Savory Sausage

Monday is Memorial Day. This is an American holiday initiated to stop and honor our fallen soldiers. There are cities in every state that hold Memorial Day parades and events and include different veterans groups to commemorate the day. Thousands of Americans also head to the cemeteries to place flowers and wreaths and American flags on the graves of the soldiers.

While I could have done some Memorial Day foods, I decided to go with Mom’s suggestion. She lives with me now and I want her to enjoy what we eat so she helps with my column each week. Mom suggested smoked sausage this week as something we haven’t had in a while and I had no problem with that. I enjoy smoked sausage and it’s quick to heat.

Smoked sausage is a smoked meat cooked via the indirect heat of wood smoke. Sausages are meat products consisting of minced or ground meat and spices stuffed into a casing. Some sausages, like Polish kielbasa, French andouille, and Spanish chorizo, get preserved by both smoking and curing. The smoke gives the sausage a distinctive flavor and extends the storage life of the product. Most sausages are a blend of beef, pork and chicken, but with people trying to eat healthier, you can find many different varieties, often of just a single meat. You can even find fish sausage in Britain! These days, you can also get sausage made vegan or vegetarian that has absolutely no meat in it.

As you cookout and celebrate the beginning of summer, take a moment to say a prayer or just have a moment of silence for those who have been lost. And then spend some time with family. Make some memories you can hold on to. You just never know when this might be the last today and we should always make time for family. This week, I am sharing some simple sausage recipes. Mom gave them all a seal of approval. LOL! Make your grocery list and hit the grocery store. Then, meet me in the kitchen for some easy and filling dinners.