Thursday, October 29, 2009

Beer Braised Cabbage & Bratwurst

It was one of those October days when heading to the market just wasn't appealing. Slush was falling from the sky.

With a recent Oktoberfest party behind us, we had some bratwurst in the freezer, some leftover cabbage, a few beers, and some potatoes and onions rolling around. "These ingredients make perfect sense," thought I. Thus, a beer braised bratwurst and cabbage dinner was born.

A seasonal, comforting, savory dish was great on a cold rainy night. With cabbage, potato, and onion in season, and locally sourced bratwurst already in the freezer, I didn't have to leave the house to make this dish.

Beer Braised Cabbage & Bratwurst

1 pound of bratwurst
3 medium red potatoes
1 medium onion
1 small head of cabbage
1 tablespoon oil
About 2 12 oz cans/bottles o' beer
1 tablespoon of caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
Whole grain horseradish mustard.

In skillet, cook brats until browned; remove.
While that's browing, cut potatoes into chunks, slice onions 1/2 inch thick, dice cabbage into 1 inch pieces or so.
Deglaze brat skillet with beer.
Place browned brats, deglazing mixture, and cabbage in shallow 3 1/2 quart casserole.
In same skillet, add the oil and cook potatoes and onions until lightly browned, stirring.
Pour this mixture over the brats and cabbage.
Deglaze skillet with more beer.
Add caraway to the deglazing mixture; heat to boiling.
Pour over mixture in casserole.
Cover and bake at 375ºF. for 1 1/2 hours. Makes 4 servings.
Serve with whole grain horseradish mustard.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Shepherd's Way Farms 15th Anniversary

Help celebrate Shepherd's Way Farms 15th Anniversary tomorrow, on October 24th, at an open house at the farm from 1-5pm.

Everyone is invited to come and sample great cheese and sausage, tour the cheesemaking facilities and the milking parlor and enjoy a moment in the country.

Wanna wish them a happy anniversary, but can't make the trip?

They will be at Southwest High in Minneapolis TONIGHT sampling and selling before a screening of the film, Fresh. Doors are at 6pm, film starts at 7pm. Suggested donation of $10 at the door

Southwest High School
3414 West 47th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55410

Shepherd's Way Farms
8626 160th Street East
Nerstrand, MN 55053-2309


[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Monday, October 12, 2009

$50 Discount for New Backyard Harvest Customers

Sign up this fall for a 2010 Backyard Harvest garden!

Are you interested in having a lush garden growing outside your home?
Would you like to find a basket of fresh organic vegetables on your back step each week?

Are you interested in helping to grow your local food system?

If so... we have a backyard farmer for you!

Have you dreamed of having fresh food right in your backyard but don't have the time or expertise to get it done? Let Backyard Harvest jump start your edible landscape. We offer a variety of services and options to the Twin Cities including 3 garden designs to choose from, 3 a la carte food gardens and garden consulting. A Backyard Harvest garden is a unique package that includes the garden design, installation, watering system, personal urban farmer for the growing season, weekly harvest at your door, e-newsletter, garden journal and more! This will be the second year of Backyard Harvest. New features and options in 2010 garden include garlic, asparagus, strawberries and potatoes.

Backyard Harvest’s mission is to strengthen the Twin Cities local foods infrastructure one yard at a time by turning lawns into nourishing and healthy landscapes. We connect eaters directly to their food, neighbors to one another, and urban farmers to professional opportunities.

$50 discount for new customers signing up this fall!

View 2010 Garden Options

For more information go to Backyard Harvest
or visit one our fall info sessions:
10/19, 7pm - Butter Bakery Cafe, 3544 Grand Ave S, Minneapolis
10/21, 6pm - Urban Earth Garden Co-op, 910 W 36th St, Minneapolis
10/22, 7pm - Fireroast Mountain Cafe, 3800 37th Ave S, Minneapolis

Learn more and schedule a consultation today! Email harvest@pricoldclimate.org

Backyard Harvest is a community-building program in urban Permaculture. The program provides both garden fresh food and garden education for homeowners, renters and neighborhoods, as well as entrepreneurial and small-scale food production training for our farmers. Our farmers contract with homeowners, renters and communities to create gardens in their backyards, maintain the gardens and harvest all of the produce weekly for each family.

Backyard Harvest is a program of Permaculture Research Institute Cold Climate - www.pricoldclimate.org
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]