Well, so much for me dreaming of an early spring season this year. Our return to frigid temperatures is not unexpected, but a little disappointing all the same.
This was our light covering of snow on the ground yesterday morning. It melted before the day was over but the temp stayed barely into the 30s.
Today we had a heavy frost on most every outside surface. The sun is shining on us and the thermometer reads a balmy 31° already at 7:30 a.m. (Wahoo!) The forecast for tomorrow? A "wintry mix" and breezy. Oh well, it's just typical spring time in the Rockies north woods.
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I planned pizza for dinner last night and needed to make up another batch of pork sausage for topping. Sharing my recipe might give you an idea for making your own. Of course, you may feel free to adjust any of the seasonings more to your own liking.
To one pound of ground pork, I add:
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
1/4 cup dried parsley
1 tablespoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Brown the ground pork in a skillet until no longer pink.
Then add a mixture of all the spices and herbs and mix thoroughly, and cook over medium flame for a few minutes stirring frequently.
I spread the hot, cooked and seasoned pork sausage out on a cookie sheet for faster cooling before putting it in a container for the freezer.
When I want to use the seasoned pork sausage, I take out as much as desired from the container and spread it (frozen) on top of the cheese covering the pizza.
Papa Pea prefers sausage on his portion of pizza; I'm a fan of pepperoni. I have a couple recipes for homemade pepperoni, but have to admit I've never tried making it. Do any of you have a tried and true recipe you'd care to share?
16 comments:
We usually season our sausage before packing it up for the freezer. We used to make our own mix but now we can get a good, natural mix from the slaughterhouse. Your looks and sounds delicious.
Yummy! Got to try that sausage mix! Looks awesome!
It sounds like spring is going backwards everywhere except for here in Florida, it's steadily getting hotter and hotter here. Your sausage recipe sounds delicious!
Granny Sue - Yours sounds like a good plan. I keep my ground pork "plain" because there are a few recipes I make that call for plain pork, such as some ground pork mixed in with ground beef for a yummy meat loaf.
wyomingheart - As I said, you can certainly add or subtract to the seasonings used to your own tastes. The mixture is good as taco filling, too.
Martha - We have friends vacationing in Florida right now and they've been sharing that they're experiencing night time temps in the 80s. Oh, my! So different than here.
It certainly is breezy tonight, and chilly! Supposedly this is the last cold one for the foreseeable future.
You have a whole lot of amazing gardening space! The sausage topping sure sounds good. Are the fennel seeds put in whole? Do you have any tricks up your sleeve for home made pizza crust? I'm always trying different recipes, but still haven't found 'the' one.
Rosalea - Yes, the fennel seeds are put in whole. Personally, I love the taste of fennel. Like you, I don't have a pizza crust recipe that I'm perfectly satisfied with. Isn't that strange that we both are still searching for "the" one?
I was worried about a late frost, and you've got snow! What an amazing world we live in.
You and Papa Pea sound like Dan and me, with Dan preferring pepperoni and me liking sausage on our pizza. It never occurred to me to season my own. I should, because I sometimes can't find a brand without MSG. Great idea!
Leigh - Now if you want to experiment with my recipe for your pizza sausage you don't have to worry about the MSG. (Baaad stuff!) It's probably more important I figure out how to make pepperoni (or at least a good substitute) as I know commercially made pepperoni has undesirable ingredients in it. Our organic co-op has a "good" pepperoni. Only thing is it doesn't taste anything like pepperoni!! :o\
Sounds cold! I'm so happy we've had heavy rain for 3 days! We really need it here. I've always loved pepperoni pizzas and my personal favorite combo is add black olives and mushrooms. Sadly I don't make my own sausages etcetera. I have made spelt flour pizza crust before have you ever tried that? It's a little healthier and it has a nice nutty flavor. I found the trick is not to let the dough get to dry but to have it nice and moiso it rise's nicely
Nancy - I just baked a couple of loaves of spelt bread! I've recently read that with all bread-type doughs (pizza, loaves of bread, biscuits, etc.) it's much better to have the dough moist or even on the wet side. Hunh. What 'cha can't learn, eh? I now think I've always made my doughs on the dry side. Thanks for reinforcing what I've just learned and been thinking about.
It's just starting to warm up here, but it has been chilly especially at night. I have noticed the Jonquil are coming up and some of the tulips. This week is suppose to be a little warmer. What we need is rain and we haven't gotten any. Don't see any in the forecast. That's handy to have the pork sausage all done to use on various foods. I think I'll try that recipe of yours!! xo
Do you crack your fennel with a mortar and pestle first? What??!! No sage??!!
linnellnickerson - We did need rain also but have been getting some. Not a lot but enough to make puddles. Today it was either misting, raining or snowing. My garden soil has a light covering of the white stuff as I look out now. Oh, Spring, you are so slow in coming!
Cockeyed Jo - Nope, just dump the whole fennel seeds in. I suppose cracking the seeds with a mortar and pestle would impart a little more flavor? No sage in my recipe but that's definitely one herb you could add if you try it.
Hm, your recipe looks different that what I use. I love to add sage. I'll have to mix my spices around and maybe try this. Looks good.
Re "dough on the wet side"...I have found that to be true, especially with the pizza dough, which I make a day ahead and refrigerate it in oiled bags. The dough has a nice chewiness inside a crisp outer crust. Hubby made me a pizza peel, on which we prep the pizza, then slide it onto a heated clay stone in the oven.
Kristina - A couple of you have suggested sage in the sausage mix. I may have to try that!
Rosalea - I've never invested in a "pizza stone" for the oven and I'm thinking maybe that would be something wise to do.
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