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iCook: Pasta With Johnsonville Smoked Brats (Fall Comfort Food)


What kind of food do you think of when you hear fall comfort food? I think of cheese, soup, tomatoes, maybe bread, but all definitely warm. Or hot. I blogged about using Johnsonville sausages before, but in that post, I cook some [fried] stew with sausages, instead of the more traditional goat meat, beef, or chicken. And in that post, I used the Andouille sausage instead.
Well, it’s a new day, and fall is a-coming. My original thought was to cook some hearty vegetable soup and switch out the traditional chicken for some Johnsonville sausages, but my appetite beckoned for some pasta, and who am I to deny my appetite? I love classic pasta and pasta sauce, and I make the best version of this, if I do say so myself. What I always love doing is to put a twist on what is considered the norm and make it a little more Verastic.

Johnsonville Smoked Brats

Johnsonville Smoked Brats

Instead of the Andouille sausages I used the last time, I decided to try something new. I went for the Smoked Brats instead. This is made out of pure pork, but there’s a beef version, if you prefer. For me, however, when I think of sausages, I think of pork. I decided that I would prefer my sausages grilled, not boiled or microwaved, because I wanted them to have those grill lines and, more importantly, to have a little bit of that burned/smoked flavor. So I assigned Igwe to grilling duties. He is, after all, the Grill Master of this home – a position I assigned to him without his request or consent. Yes, he grilled them on the George Forman. Don’t laugh.

Johnsonville Smoked Brats On The Grill

Johnsonville Smoked Brats On The Grill

Before Igwe started grilling, we just expected that we would be eating some good ol’ regular sausages, but after he was done and we casually took a bite into the steaming hot sausage, our eyes popped. So full of flavor! I have never in my life eaten sausages this flavorful and juicy. And by the way, they come fully cooked. Oh, and before he even started grilling, he was complaining that I didn’t buy the same sausages as before (the Andouille ones), but after he tasted these ones, he literally picked the wrap out of the trash can to read it again. He was in love; I could see it in his eyes. At that very moment, these sausages were the other woman.

Grilled Johnsonville Smoked Brats. You know you want some of this.

Grilled Johnsonville Smoked Brats. You know you want some of this.

Unlike most other fully cooked sausages, these Johnsonville ones use absolutely no fillers, but they’re still firm and juicy. Johnsonville has been served with pride since 1945, and they use only premium cuts of pork to pack in the flavor (no wonder). Did I already mention how flavorful these sausages are? You might leave your husband (or wife) over them.

So you probably want to see the finished product already, huh? Read and learn.

Ingredients:

1. Johnsonville sausages of your choice – I used the Fully Cooked Smoked Brats

2. Spaghetti – whatever kind you prefer. I used thin spaghetti

3. Pasta sauce – whatever kind you prefer. I used Ragu in the tomatoes, onion, and garlic flavor

4. Cayenne pepper – not required, but I love spicy food.

5. Quarter teaspoon of curry powder – not required. I just like the taste.

6. Two Knorr cubes – not required. I also just like the taste. These can be found in African stores or the Hispanic section of regular grocery stores.

7. Parmesan cheese

8. Fresh parsley leaves (not required, but it makes the food pretty)

Total prep time: 15 to 20 minutes

How To Prepare

1. Grill your sausages (skip this step and go to the next, if you don’t want your sausages grilled)

2. Simultaneously boil your spaghetti while you also cook the pasta sauce, sausages (cut in big chunks), and spices (Knorr cubes, curry, and cayenne pepper). Not in the same pot.

3. Stir spaghetti sauce and mix all the ingredients properly. Let boil on medium heat for five minutes.

4. When the spaghetti and sauce are done boiling, add some shredded Parmesan cheese and top. Use as much or as little as you like.

5. Add some parsley leaves to up your pretty.

6. Now eat. Is it simple? Or is it simple? Before you try this recipe for yourself, please eat vicariously through me.

Find out more about Johnsonville sausages HERE, and also find a location to buy right here. One picture wouldn’t do my food justice, so I added three. Igwe finished the food on the plate as soon as it was done with its photoshoot. Now, if this food doesn’t comfort you, you must be doing it all wrong. Please repeat until you are comforted. You’re welcome.

Pasta With Johnsonville Smoked Brats

Pasta With Johnsonville Smoked Brats

Pasta With Johnsonville Smoked Brats

Pasta With Johnsonville Smoked Brats

Really up close and personal: Pasta With Johnsonville Smoked Brats.

Really up close and personal: Pasta With Johnsonville Smoked Brats.

  Sweepstakes: Each comment is entered into a sweepstakes to win a $100 VISA card. All you have to do is leave a comment and tell me what comfort food you would like to cook with Johnsonville Sausage.

Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

  1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
  2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
  3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
  4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 9/29-11/2.

Be sure to visit the Johnsonville Sausage brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

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Comments

  5. heather says

    I would like to have this Johnsonville Smoked Brats with eggs and hashbrown for a big country breakfast.

  22. Stephanie Phelps says

    I make jambalaya with it all the time and I look forward to making it many more times with it!

  25. Jessie C. says

    I would like to cook sausage corn soup with Johnsonville Sausage.
    tcarolinep at gmail dot com

  30. April V. says

    I like a good potato soup for warmth, comfort and tasty filling. Usually by itself but toss in some spicy sausage? Yum.

  31. ANGEL JACKLYN says

    WE ENJOY EATING LOTS OF PASTA AROUND HERE, SO I’D PROBABLY DO EXACTLY AS YOU DID 😉

  33. Kimmy Ripley says

    Your recipe with the spaghetti looks delicious! I never thought of using sausage with spaghetti but I think I’m going to try that soon. Thanks!

  41. Anne says

    These brats (in the beef variety) would be perfect in a favorite comfort-food dinner here, which I make in my rice cooker: Onions, garlic, rice, any leftover cooked veggies I have on hand, and sliced sausages, all cooked together in a mixture of broth and water.

  45. shelly peterson says

    This sausage would really be good cooked up with some cabbage.
    cshell090869 at aol dot com

  52. Cheryl W says

    I would love to add some Johnsonville sausage to my Paella recipe. Thank you so much for the opportunity to enter.

  54. Donna Harris says

    I like to fix Johnsonville sausage with pototoes, green peppers, onions, sometimes cooked in beer. Also I like to use Johnsonville sauage and cabbage with onions.

  59. Lee says

    My favorite comfort fall breakfast is German apple pancake in a cast iron pan in the oven. I would add Johnsonville sausages to it!

  61. Gina M says

    I would love to make sausage stuffed mushroom caps!
    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com

  73. Victoria R. says

    So manyt hings you could could with Johnsonville Sausage – I’d probably cook a Denver omelette scramble! Delish!

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