Sausage Dressing

This dressing is so much more than a recipe—it’s a cherished tradition passed down from my grandma to my mom, and then to my sister and me. I’ve always just eyeballed the ingredients, trusting the feel and memories of making it, but this time, my husband helped me measure everything so I could share it with you as close as possible to how we make it. In my family, we always prepare it the day before—it’s just the way it’s always been done. You could bake it right away, but letting it rest overnight allows the flavors to come together most magically, just like we’ve enjoyed for generations.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz bag of Pepperidge Farms stuffing (I use the seasoned classic stuffing)
• 2 boxes of Stove Top Stuffing (I use traditional sage and turkey)
• 1/2 lb breakfast sausage
• 2 sticks butter
• 1/2  cup onion
• 1/2 cup celery
• pepper to taste
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup Milk
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp Sage
• 1 tsp  Poultry Seasoning
• 1 tsp Thyme

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Melt one stick of butter, add the celery, onion, and pepper to taste, and saute for about 5-7 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute or two.  You don't want to burn the garlic as it can get bitter
3. In a large bowl, add the stuffing, the sausage, and the vegetables. Stir in the broth, beaten eggs, and milk.  
4. You can add the additional Sage, Poultry Seasoning, and Thyme and stir well.  Add more milk or broth if it is too dry. 
5. Stir everything together until it's evenly combined and add it to a greased 9x13 baking dish.
6. Cover with foil or lid and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil/lid and place it back into the oven for an additional 30 minutes uncovered.  
7. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving. 

Breakfast Morning Bake

 I love a good breakfast bake.  Especially when you have company over and you can make up ahead of time.  Then in the morning when everyone gets up all you have to do is put it in the oven.  Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb breakfast sausage, cooked and drained
• 20 oz shredded hashbrowns, thawed
• 1/4 cup onion finely chopped
• 2 cups shredded cheese, split
• 8 eggs
• 1-1/3 cups milk
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (if baking immediately). Grease a 9×13 inch pan or a 3qt baking dish or spray with cooking spray.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains.  Drain Fat.
3. In a bowl, add the hashbrowns, onion, and 1 cup cheese.  Gently mix the ingredients and spread evenly into your baking dish, that has been sprayed. 
4. Spread sausage over hashbrowns.
5. In a large bowl mix eggs, milk, salt, pepper, mustard, 1 cup cheese, and seasonings: whisk until combined.
6. Pour the egg mixture over the hashbrowns mixture.
7. Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate overnight if desired, or bake immediately.
8. Bake covered for 40 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until it is set in the center.
9. Let rest for at least 10-15 minutes so it has time to set up.

*You can substitute any kind of meat.  I love it with ham or bacon too.

*You can also add green peppers, red peppers, mushrooms, heck any of your favorite vegetables if you would like.

*I just use a full bag of hashbrowns.  Some may be 20 oz, some maybe 26oz.  If you use more hashbrowns than 26 oz, I would add an extra egg so it doesn't get dry. 

Meatloaf

I have been trying meatloaf recipes since we got married.  And that my friend is a LOT of meatloaves.  If I find one I like my husband doesn't like it, but if he likes it than I don't like it.  Isn't that how life works?  Well, the search is over, after 27 years of marriage I think we found a winner.  One that we both agreed was pretty good.  This recipe didn't call for Italian sausage but I had it in refrigerator so what the heck.  I think this is what makes the nice flavor we were always missing.  Hope you enjoy as much as we did!!!

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup ketchup
1 lb ground beef
1 lb Italian sausage
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup oatmeal
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic


Pour oatmeal and milk in separate bowl to soften.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 5 x 9 inch loaf pan. Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.

In a mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients along with the soften oatmeal, mix thoroughly and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup. Bake in preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until juices are clear.

Sausage and Creamy Tomato Pasta

This recipe makes a lot so make sure you invite all your neighbors over.  Also have copies of this recipe ready cause it is so good!!

Ingredients:

1 lb Italian sausage cooked and drained
1 cup chopped onion
3 gloves garlic, minced
1 (16 oz) can Italian style diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
5-6 leaves of fresh basil chopped (I sometimes omit this and it still tastes great)
12 oz penne pasta (Get a 16 ounce box and use 3/4 of it)
Grated Parmesan for Topping

Directions:

Cook the pasta in salted water al dente.

While pasta is cooking, cook the Italian sausage.

Add the onions and garlic to the sausage and saute for a few minutes.

Pour the entire can of diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce and heat through.

Pour in the cream and heat through.  The longer you cook the sauce the thicker it will get so simmer until it is the consistency you want.

Add the fresh basil and let is simmer for a few minutes.

Finally mix the sauce, with the pasta and serve.  Top each serving with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Breakfast Casserole

This was a recipe that I just threw together.  I loved breakfast casserole but my kids didn't like it cause of the bread. (I think they didn't like the soggy bread going on) so I had tasted and seen other casseroles make with hash browns so I thought what the heck.  Let's try it with hash browns.  I would have to say that I do enjoy it better with hash browns.

24 oz frozen shredded potatoes, thawed
salt and pepper
12 eggs
2 C milk or 1/2 and 1/2
1 t season salt
3 cups cheddar cheese, grated - or what ever your family enjoys
2 C chopped ham (you can substitute cooked sausage or bacon)

Heat oven to 350 degress. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Pour the thawed potatoes into the pan. Shake a little salt and pepper over the top.

In a large bowl whisk the eggs up. Add the milk, season salt, cheese and ham. Stir to mix it all together.

Pour it over the top of the potatoes. Cover with foil and let it hang out in the fridge overnight if you wish.

Bake for  90 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving. This helps to make it solid. 

I bake without tin foil but if starts to get to brown for your liking just cover with foil and continue baking.

Stuffed Mushrooms

I have not made these but they sound so good.  I will report back once I have tried these!

Pull stems out of mushroom caps

Chop stems, green top onions, add a little wine, salt and pepper.  1 tsp Italian spice, pinch of oregano.  Cook all together. 

1 lb spicy sausage, cook and drained.  Add to above mixture, than add 1/2 Pepperidge Farm bread crumbs or stuffing mix. 

Fill mushroom caps.  Bake 20  minutes at 350.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on top and serve warm.