MINESTRA with SAUSAGE & GREENS

Minestra simply means "soup".  Here is comfort food at its best.  Please note the picture shows "little meatballs" which I substituted for the sausage.

1/4 Cup Chopped Bacon

2 Small Red Onions, coarsely chopped

5 Garlic Cloves, coarsely chopped

1 (8 oz ) can Cannelini Beans

3 Cups Greens, chopped (spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or mustard)

2 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

2 Cups Water

4 Carrots, chopped

5 Red or Yellow Potatoes, 1-1/2" chop (either peeled or unpeeled as preferred)

1 Tsp dried Thyme

1 Tsp dried Basil

1/2 Tsp dried Oregano

3 Sausages, raw and sliced or pieces as preferred OR 10 raw tiny meatballs

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/4-1/2 Tsp Black Pepper

1/8-1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper to taste

Brown bacon on low in heavy pot or Dutch Oven then add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent stirring occasionally to keep garlic from scorching.  Add beans and greens, mixing to incorporate.  Next add broth and water, vegetables and herbs (excluding salt and pepper) and sausage or meatballs.  Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce heat and simmer for 30 - 45 minutes or until sausages are cooked (partially covered).  Add salt and pepper to taste.

LENTIL SOUP with SMOKED BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

This recipe comes from a former Food Critic for the San Francisco Examiner, but since I found it about 20 years ago I cannot remember her name. Obviously I love it since I've been making it since then! I didn't include a picture because it doesn't photograph that well...which is no indication of how wonderfully comforting and delicious it is.

16 oz Lentils, rinsed and sorted
7 Cups Chicken broth or Vegetable broth
2 Teaspoons Salt (I use one)
1 Medium Onion, quartered
2 Carrots, sliced
1 Tablespoon Parsley
1 Teaspoon dried Thyme (I use two)
2 Bay Leaves
1/2# Mushrooms, sliced
4 Tablespoons Butter, or substitute
1/2# Smoked Sausage, sliced into small pieces (I use less)
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Dry Sherry

In a stockpot add lentils, stock, herbs, onion and carrots.  Bring to a boil and skim.
Simmer 1to 1-1/2 hours covered; adding only a little more stock or water if necessary.
Remove the bay leaf. Puree half the soup in a blender and add it back to the pot. While the lentils are cooking, saute the mushrooms in butter and add to the pot along with the smoked sausage, brown sugar and Sherry and simmer 15 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

SAUSAGE-MUSHROOM FRITATA

Our friend Bob is raising chickens and brought us a dozen fresh laid eggs at Easter. These are "real" eggs! Eggs are my favorite source of protein, and these were as fresh as fresh can be!  The outside of some of them were a light blue in color and the yolks were golden orange! Technically this is not a fritata, but more like quiche.
Serves 4-6 and was adapted from a recipe in Martha Stewart Everyday Food Magazine.

2 Turkey sausage links, or mild Italian sausage, casings removed
10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1/2# red new potatoes, cut into 1/2" pieces peeled if desired
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce 
1 cup shredded white cheddar or Gruyere
10 oz broccoli, in small florets

Preheat the oven to 400.

In a 10" deep-dish pie plate toss mushrooms and potatoes with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Roast 20 minutes turning once. Remove from oven and set aside. 

Meanwhile steam broccoli till tender and chop into bite-sized pieces.  

In a large skillet add sausage and cook over medium heat, breaking into pieces as it cooks. Drain on paper towels. Add to the pie plate with mushrooms and potatoes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk hot pepper sauce, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.  Stir in cheese and broccoli.

Pour egg mixture over sausage, mushroom and potatoes and stir gently to distribute evenly.

Bake until puffed and set int he middle and paring knife inserted in center comes out clean; about 40 minutes.