Italian Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches

Photo courtesy my Mac

    I'm always looking around for new recipes and ideas. Recently, I found one right on my own food blog. Down at the bottom, Taste of Home has a button that features a recipe of the day. I discovered a recipe for Italian Sausage Pepper sandwiches. I followed that as a basic guide, because of course, I didn't quite have everything it called for and I didn't see the need for a casserole, so I threw it all in the slow cooker on high for a few hours and was good to go. (Tip - the sturdier the bun the better.)

Italian Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches

3 peppers (bell or Hungarian waxed), red, green or yellow, cut in half and then in 1/2 inch slices

1/2 onion, cut in thin wedges

2 T. olive oil

1/4 tsp. crushed red peppers (optional)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut in quarters or eighths or chopped in chunks

1/2 small can tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1 tsp.  parsley

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

sprinkle of salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper (black is alright if you don't have it)

1/16 cup or couple tablespoons of wine or water
6-8 Italian sausage links

   In medium skillet, heat oil and saute' peppers and onions for about 5 minutes just until they start turning tender. Add garlic and crushed red pepper, if using. Let cook, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes. (Olive oil burns hotter than vegetable or canola so watch out.) Add tomatoes, spices and a splash of wine or water to adjust thickness. Let simmer for an hour to blend flavors if using on pasta or use immediately in one of the recipes below.

    With Italian sausage - On grill or in skillet, brown Italian sausage links (or brats) and place in crockpot. Add marinara sauce and cook on high 2 hours for flavors to blend through and meat to reach 160 degrees. Toast some hoagie buns. With slotted spoon, scoop out a link and veggies and place in bun. Top with shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese blend.

    For casserole - double above recipe and combine meat and veggies into a 13x9x2 sprayed casserole dish. Bake in 350 oven for 35-40 minutes. Serve as a main dish.

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Macaroni Salad

Macaroni Salad (Photo credit: o5com)

    When I was a kid one of the side dishes my mom made often in the summer was macaroni salad. It's an easy thing to make and you can adapt it to what you have on hand.

    To make this into an entree' for a hot summer night, all you have to do is add a can of chicken or tuna. To make it pretty, serve the salad on a leaf of lettuce with crackers on the side.

    For a healthier slant on this recipe, use low calorie Ranch dressing, light mayo and reduced fat/reduced sodium processed cheese. Whole or multi-grain macaroni noodles would put a very healthy spin on this dish. 

Macaroni Salad

1 cup macaroni noodles, cooked

1/4 cup onion, diced

1/4 cup mayo

1/8 cup Ranch dressing

1/8 tsp celery salt (or 1/2 tsp. celery seed or 1/2 stalk diced celery)

1 T. parsley (or cilantro)

1 slice processed cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick and cut in small cubes

8-10 cherry tomatoes (optional)

salt and pepper

    Cook macaroni until just tender, 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool a few minutes. Slice processed cheese and cut into small cubes.

    Mix all ingredients in medium bowl, stirring well to combine. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Makes 6 servings.

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Quick Ham and Cheese Stromboli

Photo courtesy of my Mac

   As I was cruising through one of my food magazines, Taste of Homes to be exact, I found an article on quick ways to make strombolis. Now I really like sandwiches and breads, so a strom rates right up there. 

    I can make one of these from scratch that just turns out great, but it is a yeast bread and that takes time and planning. I take hours to be exact - to rise, fill and rise again. So if you can do a strom quicker and easier for a work-night meal, why not?

    These recipes called for either French loaf or pizza crust as the base and the fillings varied. Of course, I didn't quite follow the recipe because I never seem to have all the ingredients exactly. I live by the art of substitution.

    I used Black Forrest ham and cotto salami, which is fine if they're sliced thin enough. My salami was cheap and a little too thick. That's where the salt came in. The original recipe called for pimento, but that is never in stock at my house, so bell peppers worked out just fine. There are many possible variations using this basic recipe, depending what's in stock. 

    (Note, they are very good first time around, but microwaving the leftovers, not so much, not bad, but not great. Sometime reheating in the oven is the only way to go.)

Quick Ham and Cheese Stromboli

 1 pkg. (11 oz.) refrigerator French loaf

1/2 pkg. or 4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 pkg. or 4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (sharp is good)

8 slices ea. of thin sliced deli ham and salami (hard or cotto)

1/2 bell pepper, sliced in thin strips, any color

1/4 onion, sliced in thin strips

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. pepper

No salt

1 tsp. soft butter

*optional - 2 T. Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

Coat large 14x12 baking sheet with cooking spray. Unroll french loaf carefully on pan, stretching dough close to edges without tearing. Sprinkle cheeses over dough within 1/2 inch from edges. Place meats over cheese. Layer peppers and onion on top. Sprinkle veggies with oregano and pepper.

Roll dough starting with long side towards opposite edge and then scoot slightly so that seam side is down, and then move to center of baking pan. Tuck ends inside.

Brush top with butter and sprinkle on Parmesan cheese if using.

Bake 375 for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Cut with serated knife after allowing to cool for a few minutes. Serves 4.

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Blue Cheese Bacon Potato Salad

Photo courtesy Taste of Home

   Recently the hubby and I took a trip the big city (Evansville) and checked out a shop called Fresh Market. The girls at work had been telling me about this place because they know I like to cook and especially like spicy sausages like Andouille and chorizo. 
   One thing I discovered while there was a great assortment of deli salads. There was a lemon orzo salad, loaded baked potato and a seafood salad that all looked fabulous. The one dish that caught my eye, that I wanted to remake myself was a blue cheese potato salad. I've done a good job on bacon blue cheese slaw, so why not try a similar version with potatoes?
   The mix of mayo and Ranch is very creamy and the red potatoes are firmer and hold up better in a salad. This was my take on their dish.

Blue Cheese Bacon Potato Salad

6 medium red potatoes

1/3 cup mayo

1/3 cup Ranch salad dressing

1/4 tsp. celery salt (or 1 rib of celery, diced)

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

1/4 or 1/3 cup onion, diced

4-6 slices of bacon, cut in pieces

salt and pepper


   In large pot, cover potatoes with cold water. Bring to boil; cover slightly with lid and cook until tender, about 45 minutes. (Red potatoes are denser and seem to take longer, if the skin splits, they are probably done.) Drain and let set off heat to cool. Sprinkle with salt.


   In small skillet, cook bacon until nearly done and then add onion (and real celery if using). Saute' about 5 minutes until soft and translucent.


   Cut potatoes into bite sized chunks and put in medium bowl. With slotted spoon, add onion and celery if using. Should a little bacon fat drip in, well, no big deal. If using celery salt add it now with pepper. Stir in mayonnaise, Ranch dressing and Blue cheese crumbles. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Combine well and then refrigerate at least a few hours to overnight. Serves 5-6.

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Italian Bruschetta Burgers

Photo courtesy my Mac.

    Tomatoes are so happy right now, you've got to find a way to use or lose them. I started out to make a traditional Mexican pico de galllo, but was out of cilantro. My next thoughts turned Italian and to bruschetta. I had plenty of oregano, so why not?
  This is really easy to put together and the meat is moist and flavorful. The trick is having some good bread (buns) to go with it. 

Italian Bruschetta Burgers

First make tomato relish. It's just like an Italian version of Pico de Gallo. It just uses Italian seasoning instead of cilantro. Reserve it for topping the burger creation below. The burgers are standard fare, with a few Italian seasonings thrown in and cheese melted on top.

Italian tomato relish

2 tomatoes, cored and seeded, diced fine

1/4 cup vidallia onion, chopped fine

2 shakes of lime juice

1/2 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. thyme

salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients and chill for at least an hour.

Burgers

1 lb. ground beef

1 tsp. onion powder

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. McCormick's hamburger seasoning

salt and pepper

4 slices of mozzarella cheese

4 ciabatta rolls, split
sprinkle of garlic salt
butter

   Mix burger, onion powder and garlic together. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper, if desired. Shape into 4 patties. Sprinkle with hamburger seasoning on outside of patties. 

   Cook burgers (any way you choose) until seared on one side (3-4 minutes) and then flip. Cook another 3 minutes and if using grill, remove to indirect heat, or if in skillet, reduce heat and cover with lid for 2 minutes more. Top with cheese and recover, so that cheese melts.

   To serve, toast buns (in toaster if needed). Spread buns with butter and a sprinkle of garlic salt. Serve burger, topped with cheese and a layer of Italian tomato relish. 

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Homemade Italian Bread Crumbs

English: Baked with love using a personal bread making machine. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

   I have always thought that recycling is a good idea, that's why I recycle bread. There are usually a couple of heels that nobody will eat, so I toss them in the freezer and recycle for another time, another recipe. I've used bread heels to make french toast, grilled cheese, stuffing, and croutons. One of the easiest things to make with bread heels is bread  crumbs.
   Every now and then a recipe calls for bread crumbs, whether it's for meatballs, meatloaf or in a breading for chicken. This is very easy to do, you can add more spice if you wish and I toss it into a baggie and then freeze it until needed. How easy and cheap.


Italian Bread Crumbs

10 bread heels (any type)

1 tsp. parsley

1/2 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350. On large spray-coated cookie sheet; tear bread heels into 1/2-inch pieces. Bake 10 minutes in oven until bread is completely dried out. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes or so. 

Put spices into a 1-quart bag and half of bread crumbs. Use heavy rolling pin and roll over breads cubes to crush. Continue adding all bread cubes and rolling until all are smashed fine.

Makes about 1 quart. Store in air tight baggie in freezer until ready to use.

Use to coat veggies, chicken or pork for frying. They can also be added to meatloaf or meatballs and as a casserole topping.

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Pork and Pineapple Stir Fry

Photo courtesy of my Mac.

   One of the best ways to use up tidbits of leftovers is to make a stir fry. Recently I had some leftover pork roast, so I sliced some bell peppers and onions in strips and saute'd them and tossed in some leftover slaw mix. 
   When everything is cooked and tender I add the meat, some white rice and to top off the flavor, some pineapple chunks. Any kind of meat and veggies can be used, it just depends on what you have on hand. This is simple, quick and the flavor always good.

Pork Pineapple Stir Fry

2 T. vegetable oil

1 zucchini, peeled and cut in strips 2-3 inches long*

1/2 ea. red and green bell pepper, sliced in strips

1/4 onion, cut in strips

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 bag slaw mix

1/2 cup cooked white rice

1/2 can pineapple chunks, drained

3 T. soy sauce

3/4 cup cooked pork roast, cut in 1-inch chunks

    In very large skillet, heat oil. Add zucchini strips and saute' for 4-5 minutes over medium-low heat just until they start to lightly brown. Add bell peppers, onion and crushed red pepper (if desired). Saute' 8-10 minutes until veggies are tender. Add garlic and slaw mix, stirring to combine. Sprinkle with 2 T. soy sauce and add pineapple. Add pork and cook for 5 minutes to warm meat, soften slaw mix and combine flavors. Add rice and 1 more tablespoon of soy sauce and stir well. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally 5 minutes more. Serves 4.

*I don't usually add zucchini to this dish, but we had plenty.

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Cajun Alfredo Pasta

Photo courtesy the Cooking Corner.

   My youngest son used to cook in a local seafood restaurant and one night he brought home a pasta dish that I fell in love with. It was an Alfredo sauce with Andouille sausage and Cajun spices over fettuccine noodles. The flavors were just amazing. 
     He told me the basics and I took it from there. I used what was in the kitchen and since it was a Cajun dish, I added the bell peppers and threw in some celery salt. (I didn't have the real thing on hand.) It was also served it over angel hair since that was the pasta available. 
    The dish came out very good with lots of flavor, but for the recipe below I have increased the Alfredo sauce so it has a creamier texture.

Cajun Alfredo Pasta

1 T. olive oil

1/4 cup onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, diced

1 to 1-1/2 cups red and/or green bell peppers, chopped

2 lb. Andouille sausage, cut in 3/4-inch pieces on a slant

1/8 tsp. celery salt

1/2 tsp. thyme

sprinkle of crushed red pepper

1 tsp. Cajun spice

1 or 2 -16 oz. jar of Alfredo sauce (If you like it creamy use additional 1/2 jar)*

1 cup cooked chicken, deboned and chopped into 1-inch chunks

1/2 lb. angel hair pasta

    Heat oil in large skillet with lid over medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers and crushed red pepper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; saute' about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic, sprinkle with celery salt and continue cooking, stirring, another 3-4 minutes.

    Add sausage and Cajun spice, stirring to combine. When meat is lightly browned and veggies are tender, stir in Alfredo sauce. Reduce heat and add chicken. Stir well and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve over cooked pasta.

Serves 5-6.

*Use remaining Alfredo sauce in place of marinara sauce on a BLT pizza.

Note - Chicken quarters had been on sale, so I put 3 of them in the crockpot the night before for this recipe and then pulled it when it was cool.

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Jalapeño Popper Burgers

Photo courtesy of my Mac

   The 4th of July is not one of the big family holidays at my house because usually a few of us our working, the hubby included. So we have a relaxing day of food experiments and then watch the local fireworks through our bedroom window in the air conditioning. Laid back is fine with me.
   This year's burger experiment was Jalapeno Popper Burgers. It's two patties stuffed with a cream cheese, bacon and jalapeno mixture. After cooking they are topped with pepperjack cheese and a layer of guacamole, lettuce and tomato. What a big burger with big flavors. It was a glorious messy mouthful. 


Jalapeno Popper Burgers

3 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded

4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

1/2 pkg. (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. paprika

2 lb. ground beef

hamburger seasoning (McCormick's Grill mates)

4 slices pepper jack cheese

4 burger buns

4 lettuce leaves

1 large tomato, sliced

1/2 cup guacamole (optional)

    Set cream cheese out to soften. Grill jalapenos 3-4 minutes over medium heat until tender, turning occasionally. When cool, finely dice jalapenos. In a small bowl, combine jalapenos, cream cheese and crumbled bacon. Set aside (refrigerate) until ready for use.

    In medium bowl, combine garlic, salt, lemon pepper, paprika and pepper. Crumble beef over spices and mix to combine without over working the burger. Shape into 8 thin patties. Put one heaping dollop of cream cheese mixture into center of burger. Layer other patty on top of burger and crimp edges together to seal. Sprinkle patties with hamburger seasoning. Refrigerate patties until ready to grill.

   Grill burger over medium direct heat for 5 minutes per side, then remove to indirect heat for 10 minutes per side, until juices run clear. Top with pepperjack cheese slices and remove from heat. Toast buns on grill 45 seconds. Serve with lettuce, tomato and guacamole. Makes 4.

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Queso Cheese Cornbread

English: Cornbread in a cast iron skillet. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

    My crew has learned to love cornbread, especially slathered in butter. When I'm trying to stretch a meal, one easy way to add another side, is to whip up a batch of cornbread.
   Over the years I've tried jalapeno, cheese, bacon and a host of additives to cornbread to give it a little zip. Last week, I had the end of a hunk of Queso Velveeta I wanted to use, so I chunked it up and through it in the cornbread. How easy? I also got rave reviews from the boys, that's always a plus.

Ingredients

1 box Jiffy Cornbread mix

2-inch slice of Queso Velveeta cheese, cut in small cubes

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9-inch oven-proof skillet with cooking spray.

Crack egg into medium bowl and stir in milk until well blended. Pour in cornbread mix and stir gently just to combine. Sprinkle in cheese cubes and mix just until well distributed. Mix will be thick. Pour into skillet and spread with back of spoon so that it's even.

Bake 20 minutes just until top is golden. Cut in quarters for big pieces, eigths for smaller wedges. Serve warm with butter. 

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Smoked Salmon Fillets

Serving suggestion (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

   My husband and his family are big on salmon, me - not so much. I have however learned to like it well seasoned. We've found the easiest way to fix salmon is to buy it in individually frozen packages. It only takes 30 minutes to thaw and comes with plenty of seasoning to hide any fishy taste. I, of course, prefer the Blackened or Cajun variety.
   When we got our new smoker, this is how we did it. The biggest trick with any fish is to not over cook it.

Smoked Salmon Fillets

2-3 portions, frozen salmon fillets

   (Blackened or Cajun seasoned preferred)
optional seasoning -  1 T. Blackened spice


Preparation

Thaw salmon packets in cold water 30 minutes.

To prepare smoker, soak wood chips 30 minutes. Spray grates with nonstick spray. Start charcoal and let heat until coals are white. Add wood chips.

Place salmon over hottest part of grill (250 degrees or so). If unseasoned, sprinkle with blackened spice. Let smoke for 30 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Meat should be soft, tender and moist. Serves 2.

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Spice Combinations

Oregano (Photo credit: Joi)

    One of my favorite things about cooking is the spices. I love the smell of them and the taste that they add to any dish. Spices are what really brings out the flavor in what you're cooking. Over the years, I've also found that this is one area that new cooks find confusing. 
    I was showing my daughter the basics of making spaghetti and after a sample taste, she commented that "It doesn't taste like yours." 
   My reply was,"What spices did you add?"
   I saw that "doe in the headlight look" and pulled out my collection of Italian spices. We added a little of each and considered the dish complete.
   One afternoon I got a call from one of my son's friends who was in the grocery store. He was shopping for spices and didn't know what basics to buy. It was cute, his comment was, "I want our food to taste like yours, with some flavor." So I recommended some basic spices that should be in any pantry - garlic and onion powders, chili powder, oregano and cumin. When you're just starting off, sometimes you can only buy a few at a time. 
   Recently I was looking at a Taste of Home magazine and they had a nice list of spice combinations. This way any dish that you're making, you can flavor up any way you want. As Emeril used to say, "Kick it up a notch."

Italian Flavors

basil

oregano

rosemary

thyme

garlic

Italian Seasoning

olive oil

Parmesan cheese

Mexican/Southwestern Flavors

cayenne

crushed red pepper flakes

dried oregano

fresh cilantro

ground cumin

paprika

taco seasoning mix

Greek/Mediterranean Flavors

basil

oregano

feta cheese

fresh mint

lemon juice

olive oil

Asian Flavors

brown sugar

chili sauce

garlic cloves

ground ginger or fresh gingerroot

hosin or plum sauce

soy sauce

American Comfort Food Flavors

canola oil

dill weed 

garlic powder

onion powder

mustard

sage

cheddar cheese

Worcestershire sauce

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