sausage

Kielbasa Hot Dogs

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Bright Ideas: Kielbasa Hot Dogs! If you like to try something a little different than ordinary hot dogs, choose a beef sausage link that focuses more on natural flavorings like garlic, woodsmoke, cloves, or pimento. Personally, I lean more toward nitrate-free labeling, which means the preservatives are natural rather than chemically added. Every little bit helps, because sometimes eating a grilled hot dog just makes the world a happier place.

KIELBASA HOT DOGS

Ingredients:

13-ounce package of 4 kielbasa smoked sausage links, fully cooked

4 brioche split-top brioche hot dog buns

1/2 sweet onion, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup sweet pickle relish

1/4 cup yellow mustard

Instructions:

Preheat gas grill to 400°. Arrange smoked sausage links directly on the grill grates. Close lid. The total cooking time should be approximately 12 minutes. After 3 minutes, using tongs rotate each sausage link a quarter turn. Close lid. After 3 more minutes, rotate another quarter turn. Repeat until all sides have been slightly charred. It helps to keep the sausage links from touching as they cook; this allows the heat to sear the skins evenly. When finished transfer to a platter and serve with chopped onion, sweet pickle relish, and yellow mustard.

Hot & Spicy Chorizo Links

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Time To Eat: Hot & Spicy Chorizo Links! Fire up the grill, it feels like the weekend. Tired of ho-hum burgers and hot dogs? Take a walk on the wild side with chorizo sausage links instead. The secret ingredient is smoked paprika. Oh sure, there’s a few more spices that complete the flavor profile, but nobody’s talking. Just keep in mind, chorizo links are usually made with raw meat, so it’s not like eating a famous brand weiner right out of the package. That being said, keep your timer handy for accuracy and you’ll be good-to-go.

HOT & SPICY CHORIZO LINKS

Ingredients:

5 Mexican chorizo links, raw

2 poblano peppers, stems removed, seeded, and cut into chunks

1/2 yellow onion, cut into chunks

1/4 red onion, cut into chunks

1 shallot, cut in half

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic herb seasoning

Split-top brioche hot dog buns

Instructions:

Preheat gas grill to 400°. Clean and oil the grilling grate. In a mixing bowl, combine poblano peppers, yellow onion chunks, red onion chunks, and halved shallot. Drizzle olive oil over top. Add seasoned salt and garlic herb seasoning. Gently toss. Transfer to a grill pan sprayed with nonstick oil. Cook 5 minutes, turning occasionally to char. Set off to the side. Place chorizo links directly on the preheated grill grate. Close grill cover. Cook for 4 minutes; using tongs turn each link one quarter turn. Close lid and cook 4 minutes. Repeat two more times until the chorizo links are slightly charred on each side. The sausages should register 145° on an instant-read thermometer when done. Remove chorizo and grilled vegetables. Serve on split-top brioche buns.

Himalayan Salt Plate Shrimp Skewers

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Himalayan Salt Plate Shrimp Skewers! How to cook with an Himalayan salt plate can be tricky. The key is patience. This can be done on an outdoor gas grill very easily. First make sure the salt block is completely dry. Always begin on a low heat setting. Allow the block to heat at that temperature for 15 minutes. Then switch the heat to medium and let the block warm for another 15 minutes. Finally, turn the heat to high for the last 15 minutes. Then sprinkle a few drops of water on the block. Once it sizzles and immediately evaporates, you may add the prepared food. Let’s do it!

HIMALAYAN SALT PLATE SHRIMP SKEWERS

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp, peel and deveined, tails intact

1 pound smoked sausage, skinless, cut into 1” pieces

2 tablespoons bacon olive oil

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning blend

Olive oil for brushing salt plate

Instructions:

Place one shrimp around a piece of smoked sausage. Thread combo onto a skewer and lay in a large baking dish. Repeat until all pieces are used. In a small bowl, whisk together bacon olive oil, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning blend. Brush onto shrimp skewers. Cover and refrigerate while Himalayan salt plate is warming up. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. At this time slowly preheat the Himalayan salt plate over 45 minutes.* See above. The internal grill temperature should be no higher than 450°. When ready, lightly brush the preheated salt plate with regular olive oil. Working in batches, place the shrimp/sausage skewers on the salt plate and cook, turning once, until the shrimp are pink, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Pieces will appear slightly charred. Transfer skewers to a warmed platter to prevent food from becoming too salty. Brush the salt plate with more olive oil between batches. Repeat. Serve immediately.

Hoosier Hot Dish

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Hoosier Hot Dish! When I moved to Indiana over 30 years ago, it didn’t take me long to hear the term “Hoosier”. I knew it was a nickname for the State’s residents. But, honestly, I wondered how it originated. I had no idea it came into popularity over 200 years ago. The story that was told to me went something like this. Along the Ohio River, in the hills of southern Indiana, settlers lived and worked around the riverfront. As boatmen passed by on barges taking corn to New Orleans, the countrymen would call out, “Who’s Yere?” to assure they were friend, not foe. It happened so often, in time those workers became known as people of the “Hooshier” State. My experience in hearing about this one-pot meal for the first time was just as funny. A coworker said she was making Hoosier Hot Dish for supper. When I asked her for the recipe, she laughed and told me there wasn’t one. She said you just throw everything in a pot on the stove and eat it when it’s done. I narrowed it down a little bit more for you. Go figure.

HOOSIER HOT DISH

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic and herb seasoning

15-ounce can cut green beans, with liquid

1 pound potatoes, quartered, skin on

1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/2” chunks

Instructions:

Warm olive oil on medium-low setting in the bottom of a stock pot. Add sliced onions, seasoned salt, garlic and herbed seasoning. Sauté 20 minutes until onions are a light brown. Add green beans with liquid, quartered potatoes, and smoked sausage chunks. Cover and Cook 30-40 minutes over medium heat or until potatoes are fork tender. Hot Dish will thicken. Add 1/2 cup water, if necessary, to keep things from boiling dry or scorching. Serve with cornbread.

Wild Rice Sausage Stuffing

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Here Come the Holidays: Wild Rice Sausage Stuffing! For those who really crave the taste of stuffing, here’s an idea for a meal-in-one-dish. Some people may call it a “casserole” since it contains crumbled pork sausage, mixed vegetables, bread stuffing, and wild rice grains. Either way, you’re going to want to bookmark and print this recipe. It’s that good. Of course, you can make the serving portions a little smaller and serve it as a side dish with roasted chicken, turkey, or a Cornish hen like I did. Wild Rice Sausage Stuffing can easily be made a day ahead of time and gently reheated when you need it. Leftovers can be frozen up to three months. I believe I just saw your face light up. Trust me, your family will thank you. They may even offer to load the dishwasher.

WILD RICE SAUSAGE STUFFING

Ingredients:

6-ounce package long grain and wild rice mix

1 pound bulk sausage

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 cup yellow onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

4-ounce can mushrooms, stems and pieces, drained

6-ounce package chicken stuffing cubes

2 eggs, beaten

3 cups chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper

1/8 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9”x13” baking dish with nonstick oil. Set aside. Cook wild rice according to package directions. Set aside. Brown sausage until cooked and crumbled; drain. Set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm butter. Sauté onion and celery pieces until tender, 4-5 minutes. Do not burn. In a large bowl, combine wild rice, sausage crumbles, sautéed onions/celery mixture, and mushrooms. Stir well. Fold in chicken stuffing cubes. Add beaten eggs, chicken broth, seasoned pepper and poultry seasoning. Stir thoroughly. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake 45 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Serve warm.

Kielbasa Grilled Romaine

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Here Come the Holidays: Kielbasa Grilled Romaine! When the sun comes out and the wind dies down, it’s not unusual to see Northerners uncover the gas grill for a momentary glimpse of Summer. Everyone needs a reprieve from the winter doldrums, right? Nothing works better than a protein-rich complex carbohydrate meal, in my opinion. And grilled foods definitely lift the mood like a breath of fresh air. Sound painless? It pretty much is. Even the birds are chirping louder than usual.

KIELBASA GRILLED ROMAINE

Ingredients:

1 pound kielbasa sausage link

2 romaine hearts

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic and herb seasoning

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

4 ounces parmesan cheese, crumbled

Instructions:

Remove kielbasa sausage link from package. Rinse and pat dry. Transfer to a platter. Rinse romaine lettuce hearts. Pat dry. Trim the end stalks, leaving enough to keep the bunches intact. Transfer to a platter. In a small dish, combine olive oil, seasoned salt, garlic and herb seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Using a silicone brush, coat the leaves of the romaine hearts, inside and out with the olive mixture. Halve the cherry tomatoes; place in a serving bowl. Preheat the outdoor grill on High setting. Using tongs, transfer the seasoned romaine lettuce hearts directly to the grill. Repeat with kielbasa sausage link. Grill for 3 minutes. Flip the romaine lettuce and grill 2 minutes longer. Rotate the kielbasa sausage for even browning. Remove all to clean platters. To serve, place charred romaine lettuce hearts on a dinner plate. Divide the kielbasa sausage between plates. Add cherry tomato halves. Top with crumbled parmesan cheese. Drizzle with remaining olive oil mixture. Serve immediately.

Ramping Up Breakfast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Elevated Edibles: Ramping Up Breakfast! For a hearty and satisfying way to jumpstart your morning, think outside the box with sautéed ramps. Prepared in minutes with hardly anytime at the stove, you’ll be serving up a “green” feast fit for a king. If you live in the country where farm fresh eggs are as plentiful as the next roadside produce stand, even better. Treat yourself to a scrumptious weekend meal on the back porch in true farmhouse style.

RAMPING UP BREAKFAST

Ingredients:

1/4 pound wild ramps

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 eggs

2 smoked sausage links

2 pieces artisan bread, toasted

Crushed oregano, for garnish

Instructions:

Wash thoroughly every crevice and leaf stem of each ramp. Cut off and discard bulb roots. Rinse again. Gently pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. Warm olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Transfer ramps to the skillet. Cook until tender and crispy, gently turning. After 10 minutes, divide ramps between two plates. Cook eggs according to personal preference. Add to each plate. Heat smoked sausage, slicing open to sear. Arrange on plates. Butter toast to complete each breakfast plate. Garnish ramps and eggs with crushed oregano. Serve immediately.

Jacksonville Shrimp Boil

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Elevated Edibles: Jacksonville Shrimp Boil! Whoever came up with a one-pot feast of seafood heaven is pure genius. Succulent shrimp, baby red potatoes, sweet corn on the cob, and smoky sausage. Throw everything into the biggest pot you have and let the flavors intermingle with fresh herbs and aromatic spices. The secret is to stagger the cooking process of the ingredients. After all, potatoes take longer to cook fork-tender than shrimp does. Don’t get impatient or you’ll end up with a bowl of slush. Whatever you do, don’t discard the broth. By adding butter, and serving it in small ramekins, it instantly becomes a great dipping sauce for drizzling over everything or sopping up with a crusty bread.

JACKSONVILLE SHRIMP BOIL

Ingredients:

2 lemons, halved plus wedges for serving

1/2 cup Old Bay Seasoning*

8 cloves garlic, smashed

1 red onion, quartered

6 sprigs lemon thyme

1 pound baby red potatoes, halved

4 ears corn, husked and snapped in half

1 pound smoked sausage, cut into chunks

1 1/4 pounds large shrimp, unpeeled

2 tablespoons butter

Hot sauce, for serving

Instructions:

Fill a large pot with 4 quarts water. Squeeze lemon juice into the water. Drop lemons into the pot. Add Old Bay Seasoning, smashed garlic, and red onion. Tie the lemon thyme sprigs with kitchen twine and drop into the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add red potatoes to the pot; cook just until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the corn and smoked sausage; cook 5 minutes. Finally, add the shrimp to the pot. Cover and cook until the shrimp curl and turn opaque in color, about 2-3 minutes, tops. Transfer the shrimp, sausage, and vegetables to a deep platter using a slotted spoon. Arrange lemon wedges. Ladle 1 cup broth into a serving bowl and add butter. Stir until well blended. Place in the center of the platter. Serve immediately with hot sauce, if desired.

*I receive no recompense for mentioning this product.

Individual Lasagna Rolls-Ups

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Elevated Edibles: Individual Lasagna Roll-Ups! Lasagna can be a tedious process from start to finish. Don’t get me wrong, some days it is definitely worth the effort. When I want to simplify my life, I take advantage of the effortless idea of creating a roll-up from each noodle. Not only does it make each portion compact, but it also guarantees that every helping has all the goodies tucked neatly inside. And that’s basically what lasagna is all about, isn’t it? Think about how easy it would be for transporting to family gatherings or seasonal parties, should you choose to share. Everyone wins.

INDIVIDUAL LASAGNA ROLL-UPS

Ingredients:

6 lasagna noodles

1 pound Italian sausage, ground

1/2 teaspoon fennel

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup onion, chopped

2 tablespoons green pepper, diced

1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced

12 ounces marinara sauce

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 egg

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick oil. Set aside. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain. Refill pot with cold water to keep the noodles from sticking together. Set aside. In a large skillet, cook Italian sausage over medium-high heat. Add fennel, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Crumble meat as it cooks. Add chopped onions, diced green peppers, and sliced mushrooms. Pour marinara over all. Stir thoroughly; reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes, then turn off heat. Spread the bottom of the prepared casserole dish with 1/4 cup meat mixture. In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, parmesan cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and chopped parsley. Transfer lasagna noodles to a baking sheet. Spread cheese mixture over the top of each noodle. Add a strip of meat mixture over the cheese layer. Roll up noodles and transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Spread remaining meat mixture over lasagna rolls. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover casserole with a lid or foil. Bake covered for 40 minutes. Remove lid and broil 2-3 minutes until cheese is lightly golden. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.