I looked over many recipes to cook Italian sausage. I usually just cook them to make onion and pepper sauasage sandwiches? Can you give me a easy light lunch idea for them?

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP 1 lb. ground Italian sausage 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced 3 leaves fresh basil 1 can 15 oz. butter beans 1 can 15 oz. black beans (beans may be substituted with beans of your choice) 1 can 15 oz. diced tomatoes 2 cups beef broth grated Romano or Parmesan cheese Cook sausage until brown, add garlic and basil. Sauté 4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients: beans, tomato, broth. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes, then remove from heat. Serve in soup bowl; sprinkle with cheese and serve with Italian bread, garlic bread or panini bread. or ITALIAN SAUSAGE & APPLE STUFFING 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage, removed from casing 1 bag herbal seasoned stuffing 4 red apples chopped (leave skin on) 1 cup sour cream 4 stalks of celery, chopped 2 yellow onions, diced 2 cloves garlic, diced 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped 2 cups chicken broth 2 raw eggs 1/2 cup chopped walnuts pinch of salt pinch of pepper In a pan, over medium heat, brown sausage pieces and drain fat (make sure the sausage is crumbly) In another large pot, sauté the apples, celery, and onions in butter (or butter) until tender Place dry stuffing in a LARGE BOWL and add the chicken broth until soft. If not moist enough, add some water. Using your hands, combine the stuffing with all ingredients: sausage, sautéed apples, celery, onions, raw eggs, garlic, chopped parsley, nuts, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Place the stuffing mix into a BUTTERED casserole dish or disposable tin, and bake at 350 degrees in oven for 20 minutes or until brown. or ITALIAN - POLISH SAUSAGE BAKE 1 lb. Italian sausage 1 lb. Kielbasa 4 to 6 green peppers 8 potatoes 2 tbsp. oil Garlic powder (use 1 red pepper for added color, if desired) Cut Italian sausage and kielbasa into pieces. Cut green peppers into 1 inch strips. Peel and quarter potatoes. Put everything into baking pan. Pour oil over and sprinkle with garlic powder to taste. Mix to coat. Bake in 400 degree oven for about 1 hour. Check potatoes and Italian sausage. or ITALIAN SAUSAGES ON SHREDDED ZUCCHINI 1 lb. Italian sausages, preferably in lg. casings 2 lbs. unpeeled zucchini, coarsely shredded (6 c.) 1/2 c. butter 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic Salt & pepper to taste Bake sausages in greased shallow baking pan in 350 degree oven, turning occasionally, 30 minutes or until browned and juices run clear when sausages are pierced with fork. Meanwhile wrap zucchini in several thicknesses of paper towels; squeeze out moisture. Just before serving, heat butter until bubbly, add garlic, zucchini, salt and pepper. Stir about 3 minutes or just until zucchini is heated through and barely crisp-tender. Slice sausages diagonally. For each serving arrange zucchini on a warm plate; top with sausage. Serve with cheese and orange slices and Italian bread or ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND POTATO CASSEROLE 1 small onion 5 large potatoes (2 lbs) 2 small green peppers 1/2 tsp. salt Dash pepper 1/4 tsp. dried basil 2 tbsp. salad oil 6 sweet Italian sausages (about 1 lb.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then slice onion, pare potatoes, slice 1/4 inch thick. Layer potato and onion in bottom of greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Cut peppers into rings, arrange on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and basil. Pour salad oil and 1/2 cup water over pepper. Arrange sausage on top, cover tightly with foil. Bake 1 hour or until potato is tender. Remove foil, bake about 20 minutes longer or until sausage is browned. Makes 6 servings. or ITALIAN SAUSAGE BREAD 1 loaf frozen bread, thawed 1 med. onion, chopped 3 oz. Mozzarella cheese 1 lb. Italian sausage 1 med. green pepper, chopped 1 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/2 c. spaghetti sauce Fry sausage and split. Remove from pan; fry onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Drain fat. Roll dough. Lay on greased cookie sheet. Fold 1/3 of dough over middle. Arrange sausage on folded area, add remaining ingredients. Fold dough over and seal. Brush with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Let rise 20 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. or ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND RICE 1 lb. Italian sausage (sliced) 1 1/2 c. water 2 med. green peppers 1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes 1/2 tsp. salt 1 1/2 c. precooked rice Put sausage and 1/2 cup water in skillet. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove cover and cook until water evaporates. Add green peppers and cook until sausage is well browned. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to boil and cover. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. ENJOY!

Chop up and mix with pasta with a tomato sauce. Fry and add to leftover spaghetti. Or make this delicious Minestrone soup; MAIN-DISH MINESTRONE A robust mix of vegetables, sausage, pasta and beans makes a satisfying supper dish. Add any seasonal vegetables as desired, or extend the basic soup into delicious variations (see below). 2tbsp olive oil 2tbspbutter 1/2 lb Italian sausage, sliced or crumbled 1large onion, chopped 1clove garlic, minced 1/2 cupeach chopped celery, carrot and green pepper 2tbspchopped parsley 1/2 tspdried basil Pinchdried thyme 1bay leaf Salt and pepper 2 cupschopped tomatoes (or 19 oz/540 mL can) 4 cupschicken stock 2 cups shredded cabbage 1 cup cooked or canned kidney beans 1/2 cupelbow macaroni (or other pasta Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional) • In large heavy saucepan, heat oil and butter. Add sausage; brown lightly. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot and green pepper; cook until softened but not browned. Stir in parsley, basil, thyme, bay leaf and a little salt and pepper. • Stir in tomatoes and stock. Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add cabbage, beans and macaroni. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes. If too thick, dilute with water to desired consistency, Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with Parmesan to sprinkle on top, if desired. Makes about 8 servings. VARIATIONS: SAUSAGE LENTIL CHOWDER: • Use crumbled fresh pork sausage instead of Italian sausage; drain off fat after browning. Omit macaroni and kidney beans; add 1 cup dried lentils instead, cooking about 45 minutes or until tender.__ __ LENTIL SOUP WITH BEEF AND BARLEY:________ • Use ground beef instead of sausage, and beef stock instead of chicken stock. Add 3/4 cup dried lentils and 1/4 cup barley instead of macaroni and kidnev beans.

Well, italian sausage isn't light, but here's something easy... Take the sausage out of the casing and crumble and sautee with mushrooms and diced onion. Add some bottled marinara and make spaghetti.

This bow tie pasta is topped with an Italian sausage and tomato sauce. 1 pound sweet Italian sausage 1 cup chopped onion 1 large clove garlic, minced 1 can (15 ounces) tomatoes, diced 1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled 1 teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 8 ounces bow-tie shaped pasta, or farfalle 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Remove Italian sausage from casings; brown in a large heavy skillet, breaking Italian sausage up with spatula. Remove browned Italian sausage to paper towels to drain. Drain off all but about a tablespoon of the sausage drippings; sauté onions until soft; add minced garlic and sauté for another minute. Drain tomatoes, reserving liquid. Cook tomatoes in the same skillet for about 4 minutes then add liquid. Return Italian sausage to skillet with oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook pasta according to package instructions until done; drain and place on serving platter. Spoon sauce over pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Toss lightly and serve.

Ingredients 8 ounces hot or sweet turkey Italian sausage 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano 1/2 cup uncooked small shell pasta 2 cups bagged baby spinach leaves 2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil Preparation Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan, and cook about 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain; return to pan. Add broth, tomatoes, and pasta to pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is done. Remove from heat; stir in spinach until wilted. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and basil. Yield 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups soup, 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, and 1 1/2 teaspoons basil) Nutritional Information CALORIES 216(30% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 2.6g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.8g); PROTEIN 17.4g; CHOLESTEROL 52mg; CALCIUM 153mg; SODIUM 1020mg; FIBER 1.6g; IRON 3.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 20g