One-Skillet Smoked Sausage & Apples

As someone who doesn't own a dishwasher, I'm all over meals that can be done in one pot/dish/skillet.  Less mess for The Mom to clean up is always a good thing.

I threw this dinner together after coming home from the grocery store the other night.  Fast, easy, and yummy.

 

Here's what you'll need: 

(adapted from a Better Homes magazine recipe)

1 lb smoked sausage, cut into big chunks 

2 apples, cut into big chunks (I used a fuji and an Asian pear)

3 or 4 potatoes, cut into big chunks

Bottle of beer, plus one for drinking while you cook

2 Tbsp butter, divided

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 tsp orange zest

Sage leaves

Start out by boiling your potatoes for about 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown up your apples in 1 Tbsp of butter, remove and set aside.  Brown up your sausage in the same skillet.  Pour in the beer and stir to scrape up all the brown goodies off the bottom of the pan.  Add remaining 1 Tbsp of butter, brown sugar, vinegar, and orange peel. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 to 6 minutes.  Add potatoes to pan.  Stir everyone around to coat them in the sauce and let simmer another 5 minutes or so.  Fold in apples and heat through.  Sprinkle with sage leaves just before serving.

Here's everyone in the pan at my house:

We had toasted marble rye alongside and a big squirt of sweet-hot mustard on top.

Here's dinner on my plate:

Good stuff, kids.

On a side note, do you think Santa will bring me a new fancy camera that takes pictures in the dark?

I've been really, really, good.

;o)