Sausage and Peppers

i wanted fair food the other night- and everyone knows sausage & peppers = fair food! so here you go.


Sausage & Peppers

You Need:

1 package sweet italian sausage
1 green pepper
1 jar roasted red peppers
basil
onion powder
veg oil (for frying)
vermouth (optional for de-glazing)

cut up the green & red peppers into strips:

p.s. i only used 1 roasted red pepper

add veg oil to a frying pan & cook the sausage- i cooked it for about 8-10 minutes (the sausage will start to split & the juice will run clear)- i then poured in about 1/4 cup Vermouth to deglaze the pan. remove the sausage.

then- add a little more oil and throw in the peppers. season to taste with the onion powder & basil (i use about 1 tblsp onion powder & i tsp basil- however if you like onions then you can just use onions- like 1 small one)

cook until the green peppers are soft (about 5-8 min)

turn off the heat- slice open your buns- pop in a sausage & some peppers & serve!

YUM!

p.p.s. i don't like peppers either so i skipped them on mine- well a few roasted red ones but that's it!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

sorry- no picture this time around. i forgot & when i thought about it- they were already gone.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
1 2/3 cup(s) flour
1 cup(s) sugar
1 tablespoon(s) pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1 cup(s) semisweet chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1 cup(s) (do not use pumpkin-pie filling) canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
turbinado sugar (or any raw sugar)


Preheat oven to 350º.
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin cups; spray liners lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

In large bowl, mix first six ingredients; add chocolate chips, tossing to coat.
In another small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients; add to flour mixture and stir just until combined (do not overmix).
Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full.
Sprinkle the tops with 1/2 tsp of raw sugar
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until muffins spring back when lightly touched.
Cool muffins on rack

Enjoy! (makes about 15 muffins)

CousCous with Chicken, Corn & Roasted Red Peppers

CousCous with Chicken, Corn & Roasted Red Peppers

1 box CousCous (i used Tosted Pine Nut)

chicken stock (instead of the water for the couscous)

1 package pre cooked chicken (cut into small pieces)

1/4 cup roasted red peppers (cut into small pieces)

1 can corn (drained)

to taste:

butter

garlic

sea salt

onion powder

basil

toasted sesame seeds

in a large saucepan, brown the chicken with the butter & seasonings (to taste)- for the last minute or so, toss in the red peppers & the corn.

Mix the chicken, corn & peppers with the cous cous & serve.

Enjoy!

p.s. i like to shake some sesame seeds over the top- gives it a little crunch!

Sausage & Gnocchi with Roasted Red Peppers & Capers

Sausage & Gnocchi with Roasted Red Peppers & Capers

1 lb sweet italian sausage

olive oil (for browning)

2 cloves garlic- minced

pinch red pepper flakes

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 package Gnocchi

1/4 cup roasted red peppers (chopped)

1 cup beef broth

1/2 cup Vermouth

capers

Extra Sauce (if desired)

1 cup beef broth

cornstarch

Directions:

remove the sausage from it's casings & break into bite sized chunks.

in a large saucepan, add the olive oil (about 3 tblsp), garlic, salt, onion powder & red pepper flakes. turn the heat on low & let the pan heat up- once heated, toss in the sausage & cook until well browned.

once browned, de-glaze the pan with the vermouth (scrape all the yummy bits off the bottom) then add the beef broth, peppers & capers- turn the heat up to medium & reduce the liquid to about 1/2 or so.

once reduced it'll start thickening up quite nicely. you can go ahead & turn off the heat & cover the pan.

cook the gnocchi per the package intructions & drain.

toss with the pasta & sauce & serve.

p.s. i made this on Sunday in prep for Tuesday's dinner- when i re-heated the sausage/sauce i needed more. so i threw in the extra 1 cup of beef broth & thickened it up with a little cornstarch- perfect!

Enjoy!

p.p.s. this is awesome topped with some grated parmesean or other cheese!

Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew

Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew

1 1/2 lbs beef stew chunks

2 cups water

3 beef boullion cubes

2 tsp worchestire sauce

3 medium potatoes (peeled & cut into chunks)

1 tsp celery salt

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp basil

1tsp onion powder

2 bay leaves

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 can corn (not drained)

2 cloves garlic- minced

toss the beef into the crock pot & toss with the sea salt, pepper & flour- make sure to coat the meat.

then add the water & boullion cubes (no need to mix them, the cubes will break down while the stew cooks)
add the potatoes & the rest of the seasonings- then add the can of corn (inluding the juices in the can)

mix together (leaving the meat at the bottom, so mainly the top layer)

turn the crock pot on LOW for about 10-12 hours.
stir & serve with some thick bread (may i suggest some beer bread?)

Enjoy
p.s. you may notice that we don't really do cooked veggies in this house. no carrots or onions in our stew (we do like celery but i forgot to by some, hence the celery salt)- but you can throw in veggies if you want. no need to adjust the water because the veggies will give off ther own, but you'll want to cut out at least 1 of the potatoes- maybe even 2.

also, if the stew isn't thick enough, add some cornstarch (mix it with water first) not more flour!

lastly- some people like to brown their meat before throwing it in the stew- i'm one of those people- however, i didn't do that here because this is EASY beef stew. so in my book, EASY = less work, less dishes, less cooking- etc etc. but if you want to brown your meat first, be my guest!

Monkey Bread

Monkey Bread

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 can (16.3 oz)Pillsbury Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1 can Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls® with icing
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, if desired (icky)
1/2 cup raisins, if desired (icky)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350° Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube pan with shortening or cooking spray. In large -storage plastic food bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.
2. Separate dough into 16 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Shake in bag to coat. Arrange in pan, adding walnuts and raisins among the biscuit pieces.
3. In small bowl, mix brown sugar and butter; pour over biscuit pieces.
4. Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate & add the Icing; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

omg- so freaking good!