sausage – Best for the Moment

3-Egg Broccoli Breakfast Casserole

November 22, 2014January 2, 2020Posted in RecipesTagged almond milk, baked eggs, breakfast, broccoli, casserole, kale, sausage2 Comments

This morning, my excitement and plans to remake last weekend’s delicious breakfast casserole were thrown a curve ball when I discovered only 3 eggs left in the fridge. But not to worry! Adding more veggies and shredded cheese does the trick.

First, saute frozen breakfast sausages (I like Applegate) until thawed on low; then fill the pan with frozen broccoli and continue cooking and stirring until thawed. Slice sausages into pieces.

Next, combine 3 (or more if you have ’em) whisked eggs, 1/4 cup of almond milk, 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (adjust based on your heat tolerance), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 minced garlic clove and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese in a bowl.

In a 9×13 greased pan (or smaller for thicker slices), pour the broccoli and sausage, along with a handful of spinach or kale (I used the latter). Then pour the egg batter in and stir to combine. Sprinkle a little extra cheese over the top.

Bake at 375 degrees, covered, until golden brown on the edges. (It took about 45 minutes in my oven, but keep an eye on it.)

I believe the the red pepper flakes are the secret to this recipe’s success (and David’s ringing endorsement); and for a girl that is a major wimp about anything spicy, I’ll be the first to admit it.

Checklist:

4+ frozen breakfast sausages

1/2 bag frozen broccoli

3+ eggs

1/4 cup almond milk

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shredded cheese, plus extra for topping

Kale or spinach, optional

Healthy Crock Pot Bangers & Mash

June 1, 2014January 2, 2020Posted in Dairy-free, RecipesTagged aidells, bangers, chicken apple, crock pot, mash, potatoes, sausageLeave a comment

My favorite part of summer is eating dinner al fresco with the heavenly Delta breeze in effect. In winter and spring, my crockpot became a Sunday ritual, so why I figured why not put it to use for June’s maiden dinner on the patio.

With chicken apple sausage in the fridge, onions from the farmers market, and potatoes in the cupboard, I came up with a healthy, dairy-free version of bangers and mash.

In the crock pot, pour about 4 cups of broth (I used leftover mushroom broth from soaking dried mushrooms for Wednesday night’s quinoa) and add two sliced onions (I used yellow with 1-2 inches of the light green stems). Then place four chicken apple sausages (or other healthy, all natural brats) in the crockpot, followed by peeled russet potatoes (as many as can fit as a top layer). Sprinkle generously with salt and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Remove potatoes and mash in a separate dish, using spoonfuls of cooked broth and almond milk, until desired consistency. Salt to taste. Serve potatoes, followed by broth and onions, and place a sausage or two on top.

Pin Real Life

February 8, 2014January 2, 2020Posted in Dairy-free, RecipesTagged baked eggs, bread bowl, breakfast, eggs, one dish, one pan, pinterest, potatoes, sausageLeave a comment

This week I tried out a couple of new techniques inspired by discoveries on Pinterest. For better or worse, here’s what happened….

Breakfast Bread Bowl

Here’s the original recipe, but my attempt (cooked in a full baguette with almond milk in place of cream) took 45+ minutes to cook the eggs thoroughly, and I adjusted the heat from 350 to 400 degrees midway through.

One Dish Potato & Sausage Bake

Inspired by pins that showed a casserole dish with a colorful collage of meat and veggies baked to glistening perfection in the oven, I decided to give it a whirl with potatoes, chicken apple sausage and green onions. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Delicious and easy for weeknights!

Goat Cheese Pizza

December 29, 2012January 2, 2020Posted in RecipesTagged cheese, goat's milk cheddar, mushrooms, olives, pizza, pizza dough, Salami, sausage, trader joe'sLeave a comment

Why should mozzarella have all the fun? After watching my Christmas hosts make pizza at home, David was determined to try it in our kitchen. I was equally determined to find a shreddable goat cheese.

Trader Joe’s is where we got the goods. You can pick up the dough, bell peppers, olives, sausage, mushrooms, and marinara sauce for less than the price of delivery. And I found Goat’s Milk Cheddar Cheese, which turned out to be a perfect substitute for mozzarella.

The only tricky part is cooking the pizza long enough to make sure the dough is cooked through. Ours took twice as long as the package suggested, which meant crispier toppings than we would have liked. I’d recommend reducing the heat slightly to help cook evenly.

Super Bowl Shuffle

January 30, 2010January 2, 2020Posted in RecipesTagged homemade chips, sausage, spinach artichoke dip, super bowlLeave a comment

Spinach artichoke dip + chicken apple sausage = faster than the halftime show. Every year, I’m more interested in the food served on Super Bowl Sunday than the game. So this afternoon I tested out a couple of apps that would be perfect for the big game, or any party really:

Spinach artichoke dip – Adapted from Everyday Food, I used more spinach than artichoke, so it produced a bright green color. Much healthier than the store bought version, it’s still big on flavor. (Note: I didn’t have scallions, so I doubled the garlic instead.)
Homemade “chips” – Slice 1-2 tortillas into chip sized shapes and place in a pyrex dish; drizzle lightly with olive oil and fresh parmesan; mix to coat. Broil until crisp and golden brown (10 minutes or so). Place on a paper towel to cool slightly.
Chicken apple sausage – I chose Bruce Aidell’s, but any brand is fine. Slice into 1/2-inch pieces before placing in the same pyrex dish. Broil until cooked through (10-12 minutes). Serve with forks or toothpicks.

The whole process took less than a half hour. Touchdown!

Dinner with Papa

September 16, 2009November 18, 2009Posted in RecipesTagged cassoulet, sausage, white beans3 Comments

Bday cassoulet = white beans + pork sausage + cherry tomatoes + bread crumbs.

Last week my grandfather celebrated his 85th birthday and I toasted him by making dinner at his house. I mimicked a recipe for cassoulet (Provincial-style casserole with various types of meat, beans and tomatoes, baked in the oven) from memory.

I sauteed the sausages until no longer pink inside, then combined the drained beans (from a can) and cherry tomato wedges in a separate bowl. After folding in the sliced sausages, I sprinkled bread crumbs over the mixture, and drizzled melted butter over the top. Bake in the oven until warmed throughout and golden brown – approx. 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

During my transition from Sacramento to the Bay Area, I spent two nights a week at Papa’s to ease the long commute between the two cities. We feasted on a variety of meals, ranging from steak and mashed potatoes to soup and salad. I would email a shopping list to Papa and he would go to his favorite butcher and grocery store in Millbrae.

It was a really unique experience, combining my weeknight routine of winding down in the kitchen, with great stories from his childhood, and jokes over the latest “American Idiots” (Idols) episode.

Papa enjoyed his cassoulet this time around, and I hope to continue the tradition that we originally started 2 years ago (minus the commute).

Fat Tuesday Dinner with David – Feb. 24, 2009

February 24, 2009December 1, 2009Posted in RecipesTagged beans, corn, rice, sausageLeave a comment

In honor of Fat Tuesday and my memories of New Orleans eating, I made a super quick version of red beans & rice. To spice up the classically Cajun dish – without actual spices (we’re a heartburn house) – I combined rice, beans, corn and Aidells Chicken Apple sausage.

Preparation couldn’t have been easier; rice from the rice cooker, frozen corn in the microwave, and organic red beans from a can. Just heat the sausage in a saute pan until warm throughout (about 10-12 min.), add the beans and turn the heat down to medium-low for about 5 minutes until heated. Combine with corn and rice, and serve.

I recommend seasoning with butter, salt, and pepper; but David had his with a little yellow mustard.

Tag: sausage

3-Egg Broccoli Breakfast Casserole

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Healthy Crock Pot Bangers & Mash

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Pin Real Life

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Goat Cheese Pizza

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Super Bowl Shuffle

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Dinner with Papa

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Fat Tuesday Dinner with David – Feb. 24, 2009

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