Spicy Tomato Cream Spaghetti Sauce

This spaghetti sauce comes together really quickly but tastes like it cooked all day.  If you cook the noodles at the same time as the sauce you can do the whole thing in 30 mins, though I do like the sauce to simmer longer if I have time.  :)

1 lb. Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage
1/2 c. finely diced onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 TB tomato paste (from a squeeze tube is best but from a can works too)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 small pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional, depending on how spicy you want to go)
1/2 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
8-ounce can tomato sauce
1-2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 c. heavy cream or half and half
1/4 c. part skim ricotta cheese
parmesan, for serving

In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground meat, onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks, until the meat is not longer pink.  Drain any excess grease.

Stir in the tomato paste, basil, oregano, thyme, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for about a minute, until the mixture smells fragrant.  Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar and soy sauce. Stir to combine.  Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes (or as long as you like/need).  Just before serving add in the cream and ricotta and stir until combined and hot.

Serve over hot, cooked noodles (or zoodles!) and top with parmesan. 

Crockpot Zuppa Toscana Soup...

1 lb. ground hot Italian sausage
1/2-1 onion
4-5 potatoes
2 tsp. minced garlic
32 oz. chicken stock
1/2 bunch kale (a couple handfuls)
1 cup whip cream
2 tbs. corn starch
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of red pepper flake (optional)

Brown sausage, onion, and garlic until sausage is cooked through.  Put into crockpot.  Peel potatoes and dice into bite size pieces.  Put into crockpot.  Add chicken stock and cook on low for 3 hours.  Check potatoes and if they are tender and ready to eat.  If potatoes are tender, put whip cream and 2 tbs. corn starch in a cup and stir really well.  Add to crockpot.  Add Kale and then cook on high for 30 minutes.
Serve when ready.

Cheesy Sausage and Croissant Breakfast Casserole

Cheesy Sausage and Croissant Casserole
adapted from Southern Living
serves 8 to 10

1 lb hot sausage (I used Jimmy Dean)
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 (10 to 13-oz) package mini croissants, chopped
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese


Cook sausage in skillet over medium-high heat until done. Remove from skillet and drain fat.

Toss together cooked sausage, Parmesan cheese, onion powder and chopped croissants. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13-inch pan.

Whisk together milk, heavy cream and eggs. Pour over sausage mixture. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover casserole and top with shredded Gruyere cheese. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Meatball Subs

I got this yummy recipe from my sister, Lindsey.  :)

3 lbs. ground meat (1lb ground beef and 2lb mild Italian sausage)
1/3 cup chopped white onion
2 eggs
1 cup oatmeal, (slightly pulse in a blender if it's Old Fashioned to break it up a bit)
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce (Buy a regular to large size jar, you'll use more
of this later.)
2-3 cloves garlic, very finely minced or mashed/pressed
1/2 to 1 tsp. Italian Seasonings (to taste)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Dash of red pepper flakes (to taste)

Pepperjack cheese slices
Hoagie Buns

Preheat oven 350 F.

Pour 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a large cookie sheet.

Mix the rest of the ingredients.  Roll meatballs. I used a small cookie dough scoop so they were uniform.  I don't like mine too big on the subs.  I got 63 small meatballs.

Layer meatballs on top of the sauce in one layer. You may need one more smaller pan because the meatballs can be close, but not touching.

Bake for 25-30 minutes depending on size until meat is cooked through.

In a small saucepan, heat remaining sauce on low.

Toast buttered hoagie buns under the broiler. Remove tops from pan. Layer a slice of Pepperjack cheese on each bottom roll and broil very carefully until cheese is melted.

Layer a row of meatballs on top of the the cheese, then pour just a little bit of sauce over the sandwich. Add roll top and serve.  You can serve the sauce on the side.

Since this makes a lot of meatballs, you can freeze them easily for a later meal.   Flash freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, then place them in a freezer bag.

Italian Mac-n-Cheese

Recipe from Rachel Ray

• 1 pound ziti rigate, penne rigate or cavatappi (ribbed, hollow corkscrews)
• 1 pound Italian bulk sweet sausage
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 12 mushrooms, sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (10-ounce) sack, 2 1/2 cups, shredded Italian 4 cheese blend, available on dairy aisle
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained well
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco), optional
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, a couple of handfuls

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about 8 minutes.

In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel lined plate. Return pan to heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, butter, garlic and mushrooms. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Saute 3 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.

Preheat broiler to high.

To mushrooms, add flour and stir, cooking 2 minutes. Whisk in stock, then stir in cream. Bring cream to a bubble, then stir in 2 cups of 4 cheese blend. When cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes. When sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding hot sauce if desired.

Combine cheese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to baking dish, casserole or oven safe serving platter. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of 4 cheese blend and the grated Parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler.