Showing posts with label Sausage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sausage. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Slow Cooker Bratwurst

Cookbook Recipe # 50

We had a potluck at work yesterday and we were supposed to bring a dish that represents the country of our heritage. My family is all from Germany so I thought bratwurst was appropriate. I get into work at 7:00 am and we were not having lunch until 12:00 pm so I needed something that I could keep hot until lunch. So I saw this recipe for bratwurst in the slow cooker. The original recipe called for beer but I did not think that was work appropriate so I decided to use apple juice instead. This was my first time cooking bratwurst in a slow cooker and it came out pretty good. It was really juicy and tender. It is a good way to make when you want to keep it hot and you have a lot of people eating it. German food just does not look appetizing no matter what you do. The recipe below is for one batch.

Slow Cooker Bratwurst
Adapted from Fix it and Forget it Cookbook


6 fresh bratwurst
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Apple juice

Add bratwurst and garlic to slow cooker. Cover with apple juice.

Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.








Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Mardi Gras Gumbo

Happy belated Fat Tuesday! In honor of Mardi Gras I decided to make some gumbo. Last year I made gumbo from scratch and it took over two hours. I didn't feel like waiting until 9 o'clock to eat dinner tonight so I took a short cut. At a grocery chain around here called Meijer they had a roux starter in a jar. The roux is the part that takes the longest to develop the flavors when making gumbo. The starter I do not believe has the depth of flavor that making it from scratch does, but it works when you do not want to spend all day making it. It is a little strange because the roux in a jar is like a thick mud and hard to get out. But it will dissolve into the liquid so do not worry.

 I used the recipe that is on the back of the jar with a few deletions and additions. I use a Holy Duo and not the Holy Trinity of pepper, celery, onion....I take out the onion of course. This recipe makes a ton, as it calls for 3 quarts of water. I used one quart of chicken stock for a little more flavor, and the rest water. I also served the gumbo with a sweet potato because that is what some of our family friends that were from Louisiana served when they made us gumbo growing up.

Mardi Gras Gumbo
Adapted from Bootsies Cajun and Creole Roux

2 chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
2 links andouille sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 pound shrimp, peeled, and deveined
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 jar Bootsies Cajun and Creole Roux
2 ribs celery, diced
1 green pepper diced
1 tablespoon garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
Cajun seasoning, to taste
4 cups chicken broth
8 cups water

Bring water and chicken broth to a boil in a large dutch oven.

In a skillet heat olive oil over medium heat and saute pepper, celery and garlic. Add roux and dissolve.

Once liquid is boiling add roux mixture. Add remaining ingredients besides shrimp and simmer for 1 hour.

The last 3 minutes add shrimp.

Serve over rice and with a sweet potato.

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This recipe is linked on: Wednesday ExtravaganzaWhat's Cooking WednesdayCast Party WednesdayWhimsy WednesdayFull Plate ThursdayLink it Up ThursdayThriving on ThursdaysTasty Thursdays








Sunday, December 30, 2012

Biscuits and Gravy

Cookbook Recipe #30

One of Phil's all time favorite breakfast foods is biscuits and gravy. Usually when we are back in Iowa he always orders biscuits and gravy. We have a truck stop back home and he thinks biscuits and gravy is the perfect truck stop breakfast. I have never had it before and have always thought that it looks terrible. I thought that it would be a good, but bad for you, breakfast before the new year. Phil was really excited when he came home from work and saw that I was making it. I found the recipe in the Cook's Country cookbook. Just the cookbook name itself says comfort food, so when I saw this recipe in here I figured it would be good. I was a little nervous because you know there is always recipes that you have at restaurants that you just can't seem to replicate and make it as good at home. I thought this was going to be one of those recipes. I was wrong though, Phil said it was awesome and was better then some that he has had in the restaurant. I actually liked it as well. Not something I would want all the time but definitely good. And there is something to making homemade biscuits. Much better then with a mix for sure!

Biscuits and Gravy
Cooks Country



Biscuits:

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Sausage Gravy:

1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
1 pound pork sausage
3 cups whole milk
Salt

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor pulse flour sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter and shortening until it resembles course meal. Then mix in a medium bowl with buttermilk.

On a lightly floured surface knead dough until smooth. Pat dough into a 9 inch circle, about 3/4 inch thick.

Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut 8 biscuits and place on baking sheet.

Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce temperature to 400 degrees and bake an additional 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile brown sausage in large skillet until no longer pink.

Mix flour, ground fennel, ground sage and pepper in a small bowl. Once meat is browned add in the flour mixture and mix constantly until combined.

Slowly stir in milk and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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This recipe is linked on:   Show and Tell SaturdayStrut Your Stuff SaturdayFoodie FridayKitchen Fun with my 3 Sons  Cream of the Crop



Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Cider Glazed Bratwurst with Butternut Mash

I get several food magazines in the mail every month, but I always tend to find more recipes that I want to make in the fall and winter month issues. I just really enjoy fall flavors. Like the apple cider glaze for the bratwurst in this recipe. The original recipe called to use chicken sausages, but I really like bratwurst and I thought the apple cider would give it a good flavor.
I was right, I really enjoyed the sweet flavor the apple cider gave the bratwurst. It was a great pairing with the butternut mash. Phil and I really enjoyed the mash. I always found it strange to add the apple with butternut squash, but it is a really good flavor combination. This was a great fall dinner. We will be filing this one away for sure!

Cider Glazed Bratwurst with Butternut Mash
Adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound bratwurst
3 cups apple cider
Salt
Pepper

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced into 1 inch pieces
1/3 cup Greek yogurt

In a large dutch oven heat oil over medium high heat.

Add bratwurst and cook until they are a deep golden brown, about 6 minutes.

Add cider and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook about 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile in a medium saucepan combine squash, apple and potato. Cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes.

Drain vegetables and apple and transfer to a food processor. Process until smooth. Add yogurt and season with salt and pepper.

Serve with bratwurst.

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Monday, August 13, 2012

Lasagna Soup

I think my favorite kitchen tool is my dutch oven. I think everyone should own a good cast iron dutch oven. Any recipe that can be made in one pot is a keeper for me and the dutch oven is perfect for one pot meals, even from stove top to oven! I use mine for pasta sauce, soups, stews, chili, and for frying things. They are so versatile and they get really hot quick too.

In my dutch oven today I made Lasagna Soup. It was a rainy day here today, which is a great time for a good soup.....who am I kidding any time is a good time for soup for me! I think it is crazy when you need to use more than one box of chicken broth or stock for a soup recipe. Soup to me is supposed to be a cheap dinner and when you start needing multiple boxes of broth you have already spent over 4 dollars and you haven't added anything to it yet. So I will use one box and then I will add water and chicken bouillon or the new Flavor Boosts that they have. To me I feel like I am stretching my buck a little more. I felt like Rachael Ray again today turning lasagna into a soup!

Lasagna Soup
Adapted from Live Love Pasta

1 pound Mild Italian Sausage
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 28oz can fire roasted tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 Swanson's packet Chicken Flavor Boost
8 oz Radiatore

Toppings:

Ricotta cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

In a dutch oven, or large pot, brown Italian sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. Add tomato paste and minced garlic and cook for 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes, chicken broth, water. Italian seasoning and Flavor Boost. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes.

Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 10-12 minutes.

Top with a mixture of cheeses of your choice.

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