Archive | 2017

The holidays are a magical time – enjoying traditions with family and friends, visiting with rarely-seen relatives, enjoying all the treats that the season has to offer. This time of year we find that our homes, our hearts, and our bellies are full.

But with near-constant entertaining it can be hard to find time to search for the perfect recipes to serve your guests. Thankfully, Isernio’s sausages are super versatile and can be used in a number of different recipes. And, as our holiday gift to you, we’ve rounded up some of the best for your holiday table.

APPETIZERS

Hosting a casual get-together? Set out a bunch of appetizers instead of making a full-scale holiday meal. After your guests arrive it will be practically hands-off for you, and – trust us – everyone loves a good app.

Margherita Isernio’s Sausage Meatballs: Make these ahead of time and serve them in a crock-pot to keep them warm throughout your party. Or set them on a platter with their own little toothpicks for a bite-sized treat nobody can resist.

Sausage & Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms: Up the elegance with these delicious stuffed mushrooms that are packed with sausage, cheese, and savory goodness.

Spicy Sausage Wonton Cups: Crunchy wontons, creamy cheese, and just the right amount of spice make this an app that will disappear faster than you can say Merry Christmas.

Garlic Toasts with Sausage, Pepper, and Goat Cheese: A classic Italian combination of sausage and peppers atop a crunchy crostini come together for a perfect pre-dinner bite.

BRUNCH

When hosting brunch for a crowd, pick recipes that you can serve, and then sit down with your guests and enjoy. Avoid dishes (like crepes, omelettes, or waffles) that will require your ongoing attention to keep your serving plates full.

Pasta Frittata with Sausage and Mushrooms: This dish will have the “wow” factor that a traditional breakfast casserole lacks. Sausage, eggs, mushrooms, and cheese – with pasta for a unique flair. What’s not to love here?

Breakfast Lasagne: Store-bought hash browns make this dish a breeze, and a ton of veggies make this dish practically guilt-free. Plus it’s a beautiful, colorful addition to your brunch table spread!

Maple Sausage French Toast Bake: You don’t want to be stuck at the stove flipping French toast, but you can still serve it to your guests in the form of a casserole. Even better – you can make it the day before so all you have to do before your company arrives is pop it in the oven.

SAVORY SIDES

If you’re serving a traditional sit-down dinner we know that turkey or ham will probably be the star of the show. But these amazing sides are just waiting to steal the spotlight.

Stuffing with Sausage and Rum-Soaked Figs: Love traditional stuffing but just want to give it something…extra? Rum-soaked figs are just the non-traditional twist you need!

Green Bean Casserole with Sausage: Don’t serve the same old side. This recipe adds sausage to upgrade everyone’s favorite holiday veggie dish.

Wild Rice and Basmati Casserole with Sausage and Sage: Rice as a side dish gets a serious upgrade with this flavor-packed casserole.

It really is the most wonderful time of the year, and we love being a part of your holiday gatherings. How will you incorporate Isernio’s into your seasonal recipes?

Turkey may take center stage at the Thanksgiving table, but it’s the stuffing that everyone looks forward to eating. This year, kick up the flavor with a sausage stuffing that will have everyone reaching for seconds. Here are some of our favorite ideas to make your stuffing truly memorable – and with Isernio’s full line of pork, chicken, mild, and hot sausages you can make the dish uniquely yours.

Incorporate the Flavors of the Season

Apples, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and squash are signature seasonal flavors that also happen to pair perfectly with sausage. Incorporate these ingredients to add a hint of sweetness to the traditional savory stuffing. Tip: For recipes that call for “sage sausage,” just add ½ tsp of dried sage to plain sausage while you’re browning it to make your own.

• 5-Star Sausage Apple and Cranberry Stuffing (Wicked Good Kitchen)
• Classic Stuffing with Sausage, Sage, and Rosemary (Frank Isernio)
• Sausage, Fig and Cranberry Stuffing (The Merchant Baker)
• Harvest Sausage Stuffing with Pecans and Cranberries (The Chunky Chef)
• Gluten Free Stuffing (The Movement Menu)

Get Creative with the Plating

Think beyond the casserole dish and find cute, seasonal ways to serve your stuffing. Not only will your dish be delicious, but it will double as table decor, too.

• Sausage, Rice, and Cranberry Stuffed Mini Pumpkins (Inspired by Charm)
• Sausage and Stuffing Balls with Cranberry Dipping Sauce (I Should Be Mopping the Floor)
• Sausage, Cranberry, and Stuffing Pastry (Pepperidge Farm)
• Stuffed Acorn Squash with Apple, Cranberry, and Sausage Stuffing (Happily Unprocessed)
• Sausage Apple and Sage Stuffing Muffins (McCormick) – use chicken sausage instead of turkey

Try Something Besides White Bread

Sure, traditional stuffing is made with dried sandwich bread. But simply swapping it out for french bread, sourdough, or even cornbread can change the taste and texture of your dish. Or, you can do something completely unique and make a rice stuffing, which is perfect for your gluten-free guests. Try brown or wild rice for a more rustic, nutty flavor.

• Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing (Laura Fuentes)
• Ciabatta and Sausage Stuffing (Thomas Keller)
• Sausage and Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash (One Sweet Mess)
• Wild Rice Stuffing with Apple & Sausage (Eating Well) – use chicken sausage instead of turkey

Mix Up Your Technique

Chop, saute, mix, and bake. But what would happen if you did something out of the ordinary? Add some extra flavor to your sausage stuffing by browning the bread stovetop instead of baking it, or skip the oven altogether and make your stuffing in your slow cooker, leaving more room in there for the bird.

• Slow Cooker Sausage Stuffing (Averie Cooks)
• French Toast Sausage Stuffing (Panna Cooking)
• Instant Pot Brown Rice and Sausage Stuffing (Confessions of a Fit Foodie)

You don’t have to settle for the same old stuffing. With a little creativity, seasonal ingredients, and Isernio’s fresh, flavorful sausage, you can turn it into a holiday show-stopper. How will you make your stuffing unique this year?

Is there a more perfect food for this season than soup? Whether it’s one of those impossibly bright yet blustery days where the wind steals your breath or a gray, drizzly afternoon that sends the chill deep into your bones, there’s no better way to warm yourself up from the inside out than with a thick, hearty, hot bowl of soup.

Not only are soups comforting, but they’re good for you, too. Because they’re so flavor-packed, it’s easy to incorporate more veggies into your diet – even if someone else at your table may be a little veggie-averse. Plus we all grew up believing chicken soup could help cure the common cold – and while the research isn’t definitive, there’s an increasing body of evidence that bone broth may help boost immunity and reduce inflammation. Which, in this season that’s notorious for rampant colds and other illnesses, certainly can’t hurt.

All that AND it’s a one-pot meal? No wonder we love soup so much! Here are some of our favorites for fall.

Sausage, White Bean, and Spinach Soup

This thick and satisfying soup is full of colorful veggies – and since you eat with your eyes first, it’s sure to satisfy all of your senses. Plus, it can be made exactly to your liking with hot, mild, pork, or chicken sausage. This one’s a winner all around!

Pasta Fagioli with Sausage

This hearty soup from Skinnytaste is actually meatless, but when we make it in my house we always add sausage to make it a little more filling and flavorful. Just brown some Isernio’s Italian Chicken Sausage at the beginning of the recipe, and you’ll end up with a delicious meal that’s even better as leftovers the next day.

Lentils with Sausage

Lentils are a great source of fiber along with iron, protein, vitamin B1, and folate. They also happen to pair perfectly with sausage. This this stew will warm your body and your soul – and if you want to sneak in a little extra nutrition, wilt in a few spinach or kale leaves at the end. With all the flavor simmering in the soup, nobody will even notice.

Sweet Potato Sausage Soup

Few people know their way around the kitchen better than Martha Stewart, so you can trust that her soup recipe will be a crowd pleaser. It can be made with either hot or sweet Italian sausage depending on your taste, and the sweet potatoes make this a perfect pairing for the season.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

All of the flavors of a stuffed pepper without all the work! This super simple supper from Chef Savvy features any kind of sausage you like and comes together quickly, with most of the cooking time being hands-off.

Creamy Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup

This recipe from Chelsea’s Messy Apron is proof that decadence is still possible in a 30-minute meal. With real cream, lots of veggies, flavorful sausage, and cheesy ravioli, this will fill up even the biggest appetite.

Packed with flavor, sausage is the perfect ingredient to make a filling fall soup. Plus, since it pairs perfectly with the rich tastes of the season and Isernio’s has a number of different varieties to choose from, the culinary possibilities are endless!

How will you try Isernio’s sausage in your soup this season?

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms in your life and ours! No matter your plans, a great way to start is with a full meal deal featuring Isernio’s chicken and pork sausages. Out of ideas or just want to branch out? Here are eight great ways to start her day.

A Perfectly Square Meal

Take a traditional English breakfast as inspiration, and make mom a full-on feast for Mother’s Day brunch — with or without the soupy beans that give the plate its very British character. Grilled sausages, lovely poached eggs, fresh or cooked tomato, veggies, and a toasty, garlic bread are a good way to start.

Breakfast Sausage Roll

Get spicy with a stuffed bread roll that you can roll up and bake before heading out to buy flowers, sprucing up the house, or otherwise making the mom in your life feel special. Try it with Isernio’s Chicken Spinach & Feta links for even more delicious flavor to spruce it up.

Isernio’s Breakfast Lasagne

A classic breakfast casserole featuring cheese, zucchini, hash browns as a base, and Isernio’s Chicken or Pork Sausage is beloved by all. You really can’t go wrong with this Instagram-worthy dish you can serve up in its pan.

Biscuits and Country Sausage Gravy

There’s nothing as hearty or filling as a heaping helping of biscuits and gravy. So, if you have a big adventure in store for the day, it’s best to fuel up with something delicious like this. You can make this one with ground chicken or pork, or try it with one of our flavorful sausage (just remove the casing and crumble the meat into the pan).

Sausage Biscuit Cups

Store-bought flaky biscuits, eggs, and cream cheese meet pork or chicken sausage for little muffin tin breakfast treats that are adorable and easy to make with the kids.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Cooking with sausages is one of those things that, once you start, you just can’t get enough of. Already perfectly seasoned, each link is a meal in itself. But because we’re the type of people who never limit our creativity to just what is in front of us, we’re always thinking about what else we can do with our delicious sausages. And we’re guessing you might be that kinda person, too.

One of our favorites is the Chicken Spinach & Feta sausage, with its healthy ingredients, bold flavors, and excellent texture throughout thanks to the spinach and feta. Since savory, salty feta and oh-so-green spinach are already representing on the flavor front, you don’t have to do a lot to it to make it shine. Here are a few of our favorite ways to show off this fabulous sausage.

Sausage and Chickpea Stew

Hearty and veggie-forward, our own Sausage and Chickpea Stew works well with so many of our sausages. However, the tomato base, bonus portion of spinach, and warm spices are especially well paired with this sausage variety. Try it out any time of year, and don’t be surprised if your kids are extra excited about eating their vegetables this way.

Chicken Spinach & Feta Sausage Pizza

Grab your favorite pre-made pizza crust, or make your own from scratch for this flavorful pie. Pre-cook sausages whole to make this easy weeknight crowd pleaser. We like to sautee ours in a pan, browning on all sides, then add in about 1” of water, cover the pan, and let it cook. If it’s still a little pink in the middle when you take it out, don’t worry — it’ll finish cooking in the oven. To assemble your pie, top your crust with a healthy dollop of tomato sauce, then sprinkle with a quattro formaggi (four cheese) mix. Chop your sausages into coins, and dot them around the pie. Add a sprinkle of feta across your pizza, and feel free to add some fresh spinach, chunks of tomato, and leaves of basil. Pop it in the oven til the crust is done and cheese is bubbly, and serve!

Pasta Florentine

Chicken florentine is an eternally popular dish for a reason. There’s just something classic and so craveworthy about creamy, garlicky chicken and spinach coming together in a pan. To make a pasta version, remove casings from sausage links, and crumble the meaty goodness from inside into a pan with minced garlic and diced shallots. Let them cook together, and add chopped cherry tomatoes once meat is cooked through. Meanwhile, boil penne or another favorite pasta noodle. Once al dente, add pasta and a little bit of the cooking water to the Chicken Spinach & Feta sausage mixture. Then splash in a little cream, let bubble, and serve topped with shredded parmesan.

Spaghetti Squash Boats with Sausage, Kale, and Mushrooms

Spaghetti is a family favorite of ours. But spaghetti squash? Well, how can you resist those little boats with shreddable “noodles” of savory squash? We can’t, and this recipe from our bloggess friend Corie Cameron is so comforting and homey, with kale, mushrooms, and plenty of Chicken Spinach & Feta sausage.

What’s your favorite way to eat Isernio’s Chicken Spinach & Feta sausage? Share it below!

You’re cooking at home for your family or friends. What are you making? If this question regularly plagues you, it may be time for you to create an arsenal of recipes you can make with just a few ingredients. One super versatile place to start is with Isernio’s rolls.

The one pound pork and chicken sausage rolls come in varieties just like the individual links, with even more varieties. Try Italian or Hot Italian, Breakfast or Spicy Breakfast, in both pork and chicken sausage, as well as Ground Chicken.

Isernio’s ground sausage is handily packaged in bulk form in a compact, easy to freeze roll. When it’s time to cook for a crowd, this is the perfect place to start. Here are some ideas:

Breakfast Lasagne

The perfect casserole for your next brunch, this recipe layers hash browns, crumbled sausage, veggies, and cheese for a crowd pleasing dish that makes great leftovers.

Chicken and Black Bean Quinoa Taco Skillet

A one pot meal with zesty flavors, ancient grains meet ground chicken in a versatile dish you can eat solo or stuff into a burrito for a portable delight.

Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf

It takes less than 10 minutes, a ground chicken roll, and just a few other ingredients to prep this healthy take on meatloaf. Spoon your favorite tomato sauce over top and you’re done!

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

There’s no easier — or healthier — way to thrill your little ones than these baked-not-fried nuggets. Prep a bunch and freeze em for quick snack time.

Sausage and Spinach Portabella Mushrooms

Big and meaty portabellas are like little platters for spicy sausage and spinach blended together for a filling and easy meal.

Italian Breakfast Sandwiches

Breakfast sandwiches are on so many hot restaurant menus, but they’re so easy and to make and customize at home. Form pork or chicken sausage into patties and get creative with your bread, topping, and condiment choices!

Other ideas:

• Lasagna
• Burgers
• Classic meatloaf
• Meatballs
• Pasta dishes
• Ravioli

What do you love to make with our rolls?