Tag: Red Peppers

Italian Sausage and Peppers

Ingredients

  • 6 sweet or mild Italian sausages
  • 2 red bell peppers, sliced
  • 1 vidalia onion, sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely diced
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 Tbs Butter
  • 1 Tbs Olive Oil

    • White, cooked rice to serve (or large fresh rolls)

    Directions

    Heat olive oil in large skillet that comes with a lid. Add sausage links. Pour 1/2 cup water into skillet. Cover with lid. When water begins to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 12 minutes. Remove the lid and turn heat up to medium. Brown sausages on all sides, then remove to rest, at least 5 minutes. Slice sausages into rounds after resting. Do not drain skillet.

    Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Saute 3 minutes. Add peppers and seasonings. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, then add wine and sausage. Cook until wine reduces and taste for seasoning. Adjust as needed. Serve over hot white rice, or on rolls.

    LARPMom’s “Red” Sauce

    This was initially an update on my weeknight red pepper sauce, but it turned into a completely different creature. One I like much better! Because of the flavor and consistency, I serve it over pasta, on pizza, or as an alternative to anything you might usually enjoy with Marinara.

    I hope you love it as much as I do!

    Ingredients:

    • 2 jars roasted red peppers in water, drained
    • 6 cloves garlic
    • 1/4 cup flour
    • 1 cup merlot
    • 1 cup chicken stock
    • 1 cup half and half
    • 1/4 tsp smoked paprkia
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
    • A little sugar, to taste
    • Half a sweet onion, diced
    • Rind of parmesan
    • 1 Bay leaf

    Instructions:

    Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Put garlic, onion and peppers in food processor and blend until smooth. Whisk flour into oil until smooth and slightly golden. Add pepper mix to skillet and whisk. Add wine, stir to combine. Add chicken stock, salt, pepper, half and half, bay leaf, rind and paprika. Combine and bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, and cook at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    At this point, I usually add more salt, pepper, paprika and a little sugar until I feel the sauce is balanced.

    Larpmom’s Weeknight Red Pepper Sauce

    Ingredients

    • 2 jars roasted red peppers
    • 6 cloves garlic
    • About 2 Tbs olive oil
    • 3/4 cup sweet white wine
    • 1 cup half and half
    • 1 cup chicken broth
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 1/4 tsp smoked paprkia
    • 2 Tbs Corn starch

    Directions

    Pulse peppers and garlic in food processor and pour in oil. Move to saucepan and cook on med high heat about 3 minutes. Add wine and whisk. Add spices and broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer to reduce, about 15 minutes. Make a slurry with the corn starch and a little water and stir it into the sauce until well incorporated. Simmer about 8 minutes. Turn off heat and add half and half. Warm and serve.

    LARPmom’s Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna

    Good evening everyone!

    Tonight, I’m going to share a recipe for one of my favorite comfort meals: Lasagna. There’s a big difference between my Lasagna and the normal stuff: I don’t use tomatoes. Not because I don’t like them, I actually love them. But with the birth of my oldest child came a diagnosis for a condition called Interstitial Cystitis, which is a pain in the butt. I can’t have certain high potassium foods, one of which is tomatoes! Ahaha*sobs in Italian*

    Ahem.

    Here is the recipe:

    Ingredients:

    • Lasagna noodles cooked to package directions
    • 1 cup grated parmesan
    • Fresh mozzarella cheese, 2 rounds, cut into small cubes.

    Sauce:

    • 4 red bell peppers, halved and roasted for 20 minutes at 450°F, steamed in glass bowl with lid to help remove skin.
    • 8 cloves garlic, crushed
    • 3 bay leaves
    • 4 diced carrots
    • 2 diced celery stalks
    • 1 diced onionop
    • 1 handful Italian parsley stems
    • 2-3 cups merlot or red wine
    • 1-2 water or chicken broth
    • 1 parmesan heel
    • 4-6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
    • Smoked paprika
    • 1/2 cup all purpose flour

    Instructions:

    Blend red pepper and garlic in food processor until smooth.

    Saute’ diced veg in oil over medium heat. Add flour and stir to combine. Cook about 3 minutes. Add wine and whisk to deglaze pot. Pour puree into pot. Add water or broth. Bundle cheese heel, stems and bay leaves with kitchen twine. Add to pot with some salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cook for 30 minutes with lid on.

    Remove lid. Stir, add a small palm full or two of smoked paprika.

    Add miniature Turkey meatballs, simmer another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove herb bouquet and cheese rind.

    Turkey meatballs (Giada style)*

    • 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
    • 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves
    • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
    • 2 Tbs whole milk
    • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 3/4 tsp pepper

    Instructions:

    Combine ingredients in large bowl and form into little meatballs. Cook stovetop in oil or bake at 375 on cookie sheet for 15 minutes (I bake them on a greased cookie sheet because it is faster overall).

    Ricotta cheese mixture

    • 1 handful Italian parsley leaves, chopped
    • 2 beaten eggs
    • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp pepper
    • 1 large container ricotta cheese
    • 1/2 tsp dried oregano

    Instructions:

    Combine ingredients in large mixing bowl and set aside.

    Assembly:

    Spoon a small amount of sauce into bottom of a large casserole or deep rectangular dish. Lay down some noodles lengthwise to cover bottom of pan. Add a layer of ricotta, then sprinkle with parmesan and mozzarella.

    Spoon over sauce and meat. Add a layer of noodles crossways in pan this time, and repeat, alternating noodle direction to give strength and bite to layers.

    Finish with a layer of noodles running lengthwise, topped with meat sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

    Cover with lid or foil and bake in preheated oven at 375° for 25 minutes.

    Remove lid or foil and bake an additional 25 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes prior to serving.

    *The meatball recipe I got from Giada de Laurentiis’ Everyday Italian cookbook and I modified it slightly to suite my needs. Please check her out and show her some love! Her recipes are fantastic and I’d use a lot more of them if I were able.

    Where you can buy her cookbook

    Browse more of her recipes at Food Network

    Thanks for stopping by! I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. It was really fun to create.