Friday Dinner

Teriyaki-Ginger Chicken Sausage with Pineapple, Rice, Stir-Fried Cabbage

I don't normally pay much attention to the gourmet chicken sausages because, at $4.99 - $5.99 per package, I think they're just too pricey. But during Harris Teeter Super Double Coupons week, I came across a good sale ($3) combined with a good coupon ($1 x double = $2 off) that brought them down to $1 a package. The sale price was good only on one specific variety, the Al Fresco brand Teriyaki-Ginger flavor, so that's what I got. I had no idea what to do with it, but the package gave some suggestions in that area, too. So tonight I sliced them up and threw them in a pan with a thinly sliced onion and sauteed for a few minutes, then added in about 1/2 can of pineapple tidbits and a little of their juice. For a side dish (and in another pan) I stir-fried half a head of shredded cabbage in a little oil, then added in soy sauce and a drizzle of sesame oil. I served the whole thing up with plain white rice.

The verdict: 2 out of 3 diners at the Foodie's house loved it. I was the fence-sitter on this one. I thought it was OK, but nothing special. For one thing, the sausage-pineapple dish was very pale and uninteresting. If someone else were going to make this dish for their family, I would recommend adding sliced green or red peppers for color. A little extra Teriyakki sauce wouldn't hurt, either. Now the stir-fried cabbage was another matter - we all loved that, even The Kid, who usually isn't a big fan of cooked cabbage. The cabbage was really just an afterthought, since it was at the use-it-or-toss-it stage. So I'm well-pleased with those results.

Totals:

$1 - Al Fresco brand Teriyaki-Ginger chicken sausage
.50 - 1/2 can pineapple chunks
.20 - 1 onion
.20 - white rice
.70 - 1/2 head cabbage

$2.60 for dinner for 3, with 1 large serving of everything left over