Kielbasa Two Ways

Kielbasa Two Ways:
 Grilled and BBQ Kielbasa with Lazy Pierogi

First of all, a special thanks to our families for mailing us not one, but two kielbasas.  We decided to cook our kielbasas two different ways.

First, we boiled each kielbasa in a shallow frying pan for about 10 minutes/side.  Then we grilled one kielbasa on the gas grill. Notice the subtle grill marks on the upper kielbasa. The other we broiled in barbeque sauce.  Yes, we made bbq kielbasa - maybe not the most traditional Polish dish, but I have been making it for years.

During college I worked with a Polish woman named Amy, who made sweet and sour kielbasa in a crock pot for a pot lock dinner.  For many years I too cooked sweet and sour kielbasa with World Harbors Maui Mountain Hawaiian Style sweet n' sour sauce, but I couldn't always find it at the grocery store.  By this time my family was hooked on this appetizer so...I improvised.  I began using barbeque sauce and it worked!  In fact, any bbq sauce is delicious for bbq kielbasa.

For bbq kielbasa:
1. Boil your kielbasa for 10 minutes/side in a shallow frying pan.
2. Let cool then slice.
3. Place the slices into an oven-safe baking dish and cover with your favorite bbq sace (1 jar/ kielbasa).
4. Bake for about an hour at 350°F stirring halfway through.  During the last few minutes I broil the kielbasa to crisp and char the edges.

Give this contemporary Polish dish a try.  This is my go-to appetizer for family functions because everyone LOVES it.  I usually make 2-3 kielbasas and it all gets eaten.

Smacznego!

Lazy Pierogi

Lazy Pierogi with
Kielbasa Two Ways: Grilled and BBQ Kielbasa

In the middle of the kielbasa cooked two ways  is a buttery dish, we call lazy pierogi.  I have attempted to make pierogis with my Mother, sister, and sister-in-law, but it is a tremendous amount of work and I cannot make dough.  Therefore, I don't even attempt to make pierogis with M.  We opt for lazy pierogi because, well, as the name implies easier than the traditional Polish dumplings.  This is not the healthiest dish, but it reminds us of home. And every once in awhile, we like to be reminded of our mothers' and Bacis' cooking. 

Lazy Pierogi Ingredients:
lots and lots of butter (at least 4 tablespoons)
2-3 large onions, chopped in small pieces
1 bag of egg noodles
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a sauce pan, sauté the chopped onions in butter until transparent. 
2. In a separate pot, boil the egg noodles as directed on the package.
3. Add the cooked noodles to the onions, add more butter, salt and pepper.

The more butter the better.  Again this is not the most nutritious recipe, but the more butter the more authentic this Polish dish will be.  Smacznego!