Sauerkraut, Bratwurst and Potato Soup

A couple of years ago I had a Soup Supper Round-Up 

on my blog.  

A blog I follow from time to time called Simply Gourmet

shared this soup, and I have to say I was intrigued!

It is a weird sounding combination, I will admit, but I knew it was one I would try someday!

My cousin, Shawn, makes his own sauerkraut, and it is amazing!!

He saw the share of this soup, and he made it right away!

And he's made it time and time again!

Every time I run into him, he asks me if I have tried it, I keep telling him, I am going to, I SWEAR!

I decided that it was TIME I did!

Every Halloween we have a soup supper at our house before we go out Trick-or-Treating.

I make three soups, two that are family favorites, and I make one new one.

This year, I made my Homemade Chicken Noodle and Beef Enchilada, and this one!

My father in law teases me about my Polish/German heritage (all in good fun) and thought this soup didn't sound like anything he would like.

He had two bowls.

It was the first crock pot empty on Halloween.

It's the perfect blend of creamy with just a bit of tang... fabulous!

My Father in Law said I needed to re-name the soup, I wasn't sure what that would be, so I left well enough alone.

Sauerkraut, Bratwurst and Potato Soup

original recipe: Simply Gourmet

6 cups chicken broth

3 cups kraut juice + water (to make 3 cups)

3 potatoes peeled and cubed

1 small onion, diced

4-5 stalks celery, diced

2 cups sliced carrots

1 stick butter

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups cream

2 cups sauerkraut, drained

5 bratwursts, casing removed

Drain sauerkraut, reserving juice.  Add  water to kraut juice to make 3 cups. In a large soup pot, bring chicken broth and kraut/water to a boil. Add carrots and potatoes, cover and cook until veggies are desired tenderness.

In a skillet, chop and brown bratwurst until it gets nice and brown.

Remove from pan, set aside.

Do not clean pan.  Add onion and celery to pan, and saute for about 5 minutes.

Add sauerkraut, continue browning until sauerkraut is cooked well.

Return bratwurst to kraut mixture.

Add to broth.

In a small saucepan, melt butter, add flour to melted butter and whisk, making a roux.

Slowly add milk and cream to flour mixture.

Cook on low whisking as it thickens.

Pour into broth and let soup simmer on low until heated through.

We served with a crusty loaf of french bread, Ah-MAZING!

German Apple Dessert

Yesterday I was sitting in the eye doctor with my daughter, and flipping through a local magazine that is in waiting rooms around town.

Lots of times they have good sounding recipes, but I forget about them, and never make them.

But yesterday, this one leaped out at me.

German Apple Dessert

I was making my Little King Salad for dinner that night, per my daughter's request, and thought, 

We're having salad, might as well have dessert??

So I whipped it up when we got home, and we did!!

With a little side of vanilla ice cream!

This got RAVE reviews from my family.

My husband said (with his mouth full) "This is really good" about 6 times!

Great alternative to an apple pie.

German Apple Dessert

via Women's Edition Magazine

Crust:

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

5 Tablespoons cut up cold butter

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg

Combine with fingers until it resembles corn meal, set aside.

4 baking apples, peeled and sliced

I used Granny Smith, the tang was perfect!

Topping:

3 Tablespoons of sugar

3 Tablespoons of melted butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 large egg

Stir sugar and melted butter together, whisk in egg and cinnamon.

Set Aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Press crust mixture into the bottom of the pan.

Top with apples.  

Bake for 45 minutes.

Remove from oven, drizzle topping mixture over apples and spread evenly with the bottom of a spoon.

Return to oven and bake for another 25 minutes.

Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Here's the Little King Salad we had, it's so good!!

RECIPE HERE!

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

stuffed cabbage rolls

Cabbage is one of those things I didn't like as a kid, but it's grown on me... 

now I think it's quite good!!

My husband and I have been married for 21 years, and I have NEVER made these!

Both of us grew up eating them, and for some reason they popped into my head this morning when he asked the age old question

"what's for dinner?"

So, when I paid my Sunday homage to the grocery to stock up on lunch box food, I picked up the ingredients and whipped them up.

hot out of the oven

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

2 pounds ground beef

i - 29 ounce can of tomato sauce

1/2 cup instant rice, uncooked

1 head green cabbage

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup minced onion

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place a large pan of water to boil on the stove.

Prepare a covered deep baking dish wit non-stick cooking spray.

Combine ground beef with rice, onion, cheese and spices.  Form into decent sized meatballs.

Peel pieces of cabbage, trying to keep them "intact" place into boiling water for about a minute to 

slightly wilt them.

Roll a meatball up in the cabbage and place seam side down into baking dish. 

Pour tomato sauce over the top, cover and bake for one hour.

Makes about 10 rolls.