oven zucchini and sausage

 In my quest to eat a lot more zucchini since it's going gangbusters in my backyard, here's what I plan to make today:

• zucchini (I used about 6 small-medium), cut in chunky half-rounds
• olive oil (perhaps 1/2 T)
• spices (I used salt, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon pepper) 
• chicken sausage (I used 3 pre-cooked sausages cut diagonally)

Chop zucchini and mix in bowl with oil and spices.  Spread on sheet pan with sausages.

Roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes and check for zucchini doneness.  (I like mine a bit firm, not mushy.)

green beans and ground sausage

That's pretty much all it is, just green beans and ground sausage, but it made a nice meal.  I did also add garlic and pepper. 

• 2 cloves garlic
• green beans (a pound?  I have no idea, just whatever was ready for harvest in my garden)
• 1/2 pound ground Italian chicken sausage 

Lightly saute garlic on medium-low heat until aromatic, a couple of minutes.  Add green beans and saute a couple of minutes at medium heat.

Add 1/4 cup water and bring to boil.  Put a lid on it and cook for about three minutes.  When still firm, remove from heat, add pepper and any other desires seasoning.  Put beans and garlic on a plate/bowl.

Using the same pan, cook the sausage.  Once fully cooked, add the green beans/garlic mixture back in and stir to heat.  Taste and season accordingly.

Could eat with roasted root vegetables or a grain or whatever but I like it just like this!   

leftover cornbread casserole

 I seem to often have a lot of leftover sourdough cornbread, which I freeze.  So in interests of emptying the freezer, I decided to make something with it.  Got a few ideas from online, but I wanted it more about vegetables and less about eggs/breakfast.  I"ll edit depending on how it turns out. 

Ingredients:

• about 4 cups of cornbread, preferably day old and dried up, cut into about 1" cubes/crumbled
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2# hot Italian sausage
• peppers (i used jalapeno peppers and a can of green chiles)  
• 4 eggs
• 2 cup milk
• salt & pepper
• garlic powder
• vegetables (I used green beans today but other things would be good)
• 1 cup shredded cheese 

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  If cornbread isn't dried up, but it in the oven for about 10 minutes to try to dry it more.  

Heat skillet and saute onions and sausage until done.  Add vegetables including peppers and stir up.   

Whisk together eggs, milk, and spices.  Set aside.  Shred cheese, set aside.

Put half the cornbread in bottom of pan (I used a 9x13, just in case a smaller pan would be too small).  Put half the sausage/vegetable mix on top, then half the cheese.  Repeat cornbread and sausage layers, then pour egg mixture over the top, and then the cheese.  Bake about 35 minutes. 

green beans and chicken sausage on a sheet pan

 I've got green beans and chicken sausage to use up, and a zucchini I'll probably toss on there too.  From here. 

 Ingredients

• 1 pound green beans, cleaned and trimmed
• 12 oz chicken sausage, sliced thick
• 3 T olive oil
• spices (I'll use Tony Cachere's) 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• toss beans with oil, then put onto rimmed baking sheet
• add sausage
• Bake 10 minutes, then flip everything
• Bake another 5-10 minutes to browning. 

 

 

kuri squash stuffed with wild rice and sausage

This is very tasty and satisfying.  From here.

Ingredients

• 1 red kuri squash, seeded and cut into quarters or eighths depending on squash size
•  olive oil, divided
•  salt & pepper
• 1 pound ground/bulk sausage
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, or 2 sprigs fresh
• 1 apple, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1 cup cooked black rice, or other variety rice (I cook 1/2 cup dry which ends up more like 1.5 cups cooked) 
•  

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the squash pieces onto a large baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40-50 minutes, flipping each piece halfway through. Squash should be golden brown on all sides and fork tender when done.
• Meanwhile, make the filling by heating the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
• Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking up with a spatula into small pieces.
• Add the onions, celery, mushrooms and rosemary. Stir to combine and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the apples, pecans and raisins. Stir and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper then turn off the heat.
• Add the cooked rice to the skillet and toss to combine.
• Once the squash is done roasting, remove from the oven and transfer 1-2 pieces to a plate. Spoon the prepared stuffing on top of the squash and serve

 

mirliton wild rice

 Mirlitons are a big deal here in southern Louisiana.  Known as chayote elsewhere, they're fruit of a vine that is used in fall dishes - such as stuffed mirlitons and mirliton dressing at Thanksgiving.  Usually they use shrimp, which I can't eat, but when a neighbor had heaps to give away of course I grabbed some.  I'll pot a couple to sprout my own vine, and the others I made this and it was good.

- Cook 3/4 c. wild rice to specifications (mine calls for scant 2c water, cook 45 minutes)

- In separate pan, saute 1/4-1/3# spicy Italian sausage.  Once it's starting to brown, drain grease as necessary.  Then add in 

- 2 large mirlitons, peeled and chopped

Cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.  No need to add any liquid.

Once done, add in the wild rice mix and stir it up well.  Taste and season as needed.  

***

Update: this was actually really good and I didn't mind several days of leftovers.  Even good for breakfast.  Next time I'll cut the sausage a bit more and put a fried egg on it.  Yum. 

okra stew with chicken and sausage

 I won't call this gumbo because the sausage isn't andouille and I don't ever make a roux, but it is super super good and I got to use up things in fridge and freezer.  

Ingredients

• 2 links sausage (always great with andouille but I had Polish sausage to use up), sliced
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped fine
  
• 2 stalks celery (I didn't have it but it is always good)
• 4 cloves garlic
  
• okra (I've been saving it all week as my plants are starting to produce; it was maybe 3/4#?), chopped (and/or small pods); slice with sharp knife to avoid sliminess
  
• splash apple cider vinegar if needed
  
• chicken (maybe 1 c.? I strip from rotisserie chicken and freeze in baggies)
• 2 cup chicken stock
  
• 2 tsp Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp file powder

Process

1. In pot over medium heat with oil, brown sausage.

2. Add onions, pepper, and celery and cook until lightly browned/onion translucent.

3.  Add garlic and cook a couple of minutes, stirring.

4.  Put this mixture in a bowl.  Add more oil to pan, heat.

5.  Cook okra about 5-7 minutes until with brown spots.  If it's slimy at all, add some ACV.

6.  Add back in the sausage mixture.  

7.  Add 2 cups chicken stock, heat.

8.  Add in the chopped chicken.  

9.  Add in the Tony Chachere's.

10.  Bring to low boil and let simmer covered for about 15 minutes.  

11.  Add in the file powder, stir, and taste.  

Eat with rice. 

andouille, pasta, greens, white beans

 Continuing this theme with both greens and beans, I made this but scaled it down because I don't feed 20 people at a time and cheaped it down because I'm not buying special ingredients.

• 1/2# rigatoni (other ridged pasta) - cook and strain, saving 1/2 c of pasta water

Then heat a skillet and add in \

•  1 link andouille sausage, cook about 5 minutes, then add
• 1 shallot, minced
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, and cook a couple minutes until aromatic, then add
• a bunch of chopped greens (I used some Russian kale and mizuna and whatever else is in the garden) and cook down until just wilted a few minutes, then add
• 1/2 jar of white beans, drained and rinsed, and
• salt, pepper, thyme

Put pasta back in warm skillet and heat it up, then add in the sausage greens beans mixture until warmed and mixed.  

Serve with:

• parmesan
• flat leaf parsley
• lemon juice and zest
• chives
  

 

sweet potato hash

This was a very tasty way to use up bits and bobs.

Ingredients

• sweet potatoes or white potatoes (I used 1 medium sweet and 2 smaller white)
• onion chopped
• kale or other vegetables (used about 2 c. worth)
• a meat that will render fat (had a lovely chorizo a friend gifted me)
• garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper

Dice potatoes and boil about 15 minutes. 

Cook meat and render fat; remove.

Cook potatoes in the fat for about 15 minutes, season.  Remove.

Saute onion and kale.  Then add back in the other ingredients.

Would be lovely with an avocado on top, but the one I had was not good.

fried potatoes with other stuff

I love potatoes, and I don't believe any negative hype.  When I worked in a stressful job in another country, on particularly difficult days friends and I would go to a hotel restaurant to eat. We would have the chocolate lava cake but I never felt better afterwards.  What did make me feel better?  A big plate of fried potatoes.  "Potatoes, not Prozac," a friend would say, quoting a book she liked.  I believe it. 

This is closer to what I'd like, though still not quite there.  Ideas from here.

- Steam some potatoes 10-20 minutes.
- Chop them into 1/2" pieces or so.
- Heat a skillet with butter and oil.  Cook onions, garlic, pepper, etc. if desired.
- Add potatoes and saute them. 
- Add sausage if desired.
- Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika.
- Let them cook until crispy on the outside.
- Turn off heat and add in mizuna or similar green.

potato-sausage-spinach-okra soup

In a quest to empty my fridge and eat something light, this soup came on my menu evening.

Potato sausage spinach okra soup

Brown sausage (I had 2 links of chicken sausage in my freezer to use up)
with 1 chopped onion and 3 cloves of garlic

When the sausage is brown, add in
2 potatoes
4 c. stock (I used chicken stock I'd made)

Add salt and pepper
 Toss in about 20 pods of okra*

When the potatoes are tender, add in
3 c. chopped fresh spinach and cook for a few minutes more



*Fresh is best, and it needs to be dry.  I slice off the cap and then into 2" pieces or so and toss them in.  

lasagna

About a box of lasagna noodles, uncooked
1-1.5 pounds of Italian sausage
40 or so oz. of pasta sauce
2 c. mozzarella
1 container of ricotta
1 container cottage cheese
a bit of parmesan


****
Saute the sausage until brown.  Add the sauce and let it simmer about 5-10 minutes.

Layer three times - sauce on the bottom and the top with layers of cheese and pasta.  Sprinkle parmesan on top.

Put on the foil tight and bake at 350 degrees about an hour (or less, if it's not been refrigerated overnight) - you can put a little water in if it looks dry (it will steam and cook the noodles).  Take the foil off and bake another 15 minutes or so. 

kale & white bean soup

Kale & White Bean Soup in a slowcooker

I never really understand my cravings, but when it's for dark leafy greens I don't argue.  This turned out really good probably due to homemade chicken stock and just enough sausage to flavor.  

Saute:
*1 onion, chopped
*1 rib celery, chopped (or celery seed)
*2 links of chicken sausage, chopped (Note to self: skip the sausage)
(green pepper to make it the trinity)

Then add:
*3 cloves garlic, minced

When they smell lovely, put into a slowcooker..

Add:
*2 cans white beans
*1 bunch kale, with the ribs removed, chopped (I used lacinato because it's pretty)
*4 c chicken stock (preferably homemade of course) (I've been using the Better than Bouillon vegetable lately and it tastes great though not so sure about all the ingredients)
*bay leaf
*black pepper

*optional: a Parmesan rind

Turn slow cooker on high, stir up, and let it cook for a few hours to meld the flavors.  

If not using a slowcooker, simmer until kale is at desirable consistency (depends on the type of kale), about 30-45 minutes. 


(Note: Homemade stock is so easy.  Whenever I get a rotisserie chicken, I save the carcass and freeze it if I don't want to deal with it.  Then when I have the vegetables on hand, I throw it in a slowcooker with onions, carrots, and celery.  It's fine if the carcass is still frozen.  Then I cover with water, add some bay leaves, and let it cook on low all day.  Let it cool down, then pour through a colander.  I don't need a clear broth so I take it like that and freeze in 4 cup portions for using later.) 

Gumbo Ya-Ya from Commander's Palace

The farmers market has posted the recipe and ... yum! Can't wait to make it soon! (Posting it here as written in case it disappears off the internet before I can make it - and I doubt I'd change this much at all. I might add okra because I love it so much - but it's not necessary with the roux AND file. I made my first roux during the NFC Championship game, and my New Orleans native host said I make a damn fine roux especially for a girl from Alaska.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 2-1/2-pound chicken, cut into quarters
• salt and black pepper
• 1 cup sifted flour, divided
• 4 large or 5 small onions, diced
• 1 medium bunch celery, cleaned and diced
• 4 bell peppers (green or red), diced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 5 fresh cayenne peppers, diced
• 1 pinch dried basil
• 1 pinch dried oregano
• 1 pinch dried thyme
• 2 quarts cold water or stock
• 1-1/2 pounds andouille sausage, sliced (or any spicy smoked sausage; I also use alligator sausage when available.)
• 1 tablespoon filé powder
• Louisiana hot sauce
• hot cooked white rice
• chiffonade of green onions (for garnish)

Directions

Heat oil in a pot over high heat for about 5 minutes or until oil is smoking. (Watch carefully.) Season chicken heavily with salt and pepper; dust with about 1/4 cup flour (shake off excess flour). Sear floured chicken in hot oil until golden brown, about 1 minute on first side. Turn and sear 2 minutes on second side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Heat oil to smoking point again. Slowly add remaining flour to make a roux, cooking and stirring constantly for about 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture is the color of chocolate. (Scraping the sides and bottom of the pot while constantly stirring is the key to a good roux. Be careful not to burn it because if you do, you will need to start over.) When roux has reached the desired color, add onions; cook for 1 minute. Add celery and cook for 30 seconds. Add bell peppers and stir, scraping the bottom of the pot; cook for 1 minute. Stir in garlic and then add bay leaves, cayenne pepper, basil, oregano, and thyme. Add a touch of salt and black pepper. Slowly add water or stock, stirring constantly. Add seared chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat and simmer for about 3-1/2 hours. Skim off excess fat. When chicken falls off all of the bones, remove the bones from the pot. Return to a boil. Add filé, stirring vigorously to avoid clumping; continue stirring until filé is dissolved. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Finish with Louisiana style hot sauce of your choice and taste. Adjust seasoning as necessary—don’t be afraid to spice this up! Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Serves 10-12

Recipe compliments of Jamie Shannon, Commander’s Palace

lentils with greens and preserved lemons

This name needs a snazzy title, but I'm better at cooking than title-making.

From here. (An adaptation of an adaptation of an adaptation of Paula Wolfert's Mediterranean Cooking, this is one of my staples until the preserved lemons run out.)

1 turkey kielbasa (or any kind of sausage - it's phenomenal with lamb mergeza)
1 cup brown, black, or French green lentils (washed and picked over)
1 cup sliced onion
oil for frying
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (or other herbs)
greens: spinach, kale, chard, etc. About 10 oz frozen or a pound or so fresh.
1-2 medium Yukon Gold or red-skinned potatoes, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped rind of preserved lemons (2 quarters)* (see below)

In a frying pan, brown the sausage (use oil if necessary). Add the onion and saute, then the garlic and cilantro, and the lentils. Saute them a bit. Add the potatoes and enough liquid to cover (water or stock or potlikker). Bring to a boil again. Add the chopped greens now or later, depending on how cooked you want them.

Bring to the boil, lower the heat, and cook at the simmer for about 45 minutes hour. Stir in the chopped preserved lemons and season.

***
Like most things I cook, the proportions are highly variable - depending on how much green, lentils, etc. you want. Everything can be adjusted to taste, how many servings you want, how soupy, etc.

I really like the taste of food itself and that's why despite being a major herb/spice connoisseur, I don't like masking tastes with sauces and other flavors. The preserved lemons here are a special taste all their own, and the sausage adds a nice depth, and the greens just a hint of bitter and the lentils add great texture and flavor too.

***

Preserved lemons: When life gives you lemons, make preserved lemons! I basically followed these directions and these. I made a quart last December and have really been enjoying them. I guess their refrigerator life is more like six months, but I'll finish them up rather than tossing them, and I look forward to a fresh batch of local lemons this fall/winter!