Dining al fresco--in Your Own Home!

This month I've had the opportunity to sample some of the recipes provided on Allrecipes.com by al fresco (intentionally lower-case) Chicken Sausages and was BLOWN AWAY!  I had never tried them before and the thought of a sausage made of chicken immediately brought the word "bland" to mind.  But thankfully, that was not the case.
The first recipe I prepared was Pizza Alfredo with Roasted Vegetables using al fresco Tomato & Basil Chicken Meatballs.  This one ended up being the overall favorite of my family due to the flavors, and the fact that it's PIZZA!  Rating out of 5 stars:  10!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pizza-alfredo-with-roasted-vegetables/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=pizza%20alfredo%20roasted&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

Recipe #2 was my personal favorite, but I like out of the ordinary meals like this one.  Introducing Inca Red Quinoa Salad with Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage.  Repeat:  Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage!  If you aren't able to find red quinoa, Trader Joe's currently sells a tri-color quinoa that has red, black, and regular that would work just fine.  I wouldn't recommend using just regular quinoa in this particular recipe because its texture when cooked is not as firm as the red.  This recipe is incredible!  My family did not like the beets, and they reminded me of that before, during, and a few days after this dinner.  What a shame, the other flavors are bold, sweet, and delicious, and all they remembered were the yucky beets!  Hmph!  I will definitely make this again and could eat this for lunch very often in the Spring & Summer.  Pack this for lunch, and I guarantee your coworkers will be asking about it!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/inca-red-quinoa-salad-with-sweet-apple-chicken-sausage/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=red%20inca%20quinoa&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

The final al fresco recipe was Roasted Broccoli & Crispy Polenta with Roasted Pepper Asiago Chicken Sausage.  This was so unique and the flavors remind me of my favorite Southern shrimp & grits.  You have polenta, which is basically a grits cake pan cooked on each side until it's crispy, and the flavorful sausage with vegetables.  It was phenomenal! 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-broccoli--crispy-polenta-with-roasted-pepper--asiago-chicken-sausage/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=roasted%20broccoli%20polenta&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

These chicken sausages are all natural (big plus!), easy to prepare since most varieties are fully cooked (BIGger plus!), and best of all delicious (GIGANTIC PLUS!!)!  On a busy weeknight, you could create a quick & easy meal by browning some of these in a pan, serve with your favorite vegetables and some good bread.  Dinner could be on the table in 20 minutes!

Pick some up the next time you're in the grocery store.  The varieties will have your imagination thinking of many different ways to incorporate these healthy sausages into your meal planning!