Egg McMuffin Casserole

Original Recipe HERE

Is it OK to call this an Egg McMuffin casserole?  No McDonald's products were harmed in the making of it.

We had this for dinner, and three out of three kids said they liked it.  No second helpings were had because we were running supremely late and bedtime was on the horizon, but I think they would've if I let them.

I almost put shredded cheese in this (because if it's basically a giant mess of breakfast sandwich-ness, how was there no cheese??), and I'll add it to the egg/milk mixture next time.  I think it would've added that little extra flavor I was looking for (because I forgot to put in the salt and pepper, and I debated things like oregano or Montreal Steak seasoning or Jane's Krazy but didn't follow through).  I could've put vegetables in if diced small and cooked with the sausage, but *P* reminded me that *J* would pick them all out.  Next time I'll sneak some finely chopped spinach and red pepper, maybe.

Also, this is a very kid-friendly meal, preparation-wise.  *P* helped me make it at lunchtime, and I put it in the oven when we got home from afterschool activities at 6:00pm.

Ingredients

6 English muffins, torn into large bite-sized pieces

1 package (1 lb) ground sausage [I used one 16 oz "tube"]

1/2 cup onion, diced small

1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic

8 eggs [I used 4 whole eggs and the equivalent of 4 egg whites]

1 & 1/2 cups milk

2 Tablespoons spicy mustard

salt & pepper

Directions

(1) Grease a 9x13" glass baking dish.

(2) In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.  Add onion and garlic during final minutes of cooking.

(3) Toss together muffin pieces and sausage mixture.  Spread evenly in baking dish.

(4) In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper.

(5) Pour egg mixture over the muffin mixture.  Bake immediately or cover and refrigerate overnight.

(6) In an oven heated to 350 degrees F, bake casserole 45-50 minutes or until eggs are set in the middle.  Cover with foil during last 15 minutes to avoid browning if needed.

Kid Participation:

* Tear muffins

* Stir together muffins and sausage

* Crack eggs

* Whisk wet ingredients

* Pour egg mixture

Creamy Spicy Pasta with Peppers and Sausage

Original Recipe HERE

 

I love alfredo sauces, but I'm the only one in the family.  I don't get it, since the ones I make involve Parmesan and cream cheese and butter and milk...all things the other members eat in spades.  So I thought this was a great pasta dish, but I couldn't tell what others felt.  They all ate their portions, because they contained pasta, and no one here can resist pasta...but the fresh vegetables were pushed to the sides of their plates until I reminded them that they had to finish what they were first served if they wanted any more pasta (which they were then allowed to pick the veggies out of).  I will definitely make it again, maybe subbing in peas or something else they're more likely to eat for one of the peppers.

 

Ingredients

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound smoked sausage
1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin [I chopped]
4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced and separated
2 colored bell peppers, halved and sliced thin [I chopped]
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1-1/2 cups water
8 ounces pasta
2 cups 1% milk
3 ounces low-fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning [I improvised with individual spices]
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions

1) Slice sausage in half lengthwise, then into 1/4" slices.

2) Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage; cook 2-3 minutes or until it begins to brown.

3) Add onions; cook until slightly softened.

4) Add 4 cloves of garlic and bell peppers.  Cook until the peppers are tender-crisp. Transfer the sausage and peppers to a large plate.

5) Add the tomatoes and water to the skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat.

6) Add the pasta.  Cover; reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook until the pasta is al dente and the liquid is absorbed.

7) While the pasta is cooking, blend the milk, cream cheese, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and flour until smooth (I used a Magic Bullet).

8) In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic; cook 1-2 minutes or until tender and fragrant.

9) Add the blended mixture; cook until smooth and thickened into a sauce.

10) Remove the sauce from heat. Add the Parmesan cheese; stir until melted and smooth.

11) Add the peppers and sausage to the pasta/tomato mixture; stir to combine.

12) Add the garlic sauce to pasta or serve on the side.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Lentil Soup with Sausage

Original Recipe HERE

 

This is a handy, basic soup recipe to have on hand - it may not blow anyone's mind, but it was a winner in both the Ease of Preparation and Taste categories.  I always have the ingredients - or something close - ready to go.  The kids liked after adding shredded cheddar and shredded smoked gouda, and I'm sure serving it with a little sour cream would've made them happy, too.

 

Ingredients

1 cup dry green lentils

1 cup chopped onion

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

4 cups beef broth [I did half beef and half chicken]

1 can (15 oz) petite-diced tomatoes, undrained

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano [I used oregano]

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 to 1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 pound pre-cooked smoked sausage links, sliced – or chopped ham [I used chicken sausage]

 

Directions

(1) Rinse lentils; drain.  Soak in a bowl of water while other preparations are completed.

(2) In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion; cook several minutes until tender but not brown.

(3) Add garlic; stir.  Saute a few minutes, avoiding browning.

(4) Drain lentils.  Add to pot along with broth, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme or oregano, pepper, and bay leaf.

(5) Bring soup to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.

(6) Add carrots and celery.  Simmer an additional 15-20 minutes or until lentils and vegetables are tender.

(7) Add sausage; heat through.  Discard bay leaf.

 

Kid Participation: None.

 

Pepper Pasta Sauce

Original Recipe HERE

 

I thought this was a sneaky way to get a bit of vegetables into my kids.  Except *J*'s picky streak continues and he barely ate any.  *N* had seconds but declared, "It tastes...vegetable-y."  And so I came clean, and the thought of a pepper (normally something they avoid like the plague) diminished her enjoyment of further bites.

 

Husband and I really liked this.  I thought the pepper gave the sauce a nice twist and a slight sweetness.  I made several variations on the original recipe: amount of onion and garlic, addition of tomato paste, different type of sausage and tomatoes.

 

Ingredients

1 lb (16 oz box) dry pasta [I used small shells]

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1 orange bell pepper, chopped

2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 lb sausage [I used pre-cooked chicken]

1 can (14.5 oz) diced or crushed tomatoes

1 to 2 Tablespoons tomato paste [I used 2]

1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream [I used 1/2 cup]

1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese [I used 2/3 cup]

 

Directions

(1) Cook pasta according to package directions.

(2) Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

(3) Add onion and pepper to skillet.  Saute until just tender, about 3-5 minutes.

(4) While vegetables are cooking, cut sausages in half length-wise and then into small slices.

(5) Add garlic to skillet.  Saute until softened but not browned.

(6) Stir in tomatoes and heavy cream.  Reduce heat to medium-low; cook about 5 minutes.

(7) Use an immersion blender to puree sauce to desired consistency.

(8) Add sausage to sauce; heat through.

(9) Stir in Parmesan cheese until mixed well.

(10) Serve sauce over pasta.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Sausage & Stuffing Bake

Original recipe HERE

 

This is marketed as a brunch dish, but I made it for dinner.  It's a simple one to tweak according to your own tastes: type of sausage, variety of vegetables, or type of cheese.

 

My kids liked it and asked for seconds.  They even ate most of the vegetables.  I wish the egg element had been a little firmer, so next time I might cut the amount of egg whites and add in a few full eggs.  Also, the cheese congealed on top as the casserole cooled, so perhaps stirring the cheese into the stuffing mixture would prevent that and distribute the cheese flavor into every bite.

I used the cubed stuffing, but it still pretty much just turned into one mass of mush (which I say in a good way) along with the egg.  I thought there would be more of a bread-like substance throughout, but it was just egg-y.  The taste was fine, but the consistency wasn't what I was expecting...just an FYI.

 

Ingredients

1 lb sausage, precooked [I used Italian chicken]

1 small onion, diced small

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 to 3 carrots, peeled & diced

2 to 3 cloves garlic, pressed

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4 cups herb seasoned stuffing mix [I used Pepperidge Farm cubed style]

1/2 cup broth

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

5 oz sharp cheddar, grated

2 cups milk

16 oz carton fat-free egg substitute [I used a container of egg whites]

salt & pepper, to taste

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 9x13" baking dish.

(2) Cut sausages in half lengthwise, then into slices.

(3) In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

(4) Add sausage, onion, mushrooms, celery, carrot, and garlic to skillet.  Saute until sausage is browned and vegetables are softened.

(5) In a large mixing bowl, combine stuffing and sausage mixture.  Stir thoroughly.

(6) Transfer stuffing mixture to the baking dish.  Drizzle with broth and melted butter.

(7) Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the stuffing mixture.

(8) In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg substitute, salt, and pepper. 

(9) Pour milk mixture evenly over the stuffing mixture. 

(10) Bake about 40 minutes, uncovered, or until egg is set and casserole is cooked through.  Allow to cool several minutes before serving.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Apricot Kielbasa Slices

Original Recipe in some magazine that has a field editor named Barbara McCalley

 

Not much to say about this one, other than it was any easy weeknight meal to throw together.  The kids liked it, probably due to the sweet factor.  I used some random jar of local apricot jelly and served it over brown rice.  There lemon flavor was a bit too strong for my taste; next time I'll do one tablespoon.

 

Ingredients

1 pound cooked kielbasa or sausage [I used chicken sausage]

1 jar (12 oz) apricot preserves

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

 

Directions

(1) Cut sausage in half length-wise, then into 1/4" slices.

(2) In a small bowl, combine preserves, lemon juice, mustard, and ginger.  Whisk until thoroughly combined.

(3) In a large skillet, brown the sausage (use a little olive oil if necessary).  Remove sausage; set aside.

(4) Add sauce mixture to skillet.  Cook over low heat, 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.  Stir occasionally.

(5) Return sausage to pan; cook several additional minutes until heated through.

 

Kid Participation:

* Whisk together sauce ingredients

Slow Cooker Saucy Baked Beans with Sausage

Original Recipe: Better Homes & Gardens Simple Slow Cooker Recipes.

 

This recipe was a hit with every family member, so there was only one serving left over for lunch the next day.  The great thing about it is how easy it would be to increase its volume: another can of beans, some extra sausage, another squirt of ketchup, chopped red or green pepper and onion, and so on.  I'm sure it could be prepared on the stovetop, but I needed a fix-it-and-forget-it meal that day, so the slow cooker was my method of choice.

 

I served it with barley I cooked on the side.  It was too saucy to eat as-is; I think it needs something like rice or barley to bulk it up.

 

Ingredients

2 cans (15 oz each) Great Northern beans, drained & rinsed

2 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans or small red beans, drained & rinsed

12 oz cooked smoked sausage, cut into 1/4" slices

3/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

 

Directions

(1) In a 3.5-, 4-, or 5.5-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients.

(2) Cover; cook on low 5-6 hours or high 2.5-3 hours.

 

Kid Participation:

* dump all ingredients into slow cooker

* push slow cooker buttons (yay, allowed to play with appliances for once!)

Santa Fe Casserole

Original Recipe HERE

 

This was a tasty casserole that was (1) easy to assemble, and (2) light enough that it didn't leave me feeling like I had a rock in my stomach afterward.

More vegetables could be added to bulk it up and add nutrition.  And I feel like it was missing a little something to make it extra special.  Next time I'll throw some salsa into the mix, a little garlic powder, and something like precooked sausage.

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

2 to 3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1/2 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon pepper

1 can (15 oz) beans of choice, rinsed & drained [I used pinto]

1 red or green bell pepper, chopped fine

3/4 cup milk

1-1/2 cup brown rice, cooked

2 eggs, beaten

1-1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.

(2) In small skillet, heat olive oil on medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic; saute until tender.

(3) In  large mixing bowl, whisk eggs.  Add salt, chili powder, pepper, beans, bell pepper, milk, rice, and cheese; mix well.

(4) Pour mixture into casserole dish.

(5) Bake 25 minutes or until center is firm.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

 

Kid Participation:

* Stir all ingredients together

* Pick out red bell pepper AGAIN...someday I will get them to eat it!

Baked Pasta, Gouda, & Caramelized Onions

Original Recipe HERE

 

This is, hands down, the greatest macaroni and cheese dish I've ever had.  I'd even venture to say it might be the greatest food item I've ever had.  It's that good.  It's the caramelized onions that took it into the stratosphere.  Everyone in my family loved it, and only *J* picked out the onions (and gave them to me...for once his pickiness worked in my favor!)

 

I didn't want to deal with cooking sausages, so I substituted precooked smoked sausage.  I imagine bacon would work just as well, though you'd need a lot of it in order to guarantee some in every bite.  Which is totally fine by me; I'm not afraid to use an entire package of bacon in one meal.

 
I also added all of the cheese and onions right into the pasta mixture and didn't leave any for garnishing the top.

 

The original author of the recipe said that she's used skim milk in place of the whole.  I used an unorthodox hybrid of whole milk, water, and half-n-half (because I hadn't gone grocery shopping in a week), and it was fine.  I imagine skim would make it the sauce a little thinner, but if you care at all about trying to make this dish healthier, apparently it's an option.

 

Ingredients

* For pasta & sauce:

1 lb (16 oz) pasta [I used ruffles]

1-1/2 lbs precooked sausage

1-1/2 cups caramelized onions

4 cups milk

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter

6 Tablespoons flour

3/4 lb smoked Gouda, grated

Salt and pepper

* For caramelized onions:

3 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds onions, thinly sliced [I used three medium-size onions]

2 teaspoons sugar

Directions

* For pasta & sauce:
(1) Preheat the oven to 350°.

(2) Prepare caramelized onions (directions below).

(3) Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente, according to directions.

(4) While pasta is cooking, slice sausage lengthwise twice, then slice into thin quarters.

(5) Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook until slightly browned.  Transfer sausage to a large bowl.

(6) Add pasta to sausage.  Stir to combine.

(7) In  medium saucepan or microwave, heat milk until steaming.

(8) Return large saucepan to stove.  Add butter; melt over medium heat.

(9) Add flour.  Cook, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes.

(10) Whisk in hot milk, 1/4 cup at a time.  Continue whisking until sauce is smooth and thick and comes to a simmer.

(11) Add cheese.  Remove saucepan from heat.  Whisk until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

(12) Add caramelized onions to pasta mixture.  Stir to combine.

(13) Add cheese sauce to pasta mixture.  Stir to combine.

(14) Grease 9x13" baking dish.  Add pasta mixture in an even layer.

(15) Bake until golden and bubbling, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

* For caramelized onions:

(1) In  large skillet, melt butter into olive oil over medium-high heat.

(2) Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring constantly, until onions begin to soften (about 5 minutes).

(3) Stir in sugar.  Cook, scraping browned bits off bottom of pan frequently, until the onions are golden brown (about 20 minutes).

(4) If desired, dice onions into bite-size pieces.

 

Kid Participation: None.  I was too busy with all the steps to let them help out...heaven forbid they hose up the caramelized onions!

Sausage, Pepper, & Potato Bake

Original Recipe HERE

 

I made some tweaks to the original recipe - namely, adding turmeric.  It wasn't sure if the dish would have enough flavor for my liking.  And there's only so many times you can dump garlic salt into something before your taste buds start getting immune to the flavor.  I fished around my spice shelf, opened a few containers and sniffed, and decided it was turmeric's night to shine.  I liked the result and resolved to use this unappetizingly colorful spice more frequently.

 

Ingredients

4 precooked sausage links [I used chicken]

4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 cups red potatoes, cubed

1/4 teaspoon turmeric [or to taste]

2 peppers, diced [red, green, yellow, or orange]

1 leek [white part], cleaned and sliced

4 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped

14-oz can diced tomatoes, drained

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

salt & pepper

3/4 cup shredded cheese of your choice [I used garlic & herb]

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 F.

(2) Slice sausage in half lengthwise and then into thin slices.

(3) Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.  Add sausage; brown.  Remove from skillet; set aside.

(4) Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to skillet.  Add potatoes; cook 6-8 minutes or until a light brown crust forms.  Halfway through cooking, add turmeric.

(5) Add peppers; saute 2-3 minutes or until peppers are tender-crisp.  Remove mixture from skillet; set aside.

(6) Add remaining olive oil to skillet.  Add leek; saute 2-3 minutes or until tender.

(7) Add garlic; saute 1 minute.

(8) Add tomatoes to skillet; stir mixture well.

(9) Add broth; bring to a gentle boil.  Season with salt and pepper.

(10) Pour mixture into 2-quart casserole dish.  Cover with foil; bake 45 minutes.  Remove foil; sprinkle with cheese; bake an additional 10 minutes.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Seasoned Vegetable, Sausage, & Potato Skillet

Original Recipe HERE

My concern about this recipe was how flavorful it would be.  I knew the bratwurst would have a distinct taste, but the rest of the ingredients might be sort of...blah.  I thought this could be easily rectified by using Lipton onion soup mix, since that's my go-to when needing a quick potato side dish.  But I only had vegetable soup mix in the pantry, so I turned to my spice cabinet.  There was no rosemary like the original recipe called for.  Time for Plan C, which is when I start opening random spice containers and sniffing them to see what might work.  I settled on turmeric (which gave everything a not-so-appetizing yellow hue) and thyme, and I think they were good choices.

The potatoes were very soft after cooking them for the recommended time.  If you want them to be firmer, shave a few minutes off.  I wonder if cooking them without the lid on would also give them a little crustiness that would help them stand out from the other vegetables.

Ingredients

1 lb baby red potatoes, quartered

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper

1lb fully cooked chicken sausage [I used chicken bratwurst], sliced lengthwise & cut into 1/2" pieces

1 large onion, chopped

4-6 cloves garlic, smashed & roughly chopped

2 peppers [I used red and green], diced into 1" pieces

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 cups zucchini, sliced lengthwise & cut into 1/2" pieces

Directions

(1) Put oil and potatoes in a large, deep non-stick skillet with a lid on high heat.  Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Once skillet is hot and potatoes start to sizzle, reduce heat to low.  Cook with a tight lid on for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent burning.

(2) Remove from heat; let them sit 5 minutes without removing the lid. Set potatoes aside on a dish.

(3) Add sausage to skillet.  Sautee on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned (about 10 minutes).

(4) Add onions, peppers, and garlic to the skillet.  Sprinkle with turmeric and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and peppers become slightly browned.
(5) Add zucchini; cook an additional 5 minutes or until softened.

(6) Return the potatoes back to the skillet and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper as needed; cover and cook 5 more minutes.

Kid Participation: None.

Sausage & Pea Risotto

Original Recipe HERE

I'm a risotto amateur, and this recipe was not the one to elevate me to "competent."  However, that was due to lack of time and patience.  We were attempting a picnic in the backyard, but kids were getting hungry and the sun was setting.  So I had to rush through the cooking of the arborio rice, and it wasn't quite as tender as it should be.  That didn't matter, since the recipe was great and everyone ate some.

I used chicken bratwurst, which I'd never seen at our deli before.  Loved it; will use it again in other sausage-requiring dishes..  I am not a fan of peas in general, and I think this would be really good with asparagus instead.

Ingredients

1 package pre-cooked sweet italian sausage [I used a 4-pack of chicken bratwurst]

olive oil

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup risotto rice (arborio)

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 large onion

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt & pepper

Directions

(1) Slice sausages in half lengthwise.  Slice again, crosswise, into 1/4" thick pieces.

(2) Chop onion into small pieces.

(3) In large pot on medium-high heat, brown sausage with a tablespoon of olive oil.  When done, set aside on paper towel-lined plate.

(4) In same pot, add more olive oil and onion.  Saute until translucent.

(5) Add rice to onion; cook while stirring to lightly toast rice.

(6) Add wine to pot.  Turn down heat to medium; stir frequently & cook until wine is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.

(7) Add broth to pot.  Repeat steps used with wine.  When broth has cooked down, add remaining cup.  Entire process should take 15 to 20 minutes.

(8) When rice is tender, add peas (and more liquid if necessary).  Cook for 2 minutes.

(9) Return sausage to pot.  Add parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste.

Kid Participation: None.

Italian Sausage with Red Grapes

Original Recipe HERE

I was doubtful about how this would turn out, but it had a refreshingly different-yet-appealing taste.  The spiciness of the sausage was nicely balanced out with the "tang" of the cooked grapes and the obvious balsamic flavor.  It couldn't be much easier, too.  I served it over rice.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 pounds sweet Italian sausage [I used chicken sausage]

1 to 2 pounds seedless red grapes, stemmed

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Salt & pepper

Directions

(1) Cut sausages in half lengthwise, then into slices.

(2) Heat oil in skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking.  Cook sausages until well browned.

(3) Add grapes.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until sausages are cooked through and grapes are softened (about 10 to 12 minutes).

(4) Stir in vinegar.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Kid Participation: None.

Roasted Potatoes, Sausage, & Peppers

Original Recipe HERE

I don't like working with uncooked sausage because so often you're asked to remove it from its casing.  And that procedure is nasty enough to make me lose my appetite.  But this one allows you to leave the sausage in its virginal state, so I was able to prepare the recipe without too much dry heaving.  And cooked sausage is well worth the torture it puts my gag reflect through.  The amounts and varieties of ingredients here are very forgiving: use a green pepper, use different potatoes, or use different seasonings.  The end result, as I made it, was delicious.  Husband claimed the leftovers for lunch the next day before he'd even finished eating.  The kids ate the potatoes and sausage voluntarily and begrudgingly ate the few vegetable pieces I insisted upon.

Apparently it reheated well, so I think this would also be a good meal to bring to a pot luck or to a family that just had a baby or something along those lines.  Hence the label I'm going to create right now: good for sharing.  Not creative at all, but it's enough to jog my memory.  I think it might be redundant with my "potluck" label, but I'll just use both to be safe.

Ingredients

1.5 pounds potatoes [I used red]

1 medium onion

2 red bell peppers

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon chopped rosemary (fresh or dry)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

olive oil spray

1 pound uncooked Italian chicken sausage

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 375°. Spray one large non-stick baking sheet (or 2 small ones) with olive oil spray.  Line with foil first if desired.

(2) Scrub potatoes.  Leave skin on if desired.  Cut into 1x1/2" pieces.

(3) De-seed red peppers.  Cut into 1" pieces.

(4) In a large bowl, combine potatoes, peppers, olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic powder.  Mix well to ensure even coating.

(5) Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and place in the center of the oven; bake 15 minutes.

(6) While cooking, peel onion. Cut into quarters; cut outer layers one more time so pieces are uniform size. Separate layers.

(7) Slice each sausage link into 6 or 7 pieces.

(8) Add the sausage and onions to the baking sheet.  Continue to bake, tossing once or twice, for 25-35 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.  Monitor carefully to ensure vegetables don't char.

Kid Participation: None.  And exposing them to uncooked sausage might turn them into vegetarians.

Cream Biscuits & Sausage Gravy

Original Recipe HERE

This is definitely not a recipe for anyone trying to lose weight (or avoid a heart attack), but it was great "comfort"-style food.  I was a little confused on the sausage to buy, but I found a 12-ounce pack of Bob Evans links (a 12 count).  It was a bit hard to crumble it well enough, and I ended up chopping it further on a cutting board.  Next time I'll try one of those large packages that seems to be ready to burst and makes me wonder if that sudden tingling I'm feeling in my left arm is imaginary or cause for concern.  Or I'll spring for chicken sausage if I can find it.

It wasn't until I had started making this for dinner that I realized in the original post that it's a breakfast food.  Oops.  That has never stopped me before...and it just meant that I didn't have to wait another 24 hours to justify eating the leftovers.  *J* didn't eat much, but he has entered a picky phase.  *N* ate it and asked for a second bowl (which she didn't finish).  However, both kids enjoyed having the biscuits the next morning spread with honey and jelly.

Ingredients

* Cream Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the work surface

2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream [I only had 1 cup and used half-and-half for the rest]
* Sausage Gravy
12 oz bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion [optional]
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk [I used 1 cup 2%  and 1 cup skim]
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
* Cream Biscuits
(1) Preheat oven to 425º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
(2) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
(3) Stir in 1 1/4 cups of cream with a wooden spoon until a dough forms (about 30 seconds). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
(4) Use the remaining 1/4 cup of cream to moisten any flour left in the bowl; add to the dough. Gather into a ball and knead for about 30 seconds or until smooth.
(5) Shape the dough into a 3/4" thick circle. Using a 2 1/2" floured cutter (approximately), cut the biscuits into rounds and place on prepared baking sheet. Reshape the dough once to cut additional biscuits.
(6) Bake biscuits until golden brown (about 15 minutes), rotating the pan halfway through baking.
* Sausage Gravy (prepare while biscuits are in the oven)
(1) Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until well-browned (about 7 minutes), breaking it up as much as possible.
(2) Transfer to a plate and set aside, keeping the rendered fat in the pan.
(3) Add onion to skillet; sautee until just tender.
(4) Sprinkle flour into skillet and whisk for about 1 minute.
(5) Continue whisking while slowly adding the milk. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer about 2 minutes. (6) Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Stir in sausage.  Serve over split biscuits.

Kid Participation:
* Whisk dry biscuit ingredients
* Knead dough
* Roll dough
* Cut out biscuit shapes (or free-form their own)

Lentil Soup

Original Recipe HERE

Ingredients

1 cup dry lentils

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon olive oil

4 cups beef broth [can substitute chicken or vegetable]

15 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 pound fully-cooked smoked sausage links, sliced [can substitute chopped ham]

1 to 2 cups ditalini or other small pasta [optional]

Directions

(1) Rinse lentils; set aside.

(2) Add olive oil to medium pot.  Cook onion and garlic over medium heat until tender but not brown.
(3) Add lentils, broth, undrained tomatoes, worcestershire sauce, thyme/oregano, pepper, cumin, and bay leaf to pot. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

(4) Add carrot and celery. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer for 15-20 mins or until lentils and veggies are tender.

(6) Prepare pasta if using.

(7) Stir meat into soup; heat through. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Notes: I didn't like the particular sausage I used and would use ham - or no meat - next time.

Kid Participation: None.

Basic Slowcooker Bean and Sausage Soup

Original Recipe HERE

This soup was good.  Nothing fancy, but it was tasty and filled us up, plus made leftovers.  It offers a lot of room for improvisation...also known as, "I have these vegetables in my fridge that are going to go bad in the next 24 hours and I need to use them up."  I used frozen peas, frozen corn, celery, and green onions.  I thought I had carrots, but Husband had taken the rest of them to work.  Darn him for brown-bagging healthy lunches.

Ingredients

1 can white kidney beans, drained & rinsed

1 can pinto beans, drained & rinsed

1 can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed

1 teaspoon dried or ground thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic (approximate)

2-4 chicken or turkey sausages

1/2 chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup leftover rice (or about 1/3 cup uncooked rice)

2 cups chopped fresh vegetables

1 quart chicken or vegetable broth

Directions

1) Chop vegetables into bite-size pieces.

2) Slice sausage length-wise and then length-wise again, followed by slicing into smaller pieces (so you have quarter-rounds).

3) Add all ingredients to slowcooker.

4) Cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. The soup is done when it's heated through and the vegetables are tender.

Notes: None, other than to try different types of vegetables next time, as well as another type of sausage, just to see how it turns out.

Kid Participation:

* Drain beans.

* Dump ingredients into slowcooke.r

* Throw bean cans into recycling bin but miss, forcing Mom to walk out into the rain to pick up the cans and lids strewn on the patio.

Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

Original Recipe HERE

Everyone needs a Sausage, Peppers, & Onions recipe in their repertoire.  A lot of times they're pretty straightforward...the name says it all.  But I like it nonetheless, so I'm always happy to dish some up at a potluck or picnic.  However, this recipe is definitely the best I've ever had.  The first night we had it over pasta, and the next night I chopped up a serving into smaller pieces, warmed it, then toasted it on a sub roll with American cheese.  I don't know which way I liked it better.  Probably with cheese, because just about everything is better with cheese...but that is nothing against the pasta version.  This will be made again and again, as well as passed along to others in recipe exchanges.

Ingredients

4 Italian sausage links [I used chicken]

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 green bell pepper, sliced into 2 to 3 inch strips

1 red bell pepper, sliced into 2 to 3 inch strips

1 bell pepper of another color (yellow or orange or purple), sliced into 2-3 inch strips

4 garlic cloves, sliced into slivers

1 large onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons

1 can (15 ounce) crushed tomatoes

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 cup Marsala or red wine [optional; I used Marsala]

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flake

Salt to taste

Directions

1) Slice sausages in half, length-wise.  Then slice into bite-size slices.

2) Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan that has a lid. When hot, add sausages and brown them slowly (avoid sizzling and crackling).  Cook for several minutes, turning occasionally. When the sausages are browned, remove from the pan and set aside.

3) Increase the heat to high and add onions and peppers. Toss so they get coated with the oil and sear, stirring occasionally. Once they're softened, sprinkle some salt on them. Once there's some searing (slight blackening) on the onions and peppers, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

4) Add the Marsala or red wine if you are using, and with a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pan to release all the browned and blackened bits. Let the wine cook down by half.

5) Add tomatoes, oregano and red pepper flakes, stirring well to combine. Add sausages back in. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until the peppers are soft the sausages are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Sausage, peppers and onions will keep in the fridge for several days.  Serve over polenta or pasta or load up in a hoagie roll. Any leftover sauce makes a great sauce for pasta.

Notes: None.  I will make it exactly the same way next time.

Kid Participation:

* None...pretty much the whole process involves sharp knives, high heat, and oil.