With my college son home sick with mono and the weather cold, I made a lot of favorite comfort foods this week, including Chicken Pot Pie and Mini Meat Loaves.
I made two of our old favorites from Cooking Light. Sunday night, we had Beef Bourguignionne over noodles (yes, we broke our Paleo diet and splurged on egg noodles!). My high school son's girlfriend was here for dinner that night, and the five of us ate so much that my planned leftover meal for the next night disappeared! We got two small lunches out of the leftovers. It's a delicious recipe, meant for making in a pressure cooker, but I just follow the directions, then double the cooking time in a standard Dutch oven (unfortunately, this recipe isn't online - it was from the April 2000 issue).
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| Tuscan Chicken & Beans |
Tuesday night, we had Tuscan Chicken and Beans. I made this dish once before according to the recipe instructions, using a whole cut-up chicken, and it turned out a bit greasy (might have been the store-brand chicken we used). This time, I used skinless, boneless thighs, and it turned out perfect! There were no leftovers at all from that one. Everyone gobbled it up and went back for seconds.
And on Wednesday, I made Roasted Polish Sausage and Winter Vegetables, using rutabaga, sweet potato, onion, red potatoes, and chunks of cabbage. The smell and flavor of cabbage and Polish sausage together remind me of my Ukrainian heritage! I often make various roasted dinners this way. It's so easy and versatile that I almost didn't write up the recipe...but I did. It's included below, with the basic instructions and some of our favorite combinations. This is a perfect quick weeknight meal, with little clean-up (bonus!). If you also like to make roast meals like this, I'd love to hear about your favorite combinations.
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Roasted Sausage & Vegetable Dinner
(Serves 4)
A simple and
versatile dinner perfect for weeknights
Sausage, cut into large chunks (nitrate-free)
1 large sweet onion, cut into large chunks
Assorted vegetables, cut into large chunks
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Cooking spray
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Chop sausage and vegetables and add to large bowl.
- Toss sausage and vegetable pieces in olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Add mixture to a cookie sheet covered with cooking spray (we cover ours with foil for easy clean-up). For larger meals, split mixture between two cookie sheets to prevent over-crowding.
- Roast in oven for about 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring once halfway (if using two cookie sheets, rotate them at the halfway point so they each take a turn on the lower oven rack).
- Divide mixture among plates and enjoy!
NOTES:
Two mixtures we like are:
1 – Italian chicken sausage with red potatoes, onion, and
bell peppers.
2 – Nitrate-free Polish sausage (kielbasa) with assorted
root vegetables and cabbage (perfect for fall and winter!)
© Suzan L. Jackson 2014
(Do not reprint or publish without written permission from
the author)
I just pinned the Tuscan Chicken and Beans recipe... will try it this week. We like to roast Italian sausage, green peppers, and onions.
ReplyDeleteThe chicken looks good. Maybe for next week. I roast veggies quite often ... they are so good that way. I never thought to add sausage. That's kind of a duh, but I've never done it. Can't wait to try it.
ReplyDeleteKielbasa and bacon are the only meats I can cook well! We saute sliced kielbasa with pepper and onion fairly often, but I'll have to try your suggestion of cabbage and root vegetables this winter.
ReplyDeleteA great simple meal for cold nights, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHappy cooking!
Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out