I don’t even remember the name of this recipe. I’m sure it was something like “easy holiday sweet-potato sausage skillet surprise extravaganza meal” or something like that. Hell, I don’t even know what magazine it came out of – just something lying around my parents’ house. Regardless, I saw it the other day and decided that this would be my Tuesday Dinner For The Parents this week.
I’m gonna start here by mentioning that the original recipe – which I do not have with me, by the way, I am writing this from memory – called for salsa verde to top the dish. I’m no big fan of salsa verde and I lucked out – when Mom was picking up ingredients she was shopping at Food Lion which is often referred to in my mind as That Place That Never Has A Damn Thing I’m Looking For. Turns out – get this – they didn’t have salsa verde. ¡QUÉ UNA SORPRESA!
Mom did an amazing thing and picked up some Newman’s Own Lime and Tequila Sadly Alcohol-Free (Red) Salsa. That stuff is FANTASTIC. Well, okay, let me back (that thing) up and say that it was wonderful as a topping to our meal. How it would work on chips, I dunno. This salsa has a bit of an attitude problem, a cry for attention, perhaps, and is a bit intense. Not spicy-heat-wise or anything, no, it’s just like Paul Newman said, “I WANT SOME SALSA WHOSE FLAVOR GOES TO ELEVEN.” He talks like that. I’ve met him.
Without further ado, you’re about to be subjected to my best job at remembering how to make tonight’s dish:
Seriously, It’s Not Weird – It Tastes Great
You will need to procure, and probably not from Food Lion,
2 sweet potatoes – I only used 1.5 as the ones Mom got were huge
1/2 lb breakfast sausage. Cut that little Tennessee Pride boy right in half!
1-2 green bell peppers
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp cumin (are you listening, Trey?)
Olive oil, water, salt, pepper, the usual.
IF YOU WANT TO RE-CREATE THE TRUE KEVIN O’MARA DINING EXPERIENCE YOU MUST USE NEWMAN’S OWN TEQUILA LIME GOES-TO-ELEVEN SALSA. I’M JUST SAYING IS ALL.
1. Add a dash of salt to a medium-sized pot full of water. Bring to boil.
2. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch chunks.
3. Boil potato chunklets for 4 minutes or until barely tender, then drain
4. In a large skillet (no, seriously, like make sure it’s a 12-inch) brown the sausage. Drain the sausage. Set the sausage aside. Ignore the sausage. Do not eat the sausage yet.
5. Bring skillet to medium-high heat, add olive oil and green bell peppers. Sauté for a few minutes.
6. Add onion. Cook until translucent and done.
7. Add garlic, sausage, sweet potatoes, and cumin to pan. Continue cooking for 5 minutes or so.
8. Salt and pepper to taste.
Pretty easy, huh? Top that sucker with a few splashes of the salsa and you’re good to go.
I have to totally give a shout-out to my Mom who prepared a super-tasty salad to go along with this. Shredded fresh spinich topped with grated carrot, nuts (walnuts?), dried cranberries, and … um … something else. I’ve already forgotten. Drizzle a little raspberry vinaigrette over that and you’re good to go.
Hearty! Filling! Jawsome! Until next time!
4 Comments so far
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Could I just eat one sausage?
Comment by Sean Osman December 6, 2006 @ 1:35 amKevin! Kevin! I ate the sausage! I know you said not to, but I did anyway! Now what do I do?
Comment by A Terrifying Robot, so please consider being terrified. December 6, 2006 @ 10:09 amYOU GUYS! I TOLD YOU NOT TO EAT THE SAUSAGE! NOW YOUR DINNER IS RUINT!
Comment by Kevin O'Mara December 6, 2006 @ 10:10 amLovely photo.
Comment by Rebecca December 6, 2006 @ 9:02 pmInteresting recipe.