Welcome to the Fair

Hard to believe it’s already August. Time for the Wisconsin State Fair and Usinger’s is proud to be part of this great Wisconsin tradition!  It’s a terrific showcase for Wisconsin agriculture and meat producers as well as food producers of all types.  Which is why we love being there too.  Look for us in the Wisconsin Products Pavillion right inside the main entrance.  We are featuring four sandwiches each priced at only $3.  All are served on locally made Miller Bakery Pretzilla soft Pretzel buns and include our famous Frankfurter, Italian, Bratwurst and new this year our smoked Jalapeno Cheddar Bratwurst served Reuben style with sauerkraut and thousand island dressing.  It truly is the best Meal Deal at the Fair!  Hope to see there!

Italian Sausage and Ravioli

1 lb. Usinger’s Fresh Italian Sausage

2 small onions, sliced thin

2 T. butter or margarine

1 – 15 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce with mushrooms (reserve 1/2 C. for top)

10 oz. pkg. frozen cheese ravioli (reserve five or six for top)

Parmesan Cheese (grated) for topping

Melt butter. Brown sausage slowly and turn frequently. When done, cut into slices. Pour any accumulated fat from pan and return the sliced sausage to pan. Pour spaghetti sauce over sausage. Cook frozen ravioli per instructions. Fold gently into meat mixture. Cook ’till bubbly. Put the reserved ravioli on top; drizzle the 1/2 C. remaining spaghetti sauce on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Cover and simmer five minutes.

Serves 4. You can double or triple recipe.

Roly Poly’s

Usinger’s Smoked Polish Sausage with Garlic

1 Can refrigerated country-style biscuits

Shredded Swiss Cheese

Use Ratio of 2 Polish Sausage to 1 can of 10 biscuits

Slice each sausage into 5 chunks. Make a lengthwise slit in each sausage. Tuck 1 tsp. of shredded cheese into the sausage. Separate biscuits at perforations. Take one of the biscuits and completely wrap the sausage chunk. Seal tightly. With the above ration, you will have 10 large puffs. Drop into hot oil in Dutch Oven or deep fat fryer. When golden brown, drain on paper towels. Serve with hot mustard sauce.

 

If making these for a crowd, keep them in a moderate 250 degree oven until they are all fried.

 

Yield’s about 10 Roly Poly’s per 2 Polish Sausage.

 

 

Wisconsin Cassoulet

1 lb. dry navy beans

4 celery tops

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs parsley

3/4 C. chopped celery

1 C. chopped onion

3/4 C. chopped carrots

1 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. savory

1/3 C. maple syrup

2 tsp. salt

1/4 lb. Usinger’s Hickory Smoked Bacon, chopped

3 chicken breasts, skinned, boned and cubed

1 small pork tenderloin, cubed

3 C. chicken broth

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 can stewed tomatoes

2 T. chopped parsley

1/4 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 C. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cracked pepper

2 slices of thick bread, toasted in 160 degree oven for 2 hour, pulverized

1/2 lb. Usinger’s Smoked Kielbasas, cubed

 

Soak beans overnight; drain. Put beans in soup pot and add water to cover beans. Add celery tops, bay leaves and parsley and simmer for 30 minutes while preparing meat and vegetables.

Brown the cubed pork and chicken in 4 T. of chopped bacon. Set the browned meat aside. Brown celery, carrots, and onion in 1/2 C. chopped bacon. Add the browned meat and vegetables with drippings to beans. Add remaining ingredients, except for Kielbasa. Simmer for 1 hour.

 

Add Kielbasa and stir. Continue simmering for 2 hours. Sprinkle bread crumbs over top, pushing down into soup with spoon. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

 

Serves 10

 

 

 

Apple/Sausage Oven Pancakes

16 ozs. Usinger’s Little Link Pork Sausage, cooked and browned

(or 16 oz. Usinger’s Fritzies, heated and browned)

2 C. pancake mix

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 C. milk

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 apples, chopped, with skin on

 

Mix all ingredients, except sausage and apples, until batter is smooth. Add chopped apples. Stir. Pour into well-greased 10 x 13″ dish. Arrange cooked sausage on top. Bake in pre-heated 450 degree oven for 20 minutes. Serve hot with maple syrup.

Serves 6-10 hearty appetites.

 

 

Braunschweiger Spread

8 oz. Usinger’s Braunschweiger

8 oz. Cream cheese, softened

1 pkg. dry onion soup mix

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients until creamy. Chill

Serve with crackers

Polonia Medley

1 C. onion sliced

3 lbs. Usinger’s Fresh Kielbasa

1 C. strips bell pepper

3 T. pine nuts

3 T. raisins

2 C. crushed tomatoes

1 C. heavy cream

8 oz. of wide noodles or dumplings, cooked

fresh mint (optional)

Sauté onion and kielbasa (cut into 1″ sections) until lightly browned. Add bell pepper strips, pine nuts, and raisins. Stir and add crushed tomatoes. Simmer covered 30 minutes.

Add cream and gently stir (do not boil). Serve over noodles or dumplings and garnish with mint if desired.

Serves 9 to 10.

 

 

Sausage and Kraut Skillet Dinner

Usinger’s Little Link Porkies 8oz.

1 lb. Usinger’s Knackwurst

2 lbs. Usinger’s Festival Style Sauerkraut

1 C. dry white wine

2 cans (16 oz. each) small white potatoes

1/4 C. chopped parsley

Cook Little Pork Link Sausage until brown. Score Knackwurst diagonally. Add to skillet. Cook, turning frequently, until lightly browned. Add sauerkraut, wine. Bring to boiling, lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Drain potatoes; add around the edge of the skillet. Cook just until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 6

Roy’s Meat Lovers Chili

 

1/2 lb. of Usinger’s applewood smoked bacon

2 1/2 pounds of ground chuck

1 quart of tomato juice

1 C. cooked white minute rice

1 medium onion minced

1 medium pepper chopped/minced

1 1/2 C. chili powder

1 1/2 cans of chili beans in sauce

2 cans of diced tomatoes

Cook the ground chuck in a skillet and drain. Fry up the bacon in a skillet and drain. Pour the tomato juice into a large pot and heat on medium. Add the diced tomatoes, onion, pepper and chili powder. Once the mixture is heated, add in the cooked bacon and ground chuck and stir. Finally, add the rice to thicken. Let the entire mixture simmer for about 20 minutes and serve. It may also be made in a large crock pot if that’s more convenient.

 

Serves 6-8