Spanish Chickpeas and Chorizo

Spanish Chickpeas and Chorizo
Appetizer?  Main Dish?  Yep, something like that.  The thought of a lazy slow dinner or appetizer of this...with a glass of wine...sitting on the patio for hours and hours is appealing.  And, maybe in some other life I can do that.  However, this is a main dish at this house in the present time.  It comes together quickly after a late swim practice following a day of work, which is just what we need at this point in life.

I bought the chorizo at TheFreshMarket, so it was not budget friendly; however, I only had a tiny window of grocery shopping at there were some other items on sale there that I wanted to purchase.  Yikes.....their sausages are $1.99 each!  I stick by my best plan for shopping there....go somewhere else before...or after...shopping there to grab the basics and save it for a few specialty items.  I'm glad it's nearby (and I'm glad I only needed 2 links), but I just have to be reminded of it every so often.

Paul and I had a fun Saturday morning there after dropping Eleanor off at weight training and swim practice.  We had enough time to go to the dog park, TheFreshMarket, a local farmer's market, a walk for coffee, and a tiny bit of cleaning.  A glimpse of the future when she becomes a driver, I guess.  Maybe I will have a leisurely dinner on the patio after all!

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Cannellini with Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Sausage

Cannellini with Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Sausage 
This looked like a bowlful of nutrients (and a bit of sausage)....beans and Brussels sprouts...yum.  Since this recipe is made up of favorite ingredients I thought it looked like a pleasing, healthy, and quick dinner.

I was especially curious to try the shredded Brussels sprouts since the description was that they were a bit carmelized.  My mini food processor has been getting use this week between the sweet potatoes for the fritter recipe and the Brussels sprouts for this one. The Brussels sprouts I used were frozen, so it didn't quite work as planned to put them in the mini food processor.....the result was a bit more like sprout-mash.  So, I rough chopped the rest.  That would be my recommendation if using frozen...rough chop.

Eleanor and I both liked this.  Liked...not loved.  It was perfectly fine, and it wouldn't be bad to have again; however, I don't think it will be on any regular rotation at this house.  Not because it was bad, but because there are other things to repeat and other things to try.

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Broccoli and Sausage Stuffed Pizza

I cooked the sausage and broccoli the day before I was planning on having this for dinner.  Hey, any little thing to help dinner move along a tiny bit faster!

I like the idea of making the pizza crust in the morning and letting it develop all day.  Mark Bitman uses James Lahey's technique...which is much like the artisan bread Elizabeth and I reference on this blog.
The crust:
2 c whole wheat flour
1 c all purpose flour
1/2 t instant yeast (I used regular)
1 t salt
Combine above in large bowl.  Stir in 1 1/2 c water.  The dough should be sticky...a bit like biscuit batter.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover, and put in a warm spot for 6-12 hours.  Don't use too much flour when forming the crust.  Brush with olive oil and let the dough sit while assembling the toppings. 

I made the Stuffed Pizza with Broccoli, White Beans, and Sausage.
Pat the dough into a 10 by 14" rectangle.  Brush with olive oil (I did not do this).  Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the filling:
2 c chopped broccoli.  Just cook it in a pan with a bit of water.
Cook the sausage.  I'm sure slices would be fine, but I used 8 oz bulk Italian sausage.  Add some garlic and red pepper flakes.  Combine the cooked sausage, broccoli, and a can drained white beans.  Spread the filling on the dough(original recipe recommends a bit of ricotta or a bit of Parmesan...I used goat cheese) and fold over the ends.  This dough being wet made it easy to get rid of the seams.  I pulled on the dough a bit.....pulled the top down, then the sides in, then the bottom up.  Because it was moist dough it was easy to pull it together.

Drizzle the top with olive oil and salt; cut 3 to 4 slashes in the top crust to allow steam to escape.  Bake 50 minutes or so.

I had made the filling and held it in the refrigerator overnight.  It just helps to have that part of dinner done when we get home. 

I'm excited to try this dough for pizza too since I usually am not home to put something in the oven an hour before serving.  I just may have another way to make pizza in just a few minutes after arriving home. 

Everyone was happy with this meal:)


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Sausage and Lentil Casserole

This seems to me to be the meat version of the lentil casserole I usually make (blog post 10/28/10).  I made it last winter and forgot to take a picture, so I decided to wait to post this recipe.

Last year I made it as the recipe directed with the sausage left in links.  In thinking about this, I think that bulk sausage may work a bit better, so that's what I tried this year.  This is something I wouldn't make too often, just due to the heaviness of this dish.  We haven't had a very cold winter, so it doesn't seem like a really hearty main dish is in order too often.  But, I do admit, that the smell of this cooking on a snowy day (our first one this year, really) sounds good.  I adapted the original recipe to the crockpot, since I just can't do those recipes that require cooking for an hour in the oven before dinner on most nights.  I like those recipes too...it's just that we're hungry when we get home from the Y.

It's good to have all different meals, so here goes the original version of this (not sure where I got it) and my notes on adapting it to our tastes and to the slowcooker. I think I'll end up making this again next winter when I think we need a hearty meal. 
Original:
1 c lentils, rinsed
2 t salt
1 med onion, 1/2 chopped and 1/2 stuck with 2 cloves
1 t fennel seeds
1 bay leaf
6 sweet Italian sausage links
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
3 oz bacon, sliced
2 med carrots
2 large cloves garlic
salt and pepper
1/2 c white wine
Ppreheat oven to 350 degrees.  Oil 9" round casserole.
Place lentils in saucepan with salt, onion with cloves, fennel and bay leaf.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Simmer 55 minutes.
Poach sausage 20 minutes.
In a skillet heat olive oil and butter and add bacon.  Add chopped onion, carrot, and garlic and cook until soft.
Arange cooked sausages in casserole.  Drain lentils and layer lentils, onion mixture, lentils, onions mixture.  Pour in the wine and bake.

OK...the salt and fat and multiple pans must go!!!

This is what I did (I know it's not low fat but it is better than the original...it just must be).

In 1 T olive oil saute:

1 onion, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

2 slices celery, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

Cook until softened and add to slow cooker.  Cook bulk sausage (or take out of links) until browned.  Add rinsed lentils(I did use slightly more than 1 c to finish the bag), 1 c chicken broth, 1/2c+ white wine, 1 t fennel and bay leaf to slow cooker.  Add sausage.  

cook on low setting for 8-10 hours.

It really hit the spot.  Eleanor and I ended up eating it before swim practice since I never got lunch on my busy work day and she was hungry.  The rest is still in the crockpot for Paul's return from the airport. 

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Winter Minestrone

 Winter Minestrone with Swiss Chard and Sausage

 I made a huge pot of this the day after I received both Swiss Chard and Kale in my Fall CSA box.  I altered the recipe a bit, adding summer squash and beans from the freezer, also from my CSA earlier in the year. This is a great, hearty winter soup. My daughter was a bit upset at the inclusion of squash and the inadvertent omission of pasta(when I made this, I omitted the pasta because it was going straight into the freezer), but the rest of us thought it was quite tasty! When I serve it next, I will cook some pasta so everyone can add as much as they would like.  A salad and some fresh bread rounded out a great meal.
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Italian Garden Soup

For those of you watching your waistline, this isn't exactly a low calorie meal, but it is definitely worth the splurge. This recipe has been part of my collection for at least 15 years, but I honestly lost it for a while since my recipes weren't very organized. During my recent reorganization I found it and wanted to make it immediately.

Full of sausage and laced with pesto, this soup is a hearty meal full of flavor. A simple salad and a bit of bread is all you will need and I recommend you double the recipe and freeze the leftovers. Don't add the pasta to the part you freeze, add it when you pull it out later, otherwise the pasta falls apart.


For those of you who shop at Costco, they sell Italian sausage in six pound packages. The day I made this soup I also made a double batch of Italian Gravy(see 9/21/2010 post). These two recipes took 4 of the six pounds...a great way to meal plan and stock the freezer!


Italian Garden Soup


Ingredients:
1/2 lb salt pork, diced, rind removed (can use bacon)
3 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 c chicken broth
2 cans cannellini beans, drained
4 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 c chopped fresh parsley
1 t dried rosemary
2 T olive oil
1 lb Italian Sausages
1 cup small pasta
2 c shredded spinach leaves
1/4 c prepared pesto
Fresh Parmesan

Directions:
   Saute salt pork in heavy large pot or dutch oven. Add onions and garlic and saute until vegetables are soft. Add chicken broth, beans, carrots, celery, green pepper, parsley, rosemary and bay leaf. Slice Italian sausages into chunks and saute. Add sausages, pasta, and spinach to soup and cook until pasta is tender. Add pesto and season with salt and pepper.
   Serve with parmesan
_____



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Nora's dinner

Check out Nora's blog, knotmuchofaknitter for all kinds of things...including her more original version of this dinner idea.

This is a good one dish meal. The only problem for me is that it requires baking for 40 minutes or so. I can usually do this on the weekend or on an earlier night (when we have those).

In 1/4 c olive oil in an ovenproof skillet brown

3 Italian sausages cut into 1" chunks

Add 1/2 lb or more of chicken breasts. Nora browns them and then cuts them, I have cut them before adding and browning them. I think whatever works for you is fine.

Add:

2-3 med onions, cut into wedges

5-6 cloves garlic, minced

red peppers cut into strips. I added red and green peppers from the freezer. Sometimes I add roasted red peppers instead of fresh or in addition to fresh peppers

2-3 russet potatoes, cut into 1/8" pieces

salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano all in generous amounts

Remove the skillet from the stove. After I add the ingredients after the meat I just saute these items for a few minutes.

Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or so at 400 degrees.

Add 1/3 c red wine vinegar by sprinkling it over the top and bake 10 minutes more. I used balsamic vinegar this time....that's what was in the pantry.

On the night I took the picture I roasted fresh Brussels sprouts as well by cutting off the bottoms and removing the loose leaves. I tossed the Brussels Sprouts with olive oil and salt and pepper and put them in the oven to roast for 50 minutes.

I was feeling like additional vegetables were in order that night as well, so I tossed some baby carrots(with olive oil and salt and pepper) in the oven with 30 minutes or so to go. If I have enough peppers and feel like it gives us enough vegetables then I skip the additional roasted veggies.

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Crockpot Jambalaya

 The fifth and final crock pot meal! This turned out to be Sunday's dinner and it made a lot. Brian was at a golf outing, so it was just the three of us and we barely put a dent in it so, can you say leftovers? I used the Crockpot Jambalaya recipe from Southern Food. I did make some changes, I used 28 ounces of fresh tomatoes from my CSA box, I used turkey smoked sausage, I omitted the wine(I didn't have any)and increased the chicken broth, I used brown rice and I added a jalapeno pepper.

The cooking time seemed fine, but my version turned out to have too much liquid. I would start with 1/2 cup chicken broth next time. I would also increase the Cajun seasoning. Once you add the rice and shrimp, if the mixture seems too dry, you can always add more broth. The recipe says it serves 8, I would think more like 10-12, but then we are a small portion family.

As I finish this Crock Pot run, I do realize that I didn't post my pot roast recipe...since I failed to take a picture of it, I will post this recipe when I make it again...it is a staple, so it shouldn't be too long!

Hopefully you have enjoyed my little Crock Pot experiment...my daughter thought I should continue the trend with skillet week, no-cook week, bake week and stove top week...we'll see about that, just stay tuned!

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Sausage and Vegetables

The veggie box is here! I had some Italian sausage in the freezer that I par-boiled. Then, I chopped lots of veggies and threw everything in a roasting pan and baked at 400 degrees for 45-60minutes.
fennel bulb
kohlarabi
red onions
red pepper
garlic fronds
Italian beans

It was a good way to get the CSA items under control and get some good nutrients into our bodies.




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Chorizo and Date Skewers

This recipe served as an idea only since I made quite a few substitutions. I'm happy with the result though and would make it my way again. I probably will try it the way it is written at some point too.

I didn't have couscous, so I used rice and substituted lemon for the orange called in the couscous recipe. I think I would prefer couscous next time but the rice was OK too.

I grilled one pitted apricot on each skewer instead of the dates called for in the recipe and added red bell pepper, just because I had some.

All three of us liked the tartness of the apricot with the spiciness of the sausage, a fine Milwaukee product, Usinger's chorizo. It would not work to use the Trader Joe's soy product since that has a crumbly texture and firmer sausage is needed to put on the skewers.

This meal came together VERY quickly, so I'll have to broaden my sausage kebab repertoire for the future.

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Squash and Sausage

This idea comes to me from my friend, Dee. Eleanor always thinks that her food tastes the best, even if I use the same recipe. That being said, she is an excellent cook...and you can expect to see more of her recipes on this blog. She emailed this one to me telling me that she had adapted it from an English blog she follows.

Dee suggests using pork cranberry maple breakfast links made at our local, Sendiks. She did mention she thought this is going to be a seasonal item, and they didn't have them when I made this recipe. Instead, I got spicy Italian sausage for us and turkey breakfast links for Eleanor. I'm still planning on making this with the suggested sausage, but I will probably make it again this winter.....tasty and minimal work. I served it with some of the Trader Joe's harvest blend grains.

The only problem for me with this recipe is that it takes an hour to make, so I made it on a Sunday when I am home an hour before dinner. Eleanor took the leftovers in her lunch the next day, so it was a good way to start the week.

Dee's suggestion is to line a baking pan or cookie sheet with foil to make the clean up easier. I didn't do that and found it was moist enough to have fairly easy clean up.

Peel the squash and cut into 1 inch cubes. Toss in a bowl with a bit of olive oil and rosemary and thyme . Dee used dried spices...and so did I...and it was fine. I used thyme and basil. Spread the squash on one side of the pan. Add a couple cloves of garlic, peeled and mashed a bit.

There should be a little olive oil/herb mixture left in the bowl. Roll the sausage in it and place on the other side of the pan.

Tightly seal with foil and bake at 400 for about 25 minutes. Remove foil, stir the squash, and turn the sausages. Bake another 10-20 minutes until the squash starts to turn golden and the sausages are brown.

Dee's hint is that the squash my need to be removed while continuing to cook the sausages. Mine finished together...and it was good!

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Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Happy Mardi Gras!

I made this a bit early....a couple weeks ago right after the new Bon Appetit arrived in the mail. It just sounded meaty and hearty...something I needed after a day of shoveling heavy cement (oops...I mean snow) off our sidewalk.

I'm usually not much for a dish with a lot of meat, but this did hit the spot. I did have a few variations to better match the ingredients I had on hand.

I decreased the bacon to 6-8 oz

1 lb linguica sausage...maybe it was even 12 oz...however it was packaged

chicken andouille

one chicken breast

chicken broth instead of beef broth

dried thyme instead of fresh 1/2 the amount called for in the recipe.

diced tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes with chiles

Other than that, I made it just like the recipe. HAHAHA

The picture was taken before putting it in the oven.

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Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

We were sitting at a violin recital...and our friends mentioned that they were going home to have this soup between violin and basketball...or their version of it anyway. I asked for the recipe and got the ingredients since they make a slightly different version every time.

I didn't use evaporated milk..instead using 1 1/2 c skim milk. I wish I still had kale in my freezer, but I have used all of it. I used sweet Italian sausage...and this got three tumbs up (one from each of us).

Yum...why is it that I have been thinking about this soup often since it was mentioned?

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One Dish Chicken and Kielbasa Rice

 Once again, a recipe from myrecipes.com! If you haven't noticed already, I love this website! Anyway, I was doing a bunch of cooking this past weekend and this was one of the dishes I made...the actual recipe, One Dish Chicken and Kielbasa Rice was just an "outline" for what I actually created, but here are the changes I made.

I used about 5 ounces of Kielbasa(left over from Peasant Soup recipe, that will post soon)
I used about 12 ounces of Chicken breast
I used regular long grain rice, not parboiled
I omitted the olives and the green pepper
1 used fresh garlic
1 used 1/4 t turmeric
I used about 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

As I read the recipe, I didn't like the way it was put together, so I did my own thing! First I sautéed the chicken in the olive oil with plenty of kosher salt and pepper for a few minutes and then added the onion and sausage. When the onion was translucent, I added the minced garlic. Then I added the rice and continued cooking until the rice was coated with the juices in the pan. I then added the chicken broth and turmeric, brought it to a boil and then reduced the heat to a low simmer and covered the pot. Since I used regular rice, the total cooking time took about 20 minutes. You need to watch the rice, making sure you have enough liquid to cook the rice, but not too much or the rice will get gluey. At the end, I added the peas.

This was a winner with my family and it is definitely a budget stretcher...I used 2 chicken breasts and a little sausage and created at least 6 servings...in the future I would probably use all the sausage called for in the recipe and cut back on the chicken...the sausage is an important element in the dish...




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