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

Ingredients
1 pound sausages, Italian, bratwurst, or polish
1-1/2 pounds cremini mushrooms
1 to 2 medium red onions
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more as needed
1 garlic clove
4 cups torn, bite-size pieces of crusty bread (6 to 8 ounces)
2 cups arugula
Finely grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions
Prep the vegetables
Trim and quarter the cremini mushrooms, cut the red onions into eighths, and mince the garlic clove.

Preheat the oven
Heat the oven to 450º F.

Prep the sausages
Score the sausages in a few places on both sides, being certain not to cut all the way through. Toss the sausages, mushrooms, and onions on a sheet pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and the salt and pepper. Spread the ingredients in an even layer.

Roast the ingredients, shaking the pan once or twice, until browned and cooked through (about 20 minutes).

Make the dressing
While the ingredients are roasting, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the vinegar and garlic in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove the ingredients from the pan
When the sausages, mushrooms, and onions are cooked, use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer the sausages to a plate, leaving the drippings behind. Then transfer the mushrooms and onions to a second plate. Set aside.

Toast the bread
Add the torn bread and 2-3 teaspoons of the dressing to the baking sheet. If the bread seems dry, add more dressing, 1 teaspoon at a time. Roast until the bread is lightly toasted (about 5 minutes).

Finish the dish
Add the mushrooms, onion, and arugula to the pan. Drizzle and toss with the remaining vinaigrette until lightly coated. Then season the dish to taste with salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar.

Sprinkle with Parmesan and enjoy with the sausages.