Date I made these recipes:
September 20, 2015 – Green Bay Packers Home Opener
The Tailgater's
Cookbook by David Joachim
Published by:
Broadway Books
ISBN: 0-7679-1835-5
Purchased at Powell's – Chicago
Recipe: Brats in Beer – p. 68-69
One-Pot Meals –
Seventh Annual Readers Best Recipe Cookbook by the Minneapolis
Published by: Minneapolis
© 1983
Purchased at Arc's Value
Village Richfield
Recipe: Green and Gold p. 53 (columnist Mary Hart's
recipe)
Finally! Finally,
finally, finally, my Green Bay Packers
beat those evil Seattle Seahawks in a
grudge match at Lambeau Field. Plus, it was the Packers' home opener so that made it all the more special.
But you would know that at the same time the game was going
on (night game), so were the Emmy Awards
and this resulted in major channel-flipping on my part. This is not necessarily a bad thing though,
as I've found that sometimes changing the channel means that the Packers get organized and score and that
is exactly what they did last night. I'm
somewhat convinced that if I watch them when they're down that this may jinx
them and so I will flip back and forth until the danger has passed. (We all
have our little superstitions in life and this is mine.)
Given that Wisconsin
is know for beer, brats (and cheese), selecting this recipe from The Tailgater's Cookbook was a
no-brainer. But I do take exception to
the author's statement "If you're at Soldier Field for a Chicago Bears game or at Lambeau Field for a Packers game, you'll fit right in with these brats on the
grill."
For the record, there is no reason to go to Soldier Field
for a brat. None. Oh sure, if you're a Bears fan, but why would you be?
;) By the way, the Packers played Da Bears in Soldier Field
last week for the NFL season opener and they beat them. And this is as it should be.
This recipe is very easy to make but I used the wrong beer,
making the dish a little more tangy (read:
bitter) than it should have been.
If you use a lighter beer like an IPA (India Pale Ale) you'll be fine as
the beer flavor will compliment, not overpower the brats.
And then there's the Minneapolis
Star and Tribune newspaper's annual readers [cooking] contest Green and Gold Salad to talk about. Out of all the recipes I could have made,
this one spoke to me because green and gold are Packers colors. But I was
sure tempting fate by making something out of a Minneapolis/Minnesota cookbook
seeing as how this state's home team is another Packers rival – the Vikings. Now, the Vikings
played another NFC North opponent, the Detroit
Lions, yesterday and won as did the Packers,
but if the Packers had not prevailed,
then I would have been beside myself thinking that I jinxed my team. Happily, all's well that end's well.
Although this salad really didn't "go" with brats
and kraut and beer, it was tasty and refreshing and it was green and gold so it
fit with my theme. I can be all about
themes.
Both cookbooks have a ton of recipes that should float your
boat, if not your football. The Tailgater's Cookbook has a variety
of menus geared toward various NFL
games, as well as NCAA and even NASCAR events. Plus, there's a directory for sourcing
tailgating gear starting on page 179, and so if you can't find something to
like in this book then I just don't know.
The Minneapolis Star
and Tribune book – Seventh Annual - is a compilation of best recipes from readers
hinder and yon, including, of all things, a dessert recipe from my former voice
teacher, Vicky Mountain
Besides Vicky, other notable celebs in this cookbook are Star and Tribune columnists Mary Hart
and Al Sicherman, who handled all that was cooking and recipes for the
newspaper. Mary wrote a column in the Star and Tribune paper, "Ask
Mary," and Al wrote a column called "Tidbits," in which he would
often bring to our attention food items coming to market or comparisons of
size, price and taste of those that had already hit the market from companies
like General Mills or other big food producers.
Al is also very funny so reading his columns was a high spot to many a
dull day.
Speaking of dull, while baseball can get kind of snoozy from
time to time, I dare say that there is not an NFL team out there that puts us
to sleep, even on their worst game day ever.
It's why I love/hate football and why it is the only reason I ever
embrace the coming of fall. And these
recipes are a great way to get into the spirit even if your colors are not
green and gold (although they should be).
Brats in Beer – makes
10 brats
2 ½ pounds of your favorite fresh bratwurst (about 10 links)
(Ann's Note: the author recommended
Johnsonville Brats and don't you know, they are a Wisconsin
product.)
2 cups sauerkraut, drained
1 bottle or can (12 ounces) beer (Ann's Note:
for best taste, use a "light" beer like an IPA – India Pale
Ale. We only had dark on hand and it was
a bit bitter.)
1 green bell pepper, cut into short strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter or vegetable oil, optional
10 crusty sausage or steak rolls
½ cup coarse German mustard
Ann's Note: This
recipe is intended for the grill but it started raining about grill time so I
used the stove-top instead, simmering the brats and sauerkraut mixture for 30
minutes only before serving.
Heat grill to medium and let rack get good and hot, about 10
minutes. Brush and oil rack, then grill
brats until nicely browned all over, turning now and then, 15 to 20 minutes
total. Put brats in a large disposable
aluminum pan directly on grill. Mix in
kraut, beer, bell pepper, onion, and butter or oil, if using. Stew in pan (on the grill), mixing
occasionally, for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours (for a charcoal grill,
add fresh coals every hour or so.) Serve
on rolls with a steaming slew of kraut, peppers, onions, and a thick band of
mustard.
If you like your brats with a crisp skin but still want the
stewed flavor, reverse the cooking process in this recipe. Stew the brats in the pan with the other
ingredients first; then when you're ready, toss them on the grill until the
skins are browned all over and the brats are cooked through.
Green and Gold Salad –
Makes at least 6 servings
1 ½ large heads of Romaine lettuce
3 oranges, peeled and sectioned
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
Orange dressing:
2/3 c. salad oil
3 T white vinegar
1/3 cup orange juice
1 small clove garlic
1 ½ T grated orange peel
1 ½ tsp basil
½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Prepare orange dressing by placing ingredients [salad oil,
vinegar, orange juice, orange peel and spices] in a blender at low speed for a
few seconds. Refrigerate for 1 hour in a
covered jar.
At serving time, break Romaine into pieces and add oranges
and avocados. Toss with ¾ cup of Orange
Dressing.
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