Monday, February 24, 2014

Currywurst: Easy, Tasty, and Cheap German-ish Dinner

Welcome to a new week! Isn't Currywurst a crazy word? It doesn't sound like food, does it? But it is. It's weird, but delicious!

So, what's been happening lately?

We now have a six-year-old. Yep, crazy, but true.

We got buried in the snow. Then added some ice. Then more snow. It took several days to get out of our driveway.

We found a rug and some pillows for the living room! I am terrible at picking out pillows, but this was my first attempt. Here's a little before, before, and after.

Gotta figure out what to put on this giant wall. (The one over the loveseat. It's about 20 feet tall!) Suggestions??

And as you know, we made Currywurst. I never heard of this dish before, but back in December, my friend Kevin made it at a Holiday party and everyone loved it! It was so simple, but delicious. Ryan was home with a sick Sadie that night, so he never got to try it. I knew he would like it, so I finally got around to making it this weekend.

There are many different versions of Currywurst- and none is really the "right" one. The version I made is the super quick one because I used tomato ketchup instead of stewing a sauce. But according to sources I checked, it came about as a quick easy meal that is also easy on the budget. It Germany today, it's considered to be a type of fast food, often sold in street carts or food trucks. Here is a link to an article about Currywurst in the Wall Street Journal, in case you are interested in learning more.

Quick Currywurst

I feel weird even calling this a recipe because it's so simple.

Ingredients:

  • Package of 4-5 brats (I used the Harris Teeter brand)
  • Ketchup
  • Curry Powder

Preparation:

Preheat the grill to medium-low. When grill is hot, add the brats. Be sure to turn them often. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the brats and let rest a couple of minutes on a cutting board. Next, slice into bite-sized pieces, but leave them on huge cutting board. Drizzle with ketchup. Then finish it off with a dusting of curry powder. You can use more if you like the flavor of curry- which I definitely DO! Enjoy!

We enjoyed ours with roasted Brussels sprouts. Yum! Love them crispy like this!

I think this is a great dish to serve at a cookout or casual get together. I think it would also be a great spring/summer patio dinner for just two people. Light some candles. Grab some beers, add some other pick-ups, and just chat, drink, and eat! I think my husband and I will make this sometime for a stay-home date night when it gets warmer.

If you try Currywurst, let me know how you like it! Thanks to my friend Kevin for the idea!

In other news, this weather has been amazing! We have had some 60-70 degree temps and it has been so nice for walks to the park, walks to the yogurt store, and just sitting outside! I know the cold isn't finished with us yet, but this does make me excited for spring!

 

 

Monday, February 3, 2014

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Bites

Note: this was supposed to be published on Friday! So, can we all please mentally rewind and pretend it is Friday as you read this?

Happy Friday! TGIF! It actually doesn't feel like a Friday at all. We have been off of work since 1:00 on Tuesday due to snow and ice! I won't lie, a 2 1/2 day work week was pretty nice! We had some time to sled, cook, watch movies, clean the house, and relax!

It doesn't look like much, but our street was a big sheet of ice and beieve it or not, Ryan, Sadie, and I did a lot of sledding on that hill!

I think the thing that is greatest about a snow day is the fact that you don't know it is coming. So when you get it, it is like being given a gift of extra time. Since I expected to be various places (work, teaching Zumba, church) and they were all suddenly canceled, I found myself with 48 hours of free time with my family.

We also got to do some cooking.

We made snow cream! I got the idea to put out a big bowl BEFORE it started snowing so that we could collect snow for snow cream. This way, we would not have to scrape the snow off of the ground or other dirty things.

Recipe:

  • 2 cups of snow
  • 1/2 cup of milk
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix well and enjoy! Makes 2-3 small servings.

 

I also had time to create these Paleo Buffalo Chicken Bites. I know with the Super Bowl coming up, lots of people are looking for snack ideas. I think these would be a hit, especially if you like spicy chicken wings!

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Bites

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3/4 cup of coconut flour
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 stick butter or ghee
  • 1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce

 

Preparation:

  • You will need two shallow bowls. Place the beaten egg in one bowl. In the other, mix the coconut flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
  • Using tongs, dip each chicken "bite" in the beaten egg, and then dredge in the flour mixture. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat until all the bites are coated and ready to bake.
  • Bake the bites at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes. While the bites are baking, mix the 1/2 stick of melted butter with the Frank's.
  • Remove the bites and brush one side with the Frank's mixture. Bake 5-6 more minutes. Then turn each bite over and brush the other side with the Frank's mixture. Bake 5 more minutes, or until cooked through.
  • Add a cup of homemade ranch dressing and start dipping! Add some celery sticks if you like!

Now, settle in and watch some football. Or a new episode of Downton Abbey. ;)

 

Note: the fancy camera was charging, so the iPhone had to step in for photos.