“Sausage, Peppers, With Onions” Happy Father's Day!

This Sunday is Father's Day when we remember and give thanks for our fathers, both living and deceased. Father’s Day is a celebration honoring fathers, paternal relationships, and the impact of fathers in our society. Many countries celebrate this special day on the third Sunday of June, but it is also celebrated widely on other days.  Mostly Roman Catholic households in Italy celebrate Father’s Day on March 19, which is St. Joseph’s Feast Day. This day is celebrated to honor Saint Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ, a symbol of love, compassion, kindness, generosity, and acceptance. This is a day when families show their gratitude to their fathers with favors, gifts, and family gatherings.

The question is therefore, what does Father's Day mean to you? Father’s Day in my family is a day to say thank you to my dad for all his hard work and love that he has given to us through the years. As I grew up in Queens, New York in the 60’s and 70’s there was nothing more important to my dad than his family. But, there is something that came to a close second and that is sports of all kinds. His favorite was baseball and bowling which is still today important in his life. I can remember many a days when the radio or TV had a game playing. Every once in a while you would hear a scream coming from the living room and you knew that his favorite team the Mets just got a home run!

1982 Play at St. Kevin's Church

Now I don’t follow any sports but my brothers did and when my son came along my dad began teaching him all about sports. When my dad worked in New York City, he belonged to a bowling team with his brother. Every year he received a trophy which we would add to the many on the shelf. When my son was little my father helped coach the baseball team that my son had joined. One of his loves is singing. When my dad was young he and his brother sang in the chorus of the Metropolitan Opera. (better known as the Met) At our church he used to join all the plays and I have to say did a great job, just like Broadway.

Paul my son and my dad

My dad has a lot of compassion, love, and strength. He is sensitive and will do anything he can for you. I always admired his dedication to his family and his faith in God. He can be funny, warm, honest, fair, organized, and shares his wisdom with others. One of his commitments is to St. Thomas More Church where he is a member of the choir and is also the president of “The Young At Heart Senior Club.” My dad has a passion for puzzles, music, sports, reading, food, and most of all spending time with his family.

My recipe I would love to share with you is a wonderful dish called “Sausage, Peppers, with Onions“. This recipe is one of my dad’s favorite meals. This can be eaten as a dinner meal, for lunch, and even to take on picnics as the summer is approaching. This dish is very simple and easy. All the flavors blend together and the onions as they caramelize give the peppers a sweet taste. Wine would be a good beverage to have along side your dish. You can also pair a Red or White wine which will work very well with pork. You should try to aim for lighter reds like Pinot Noir, Beaujolais or Chianti, or softer reds like a Merlot. Chardonnay is a good choice for a "porky" white. So, with that being said, let us toast to my dad, “Happy Father’s Day” or in Italian we say,”Festa del Papa" Love your daughter, Dottie xxxx
“Sausage, Peppers, With Onions”

Ingredients:
2 large green peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1 inch strips or chunks
2 large yellow peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1 inch strips or chunks
1 large red pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1 inch strips or chunks
2 large yellow onions, cut into 1 inch wedges
1 /4 cup of olive oil or as needed
2 tablespoons of Oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 to 2 lbs of Italian style pork sausage-with or without fennel seeds
(the amount of sausage depends on how many people that are eating)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375° (or you can grill the sausage and peppers outside on your BBQ grill) Spread the vegetables in a shallow roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano. Make sure vegetables are in a single layer so they will all cook and brown evenly. Now pierce or stick each link of sausage two or three times with a fork, so they will cook through. Place sausage in between the peppers and onions. Bake till sausage and vegetables are cooked and browned. Bake uncovered about 45 minutes depending upon your oven. Your vegetables should be still firm, and no traces of pink should remain in the sausage. Serve hot, with bread or a tossed salad.

Till Next Time…………..

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