Creative problem solving

Last week, I bought a package of brats.  They were frozen and you shouldn’t refreeze a meat after it has been thawed.  I should have divided  the package into our meal sized  portions, but I didn’t.

The solution , we were going to eat the brats three times because there are two of us that eat brats.

First meal : sauerkraut, apples, brats, bread sticks.   I rinsed the sauerkraut, added a chopped apple to cut the acidity if the sauerkraut, and added the brats. A little beer added enough liquid to let it simmer,   Cooked in a skillet until the apples were tender and the brats were cooked,  baked off the breadsticks and brushed them with melted garlic butter,

Second meal :  sheet pan dinner.  We have been cooking this long before anyone started calling it a sheet pan dinner.   I lined the sheet pan with parchment .  I boiled the brats until they were partially done about five minutes. Then I cut summer yellow squash in quarters , quartered potatoes, added some green and red pepper  slices  I had in the freezer, and the brats cut in half to the sheet pan.  I tossed the ingredients with olive oil and sprinkled them with garlic pepper.  Baked them 40 minutes at 400 degrees.

Third meal :  sausage pasta dish (serves 4)

1/2 package sturdy pasta like bow toe or rotini.
Sausage, but into pieces or rings
Olive oil
2 tsp chopped  garlic
1/2 small onion chopped, or 1 tsp onion powder
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup milk or enough to make the sauce creamy
Parmesan cheese, grated

Sauté garlic and onion or onion powder in a little oil.   Add sausage.  Cook until the sausage is cooked through.
Add the can of diced tomatoes holding back some of the juice. *
Add enough milk to make the sauce creamy .  Add back tomato juice if needed.
When sauce is hot, add pasta.
sprinkle with  parmesan  cheese

Serve with red pepper flakes

* the original recipe calls for a whole can of tomatoes and 2 cups of cream for 8 servings,
From the BIG FAMILY HOMESTEAD on u tube.

Normally we wouldn’t eat sausage that many times in a week.   It was a case of waste not, want not.