The Gourmand Mom

You’ve probably heard of those pregnant women who find themselves craving odd combinations of foods like dill pickles with peanut butter. Or the ones who squirm at the scent of onions or eggs. And then there are those who strangely crave non-foods, like dirt or chalk. I am none of these women while pregnant. For me, pregnancy only serves to heighten my already existing cravings. I have no food aversions and morning sickness is something I’ve only read about in books. My pregnancy diet is simply my normal diet, in overdrive.

Take spicy food for example. I’ve always loved spicy food. This is nothing new. But while pregnant, my desire for spicy food hits new highs. I order my burgers with pepperjack cheese, hot sauce and jalapeños. (Add some extra hot sauce on the side for dipping my fries.) I accidentally forget crucial ingredients for Saturday’s dinner so that I can have my Indian food takeout one night early. I make omelets for lunch so I have something to dip in tabasco. My desire for spicy foods is boundless.

So, on a day, which I’d spent baking and decorating dozens of turkey-shaped Lemon-Ginger Sugar Cookies (recipe coming soon), I needed a quick fix for my spicy food obsession. I turned to one of my favorite easy weeknight  meals; Roasted Sausage, Peppers, and Onions. This recipe hardly even qualifies as a recipe. It’s just a few simple ingredients joined together in perfect flavor harmony. As a child, huge trays of sausage, peppers, and onions were a staple of family party buffets. Served over rice or wrapped in a loaf of Italian bread with provolone cheese, this dish makes a simple, satisfying meal, any night of the week.

As you may imagine, I like to prepare this dish using spicy Italian sausages, but sweet Italian sausages work just as well! By cutting the sausages part way through the cooking time, we allow some of the tasty juices to escape in order to mix and mingle with the peppers and onions. The resulting dish simply oozes with delicious Italian flavors.

Roasted Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

Ingredients

• 6 Italian Pork Sausages (spicy or sweet)
• 3 Green Bell Peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 Onions, thinly sliced
• 2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss the peppers and onions in the olive oil. Place in a baking dish. Arrange sausages on top of the peppers and onions. Cook for 20 minutes. Then, remove the baking dish from the oven, cut the sausages in half and place them back with the peppers and onions. Toss to combine the sausage halves with the peppers and onions. Continue cooking for another 30-40 minutes, occasionally tossing the mixture for even cooking. Serve over rice or create sandwiches on Italian bread with provolone cheese.

Serves about 4