What’s Cookin’?

Bratwurst with
Peppers and Onions
2 lg. red bell peppers
1 lg. yellow bell pepper 
2 lg. sweet onions
1Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper 
6 bratwurst sausages 
6 hoagie rolls, lightly toasted and split
Preheat oven to 375º. Cut bell peppers and onions into strips.  Toss peppers, onions, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread mixture in an even layer in a lightly greased, heavy-duty aluminum foil lined sheet pan. Pierce each sausage 6 times with a toothpick. Place sausages 3-4 inches apart on pepper mixture.  Bake at 375º for 40 minutes; increase to broil.  Broil 6-8 minutes or until browned, turning sausages halfway through.  Place one sausage in each roll, top with pepper-onion mixture.  

Pumpkin Bread Pudding
1 can pumpkin purée
3 cups milk
12 cups of stale bread cubes (1 1/2 – 2 inch cubes)
2/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup (1/2 stick melted salt butter)
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar 
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg 
1/4 tsp. allspice 
1/2 tsp. salt
Scald the milk in a heavy 4-5 quart saucepan. Remove from heat and add pumpkin purée, raisins, bread cubes and butter. Mix well. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add sugar and seasonings.  Mix well then add to bread mixture and mix well. Butter a 3-4 quart baking dish on all interior surfaces.  Pour bread mixture into baking dish and stir to distribute ingredients thoroughly. 
Bake uncovered in a 350º oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the top begins to brown and form a tough crust. Allow to cool to room temperature. 
Serve warm or chilled plain or with Brandy Sauce. 
Brandy Sauce
3 lg. eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup (1/2 stick melted butter)
1/4 cup brandy 
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup milk 
In a heavy 2-3 quart sauce pan, thoroughly beat the eggs. Add sugar, vanilla and melted butter and heat slowly, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and add brandy, cloves and milk, stirring constantly. When well mixed, place sauce in a blender.  Blend at high speed for 1 1/2 minutes or until sauce has the texture of very heavy cream. Serve over bread pudding.