BBQ Kielbasa Sausage

I have a thing for kielbasa. I love the smokeyness of the meat. Plus there is so much that you can do with it. We had a a BBQ for work and had different kinds of meat...this was just one of the choices. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 package kielbasa sausage

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

Slice sausage in half. Grill for about 5 minutes, the brush with bbq sauce. Grill for another 5 minutes. Quick and easy, that's how we like it!  

 

Crab and Shrimp Boil

This is the best activity for a family to gather around together over some good food and good conversation.  Growing up on the Gulf Coast allowed us to enjoy delicious shrimp, and fresh blue crab.... all we could catch.  This recipe is a tribute to all of you who are suffering with the horrific oil spill that has effected the most beautiful place I have ever been.  I love you Pensacola, and I patiently await when you and all other Gulf Coast cities will be able to offer us such abundance again....

Ingredients:
Feeds 10-12 people

2-5 lbs of medium shrimp (depends on your shrimp eaters as I can eat a pound myself)
2 lbs crab legs and claws (frozen or fresh if you can catch em, and any kind of crab you want)
10 ears of corn peeled and cut in half
5 lbs red potatoes cut in half
4 lbs smoked sausage cut into 1 inch pieces
creole seasoning

In a large steam pot, put about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Then layer each ingredient in the following order, being sure to liberally season each layer with the creole seasoning.  Potatoes, corn, sausage, shrimp and crab.  Then on a large burner (outside if you can on a propane burner) boil on high for 20-25 minutes.  Once the shrimp are all pink, you are good to eat.  Pour out on a table with some newspaper or plastic down and dig in.  Serve this with some melted butter, and cocktail sauce on each corner of the table, and you'll have a party that you'll never want to be over.  

Acorn Squash

In my neighborhood we do a "MOM (Move Over Martha)" cooking group. Every 3 months a different group is in charge of the meal, decor, and invites. It is so fun-and delish! My friend Karene made this dish, and it was so good!

2 medium acorn squash

1 12 oz package sausage

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup celery-chopped

1/2 cup green onions-chopped

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 egg

Cut squash in half, remove seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes at 375 or until tender. In a large skillet, combine, sausage, mushrooms, celery, and onions. Cook until meat is done. Drain well. In separate bowl combine sour cream, cheese and egg. Stir into sausage mixture. Then spoon mixture into squash halves and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Tortellini Meatball Soup

This is our take on Chicken Noodle Soup. It is so good and warms your heart!

Sausage Meatballs

1 lb package of ground Italian Sausage

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 teaspoon Thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Mix together and form meatballs-smaller then a golf ball. Then brown them in the skillet until all the way cooked through.

1 large package of tortellini

2 large carrots-chopped

2 celery sticks-diced

1/2 onion diced

1 garlic clove-crushed

3 cans of Chicken Broth

salt and pepper

Saute up the vegetables until soft-while in a pot start warming up the chicken broth. Then add veggies, meatballs and tortellini, salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes and serve! We top with a little bit of grated Parmesan cheese.

Sausage Penne Arrabiata

Arrabiata translates as Angry! Make this dish and the reaction will be exactly the opposite!

Ingredients

1 package (5 links) Italian Sausage

2 medium garlic cloves minced

3 tblsp olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion diced

2 oz cans of diced tomatoes

1 small can tomato sauce

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (use this according to your spicy tolerance)

1/4 up of water

In a skillet over medium heat, grill up the sausage links, whole until they are browned on all sides. Remove them from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. In a sauce pan over medium high heat, add the olive oil and let heat until it begins to smoke. Add the garlic and onions and brown, making sure not to burn the garlic (bitter garlic is not good). Add the red pepper flake and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sauce, and water and boil over high heat. Cut the sausage links into 1/2 inch pieces on a bias. Add the sausage to the sauce, and continue to boil until the water has mostly evaporated. This should take 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the dried basil.

Serve over penne pasta, and top with Parmesan cheese. Sounds simple, and tastes complex. Enjoy!

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Another Southern Classic

Ingredients:

6 eggs beaten

1/2 cup of milk

1 green bell pepper Chopped and Sauted

1 red bell pepper Chopped and Sauted

1 package of breakfast sausage browned.

5 slices of bacon crisped and crumpled

6 slices of bread buttered on one side

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a caserole plan, place the 6 slices of bread butter side down in the pan. In a bowl, whisk the egg and milk together until fully beaten. Top the bread with the Cheese, and sauted peppers evenly. Spread out the sausage and pour over the egg and milk mixture evenly over the bread. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 30 minutes, check the eggs to make sure they are cooked. Remove and top with crumpled bacon. Enjoy.

Sausage and Pepper Pasta

1 box of penne pasta-cooked al dente

1 lb. italian sausage (we usually use mild-perfect for kids) We have also used chicken instead of sausage and tastes great as well!

1/2 of green and red pepper sliced (feel free to use more, my kids don't love the peppers so we don't put a lot)

1/2 of a red onion sliced

1 garlic clove minced

1 teaspoon basil

red pepper flakes-put as much as your family likes (we only put one shake in-so it isn't to spicy)

Cook sausage while pasta is boiling. Add peppers, onions and seasonings. Cook until veggies are soft.

The sauce we use is the alfredo sauce that I posted the recipe for before...here it is again...

3 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons flour

1 quart Heavy Whipping Cream

1 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon

pepper to taste

Melt the butter and then add flour. Once roux is created add the cream. Once warm, add cheese and chicken bouillon. Stir on low until thick.

Mix all together and serve.