Favorite Chicken Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner

 I make this sheet pan on a fairly regular basis because it's fast, easy, and creates excellent leftovers.

This recipe calls for squash, but I prefer sweet potato.  The chicken, apple, gouda sausage is a non-negotiable.  I usually used chopped bacon and will add pine nuts if I have them.

Favorite Chicken Sausage Sheet Pan

INGREDIENTS

16 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed & halved (roughly 12 ounces/2 cups trimmed)

1/2 small butternut squash (or 2 medium sweet potatoes), peeled, deseeded & cut into 1/2-inch cubes (roughly 12 ounces/2 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon PURE maple syrup

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (e.g. rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, etc.)

12 ounces fully-cooked apple chicken sausage, sliced on a bias into 1/4-inch pieces (see Recipe Notes)

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced into 1/4-inch cubes

2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)

coarse kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

for serving, as desired: shaved parmesan, balsamic glaze, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.

Prep the sheet pan: Place the trimmed Brussels sprouts & cubed butternut squash on the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle the olive oil & maple syrup over top. Season with the fresh herbs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, & ground black pepper as desired. Using your hands, toss to coat the veggies in the seasoning, then arrange in an even layer on the sheet pan. Add the thinly sliced chicken sausage & cubed pancetta to the sheet pan, doing your best to ensure everything is in a single, even layer. If needed, use 2 sheet pans to avoid overcrowding.Sheet pan chicken sausage & veggies before roasting - sliced chicken sausage, diced butternut squash, halved brussels sprouts, & diced pancetta on a large sheet pan, topped with finely chopped fresh herbs.

Roast: Transfer the sheet pan to the oven. Roast for 25 minutes, flipping the veggies & sausage halfway through. With 5 minutes left, add the pine nuts to the sheet pan to toast as the chicken sausage & veggies finish roasting.Sheet pan chicken sausage & vegetables. Thinly sliced chicken sausage, diced butternut squash, & halved brussels sprouts are browned & roasty on a large sheet pan. The chicken sausage sheet pan sits atop a light blue surface with a striped linen napkin.

Serve: Finish the sheet pan with a sprinkling of shaved parmesan & a drizzle of balsamic glaze, as desired. Serve immediately, with a fresh green salad &/or grains of your choice. 

Teagan's Amazing Thai Basil Beef Bowl

 This is one of my favorite recipes.  It just works.  My friend Julie made this during a girls weekend and since then all of us have had it on rotation at our own homes.  So fresh and delicious.  Note: Feel free to add additional carrots, peppers, and tomatoes to any left over dressing.  

Ingredients

SALAD

▢1 cup shredded carrots

▢1 bell pepper, sliced

▢1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

▢2 green onions, chopped

▢2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

▢2 tablespoons lime juice

▢1 tablespoon rice vinegar

▢1 tablespoon fish sauce or tamari

▢2 teaspoons honey

BEEF

▢1 pound lean ground beef (or chicken or pork)

▢4 cloves garlic, chopped

▢1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

▢black pepper

▢1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce

▢1/3 cup sweet Thai chili sauce (homemade in notes)

▢2 cups Thai or sweet Italian basil, chopped

▢sesame seeds and peanuts, for serving

Instructions

1. To make the salad. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss well and set aside.

2. To make the beef. In a large skillet, cook the beef with black pepper over medium heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook another minute. Add the tamari, sweet Thai chili sauce, and 1 cup of fresh basil. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sauce coats the beef, 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining basil.

3. Divide the rice and beef between bowls. Add the salad to the bowl. Top with peanuts, sesame seeds, and fresh basil. Enjoy!

Note: Not including the recipe for the coconut rice, because regular jasmine rice works just as well. 

Copy Cat Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 No trip to Great Harvest is complete without a cookie or two.  They no longer make my favorite oatmeal raisin cookies on a regular basis, but always have the oatmeal chocolate chip available.  They are are worth every buttery, sweet calorie.  Here's a recipe courtesy of Cookies for Days, so you, too, can make them at home.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup salted butter
• 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp milk
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350° F.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until completely combined.
• Add in the eggs and milk. Mix until creamy.
• Next, add in the whole wheat flour, rolled oats, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until a sticky dough forms
• Mix in the chocolate chips until distributed evenly.
• Portion out the dough for your desired cookie size. 1 1/2 tbsp of dough for small cookies, 3 tbsp of dough for medium cookies or 1/3 cup of dough for large cookies.
• Roll into a ball and arrange on a parchment paper or silicone mat covered cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350° until the cookies spread, flatten and just begin turning golden brown on the edges. For small cookies: 7-9 minutes. Medium cookies: 9-11 minutes. Large cookies 12-14 minutes.
• Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
• Serve warm + enjoy!

Find Cookies for Days on Instagram!Follow @cookiesfordaaays for new recipes daily!

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 164mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 258IU | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

Freds Balsamic Salad Dressing

 Created for the Freds Chopped Chicken Salad at Barney's, I think this dressing is outstanding on any sort of big chopped salad.

It makes quite a bit and a little goes a long way.

Fred's Salad Dressing

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk until everything is creamy.  Refrigerate leftovers.  

If you want to replicate the original salad, here it is straight from the menu:

Roasted, shredded chicken mixed with "Bibb lettuce, avocado, onions, tomatoes, string beans, and pears, tossed with a Dijon mustard balsamic dressing."

Ina's Curry Chicken Salad -- It's the best!!!

 Curried chicken salad is probably my favorite type of chicken salad.  This Barefoot Contessa staple is outstanding.  Instead of baking chicken breasts, I (read: Keith) shred a rotisserie chicken from Costco.  The dressing really is best in a food processor vs a whisk.  The food processor blends the fruit chunks from the chutney.  Also, I add all the nuts at once, though it causes the nuts to eventually lose their crunch.

Hope you give this one a try!

Ina's Curried Chicken Salad

8 cups shredded chicken (approximately 1 rotisserie chicken shredded)

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup Major Grey's chutney (non negotiable)

3 tablespoons curry powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup diced celery (about 2 large stalks)

1/4 cup chopped scallions (green onions), white and green parts (2 scallions)

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup roasted and salted cashews

Shred chicken and place in large mixing bowl; set aside. 

Combine mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder, and salt in food processor fitted with a steel blade.  Process until smooth.

Pour dressing over chicken, enough to moisten well (I usually use all of it).  Add celery, scallion, raising, and cashews.  Mix well and refrigerate before serving.  

Celery stuffed with Brandied Blue Cheese

 Oldy but a goody.  Blue cheese, walnuts, and celeery always work.  Here's a yummy recipe for parties or Sunday afternoons.

Celery with Brandied Blue Cheese Spread

1/4 cup walnuts

1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled blue cheese

1 tbsp cream

2 tbsp butter, cut in pieces

1 tbsp brandy

salt and pepper to taste

Celery, cut into 2 inch pieces

In food processor, corsely chop walnuts (this step can also be done by placing in a Ziploc and hitting with a wooden spoon). Remove nuts from food processor and set aside.  Add blue cheese, cream, butter, and brandy to food processor and process 5-7 seconds.  Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.  Add walnuts and pulse several times to distribute evenly.  Tranfer to storage container and chill.  Spoon onto to celery and serve.  

Onion Rings Flatbread with Comeback Sauce

 If you don't already follow SaltnPiipa on instagram, you should.  This father and his elementary school son create some really good recipes.  I made this "flatbread" for the Super Bowl.  I put flatbread in quotes, because it really tastes like onion rings or onion ring loaf.  We ate it with ketchup, but I think it would also be excellent with ranch dressing or fry/"Comeback" sauce.

Onion Rings Flatbread

1 1/2 Onions (sliced)

1 Red onion (sliced)

1 2/3 cups Flour

1/4 cup Olive oil

1 1/2 cups Water

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black pepper

1/2 tbsp Garlic powder

1/2 tbsp Paprika

1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated on top)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.  Line a cookie sheet or jellyroll pan with parchment paper.  Drizzle olive oil on the paper and set aside. 

Slice onion into thin half-rings. Set aside.  In large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients, except parmesan cheese. 

Fold onions into the batter and combine until all the onion rings are separate and coated.  Pour mixture onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet and spread to cover the entire surface (keep on the parchment for easy clean up). Sprinkle on the parmesan cheese.

Bake at 400F for 45-50 min or until crispy.

Comeback Sauce

 1/2 cup mayonnaise

 2 tablespoons ketchup

 2 tablespoon hot sauce (like Texas Pete)

 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Whisk together.  Refrigerate leftovers.