A Popular Holiday Tradition (NAPSA)—Throughout the year, families across the United States sit down together to enjoy their favorite holiday food traditions, with one of the most popular being sauerkraut. Sauerkraut brings 2,000 years of great-tasting history to the table—but some people maybe surprised to learn it has health benefits as well. Sauerkraut is fat-free, high in vitamin C, aids in digestion, and has been shownto fight cancer. In parts of the country, sauerkraut is popularly served with Thanksgiving turkey. Many Polish-Americans enjoy sauerkraut soup on Christmas Eve. The Pennsylvania Dutch say it’s good luck to eat sauerkraut on New Year’s Day. Also, many people would never turn down a Reuben sandwich on St. Patrick’s Day, a sauerkraut-topped hot dog on July Ath, or sauerkraut and sausages during Oktoberfest. Kraut’s popularity is even extending into holiday cocktail parties. It provides flavor as a healthy ingredient in contemporary hors d’oeuvres and is now popular in drinks. Here’s a hint: Try stuffing olives with sauerkraut to flavor cocktails and use sauerkraut juice when mixing dirty martinis and Bloody Marys. Give this recipe a try at your next holiday party, or visit www.krrrrispkraut.com for more delicious sauerkrautrecipes. Cook’s Tip: Mushrooms can be stuffed in advance, then brushed with butter or olive oil and broiled just before serving. In hors d’oeuvres, main dishes or cocktails, sauerkraut is a popular holiday delight. Kraut-Stuffed Mushroom Caps 24 4 2 1 1 large mushrooms slices bacon Tbsp. onion, minced cup bread crumbs cup Krrrrisp Kraut or Silver Floss Sauerkraut, drained and chopped 1 cup Swiss cheese, grated Melted butter or olive oil Clean mushrooms and remove stems. Saut bacon until crisp; crumble and set aside. Mince mushroom stems and saut with onion until soft. Add bread crumbs and heat through. Remove from heat; add sauerkraut, cheese and bacon. Stuff mushroom caps with sauerkraut mixture. Brush with melted butter or olive oil. Place stuffed mushrooms on oiled cookie sheet and broil until browned. Serve at once.
