Turkey Sausage and Peppers

We LOVE Italian food and one of my very favorite ingredients to use when I make it is bell peppers. They are so sweet, flavorful and add gorgeous colors to any dish. We also love sausage, but whenever I make it at home, I use the turkey version. It's healthier and not as heavy as traditional pork sausage. Chicken sausage is also a great alternative if you can find it fresh. This dish may take a little time, but it requires little work, which makes it a super easy meal that yields a lot of portions.

 Start with either a homemade marinara sauce, or a jarred one. This one comes from Smitten Kitchen and is so easy and delicious.

 Place your peppers and onions in a large pot with olive oil.

 They should start to look like this after about 20-25 minutes of cooking.

 Once the peppers and onions are ready, you can deglaze with white wine, add garlic, herbs and your choice of tomato sauce. Then, tuck the uncooked turkey sausage underneath the sauce and get ready to simmer.

 After 45 minutes to an hour on very low heat, the sauce will be slightly reduced and the sausages will be cooked through and ready to slice. I like to use scissors and tongs to do the slicing.

This smells amazing and tastes even better. Serve it over your favorite type of pasta (we like whole wheat penne) or rice, or you could even spoon in onto crispy bread and make a sub. Just be sure to top it with tons of parmesan cheese! This made two meals for husband and I, so it could easily feed 5.

Turkey Sausage and Peppers

1 Package uncooked turkey sausage (5 links)
2 green bell peppers, julienned
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C good white wine
3/4 of a jar of good marinara, or homemade marinara from smitten kitchen
about 7 fresh basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat 1 T olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and peppers and stir to coat with oil. Cook for about 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to become tender and brown, about 20-25 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Deglaze the pot with the white wine, making sure it bubbles and reduces. Pour the marinara over the veggies and turn the heat down to simmer. Add the fresh basil and tuck each sausage link into the pot, making sure each is covered by the sauce. Place the lid to almost cover the pot and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour.

Once the sausages are cooked through, slice each into rounds using a knife or kitchen scissors. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve over your pasta of choice topped with more basil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!