Sausage & Peppers

My husband brought home some freshly made sausage yesterday, hot and sweet.  I happened to have some gorgeous organic red peppers waiting to be cooked.  Today, we spent the morning in Queens visiting my dad at my mom’s nursing home.  When we got home we had a light lunch and I began to think about what to make for dinner.  One of my husband’s favorite quick meals is sausage and peppers and since I had all the ingredients on hand, why not.

My husband and I have been married for over 30 years.  We’ve known each other since we were 18 years old.  We met in Glendale, NY, at a local hangout through mutual friends.  For those who grew up in Glendale, this hangout was the hot spot of the early 1980s – The Bulkhead. My husband was friends with one of the owners and my best friend and I would go there weekends to hang out and dance.

When we were married, I realized that my husband never really ate any of the Italian meals I loved.  He grew up on meat and starch and not much in the way of pasta or tomato sauce.  I, on the other hand, could eat pizza, baked ziti or chicken parmesan every night of the week.  Thankfully, he now loves these staple meals just as much as I do. Believe me, it was no coincidence he brought these sausage home, knowing I had red peppers.  This meal was so easy to prepare and the biggest decision was – bread, rice, pasta or potatoes.  Tonight, pasta won out as we had rice and bread already this week.

This recipe has evolved over the years from when we were first married.  I was not a huge fan of sausage meat and would never eat peppers back then.  I remember making sausage and peppers for our first family gatherings.  They were always a hit and super easy to make.   Back then, I didn’t make my own sauce.  Rather, I used something in a jar like my mother had.  Back then, I didn’t know that the type of cookware you use impacts the taste of your food – think aluminum pans. Back then, I just wanted something that would taste good and could be prepared ahead so I wouldn’t be stuck in the kitchen when my company arrived.

As my cooking improved, so too did my sausage and peppers.  I never really had a recipe to follow on this one.  I just kind of threw things together and cooked it super long in the oven.  I still experiment with the ingredients, but the version I made today is my latest favorite.  Your house will smell so good when this is cooking.   It’s a nice hearty meal for a Saturday night at home and tastes even better the next day.

Both of us have changed into lounging clothes and have no intention of going out tonight.  He’s watching a movie and I am finishing a good book.  This is not a meal we eat often as it’s not the healthiest.  To lighten it up we have used turkey sausage in the past and it tastes just as good.  With Super Bowl Sunday right around the corner, this may be one dish you might want to try.

Laura’s Sausage & Peppers

Ingredients:

• 8 links sausage – 4 hot, 4 sweet Italian
• 1 tbsp sweet butter
• olive oil
• 2 medium onions sliced
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 3 red bell peppers sliced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 of a small can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• fresh basil chopped
• 1 tsp red pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pour glass of Merlot and turn on Alexa for dancing in the kitchen.
2. Slice each sausage link into 3 pieces (use sharp knife)
3. Place 1 tbsp butter in cast iron pan and add sausage links.  Cook over medium heat until they brown nicely on outside.  Remove to oven pan.
4. In same cast iron pan, add few drops of olive oil, onions and peppers.  Add red pepper and brown over medium heat (about 4 minutes).
5. Add chopped garlic and cook 1 minute
6. Remove onions and peppers to the same pan as sausage.
7. In same  pan you cooked onions, add wine and cook down, using wooden scraper to deglaze the pan.
8. Once the alcohol cooks down, add the chicken broth and tomato paste.
9. Add spices and stir.  Cook over low heat for about 5-7 minutes.
10. Pour over sausage in pan.  Cover and cook in oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
11. Uncover and leave in oven for 30 minutes as you prepare your pasta or rice.
12. Serve over rice, pasta or potatoes. (I usually cook the potatoes right in with the sausage and peppers)

Author: laurakump

I'm a mother, wife and daughter on a mission to reclaim my health. I've watched loved ones suffer from memory robbing Alzheimers and refuse to lose my precious memories to this disease. Small changes have helped me achieve health and fitness. I'm an Elementary School Principal on a mission to impact students lives. I believe we can change this world one child at a time. View all posts by laurakump