Buffalo Chicken Sausage Quesadillas

Posted in Recipes by Annie T

This is my first post in more than 10 days. I think that’s the longest I’ve gone since starting my blog but hey, sometimes life gets in the way of blogging! 🙂 Luckily I had lots of good things going on at the beginning of the year which means that I’m just now getting around to posting about some of the foods and activities that we’ve enjoyed in 2013 thus far. First up: Buffalo Chicken Sausage Quesadillas!

The quesadillas were super-easy to make and they were cheesy, crispy and had just the right amount of heat thanks to the Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce that we found at the grocery store. To temper the heat and acheive that classic “buffalo” experience, we dipped the quesadillas in low-fat blue cheese dressing and had a few celery sticks on hand when we wanted some crunch. For the filling we used a pound of Maiale’s buffalo chicken sausage that we had been saving in the freezer from the Farmer’s Market last summer, but if you don’t have access to actual “buffalo” sausage you could easily substitute regular sausage or even shredded chicken in — just use some of the Frank’s Red Hot inside of the quesadilla to get that extra kick!

Buffalo Chicken Sausage Quesadillas (makes 4 large quesadillas)

You will need…
1 pound Buffalo Chicken Sausage, fully cooked and chopped into small pieces
Peanut Oil, for coating pan between quesadillas
4 large “burrito” sized Flour Tortillas (12-13″ diameter)
Approx. 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (or Colby/Monterey mix)
1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce, for dipping
1/2 cup Low-Fat Blue Cheese Dressing, for dipping
4-5 stalks Celery, cut into 4″ sticks

Directions:
Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Pour a small amount of peanut oil into the bottom of the pan (just enough to thinly coat it) and allow it to heat up. Carefully place one tortilla in the bottom of the pan and evenly spread about a quarter of the shredded cheese over the entire tortilla. When the cheese starts to melt arrange a quarter of the chopped sausage onto one half of the tortilla.

When the cheese has melted completely use a spatula to carefully flip the cheese-only half of the tortilla over top of the sausage. Press down lightly on the top of the quesadilla to help hold everything together. At this point the quesadilla is basically done but you may want to flip the finished quesadilla over in the pan until both sides are golden brown and crispy. Remove the finished quesadilla from the pan and repeat the entire process (starting with the thin layer of oil) for your other 3 tortillas.

Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve with buffalo sauce, blue cheese dip, celery, and a cold beer. Enjoy!

22Oct2012

Poblano Sausage Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Crema

Posted in Recipes by Annie T

Most people visit their local Farmer’s Market for organic fruits and vegetables but here in Newtown Square, PA we are a little different: we go to our Farmer’s Market for freshly made sausage! The sausage is made by Maiale in nearby Wilmington, Delaware and it’s available in mouth-watering flavors like Chicken Sausage with Spinach and Sharp Provolone, Wild Boar Sausage with Apples, Caramelized Onions, and Blue Cheese, and Thai Curry Sausage with coconut milk, curry powder and cilantro. Yum! (Check out the full offering here.)

We picked up some Fire-Roasted Poblano and Corn Sausage last week and decided to do something fun to play off of the sausage’s Southwest flavors. After a little experimentation we ended up with a wonderful dinner of delicious tacos with a tangy slaw and creamy sauce that complemented the spiciness of the sausage perfectly. Here’s the recipe!

Poblano Sausage Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Crema (serves 2)

You will need…
1 1/2 cups Bagged Cole Slaw Mix
2 tablespoons Cilantro, finely chopped
Juice from 1 Lime (for the slaw)
½ Jalapeño Pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
½ cup Guacamole*
1/2 cup Sour Cream
Oil Spray for the grill
2 Fire-Roasted Poblano and Corn Sausages, grilled
6 Corn Tortillas
½ Red Onion, chopped

Directions:
Make the lime-cilantro slaw first by mixing the cole slaw mix, cilantro, lime juice and jalapeño in a large bowl. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to develop while you are making the rest of the meal.

Create the avocado crema by combining the guacamole and sour cream. If your guacamole is chunky or if you are making your own from scratch, you could try combining the guacamole and sour cream in a food processor. We tried this and only succeeded in splattering the sour cream all over the inside of the food processor bowl so we ended up scraping the ingredients out of the food processor bowl and stirring the mixture together by hand instead. If desired, thin the crema with a bit of water so that it will be easier to drizzle over the tacos.

Grill the sausages until they are cooked through and then slice them into bite-sized pieces. While the sausages are grilling, oil the grill and heat the corn tortillas. Be careful not to overcook them – you still want them to be soft and pliable, not crispy! Place the heated tortillas on a warmed plate and cover with a towel to keep the heat and moisture in until you are ready to use them.

Assemble your Poblano Sausage Tacos by putting several pieces of sausage on a warmed tortilla and topping with the slaw and red onion. Drizzle a generous amount of avocado crema over the taco. Serve with a cold beer and enjoy!

*If you don’t have pre-made Guacamole you can make your own by mashing together 1 peeled avocado (pit removed), 1 clove of minced garlic, juice from ½ lime, 1 tablespoon of minced yellow onion (optional) and salt and pepper to taste.

28Aug2012

Radiatori with Sausage and Garlicky Broccoli

Posted in Recipes by Annie T

Matt has a knack for creating great flavors in meat and pasta dishes. Some of my favorite recipes on this blog are entirely his creations (like Chicken Cutlets and Bucatini with Asparagus and Sausage in a White Wine Sauce!) and he carried on the tradition of melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness with this simple combination of sausage, broccoli and pasta.

If you don’t have broccoli on hand, you can easily substitute other in-season vegetables and feel free to try other types of sausage and pasta as well. Last week Matt made a version of this dish using zucchini, Orecchiette, and freshly made Chicken Cordon Bleu sausage from Maiale and it was so delicious that we ate all of it before I had the presence of mind to snap a photo!

Radiatori with Sausage and Garlicky Broccoli

You will need:
6 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
10 cloves Garlic, sliced into thin discs
1 ½ – 2 cups Broccoli Crowns, cut into bite sized pieces
1 Yellow Onion, sliced into ¼ inch rounds and quartered
2 Sweet Italian Pork Sausages, grilled and sliced into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon Chili Garlic Sauce (in the Asian food section of most grocery stores)
1 lb. Pasta, cooked according to package instructions (We used Garofalo’s Radiatori pasta)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet or wok, heat 4 tablespoons of the Olive Oil over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and sauté until aromatic, 1-2 minutes. Add the broccoli, stir well to coat with the oil, and allow to sauté for approximately 20 minutes, stirring only occasionally until broccoli starts to brown. Remove broccoli and garlic from wok and set aside.

From left: Broccoli with garlic, onions, and finished, combined pasta dish

Add remaining 2 tablespoons Olive Oil to wok and return to medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until onions start to become translucent. Add the cooked and sliced sausage and the chili garlic sauce and mix until the onion and sausage are evenly coated with sauce. Return the broccoli to the wok and stir well to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Carefully add the cooked and drained pasta into the wok and stir well to combine ingredients and coat the pasta. Sprinkle on 1/4-1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan and mix well. Enjoy with your favorite chilled white wine or, if you’re like us, with a good Oktoberfest-style beer!

26Jul2012

Bucatini with Sausage, Asparagus and Tomato in a White Wine Sauce

Posted in Recipes by Annie T

Last week we paid a visit to our local farmer’s market and we were pleasantly surprised to discover a man selling fresh sausage! He seemed unfazed by the 95° temps and was happily browning up pieces of sausage on a tiny griddle and offering samples to potential customers. We are not ones to pass up free sausage so we eagerly tasted some and it was amazing! We promptly purchased a package of chicken provolone sausage and started brainstorming for potential summer meal ideas to highlight the local fare.

The recipe that Matt came up with definitely did the sausage justice. The white wine sauce was flavorful without being overpowering (it actually smelled like “real” Italian cooking!) and the firm asparagus and super-tasty tomatoes (from our garden, of course!) complemented the sausage nicely. This recipe made enough food for the two of us to eat dinner and then enjoy hearty portions for lunch the next day.

Oh, and before I get to the recipe, please remember to comment on my Tomato Salad post to win a free kitchen scale!

Bucatini with Sausage, Asparagus and Tomato in a White Wine Sauce

You will need…
1 bunch Asparagus, chopped into 2 inch pieces
Olive Oil
12 oz. Sausage (we used Maiale’s Chicken Sausage with Spinach and Sharp Provolone*)
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Shallot, minced
1 cup Dry White Wine
1/2 cup Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
2 tablespoons minced Chives
2 tablespoons Butter or Olive Oil Spread
Bucatini Pasta
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 cup Cherry Tomatoes

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the chopped asparagus. Blanch the asparagus for 2 minutes (or more if using thicker spears) and then use a slotted spoon to transfer the asparagus to an ice bath. Allow asparagus to cool completely before straining and setting aside in a bowl.

The sauteing garlic and shallots smell wonderful!

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Remove the sausage from its casing and brown it in the oil, breaking it up as it cooks. Remove the browned sausage from the wok and set aside. Lower the heat to medium, add another tablespoon of olive oil and the minced garlic and shallots. Saute until shallots are translucent. Add the white wine and chicken broth, stir, and allow to simmer over low heat until mixture is reduced to approximately 1/3 the original volume. As the sauce reduces cook the pasta according to package instructions.

Toss all of the ingredients together in the wok.

Add the sausage to the reduced white wine mixture, stir to combine, and bring the heat back up to medium. Stir in the blanched asparagus, chives, and butter and add salt and pepper to taste. Finally, add in the cooked and drained pasta and the cherry tomatoes and toss well. Serve with a garnish of finely chopped chives.

*If you’re local to the southeastern PA / DE region, the delicious sausage was made by Maiale (“may.all.ay”) in Wilmington, Delaware. We’ll definitely be going back to the farmer’s market next week to get more sausage!! 🙂