If you are
one of those people that needs precise directions for cooking, you have come to
the wrong blog. I LOVE to cook. To me it is all about creativity. I may make
the same recipe over and over but every time it is a little different. My
“chef” crush is Nigella Lawson. That woman is sexy and brilliant and to her
cooking is a hands on love affair.
Watching her inspires me to create beautiful, fun food that I can share
with my family and friends. I am going to try to share some of those creations
with you. Since my measurements are not very precise, don’t worry if your “creation”
turns out differently from mine.
You want
something fast, easy and still interesting to eat? Try this favorite of mine.
First you need a package of Sweet Italian Pork Sausage. My favorite is from
Trader Joe’s. While you are there pick up a jar of their Tomato Basil Spaghetti
Sauce, an onion and a package of Bell Peppers (red, yellow and orange). Now you
may prefer Green Bell Peppers and that’s cool. Feel free to substitute the
veggies you prefer. I’m sure this would also be good with broccoli,
cauliflower, carrots, spinach or any other Veg that you think will cook to a
semi tender texture. You really don’t want anything that will get too soft or
the dish will be entirely too one note (I learned that one watching CHOPPED).
Also be sure you have garlic, olive oil and salt at home. I think it is always
a good idea to have a jar of crushed garlic in the fridge and sea salt on the
counter as these are staples in most of my favorite dishes. Oh, don’t forget
the fresh basil.. also a staple in my kitchen.
Now that you
have everything you need it is time to assemble the ultimate dish. In a deep
fry pan heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil with a teaspoon or so of crushed
garlic and a sprinkling of sea salt. Lay in the sausage gently. Trust me, you
don’t ever want to toss anything into hot oil. It can only end badly. I have
the burns to prove it. Your goal at this point is to brown the sausage nicely
on all sides for a little color. I would suggest put a grease spatter screen
over your pan while it is cooking. Now
you need to cut the vegetables - half the onion and half of each pepper into
long slices and add it to the pan. Once you have a nice color on the sausage
you can pour in the jar of sauce, fresh, chopped basil and cover with a lid.
You then pop the pan into the oven and cook for 30-45 minutes at 425 degrees. The
best way to test if the sausage is cooked all the way thru is to cut one open
and check that the color is a nice brown. Once this is the case you can take it
out and let it cool for a few minutes. The sausage goes well with either rice
or pasta depending on your mood and preference. I usually put this on to cook
about 20 minutes after the sausage goes in the oven. If you are trying to go
low carb this dish is amazing without anything more than a sprinkling of
parmesan cheese. And the best part is that the leftovers are great as breakfast
with an over easy egg.
Give it a
try and let me know what you think!
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