Comfort Foodz: Sausage Mac

I have no idea what the real name is for this dish.  It is a result of one of those "my mom made this for us when we were kids, but I never get it anymore because no one makes it" conversations that lead to me making something with basic information. I always end up modifying recipes because I am so damn smart, I just know what will make them better.

 

That's me...              

I could google this and see if I can find it, but again, I am just too damn smart and I am sure I have it right.

 



Yep.

That's me.

So, what is this sausage mac? Well, once I got done, it was this:

• Breakfast sausage - HOT/spicy or medium or mild
• 1 onion - diced
• 1 bell pepper - diced
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 can diced (or petite diced) tomoto - undrained
• 2+/- cups uncooked macaroni

Follow directions on the pasta box for this. Or get fancy and google it. 
Put on the water for cooking the pasta.
I like to add a teaspoon or so of salt to the water - but that is just my choice.  You do NOT have to do this.
I follow directions for firm pasta.  I do not like it too squishy.
Once pasta is done, drain it really well. I use a collander for this - and I shake it around to get as much water out as possible.  I let it sit if I do it early in the recipe.  It does not matter if the pasta gets cold before adding it to the sausage/tomato concoction.
I sugget you use a timer for cooking pasta.  Just say'n.

Crumble up and cook the sausage of your choice.
When the sausage is nearly done, drain off the grease.
Stir in diced onion and pepper and let it cook a bit with the sausage - maybe 10 minutes.
Stir every couple of minutes.
once you are happy with the meat/onion/pepper, stir in the canned diced tomatoes - including the liquid. Heat to nearly boiling.
Stir in the tomato sauce and the well drained macaroni. Heat on medium until hot, not boiling.

You are done.  Easy comfort foodz.

*Notes:

• I like my sausage crumbled and cooked really well.
• While sausage is cooking:
• occasionally stir it around the pan and break it up more.
• wash the pepper, remove pith and seeds, dice.
• peel skin from onion and dice.
• pour sausage grease onto a papertowel or two wadded up in a bowl
• after grease cools a bit, toss the papertowel in the trash and wipe the grease residue from bowl before washing it.
• i suggest adding macaroni a little at a time until you are happy with the pasta to meat/sauce ratio.

This is NOT rocket science.  Add things, subtract things.  I like a little black pepper when I use mild sausage. I have added smoke flavoring, hot sauce, salt....  whatever I feel like at the time.  You can also serve up with mozzarella on top if you would like.

This is easy, not expensive, tasty...  You got a few food groups in there as well.

You can keep most of the ingredients on hand all the time for this recipe. I buy super cheap, already frozen sauage from UGO and keep it in the freezer.  UGO is the United Grocery Outlet local to me. You probably have your own cost contious grocery stores in your area. The only thing you cannot easily keep in your stockpile all of the time is the bell pepper.  I do not always use the bell pepper and I like it fine without it.

Fowur-Bazillion Bean Salad

OK, maybe 4-bazillion is a slight exaggeration, but you can put a lot of items in this salad. I made this bad boy Saturday morning for a family reunion Sunday.  I was headed to Nashville to the Midnight Jamboree (you can read about that little trip here on "This Gal's Fishing Adventure) and would not be able to cook nanner pudding or dumplings this time.

Marinated bean salads of any flavor/ingredient combination are awesome because they:

• Are great when you need to make a covered dish ahead of time because they need to sit and marinate to be good
• Honestly, they are not fit to eat unless they have at least set overnight with an occasional stir
• Are colorful to serve up anywhere
• Keep well  
• Come in many spice and herb flavor combinations
• I like it fairly simple as far as the marinade (dressing) goes
• Don't need the exact vegetable combination when it comes to getting the awesome flavor 
• I.e., raid the pantry people!
• Cheap to make
• Feeds a lot of folks

*Basic Recipe Ingredients:
1 each 8oz(+-) can lima beans
1 each 8ox (+-) can cut green beans
1 each 8oz (+-) can red kidney beans
1 each 8oz (+-) can bean sprouts
1 medium sweet onion, diced or sliced
1 green pepper, chopped **
2/3 cup vinegar***
1/2 cup oil****
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

In measuring cup, stir vinegar, sugar, and salt together until

Measuring Cup!!!

sugar dissolves.
Stir in oil.
Drain and rinse the canned items well.
Dump all the veggies into a plastic container with lid (sized to fit your goods).
Stir marinade again and pour over veggies.
Stir.
Seal.
Refrigerate over night. Stir when you think of it.

*Consider this:
I made mine industrial size for a family gathering. I doubled the above marinade recipe.
I added:                          

1 can cut sweet corn
1 can baby corn whole ears
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can green peas
1 half red bell pepper, chopped
1 half orange bell pepper, chopped
1 half yellow bell pepper, chopped

**The peppers added beautiful color. The garbanzo beans and whole baby corn ears added extra texture changes.  

***Vinegar types only matter in that white vinegar does not add that brown color to the finished dish.

****Oil types are up to you. I used canola because that is what I had. Light olive oil, corn oil, or.....  You choose.