12 Recipes Using Italian Sausage

it's great in the usual: pasta sauce, meatloaf, meatballs, scrambled eggs, but here are a few ideas to play with
SAUSAGE PIE
2 pkgs. crescent rolls (for bottom and
top crusts)5 eggs, beaten
2 lbs. Italian sausage, cooked &
drained, removed from casing
1/4 lb. Muenster cheese
1/2 lb. Mozzarella cheese
Healthy handful of Parmesan grated
cheese
Spread out on bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan. Combine in a large bowl: Pour over rolls in pan and cover with 2nd package for top crust. Cook at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes.
FETTUCCINI WITH ZUCCHINI SAUSAGE & MUSHROOMS
3-4 tbsp. blended oil
2 med. size onions, fine julienne (1
1/2 lbs.)
3 sm. to med. size zucchini, peeled,
split in four & sliced
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
4 lg. cloves garlic, chopped
3 lg. sorias fresh parsley
1/4 lb. Italian sausage, stripped of
casing & cooked
3 lg. fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes, crushed by
hand
1. Place oil in saute pan on moderate fire. Saute onions until translucent. 2. While onions are cooking, remove sausage casing and fry sausage until well rendered. Season with salt and pepper; drain and hold until needed. 3. Add garlic and saute until it begins to impart aroma. Add parsley and saute 10 to 15 seconds. 4. Add mushrooms and saute lightly for 1 minute or more but do not let exude. 5. Add zucchini; stir all together, season with salt and pepper. Saute until squash is tender. 6. Add tomatoes, water, bouillon cube and other seasonings. Bring to a simmer, cook a few minutes and adjust seasonings. Be sure that all dominate seasonings are profound. This will be needed when combined with the noodles. 7. Cook fettuccini, al dente, drain well and place in a large, shallow macaroni dish. Add sweet butter, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Spoon in some sauce, toss; add more sauce and thoroughly toss. 8. Add additional sauce, Parmesan and shredded Mozzarella. Serve immediately.
STUFFED SHELLS
1 lb. lg. shells
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen spinach,
thawed and water squeezed out
1/2 lb. Italian sausage or ground
turkey
1/2 lb. cottage cheese, sm. curd,
drained
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 c. grated cheese (Parmesan or
Romano)
Salt and black pepper, freshly
ground, to taste
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 egg, beaten
2 c. tomato, spaghetti sauce, or
Italian gravy
2 c. coarsely grated Swiss or
Mozzarella cheese
Boil the pasta until firm but tender. Rinse in cold water and drain. Saute the sausage or turkey and break up into small pieces. Mix with drained spinach, drained cottage cheese, garlic, lemon juice, grated cheese, salt, pepper, and oregano. Stir in the beaten egg. Stuff the shells with the above mixture and place in a greased baking dish. Top with a bit of tomato or spaghetti sauce and, finally, the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until all is hot and the cheese melted, about 20 minutes. Makes about 28 to 32 shells. This can also be served as a Main Dish.
ITALIAN PASTA AND BEAN CASSEROLE
1 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage,
casings removed
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lg. onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 (28 oz.) can Italian plum tomatoes,
drained and chopped
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 (15 1/2 oz.) can kidney beans,
rinsed and drained
1 lb. mostaccioli, rigatoni or
macaroni, cooked and drained
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. shredded Fontina or Mozzarella
cheese
In a large skillet, saute first six ingredients, crumbling with a fork, until the meat is browned and done. Drain any excess fat. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper and kidney beans; heat through. Add pasta, Parmesan cheese and parsley; toss well. Spoon into a greased 15 x 10 x 2 inch (4 quart) baking dish; sprinkle with Fontina or Mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

ZUCCHINI CORN BREAD BAKE
2 med. zucchini
1/2 lb. Italian or pork sausage
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 (8-8 1/2 oz.) pkg. corn muffin mix
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
Coarsely shred enough zucchini to make 1/3 cup, set aside. Cut remaining zucchini into 1/4 inch slices. In a 10 inch skillet brown sausage. Remove sausage from skillet and reserve drippings. To drippings in skillet add zucchini slices and onion, stirring to coat. Cover and cook over medium low heat about 5 minutes or until zucchini is slightly softened, stirring twice. In a greased 8 x 1 1/2 inch round baking dish, starting in the center of dish, arrange cooked zucchini slices in concentric circles using all of the slices. Prepare corn muffin mix according to package directions; stir in the shredded zucchini, cooked sausage and shredded Cheddar cheese. Spread mixture evenly over zucchini slices in pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Using a spatula, loosen sides of corn bread from dish; invert onto a serving platter. Cut into wedges to serve.

HOT SAUSAGE BREAD
1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
1 lb. skinned hot Italian sausage
1 med. onion, chopped
1 can green chilies, diced
Romano cheese, grated
Butter or margarine
Salsa, optional
While bread dough thaws, crumble Italian sausage and cook with chopped onion. Drain grease. Add salsa to taste. Spread bread out flat. Pour sausage mixture over bread to 1/2 inch from edges. Sprinkle with Romano cheese (at your descretion). Roll up and pinch ends to seal. Put in pie pan or bread loaf pan (greased). Brush top with butter or margarine. Bake per directions for bread.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE BRUNCH CASSEROLE
1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
1 tbsp. butter
8 mushrooms, sliced
1 med. red onion, chopped
12 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk
8 oz. Mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 med. tomatoes, peeled & chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano, crumbled
Saute crumbled sausage until no longer pink. Drain and put aside in bowl. Saute onion and mushrooms in butter until soft but not brown. Stir into sausage. Blend in remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into greased 9 x 13 inch pan and bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serves 8 to 10.
TEX - MEX STRATA
1/2 lb. hot Italian sausage or pork
sausage (bulk)
1 jar roasted red pepper strips
1 sm. can diced green chilies
6 slices white bread (day old or
lightly toasted bread), quartered
1 1/2 c. Monterey Jack cheese with
jalapenos, grated
6 lg. eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
In medium skillet, saute sausage 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly. Place in bowl. Add peppers and chilies; toss to combine. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generally grease 2 quart baking dish. Reserve 6 bread quarters and place remainder in prepared dish. Sprinkle with cheese and the sausage mixture; arrange reserved bread on top. Set aside. In medium bowl, beat eggs with milk, chili powder, and salt until mixed; pour over bread in dish. Bake 1 hour or until center is set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 6 servings.

CHICKEN AND RICE SKILLET
1 lb. skinned and boned chicken breast
or thighs cut into strips 1/2
inch wide
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut in
strips
2 cloves garlic minced
1 c. long-grain white rice
2 c. low sodium chicken stock
3 plum tomatoes, chopped (1 cup)
1 tsp. each ground cumin, dried
thyme, crumbled
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
8 black or green pitted olives, sliced
Serves 4 Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in skillet and add chicken and sausage, cook until light brown. Transfer to plate. Saute onions, peppers and add salt and pepper (1/4 tsp. each). Cook until soft. Add garlic and rice, saute for 1 minute. Add stock, tomatoes, cumin and thyme. Bring to a boil on high heat. Lower heat and cover. Let simmer 15 minutes until rice is tender. Add the peas, chicken and sausage and olives, mix well. Simmer 5 minutes. Until peas and meat are heated. Calories 401 Saturated fat 1 g. Total fat 6 g. Protein 34 g. Carbohydrate 51 g. Fiber 4 g. Sodium 45.3 mg. Cholesterol 66 mg.

LASAGNA ROLLS
4 pkg. spinach, defrosted and squeezed
dry
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
Olive oil
3 lbs. ricotta
2 lbs. bulk Italian sausage
1/2 c. parsley flakes
4 eggs
1 pkg. lasagna noodles with ruffle
edges, cooked and drained
1 lg. jar prepared spaghetti sauce
1/2 c. red wine
Heat olive oil, add spinach, salt and garlic. Mix to combine flavors. Use more seasoning, if necessary. You must have flavor. Set aside. Crumble and brown sausage. Drain. Set aside. Mix ricotta, parsley and eggs. Lay noodles flat on large work surface. Spread spinach mixture on noodles. top with some of the sausage. Spread the ricotta over the sausage. Roll up noodles. Stand then on end in a baking dish. Pour sauce and wine over rolls. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

SUPER RICE MOLD
1 1/2 c. rice
3 c. chicken broth
1 tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. Italian sausage
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced thin
1 onion, diced
1 c. milk
1 (10 oz.) frozen peas, thawed
4 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese
7 oz. jar pimentos
1 lb. zucchini, sliced
Cook rice in chicken broth. Heat sausage in 1/4 cup water, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Uncover, brown and slice. In drippings, cook mushrooms and onions. Mix rice and all ingredients except zucchini together. Mold in 2 1/2 quart bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove and let set. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in skillet. Saute zucchini, salt and pepper to taste. Unmold rice onto serving plate. Spoon zucchini around mold.

SUPREME ITALIAN CASSEROLE
1 (8 oz.) pkg. spaghetti, uncooked
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped
spinach, thawed and well drained
1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom
soup, undiluted
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried whole marjoram
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dried whole tarragon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. Italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 (16 oz.) carton Ricotta cheese
1 tomato, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions, drain and spoon into lightly greased 13 x 9 inch casserole. Set side. Combine spinach and next 6 ingredients, spoon onto spaghetti. Remove casing from sausage. Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until well browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well. Sprinkle sausage over spinach mixture. Combine egg and Ricotta cheese. Spread over sausage mixture. Cover and chill 8 hours. Remove from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake covered at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until heated. Sprinkle with tomato and parsley. Serves 6-8. NOTE: Unbaked casserole may be frozen. To bake, thaw in refrigerator 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator and let stand 30 minutes. Bake covered at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Garnish.