So we've all been busy and the blog has been slow, but I'm hoping we'll be able to pick things up for the summer. Yay! I've tried some new recipes and foods in the last few weeks, but none of them have been winners. So instead I present a really easy recipe that I like to make once in a while.
Beans and Brats (serves 2-3 adults):
2 or 3 of your favorite bratwurst sausages, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (I use fake, of course, but I still haven't found any that brown up nicely, so real will probably be even tastier in this recipe)
1 medium onion, diced
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, not drained
3 Tbs unsulphured molasses
1. Heat a large nonstick pan, with a little oil, on medium and brown up the brats, then set them aside. 3-4 minutes.
2. In the same skillet, turn up the heat a bit and saute your onions until they're soft and maybe a little brown. 5 minutes or so.
3. Add tomatoes, beans, molasses, and put the brats back in. Season with salt and pepper and simmer 10 or 15 minutes until the sauce thickens a bit and the flavors concentrate. If it gets too thick, add a little water. When you think you're done give it a taste--if it doesn't have a nice sweetish flavor it needs more cooking or more molasses.
And that's it. The original recipe called for leeks, and it turned out good that way, but onions are cheaper and easier to work with, so I generally use them. You can also dice a potato into it for extra veggie power and such, but I think it's unnecessary.
P.S. I've been looking for/experimenting to find a nice, basic pasta salad recipe with a lot of flavor, so if anyone has ideas that'd be super. I've been looking for something Italian dressing-y or vinaigrette-y.
