Athough it takes more time than just sticking sausage and peppers in the oven, it’s probably one of the best methods for tender yet caramelized sausage that feeds a crowd well and my friends would agree! Double or triple this recipe when the crowd comes over and serve it with my overnight focaccia (recipe coming this week).

Sausage, Peppers, Onions Stovetop Process

• Use multi-color bell peppers: two bell peppers, one onion to one pound sausage.
• Flavor the olive oil first with some garlic, which is removed once golden.
• Place sausage in large pan with water and steam until they are nearly done.
• Cool, peel and slice across diagonally.
• Slice onion and sautè until softened. Set aside.
• Sautè sausage with slivered pepper.
• Add in onions.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Why Peel the Sausage?

The sausage will be much better peeled and not have that rubbery texture on outside. Once you peel sausage, you will always want to do that whenever you’re adding bite-sized sausage to a dish.

I ended up having to use to two large frying pans for 4 pounds of sausage for a potluck. I’ll write the recipe for one pound of sausage, so increase the amount according to your needs.

Sausage and Peppers is Great for a Potluck, Party or Game Day

Potluck or Party: It’s a great “take to” dish, once cooked and covered with a lid. You can also serve with rolls for sandwiches. This is a dish that can be made ahead and reheated. Double the recipe for a crowd.

Tips

• Slice Peppers and Onions ahead of time. Cover with plastic wrap.
• Increase amount of peppers and onions according to your taste.
• Serve with pasta for a bigger meal.
• Serve with rolls or focaccia for sandwiches.
• Serve with a side salad.
• Serve with crispysmashed potatoes.

More Recipes with Italian Sausage

• Italian Sausage Lentil Soup
• Italian Sausage and Greens Stir Fry
• Creamy Sausage Ragu with Pasta
• Creamy Spaghetti Squash Sausage Casserole
• Broccoli Rabe with Italian Sausage
• Italian Sausage Stuffed Eggplant
• Italian Sausage Balls
• Low Carb Sausage Breakfast Casserole
• Spicy Italian Soup with Sausage

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Stovetop Sausage and Peppers

Authentic Italian Sausage and Peppers

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian Sausage Links
• 2 bell peppers varied colors
• 1 large onion
• 1 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Seed and cut bell peppers into 1/2 inch slivers. Set Aside
• Cut bell peppers into 1/2 inch slivers. Set Aside.
• Slice onion into slivers and sautè in olive oil on medium low heat until softened. Remove to a bowl.
  
• Place sausage in frying pan with 2 inches of water on medium heat until sausages are almost cooked. This steams the sausage.
• Cool. Peel. Cut across into bite sized pieces.
• Fry garlic cloves in oil in large frying pan until golden. Remove garlic cloves.
• Add sliced sausages to this pan. Sauté for a few minutes on medium heat.
• Add peppers to sausage. Once the peppers are softened, add the onion back in. Cook for a minute to warm the onion.
  
• Season with salt and pepper as needed.

The post Stovetop Sausage, Peppers and Onions for a Crowd appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This key to this soup is time, slowly cooking a medley of zucchini, onion, squash, green beans, a variation of peppers (some mild, one hot) in a large can of San Marzano tomatoes. Of course the other key ingredients are olive oil, and basil.

This is more of an idea of recipe than an exact recipe. I was out to use up all the summer vegetables purchased at the Farmer’s Market.

Ingredients

• 6-8 zucchini, yellow squash
• 1 large can san marzano tomatoes
• 2 green bell peppers
• 2 banana peppers
• 1 red chili pepper
• 3 cups green beans (optional)
• 1 large onion
• olive oil
• salt, pepper
• basil
• Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Cheese
• 4 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth

This Italian Summer Vegetable soup is perfect comfort food in hot weather. This is even more delicious with a generous helping of freshly grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese. Serve with crusty bread as this soup is great for dipping.

Variations for Italian Vegetable Soup

You can make this a more complete meal for the family by adding the following.

• Add 2 cans white beans.
• Add 2 cups small macaroni.

More Vegetable Recipes from Spinach Tiger

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Italian Summer Vegetable Soup

Zucchini, Squash, Peppers, Onions, Green Beans and Tomato, a perfect medley for summer vegetable soup.

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword vegetable soup

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Ingredients

• 6 zucchini and yellow squash cut crosswise
• 1 large onion large dice
• 2 bell peppers
• 1 red chili pepper or banana peppers
• 3 cups green beans trimmed and cut in half
• 1 large can San Marzano Tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• basil
• Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
• 1 quart boxed broth (chicken or vegetable)

Instructions

Preparation

• Cut ends off zucchini and yellow squash. Use a variety. Keep in mind yellow squash tends to stay more in tact than zucchini, so do use some. Cut across about 1/2 inch thick.
• Trim ends of green beans and cut in half.
• Peel and dice onion.
• Seed peppers and cut into large dice. I like using green bell pepper for this soup, but you can include red bell pepper. Use one pepper than has some heat like banana pepper or red chili pepper.
• Tomatoes: Use your hands to squeeze the tomatoes into a bowl and have them ready to add to soup.

Soup

• Heat oil in large pot. Add onions, peppers and soften for a minute or two. Add in remaining vegetables except green beans. Add Tomatoes and broth, salt, pepper and seasoning. Cook on low for one hour. Then add in green beans and cook for one more hour. Serve with more basil and grated cheese.
• Slow Cooker: You can put everything into a slow cooker on low for 4 to 6 hours, if need be. You can add more broth or water if it's too thick.

The post Italian Summer Vegetable Soup appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I have a few unique soups along with a few traditional cold soups.

I recently attended a spanish wine tasting and a spanish cooking class. We all loved the gazpacho soup. Luckily I have a few gazpacho recipes to share.

Gazpacho – I made this when I picked everything from my garden. This recipe contains bread, whereas, the golden grape gazpacho below does not.

Gazpacho with Golden Grapes – In this version, I skipped the bread, which is usually very much a part of the gazpacho.

Cold Summer Soups with Melon

Watermelon Gazpacho – I’m most proud of this, because it’s refreshing and unique.

If you like unusual watermelon recipes, try my grilled watermelon with lavender sea salt.

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup – Cantaloupe, coconut milk, rum, finely chopped mint made a summery first course. This is fun, delicious and a great starter.

Green Cold Summer Soup Recipes

Chilled Cucumber Gazpacho – My most recent recipe, very simple with just cucumbers, arugula and olive oil.

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More Soups You May Be Interested in

Soups in a Vitamix

The post Cold Summer Soup Recipes appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

The mix of olives and sweet red peppers, canned tomatoes, white wine and chicken broth will bring good scents into the kitchen and satisfy winter comfort food cravings.

This dish reminds me of my grandmother. It’s the only chicken dish I can remember her ever making. She was first generation Southern Italian and came from a long line of amazing Italian cooks who had the special talent of making simple food taste and feel spectacular. She would have add potatoes to the baking dish and served a green salad.

The list of ingredients may seem daunting, but most of them you will have on hand. If you don’t have basil or sage, use what you have. I eliminated a few ingredients that most people won’t have on hand and will not affect the dish, such as a few kale or endive leaves. No need to purchase those, as they aren’t the ingredients that make the dish.

Ingredients

• Chicken Pieces
• Oil Cured Olives
• Red Pepper
• Crushed Pepper
• Olive Oil
• White Wine
• Onion
• Herbs

Cooking Process for Italian Chicken

• I used various pieces of chicken on the bone, cutting chicken breasts in half and mixing with thighs. Feel free to use all thighs for a more budget friendly dish.
• Start the dish a day ahead to marinate the chicken with a mixture of the herbs, garlic, onion, olive oil, crushed red pepper.
• Use a baking pan in a size that will fit all your chicken with room between each piece and room for adding white wine and chicken stock. If you want to add potatoes, make sure the dish is large enough.
• Cut the peppers into strips (seeded) and arrange under the chicken thighs on a baking pan. Add olives
• Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Baste, add half of the wine, continue to cook at 350 (180 C) until the chicken reaches 165 F. internal temperature.
• Add half of the broth, place chicken under broiler for a few minutes to brown the top.
• Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Place baking pan on top of stove, adding rest of the broth and wine. Cook, stirring continuously.
• Pour sauce over the chicken and squeeze a lemon over the dish.

Side Options: Add in potatoes. Cut into bite sized pieces around the chicken after 30 minutes. Chicken and potatoes makes a full meal, and is complemented with a simple green salad.

Why I Liked This Dish

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More Chicken Dishes to Consider

• Ricotta Stuffed Chicken
• Chicken Picatta
• Chicken Francaise
• Stovetop Creamy Chicken Thighs
• Greek Chicken
• Whole Roast Chicken Cacciatore

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Baked Chicken Cacciatore

Delicious Chicken Dish with Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Keyword baked chicken, Chicken cacciatore

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken pieces on bone

Marinade

• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 8 sage leaves or teaspoon dried
• 8 basil leaves or teaspoon dried
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 red onion diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Baking Process

• 1 large red bell pepper seed, sliced in 1 inch strips
• 1/2 cup oil cured black olives
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (large can)
• 3 potatoes peeled, large cube
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth divided
• 1 lemon halved

Instructions

• Season chicken with salt.
• Mix together herbs, olive oil, onion, garlic. Rub over chicken. Cover, refrigerate overnight.
  
• Preheat oven to 400 degress F.
• Place chicken on large baking pan. Tuck peppers underneath. Scatter olives and tomatoes, crushed red pepper over the chicken.
• Roast for 30 minutes. half of wine over chicken.
• Add potatoes at this point.
• Turn oven down to 350 and roast another 30 minutes, basting frequently, adding in the rest of broth as needed.
• If needed, brown the chicken under broil 4 minutes per side.
• Once chicken internal temperature is 165 degrees. F. Remove the chicken and veggies, to a serving dish.
• Using all the pan juices, add remaining wine and 1/2 cup broth and continue to cook in on top of stove until reduced by half. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup broth. Simmer to blend and season with salt and pepper.
• Pour sauce over the chicken. Squeeze lemon over all of the dish right before serving.
  

The post Oven Baked Chicken Cacciatore appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Well that changes now. I’m going to give you two methods to make steak tips, and I’ll tell you my preference. 

What are steaks tips?

Steak tips are usually cut from the sirloin or round muscle. They are tasty but not tender like filet. Sometimes they are known as sirloin tips. They do well marinated and then cooked on hot grill, quickly.  

Sirloin tips are very versatile. Here they are coupled with caramelized peppers. You could make them with this mushroom sauce or sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and various marinades or barbecue sauces. You could even serve them with this chimichurri. 

Do you have to marinate steak tips?

I recommend at least a one-hour marinade that has fat, acid and salt. Be careful not to over-marinate with fruits that can break down the meat too much like pineapple, which can turn the meat to mush.

What is the best marinade for steak tips?

You can do the marinade in this recipe which has sesame oil, coconut aminos and lime juice. Or you can use your favorite marinade.  For example, you could simply do some oil, vinegar, and worcestershire. Your acid could be red wine or balsamic. Acid and salt helps to tenderize the meat. 

Can you cook steak tips in the oven?

You can quickly cook steak tips in the oven under the broiler. The oven should be hot and the steak tips only cooked about three minutes on each side. 

Which method works best to cook steak tips?

I did a test. I marinated the steak tips for one hour. Half of them went on to a very hot grill. Half of them went in the oven under the broiler. 

I made sure to dry the marinade off so they wouldn’t steam. Steamed meat is gray and not good. 

The result: The steak tips cooked on a hot grill were much better, more tender than those under the broiler.

Where I buy my Steak Tips

I’m proud to say I love meat and I especially love steak. I have found a new place to buy the best steak I’ve ever eaten. 

Last year, we subscribed to Butcher Box and have been over the moon with the quality of the meat, and I asked to become an affiliate, which earns commissions on sales, because I was so impressed. We heard so much about Butcher Box and the only thing I can say is I wish we would have subscribed sooner. 

Benefits of ButcherBox

• • High-Quality Meat: Delicious 100% grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, heritage-breed pork, and wild-caught seafood.
  • Unbeatable Value: Average cost = Less than $6 per meal.  
  • Flexibility: Box options and delivery frequencies to fit your needs, cancel any time with no penalty.
  • Convenience: Great-tasting, high-quality meat you can feel good about, delivered right to your doorstep (FREE shipping).
  • Decisions That Make a Difference: Caring about animals and our planet, improving livelihoods for farmers, better meals enjoyed together.
• Pin This ↓

Go Here to find out more about Butcher Box

More Steak Recipes from Spinach Tiger

The Perfect New York Strip Steak (my most popular post of all time)

How to Cook a Ribeye Steak

How to Make Teres Major (a cheap, tasty cut of steak)

 How to Make a Skirt Steak with Chimichurri

How to Make a Flank Steak

Ropa Viaja (braised flank steak)

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Grilled Steak Tips

Two ways to make steak tips, grill or broil

Course entrees

Cuisine American

Keyword steak tips

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Marinating Time 1 hour hour

Servings 2 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound steak tips
• salt, pepper for seasoning

Marinade

• 1/3 cup sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos or tamari sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 serrano pepper seeded, siced
• 1/4 orange juiced
• 1/2 lime juiced with zest

Fried Peppers

• 8 small sweet peppers or 3 bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

• Season steak tips with salt and pepper. If they are extra large cut in half. Set aside.

Marinade

• Mix all ingredients for marinade. Taste and adjust as you see fit. You may want more or less ginger, etc.
• Marinate meat in half of marinade, reserving the rest for later. Marinate for one hour on the counter. This takes the chill off the meat and it will cook quickly.

Steak Tips on the Grill

• Heat all burners on grill for 15 minutes until grill is very hot. You will be cooking the steak tips fast.
• Put on the grill for 5 minutes. Turn over for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Steak Tips in the Broiler

• Heat broiler for 15 minutes and adjust rack at the top. You want a high heat to hit the tips.
• Broil for five minutes. Check at 3 minutes to make sure tips don't burn. Turn over for 2 minutes.

Fried Peppers

• The key is low and slow to caramelize peppers.
• Trim off ends, take out seeds and make thin slices.
• Heat pan, add oil and once oil is hot, turn to low. Add peppers and allow to cook for at least twenty minutes. You can do this while the meat is marinating. Turn every few minutes. You don't want charred peppers. You want these too cook slowly.
• Season everything again with salt and pepper. Serve with reserved marinade.

The post How to Make Steak Tips on the Grill and the Broiler appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This beautiful arugula hash with oven baked eggs is not a product of genius or organization. It’s certainly pretty to the eyes and satisfying to the taste buds, but it wasn’t created with finesse or thought.

I’ve been reflecting on the past six years of over 600 recipes. As I scroll though the photos, a part of me gets a little impressed. It’s a body of work to be sure. But then a part of me wishes I was more organized, more intentional, and truthfully, more creative. I find myself falling into the same ruts that anyone else does in the kitchen. I could actually get intimidated by my own photos of some pretty amazing food, if I didn’t know the back story.

Yes, it’s true that I have immeasurable passion for food, and for good ingredients, and for the local farmer (no matter where that farmer lives). I’m devoted to sight, taste, smell, experience. But I sometimes imagine other food bloggers with hefty scheduled calendars, ordered pantries, and a more well defined plan.

I struggle with such things. Most of the food in my kitchen seems to just happen. While I will think about a dish from a recipe, push it around in my mind, and try to replicate it, and I will study cookbooks, I don’t usually have a plan beyond a few days. How I’ve managed to keep this blog going so consistently sometimes baffles me.

Let’s take this arugula hash. Arugula is not a typical hash or breakfast ingredient. It found its way into my hash, out of desperation to add something green. The picture was an instagram hit. The oven baked eggs is another one of those recipes that just happened and is surprisingly successful on youtube, but can be found here.

There are some truly fabulous blogs out there, who run like a machine. I’ve seem some bloggers with a social media schedule that markets every recipe and plans every hour of their idea sharper than the president. I’m in awe of that, because I tried it for a week and found myself feeling miserable and less creative. I do have white boards with general goals, recipes, restaurants I want to visit, videos I want to make etc.

I’m sure there is a space in between that melds productivity and creativity in a perfect yin yang fashion. I’m searching for that sweet spot.

How about you. Do you live by a schedule? Do you produce your (blog, art, song, book, business plan, etc.) in a streamlined orderly fashion? Do you work more by the seat of your pants. Do you work with intention?

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Arugula Hash with Oven Baked Eggs

Arugula brings the greens to a ordinary potato has and the eggs are baked right there in the pan.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 medium potato peeled, diced
• 1 shallot diced (or 1/2 medium onion)
• 1 sweet pepper or use the pepper of your choice seeded, diced
• 1 big bunch of arugula about 2 cups or more
• 4 eggs
• olive oil for pan frying
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Saute onion for a few minutes, just until softened.
• Add diced pepper.
• Add garlic and while stirring cook for about one minute.
• Add potatoes and saute until softened.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Put the hast into a cast iron pan, Add arugula,
• Make a hole in the center. Make sure there is enough oil in pan, it doesn't take too much, just a film of oil.
• Add eggs in the center.
• Bake in oven at 400 degrees F for 7-10 minutes or until eggs are set.

The post Arugula Hash with Oven Baked Eggs appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Fussing in the kitchen, if only for five minutes, is all it takes to ground me, even in a Nashville hot and humid summer. I have to touch food to get my peace.

I need to cut, or chop, or try something new that grew in the ground, such as walking onions, to find my sweet spot
And, on one of the hottest days of the summer, I fussed with the forgotten farmer’s market finds. But, as you can see, not too much fuss. A smattering of mismatched peppers, and a bunch of walking onions came out to greet me from the back of the refrigerator. Peppers can be mixed with some sausage, or thrown into a frittata, but the walking onions were my challenge.

Walking onions are small like the size of large garlic cloves, and I didn’t want to fuss with figuring out how to slice through their smallness. So I turned to my “go to” way of life, roasting. But this is not the typical “roasted” pepper. It’s a slice and roast technique with skins, and the peppers maintain just a tiny bit of crunch. It’s quick and the way to go when you need to play with food a little, but just a little.

The peppers were a sweet batch of various yellows with one lime green bell pepper thrown into the mix. It was something the gardener said accidentally happened.

As far as steak, I used one filet mignon and rubbed heavily with salt and pepper. It was seared on a hot grill to medium rare.

As far as walking onions, I would snatch them up again to roast. They are bite size, roast quickly, and yield a nice sweet flavor.

Tell me, do you have a recent lazy summer meal that brought you “kitchen” happiness?

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Walking Onions Jazz Up Pepper Steak

Servings 2

Ingredients

• Medley of peppers at least one cup of sliced peppers per person
• 1 -2 bunches of walking onions substitute regular onion, sliced
• olive oil
• chopped rosemary
• salt pepper

Instructions

• Seed and slice peppers. Peel onion. (Drop into boiling water for 30 seconds and skins fall off.)
• Mix with olive oil, roast for 20-30 minutes.
• Serve with your favorite steak.

The post Walking Onions Jazz Up Pepper Steak appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I have made at least one hundred picture perfect frittatas. I have been scrambling eggs since I was seven. But, today for the first time ever, my frittata was a disaster. It stuck to the pan, when I tried to turn it over.  And, the more I tried to fix it, the worse it became. Shock and panic.

If I show you, how to make a frittata and this happens to you, you will never do it again. I almost threw 8 eggs into the trash.  But, I’m too practical and I wanted those potatoes with eggs. So I thought, maybe I can still save this mess. I’ll change pans and add two more eggs. Maybe, I’ll find a bigger pan, or maybe a smaller pan. I can make it work.

Three pans later, and a stove full of eggs,  I was able to piece it back together, and, while not my typical beautiful frittata, it was good enough that I ate it for lunch and again for dinner. It was just not good enough to photograph. So I will show you another frittata I made and give you that recipe.

I tell you this because frittatas are a beautiful thing, eaten best at room temperature, and cut into wedges, to be enjoyed as an entree, a side dish, or inside  crusty bread.

My family has made frittata for generations with an unwritten rule to only serve it for lunch or dinner, but never breakfast, although in Italy one hotel in Tuscany did serve frittata for breakfast, and I remember being the guest who ate the most of it because it made me feel more at home.

Frittatas make fantastic use of your farmer’s market’s seasonal produce, which is exactly how I arrived at this recipe for yellow zucchini and yellow wax peppers. Yellow squash is sweet and goes very well with a little bit of hot pepper.

I remember calling my mom and saying, “come for lunch, I just got back from the market and I’m making a frittata.” She came right over and I think for her, too, it’s a feel good traditional family recipe. Her next question, of course, was “do you have bread? and then, “are you making a salad?”

This is the reason I love being Italian. Even the most casual on the fly lunch turns into an event.

Note: You can follow the same directions here and use the potatoes from this recipe, or any other filling you like.

Remember, if you mess it up, don’t give up. You may still be able to save it, and it’s a dish worth learning to make  the old fashioned way, on top of the stove.

Recipe for Frittata with Yellow Squash, Yellow Peppers

Ingredients

• 8 eggs beaten, with a little water added
• 2 cups yellow squash thinly sliced (or 1 large)
• 1 yellow wax pepper (be careful, it’s HOT) you might want to wear gloves
• olive oil
• sea salt, black pepper
• 10” non-stick frying pan

Instructions

1. Thinly slice squash.
Seed, peel and  finely chop peppers.  These are hot. There are yellow peppers that are not hot, but these are and you don’t want to accidently rub your eyes.
2. Saute peppers and squash together in a little olive oil. 
Beat 8 eggs with a splash of water, salt and pepper.
Make sure there is plenty of oil in the pan. Add eggs.
3. Here’s the tricky part. Just keep allowing the egg mixture to run underneath the frittata. You will keep going all around the pan, until there is not much liquid left and the eggs are set and ready to turn over.
4.  Using thick pot holders, place a plate over the pan.  If you have a plastic plate, it might be easier to turn over. This part of frittata making can be daunting, and if you don’t have the “look” you want, turn it over again. The frittata usually just has a way of coming out beautiful. As a staple dish of my kitchen, it’s worth a little practice.
5.  
Cut in wedges. but wait for at least 20 minutes. Frittata is best served at room temperature. I usually make this 1 or 2 hours ahead.

The post Frittata with Yellow Squash, Yellow Peppers appeared first on Spinach Tiger.