Mina Green Harissa Sauce

Photo of Shrimp Tacos using Mina Green Harissa Sauce Mina Green Harissa Sauce is a contemporary twist on the classic Moroccan pepper sauce. Mina’s special blend of natural ingredients includes green chile pepper, bell pepper, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, and Moroccan cumin for a deeply savory and surprisingly spicy sauce Read more…

Sheet Pan Sausage with Arugula and Bread Salad

Winner, Winner Sausage Dinner
When I sit down and think about what to eat each day, my process always starts out with what protein is going to be the basis of the meal. ‘Cause once you know that everything else sort of falls into place. After sitting down once again to figure it out, I came to the realization that of all the possible options, the one that I choose least often is sausage.

This is noteworthy because I love sausage. I will choose sausage over bacon at breakfast almost every time and my pizzas will always have sausage on them. But, while I will occasionally throw some sausage on the grill, or whip up some Sausage and Apples or Sausages and Peppers, overall, we don’t have a lot of sausage dinners.

It’s a tragedy, really. Well-made and well-cooked sausage is incredibly satisfying and wholly comforting. I mean, Bangers and Mash? You could never go wrong with buttery carbs and fatty flavor. But see that’s the issue. Eating sausage frequently is frowned upon by nutritionists and cardiologists alike. Having said that, the occasional sausage meal can be a nice change from the day-to-day on the chicken, pork, beef, or fish carousel.

Everything in moderation.

The best thing about a sausage dinner is that no matter what you do with them, the recipes aren’t generally complicated. And, for the most part, you can do it all in one pot. Or, in this case, a sheet pan.

If you have ever had the Roast Chicken with Bread Salad at Zuni Café in San Francisco, you may find this recipe for Sheet Pan Sausage with Arugula and Bread Salad has a familiar feel. The original recipe comes from New York Times Cooking but I have changed it a bit because I felt it needed more drippings and just a punch more flavor from some onions.

Sheet Pan Sausage with Arugula and Bread Salad Recipe
Yields 4 servings
Adapted from The New York Times Cooking

Cold Mountain Mellow White Miso

Photo of a wooden spoon with Cold Mountain Mellow White Miso Cold Mountain Mellow White Miso is a Hawaiian-style miso with a sweeter flavor from the addition of plenty of koji. It is milder in strength with a lower sodium content than most types of miso. This highlights its rich, natural flavor and sweet taste.

It is great for salad dressings, miso soup Read more…

Sheet Pan Salmon with Green Beans and Miso

Rain Sheets and Sheet Pans
So here we are, swimming our way into January. Seriously, can someone turn off the water? I’m sure the last thing that most of us are thinking about while dodging raindrops, falling trees, and torrents of water, is dinner…but ya gotta eat.

In recent years I have become a big fan of sheet pan dinners because of how easy they are to throw together. And, also because the relatively small amount of cleanup avoids the nightly discussion about doing the dishes. This is important if you have teenagers in your household. Sheet pans are the workhorses of any well-stocked kitchen. If you don’t yet have a decent set of sheet pans, do yourself a favor and get at least one. You will find you use it for everything.

There are so many options when it comes to cooking your dinner entirely on a sheet pan. There is literally nothing you can’t do with a sheet pan. Fish, beef, pork sausage, shrimp…the sky is the limit people!! And, for whatever reason, it sort of feels like you are eating healthier (whether it is true or not). We all have our own delusions. This is just one of mine…

The Sheet Pan Salmon below actually is healthier. And, it’s a nice way to rebound from the bacchanalia that is the last two weeks of December. I make this New York Times recipe often. Though, I have adapted it to my tastes. The original version was just too sweet for me…

Sheet Pan Salmon with Green Beans and Miso Recipe
Adapted from New York Times Cooking
Yields 4 servings Read more…