MEALS YOU CAN MAKE WITHOUT A GRILL

Summer is in full swing, 90 degree temps included. This may mean you don’t want to head outside to use your grill, or maybe you don’t have access to one. Have no fear – we have some tasty solutions that you can whip up in the comfort of  your A/C 😎

Summer Squash and Spicy Italian Flatbreads

If you’re looking for a quick, easy, healthy, and delicious dinner for two (or more, if you want!), this will do the trick. You could even serve this up as an appetizer at your socially distant dinner party! 👏🏻

Ingredients

One package of Uncle Charley’s Spicy Italian Sausage, sliced ¼ in. thick

3 small yellow summer squash, sliced ¼ in. thick

1 T olive oil

½ t salt

2 c fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped

2 naan flatbreads, premade

1 carton fresh mozzarella pearls

⅓ c roasted red pepper, chopped

⅓ c basil, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss your squash with olive oil and salt, spreading evenly on a baking pan. Place sliced Uncle Charley’s Spicy Italian Sausage on another baking pan after tossing with olive oil. Roast for 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in spinach.
2. Place your naan flatbreads on a baking sheet and top with the squash, sausage, spinach, roasted red pepper and mozzarella. Bake on the lower rack until the cheese is just melted, 4-6 minutes total. Sprinkle with chopped basil and enjoy!

Pork Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers never fail to be a crowd pleaser, especially with Uncle Charley’s on the inside! This is the perfect dinner for the family, or for meal prepping! 

Ingredients

4 medium green bell peppers

1 package of Uncle Charley’s Pork Sausage, crumbled

1 ½ c onions, chopped

½ c celery, chopped

2 t garlic, minced

1 ½ c cooked long grain rice

½ t salt, plus more for seasoning

¼ t black pepper, plus more for seasoning

¼ c onions, chopped

2 T panko bread crumbs

2 T grated parmesan

4 t unsalted butter

2 ½ T paprika

2 T garlic powder

1 T cayenne pepper

1 T dried oregano

1 T dried thyme

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the top quarter of each bell pepper and save. Scoop the seeds and veins out of the peppers, setting peppers aside. Remove the stems from the pepper tops and dice, setting aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and brown your Uncle Charley’s Pork Sausage until cooked through, then add your onions, chopped bell pepper, and celery. Sauté until soft, then add garlic. Add rice, then season with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, oregano, and thyme. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Season the insides of the bell peppers with salt and pepper to taste, then spoon the rice and sausage mixture into the peppers.
4. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and cheese, then sprinkle in a bit of paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, oregano, and thyme. Sprinkle mixture over each pepper and top with 1 t of butter. 
5. Place peppers in a baking dish or pan, adding just enough water to dover the bottom. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are crusty. Serve while warm and refrigerate leftovers!

Spicy Italian Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

Do you ever just NEED some good down-country gumbo? We feel you – and we also feel the pain of being unable to travel to NOLA to snag some! Fortunately, we have a recipe to bring the flavors of The Big Easy all the way to Appalachia.

Ingredients

4 T butter

¼ c all-purpose flour

1 small yellow onion

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 package Uncle Charley’s Spicy Italian Sausage, sliced into ½ in. pieces

1 T cajun seasoning (salt free)

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

1 bay leaf

1 (15-oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes

4 c chicken broth

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 green onions, sliced

Cooked white rice, for serving

Directions

1. In a large, deep skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter, then add flour. Stir regularly until dark caramel colored, about 10 minutes.
2. Add onions, peppers, and celery, and stir until softened, about 5 minutes more. Stir in garlic and sausage, then add Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir in bay leaf, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
3. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add shrimp. Once shrimp is pink and cooked through, taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in green onions, reserving some for garnish.
4. Serve spooned over white rice with the rest of the green onions on top.

Sides to Remember

Need some killer sides to accent these tasty meals? We’ve got you there, too. 

Toss together some potato salad, spicing it up with some of the cajun spices you just used in the gumbo or adding the extra chopped green pepper from the stuffed peppers!

Want something light and fresh? We suggest some tangy watermelon salad, using red wine vinegar, honey, red onion, ground mustard, and sweet red pepper to take it up a notch. 

Let us know how your un-grilled barbecues go using #UncleCharleys on social media! We’d love to see how you make it happen 😍