Picnic by the River for June 6

Last summer and fall, Mr. T and I started a fun tradition of bringing our supper to a nearby picnic spot near a river on the way to church on Wednesday nights. It was really a lot of fun to plan what to bring and to enjoy a few minutes relaxing at a picnic table by the river. Tonight we had our first Wednesday night picnic of 2007!

It was cool and breezy, so I was glad I'd chosen to make sausage subs for our picnic supper. I wrapped them in foil right out of the oven and brought them in an insulated container. They stayed nice and hot. I also made a salad with black-eyed peas -- really good! I'll share the recipe for the salad tomorrow.

Here's the sub recipe -- I used turkey Italian sausage for these and it worked out fine.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SUBS

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage links
1 c. water, more if needed
1 Tblsp. olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large green pepper, thinly sliced
2 c. spaghetti sauce
4 crusty sub rolls
4 oz. shredded mozzarella

Prick the sausages in several places. Place in large skillet and add water. Simmer over medium heat, uncovered,turning occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until nearly cooked through. (If water begins to boil away, add a little more to keep sausages simmering.) Remove to a cutting board and slice 1/2” thick.

Pour off any liquid and add the olive oil to the skillet. Return the sausages to the skillet, and add the onion and green pepper. Saute´over medium heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes or so.

Preheat the broiler. Put the spaghetti sauce in a small saucepan and heat it to a simmer. (Or place it in a microwave-safe bowl and warm it in the microwave.)

Cut the rolls in half and place, cut side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Divide the sausage mixture among the roll bottoms, then top with sauce and cheese. Broil for about 30 seconds.
Replace the tops on the rolls, cut in half, and serve at once.

Yield: 4 servings.

These sausage subs are so easy to make! They taste like those you might purchase at a country fair and are a favorite in our home.