Frat Brats

Another Trader Joe's recipe!
We made this one a while ago, but it was so good I had to share.

This meal was quick and easy, although we had some trouble deciding on what to eat along with it. Fries or onion rings would have probably been really good, but we opted for something a little more healthy-broccoli. It wasn't a bad combination!

I'm not a beer drinker (we all know that's not true of Isaac), but I love things cooked with beer. Chicken, bratwurst, whatever. Isaac wouldn't allow me to use a bottle of "Homebrew" for this recipe because he said it would be a waste, so next time I'll secretly have to steal a bottle without him knowing.

Frat Brats
Serves:4          Prep time: 5 minutes          Cooking time: less than 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 package Trader Joe's Hofbrau Brats (you could substitute for a different bratwurst)
2 red onions, thinly sliced
1** (12 oz) beer (We chose a Honey Brown lager)
4 focaccia or panini rolls
About 1/2 cup Trader Joe's Corn and Chile Tomato-Less Salsa
Optional garnishes: sliced avocado, sliced Muenster or Havarti cheese, and sliced tomatoes

**Better get more than one beer if you plan on having a drink with this meal!


Make it!
Place the bratwurst and sliced onions in a medium saute pan and pour the beer over them. Bring the beer to a boil and simmer the bratwurst 5 minutes. Turn sausages over and continue to cook until beer is nearly evaporated and onions begin to soften and deepen in color, about 10 minutes. Remove onions and set aside. Cook bratwurst until lightly browned on one side, then turn to brown lightly on the other side. Remove from pan and cool slightly. Cut sausages in half lengthwise. If they are not cooked enough for your liking, return them to the pan, cut side down, for a few minutes to cook them more thoroughly. Split the focaccia rolls (like hamburger buns) and arrange a bratwurst on the bottom of each roll. Place some of the onions on top of each, and add a dollop of corn salsa. Garnish as desired with avocado, cheese, and tomatoes.


We went with the avocado and onion, but left out the tomatoes and cheese. The bratwurst itself was so flavorful when combined with the salsa that I don't think you even need anything else on top!

Get the cookbook HERE!

Potsticker Soup

Isaac and I both love shopping at Trader Joe's. However, it's not the most practical thing for us, since we live on the East side of town, about 4 minutes away from Kroger and an additional 1 away from Publix. When we do go to Trader Joe's, we go a little crazy with our grocery shopping. As silly as it sounds, it somehow seems special to shop there, and way more fun.

Last year I bought The I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook, and I've just recently started cooking out of it. It has a ton of great recipes, and you don't have to buy everything at Trader Joe's. The following dinner is just one of the many awesome recipes from the book.

There was no picture in the cook book, but ours turned out very colorful!

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cubes frozen crushed garlic (you could use a clove or two of fresh garlic, chopped)
1/2 (16-ounce) package frozen chicken or vegetable potstickers (about 12)
1 (20-ounce) bag of stir-fry vegetables (or really any frozen veggies you're in the mood for)
1/2 cup shredded carrots
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sesame oil
*If vegetable broth and vegetable potstickers are used, the recipe is vegetarian!

What to do:
In a medium saucepain, combine brother, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic. Bring to a boil. Add potstickers and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 4 minutes. Add stir-fry vegetables and carrots simmer until vegetables are tender and potstickers are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Garnish with green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil.

Serves: 4-6
Prep  Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes