I'm not a huge fan of leftovers. However, I'm usually only cooking dinner for my husband and me (or just me as he goes out of town a lot for work) and most food items are not portioned for 2 people. So instead of having leftovers, I like to find ways to create 2 different (but similar) meals out of some of the same items.
This week at Harris Teeter, I found some Italian style chicken sausage on sale. One time for my birthday when I was younger, my mom made mini pizzas using refrigerated biscuit dough as the pizza crust. I decided to try this with the sausage as a topping. Then the next day I used to rest to make a pasta bake. I bought a package of Italian style chicken sausage (4 Links), a jar of Spaghetti sauce, frozen mixed bell peppers and shredded mozzarella cheese to be used in both dishes. Then I just needed a can of refrigerated biscuit dough and some type of pasta (which I typically already have at my house).
Mini Sausage and Peppers Pizzas-Makes 10 mini pizzas
1 small container of refrigerated flaky biscuit dough (5 biscuits)
1 link of Italian style chicken sausage chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup of frozen mixed bell peppers chopped in to smaller pieces
1.5 cups of tomato sauce (I used Prego Spaghetti Sauce)
3/4 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese
1-Split biscuits in half to make 10 circles of pizza dough. Cook these at 400 F for about 5-6 minutes.
2-While the biscuits are cooking, heat up the sausage and peppers in a pan on the stove. Add one-two spoonfuls of tomato sauce to that and set aside.
3-Pull biscuits out of the oven and top each with some sauce, then the sausage and pepper mixture and then some cheese.
4-Put back in the oven and back for 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Sausage and Pepper Pasta Bake-For 2 or 3
2 links of Italian style chicken sausage cut into small pieces
1 cup of frozen mixed bell peppers
1.5 cups of spaghetti sauce
1 cup of mozzarella cheese
1.5 cups of pasta
1-Cook the pasta
2-While you are cooking the pasta heat up the sausage and peppers. Then add in the spaghetti sauce. Let this simmer a little.
3-Mix pasta and sausage mixture in a baking pan and top with cheese.
4-Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Ok, yes I realize that these two meals are very similar (at least ingredient wise) but it's enough of a difference to make me feel like I made two different things. And I still have a sausage left over. What should I do with it?
How do you feel about leftovers?
5 comments:
Definitely should have pancakes in sausage either this weekend or I always love breakfast for dinner!
That pasta bake looks good. Something about casseroles that are comfort food to me.
I personally like leftovers so i don't have to cook everyday. but I don't usually like them for more than 2 days in a row. but it is easier since i live alone to cook once and eat for 2 days.
you could make a stomboli or calzone with the leftover sausage... but i realize that sounds a lot like hte pizza you made. Also, sometimes, i use chicken sausage cut up with veggies in scarambled eggs or an omlet on the weekend. I also bought the chicken sausage that was on sale at HT but I usually unpackage it and freeze it separately or in pairs and just use 1 or 2 when I want to make dinner.
I am the kind of person that can eat the same thing (if its good) over and over again - so I am usually cool with leftovers (which is lucky, because Wilzie always cooks enough for an army!).
And I am all over the mini-pizzas, though we usually use naan bread.
Yummy!
Mmmm yes please on all of this.
Those little pizzas are so cute! I've seen so many great recipes for homemade pizza lately. I should try to make them this weekend.
I never thought of using biscuits for mini pizzas. What a great idea. Thanks!
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