A little Fall is in the air this evening after a few days of rain, and I’m ready to break out all the Fall clothing. I scooped a couple of new pieces that are very versatile and easy to style in a ton of different ways. The key to Fall fashion is layering, layering, layering. It will likely still be pretty warm in Texas for the weeks to come, so it’s important to be able to stay cool in the heat of the day, and warm when the air gets crisp in the evenings.
When the weather is gloomy, I love nothing more than to make warm comfort food. I adapted this recipe from one shared with me by my friend, Miriam, many years ago. The original recipe was found on a grocery store recipe card. You know the cooking demo areas - well, there was a featured recipe very similar that Miriam and I used to make frequently for dinner. I decided to make my own twist on this recipe because I wanted to make it even easier for a weeknight dinner.
Chicken Italian Sausage (such as Trader Joe's Uncooked Chicken Sicilian Sausage or your favorite)
(2) 15 oz. cans of Cannellini beans
Sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
(1) carton free-range chicken broth
1/2 medium white or yellow onion, diced
(1) 8 oz. package of white button mushrooms, diced
Rosemary (fresh, if possible)
Thyme (fresh, if possible)
Red pepper flakes
(4) cloves of garlic
Olive oil
2 Tbs. Cornstarch
Dice your mushrooms into small pieces (or leave them sliced if you like a larger bite). If you have kids, you probably want to disguise them. Dice the onion, so that it will easily sweat down. Mince the rosemary and thyme. Press or mince the garlic cloves. Set aside.
Slice sausage into bite-sized pieces OR remove from casing.
This is all preference - if you like the idea of making this more like a soup then I would remove from the casing and treat like ground meat. If you want to go for more of a stew, keep them in slices. The next time I make this dish, I will take one of these routes because I think the presentation is much nicer.
In a large pot, brown sausage in a tiny drizzle of olive oil.
Toss in onions, mushrooms, rosemary, thyme and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent and mushrooms are softened.
Add 1 cup of chicken broth.
You’ll end up adding as much or as little as you like beyond this amount. Some like to eat this more like a soup - if so, you’ll use more. If you want it more “stewy” and like a light sauce, you’ll only add a bit more beyond this as it cooks.
Add in a handful of sun-dried tomatoes.
Then, add both cans of Cannellini beans - do not drain or rinse.
Add red pepper flakes, to taste.
Be careful if you’re already using spicy, hot sausage.
In a small bowl, add 2 Tbs. cornstarch, and just enough chicken broth to dissolve. Whisk thoroughly and add into the pot. This will act as a thickener.
Let bubble for 10-15 mins. This will allow the stew to come together and form a light sauce.
Serve in a bowl and enjoy!
TAKE AWAYS
The first time I made this dish, I topped it with some basic oven-roasted asparagus for a pop of color and something green on the plate. As I mentioned above, the next time I make this dish I will treat the sausage like ground meat and remove the casing, or slice into smaller pieces. This dish is easily adaptable to your family’s tastes, and would pair perfectly with a warm, garlicky baguette. It would also be delicious with some kale wilted in! There are endless creative options to make it your own.
If you like when I share recipes, let me know. I absolutely love cooking, and have lots more I can post here.
