crockpot
by: Jennifer MillerPosted on:

Sunday Night Dinner Menu: Asparagus Appetizer, Sausage and Peppers, Apple & Spinach Salad, Dark Chocolate Brownies & Beer Pairing

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Connect with your family over Sunday dinner. This Sunday, I decided to make comfort food that was easy to prepare and simply delicious.

The Menu:

  1. Appetizer: Phyllo Wrapped Asparagus (recipe is on link below and ingredients are on the shopping list)
  2. Sausage and Peppers
  3. Apple and Spinach Salad
  4. Fresh Bread: Pick it up from your local bakery. Mine is from Christie’s in Clinton, NJ
  5. Beer pairing suggestion: LAGUNITAS HOP STOOPID ALE from Bourbon Liquors in Califon, NJ
  6. Dessert: Dark Chocolate Brownies

Phyllo-Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus

Crockpot Sausage and Peppers

Ingredients:

  • 1 family-sized package of Sweet Italian Sausages
  • 2 bell peppers, sliced into strips
  • 2 yellow onions, sliced into strips
  • 1 (24oz) can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
  • 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
  • Optional: 2 cloves of garlic smashed

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet, brown the sausages for 5 minutes. This seals in the juice.
  2. Add peppers and onion to the Crockpot followed by the sausages.
  3. Pour can of diced tomatoes and tomato paste over top. If using garlic, add it as well.
  4. Turn Crockpot on and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 8 hours.
  • Note: this sausages can be prepared and frozen ahead. See below for freezer meal instructions!

Apple and Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbs. olive oil
  • 1 tbs. cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 5 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 5 cups lightly packed)
  • 1 Gala apple

Directions

  1. In a small bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar and mustard
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste
  3. Toss the spinach with the dressing until evenly coated then divide the spinach among 4 serving plates
  4. Core the apple and slice it into matchsticks. Sprinkle a quarter of the apple pieces on top of each salad

Dark Chocolate Brownies – derived from Alton Brown

Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 stick melted butter
  • 11/4 cups cocoa, sifted
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup unbleached flour
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips
  • Cooking Spray

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a 8 inch square pan with non-stick spray.
  2. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.
  3. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan and bake for 45 minutes. When it’s done, remove to a rack to cool.

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The Shopping List: 

 Liquor

Beer: LAGUNITAS HOP STOOPED ALE: Sold at Bourbon Liquors, Califon, NJ

Grocery:

  • 2 bell peppers (choice of colors)
  • 2 yellow onion
  • 1 Gala apple
  • 5 cups baby spinach
  • 24 asparagus spears

 Meat:

  • 1 family size package of sweet Italian sausages
  • 4 oz thinly sliced prosciutto

 Aisle Items:

  • 1 (24oz) can tomatoes with Italian seasoning
  • Cider vinegar
  •  Dijon mustard
  • Olive oil
  • Brown sugar
  • White sugar
  • Cocoa
  • Vanilla extract
  • Unbleached flour
  • Kosher salt
  • Dark chocolate chips
  • Cooking spray

 Dairy:

  • Eggs
  • Butter

 Bakery:

  • Fresh baguette of choice

Frozen:

  • 10 Sheets phyllo dough

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Freezer Meal Crockpot Sausages & Peppers:

Directions for freezing:

1 Mix all the ingredients in a  large zip-lock  bag and freeze.

Ingredients for day of cooking:

1 Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

2 Place in Crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

If you like this Sunday Night Dinner idea, be sure to check out Sunday Night Dinner: Italian Inspired as well