Cook sliced sausage until done, set aside and drain most of fat from pan. Saute some roughly chopped yellow onions and red peppers until onions are golden, or brown a little if you prefer. Add sausage back to pan, with your favorite red sauce and some red pepper flakes if desired. Serve over mostacolli or other 'hearty' pasta, top with shaved parmesan.

Terri, My all time favourite pasta sauce is this one that uses Italian sausage and rosemary.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Sausage And Rosemary Sauce
==========================

Adapted from Robert Alda's recipe.

4 to 6 Italian Sausage,
hot or sweet, or combination
Olive oil

2 shallots

3 ounces of Mortadella
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon dried or fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon dried basil

2 to 4 cans tomatoes (depending on number of sausages)
. Par boil sausage for 2 to 4 minutes.

Mince Mortedella and shallots in food processor.

Heat in oil in large pot and add mortadella and shallots.

Remove casings from sausage and mince in processor and add to pot.
Cook until meat starts to brown on the bottom. Add the rosemary and
basil and the wine. Simmer until wine has evaporated. Puree tomatoes
but leave some texture and add to pot. Simmer for at least 1 hour.
Remove any fat that surfaces.

Serve over fusilli or Conchiglioni (shell) shaped pasta, to pick up the
little bits of sausage.

Options:

I have made this without the Mortadella and it works.

When I don't have good Italian Sausage I make this same dish using
ground pork.

Saute the pork and season with the shallots, couple of cloves of
garlic, hot red pepper flakes, grind some fennel(optional) with the
rosemary and basil, and then follow the above directions. (Tastes
almost identical)

I almost made sausage and tomato quiche for brunch yesterday. I don't actually use the linked recipe - although it's good as written - but incorporate the mozzarella, sausage and tomato into a different version. It goes over well and you could use up at least 3/4 of a pound.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sausage and Tomato Quiche

That looks good Ann!

My sausage is ground, so I just have to brown it and break it up.

I like the sauce part it sounds and looks good.

You and Weed both have the same ideas. LOL

Hubby isn't so fond of pasta..that's part of the problem. He'll eat stuffed shells and lasagna and tolerates the cream sauce over pasta..but just some "sauce" over pasta..not so keen on.

Now FOS, that might just work. I've never made him a quiche, but he enjoys frittas. I'd have to probably toss in a few cubes of potatoes to fake him out. LOL

Mix it with some ground beef and make meatballs...or the ultimate...meatloaf!
Mix the sausage with an equal amount of ground beef, an egg per pound of meat, a little chopped onion, a little salt...form and bake. Serve slices topped with a marinara or pomodoro sauce and a side of pasta.
Makes awesome sandwiches the next day!
Linda C

I love to make chili out of it, also soup with cheese tortellini.

One of our favorite ways to fix Italian sausage came about by accident. Just trying to use what was left in the pantry and fridge.

Glynn's (my step-son) Dinner

Melt 1 cube (1/2 cup) of butter in a small saucepan and add whatever seasonings your little heart desires. I usually add some or all of these ingredients: poppy seeds, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, parsley, basil, oregano

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain. Toss with the seasoned butter. Steam broccoli florets. Place sausage in a frying pan with about a quarter inch of water. Simmer the sausage, adding water when necessary so that they don't cook dry until you have rendered out much of the fat. Continue to cook the sausage until the water evaporates and the sausages brown (don't forget to pierce them so they don't squirt at you!).

Assemble the plates/bowls this way: Place a heap of spaghetti on the plate/bowl. Either arrange a couple of sausages on top, or slice them and add them. Top with a few broccoli spears, then toss some shredded mozzarella on top of the broccoli spears. Zap the plate/bowl in the microwave for about 45 seconds, just to melt the cheese, then squeeze a half of a lemon over the top of the cheese.

This is so good and gooey, and I think it covers all the food groups, so it's a one dish meal for us.

My family loves Italian Sausage Soup. I don't use exact measurements since it is one of those soups you just throw together but have tried here.

Take 6 Italian Sauages and take them out of their casings. Brown them up with around 3/4 of a chopped onion in your soup pot. Add garlic to your taste as the other ingrediants get brown.

Add 1 large can of crushed Tomatoes and 1 large can of diced tomatoes along with 4 cups of beef broth and a palm full of Italian Spice Mix.

Cook down for around 30 - 45 minutes. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add 1/2 cup red wine.

Serve with good french bread for dunking.

Our friend Gianfranco came up with this pasta dish; it is delicious.

Measurements are approximate. Use as much or as little as you like. Leftovers are great too.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Sue

Gianfranco's Pasta (Pasta with Sausage, Mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese)

1 pound Pasta, Penne, Rigatoni, and bowties work well)
4 sausage links, Sweet, no fennel
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped fine
10 Oz Mushrooms, sliced
1 C Grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare pasta according to directions - do not overcook.

Meanwhile, remove sweet sausage from casing and saute in a fry pan, breaking it up as you cook it. Add the garlic halfway through cooking.

Slice mushrooms and add to cooking sausage until they are both well cooked - keep warm.

When pasta is done, drain (reserve some pasta water) and toss with sausage/mushroom mixture and grated cheese.

Add some of the reserved cooking water if pasta seems dry.

We often make bubble and squeak with sausage. I make a little differently than my husband. I fry the sausage, remove it add the potato with onion, and some garlic, cook until brown add 1/4 to half a cabbage, cook on low until wilted but still crisp, place the sausage back in the pan and eat.
My husband fries sausage removes it, adds the onion and cabbage and fries it over medium heat until it is crispy, add the sausage back to the pan and then adds vinegar.

This is a family favorite.

Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

1 lb. spicy Italian sausage - crumbled
1/2 lb. (6 slices) smoked bacon - chopped
1 qt. water
(2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
2 lg. russet potatoes - scrubbed clean, cubed
2 garlic cloves - peeled, crushed
1 med. onion - peeled, chopped
2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard
1 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper - to taste

Directions

Brown sausage in a pan over medium to medium-high heat, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks.
Drain sausage and set to the side.
Brown bacan in a pan over medium-high heat. Be careful not to cook crispy. Drain bacon and set to the side.
Place broth, water, garlic, potatoes, and onion in a pot. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
Add sausage and bacon to the soup.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add kale and cream to pot.
Season with salt and pepper.
Heat thoroughly.

Article printed from Restaurant Recipes: http://restaurantrecipesbook.com

This is one of our favourite dishes and it calls for exactly 2 pounds of sausage! It's from a local Italian eatery that has served it, as their signature dish, for years. It is wonderful...at least we think so!

Penne Calabrese

2 Lb Italian sausage sliced In 1/4 Inch Pieces
4 Cups plum tomatoes peeled And crushed (or top quality canned tomatoes)
1 sweet red pepper sliced
1 sweet yellow pepper sliced
1 jalapeno sliced thinly ( I omit because I married a wimp)
1 1/2 Lb penne
olive oil
Grated Parmesan

Combine all ingredients except olive oil and penne. Cook over low heat for 2 - 3 hours. Cook the penne and drain, toss with the olive oil.
Toss penne with the sauce and serve with gated Parmesan.

terri:
You could simmer it a little and freeze it for later.
Add it to Spaghetti Sauce.

Make an Omelete:

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Add it to a Meat Sauce over Pasta

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Or you could simmer it with Roasted Peppers, Mushrooms, Onions and add some Tomato Sauce.
Great on a hard roll, or Pizza.

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Sausage Soup? Potatoes (for DH...smile!), bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, corn in a beef broth.
Make as thick or thin as you like.

Or use mild chilis and some cumin for a taco type soup.

Nice big hunk of homemade or good artisan bread.

May as well make brownies for dessert too! Hee hee.

Deanna (off to post MY meat question...)

Oh, another one, which I haven't made in a loooong time, is really good. Cut the sausage into 1" pieces, slice a large onion, a large bell pepper, and about a pound of mushrooms. Saute everything together in a large saucepan, with chili powder to taste (I use about a tablespoon), salt and pepper and serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or even toast. Yummy!

Great ideas..I'm keeping the soup ideas for when I'm eating and sharing with friends. (Mr Picky doesn't do soup either.)

Terri, I make a giambotta with sausage.

Brown the links, add to a roasting pan with sliced onions, green and red peppers, and potato wedges. Sprinkle some italian herbs over the top as well as garlic. Now add some dry red wine, and some balsamic vinegar. Cover with lid/foil and bake for about 30 minutes. The juices get "syrupy" and are perfect for smashing into the potatoes.

Here's another recipe. I've made it and it is soooo good! My friend Jeannette got it from her sister Adrienne.

1 pkg of small won ton wrappers
1 lb Italian sausage
one can (2.5 oz) black olives, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Jack cheese
1 C regular Ranch dressing

Place small size won-ton wrapper squares in muffin tins. Push down in muffin tin so that four corners are up to form a square. Bake at 325 degrees or until lightly brown--this usually takes about 10 to 12 minutes with my oven.

Skin one pound Italian sausage meat, crumble and brown. Drain and cool.

Add the following ingredients to sausage meat:
can of chopped black olives, the chopped red pepper, the shredded sharp cheddar cheese and the shredded Jack cheese

Mix and blend. After all other ingredients are added, add 1 cup Ranch dressing. Mix well.

Fill prepared won-ton wrappers and either refrigerate for later, or enjoy now, or warm them up in the microwave
After they have been refrigerated you can individually heat them for 30 seconds in the microwave.
For a bunch of them, microwave for about 2 minutes.

Terri, I missed the fact that the sausage was already ground. AND I missed the fact that you aren't looking for a pasta recipe. I would hate it if Moe didn't like pasta.

How about making a stuffing for chicken using some of the ground sausage. You could stuff boneless chicken breasts or bone out and stuff a whole chicken.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Chicken - Deboned Stuffed Chicken
==================================

Source: Pat Davis Cooking School, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1979

Note: A Boned out Three pound chicken will feed 6 nicely.

1 3 pound chicken
or 4 Whole Chicken Breasts (not
singles

3 cups Fresh Bread - Crumbled
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 pound of Sausage (I usually use one Italian Sausage)
1/4 pound of mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried thyme or
2 teaspoons of fresh
1 egg
Butter
Chicken Broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce

1/2 cup White Wine
1 cup Chicken Broth
1 onion
2 small tomatoes
1 garlic clove
. Bone out whole chicken or if using just the breasts bone the breasts
but leave them whole. DO NOT REMOVE SKIN Save bones.

Saute onion, and garlic in butter. Add sausage, (if using link take meat out of casing), add sliced mushrooms and saute. Season with thyme,salt and pepper and mix in coarsely crumbled bread. Add chicken broth to moisten. Add egg.

Stuff chicken,(or breasts) and sew up with unwaxed dental floss.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place bones in shallow roasting pan and place chicken on bones. Roast for 30 minutes and then add one coarsely chopped onion, and two coarsely chopped tomatoes,and the garlic clove to the pan. Pour in 1/2 cup of white wine and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Chicken should sit above liquid resting on the bones. Continue roasting for another
30 to 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked. (note: Breasts take the less time)

When cooked remove chicken to board to rest and remove bones from pan. Skim excess fat from pan juices add the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth and pour contents into blender. Puree to make sauce.

To serve,Remove dental floss (comes out easy with one little pull).

Slice breasts into nice rounds and place 3 or 4 slices on each plate.If using the whole chicken, also slice in to 1/2 inch slices and place one to two on each plate. Drizzle with sauce.

Ann T - Two questions:

1) 2 tsp fresh what?

2) "I missed the fact that the sausage was already ground." What is sausage, if not something already ground?

Here's hoping the second one wasn't a stupid question, LOL!

- FOAS (who eats quite a bit of pasta but wouldn't miss it one bit if I never saw it again.)

Terri, I had this recently.

Italian sausage Panino
Cook sausage, drain
Add to toasted bread with provolone cheese
and top with grilled peppers and onions

FOAS,Your questions aren't stupid.

....1 teaspoon dried thyme or
2 teaspoons of fresh.....

I think of sausage as being in casings. That is how I buy Italian sausage. I wasn't thinking that Terri had 2 pounds of ground or bulk sausage meat.

Ann

Mr Picky gets a sausage patty and microwaved potato!

PPPHHHTTTTT......

:-)

Deanna

Mr Picky got a fritta. LOL and I also made a bread pudding with homemade sandwich rolls from the other day.

And had the nerve to fuss about my "breakfast" pies, when I told him what was for dinner.. However tonights was well received with the Italian sausage and plenty of it. The boys did complain about the amount of potatoes..(ooops I love potatoes..)
He even said..you can make a breakfast bowl with this for tomorrow and if you give me a lot, I won't need lunch. LOL

I buy this sausage through my co op, it's natural Italian bulk..I have to buy it in 5lb packages. So I let it thaw just enough to break into 1lb packages and freeze those. But for some reason I took out two the other day. It is very tasty.

Ann, the boys and I love pasta..so he has to eat it sometimes..or he'll eat the sauce and no pasta. Usually when I make something with pasta, it's baked so he'll eat it and it has LOTS of cheese added to it.

I'm copying down some of the recipes shared though..for when I have "girls" over.

I hope some of the recipes help other people too!

I tried something a little different with Italian sausage for a tomato-based sauce. Took it out of the casings, fried it up, then added about 1 cup of Port wine (average quality, good enough for cooking) and simmered it for 15 min. Then I added the already-browned veggies back in, with a can of crushed tomatoes and the usual herbs.

For an extra kick of flavor without more sodium, I added a tablespoon of a sun-dried tomato pesto I buy at my local supermkt that has only 15 mg of sodium per Tblsp. Great stuff! Simmered it for about an hour till meat was tender.

It was a really nice change from the usual. I served it over polenta, fried and then topped with good grated Parmesan. It was a big hit with my DH.

jk, that sounds good...I have started serving polenta instead of rice, pasta or potatoes..and that is being well received..since he loves 'grits' with his breakfast.

JK: That sounds like the Photo I posted above.
Lou

FOAS, I'm with you, I wouldn't miss pasta a bit if I never ate it again.

Unfortunately, Elery loves the stuff, so I've caved in and eaten it. I'll eat the whole wheat stuff way before I'll eat the white stuff though...

And I have homemade Italian Sausage in the freezer. It sounds good, but I have leftover pork roast from last night that was supposed to be a Cuban of sorts for supper tonight.

Geez, so much food, so little time. (grin)

Annie