Pork and Sausage - Main Dishes

Lazy Day Casserole

4 - 6 sausages (we like brats but some andouille would work too)
1 pound potatoes
1/2 pound carrots
1/2 bell pepper
1 large onion
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp oil
freshly cracked black pepper
1 1/2 tsp Italian herbs
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

Brown sausages in a bit of butter in a hot frying pan. Slice into bite-sized pieces and place in prepared 9x13 pan. Chop potatoes, carrots, pepper, and onion and stir in with the sausages. In medium bowl, whisk together garlic, oil, pepper, herbs, broth and vinegar. Pour over contents of the 9x13 then cover with foil and bake at 400 for 45 minutes. Remove from oven; ladle some of the juices over the top and return to the oven for another 15 minutes to get some browning on the vegetables. Remove from oven and serve.

Creole Jambalaya

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

8 green onions, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1-2 cups cubed cooked ham (1 pound)

1 pound Cajun-flavored or smoked sausage, slice

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

4 cups cooked rice

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and next 3 ingredients; sauté until tender. Add ham, sausage, and next 4 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Stir in rice, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.

Baked Pork Chops with Stuffing and Gravy
8  thin cut pork chops
1/2 cube  butter
salt and pepper
2 packages pork stuffing mix
3/4 cup  water
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can mushroom pieces, undrained

Brown pork chops in hot skillet. Place each chop in the bottom of a prepared 9x13 pan, in a single layer; season with salt and pepper. Make stuffing according to package directions. Place two large scoops of stuffing on top of each pork chop. Deglaze bottom of pan with water; then whisk in soup until smooth; gently stir in mushroom. Pour this gravy over the stuffing covered pork chops; cover with foil and bake at 350 for 90 minutes.  Note: Double the soup mixture if you think you want more gravy!


Southern Sausage Rice and Beans
Pre-cook your rice to make this dish in minutes!

1 pound smoked sausage, sliced on the diagonal
1 large onion, sliced
2 teaspoons  oil
2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can green chili diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon ranch dressing mix
2 cups cooked rice

In large skillet, saute sausage and onions until sausages are browning and onions are tender. Add the beans, tomatoes and salad dressing mix. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then stir in cooked rice. We serve this with a side of steamed spinach drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

Easy BBQ Ribs

2 pounds boneless country-style ribs
1 bottle  BBQ sauce

Place ribs in crock pot along with 1/4 cup water. Sprinkle the ribs with whatever seasonings you like: garlic salt, onion powder, pepper, thyme, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, etc. I like a bit of all of the above. Cook on low all day or on high half the day. About 30 minutes before serving, pour the BBQ sauce over the ribs and finish cooking.

Tasty BBQ Ribs

1 cup  ketchup
1 cup  BBQ sauce
1/4 cup  brown sugar
1/4 cup  worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds boneless country-style ribs

Place all ingredients, except ribs, in crock pot and stir to combine. Place ribs in sauce and cook all day on low or half day on high.



Grandpa Blakesley's Sausage Rice Casserole
1 pound sausage, browned
1 cup  chopped celery
1 cup  chopped sweet onion
1 cup  chopped green bell pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can  cream of chicken soup
1 cup  long grained rice

Mix together cooked sausage, celery, onion, and green pepper. In another bowl combine soups with two cans of water and rice. Pour into prepared 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.