SAUSAGE


 ZUPPA TOSCANA (BETTER THAN OLIVE GARDEN!)
1 lb. Italian sausages (use spicy to get that signature Olive Garden flavor)
4-6 russet potatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 c. REAL bacon pieces (optional)
2 Tbsp minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
32 oz. chicken broth
1 c. kale or Swiss chard, chopped
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp flour
1. Brown sausage links in a sauté pan.
2. Cut links in half lengthwise, then cut slices.
3. Place sausage, chicken broth, garlic, potatoes and onion in slow cooker. Add just enough water to cover the vegetables and meat.
4. Cook on high 3-4 hours (low 5-6 hours) until potatoes are soft.
30 minutes before serving:
5. Mix flour into cream removing lumps.
6. Add cream, kale, and bacon to the crock pot, stir.
7. Cook on high 30 minutes or until broth thickens slightly.
8. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
POLISH SAUSAGE AND CABBAGE SOUP CROCK POT
2 cups potatoes, cubed and peeled
4 cups cabbage, shredded it fine
1 carrot, shredded it fine
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons caraway seeds, crushed (optional)
1-1/4 lb Polish sausage, cooked, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch slices
4 cups fat free chicken broth or you can just use water
black pepper and salt to taste
Directions:Place potatoes, cabbage, carrot, onion, caraway seeds, sausage, pepper and salt in crock pot. Pour broth over all.Cover, cook on low for 10 - 12 hours or high for 5 - 6 hours.

CREAM CHEESE SAUSAGE BALLS
1 lb hot sausage, uncooked
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups Bisquick
4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 400F.
Mix all ingredients until well combined. (I use my KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook attachment) Roll into 1-inch balls. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until brown.
Sausage balls may be frozen uncooked but I freeze mine after baking and cooling. . If baking frozen, add a few minutes to the baking time.
JB'S SAUSAGE BITES
1lb Jimmy Dean hot sausage
1 box Stove Top Stuffing (cornbread kind)
Just in case others are interested, here it is....very tastey
1 egg
1/2 cup each of celery and onion diced fine
1/2 hot water
Mix stuffing and hot water in bowl, then add rest of the ingredients and mix well, use melon-ball scoop to measure equal amounts to roll into balls, cook at 375* for 15-20 minutes. JB would let the bottoms get a little crunchy.
If you want to try something different this year I say this is it, and thank JB.

IT'S OFF RUHLMAN'S CHARCUTERIE BOOK FOR CURED SAUSAGE AND REAL EASY TO DO ESPECIALLY FOR FIRST TIME.
This is per 5lb of pork shoulder:
5 lbs of pork shoulder (cubed)
35 grams or 2.5 TBSP kosher salt
3 grams or .5 tsp pink salt
5 grams or 1.5 TSP coarse black pepper
2 grams or .5 TSP of coriander, toasted (lightly toast in a pan) OR ground coriander
16 grams or 2 TBSP yellow mustard seeds, toasted(lightly toast in a pan) OR Coleman's mustard powder
4 grams or 1 TSP or freshly grated nutmeg OR ground nutmeg
2 grams or .5 TSP ground ginger or powdered ginger
70 grams or .5 CUP dry milk
12 grams or 4-5 cloves of minced garlic
1. Cube the pork butt in approximately 1" cubes
2. Mix all ingredients in and let it sit overnight preferably
3. Grind the meat half course and half fine
4. Mix both the coarse and fine meat together
5. Stuff it in hog casings
6. Let it sit or hang the links for about two hours
7. Smoke at 180* until you hit 150* IT (took me about 3 hours)
8. Once at 150* put the smoked sausage into an ice bath in a tub to stop cooking
9. Once it's cooled take it out and pat dry the links
10. Enjoy as is or cook it again when you're ready to serve

CAJUN SAUSAGE & CHEESE STUFFED BREAD
Louisiana people love stuffed bread. This version is really good and easy because you are using frozen bread.
1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed,
1 pound of cooked breakfast sausage, I used the HOT variety
8 to 10 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese or a mix of cheddar and mozzarella
1egg, mix together with sausage before you cook it
Melted butter
1 white onion (sautéed), I sautéed the onion with the sausage
Roll out bread with rolling pin, spread melted butter, cooked sausage, onions and cheese. Roll up and place in a bundt pan or cookie sheet. I would bake @ 350 until brown.

SAUSAGE SEASONING RECIPE
3parts salt
2 parts black pepper
2 parts ground sage
2 parts brown sugar
Ground cayenne pepper to taste
De-bone and cube an 8 pound pork butt. Add about 1/4 cup of seasoning and mix well and grind it.

HOMEMADE SUMMER SAUSAGE
5 lb ground hamburger (no lean burger)
5 Tbsp liquid smoke (found near barbecue sauce)
5 Tbsp morton salt tender quick (found in dark blue bag in spice aisle)
2 Tbsp coarse ground pepper
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp mustard seeds
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients with your hands like making meatloaf. Cover and Refrigerate 24 hours. Take out and knead one more time then make 4 (14x2 inch) logs. Put them on a cookie sheet with 1-2 inch sides. Bake at 300 degrees for 3 hours. Take out and wrap in wax paper with aluminum foil around that. Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve by slicing and eating alone or with crackers and cheese. NOTE: When rolling logs into shape, make sure you knead the meat and form a tight log so there's no cracks forming while baking.

CRESCENT SAUSAGE BITES
1 lb. sausage (pork or turkey)
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
2 packages crescent rolls
Dash salt & ground black pepper
Directions
In a saute pan, brown sausage; drain. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Blend in cream cheese until the cream cheese is melted. Unroll one package of crescent rolls and place on a baking sheet. With your fingers, gently press the seams together to seal them. Spread the sausage mixture evenly over the crescent roll dough, leaving about a 1/2-inch border along the edges. Unroll the remaining package of crescent rolls and place on top of the sausage mixture. Press the edges together to seal. Gently press the seams together. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until crescent roll dough is golden brown. Cut into small squares and serve. (A pizza cutter makes really quick and easy work of the cutting.).

ONEPOT CHEESY PASTA AND SAUSAGE
3 cups halved grape tomatoes, divided
1 large onion, sliced
1 pound smoked Italian sausage links, precooked (sliced into coins)
20-30 basil leaves, divided
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 pound dry linguine
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
4 1/2 cups water
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Reserve (set aside) 1 cup halved tomatoes, 10 basil leaves and cheese.
Combine remaining ingredients in a large (12") braising pan or dutch oven over medium high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, remove cover and cook 7-9 minutes until pasta is al dente (with a bite to it). Toss pasta with tongs occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking. Liquid will be mostly absorbed when pasta is cooked. Add cheese and toss to combine. Cheese may clump but will melt into the sauce after a few minutes. Toss in remaining tomatoes and basil before serving.

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