Brat Kabobs with White Wine Rotini PLUS A CHALLENGE HIGHLIGHT

CHALLENGE HIGHLIGHT: FROZEN PEANUT BUTTER CUP

My dad was awesome enough to accept the ice cream challenge.  Here's his concoction:

I give you... the frozen peanut butter cup.  My commendations to you, dad.  You make every Spartan that ever lived wordlessly proud.

DON'T FORGET TO SHARE YOUR CONCOCTIONS AND HAVE THEM HONORABLY MENTIONED IN THE NEXT POST!!

Moving on...

Is there anything that can compare to a piping hot, all-American meal?

OF COURSE THERE IS, IT'S CALLED FOREIGN FOOD.

I really wanted to make something using the bratwursts we had in the freezer, but not just anything; I wanted to make something that looked irrationally fancy.  Which would require an irrationally fancy side dish.

In light of this, I remembered that mom has recently taken a liking to making delicious Marsala wine-based goodies.  However, her concoctions have only made use of dark wines.  And seeing how we've had a few small bottles of white cooking wine that have seen no love--

"Nobody wants to drink my insides."

--I figured I might try my hand at using some to make a cream sauce.  For what you might ask?

Fancy curly pasta.

BUT WHAT TO SERVE WITH FANCY CURLY PASTA???

SHISH KABOBS

Brat Kabobs with White Wine Rotini

Yields about five or six babobs and about seven servings of pasta

Ingredients:

3 bratwursts, sliced into chunks

4 medium sized potatoes, also chunked

1/2 onion, chunked

3 cups whole wheat egg noodles

1 cup heavy cream OR ricotta cheese (Note: I used the ricotta since we didn't have any cream; it came out tasting really good, but still had a very ricotta-y texture.  If you use the ricotta, I recommend melting it beforehand)

1/2 cup white wine

2-3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon oil

Chicken broth base

Paprika

Garlic powder

Salt

Pepper
Bamboo skewers

Instructions:

1.) Get your chunked potatoes boiling so that they cook while you work (starting them about 10 minutes beforehand wouldn't be a bad idea).  Meanwhile, get five cups of water boiling in another pot for the pasta.

2.) Start frying your brats in a skillet seasoned with garlic powder, salt, and pepper (to taste, obviously).  Shortly into this, the pasta water should be boiling.  Go ahead and get the pasta cooking.

3.) When the potatoes, brats, and pasta are close to being finished, melt your butter in a small pot.  Add the white wine, stirring constantly.  Let it simmer for two or three minutes, to cook out the alcohol.

Unless you wanna get S!*& faced.

...don't get S!*& faced.

4.) Still stirring, add your cream or ricotta.  Stir constantly until the mixture is well combined and thoroughly melted.

5.) While stirring, add your chicken broth and paprika to taste (I recommend probably a tablespoon and a half of the broth base, and about 2 teaspoons of paprika).  Mix well, take off of the heat, and cover.

6.) By this time, your potatoes, pasta, and brats should be done.  Take everything off of the heat.  Keep the pasta and sauce covered for now.  Toss the potatoes in paprika and salt, to taste.

7.) Over a medium high heat, saute your onions (using just a little butter for lubrication).

8.) Once the onions are done, begin threading the brats, potatoes, and onions onto the bamboo skewers.  *leave a little room at the top and bottom of the skewers to hold onto!

9.) Set the kabobs aside (I'd throw 'em in the microwave to keep them warm).  Spoon helpings of drained pasta onto serving plates, and top with wine sauce.  Plop a kabob onto a plate.

10.) REVEL IN THE DELICIOUSNESS.

Like I said, I'd melt the ricotta first if you plan on using it for the sauce, just so it doesn't have that grainy ricotta-ish texture.  I feel like the cream would come out a lot smoother, so I'd go for that if you have the option.  Other than the texture, though, the flavor was excellent!!  My mom said it was "very comforting", and I couldn't help but agree.  The kabobs, well, they're pretty hard to mess up, and so customizable!  Don't be afraid to add or omit ingredients for them, make them your own!!

ECHO out.