Chicken-Sausage (Turkey Kielbasa) and Asparagus saute over Cheese Grits

This is definitely the most Southern dish I've cooked yet! But I have to admit, even the grits were yummy and this interesting combo actually is quite tasty!

Chicken-Sausage (Turkey Kielbasa) and Asparagus saute over Cheese Grits
from Every Day food, adjusted to serve 4 instead of 1
Serves 4

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 precooked chicken sausage, thinly sliced on the diagonal (I used 2 large links of turkey kielbasa.)
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced (I used yellow onion.)
1/2 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 1-inch lengths (I used a whole bunch.)
1 tsp. fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp. dried
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. grits or yellow cornmeal (I used 1 c. grits.)
2 tbsp. crumbled fresh goat cheese (I used about 1 c. sharp cheddar.)

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage until browned, tossing occasionally, 1-2 minutes; transfer to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes.
3. Add asparagus, thyme and 1/3 c. water (I used about a cup and that was too much liquid. I would start with half a cup and add more as needed.) Cover and steam until asparagus is just tender and water has evaporated, about 6 minutes.
4. Add sausage and lemon juice, toss. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
5. In a small saucepan, bring 1 c. salt water to a boil. (I used 4 cups of liquid. 2 c. beef stock (chicken stock would work fine, too) and 2 c. water.)
6. Gradually whisk in grits.
7. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 6 minutes.
8. Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper.
9. Serve sausage and asparagus over grits.
I topped grits with a touch of shredded cheese, too.

Zucchini, Sausage, and Feta Casserole

Zucchini, Sausage, and Feta Casserole
from Cooking Light

This pasta casserole combines pantry ingredients with fresh summer produce for a hearty, family-friendly dish. Any leftovers are even better the next day as the flavors have time to meld.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta)
8 ounces chicken sausage (I used as zesty habenero flavored sausage to add some kick and may try a tomato basil kind next time)
1 teaspoon olive oil
5 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 cups vertically sliced onion (about 1)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt object2
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper object
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese object
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.
Cook pasta in boiling water 5 minutes, omitting salt and fat; drain.
Remove casings from sausage. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from pan. Heat oil in pan. Add zucchini, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic. Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and zucchini begins to brown, stirring occasionally.
Combine broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute. Combine zucchini mixture, pasta, sausage, and feta cheese in a large bowl; toss well. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

* I also sprinkled with a little olive oil when I pulled it out of the oven because the cheese dried out just a bit.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 284(27% from fat); FAT 8.6g (sat 4.6g,mono 1.9g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 16.9g; CHOLESTEROL 35mg; CALCIUM 160mg; SODIUM 433mg; FIBER 2.6g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.3g
Lia Huber
Cooking Light, JULY 2007