Gnocchi with Tomatoes, Vegetables, Mushrooms, Chicken Sausage, and Basil

I really don't cook with gnocchi enough and I don't know why.  They're made with one of my favorite foods (potatoes) and they're like lil pillows of heavenly goodness.  Well problem now solved because I found my perfect gnocchi recipe!

This dish is super flavorful, adaptable, and quick to make.  I did most of my prep work on Sunday, as usual, and then on Thursday of that week I just had to cook up the gnocchi and throw everything else in the pan.  Makes for a great weeknight meal when you want something easy and yummy to make after a long day at work (and boy have I been having some long and terrible days at work lately).  And while I added my current favorite vegetables and mushrooms here you can add almost whatever vegetable you have handy.  If you'd like a drier dish you can leave out the can of diced tomatoes, but I like the extra sauciness it adds.

This is definitely getting added to my regular meal rotation because it's yummy and easy.  While I love all the recipes I post here, I definitely favor the easy and fast ones in my day-to-day cooking because that leaves more time for lounging with my pugs, and believe me I need a lot of that with the past few weeks I've been having at work.

Servings: 2-4

Ingredients:
1 pound gnocchi
12 ounces chicken sausage (I like a spicy kind with jalapenos), sliced
12-16 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 small/medium zucchini, chopped into half or quarter moons
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
10 ounces of baby bella mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, julienned
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Shaved or grated parmesan for topping (optional)

Instructions:

• Boil salted water and cook 1 lb gnocchi for 2-3 minutes until the gnocchi just start floating to the top.  Drain well and toss with drizzle (or spray) of olive oil (this will prevent them from sticking together).  Set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray the pan or drizzle some olive oil.  Add 12 oz chopped chicken sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the sausage starts to brown.
• Push the sausage to the side of the skillet and add 12-16 oz halved grape/cherry tomatoes and cook on high heat for 1-3 minutes.
• Stir the tomatoes and sausage together and add 10 oz chopped mushrooms, 1 chopped bell pepper, and 1 chopped zucchini to the skillet.  Stir together and cook for 2-4 minutes.
• Add the gnocchi, the can of diced tomatoes, and 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper (optional) to the skillet and stir together.  Cook for a couple more minutes.
• Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of basil.  
• Salt and pepper to taste and top each bowl with some grated or shaved parmesan and enjoy!

And now time for the pictures!

I'm never without my two sous chefs, Sunny and Rosy.  Though it looks like one's sleeping on the job!

This dish was so yummy and flavorful but I also loved how bright and colorful it was.  I would've added more basil but most of my basil had already gone bad by the time I made this late in the week. Darn you perishables!  I really wish I had a nice garden with some fresh basil.

Basil is a nice topping and all but nothing really compares to cheese.  CHEESE.

And a nice sprinkling of coarse salt and black pepper and some crushed red pepper!  Rosy's tail was doing its happy helicopter twirl as soon as I got out the cheese.

Rosy put your licker away!

As soon as Rosy smelled the pepper the bowl lost all temptation.

Instead Rosy and Sunny patiently waited for me to finish taking pictures so that they could get their own lil pepper-free parmesan slivers as treats.

"Take that away human and place some fresh and clean parmesan stamps on our tongues!"

Adapted from The Kitchn.

Summer Bean Salad with Chicken Sausage

Sigh.  We're at that time of the year when I forget the horrid winter and start looking forward to fall.  Oh DC, why must I live here and why must your summers be so brutal and disgusting?

With a generous seasoning of salt and pepper, a crazy amount of Tabasco sauce splashed on it, and a nice ice cold drink, this is one of my regular standby summer dishes that I make repeatedly throughout summer.  While you do need to use the stove for this, it's just to heat up some sausage.  The rest is so simple and easy, you can throw this together at the end of a workday as you try to ignore the sweat dripping down your back from the lovely commute in an un-air conditioned packed metro car and walk home in an atmosphere that can best be described as hot jello.  Better yet, make this the day before and refrigerate it so that you can dig into a nice and cool dish as soon as you get home.

Servings:  Original recipe says 10 servings and I laugh and laugh at that.  No, this is more like 3-5.  But it can be more servings if you use this as a filling for a sandwich or wrap.

Ingredients:
1 15-oz can corn, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 orange bell pepper, diced
4 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
12 oz chicken/turkey sausage, quartered lengthwise and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking spray or extra olive oil
Tabasco or hot sauce (optional)

Instructions:

• In a large bowl combine a can of corn, a can of black beans, a can of kidney beans, a chopped orange bell pepper, and 4 chopped scallions.
• In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsps olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, and the juice from one lemon (if you want this extra flavorful, be very generous with the balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard (adding maybe up to an extra 1/2 tbsp)).
• Heat a large pan or skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray or a tbsp of oil.  
• In the pan/skillet, cook 12 oz chopped chicken/turkey sausage for 5-9 minutes, or according to package instructions (choose a spicy sausage for some extra heat and flavor - I like Trader Joe's jalapeno chicken sausage).
• Add the sausage and the oil/vinegar dressing to the corn and bean mixture and combine all ingredients until everything is well coated with the dressing. 
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and add some splashes of Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce if you'd like more spice, which I always do!  Adds an extra vinegary punch too!

Now time for the pictures featuring my sad begging pugs!  Look at those sad twinkling lil eyes. 

Sorry girls, but this is not dog-safe.  Please don't cry Sunny!

A good sprinkling of fresh cracked pepper makes such a difference on so many dishes!  I also add Tabasco sauce to so so many of my dishes.  I am seriously addicted.

Put away those lil tongues girls!

You may sniff, but don't touch.  Or lick.  Or eat.

Ok ok I'll get a dog treat for you girls before I dig into this deliciousness!

Adapted from SOS! The Six O'Clock Scramble to the Rescue.

Tomatoey Chicken Sausage, Bacon, Beans, and Bread Crumbs

Sometimes I get into a cooking rut because I get busy, lazy, and/or I'm tired of my seasonal dishes and waiting for the change of a season. I was loving my spring/summer dishes before, but as the months tick by and the heat and humidity persist, I get tired of them and want a change.  For the last two weeks I was going through that phase and ate mostly hot dogs and frozen food. By last weekend, I felt gross and was eager to start up my cooking again and this week the weather is finally starting to cool down enough that I can get excited for fall dishes!  

Anytime I see a recipe that involves sausage and beans I flag it as a possible future dish because those are usually easy and you can't go too wrong with that flavor combination. I liked that this one also had tomatoes (how much do I heart Trader Joe's canned diced tomatoes with no salt?) and the novelty of homemade bread crumbs (a first for me). And then I saw that this recipe had bacon and there was no question about it - I had to make this!  I tell you, bacon searches me out! Since I had some chard leftover from my other dish this week, Orzo with Caramelized Fall Vegetables, Bacon, and Ginger, I added some in as well. I love a nice colorful dish! I went a little too long in the broiler so my bread crumbs were almost burned. I panicked but luckily they still taste amazing and I managed to not set off my smoke detectors.  Ah fall, it's so good to have you back! Now just keep winter at bay for a while.

Servings: Original recipe says 6 but this is a 3-mealer for me (I basically need at least 2 normal person sized servings).

Ingredients:

4 slices of thick cut bacon, chopped (I used Trader Joe's peppered uncured turkey bacon)

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon thyme

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes

1 1/4 cup chicken broth

2 14.5-ounce cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

12 ounces sausage, cut in half lengthwise and in 1/2 inch pieces (I used Trader Joe's garlic chicken sausage)

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1-2 cups kale or chard, chopped

3-5 cups bread, cut into 1-2 inch pieces (I used about 1/3 of a Trader Joe's sourdough baguette)

Pat of butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 chopped slices of bacon and cook for a few minutes until browned and slightly crisp.
• Add 1 chopped onion to the bacon and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender.
• Add 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp thyme and cook for an additional minute.
• Add 1/2 cup white wine and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add a can of diced tomatoes and cook for 2-4 minutes until sauce is thickened.
• Add 1 1/4 cup chicken broth and 2 cans of cannellini beans and bring the mixture to a simmer.

• Add 12 ounces chopped sausage to the mixture and stir everything together.

• Move skillet to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
• While the skillet is in the oven, prepare breadcrumbs by either toasting them in a toaster oven or melt a pat of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and then add 3-5 cups chopped bread. Stir the bread frequently until it browns, approximately 8-10 minutes.  I used my cast iron skillet and had to lower the heat halfway through as the bread was browning too fast.

• Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup chopped parsley into the bread crumbs and season with some salt.
• Remove skillet from oven and stir in 1-2 cups of chopped kale or chard.
• Heat broiler.
• Spoon the breadcrumbs evenly on top of the skillet mixture.
• Place the skillet back in the oven and broil about 6 inches from the heat source for 1 minute. I did 2 and ended up with my breadcrumbs almost burnt (still tasted good though!).
• Remove skillet from oven and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Mmm smells so good and tastes so yummy!

I may have almost burnt the breadcrumbs during the final broil stage, but I actually really liked them like this! They were more flavorful and crunchy. But oh man was my oven smoky when I first opened the door so watch it carefully if you want to broil more than 1 minute!

The bacon and sausage in this dish are just too much for Sunny and Rosy to resist.

No licks! This has onions and other things that wouldn't be good for you! But of course I did set aside itty bits of the bacon for them in the beginning as a treat afterwards. They've gotten really good at posing with my food because they know they'll get at least a tiny bite of something yummy!

Another recipe to add to my regular fall/winter rotation!

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

White Bean Sausage Ragout with Tomatoes, Mushrooms, and Kale

I was getting a bit tired of my usual soups and wanted to try something different.  And with the cold weather sticking around longer than I'd like, I was in the mood for something hearty.  And what's more satisfying on a dreary wintery day than sausages and beans!  I also liked the heartiness that the kale adds to this.  I made this around the time of the faux snow storm here that they were calling Snowquester that was a total bust.  But at least I had a day off from work and so I made this ragout and a loaf of bread and had a cozy day with the pugs - perfection!

Servings: 4 (but for me this is 2 meals).

Ingredients:
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 chicken sausage links, sliced
6 cups kale, trimmed
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 cup chicken broth, low sodium
2 (16 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions:

• Heat Dutch oven over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray.
• Add 1/2 cup onion, 3 sausages.  Cook for 4 minutes or until sausage is browned, stirring occasionally.
• Add 3 garlic cloves and cook for additional 2 minutes.
• Add 6 cups kale, trimmed, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 cans cannellini beans, 1 can diced tomatoes,1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional).  Bring mixture to a boil.  Then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Serve while hot and enjoy! (I like to add a few splashes of Tabasco sauce to each bowl and eat with freshly baked bread).

We all thoroughly enjoyed the Snowquester!

And there's Rosy photo bombing as she scrounges for dropped food and crumbs on the floor.

Adapted from My Recipes.

Chicken Sausage, Mushroom, and Potato Gratin

This is a very hearty and savory dish that is perfect for the colder months.  When it gets cold I crave soups and hearty, savory meals. Something about this reminds me of Thanksgiving - I think it's the chicken broth and onion flavors. There’s nothing more satisfying than a good meat and potatoes dish and with the use of chicken (or turkey) sausage, it’s much healthier than most comfort foods.

Servings: 4 (although for me I can easily eat 2 servings a meal, making this a 2-night meal)

Ingredients:
10-12 oz spicy chicken/turkey sausage (sliced)  (I like the Trader Joe’s jalapeno chicken sausage)
3 cups chopped onion
4 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms
1½  pounds red or baby yellow potatoes (chopped in coarse chunks)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
¾ cup shredded Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons thyme
½ teaspoon rosemary
Cooking spray

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray.
• Add 10-12 oz sliced chicken/turkey sausage to pan and saute for 5 minutes or until browned.  
• Remove cooked sausage from pan and add 3 cups chopped onion.  Saute onions for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add 4 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms and saute for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add 1½  lbs chopped potatoes and ½ tsp kosher salt and saute for 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the sausage, ½ cup of chicken broth, 2 tbsps thyme, and ½ tsp of rosemary, and remove the skillet from heat.
• Spoon the mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish, coated with cooking spray.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  
• Uncover and sprinkle ¾ cup shredded cheese on top and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Add salt and cracked pepper to taste. I also like to add a few dashes of Tabasco sauce!

And beware of any lurkers who might be plotting to steal your food.

Inspired by My Recipes.

North Woods Bean Soup

Beans, beans, the magical food! The more you eat, the more you toot! The more you toot, the better you feel, so eat beans at every meal!  

An old song from when I was young. I still think of it anytime beans come up because apparently I have the maturity level of a 10 year old. Anyways, this is a pretty satisfying and hearty soup but I still feel like it could use some additional kick flavor-wise so I like to add Tabasco sauce. I also think it could use more kielbasa but then that kicks up the calorie count a bit higher than I'd like. And I might like it better with a different kind of sausage as I don't think I'm a big turkey kielbasa fan. Anyways, I think this is a good starting point for a soup that can be tweaked according to tastes.  

Servings: 5 (although for me I can easily make this a 2-3 night meal)

Ingredients:
1 cup baby carrots, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 oz turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and then chopped in ½-inch pieces (if you want a heartier dish add more kielbasa - can probably even add up to double)
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 (15.8-ounce) cans of Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (6-ounce) bag of fresh baby spinach leaves
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Cooking spray

Instructions:

• Heat Dutch oven over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray.  Add 1 cup chopped onion, 1 cup chopped carrots, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 7 oz chopped kielbasa.  Saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add 6 cups chicken broth, ½ tsp thyme, ½ tsp oregano, 1 tsp crushed red pepper, 2 cans of Northern beans, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  (If you’d like a smoother soup, after 5 minutes you can blend 2-3 cups of the soup mixture and process it until smooth and then return it back to the pan.)
• Remove soup from heat and mix in 1 bag of baby spinach leaves and 1 tbsp chopped parsley.  Stir into soup until spinach wilts.  

(Try not to trip over any lurking pugs camped out by the stove.)

• I like to add some dashes of Tabasco sauce before eating to add some acid but if you don’t want the spice, a few dashes of your favorite vinegar would work too.

Beware of lurking pugs!

Inspired by My Recipes.

(Update 5/21/13: I made this again and used Trader Joe's jalapeno chicken sausage, doubled the sausage portion and added a splash of apple cider vinegar at the end (in addition to the Tabasco sauce I add to each bowl for a spice kick) and this was much better!  I also added extra fresh parsley which I think I forgot to use the first time I made it and that made a big difference too.)