Tuscan Sausage Recipes

Steps:

• Using a spice grinder or food processor, pulverize the salt, black pepper and sugar. In a large bowl, mix together the pork shoulder, back fat, garlic powder, mace, coriander, cayenne and ice water. Mix in the salt, pepper and sugar. Use latex gloves when mixing to avoid contamination of the meat, and keep the mixture cold.
• Stuff the sausage mixture into the casings and twist off in 3 inch lengths. If you do not have a stuffer, the sausage can be formed into patties or rolled into logs. Refrigerate and use up in one week or freeze for up to 6 weeks.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. Place sausage links in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until no longer pink and some fat has been rendered, 20-25 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-in. slices., Meanwhile, remove grape stems; place grapes and garlic in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Add 6 tablespoons butter; toss to coat. Top with sausage slices. Bake until sausage is browned, 15-20 minutes, stirring once., Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage mixture to a serving dish. Keep warm. Transfer cooking juices to a small saucepan; add balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat. Stir in remaining butter; cook until slightly thickened. Drizzle over sausage and grapes.

Steps:

• Preheat a grill over medium heat.
• Place the sausages on the grill and cook until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes, turning every 4 to 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, reserved juice from the can of tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the dressing for the Round 2 Recipe Three Layer Bean Dip. Add the beans, diced tomatoes and basil, and toss to coat. Reserve 1 cup of the bean mixture for the Round 2 Recipe Three Layer Bean Dip. Serve the remaining beans with the grilled sausage.
• Round 2 Recipe - Three Layer Bean Dip:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the pita wedges on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until crispy, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely
• In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and lemon zest and mix until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of a medium dip bowl.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the red beans, reserved dressing and a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and puree until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, then add a few tablespoons of water to thin. Spread the bean puree over the cream cheese mixture.
• Combine the reserved Tuscan Beans with the red onions and spoon on top of the pureed beans. Serve with toasted pita chips on the side.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Sprinkle chicken with black pepper; place in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
• Combine all remaining ingredients except cheese; spoon over and around chicken. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake 30 min. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF. Bake 15 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF).

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
• Remove sausage from casings.
• Brown sausage in a skilled, stirring to separate meat.
• Rinse and drain the grease off of the sausage.
• Add the spaghetti sauce, beans and thyme to the sausage in the skillet.
• Simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat.
• Remove from heat and stir in the mozarella cheese.
• Pour the mixture into a medium size, round oven proof skillet or pie dish.
• Unroll the crescent dough; divide into triangles.
• Arrange in a spiral with points of dough towards the center, covering the sausage mixture completely.
• Bake for 12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.

Steps:

• Cut the chicken into 1½" cubes. Cut the sausage into similarly-sized pieces.
• In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Working in batches, brown the chicken and sausage in the olive oil. Transfer to a crockpot as they are finished.
• Pour the wine into the skillet to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, then add to crockpot.
• Add the artichoke hearts, the onion, the peppers and the mushrooms to the crockpot. Add the herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken broth. Cover tightly and cook on low 8-10 hrs or high 3-4 hours.