Sausage and Kraut

I should also set up labels for "unbelievably easy" and "favorites."

My "recipe" for this is to layer some frozen brats or Polish sausage with a jar of sauerkraut in a crock pot.  Cook on low for 8-ish hours.  Receive the accolades of your family.

I like using these brats from Costco.  I also really like the Italian sausage in the same brand (but avoid the grossly under-seasoned breakfast links).

A jar of Aldi sauerkraut is both cheap and delicious.

The finished product is a mellow sauerkraut and very tender sausage.  So good!  The first time I did it, I used one pack (5 sausage) and we liked it so much that I immediately added another pack of sausage to the remaining sauerkraut and cooked it until bed time.  This time I just started with two packs of sausage so there are some planned leftovers.

More notes:

• If the sauerkraut doesn't have much juice, go ahead and add a little water too.
• This would be great if started with grilled sausage (even if they weren't cooked through), just to give that extra smokey yumminess.  (That's a word, right?  Spell check is only giving me "chumminess" and "crumminess.")
• Jim Kostick made something very similar using Kramarczuks Polish sausage slices in sauerkraut, cooked for far less time.  Obviously better, but not so easy to pull off.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
2 cups chicken stock
1 1/4 cup (or 1 10-ounce can) red enchilada sauce
2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 (15-ounce) can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 white onion, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt, or more/less to taste
optional garnishes: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, diced red onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips/chips

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 hours on high heat or 6-8 hours on low heat, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. Use two forks to shred the chicken.

Serve warm, with optional garnishes.

You can also refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.

NOTES:

• I particularly liked the part of the method that had me cook the whole chicken breast and then shred it toward the end.  I simply scooped them out into a bowl to cool a little and they fell apart as I was cutting across the grain.  It was much simpler than trying to cut up the raw meat.
• I used a bigger can of diced tomatoes because that's what I had on hand.
• The original recipe called for a different kind of tomato, but regular ones worked just fine.
• Fwiw, this is gluten free if you're careful on what enchilada sauce is added.

Peanut Brittle

Aka:

THE BEST NUT BRITTLE YOU’LL EVER MAKE: EASY, DELICIOUS, AND DONE IN UNDER 30 MINUTES.

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 1/2 cups salted peanuts

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1) Spray a wooden spoon (or other heat-proof stirring implement) with non-stick cooking spray. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.

2) Mix together the sugar and corn syrup in a large microwave-safe bowl and stir until well combined; the mixture will be stiff and hard to stir. Be sure to use a large enough bowl; the sugar/corn syrup should fill it no more than 1/4 to 1/3 full.

3) Microwave the sugar mixture uncovered on high power for 5 minutes; it will bubble vigorously.

4) Add the peanuts and butter, and stir well to combine. Speed is key! The cooler the mixture becomes the harder it will be to stir.

5) Replace the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for 2 to 4 minutes, until the mixture turns a nice medium-brown caramel color. Start watching carefully around the 2-minute mark, and remove when the caramel color is achieved.

6) Add the baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will bubble furiously upon the addition of these ingredients — this is what gives the candy its hallmark airy texture. (This is also why you need to use a large bowl.) Stir quickly to combine. The finished mixture will look creamy and caramelized.

7) Working quickly, pour the mixture onto your prepared baking sheet and spread it as evenly as possible. If you end up with an uneven spread, don't worry — the candy should still set up nicely, even in the thicker areas.

8) Once the brittle has set and cooled (30 to 60 minutes), break it into pieces.

Yield: about 3 dozen pieces.

NOTES:

• There are lots of pictures of every step over here at King Arthur Flour.
• Highly recommended!  This reminded me of the peanut brittle Grandpa used to make every Christmas but so much easier in the microwave.
• Mine took about 10 minutes longer in my ancient microwave, but I just kept stirring and checking every minute or two until it was the right color.
• It's worth noting that even though I used a clear glass bowl I had to take it out and look inside the bowl at the color.  It was definitely a different color in the middle of the bowl than on the edges.  Weird eh?  Even so, it would have overcooked had I waited until the outside color were dark enough.
• They aren't kidding when they say it goes fast - be prepared.  I poured this on my room temperature baking sheet and barely got it spread before it set.  Note to self: next time, try warming up the pan a bit.

Hanson's Ginger Cookies

1 c. (2 sticks) butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. light molasses
1 tbsp. vinegar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
51/2 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2tsp. salt

For frosting:
2 c. powdered sugar
1/3c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2tsp. vanilla extract
2 to 3 tbsp. milk

To make cookies: In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, granulated sugar, molasses and vinegar and slowly bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature and whisk in eggs.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt. Stir flour mixture into molasses mixture until dough is smooth and satiny. Divide dough (it will be extremely soft) into 2 portions. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to several days.

When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Let dough stand at room temperature for a few minutes until it is pliable enough to roll. Roll dough out on a board (flour is not needed) and cut using favorite cookie cutters. Bake on lightly greased baking sheets for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, let rest for 5 minutes then remove cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

To make frosting: In bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and 2 tablespoons milk, adding more milk until frosting is consistency required. Frost completely cool cookies and serve.

NOTES:

• These roll well and make really good gingerbread men.
• My original recipe is a newspaper cut out from the Star Trib and calls for a cup of margarine rather than the butter called for in this version.  The butter would obviously taste better, but I've been making these for years with margarine.
• They make great tree ornaments and the cookies store really well.
• I have a note that a double batch makes 30 big gingerbread men. (I gave them as gifts one year.)
• Source

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

Cookie
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam in a squeezable container

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Combine softened butter, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour; beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm.

Heat oven to 350°F.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Make indentation in center of each cookie with thumb (edges may crack slightly). Fill each indentation with about 1/4 teaspoon jam.

Bake 14-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Combine all glaze ingredients in bowl with whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

NOTES:

• Really outstanding cookie
• The squeezable jam isn't essential, but really does make everything easier.
• Source

Bacon Wrapped Smokies

Easiest appetizer ever!

1 pound bacon (each slice cut into fourths)
14 ounce pkg of beef cocktail wieners (or more)
3/4 c brown sugar

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees
• Wrap wieners with quarter slices of bacon.
• Secure with toothpicks
• Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment (foil/silicone baking mat)
• Sprinkle brown sugar over each
• Bake for 40 minutes util the bacon is cooked and sugar is bubbly.
• Serve immediately or place wieners in a slow cooker and keep on the low setting.

NOTES:

Delicious and very easy.

The original recipe said to cut the bacon in thirds, but it was very easy to stretch a quarter slice around.

Swiss Potatoes

• 3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8 inch slices
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill weed
• 3 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about ten ounces) or it works with
• regular Swiss cheese which is much cheaper and still tastes good
• 1 1/3 cups whipping cream
• 1 1/3 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.
Overlap 1/3 of potatoes in prepared dish.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon dill weed and 1 cup cheese. Repeat layer twice,  using 1/3 cup of potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon dill weed and 1 cup cheese for each layer.  Whisk cream, stock and mustard in bowl.  Pour over potatoes.  Bake until potatoes are tender and the top is crusty and brown, about 1 hour.  Cool 10 minutes and serve.

NOTES:

• This was Johnny's one request for Thanksgiving dinner. :)
• Holly says: "Also does not require whipping cream; I'm sure I always use milk/half & half."
• I used the mandolin for cutting potatoes - worked very well.