Coca-Cola Kielbasa

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There is something about summer that says “sausage" to me. Well, summer says a lot of things to me, but sausage is one of them. While I love to cook it outside on the grill, there are days when the heat and humidity keep me indoors, and it’s on those days when I use recipes such as this one to make it in the slow cooker. If you are short on time and prefer, this can be prepared on top of the stove. Simply sauté shallots in a little bit of oil in a 12-inch skillet until translucent. Add the sausage and remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer, uncovered, until the sausage is glazed. It’s a winner for dinner, but if you cut it into smaller pieces, it also makes an excellent appetizer or snack.

Coca-Cola Glazed Sausage

3 Melissa‘s shallots
2 lb. kielbasa sausage
¼ c. cider vinegar
2 T. stone ground mustard
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 t. cornstarch
1 7.5-oz. can of Coke

Slice shallots into rounds, and scatter on the bottom of the crockpot. Slice sausage, on the diagonal, into 2-inch lengths; scatter on top of the shallots.

In a small bowl, whisk together cider vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, and cornstarch, and pour over the top of the sausage and onions. Pour the Coke over all. Cook on low for four hours. Remove lid, turn setting to “high,” and cook for an additional hour until sausage is glazed.

 

Coca-Cola Short Ribs

I am not a soda drinker, but Mr. O-P loved it. So much so, that, when he passed away, I was left with a refrigerator full of cans of soda of various varieties. Because I don't drink it, and hesitate to offer it to the frequent young people I have visiting, I decided the best way to use it was to cook with it.

It's surprising how many different varieties of sodas are used in cooking. In the past I've made Root Beer Pulled Pork, 7-Up Biscuits, Coca-Cola Meatloaf, Coca-Cola Cake, and today I made the most flavorful and tender short ribs on the planet using, once again, a can of Coke.

This recipe could not be simpler. Essentially, 1 to 2 pounds of short ribs are put into the bottom of a crockpot, a bag of dry onion soup mix is sprinkled on top, and then you pour a can of Coca-Cola over it. That's it, just let it hang out on low all day long, enjoy the aroma as it wafts through the house, and wait until dinner.

During the last hour of cooking, because I wanted my entire meal in the crockpot, I threw in a handful of Melissa's Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes, mushrooms, quartered onions, and baby carrots. That's all I did, and I had an excellent meal.

If you need a printable recipe, I'll do my best to provide you with one below. Really, though, this is one that can just be committed to memory.

Coca-Cola Short Ribs

1 to 2 pounds boneless short ribs
1 packet Lipton Dry Onion Soup Mix
1 12-oz. can Coca-Cola (NOT diet)

Various Vegetables to your liking

  Place short ribs into the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle onion soup mix on top, and cover all with the Coca-Cola. Set crockpot to “low,” and cook until tender, 6 to 7 hours. During the last hour of cooking, add vegetables (potatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms, or anything to your liking). When vegetables are fork tender, serve.

PRINT RECIPE

This post is linked to: Inspire Me Tuesday, Tuesdays At Our Home,Celebrate Your Story, Homemaking Party Tuesday, Wow Us Wednesday,  Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, Coffee and Conversation, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Coca-Cola Cake

Call me crazy, but I subscribe to a lot of foodie newsletters.  It’s not that I don’t have piles of cookbooks and magazines in which to search for recipes, no, I have to add to the confusion with newsletters.  Tasting Table is but one of the many, and last week the featured recipe for Coca-Cola Cake made me sigh.  It was one that I enjoyed back in the 70s, and while I still had the recipe for the icing in my battered recipe box, the cake recipe had long disappeared. It’s a classic Southern layer cake with a unique texture.  I followed the recipe exactly, down to the mini marshmallows in the center, but I’d eliminate them the next time.

Coca-Cola Cake

Recipe adapted from Lee Gregory, The Roosevelt, Richmond, VA

INGREDIENTS

Cake

1½ sticks plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons natural cocoa powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup Coca-Cola

¼ cup whole milk

2 large eggs

Chocolate Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

½ cup natural cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup whole milk or heavy cream

1½ cups mini marshmallows (optional)

Chocolate curls or grated chocolate (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Set a 9-inch cake pan on top of a piece of parchment paper. Using the bottom of the cake pan as a guide, trace a circle on the paper with a pen or pencil. Cut out the circle and set aside. Repeat so you have two parchment circles. Use 1 tablespoon of the butter to grease two 9-inch cake pans, then place the parchment circles in the pans. Turn the parchment over so the greased side faces up.

2. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the remaining 1½ sticks of butter with the sugar on medium speed until light and airy, about 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and salt and set aside. In another medium bowl, whisk together the Coca-Cola and milk.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter-sugar mixture, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Turn the mixer to low and alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients in three batches, starting and ending with the flour mixture and mixing until just combined. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans. Place the cake pans in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

4. Remove the cakes from the oven and set aside to cool completely.

5. Make the frosting: In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder. Turn off the mixer and add the sugar-cocoa mixture, then combine on low speed. Increase the speed to medium and add the vanilla, salt and milk. Mix for 3 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

6. Remove the cooled cakes from the pans, peel off the parchment and place one layer on a serving tray or cake stand. Spoon and spread about one-quarter of the icing on top of the first layer, sprinkle with half of the marshmallows (if using), then top with the second cake layer. Use the rest of the icing to frost the top and sides of the cake (or just frost the top of the cake, as shown) and finish with the remaining marshmallows (if using), then garnish with chocolate curls or grated chocolate (if using).

This post is linked to:

On the Menu Monday

Foodie Friday

Sweets for a Saturday