Whether eaten on a bun or by itself, sausage with peppers is a delicious meal to make for you and your family. My first encounter with this tasty sandwich was at a county fair when I was a youngster. It basically consisted of spicy Italian sausage, onions, green pepper and a tomato based sauce. Since then I have tried many different variations of this comfort food favorite. You can experiment with different sauces, peppers, onions and sausage to create your own masterpiece. Here are a couple quick and easy sausage and peppers recipes for you to try, just in time for Football Sunday!

Sausage and Peppers

What you need:

• 1.5-2 lbs Italian sausage links

• 2 large onions, sliced

• 1 large red or yellow bell pepper, cut in strips

• 1 large green bell pepper, cut in strips

• 3/4 t salt

• 1/2 t oregano leaves

• 2 T olive oil

What you do:

• Pour about 1/3 c water into a large skillet. Add sausage to skillet and cook over med heat until water simmers. Cover skillet and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Remove cover and continue cooking, turning often, for about 20 minutes or until sausage is nicely browned. Set aside sausage and add olive oil to skillet. Heat oil and add all remaining ingredients to pan. Cook over med heat until vegetables are browned and tender, stirring often. Add sausage to skillet, cover and cook on low until heated through.

• Sausage and peppers are great by themselves or with a side of rice. They are also delicious on a brat bun or crusty roll with your favorite condiments.

Low Fat Sausage and Peppers

What you need:

• 14 -16 oz package smoked turkey sausage

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 1 large green pepper, cut in strips

• 1 large red pepper, cut in strips

• 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes

• 4 oz can sliced mushrooms, drained

• 2 T olive oil

• 1 t oregano

• 1 t basil

• 1/2 t red pepper flakes

• 1/4 t garlic salt

• 1/8 t black pepper

What you do:

• Heat 1 T olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add onion, peppers, mushrooms, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to skillet and cook until vegetables are softened but still crisp, stirring frequently. Remove vegetables from pan. Heat 1 T oil in skillet. Cut sausage in half lengthwise, then slice in 1/2 inch pieces. Add sausage to skillet and cook at med-high heat until lightly browned. Add vegetables and crushed tomatoes to skillet and mix. Cook over medium-heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through; serve.

• If you're not worried about the fat content, you may use polish sausage or smoked sausage.