Sausage and Peppers with Onions ala Giada

This is a Giada de Laurentis recipe that I have been making for years. I was shocked to find that I had never blogged about it! I was searching through my recipes to find something that I could make with bratwurst I purchased back in October. Then, I thought to myself, I wonder if I could make an Italian dish with German sausage.

I could.

It was just as delicious as always. Enjoy.

You need:

1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage
2 red bell peppers, sliced
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 c chopped fresh basil leaves
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup Marsala wine (or red wine, which is what I use
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional
4 to 6 fresh Italian sandwich rolls, optional

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain. Keeping the pan over medium  heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer. Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Serve in bowls. Or, if serving as a sandwich, split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust. Fill the bottom half of the roll with sausage mixture. Top and serve sandwiches immediately.

Crunchy Gold-FISH sticks

I've mentioned the Cook School cookbook before, but the best part about it is that the recipes start with those that can be made by wee ones as young as three. C has fallen in love with cooking (and eating, as his 35-pound frame gives away), and he picked this recipe out based solely on the picture. However, I gave it a little twist. We didn't have panko bread crumbs, and we had just enough Goldfish crackers to take their place. The original recipe also called for chicken, but our meat box hadn't come in yet and we were out of chicken breasts. Perfect fish sticks with little salt and even less junk. The only thing C couldn't do was put them into the oven. He was pleased as punch with his creation.

You need:

4 tilapia fillets
2 c. crushed Goldfish crackers
4 tbsp. tomato paste
1tsp. paprika
1 tbsp. olive or grapeseed oil
coarse sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Crush the Goldfish crackers by placing in a ziploc bag and letting your kids go gangbusters with the rolling pin. Add to a small bowl and mix with the paprika. In another bowl, add the tomato paste. Cut the fish into nuggets and coat with tomato paste and then dip into the cracker mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Serve with a yummy veg and some rice on the side.

Maple-glazed Pork with Apples

Our bi-monthly meat box came in from our neighborhood local foods market, and we were excited to see some delicious boneless pork chops. This week, A took advantage of those pork chops and the fact that we were celebrating and reading about Maple Weekend, so she found a great kid-friendly recipe to use up the last few apples at the bottom of the bin and some maple syrup for her second weekly meal contribution. Even C went wild for this dish. We served it with a little sauteed spinach and some roasted sweet potatoes on the side.

Amazingly delicious. And if you have a budding young cook in your kitchen, this is easy for him or her to take the lead in its creation.

You need:

1/3 c. maple syrup
1 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. bread crumbs
4 boneless pork chops (or loin cutlets)
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 c. apple cider*
2 medium apples

In a small bowl, stir together the maple syrup, mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined. Place the bread crumbs in a large ziploc bag, and add the pork. Seal the bag and shake it to coat the cutlets. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Add the cider and apple wedges. Bring the cider to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer uncovered for 5-7 minutes or until the pork is done. Stir in the maple syrup mixture and cook the pork for 5 minutes more or until the pan sauces are thick and syrupy.

*a note on apple cider: it freezes REALLY well. We pick apples with our dearests every fall, and we always stock up on their amazing apple cider at the farm. I always save a few gallons and freeze in 2 c. servings in freezer bags. It makes an amazing addition to meals like this as well as homemade cookies and applesauce.

All-in-One Chicken

Our favorite local market moved from the next village over to our own small hamlet, making purchases on sustainable, local products easier than ever. Every other month, we get a box of mixed meats from local farms. Let me say this - you CAN taste the difference between grass-fed, pasture grown animals and those from commercial slaughterhouses. Lately, we've been on a chicken thigh kick. They have incredible flavor, and they can be used in almost anything that calls for chicken breasts (with twice the flavor at half the price.) C and A have also taken over our kitchen. They have gotten so very much into the cooking process that A now plans and leads two to three meals a week. Today, she helped me make an amazingly simple dish from her favorite cookbook, Cook School, which showcases recipes that kids can easily make (from ages 3-12).

You need:

1 c. pitted black olives
10 oz. roasted red peppers from a jar
2 springs fresh rosemary
2 tbsp. olive oil
14 oz. can chopped tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
6-8 chicken thighs
side of your choice (we had roasted potatoes)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drain the olives and peppers. Slice the peppers and add to a bowl. Add the olives, tomatoes, and olive oil. Using a garlic press, crush and press the garlic and add to a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix gently. Place chicken thighs at the bottom of a baking dish. Top with olive and tomato mixture. Place rosemary sprigs on top. Bake for 45 minutes.