Cooking with Us - e26 - Spaghetti with Bratwurst

Want a big ol' American ethnic food mash-up!?
 Here comes Spaghetti, Thai style, with Wisconsin brats - on this episode of Cooking with Us!

Please watch in high res, full screen, and share. And subscribe! (^ psst, that's the video)

My last post was on an appetizer Nee made us (on her birthday!) that was fantastic!  If you missed it, please do yourself a delicious favor and check it out here!

That same night, she made us a main course of her own invention: "Thai style" spaghetti with bratwurst!  Why bratwurst?  Well, first of all, we live in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and secondly, it was in honor of 'brat days' - an annual festival that was happening that weekend! ^^

Is your mouth watering yet?
I bet it is!

Let's get to the photo recipe after the jump!

First I had to say Hi to everyone and remind you guys
that this is the second part from the same night as our last blog post.

Also, hashtags are important to 10 year olds ;)

Theron and I had pre-baked our turkey brats at around 250 till they seemed done, 

with me poking holes in them to let some of the grease drain out.

Maybe this sounds sacrilegious to Wisconsinites, but I'd rather taste the meat than just grease!

Then Nee poured water into a large pot and brought it to a low boil.

This is where the asparagus would later go.

Nee then chopped up the brats in a super cool, 

semi-diagonal way, making them awesome and bite-sized!

It's nice to have helpers to chop with you - onions, and garlic happening here.

Thanks Theron, Jimbo, and Nee!

Also chopped were cherry tomatoes, and asparagus (but only a little).

Nee made a separate pot of chicken stock/broth to later ladle into her spaghetti.

In your wok, start by adding olive oil.

Then stir in three chopped onions till they, "smell good."

As I stare creepily at Nee ;)

Pour about 350 milliliters of wine into a measuring cup, as you will use it later.

When the onions are just right, add in two heads of chopped garlic.

Nee added half the pre-cooked brats at this point so they would absorb some flavor.

Later on she added the rest.

And if you see my hand stealing one, well - I wasn't the only one!

At this point, add your large-chopped asparagus into your semi-boiling water.

Cook them till they are still a bit crunchy.

Add salt to flavor your onion-garlic-brat mixture.

And ladle in as much chicken broth as you feel is necessary.

We used about three large ladles full.

Strain out your asparagus into a bowl, but reserve the water in the pot.

Because you're going to use this water for your spaghetti.

How cool is that?!

We used two boxes of spaghetti and cooked it for approximately nine minutes.

Add more salt as needed.

Now, if you look behind me, you can see it was time to add the wine to the mixture.

Me?  I was giving the girls green tea.

Getting close!

Chop up fresh basil!

Now Nee strains our spaghetti...

As two 10 year olds try and convince me that 

Honey BooBoo 'sketti' is something anyone would want to eat. Ever.

Of note: On Jim's suggestion Nee added 4-6 Tablespoons of oil to the spaghetti itself.

In the meantime, it's nice to say hi to your loyal companion.

Hi Brigly!

Time to add in the chopped cherry tomatoes, basil, and cooked asparagus to your onion mixture.

Then you put all your spaghetti into your wok.

My husband's quote says it all!

(Even though I'd like to point out, he has never actually seen Jaws ;)

Stir it up beautifully!

Then add Parmesan for a bit more salt and creaminess.

Nee also added and stirred up some dried oregano at the last minute.

(Sorry we didn't have fresh oregano!)

Finally - top with fresh cilantro and serve!

Feel free to chow down!

This was my first plate and Rosie's 2nd.

She totally inhaled her first plate - fo' sheezy!

Then do a terrible rendition of 'Happy Birthday To You/Nee/Auntie' as it was Nee's birthday!

(August 1st if anyone wants to send her prezzies next year!)

See?  Pretty birthday balloons!

And now some pix from Theron's camera to make your mouth water, followed by the recipe, and a transcript!

Beautiful cherry tomatoes being chopped!

Great job on the garlic, gang!

 

Lots of chopped onions!

Beautifully sliced turkey brats.

Gorgeous asparagus!

Are you jealous?

I mean seriously, you kinda have to be!

Beautimix!

As we chow down :)

You've had enough brats, Brigly!

We know those girls were sneaking them to you!

The beautiful strawberry tres leches Nee and Jim brought over!

The even more beautiful birthday girl!

Lighting candles is fun :D

Especially when the flame is the same color as the candle.

Everyone was mesmerized!

Pretty right?

What a nice night!!  So glad to have good friends to share their special moments with us.

And, you know, sometimes good friends happen to be crazy 10 year olds.

That's perfectly OK too!

At least they keep things hectic and interesting :D

PS: Here's the larger version of my youtube cover picture! :)

Happy birthday, dear friend!
xo
-Val!

Recipe:

Fill a large pot with water and bring to low boil.

Put oil in a wok and star to fry 3 chopped onions.

Add 2 heads of garlic to the wok.

Also add precooked brats (we had 2 packs of turkey Johnsonville brats) that you've cut into small slices.

On another burner, make a chicken soup with bouillon.

When the water is ready, cook your chopped asparagus just until slightly soft.

Stirring your onions, garlic, and brats, add salt and chicken broth as needed.

Remove asparagus but reserve the water, and add in your spaghetti. Which will cook about 9 minutes.

Drain your spaghetti and, if you want, add 4-6  Tbsp oil to it, then add it to your brat mixture.

Stir, and add in your chopped cherry tomatoes, basil, and asparagus.

Mix well, and add in Parmesan cheese and oregano.

Mix again, and serve topped with cilantro.

Voila!

Transcript:Hi, welcome to Cooking With Us.
Hi!
Hashtag

Uhm.. Tonight we're making spaghetti with brats....

We won't murder anyone...
Or will we?

Are we making the lasagne?

Spaghetti..?
Spaghetti

So you're making us spaghetti with brats?
Yes.

And we've never cooked brats before so hopefully we did OK, I dunno.

We gonna cook spaghetti, Thai style, with brats.

Thai style spaghetti?
Yeah.
But with brats?
Yes!

That's Wisconsin!
Wisconsin!
Wisconsin!

Yes
And we're gonna -

In honor of Bratwurst days.
Yeah the honor is bratwurst - today!

Oh yeah!
It is bratwurst days!
See I thought so...

Spaghetti...

And we have the brats, Johnsonville!
Yep.

Chicken soup, oregano...

White wine!  After we cooking, we gonna drink it.

And Parmesan cheese, onions, and asparagus.

Wow
That's gonna be really good.

Tomatoes - cherry, olive olive oil, mhm, yes.
Some sea salt
sea salt.

Garlic, basil, cilantro!

Man!
Ok
Yep

Ok let's get to work!

No no, just chopping for, chopping onions and, garlic.

We're chopping the brats into really tiny pieces.
Wow, look at that!
I've never seen anybody do that before.

Look at that!

We're gonna make for, we cut the brats for - they're already cooked - for the small pieces for cooking, and this one for put on the top for when we're done cooking.

And we have a sweetness from the onions, and taste from garlic, and this one, this one for the cherry tomatoes, yes, this one is just for the vegetable, it makes it tough and tender. To make it...

And we have a lot of people here, we're gonna make it two of this, ok?

Ok lovie, what's that?

We gonna make a soup for...
It's the chicken soup broth.
Chicken soup broth.

So it's Spanish words on there...
But it is chicken bouillon basically.

I'm all worried.

Onion.
Onions.
Two big onions.

I saw you chop up three.
I think it looks like three, it looks like a lot.
A lot.

We stir until it smells good.

Wine for me, pour.

Sure how much wine?

A cup, one cup?

350 mils?
Yep!

Yep.

Wine makes it taste sour, from the wine.

Two cloves of garlic.

No two two.
Two heads.

Two heads of garlic, I was like uh wow those are big cloves.

This is really good actually.
They were charging a little too much for the...
Can I have one?
Yes!
Can I too?
Yes
Thank you!

Uh, brats have a tasty already, we need to just put the - cooking for, make some sizzling, everything, goes to the brats.

Asparagus!

When it's done, just take it out.

Strain it, ok.

So you have a task, huh baby?
Yep.

Yep.
Ok.

Yep.

Nee style, yes.
Nee style spaghetti!

That seems fair.

Man, I used to watch my mom make spaghetti all the time.

Yeah maybe a little more salt.
Either way I don't mind salt.
Maybe just a little bit.

It's good though.

Nine minutes? Ok.

Wine.
Wine time!

It's going in - over here.
Into the... brat, onion, garlic mixture.

I was gonna give you both two...
Thank you.

Mm, very good.

Mm - Oh my gosh that's delicious!
Theron!

Mm.. That's really good.
Right?
It's complex too with the wine.

Yep, yeah the wine really helps.
Well, I dunno I didn't taste it before, but I'm sure it changes the flavor.

Yeah it's good.

Changes flavors and just make it taste like...
Oh my gosh!
Yep

Oh I love basil so much! I love it!
Looks really good right?

"The words are often knives that leave scars,
The fear of falling apart,
Truth be told I never was yours,
The fear of falling apart."

Yay!!!
Yay!

If you ever come to our house, you will have sketti!
You will have Honey BooBoo -

Then I will never come to your house again.

Well, you won't bring Brigly then!

Hi...
How ya doin' Mr. Bear?

Ya filmin' this?
Yep.

We're putting olive oil on the spaghetti.
I see that.

A tablespoon? A tablespoon, at least four tablespoons.

It's just olive oil and spaghetti right?
Yes
And then the left over asparagus ...sauce, water.

Now we're gonna put this one...

Tomatoes.

Oh that's a lot of tomatoes, yeah?

You get a good shot baby?

Basil
Basil.

Oh ok, so just one, one thing of basil, huh?

Asparagus.
Asparagus.

Do you want cilantro?
Not yet.
On the top.

Oh wow!

'I think we're gonna need a bigger wok'

grrrrr

The animals are getting... restless.

Yep!

This make it salty, a little bit.

Oregano...

Well there's a, um, a hole side too...

Here it comes!!

Move it, move it or lose it.

Yeah move, move, move, move, move, move, move, move, move.

It's amazing!

It's awesome!

It's awesome!
- Wait!
Wait tell the camera.

Ok..
Ok and what do you think?

Awesome, mixed with epic...
Really awesome.

Awesome!

From one to ten it's a hundred.
Really?
yep.

Did you get that?
Yep.

Alright, what do you think Nee?
I mean you made it, but...

I love it!
Yeah?

What do you think Jim?
Thank you so much Nee for making us dinner again.
On your birthday!
On your birthday.

I'm doing a vid-selfie...
Are you seriously doing a vid-selfie?
Yes.

Mm... vid-selfie...

Baby don't, lemme do it....

It's not a vid-self-
Oh that's good!

Yeah?
Yeah?

Perfect!

Ok let's see if I can get everything...

Picky eater, what what?

I wanna get everything in one bite.

I'm finished.

More?
Mmm.
Yes.

Oh my god, she ate it all!
She is finished!!

That's crazy!

How are you finished?! We just...
She inhaled it.

And?
I told you she was waiting for the spaghetti all -

Amazing.
Amazing.
Freaking - my taste buds are going crazy.

We have a problem in this episode.
The food's gonna be gone before we can do our closing.

It's so good!

First we have to say Happy birthday to Nee!
Hiii
So we have to sing it
Happy Birthday!!

Happy birthday to you (auntie)
Happy birthday to Nee (auntie)
Happy birthday to meeee
Happy birthday dear Nee...
That was off one cord.
Happy birthday to you!
And many more!!

Thank you so much for, for spending your birthday with us, and making this amazing, amazing... everything...
the spaghetti and the... what was the - appetizer?
Meung Khum
Meung Khum
Meung Khum
Meung Khum
Meung Khum!

So, um, thanks a lot!
Hope you guys make this, it's delicious,
and as always - arroy -
arroy arroy mak mak!
Arroy arroy mak mak!
Arroyyyyy

Bye!
byeeee
Bye!

Wait, I got it, I got it, I got it!
How about, 'Welcome to the show - we will be cooking Thai and American....'

Noodles, Noodles, Noodles.
Rice.
Pho, Pho, Pho.
Awww yeaaah
Shrimp, shrimp, shrimp,
Asian food, Asian food, Asian food.
Chopsticks!

The end!
Bam!
Chopsticks!

I could.. there we go.