and a happy new year! (brrr edition)

The weather folk were bang on this time, and luckily I believed them. Snow and ice twice in one winter in central Texas?? Astonishing but yes, its true.

So this morning I woke up with that “snow day, woohoo!” feeling. I guess maybe once you know how it feels you never lose it. There’s a certain rush of “day off-ness” even if you’ve been responsible and already cancelled or rescheduled your life just in case.

I went to the grocery two days ago (yes while it was still in the 50s) and prepared for the 24-hour freeze that we were promised. Only 24-hours, not really winter, but long enough to enjoy a few things that I don’t usually make as they need a really cold day outside to taste right.

The same way that Pastis doesn’t taste right in the winter (at least in my opinion), kielbasa and kraut doesn’t taste right when the temperature outside is much over 35F.

This is a super easy, quick, down and dirty version of a friend’s mother’s recipe. That recipe called for baking for at least an hour. Mine is a fast-food equivalent if you will, but I think it is acceptable. It warms the house and the belly, and is perfect for a filling winter lunch. Here’s all it takes.

Get to the grocery before the expected cold snap and the crowds of panicked shoppers. Get a package of pre-cooked beef kielbasa, and a jar (not *ever* a can) of sauerkraut. Cut the kielbasa in rounds about 1/4 inch. Sautee them over medium heat until nicely browned, turning as needed. Add drained sauerkraut to the skillet. Mix well. Add a few sprinkles of brown sugar and sautee a few more minutes. (You do keep brown sugar on hand, right? That’s why I didn’t tell you to buy any.) Toss a few times, plate up and enjoy – and feel like a real smuggy for being so well prepared.

Now I suppose you could do something similar with chicken sausage, and if you have the time and inclination (I would have except I was *hungry*!!) you can pepare this on the stove then transfer to a baking dish, cover and bake for about 1/2 hour covered at 350F then another 1/2 hour or so uncovered… or even do this in a crock pot although I’d still brown the meat in advance. Lots of options all with pretty much the same yummy outcome.

I suppose this is sort of a cheater’s version of choucroute garnie, a dish my father poured love into but that I didn’t appreciate as a kid. That involved smoked meats, potatoes, sauerkraut and plenty of oven time (and no brown sugar, I don’t think). I still prefer this slightly sweet, tangy, quick version.

In any event, hope you and yours are safe and warm and enjoying a healthy start to the new year! More soon, I promise… mmm and brrr!

Advertisement