Creamy Sausage and Tortellini Soup

My husband is very selective on the soups he will call a meal... most do not fill him up and he is eating again 2 hours later.  Every once and a while I will make one and he will tell me "That's a keeper."  Folks, this is a keeper.  Perfectly hearty, fast to make.  Win-win. 


Creamy Sausage and Tortellini Soup

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 small shallot, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ c. all-purpose flour
5 c. chicken broth
14 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini*
1 tsp. kosher sea salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
6 ounces chopped fresh spinach
2 c. half & half (or heavy cream)

In a large stockpot set over medium-high, cook the sausage until browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel lined plate; set aside.

Add onion, shallot and carrot, sauté for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning.

Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add in the chicken broth, whisk to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 6 minutes.

Pat as much grease as possible off of the sausage, then add it along with the tortellini, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, spinach, and half & half. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the tortellini is fully cooked.

Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan, if desired.

Recipe Source:  The Best Blog Recipes

New Orleans Style Gumbo

After returning from Disneyland and craving some gumbo from the Orleans Cafe, I went on a hunt for a recipe to satisfy my cravings!  Granted, this may not be the easiest dinner out there as it takes a long time to brown the roux.  It. Is. Worth. The. Time.  Seriously!  What is the saying...the secret ingredient is love?!  I say the secret ingredient to many recipes is TIME, which I think equals LOVE. So, next time you are craving some Southern comfort food or want to host a Mardi Gras party...make this.  It is soooo worth it! Enjoy :)

New Orleans Style Gumbo

For the Roux:

1 heaping cup flour
2/3 cup oil

For the Gumbo:
1 whole bunch/stock celery, diced, leaves and all
1 green pepper, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 bunch of green onion, finely chopped
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
1-2 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning
6-8 cups of homemade chicken stock
1 Andouille Sausage, sliced into "coins" (substitute Polska Kielbasa if you can't find a good Andouille)
Meat from 1 Rotisserie Chicken*
2 cups cooked Shrimp
Cooked white rice, for serving


For the Roux*:
In a large, heavy bottom stock pot combine flour and oil. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 30-45 minutes. This part takes patience--when it's finished it should be as dark as chocolate and have a soft, "cookie dough" like consistency. Be careful not to let it burn! Feel free to add a little more flour or oil as needed to reach this consistency.

In a separate skillet on medium-high heat place the sausage slices in one layer in the pan. Brown them well on one side (2-3 minutes) and then use a fork to flip each over onto the other side to brown. Remove to a plate.

Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the hot skillet that had the sausage to deglaze the pan. Pour the broth and drippings into your large soup pot. Add remaining 5 1/2 cups of chicken broth. Add veggies, parsley, and roux to the pot and stir well. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly tender. (Skim off any foam that may rise to the top of the pot.) Stir in cajun seasoning, to taste. Add chicken, sausage, and shrimp.

At this point taste it and add more seasonings to your liking--salt, pepper, chicken bullion paste, garlic, more Joe's stuff or more chicken broth--until you reach the perfect flavor. Serve warm over rice. (Tastes even better the next day!)

Notes

*You can make the roux a day or two in advance to cut down on prep time!

*The best way to make this gumbo is by buying a rotisserie chicken--removing all the chicken, and using the carcass to make homemade chicken stock. Then make the gumbo using the homemade broth. You could use store-bought chicken broth, but homemade is way better! 

Recipe Source: Tastes Better From Scratch

Chicken Sausage and Veggie Stir Fry

Well, I've decided to start posting some of my healthy meals, regardless if there is an actual recipe or not.  I need to keep motivated, and looking back on here for healthy meal ideas will help me do that :)

Anyhow, I just threw this together for lunch...I had a package of broccoli/broccoli slaw/snow pea mix that I needed to use up and half a bag of quinoa/brown rice that needed to be used as well.  So this is what I came up with.  Now, this isn't 100% 21-Day Fix approved.  I did add an orange container of stir fry sauce, but I highly doubt 2 Tbsp of sauce is going to ruin my day!

I'm always looking for new ways to switch things up on this diet...feel free to share!

I counted this recipe as follows:

2 GREEN  
1.5 YELLOW  
1 ORANGE  
1 RED
2 tsp

Chicken Sausage and Veggie Stir Fry 
(for my one serving)

3/4 cup Seeds of Change quinoa/brown rice mix
2 Cups mixed veggies (I used broccoli, carrots, snow peas, broccoli slaw)
3/4 cup sliced chicken sausage
2 Tbsp Stir Fry Sauce
2 tsp coconut oil

Cook up sausage and veggies in coconut oil until tender and heated through.  Heat Seeds of change as indicated on package.  Stir stirfry sauce into veggie mixture until coated.  Enjoy!

Sausage Stuffing

I love this pic for a couple reasons. 1) It encompasses how our winters are here...frosty.  We never get a lot of snow (at least the 3 winters we have lived here).  It is a lot of gray skies, fog, and frost with a few ice storms mixed in.  2) This stuffing turned out awesome for Thanksgiving.  It reminded me a lot of the one my Grandma makes...minus the sausage.

The flavors were spot-on if you ask me, and after putting a small drizzle of turkey gravy on top...forget about it!  This is definitely a keeper and will be made for years to come!  And yes, I know the appropriate term for this is dressing...but where I come from it's stuffing no matter what.  That is all :)

Sausage Stuffing


Serves 10-12

1 1/2 loaves of sliced white sandwich bread (about 35-40 slices) 
48 oz chicken stock
2 cups diced celery (I like to use the inside stalks first, leaves and all)
1 1/2 TBSP poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp salt  
1 lb breakfast sausage 
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Break bread slices up into bite size pieces.  Place onto two cookie sheets and toast in the oven for about 30-40 minutes.  Check and turn bread every 10 minutes.  You only want it slightly brown, but dry through out.  Cool completely and transfer to a extra large bowl. 

In a large pot add chicken stock, diced celery, poultry seasoning and salt.  Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a large pan break up sausage and brown over medium high heat.  Drain onto a paper towel and add to bread.  Using the same pan, melt butter over medium high heat and add in diced onions.  Saute until translucent and slightly browned.  Pour onions and butter over bread and toss together. 

Slowly ladle in seasoned chicken stock and celery over the bread mixture and stir to combine.  Don't add in all the stock at once because you might not need it all.  Just add enough till the bread is completely moist, but not drenched. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place stuffing into a 9x13 pan and bake for 40 minutes. 

You can make this ahead.  Once you've placed it in a 9x13, cover well with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.  When you are ready to bake it, let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes and bake it for 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees.  



Recipe Source:  My Name Is Snickerdoodle

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats

 This is the third time I've made these...and I keep forgetting to take a picture so I can post them!  It is hard to get veggies in my hubby.  He doesn't mind them, but it is never something he asks for by any means.  This recipe is one way to get in lots of veggies, and he doesn't feel like he's putting a whole zucchini into his system.  The marinara and mozzarella make it seem like you are just downing some spaghetti :)  This same site has recipes for taco and enchilada stuffed zucchini boats...we'll have to venture out and try those next.  Enjoy!

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats


1 1/4 cups quick marinara sauce
4 (31 oz total) medium zucchini
1 tsp oil
1/2 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
14 oz lean Italian chicken sausage, removed from casing (Al Fresco)
1/2 cup part skim shredded mozzarella (Polly-O)
8 tsp grated Parmesan cheese.

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4" thick. Chop the scooped out flesh of the zucchini in small pieces and set aside.

Drop zucchini halves in boiling water and cook 1 minute. Remove from water.

Place 1/4 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 12" baking dish, and place zucchini halves cut side up.

In a large saute pan, brown sausage, breaking up as it cooks into smaller pieces until browned; set aside. Heat oil and add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook on a medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add chopped zucchini, season with salt and pepper and cook about 2-3 minutes. Combine with sausage and cook a few more minutes.

Using a spoon, fill each hollowed zucchini with 1/3 cup cooked sausage, pressing firmly. Top each with 2 tablespoons each of sauce, 1 tablespoon each of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1 teaspoon each of parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through.

Recipe Source:  Skinny Taste

Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

I was thinking about Thanksgiving the other day and realized I had never made my own stuffing (dressing to those of you that are purists ;)  So I thought it was time to do it...and I did.  Verdict...I can do this, it is easy!  It turned out moist and wonderful, and I will not be afraid to tackle this simple side dish again and again, and not only at Thanksgiving time.  

I loved the combination of sausage and apples, the stuffing we usually eat for the big day is void of any meat (which I love...don't get me wrong!), but this was super yummy for a change.  Enjoy!

Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

1 pound mild pork breakfast sausage
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup celery, diced
3/4 cup Granny Smith apple, diced (optional)
3/4 cup onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 cups cornbread cubes (be sure to use a savory cornbread)
1 cup chicken or veggie broth
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the breakfast sausage until cooked through and crumbly. Remove from pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate covered in paper towels to drain. Leave remaining grease in skillet.

Melt butter in skillet.  Add celery, onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
Add in sausage, sage, thyme, salt and pepper.  Cook for 2-3 more minutes. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, combine sausage mixture and cornbread cubes until well-mixed.

In a small bowl, whisk together the broth and eggs.  Pour the broth/egg mixture over the sausage/cornbread mixture and stir until cornbread has absorbed most of the liquid.  Pour into a greased baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until top is browned and crunchy.

Recipe Source:  Back To Her Roots

Spicy Sausage Pasta

I love me a one-pot dinner.  I'm talking you throw the uncooked pasta in with everything else and DONE!  Less dishes, under 30 minutes, and still tastes great :)  

The hubs gave this 2 thumbs up, which is always a good indicator to me that I have found a winner.  It had just enough spice, meat, and a yummy sauce to round it all out.  

Spicy Sausage Pasta

1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb smoked sausage
1.5 cups diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel tomatoes, Mild (I like original)
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz penne pasta
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with scallions. Broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly.

Recipe Source:  Kevin and Amanda

Spasagna

It's spaghetti, it's lasagna, it's....SPASAGNA?!  You betcha :)  This dish has all the goodness of a lasagna with a bit less work.  The recipe below makes a TON of food. I halved it and still had leftovers for a few days :)  So give this a try for a great, comforting meal.

Spasagna


1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces) spaghetti
8 cups (32 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces ricotta cheese
8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup half and half, milk, or heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound Italian sausage
1 jar spaghetti sauce
Salt and pepper, and any other seasonings, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.

In a large bowl, stir together ricotta, sour cream, cream cheese, half-and-half, mozzarella, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper, and half of the parmesan cheese. Add spaghetti and toss until well coated.

Pour the spaghetti mixture into a 9 x 13 pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Top spaghetti with remaining parmesan cheese. Cover dish aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes.

While the pasta is baking, prepare the meat sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet; add onion and sausage and saute until the meat is cooked thorugh and the onion is translucent. Add spaghetti sauce, adjust for seasoning, and simmer until the pasta is ready.

Remove the pasta from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut the pasta into squares and top each serving with the meat sauce.

Recipe Source:  Cassie Craves

Slow Cooker Kielabsa and White Bean Stew with Tomatoes and Spinach

Happy Halloween!  Hope you are all having a fun and safe day :)  Here's a warm and yummy soup that is healthy and delicious that you can enjoy on cold days such as this one...

Slow Cooker Kielbasa and White Bean Stew with Tomatoes and Spinach

(Makes about 6 generous servings)

1 lb. (2 cups) dried small white beans
1 onion, chopped into fairly small pieces
1 T finely minced garlic
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
6 cups homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes
14 oz. Kielbasa sausage, cut into half-moon slices (use low-fat turkey Kielbasa for South Beach Diet)
4 packed cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Pick over the beans, removing any broken ones, and add beans to the slow cooker. Chop onion, mince the garlic, and crush the spices with a mortar and pestle (or meat mallet) and add to the slow cooker. Add the chicken stock and diced tomatoes to the slow cooker and start to cook on low.

Cut the sausage in half lengthwise, and then slice it into half-moon slices. If you're going to be cooking this while you're not home, add the sausage now and cook on low for 8-10 hours (I would say closer to 10 or 11 hours), or until the beans are nicely softened. If you will be home, I would cook the other ingredients about 5-6 hours and then add the sausage. It will work either way, but the sausage will be softer if you add it for the entire cooking time.

When beans are done to your liking, chop the spinach, turn the slow cooker to high, and cook about 30 minutes more. Serve hot, with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling on the stew if desired.
Recipe Source:  Kalyn's Kitchen

Dominican Republic (DR) Beans and Rice

We recently returned from a trip to the Southern Caribbean.  In Puerto Rico I was able to sample some authentic beans and rice from 2 yummy local restaurants (Mi Casita and Bebos).  They were AMAZING to say the least.  I decided I needed to try some for myself.  Although these are not quite as good as what we had, they were really good with some smoked sausage and fulfilled my craving.  


DR Beans and Rice


2 cans light kidney beans
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 cube chicken stock
1/2 t. chopped parsley
1/2 t. thyme leaves
1 T. chopped cilantro
1 T. tomato sauce 
1 T. oil
1/2 t. minced garlic
1 pinch of oregano
Salt and water


Heat oil in pot and add oregano, onion, garlic, celery, parsley, cilantro and thyme.


Stir and add 2 T. water. When the water has almost evaporated add the chicken stock and 2 more T. water, stir.


Add the beans and then add enough water to cover them. Let them reach a boil and then mash the beans over heat.


Continue to let boil at medium heat until it reaches a creamy consistency. Adjust salt to taste. Serve over rice.

Recipe Source: On My Menu

Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage

I love yummy comfort food.  Anything warm and filling basically can fit into the comfort food category for me.  For whatever reason, I haven't made any pasta dishes in a long while and am not sure why!  They are so simple to put together and everyone always loves them.  It's even easier when you do a pasta bake!


This dish really was delicious and made for a great filling dinner.  

Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (28-oz) whole tomatoes with juice, lightly crushed with hands (or crushed tomatoes)

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ cup heavy cream

1 pound rigatoni

10 oz baby spinach–I double the spinach and use 2 9-oz bags fresh (or 2 10-oz bricks frozen)

12 oz smoked chicken (or Jennie-O turkey) sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced

¼ inch thick

6 ounces fontina (or mozzarella) cheese, 4 oz cut into ½ -inch cubes and 2 oz coarsely grated

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute.Stir in tomatoes and oregano; cook until tomatoes are falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. Cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Add spinach, and cook just until wilted. Drain, and return contents to pot.

Add tomato sauce, sausage, and cubed fontina to pot; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Divide evenly between two shallow 1 1/2-quart baking dishes. Top with grated fontina and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

If you freeze half in a 9×9 pan, you can put it straight from the freezer into a 400° oven for about 45 minutes, or until browned and hot throughout.

Recipe Source:  The Sisters Cafe

Pasta with Spicy Chicken Sausage and Pears

The other day we went to Sam's Club, and my hubby found some spicy sausages he really wanted, having no idea what to do with these particular sausages, I came home and set out on a search.  This recipe is what I came across.  I liked the idea of it, because it used a pear...and I do love using seasonal ingredients!  This really was good, something different.  The sausage gives it most of it's flavor, so make sure you buy a great sausage!


Pasta with Spicy Chicken Sausage and Pears
From:  Fruit and Veggie Guru

12 oz. fettuccini pasta
1-lbs. spicy chicken sausage, cut into ½” thick slices (we got some habenero with monterey jack ones at Sam's Club)
1 T. olive oil
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 1/2 cups red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 Red Anjou pear, cored and cut into matchstick slices
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Prepare fettuccini according to package instructions.

In large sauté pan over medium heat, sauté sausage in olive oil until sausage is cooked through and browned.  Remove sausage from pan and set aside.

Add peppers to pan and sauté until slightly tender.

Add pears to pan and sauté until heated through but still crisp.  Remove peppers and pears and set aside.

Add wine to the pan and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Continue to boil until reduced by half.

Add sausage, peppers and pears to the wine and toss to coat.

In a large serving bowl toss the freshly prepared pasta with the sausage mixture.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Potato Keilbasa Skillet

Sometimes all I need is a good comfort meal to make me feel like the world is okay.  And what says comfort food more than meat and potatoes?!  This was a good variation of a dish I have tried in the past.  This one has more flavor and a little sweetness to it, which was surprising but great.  Skillet meals are so great for weeknights!

Potato Keilbasa Skillet

From:  Recipe Shoebox

1 pound red potatoes, cubed  (About 3 medium sized potatoes)
3 Tbs. water
3/4 lb. smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard 
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 cups fresh baby spinach ( I like to chop my spinach, but you can use them whole if you prefer)
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Directions:  Place cubed potatoes and water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover bowl with plastic wrap (no need to poke any holes) and microwave on high for 4 minutes or until fork tender; drain.  (Mine took closer to 6 minutes before they were fork-tender)

In a large skillet on medium-high heat, saute kielbasa and onion in oil until onion is tender; about 3-5 minutes. (I skipped the oil and just used the bacon grease to fry it in.)  Add potatoes; saute 3-5 minutes longer or until kielbasa and potatoes are lightly browned.

Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, thyme, and pepper; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Add spinach and bacon; cook and stir until spinach is wilted. Yields 4 servings.

Sausage and Perogi Skillet

Ever had a perogi?  I hadn't up until a couple of years ago.  If you like mashed potatoes and pasta, you will like them!  I have found a few recipes that we have tried in the last couple of years, and they have been great.  My favorite one is these Bacon and Cheese Perogies.    This one was good, though.  A little healthier than the version with the cream sauce!  I tweaked the original recipe slightly, and it turned out good :)  


Sausage and Perogi Skillet
From:  Taste of Home

• 1 package (16.9 ounces) frozen potato and onion pierogies (4 cheese ones would be good too)
• 1 package (14 ounces) smoked turkey sausage, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 package (14 ounces) coleslaw mix
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• pinch of brown sugar

Directions

• Cook pierogies according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat,cook sausage in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes longer or until coleslaw is wilted. Remove from the heat; keep warm.
• In another large skillet, heat remaining butter and oil. Drain pierogies; add to skillet. Cook and stir until browned; add the sausage mixture and toss to coat. Discard bay leaf.