1. I know you sell Perishable food products. How do you ship your products?

2.Why do you guys have such a screwy shipping schedule?

3. Do you have Fund-raisers?

4.Is there anything I can do to help ensure the delivery of my package during the holidays or anytime?

5. Can you give any helpful hints on how to have your products shipped, what shipping method should be picked or the amount of time a package takes to ship to a particular state?

6. I ordered a package from your company, three day select to New Mexico and the shipping came out to more than what the cost of the products I ordered?

7. Are any of your meat products not smoked?

8. If I buy a product from you online, can I have it sliced before delivery?

9. I see that you have 1/4lb packages of beef jerky in "The Sportsman's Package", Do you sell them singlely anywhere else?

10. Can I shop by mail order or online and pick up my items at the Goshen Gourmet retail store?

11. You say that your bacons are fully cooked, yet you have to heat and crisp to eat. Whats the deal?

12. How can I find out my shipping estimate?

13. I want to buy products and contribute to my favorite Fund-raiser?

14. If I place an order for a Fundraiser Pick-up by Wednesday, why do I have to wait until Friday to get it?

15. Can't I just go to your Goshen Ct. Gourmet Retail store and get a gift package?

16. If I place an order on Thursday Morning on your Web-site with UPS 2nd day air as my delivery shouldn't I get my package by Friday?(I know this sounds like a repeat question, but some people need to know how shipping applies to them.)

17. I have heard the term Artisinal used in reference to your ham and bacon and many of your other products as well, why?

18. If I want samples for my business can,t I just order them online and have them delivered to the business?

19. I Don't get the "Fundraiser Pick-up Only" choice in shipping?

20. Don't you ship products out around the clock?

21. Does your 65 Fowler Ave, Torrington location facility sell retail products to the general public, like a store would?

22. My wife and I were at the Bethlehem Fair on Friday and we saw the Nodine's booth there. She says that the booth at the Fair was not associated with Nodines Smokehouse, that it was run by an independent affiliate. I told her I thought she was wrong, it was too crowded for us to ask anyone in the booth. Who is right?

23. I noticed some new Products added to the list of wonderful Products you already carry. Where did they come from?

24. What is the best tasting sausage you sell?

25.Someone told me Nodine's has smoked fudge. Is this true?

26. Recently I bought a product at your retail store in Goshen CT. and later tried to look up that item on the Web-site and found it wasn't listed? Why?

31. Yes, you must present a tax number when you call, E-mail or fax us to qualify for wholesale prices.Our wholesale list has quite a few more products than what is on our web-site, that are geared to the food service industry. If you are in the food service industry and would like to use or carry our products please call 1-800-222-2059 ask for a Sales Representative to send you our wholesale product and price list.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

32. Several people contacted us, here at Nodine's about food that would be quick and easy and affordable, yet still gourmet. We found "MY MOM's MEATBALLS", they are quick and easy, just heat and eat. These are 1/4lb meatballs, individually packed four to a pack. Yes they are big, but just use what you need, and freeze the rest.  I am required to taste test products before writing about them.  I can tell you seriously, they are so delicious!!!  I had two with some baked ziti, what a great meal.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

33. No, We use only natural smoke from burning select hardwoods, such as hickory, maple and apple pomace (leftover pulp from the making of apple cider). These smoking materials are loaded into a smoke generator and the smoke produced is pumped into the smokehouse in a controlled amount for that medium smoked flavor. we use other natural ingredients such as various whole spices, Southern Juniper Berries, Garlic cloves and Peppercorns when we cure our products before smoking.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

34. Each Ham is hand selected from a single muscle and checked for quality, uniform size and trimmed of excess fat, and we don't soak our Hams in water. Thats why extra care needs to be taken when cooking, You don't want to serve a completely dried out Ham.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

36. No, the exceptions are "Yankee Little Link Sausage", "English Style Banger Sausage", "Buffalo Burgers", "Venison Burgers"(Which need to be cooked.) and both the "Smoked Salmon Side Sliced" and "Smoked Salmon 8oz. Party Package" (The Salmon is cured and cold smoked, not cooked and it can be eaten as is. No, its not considered Sushi.). You know that party you have coming up? The one you don't want to spend the whole day cooking or prepping for? Just order Nodine's products, thaw and serve or heat and eat, its easy!
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

37. No, we have the gourmet retail store in Goshen CT. just a couple of hundred feet north of Rte 4 and Rte 63 rotary intersection on the left behind a Victorian house 39 North Street/Rte 63 across the street from the Goshen town offices. (look for the sign), there we sell most of the things we make, for that "I need to see it", hands on experience and you can call them to see if its in the store in-stock or it can be delivered to the store within a day or two. The Goshen Gourmet Retail store actually carries some Items that we don't sell through mail-order, and is always fun to visit because, you can ask for samples! Just don't get carried away and ask for a sample of everything in the store. (The phone number for the Goshen Gourmet Retail store is 1-860-491-4009). We do take phone orders person to person at the Smoking and Shipping Plant on 65 Fowler Ave in Torrington,CT. where we have Wholesale and Mail Order sales. You can call us at 1-(800)-222-2059 or 1-860-489-3213 Monday - Friday 9:00AM to 4:00PM or leave your phone number for us to call you (Please do not leave an order on answering machine).
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

38. Yes, all of our Smoked Cheeses, Smoked Fish, All Beef Skinless Non-Nitrite Frankfurts, Smoked Boneless Non-Nitrite Chicken Breast and Non-Nitrite Bacon sliced or half slab.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

39. Why yes, we carry some original recipe Grandma Nodine's Mustards and a number of Mini Pate's and even some New England Homestyle Fudges. Recently we started carrying Products from a local company near Nodine's, New England Country Comforts, their Pineapple Peach Jalepeno Relish, Pasta Toss Arrabiatia, Pasta Fagioli, Napolitano Seasoning, and Seafood Seasoning are some good additions to the line-up of products we already carry. Just look in the Specialty Items Department.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

40. Yes, most of our products are kept frozen and then shipped frozen because they are perishable items, so allow for thawing time when you order items for the holidays. See Detailed Descriptions of products as to whether we ship them frozen or not.

41. No, unfortunatley due to government regulations we cannot ship any of our products out of the Country. So if you live in Canada, Mexico or any of the Carribean Islands, we are sorry, even if you are close we still can't ship products to you. Puerto Rico is actually okay for us to deliver to. ( Because its a Self Governing Territory of the United States.) To Ship to Puerto Rico you must choose 3-day select, 2nd day air or next day air. We can't even except an order from outside the Country because it throws our computer program out of sorts (Due to out of country Postal Codes).
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

42. We have products that have gluten containing ingredients in them, our English and Irish bangers, because they have cracker meal as part of the ingredients in making them.  I checked with the company that we get our spices from and was told that they do not use gluten in any products as an anti-caking agent or for any other uses in their spices, they only use the spice, and I also checked with Ron Nodine to see if we use any gluten containing ingredients in any of our other products and he said "no, only in the English and Irish bangers". Someone asked about Soy sauce, because it contains Gluten, we do not use Soy sauce for our Beef Jerky, hence it is gluten free.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

43. Though some places use MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate) as a flavoring enhancer, here at Nodine's we do not. We use natural whole spices and the natural medium smoke flavor from burning hardwood chips, Hickory and Maple. No, you will not find MSG in any of our own products.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

44. The shipping amount given on the web-site is an estimate and when you place your order it says "estimated shipping". When we pack your package with products and freezer gel packs the estimated weight is pretty close to what you saw on the web-site. Then we weigh your package before shipping with UPS and it gives the exact weight and if there is a difference, say if the package is heavier by the weight of 4ozs and you get charged approximetely .20cents more, 8ozs more in weight approximately .40 cents more and so on. The way the cost of shipping is figured is basically calculated using the following formula, the destination + the cost of the products + the weight of the products and gel packs = total shipping cost. The weight of the products on the web-site is approximate, the actual weight variance can be due to an item weighing more than the shown item. Example: C02 Half bone-in woodland ham 7-9lbs, You might get a ham that weighs anywhere from 7-9 1/2lbs. Expect slight weight differences.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

45. The list on the right hand side of the Home page is correct as it lists the most frequently purchased products for the previous year or our "Best Sellers". Even though we sell hundreds of Hams for Easter and a whole lot of Turkeys, Hams and Crown Roasts for Thanksgiving and Christmas, they do not make the "Best Sellers" list for the "Best Selling" items during the year. theres a bit of humor with this list. Theres an old saying" What sells best for wholesale will sell best for retail". Which is quite true here, with the exception of the order their in: Smoked Boneless Chicken Breasts is in 3rd and Beef Jerky is in 4th on the Wholesale side.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

46. Yes. We have so many sausages that people forget the other popular breakfast sausage we make, The SMOKEY MAPLE LINK SAUSAGE, it comes in a four pack and with its delicate maple syrup and light hardwood smoke flavor, makes a big hit as a breakfast sasage.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

47. Why yes. A good portion of the mail order business we do is sending out our products as gifts. Whether its for a package sent as a condolence gift or a Bacon Sampler sent to a friend thats wild about bacon, we at Nodine's have shipped our smoked products out from coast to coast for every occasion you can think of, and I mean every occasion, some that even can't be divulged here becuase of the risque nature and this is a "G - rated" site. All packages sent out as gifts have a gift card that you can put your personal message of 15 words or less to that friend, business colleague, rival, loved one or the family next door (We don't judge people for their messages, we laugh or shed a tear.), we do not send an invoice (the amount you spent stays between us). So the next time a friend stubs their big toe and you want to send some comfort food, think of Nodine's
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

48. Okay, traditional Andouille sausage as I understand, is made with bits and pieces of scrap pork meat (the stuff most people don't like to eat and just throw it away usually) that is spiced very heavily with a certain combination of Cajun spices. At Nodine's we use top quality cuts of meat for all of our products whether it's Pork, Beef or Chicken. In our Andouille we use top cuts of pork and a custom mixture of natural spices, no fillers, no MSG. Our Andouille is so good, there is a major meat distributor in Louisiana who orders our Andouille a ton and a half a month and it gets sent to many of the top restaurants in the area. If thats not a good endorsement, I don't know what else to say, except. Try it yourself and be your own judge. So, I guess the answer to your question is, no, our Andouille sausage is not like traditional Andouille, it's better. We don't try and compare ourselves with anyone or make our products to copy anyone elses, we just make products that we know we like to eat because, it just tastes good.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

49. Yes. On our About Us & Links page, we will feature links to websites of Restaurants, Markets, Country Clubs and Inns that buy our products wholesale. Before we post any Links we want to make sure the owners of those businesses are comfortable with the concept and are willing to give us a recipe if possible that uses our products. Some places guard their recipe's like national secrets and are not easily giving up such information. We are currently sending permission requests out to the many wholesale businesses that use our products for the okay to go ahead and put Links to their websites. So before long you will see Links and recipes in this area. Keep watching, you might be suprised who uses Nodine's products and there might even be a restuarant that you eat at.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

50.Our previous website was more of an introduction to our products with mail order options. On our current website we have tried to bring to our customers the most infomative details and intricacies of Nodine's Smokehouse, everything from why Ron started the business to how we have tried to bring gourmet light to medium smoked foods to other people of discerning tastes through out the United States and we stress the fact that it is gourmet food. Nodine's not only makes good smoked food, but smoked food that tastes good to eat. Thats what Ron always maintains is the reason he got into Smoking Food, because he couldn't find Smoked food that tasted really good, so he experimented, tried one way and another and came up with many of the Smoked foods we carry today (some of the products Johanne and Calvin came up with the ideas and recipes for). We still haven't been able to find a "real inexpensive" way to ship our perishable products, that's reliable but, in the mean time we still ship UPS, who is still reliable. We thank all of our customers all over the United States for sticking with us through times of Economic Feast and Famine. It is without a doubt because of our fine customer base that we can keep doing what we do. Again, Thank You.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

51. The Shipping Charge Estimate on the Web-site is just that, an estimate. When we actually pack the package and then weigh it for shipping, the Shipping charge might change slightly because the weight of our products may vary slightly from one piece to another whether its a Ham or Turkey or even a piece of Cheese (an oz. maybe on a piece of cheese). The Shipping Charge difference is usually only .15 to .75 cents on UPS Ground residential to a few dollars for UPS 3-day, 2nd day or Next day air. If there is a significant Shipping Charge change (more than $5 dollars usually) we will call.
On the Gift Credit Cards there are no Shipping Charges, even though when you check out it says there is (we adjust the shipping to zero). We ship the Gift Credit Cards by regular Mail (Good old USPS) and we don't charge any shipping.
Click backspace button or back to return to top.

RECIPES:
After numerous questions about what to make with some of our products? We here at Nodine's put in a recipe section. Many of the Recipes that are published here are tried and true, by employee's, friends and associates. We will add more recipes over time and any feedback or additional recipes are welcome? Just send a recipe or feedback in an E-mail to nodinesmoke@optonline.net. We will review your recipe and it might end up here.
WARNING! Do not read these recipes if hungry, they will only make your condition worse.
Don't be afraid to experiment or alter these recipes. Make what tastes good to you.

Grilled Nodine's Apple Bacon, tomato and cheese sandwich:
Heat and crisp several strips (your choice of how many) of Apple Bacon, set aside: Take two slices of your favorite bread and butter one side of each, put both slices butter side down in pan or on a grill and add American Cheese(or your favorite) slices, and a large slice of tomato to one of the slices of bread and cheese. Heat both until cheese starts to melt, add bacon to slice of bread with melted cheese and tomato, top with other slice of bread with cheese, let heat a little longer or until golden brown. Don't burn the bread. Let sit for a little bit, so as not to burn the roof of your mouth and serve, enjoy. You can use any of our great bacons for this recipe. One of our Employee's calls it a "Bacon, tomato and cheese melt".

Here's a recipe submitted by Barb from " The Riverside Deli" on Riverside Ave in Torrington, CT..
Nodine's Smoked Turkey Reuben sandwich:
Ingredients: Rye bread, Thousand Island dressing, Nodine's Smoked Turkey, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese.
Preparation: Spread 2 slices of Rye bread lightly with Thousand Island dressing. Put a layer of sauerkraut over one slice, then top with a slice of Nodine's Smoked Turkey then a slice of Swiss cheese. Top with the second slice, Thousand Island dressing side down. Butter outside of Nodine's Smoked Turkey reuben sandwich lightly with soft butter or margarine and toast on a griddle, grill or pan, turning to brown evenly.
Barb says the Thousand Island dressing works better than mayonnaise, because it brings out the flavor of the Smoked Turkey better.

Here's a favorite of Mr. Ron Nodine as served to him at The Goshenette Diner in goshen Ct..
3 Egg Omelette with Nodine's Diced Andouille and American cheese:
Ingredients: 3 eggs, dash of milk, 2 Nodine's Andouille sausages finely diced, 2 to 3 slices American cheese.
Break the 3 eggs into a bowl and wisk, add the dash of milk, wisk it in. Pour omelette mixture on hot grille or pan, sprinkle diced Nodine's Andouille suasage across the omelette, put slices of American cheese on top. Let cook for a few minutes, fold omelette over, flip one more time. Serve with your favorite toast.
Ron says it has a nice heat, to put a little zing in your morning.

Here's a traditional dish with a flare.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Nodine's diced Ham:
Ingredients: To make baked macaroni and cheese with Nodine's diced ham you will need: 6 tbsp butter, 4 tbsps. flour, 1 3/4 cups of half and half, 1 1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese, 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 3 cups of Nodine's diced ham, 5 cups cooked macaroni, 1 cup bread crumbs - half for the inside crunch and half for a topping, 1/4 cup scallions - diced, pepper to taste.
Combine Macaroni and Cheese Ingredients. Using a large saucepan melt the butter and add the flour – stir and gradually stir in your half and half making sure to keep stirring as the entire mixture thickens, this is a rue or roux. Pour in your cooked macaroni. Add your shredded cheese and your Parmesan to the mixture - now you can add half the bread crumbs and scallions, and add the cubes of Nodine's ham. Stir well and pour into a well greased casserole or baking dish. Put the last of the bread crumbs on the top for a nice crunchy top layer. Bake at 350ºF about 20 minutes or until the top is crisp.
This makes a very delicious complete meal!

Cajun Home Fried Potatoes:
Ingredients: 1/2 stick sweet butter, 2 lbs red potatoes diced into 1/2 inch pieces, 1 large onion, 1/2 lb Nodine's Andouille sausage - cut into 1/2 inch pieces, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion.
In a 12 inch cast iron or heavy frying pan, fry potatoes and onions in the butter for 15 minutes over medium heat. Add diced sausage, salt, pepper, cayenne and continue frying until potatoes are nicely browned. Taste for salt and pepper, sprinkle with green onions, and serve. Be careful it could bite back! Serves 6 to 8.

Swiss Chard With Nodine's Tasso, Garlic & Cheese:
Bachamel Sauce used in Dish: Ingredients: 5 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 cups cream, 2 cups buttermilk, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg. Directions:In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the buttermilk and cream in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot cream and buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg, and set aside until ready to use.
Ingredients for Main Dish: 2 to 4 bunches Swiss Chard sliced, 2 cups Bachamel Sauce, 2 cups Swiss Cheese, 4 tablespoons garlic - minced, 1/4 pound Nodine's Tasso Ham diced.
Blanch Swiss chard for 4 to 6 minutes. Fry Nodine's Tasso Ham diced until crisp and remove leaving about 2 tablespoons fat in the pan. Fry garlic in fat for 1 minute. Heat Bachamel sauce and add 1 3/4 cups of the Swiss cheese, stirring until melted. Add Nodine's Tasso Ham and garlic to the Bachamel and melted cheese mixture. Mix this sauce with the Swiss chard and place in a gratin pan or casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of Swiss cheese over the top and bake at 400ºF for 20 minutes. One rich dish. Serves 4

Smothered Cabbage with Nodine's Tasso & Tomato:
Ingredients: 3/4 pound of butter or bacon fat, 1 cup Nodine's Tasso Ham - diced, 2 onions thinly sliced, 2 carrotts - 1/4 inch dice, 1 Tablespoon garlic, 2 heads of cabbage - shredded, 1/4 pound Nodine's Andouille sausage - 1/4 inch dice, 2 bay leaves, 1 cup rich chicken stock, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 3 tomatoes - peeled coarsely chopped, water if necessary, salt and pepper.
Fry the Nodine's Tasso Ham in Butter or Bacon fat. Add onions and carrotts and cook 10 minutes or until they begin to color. Add the Nodine's Andouille Sausage and cabbage and stir until the cabbage is well coated with the fat. Add the stock and deglaze the bottom of the pot. Add spices, garlic and tomato, cover and cook at a low heat for at least 45 minutes. Keep warm until served. Serves 8.

Smoked Chicken Breast & Bacon Italiano:
If you're into quick and simple, low carb, this simple three ingredient recipe is for you.
Prep Time: 5 minutes - Cook Time: 9 minutes.
Ingredients: 4 Nodine's Smoked Chicken Breasts, 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, 1/8 tsp. pepper, 4 slices Nodine's Garlic Bacon, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
Preparation: Sprinkle Nodine's Smoked Chicken Breasts evenly with Italian seasoning and pepper. Cut each piece of Nodine's Garlic Bacon into thirds and place on top of each seasoned Nodine's Smoked Chicken Breast. Cook in 350ºF to 400ºF oven or toaster oven for 5-9 minutes until bacon is crisp and chicken is thoroughly heated (It's fully cooked already). Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve. Serve with pasta or risotto. Serves 4

Mashed Potatoes and Garlic, with Nodine's Apple Smoked Bacon:
We took a popular restaurant chain's version of mashed potatoes and garlic, with scallions, and sour cream and we used Nodine's Apple Smoked Bacon. It just makes it sound and taste better. It fits with their name too, but we can't tell anyone.
Prep Time: 10 minutes - Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:  2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, 4 cloves garlic, peeled,
5 strips Nodine's Apple Smoked Bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, 1 cup thinly sliced scallions,
1/2 cup low-fat milk, warmed, 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper,
Preparation: In a large pot, cover potatoes and garlic with lightly salted water. Boil until potatoes are fork tender.
Fry Nodine's Apple Smoked Bacon in skillet until crisp( it won't take long); drain on paper towels. Use 1 teaspoon bacon grease from pan. Add scallions to grease, saute until soft, but not brown. Add pieces of Nodine's Apple Smoked Bacon.
Drain potatoes and return to pot. Mash potatoes with milk, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Stir in Nodine's Apple Smoked Bacon and scallions. Reheat, if necessary, before serving. Yield: 4 servings

Nodine's Bacon Wrapped Breadsticks - Appetizer:
You can use any of Nodine's Bacons for these and they are so simple and fast to make, yet are a huge hit at parties. Also great for snacks. May be made a day ahead of time. Reheat in the microwave about 30 seconds to crisp up.
Prep Time: 15 minutes - Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients: 1/2 pound sliced bacon, Nodine's Apple Smoked, Garlic Bacon, Bayou Bacon, Juniper Bacon, Double Smoked Bacon, Peppered Bacon. Choose one or use them all (My sister bought a bag of real doughy bread sticks and said they came out perfect, they cooked up with the bacon real well. She hollowed several of them out before she cooked them and after cooking used a pastry bag with a tube and put a mixture of Cream cheese and Garlic in the center. She didn't give me details but i'm sure if your good in the kitchen you could figure it out.)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 box (4.4 ounces) garlic breadsticks.
  Preparation:  Preheat oven to 425º F. Place a metal baking rack inside a shallow 10 x 15-inch baking tray. Slice each bacon strip in half lengthwise and sprinkle one side with grated Parmesan Cheese. Wrap the bacon strips spirally around each breadstick and place on horizontal to the wires on the baking rack so they don't fall through. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until bacon is cooked. Sprinkle hot bacon-wrapped breadsticks with additional Parmesan. Let cool before serving. Yield: about 8 appetizer servings

Smoked Duck Breast Salad:
Ingredients: Baby Cos Lettuce Leaves (Romaine Lettuce), 2 Smoked Duck Breasts 1/2s (thinly sliced), Crispy Garlic Bread Croutons, Parmesan Cheese (Shaved from chunk), Creamy Ceasar or Traditional vinaigrette dressing.
Preparation: Place some baby cos lettuce leaves in a salad bowl.  Scatter the sliced duck, crispy garlic bread croutons and shavings of parmasan cheese on top of the lettuce. When ready to serve, drizzle your favourite salad dressing over the salad, toss and serve. 'Note: A creamy Caesar style or traditional vinaigrette dressing would be ideal.
Note: Most poultry have only one breast, anatomically speaking, Chicken and Duck breasts are split into two halves. So, if a recipe calls for a Chicken breast or a Duck breast, it usually means one half.

SMOKED CHICKEN BREAST SALAD:
Ingredients: 1 tbsp. butter, 3/4 c. pecan halves, 1 1/2 qt. mixed salad greens, washed and crisped, 4 smoked chicken breast halves, chilled, Vinaigrette Dressing.
Preparation: Melt butter in frying pan over low heat. Add pecans and stir until nuts darken slightly and have a toasted flavor, about 6 minutes. Pour onto paper towels to drain. Arrange an equal amount of salad greens on 4 dinner plates and sprinkle greens equally with the pecans. Cut each half-breast in slanting slices 1/4 inch thick. Arrange overlapping slices of each half on a plate along side of greens. Spoon vinaigrette over greens and chicken.  Enjoy with a good White Wine of your choice if you choose.

BACHELOR'S or POORMAN'S SMOKED CHICKEN MONTEREY:
Ingredients: 2 - Nodine's Smoked chicken breasts, 1 - (6 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, 1/3 - stick butter, Cooking wine, 4 - Nodine's Bacon Slices,2 - 1/8 inch slices Mozzarella cheese or Monterey Jack cheese, 2 - Tomatoes Diced, 1 - bunch Scallions chopped.
Preparation: Saute mushrooms in butter and cooking wine. Place Nodine's Smoked Chicken breasts on a cookie sheet. (Place aluminum foil on the sheet to avoid washing later.) top chicken with Nodine's Bacon Slices, 1/8 inch slices of Mozzarella Cheese or Monterey Jack Cheese. Place mushrooms on top of cheese. Place in oven and melt cheese. Remove from oven put on a plate, add diced Tomato and chopped scallions, Serve with tossed salad and bread. Hint: Long Grain and Wild Rice makes a good addition for a complete meal.

When we first started talking about this recipe in the office everyone agreed it sounded so delicous. It has been tried and found worthy.
Nodine's Smoked Duck Breast With Fried Apples:
3½ hours total 2½ hours prep., Ingredients: 3 Nodine's Smoked Duck Breasts , 3 tablespoons thyme honey ( regular honey is okay too), 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons apple cider, 1 teaspoon ginger - powdered, 1 teaspoon coriander - powdered, salt,  pepper - freshly ground, 3 apples, washed and cut into 8 pieces - seeds removed, 2 tablespoons butter or 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon - powdered.
Directions; Marinade:
Heat the honey and cup of apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan for three to four minutes over a low heat. Remove from the heat and add the cinnamon, ginger and coriander. Season. Let the marinade cool.
Nodine's Smoked Duck Breasts:
Make diagonal cuts with a sharp knife in the duck breasts (to facilitate the absorption of the marinade), Place the breasts side by side in a shallow baking tray and pour the marinade over them. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for two to three hours.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Drain off the marinade into a small saucepan and heat until reduced to half. This is your sauce.
Put the fillets in a baking tray and bake in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
Apples:
Meanwhile heat the butter (or oil) in a nonstick pan and cook the apples for about 10 minutes until they acquire a golden color, turning them on all sides. Season and dust with cinnamon and sugar, and allow to cook until the sugar has dissolved. Add the 3 tablespoons of apple cider and remove from heat.
When the fillets are done, cover the baking tray with aluminium foil or baking paper and allow to settle for 12-13 minutes before serving, to help soften them.
Serve with the apples and the sauce.

Here is a change up from boring hamburgers on the grill for the Summer or for Dinner. I have made these without the pecans and they are delicious. Another helpful hint, make these fresh, don't premake them and then freeze them or if you are making a big batch for a large cookout, premake the patties and refridgerate them.
I made up an eight lb batch of Andouille Beef Burgers, 22 patties for a Monday lunch at work and the employees absolutely loved them. To describe the flavor, there is some heat from the andouille, but it seems to enhance the overall flavor of the burgers. When I made some Andouille Beef Burgers for my own lunch I put a slice of American cheese on my Andouille Beef Burger and had Macaroni Salad, a Dill pickle on the side. Real Good!
ANDOUILLE BEEF BURGERS:
INGREDIENTS: 1/2 lb Nodine's Andouille Sausage - diced, 3/4 cup pecan - toasted, chopped, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 1/2 lbs ground chuck or ground beef (20 percent fat.
PREPERATION FOR BURGERS:
Toss first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Add beef; blend gently. Shape mixture into six 1/2-inch-thick patties. Transfer patties to small baking sheet. **Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
Grill until burgers are cooked to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium. add Bacon and American Cheese if desired
As a Special added bonus add Carmelized Onions on top.
PREPERATION FOR CARAMELIZED ONIONS:
1 1/2 lbs onions - thinly sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil - plus more for brushing grill rack 3 garlic cloves - minced, 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar (has to be sugar, not a sugar substitute)
FOR ONIONS:
Prepare barbecue(medium-high heat). Toss onions and next 3 ingredients in large skillet. Place skillet on grill; cook until onions are golden, stirring often, about 25 minutes. Remove from grill; season with salt and pepper. Put a burger on a bun, top with Carmelized Onions. Serve.

Here is a Jambalaya recipe, we know there are tons of them out there and just figured we would throw this one out there for all to enjoy.
Simple Hearty Smoked Jambalaya:
We tried several Jambalaya recipes and decided this was very easy and incorporated the most of Nodine's products.  According to what we saw from a lot of recipes, real Cajun Jambalaya does not use tomatoes. We decided to go with this recipe, and we have tried it and it is wonderful.
40 min | 20 min prep Serves 6 to 9
Ingredients: 1 lb shrimp - peeled and deveined (fresh or frozen work fine), 3 Nodine's Boneless Smoked Chicken breasts - cut into 1/2 inch chunks, 1 cup sweet onion - chopped, 1/2 cup green onion chopped, 1/2 cup celery, chopped 1/2 cup green bell pepper or red, chopped 2 garlic cloves - minced, 1/4 cup olive oil, 5 cups chicken broth, 1 lb. Nodine's Andouille sausage - halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch slices, 1 1/2 cups long grain rice uncooked, 1/2 cup chopped parsley - fresh or dried, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or adjust for heat (Spicyness) as needed , 1 bay leaf, 1 cup Nodine's Tasso ham - cubed.
Directions: 1. Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Set shrimp aside. 2. In a 12-inch pot saute onion, celery, sweet pepper, parsley, green onion and garlic in hot oil until tender. 3. Stir in chicken broth, rice, thyme, basil, black pepper, red pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. 4. Stir in shrimp. Return to boiling. Simmer, covered, about 5 minutes more or until shrimp turn opaque and rice is tender. 5. Stir in, Andouille sausage, Tasso ham, smoked Chicken chunks,( They are fully cooked) heat through. Discard bay leaf.

Calvin Nodine submitted a recipe very similiar to this one and I figured they both can go on the web-site and we will let the customers choose which version they would like to use.
Creamy Chicken and Bacon:
30 min | 10 min prep
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 Nodine's Smoked chicken breast fillets - cut in 1,inch cubes or for Calvin's recipe leave whole, 4 slices Nodine's Apple smoked bacon, 1 onion - finely chopped, 1 garlic clove - peeled and finely chopped, 5 ounces button mushrooms - sliced, 10 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup, 7/8 cup milk,
Directions:
1.Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the cubes of Nodine's Smoked chicken breast or Whole breasts and cook for approximately 3 - 4 minutes (remember the Nodine's Smoked Chicken Breast is fully cooked), remove the cubes or whole Nodine's Smoked Chicken Breasts (you will add them back in later). 2. Add the bacon strips, onion, garlic and mushrooms, stir-frying for 5 minutes. 3. Stir in the soup and milk, add the cubes or whole Nodine's Smoked Chicken Breasts back in and simmer gently for 5 - 10 minutes or until the chicken is heated through, stirring occasionally. 4. Serve with green beans, rice or pasta and sprinkle with fresh parmesan shavings.
Calvin's Recipe, leave Nodine's Smoked Chicken Breasts whole and don't add any bacon.
You can also use Nodine's Smoked Boneless "Cajun" Chicken Breasts for a slightly different and wonderful flavor.

This Recipe was submitted by one of our sales staff "Bob".
Sweet & Sour Nodine's Smoked Chicken
Prep Time: 10 Min. Total: 20 min.
Ingredients:
1lb. Nodine's Smoked Boneless Chicken Breast - Cubed, 1 Tablespoon vegtable oil, 1 medium onion - chopped, 2 carrotts - diced, 1 medium green pepper - diced, 2 cans pineapple chunks - undrained.
In Skillet brown Chicken Chunks, reduce heat, stir in onion, cover and simmer, for 5 min. stir in remaining ingredients. keep covered, simmer for 5 - 10min. serve over rice.

Submitted by one of our sales staff "Delores", this looks like its a real good dish.
Scalloped Potatoes with Nodine's Smoked Diced Ham :
Ingredients:
8 oz Nodine's Diced Ham,  1 Med. Onion sliced (vidalia),  4 large white potatoes,peeled and sliced, 4 tablespoons butter,  1 can evaporated milk,  4-6 oz. shredded cheese (your choice),  1/2 cup milk,salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.
Preperation: Peel and slice potatoes 1/4 inch slices. Peel and slice onions. Using a deep casserole dish, layer potatoes and onions, spread ham chunks, sprinkle cheese, salt and pepper between layers. Leave some cheese for top layer. when done with potatoes, combine both milks and pour over potatoes. Arrange pats of butter across top and sprinkle remaining cheese.
Microwave covered dish 10 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°F, bake for 50-60 minutes.
More cheese may be used if you prefer a cheesier dish and more ham if you want it meatier.

As PC Support for Nodine's, I have made this dish and I can swear that this recipe is very easy and the dish is tasty. I served this dish with Long Grain and Wild Rice and Asparagus Spears. Do you want to Wow someone?
Cajun Meat Pie:
Ingredients:
1 lb. Nodine's Smoked turkey breast - diced or 1lb. Nodine's Smoked Boneless Cajun Chicken Breast - diced,  1 lb. Nodine's Yankee Little Links sausage - diced, 1/2 lb. Nodine's andouille - diced, 1/4 lb. Mozzarella cheese, 2 ready made pie crust (9 inch).
Preperation and Cooking:
Preheat oven to 350º F. Brown diced turkey or cajun chicken breast, andouille and Little Links sausage, drain fat. Fill pie crust with browned meat, top with Mozzarella cheese. Use 2nd pie crust as top. Cut 4 (1/2 inch) slits in top crust. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Heres a dish that makes you think a little. Is it hot/warm or hot/spicy?
Nodine's Hot Pasta:
Ingredients: 2 medium Onions - Chopped, 2 tbs. Butter, 2 - 14 oz. Cans of Diced Tomatoes - Not drained, 1 Cup Chicken Broth, 1/2 lb Fresh Calamari - sliced, 1/2 lb Nodine's smoked Chorizo - Diced, 1/2 lb Nodine's Smoked Andouille - Diced,  1 tbs. chopped Parsley, Salt and Pepper to taste, 1 lb Barilla pasta - your choice. Preperation: Saute onions in 2 tbs. Butter until tender but not brown. Add tomatoes and chicken broth to desired consistency.  Add Calamari and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Add sliced Nodine's Chorizo and Nodine's Andouille and continue to simmer uncovered over medium heat for another 10 minutes. Add parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve over 1lb aldente Barilla Pasta

This Recipe was submitted by one of our customers, they want to remain anonymous. Smoked Trout and Broccoli Salad:
Ingredients for the salad: 1/2 pound spinach leaves washed and trimmed, 6 Nodine's smoked Trout Fillets, skin them if you prefer them skinless, 1 head broccoli Flowerettes, peeled and cooked.
For the Dressing: 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar, 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard, 2/3 cup medium Cream, 1/3 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts, 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley.
Preperation: 1. Line a large platter with spinach, 2. Arrange the Trout Fillets on the spinach and top with with the broccoli flowerettes, 3. Make the dressing: Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, cream, salt and pepper in a small bowl. 4. Spoon the dressing over the broccoli and Trout fillets, sprinkle with the hazelnuts mixed with parsley.
This makes a light and tasty dish for lunch or brunch.

To me this recipe kind of resembles chain letters that used to get sent from one friend to another, or friendship bread, the sourdough bread recipe that gets passed on from one friend to another, with part of the dough as a starter for the next batch.
French Market Soup :
This recipe is rather labor intensive, but is well worth it. The first step is gathering all the beans, any of the following beans can be used, as long as you use at least ten kinds and Barley Pearls have to be one: 1 lb dried navy beans, 1 lb dried pinto bean, 1 lb dried great northern beans, 1 lb dried split green peas, 1 lb dried split yellow peas, 1 lb dried black-eyed peas, 1 lb dried lentils, 1 lb dried baby lima beans, 1 lb dried large lima beans, 1 lb dried black beans, 1 lb dried red beans, 1 lb dried soybeans, 1 lb dried kidney beans and 1 lb barley pearls.
Put together ten 1 lb gift packets of the mixed beans, to be passed to a friend with the recipe (Don't forget to keep one for yourself.).
Recipe Ingredients:
1 lb mixed dried beans, 2 1/2 qts of water, 1 ham hock, 2 medium Onions - chopped, 1 (16oz) can crushed Tomatoes, 6 celery stalks - chopped, 2 Garlic cloves - minced, 6 - 12 oz of Nodine's Andouille sausage - Sliced, 2 Smoked Boneless Chicken Breasts - diced, 1/2 cup parsley, 2 1/2 cups good red wine, salt and pepper to taste.
Preperation: Sort and wash 1 lb bean mix; place in a Dutch oven. Cover with water 2 inches above beans, and soak overnight. Drain beans, add 2 1/2 qts water, 1 Ham Hock, simmer covered 2 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Add undrained crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, celery, salt & pepper to taste. Simmer 1 hr. uncovered. Remove Ham Hock, cool, remove fat and bone, return chunked meat to pot. Add diced Smoked Chicken breast, parsley, 1/2 cup red wine and sliced andouille 6 oz for mild, 12 oz for spicy. Simmer 1/2 hour. Makes a thick and hearty soup. Remember those two cups of unused red wine, pour into appropriate glasses. Salute. This next step is only a recommendation for a more flavorful taste: Let soup cool and store overnight in a cool place. When ready reheat and serve, this lets the flavors come out better.

This recipe is atributed to Ron's sister Carole. Real quick and easy, because our Smoked Boneless Chicken Breasts are fully cooked already.
Nodine's Chicken Salad :
Ingredients: 5 Nodine's Smoked Chicken Breasts - diced, 1 1/4 cup celery - chopped, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/4 cup slivered almonds, 5 tablespoons of vegtable oil, 3 tablespoons of Vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
Preperation: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, toss, refridgerate 1 hour and serve on a bed of lettuce.

If theres one phrase to explain this dish: Quick, Easy and Delicous. Ron took all of two minutes to explain this dish and he said if you didn't have a ham steak, using a nice slice of ham from Nodine's Party Ham could work just as well or for a party get a Nodine's Half Spiral Ham and take the slices and prepare as suggested. He also said the pineapple syrup should be used and not pineapple juice. Something to do with the syrup giving a more pineapple flavor over the pineapple juice which will break down the meat because of the enzymes and higher citric acid. Just use the syrup from the pineapple chunks.
Grilled Ham with pineapple:
Ingredients: 1 Nodine's Smoked Ham Steak bone - in or a decent size slice of one of Nodine's Hams, 1 can of pineapple chunks.
Preparation: Fire up the Grille. Using the liquid from the pineapple chunks, give the Smoked Ham Slice a quick bathe. Grille Ham Slice on medium to high heat, you are just searing the outside of the Ham only because it is fully cooked, grille one side, flip, grille other side, put on platter, spread pineapple chunks over Smoked Ham Slice. Serve with potatoe salad or macaroni salad. This makes my mouth water. I am allegic to pineapple so I substituted canned diced Bartlett pears in light syrup and it came out delicious.

Pulled from the Nodine's Archives of recipes, this one happens to be twenty years old.
Nodine's Chicken Gourmet:
Ingredients: 1/2 Cup butter, 1 clove Garlic - minced, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. chili powder, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, dash pepper, 4 Nodine's Smoked Chicken Breasts, juice of 1 lemon,
Preperation: Melt Butter in small saucepan; blend in Garlic, salt, chili powder, pepper, Lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Cut Chicken breasts in half, (lengthwise), and place in shallow baking pan. Pour half of butter mixture over Nodine's Smoked Chicken Breasts; cover pan with foil; Bake at 350ºF for 10 minutes, then uncover, pour rest of Butter mixture over Chicken Breasts, baste frequently and bake another 15 - 20 minutes. Serves Eight. Garnish with Broiled cling peaches and mint jelly.
The original recipe called for margerine, but everyone knows butter is better.

One of our sales staff "Lauryn" brought in this recipe as a prepared dish and it was quite tasty and enjoyed by all Employees.
I looked it up and the recipe is based upon a recipe from the " Commune di Amatrice" (Community of Amitrice) In Central Italy. She decided to use tri-color bowtie pasta instead of the recommended penne pasta, which is quite alright. Be bold and make a recipe your own.
Amatriciana Style Pasta With Nodine’s Smoked Diced Bacon:
Ingredients:
2lbs Nodine’s Diced Bacon, ¾ cup chopped or minced onion,¾ small jar of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes, 1 to 2lbs tri-color bowtie pasta (depends on how many you’re feeding), 1 tablespoon of parsley, grated cheese (parmesan or romano),non-stick cooking spray.
***2 lbs Nodine’s Diced Andouille with the 2 lbs of Nodine’s Diced Bacon is optional for a sweet and spicy flavor.
Directions: Preheat a large skillet style pan or saucepan over medium heat. When pan is hot, coat with non-stick spray. Cook the diced bacon over medium heat adding one pound at a time to ensure even cooking. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the onion and continue cooking over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes (add less or more red pepper flakes based on how spicy you want it). Cook for 30 seconds. Add canned tomatoes, undrained and simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat while breaking up tomato pieces. Boil the pasta (1 or 2 pound pending on the number of people eating). Drain the pasta. Stir parsley into the sauce and toss the sauce with the pasta. Make to mix it all together thoroughly. Top the dish with a sprinkle of parsley and a dusting of grated cheese. Serve piping hot.

Mrs. Nodine baked the following dish for the employees for lunch. It was delicious.
Nodine's Smoked Ham & Broccoli, Swiss Cheese Strata:
Ingredients:
1 tbsp Dijon mustard,  4 large eggs,  2 c cubed Smoked Ham (about 10 oz) , 1 - 10oz.Frozen cut Broccoli, 1/4 c sour cream ,  4 English muffins,  Torn into bite size chunks, Butter or Cooking spray, 1 1/4 c milk, 2 tbsp chopped onion, 1 c - 4 oz shredded Swiss cheese, salt & pepper to taste,
Directions:
Tear each muffin half into bite size chunks. Arrange half of torn muffin chunks in bottom of an 2qt square baking dish coated with butter or cooking spray (Mrs. Nodine used Butter). Top with cubed Ham and 10oz. cut Broccoli, Sprinkle top with cheese. Arrange remaining torn muffin chunks over cheese. Combine milk, egg & the remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk until mixed. Pour milk & egg mixture over muffin mixture. Cover up & put in the fridge 2 to 24 hrs. Preheat oven to 325°. Uncover strata & bake this at 325° for 1 hr or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 15 mins before serving. Enjoy the English Muffin Strata with Ham & Cheese, Broccoli recipe, you will.

This is a fairly easy recipe, but you must wait overnight for the beans to soak.
NODINE'S CAJUN STYLE RED BEANS AND RICE:
Ingredients:
16 oz. red kidney beans, 1/4 lb. Nodine's Tasso ham, diced into 1/2 inch, 1/4 lb. Nodine's Smoked Ham, diced into 1/2 inch, 1 to 1 1/2 qt. water, 1 onion, chopped, 1 sweet pepper, chopped,  1/4 tsp. garlic powder, 1 lb. Nodine's Andouille Smoked Sausage, Salt and pepper to taste, Rice.
Preperation:
Rinse and sort beans. Cover with water and soak overnight, drain.
Cover soaked beans with 2 inches water. Add onions, garlic powder, bell pepper. Bring to a slow boil and cook slowly for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add diced ham, tasso ham and andouille sausage. Cook until beans are tender, 30-45 minutes. Add water sparingly during cooking as needed to keep beans from sticking.
Cook a package of rice or Long grain and Wild Rice, according to directions . Serve beans over rice.

NODINE'S HOT AND SMOKY BAKED BEANS:
Ingredients: 6 Nodine's Apple bacon slices, 1 1/2 cups chopped onion, 1 1/4 cups purchased barbecue sauce, 3/4 cup dark beer, 1/4 cup mild molasses, 3 TBSP. Dijon mustard, 3 TBSP. (packed) dark brown sugar, 2 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce, 1 TBSP. soy sauce,  1 TBSP. Minced Garlic, 1 pkg Nodine's Andouille sausage - 4 sausage links diced,  6 - 16 oz. cans Great Northern beans, drained.
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook Nodine's Apple bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Transfer 2 1/2 TBSP. bacon drippings from skillet to large bowl. Add onion and next 8 ingredients to bowl and whisk to blend. Add Nodine's diced Andouille sausage, start with half and add more to adjust spiciness. Stir in beans. Transfer bean mixture to a 13x9 inch glass baking dish. put 6 Nodine's Apple Bacon slices on top. Bake, uncovered, until liquid bubbles and thickens slightly, about one hour.

Here is a recipe submitted by a woman, a customer "Who shall remain nameless", she orders Yankee Little Link Sausages about 5 times a year and said her husband and kids just love her breakfast burritos.
NODINE'S YANKEE LITTLE LINK BREAKFAST BURRITO'S
Yield: 8 breakfast servings
Ingredients : 1 pound Yankee Little Link Sausage, 1 cup chopped sweet onion, 1 cup seeded and chopped green bell pepper, 8 large eggs,1/4 cup cold water, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, Nonstick cooking spray, 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas, warmed, 1 cup shredded Nodine's Smoked Pepper Jack cheese or a good Monterey Jack to make it less spicy, 1 to 1-1/2 cups chunky salsa, optional.
Preperation: In a large heavy nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, breaking sausage into small pieces. Cook until no longer pink. Drain well on clean paper towels. Keep sausage warm. Drain all but 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of pan drippings. Add onion and bell pepper to skillet and cook until vegetables are soft. Wipe skillet clean. Keep vegetables warm. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, water and pepper. Spray skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat, add egg mixture stirring for 3 to 4 minutes or until eggs are scrambled and set. Keep warm.
Assembly: Layer 1/3 cup sausage down center of each warm tortilla, leaving 1-inch border at ends. Top each with equal amounts of vegetables, scrambled eggs and cheese. Fold bottom edge up over filling and fold right and left sides of tortilla over filling. Roll up tightly.
Serve with salsa, if desired.

Here is a good Cajun Chili submitted by a friend of mine, made with our Andouille Sausage as the main source of heat. The Andouille is served ground and in chunks, the Andouille chunks are for substance and character ( I guess).
Nodine's Cajun Chili
Yield 14 cups
Ingredients: 13-16 ounces (4 links) Nodine's Andouille sausage (see directions),  1 pound coarsely ground beef or turkey ( for those that are thinking healthy), ½ pound ( 2 links) Nodine's Andouille,  cut into 1/2 inch chunks,  2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 cup chopped green bell pepper, 2 cups chopped sweet onion, ½ cup chopped celery, 6 cups canned or cooked red kidney beans, drained and rinsed.,1, 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (don't drain),12-ounces Dark Beer,1 large bay leaf,1 teaspoon salt,
Accompaniments: Nodine's Smoked Pepper Jack cheese - grated, Sour cream, Chopped sweet onions, Crushed tortilla chips, Fresh lime wedges
Directions: Squeeze sausage from casing and cook sausage and ground beef or turkey in a large heavy skillet until brown. Drain pan drippings and add 1/2 inch andouille chunks, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Combine all vegetables, beans, tomatoes, beer and seasonings in a 6 quart or larger Crock Pot or 6 quart stock pot. Mix thoroughly. With a slotted spoon, transfer sausage mixture to the Crock Pot or 6 quart stock pot, mix well. For Crock Pot cover and set on High and cook for 5 to 6 hours. For 6 quart stock pot cook on Medium heat for 4 to 5 hours Remove the cover for the last hour. Remove bay leaf. Serve hot with choice of accompaniments.
Note: This makes one hearty Chili, and maybe not a 5 alarm Chili, but plenty of heat from the Andouille. Better if made one day ahead so flavors will blend.