Sausage, Onion and Pepper Spaghetti

As a young cook I tried to experiment when I could.  As I have said before, I could not have lived without my mom's home written cookbook those first years, but I also think you have to step out on a limb from time to time.  Thank goodness my husband has always been daring with my creations and always honest.  

I think spaghetti sauce is under utilized in many kitchens.  You don't have to just use it for standard meat (beef) spaghetti.  I use several different varieties in my Chicken Spaghetti for a Crowd, and routinely serve it with the quick and easy dish I'm sharing with you today.  

My Sausage, Onion and Pepper Spaghetti is one of those dishes where you look in your refrigerator and realize the  bell peppers need to be cooked, the onions in your bin would be a nice addition, and that turkey or beef link Kielbasa sausage would be really tasty along with it!  Then with a can of 4 Cheese Spaghetti Sauce that most companies such as Hunt's or our local Brookshires grocery store brand Food Club carry, dinner is served in literally under thirty minutes.  Served with a green salad and some garlic toast, you have a dinner even the pickiest eaters like my youngest daughter love.  

If your a young cook or an experienced one, you can be creative with this recipe adding fresh zucchini, yellow squash, or even fresh cherry tomatoes to spice up this dish.  Also, if you prefer white or brown rice over noodles, this is fantastic over that as well.  

I hope you'll try it soon.  It's husband and kid approved around our ranch!  

Sausage, Onion and Pepper Spaghetti

1 package of Kielbasa Sausage, pork or turkey, cut in to 1/2 inch wide rounds
1 onion, quartered and sliced 
1 green bell pepper, cleaned of membrane and sliced
1 red bell pepper, cleaned of membrane and sliced
3 cups spaghetti or egg noodles, prepared according to package directions

Cook sausage in 1/2 cup of water over medium heat.  Water will cook out and sausage will brown evenly after about ten minutes.  ***Make sure you stir and turn sausage frequently until the rounds are browned on both sides.  Take out your sausage and drain on paper towels to reduce excess oil.  Saute onion, green bell peppers in the pan you cooked the sausage in along with one to two teaspoons of Canola, vegetable, or Grapeseed oil.  Cook vegetables until they are slightly limp, but still crisp.  Add back into the pan the cooked/drained sausage.  Add one can of spaghetti sauce on top of sausage/vegetable mixture.  Cook on low until mixture is bubbling.  Turn off and serve over prepared spaghetti  or egg noodles.  

Alise 

Sauteed Cajun Squash and Potatoes

Our garden is still producing thanks to God and the rains Texas received this past year!  Prayers have been answered for our hay field and gardens, as our squash, tomatoes, and veggies are taking over my house! My husband has become Farmer Brown and gardening his newest obsession!  Not that we our our neighbors and friends are complaining.  Each night I try to find yet another way to cook the ever growing trays of squash that are accumulating on my cabinets!  We do give some away, but I realize as any squash grower knows, that the season doesn't last long and as we can we need to enjoy the fruits of Scott's labor!


Just the other night I decided that my meat and potato man might like it if I added new potatoes to the squash that I normally fix.  Potatoes take much longer than squash to cook on my wok or pan.  So, I started out by sauteeing the new potatoes (red potatoes) in about a quarter cup of olive oil.  I cooked these until they just started to become tender and turned a slight soft yellow.  To this I added my sliced onions and sliced yellow squash.  You'll notice there are no zuchinni in the picture because our garden had not yet produced any yet.  I added about 4 more tablespoons of olive oil and then some Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning.  If you do not have a good quality Cajun seasoning available, then use garlic salt, pepper, paprika, some chili powder, and red pepper sparingly. 


I continued to sautee this on a medium/low heat until the squash was cooked and the potatoes began to crisp, seasoning with more Cajun spice as needed.  I always taste as I go.  Even when I served my girls baby food...if it didn't taste good...they didn't eat it...that was my motto.  So always check your seasonings with a clean spoon, so that you don't pass on any unwanted germs!


If you don't have your own garden, check out your local Farmer's Market or grocery store for squash that is now in season for May, June, and July.  Prices should be better now and your family will love this recipe I promise!  Also, if you have any great recipes that you would like to share and have me post, please email me and I'll make sure to put it on The Ranch Kitchen.


Enjoy!

Sauteed Cajun Squash and Potatoes

6 - 8 medium sized new red potatoes, sliced in 1/2 inch cubes


1 onion sliced


6 - 8 small to medium squash, sliced into quarters of one inch thickness


3/4 cup olive oil


Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning


Sautee potatoes in 1/2 cup of Olive Oil on medium heat until slightly softened or cooked.  Potatoes should turn a slight yellow.  Add to this one onion sliced and your sliced and quatered squash.  Add the remaining olive oil and cook on low to medium heat.  I like to use my wok for even cooking with more cooking space.  Sprinkle Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning on generously or sparingly depending on your heat preferenced.  Too much Cajun seasoning will 'light' you up as we say in the south!  Continue cooking on low - medium heat until squash and onions are cooked and potatoes start to get a crisp/browned look to them.


Enjoy!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Educated Taste

Brussels Sprouts are not everyone in the world's favorite vegetable.  As my grandfather would say when I was a kid if I didn't like what was on my plate, "It's an educated taste.  You're just not educated or mature enough for it!"  I think back now and think he was pretty profound in that statement!  Although, I profess to hating them as a child, I love, love them as an adult!  Not one of his grandkids were ever picky eaters at his house! I ate my Brussels Sprouts, liver, drank goats milk, and spinach at his house with out complaining!

What I once bought in mostly the freezer isle, now can be found in my local Sam's Club in the fresh produce section.  However, cooking them frozen are not at all bad. One bag of Brussels Sprouts will feed a family of five and two will take care of a small crowd for holidays or when guest come over. 

Sometimes I sprinkle Parmesan Cheese on the cooked Brussels Sprouts.  Truly, it's one of those three to four ingredient dishes that come together in less than thirty minutes from the oven or grill.  If you chose to grill it, make a foil packet, follow the instruction in the recipe below, and add four to six cubes of ice.  The ice will help steam any vegetable as they cook over a low grill fire.  I love foil packets most because of the easy cleanup.  Make a slit on the top and serve right off the grill.



Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 package of Brussels Sprouts (6 - 8 cups), with hard ends sliced off (about 1/4 inch off the hard bottom) and then slice in half

1/4 to 1/2 cup Olive Oil or Canola Oil

1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1 cup of Parmesan Cheese, grated

Prepare Brussels Sprouts by cutting 1/4 inch of hard bottom core off.  Then slice each Brussels Sprout in half or maybe even fourths depending on the size of each sprout.  Foil line or lightly grease a metal or glass pan.  Place Brussels Sprouts in pan and drizzle with oil, turning to coat well.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Turn on roasting element on your convection or regular oven.  Place pan six to eight inches, even further if you are scared of this being too close from direct flame and roast, checking frequently and turning Brussels Sprouts as they cook.  Brussels Sprouts are cooked when they are soft to the touch and slightly browned.  Some sprouts will get a charred edge to them, but that just adds to the flavor...however...don't get them too charred!  No one likes burnt food!  So you have to watch them closely! I can't stress this near enough as I am the queen of burnt bread!  Roasting can take as long of twenty minutes in the oven or on the grill.  On the grill if you use a foil packet make sure you place ice on the seasoned Brussels Sprouts and fold the packet upward so you do not loose any of the liquid  from the packet that will help cook it. 

I sometimes add Parmesan Cheese to the cooked Brussels Sprouts.  It great with or with out it.  I have thought adding cooked bacon, but have not wanted to add the extra fat.

This is a healthy dish that I know our family will enjoy.  Remember to always introduce your kids to 'educated taste' food in hopes of not making them too picky of an eater!  They never know what they might just love! 

So here's to you to my grandaddy Herbert Young!  Thanks for always making me try 'mature' food as a child, all the while knowing that later I would serve it to his great grandchildren!  He would have loved this dish.

Enjoy!

Alise Nolan