Italian Sausage Dip Food

ITALIAN SEVEN-LAYER DIP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the crostini: Lay the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Brush with the oil and then sprinkle with the salt, garlic powder and some fresh pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove the crostini from the oven and set aside. Turn the oven to broil.
• For the dip: In medium bowl, combine the ricotta with salt and pepper to taste. Mix until fully combined, then transfer to an 8-by-8-inch pan, spreading the mixture evenly across the bottom. Set aside.
• In a large pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, and sweat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the halved grape tomatoes, chicken stock and garlic and bring to a boil; cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the tomatoes have softened and the mixture has thickened, about 15 minutes.
• While the tomatoes are cooking, add the sausage to a saute pan over high heat. Break up sausage with a wooden spoon and cook it through. When the sausage is finished, spoon it directly over the ricotta and spread it out evenly.
• When the tomatoes are done, spoon them over the sausage layer. Top the tomato layer with the sliced pepperoncini, marinated artichokes and roasted peppers. Place the halved ciliegine on top.
• Place the dip under the broiler and broil on high heat until the cheese has browned slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the dip from the broiler and top with the basil. Serve immediately with the crostini.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Poke the sausages all over with a fork, and place in a large lidded skillet with 1-2 Tsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 cup white wine or water, turn on heat to medium, and partially cover.
• When pan begins to boil, turn sausages, and continue to simmer, turning several more times.
• When liquid has evaporated, uncover, and continue cooking until sausages have browned to your taste.
• Remove sausages from pan, and set on paper towels to drain.
• Drain all grease from skillet, but do not wash or rinse it.
• Add 1-2 Tsp more extra virgin olive oil to pan, and place on medium heat.
• Add onions, and garlic, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Moisture from the onions should be enough to deglaze the pan, but you can add 1/4 cup white wine or water, if desired, to help with the job.
• Stir the onions, scraping the bottom to pick up and dissolve browned bits from the sausage.
• Continue cooking and tossing until onions are almost translucent.
• Add peppers, and toss to combine with onions.
• Turn up heat to medium-high, and continue to toss and cook until peppers are crisp-tender or to your taste.
• Bury the sausage in the vegetables to reheat if necessary.
• I usually serve on crusty French rolls or Bolillos, crusty Mexican rolls that have been heated in the oven.
• Either one is better than your typical hoagie roll.
• I split the warmed roll, brush on a little marinara sauce, split the sausages lengthwise, and pile on the onions and peppers.
• If desired, line the roll with a slice of provolone and/or place one on top of the sausage and veggies.

HOT SAUSAGE DIP

Steps:

• Place pork sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown.
• Drain sausage and stir in onions. Cook until slightly tender, about 2 minutes. Mix in diced tomatoes with green chile peppers. Stirring occasionally, allow the mixture to simmer approximately 15 minutes.
• Blend cream cheese and sour cream into the sausage mixture. Season with crushed red pepper.

SAUSAGE ROTEL DIP

Steps:

• Brown sausage in skillet; drain excess grease.
• Add cream cheese and cook over medium heat until melted.
• Add Rotel and mix well.
• Serve warm with chips.

BEST ITALIAN SAUSAGE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 5 ingredients. Cook, covered, on low until vegetables are tender, about 4 hours., Grill sausages according to package directions. Serve on buns with sauce. Freeze option: Freeze cooled sauce in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add water if necessary.

CREAMY ITALIAN SAUSAGE-SPINACH DIP

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cook sausage with onions, peppers and garlic in large skillet until sausage is done; drain. Cool slightly.
• Mix Neufchatel, Parmesan, milk, dressing and sour cream in large bowl. Add sausage mixture, spinach and banana peppers; stir. Spread into a 9-inch quiche dish or deep-dish pie plate.
• Bake 30 min. or until hot and bubbly.