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Searching for a one-dish meal for dinner tonight? Try this recipe for Sausage, Beans and Greens--a healthy quick-cook meal.
One-dish meals have become the salvation of home cooks across the country. When time is a factor, it's great to be able to turn to a recipe that uses just a few ingredients and one pot or pan to make a meal. Some classic examples of such one-dish meals include pot pie, stewed chicken with vegetables and pot roast with roasted vegetables. If you're looking for a simple one-dish meal for a weeknight supper, why not try Sausage, Beans and Greens? This dish is quick to prepare and can be made in under a half-hour. To make this dish, you'll need escarole, which you can find in some supermarkets or local whole foods markets. Escarole, a type of endive, has leaves that are broader, paler, and less highly crimped than curly endive. The taste of escarole is less bitter than curly endive, so if you cannot find escarole for this dish, do not use curly endive, which will impart a bitter taste to this dish. Spinach makes a good substitute for the escarole. Be sure to rinse your greens well under cold running water and dry them thoroughly before using them in the recipe. Since canned beans are usually packed in a salty liquid, it's a good idea to drain and rinse canned beans to remove the salty taste and unnecessary sodium before using them in the dish. With a light pear and citrus salad or a Chicken Pasta Salad and some crusty bread, you'll have a meal that will satisfy your family's hunger without taxing your time and energy. Sausage, Beans and GreensSERVES 4 Escarole, a type of endive, is typically used in salads, but it makes a great addition to this one-pot dish. 1/2 pound mild fresh Italian sausage links, bias-sliced into 1/2-inch pieces1/2 cup diced onion 2 cans (19 oz. each) white kidney beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed 3/4 cup homemade or reduced-sodium canned chicken broth 1/4 cup dry white wine 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley 2 cups coarsely chopped escarole 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese In a large saucepan, cook the Italian sausage and onion over medium heat about 5 minutes or until the onion is tender. Drain off any excess fat. Add the beans, chicken broth, wine, parsley, and escarole. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover; simmer for 5 minutes. Ladle into serving bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve. More Time-Saving Shortcuts for Quick-Cook MealsWhen hungry appetites are in a hurry for a meal, reach for cuts of meat and poultry that can be ready in minutes. In general, thinner cuts of meat cook more quickly than thicker cuts, so stick with cuts that are less than 1 inch thick. Boneless cuts also take less time. Keep an eye on the cooking time and temperature because overcooked meat may toughen and dry out. These cuts suit busy cooks: boneless chicken and turkey breasts; pork loin chops; beef sirloin or tenderloin steaks; and ground beef, chicken, turkey, or lamb.
The copyright of the article One-Dish Meal in Dinner Recipes is owned by Michael Vyskocil. Permission to republish One-Dish Meal in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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