Smoked Sausage and Vegetable Skillet

Potatoes and carrots are staples in my home. Potatoes are relatively inexpensive and so versatile, yet they have gotten a bad rap. Really the problem is not with the potatoes but with how you eat them; although, I must admit that I like them in all of the sinful ways: baked loaded with not just butter or sour cream—but both, fried, French fries, and hashbrowns. However, they really are a vegetable and they really help the budget when feeding a bunch of teenage boys since they are healthy and inexpensive.

My favorites are Idaho russets for most things. I know the books say that russets are not good for mashing, but mashed potatoes are one of my family’s favorites, so we have tried all kinds of potatoes and find the russets to be the lightest and creamiest for the end product. However, all russets are not created equal and I really do prefer the ones from Idaho. I have found them more difficult to come by the further east I have lived, but most of the year I can still buy them at a fairly reasonable price. Budget Saver: if you live near a wholesale produce market, buy potatoes by the 50# box or bag. Split them with a friend or neighbor and even if you have to give some away, they may still be less expensive this way.

If you live in the western part of the U.S., you are missing out on an inexpensive vegetable if you don’t use potatoes. In the east, they cost a little more, but are still a good buy for their nutrients, taste, and substance.

In a hurry but don’t want to have a budget buster for dinner? Try the smoked sausage with vegetables recipe below. Cooked just right, the carrots and cabbage in this recipe are sweet and will tempt most kids to eat their vegetables.

Smoked Sausage and Vegetable Skillet

1 ring of smoked sausage

1-2 potatoes per person

2-4 carrots per person, ends trimmed

½ small head cabbage, core and cut into 4-6 wedges

Salt and pepper to taste

Wash the carrots well and lay them on the bottom of your skillet. Peel potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Lay the potato halves on top of the carrots overlapping as little as possible. Place the smoked sausage ring on top of the potatoes. Place the cabbage wedges on top of the sausage, again, overlapping as little as possible. Pour two cups of water over all (if you are using a very large skillet for feeding 8-10, add another cup + of water). Place a tight fitting lid or foil sealed around the edges on top of the skillet. Turn on high, bring to a boil then reduce to medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes depending on the amount you are cooking. When potatoes are cooked so that a fork can be poked in them easily, put the vegetables in bowls and cut the sausage into 4-6 pieces. Enjoy.

What I Do: I always use Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage, although my mom likes their Polish Kielbasa also. I have tried other brands and my family doesn’t find them as palatable. Budget Saver: the Wal-Mart near me sells the Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage for 2/$5.00 as their regular price. I usually stock up when I am at Wal-Mart so that I always have the sausage rings on hand. As I said, potatoes and carrots are staples at my house making this a quick, easy, and inexpensive meal to prepare on days that are hectic or that I don’t have much energy.