Spicy Sausage, Bulgar and Kale Soup

This is a hearty and spicy soup I adapted from a recipe in Food and Drink Winter 2017.  You can lessen the heat with a mild sausage or pump it up by adding a little hot pepper - your choice.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
1 celery stalk, including leaves, finely chopped
2 Italian sausages, spicy
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 large fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
8 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup bulgar
1 parmesan rind
1 small bunch kale
1 1/2 cups 1/2 inch diced butternut squash (acorn squash also works well)
Salt and black pepper to taste

GARNISH
Toasted Italian bread slice and or Parmesan curls

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion, carrot and celery.  Remove sausages from casings and stir with vegetables in pot.  Stir frequently to break up and cook sausage, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and sage, then stir.
• Add stock to pot.  Rinse bulgar then add to stock along with Parmesan rind.  Bring to a boil then cover and simmer gently, stirring once or twice for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, remove and discard ribs and stems from kale.  Stack leaves and cut crosswise into 3 inch pieces.  You should have about 7 cups lightly packed.
• After 30 minutes, add kale and squash to pot.  Continue to cook covered for 10 more minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Ladle soup into bowls.  Top with toasted bread slice, if desired, or use only Parmesan.

Makes 10 cups.

Roasted Red Pepper Bites

This is a really yummy appetizer!

1 x 227 g Roasted Red Pepper Dip
4 links ground sausage meat approx 400g - your flavour choice, cooked and crumbled
1 x 170 g pkg bread stuffing, cooked

• In a large mixing bowl combine Roasted Red Pepper Dip, sausage, and stuffing.  
• Form mixture into small 2” diameter balls and place on baking sheet
• Bake in a 350F oven about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown
• Remove from oven and serve warm with toothpicks and extra dip for dipping

Sweet and Tangy Sausage Pepper Kabobs

Sausage is always great on the BBQ but I had never thought about putting it on a skewer.  This is an easy and delicious recipe for a great dinner.  From Canadian Living/The Barbecue Collection.

450 g mild Italian sausages, cut into 24 pieces
2 Cubanelle peppers, seeded and cut into 32 pieces (I could not find these so I substituted sweet peppers)
1 Sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into 32 pieces
1 red onion, cut into chunks
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp each salt, pepper and dried oregano

Alternately thread pieces of sausage, Cubanelle peppers, red pepper and onion onto 8 metal skewers.

Whisk together oil, vinegar, sugar, salt pepper and oregano; brush half over skewers.

Grill, covered, on greased grill over medium high heat, turning once and brushing with remaining oil mixture, until sausages are no longer pink in centre, 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes 4 main course servings.

Scotch Olives

This is a great recipe from Food and Drink Holiday 2014 that I tried.  I have made Scotch eggs before and this is an interesting version of that theme.  If you can’t find fresh Chorizo sausage, use the best sausage you can purchase.

3 Tbsp olive oil
9 medium size garlic cloves
18 medium size pitted green olives
375 g fresh chorizo sausage (about 3)
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
Chopped parsley to garnish

• Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium low.  Fry garlic, turning once, until lightly golden on both sides but still firm, about 3 minutes total; remove from oil.  When cool enough to handle, cut each clove in half lengthwise.  Stuff each olive with a half clove of garlic; set aside.
• Remove chorizo from casings and turn out onto cutting board; discard casings and finely chop sausage.
• Working with a tablespoon measure, fill spoon with a slightly heaping amount of sausage.  Push olive into sausage; turn out into hands and work sausage around olive to enclose and form into ovals mimicking the shape of the olive.  Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining meat and olives.  (if making ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.  Allow to warm up to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.)
• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Combine sweet and hot paprika in a small bowl.  Using a fine meshed sieve, dust olives with paprika.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until meat is cooked.  Arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle with parsley; serve with toothpicks.

Beef and Sausage Lasagna

This is a fantastic recipe…it takes some time as do most lasagna's…but it is worth it.

500g sweet Italian sausage
500 g lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups spaghetti sauce
2 (6oz) cans tomato paste
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
23 oz smooth ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 egg
500 g shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
12 lasagna noodles

1. Brown beef, sausage, onions and garlic in a pot until they are no longer pink over medium heat.  Drain grease.
2. Add crushed tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, 1/2 cup water and stir into meat.
3. Add Italian Seasoning
4. Cover pot and let meat sauce simmer on low for approx 1 hour.
5. Soak 12 lasagna noodles in hot tap water for 15 minutes.
6. While noodles are soaking put ricotta cheese and nutmeg in bowl and mix.  Add egg. Sprinkle with additional Italian Seasoning if desired.  Mix with spoon.
7. Now build lasagna layers.
1. Use a 9x 13 inch baking pan
2. Spread 2 cups of meat sauce on the bottom of the pan.
3. Remove lasagna noodles out of the water bath.  Shake water off wet noodles.
4. Lay 6 noodles across the layer of sauce.
5. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the layer of noodles.
6. Spread 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta layer.
7. Sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese over the mozzarella layer
8. Spread 2 cups of the meat sauce over the cheese layer
9. Lay down the next layer of noodles.
10. Spread the remaining ricotta mixture over noodles
11. Spread the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese saving some cheese for the top of the lasagna
12. Put the last layer of meat sauce on the cheese
13. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top
8. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes at 350F.
9. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 25 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool for approximately 15 minutes.

Sweet and Spicy Sausage

Even my picky eaters enjoyed this version.

1kg Italian Smoked Sausage
1 cup Cassis Jam
1/2 cup Steak Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
3/4 tsp ground allspice

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker; toss to completely.  Cover; cook on high for 3 hours or until richly glazed.

Spicy Sausage Puffs

These are easy and fun to make, I used a regular sausage..cooked and crumbled..instead of the Chorizo.  I put them on top of some baked beans for the family and they were devoured.  Really they are supposed to be appetizers though..from Food and Drink Holiday 2000.

2 fresh chorizo sausages (about 300 g)
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all purpose flour
3 eggs
1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Lightly grease two baking sheets.  Remove sausage meat from its casings.  Place in skillet over medium high heat and brown.  Stir to break up into small pieces.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
2. In a medium saucepan, add water, butter and salt.  Bring to boil over medium heat.  The butter should melt before the water boils.  Remove from heat and add all the flour at once.  Return to heat, stirring until mixture forms a smooth ball and comes away from the sides of the pan.  This should take 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Place mixture in food processor with plastic blade.  Process 15 seconds.  Add eggs and process 40 seconds.  Scrape down sides, add sausage and parsley and process another 5 seconds or until mixed.
4. Using a wet spoon, drop spoonfuls onto baking sheets.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden and cooked inside - they should be moist but not wet inside.  Serve warm.

Sausage and Caramelized Onion Pizza

This recipe call for dates…yuk!  I skipped the dates and all of the family liked it ….. even the kids.  From Food and Drink Summer 2011

1 pkg store bought pizza dough (about 700g) at room temperature
2 tbsp olive oil
400 g spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cups red onion very finely sliced
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup steak sauce
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup fontina cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. On a floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle to fit a 12 x 17 inch lightly greased baking sheet.  Spread dough evenly on a baking sheet.
3. In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium high heat, add sausage and break into bite size pieces with a fork or wooden spoon.  Saute sausage until browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes.
4. Remove sausage from pan and set aside.  Drain all but 1 tbsp oil from pan, add onions and water.  Cover and cook onions over medium low heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Remove cover and cook on medium high until all liquid has reduced and onions begin to brown, about 3 minutes.
5. Cover dough evenly with steak sauce, top with sausage, onions and sprinkle with cheeses.
6. Bake in lower third of oven until the dough is golden on the bottom and the cheese is golden on top, about 22 minutes.
7. Let cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack, then slice into 24 small snack size slices.

Zucchini Bites

Yummy and easy, it is easy to change this up by switching the meat and cheeses.

2 large zucchini, halved and cored
500 g ground meat (I like sausage)
1 or 2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil or oregano, chopped
3/4 cup Havarti with jalapeno or tomato and basil
3/4 cup feta
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Place zucchini on cookie sheet.
3. Combine remaining ingredients and use to stuff zucchini.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until meat is well cooked and zucchini is fork tender
5. Serve immediately with rice or couscous

Roasted Pepper Salad

Try this with sausage (your choice) or without.  I roast my peppers on the bbq for best flavour.

3 roasted peppers (I like red)
2 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
2 tbsp juice from peppers
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove of garlic minced
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
2 grilled Italian sausages

1. Peel the peppers over a bowl to catch their juice.  Remove all the seeds.  Cut the peppers into 1 inch pieces and place them on a platter.  Scatter with the capers
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the pepper juice, olive oil, garlic and vinegar.  Season with the pepper; the capers should provide enough salt.  Stir in the chopped oregano.
3. Slice the sausages into 1/2 inch diagonal slices and then toss with the peppers.  Pour over the dressing and serve.

The Ole Burger

Who doesn't like burgers!!!  A meal that adults and kids will enjoy.  I barbecue as long as I can (I have been known to shovel out the BBQ in the winter).  Here is a recipe I got out of Food and Drink 2011 that has a nice twist on the usual burger.  I almost always make my own patties and this one spices it up with Chorizo Sausage - use Italian if you can't find uncured Chorizo.

4 thin slices serrano ham

SAFFRON MAYO (I didn't do this - just used regular Mayo)
1/4 tsp crumbled saffron threads
1 tbsp warm water
1/2 cup mayonnaise

BURGERS
3/4 lb (375 g) uncured (raw) chorizo sausage (use Italian if you don't have this available)
3/4 lb (375 g) ground pork (ground chicken works well too)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1/4 tsp each kosher salt and black pepper
90 g Manchego cheese, thinly sliced (I couldn't find this so I used Havarti)
4 onion buns
washed and dried boston lettuce leaves
2/3 cup drained sliced roasted peppers

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Lay ham slices in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Place a second piece of parchment paper over ham and top with a second baking sheet.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until ham is crisp.  Let cool on a wire rack set over a plate.  (this is fussy, but totally worth doing)
3. In a medium bowl, sprinkle saffron over warm water.  Let stand 15 minutes. Stir in mayonnaise until well combined.
4. Slit sausage skins and crumble sausage meat into a large bowl.   Add ground pork, parsley, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper, and mix gently but thoroughly until well combined.  Form sausage mixture into 4 even size patties about 1/2 inch thick.  With the heel of your hand make an indentation in centre of each patty.  This helps burgers cook more evenly.
5. Preheat barbecue to medium.
6. Cook patties on well oiled grill for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, until a meat thermometer inserted horizontally in centre of burgers registers 170F.  Just before burgers are ready, top each burger with one quarter of the cheese.  Split onion buns in half horizontally and toast, cut side down, until golden.
7. Spread bottom halves of buns with saffron mayo.  Top with Boston lettuce leaves.  Add a burger to each bun, along with roasted peppers and a slice of serrano ham.  Replace tops of buns.

Big Breakfast Pie

A great brunch item or breakfast for dinner!

3 mild Italian Sausages ( or spicy if you like a little kick)
1/2 of a 397g package frozen puff pastry, thawed
7 eggs, divided
pinch each black pepper and dried oregano leaves or thyme leaves
3-4 slices smoked deli ham, each sliced into 3 pieces
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Squeeze sausage meat from casings into a frying pan (I love my cast iron one for this) and set over medium high heat.  Break meat up with a spatula and stir until no pink remains, about 8 minutes.  Drain and set aside.
• Roll pastry into a rough circle about 12 in in diameter.  Place in a 9 in pie plate and let edges hang over the sides.
• Whisk 6 eggs with pepper and oregano.  Spoon a little of the egg mixture into a saucer and set aside.  Scrape sausage mixture into pie shell.  Arrange ham overtop, pour in egg mixture, then tilt plate to distribute evenly.  Sprinnkle with cheese.  In small overlapping sections, fold pastry up toward centre of pie tightly, with just a small hole showing.  Puff pastry is very elastic, so don't be afraid to tug.  Brush top with reserved egg mixture.
• Bake in centre of oven for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and crack remaining egg in hole in centre of pie.  Carefully return to oven and continue to bake until pastry is golden and egg is set, about 15 minutes more.  Remove to a wire rack and let stand about 8 minutes before serving.

Italian Sausage Lasagna

A lot of flavour here!

Preparation time:  45 minutes
Cooking time:  50 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes
Makes:  8 servings

12 lasagna noodles (not oven ready noodles)
3 onions
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
4 crushed garlic cloves
5 1/2 oz can tomato paste
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp dried leaf basil or 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup red wine
2 (28oz) cans whole tomatoes, including juice
2 lbs (1kg) Italian sausage
2 sweet peppers
2 zucchini
1 cup grated Asiago cheese about 125 g
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, about 125 g

1. Cook lasagna noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water, according to package directions, until al dente, about 12 to 14 minutes.  Drain noodles and rinse under cold water.  Lay wet pasta in a single layer on waxed paper.  Cover with another piece of waxed paper.
2. Meanwhile, finely chop onions.  Heat oil in a large saucepan set over medium-low heat.  Add onions, parsley and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally , until onions are soft, about 10 minutes.  Do not let onions brown.
3. Stir in tomato paste and seasonings.   Continue stirring mixture for 2 more minutes.  Stir in red wine.  Add tomatoes and juice, breaking up tomatoes into bite-size pieces.
4. Cover and bring to a boil over medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, for about 30 minutes.  This sauce can be made up to 2 days before preparing and baking lasagna.
5. Meanwhile, pierce sausage casings several times.  Place whole sausages in a large frying pan set over medium heat.  Cook, turning often until well browned, about 15 minutes.  Cut sweet peppers into 1 inch pieces and slice zucchini into 1/4 inch rounds.
6. Cut cooked Italian sausages into large bite size pieces.  Stir sausage pieces, sweet peppers and zucchini into simmering sauce.
7. Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly coat bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with about 1 cup sauce.  Arrange a single layer of noodles over sauce.  Spoon one third of sauce over noodles.  Sprinkle with one third of asiago cheese.  Repeat layers twice.  Top lasagna with mozzarella cheese.
8. Bake immediately or cover and refrigerate.  Lasagna can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.  Bring to room temperature before baking.  Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven until golden, about 40 to 45 minutes.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Grilled Sausage and Wheat Berry Salad

This is the first time I have tried Wheat Berries and I have to say they are wonderful!  A little chewy but I really like them.  They are wheat kernels with the outer hull removed.  An excellent source of dietary fibre and are available at the bulk food store.

4 bratwurst sausages - or turkey sausage
1 cup wheat berries
1 cup diced red peppers
1 cup diced, peeled carrots
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

On greased grill preheated to medium high, grill sausages, turning often, until cooked through - about 15 minutes.  Let cool slightly; slice and set aside.

While the sausages are grilling, cook wheat berries in a large pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until softened - about 40 minutes.  Drain.  Combine in a large bowl with red peppers, carrots, cucumber, green onion, salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Toss gently to combine.  Add sausage and parsley, and toss again.

Sausage Pasta

Okay here is an easy one for those of you with fussy kids - mine love this.  It is basically spaghetti with sausage instead of ground beef in the sauce.  Cook your pasta according to directions, put a package of sausage in the saucepan and cook - if the kids will tolerate it add vegetables - otherwise just leave it for the carnivores.  Once the pink is gone from the sausage, add a can of spaghetti sauce and serve.