Do you have family food traditions? We have quite a few, or at least I think. I have lots of memories of both of my grandmothers making certain things and my mom making special foods for special times.
Although we don't have German ancestry anywhere in our family, I grew up eating and LOVING Sausages and Sauerkraut. We would go as a family to Oktoberfest and my mom would bottle her own sauerkraut at home. (She and my dad even made their own sausages one year, but I was much too afraid of them to eat them. Which was fine with my parents, More for them!)
So when we had a special birthday boy at our house request for his favorite dinner - Bratwurst and Sauerkraut, I knew that I was bringing that boy up right!
But as it would happen, his birthday fell on the absolute busiest day of the week. The day where I pick the kids up from school with snacks packed in the car and bags with karate equipment, toys for the little kids during singing lessons and homework packets. When was I ever going to find the time to make the big birthday dinner when we got home right at dinner time?
I found this slow cooker recipe for German Kraut and Potatoes, I made it in the morning and it was very very easy prep. The resulting dinner was so dang delicious! My parents went bonkers over it, (my mom even cheated on her "diet" for it - although it was Not unhealthy) If you are a fan of these type of food - you absolutely need to try this. It is fantastic, and we'll for sure be having it again much sooner than the next birthday request. - Then again, My mom's birthday is next month - so maybe we Will be having it then.
Ingredients:
5 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices (I left mine nice and long)
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 can (bottle) 16 oz sauerkraut
1 lb reduced-fat smoked sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Layer the potatoes, onion, bell pepper and sauerkraut in a slow cooker.
Brown your sausage slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to your slow cooker.
Combine the brown sugar, garlic powder, and black pepper in a small bowl; stir to combine. Sprinkle evenly over the sausage. (That you placed on top of your layer vegetables.
Cook on low heat for 8 hours.
