Back

Bratwurst and Potato Salad

Grilled Bratwurst with Cheese and Onions

Potato Salad

Kosher Dill Pickles

Cinnamon Ice Cream

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

A simpler version of Dinner and a Movie for October, this menu requires less time, less cooking equipment and fewer ingredients – perfect for busy college students.

Grilled Bratwurst with Cheese and Onions

4 large pre-cooked bratwurst sausages

4 hotdog rolls, preferably homemade-style

2 tablespoons butter

4 slices jack cheese, cut in half

Horseradish mustard

1 onion

2 tablespoons cooking oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Cut onions in half through the root. Peel and slice into ¼” slices.
Sauté slowly in olive oil for about 15 minutes, until onions are nicely browned. Sprinkle with kosher salt during the first few minutes of cooking.
When onions are done, sprinkle with a few grinds of black pepper. Taste and adjust salt if necessary. Keep warm.
Slice buns open and lightly butter the inside. Place them, open, on a baking sheet.
Grill bratwurst over medium-low heat until heated through, about 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, you can sauté them in a frying pan in 1 tablespoon of oil until browned and hot.
Just before sausages are done, toast buns under the broiler until very light golden. If you are grilling your bratwurst, you can grill the buns on the same grill along with the sausages. Place two halves of a cheese slice on one side of the bun and slide under the broiler for a few more seconds to soften the cheese. Place hot sausages in the buns and top with sautéed onions. Serve with dill pickles Pass horseradish mustard at the table.

Serves 4

Potato Salad

Purchase a quart of potato salad at your favorite deli.

Cinnamon Ice Cream

1 pint premium vanilla ice cream, such as Häagen-Dazs

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Soften ice cream in the microwave, 10 seconds at a time, until soft enough to spoon easily, but not melted.
Blend ice cream and cinnamon in a blender until smooth.
Place in a freezer container and freeze until firm.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 ½ sticks butter

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350º.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt in a small bowl. Add oats and stir to combine. Set aside.
Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until blended. Add raisins and mix just until raisins are incorporated. Chill dough for 1 hour. Drop by teaspoons onto parchment lined baking sheets – or use baking sheets sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until cookies resist when pressed lightly with finger. Cool.

Shopping List

Grocery items

4 hot dog rolls

Horseradish mustard or your favorite mustard

Dill pickles

2 tablespoons cooking oil

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 2/3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (oatmeal)

1 cup raisins

Salt and Pepper

Pam cooking spray

Drinks of your choice

Meat

4 large pre-cooked bratwurst sausages

Dairy

4 slices Jack cheese

2 tablespoons butter

1 ½ sticks plus 2 tablespoons butter

1 pint premium vanilla ice cream, such as Häagen-Dazs

1 egg

Produce

1 onion

Deli

1 quart purchased potato salad

Cooking Equipment

A timer to signal when the cookies are done.

Medium mixing bowl for cookies

One or two baking sheets for baking cookies and later for toasting the buns

Blender for ice cream

1-quart freezer container for ice cream

Grill for cooking bratwurst, or frying pan if you don’t have a grill available

Frying pan at least 8” wide for cooking onion

Sharp knife and cutting surface

Table Setting

Placemats or tablecloth – or not, depending on your style

Plates for Bratwurst and potato salad

Bowls for ice cream

Serving plate for cookies

Forks for potato salad

Spoons for ice cream

Napkins

Glasses

Plan of attack

Early in the day or the day before: Buy your groceries

Earlier in the day: Bake cookies.

Earlier in the day: Blend ice cream with cinnamon and freeze.

Set table.

Slice and cook onions. You can do this an hour or so ahead of time if you wish, and re-warm them just before serving.

Butter buns and set on a baking sheet. If doing this more than 30 minutes ahead, cover with plastic wrap.

About 10 minutes before you eat, but the onions on low heat to re-warm, put your sausages on the grill and toast the buns.

Add cheese to the buns, then add sausages. Pile some grilled onions on top and put on a plate with a spoonful of potato salad and a pickle.

Serve and sit back to accept the compliments!