sausage-and-peppers

Friday night I finally had my first day off from the ER, and barely knew what to do with myself outside of the hospital.  Of course, I quickly came up with an idea – make dinner and dessert!  This meal requires minimal effort and really doesn’t take much time either.  I served it over mashed potatoes and it was serious comfort food perfect for a chilly, gray evening at home.  I think it would also be great over rice or in a bread bowl.  I used smoked turkey sausages for a slightly healthier option, and halved the recipe for just the two of us.  I’ll definitely make this again when I’m looking for a no-fuss, hearty meal.  Stay tuned for my next post featuring the dessert I made to accompany this meal.  It was fantastic!

Recipe Rewind: tried and true favorites I’ve made recently
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quite possibly our favorite cookies ever – impossible to eat just 3!

Ale-Braised Sausage and Peppers

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 lb. cooked sausages, such as kielbasa, sliced

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1-2 large red bell peppers, seeded and sliced

3 tbsp. flour, divided

1 ½ cups ale

1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

 

Directions:

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil.  Add the sausages and cook, stirring and turning often, until browned, 4-5 minutes.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.  Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and sauté until tender and golden, about 5 minutes.  Add 2 tablespoons of flour and cook, stirring, until golden, 1-2 minutes. 

 

Whisk in the ale until the mixture is smooth and bubbly.  Add the thyme and the chicken broth, whisking to blend.  Bring to a simmer.  Return the sausages to the pot.  Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the flavors are blended, about 15 minutes.  Uncover and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove the sausage, peppers and onions to a serving dish.  Increase the heat to medium-high and whisk in the remaining tablespoon of flour, whisking constantly until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.  Pour thickened sauce over the sausages and serve immediately.  Serves 4-6.

Source: adapted from Good Things Catered