Mom's Sausage and Peppers

This is the BEST Sausage and Peppers recipe you will ever find! I'm telling you, it doesn't get better than this! Not just because she's my mom but because it really is that good!!! The sauce is so flavorful you'll want to soak your bread in it! My mom uses sweet Italian sausage but you can use hot if you like or a mixture of both. You could also use a combination of red, yellow and orange peppers (not green), whatever looks good that day or whatever you have on hand.

Mom's Sausage and Peppers

Serves 8

Ingredients:

12 pieces Sweet Italian Sausage, each sliced into 6 pieces
5 large red bell peppers, cleaned and sliced into thin strips
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
6 fresh basil, torn ( my mom freezes basil from her garden so she has it all winter)
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a large chicken fryer (large surface area with sides about 3 inches high) brown sausage in extra virgin olive oil. Remove from pan, set aside.

Add onions, garlic, basil and crushed red pepper and saute for a few minutes until onions begin to soften and then add peppers. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until peppers soften. Add browned sausage and stir together with vegetbales. Add crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 45 minutes.

Serve with some crusty Italian bread sandwich style or for dipping.

Mom's Tip - Cut sausage with a scissor instead of a knife. It cuts through easier without sausage coming out of the casing.