When it comes to childhood memories and food, I remember one grandmother putting ketchup on my green beans and I remember the other grandmother’s minestrone soup. My grandfather was 100% Italian and so despite being English, my grandmother learned to make a good minestrone. I was a picky eater (well, still am) so I only ever ate the broth and the beans, but I do remember the flavor was amazing.
There is something about Italian cooking. More than any other food, it seems like there is as much joy created from the cooking as from the eating. It’s about the simple things – family and togetherness and connecting over authentic homemade meals.
Tuscan cooking is simple and rustic yet somehow elegant. When it comes to summer cooking, the Tuscan style of cooking offers honest flavors using fresh herbs, meats and vegetables with hearty filling dishes.
During the summer we are always looking to escape the everyday. We want to relax, enjoy delicious food and spend as much time together as a family. A Tuscan style meal prepared with Bertolli® Tomato & Basil Sauce is a great way to escape the everyday!
Viva Bertolli! Bertolli helped make our summer Tuscan table complete as an integral part of a recipe inspired by Tuscan flavors and ingredients. It even earned a “this is good, can I have more please?” from my son.
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 lb sweet Italian ground sausage
- 4 Italian sausage links sliced on a diagonal
- 1 - 15 oz. cans of white beans
- 1 - 24 oz. jar of Bertolli Tomato and Basil Sauce
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp basil
- Cook rice per package directions.
- While rice is cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
- Add ground sausage and brown about halfway. Add sliced sausages to pan and continue to brown the meat.
- Season sausage with salt, pepper and basil while browning.
- Once meat is brown, reduce heat to low and add tomato sauce and beans.
- Simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce and beans are heated.
This really was delicious! The right amount of sweet and hot with the 2 types of sausages. It was a hearty meal but not heavy and with it being cooked in one pot it made cleanup a breeze and was the perfect way to enjoy an easy yet delicious summer family meal.
