Sausage Pizza Quinoa

First:  

To whomever left the delicious looking unopened bottle of Malbec at my house, thank you!  I will make sure it is put to good use!

Second:  

I hate quinoa.

I have only found one recipe using the stuff  that I actually enjoy eating.  It is a buffalo chicken quinoa and I think I only like it because it is smothered in delicious frank's hot sauce.  

(Check it out here!)

Yesterday the Mister asked if I could try and create a recipe using quinoa made to taste like Chicago deep dish sausage pizza.  This is my first attempt.  It was okay.....Rhiannon immediately stuck her nose up to it, but then gobbled down her entire bowl.  Clara even ate it, which these days getting her to eat anything that isn't called a cookie or cereal bar is nothing short of a miracle.

(There are a few steps in this recipe that involves using a food processer - which you can substitute a blender for and also a food mandolin.  If you don't have one of these just cut the onions very thin.  Also, at the end of this recipe I will add extra steps that I will be adding next time this is made.)

Sausage Pizza Quinoa

• 10-12 basil leaves
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2-4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 T dried oregano
• 2 lbs sausage (I suggest using Italian flavored sausage)
• 3 small onions
• 24 oz crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste
• quinoa

1. When I make quinoa at our house I always use the rice cooker.  (Just a FYI:  You use the same water/grain ratio and the same program on your machine for white rice.  I used 3 cups of (dry) quinoa and 3 1/2 cups of liquid.  I always use water, I don't like the way chicken stock tastes when cooked into grains.)
2. Fry up your sausage and set aside.  
3. Using a food mandolin, cut the onions on the thinnest setting.  If you don't have one just chop them up really thin or only use one or two small or one medium onion.  I wanted them to be thin for a few reasons.  First, I wanted them to almost caramelize, second I wanted to hide them from my picky three year old. 
   
4. Take your basil leaves and remove them from the stems.  Take the garlic out of the skins.  Add the basil leaves, garlic and olive oil in a food procceser and blend until it is a pesto consistency   I had to add a little bit of liquid from the tomatoes.  
5. Add a bit of oil to your frying skillet.  Saute the onions and the pesto for about 3-5 minutes over medium high heat.  Your onions should cook down nicely.
   
6. Add your tomatoes, (I'm loving that Costco FINALLY sells crushed tomatoes in glass jars!)  Add your chicken stock, (you can use water if you don't have any) the oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper and sausage.  Let simmer for 20-40 minutes.  (Or however long you want.  We only did it for ten, but that is because everyone was so hungry they were threatening to eat my leg.  Next time I will let it simmer longer.)  The best part of this recipe is how thick the consistency was with out having to add anything.

   

   Don't mind the dirty stove.  I'm a messy cooker.

7. Mix the quinoa and sauce and enjoy!

Next time I make this:  

• The Mister says I should add spinach and it will taste just like the deep dish pizza.  (The girls and I hate spinach so that will not be added.)
• I will be adding green pepper.  I feel like it needs a little more of a crunch.
• I will also be adding some garlic powder.  Probably 1 1/2 tsp.
• If you don't have a dairy allergy - add cheese.  It will make this dish fantastic.

Let me know if you try this and how you changed it to your liking!

Happy Monday!