Get a room full of people together for nearly any occasion, set out a platter of Pigs in a Blanket, and prepare to watch them disappear.  In a hurry.

We’ve become very fond of Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage.  They seem to be on the menu most every week in one form or another.  It was on the back of their packaging that I saw this fabulous idea for Italian Sausage Wrapped in Bread Dough. 

Wrap cooked sausages in breadstick dough and bake them….Pigs in a Blanket style.  Yet, bigger with grown up flavor.

We’ll be enjoying these while watching the Big Game this evening.

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Italian Sausage Wrapped in Bread Dough {aka Big Pig in a Blanket}

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Jennie-O

Ingredients

• 2 packages 10 sausage links Jennie-O Italian Turkey Sausage
• 1 tube Pillsbury Breadsticks Dough
• Condiments of choice

Instructions

• Cook sausage as instructed on package until fully cooked, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
• Wrap each link in a breadstick. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Serve with condiments of choice.

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Lemony Thyme is certainly a favorite herb around here, but her sister Sage is a close second.  I love this recipe from Nigella Lawson for Sage and Onion Roasted Chicken & Sausage.  We’ve lightly adapted it to use boneless chicken breasts, turkey sausages, and we include potatoes to round out the dish.

The lemon and fresh sage combine to bring the wonderful marinade to life.  Allow the ingredients to marinade in the refrigerator overnight, or up to two days for maximum flavor.  Then bring the mixture to room temperature before roasting.  This one-pan meal is perfect for year round entertaining.  The aromas dancing through your kitchen as Sage Roasted Chicken & Sausage {with Potatoes & Onions} roast will have them gathered round the table.

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Sage Roasted Chicken & Sausage {with Potatoes & Onions}

Prep Time 12 hours hours

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 12 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Nigella Lawson

Ingredients

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into large chunks
• 1 large onion cut into eighths
• 2-3 medium potatoes large diced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbl. dried sage
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 lemon cut into quarters
• 5 Jennie-O Italian Turkey sausages
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves chopped
• 5-6 fresh sage leave whole

Instructions

• Put first nine ingredients, through the lemon into a large zipper bag. Gently squeeze the lemons and work the mixture. Marinade in the refrigerator overnight or up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature in its marinade.
• Arrange the chicken pieces in a roasting pan with the marinade, including all the bits and pieces, and tuck the sausages around them. Sprinkle the fresh sage leaves over the chicken and sausages, then cook for 45 minutes. Turn the sausages over half way through to color them evenly

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Kale with Sausage, White Beans & Butternut Squash

By now, most everyone is aware that kale comes packed with a bushel of health benefits, even if you’re not quite sure what they are specifically.  This would be the time to share that I wanted to be sure I knew before moving on.  So I googled ‘health ben’ and before completing the word ‘benefits’…never mind adding the word ‘kale’…I had 2,150,000 results for Health Benefits of Kale.  Here’s a link to a quick Top 10 List that is well worth reading.  I had no idea.

It was high time for me to embark on a recipe where Kale was the #1 ingredient.  I’m really glad I did.  This Kale with Sausage, White Beans & Butternut Squash soup/stew was delicious and hearty and not one bit ‘earthy’ as I had expected.

After reading the Top 10 Health Benefits of Kale, I can assure you kale will find her way into more and more of our dishes.  This Kale with Sausage, White Beans & Butternut Squash dish came together easily and was ready in 30 minutes.  It’s the perfect weeknight dinner and was wonderful to have leftover for lunch the next day.

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Kale with Sausage, White Beans & Butternut Squash

Course Soup

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author adapted from Simply Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 3 Jennie-O Italian Turkey Sausage links removed from casings
• 1 onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 small butternut squash peeled and diced
• 1 small sweet potato peeled and diced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 8 oz. kale leaves bagged type or small bunch, thick ribs removed
• 1 15- oz. can white beans drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese shaved

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat and add the bulk sausage. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add onion and continue cooking until onion begins to soften, 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic cook for an additional minute.
• Add the diced butternut squash, sweet potato, and chicken broth and simmer covered for about 10 minutes until the squash is just tender.
• Add in kale and sprinkle with salt, simmer covered another 3-4 minutes. Stir to combine everything then add in the beans, cover and reduce heat to low, cooking another 5 minutes. Turn off heat, let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with freshly cracked pepper and shaved Parmesan cheese.

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These beautiful mini-Sweet Peppers were smiling at me as I strolled through the produce isle.  How could I resist their vibrant ‘happy’ colors?  When it’s January, and the tornado sirens are echoing in the distance and torrential rains are beating on the window, a little ray of sunshine for dinner seemed just right.  So we kicked up our recipe with a little spice and created Southwest Stuffed mini-Sweet Peppers {with Quinoa & Spicy Turkey Sausage}.

For a nice change, I chose to put a Southwest twist on classic stuffed peppers.  I incorporated leaner ground turkey and Italian turkey sausage with this year’s super-food Quinoa in place of rice.  Stuffed Peppers are another wonderful dish that allows for creativity and a chance to use up some existing fridge/pantry ingredients.

So while I’m posting this as a “recipe” the key to great stuffed peppers is the stuff.  Combine a variety of veggies, ground meat (or not), beans are wonderful, whole grains are fabulous, lots of punchy spice flavors, a fresh herb or two, saute, fill, and bake.  These Southwest Stuffed mini-Sweet Peppers {with Quinoa & Spicy Turkey Sausage} also make a wonderful appetizer.  I picked them up and ate them like I would a jalapeno popper.  I sure did.

Before stuffing the pepper, give them a little dip in a pool of salted boiling water …4-5 minutes will soften them just enough without turning them into mush.  Drain them on paper towels and then fill them full of goodness.  We sprinkled a little grated cheese on top and baked them for 30 minutes until they looked like this.  The recipe below is enough to stuff a 2 lb. bag of peppers which will yield a BIG batch of Southwest Stuffed mini-Sweet Peppers {with Quinoa & Spicy Turkey Sausage}.  We enjoyed them for dinner last night, lunch today, and was still able to {Share the Love} at the office.

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Southwest Stuffed mini-Sweet Peppers {with Quinoa & Italian Turkey Sausage}

Course Appetizer, Entree

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme, inspired by Real Simple

Ingredients

• 1 2 lb. bag baby sweet peppers
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 lb. ground turkey or ground beef
• 2 Jennie-O Hot Italian sausages optional
• 1 cup uncooked Quinoa or rice or couscous, about 2 1/2 cups cooked
• 1 onion diced
• 1 carrot shredded
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 scallions thin sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground oregano
• 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried coriander
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper or more according to taste
• 1 tsp. salt adjust according to taste
• 1 3 oz. can diced mild green chilies
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded cheese shredded (such as Monteray Jack, Pepper Jack, or Cheddar), plus 1/2 cup for topping
• ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• For mini-Peppers, slice one side off and remove seeds. Blanch in large pot of salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes until just slightly softened. Remove from water and drain on paper towels.
• Add quinoa, onion, and carrot to 2 cups boiling water. Stir and reduce heat to low and cover. Cook 15 – 20 minutes, stirring at 5 minute intervals until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Add additional liquid ¼ cup at a time if necessary.
• In a large skillet, heat olive oil and brown meat. Add garlic, scallions, and seasoning and cook for an additional minute. Stir in chilies, corn and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil, stirring to incorporate. Remove mixture from heat and stir in cooked quinoa, 1 cup shredded cheese, and fresh cilantro. Adjust seasoning. Then fill peppers with mixture and arrange in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake for about 30 minutes.
• Serve with sour cream and fresh cilantro leaves.

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