The Small Town Chef

Slow-cooked sausage in a fire-roasted tomato sauce If you grew up anywhere within an hour of Philly or New York City, this sandwich is basically part of your DNA. You didn’t need a menu—you followed the smell. Festivals, street corners, church basements, ball fields… sausage and peppers was always there, wrapped in foil or on a paper plate, dripping down your wrist, daring you to care. Italian or country sausage , hot or mild—it all works. When it’s done right, it’s simple food that hits hard, especially in winter when you want something warm, messy, and deeply comforting. This version builds flavor first, then lets the slow-cooker handle the rest—and it uses crushed fire-roasted tomatoes because they’re easy to find and bring a little extra depth. Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sausage & Peppers You’ll Need: 2–2½ lbs sausage links (Italian or country) Extra-virgin olive oil 6 oz. onion, diced 3 oz. carrot, diced 3 oz. celery, diced Tops and bottoms from your sweet peppers, diced (for soffri...

The cozy, football-weekend way to turn leftover turkey into something you actually look forward to If you’re anything like me, football weekends mean two things: a pot of something simmering on the stove and a fridge full of odds and ends from whatever food project happened earlier in the week. This recipe was born straight out of that moment—using the meat from turkey wings I simmered for stock, a couple of pantry staples, and a handful of chiles I always seem to have tucked away. The result? A ridiculously comforting pan of creamy, cheesy enchiladas layered with dried California and guajillo chiles, caramelized onions, and green chiles. It’s the kind of dish that feels like it took all afternoon, but honestly… it’s a total pantry win. Moist, flavorful, and exactly what you want when the game’s on and you need something that basically cooks itself. Ingredients (Makes about 10 enchiladas) For the sauce: 3 dried California chiles 2 dried guajillo chiles 1 cup turkey stock (plus a littl...