Every November, the sig other and his buddies get together and head over to Giants Stadium to watch a football game. The event technically starts the evening before; they each prepare a food item to bring with them. Matt, my sig other, usually makes Chili which they pile on top of burgers and hot dogs. Last year he decided to switch the menu up a bit and made a hot Italian antipasto that was to die for! It’s served warm and it really tastes like a pizza with everything except there’s no crust! It’ll clog your arteries for sure, but damn if it isn’t tasty while it’s killing you. It’s nice to see him branching out and trying new recipes. I wish I could take credit for that recipe but that was all his doing!
This year the guys could not score tickets. Being the trooper that he is, Matt went to Plan B. Within days he had put together a Tailgating party to be held in our DRIVEWAY of all places. He opened the party up to everyone not just the annual Giants Stadium crew. He’s having co-workers, brothers, cousins, and neighbors. I’m sure they’ll be a keg chilling in a bucket nearby and a rather large table of food. That’s where I come in. I’m cooking – I don’t mind cooking but I don’t do chairs, they have to bring their own chairs.
Nothing says Stadium Food to me more than a sausage and pepper grinder. They’re messy, yummy, and so bad for you. And it’s a great accompaniment to beer! This recipe is party sized but it can easily be made for two or four people. When we feel like being total gluttonous slobs I make it for Matt and I with one package of sausages and two peppers, a red and a green. Whether you’re making it for two or making a tray of it for a party it appeals to all. Except for the health conscious. ;)
Sausage & Peppers
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Feeds: Party Size (medium aluminum tray)
*8 packages sweet and hot Italian sausage (4 sweet and 4 hot)
*Olive Oil
*1 1/2 large white onion (chunked)
*3 Green bell peppers (seeded and cut into chunks)
*3 Red bell pepper (seeded and cut into chunks)
* 2 Cloves of fresh garlic (chopped)
*Salt & Pepper
*Ladles of red tomato sauce (toss with as much or as little tomato sauce as you like)
*Grinder rolls (split in half – 2 bags usually does it)
1. In a large pot of water, boil whole sausage until they are about half way cooked. Boiling first draws out a lot of the fat. Remove, let cool, and slice sausage.
2. In a large skillet, while sausages are boiling, heat up 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the peppers, onions and garlic over low heat careful that garlic does not burn. Do not cook peppers and onions through just let them brown up. Remove and move to aluminum pan.
3. Move sliced sausage to skillet and let brown for a couple of minutes. Then add into the aluminum pan with peppers and onions.
4. Toss with ladles of tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste and slight drizzle of olive oil – mix together. Let roast at 375 degrees until sausage is completely cooked through (about another 30 minutes or so). Be sure to stir while in oven a couple of times.
5. Pile grinder roll with sausage, onions, and peppers.
Enjoy!
Ellie
