I DO NOT LOVE TO COOK.
There, I said it. I’m just admitting it to the world, once and for all. I’m not someone who thrives in the kitchen.
I cook out of necessity, and I can find joy in it if I try, but I’m happiest when I’m sitting on a bar stool, sipping a glass of wine, watching Nate Kennedy cook for me.
But I do cook sometimes, because I love a homemade meal and I love the way the house smells when I’m cooking and I love the feeling of gathering at the table to eat a home cooked dinner. Oh, and I’m a mom with a family and we all need to eat… So I cook (sometimes.)
I’ve made this recipe dozens of times. It’s all of my favorite things:
Super fast to make, with minimal chopping.
I hate a recipe that says “it comes together in 7 minutes” and then it calls for minced garlic, chopped onion, diced celery and carrots and potatoes, and I’m like HELLOOO that just took me 25 minutes to get everything chopped! This recipe is quick.
Easy clean up.
Not a lot of measuring cups and tools and such.
Customizable with what you have on hand.
My favorite is with spicy sausage and kale, but you can use pretty much any meat and pretty much any sturdy veggie.
I found this recipe in Smitten Kitchen Every Day cookbook. That cookbook is soooo good, and there are a lot of recipes in there that I make on repeat. This dinner recipe is one that I’ve customized a bit, but just know that her cookbook is where I found it originally!
Heat some oil oil in a large saute pan. Add 2 cups of Easy Tiger sourdough (or whatever white bread you have on hand that needs to be used – a French loaf, a ciabatta, whatever. I love using Easy Tiger bread because they sell it at HEB so I can just throw it in my online cart really easily.) Stir that around until it’s toasty.
Add a bit more olive and add some minced garlic (I promise this is the only veggie that you need to mince!) ½ pound of sausage w/out the casings. I’ve also sometimes use sliced sausage and it’s equally delicious. Cook that until the sausage is mostly not pink any more, then add a few handfuls of sturdy greens (kale is my favorite) torn into bite-size pieces and a can of beans (white beans, black beans, chickpeas, whatever. White beans are always my favorite here.)
That’s literally it. Add some S&P and a little drizzle of red wine vinegar for a splash of acidity, and dinner is served. Smitten Kitchen, I love you.
PS: BTW, Nate gave me Deb’s newest cookbook for Christmas. It’s another winner!!
