Cannellini Beans & Sausage

This is one of those great dishes you can slave over all day long or simply toss into a crock pot and let it cook while you slave away at work all day.  This turns out to a thick chowder consistency and is absolutely wonderful on a cold day.  If you can’t find cannellini beans at your local store you can easily substitute with northern white beans.

Ingredients

3 cups dried cannellini beans, rinsed

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup pesto

6 oz. pureed tomatoes

1 – 2 pounds Italian sausage links

5 Tablespoons salted butter

2 – 3 cloves garlic, pressed

Directions

• In a large heavy pot over low heat (or in a crock pot set to low) add olive oil and salt.
• Add in dried beans and 5 cups of water.
• Cook until beans are tender.  Over stove this is 2 – 3 hours, in crock pot 4 – 5 hours.
• Brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat.
• Slice to 1/2 inch thickness and return to skillet, browning on each side.
• Add in garlic and cook for five minutes over medium heat.
• Add sausages to beans, increase heat to medium and cover.
• Blend tomatoes with pesto.
• Drain beans thoroughly and add butter.
• Blend in pesto and serve.

Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo with Sausage

I love pasta.  I can’t say that enough.  But the same old same old can get old quick so I really enjoy finding new ways to enjoy pasta.  This recipe gives your basic mild and creamy alfredo a little bite.  And while you can always buy roasted red peppers and alfredo individually at your local grocery – we’re going to do this from scratch and you will love the difference.  And when you figure in that to roast red peppers yourself takes about 15 minutes and costs a little over a buck, you’ll agree that it is just cheaper and better to do it yourself.  The alfredo sauce is not very complicated either, the important key is just to not bring it to boil.  As for the sausage, you can use sweet, mild, hot – or even just ground beef with extra seasonings.  The possibilities are as endless as the types of pasta you can serve this over.  For this recipe, we will be serving it over a rigato penne.

Ingredients

1 – 2 medium to large red bell peppers

1/2 cup butter, salted

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cup dried parmesan cheese, grated*

*If using canned sprinkles, make sure it is really parmesan and not powdered alternative

• Preheat oven to broiler setting, 500 degrees F.  Wash the peppers under running water.
• Lay peppers on a glass baking dish and cook for fifteen minutes or until blackened.
• Place peppers into a container or pot with a lid and allow to cool for ten minutes.
• Using your fingers, gently rub the blackened skin from the peppers and discard.
• Cut peppers in quarters, removing inner seeds.
• Slice into thin strips.
• In a heavy saucepan over low to medium heat, blend all ingredients, including pepper strips.
• Stir continuously, but do not bring to a boil.
• Once popping begins, remove from heat.
• Add in sliced sausage or ground meat and serve over pasta.

 

Dublin Coddle

I never knew this had a name other than Glenn’s night to cook.  And he does it well, don’t get me wrong, but this is one of his better dishes.  While searching out Irish dishes for my daughter’s requested meal, I was surprised to learn that this dish is a favourite standard in the Dublin pubs.  It is extremely affordable and easy to make, and like most Irish cuisine, it is very hearty and filling.