Baked Rachel Dip

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking for something different and easy to make for a football snack.

I found Cathy's recipe from Noble Pig for Reuben Dip. But I was looking for something with no red meat.

So I decided to make it into Baked Rachel Dip, using Butterball Turkey Pastrami!



Baked Rachel Dip
1/2 pound diced turkey pastrami
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup sauerkraut, drained well
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
cocktail rye bread

In a medium bowl, combine turkey pastrami, cream cheese, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, sour cream, ketchup and mustard. Transfer to a greased, 1-quart baking dish.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, until heated through and bubbly. Serve warm with cocktail rye bread.

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Drain sauerkraut.


I really liked that this recipe only calls for a cup of sauerkraut. I bought one 8 oz can and had no leftovers to deal with!

Cut turkey pastrami.




Mix it all up up (except the rye bread)


Then into the oven for 30 minutes until it's heated through and bubbly!


How easy is that??!!!



Ok... dip isn't so pretty to look at... but it tastes sooo good!!

I've tried Reubens a couple of times and never really cared for them. I like all of the ingredients on their own, but together, it just doesn't do it for me.

Maybe I'd like a Rachel? I don't know. But in dip form, this totally rocks!!

It's wicked fast and easy and everyone LOVED it!

Need a quick easy appetizer? Definitely try this!

Brats in Beer with Sauerkraut

Grill season is in full swing. What's your favorite thing to grill?

I can never choose. Anytime I fire up the coals, the kids usually want burgers & dogs. But I usually want to grill some chicken or steak or veggies or pork or shrimp... See my problem? I can't choose!! So typically, the minimum that ends up on my grill is burgers & dogs, plus at least one other protein.

One Jon's often requested grilled foods is Brats.


I didn't grow up eating these and honestly, I'm not a big fan. I'm not really sure how or why I started making them like this.

But Jon & our friends seem to really like them!

Brats in Beer with Sauerkraut
Brats
Sauerkraut, mostly drained
Beer
Onion, sliced
salt & pepper
Sausage Rolls (nice ones!)
Mustard (the good stuff!!)
Mayo (if you like)

Make a bed of sauerkraut in the bottom of a grill-safe pan.
Top with some sliced onions, then brats.
Top brats with more sauerkraut & sliced onions.
Sprinkle with a little salt & pepper.
Cover with beer.
Let that rest in the fridge for awhile (until the coals are ready)
Put the pan on the grill. If the beer is boiling too much... move it to a cooler part of the grill, so it doesn't totally boil off. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Pull the brats out of the sauerkraut and place them on the grill to get some nice grill marks on them. Serve them in a sausage roll that has really good mustard and mayo in it... add some of the sauerkraut & onions and enjoy!



I like to use little foil loaf pans for this. They each hold two brats plus kraut nicely.




Ok... looks like I added the beer before topping with kraut... but in hindsight... adding the beer last would be better!




Now to get the coals ready.

That's Jon's job. I hate to do it and I'm not very good at it. It takes me forever!

Coals are ready... on to the grill they go!


They are sharing the grill with some Ranch Turkey Burgers.

Steamy...


Ok... ready for some grill marks.

I moved them to the other grill... because that's where I had room!


One opened up a bit...


Time to get the sausage rolls ready.

Jon prefers Mr. Mustard for his brats... and he like mayo too.








That's it! Ready to eat!


That probably would have looked a little better cut in half! But I assure you... if you love brats... you'll love them like this!

Pork Chops with Sauerkraut

This recipe is one that my X-mother-in-law used to make.

I don't make it the same way she did. But she never shared recipes... even when she still liked me. Ya know... maybe she really never liked me and that's why she didn't share! Who knows and I really don't care... so I'm pretty sure you don't either!!

Anyway....

I now I make a cheater's version of hers. I'm pretty sure she fried up some bacon... then fried up some onions in the bacon fat, then seared the pork chops in the bacon fat... then covered the pork chops with sauerkraut, crumbled bacon and onions.

This is my cheater's version.



You'll need:
Pork Chops
Sauerkraut
Bacon (I use a package of microwaveable bacon... but I used to use a jar of REAL bacon bits...no Bacos!)
Durkee French Fried Onions
Brown Sugar
Salt & Pepper
Smoked Paprika

Season your beautiful thick center cut pork chops with salt, pepper and smoked paprika.




Sear both sides in a hot skillet.




Place seared pork chops in a baking dish.


In a large bowl, mix sauerkraut (I used two pounds) with a couple spoons of brown sugar and some pepper.




Cover pork chops with sauerkraut, including any juices left in the bowl.


The pork chops are in there! Trust me!


Bake at 350F, until pork chops reach about 145F.
Take them out of the oven and cover the sauerkraut with chopped bacon (or REAL bacon bits) and Durkee French Fried Onions.

This is a whole package of microwave bacon.








Bake for about 10 more minutes or until pork chops reach 155F.






So moist and juicy inside!!


I serve it with white rice.


I make LOTS of sauerkraut because the kraut mixed with bacon and onions is GREAT as leftovers mixed with rice!


YUM!