Steelers Game Day Sausage Hoagies

The Steelers managed to make the Wild Card game, which we are watching right now. They are losing but hopefully that changes (doubtful). Anyway, Kenny wanted some Pittsburgh food so I did some research and found this recipe. It appeared in the January 29, 2006, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Food Section - "Pittsburgh Super Bowl Recipes" and he said it sounded authentic. Below is my spin on the Pittsburgh classic.

Note: I slightly changed it up a bit by using crushed tomatoes instead of whole plum tomatoes and yellow instead of green bell pepper, because green peppers are gross. I also used mild sausage, because we are old and our tolerance for heat is fading.

1 large onion, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

Olive Oil

Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and garlic powder (all to taste)

2 big cans crushed tomatoes with added basil

1 lb mild Italian sausage

Provolone or mozzarella cheese

Hoagie buns

1. Boil sausage in a pot of water for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to dry.

2. In large deep skillet, saute sliced onions and peppers in olive oil until transparent (approx. 6 minutes).

3. Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder to vegetables. Pour tomatoes into skillet and stir well. Allow to simmer then lower heat to low, partially cover and allow to simmer.

4. Cut sausage in half. Brown the sausage lightly in a frying pan then add to the sauce.

5. Continue to cook sauce with sausages for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

6. Cut hoagies in half length wise. Place cheese as the base then assemble with the sausage, peppers, onions and sauce.

Spicy Cheddar-Sausage Balls

Cookbook: The Southern Entertainer's Cookbook by Courtney Dial Whitmore with Phronsie Dial

So easy!

2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix

1 lb hot or spicy ground pork sausage

4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated

1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Form into 1-inch bowls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The dough will be sticky, so use a little flour or Bisquick on your hands to help form the balls. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

Pumpkin Vodka Cream Sauce Pasta with Spinach and Sausage

Throughout COVID and working from home, I have relied on Rachael Ray to inspire me for dinner. This meal was inspired by her November 20 Rachael Ray Show episode. I switched it up because I can't find 'nduja as she always has fancy ingredients and I don't plan ahead. Plus we like meat.

Here is the link: Pumpkin Vodka Cream Pasta

2 T extra virgin olive oil

2 T butter

2 shallots, finely chopped, or 1 small onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 lb spicy Italian sausage

Salt and Pepper

1 cup vodka

2 cups vodka

Frozen chopped spinach, excess liquid squeezed out

1 can pumpkin puree (make sure you don't get pumpkin pie filling)

1 cup cream

1 pound shell pasta

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Heat water, add salt and cook a minute less than directions.

2. Cook the sausage and drain. Set aside.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil, add butter and let it melt and foam. Add the onion, garlic and salt and pepper. Soften a couple of minutes. 

4. Add the vodka and reduce by about 2/3 then add spinach and sausage. Add pumpkin puree and cream. Keep warm over lowest heat.

5. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding water as necessary to keep sauce thick but not loose.

6. Add the cheese and stir.

Breakfast Enchiladas

I made this for Michelle and Jason's going away brunch at Lisa and Bob's. It was a hit and the first to go!

1 lb. spicy sausage or chorizo
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 sweet onion, diced
Taco seasoning
12 large eggs
Splash of milk
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Shredded cheese (pepper jack or monterey jack or mixed mexican)
8-inch flour tortillas
1 cup prepared roasted salsa verde
1/2 cup cream or half and half
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t oregano
Green onions, sliced
Cherry Tomatoes, sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, cook the sausage until cooked through. Remove with slotted spoon reserving drippings.

3. Add onions, peppers, seasonings and cook until softened. Remove from heat and add cooked sausage. Mix well.

4. Whisk eggs with milk and garlic powder/S&P. Cook over medium in skillet until soft scrambled. Remove from heat.

5. To assemble: Sprinkle each tortilla with cheese, sausage mixture, eggs, and more cheese. Roll placing seam side down into prepared dish. Repeat placing side by side in baking dish.

6. Whisk together the salsa verde, half & half, cumin and oregano. Pour evenly over the enchiladas. Top with remaining cheese.

7. Bake for 30 minutes. Top with green onions and tomatoes.

Serve with salsa, sour cream and whatever else you want.

Sausage and Sweet Potato Hash

1 T olive oil
2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
1 each red and yellow peppers, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 cup spinach
1 T chili powder
Salt and pepper
Sausage (no sugar added for Whole 30) (I like the chicken sausage from Earthfare)

1. Preheat olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add sweet potatoes and half of chili powder and salt. Sauté 15-20 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, slice and brown sausage in another pan coated with olive oil.

3. Into the sweet potato pan, add bell peppers, onions, remaining chili powder and salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes. Stir in sausage and spinach and cook until spinach wilts.

Caramelized Onion, Apple, and Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

1 or 2 small/medium acorn squash cut in half lengthwise and seeds/strings scooped out
1 lb pork sausage (no sugar added for Whole 30)
1 large onion sliced thin
3 T ghee
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Apple, cored and diced
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
2 t fresh thyme, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach
Salt and Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Brush squash cut sides with salt and olive oil. Place open side down on baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes or until top of squash feel tender when gently touched. Set aside after removing from oven.

3. In a medium skillet, heat the ghee over low heat and add onions, stirring to quote. Add salt and cook for 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to avoid burning. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Heat large saucepan over medium low heat and add sausage. Once fat begins to render, add garlic and increase heat to medium.

5. Cook sausage until browned.add the apples and herbs and continue to cook, stirring until apples soften, about 10 minutes. Add spinach and salt and pepper, stirring until spinach wilts.

6. Add the caramelized onions to the sausage mixture, leaving excess fat in pan. Preheat the broiler, then fill halves of squash with stuffing mixture.

7. Arrange the squash, stuffing side up, and put under broiler for 5-10 minutes until tops get toasty, checking often to prevent burning.

Sunny’s Wild Rice and Sausage Stuffed Squash

Saw this on The Kitchen on the Food Network and I had to make it!

Squash:

1 medium butternut or honeynut squash
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 cup bocconcini or mozzarella, pearl size or cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Salt and pepper

Sausage:

2 T olive oil
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
3/4 lb hot Italian sausage
1 T mild yellow curry powder
6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and chopped
Basil, for garnish
Olive oil for drizzling

1. Prick the squash all over with a fork. Microwave flipping halfway through, 10-15 minutes. Let cool.

2. Cut off the squash stem and cut in half lengthwise. Discard the seeds and scoop out flesh into a bowl, leaving 1/4 in within the skin to maintain shape. Place in a baking pan, flesh side up.

3. Add the rice, bronconcini, walnuts, salt and pepper to the bowl with the squash and mix well to combine.

4. Add olive oil, onions, sausage, curry powder, thyme and salt and pepper to a large pan over medium high heat. Cook for about ten minutes. Add to the bowl with the squash and stir to combine.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill squash halves with mixture and roast about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped basil and drizzle of olive oil.

Crockpot Pierogi Casserole

Great for Sunday Funday!

3 boxes pierogies
4 cups chicken broth
1 block cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb kielbasa, sliced
Salt and Pepper

Combine all ingredients in your crockpot. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low for 6 hours.

Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Spinach

A total riff on my Mitch’s Magnificent Meat Lasagna made a little healthier but not by much.

1 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb Italian sausage
2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 can 6 oz can tomato paste
2 T dried parsley
2 T dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups ricotta cheese
2 beaten eggs
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 16 oz bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 bag of frozen spinach
A box of Jumbo shells

1. On medium heat, heat olive oil. Cook onion for five minutes. Add garlic and sausage. Cook until brown.

2. Add cans of tomatoes and tomato paste, basil and first round of parsley. Salt and pepper. Summer on low heat partially covered for 45 minutes.

3. While meat cooks, mix cheeses, eggs, and parsley and oregano.

4. Cook shells for 9 minutes. Drain and cool.

5. Put a nice thick layer of the sausage tomato mixture on the bottom of a large glass pan.

6. Stuff noodles with cheese and spinach mixture and place on the layer of meat sauce.

7. Pour the rest of the sauce on top. Cover with a layer of mozzarella. Cover with tin foil and cook at 375 for 25 minutes.

8. Uncover and place under broil for 5 minutes.

You will have extra. I made a smaller pan and froze it before baking it for a smaller meal later.

My Version of Queso

I am making this up and haven't tried it yet. But I loved and miss the Fancy Mexican place in Fort Myers and their Queso. I am determined to figure this out.

My Version of Fancy Queso

Vegetable oil
1/2 lb Spicy ground sausage
Half red onion, chopped
2 jalapeños, chopped
Velveeta cheese
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded.
A little beer

1. In a skillet, heat oil and add the onion and jalapeno and cook for 5 minutes. Add the sausage and brown. Drain fat and place in crockpot.

2. Cut Velveeta into squares and add to crockpot along with shredded Monterey Jack cheese and about a quarter can of beer. Cook on low until melted and serve hot.

White Bean and Sausage Ragout

I'm into beans and veggies lately, so here is my fave lunch for now....

White Bean and Sausage Ragout with Tomatoes and Kale

Olive Oil
Chopped onion
Andoille sausage (or any other low fat spicy sausage, like chicken w/ jalapeno)
1 zucchini, cut into bite sized pieces
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 lb. trimmed kale
1/2 cup water
2 (16-oz) cans cannellini beans
1 (14.5) can diced tomatos, undrained

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute onion and sausage until browned. Add zucchini and garlic. Cook 2 minutes. Add kale and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover, rduce heat, and simmer until heated through.

Egg and Andouille Sausage Casserole

I made this for breakfast today... oh so filling... oh so fattening... but oh so yummy. A Christmas Day treat...

Egg and Andouille Sausage Casserole

Three links of Andouille Sausage
1/2 of a Sweet Onion
2 Cups of 1% milk
12 eggs
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 thick slices of fresh Italian bread
1 Cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 Cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1. While whole, grill in a grill pan the Andouille sausage. Once cooked, chop into small pieces.

2. In 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, soften the chopped onion. Throw that into a bowl with the cooked sausage.

3. Mix milk through red pepper flakes in a large bowl stirring with a whisk.

4. Trim crusts from bread and cut into pieces. Add bread cubes, sausage, onion, and cheeses to egg mixture. Pour into a 13-9 inch baking casserol dish coated with cooking spray. Let sit for at last 30 minutes, but up to 8 hours.

5. If letting sit in refrigerator, remove and bring to room temperature. Otherwise, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Mitch's Magnificent Meat Lasagna

I adapted this from The Pioneer Woman's lasagna recipe... Just changed it up to match our flavor likings...



Mitch's Magnificent Meat Lasagna



1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. 93/7 ground beef

1 lb. Jimmy Dean Italian Sausage

2 (14.5 oz) cans whole tomatoes

2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste

2 Tablespoons dried parsley

2 Tablespoons dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups cottage cheese

2 cups ricotta cheese

2 whole beaten eggs

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons parsley

1 Tablespoon oregano

Ground pepper

Sliced mozzerella cheese

No cook lasagna noodles



1. On medium high heat, throw in the chopped onion and olive oil to soften. Add the minced garlic. Add the ground beef and sausage. Cook until brown.



2. To the meat and onion mixture, add all cans of tomatoes and tomato paste, as well as the basil and parsley. Throw in a little salt and freshly ground pepper. Simmer on medium low heat for 45 minutes, uncovered.



3. While the meat cooks, mix up the ricotta, cottage cheese, two mixed up eggs, parmesan and 1 Tablespoon of parsley and 1 Tablespoon of oregano. Put to the side until ready to layer.



4. Layer starting with a thin layer of the sauce and ending with sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for a half an hour.

Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage

2 T Olive Oil
Onion, chopped
Red pepper, chopped
Luzanne Cajun Spice
Cayenne Pepper
Two teaspoons white vinegar
Tobasco Sauce
Black pepper
Garlic powder
3 lbs. Dry red kidney beans
Andouille Sausage

1. The night before, put beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Add Cajun spice to Garlic powder, a few shakes of each, to the water and stir. Place bowl in fridge for 30 min.

2. In a large pot, heat olive oil. Cook chopped onions and peppers until softened.

3. In the pot, pour in a couple inches of water and throw in more seasonings (cajun spice to garlic powder) and heat.

4. Pour in seasoned beans and water from the bowl into the pot and bring to a boil for 15 minutes.

5. Bring temperature down to low.

6. As beans simmer, watch the beans - It is important the beans are constantly covered with water. Add water and seasonings as needed.

7. During the day of eating, keep cooking as above. The morning of, throw in chopped Andouille sausage.

8. For the rice, cook as package instructs.

Pan Fried Queso Dumplings

Great for parties!

Pan Fried Queso Dumplings, courtesy of Everyday with Rachael Ray, March 2009, p. 77

2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped chorizo sausage
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
48 wonton wrappers
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Combine cheese, chorizo and cilantro. Lay 24 wonton wrappers on a work surface. Roll a tablespoon of the cheese mixture into a ball and place in the center of a wrapper. Moisten the edge of the wrapper with water and top with another wrapper, pressing to remove any air and seal.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the dumplings in a single layer and pour in 1/2 cup water; cover and cook until the liquid cooks off and the dumplings are crispy underneath, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

Black Bean Soup with Chorizo Sausage

E found this recipe in a magazine at George Washington's house. Mr. and Mrs. (not Martha) Washington lived in a house that E was restoring in the Shenandoah mountains. George Washington also made us some bbq sauce, but that's a whole other post. Mrs. Washington told E that she thought Mr. Washington's parent's drank too much "apple cider" when they decided to name him George.

We serve this soup with heated flour tortillas for dipping.

Black Bean Soup with Chorizo Sausage

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 of a medium onion, finely chopped (use more if you like)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 canned chipotle chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cans (15 oz) black beans (2 drained, 1 undrained)
2 cups chicken stock
3/4 lb. chorizo, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt & Pepper

1. In a medium sauce pan, heat oil until simmering. Add the onion, stirring occasionally until softened. Add garlic along with chipotle chile, cumin & oregano and cook; stirring until fragrant, ~ 2 minutes. Add the black beans and chicken stock and simmer, partially covered for 15 minutes. Using potato masher, coarsely crush 3black beans.

2. Meanwhile, heat large skillet over high heat. Add the sausage and cook until brown. Add sausage to the beans along with lime and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer coup for a few minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Recipe credit: I found this recipe in Food & Wine in 2002 and can be be found here. We've changed it up a bit through the years (as reflected above) to reflect our tastes (as usual).