Ingredient Spotlight: Brats & Hot Dogs

With Memorial Day just around the corner, today’s Ingredient Spotlight on Brats & Hot Dogs should come in handy!  Just be sure to always buy nitrate-free hot dogs and brats as nitrates are known carcinogens. 

Our favorite brats of the summer are a locally made Wild Rice Brat – one day, I might attempt to make them, but for now, we enjoy them with cherry BBQ sauce all summer long. 

Regardless of the brat type, we always boil them before grilling.  Boiling removes excess fat and speeds up the cooking time.  Our favorite way to boil them is in beer.  Delicious. 

And, of course, what’s a good brat without a fantastic bun?  These whole wheat buns, ready in 40-minutes make a great brat or hot dog bun. 

What are you favorite ways to enjoy brats and hot dogs?  Share your recipe! 

Smoked Sausage Hash Breakfast Wraps

Raise your hand if you’ve been to Alaska!  I had the blessing of traveling there to do some research while I was in graduate school. 

Most of my time was spent in and around Fairbanks, but I did travel to Denali National Park and Nome up near the Bering Sea. 

The state holds a special place in my heart as it was where God made His call clear in my life; without that experience, I would not be where I am. 

Naturally, I have a soft spot in my heart for those with Alaska connections.  Alaska from Scratch is one of those blogs I love – not only for the food, but the photos of life in Alaska too. 

This recipe comes from Maya, and made a delicious breakfast wrapped in a tortilla. 

Smoked Sausage Hash Breakfast Wraps – Adapted from Alaska From Scratch

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a smoked sausage link, sliced and quartered
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 2-3 medium yellow or russet potatoes
• 2 medium bell peppers, colors of your choosing, diced
• 1 tsp. minced onion
• pinch of minced garlic
• dash of paprika
• salt & pepper, to taste
• Whole wheat (or white whole wheat) tortillas
• Cheddar cheese, optional

Directions

Begin by scrubbing your potatoes and patting them dry.  You may wish to peel your sweet potato, if desired.  Prick the potatoes with a fork 5-6 times, and place them on a plate and microwave them for 2 minutes or so.  You want the potatoes to be semi-cooked, but not soft.  Set aside to cool. 

Meanwhile, sauté the bell peppers in a splash of olive oil. 

When crisp-tender, add in the minced onion and garlic, along with the quartered smoked turkey sausage. 

Heat until sausage is warmed.  Then, push the veggies and meat to half the side of the pan. 

When potatoes are cool, dice the potatoes.  Spray the empty half of pan with olive oil.  Add in the potatoes and cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes, then flip. 

When cooked on both sides and potatoes are soft, stir in with the rest of the veggies and sausage.  Season with paprika and salt and pepper, to taste. 

Garnish with parsley.  Serve with veggies. 

Alternatively, wrap 2/3 C hash inside a tortilla.  Top with cheese and wrap up! 

Enjoy!

Menu Plan–May 19

Good Sunday afternoon!  Over the course of the last week we finally hit our green spring explosion here.  The trees are budding their leaves and our crabapples are flowering.  I had to go snap a few photos before the torrential downpours begin. 

The timing is perfect too, as I am heading into summer.  I give my final on Monday and then grade, grade, grade before commencement on Saturday. 

This means, meals this week are going to be easier than normal (which, are already pretty easy). 

Sunday
Apple, Carrot & Zucchini Muffins, Applesauce
Leftover Creamy Garlic Shells, Kale Chips & Roasted Asparagus
Thank you dessert with TAs: Root Beer Floats!

To do: soak lentils, dice peppers

Monday
Berry Baked Oatmeal
Lentils with Roasted Peppers {new}

To do: Thaw chicken, cook bacon

Tuesday
Leftover Berry Baked Oatmeal
Grilling (Monterrey Chicken - new) w/ green bean roasted potato salad

To do: Make rice and prepare casserole ahead of time

Wednesday
Granola and blueberries
Creamy Rice Casserole, steamed veggies
Dessert for Bible Study: Applesauce Oat Cookies {new}

To do: nothing

Thursday
Whole Wheat Waffles with Berry Sauce
Baked veggie sandwiches & sweet potato fries

To do: Make bread by 1pm

Friday
Veggie Scramble
Red Pepper Tortellini Bake, steamed broccoli

To do: Thaw chicken legs

Saturday
TBD
Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken Legs, brown rice, mushrooms

Find more great menus at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday!

Friday Favorite Finds #159

Today is the last day of the semester.  It’s always bitter sweet.  I love seeing how far my students have come in a semester and celebrating their learning.  Saying ta ta for now, and off to summer… now that is a wonderful feeling.  We just have the final exam on Monday to finish (and the subsequent grading that follows), and then summer!

This week, my finds are all over the place.  You can never tell what you might find.

{Note: All images are from the original blogger; please pin the source!}

Rhubarb Sorbet – My friend Sara shared this delicious sorbet recipe as part of Ingredient Spotlight.  Can’t wait for summer to try this out! Pin it here. 

No-Knead Honey Oat Bread – This recipe from Sally sounds so interesting!  I have a wheat oatmeal quick bread recipe, but this one looks amazing, especially with the crust.  Yum-o.  Get the recipe here.  Pin the recipe here. 

Green Tea Cookies – We love green tea around here and I find the idea of a less sweet cookie amazing.  Can’t wait to try this recipe from Sugarcrafter.  Get the recipe here.  Pin the recipe here. 

If you were featured, feel free to grab the button below!

What did you find this week?

Please link up to a post containing your list of recipes to try -- do not link up individual recipes, or recipes that you’ve already made, your links will be deleted.   Be sure to leave a link back here to Finding Joy in My Kitchen.