Homemade Turkey Sausage

This is fantastic!  It tastes just like pork or beef sausage, but without all the fat!  You can make it into patties or ground sausage.

2 lbs ground turkey
1 egg
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp fennel seed
2 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp rubbed sage
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (add more pepper or crushed red pepper if you like it spicy!)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours.  This is important!  It gives all the flavors time to meld and permeate the meat!

Brown sausage in a lightly greased pan and enjoy!

Tuscan Soup

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

12 oz Italian sausage
8 cups water
2 tbsp vegetable broth powder
2 tbsp onion soup mix
4 large potatoes, cubed
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped
8 oz penne pasta

Brown sausage in frying pan.  In large pot, combine sausage, water, broth powder, soup mix and potatoes.  Cook on medium heat until potatoes are just tender, about 20-30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente.  Drain.

Add spinach and pasta to soup.  Continue cooking until spinach is lightly cooked, about 5-10 minutes more.

Sausage Alfredo Pasta

This is far from healthy but it was so good!  I'm going to make it again sometime, but with better ingredients.

12 oz Italian sausage
24 oz farfalle pasta
1/4 cup butter
2 packets Alfredo sauce mix
5 cups water
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, brown and crumble sausage in a large saute pan.  Drain sausage on a few paper towels.

Melt the butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat then add the Alfredo sauce mix.  Add water and whisk together.  Continue whisking until sauce thickens.  Add the mushroom soup and mix to combine.   Add sausage back into pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes.