Game Day Grub!

Its no secret around the bakery that I am a HUGE football fan.  So when it comes to a game day in my house, I love to go all out with lots of great food and drink.  I hate being stuck in the kitchen when the game is on and you have guests to entertain, so over the years I have perfected the art of crock-pot game day cooking!  Its the easiest way to make yummy food in large amounts and still be able to enjoy the game.  This year for the Super Bowl I went with Sausage, Peppers and Onions - with my own little twist of course!

Ingredients
*1 package of sweet (or hot) Italian sausage
*1 large green bell pepper
*1 large red bell pepper
*1 large sweet onion
*5 cloves of chopped garlic (I love garlic)
*1 tablespoon of olive oil
*1/2 cup of Marsala wine
*1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
*1 small can of diced tomatoes
*Pinch of hot pepper flakes (to your liking)
*Salt and Pepper (about 2 tsp each)

1.  I like to brown my sausage first - it makes it easier to cut them and also adds a bit more flavor.  Brown in a 425F oven for about 25 min.

2.  While the sausage is browning, slice up your peppers, onions and garlic.  Add to the crock pot with all the other ingredients listed above.  The Marsala wine will give it a nice sweetness and the Worcestershire adds a bit of a deeper flavor.  

3.  Once the sausage has turned a nice deep golden color, take it out of the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes before handling.  Slice the sausages length wise and put directly in the crock pot.  Mix well.  Cook on high for about 3-4 hours, or until the vegetables get nice and soft and the ingredients have made a rich yummy broth for dipping.

4.  And of course, no meal would be complete without our BREAD.  We served this on a crusty Rustic Ciabatta Hero with a side of baby greens.  I like to have a small bowl of the broth/sauce on the side to dip!

Sprinkle sandwich and salad with graded cheese and you have yourself a game day winner!