By Scott Stegmaier

As a household of five, life is a little chaotic for our family. Work, school, sports and volunteering leaves not much time to just “be.” But we make time for it — dinner time.

I am surrounded by food all day long. The last thing you would think I would want to do is come home and cook for my family every night, but I do. Along with my wife and our three children, we make the kitchen the center of conversation all while building our meal together. The kids love to help.

Being a trained chef, I combine pantry products and fresh ingredients to produce a healthy home-cooked meal. We budget our dinners between $10 and $15 every night and shop bi-weekly for local produce, fresh meat and seafood.

It is our mission to inspire other busy families to find the time to do the same.

Roasted Italian Sausage, Potatoes and Vegetables

Ingredients:
8 small yellow or red potatoes, quartered
3 carrots, 1/4 inch angled slices
12 – 15 asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (cut off white ends)
1/2 cup red pepper, 1/2 inch diced
1/4 cup sweet onion, 1/4 inch diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1 lb. Italian sausage (ground)
1/4 cup chicken stock
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher salt
Italian parsley (for garnish)
Parmesan (for garnish)

Directions: Toss potatoes in extra virgin olive oil and cook at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Add carrots and red pepper and continue to bake for another 25 minutes (total of 45 minutes) or until tender. While roasting, cook the Italian sausage in a 10-inch or larger cast iron skillet (high wall thick bottom sauté pan will work) and shape into 1-inch meatballs. Brown on all sides on medium heat. Remove sausage from pan and set aside. Proceed to add onion and garlic, cooking for two minutes. Then add asparagus and cook two more minutes. Add chicken stock, removing the brown sausage bits from the bottom of pan using a wooden spoon. Reduce sauce for 1-2 minutes and turn off. Add a pinch of kosher salt and pepper to the roasted potatoes, carrots and red pepper. Combine with the rest of the ingredients in the skillet and toss in the sauce. Garnish with olive oil, parmesan and Italian parsley.

Scott Stegmaier is the general manager of Metro Diner in Julington Creek. Follow him on Instagram @dinnerwiththestegmaiers


Photo courtesy Edana Stegmaier
Roasted Italian Sausage, Potatoes and Vegetables

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