Baked Sausage with Herbed Cannellini Beans

Don't you just love one pot hearty meals? I do and this dish has all my favorite ingredients. You are actually getting two recipes in this one post. The side of Swiss Chard recipe is second.

• 1 lbs. Italian sausage - hot or sweet
• 2 cans cannellini beans
• 1 large onion - halved and sliced thinly
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup tomato puree
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• olive oil
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. thyme
• salt and black pepper to taste

If you have a dutch oven, use it. If not then a deep skillet that is oven proof is fine. Preheat your oven to 400° F.

1. In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese with a teaspoon of olive oil. Mix well and set aside for the topping.

1. Over medium high heat warm one tablespoon of olive oil. Add the sausages to the pan and brown on all sides. Each side takes a minute or two. Transfer the nicely browned sausages to a plate.
2. Turn the heat down to medium and add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan along with the butter then add in the sliced onion and saute over medium heat. Stir the onions occasionally until they soften and caramelize just a bit. About 10 minutes.
3. Then turn the heat down to medium low add in the minced garlic and thyme and give a stir and cook until fragrant. Do not burn the garlic.
4. The chicken broth goes in next. Over medium high heat, bring this up to a simmer and add in the cannellini beans with their liquid, the tomato puree and cook until the liquid begins to thicken.
5. Season with salt and pepper and add in the sausages.
6. Sprinkle the top with the breadcrumb mixture. Pop it in the oven and cook for about 20 - 25 minutes until the top is golden brown.
7. Serve with a nice side salad or Swiss Chard as I did.

For the Swiss Chard:

• one bunch Swiss Chard
• 1 tsp. chopped garlic
• 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. chicken broth

1. Take one bunch of Swiss chard and remove the leaves from the stems and break apart.
2. In a skillet add one tablespoon of olive oil, some salt to taste, the crushed red pepper and the chicken broth.
3. Stir, cover and cook until your desired tenderness.

 It cooks down quite a bit. This is one bunch.