Here is what you'll need:

• 8 lbs Italian sausage (I used 6 lbs sweet and 2 lbs hot), cut into large chunks
• 3 green bell peppers, cut into large chunks
• 3 red bell peppers, cut into large chunks
• 3 Vidalia onions, cut into large chunks
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• sea salt 
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Evenly split all of the ingredients into 2 large baking pans (I used a large disposable sterno rack pan and a large roasting pan). Mix everything to be sure the sausage, peppers and onions are evenly coasted with seasonings and oil.

Bake for 75-90 minutes, or longer if required, stirring occasionally until sausage is browned and cooked through. If you are cooking both pans at the same time, you may find the top pan browns and cooks through sooner than the bottom pan. If this happens, rotate the pans to the opposite rack at around 45 minutes.

When the sausage is done I dump it all into the sterno rack pan and cover it with aluminum foil so it can be kept warm during the gathering.

Servings: 32 based on 1/4 lb of meat per person and taking into account there is variety of food, including other meats, to choose from. For a normal dinner to serve 2-4, I would cut this down to 1 lb of meat and divide the other ingredients by 6.

Source: Adventures in My Kitchen original

I had no intention of blogging this dish until I was in the middle of cooking it and the house smelled amazing!  I'm a big fan of Meseidy from The Noshery blog.  When she posted this recipe it went on my long list of meals to make.  I am so glad that this made its way to the top rather quickly since JR and I love garbanzos.  This was a winner and will definitely become part of our meal rotation.

Recently JR asked me to cut back on the spiciness in our dinners, so I substituted a smoked sausage for the chorizo.  I also cut back the amount of garbanzos used and served this over rice.  The only thing this meal was missing was a side of avocado!

This would also make a great vegetarian meal by omitting the sausage, increasing the garbanzos and using vegetable broth.

The changes I made are included here:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 12 oz. smoked turkey sausage, sliced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
• 1 Tbsp capers
• 2 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 15oz can garbanzo beans
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 roma tomatoes peeled, seeded and diced (or 1/2 cup of canned diced tomatoes)

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add sausage and brown on both sides.  Remove sausage from pan and set aside.

Add pepper, onion and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown.  Add cilantro, stir and allow to cook 1 minute.

Add capers, vinegar, beans, tomato sauce, chicken stock and tomatoes.  Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

Add sausage to pan, stir and allow to simmer an additional 10-15 minutes.  Serve over rice if desired.  Serves 4.

Source: Adapted from The Noshery

No, this isn't Puerto Rican rice and beans as you may have initially thought.  Even though that's what we eat most often in our house, I saw this recipe and decided to give it a try.  Not only do we love beans, we also love chicken sausages and I'm always looking for new ways to use both in meals.  Bonus, this is a quick weeknight meal!

JR really liked this, but I'm not sure if I like the cumin in it.  It has nothing to do with the recipe, rather my struggle with cumin which is why I used so little.  Next time I may omit it.

 
I made a few changes to the recipe which I included here:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 14 oz hardwood smoked chicken sausage
• 2 1/2 cups of cooked pink beans (about 1 1/2 (15 oz) cans)
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock
• salt and pepper

• 1 1/4 cups medium-grain white rice
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• salt

In a 3 or 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil.  Add onion, celery, pepper, salt and pepper to taste.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables softened and begin to brown.  Add sausage and continue cooking, stirring frequently until sausage begins to brown.  Lower heat to medium.  Add garlic and cumin, and continue cooking about 1 minute.

Add beans, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and the flavors have blended, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, add rice, 2 cups of water, a pinch of salt and olive oil to a medium pot.  Cover pot and turn heat to high.  Bring to a boil, then immediately turn heat to low.  Let cook about 15 minutes until you see air holes form throughout the rice. Fluff with a fork.

Serve beans over rice.  Serves 4.