Fiesta Cabbage with Homemade Sausage

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Variety is the spice of life, right?  Well, here’s a recipe that will help you mix it up a little at dinner time.  If you have a hard time getting your kids (and ahem, possibly hubbies) to eat their veggies, you might be able to win them over with this one.Every person I’ve made this recipe for has not only enjoyed it, but has asked me for the recipe.    I don’t remember where I originally came across it (maybe Southern Living years ago?), but it’s a staple in our house.  And the great thing about it?  In addition to its nourishing qualities, it’s easy.  Every mom needs an arsenal of easy recipes, right?

This recipe calls for sausage (duh, you already knew that).  Can I let you in on a little secret?  You don’t have to buy sausage.   I haven’t bought sausage in a long time.  Not because we don’t eat it (on the contrary, we love it), but because I make it at home using our ground beef.  We have a quarter of a cow in one of our  freezers (I’m a freezer-cooking-aholic, what can I say) and rather than paying an arm and a leg for good pork sausage (eventually we’ll do a hog), I just make it using beef.  If you absolutely must have the real thing, then go for it!  Nothing tastes as great as the real deal, but since my family doesn’t mind it this way, why mess with a good thing?

It’s important to note that you should avoid sausage that has nitrates in it if you do buy it.  My philosophy: buy local, pastured pork.

Homemade Sausage

modified from Sue Gregg’s Breakfasts: More Than Breakfasts With Blender Batter Baking & Allergy Alternatives (Eating Better Cookbooks)

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp sage

1/2 tsp thyme

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together and either form into patties or brown in a pan until thoroughly cooked.  (For Fiesta Cabbage, just brown it).  I usually throw in a bit more of all the ingredients just because I love lots of flavor!

Fiesta Cabbage

1 small red onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 head green cabbage, chopped

1 (14oz) can of diced tomatoes

1 lb uncooked sausage

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1.  Cook sausage thoroughly.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

2.  Saute pepper and onion in sausage drippings.

3.  Add cabbage to skillet, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes (until softened).

4.  Add sausage, salt, pepper, and tomatoes and cook until warm.

This is an excellent meal with blender cornbread.  Last week, I went to cook sausage, but realized I was out of half of the herbs needed.  No fear!  I quickly improvised by pulling out my pre-mixed jar of homemade taco seasoning and made taco meat instead.  I prepared the rest of the recipe as said above, but served it with cheese.  It was really good!

You’ll have to wait a few weeks for my taco seasoning recipe … and find it in my upcoming recipe ebook, “A Primer on Nourishing, Homemade Recipes to Replace Unhealthy Food Products.”

So there, I just gave two dinner recipes for the price of one!  Enjoy!

This post is part of:

Real Food Wednesdays hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop