NEVER freeze the sausage casings! This will have the effect of breaking them down when rehydrated and then they fall apart. Mine sit in a container with about half a cup of Kosher salt mixed in, and around them. They don't need a FS storeage. Its stored in the fridge at all times, when you're not using some. I pull out the tangled wad of casings from the container and seperate out what I need, the rest get put back in the container. Yes, a little bit of water can be added, but not to soak the casings, but to allow the salt to stick to everything, kind of like a slush. If I have too much casing that is soaking prior to stuffing, I just pass it through my fingers to remove the excess water and put the rest back into the container with a little added kosher salt. Some of my cases were as old as 6+ years before being used up, and I saw no difference in these compared to some I just bought. The FS isn't needed for the casings as the small amount of water and all that salt will help to preserve them. You can use the FS for both fresh or smoked sausages of all kinds. I made some pepperoni last year using the long dry process curing. It requires the other type of nitrate, and the sausages were just stuffed and dried in air for about a month. I prefer to buy whole spices and grind them when needed. That means whole peppercorns, coriander, mustard seed, etc. The reason I use dried onions and garlic along with fresh is because the dried don't add any water to the meats. I also use dried green and red pepper flakes as they are quite cheap and work just as good as fresh, again without added water. When storing the whole spices, pour them in pint or quart Ball jars and use a lid, along with the adaptor that comes with teh FS. This adaptor can allow you to pull a vacuum on the jar and seal it under vacuum all in one step. Avoid light when storing herbs and spices. Even for that, if its an herb (leaf based), most will lose flavor very fast, so buy fresh dried herbs when making the sausages. One kind I plan to make is a beef, with dried tomato powder and lots of basil. I might add garlic too. Some spices and herbs can keep a little longer well if stored in FS bags and frozen or refrigerated. Here, I don't bother, as I make so much, I usually run out of the spices before I run out of sausage that I make.

I cook the sausage in a very old, very seasoned cast iron skillet, using a slotted potato masher to squish it down, then scrape it with a wooden flat beveled spoon - spatula. I continue doing this while it cooks over med high heat. It breaks up nicely and you can easily get it to the size crumbles you want quickly with very little clean up. This is a recipe I have cooked for years and adapted it to our ever changing tastes. It came from a magazine that adapted it from "The New Chili Cuisine" by Nancy S. Hughes. I am cooking this for dinner tonite as the rain, chill and gloom just won't seem to leave. ~* My changes (almost the entire recipe, but I do not want to take credit for the original ~ which I have included) SAUSAGE, WHITE BEAN AND PASTA CHILI 1 lb mild Italian sausages, casings removed ~* Hot Italian 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained ~* Del Monte Petite diced tomatoes w/ jalapenos ~* Onion - coarsely chopped 14 oz chicken broth ~*32 oz homemade chicken or turkey broth 4 oz chopped green chilis, rinsed & grained ~* 1/2 c(?) chopped sliced jalenpoes from jar I always have - amt - to taste so not to spicy 2 tsp paprika ~*omit 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ~* Chipotle red pepper (McCormicks) 2 T ground cumin ~* Chipotle Tabasco sauce to taste 15 oz can Cannellie beans, rinsed & drained 2/3 cup tiny pasta, cooked - makes 1 1/3 cups ~* omit often Cook sausage breaking it into small chunks until lightly brown. * Remove sausage and blot excess grease Saute the chopped onion and chopped jalapenos in the same skillet until tender. In a small dutch oven or heavy saucepan, add the tomatoes and their liquid, chicken broth, green chilis, and spices. Add the sausage & onion. Stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat & simmer, uncovered for 25 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in beans & pasta ~ * I add the pasta to the individual bowls. Reheat & serve. ~ Top with fresh Parmesan. Serve with cornbread and or tortilla chips. This is very quick and easy. I hope all my changes don't intimate you. You can make this as spicy as you want - or not! It also freezes very well!

What a coinkidink! I searched high and low for a ring of Italian sasuage for this last 4th. Only found links. Here's my recipes: BLANCHED RAPINI Broccoli Raab Serves 8 Ingredients 3 pounds rapini (broccoli raab), washed, 4 tsp salt Directions Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Stir in rapini greens and salt and cook until wilted and tender, about 2-1/2 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cool empty saucepan by rinsing under cold running water. Fill cooled saucepan with cold water and submerge greens to stop the cooking process. Drain again and allow to sit in colander to drain completely to proceed with the following recipe. RAPINI WITH GARLIC AND OLIVE OIL 6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 8 cloves garlic cloves 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 recipe blanched rapini greens (above), cut into 1-inch pieces Heat oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in medium skillet over medium heat until garlic begins to sizzle, about 3 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add blanched rapini greens, and cook, stirring to coat with oil, until heated through, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt, serve immediately. RAPINI WITH SAUSAGE As above, with (my preference) 4 small Italian sausage links, grilled, sliced at a long angle (1/2 link per serving) --------------------------------------------------- ORECCHIETTE WITH A SAUSAGE AND PISTACHIO CREAM SAUCE Serves 4-6 Ingredients 1 pound pasta (farfalle, penne, orecchiette) 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage, skinned 2 Tbs butter 1 small onion, sliced thinly 1/2 small bulb fennel, sliced very thin 1-1/4 cup heavy cream 2 Tbs mascarpone cheese 1 Tbs grated parmesan 1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts salt and white pepper to taste Directions Put on pasta water to boil. Cook crumbled sausage in skillet until done but not overly browned. You can mop up the drippings now if you donÂt want this dish overly oily. Add butter, onion and fennel and cook until soft. Add heavy cream and cook on medium heat to reduce by 1/3. Add mascarpone, parmesan and pistachios and stir until mascarpone and parmesan become creamy with the sauce. Season. Add cooked pasta and toss well. --------------------------------- GIUSEPPEÂS KILLER LASAGNA Serves 8 Ingredients 1 medium onion, chopped 3 Tbs olive oil 1/2 pound ground beef 1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed 1/2 pound ground veal 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 ounces mushrooms, chopped 15 ounces tomato sauce 12 ounces tomato paste 1/2 cup dry red wine 1/2 cup water 1 tsp oregano, leaves 1 tsp basil, crushed 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp sugar 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced 1 pound Ricotta cheese 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese 12 ounces lasagna noodles Directions Sauté the chopped onion in the olive oil. Add and cook the ground meats, garlic, and mushrooms. Drain. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine, water, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer covered for 1-1/2 hours. Cook the lasagna noodles while sauce is simmering. Use 10 to 16 pieces depending on the width of the noodles (use more wide noodles). Drain, rinse, and drain again. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Cover the bottom of the dish with a thin layer of the sauce. Layer: 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 of the sauce, 1/3 of the ricotta cheese (in dollops), 1/3 of the mozzarella. Repeat twice more. Cover with the Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered in a 350°F oven for 40-50 minutes, or until bubbly. For the cheese layers, you can shred the mozzarella cheese and blend it with the ricotta for easier spreading. ------------------------------------ CRESCENT SAUSAGE AND CHEESE SQUARES Serves 8 Ingredients 8 ounces refrigerator crescent rolls 8 ounces cooked Italian sausage, sliced 2 cups shredded Provolone cheese 8 eggs, slightly beaten 1 1/2 cups milk Directions Preheat oven to 425°F. Separate rolls into two large rectangles. Press into 13 x 9 pan to form crust. Seal seams completely. Place sliced sausage over crust. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine eggs and milk and pour over cheese. Bake 35 minutes or until golden brown. ----------------------------- SAUSAGE WON-TON MINI-MUFFINS Serves 12 Ingredients 1 pound Italian sausage links 1 1/2 cups Provolone cheese, shredded 1 1/2 cups red peppers, minced 2 Tbs black olives, sliced 1 cup ranch salad dressing, bottled 1 package Won-ton wrappers Brown sausage until very done and drain thoroughly. Combine with remaining ingredients except won ton wrappers. Grease mini-muffin tins and place won ton wrappers inside, pressing with fingers to form the shape of muffin cups. Brush wrappers lightly with oil, using sesame and vegetable oil combined if desired. Bake wrappers in preheated 350° oven for 5 minutes. Fill the muffin cups with sausage mixture and bake 5-6 minutes longer until cheese is melted. ----------------------------------------- ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP Serves 6 Ingredients 1/2 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casing removed 1 small onion, diced 1 clove garlic, crushed 14 1/2 oz chicken broth 15 oz Italian-style diced tomatoes 15 oz white beans (Great Northern or cannellini) 1/2 teaspoon dry oregano, crushed 1/2 teaspoon dry marjoram, crushed 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 Dash crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste Directions In a large heavy saucepan, brown sausage over medium-high heat; stir in onion and garlic; cook and stir until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in all remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Makes six one-cup servings. ------------------------------ ITALIAN PAELLA Serves 6 Ingredients 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 1 Tbs olive oil 1/2 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage links 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 1-inch pieces 1 cup uncooked rice 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup fennel bulb, chopped 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 8 oz stewed tomatoes, chopped with liquid 1/2 tsp paprika 1/8 tsp ground red pepper, or to taste 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/2 cup red bell pepper strips 1/2 cup green bell pepper strips 1/2 cup frozen green peas Directions Heat garlic and oil in large skillet or paellero over medium-high heat. Remove sausage meat from casings. Add chicken and sausage to oil and stir until browned. Spoon off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Add rice, onion and fennel. Cook, stirring, until onion is transparent and rice is lightly browned. Add broth, tomatoes and tomato juice, paprika and pepper strips. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Add shrimp and peas. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. ------------------------------------- ITALIAN BREAKFAST FRIED RICE Serves 2-4 Ingredients 2 Tbs white wine 1 tsp fresh-ground pepper 4 Tbs chicken broth/stock 3 Tbs olive oil 3 large eggs, beaten 2 links (about 1 pound) Italian sausage 1/3 cup fresh asparagus, sliced; separate tips from stems 1/4 cup sliced crimini mushrooms 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced 1/4 cup fennel bulb, diced 2 cups leftover, cooked white rice 2 stalks green onion ("scallions"), chopped Directions Have all ingredients chopped and ready to go. Combine the wine, pepper and chicken stock in a small cup. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet or wok on medium heat. Add beaten eggs and immediately scramble. Remove from pan when just short of softly scrambled. Add additional oil to pan, raise heat to medium high to high and add sausage, asparagus stems, bell pepper and fennel. Toss to brown lightly. Add asparagus tips and mushrooms, mix and cook for 1 minute. Add rice. The best way to do this is to get your hands wet and "crumble" rice into the pan as individual particles. Immediately add wine-pepper-broth mix and toss and heat through. When rice is warm, turn off heat, return eggs to the pan and add the green onion. Serve immediately. Joe

It was so good. The sausage mellowed out a lot! I had a couple of changes, I used regular stewed tomatoes and omitted the beans so it was meat and veggie based. I also used frozen spinach oh, and I used a carton of broth instead of canned. Minor stuff. Our guests requested a doggie bag for the soup! Sorry I can't remember where I got the recipe from. 1 pound Italian sausage 1 clove garlic, minced 2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes 1 cup sliced carrots 1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained 2 small zucchini, cubed 2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt Directions In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat, and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes