January 2020 – Sausage

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Janice Martin, East Earl

Biscuits:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 5 tablespoons shortening
• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 tablespoon vinegar/lemon juice in bottom of cup; then fill with milk to make 1 cup)

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in shortening with pastry blender (or two knives). Stir in buttermilk until moistened.

Turn on lightly floured surface and knead a few times. Pat to ¾” thick and cut with a round 2” cutter.

Bake biscuits at 425°F for 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes 12 biscuits.

Gravy:

• 1 lb. loose sausage
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 qt. milk
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• dash Worcestershire sauce
• dash hot pepper sauce (optional)

Fry sausage in a large kettle. Cook over medium heat. Add onion and cook until transparent. Stir in flour and cook about 6 minutes or until it bubbles and turns golden. Stir in milk; add seasonings and cook until slightly thickened.

Serve gravy over halved biscuits.

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B-B-Que Sausages

Janice Martin, East Earl

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Liquid Smoke

Mix together and pour over grilled sausage or bake in oven.

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Sausage and Cheese Potato Casserole

Jenny Grove, Akron

• 1 lb. ground sausage
• 4 cups cubed unpeeled red skin potatoes
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• ¼ cup chopped green onions
• 4 oz. can chopped green chiles, drained (optional)
• 6 eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¹/₈ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Crumble and cook sausage in medium skillet until browned. Drain off any drippings.

Spread potatoes in greased 13”x9” baking pan. Top with cooked sausage, Monterey Jack cheese, green onions and chiles.

Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper in medium bowl until frothy. Pour egg mixture over sausage layer.

Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; bake 15 minutes more or until eggs are set. Refrigerate leftovers.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

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Melt In Your Mouth Sausages

Barbara W. Snader, Lititz

• 2 lbs. sweet, mild or hot Italian sausages
• 48 oz. spaghetti sauce
• 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 large green pepper, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced thin
• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Place sausage in a skillet. Cover with water, simmer for 10 minutes, then drain.

In a slow cooker, place sausage. Add spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, green pepper, onion, parsley flakes, cheese and 1 cup water.

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, then increase temperature to high and cook for 1 hour more.

Serve in buns or over cooked spaghetti.

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Sausage Sandwiches

Mary Ann Good, Terre Hill

• (6) 4” to 5” sausages
• 1 large onion, sliced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 15 oz. can Contadina tomato sauce
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white vinegar

Brown sausages in a pan. When done, remove sausage from the pan and sauté the onion in the drippings. Add salt. When onion is done, drain any excess fat.

In another bowl, mix together tomato sauce, brown sugar and white vinegar. Add this mixture to the sausage and onion in the pan. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve sausage in a roll of your preference topped with sauce and onions.

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(Mock) Pig Stomach

Mary Ann Good, Terre Hill

“Pig stomach, without the stomach.”

• 2 lbs. fresh sausage, cut in small pieces
• 1 medium head of cabbage, cut up
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
• 1½ cups water
• 1 tablespoon salt

Place sausage in a large pot with a lid. Add cabbage and potatoes. Mix water and salt and pour over the other ingredients. Mix up a bit, then cover with the lid. Bake at 350°F for about 2 hours.

Note: If you would like gravy with the dish, you can pour off the drippings after cooking and thicken them.

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Sausage Cheese Dip

Mary Ann Good, Terre Hill

• 1 lb. loose sausage
• 8 oz. Velveeta cheese
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 8 to 11 oz. mild salsa

Cook and drain sausage. Return to pot and add cream cheese, Velveeta cheese and chicken soup. After cheeses are melted, add the salsa. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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Potato Sausage Casserole

Pat Brendle, Stevens

• 1 lb. loose fresh sausage
• 10¾ can cream of celery soup
• ¾ cup milk
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups peeled, sliced raw potatoes
• 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• chopped fresh parsley

Brown sausage, drain and set aside.

Combine soup, milk, onion and pepper. Set aside.

Grease a 9”x13” pan. Layer half of the potatoes, half of the soup mixture and half of the sausage. Repeat. Cover and bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes until cheese melts. Garnish with parsley.

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Sausage Bake

Pat Brendle, Stevens

• 1 lb. loose fresh sausage
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 12 oz. package chicken stuffing mix
• 2½ cups chicken broth
• ½ cup butter, melted

In a large skillet, crumble sausage and add onion and celery. Cook stirring occasionally till sausage is brown.

In a large bowl, place stuffing mix and sausage mixture. Pour broth and butter over top and toss to combine. Spoon mixture into a greased 9”x13” pan and cover.

Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.

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Smokey Link Sausage Casserole

Pat Brendle, Stevens

• 1½ to 2 lbs. smoked sausage
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups cheddar cheese
• 1 bag mixed vegetables
• 1 bag noodles

Cut sausage bite size. Grease 9”x13” pan. Cook and drain noodles and vegetables.

In a large bowl, mix milk and both soups. Add all other ingredients except 1 cup of the cheese. Mix well and pour into pan. Sprinkle the 1 cup of cheese on top.

Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Note: This is also good using ham or chicken in place of smoked sausage.

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April Fool’s Cake

Pat Roth, Ephrata

“This really is a pizza cooked in a cake pan! The cheese is the icing.”

• 14 oz. jar pizza sauce
• ½ lb. bulk Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
• 8 oz. package sliced pepperoni
• 3 cups biscuit baking mix
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 5 to 6 slices mozzarella cheese

In a bowl, combine pizza sauce, sausage and pepperoni. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine biscuit mix, milk, eggs, butter and garlic salt. Spread half of the batter on the bottom and up the sides of a greased 10” fluted tube pan. Spoon the meat mixture over the batter, then cover with the rest of the batter.

Bake at 375°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until browned and a toothpick inserted in the crust comes out clean.

Invert onto a baking sheet. Arrange cheese over the cake. Put back in the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serves 8 people.

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Sausage Spaghetti

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 1 lb. bulk pork sausage
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped green pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¹/₈ teaspoon chili powder
• ¹/₈ teaspoon ground thyme
• 1½ cups tomato juice
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons vinegar
• dash red pepper
• 8 oz. package spaghetti
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Crumble the sausage in a Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until browned, stirring frequently. Add the onion, pepper and seasonings; stir frequently for 5 minutes. Drain off pan drippings. Stir in the tomato juice, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and red pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain. Add the spaghetti to the meat sauce. Mix well. Pour on a platter and sprinkle with the cheese.

Makes 8 servings.

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Apple Sausage Ring

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 cups crushed butter flavored crackers (about 50 crackers)
• 1½ cups tart apples, peeled and chopped
• ¹/₃ cup finely chopped onion
• 2 lbs. bulk pork sausage

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and milk. Stir in the cracker crumbs, apples and onions. Crumble sausage over the mixture and mix well.

On a 15”x10”x1” baking pan coated with non-stick spray, shape the pork mixture into a 9” ring. Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 1 hour, or until meat thermometer reads 160°F.

Yield: 12 to 14 servings.

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Sweet Potato, Sausage & Apple Casserole

Jean Wissler, New Holland

• 1½ lb. bulk sausage
• 4 medium apples, pared and sliced
• 3 medium sweet potatoes, pared and sliced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Fry sausage and save drippings.

Combine salt, flour and sugar.

Arrange sausage, apples and potatoes in layers in a casserole dish. Sprinkle some flour mixture over each layer. Top with a layer of sausage. Sprinkle casserole with 1 tablespoon sausage drippings. Cover tightly.

Bake at 375°F for 1 hour.

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Sausage Kale Soup

Gloria Dougherty, Akron

• 1 lb. chicken sausage
• ¾ cup chopped onion
• 1 bacon strip, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups water
• 14½ oz. can chicken broth
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 2 cups thinly diced kale or spinach
• ¹/₃ cup whipping cream

Cook sausage in a George Foreman grill. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, sauté onion and bacon for 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 more minute. Add water, broth and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add kale. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Cut up sausage and add to soup. Add cream. Heat through.

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Sausage Supreme

Gloria Dougherty, Akron

“Delicious!”

• 1 lb. fresh sausage, cut into 1” pieces and browned
• (2) 10¾ oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 potatoes, cubed

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover. Cook on low 8 hours. If mixture becomes too dry, stir in half a soup can or more of water.

Variation: Substitute one can cheese soup for one can cream of mushroom soup.

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Cheesy Sausage Casserole

Elsie Reiff, Ephrata

• 2 lbs. bulk sausage
• ½ cup onion
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• ¾ cup milk
• 8 cups diced potatoes (cook in shell, then cool and dice)
• ¾ lb. Velveeta cheese

Fry the sausage with the onion.

Heat soup, milk and cheese together. Combine the soup mixture, sausage mixture and potatoes in a 9”x13” pan. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

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Hog Maw

Jeffrey Fisher, Stevens

“Don’t judge this dish until you try it!”

• 2 small pig stomachs (cleaned of inside lining)
• 4 lbs. loose sausage
• 20 cups diced potatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt and pepper as desired

Wash and dice the potatoes into bite size pieces. Dice the onion. Toss the potatoes and the onion in a large bowl, salt and pepper well. Add loose sausage, mix well, and set aside.

With your hands, start mixing together the potatoes and sausage mixtures. Once you have it all blended well, start stuffing the stomachs with the mixture.

Using a needle and thread, stitch the openings of the stomach closed. Place both the stomachs in a roasting pan. Add a little water to the bottom of the pan, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for approximately 4 to 5 hours. Occasionally check to make sure the pan still has some liquid in the bottom. If it doesn’t, add more water.

During the last 30 to 45 minutes (or an hour, if you like it crispy), remove the foil and continue to cook it to brown the stomachs.

Transfer to a serving platter and slice the entire stomach into about 1” thick slices.

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Potato Sausage Casserole

Laura Brubaker, Ephrata

• 1 lb. pork sausage
• 10 oz. cream of mushroom soup
• ¾ cup milk
• ½ cup chopped onions
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 8 oz. shredded cheese

Fry sausage until browned; drain. Mix together soup, milk, onions, salt and pepper.

In a large casserole dish, layer potatoes, soup mixture and sausage. Dot with butter. Cover and bake at 350°F for 1½ hours. Top with cheese before serving.

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Sausage Favorite

Laura Brubaker, Ephrata

• 1 lb. bulk sausage
• ½ cup chopped onions
• ¾ cup macaroni, cooked and drained
• 10 oz. cream of celery soup
• ²/₃ cup milk
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups crushed cornflakes

Fry sausage and onion together until browned. Spread in an 8”x8” baking dish. Top with cooked macaroni.

Heat soup and milk in a saucepan. Stir in eggs. Add cheese, stirring until melted. Pour over macaroni.

Mix together butter and cornflakes. Arrange in a border on top of casserole.

Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes.

Serves 6.

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Six Layer Sausage Casserole

Lucy Martin, Martindale

• 1 lb. loose sausage
• 1½ cups sliced potatoes
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• ½ cup rice, uncooked
• 1 qt. tomato juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¹/₈ teaspoon pepper
• 1½ tablespoons sugar

Lightly brown sausage. In a 2-quart casserole, place vegetables in order given. Mix seasonings together and sprinkle over casserole. Top with sausage and cover.

Bake at 350°F for 1½ to 2 hours.

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Contadina^® Easy Lasagna Sausage Rolls

Deborah Bucher, Ephrata

• 8 dried lasagna noodles
• 4 sweet Italian sausage links, halved crosswise
• 28 oz. can Contadina^® Recipe Ready Diced Tomatoes
• 15 oz. can Contadina^® Tomato Sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, cook sausage in large skillet over medium heat until done, turning occasionally. Drain; cool slightly. Wrap a noodle around each link; place in skillet.

Stir together undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce and basil; add to skillet. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered, 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese and garnish with fresh basil, if desired.

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Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana

Deborah Bucher, Ephrata

• 1 lb. ground hot Italian sausage
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 russet potatoes, diced
• pinch salt, to taste
• pinch black pepper, to taste
• 4 cups (32 oz.) chicken broth
• water
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and torn into bite-size pieces
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown and crumble sausage, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add onion and garlic and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until some of the onion begins to turn translucent (no need to cook onion completely at this point). Drain grease from skillet.

In a 6-quart crock pot (or bigger), add cooked sausage and vegetables plus the diced potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour chicken broth on top. There should be enough broth to cover the tops of the potatoes; if there isn’t, add up to 2 cups water so potatoes are covered.

Gently stir ingredients. Cover crock pot and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Remove lid from crock pot and add kale and heavy whipping cream, then stir to combine. Cover crock pot and cook on high for another 30 minutes.

Serve immediately with shredded Parmesan cheese as garnish.

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Sausage and Potato Frittata

Lisa Engroff, Ephrata

• 6 eggs
• ¹/₃ cup milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
• ½ lb. kielbasa, cut into ¼” slices
• 1 red pepper, cut into ½” wide strips
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 15 oz. can no-salt-added sliced potatoes, drained

Heat oven to 375°F. Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper together. Add cheese.

Heat 10” ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add kielbasa and cook, stirring occasionally until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from skillet.

In same skillet, cook pepper strips and garlic, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in kielbasa and potatoes, then add egg mixture. Cook over medium-high heat until edges start to set, about 5 minutes. Transfer to oven. Bake until center is set, about 25 minutes.

Serves 4.

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Sausage Frittata Italiana

Lisa Engroff, Ephrata

• 8 oz. fresh Italian sausage, casing removed, crumbled
• ¼ cup red onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• ¼ teaspoon garlic, minced
• ½ cup sharp cheddar, shredded
• ¾ cup Parmesan, grated
• 2 tablespoons roasted bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons black olives, sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Egg Mixture:

• 10 large eggs
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, brown the crumbled Italian sausage with the onion, tomatoes and garlic. Drain off the excess fat using a spoon or turkey baster.

Whisk all the ingredients for the egg mixture together.

Melt the butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Pour egg mixture into pan. When bottom is cooked but top is still runny, spoon sausage mixture, the cheeses and red pepper on top.

Cover pan with foil and bake 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove foil the last few minutes of cooking for a browned top. Garnish with black olives and basil.

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Sausage Stuffed Honeynut Squash

Lisa Engroff, Ephrata

• 4 honeynut squash, halved lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 oz. bulk pork sausage
• 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ cups riced cauliflower
• 1 cup chopped fresh baby spinach
• ¼ cup dried tart cherries, chopped
• ¼ cup salted, roasted pistachios, chopped
• salt
• pepper
• fresh parsley, chopped
• lemon zest
• balsamic glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Coat with cooking spray.

Scoop out seeds from squash. Place cut sides down on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until tender and starting to brown.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add sausage, onion and garlic; cook and stir until sausage is cooked through. Stir in cauliflower. Spread in an even layer in skillet. Cook 4 minutes, until just starting to brown. Stir occasionally, but return to even layer for best browning. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach until wilted. Stir in cherries, pistachios, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Turn squash halves cut-side up. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fill cavities with sausage mixture. Bake 10 minutes more. Top with parsley and lemon zest. Drizzle with balsamic glaze just before serving.

Note: Honeynut squash is the cousin of butternut, but it’s half the size and sweeter. It is a deep honey color, thus the name. The skin is tender and edible.

 

Balsamic Glaze

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey

In a small saucepan, stir together balsamic vinegar and honey. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes or until syrupy and reduced to ¹/₃ cup. Let cool.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day.

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Hard Smoked Sausage Stew

Christine Dean, Denver

• 2 lb. hard smoked sausage
• 10 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 lb. frozen limas or string beans, thawed

Cut hard sausage into 1” pieces. In a large pot, put 2 quarts of water. Put sausage in pot. Cook sausage until well done. Take sausage out, leaving water in pot. Put potatoes in pot. Cook until potatoes are half soft. Add sausage and beans to the water with the potatoes. Cook on low until desired doneness. Add spices to taste.

Note: Recipe amounts can easily be adjusted based on how much or little you want to prepare.