An Inspired Cook

Smoked sausage skillet meals are so delicious and can be made with many different ingredients to make them savory, sweet or spicy.  I had some pineapple chunks in the freezer that would pair well together for a tasty teriyaki skillet dish.  Adding rice pilaf on the side complimented the sweet and spicy sausage.  With so much free time these days it made sense to assemble all the ingredients and start the prep work early.  Once that task was done it took no time at all to put it together.  I added some chopped onion and roasted red pepper to the mix but you can use other things that you have on hand including broccoli, carrots or any sweet or bell peppers.  For such a simple meal it won’t be soon forgotten.

I’m going to start with the rice pilaf which takes about 20 minutes to cook. The ingredients included are  rice, broken spaghetti, butter, chicken broth, spices, and parsley.  In the 18 – 20 minutes that it takes to cook the rice pilaf, you’ll have time to cook the smoked sausage skillet dish.

In a heavy bottomed 3 quart sauce pan add a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.  Place the broken spaghetti in the pan and stir as it begins to turn brown.  Toss the pasta in the pan about 4 minutes or until it has browned on all sides.  Remove from pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add the rice and a small drizzle of olive oil.  The rice will begin to turn whiter as it cooks.  Stir the pot as the rice cooks for 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Pour the broth, butter, and spices to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat.  When the mixture begins to boil, add the broken spaghetti and rice back to the pan.   Place a lid on top, reduce the heat to low and let cook for 18 to 20 minutes.

Check the rice at 18 minutes to see if all the liquid has been absorbed.  If you see liquid, set the lid back on and cook an additional 2 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.

Add the parsley and stir the pot.  Place the lid back on to keep warm until ready to serve.

To make the smoked sausage teriyaki you’ll need a link of smoked sausage, pineapple chunks, onion, roasted red pepper and teriyaki sauce.

Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large 10 -12 inch pan over medium high heat.  Add the onion and saute as the onion becomes translucent.

Add the sliced smoke sausage and continue to cook.

I didn’t have any fresh red bell pepper on hand but I did have a jar of roasted red pepper that I threw into the mix.  Stir for just a minute more.

Add the pineapple and any liquid.  Since the pineapple was previously frozen there will be a small amount of juice.  Continue to cook as the liquid evaporates.  Canned pineapple should be drained.

Last step is to stir in the teriyaki sauce.  Turn down the heat and let the sauce thicken slightly.

Spoon some rice in a shallow bowl and top with the teriyaki glazed smoked sausage.

The rice was perfectly seasoned and tasted so good!




Smoked Sausage Teriyaki Skillet with Rice Pilaf

1 (14 oz) package Smoked Sausage, sliced into bite size pieces
1/2 medium Onion, cut medium dice
1/3 cup Roasted Red Pepper (if using peppers from a jar, be sure to drain them)
1-1 1/2 cups Pineapple, cut into chunks or an 8 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained
Olive Oil

Teriyaki Sauce

1/4 cup Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 clove Garlic, grated on a microplane grater
1 tablespoon Ginger, grated on a microplane grater
1 teaspoon Chili Paste (I used Sambal Oelek Chili Paste)

Rice Pilaf  **

1 cup Jasmine Rice
1/3 cup Broken Spaghetti
2 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
1/3 cup Unsalted Butter
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/8 teaspoon Paprika
1/8 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 1/2 teaspoon Dried Parsley
Olive Oil

To prepare Rice Pilaf:  Drizzle olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the broken spaghetti to the pan and stir until brown, about 4 minutes.  Remove from sauce pan and set aside.  Using the same pan add another drizzle of olive oil and add the rice.  Stir the rice as it begins to turn white approximately 5 minutes.  Remove and set aside.  Return the sauce pan to the stove and turn up the heat to medium high.  Add the chicken broth and butter to the pan along with the salt, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika and onion powder.  Bring broth to a boil, add the broken spaghetti and rice.  Cover with a lid and turn down the heat to low and simmer for 18-20 minutes.  When all the broth is absorbed, add parsley and stir the rice.

To make the Teriyaki Smoked Sausage:   Combine the teriyaki ingredients of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and chili paste together; set aside.  Heat a 10 – 12 inch skillet with a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the diced onion and saute until it becomes soft and translucent.  Add the sliced sausage to the pan and saute for a few minutes.   Add roasted red pepper and pineapple to the pan.  Stir everything together and continue cooking until most of the liquid from the pineapple and roasted pepper evaporate.  Stir in the teriyaki sauce, lower the heat and allow the sauce to thicken slightly.   Serve with rice pilaf.

Makes 4 servings.

**Additional spices can be used in Rice Pilaf e.g. Parmesan or Romano cheese, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme or marjoram .  You can also add sliced almonds, pine nuts, or pistachios.