Recipe: Amish Breakfast Casserole

I'm not exactly sure if this is really an Amish recipe or not, but it does contain simple, hearty ingredients which make a great breakfast on a cool fall morning. Be sure for the healthiest breakfast to use all-natural sausage, and eggs sourced from chickens raised on pasture, which contain the most healthy fats and proteins.

Amish Breakfast Casserole  

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 package sausage
4 cups hash brown potatoes
6 fresh eggs
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/4 cups Swiss cheese
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese

Directions:

• Over medium-high heat in a large skillet, cook the onion and sausage until browned. Drain the grease and set aside.

• In a medium mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Add the sausage and onion mixture.

• Place all this into a 9x13 inch baking dish.

• Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. Before serving, let stand for 10 minutes.

Recipe: Sausage & Apple Breakfast Casserole

Feed your kids' sweet tooth with a healthy breakfast option with this delicious, sweet and savory casserole. Plenty of protein, together with apples, cinnamon, and whole-grain bread make this a breakfast that will stick to your ribs, and keep your kids alert and energized until lunchtime.

Sausage and Granny Smith Apple Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

(Photo credit: stevendepolo)

1 package natural pork sausage roll
6 cups whole grain bread, cubed
3 cups whole milk
10 eggs (free range/organic if possible)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped 
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups cheddar cheese, divided 

Directions:

1. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish while preheating oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large skillet, brown the sausage and drain. Set aside. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla and salt. 
4. In another large mixing bowl, mix together the apples, cinnamon and sugar. Make sure the apples are well coated. 
5. In the prepared baking pan, layer half the bread crumbs on the bottom and then half the sausage, half the apples and then 1 cup of cheese. Continue to repeat layers until ingredients are gone. 
6. Take the egg mixture and pour evenly over the layers. 
7. Bake for 1 hour or until hot and bubbly.

Recipe: Bayou Country Chicken Pot Pie

Down-home cooking is the way to go if you're looking for comfort food! This recipe brings the flavors of the South to you wherever you may be cooking today, with classics like bell peppers, sausage, chicken, and tomatoes all baked under a dumpling-like crust (make your own crust from scratch for a more authentic flavor).

Bayou Country Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz chicken thigh meat, chopped
1 (14 oz size) can stewed tomatoes
8 oz cooked smoked sausage, diced
dash or two of hot pepper sauce
2 1/4 cups buttermilk baking mix
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp black pepper
2/3 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Heat oil in 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
3. When hot, add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 2 or 3 minutes or until veggies soften.
4. Add the garlic, stir, then add chicken meat and cook, stirring until chicken is no longer pink, about 1 or 2 minutes.
5. Pour in the tomatoes, add the sausage and hot pepper sauce, stir, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
6. While that cooks, get out a bowl and mix together the buttermilk baking mix, the dried thyme, black pepper, and the milk, stirring until just combined - don't over mix.
7. Drop this buttermilk batter by big tablespoons in piles over the chicken mixture in the skillet.
8. Bake in preheated oven (in the skillet) until biscuit top is golden brown and the chicken mixture is bubbling hot, about 15 to 18 minutes.
9. Remove and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before cutting to serve.

Recipe: Andouille Red Beans And Rice Skillet

This quick and tasty Cajun favorite combines those classic flavors like andouille sausage, beans, and rice - of course with plenty of spice! This version is fast and simple, and doesn't have to cook all day, so you can whip up a quick Cajun lunch without interrupting the Mardi Gras festivities for long!

Andouille Red Beans And Rice Skillet

Ingredients:

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1 cup rice
6 oz andouille sausage, diced   
1 red bell pepper, diced small
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 to 1 tsp Cajun seasoning   
1 tsp dried thyme
1 can (15 oz size) kidney beans or pinto beans, drained (or 1 1/2 cups pre-cooked beans)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

•  Prepare rice according to package directions; set aside.
• Put a large heavy skillet (cast iron is great) over medium-high heat. Add andouille sausage and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until nicely browned; remove sausage from skillet and set aside.
• Add the red bell pepper, onion, Cajun seasoning, and thyme to the skillet and cook, stirring often, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until onions soften.
• Add to the skillet the cooked rice, sausage, beans, and the parsley, stir and cook until heated through.
• Serve hot right from the skillet.

Recipe: Italian Sausage And Bean Soup With Pasta

Quick, easy, simple, and delicious, this recipe is the essence of Italian cooking! It's great for a cold winter night, and easy to tailor to your own tastes - try different pasta shapes, different kinds of beans, add different herbs, etc. to make it your own. Use fresh (or frozen) ripe tomatoes for a fresher, lighter taste. 

Sausage And Bean Soup With Pasta
Ingredients:

1 pound fresh Italian sausage
1 cup onion, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
28 ounces diced tomatoes (or 4 large fresh tomatoes, diced)
1 cup pasta (shells, penne, ziti, or other sturdy pasta)
2 chicken bouillon cubes (or 4 cups fresh or frozen chicken broth or stock)
3 1/2 cups water, hot
18 ounces kidney beans or white beans, cooked (or canned) & drained
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

• Brown the sausage and onion in the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat for approximately 5 minutes. 
• Once the sausage and onion have been browned, add the tomatoes with their juice, the pasta, bouillon cubes or broth, and water.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, then add the beans. 
• Make sure soup is just simmering, then cover pot, and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or just until the pasta is al dente.
• Serve hot in bowls sprinkled with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Recipe: Crockpot Jambalaya

Use your slow cooker to make this classic Cajun recipe even easier! Just brown the meat, then add everything to the crockpot, cover, and let cook until done - voila - dinner!

Crockpot Jambalaya

Ingredients:

Jambalaya with chicken, sausage, rice, tomatoes, celery, and spices. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1 large onion, diced small
1 large green bell pepper, diced small
2 celery stalks, diced small
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 lb chicken meat, diced
1 lb pork sausage
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 reg can tomato paste
1 reg can stewed whole tomatoes
1 reg can tomato sauce
1-1/2 cup water
1-1/2 cups uncooked rice
1 lb small to medium shrimp
1 box (10 oz) frozen corn, thawed
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp butter

Directions:

• Put chicken & sausage in a large skillet, add oil, and cook over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked and sausage is no longer pink.
• Add the garlic and cook, stirring until garlic is just fragrant.
• Add chicken, sausage, onion, pepper, celery, tomatoes, paste, sauce, and uncooked rice to large crockpot. Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot, stir thoroughly.
• Cover and cook for 6 hours on Low or until rice is tender.
• Add in the shrimp, corn, brown sugar, cayenne, salt, black pepper, and the butter, stir to combine and cook until shrimp is pink and cooked thoroughly; about 20 minutes more.
• Serve hot in bowls with crusty bread and a green salad.

Recipe: Grilled Sausage Stuffed Poblanos

Go Southwestern on the grill with this deliciously unique recipe featuring sausage and peppers in a new way that is sure to please those who love the spice! Grilling brings out the rich flavor of the poblano peppers (watch out - they're hot!), and when combined with the staple rice, black beans and cheese, you have a whole new twist on the stuffed pepper. Yum!

Grilled Sausage Stuffed Poblanos
(Makes 6 servings.)

Ingredients:

Poblano peppers. (Photo credit: jalapenokitten)

1 lb package spicy breakfast sausage
6 large poblano peppers
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
optional toppings of salsa and sour cream

Directions:

1. Start by cooking the sausage in a skillet over medium high heat, stirring often, until sausage crumbles and browns; set aside.
2. Heat grill to medium and set whole poblano peppers on grates and grill, turning several times as they cook until they are charred all over. 
3. Remove poblanos from grill and put in a heat-resistant bowl, then cover tightly with plastic food wrap. Let poblanos stand for about 5 minutes to loosen the skin. Then remove the poblanos from the bowl and carefully peel off the charred skin and set the poblanos on a work surface.
4. Carefully cut a small slit lengthwise into each pepper, making sure you don't cut through the poblano and leave the top with the stem intact. This forms a pocket.
5. Carefully scoop out the seeds from inside the poblanos. 
6. In the skillet with the cooked sausage, add the rice, black beans, and cheese and stir to combine.
7. Spoon this mixture into poblanos, distributing evenly.
8. Arrange peppers on a grilling pan.  You can cover it in aluminum foil if you wish. 
9. Put pan on grill over medium to medium high heat, cover the grill, and cook for about 5 minutes or until cheese melts. 
10. Remove poblanos to plates and top with salsa and sour cream to serve if desired.

Recipe: Meaty Stewed Cabbage

This is a variation on the theme of corned beef & cabbage - if you don't like corned beef, you can substitute this dish for your Irish festivities this weekend. Cabbage is a traditional winter staple, as it keeps well in cold storage for months, which is partly why it's part of this holiday tradition. The addition of sausage provides more flavor than just beef, and you can make this one a bit spicy if you like. This is a very easy dish so it's great for a busy holiday weekend. Enjoy, and have a fun, safe holiday!

Meaty Stewed Cabbage
(Serves 8-12.)

Ingredients:

1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
10 to 12 cups shredded cabbage (depending on how much cabbage you want)

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, put the sausage and beef, cook (breaking up the meat) until browned slightly.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to pot and allow to come up to a boil, then immediately reduce  heat and simmer, covered with lid vented slightly, for 10 to 15 minutes or until cabbage is tender. 
3. Will serve 8 hungry people or 10 to 12 light eaters.

Recipe - Ballpark Sausages with Grilled Peppers and Onions

Here's a great recipe to try for some tasty summer grilling fun.  Whether it's a quintessential grilling summer holiday like the 4th of July, or just a weekend on the patio with the family, grilled foods are easy, convenient, and just a great part of summer!

Check out this classic recipe on the grill, and bask in these early summer days with a big ol' sausage! :-)

Ballpark Sausages with Grilled Peppers and Onions

Some sausages grilling (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

3 green bell peppers, cleaned and cut into strips
1 medium sweet onion, cut into wedges
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 package (14 ounce size) smoked hot or sweet Italian sausages, cut in half lengthwise
4 hero rolls, sliced open
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions:

• Turn grill on and heat to medium-hot.
• Put peppers and onions in a bowl with oil and toss to combine, then put in grilling basket or tray.
• Place basket with peppers and onions on grill and sausages directly on grates.
• Cook peppers and onions until just starting to char, about 3 or 4 minutes, then flip and continue cooking for 3 or 4 minutes or until soft and nicely charred.
• Cook sausages about 3 or 4 minutes, then flip and continue cooking for about the same time or until they get nice and hot and have good grill marks.
• Put open side of rolls down on grill during the last minute of cooking to toast.
• Remove everything from grill, and dump peppers and onions, along with the sausages into a large bowl or pot, add vinegar and mozzarella cheese and toss to combine.
• To serve, use tongs and take 2 sausage halves, and a generous amount of peppers and onions and put on a toasted bun. Add a bit of mustard if desired.

Yum! Fire up the grill - I'm hungry already!


Get Grilling: 
   

Recipe - Wild Rice Sausage Casserole

If you're looking for a unique low-carb addition to your Thanksgiving dinner, here is a great recipe that will have everyone asking for seconds! This will go great with your Thanksgiving turkey, and makes a unique addition to your plate, with the special flavor of wild rice combined with the richness of the sausage and woodsy mushrooms.

This dish can be made ahead the day (or a couple of days) before, and reheated for your Thanksgiving meal to make things easier.

Wild Rice & Sausage CasseroleImage by mpesce via Flickr

Ingredients:

2/3 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
3 1/2 cups stock (chicken or vegetable), divided
2 Tbsp olive oil or butter, divided
12 oz. ground sausage (your favorite kind - we like fresh ground all-natural sweet Italian)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
12 oz. mushrooms
3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped fine
salt and black pepper to taste
toasted almond slivers for garnish (optional)

Directions: 

1. Combine wild rice and 3 cups of stock in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, cover and let rice cook until tender, from 50 to 65 minutes, depending on the rice and your stove.  Check to make sure it's not cooking too hard after a few minutes. (Or follow the instructions on your package of wild rice.)
2. Drain the rice through a colander to make sure it's dry, then put in a large bowl.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. In skillet over medium heat, put the sausage and cook until just browned slightly; then dump into bowl with cooked rice.
5. In same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil or butter over low heat, and add the onions, cooking until they start to turn golden brown in color.  This will take a while, as the onions are carmelizing, possibly 10 minutes or more.
6. When the onions are golden and soft, add the thyme, stir and cook for 1 minute more, then add this mixture to the bowl with the sausage and rice.
7. In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil or butter, add chopped mushrooms and cook until they soften and get golden brown and the moisture from the mushrooms disappears.
8. Dump the mushrooms into the bowl with the sausage and rice mixture.
9. Then in the bowl, add the parsley, remaining 1/2 cup stock, and season with salt and pepper to taste, mix gently, then turn into a baking dish.
10. Cover and bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
11. Add toasted almond slivers when served if desired.

5 Time & Money Saving Breakfast Ideas

It is the first meal we eat when we get up in the morning. After a long night of sleep, we can’t do without it if we want to get our bodies going. No, I’m not talking about coffee. I’m referring to breakfast. Here are some ideas for a quick and healthy breakfast that don’t require a drive-thru window.
Image via Wikipedia

1. Have a piece of casserole. It takes time to cook eggs and bacon for breakfast. No one wants to ruin their clothes with the mess it can create. On Sunday night, get breakfast done early. Put together a casserole using your favorite ingredients. Fewer eggs are needed in a casserole than when frying or scrambling them for breakfast each morning. Depending on the size of your family, the casserole may last two to three mornings.

2. Yogurt. Yogurt is a healthy and economical breakfast choice. When you are eating on the run, grab a container of yogurt and some dried or fresh fruit. Cutting up fruit on top of the yogurt adds carbohydrates to fuel you for the morning in addition to the calcium and protein in the yogurt itself.

3. Breakfast shake. This is even quicker and can be ingested while driving without taking your eyes off the road or both hands off the wheel. Put together some frozen fruit favorites, ice cubes, yogurt, and unsweetened juice in a blender. Pour into travel cups to keep it cold (the kind with lids and straws makes it easy to avoid spills in the car). Everyone can grab a cup on the way out the door. The nutritional effect is about the same as yogurt (or better if you add lots of yogurt), but without the spoon.

Image by Dead Air via Flickr

4. Pigs in a blanket. This is the homemade version - much healthier without all the preservatives and trans fats of the store-bought kind. Whip up a batch of pancakes and freeze them in short stacks of three. A package or two of frozen link sausage is needed to create this quick and economical meal idea (local and hormone-free if at all possible). Thaw out a stack of pancakes. Heat up three sausages in the microwave. Wrap a pancake around each sausage. Voila! You’ve got an instant pig in a blanket. Eat it as you watch the last of your favorite morning show or as you walk to the bus stop. It can be eaten in the car without too much fuss or mess. For a sweeter taste and less mess, add a little maple syrup or honey to the batter when making the pancakes.

5. Breakfast sandwiches. In the evening, while you are getting things ready for the next day, grill up a few breakfast sandwiches. Choose whatever you like: natural turkey slices, sulfate-free ham slices, cheese, tomato, bacon, etc. When the sandwich cools, cut it into bite size pieces and put it in a container. In the morning, just grab a container; pop it into the microwave for fifteen or twenty seconds and breakfast is served.

These breakfast ideas are time saving and money-saving too. They make use of items you might buy normally and also whatever you have around the house to create delicious fare for a morning rush. No more excuses for skipping breakfast or swinging into the fast food restaurant every morning!