(38) Pasta e Fagioli

I know I say that a lot of the recipes I cook are quick and easy, but this one should be put at the top of the list! There was nothing difficult about this. I minced my own garlic, which took 2 seconds as did opening the cans. Soooo, easy!!

I used regular spicy Italian sausage (not turkey - the plain was on sale!) and used 2 links. It was plenty spicy - certainly didn't need any extra red pepper! If you don't like spice, go for the sweet Italian sausage and add red pepper flakes until the heat is right for you! I wasn't sure if this was going to be filling enough, but it definitely was! We give this two thumbs up for sure!

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Pasta e Fagioli

Source: Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2000
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
1 1/2 tablespoons bottled minced garlic
1 cup water
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 cup uncooked small seashell pasta (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, drained
Minced fresh parsley (optional)
Crushed red pepper (optional)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until browned, stir-ring to crumble. Add water, broth, and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta, 1/4 cup cheese, oregano, salt, pepper, and beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 8 minutes or until pasta is done. Let stand 5 minutes; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Garnish each serving with parsley and red pepper, if desired.

CALORIES 353 (26% from fat); FAT 10.2g (sat 3.1g,mono 4.1g,poly 2.3g); IRON 4.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 34mg; CALCIUM 177mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.6g; SODIUM 742mg; PROTEIN 20.5g; FIBER 4.5g

(29) Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

This was our Superbowl meal - ready to cheer on the Saints to victory!! It was pretty easy to put together, very filling and very tasty. It wasn't spicy enough for my liking, so I added more Tabasco. I will make this again for sure!

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Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 2/3 cups gumbo and 1/2 cup rice)
Source: Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion (1 large)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped green bell pepper (1 large)
1 cup finely chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces light smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces (such as Healthy Choice brand)
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans no-salt-added organic diced tomatoes
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
3 cups hot cooked rice

Place flour in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; cook 20 minutes or until light brown, stirring constantly with a whisk. (If flour browns too fast, remove pan from heat; stir constantly until it cools down.) Remove flour from pan, and set aside.

Add oil to pan. Stir in onion, bell pepper, and celery; cook 10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic; cook 30 seconds. Remove onion mixture from pan; set aside.

Increase heat to medium-high; add chicken and sausage to pan. Cook 4 minutes or until chicken is done; return onion mixture to pan. Remove pan from heat. Sprinkle reserved flour over chicken mixture; stir well. Return pan to medium heat. Drain 1 can tomatoes; stir in 1 can drained tomatoes and 1 can undrained tomatoes. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth, Worcestershire, and bay leaves; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Stir in salt, black pepper, and hot sauce. Serve over rice.

CALORIES 419 (20% from fat); FAT 9.2g (sat 2.1g,mono 4.2g,poly 1.1g); IRON 3.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 82mg; CALCIUM 42mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.2g; SODIUM 888mg; PROTEIN 35.8g; FIBER 3.3g

(23) Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole

As I mentioned last night, this was pretty easy to put together (about 20 minutes start to finish). Look for the tube of turkey sausage in the freezer section. I haven't eaten in quite a while and it was surprisingly tasty!! I had to cook the casserole about 10 minutes longer than written because it was still really wet in the center.

I have to admit, one serving was a tease! I wanted more! This was really good and I will make it again. You could serve 4 good size servings for weekend guests or put this on a brunch spread with other goodies. Did I mention this was good!? YUM!

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Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, May 2007

8 ounces ciabatta bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
Cooking spray
1 pound turkey breakfast sausage
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 1/4 cups fat-free milk
1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) carton egg substitute
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400°.

Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until toasted.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Combine sausage, bread, and onions in a large bowl. Combine milk, cheese, eggs, and egg substitute in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to bread mixture, tossing to coat bread. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Uncover casserole. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Sprinkle with parsley; serve immediately.

CALORIES 344 (28% from fat); FAT 10.8g (sat 4.2g,mono 2.2g,poly 1g); IRON 3.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 123mg; CALCIUM 227mg; CARBOHYDRATE 26.4g; SODIUM 983mg; PROTEIN 28.7g; FIBER 1g

(21) Parmesan Polenta with Sausage and Mushrooms

I need to get something off my chest before I review this recipe. Dear Cooking Light - what the hell kind of recipe serves FIVE?!? Weird. At the suggested serving sizes, I got 4 servings of polenta and 5 servings of sausage, which is fine because the baby will love the sausage serving. Ok, vent over.

This is a solid, quick, weeknight meal. I had it on the table in 30 minutes and there was little to no chopping, which is always a bonus!! I think this meal has potential, too. I think it would be great with some caramelized onions and a little fresh garlic in with the tomatoes. I also should have used fresh basil, but we're budget cooking this week, so dried had to do (it was fine!). I added a touch of red pepper flakes because I only had sweet Italian sausages in my freezer.

The polenta was delish (I used regular old cornmeal, not 'instant polenta') and a beautiful soft contrast to the sausage and mushrooms. My only suggestion to you is to slowly add the cornmeal to the water and whisk while you're doing it. Otherwise you'll end up like a few clumps. I speak from experience here, I promise!

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Parmesan Polenta with Sausage and Mushrooms

Source: Cooking Light Magazine, October 2000
Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup sauce and 3/4 cup polenta)

3 (3-ounce) links hot turkey Italian sausage
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 (8-ounce) packages presliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried basil
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
4 cups water
1 cup instant polenta (such as Contadina)
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pierce sausages; cut each diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Add the wine and mushrooms; cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove sausage from pan. Cook the mushroom mixture over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in the basil and tomatoes; cook 1 minute or until heated. Return sausage to pan; keep warm.

While sauce is simmering, prepare polenta. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in polenta, garlic powder, sugar, and salt. Reduce heat to low; cook until thick (about 5 minutes), stirring frequently. Stir in cheese. Serve with sausage mixture.

CALORIES 288 (30% from fat); FAT 9.5g (sat 3.3g,mono 3.6g,poly 2.4g); IRON 2.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 58mg; CALCIUM 95mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.1g; SODIUM 689mg; PROTEIN 18.2g; FIBER 1.6g

(109) Stacey's Sausage Stuffing

This comes from Stacey who was kind enough to share the recipe with me! She told me that it is "so good and so easy" and that she was excited for Thanksgiving to get here so she could hog on it :) After having made it, I can't say that I blame her!! She gave me her roundabout way of making it, but I'm going to try to write out exactly how I did it! I tested it today because I hated the idea of making a totally new recipe with an audience of 25 people! eek!

This makes a full 13x9" pan. I used only 8 oz of mushrooms, but I think for Thanksgiving, I'm going to use 16oz because the mushrooms are SO GOOD in this!

1/2 lb mild sausage (bulk - the kind in the tube)
1/2 lb hot sausage (again, bulk - the breakfast kind!)
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3-4 Tbsp unsalted butter
16 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
14 oz bag of cubed herb stuffing (Pepperidge Farms)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
handful of chopped sage (I used about 5 or 6 leaves)
handful of chopped fresh parsley (I used a few pinches of dried)
cracked black pepper - to your personal liking (I forgot this step! oops! I will probably use about 1/4 tsp next time I make it)

1) Cook the sausages in a skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Chop up with your spatula so you don't have too many big hunks of sausage. [Stacey says she runs hers through the food processor!] Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon & place in a bowl. Wipe grease from skillet.

2) Melt 3-4 Tbsp of butter in skillet. Saute onions and celery until translucent and tender. Add mushrooms and saute until softened.

3) Place stuffing cubes in a large bowl. Soften the cubes with 1c water and 1c chicken broth. Add the onion/celery/mushroom mix and sausage to the stuffing cubes. Add the sage, parsley, and black pepper. Stir with a big spoon or use your hands to combine. Gradually add the remaining 1c of broth  until the stuffing is wet. (you can use even more water after this if you think you need it. I only needed the 3c liquid)

4) Spoon stuffing into a 13x9" pan sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes (until browned and crispy on top). Enjoy!

(85) Italian Stuffed Jalapenos

Ok, let's talk about this recipe. I have a few suggestions if you try to make this!
1) PLEASE wear rubber gloves when you cut the jalapenos. We had our first ever cooking club catastrophe. Poor Dee, I don't think her fingertips will ever be the same.

2) Cook the peppers long enough. They should look kind of soft when they come out of the oven. If they're not, they'll be hotter than fire. Ours didn't cook long enough and although we LOVE hot, we couldn't eat them. Sad :(

3) The filling for this is AWESOME!!! We doubled the recipe, so it made way too much filling. We had leftovers today on a toasted bun, open face, with cheese melted on top. HEAVEN!

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Italian Stuffed Jalapenos

Source: Guy's Big Bite (foodtv.com)
Yield: 4-6 servings

15 jalapenos, preferably red, cut in 1/2, seeded and deveined
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 pounds mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups mascarpone or cream cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and set a rack in the middle of the oven.

Place jalapenos on a sheet tray and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Turn broiler on medium.

Heat the oil in a medium saute pan. Add the sausage and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic and cook to soften for about 5 minutes. Remove and place in a large bowl. Cool to room temperature, then add mascarpone, and Parmesan. Mix ingredients thoroughly and season with salt and pepper.

Place approximately 1 tablespoon of mixture into each jalapeno half, and top with 1/2 teaspoon of mozzarella cheese.

Place the sheet tray of stuffed peppers in oven and broil until mozzarella cheese melts.

(79) Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta

This was another superfast and delish dinner. It was also SUPER filling. 2 cups of pasta!?! Sign me up!! If I could make one suggestion, it would be to let the dish sit after you add the pasta in... just let it sit for like 5 minutes so the sauce can soak in!

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Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta

Ripe, late-summer tomatoes are juicy and delicious in this entrée, with no seeding or peeling necessary.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 2 cups pasta mixture, 1 tablespoon cheese, and 1 tablespoon basil)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, September 2009

8 ounces uncooked penne
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup vertically sliced onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/4 pounds tomatoes, chopped
6 tablespoons grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sausage and onion to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring to crumble sausage. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 2 tablespoons cheese, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and basil.

Wine note: Italian sausage craves a clean-tasting wine with the substance to complement the rest of the dish without overwhelming it. The smoky 2006 San Lorenzo Verdicchio Vigna Delle Oche ($23) is a great choice. -Gary Vaynerchuck

Nutritional Information
Calories: 389, Fat: 10.7g (sat 4g,mono 4.5g,poly 0.7g), Protein: 21.6g, Carbohydrate: 53.5g, Fiber: 4.5g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Iron: 3.3mg, Sodium: 595mg, Calcium: 159mg

(55) Sausage and Roasted Pepper Pasta

I have to tell you, I LOVE roasted peppers. I also love Italian sausage, so this recipe was a winner to me! It took a little longer to put together than I would have liked (but was not hard or overly time consuming by any means...). I should have just planned it out better.

Anyway, for some reason my Publix still only has sweet Italian turkey sausage, not the hot, so I added some red pepper flakes. YUM. When the dish was finishing (to the adding pasta stage) I actually said to my husband "I'm not so sure about this one!" But a few minutes of simmer/boil and the sauce really did come together.

The portions are HUGE - you could easily make 6 meals out of this one, IMO. Very filling, very flavorful. Will repeat this one...

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Sausage and Roasted Pepper Pasta

Four assertive ingredients tossed with mild pasta make for a simple, satisfying supper. Try a mix of red and green peppers in this recipe.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups pasta mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, March 2009

4 medium bell peppers (about 1 1/2 pounds) - I used 2 red, 1 yellow, 1 green just for variety
8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
12 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 10 minutes or until thoroughly blackened. Place bell peppers in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel; discard skins. Chop and set aside.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid; keep warm.

4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan, and cook 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add bell peppers to pan. Move sausage mixture to outside edges of pan, leaving an open space in center. Add tomato paste to open space in pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir tomato paste into sausage mixture. Stir in pasta and reserved cooking liquid; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in black pepper and salt. Sprinkle with cheese.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 430, Fat: 11.5g (sat 3.7g,mono 4.4g,poly 1.3g), Protein: 28.9g, Carbohydrate:52.4g, Fiber: 4.4g, Cholesterol: 79mg, Iron: 4.4mg, Sodium: 894mg, Calcium: 79mg

(38) Sausage and Bean Casserole

I was a little off in my timing of this recipe - this is an AWESOME hearty meal and would be great on a cold winter night. Oops! It was 94 degrees here in FL today! Oh well, we enjoyed it just the same! Very easy to make and it goes right in the oven in the pan that you use on the stove. I like that!! I was concerned about the bread, but it was great/necessary. DONT use dried breadcrumbs!! The soft bread almost gives the topping a cheesy like feeling. This one's a keeper!

I should also mention that this did NOT make 8 servings. I measured it out with my handy-dandy measuring cup and it made 6 servings exactly!!

PS: I can't vouch for how this tastes with the bay leaf. I'd rather eat dirt!!

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Sausage and Bean Casserole

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, November 2007

Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1 (16-ounce) package light smoked turkey sausage (such as Hillshire Farm), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
3 (1-ounce) slices white bread
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and turkey sausage to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in 2 tablespoons brown sugar, tomato paste, dried thyme, freshly ground black pepper, cannellini beans, and bay leaf. Add ground red pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 1/2 cups.

Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over bean mixture, and lightly coat with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until browned. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 205 (14% from fat), Fat: 3.3g (sat 1.1g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.5g), Protein: 12.1g, Carbohydrate: 30g, Fiber: 4.4g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Iron: 2.7mg, Sodium: 823mg, Calcium: 77mg

(35) Spicy Sausage Chili

My need for red pepper flakes has been met!! It's nasty and rainy here in FL today and even though it's May, we needed some warm comfort food. My husband suggested chili so I ran with it! I found this recipe and it's a definite keeper!!

For some reason I found myself in Food Lion (instead of my beloved Publix!) on my way home today. The stupid store only had regular (sweet) Italian turkey sausage, so I had to settle for that. To compensate, I used hot chili powder from Penzeys (I love Penzeys!!). I also used an extra 1/4 tsp of pepper flakes. The chili was spicy, but not fiery hot... It was perfect! YUM!

PS: As I typed this up, I realized I forgot the garlic! HELLO AMY?! Duh!

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Spicy Sausage Chili

Yield: 7 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Source: Cooking Light, MARCH 1998

2 cups diced onion
3/4 pound hot turkey Italian sausage, crumbled
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, drained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
2 large garlic cloves, minced

Combine diced onion and turkey sausage in a Dutch oven, and cook over medium-high heat until browned, stirring constantly. Stir in the water and remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 234 (31% from fat), Fat: 8g (sat 2.4g,mono 2.9g,poly 2.5g), Protein: 16.7g, Carbohydrate: 25.9g, Fiber: 2.9g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Iron: 3.6mg, Sodium: 628mg, Calcium: 88mg

(12) Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage

Recovery from the stinker of last week! Redemption! This recipe is a definite keeper. 5 stars in my book. It was on the table in under and hour, super filling, and DELICIOUS. It was spicy, but not burn-your-mouth spicy.

For whatever reason, our Publix didn't have andouille so I bought sausage they had labeled as 'cajun'. I took it out of the casing and browned it up in the crumbled form and that worked fine! As always, I did not use the bay leaf *spit*. I failed to use the parsley and it was fine without it.

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Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage

Source: Cooking Light Magazine, April 2005
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

CL Comments: Using both andouille sasuage and juicy pink shrimp, jambalaya is like a spicy surf-and-turf. To save time, buy frozen peeled shrimp and thaw in the refrigerator or under cold, running water.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 ounces andouille sausage, sliced
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 bay leaf
2 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, minced garlic, and sausage; saute 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add rice to the next 7 ingredients (through bay leaf); cook 2 minutes. Add broth, water, tomato paste, hot pepper sauce, and diced tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Add shrimp; cook 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Stir in parsley.

Calories: 426, Fat 12.7g, Iron 5.1mg, Cholesterol 117mg, Calcium 99mg, Carbohydrate 52.7g, Sodium 763mg, Protein 25g, Fiber 4.9g