Growing up in New York and not all that far from New York City, there certainly was no shortage of good Italian food. I remember every September my mother, brother and I would head down to Little Italy for the Feast of San Gennaro and pretty much stuff our faces. The two things I think I always got were a messy sausage and peppers sandwich followed by torrone candy. I am having flashbacks as I write this, it has been a good 6 or 7 years since I have been back down there!

I am fortunate that my mother is an amazing cook and I didn't have to wait for the feast every year for delicious Italian food. Sausage and peppers was something she would make from time to time and I still ask her to make it for many of our children's birthday parties. Her recipe is easy enough that I can whip it together even on a crazy day. My husband absolutely loves this. Enjoy!

Sweet Italian Sausage & Peppers Recipe

Ingredients
3 red bell peppers
3 yellow bell peppers
1 large yellow or white onion
1 lb sweet Italian sausage links (about 6)
extra virgin olive oil
garlic salt
fresh rolls or Italian bread (optional)

Directions
1. Chop peppers and onions into 1.5 inch slices and place in 13x9 or larger baking pan.
2. Use clean food scissors to cut sausage into 1 inch pieces.
3. Lightly brown sausages in pan over medium heat. Then add to baking dish.
4. Pour a generous amount of olive oil over mixture then sprinkle on garlic salt. Toss to coat.
5. Place on second highest rack in oven and broil on low for 10 minutes. Stir and broil on low for another 10 minutes. Stir again and then broil on high for 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes so that the top layer doesn't burn and everything is evenly cooked.
6. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Serve by itself or on a fresh roll.

While many will use red and green peppers in this dish, I find that the green peppers are not very sweet. So I prefer to use red and yellow. Since bell peppers are on the dirty dozen list for pesticide contamination, it is a good idea to go organic with these. However, onions are on the Clean 15 and so conventional is just fine.

Clean and chop your peppers and onions into about 1.5 inch pieces. Place in baking pan so you can prep the sausage.

I use a 1 pound (16 ounce) package of Premio Sweet Italian Sausage that we buy in bulk at Costco.

Use CLEAN food scissors to cut your sausage links into 1 inch pieces. Trust me, this is much easier than trying to slice them with a knife. That doesn't work too well.

Over medium heat, lightly brown the sausage. Be sure to stir constantly so its cooks evenly and you don't char any one side. I like using my Green Pan from Target since it is PTFE-free and PFOA-free.

Add the sausage to the peppers and onions in your baking pan. Coat with a generous amount of olive oil and garlic salt and mix well. Place in oven, on about the 2nd rack from the top, and broil on low for 20 minutes, pulling it out to stir at the 10 and 20 minute marks. Then broil on high for 15 minutes, stirring every 5.

When it is done the sausages should be cooked through, the onions should be nearly translucent and the peppers should be tender (but not mushy).

Buon appetito!