Sausage Recipes

Sausage Recipes questions and answers

Q: Sausage recipes?
I am into making home made sausage. I have a pretty large smoke house in the back yard. Have any good sausage recipes you want to share?

A: Kielbasa is my favorite... Smoked ribs,smoked catfish!!! Fresh Kielbasa Eastern European Style Makes 5 pounds 1 1/2 tablespoons salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tablespoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon MSG (optional) 4 pounds pork butt, cut into large pieces 1 pound beef chuck, cut into large pieces 1 1/4 pounds fresh pork fatback, cut into large pieces 1/2 cup cold water Sausage Casings, about 14 feet, 1" in diameter Mix all the spices in a small jar. Shake well to mix them. Grind the meats and fatback coarsley in a meat grinder. Place in a bowl. Add seasonings and mix thoroughly through the meat. Mix in the cold water, which makes the meat easier to stuff. Stuff the mixture into the casings. Smoked Kielbasa American Style Makes 5 pounds 4 pounds pork butt, coarsely ground 1 pound beef chuck, coarsely ground 1 1/2 tablespoons salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tablespoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon MSG (optional) 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 3/4 tablespoons curing salt (made by Morton's) 1/2 cup cold water Make like Eastern Kielbasa but then tie sausages into rings and smoke.SMOKER BOX: Find a large sturdy cardboard box. Place the box outside!! Make sure you place box on something that is fireproof and that there is nothing overhead but sky. Cut 1/2" wooden dowels 2 inches wider than the width of the box. In the upper part of the box make holes for the dowels to poke through. The amount of dowels you will need will depend on how much sausage you are making. They have to be hung without touching each other. Place a small hot plate, one that has a fully variable temperature control on it, in the center of the box. Run the electric cord out through a very small hole in the lower part of the box. Now place a metal pie tin on the hot plate and fill it with hickory or alder sawdust. Hang the sausages on the dowels. Turn the burner on to medium and close the box. The sawdust will start smoking. Smoke the sausages for 2 hours, adding more sawdust as needed, ie, when the smoke stops it is time to add more sawdust. Refrigerate or freeze kielbasa. Make sure you watch the smoker at all times. Make sure the hot plate is no where near any of the walls of the box. Breakfast sausage The rubbed sage and savory are what give this sausage its wonderful breakfasty flavor; the nutmeg and marjoram provide a nice counterpoint, and the black pepper adds a touch of hotness. Stuff into sheep casings or leave as bulk sausage to make patties. • Ground pork: 1 lb. • Coarse salt: 1/2 tablespoon • Rubbed sage: 1/2 teaspoon • Rubbed summer savory: 1/3 teaspoon • Ground nutmeg: 1/8 teaspoon • Ground marjoram: 2/3 teaspoon • Ground black pepper: 1/3 teaspoon

Q: What are some easy sausage recipes for a slow cooker?
Okay, i just got a slow cooker today and am eager to test it out... its a 6L... i dont cook much and was looking for an easy recipe for like a sausage stew; something that i can serve with rice and freeze. any help would be greatly appreciated if you know of any good slow cooker websites that would also be handy

A: Here are some of my slow cooker recipes. If you use the high setting, make sure you watch it the first time so it doesn't burn everything. Some of them are too hot on the high setting. Savory Roast Beef 3-4 lb roast 1 can cream of mushroom soup 3 tb steak sauce (optional) 1 can water 1 pac kage dried Lipton onion soup mix Place roast in crock pot. Add steak sauce to top and spread to coat evenly. Add cream of mushroom soup on top spreading to coat. Sprinkle onion soup on top and add water. Cook on low for about 8-10 hours or until meat separates easily. Serves 4. Split Pea, Ham, & Sausage Soup 12 oz dried split peas 2 -14 oz cans beef or chicken broth 16 oz polish or kielbasa sausage, cut in bite size pieces 1 cup chopped ham 1 cup chopped carrots 1 onion, chopped 1 bay leaf salt and pepper, to taste Put peas, broth, ham, carrots, onion, bay leaf and seasonings in crock-pot. Brown sausage in skillet and add to crock-pot. Fill to 2” from top with water, cover, and cook on low for 10 hours or high for 5 hours. Remove lid for last hour to thicken or add cornstarch mixed with cold water to soup. Remove bay leaf. Serve with cornbread and honey butter. For French Beef dip sandwiches: French Rolls, roast beef, and Au Jus Mix with a little of the drippings from the roast added for dipping. Horseradish Sauce if you like it. Carmelized Pork Carnitas 1½ lbs boneless pork butt or shoulder 2 tbs brown sugar, packed 1 tbs tequila (optional) 1 tbs molasses ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper ½ tsp cumin 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1/3 cup water Cut pork in 1 inch cubes. Place in crock-pot and top with all other ingredients. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove with slotted spoon and place on cookie sheet and broil until slightly brown on top. Serves about 10. Serve with corn tortillas and pico de gallo or salsa. Chicken and Dumplings 1 whole chicken 1 bay leaf 2 tsp garlic salt 6 black peppercorns 6 cups of water 1 cup baby carrots 1 package refrigerator biscuits (10 – 12) Place chicken in crock pot and add everything except carrots. Cook on low for about 8-10 hours. Remove chicken and de-bone. Pour broth into large pot on stove and heat until boiling. Add carrots and cook for 30 minutes. Thicken broth with cornstarch or flour mixed with cold water. Tear refrigerator biscuits into 3-4 pieces each and drop into boiling broth, lower heat and cover. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until biscuits puff up. Add chicken and carrots, stir, and serve.

Q: Do you have any super German Sausage Recipes?
How do you properly cook a sausage? What are the best sauces for it? (besides mustard) and any additional info you can give me regarding German or Hungarian Sausages :D Thanks :D

A: GERMAN SAUSAGE CHOWDER 1 lb. (8 links) fully cooked bratwurst or knackwurst, 1/2 inch pieces 2 potatoes (2 cups), peeled and chopped 1 onion, (1 1/2 cups), chopped 1 small cabbage (4 cups), shredded 3 cups milk 3 tbsp. flour 1 cup (4 oz.) Swiss cheese, shredded fresh parsley, minced Combine sausage, potatoes, onion in a Dutch oven; add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and a dash of pepper. Stir in 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are nearly tender. Stir in cabbage and cook 10 minutes more or until vegetables are tender. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of the milk. Stir remaining milk into flour and stir into soup. Cook over low heat to avoid scorching and be sure to use a heavy bottomed pan. Stir until thickened to desired consistency. Add cheese and stir until melted. Garnish with fresh parsley. Makes 6 servings. Variation: Polish sausage may also be used. GERMAN SAUSAGE DINNER 1 lb. German sausage 1 lb. sauerkraut, drained and rinsed 1 c. shredded Swiss cheese 1/2 c. mayonnaise TOPPING: 4 c. mashed potatoes (instant or fresh) 1/4 c. mayonnaise Slice sausage into 1/2 inch pieces. Mix all ingredients (except potatoes and 1/4 cup mayonnaise). Prepare potatoes according to package instructions and add 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Put sausage mixture in casserole dish and top with potatoes around edge. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Q: Anyone have any old family recipes for sausage that you'd be willing to share?
I was raised in a family meat locker and it's hard to get meatcutting out of you blood. I love old world sausage of all ethnic backgrounds and am looking for something new. (I mean old actually!) Polish, German, Italian, Swedish, anything you'd like to share. Please be serious and no wise cracks. Thanks! Let me clarify my question. I'm looking for recipes for making the sausages themselves. Not using the sausages in another recioe. Sorry for the confusion. Thank you all for the answers thusfar. They'll not go to waste, I promise.

A: My favourite is Lincolnshire Sausages. 20 lbs Pork 50% lean, 50 fat 3 & 1/2 lbs Stale bread 7 ozs Salt 1 & 1/2 ozs Pepper 1 & 1/2 ozs rubbed Sage Method of preparation: Cut pork into small cubes. Soak stale bread in water, squeeze surplus water out of bread. Put into a mixing bowl, add salt, pepper and sage (mixed) into bread and mix thoroughly, add cut up pork to bread and seasoning, mix again. Put through the small plate of a mincing machine once only and fill into sausage skins. You could also check the web for Cumberland Sausages, which are a long, spiral type of sausage. My new discovery for me is Toulouse Sausages... With Garlic in, etc.

Q: Has anyone had deer sausage? Recipes to use with it?
I was given some deer sausage. I don't know what to do with it.

A: Use it any way you would regular sausage, just remember that it has a bit different taste. Old recipes won't taste bad, just not the way you are used to.

Q: Anyone got any scrummy sausage recipes?
It's my boyfriend's birthday next week and his favourite food ever is sausage and mash. I want to cook him a lovely dinner slightly more exciting but still using sausages. Any ideas?

A: bangers & mash? try adding a spot of gravy, theres a good girl

Q: Looking for old sausage recipes?
Im just about to start making hand made sausages and was looking for some old fashioned tried and tested recipes. Many thanks

A: Grandma's Sausage Recipe 10 lbs ground pork 10 tbsp lawry's seasoning salt 4-1/2 tbsp white pepper 2 tsp marjoram 2 tsp savory 2 tsp all spice 2 tsp coriander 2 tsp mace 2 tsp ground powdered clove 2 tsp sage 3 - 4 slices bacon With electric food grinder, grind pork and bacon slices. Add all above ingredients and mix with hands until well blended in. With meat press, make in thin patties and freeze in handi-wrap and scott wax paper until needed. Cook in covered frypan 20 minutes, turning over every 5 minutes.

Q: good and easy recipes for ground sausage?
I have a few pounds of ground sausage that I need to do something with. I just got married and I am just starting to put together my collection of recipes, but I dont have any for sausage....any good, simple dinner ideas?

A: Use it in a bolognese sauce with maybe tagliatelle or your favorite pasta. Mince onions, carrots, celery in olive oil later adding tomato paste, white wine, and chicken/beef broth. Salt to taste.

Q: Any one have any good Vienna sausage recipes ?
I have tried the crunchy one where you shake the toaster over em while they are still wet. It works in a pinch.

A: Vienna Sausage Sandwich Spread i really enjoy vienna sausage,but i just got tired of eating them right out of the can.so for all of the canned meat fans this is for us.prep time doesn't include cooking of eggs.chill time is "cook time" 2 cups 2¼ hours 5 min prep 2 (5 ounce) cans vienna sausages, drained 2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped 4 tablespoons sweet pickle relish 1/2-3/4 cup mayonnaise (may need a little more to make it more spreadable) 1 1/2-2 teaspoons granulated sugar (depending on your sweet tooth) salt pepper garlic powder in a medium sized bowl add vienna sausage,mashing well. add rest of ingredients,mixing well. chill for at least 2 hours. serve as a sandwich spread or as a dip for assorted crackers and veggies.

Q: Got any good recipes for making sausage gravy to complement homemade biscuits?
I was thinking of using the crumbled sausage to make gravy but would love to see what kind of recipes you all had that would make the gravy taste so good. thanks!

A: The best way to do it is to start with raw sausage. The ammount depends on how much you are making. This isin't an exact recipie, but more of a description of the process. Once you know the procedure you can adjust for different ammounts. For 2-3 people I would start with about 10-12oz. of sweet italian sausage (any fatty sausage will do like breakfast sausage or even a spicy chorizo). Brown it in a pan or saucepot (not teflon or other non stick coating)over medium heat. Try to break the meat up as you stir, this will make sure the sausage distributes nicely in the gravy. Be sure to cook the sausage all the way thorough. If you are using link sausage I like to take it out of the casing before cooking, it helps get more fat out of the meat and it breaks up nice as you cook it. When the sausage is done, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon (leave the fat in the pan). Pour off all but 2-3 tablespoons of the fat. At this point I like to add about 1/4 cup of chopped onion or shallots. Cook this over med-low heat until the onion is at least transparent, I think it's better to let them brown a little it adds a nice sweet flavor. Then add 2-3 tablespoons of flour. The ammount of flour you use has to be equal to the ammount of fat you left in the pan. If you want to make a bigger or thicker batch use more fat\flour. Cook this over LOW HEAT stirring or wisking frequently until the mixture is a nice golden brown. At this point SLOWLY add 2-2/12 cups of whole milk, and whisk constantly as you pour it in. Be careful! The milk will spit and spatter. Simmer slowly for 3-4 minutes whisking frequently until the mix is nice and thickened. Don't rush this step. You need to cook the flour or it will have a funny taste and consistancy. Then turn off the heat and season with Salt, Pepper and a little paprika(or a cajun seasoning mix is good too). Mix your cooked sausage into the gravy, and serve over warm buttermilk bisquits. The mixture of cooked fat and flour is called a Roux (pronounced ROO). It is a staple of french and southern cooking. If you have time you can take equal parts of butter(or bacon/sausage fat) and flour and cook it untill brown as I described above. Let it cool and put it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge ( it will last for months). This way if your gravy is not thick enough you can whisk in some extra roux to help it thicken to where you want it. Hope I didn't make this sound too complicated, 'cause it's a fairly simple process. Good luck!! P.S. : If you want to use cooked sausage just start with =parts butter+flour (cook the onion in the butter first), and follow the recipie from there.

Q: Healthy dinner recipes that include sausage?
I have sausages that have to be cooked tonight but I dont want to make sausage on a bun. Anyone have any creative recipes with sausage?

A: saute some peppers and onions in a pan set aside in another dish after onions are translucent and peppers are slightly browned(your serving dish will work) cut sausage into bit size pieces cook sausage until browned(make sure you stir frequently to prevent sticking) add salt, pepper,and 1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes (more chili flakes can be added if needed) 2-3 tablespoons of water to remove brown from the pan. add the peppers and onions back into pan when sausage is about 2mins from finished continue till sausage is fully cooked steam rice (boil bag rice will work also) this should be started in time to finish about the same time as the sausage. great with green beans, corn, or even a bag of mixed vegetables. p.s. peppers and onions should be cut in a pretty big size so people who don't care for them(such as me) can pick them out this dish is usually best with high quality sausage.

Q: Does anyone have any good recipes that use country sausage and some other inexpensive and basic ingredients?
My mother in law gave me a package of country sausage it's weight is about 1 3/4 lbs. I just wondered if anyone had any good recipes for a sauce I could put on it or how to give it some more flavor or anything. I've never had it before and when she told me to cook it she said just put it in a skillet with some water and keep goin till it gets brown. I forgot to add it's one big link, in the casing. :)

A: Biscuits and gravy typical southern breakfast Sausage Gravy 1C flour 2C milk 1Lb ground sausage—Jimmy dean or country sausage work fine whatever suits you is the right sausage. Crumble the sausage and cook until well done. Remove the sausage and leave the grease. Keeping the heat on the pan at a little above medium heat, add the flour a bit at a time to make a good brown roux. Back the heat off. Now, add the milk slowly and bring almost to a boil, and add the sausage back in. Simmer at a very, very low heat . If the gravy thickens too much before serving, bring the heat back up and add a Little milk at a time until the right consistency is reached (i.e., one you like). Serve the sausage gravy over separated biscuit top n bottom halves(make from scratch or use canned biscuits). Scrambled eggs work good with it too.I also use sausage in my spaghetti sauce it gives it a nice flavor when you add it to the ground beef

Q: Recipes for sausage meat out of the casing?
I have 1/2 a pound of spicy sausage meat (out of the casing), and was wondering if anyone has ideas on what to do with it? I already used the other 1/2 for spaghetti sauce, and am unsure what to do with the rest of it... Thanks!

A: I would just form it into a couple patties - like hamburgers and then saute it with onions and peppers. Serve as is or add diced tomatoes with the sausage and veggies if it's spicier than you prefer. Serve with baked or boiled potatoes. Or freeze it then use it in your stuffing for Thanksgiving!

Q: Recipes using sausage?
Does anyone have any recipes using ground sausage they can share that are not egg-based? Thanks!

A: This is a great recipe for ground Italian Sausage. It is trying to imitate a soup at Olive Garden called Zuppa Toscana. Try to use a high quality ground sausage or make your own if you have a meat grinder (a great attachment to a stand mixer if you're considering it). 1 lb. ground Italian Sausage 2 large baking potatoes, washed (skin on) and sliced into 1/4 inch (or thinner to your taste) slices. These look good if sliced on a bias. 1 large onion, chopped 6 slices of Bacon, chopped and cooked 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups chopped kale 2 cans of chicken broth (or use homemade) 1 quart of water 1 cup of heavy cream Salt and Pepper to taste Cook sausage on a baking pan in a 300 degree oven for approximately 1/2 hour, then remove to paper towels to drain. This can be browned in a skillet, but the oven does a great job for this use. Place onions, potatoes, broth, garlic, and water in a large pot. Cook on medium heat until the potatoes are tender. Add sausage, bacon, salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn heat to low and add Kale and Cream. Heat through.

Q: Hot italian sausage recipes?
i'm looking for recipes using the sausage, not recipes for the sausage itself. i've been using it in pasta recipes...any other ideas???

A: try one of these? ^_^ Crockpot Italian Sausage Soup 1 pound Italian Sausage (hot or mild, your preference) 1 med. onion coarsely chopped 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 slices 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juice 1 can (15 oz) great northern beans 2 cans (14 oz each) beef broth Brown the sausage, onion, and green pepper; drain. Pour into crockpot along with remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours. Makes 7 cups. Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms 24-32 large mushrooms,wiped clean 1 pound Italian sausage, hot or mild 1 small onion, minced 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs 1 tsp. minced fresh garlic 1 tsp. fresh chopped parsley Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a tsp. hollow out mushrooms, carefully scraping out the inside. Be careful not to break the mushrooms. Reserve scrapings. In a medium skillet, brown sausage,onion and mushroom scrapings. Drain, and return to skillet. Add cheese, crumbs, garlic and parsley to pan and mix well. Remove from heat. Stuff mushrooms with mixture, mounding slightly. Place on sheet pan and bake about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese. Spicy Sausage Soup with Cilantro Servings: 8 Ingredients: 2 pounds hot beef Italian sausage links, casings removed, and sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes 1 (15.5 ounce) can white hominy 1 cup sliced carrots 1 (14.5 ounce) can Great Northern beans, undrained 2 small zucchini, cubed 2 cups chopped fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt Directions: 1. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine Italian sausage and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until sausage is evenly browned. Drain cooked sausage in a strainer to remove grease. 2. In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, combine the beef broth, hominy, stewed tomatoes, carrots, beans, and zucchini. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and add sausage and cilantro; simmer for 15 minutes, or until carrots and zucchini are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Italian Sausage Sandwiches Prep: 10 min, Cook: 25 min. * 5 ounces lean ground beef * 5 ounces hot Italian sausage, removed from casing and crumbled * 1/4 small onion, chopped * 1/4 small green bell pepper, chopped * 1 ounce fresh mushrooms, sliced * 1 clove garlic, minced * 1/3 cup tomato sauce * 1/8 tsp. oregano * 1/8 tsp. sugar * 1-3/4 Tbs. water * 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese * 4 submarine rolls, toasted Place a large skillet or flameproof casserole over medium heat. Sauté first 6 ingredients 6-7 minutes, stirring often to break up lumps of meat, until browned. Stir in tomato sauce, oregano, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer 20-25 minutes, stirring often until thickened. Stir in Parmesan cheese and serve on rolls. Meatballs & Gravy Makes: 8-10 servings 3 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic (chopped) 2 onions (chopped) 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste 2 (28 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning ---MEATBALLS--- 1 1/2 lbs ground chuck (85% lean/15%fat) 4 slices white bread (make fresh crumbs in blender or food processor) 2 eggs, beaten 2 cloves garlic (chopped) 1/2 teaspoon salt pepper (a few grinds) 1/2 cup grated romano cheese or parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons water flour (for dredging) vegetable oil (for frying) ---SAUSAGE--- 1 lb Beef or Turkey Link Hot Sausage 1. Heat oil in very large Dutch oven. 2. Add garlic and onions and saute until soft. 3. Add tomato paste and stir to combine. 4. Add crushed tomatoes and spices. 5. Stir bring to boil, lower heat to low--cover and simmer. 6. Meanwhile combine all meatball ingredients (except for flour and oil). 7. Form into balls about 2. 8. 5 inches in diameter. 9. Dredge meatballs in flour. 10. Fry meatballs in oil in skillet a few at a time until browned on all sides (not necessary to cook through they will cook in the sauce) Add fried meatballs from skillet directly to simmering sauce. 11. Stir and bring sauce back to a simmer. 12. Cover. 13. Place sausage in pot and cover with water. 14. Bring to a boil and boil about 5 minutes to remove some of the fat. 15. Brown boiled sausage in skillet. 16. Place browned sausage in simmering sauce. 17. Bring sauce back to simmer---cover and continue simmering for 2 hours over low heat---stir occassioanlly. 18. Remove meatballs and sausage from pot and place on serving dish. 19. Toss sauce with cooked pasta--There should be enough sauce to coat two pounds of cooked pasta. 20. This freezes very well! Fried Ravioli with Hot Sausage Ragu Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001 Show: Emeril Live Episode: Tracing the Mississippi Yield: 4 servings 1/2 cup fresh ricotta 1/4 cup grated mozzarella 1/4 cup grated provolone 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 fresh pasta sheet, about 11 by 14-inches, cut into 2-inch squares (to make 32 squares) 1 large egg 2 tablespoons water 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs 1 1/2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying Hot Sausage Ragu, recipe follows In a bowl, combine the cheeses, egg yolk, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper and mix well. Place 16 of the pasta squares on a lightly floured surface. Place about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture into the center of each square. Lightly wet the edges with water with a fingertip, and top with a plain pasta square. Press to seal the edges. Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Beat the egg with the water. In a separate bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the Essence. Dip the ravioli in the egg wash and then into the bread crumbs, one at a time. Add in batches to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and serve hot with the Hot Sausage Ragu. Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning): 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika 2 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano 1 tablespoon dried thyme Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container. Yield: about 2/3 cup Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993. Hot Sausage Ragu: 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 pound hot Italian sausage (or 1/4 pound hot sausage and 1/4 pound sweet sausage 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions 3/4 teaspoon minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 bay leaf 1 (15-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, juices reserved 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/4 cup dry red wine 1/4 cup heavy cream Pinch sugar In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring, until brown and the fat is rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, crushed red pepper salt, basil, oregano and black pepper, and bay leaf, and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine, cream, and sugar, and stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick and the flavors are blended, about 30 minutes, adding water as necessary to keep from getting too thick. Remove from the heat, and cover until needed. Yield: about 2 1/2 cups Sausage & Apple Chowder Copyright 2000, Amanda Formaro http://familycorner.com This spicy sweet chowder is perfect for a chilly winter evening. Warm up to a pot of this delicious and hearty soup after shoveling the driveway. Your family will thank you! Sausage & Apple Chowder 1 pkg. hot Italian sausage links (about 5 links) 4-5 large potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 tbsp each dried oregano, parsley, and basil 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 15-oz. cans of chicken broth 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes water 2 15-oz. cans sweet corn 3/4 cup milk 3 small Red Delicious apples, cored and cubed croutons In a Dutch oven over medium high heat, brown sausage links. Drain off fat. Add potatoes, oregano, basil, parsley, and garlic. Toss to coat. Add chicken broth, tomatoes and enough water to cover all ingredients in the pot. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add corn and milk and continue cooking, over medium heat, for 15 minutes. Add apples and cook for 5-10 minutes more, until apples are tender, but not mushy. Top with croutons and serve with warm bread.