A Life, Lived

Italian Garlic Sausage & Potato Kebabs with Veggies

Look at me - cooking again.

I actually followed a recipe for the gill!

This is simply a delicious meal on a stick. I have seen the idea of using sausages in kabobs and I thought it was ingenious. How superbly simple! Adding potatoes with the sausages is a touch Germanic but I was convinced it would be Delicious.

The potatoes are tossed in a garlicky olive oil mixture seasoned with Italian seasoning, then pre-cooked in the microwave so they were mostly done before putting them on the grill. This is necessary mostly because the other kebab ingredients cook so quickly.

 A perfect meal on a stick!

Italian Garlic Sausage & Potato Kebabs with Veggies

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
2 medium red potatoes
2 small zucchini
1 yellow or red bell pepper, cut into chunks
4 sausages, cut into chunks
Other veggie options: chunks of red onion, cherry or grape tomatoes, mushrooms

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, seasoning and garlic and let sit for at least 15 - 30 minutes for the garlic to infuse into the oil. Fire up the grill.

Chop the potatoes into 8 pieces each and toss them in half the garlic oil. Put them in a microwave safe bowl and sprinkle with Red Robin seasoning (or your favorite seasoning) and fresh ground pepper. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir. Microwave again for 2 minutes. Test the potatoes with a fork--if they are not starting to get tender, microwave a little longer.

Next, toss the zucchini and bell pepper with the rest of the garlicky oil.

Thread the sausages, potatoes, zucchini and bell pepper onto metal skewers (or wooden ones that have been pre-soaked). Set the kabobs on the grill and let them cook, turning a few times (with a protective glove on your hand) to make sure all the sides get fully cooked. Remove from the grill and serve while hot.

Sweet and Sour Country Style Pork Ribs

These Instant Pot sweet and sour country-style ribs are made with meaty pork ribs, pineapple juice, and a flavorful sweet and sour sauce. This recipe uses  country-style ribs, but you could use spare ribs, bone-in country-style ribs, or pork chops in the dish.

These were delicious served with mashed sweet potatoes and roasted carrots for a delicious Sunday night dinner.

In a slow cooker this recipe would take 8 - 10 hours. In the Instant Pot I was done in about 45 minutes using the pressure cooker feature.

 Sweet and Sour Country Style Pork Ribs

3 lbs. country style pork ribs
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped or pressed
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Generously salt and pepper ribs. Select Browning and add 1 tablespoon oil to the cooking pot. When oil is hot, brown pork ribs on all sides. Work in batches so you don’t crowd the pressure cooker. Remove ribs to a platter when browned.

Add pineapple juice to pressure cooking pot and scrape up in bits on the bottom of the cooking pot. Add vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, mustard, salt, garlic and ginger to pressure cooking pot and stir to combine. Add ribs and any accumulated juices.

Lock lid in place, select High Pressure and 20 minutes cooking time. When beep sounds, turn off pressure cooker and use a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then do a quick pressure release to release any remaining pressure. When valve drops carefully remove lid.

With tongs, remove ribs to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. If desired, use a fat separator to separate the fat from the juices. Return juices to the cooking pot.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Add to juices in the cooking pot. Select Saute and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until it thickens. Turn pressure cooker off.

Add ribs and stir to coat with the sauce. Put the lid back on the pressure cooker and let the ribs absorb some of the sauce for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally if sauce is still bubbling.

Instant Pot Pork and Sauerkraut

Apparently in some parts of North America it is traditional to eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day. I need to fin out where as this is a tradition I could get behind!

Sauerkraut wasn’t something I loved so much as a kid but I really love it with pork and kielbasa as an adult. We eat a similar meal many times in the fall and winter . . . I guess you could say that it is a family favorite. We keep it really simple and recently I decided to try it in the Instant Pot.

The results were amazing - better, in fact, then with the more traditional slow roast in the oven method that I normally use. I really like how the Instant Pot always results in tender, melt i your mouth, meat - even those cuts which can be tough.

Instant Pot Pork and Sauerkraut

1 tablespoon oil
1 lb pork ribs
1 pound kielbasa, sliced
24 oz. sauerkraut
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/3 cup water

Push the saute button on your Instant Pot and let heat up.

Add the oil and then place all the ribs in to brown. Sprinkle salt and pepper and brown on both sides.

Then add the sauerkraut and sprinkle the brown sugar on top.

Put the kielbasa slices on top and pour in the water.

Close and lock the lid and switch the vent to the sealing position.

Push the manual button for 15 minutes.

When timer is down, either let vent naturally or turn vent with a quick release.

Open the lid and mix the kraut around a bit.

Pasta alla Norcina

The area of Italy containing the town of Norcia was hit by an earthquake back in October. While the deathtoll wasn't huge, most of the villagers having been evacuated after an earlier quake, the destruction of buildings and cultural heritage was significant.

Norcia, in the mountains of southeastern Umbria, is famous for it’s black truffles and pork, particularly sausages and salami. Like many areas of Italy Norcia is famous for a unique pasta dish which features the tastes of the local area. Tender pasta and sausage floating in a richly flavoured cream sauce...Pasta alla Norcina . . . and if you really want to spluge - chaved black truffle (another delicacy from the area).

Some variations of this recipe use mushrooms along with the sausages as I have, while others include black truffles, although there are some who prefer to prepare this dish with simply sausages and cream. You can serve this sauce on just about any type of pasta although I prefer it on short dry pasta such as penne or rigatoni. I like to use some chopped, lightly toasted walnuts on my pasta to add a little texture  which contrasts nicely with the creamy sauce, but you certainly could leave them out if you prefer. This recipe calls for mild sausages, but if desired you could also use spicy sausages although I would be careful if you do about adding any of the red pepper flakes.

This pasta is delicious although quite filling so the simple addition of a crisp green salad and crusty Italian bread would make it a complete meal.

Pasta alla Norcina

4 Mild Sausage Links
1 Small Onion, Finely Diced
8 Ounces Fresh Mushrooms, Cleaned And Coarsely Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Peeled & Minced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Cup Dry White Wine
Salt & Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)
1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream
To Serve:
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
1/2 Cup Chopped Lightly Toasted Walnuts (Optional)
Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Remove the sausage meat from the casings, and cook until no longer pink in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, breaking up the meat with a fork as it cooks.

Once the meat begins to brown, add the olive oil, onions and mushrooms and continue to cook until the onions and mushrooms are soft and just beginning to brown, than add the garlic and cook another minute or two.

Add white wine, and simmer uncovered a few minutes until the wine has reduced by half.

Add cream and season with salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste.

Continue to cook over medium low heat until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes at which time you can bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Keep the sauce warm and cook your pasta of choice until it is al dente.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and add the sauce to the pasta in the pot, adding just a little water if the sauce seems too thick.

Divide the pasta into individual bowls, sprinkling each bowl with some parsley, walnuts, and cheese.
Serve immediately!

Pork and Sweet Potato Curry

Our CSA shipment has been offering up plenty of sweet potatoes lately. Since we were not really sweet potato eaters growing up neither Paul or I have a repertoire of recipes to use. I spend a lot of time on google trying to find new ones. Turns out this one was on the cookbook shelf all along - in the Donna Hay Simple Dinners book.

Pork and sweet potatoes are classic comfort foods that get a real boost in flavor from spicy red curry paste, fish sauce, some fresh lime and creamy coconut milk in this easy, quick-to-fix Thai curry. Serve with a cucumber salad and steamed jasmine rice for a satisfying dinner.

The only change I made was to up the curry paste. I used the required amount and thought the flavour was 'blah'. In the end I think I use 2/3 a cup. Thai curry paste isn't necessarily spicy but it is flavourful so you want to gt that balance right.

Pork and Sweet Potato Curry

1/4 cup red curry paste
2 pounds pork stew meat ( or 1 KG pork shoulder trimmed and cut into bite sized cubes)
1 TB grated fresh ginger
8 kaffir lime leaves, lightly crushed
2 cups coconut cream
2 cups chicken stock
1 3/4 pounds sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 TB lime juice
1 TB fish sauce
1 TB brown sugar
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 Thai basil leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
2 green onions, trimmed and shredded
steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat a large, deep, non-stick frying pan or wok over medium high heat.

Add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

Add the pork to the curry paste. Cook, stirring, until the pork is well coated.

Add the ginger, lime leaf, coconut cream and stock. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Add the sweet potato, cover, and simmer for a further 20 minutes or until the sweet potato and pork is cooked through.

Mix in the lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Check for a balance of flavours.

Spoon the curry into bowls with rice. Serve with cilantro leaves, Thai Basil leaves, mint leaves and shredded green onion as a garnish.

Schnitzel with Creamy Dill Sauce

Schnitzel is traditionally served with a lemon slice for flavoring, but I am a condiment junky and have long been convinced everything tastes better with sauce.   As such, schnitzel can be made infinitely more delectable by pairing it with a brightly flavored sauce.  I've had it with a mushroom sauce or a paprika sauce but this dill sauce was a new combination for me. E loved it and thought that the dill sauce highlighted the traditional lemon flavor often paired with schnitzel, but also adds the amazing  flavor of dill weed.

This recipe was originally posted on  Simply Recipes.

Word of caution - do NOT try to use low-fat sour cream in the recipe. Low-fat sour cream does not cook well. It will curdle and ruin your sauce.

Schnitzel with Creamy Dill Sauce

4 boneless pork chops (1 pound total), 1/2 inch thick
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp milk
3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon paprika
3 Tbsp canola oil, grapeseed oil, or olive oil
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon dried dill or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream (full fat)

Use a meat hammer to pound the pork cutlets to 1/4-1/8 inch thickness. Cut small slits around the edges of the cutlets to prevent curling.

Set out 3 shallow bowls. One with a mixture of the flour, seasoned salt, and pepper. The second with the egg and milk whisked together. The third with a mixture of the bread crumbs (or panko) and paprika.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Dredge the cutlets first in the seasoned flour, then dip the cutlets in the egg mixture, and then into the mixture of bread crumbs and paprika.

Working in batches, sauté the cutlets for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove the cutlets from the skillet and cover with foil or place in a warm oven to keep warm.

Add the chicken stock into the skillet to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. In a small bowl mix the dill and salt into the sour cream. Stir the sour cream mixture into the chicken stock. Heat and stir until mixture thickens (do not let boil).

Serve the cutlets with the sauce, and lemon slices if you like.

Rigatoni with White Bolognese Sauce

Lately I've been printing recipes off of the New York Times website and I have to say the resulting creations have been among our favorites.

White bolognese is likely more of a classic Italian recipe hearkening back to the era prior to the colonization of the Americas when tomatoes were brought to Italy. I know we think of such dishes as bruschetta, tomato sauce, and pizza with red sauce as classic Italian dishes but the reality is they are relatively new additions to the Italian diet. I know from a Canadian perspective it is hard to think of dishes which are 500 years old as new but given the spread of Italian history they are but babies.

I’m a big fan of a rich, beefy Bolognese, flecked with orange and green soffritto and glistening with a layer of orange oil. With that as my comfort zone, it was hard to get my head around a ‘white Bolognese’ but I did, and these are the results.

Be prepared to spend some time with this - each layer of flavour needs to cook for a period or time in order to concentrate the flavours. The mushroom soaking liquid, for example, when cooked off, leaves a flavour reminiscent of truffles. In fact, Paul was convinced I had shaved truffles in the sauce.

This recipe represents what I think home cooking is all about.  Once you have mastered the basic technique you can play with blending and creating and combining until you find the taste that suits you. 

Rigatoni with White Bolognese Sauce

Extra virgin olive oil
½ sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound mild Italian pork sausage meat, removed from casings
1 pound ground beef (not lean)
1 ½ cups dry Italian white wine
1 cube beef bouillon dissolved in 2 cups simmering water
1 ½ ounces dried porcini mushrooms rehydrated in 3 cups lukewarm water
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 pound rigatoni
¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Add enough oil to a large, deep sauté pan to coat the base and place over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté until glassy and just tender, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the sausage and beef to the pan, breaking it into walnut-size pieces, and brown well.

Pour in the wine and keep at a rapid simmer until the pan is almost dry. Then pour in 1 1/2 cups beef bouillon and lower the heat to medium. Simmer gently, uncovered, until the bouillon is nearly gone, stirring now and then. Meanwhile, chop the rehydrated porcini into small pieces, reserving the liquid.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add mushroom liquid to the sauce to cover the meat halfway (about 1 cup) along with the porcini and continue simmering until the sauce is loose but not soupy, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper; it should be highly seasoned. When the consistency is right, fold the cream in. Remove from the heat and cover.

When the pasta water is at a full boil, add the rigatoni and cook until still firm, but not hard, in the center. When the pasta is almost done, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and reserve. Drain the pasta and then return it to the pot. Pour the pasta sauce on top and fold in with a wooden spoon. The pasta should not be dry. Add a little pasta water or mushroom liquid to loosen it. (It will continue to soak up sauce on the way to the table.) Serve in one large bowl or in individual bowls, passing the cheese at the table.

Classic Meatloaf

LOL - I can hear the whinging. . . . meatloaf????

Yes, meatloaf and a bloody tasty meatloaf at that!

This recipe is from Martha Stewart, although I think we all know she wasn't whipping up a meatloaf to serve her guests at Turkey Hill.

This incongruity aside . . . this is not your average blue-plate special, this recipe brings three ground meats together with a sweet-and-sour glaze to form a tender and moist mealtime favorite. 

I'll give you a hint . . . be sure you have leftovers because they make amazing meatloaf sandwiches!

Classic Meatloaf

3 thick slices white bread, torn into large pieces
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley
12 ounces ground beef chuck (90 percent lean), preferably pasture-raised
12 ounces ground pork, preferably pasture-raised
12 ounces ground veal, preferably milk-fed
1 large egg
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons light-brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse bread in a food processor until finely ground. (You should have about 2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs.) Transfer to a medium bowl.

Pulse garlic, onion, celery, carrot, and parsley in food processor until finely chopped. Add to breadcrumbs. Add meats, egg, 1/4 cup ketchup, the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; mix together using your hands. Transfer mixture to a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan.

Stir together remaining 1/2 cup ketchup and the brown sugar until smooth; brush onto meat. Set pan on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reaches 160 degrees, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Spicy Stewed Sausages with Three Peppers

This is a Mario Batali  take on the Little Italy classic of the sausage and peppers that's a mainstay of the iconic Manhattan neighborhood and its annual street festival. Stewing the bell peppers in red wine gives them richness; so does a generous garnish of grated pecorino cheese.  You can eat the stewed sausages and peppers on a bun, on their own, or tossed with pasta.

We served them with pasta.

I tend to get a bit cynical about recipes with words like 'spicy' in the title. More often than not, when we make them at home we don't find them to be spicy at all. Of course, should you bean eater who thinks pizza is spicy your palate would likely register things differently! That being said, this dish lived up to the 'spicy' label. If you are not a fan of heat you'd want to decrease the amount of hot peppers added in.

Spicy Stewed Sausages with Three Peppers

2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, pricked all over with a fork
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch dice
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1-inch dice
2 yellow bell peppers, cut into 1-inch dice
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 small fennel bulb-trimmed, cored and thinly sliced
4 serrano chiles, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise
1 habanero chile, seeded and thinly sliced
Salt
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese (3 ounces)
Crusty bread, for serving 

Light a grill. Brush the sausages lightly with oil and grill over a medium-hot fire, turning, until nicely charred and just cooked through, about 16 minutes total.

Set a large cast-iron skillet on the grill and add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the peppers, onion, fennel and chiles and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt. Add the sausages and wine to the skillet and simmer until the wine has reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Remove from the grill and sprinkle half of the pecorino cheese over the sausage and peppers. Serve with bread, passing the remaining pecorino at the table.

Apple-Stuffed Pork Loin with Cider Sauce

We tend to eat a lot of pork in the fall. I'm not sure why but for some reason it just fits with the traditional fall flavours. This impressive looking roast from Williams Sonoma is a perfect example - pork stuffed with apple sand served with a simple cider sauce. Lots of yummy fall flavours here!

This was a bit complicated to make  . . . a good weekend meal when you actually have time to fuss and bother.

Don't let the added steps sway you - the end results are amazing!

Apple-Stuffed Pork Loin with Cider Sauce

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped Golden Delicious or other baking apple
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped dried apples or 1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup apple cider
1 boneless pork loin, 2 1/2 lb
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup apple cider, plus more as needed
2 tsp. cornstarch

To make the stuffing, in a large frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the apple and onion. Sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the dried apples and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cider and boil, stirring occasionally, until the cider is absorbed by the stuffing. Remove from hear and let cool.

Position a rack in the centre of the oven. heat over to 400.

Cut 4 pieces of kitchen string into 18 inch lengths.

Butterfly the pock loin by making a slit down its length, cutting just deep enough so that the loin opens up like a book. Do not cut all the way through.

Spoon the stuffing evenly onto the meat. Close the loin back up. Using the string tie at even intervals. Push in any of the stuffing which escapes from the ends.

Sprinkle the surface of the loin with thyme, season with salt and pepper.

Place the loin in a roasting pan and add 1/2 cup cider to the pan.

Roast the loin for 30 minutes. Baste with the pan juices and add the remaining 1/2 cup cider to the pan.

Continue to roast, basting at least twice more, until an instant read thermometer reads 150 degrees, about 45minutes more.

Transfer the roast to a cutting board and loosely cover with foil.

Scrape the bottom of the pan to remove and remaining bits. Pour the pan juices into a measuring cup -add additional cider so that you have 1 1/2 cup of liquid. In a small sauce pan combine 1/4 cup of the juices and the cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the remaining pan juices. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Cut the loin into slices and serve the warm sauce on the side.