Spring – Sausage Risotto with Spring Greens

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Ingredients

  • 1 bunch dandelion greens, Swiss chard, or mustard greens (12 oz), tough bottom stems removed, leaves cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 4 tablespoons butter, cut up
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 6 ounces mild Italian sausage (about 1 1/2 links), casings removed
  • 2 cups arborio rice
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 5 cups low-salt chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

Preparation

  • Cook greens in boiling salted water just until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain; cool.
  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and garlic. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Add sausage; sauté until brown, breaking up with spoon, about 3 minutes.
  • Add rice; stir 1 minute.
  • Add wine; reduce heat to medium-low.
  • Simmer until wine is almost absorbed. Add 1 cup broth. Stir until broth is almost absorbed.
  • Add remaining 4 cups broth by 1/2 cupfuls, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more.
  • Mix in greens after 10 minutes.
  • Cook until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, 25 minutes total.
  • Mix in cheese and remaining 3 tablespoons butter.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Serve risotto, passing additional cheese.

Spring – Pasta Primavera with Sausage

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Total:  30 min
Active:  15 min
Yield:  4 servings
Level:  Easy

Ingredients

  • Bernie’s Classic sweet sausage (taken out of casings and crumbled up or sliced.)
  • or parsley (optional)

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fusilli and cook as the label directs. Add the sugar snap peas and/or broccoli, carrots and bell pepper to the boiling water during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and vegetables and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage until it is no longer pink, then add garlic and cook until just golden, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the tomatoes begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water. Pour the tomato mixture over the pasta and vegetables. Add parmesan, half the goat cheese and mint or parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt.

Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with the remaining goat cheese and drizzle with olive oil.

Recipe adapted from the Food Network

Spring – Roasted Sausage and Vegetables

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Welcome Spring! This one-pan meal is a true weeknight wonder. Voila!

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

 

  • Wash 5-7 small red potatoes. You don’t have to peel them. Cut the potatoes into about 1 inch chunks. Any roasting potato will do as long as you cut them into roughly the same size chunks.After you chop each ingredient put them all into a large plastic bag as you go. This saves on having to wash a bowl!
  • This time, instead of garlic powder, why not try some fresh crushed garlic.
  • Remove the stem and seeds from 1 red pepper and cut it into bite size.
  • Peel 3 medium carrots and cut into one inch chunks.
  • Peel and cut 1 medium onion in half, then in quarters, then in 1/8’s.
  • Pour 4 tablespoons of olive oil over the whole thing and mix it all together inside the bag.
  • Don’t forget to add a sprinkle of salt, pepper and some dried rosemary.
  • Gently squish everything together in the bag.
  • Empty the bag out on to a baking sheet with sides.
  • Now for the sausage! Remove the casing from 1 pound of sausage and cut into 1 inch chunks.

  • I like to use many different types of sausages.
  • Turkey sausage, hot or sweet sausage, Piemonte Sausages,  they all taste great in this recipe. Just choose your favorite.
  • Put the dinner in the preheated oven.
  • Bake it for 15 minutes.
  • Then with a spatula, give it all a stir
  • Stick it back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until everything is crispy and roasted.

By now your kitchen has a wonderful aroma permeating through it and all of your neighbors will be wishing they were invited to dinner!

It’s time for Chili

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Slow-Cooked Chunky Chili Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min. Cook: 4 hours
MAKES: 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound bulk pork sausage try Bernie’s Classic Hot or Cantalupo
  • 4 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 cans (10 ounces each) diced tomatoes and with green chilies (optional), undrained
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 medium green pepper, chopped
  • 1 envelope taco seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • Shredded cheddar cheese, optional
  • Chopped red onion, optional
  • Sour cream, optional

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
  2. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until vegetables are tender. If desired, serve with shredded cheese, chopped onion and sour cream.
  3. Freeze option: Before adding toppings, cool chili. Freeze chili and toppings separately in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary. Sprinkle with toppings. Yield: 3 quarts.

Soup Series #6 Italian Vegetable Soup Recipe

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Italian Sausage & Vegetable Soup Recipe

Nutritional Facts

1 cup: 164 calories, 3g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 426mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 5g fiber), 6g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat.

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min. Cook: 25 min.
MAKES: 7 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb bulk Colazione Italian sausage or your choice of Piemonte Sausage
  • 2 celery ribs, sliced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, halved and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 can (15 oz) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (14-1/2 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup marsala wine or additional reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon each dried basil, marjoram, oregano and thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup uncooked bow tie pasta
  • 6 cups torn escarole (about 1 small head)

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven, saute the sausage until it is no longer pink, drain. Then saute the celery, onion and carrot in oil until tender. Stir in the water, beans, tomatoes, broth, wine and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Stir in pasta.
  2. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 13-15 minutes or until pasta is tender, adding escarole during last 3 minutes of cooking.

Soup Series #5 – Italian Sausage & Bean Soup Recipe

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Italian Sausage & Bean Soup Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
MAKES: 6 servings

Ingredients

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 16-20 minutes or until flavors are blended. Yield: 6 servings (2 quarts).

Nutritional Facts

1-1/3 cups: 416 calories, 21g fat (8g saturated fat), 53mg cholesterol, 1411mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 12g fiber), 23g protein.

Originally published as Italian Sausage & Bean Soup in Taste of Home February/March 2012, p52

Soup Series #4 – Hearty Cannellini & Sausage Soup Recipe

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Hearty Cannellini & Sausage Soup Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
MAKES: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces Piemonte Italian Beer sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 4-1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups coarsely chopped Chinese or napa cabbage
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, cook and stir sausage over medium heat until lightly browned; drain. Add the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5-10 minutes or until cabbage is tender and flavors are blended.

Nutritional Facts

1-1/3 cups: 283 calories, 14g fat (5g saturated fat), 35mg cholesterol, 1672mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 6g fiber), 15g protein.

Originally published as Hearty Cannellini & Sausage Soup in Taste of Home October/November 2012, p65

Soup Series #3 – Sausage Tortellini Soup Recipe

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Sausage Tortellini Soup Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min. Cook: 30 min.
MAKES: 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bulk Piemonte Colazione sausage
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups chopped cabbage
  • 1 can (14-1/2 oz) Italian stewed tomatoes, undrained and cut up
  • 1 can (14-1/2 oz) beef broth
  • 1 can (10-1/2 oz) condensed French onion soup
  • 1 package (9 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, cabbage, tomatoes, broth and soup. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 8 minutes. Stir in tortellini; cook 7-9 minutes longer or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with cheese.
    Freeze option: Before adding cheese, freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth, water or milk if necessary. Serve with cheese.      (2-1/2 quarts).

Nutritional Facts

1 cup: 199 calories, 10g fat (4g saturated fat), 34mg cholesterol, 912mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 2g fiber), 11g protein.

Originally published as Sausage Tortellini Soup in Simple & Delicious March/April 2009, p37

Soup Series #2 – Hearty Sausage Minestrone Recipe

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Hearty Sausage Minestrone Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
MAKES: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bulk Piemonte Italian Beer sausage (Garlic flavored Agilio-fresco or Bernie’s Classis Sweet or Hot)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped
  • 3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic, undrained
  • 2 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup ditalini or other small pasta

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, onion, celery and carrots over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink and onion is tender, breaking up sausage into crumbles; drain.
  2. Stir in tomatoes, beans, broth, garlic powder and pepper; bring to a boil. Add pasta; cook, covered, 6-8 minutes or until pasta is tender.
  3. Freeze option: Freeze cooled minestrone in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth if necessary. Yield: 8 servings (3-1/2 quarts).

Nutritional Facts

1-3/4 cups: 372 calories, 13g fat (4g saturated fat), 33mg cholesterol, 1481mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 9g fiber), 18g protein.

Originally published as Hearty Sausage Minestrone in Simple & Delicious October/November 2014

 

Soup Series #1 Chicken Cassoulet Soup

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This favorite is a slow cooker recipe. This is an easy version of traditional French cassoulet. It uses several types of beans, sausage and chicken instead of traditional duck.

  • Time: Prep: 35 min.
  • Cook: 6 hours
  • Makes: 7 servings 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
  • 5 cups water
  • 1/2 pound cubed cooked chicken
  • 1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 medium carrots, shredded
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup dry vermouth or chicken broth
  • 5 tsp chicken bouillon granules
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp fennel seed, crushed
  • 1 tsp dried lavender flowers, optional
  • 1/2 pound bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
  2. Transfer to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the water, chicken, beans, carrots, onion, vermouth, bouillon, garlic, thyme, fennel and if desired, lavender. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until heated through.
  3. Divide among bowls; sprinkle with bacon. Yield: 7 servings (2-3/4 quarts).
Editor’s Note: Look for dried lavender flowers in spice shops. If using lavender from the garden, make sure it hasn’t been treated with chemicals. Originally published as Chicken Cassoulet Soup in Taste of Home Everyday Slow Cooker & One Dish Recipes Annual 2011, p69