Help with putting these things together?

[Jewel]

I don't want to go the store today, and I want to make a one-dish dinner. I have a pound of Red Bell Pepper and Basil chicken sausage links...I also have a cupboard full of cans of beans. I have white beans, black beans, pinto beans. Thinking of some kind of cassoulet of sausage, white beans, tomatoes or tomato sauce... Any thoughts? The brain cells are on hold this morning!

[Canice]

How 'bout a riff on this Kale, Bean and Sausage Stew? Peppers instead of kale?

[mundy]

How about this recipe originally posted by Bob

Sausage and Bean Casserole
Simple and satisfying, this hearty casserole is fast enough to prepare on a busy evening.

Cooking spray (used Tbsp olive oil)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1 (16-ounce) package light smoked turkey sausage (such as Hillshire Farm), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
3 (1-ounce) slices white bread
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and turkey sausage to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in 2 tablespoons brown sugar, tomato paste, dried thyme, freshly ground black pepper, cannellini beans, and bay leaf. Add ground red pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 1/2 cups.

Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over bean mixture, and lightly coat with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until browned. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

CALORIES 205 (14% from fat); FAT 3.3g (sat 1.1g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 12.1g; CHOLESTEROL 25mg; CALCIUM 77mg; SODIUM 823mg; FIBER 4.4g; IRON 2.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2007

[manetta]

I make a salad with white beans and chicken sausage frequently. Grill or saute and slice the sausages, mix with drained white beans, chopped tomatoes, cucumber, sliced red onion, kalamata olives, fresh basil and crumbled feta cheese. Toss it all with a simple red wine vinaigrette. Yum.

[Jewel]

Never, ever would have thought of a salad! I have made the recipe that Bob posted and we liked it, but I'd forgotten about it...hmmm, that could be a possibility! I don't really want to make a stew or soup tonight, last night was a huge, huge, huge pot of Chicken Barley Soup that we're going to be eating leftovers on for the whole week anyway!

So it doesn't have to have beans. What would you do with over a pound of Red Bell Pepper and Basil Chicken Sausage?

[dorothyntototoo]

Sausage & potatoes - YUM! You could brown the sausages in a skillet. If you have some potatoes, oven roast them with rosemary & garlic, or slice thinly & cook with onions in a skillet.