Holiday Sausage Dressing

This week’s posting is a first for me, I found this recipe in the Sunday paper and both my husband and I thought it sounded really good. We both simply love dressing with our holiday dinner and it is usually Stove Top Stuffing, don't get me wrong we love a good helping of Stove Top but at the same time there really is nothing better than homemade dressing. My husband very much hates celery, so I did leave it out of our version, but of course if your family likes it feel free to add it to your version. This recipe also only called for Garlic Texas Toast but we chose to use half garlic and half cheese.

1 Pkg. - Johnsonville Italian Mild Ground Sausage
6 Slices - New York Garlic Texas Toast
6 Slices - New York Cheese Texas Toast
1/2 C. - Butter
1 Large - Chopped Onion
2 C. - Chopped Celery (optional)
1 C. - Chopped Green Bell Pepper (optional)
1 Tsp. - Rubbed Sage Seasoning
2 - Eggs (beaten)
2 C. - Chicken Broth
Salt & Pepper

Bake the toast in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes, cool and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Transfer the bread to a mixing bowl and set aside, lower the oven temp to 325 degrees. In a large skillet cook the sausage until no longer pink, remove from the pan and set aside. Add the butter to the pan and sauté the veggies until tender. Add the veggies, sausage, sage, salt, pepper to the bread in the mixing bowl and mix to combine. Stir in the broth and eggs and stir until well mixed, transfer into a 3-4 quart casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake for 60 minutes, uncover and bake for another 10 minutes or until the dressing is brown and crispy.

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Posh Piggies

I was talking to my friend Denice from work a few weeks ago about the Dunkin family Super Bowl party and how this year I wanted something quick, easy, yummy and fun to take. The very next day at work she had brought me a recipe for a spiffed up version of pigs in a blanket, she thought this was exactly what I was looking for. I took one look at the ease of the recipe and the flavor combination and I knew it would be a big hit. My husband and I just did a test run on them for dinner and they turned out fabulous, they are so easy, flaky, flavorful and downright delish!

1 Lbs. - Sweet Italian Sausage Links (Johnsonville)
1 - Sheet Puff Pastry (thawed)
1 - Egg
2 Tbs. - Mayonnaise
2 Tbs. - Dijjonaise
¼ C. - Apricot Pineapple Jelly

Cut the sausage links into 36 half- inch slices; brown the meat on both sides in a frying pan over medium high heat. No need to fully cook at this time, all you want is to get both sides a little crispy. Set aside on a plate to cool while you get the pastry ready, lay the pastry out on your work surface then break the egg into a small dish and brush the entire surface of the pastry. Using a mini cookie cutter (I used a star) cut out 36 shapes from the pastry. Place the meat onto a baking sheet and cover each one with a piece of pastry and secure in place with a tooth pick. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 18-20 minutes. While the piggies are baking mix the jelly, mayo and mustard in a small dish, these are good served hot, warm and room temp. Dip and enjoy!

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Sausage Egg Bites

Every year our family gets together for Super Bowl and we do it pot luck style, this year I wanted to try something a little different. Back on 1-10-09 I was doing my nightly commenting when I stumbled across a great looking item on Elizabeth’s Edible. She had made Mini Frittatas with Ham and Cheese. I thought they looked perfect for my Super Bowl contribution, I did however make a few changes from her original recipe but I still think they turned out awesome and I do believe the family will love them. Thank you Elizabeth for the great recipe idea, I truly love your site.

4 - Eggs
6 - Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage Links
¼ - Onion (finely minced)
¼ Tsp. - Cayenne
½ Tsp. - Johnny’s Garlic Season
½ Tsp. - Dry Parsley
1/3 C. - Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

In a small frying pan heat 1 Tbs. of EVOO over medium high heat, cook the onion and sausage until the onions are soft and the sausage in browned, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool while you get the egg mixture ready. In a bowl crack in the eggs and whisk in the seasoning and cheese, then stir in the onion and sausage. Place 1 Tbs. of the egg mixture into a mini muffin pan section and top with a few more pieces of cheese. I was able to fill 16 out of the 24 sections of my pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until set. Serve warm or room temperature with some hot sauce, salsa or even sour cream for dipping.

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Zuppa Tuscana

One of my all time favorite soups is Olive Garden’s Zuppa Tuscana. I really wanted to make this at home so I found a recipe that seemed really similar so I gave it my best shot and made a few additions, this was the wonderful outcome. This soup really hit the spot on our cold, wet and drippy Portland night.

1 Lbs. Johnsonville Mild Bulk Sausage
2 Medium Red Potatoes (Cut into chunks)
1/2 Small Chopped Onion
4 Slices Bacon (cut into small pieces)
2 Tbs. Minced Garlic
2 C. Chopped Kale Leaves
1 1/2 Tbs. Chicken Base
5 C. Water
1/2 C. Heavy Cream

Cook the sausage in frying pan over medium high heat just until no longer pink, transfer to a plate. Add the bacon, garlic, and onion to the pan to cook until the onion is soft and the bacon is crisp. Transfer the bacon mixture and sausage to a soup pot and cover with the water and add the kale, potatoes, and chicken base. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the cream and simmer for another 4-5 minutes. Serve with bread sticks and salad for a fabulous cold night dinner.

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Dirty Rice

My husband and I love going to our local Chicken & Biscuit place called Popeye’s, when I found a recipe that seamed similar to their dirty rice I was very excited. Now I must confess that I have never actually tried their dirty rice but this recipe looked so easy and yummy that I just had to give it a try. It turned out awesome, the flavor is wonderful and the recipe could not be any easier.

1 Lbs. Spicy Bulk Sausage (I used Johnsonville Mild)
1 – 14oz. Chicken Broth
1/2 C. Long Grain Rice (I used Jasmine Rice)
1/2 Small Chopped Onion

Cook the meat and onion in a frying pan over medium high heat until the meat is no longer pink and the onion is soft. Stir in the broth and rice, cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes or until the rice is tender and most of the broth is absorbed.

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