A feast!

Hello my lovelies!
It has been a very long time since I posted anything, and I really do apologize.
I would love to tell you that the butcher and I have been travelling the world, and there simply hasn't been any time, but that is not the case.
In fact, we've been apart in 2011 more than we've been together. I have been travelling (only within Canada, sigh...).
And that, I can tell you, is not a source of much joy! However, it does mean that when I am home we indulge perhaps a little more than we should...
One of these instances would be when we invited a couple of friends over, and we had wine, they brought wine...in short, it was a night to remember (albeit somewhat hazily...).

In any case, we started the night with just some nibbles on the table for everyone to pick at...



Some of the butcher's favorites were in the mix:

A nice salami, some locally-made sausage - one brined in dark beer, the other with blue cheese in it.


Mozzarella di Buffala with a good olive oil and an aged balsamic.


And of course...



Prosciutto di Parma

Oh, there was more! Much more but, I will save the rest for another post. I think for now you're all as full as we were after just this portion of the feast!

Coming up, the best chicken wings you'll ever eat and a dessert pizza- yes, it's a dessert and it is DEEEElicious.

Chicken Sausage Salad

When I am too tired to even think straight, my default food is salad. One can only imagine how well this concept went over with the butcher!
But, little did he know that I use the salad as a catch-all, kind of a "meal in a bowl".
In any case, last night was one of those nights. I recently quit my job and am in the process of finishing up my last two weeks. So, work is even more hectic, since I have to finish everything and train someone in what I do. That said, I really did not feel like cooking last night. But, we were hungry.

So, enter the chicken sausage salad!



We have tons of sausage in the freezer (there's a joke there, but I am ignoring it!). And I wanted to make something with the portebellos since I didn't want them to go bad, I made portebellos with goat cheese - now with pictures! (I only made four this time since it was jsut T and I- the other two went into the salad).

So, without further ado, here's what you'll need for the salad:

1 red bell pepper - diced
1 green pepper - diced
1/2 sweet onion - diced
2 garlic cloves
2 potebello mushrooms - sliced
4-6 small chicken sausages
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper

In a pan with olive oil, add the onions and the garlic. Let them brown.
Once they've browned lightly, add the mushrooms.
As they shrink down, add the sausages.
Do not peirce them (the butcher taught me this) as it will let the juices drain.
Instead, turn them regularly, until they're done- about 10-12 minutes.
Once they're ready, remove them from the pan and let them sit.
While they cool, add the onions, the garlic and the mushrooms to your salad bowl.
Drizzle olive oil on them.
Add about 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar.
Cut the sausages into about 3/4 inch peices
Add to the salad bowl
Add the peppers
S&P

Toss & Serve.

Ta da! Dinner in about 20 minutes...LOVE IT!
The best part? The butcher was so happy, he ate it all up!