Who Needs A Bun Series: Bratwurst Pasta

Did you ever imagine that you would combine a bratwurst with a pasta dish? No? Well, maybe you have never had one of Triple T's gourmet bratwursts. The one used for this recipe has a smooth and rich combination of blue cheese and horseradish, which adds a delicious and distinctive flavor to the below four cheese pasta recipe. Try it!


Four Cheese Pasta with Blue Cheese & Horseradish Bratwursts

Ingredients:

- 4 Triple T Blue Cheese & Horseradish Gourmet Bratwursts
- 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Provolone Cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Ramano Cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces Crushed Tomatoes
- 12 ounce Penne Pasta

Additional Topping Options:

- Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- Crushed Red Pepper

Directions:

Start cooking the bratwursts.

Cooking bratwursts...

This can be done in a number of ways: grilled, baked, boiled or fried. Grilling them during warm seasons gives the pasta a delicious grilled taste, but that is not always an option so pick the option that will work best for you. Then cut bratwursts into 1/2" slices.

In the meantime, in a medium sauce pan combine whipping cream and butter, bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir frequently. Simultaneously, prepare pasta according to the directions on the package. After the butter melts, slowly add shredded cheeses and crushed tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and continue to stir until all cheeses have melted. Serve sauce over cooked pasta and top with bratwurst slices.

ENJOY!!!

Apple-Cinnamon Pork Chops

Fall Favorites

Though it is sometimes difficult watching the liveliness of summer slowly extinguish, there are so many wonderful fall splendors to relish, appearances of Mother Nature's canvas turning from a blanket of greens to an assortment of cardinal, rust and chocolate bold colors, echoes of crunching leaves as neighborhood kids gather for a friendly game of football in the backyard, fragrances of those same leaves burning after they have been neatly raked and piled, strokes of a cool breeze nudging you closer to a loved one.

What are some of your fall favorites? Fall flavors, of course, are my favorite. I especially love the taste of fresh orchard picked apples paired with cinnamon in apple cider, apple crisp and this apple cinnamon pork chop recipe. Try it and bring the flavors of fall to your dinner table.

Apple-Cinnamon Pork Chops

Ingredients:

- 4 Triple T Apple-Cinnamon Pork Chops
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 3 tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 4 Fuji Apples, sliced
- 3 tablespoons Walnuts

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add pork chops and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until thermometer reads 160°. Remove chops to the side and keep warm. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, apples, brown sugar mixture and walnuts to the leftover drippings in the skillet. Continue to cook over medium heat while stirring continuously until the apples are tender. Plate pork chops and spoon sauce with apples over each pork chop.

Notes: The flavor of Triple T's apple-cinnamon marinated pork chops enhances the flavor of this recipe throughout each bite. However, non-marinated fresh pork chops may be substituted for this recipe.

ENJOY!!!

Black Cherry Smoked Pork Chops

If Pork Month were a story, this recipe would be the perfect happy ending. As October comes to a close, we feature yet another favored Triple T specialty pork item, our smoked pork chops topped with a delicious black cherry sauce. Try it, you will love how it enhances the rich and smokey flavor of the pork chop.

Black Cherry Smoked Pork Chops

Ingredients:

- 4 Bone In Smoked Pork Chops
- 1/4 cup  Butter
- 3/4 cup Shallots, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen black cherries, pitted and halved (canned works too if you are unable to find fresh or frozen)
- 2 tablespoons red wine
- 1/4 cup Beef Broth
- 1/4 teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place chops on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. In the meantime, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the shallots and cherries. Cook until shallots have begun to soften. Add red wine and beef broth then bring to a simmer. Add rosemary and olive oil, simmer until the sauce has reduced and slightly thickened. Pour over pork chops and serve.

ENJOY!!!

Bratwurst Patties

How Do You Top Your Brat? 

Share your favorite bratwurst topping with us before the end of October and we will enter your name into our Pork Month drawing for a FREE Smoked Bone In Ham. Click here for complete contest details.

Bratwurst & Kraut 

Ingredients:

1 package Triple T Bratwurst Patties (on sale this week)

1 package of Hamburger Buns

4 ounces of Sour Kraut

4 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

Directions:

Grill or pan fry bratwurst patties. Top each patty with 2 tablespoons of sour kraut and 1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard. Serve with crinkle cut fries and cheese sauce.

Cheese Sauce  

Ingredients:

4 oz Velveeta Cheese

2 tablespoons Sour Cream

1/4 cup Milk

1 teaspoon Lowery's Seasoning Salt

Directions:

Melt Velveeta in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add milk, sour cream and seasoning salt, stir until creamy. Serve warm. 

ENJOY!!!

Cottage Bacon

In recognition of October being Pork Month, Triple T will be placing various pork items on special throughout the month. Purchasing the items on special and answering our Facebook trivia questions correctly will get your name placed in our drawing for a FREE Smoked Bone In Ham. Click HERE for more details. This week’s special is cottage bacon. What is cottage bacon? Do you know?

Many people don’t know what cottage bacon is, so this blog post is dedicated to helping you understand what it is and how it can be a terrific substitute for your every day bacon. 

Cottage bacon, not be mistaken with Canadian bacon which comes from the loin section of the pig, is made from pork shoulder. Therefore, it is much more lean than typical bacon that comes from the belly section of the pig, but has a nice even marbling giving it close to the same flavor with less fat. Less fat means less shrinkage, giving you a better value for your money. 

Cottage bacon varies in flavor, just as typical bacon varies in flavor due to different recipes and production methods. Triple T’s cottage bacon has a savory flavor with a hint of sweetness and a smoky finish.  

Triple T’s cottage bacon is pressed giving it a rectangular shape, but larger in width than average bacon. Some cottage bacon may not be pressed giving it an oval shape. Triple T’s cottage bacon is not fully cooked, so just like typical bacon it needs to be cooked before consuming. 

Because Triple T’s cottage bacon is made with the same seasoning as our belly bacon, it is a delicious, meatier and leaner substitute in BLT sandwiches, with eggs, wrapped around grilled items and for any recipe calling for bacon. Keep in mind that it is leaner, so it does not produce as much grease as your average bacon. 

Asparagus & Corn Salad

As summer comes to a close, the grocery store shelves that seasonally held fresh local produce slowly becomes replaced with those grown in tropical regions, savor the summer flavor with this Asparagus & Corn Salad, served with a delicious Triple T twice backed potato.

What you may not know about Asparagus...

Asparagus contains several anti-inflammatory nutrients, which naturally helps arthritic swelling and bloating.

Asparagus also has anti-oxident nutrients that help prevent common chronic health problems, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Asparagus is rich in fiber, helping the digestive track system, and because it has high levels of inulin, asparagus helps in lowering the risk of colon cancer.

Asparagus is an excellent source of folic acid, an essential nutrient, especially for expecting mothers.

Asparagus is a good source of Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6, which plays a vital role in the metabolism of sugars and starches for healthy blood sugar management.

Fun Food Fact: There are approximately 300 varieties of asparagus, but only 20 that are edible.

Asparagus & Corn Salad

Ingredients:

- 6 ears of Corn, husk and silk removed
-1 bunch Asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
- 1/2 small Red Onion, diced
- 6 Basil Leaves, minced
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions:

Boil corn for 3 minutes. Remove and toss into a bowl of ice water to cool immediately. Leave the water boiling on the stove.  Remove corn from ice bath and cut kernels off the cob. Drop the asparagus into the boiling water for only 1 minute, and toss it in the ice bath. Mix corn and asparagus in a medium sized mixing bowl, then add the remaining ingredients. Add more salt and pepper as desired.

Serve with a delicious Triple T twice baked potato for a complete meal.

ENJOY!!!

Campfire Cooking

There are no substitutions to the fresh September air, sitting around a campfire and enjoying time with your family or friends, free from distractions. Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to do just that and below is a campfire recipe that will satisfy all. If your Labor Day plans don't include camping, but you want to savor these last chances to grill before winter with something extraordinary, this recipe works for you too!

Beef Up Your Bob - Kebob Recipe

Marinade Ingredients:

1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Vinegar
1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
2 tablespoons Honey
1 tablespoon Garlic, Minced

Kebob Ingredients:

4 - 8oz Steaks, cut into 1" square chunks
1 large White Onion, cut into wedges
1 Red Sweet Bell Pepper, cut into 1" square slices
1 Orange Sweet Bell Pepper, cut into 1" square slices
1 Green Sweet Bell Pepper, cut into 1" square slices
16 ounces Mushrooms, left whole

Directions: 

Mix together marinade ingredients and place the beef in the marinade. Refrigerate for 24 hours prior to cooking. See below for cooking options.

Campfire Cooking:

Be sure to soak the food cooking ends of the sticks in water for 10 minutes prior to placing alternating kebob ingredients onto the stick. Then hold your kebobs closely over the hot coals and rotate slowly to sear the meat, sealing in the juices. Then push the opposite end of the stick into the ground near the coals to finish roasting the kebobs. Occasionally rotate each stick to ensure even cooking on all sides. Using this cooking method, there are many factors that can determine your cooking time, therefore, it is best to continuously check for your desired doneness.

Grill Cooking:

Place alternating ingredients on skewer and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side.

Enjoy!!!