Jimmy Dean's Hearty Sausage & Potato Soup

3 medium potatoes, baked, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 lb Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage
4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup half and half
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the sausage and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned and crumbled.  Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Gradually stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring frequently until the mixture begins to thicken.  

Stir in the thyme and baked potato cubes and boil for about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to low and stir in the milk, half and half and Parmesan cheese.  Cook 5-10 minutes, stirring often, until hot through. Season with salt and pepper, as needed.

Very good soup!!  

Sausage Rolls

Sausage Rolls

- 2 pkts filo pastry sheets (At room temp. Thawed enough to roll)

- 2 pkts of gourmet sausages (Plain veal/Pork sausages) equivalent to 2lbs

- Half a bunch of Parsley

- 1 tablespoon of crushed garlic

- 1 tablespoon of curry powder

- 2 tablespoons of raw rice

- 1 cup of grated carrot

- 1 cup of grated granny smith apples

- Half a red onion (diced)

- 1 egg whisked (for glazing)

Preheat the oven to 365 Fahrenheit. Remove the skin from the gourmet sausages and place the filling into a large mixing bowl. Add the parsley, garlic, curry powder, raw rice, carrots, apple and red onions. Mix well and include salt/ pepper to your liking. (using your hands to mix is the best way!)

Place a filo pastry sheet on a wooden board. Spread the meat length ways to the edge of where your hands are and similar to a sushi, roll the sheet over the meat till half way of the pastry sheet.

Secure the pastry and meat with a brush of the whisked egg. This is to avoid the pastry coming apart in the oven. Then cut across till you are left with a log of pastry and meat. Cut again in to mini sized portions and place it on to a baking tray with baking paper. Repeat till all the pastry and meat have been used.

Brush over each portion with the whisked egg to allow for a golden brown top.

Place in the oven for 30-40mins (till the pastry browns and the meat is no longer pink)

Enjoy immediately with a tomato relish or simple tomato sauce!

Tip: While filling the pastry with meat, use a bit of oil on the palm of your hands to avoid the meat sticking.

Original source unknown

Sausage Balls

Sausage Balls

3 cups Original Bisquick® mix

1  pound bulk pork sausage

4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (16 ounces)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes

Barbecue sauce or chili sauce, if desired

• 1 Heat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x2x1 inch.
• 2 Stir together all ingredients, using hands or spoon. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Place in pan.
• 3 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brown. Immediately remove from pan. Serve warm with sauce for dipping.

Expert Tips

Want to make these savory cheese balls ahead? Your options are many! You can:

 *Cover and refrigerate unbaked balls up to 24 hours. Bake as directed.

 *Cover and freeze unbaked balls up to 1 month. Heat oven to 350ºF. Place frozen balls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brown.

 *Bake as directed; cover and freeze up to 1 month. Heat oven to 350ºF. Place frozen balls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until heated through.

* Bake as directed; cover and freeze up to 1 month. Place 6 frozen balls on microwavable plate. Loosely cover with waxed paper. Microwave on High 45 seconds to 1 minute or until heated through.

It's true. You don't need to cook the sausage before using it when making this recipe.

Original source unknown, but happy to give credit if anyone does know! 

These always seem a little too dry ~Mama D~

Glazed Kielbasa Bites

Glazed Kielbasa Bites

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. kielbasa, sliced into ½ inch pieces
• 14 oz can pineapple slices, in juice, quartered
• 3 T teriyaki sauce
• 1 T sweet chili sauce
• 1 T honey
• 1 T pineapple juice (from can)

Make a Slow Cooker Maple Pork Roast

 

Instructions

1. preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. place a piece of pineapple on top of a slice of kielbasa and stick a toothpick into them
3. in a small bowl combine remaining ingredients
4. line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray
5. place kielbasa bites onto the baking sheet
6. brush glaze over tops and sides of bites
7. place in oven and cook for 15 to 20 min (keeping an eye on them)
8. remove and enjoy hot!

Author: Aubrey:  http://realhousemoms.com/glazed-kielbasa-bites/

Crockpot Apple Kielbasa Bites

Crockpot Apple Kielbasa Bites

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 6-8 hours on low
Ingredients
• 2 pounds fully cooked polska kielbasa sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup chunky unsweetened applesauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• red pepper flakes or cayenne, to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours until thoroughly heated through and pieces are tender.
NOTE: my crock is 6 quart in size. I did stir it a few times to prevent burning, but I don’t know if that was even necessary – the apple sauce mixture provides quite a bit of liquid as it cooks.

Sausage-Veggie Soup

OK, here's one of my favorite quick and easy dinners: Sausage Veggie Soup, served with Garlic Bread Sticks (New York's Original Garlic Bread Sticks - in your handy dandy freezer case at the grocery store!) This is one of those meals that I go to when I forget to set something out of the freezer....I always keep a pound of Jimmy Dean Sausage that I have browned and crumbled, in the freezer. I do the same thing with ground chuck. So, here's the soup:

Sausage Veggie Soup

1 lb sausage (I like Jimmy Dean's reduced fat sausage but this is great with Hot or Sweet Italian too)

1 chopped onion

1-2 cloves minced garlic

Splash of Worcestershire sauce

Pepper (I use black pepper and a 6 Pepper Blend or some crushed red pepper flakes) to taste

Italian Herbs to taste

1 16-24 oz jar your favorite spaghetti sauce

1 large container chicken stock

1 can dark red kidney beans or black beans

10-16 oz pkg frozen veggies (I usually use mixed vegetables but whatever's in the freezer is fine)

Brown the sausage in a large pot or Dutch Oven with the onions (throw in some chopped bell pepper if you want) and the garlic. When browned, splash in the Worcestershire and add pepper and herbs to taste. Pour in the spaghetti sauce, chicken stock and beans. Add water if too thick. Heat to a gentle boil until everything's hot. Add the vegetables and cook until done. Great with Garlic Toast. This is also good with a handful of small pasta....(which I cook separately so it doesn't get overdone), and add to the bowls before I ladle in the soup. I HATE overcooked pasta!

Sausage Veggie Roast

Sausage-Veggie Roast

4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 onion, quartered
1 fennel bulb, cut into wedges
1/2 red bell pepper cut into strips
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth (or 1/2 cup boiling water + 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon granules)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp Italian herbs
5 Italian sausages
4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 450^F.

Place the potatoes, carrots, onion, fennel and bell peppers in a large baking dish.  Combine the olive oil, Italian herbs and chicken broth and drizzle over the veggies.  Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

In the meantime, brown the sausages in a skillet.  You don't have to completely cook them, just get them nice and brown.  Cut them in half and after the veggies have baked for 40 minutes, place the sausage pieces on top of them and return, uncovered, to the oven for another 20 minutes or so.

Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over all and serve.

This was good....and John raved about it!  I'd add the whole bell pepper next time though.

Original recipe found on Pinterest.  

English Muffin Pizzas

The first time I ever had this for dinner was in 1981 at my sister Donna's apartment.  This is my take on her recipe and I've been making it for years.  It's fast, easy and very tasty and there are endless combinations for toppings so you can make your favorite very easily.  This version is very meaty!

ENGLISH MUFFIN PIZZAS - SAUSAGE, PEPPERONI & EXTRA CHEESE VERSION

1 package English Muffins (6 of 'em)
16 ounce package Jimmy Dean sausage
Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 jar Pizza Sauce (more or less)
8 ounce package shredded Mozzarella cheese
Sliced Pepperoni

Preheat the oven to 425^F. and line a baking sheet with some aluminum foil.

Split the English Muffins in half and arrange them on the baking sheet.  Bake in the hot oven for about 10 minutes or until they begin to look a little toasted.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with some grated Parmesan cheese.

Meanwhile, crumble the sausage in a large skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned. Drain any grease (Jimmy Dean won't have much!)

Spread a heaping tablespoon of pizza sauce on each muffin half.  Spoon the cooked sausage onto each one.  Pile the mozzarella cheese on top of the sausage and arrange the sliced pepperoni on top of the cheese.

Bake in the hot oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and begins to brown a little bit on top.

Good served with a nice Salad!  Feeds 4 to 6 people.

Zuppa Toscana

12 oz italian sausage (I like Jimmy Dean's)

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 onion, diced

2 tsp minced roasted garlic

48 oz carton chicken broth

2 large potatoes, thinly sliced

1 cup heavy cream

1 colander full fresh kale, rinsed and drained

Cook the sausage, pepper flakes, onion and garlic in a Dutch oven until browned and crumbled into bite-sized chunks. Drain well. Stir in the chicken broth and potato slices. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and heat through. Add the kale just before serving.

Yummy!

Sunday Gravy and Macaroni (Spaghetti, Really)

1 pound spaghetti
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 thin cut pork loin chops, 1/2-inch thick
Salt and pepper
2 each sweet and hot Italian sausage links
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup Marsala
1 pound meat loaf mix, ground beef, pork and veal combined
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for tossing pasta and to pass at table
1 loaf crusty Italian bread, heated just before serving to crisp crust

Heat a deep skillet or medium heavy bottomed sauce pot over medium high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Remove skin and cut sausages into 1" chunks. Add 1 tablespoon, 1 turn of the pan, extra-virgin olive oil to pan or pot. Place chops in pan or pot and brown 2 minutes on each side, remove. Add another tablespoon oil, 1 turn of the pan, and sausages. Brown sausages 2 minutes on each side and transfer to plate with pork. Add pepper flakes, 3 cloves chopped garlic and onion to the pot and saute 1 minute. Add broth to the pan and scrape up drippings. Add tomatoes and herbs and bring sauce to a bubble. Add meats back to the pot and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer sauce over a very low heat for a couple of hours, gently stirring every once in a while.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Lightly mix the ground meat, mayo, garlic salt, 1/4 cup cheese and some black pepper. Gently roll into balls, 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Place balls on nonstick cookie sheet. Roast meatballs 10 minutes, then slide into Sunday sauce.

In the meantime, heat water for pasta to a boil. Salt and cook pasta 7 to 8 minutes, to al dente.

To serve, place pork, sausages and meatballs on serving dish. Pour 1/2 of the sauce into a serving dish to ladle over pasta and meats at the table. Toss cooked spaghetti with remaining sauce in sauce pot, adding a few handfuls of grated cheese to the pot as you toss it. Transfer pasta to a serving dish.

Adapted from the Rachael Ray recipe. This stuff is GOOD!

Sausage, Egg and Cheese Ring

 

Sausage, Egg and Cheese Ring

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb bulk pork sausage

1/3 cup sliced green onions

1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper

5 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury seamless dough sheet

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend (2 oz)

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon sesame seed

DIRECTIONS

1 Heat oven to 375°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage and onions over medium-high heat 5 to 8 minutes or until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in bell pepper; cook until tender. Remove from pan. 2 In small bowl, beat 5 eggs, salt and pepper. Add egg mixture to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally from outside edge to center. Cook until eggs are set but still moist. Stir in sausage mixture and cream cheese. 3 Unroll both cans of dough. Place dough on cookie sheet, long sides overlapping, to form 14x13-inch rectangle; firmly press edges to seal. Spoon egg mixture down center to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle with cheese. Starting at longest side, roll up; press edges to seal. Shape into a circle; pinch ends to seal. Cut six 2-inch slits around top of dough. Brush dough with egg; sprinkle with sesame seed. 4 Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Try a different shredded cheese, such as sharp Cheddar or pepper Jack, to vary the flavors in this dish. This is a great brunch recipe!

Cathy's Baked Penne

1 lb sausage
1/2 lb ground chuck
Garlic Salt & Pepper to taste
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp dried Greek Oregano
1 heaping tsp dried basil
2 Tbsp dried mixed vegetables
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
24 oz jar Classico Italian Sausage with Peppers & Onions pasta sauce
14.5 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 palms full grated Parmesan cheese
16 oz penne regate
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder
16 oz small curd cottage cheese
8 oz Six Cheese Italian blend shredded cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
4 oz shredded Mozzarella

In a large skillet, crumble the sausage and ground chuck with garlic salt, pepper, onions and garlic until well browned and cooked through. Add oregano, basil, dried veggies, crushed pepper flakes, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in pasta sauce, tomatoes and parmesan and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, bring a large pot full of salted water to a boil and cook the penne according the the instructions until al dente. Drain well. Add butter and garlic powder to pasta and toss until butter has melted and coated the pasta. Stir in cottage cheese and the 6-Cheese Italian blend.

Spoon about 2 cups of the sauce into the bottom of a deep casserole dish. Spoon the cheese-pasta mixture on top and spread evenly in the pan. Top with remaining sauce, the parmesan and the mozzarella. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350^F for 30 minutes or until hot through. Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes until mozzarella starts to brown a tiny bit.

Yummy, cheesy, GOOD!