’s truly an amazing dish and so universal. I’ll definitely be making it again soon.
*nom nom noms*
Here’s what I did:
Ingredients
1 lb. breakfast sausage
1 T. oil, depending on how fatty your sausage is
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 sourdough boule, roughly torn into pieces
2 c. cheese, plus more for topping (I used Cabot’s Mac & Cheese that’s a mix of Parmesan, Swiss, and cheddar, but whatever works)
12 eggs
3 c. milk
1 ½ t. dried oregano
1 ½ t. dried (or fresh) basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
The night before you plan to cook the strata, thoroughly cook the sausage (using oil if necessary) in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, adding onions and peppers part-way through so that they are softened.
Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.
Meanwhile, mix together the eggs, milk, herbs and spices, and cheese. Place the torn bread pieces in the Dutch oven with the sausage mix, and stir to combine. Pour the egg mixture over the sausage mixture. It’s OK if it’s a little soupy, as the bread will absorb it over time.
Cover and refrigerate the mixture overnight.
In the morning, heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the Dutch oven, still covered, in the oven and bake the mixture for 45 minutes to an hour until the the eggs are cooked through, adding another half cup or so of cheese to the top about 15 minutes before the dish is complete.
This week I was craving more sheet pan pasta since I’ve loved both of the dishes I’ve made this year. I started Googling, and soon noticed that — unsurprisingly — most of the recipes were not too different from what I’d already made.
Then, I happened on a sheet pan lasagna. I would have been pretty skeptical that the famous, familiar casserole dish would work on a sheet pan, but it came from the Food Network, and I figured they couldn’t be all wrong.
Sheet pan lasagna ingredients (minus extra herbs and spices for the sauce).
I stuck fairly close to the original recipe, except I’m particular about my sausage and lazy about removing it from its casing. So, instead of de-cased Italian sausage, I bought Beeler’s ground hot sausage (a family favorite), and altered my tomato sauce to include onion powder and oregano.
It went over so well with friends that we had few leftovers, and I loved it so much, that I have already bought the ingredients to make the recipe again, only this time using my very favorite vegetarian lasagna recipe.
The recipe calls it “all-crusts” lasagna, which is fair, but I just think of it as the bits of traditional lasagna that are a little crunchier, and therefore the best.
Also, even better, it uses the same amounts as the regular casserole version so you’re not feeding fewer people (or having less leftovers), you’re just making a different kind of tasty lasagna.
So good I’m already making it again this weekend. *drool*
Here’s what I did (BUT feel free to adapt to your regular recipe as I plan to do this weekend):
Ingredients
16 oz. ground hot sausage
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I used more, like 4 cloves)
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
15 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
¼ c. milk
½ c. packed basil leaves (I didn’t measure. I used some in the sauce and then in the cheese mix, and I’m sure it was more than ½ c., so do this to taste as well)
¾ to 1 c. grated Parmesan
1 lb. shredded mozzarella
1 package no-boil noodles (It calls for “flat” noodles and 12 of ‘em, but I buy whatever, and use the whole package because who needs 3 leftover lasagna noodles crowding pantry space?)
3 T. olive oil, plus more for coating foil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 T. dried oregano (optional)
1 t. onion powder (optional)
Directions
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, and cook the sausage until it is browned and cooked through. Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.
Reduce the stovetop heat to medium and add to the same skillet (with any drippings left in the pan) the remaining 2 T. of olive oil and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute until the garlic browns at the edges.
Add the crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper, and optional spices/herbs (I also added additional basil here). Cook for 10 minutes, at least, until the sauce smells more like a pasta sauce and not just tomatoes.
Separately, in a medium bowl, add the ricotta, egg, milk, basil, ½ c. of the Parmesan, and any more salt and pepper (to taste).
On a large rimmed sheet pan (estimated 18 x 13 inch), spread ⅔ c. of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan. Space out half the noodles (remembering that they expand when they cook). Top the noodles with all of the ricotta mixture, all of the sausage, another ⅔ c. of the sauce, and half the mozzarella. Add another layer with the remaining noodles and top with the remaining sauce. Then, top the noodles with the remaining sauce, remaining mozzarella, and another ¼ to ½ c. grated Parmesan.
Lightly oil one side of a piece of foil big enough to cover the sheet pan (I just used the spray stuff for this part).
Bake the covered lasagna for about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the pasta is cooked through and the top is crusty and browned, and enjoy!
It’s turning out that my brother’s Christmas present of Jamie Oliver’s “5 Ingredients” is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only have we found some great recipes in general but it’s always good for a sheet pan recipe when I’m short on time and inspiration.
This week’s meal, a savory pseudo bread pudding with beans and bangers, turned out to be just what I needed.
Sausage bake ingredients.
It may have been recommended for when the weather requires something hearty, but it has the side benefit of being relatively quick in the oven so it worked well in the heat. And let’s be honest, once the Midwest got warm, it got real warm and so the A/C has been going for weeks now.
Despite the 5 ingredients moniker, Oliver does supplement it with up to 5 pantry staples (the same 5, FWIW), and he suggests that the base ingredients can be added to. So, I tweaked his a bit.
First of all, our garden has been just full of green beans thanks to a freebie of provider beans from Seed Savers, so I figured I could throw them in and add some more veggies. And second of all, I couldn’t find rosemary focaccia for some reason, so I used olive and pepper varieties but still supplemented with rosemary because who doesn’t love rosemary.
Also, it calls for a British sausage that I can’t find and didn’t bother to try to replicate. Instead, I turned to my favorite meat-monger and bought another British sausage, bangers. I think any sausage will work; bangers certainly did. Oh, and British measurements are hard to get right without extra work, so I changed them to clip up everything.
Other than all those changes, I mostly followed the recipe and had a delicious dinner in no time. I’m bookmarking it for the winter when I’ll surely turn to it again.
Despite what you’ve heard, British food can be freakin’ fantastic.
Here’s what I did:
Ingredients
2 (15 oz.) cans great northern beans (or similar variety)
2 (pint) containers of cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
4 large bangers (8-12 sausages, or 12 chipolatas if you can find them), cut into bite-size pieces or slightly larger
4-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 small loaf (about 300 g.) focaccia, rosemary or whatever variety, torn or cut into bite-size pieces
1 T. olive oil
1 T. red wine vinegar
Any garden veggies or herbs you want to add (optional)
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spread the tomatoes and garlic on a large rimmed sheet pan. Top with bread, and then pour the beans (with their juices) on top. Add a splash of water (I used the bean can to get a little more bean juice). Drizzle the oil and vinegar over the top of the mixture, and then dot with the sausage pieces.
Bake for 45 minutes, until golden and bubbling; let cool slightly and enjoy!
One of the best cookbooks I got when I was first learning to cook was a collection of recipes from the sides of boxes, cans, etc. It wasn’t fancy, but that’s sort of the point of those types of recipes. Sure, it’s product-related, but it also is usually a quick, easy way of putting together something edible.
Aside from the best vanilla cream pie recipe (from Argo and Kingsford’s corn starch packaging), one of my favorite recipes from the book is a sausage and vegetable mix wrapped in puff pastry. And I knew from when I started this blog that it would be one of the recipes for my sheet pan year.
Sausage puff pastry ingredients.
There was just one problem. I couldn’t find it anywhere in the cookbook.
I scoured all relevant sections, and nothing.
I started to think it was one of those invented memories, like “Shazaam.”
So, I did what any totally normal and sane person would do; I went through the g-d damn book page by pain-staking page to find it. And buried near the end of the sandwich section of all flippin’ places, I found the recipe I remembered from before.
While I might like to complain about the delay, it actually worked out pretty well because we had a nice hot Italian sausage from the farmer’s market from Lucky George Farm that worked perfectly with the recipe. And if I’d made it sooner, I wouldn’t have used this excellent meat.
It was every bit as good — OK, a little better, because did I mention the awesome sausage?! — as I remembered, even if I forgot one ingredient (oops!).
So yummy and it looks pretty to boot.
Here’s what I did, with said forgotten ingredient included as optional:
Ingredients
1 sheet puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm, if you wanted to know which box this originated from)
1 lb. ground sausage
1 small to medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped (optional)
1 ½ c. shredded Swiss cheese
3 T. parsley, chopped
Flour, for rolling out pastry dough
Directions
Thaw the puff pastry at least 20 minutes, and up to overnight.
Heat the oven to 425 degrees, and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage until browned (about 10 minutes), and then add the pepper and onion and cook until the vegetables are tender (another 5 minutes or so).
Remove from heat (pour out fat if there’s a lot but my meat was as lean as you’d want sausage), and add the tomato, if using, cheese, and parsley. Set aside.
Meanwhile, unfold and roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface until it reaches approximately 14 inches by 10 inches. Transfer the puff pastry to the lined sheet pan (I do this by rolling up the dough around my rolling pin and then unspooling).
Spread the sausage mixture along the 14 inch side, near the edge. Roll up along the long side, like you’re making a jelly roll (this is what the ingredients in the book say too!).
Pinch the dough together to seal and then curve into an oval or horseshoe shape. Cut the dough about halfway through every 1 ½ inches.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden, and enjoy!
