Holiday Weekend Break

[WildBill]

Sausage & Peppers
1 Makes 3-6 Servings
6 Italian sausages
olive oil
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 large white onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
Optional
French’s yellow mustard
French bread sandwich rolls
Lisa’s father taught me how to prepare this Italian
dish. Of course I had to change it a little to suit my
own taste. I know that John approves of my version
because the last time I prepared it he had three
helpings. It can be served as a main course or as a
side dish. We like it with mustard on a sandwich
made with a fresh French roll. o
Pierce the sausages several times with a fork so
the fat can escape when they are cooking. Roast
the sausages in a barbeque over indirect heat for
about 20 minutes turning once. Put a pan under
the sausages to catch the juices or they will catch
on fire. Allow to cool and cut each sausage into
thirds.
Cut the bell pepper and onions into ¾ inch
pieces. Add the peppers, onion and garlic to a
Dutch oven and sauté in olive oil over medium
heat. Add salt and pepper and Italian seasoning
while they are cooking. When the vegetables are
finished cooking place the cooked sausages in
the pan and stir. Reduce the heat, cover the pan
and steam for about 20 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Serve as a side dish or on French
rolls as a main dish. o

[WildBill]

Antipasto
1 Makes 4 Servings
romaine lettuce
Italian hard salami
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced
4 slices cheese, Provolone
6 green onions
2 artichoke hearts, quartered
Greek calamata olives
pepperoncini
1 tsp capers
extra virgin olive oil
red wine vinegar
6 anchovies (optional)
This is my version of the famous Italian appetizer.
It is similar to the one served at Original Joe’s in
downtown San Jose. The one ingredient that really
makes this antipasto special is a high quality wine
vinegar. Try to find a red wine vinegar that has
been aged in oak barrels. It makes a world of
difference. o
Wash the lettuce and dry with paper towels.
Break up the lettuce leaves into large pieces and
cover a large serving platter.
Arrange thin slices of salami on the platter. Top
each slice with a quarter slice of cheese and one
tomato slice. Sprinkle a few capers on top of
each tomato slice.
Arrange the green onions, artichoke hearts,
olives and peperoncini in a symmetrical pattern
around the platter.
Season with fresh ground pepper and drizzle
with a little olive oil. Sprinkle the top of the dish
with a healthy dose of red wine vinegar and
serve. o

[WildBill]

Stuffed Mushrooms
1 Makes 6 Servings
24 large mushrooms
½ cup Italian sausage
½ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
garlic powder
Italian parsley
salt and pepper
olive oil
This is Lisa’s mother’s recipe for stuffed mushrooms.
They make a wonderful appetizer for dinner or for
a party. o
Remove the casings from the sausage and fry in
a skillet. Drain the fat and shred the cooked
sausage meat.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms and
finely chop the stems. Add the sausage, chopped
mushrooms stems, cheese and bread crumbs to a
bowl. Add the spices and mix.
Brush olive oil on the mushroom caps. Stuff the
mushrooms with the meat mixture and bake in a
375 degree oven for 20 minutes. o