2:30 PM Labor Day and while we bless our unions for the 40 hour work week and getting this day off there is one more thing to think about. As of 2:30 PM today summer is over. I know, I know, you’re going to the beach a bunch more times but it’s time to start thinking about fall.

Fall: Pumpkins, and apple picking, and the second striper season, and looking at the stars without swatting mosquitoes, and now my new favorite fall activity, stuffing your sausage.  Sue stuffed mine three different ways:

Top left: Kielbasa, top right: Chorizo, and center: sweet Italian sausage. It looked really easy! (Why did you just smack me Sue?) We have one of those monster Kitchen Aide mixers with the grinder attachment. Step One: (I love this part) go into Market Basket and ask the butcher, “You got any hog casings?” The other fun new saying I have is, “You stuff ’em, I’ll smoke ’em!”

Those kielbasas needed smoking:There is an easy way to tie your kielbasa off so they hang nicely. Next time I’ll do it that way. Out of the smoker, don’t they look purty?

Take home message after trying all three: this is worth doing. Not because you save a bunch of money although buying a huge picnic shoulder and turning it into these tasty sausages rounds out to about a buck a pound. It’s worth it because they are yummy and it is legal in Massachusetts to stuff your own sausage.