Italian Sausage Sandwich, Chicago-Style

This similar to the Italian Beef Sandwich recipe I previously posted, but uses large Italian sausage links instead of Italian Beef.  

I grew up liking both, but my mom's favorite was sausage which was more available at the grocer or butcher shop, plus she used it for other Italian dishes.  I like it spicy, even hot, but mild sausage is just as tasty for this sandwich.

It's meal by itself, or serve with a side:  slaw, cottage cheese, fries, or tossed salad.

Italian Sausage Sandwich, Chicago-Style
4 Italian sausage links, about 4 oz. in size
1 green pepper cut in strips
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves of minced garlic
4 slices of Provolone cheese or cheese of choice
4 hoagie buns
mayonnaise
salt and pepper

Saute onions, peppers and garlic until soft and translucent on one side of the pan; season to taste.  Saute sausage on the other of pan until browned.

Meanwhile open and lightly toast the buns, then spread on mayonnaise on each half. Slice each sausage down the its length to open butterfly style. Place cheese on bun, then sausage, then top with pepper and onion mixture.

Note: I've made these using warmed flour tortillas, and rolling everything up in them, and they're just as tasty.

Estimated Cost: $6.00 or less; $1.50 per serving or less with bun

Beef Stroganoff Sandwich

I first made this recipe back in the late 70s after a friend served it on game night following a local high school football game.

As young mothers with toddlers, we were always looking for frugal, yet attractive recipes to feed several people.  I often made it for our family of five or brought to potlucks.

It's great for game day food, a buffet table, or family meal anytime.

Beef Stroganoff Sandwich
1 unsliced loaf of french bread
1 pound of ground beef
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. Worcestershire
1 Tab. milk
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 thinly sliced tomatoes
1 sliced green pepper
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
softened butter

Cut loaf in half lengthwise, wrap in foil and heat at 375 oven for 10-15 minutes.  Meanwhile brown beef with onion; drain fat.  Stir in sour cream, milk, Worcestershire and garlic powder. Open foil and butter the surface of each loaf half.

Spread 1/2 of meat mixture on loaf tops. Layer each half loaf with thinly sliced tomatoes, green peppers, then top with cheese.  Bake with top uncovered on baking sheet at 375 for 5 minutes, so vegetables soften slightly and cheese melts.  Slice to serve.  Easily serves 8.

Estimated cost: $5 to $6;  about .70 cents per serving

Herbs, Microwave Dry or Freeze

It's growing or buying time for fresh herbs, then drying or freezing for future use.  I grow Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, Chives, Fennel, and Parsley in tubs or pots.

In summer, Basil does well outside, but the rest of the year I keep a plant or two indoors near a window and snip for garnish on salads or to flavor recipes.

For a bulk quantity of Basil, I harvest and make a batch of pesto and freeze in mini-muffin or regular muffin tins, then store in a freezer bag.  

Oregano, wash and freeze

Dried Fennel

Thyme, Oregano and Rosemary grow well year round on the outside porch but need pruning or pinching back, so I harvest, wash, pat dry and store in freezer bags for use in soups, stews, and sauces.  They keep their color well, too.

For Fennel leafs, Parsley and Chives, I dry using the microwave.  Wash and pat dry herbs, place herbs between paper towels in batches and microwave on high for one to two minutes, checking for dryness after a minute, then adding 15 more seconds at a time, depending on the quantity and type of herb.  It never takes me more than two minutes.

It's done when you check its dry or brittle texture and feel no more moisture.

Oregano, also dried

Dried Chives

This method evaporates water in the herb, which dampens the towel then dries without over heating or cooking the herb. It quickly dries herbs compared to using an oven and herbs retain their color and flavor.

Store dried herbs in jars with lids and keep in a closed cabinet away from light.  They're perfect for recipes and garnishes.

Frozen Parsley

I've done Oregano both frozen and dried, but prefer frozen, and like Parsley both ways.

Dried Parsley

Pesto

Seafood Soup

I adapted this recipe from a Food Network Show I saw four years ago. It took 1st place at a seafood cook-off. The original recipe calls for a banana which I've tried and it's great, but I don't always have them on hand, so it can be left out. You really don't taste the banana which is used to slightly thicken the soup.

My local grocer sells one pound bags of mixed frozen seafood pieces (mussels, clams, squid, shrimp, scallops) so I use that, otherwise use your own combination of canned or chopped seafood.

The flavors are a culinary delight.  If you want a thicker (chowder type broth) thicken with a rue of flour and broth or water.  I serve this as an appetizer soup before a meal, or as a whole meal with a salad and crusty bread.


Garlic Seafood Soup
Recipe adapted from Ginger Moreno, Rancho Palos Verdes

1-1/2 pounds of mixed chopped seafood of choice, canned or frozen (clams, shrimp, mussels, fish, oysters,squid)
1/4 cup butter
2 Tabs. minced garlic
1/2 cup finely minced onion
1 medium green pepper, finely diced
1 medium red pepper, finely diced
1 medium tomato, finely diced
1 cup clam broth
1/3 cup lime juice
2 tsps. cilantro, finely minced or parsley
2 tsps. finely minced jalapeno pepper, or more to taste
1 can chicken broth
2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Crusty bread, for serving

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, on medium high melt butter. Add garlic, onion,  peppers, and tomato. Saute until soft. Set aside.

In a 3-quart saucepan, add lime juice, chicken broth, clam juice, cilantro, jalapeno pepper. Cover pan and allow mixture to heat for 5 minutes.  Add vegetable mixture, stir to combine, making sure there is enough liquid, if not add more clam broth, then add seafood mixture, cover and cook for 7 minutes. Finally, add cream or coconut milk, stirring in and heating a few minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.  If desiring a thicker broth, add a mixture of flour and water. Serve with crusty bread.

Makes 8 to 10  one cup servings.

Estimated cost: $6.50 or less; .80 cents a serving or less.

Wisconsin Potato Cheese Soup

This recipe came from a family member living in Wisconsin for inclusion in "Our German Family Favorites Cook Book" published in the early 90s. 

It can be made without Gruyere cheese, using only Cheddar.  Ingredients are usually on hand in any cook's kitchen, and offer many tasty servings for very little cost.

Wisconsin Potato Cheese Soup
3 Tabs. butter
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups water  and 3 chicken bullion cubes  (or 3 cups of chicken broth)
2 cups milk
4 cups of cubed potatoes peeled or not
3/4 cup Gruyere cheese
1 1/2 cups sharp, Cheddar cheese, white or yellow - shredded

Melt butter, add carrots, onion, celery and cook over low heat until tender, stirring occasionally.  Add water, bullion and potatoes.  Cover and cook until tender about 15-20 minutes.  Mash vegetables slightly.  Add milk cooking until heated.  Gradually stir in cheeses until melted.  Add salt and pepper.  Garnish with chives, cooked diced bacon or croutons.  Serves 6-8

Estimated Cost $3.00; .50 cents or less per serving.

Chicken Cacciatore

With Mom's side of the family cooking Italian and Dad's cooking German, family gatherings offered a spread of tasty dishes.

Mom was often asked to bring Chicken Cacciatore when visiting Dad's relatives. She included Italian sausage links with the chicken in the simmering sauce, so guests could enjoy one or the other or both.  I think sausage adds great extra flavor to the sauce, but it's optional.

Cacciatore is Italian for “hunter,” referring to a sauce that covered browned chicken in Renaissance times, also rabbit pieces, when wealthy people hunted wild game, and the sauce covered the wild taste.

White wine can be used instead of red wine, but Mom kept the popular inexpensive Mogan David red wine on hand back in the 50s. When in grade school, I recall Italian gatherings where children were allowed to take "just a sip" of the wine at dinner.


Chicken Cacciatore

• 2 cups flour for coating

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp.pepper

• 6 to 8 chicken parts: thighs, legs, wings
• Optional: two or three Italian sausage links, cut into  2 or 3-inch serving sizes

• 2 Tabs. vegetable oil or bacon fat

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 tsps. garlic minced

• 1 green bell pepper, chopped

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

• 1 tsp. mixed Italian herbs, dried oregano, rosemary, basil

• 1/2 cup red wine

• 1 cup  sliced mushrooms, fresh or canned

• salt and pepper to taste

bay leaf
1/2 cup tomato paste

1 pound of cooked spaghetti

half a cup of Parmesan cheese

Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag or bowl. Shake chicken pieces in flour until coated. Heat oil in a large skillet and fry until browned, about 3 or 4 minutes each side. Remove from skillet.  If  using sausage brown a few minutes on each side and remove.


Add onion, garlic, mushrooms and bell pepper to the skillet and saute until onion is slightly browned. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, paste, herbs and wine.  Stir to combine all then return chicken (and sausage) to the skillet, spooning some sauce over meat pieces. Cover and simmer for 60 minutes over medium low heat, until chicken is "fall off the bone" tender.  Depending on size of piece, it may take longer than 60 minutes.  Remove bay leaf. 

Meanwhile cook pasta until tender and drain.  To serve use a large bowl or platter; pour and mix sauce with cooked pasta and set chicken and sausage pieces on top.  Grate Parmesan cheese all over the top and have cheese on the table for adding more to servings, if desired. Serves 6-8.

Estimated Cost with chicken only: $10.00 or less; $1.66 per serving or less.

Comeback Sauce

Thanks to blogger Jackie Gavin at http://syrupandbiscuits.com  I discovered this great sauce on Pinterest.  

It's become a "must keep on hand" sauce in our house ever since.

Use it on burgers, sandwiches, as a salad dressing or dip for veggies and chips.  She notes it originated in Mississippi where it's very popular. 

Like many recipes, I tweaked it the first time I made it as I didn't have chili sauce, so instead used salsa, but it's still delightfully tangy.  It's now one of my "secret sauces" as I've even brushed it on fish and chicken, too!
 http://syrupandbiscuits.com/comeback-sauce/

Comeback Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chili sauce, or other hot sauce 

1/4  cup ketchup

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of one lemon, (I used bottled)

Mix all ingredients well and store in refrigerator overnight.  It needs to set and let flavors blend. 

Estimated cost per pint: $1.25 or less.

Source: syrupandbiscuits.com via Gail on Pinterest