...and throw it in a pan...

Two successful nights in a row of Just Cooking. You know, no recipe, just take what's on hand and  throw it in a pan!

Last night it was a pot, actually. I had 5 or 6 broccoli stalks - I'd been saving them. Just the stalks, mind you, except for the tiny bit of leftover over-cooked florets from last night. The leftovers were still in the same pot they'd been cooked in; I'd already decided to make broccoli soup, so why dirty another pot when I had just cooked broccoli?

We've talked about broccoli soup before - last time it was a healthy version made with leftover cooked brown rice, here. This time, not quite so healthy. See it here. Soup's the best way to use up those stalks.

Tonight, though, it was a pan - a square baking pan. The new potatoes and orange bell peppers in the crisper that were begging to be used were an inspired accompaniment to some frozen lamb sausage on hand. The weather is still on the cool side up here, so while this may sound a bit heavy to you readers down South, it was just the ticket here. And, you got it, I just threw it in the pan.

Bonus! My onion was already chopped, in a baggie, left over from something I made a few days ago. And the PEPPERS! They were so sweet and delicious - seriously, the best I've ever tasted, slow-roasted this way. I can't show you what this meal looked like when it came out of the oven, but I can show you what it looked like about 10 minutes later.

DINE-IN 5-MINUTE-PREP SAUSAGE DINNER (Vegetarians see note below)

Preheat oven to 375F
Spray a baking pan w/ olive oil spray.

Toss in chunks of red, orange or yellow bell pepper.
Add new potatoes, cut to more or less the size of the smallest ones.
Sprinkle heavily with chopped onion.
I did add a few dabs of butter for flavor later, when I tested the potatoes for doneness, so you may as well put it in now.
Salt and pepper well.

Top with links of your favorite sausage - lamb, Italian, smokies, South African, even a smoked sausage such kielbasa or Polish would work.

Cover with foil. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Note: Lamb, potatoes and bell peppers are classics in the Mediterranean region, so consider a little Greek yogurt on the side, or a little feta tossed in. Thyme, oregano or rosemary would all work as add-ins. Vegetarians could make this using meatless sausages, of course, or just use eggplant or mushrooms as meat substitutes with some extra olive oil drizzled on.

SAVE OUR BROCCOLI!

Under the beautiful emerald-colored crowns lurk those unsightly stalks. Doesn't it just irk you to pay for what you don't particularly want to eat? They're heavy, too, so it's even worse when you're paying by the pound. Sure, you may slice some in with the florets if you're not having company, but still, you really just want the crowns. The GUILT, though, of throwing out the stalk that you paid just as much for as the part you ate!

Well, let me lift that burden from your shoulders, friends. Eat your broccoli crowns  free from the potentially tough stems from now on. Visualize those tender little green tree-shaped florets, glistening with lightest coating of butter sauce under the kitchen island pendants, alongside your favorite entree, sans those ugly slices of stalk. This beautifully plated meal can be yours, guilt free from now on, just by,,,

saving your stalks for another meal!

And an easy one, at that.


DINE-IN BROCCOLI SOUP II

5-6 broccoli stalks (they keep well in the crisper)
Approx 1 T chicken bouillon (or similar) - vegetarians, note below
3-4 oz cream cheese

Run a veggie peeler over the broccoli stalks if you've been saving them for a week or so. If they're quite fresh and tender, this isn't necessary. Slice, discarding the very bottom slice. If the stalks are quite thick, you may want to slice them lengthwise, also. Place them in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover and bring to a boil. (You may use chicken stock/broth instead, of course.) Add chicken bouillon to taste. (I like a product called Better Then Bouillon, which is sort of a paste, and I used a heaping soup spoon.) Add cream cheese, stirring to melt. Use a stick blender in the pot, making it as chunky or smooth as you prefer. Taste and adjust seasoning with water, bouillon, salt and  pepper.

This makes 2 large servings, so feel free to double or triple. It is quite filling, though.

Note: if you're vegetarian and want to omit the bouillon, you have several options. Try adding some butter instead to give a little more depth of flavor. If it's still "missing something," the tang of cheddar may be your answer. Mushroom stock might be worth considering. If you're vegan, you really should be reading a different blog. But thanks for stopping by.