Sausage, Peppers and Onions
May 31, 2010 | Filed Under Italian Sausages, Sauces, Simply Recipes blog | 13 Comments
The other day, I had the best ever sandwich in the world. Why was it so good? That’s because I made it myself. With my own two hands! Yes, I did. 
Made from sausage, peppers and onions, this sandwich was so good that someone (I won’t name the person) who claimed not to be hungry ended up eating TWO of the sandwiches. The same person ate the leftovers the next day. Yes, it was that good. To my surprise, the meal was very easy to make, too.
My overstuffed sandwich consisted of sausage, peppers and onions. I like hot and spicy foods, so I used hot sausages and added extra red pepper flakes. Fresh basil is not mentioned in the ingredients portion but I used it in addition to the dried oregano. Even more delicious. Only one person didn’t care for the sandwich because the meal was too spicy for them. No matter; that meant more for me and the other greedy eaters there. All in all, we were happy with our sausage, peppers and onions sandwich. Next time, I’ll try the sauce with penna pasta or polenta, as Elise of Simply Recipes suggest. Thanks, Elise!
Paz
Sausage, Peppers, and Onions
You can use different colored bell peppers, or just stick with green. This recipe uses a combination of sweet and hot sausages, but if you want a milder dish, use only the sweet sausages and reduce the amount of chili pepper flakes in the recipe. (Likewise if you want it hotter, use hot sausages and/or bump up the amount of chili pepper flakes.)
Ingredients
* 4 Italian sausage links (sweet, hot, or a couple of each)
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 1 green bell pepper, sliced into 2 to 3 inch long strips
* 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 2 to 3 inch long strips
* 1 bell pepper of another color (yellow or orange or purple), sliced into strips 2-3 inches long
* 4 garlic cloves, sliced into slivers
* 1 large sweet or yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons
* 1 small (15 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
* 1 Tbsp of dried oregano
* 1/2 cup Marsala or red wine (optional)
* 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
* Salt to taste
Method
1 Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan that has a lid. When the oil is hot, add the sausages and brown them slowly. If they sizzle and crackle too much, turn the heat down. You want a gentle browning, not a sear. Cook for several minutes, turning them occasionally so they brown on all sides. When the sausages are browned, remove from the pan and set aside.
2 Increase the heat to high and add the onions and peppers. Toss so they get coated with the oil in the pan and sear them as well as you can, stirring every so often. You want some blackening. Once the onions and peppers soften, sprinkle some salt on them. Once you get some searing on the onions and peppers, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
3 Add the Marsala or red wine if you are using, and with a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pan to release all the browned and blackened bits. Let the wine cook down by half.
4 Add the tomatoes, oregano and red pepper flakes (if using) and stir well to combine. Add the sausages back in. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the peppers are soft the sausages are cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Sausage, peppers and onions will keep in the fridge for several days.
Serve over polenta, or with penne pasta, or load up in a hoagie roll. Any leftover sauce makes a great sauce for pasta.
Serves 4.
New York Monday: Broadway Malls
May 30, 2010 | Filed Under New York Monday | 5 Comments
The Broadway Malls is a median strip of land that starts from 60th Street and ends all the way uptown on 168th Street, on Broadway. It is filled with plants, trees, flowers and benches for people to sit, relax and enjoy their surroundings. This couple seems to be enjoying the nice day, as they people watch.
For those who have noticed, in the background is a glimpse of the Cuban restaurant, Havana Central, which I mentioned once before when Sra came to visit.
Have a great week, everyone!
Paz
Smoked Bacon BLT with Arugula
May 25, 2010 | Filed Under BLT Sandwich, sandwiches, Simply Recipes blog | 5 Comments
Nothing could be better than a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich on a Sunday afternoon. For me, it’s a treat because I only eat bacon once in a while. While I’m used to a BLT with iceberg lettuce, this recipe calls for baby arugula or watercress in the sandwich. I chose the baby arugula and liked the difference in taste. Very nice! Check out the recipe from Simply Recipes. After making the sandwiches, the instructions say to ‘eat immediately.’ I did.
Paz
Smoked Bacon BLT with Arugula Recipe
Simply Recipes
Ingredients
* 2-3 slices thick smoked bacon
* 1-2 thin slices of a fresh, large tomato
* 1-2 ounces (a couple handfuls) fresh baby arugula (can substitute watercress)
* 2 slices of bread
* Mayonnaise
Method
1 Heat a large sauté pan or cast iron pan on medium low heat. Lay the strips of bacon in a single layer on the pan. Slowly cook the bacon, rendering out the fat, until lightly browned on one side. Using a fork or tongs, turn the strips of bacon over to cook the other side. When the bacon strips are sufficiently cooked remove from pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess fat. Pour out excess fat from the pan (leaving about half a teaspoon in the pan) into a jar or a container to either dispose of or to store. (Never pour bacon grease down the sink, it will clog your pipes.)
2 In the same pan, add handfuls of fresh baby arugula or watercress. Toss in the remaining remaining fat. As soon as the greens start to wilt, remove from heat and remove from the pan to stop the cooking.
3 Toast bread slices in a toaster. Spread mayonnaise (or your favorite spread, butter will do too) over the slices. Layer the sandwich with bacon, sliced tomato, and lightly wilted arugula. Cut on the diagonal.
Eat immediately.
New York Monday: At the Bus Stop
May 23, 2010 | Filed Under New York Monday | 4 Comments
Looks like the bus is running a bit late. Everyone has a look on their face that says, "Where’s the bus!?"
Have a good week, everyone. May everything that comes your way be on time for you.
Paz
Nancy’s Cauliflower Salad
May 17, 2010 | Filed Under Cauliflower, Foods I Never Liked Before Until I Started to Cook, Mari's Cakes blog, Salad | 12 Comments
I love cauliflower. I don’t know when that happened because I never liked them before. Certainly, not as a child or a young adult. I suspect that I fell in love with them after I started learning how to cook. There are a few foods that fall in that category for me.
Here’s an easy cauliflower salad recipe I found on Mari’s Cakes. It’s a salad made by Mari’s sister, Nancy. I like that I can make this salad without the potatoes for a low caloric salad, as Mari suggests. The second time I made this salad, I added paprika and bits of ham. Very nice! Thanks, Nancy and Mari for this recipe!
Paz
Nancy’s Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients:
1 Cauliflower
3 Potatoes (small)
2 Hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
Chives/Leeks, chopped
1/2 C Mayonnaise or to taste
2 Tbsp vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
You can add bacon, ham, turkey, chopped celery or paprika.
Preparation:
Wash and boil potatoes; peel and cut into slices. Cook cauliflower and drain it, after cold cut into medium-sized cubes. Add boiled eggs, chives, vinegar, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Combine ingredients and chill before serving.
