Lentil & Sausage "Stew"

"stalking" his prey...

Yes, I realize that the last recipe I posted was another lentil favorite... but this time of year, the produce available just screams to paired with lentils of any variety. ;)  Besides, if you don't like it, you can just go read something else... lentil hater. *shakes head sadly*

I suppose this would work well as a soup if you added much more liquid than I used, but I really like the texture of this dish as is; just enough liquid that you need to use a spoon instead of a fork. Maybe "stew" isn't quite the right word, but I'm going to stick with it unless someone has a better suggestion.

Even Micha was desperate to get his face into my bowl, so I must have done something right with this particular lentil recipe... because everybody knows that a cat has an incredibly discerning palate, um, right?

Lentil & Sausage "Stew"

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 rib of celery, diced
2 roma tomatoes, diced (canned with the juice would be good too)
2 links hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed, crumbled
1/2 cup of lentils (I used just plain ol' brown lentils)
2 cups of liquid (I used chicken stock 'cause I already had an open carton)
1 cup butternut squash, diced (pulled straight from the freezer this time)
2 cups of kale, torn (I usually have this in the freezer, too, but used fresh today)
splash of acid of choice (lemon juice, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar) *optional
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

... going in for the kill...

In a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, saute the vegs (except kale & squash) in olive oil until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the turkey sausage and cook for another 4-6 minutes or until the sausage is mostly browned and the vegs have softened further. Stir in the lentils and liquid of choice, cover, and reduce heat to a low. Simmer on low until most of the liquid has absorbed, about 20-25 minutes, before adding the butternut squash, kale, salt & pepper. Cover slightly, and simmer for another 8-10 minutes. By this time, nearly all of the liquid should be absorbed. Add a splash of something to brighten the flavor- I used a shot of red wine vinegar- remove from the heat, and allow to stand, covered for at least 10 minutes before diving in... licking the bowl clean is definitely recommended, but optional I guess.

Enjoy!

*Cook's Note: These lentils were even better the next day! The remaining liquid had all but completely absorbed, making the lentils super creamy in texture. Yum!

Fall Flavored Brunch

I love this time of year and the flavors I associate with it are some of my favorites; think about Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and the scents that go along with those meals. In the fall, apples are a big theme for me, as well as combining sweet and savory sensations so here's just one of many apple inspired breakfasts I make: Sweet and spicy sweet potatoes (cooked in olive oil and cider vinegar that creates a warm vinaigrette absorbed by the potatoes), turkey sausage patties with apple butter, and "green" cheesy eggs.

Ingredients:

sweet potato, cubed

1 Tbs. olive oil (regular vegetable oil would be fine)

water

2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar (sweet and tangy, it's perfect!)

red pepper flakes

sea salt

eggs (as usual, I used my Garden Vegetable Egg Beaters)

spinach (either fresh or frozen, I used frozen and defrosted it before ringing out excess moisture)

goat cheese, crumbled

chives, chopped

turkey sausage patties (do you really want me to go into how to make your own sausage? take the easy way out and just buy some)

apple butter (yum! a nice apple and cranberry relish would be good here too)

Think like a diner and start with what takes the longest to cook, the potatoes. To make these, toss the potatoes and olive oil into a large skillet in one even layer. Add just enough water to come half way up the potatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the water has just about evaporated, turn down the heat to medium and add the apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt. Continue to cook until all of the moisture has evaporated (all that yummy tanginess will absorb into the potatoes) and then allow the potatoes to crisp in the remaining olive oil.

Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium heat, cook the turkey sausage patties for 3-5 minutes each side (depending on thickness). Once cooked through, remove patties and use the same pan to prepare the eggs. (What can I say? I hate having 39 pans to wash after I'm done cooking. Besides, turkey sausage has such a minuscule amount of fat that it leaves behind, it's the perfect amount to add flavor to eggs.) Over low heat, combine the eggs and spinach, stirring occasionally, until cooked to desired texture. Remove from the heat and stir in the goat cheese and chives.

If you've timed this just right, the potatoes are ready to come out of the pan the same time that the eggs are done. Move everything to a big plate, top the sausage patties with a spoonful of apple butter, and serve with a big cup of cinnamon flavored coffee.

Enjoy!

Balsamic Linguini

Ok, I know I said in a previous post that I'm not a big pasta eater, but sometimes a girl has to take one for the team when her dinner guest is a picky eater. There's a reason why pasta and/or chicken dishes are served at many social events; almost everyone likes them. So, keeping that in mind, when a certain friend of mine finds himself at my house around dinner time I bow to his likes/dislikes and challenge myself to greater creativity with ingredients that are not necessarily my favorites. With this particular dish, I was pleasantly surprised to find I really enjoyed a pasta dinner.

Ingredients:

whole grain linguini (I definitely prefer the nutty taste of whole grain pasta to the old stuff)

Italian turkey sausage (I had a package of links in the freezer, otherwise I would have tossed in some of my go-to chicken breast strips)

extra virgin olive oil

sun dried tomatoes, julienned

balsamic vinegar (I used about 1/4 cup, but it all depends on how much sauce you're making)

fresh basil, torn

Parmesan cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste (keep in mind that the Parmesan is salty and the sausage may have a bite to it, depending on the brand you're using)

This is a quick, throw together at the last minute, dinner that can be prepared for any number of people. In a large pot, bring several quarts of water to a boil. Add a handful of sea salt and the pasta, cooking for 8-10 minutes or until al dente (follow package instructions). In a separate skillet, saute the Italian turkey sausage in about 1 Tbs of olive oil since turkey sausage is relatively low in fat. Once the meat is browned, add the sun dried tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Continue cooking over medium-low heat (until the pasta is done), allowing the the balsamic vinegar to reduce slightly and the tomatoes to plump up. Once the linguini is al dente, drain and then toss with about 1 Tbs. of olive oil before topping with the turkey sausage, tomatoes, and sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and fresh basil before serving.

Enjoy!