I feel truly bad when I have a friend say that they wouldn't want me to come to their house for a meal because my expectations are likely too high!
What!?!?!?
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| Smoked Sausage & Rice One Pot Meal |
Yes, I do a lot of things many people would never try. I understand that. It's just what I do. I get a bee in my bonnet about a new thing and just have to give it a try. But, my decision to go the route of finickiness in a recipe does not in any way mean I cannot appreciate something other, even if simpler.
When I go to a restaurant, I have had friends say the same, that I must be less than satisfied with the meal. That couldn't be farther from the truth. When I am at someone's house, or at a restaurant, I am able to sit down. I am being served by someone else. That I do not have to do the work, the cleanup, the timing of a meal and all the detail that goes into it, means I am exceedingly pleased and grateful, and patient (including at a restaurant), because I know the amount of work it takes. Even for something much less complicated than a puff pastry dough or pan de campagne.
I am of an age that I do not have little ones running around the house or a busy schedule (most of the time). I don't work outside of maintaining a large house and a husband with some health issues. I have the time, now and again, to indulge my curiosity about a recipe. And my interests in food are far reaching.
Last year I had the pleasure of meeting a woman at the local Farmers' Market, selling pork (pork in many forms, including smoked sausage and pork fat for rendering) and chickens and some turkeys for Thanksgiving. Her name is Amy, and her meats are from Bumpy Road Ranch. While all her meats are home farm raised and delicious, the items that really struck me were her smoked ring sausage and smoked brats. I have never been fond of sausage, though if I was going to eat it, it would be smoked. But this woman's sausage is so delicious I went back multiple times to get more and more. I have looked for more ways to use it, it's just that delicious.
When I tested the recipe for this "Smoked Sausage & Rice One Pot Meal," I used store bought smoked brats. I did this because if it didn't come out tasting as good as I wanted, I didn't want to have used up a package of Bumpy Road Ranch Smoked Brats! I will make it again, now that I know how good this is, with the good brats! But whether you have access to wonderful local smoked brats, or whether you buy them at the grocery, this recipe doesn't take very long, and it is so wonderfully tasty.
Also, continuing with my determination to get something healthy into the mix, I added grated cauliflower (in addition to my usual onion, garlic, celery, carrot and green pepper) and used a brown rice mix instead of white rice. It takes an extra step when using brown rice, as it needs to be half-cooked before adding to the pot (meaning, technically, that it's not a "one"-pot meal). Plain white rice could be added instead, at the point where the half-cooked rice is added.
Serves 4 to 6
1½ cups brown rice
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups water-----------------
1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
2 cups grated cauliflower
1 carrot, grated
4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, stems discarded
1 bay leaf
1 package smoked brats or other smoked sausage, sliced
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, well rinsed
Set the rice, salt and water in a saucepan, bring to boil, lower temperature to a simmer and time for 30 minutes.
In a large skillet, heat the oil and add in the chopped onion, sauté until softened, then add in the garlic and the remaining vegetables as they are prepared, stirring occasionally to soften. Add in the thyme leaves and the bay leaf, smoked sausage, kidney beans and tomato sauce. Pour in the partially cooked rice, along with its remaining water and cook for at least another 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked through. Mixture may be slightly saucy.
My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.
When I go to a restaurant, I have had friends say the same, that I must be less than satisfied with the meal. That couldn't be farther from the truth. When I am at someone's house, or at a restaurant, I am able to sit down. I am being served by someone else. That I do not have to do the work, the cleanup, the timing of a meal and all the detail that goes into it, means I am exceedingly pleased and grateful, and patient (including at a restaurant), because I know the amount of work it takes. Even for something much less complicated than a puff pastry dough or pan de campagne.
 |
| Smoked Sausage & Rice One Pot Meal |
Last year I had the pleasure of meeting a woman at the local Farmers' Market, selling pork (pork in many forms, including smoked sausage and pork fat for rendering) and chickens and some turkeys for Thanksgiving. Her name is Amy, and her meats are from Bumpy Road Ranch. While all her meats are home farm raised and delicious, the items that really struck me were her smoked ring sausage and smoked brats. I have never been fond of sausage, though if I was going to eat it, it would be smoked. But this woman's sausage is so delicious I went back multiple times to get more and more. I have looked for more ways to use it, it's just that delicious.
When I tested the recipe for this "Smoked Sausage & Rice One Pot Meal," I used store bought smoked brats. I did this because if it didn't come out tasting as good as I wanted, I didn't want to have used up a package of Bumpy Road Ranch Smoked Brats! I will make it again, now that I know how good this is, with the good brats! But whether you have access to wonderful local smoked brats, or whether you buy them at the grocery, this recipe doesn't take very long, and it is so wonderfully tasty.
Also, continuing with my determination to get something healthy into the mix, I added grated cauliflower (in addition to my usual onion, garlic, celery, carrot and green pepper) and used a brown rice mix instead of white rice. It takes an extra step when using brown rice, as it needs to be half-cooked before adding to the pot (meaning, technically, that it's not a "one"-pot meal). Plain white rice could be added instead, at the point where the half-cooked rice is added.
Smoked Sausage & Rice One Pot Meal
Serves 4 to 6
 |
| Smoked Sausage & Rice One Pot Meal |
1½ cups brown rice
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups water-----------------
1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
2 cups grated cauliflower
1 carrot, grated
4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, stems discarded
1 bay leaf
1 package smoked brats or other smoked sausage, sliced
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, well rinsed
Set the rice, salt and water in a saucepan, bring to boil, lower temperature to a simmer and time for 30 minutes.
 |
| Left all ingredients added and Right all cooked through |
In a large skillet, heat the oil and add in the chopped onion, sauté until softened, then add in the garlic and the remaining vegetables as they are prepared, stirring occasionally to soften. Add in the thyme leaves and the bay leaf, smoked sausage, kidney beans and tomato sauce. Pour in the partially cooked rice, along with its remaining water and cook for at least another 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked through. Mixture may be slightly saucy.
My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.
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