Country Sausage and White Beans

     As a chef, I love a delicate, well-planned, and beautiful plate of food. But as a woman who works full-time and comes home to cook dinner, I love any dish that requires only that I throw all the ingredients together and scoop it over some form of carbohydrate. I especially love if I do not even have to get out my knife. This Sausage and White Bean dish gives me all those things. It is easy, it is Italian, and it is delicious! All things I love in a weeknight meal. I must warn you that I used some of my pasta sauce in this recipe but if you have yet to make it (I forgive you), you can use a small can of crushed tomatoes. It will not have the depth that it would with the sauce that cooked all day but it will suffice. Since it is a weeknight, let's jump right in!

What You Will Need:

1 12oz package Mild Italian Sausage

1 15.5oz can Cannelini Beans

1 cup Pasta Sauce

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup Italian Bread Crumbs

1 Tbsp dried Parsley

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

Salt, to taste

Begin by placing a saute pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the sausage. Saute it until it looks nice and brown.

Next, add the beans, sauce, garlic powder, parsley, half of the bread crumbs, half of the cheese and a pinch of salt. Be sure to drain the beans of the liquid from the can and rinse them off. This assures that you have total control over the amount of salt that goes into the dish.

Mix it all up! Let it come to a simmer to ensure everything is on the same page. Place it in a deep dish pie pan or a casserole dish. If your saute pan can go in the oven, you get to skip this step.

Top it with the remaining 1/2 parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.

Place it in a 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes.* After the 7 minutes are up, put on the broiler and cook for another 2 minutes or until it is golden brown on top.

It's done! Scoop it out over pasta or eat it as is along side a piece of delicious garlic bread. What's that? Don't have a good recipe for garlic bread? You are in luck because this post is a two-fer!

(*About the amount of time it takes to prepare garlic bread.)

Garlic Bread

1/2 loaf soft Italian Bread
1 Tbsp Butter
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp dried Parsley
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt, to taste

Use a serrated knife to cut bread in half across the equator.

Slice the butter into 6 pieces and place evenly on the two sides of the loaf.

Place in the warming oven to allow the butter to melt and to toast the bread.

Spread the butter, then sprinkle with the garlic powder, parsley, parmesan, and a pinch of salt. Place it under the broiler with the sausage and let it cook for 2 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.

Now you are ready to eat! Heat up some extra sauce for dipping, drink a little red wine, and think about how easy that was...

Sweetened Condensed Version:

1 12oz package Mild Italian Sausage

1 15.5oz can Cannelini Beans

1 cup Pasta Sauce

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup Italian Bread Crumbs

1 Tbsp dried Parsley

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

Salt, to taste

1. In a saute pan, brown sausage. When sausage is completely browned, add the the beans, sauce, half of the parmesan, half of the bread crumbs, parsley, garlic powder, and salt. Cook until the sauce begins to simmer.

2. Place in a casserole dish and top with the remaining bread crumbs and cheese. Place in 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes. After the 7 minutes are up, broil for 2 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.

GARLIC BREAD

1/2 loaf soft Italian Bread

1 Tbsp Butter

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp dried Parsley

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese

Salt, to taste

1. Cut bread in half across the equator. Add butter and place in 350 degree oven for 2 minutes to allow the butter to melt.

2. Remove from oven, spread butter, and sprinkle with remaining ingredients. Place under broiler for 2 minutes or until the cheese begins to turn golden. Enjoy!