Meal planning is a funny thing.
The idea is to create a list, perhaps on a Sunday, and plan out your meals for the rest of the week. It could be based on ingredients you already have or whatever’s on sale at your local market. Monday might be roasted chicken, Tuesday pasta night, Wednesday vegetable stir-fry and so on…
Sounds reasonable, right?
It’s a plan. You head out to the store on a mission.
And then it backfires.
I mentioned in a previous post that food is mood-based for me.
And moods are unpredictable.
Just ask a toddler.
Dinnertime in our house is absolutely chaotic. The boys run around like maniacs, tormenting the cat and each other. A spot at the dinner table requires navigating a sea of toys. And it’s really loud.
I present them with dinner thinking peace has been restored…
Yeah right.
“I don’t want chicken I want pastaaaaa! Wait- I’ll have pancakes! Yes! I WANT PANCAKES!!”
Sigh… of course they do. They’re kids. They want what they’re in the mood for. And now, all of my hard work- the planning, prepping, cooking– goes to waste because they won’t eat what I’ve made. Cue: dessert bribe.
I understand that toddlers are defiant. And half the fun is saying (and doing) the exact opposite.
But aren’t adults guilty of the same behavior?
That’s why I don’t meal plan in the traditional sense.
For me, it starts out with an ingredient (usually something I have on hand) coupled with my mood. The meal evolves from there. I still believe in planning, I just use a different strategy to get there. It’s more flexible.
Here’s what I do instead:
I make a list of staples items we go through every week. This includes chicken, milk, butter, eggs, salad, feta etc. My list is usually sale driven with room in the budget for a couple of ‘fun’ things. I’ll have an idea of what to make, but nothing’s set in stone.
And that’s how this recipe was born.
These adorable mini sweet peppers were on sale.
As I held the 2 lb. bag in my hand, I was inspired to make sausage and peppers. My Grandpa used to make something similar… I was probably channeling him.
I like this dish for weeknight cooking because it’s simple to make with only one pan to clean. Start out by browning the sausage directly in the roasting pan. Add potatoes and peppers, and bake until cooked through. Line the pan with parchment paper for easy clean up. To serve, I drizzle balsamic glaze over the top with a giant salad on the side.
Here’s another tidbit:
Because I didn’t need the entire bag of peppers, I roasted the rest of them to use in the future. I also bought a family pack of sausage and froze what I didn’t need. Put the two together and I have dinner any night of the week.
I like the flexible approach, because there’s more room to groove with less waste.
How do you meal plan?
Printfeeding a moody appetite| italian sausage bake
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
Bake
- 1 1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage*
- 1 red onion, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 bell peppers, mixed colors, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- olive oil, as needed
- salt + pepper
To serve
- balsamic glaze (optional, but good)
- green salad
*Substitute with chicken or turkey sausage. If not Italian-style, throw in a tbsp of fennel seeds if you have them.
**I use a large non-stick roasting pan, 17×14 inches.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 F.
- Grab a large roasting pan and place it directly onto the stove. Set the burners underneath to high heat.
- Meanwhile, gently prick the sausages all over with a fork. This will help the steam to escape as they cook.
- Once the roasting pan is hot place the sausage into the pan (add a drizzle of oil if your surface is not non-stick). Brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Drain any residual oil and wipe out the pan. Line with parchment paper and add back the sausage.
- Add the onions, potatoes, peppers, and rosemary sprigs. Drizzle with olive oil. Mix well and season lightly with salt and pepper. You don’t wan’t to overdo it with the salt- the sausage is salty enough!
- Bake in the center of the oven, stirring once, until the sausage is cooked through and the potatoes are golden. This will take about 30 minutes.
- To serve, pile everything onto a nice platter. Drizzle with balsamic glaze (if using) and salad on the side.
Comments
Eleni says
Just made this tonight. My husband isn’t a fan of potatoes so I replaced them with eggplant and it was wonderful! Added a little oregano (after all, I’m Greek) and drizzled with balsamic and olive oil before baking. It was perfect with a little crusty bread. This is right up there with the Mediterranean bake you have on your site that I love so much and make on a regular basis. Thanks for another yummy dish. Looking forward to more one pan wonders.
Crystal says
Thank you for such a lovely meal.
I think I cut my potatoes too large and it took 50 min to cook…hard to wait- it smelled so good. What a fabulous idea to use parchment- clean up was a snap. This was my first time with a balsamic glaze- instead of cooking the sausages(I used Chicken Italian)in the roasting pan I browned them in the pan I was going to use for the reduction…then I deglazed the pan with the vinegar and proceeded to make the glaze. We were a little leery of a vinegar glaze, but WOW were we surprised! It was a perfect addition to this already delicious and beautiful dish. My husband called it a work of art. Had your yummy sour dough bread to dab up the drippings…mmmmmm. This is a keeper.
kristie {birch and wild} says
I often plan a menu a week in advance, but that all can go out the window when we are super busy with commitments!
I love bake. I just can’t get enough roasted vegetables these days. I could eat them morning, noon and night!
Emilie says
I totally agree. I’ve started to buy less and less these days and just work with what I have. Some would think this is stressful, but for whatever reason I feel more accomplished this way (less waste?).
And I love to bake too- roasted veggies are the best. I could eat a whole bag of caramelized carrots and be perfectly content.
Pam Green says
Boy this looks good! And who doesn’t love a one-pan meal!
Emilie says
Thanks Pam! I love good food and easy clean up, that’s for sure ;)
Lynne Clark says
Oh my goodness!! I was basically checking out your sourdough teach-in which I had recommended to a colleague starting out on her sd journey… and then found that on THE DAY AFTER I DID you were making sausages and med veggies… how ODD is that!
Look! I am not fibbing…and I had much the same thing the next day but with meatballs.. are we psychically connected!?!
http://josordonislims.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/just-chuck-it-in-ovensausages-and.html
Emilie says
Oh this is too funny… how serendipitous! The picture is spot on! What can I say… great minds! Thanks for sharing, Lynne. This made my morning ;)
mimi says
This is fabulous, and just shows how easy cooking is. Love it!
Emilie says
Thanks, Mimi! And browning the sausage directly in the pan makes it even easier ;)
Laney (Ortensia Blu) says
In my book, this is comfort food at its best! As for meal planning, sure it’s always a good idea – but life happens and sometimes it doesn’t always work out…all those wild cards (some of us call them kids).
Emilie says
Hello my dear! Meat and potatoes never fail ;) Ha! I love how you call them ‘wild cards’ xo
felicia | Dish by Dish says
Emilie! This looks beautiful, and I just love that glorious light spilling through all the photos! Thanks for sharing this quick and easy weekend dinner! :)
Emilie says
Hi Felicia! Thank you! I happened to shoot this on a bright and sunny afternoon. Very rare weather for this time of year, that’s for sure. It will be back to snow again in no time. Such is winter ;(
Jennifer @ Delicious Everyday says
Awesome photos! I love love love this! Those potatoes look beautiful!
Emilie says
Thank you Jennifer! You know it’s funny, I forgot to mention that I used a couple different kinds of potatoes for this dish. Not that it matters, but come to think of it, there are yukons, red bliss and maybe an Idaho thrown in for good measure. I was trying to clean out that pesky bottom drawer! xo
Beauty Follower says
Oh my gosh this food looks so rich and delicious!
http://beautyfollower.blogspot.gr
Emilie says
Thank you! It’s wonderful to have on a chilly night! Considering we’re completely frozen here in NY it certainly fits the bill ;)
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
Oh, those peppers are gorgeous! LOL – looks like your kiddos are moody eaters too; hahaaa pastaaaaaa!! I can just imagine you throwing your hands up, deferring to pancakes when the mood strikes your boys!
Planning… eh, about once a week. Yet I get distracted easily when I get to the store despite my careful list making and planning. If something is on sale or a beautiful red pepper catches my eye… the list could immediately shift.
Your photography, oh, the rosemary! So pretty, sunny and warming. Stay warm, Emilie!
Emilie says
Hi Traci! Do you have little ones as well? Oh my goodness, they don’t even get pancakes at that point- ha! I have to leave the room to get it together and return with a half smile on my face, and a glass of wine. It’s such a leaning process.
And don’t eve talk to me about getting distracted! The grocery store is like a candy shop for foodies. It’s nearly impossible to stay on track. And then you come home all exhausted. I have zero advice for this ;)
Thanks, Traci! If you see these mini peppers grab some. So easy to roast and absolutely sweet and delicious.
Adri says
Sausage and Peppers – what a classic! Put it on a roll, and I am home again. As for planning meals. I don’t do it. I never seem to want what I thought I wanted when I was in the market. Plus I had one of those moms who went to the market every day – sometimes two and three times day. I kid you not. So I did not grow up with “planned meals.” The downside ,of course, is sometimes there is no food that really fits the dinner bill. But I have learned to take the good with the bad, and roll with the idea that sometimes dinner will be, well, pancakes.
Emilie says
I know! My grandpa made something like this all the time. The potatoes were his idea. It makes the meal more substantial.
Your mom shopped 2-3 times everyday? That’s amazing. I think some of the best ‘planning’ is on the fly, so I can see why she would want to frequent the market so often. Inspiration has its own schedule. And of course, there’s nothing wrong with breakfast for dinner! xo
Ruby88 says
This is just the comfort meal I’m now in the mood for after seeing your photos and dreading more of this record cold winter! I love the idea of everything in one tray. Thanks for this post!
Emilie says
Yes! Comfort food at its best! You can swap out the sausage for chicken or turkey sausage to0. And nothing beats a one-pan bake. Clean up is a breeze ;)
Sara @ Cake Over Steak says
What a perfect recipe! I’ve eyed up those cute little peppers at the store a few times, but haven’t bought them yet. This dish would be the perfect excuse to snatch them up. I love meals like this that do most of the hard work in the oven so I can get busy doing something else. And I’ve been craving sausage lately, so …. yeah, hopefully this will happen soon. :-) Great post!
Emilie says
Sara, I just had a peek at your blog- how fun! Next time you see the peppers (at a good price) definitely grab them. They’re super sweet. When I roasted the remainder, they shrunk down to these tiny little things. I thought I’d have a lot more! I mixed them with quinoa to make veggie burgers.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Your house at dinner time is like mine. :) Ah, gotta love the kids. I have a 4 and 7 year old. I tried the traditional meal planning and would make them eat what I made and planned .. but sometimes it would backfire and the kids would go to bed hungry because they didn’t eat very much at dinner time. This, of course, brought some guilt so now I’m more flexible. I kind of do the same thing. . meal plan based on staples that I always buy. . I have the list of go-to recipes that I always make (that I know my kids will eat) mixed in with new stuff that I want them to try and stuff I make for the blog, which my husband and I always end up eating. I do make a menu for the week on Sundays and sometimes I wing it but I do like to plan ahead as much as I can. I adore mini sweet peppers and I absolutely love this dish! My kids would go to town on the italian sausage but probably wouldn’t touch the peppers. . I would be devouring those babies all on my own. :P love this!
Emilie says
Hi Alice! Hooray, I’m not alone! Although, there’s really nothing to celebrate as I know how difficult 5’oclock is for anyone ;) It seems we share similar styles in meal planning too. I think the overall idea is wonderful of course, but as they say, life happens. You can only do so much! I just can’t stand the waste- I can deal with my kids rejecting my food, but the waste, oh that gets me. I’ve become a master at saving their milk, rescuing 1/2 bananas etc. Thanks for stopping by!
connie raffa says
LOOKS DELICIOUS. Family traditions – your grandmother on your father’s side use to plan meals for the entire month based on her budget. Grandma Anna was judicious in making every food item count to its fullest. She too made DELICIOUS FOOD. When can i come over to eat? Auntie
Emilie says
Really? See, I didn’t even know that. I just knew everything tasted delicious and there were always Italian pastries :) You can come over anytime!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Dinner has never looked better with this bake! I love a colorful, easy one pan meal!
Emilie says
Thanks Laura! Anything baked in a tray with easy clean up is so my speed. I just wish I had one of those deep sinks to wash the pan! A girl can dream…
Emilie says
Thank you Sharon! ;)
Sharon says
Looks so yummy!!
MeaganS says
Right now, on Friday I plan 2-3 meals for the following week based off of what we have in the freezer and what I’m in the mood to eat and cook. We have a 1.5 yr and 3 yr old boys so I automatically figure that they aren’t going to eat what I cook (even if I tried to bribe). So I usually cycle thru 5 or so meals that I know they’ll eat.
Emilie says
Hi Meagan! That sounds excellent. I’m with you on the freezer inspiration- not only are you working with what you have on hand, you don’t have to take the little ones out to the store! I don’t know about you, but shopping with my boys is quite the spectacle ;)