Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet

You guys!  You know what this weekend is?  Oh....what's that you say?  The weekend where I finally realize I'm a grown-up and do a nice round of Spring cleaning?  Um, no.  This is the weekend where I will transform myself into a master gardener.  I'm going to spent inordinate amounts of money at the Great Big Greenhouse and I'm going to plant stuff in pretty pots until I just can't plant any more.  And then, most importantly, I'm going to be very mindful that I actually have a garden now, and will water those little buggers every day.  I mean, if I remember, of course.

Just kidding - I'm one of those people, who, once my mind is made up about something, there is really no stopping me.  I can be awfully laid back until I decide I'm going to be into something, and then BAM, I am INTO IT.  Like a bat out of hell.  My theory?  Go big or go home.  Sometimes I will go big for awhile and THEN go home when I get bored with whatever my new obsession is, but that's okay.  Not this time, though.  No sir, I am going to be a gardener for LIFE!  My black thumb will be transformed and I'll probably grow such beautiful herbs and vegetables that I'll be able to start my own Farmer's Market.  We'll sell herbs, veggies, and purses.

I'll be sure to keep you updated on how all of this goes.  Its going to be awesome.

Anyway!  I've been bad about updating the blog lately because I've been traveling so much.  I know that is always my excuse, but its always true.  And it will continue to be so - next week I'm in Nashville and Atlanta, and then Boston after that and Austin after that.  And then Austin again.  And then again a week later.  There is a lot of brisket and guacamole in my future, my friends.


I actually made this cassoulet a couple of weeks ago but I'm just now getting around to blogging about it.  And I'm sorry for that, because it was ridiculously tasty.  And easy!  You can use whatever kind of sausage you want, really....even turkey sausage to make it healthier (but what fun would that be?).  Serve it with a nice Cab, some crusty bread and a salad and you are good to go.  Enjoy!

Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet
Source: Sweet Sugar Bean

2 pints of cherry tomatoes
4-6 hot Italian sausages

4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
coarse salt and pepper
few sprigs fresh thyme and rosemary
2 cans white kidney (cannelini) beans

few glugs of white wine

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 *F.

Scatter tomatoes over bottom of dish (reserve about 1/2 cup to add later). Add garlic, onion and sausages over top. Drizzle with balsamic and olive oil. Toss on thyme and rosemary and add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake about 25-30 minutes, until sausages are golden and tomatoes start to burst. Remove from oven and stir in beans and reserved 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes. Add a couple of glugs of white wine.  Return to oven and bake 20 minutes longer or until beans are cooked through. Serve immediately.  Also makes great leftovers!