Sausage & Polenta (Easy & Rustic)

Very rustic Italian dinner you can whip up in 30 mins. Don't fear polenta- it's easy! But if you are worried or super strapped for time you can pick up some quick cooking polenta. Picture isn't that great, but it was really tasty- especially the sauce.

All these items you can have in your freezer and pantry.  That's why it is a great recipe to have in your back pocket in a jam- you can even substitute any other meat (like chicken) or even just add more beans for a vegetarian version.  Sometimes I like to throw in a handful or two of frozen peas in the polenta.

Sauce:

• 1 lb of sausage (or meat) I used hot Italian sausage
• 1 (28oz) can of crushed tomatoes
• water
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper
• basil, fresh if you have

1. Heat a sauce pot to medium high
2. Add the sausage to the pot (I sliced mine into smaller pieces- this is just preference).
3. Brown on both sides quickly.
4. Then add the garlic, heat about one minute
5. Add the tomatoes
6. Fill the tomato can half way up with water and add to the pot (just eyeball it)
7. Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and partially cover.  Stirring occasionally.
8. Cook for about 30mins (you don't have to cook that long- just make sure the sausage are cooked all the way through!) 
9. Before serving season with salt, pepper and basil to taste.

Beans:

If you have canned beans- wonderful! Use two cans of cannellini beans- just open the can, drain and rinse. Top the polenta with the beans and pour hot sauce over them

If you have dry beans- you had to soak overnight, then take about 2 cups and just cover with water.  Then add a big pinch of salt and bring to a boil and simmer for 30 mins (or until polenta and sauce is done).  Taste a couple beans to see if they are done.  Then drain and rinse quick.

Polenta:

• 4 cups of water
• 1 cup of cornmeal
• pinch of the following spices: onion powder, oregano, red pepper
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/4 cup of parmesean cheese

1. In a pot add the water and salt.  Bring to a boil.
2. When the water is bowling grab a whisk and super slowly add the cornmeal a little at a time, whisking consistently.  This process is called "raining in" because you are adding like a light rain shower basically.
3. Stir, stir, stir until it comes together- will look like grits or grainy mashed potatoes almost. When it comes together swap your whisk for a wooden spoon (wooden is traditional).  Reduce heat to low and you need to stir pretty constantly (this helps break down the starches and make it yummy).  I don't but stir every couple minutes so the bottom doesn't burn.
4. Be careful because the polenta will turn thick and bubble and splatter a bit.  So just keep an eye out.  I cook for 30 minutes until smooth and creamy and it doesn't taste bitter anymore.  Should taste sweet and a touch grainy.
5. Right before you serve stir in your cheese.

Assembly: Polenta, top with beans, top with sausage sauce, and finally some extra parm cheese!

Pollo alla Cacciatora (Chicken Cacciatore)

Chicken Cacciatore aka Hunter's Chicken.  (Just a heads up this isn't a super quick meal) The name comes from when hunters would come home with freshly hunted game and the wife would cook it up with some tomatoes/veggies, wine and aromatics.  The mushrooms in the dish compliment it's earthy, home cooked aura.  I have seen countless versions of this recipe and this is a dish where each family has their own, but traditionally it will consist of a whole chicken (cut into 8 pieces), tomatoes, wine and mushrooms.  We are essentially braising (cooking low and slow) the chicken to make the tough cuts of meat fall off the bone tender and delicious.  This dish is basically impossible to overcook and definitely calls for red wine and a loaf of crusty bread to be its accompaniment.  Oh, and did I mention it's is easy to make- it's just really cutting up veggies.

One side note is that I used bacon.  Traditionally this dish uses pancetta (which is an Italian version of bacon- it is just not smoked).  You can use either or none.  I can never find pancetta so I just used bacon.  I mean who doesn’t love bacon?

Oh and regarding the chicken- I have made this dish many times with different pieces of chicken, from boneless skinless breasts to thighs and drumsticks only.  It is totally up to you, what's on sale, what you have lying around etc.  Thighs and drumstick family pack with skin and bones were on sale, so I picked up a pack and used 6 thighs and 2 legs.  When it was cooked I pulled them out of the sauce and removed the bones and skin as you can see from the picture above. Whatever you do is totally up to you though, I just wouldn't forget the bread to mop up all that delicious sauce. Buon appetito!

Ingredients

• About 2-3 pounds of chicken, whatever cuts you like.  It would be about 4 chicken breasts, 6 thighs and 2 drumsticks, 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces, or any combination of chicken you like that fits in the pan you're using.
• Flour for dredging
• 1/4 pound of pancetta (or bacon), chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 10 oz mushrooms, sliced or chopped into chunks (I used baby portabellos, but use whatever you like.  10 oz is usually the standard package at the store)
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of white wine
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 1 (28oz) can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp of each the following spices: rosemary, thyme, oregano & red pepper flakes (feel free to add more or less of any of these)
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper (of course)

Directions

1.      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2.      In a large deep sided skillet or dutch oven heat some oil over high heat

3.      Season your chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and then dredge them in flour.  Make sure to shake off excessive flour.  If you are using skin-on sear the skin side first.  (Also- if you are using skin on you can choose to skip the flour dredging)

4.      When chicken is seared remove from the pan and reserve.  If there is a lot of oil is the pan, dump it out and add just a splash of new oil.  (The point here is to not have a lot of oil in the pan, just enough to help the bacon/pancetta start rendering.  The bacon will provide a bit more fat for the veggies later)

5.      Add bacon or pancetta.  Cook for a couple minutes until it starts to get crispy, you can lower the heat a bit here- like to medium high.

6.      When that is done add your onion, pepper, garlic and mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper and the rest of the spices (except bay leaves).

7.      Let those cook until the mushrooms are brown and the rest of the veggies soft. About 10 minutes I would say.

8.      Add the wine and deglaze the pan.  Cook the wine for about a minute then add the chicken stock and tomatoes.  Taste it and see if it needs more salt and pepper- it most likely will.

9.      Snuggle the chicken pieces back into the pan and add the bay leaves.  Bring this up to a boil, then cover and put into the oven.  You can cook this on the stove top but I find it easier in the oven.

10.  I cooked the chicken covered at 350 for 30 mins, then stirred it, uncovered it and then raised the heat to 400 degrees and cooked it uncovered for another 30 minutes.  (Basically it should just be bubbling gently in the oven).

11.  I served over cavatappi pasta and topped with pecorino cheese.  Don't forget the bread!

Stuffed Peppers- w/ Beef, Orzo and Feta Cheese

I usually don't make stuffed peppers, but I saw these peppers at the store on sale and I just couldn't resist! Look how pretty they are! Anyway, I've been on bit of a Greek streak lately so enjoy this Greek inspired stuffed pepper.  It can be a side dish, but I served it as a whole meal. These are really easy too.  Some people cook the peppers before you stuff them, but I don't like mushy peppers I like them with a bit of a bite still left, so I didn't pre-cook them.  If you usually do that- by all means go for it.

Stuffed Peppers W Beef, Orzo and Feta

·  4 pepper

·  1 lb beef

·  ¾ cup orzo

·  1 onion

·  2 garlic cloves

·  1 cup (or a handful of grape tomatoes)

·  ½ cup- 1 cup of black olives

·  2 tsp fennel

·  2 tablespoons of oregano

·  2 tsp red pepper flakes

·  1 tablespoon or coriander

·  1 tablespoon dill

·  Salt/pepper

·  3 tablespoons of tomato paste

·  ½ cup of feta cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350°
2. Sauté beef in some olive oil until brown.  Then add in onion and garlic. Then half of all the spices. When all cooked through turn off the heat and put in a large mixing bowl.
3. Bring some water to a bowl for the orzo, salt it and cook orzo to al dente. Drain then add to the mixing bowl.
4. Chop tomatoes and olives and add to the meat and orzo. 
5. Then add the feta, the rest of the spices and tomato paste. Mix together well.
6. Prep the peppers by cutting off the tops and scooping out ribs and seeds.  If your peppers won’t stand up straight you can always cut a little bit off the bottom so they have a stable foundation.
7. Stuff peppers and cover them up again- if the tops wont stay on I used a tooth pick to hold in place.
8. Set in a baking dish and fill the baking dish with a about a ½ inch of water so the peppers wont dry out. 
9. Bake about 30-40 mins.

Feta Cheese- yummmmmmmm. Salty, tangy cheese that crumbles easily.  A staple in Greek cuisine.  Feta is a sheep's milk cheese (or a combo of sheep and goat) that is made (curdled in a brine) then squeezed together to shape and then packed usually in its brine and/or water.  Can be used is cooking, salads, or just drizzled with oil.  Actually, the Greek word "feta" comes from the Italian word fetta ("slice) (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feta).  The good: This food is a good source of Protein, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, Calcium and Phosphorus.  The bad: This food is high in Cholesterol and Sodium, and very high in Saturated Fat. (http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/18/2)