Sausage with Spinach, White Beans & Tomatoes

HOWDY everyone!  I hope this fall finds you well & happy.  My hubby & I recently returned from a much-needed vacation visiting family in Colorado.  It was wonderfully relaxing and filled with quality family time.  We greatly enjoyed the respite from 3-digit temperatures too.  We’re back home now, and despite the still-hot temps here at home, I’m craving some of my favorite fall recipes.

I came across this one online a year or two ago, and it has become a real favorite at our house.  I made a few minor adjustments to the original recipe, but it is really simple, and comes together really quickly.  It’s perfect for a quick & hearty meal when you don’t have much time.  Just add a loaf of crusty bread, and enjoy!

Sausage with Spinach, White Beans & Tomatoes

Ingredients:

3/4 pound kielbasa (sliced into rounds, or half-rounds, and browned)

1 cup chicken broth

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tsp fresh from garden)

Ground cayenne pepper (to taste…NOT TOO MUCH!)

2 cups Cannellini beans (rinsed well - approx. 1-19 oz. can)

Two medium sized tomatoes diced small (about 1 cup or so)

6 cups baby spinach leaves (in a pinch, you can also use frozen, chopped spinach - thawed)

Freshly cracked pepper to taste

Directions

Brown sausage rounds and remove to a bowl.  Save drippings in pan.

Pour chicken broth and garlic into the skillet you cooked the sausage in, to deglaze.  Place on medium high heat and bring to a simmer.

Add oregano, ground cayenne pepper and beans.  Stir well before adding tomatoes.

Heat through till the beans are tender.  It won't take long at all.

Once beans are tender, add in the spinach and cook just until the leaves are wilted.

Stir in cooked sausage and sprinkle cracked pepper on top.

Serve with crusty bread and a big spoon!   (Also good served over brown rice!)

I really hope you’ll give this one a try.  It’s sure to become a family favorite at your house too!  If you do, please let me know...I'd love your feedback.

I pray your weekend is going well.  I plan to watch my Aggies BTHO Arkansas tonight!

Blessings…and Gig’em!

--Faithy

Yummy Soft Polenta!!

HOWDY friends…I’m back again, much sooner than usual I know, but I just had to pass this along before I forget.  We had 1/2 pound of polenta leftover from the other night, and wanted to use it up, so my husband decided to experiment.  What he came up with was delicious, so I decided to share it with you as well.

Sorry, but I didn’t think to get a picture before I gobbled it all up!  LOL!!  Oh well, I really think we’ll be doing a lot more experimenting with polenta in the days to come, so I’ll probably get another chance.

Scooter’s Soft Polenta

1/4 cup chopped sweet onion

1 Tbsp. chopped red bell pepper

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound polenta, coarsely chopped (as I mentioned before, I used Food Merchant Organic Polenta - Traditional Italian flavor)

1/2 to 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth (use as much or as little as you want, to make it the consistency you like)

1/4 tsp. garlic powder (or whatever seasonings you like)

1/8 tsp. sea salt (remember, the polenta already has some salt in it so you don’t want to use too much!  If you try my hubby’s diced sausage idea - see below - I’d probably leave it out altogether)

2 Campari tomatoes, diced

1 Tbsp. fresh chives

Microwave the polenta in a small bowl for about 30 seconds (just to warm it up a little so it will be easier to mash) then mash well.  Meanwhile, sauté your onions and bell pepper in olive oil.  Add the mashed polenta to the hot pan and mix well.  Add the chicken broth and stir over medium heat until fully incorporated.  Add garlic powder & salt.  Once the liquid has absorbed a bit, stir in the diced tomatoes and cook just until they are fully warmed.  Stir in the chives (at the last minute) and serve immediately.

This made just enough for the two of us to have a nice dinner.  If you want more, feel free to use a whole pound of polenta, and just adjust amount of broth to get the consistency you want.  Adjust the other ingredients to suit your taste.

My husband served this with some sliced smoked sausage that he had sliced and browned in a skillet, then drained on paper towel to remove most of the grease.  He had planned to serve steamed broccoli with it as well, but forgot.  J  (I think he’s been around his wife too long!)  He said that next time he’ll probably dice the sausage and just stir it in with the onions and bell pepper in the beginning, and he’ll be sure to remember the broccoli.  Sounds good to me!

Really, if you haven’t tried polenta, YOU NEED TO!!  When you do, let me know what other interesting variations you come up with.  I’m in the mood to experiment!!

Happy Wednesday!

Blessings,

--Faithy

(EDITED TO ADD PICTURE)