Thanks to Johnsonville Sausage for sponsoring this post and inspiring a delicious new dish!

There’s something about eating outside that makes the meal feel extra special. It doesn’t matter if it’s at a restaurant or outside on my back deck, eating al fresco is one of my favorite ways to dine. Living here in Northern California, we are fortunate to be able to eat outside all times of the year. With summer being here, though, we’re outside more often than usual. The only rule that we have for eating outside is that it has to be easy. No frou frou foods, or high maintenance edibles. Everything needs to be simple, and it helps if it tastes good even at room temperature. Foods like Johnsonville Sausage Beef Brats are a good choice because they taste great, use no fillers, and have a juicy and firm texture. They’re perfect for picnics!

Last night, Ayva and I made Cheesy Sausage and Spinach Pockets for an early evening family picnic on our balcony. Using Johnsonville Sausage Beef Brats and premade pizza dough, this dish was so easy to make that Ayva pretty much took the lead on getting it done. We started off by slicing the Beef Brats, and putting them in a pan to sauté with a bit of garlic. The Brats already have great flavor, and the garlic just helped to kick it up a notch. Since we were going Italian with it, we added some oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to the delicious meat.

After spooning the meat on the dough, we added some spinach and mozzarella cheese and closed the dough up. Ayva brushed a bit of olive oil on the dough and sprinkled a bit of parmesan on top. I popped the pockets in the oven on 400 degrees, and 20 minutes later, they were done! I’ll admit, I had to peek inside the oven at around minute 9 because the smell of the meat had me salivating! I can see why Johnsonville Sausage has been around since 1945. Their sausages are good!

Want to know more about Johnsonville Sausages? Check them out:

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Website for great recipes and more: http://www.johnsonville.com/home.html