Spicy Sausage with Hominy

Last Wednesday, we had a business dinner to attend.  I didn't really want to go, but the Handyman felt we should, so I am there for him, and off we went.
The dinner was held at a local Basque Restaurant, The Martin Hotel.  It's an old Basque Boarding house... the Basque people came over from  Europe  (the Pyrenees mountain area between Spain and France) originally as sheep herders.  They set up boarding houses for the young men away from their families.
The dinners are always 'family style'.  They set big bowls of soup, salad,   beans, bread,  and then they bring out your meal, which consists of a meat, and three or four side dishes.   One of the side dishes on Wednesday was this  hominy, chick pea dish.  I fell in love with it. 
I had to come home and recreate it. I Googled and could only find a soup recipe that was somewhat similar.  So, I made the soup, but substituted my own stuff.

In a Basque restaurant, they most likely would have used a spicy Chorizo, but I didn't.  I substituted Hot Italian Sausage and we liked that  just fine.
And Garbanzo Beans and Hominy?  I guess they are not for everybody, but as I ask my kids --my grown up kids---all the time, have you ever TRIED them?
I think you just might like them.
If you are not sure if you like them, maybe you should try the soup version instead of the  this version.
I think that would be great, but I chose to recreate the side dish version I had at the restaurant, because I liked it so much.  All I did  to recreate was use less liquid than the recipe below.  
I do love soup and  I am going to try the soup version also one day, just not today.

The reason I had to come home and recreate this so soon after we had it in the restaurant was because, one thing about  a family style Basque restaurant is that sometimes, they whip the dishes off the table quite quickly.  There is just so much food, that when they see everyone has taken some of a certain dish, the waitress will ask,  "is everyone done with this?"  and then take it with her on the way back to the kitchen.  (she has lots of tables and lots of dishes to serve and clear--there is no bus person).
Anyway, when she asked if everyone was done with that dish,  I wanted to say, NO, dont' take that!!   But my plate was full of beans, and potatoes, and carrots and  salmon  and bread.  And we were with other people, who kept their mouths shut, so I watched sadly as the waitress carried away the bowl full of hominy and spicy sausage.

No worries now tho, I can make it whenever I want.

The Handyman got this bean/sausage dish for his supper on Saturday night. It was really cold out, had snowed the night before and we just stayed home, watched a movie and ate our beans. I would say this is definitely a comfort food, warm and rustic and good.  COME ON--seriously, hominy is not bad!  Neither are Chick peas.  In fact, I think they are good for you.  If you used Turkey Sausage, you could even  make this a 'good for you' comfort food.



 

 
 
I am going to ( link this to)  "See You in the Gumbo"  a Potluck roundup at Ms. enPlace's place.  You should go check it out to see all the other good recipes  in this week's roundup.  Or better yet,   join in!
 

Spicy Sausage (soup) with Hominy

1 lb mild sausage (I used hot Italian) casings removed
1 onion diced 
1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes  (I used mild Rotel)
1 can  (15oz) black beans  (I used garbanzo beans)
1 can  (15oz) yellow hominy, drained
1 can tomato soup  (condensed)
3 1/2 cups water  (I didn't use)
2 cups beef broth  (I used about  3/4 cup)
1 cup salsa --optional  (I didn't use)
1 tsp parsley, dried

Brown sausage in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and drain fat.
Add diced onion and cook until tender.
Add everything else, but the parsley and stir.  Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about an hour.
Stir in the parsley and season to taste.  (you may not need additional seasoning, I didn't)
Serve with warm bread  (I made cornbread)

Breakfast Sandwich

Like her or not...The Pioneer Woman has a new show on the Food Network Channel.  And, yes, I watched it.   She shared some dishes that I knew the Handyman would like...one being this breakfast sandwich.  It was quick and easy and really not messy.

For some reason cooking breakfast is not my favorite thing--the kind of breakfasts the Handyman likes anyway.  It's all greasy  (bacon or sausage )  and messy  (batter for waffles and pancakes)  and you use so many bowls  (eggs and cheese and hash browns), the toaster, the butter, the syrup......  it usually looks like a hurricane came thru my kitchen by the time I am done.
I am more of a muffin and fruit kind of breakfast person on a lazy Sunday morning, but the Handyman?  No, he likes all of the above--in the same breakfast.  And to me...it's messy and I don't want to start my day with all those greasy dishes.
(does that sound odd coming from someone who likes to cook?)

In this breakfast sandwich, you put all these things together and  it worked!  I only used one pan too.  Woo Hoo!   And it was really tasty.   And really big.  I ended up eating only  half of my sandwich.  
The recipe says to use Texas Toast and I had some leftover from  my Southwest Burgers of the other night that I needed to use  (but I'm sure you could use any bread and it would be just as good)  and,  I had eggs and cheese.  The only extras I had to pick up were the sausage and jalapenos.
The jalapenos are  'to taste' of course--you can use as many or as few as you would like.   We  liked the little bite of spice these chilies gave.
I might make them again--soon!

Cowboy Breakfast Sandwiches
16 slices Texas toast
Butter
1 pound breakfast sausage, cut into 8 patties
12 eggs
1/2 cup half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup jarred jalapeno slices
Sandwich spread of your choice, such as mayo, spicy sandwich spread or spicy mustard   (I did not use this, I just used butter)
8 slices cheese, such as American, Cheddar or Cheddar-Jack


Cook the Texas toast on a griddle over medium heat, using lots of butter. Set aside.


Fry the sausage patties in a skillet over medium heat, flattening with the spatula as they cook. Set aside.


Mix the eggs, half-and-half and some salt and pepper in a separate bowl. Pour the eggs onto the griddle in a rectangular shape. Flip to cook on both sides. Cut the rectangle of eggs into 8 squares and set aside on a plate.


Increase the heat, then dump the jalapeno slices onto the hot griddle. Let them sizzle for a couple of minutes, chopping them with the side of the spatula as they cook. Drop on a tablespoon of butter for flavor. Cook until the jalapenos have some brown and black bits. Remove from the griddle, then set aside.


Spread whatever sandwich spread you'd like to use onto the Texas toast. Top with a sausage patty, eggs, a slice of cheese and some jalapenos. Top with another slice of Texas toast, then wrap in foil for serving.

*****************************************************

I snapped a picture of the Handyman....eating the  half of my sandwich I couldn't eat.

We ate outside on the patio. 

I will really miss the Sunday mornings on the patio.... this morning I can feel  'fall' in the air.  It's not here yet, and is supposed to be in the 90's today, but....it's coming.

Truth be told....it's my favorite season.

Potato Sausage Tart and a spider (or any other irrational fear) update

Let me just state, for the record:  I smooshed a spider this morning in my canvas tote bag.  (scroll down and read yesterday's post if you are confused about the spider talk) He was running across some papers I had shoved in there, so now there is a big spider smoosh stain on some papers I need to keep for a while.  He was  little guy, but this just goes to show, our irrational fear of high places, fluttering things, hopping grasshoppers and peacock feathers is never really irrational.
Hang in there friends....I don't think you irrational.  I support your right to fear--anything.  We are a Band of.... ???   (sigh)  GEEZ.  Band of Brothers has a cool ring to it... Band of Broads sounds stupid (because I hate that word) and  even tho young, edgy women will use the bit** word,  I WON'T.  (because again, I hate that word)

Let me tell ya---I have a long list of words I hate.    But that's a blog post for another time.

Hmmmm....
a League of Ladies?
a Pack of Pretties?
a Gang of Girls?
a Formation of Females?

Whatever we are--we are united in our 'not-so' (as has been proven today by my spider in the bag) irrational fears.
Carry on!

But wait!  I have a recipe to share with you.

A potato sausage tart.  I found it in  the Better Homes and Gardens premier issue of "hometown cooking", which I don't even think they make anymore  (the magazine, not the tart), and I miss it!  It was a collection of hometown recipes from church and club cookbooks. Each month they would feature a couple of different cities/towns across the United States that had produced a club cookbook.    The Potato Sausage Tart (which was really good, by the way)   comes to us from Boise, Idaho.  Just a few short hours from my home in Winnemucca, NV.  The Junior League of Boise, produced  "Beyond Burlap" a potatoes only cookbook.   Since Idaho is  known for their spuds, it's only fitting.

Speaking of the Idaho Spud,  who has ever heard of this old candy bar, The Idaho Spud?

They are good and marshmallowy.  I ate them when I was a kid.  They are now very  hard to find, because Idaho Spud didn't sell out to a big candy company, ie:  Mars or Hershey.  They are produced by the Owyhee Idaho Candy Company.

Back to the Potato Sausage Tart.  We really liked it.  I think you will too.

Potato Sausage Tart

1 recipe for your favorite pie crust, or a ready made brand such as Pillsbury.  Single crust.
2 large baking potatoes  (about 1 lb)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 lb mild Italian sausage or turkey Italian sausage
2 cups cream style cottage cheese  ( couldn't find this so I used small curd)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp  dried oregano, crushed
2 Tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Prepare pastry for a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate.  Line unpricked pastry shell with double thickness of foil. Bake in a 450 oven for 8 minutes.  Remove foil.  Bake 4-5 minutes more or until dry.  Set aside and reduce oven temperature to  350F.
Meanwhile, peel and quarter the potatoes. Cook in boiling, lightly salted water for  20-25 minutes or until tender; drain.   Mash with a potato masher until smooth.  Stir in salt and pepper.  (do not use instant mashed potatoes)
Remove sausage casing, if present.  In a large skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink.  Drain off fat.  In a blender container or food processor bowl, combine cottage cheese and eggs. Cover and blend until smooth.  Transfer to a large bowl.  Using electric mixer, beat in mashed potatoes, sour cream and oregano.
Place sausage in the bottom of pastry shell. Spoon potato mixture over sausage. Drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle cheese on top.
Bake in 350F oven for  40 to 45 minutes or until heated through.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving. 
Makes 8 servings.

This is even better the 2nd day as leftovers!

Brunch Time

Yummy Brunch Dish!

I finally had time to try out my "own" recipe this weekend. I've been so busy trying out everyone else's "good eats" that I was beginning to wonder if I would ever make anything to blog about again. :~)

I made a great brunch casserole. Which would have been great, if I were having a brunch. But today it was just my husband and I, so we had a quite a lot leftovers... but it was good.

Company type of good!
Next time, I'm inviting my friends for a nice brunch.
In fact.....maybe two Sundays from now... a brunch get-together! And this will be at the top of my list...

Stone Masterpiece
(okay, so yes, I'm using my own last name. the original recipe was McGill Masterpiece, but...it's mine now)

What you need:
mild pork sausage
spicy pork sausage
1 med. onion
rice cereal
cooked white rice
shredded cheddar cheese
eggs
cream of celery soup
milk
butter


First, you must brown the sausage in a very large skillet.

You can do the chopped onion at the same time.





Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cooked rice and 5 cups of the rice cereal (any brand will do, but I like Snap, Crackle and Pop)





Spread the mixture in the bottom of a 13x9 casserole (notice that I buttered 3 casserole dishes before finding just the right one. I must LOVE to do dishes, as I seem to have a lot of them when I am done cooking)





Then put the sausage and onions on top of rice stuff.




Get the cheese ready

Grate the cheese

Sprinkle the cheese over the casserole mixture




Beat the eggs, soup and milk together.

Pour over the casserole
(press down lightly with a spoon)




Get the rest of the Rice Krispies/cereal and mix with some softened butter, then sprinkle over the casserole.




Looks good!!
Into the oven for 55 minutes.

Yummy!!
let sit for a few minutes while you get the table ready.


cut into squares

serve on a plate with fresh fruit
and go enjoy!

Stone Masterpiece
(you better be prepared to invite friends for brunch)

1 lb. mild bulk pork sausage
1 lb. spicy bulk pork sausage
1 medium onion, chopped ( 1/2 cup)
6 cups rice cereal
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 eggs
2 10-oz cans reduced sodium condensed cream of celery soup
1/2 cups milk
1 Tbsp. butter

Grease a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Set aside.
In a very large skillet, cook sausage and onion until sausage is done and no longer pink and onion is tender. Drain off fat and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 5 cups of the rice cereal and cooked rice. Spread rice mixture evenly in the bottom of prepared baking dish. Spoon sausage mixture over rice layer.
Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs, soup and milk with a wire whisk until well combined.
Carefully pour over layers in baking dish. Press down lightly with a spoon.
Toss remaining 1 cup of rice cereal with butter.
Sprinkle over the top.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Cut into squares and enjoy.