Linsen Mit Spätzle ~ Lentils With Spätzle

Linsem mit Spätzle

Lentils With Spätzle

A real German comfort food, Lentils With Spatzle. The combination 

of vinegar and just a touch of sugar gives it its famous sweet-sour flavor balance. Coupled with smoky bacon and flavorful veggies, it's served over Spätzle and often with a sausage for a favorite comfort dish throughout southern Germany.

Ingredients:

5 slices thick bacon, diced

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

t tablespoon butter,

1 carrot, finely diced

1 leek finely chopped, and thoroughly rinsed and drained

1 pound dried brown lentils

7 cups beef broth 

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt, 

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Homemade or purchased spatzle

Directions:

Cook the bacon over medium high heat until done (for best flavor do not drain the grease).  Add the onions and cook until Translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.Add the butter, carrots, and leeks, cook 5 minutes.

Add the lentils, broth, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and sugar, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.  Add the vinegar and parsley and simmer for 3-4 minutes.  If too thick for your taste, add a little extra beef broth.  Add more salt, pepper,  sugar, and vinegar to taste.

Sprinkle over spatzle.  Commonly served with sausage.

Classic Tiramisu

                          

 

                                                                   Classic Tiramisu

Meet my friend James who is a "can do anything" in the kitchen.  When his wife and I left for a club program, I took the first photo but when we returned later, his finished dessert was on the counter.  His secret ingredient added was a purchased flavor enhancer, Pistachio Paste.  James shared the recipe he used.  This Classic Italian Tiramisu is seriously one of the easiest desserts to make! It's picture perfect with a sweet mascarpone filling, espresso dipped lady fingers and all the cocoa powder on top! 

Ingredients:
¼ cup Dutch Processed cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
1 cup brewed espresso (optional to add a few tablespoons of dark rum)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 large egg yolks, cold (I use pasteurized eggs)
½ cup white sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
16 ounces mascarpone cheese, chilled
1.75 cups heavy cream, chilled  (1 3/4 cups)

3 tablespoons Pistachio Paste
28 hard ladyfinger cookies
Directions:
Whisk together the cocoa powder, espresso and vanilla in a bowl and set aside

In a mixer or using a hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Add in the salt, mascarpone cheese and continue to whip until smooth. Add the chilled heavy cream and continue to whip, until light, creamy, smooth and can hold a soft peak.

Dunk each ladyfinger in the espresso mixture to absorb the liquid and start to line a 7x11 oval baking dish with the cookies. Top the first layer of cookies with ½ of the whipped mascarpone mixture and use the back of a metal spoon to spread it into an even layer. Dust with cocoa powder. Repeat for another layer and then finish by dusting with cocoa powder on top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

How to Store Tiramisu

You can store tiramisu covered with plastic wrap for 3-4 days. The flavors of the tiramisu marry and develop as it keeps, especially once it's been stored overnight.

How to Freeze Tiramisu
I do not recommending freezing tiramisu since. The no-bake and nature of other ingredients do not make it a great candidate for freezing.

Tips and Tricks

ALL the ingredients for the filling must be cold. So when you read the recipe below, pay attention to the few things that need to be taken directly from the fridge. 

Get the ladyfingers from an Italian market if possible!!

Mascarpone is essential. There is no substitution for it - so while you're out looking for the ladyfingers, grab the Mascarpone. 

No espresso on hand - no problem! Use coffee! 

Dunking the ladyfingers is an art form - you need enough to get a good flavor and texture, but you don't want them to fall apart. Just a quick dunk will do - nothing more than 1-2 seconds!

NOTE - DO NOT SERVE IT RIGHT AWAY! 

While it will be delicious, the cocoa powder needs time to soften up and infuse into the cream topping otherwise you'll inhale straight cocoa powder and let me tell you from experience, it's not cute lol.

German Potato Salad

German Potato Salad

The German Potato Salad recipes of Northern Germany are dressed with a mayo dressing rather than the typical vinegar and oil dressing.
Ingredients:
800 g potatoes 28 oz- waxy potatoes are best
1 white onion about 120 gr /4 oz
fresh dill about 20 g / 1 oz
100 g pickled gherkins 3.5 oz
3 eggs medium size and hard boiled
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 teaspoon mustard try using German mustard, if not Dijon mustard 

   will do.
180 ml vegetable stock (affiliate link)/ vegetable broth 6 fl oz, ½ cup +

   3 tablespoons 
120 g mayonnaise 4.2 oz, ½ cup
3 tablespoon yogurt

Directions:
Place the potatoes in a pot of water with some salt and bring to a boil. Boil until the potatoes are soft, which takes approximately 20 minutes.

In the meantime you can hard boil the eggs, which should take between 8-10 minutes. Leave to cool completely before using.
Prepare the stock/broth.

Peel the onion and chop up into cubes. Fry the onions on a low heat for approximatly 10 minutes. 

Stir in the mustard and vinegar with the broth until combined. 

Chop the dill finely and cube the pickled gherkins. Peel the eggs and slice into cubes. 

Once the potatoes are boiled, peel them and then slice them into bitesize pieces. 

While the potatoes are still warm, place them in a large salad bowl and pour over the still-warm stock/broth mixture. Stir and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the gherkins and eggs and leave the rest for approximately 2 hours. You can leave it in the fridge or leave to rest at room temperature. 

Before serving add the mayonnaise and yoghurt to the salad. Lastly add in the dill and mix into the salad.

Homesteaders Apple Pie

 Homesteaders Apple Pie

This is the original Homesteader Apple Pie recipe.  The Big Sur River Inn on Highway CA 1 and 25 miles south of Carmel was built in 1935.  This is the apple pie recipe served at that time and still is in operation.  Reservation can be made online.

Ingredients:

 For the filling
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons nutmeg
¼ cup butter
2 ounces lemon juice
2 pounds apples, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup cream

For the trusty pie crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch of kosher salt
¼ cup softened butter
1 tablespoon oil of your choice*
1 splash of apple cider vinegar 

For the crumb topping
1½ cups quick oats
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon softened butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 pinch of kosher salt

Directions

Mix pie crust ingredients together until dough forms a ball. Roll it out in a circle and ease into 11-inch pie plate.
Preheat oven to 300º F. Mix together filling ingredients in a bowl and mix topping ingredients together in a separate bowl.
Mound apple mixture into the pie crust, filling 2–3 inches above the pie pan. Add crumb topping. Bake for 1 hour. Makes 1 pie.

Notes 
River Inn makes at least 5 pies at a time and adds 1 whole egg to the dough for the crust. For making 1 pie, replace egg with 1 tablespoon oil of your choice

Bruleed Cheese

Bruleed Cheese

Slice rind off top of a Brie or Camembert wheel. Evenly sprinkle cut side of cheese with 1 to 2 tbsp white sugar.  Caramelize with a culinary torch or under the broiler, for 2 to 3 minutes or until browned and bubbly.  Allow brûlée to harden slightly and serve with a cheese knife, for cracking with crackers and fruit.

Upside Down Rhubarb Mini-Cakes

Upside Down Rhubarb Mini-Cakes

These cute cakes are baked in a muffin tin to create individual desserts for your guests. You may substitute the rhubarb for peach or apple with the same great results.  Serves 6

Ingredients:

½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter

¾ cup (175 mL) white sugar

2 large eggs

1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla

1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour

1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 cups (500 mL) chopped rhubarb

1¼ cups (300 mL) brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)

Beat butter and sugar until creamed (pale white colour), about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time until well blended, add vanilla. Beat in flour, baking powder and salt and beat until combined.

Butter a 12-cup muffin tin.

In each muffin tin distribute evenly the chopped rhubarb and 1½ tbsp (22 mL) brown sugar. Place 1 heaping tbsp (15 mL) of the batter in each tin. Place in oven and bake about 40 minutes, or until light golden on top. Cool and turn out. 

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Serves 6

White Chocolate-Cherry Cookies

 

White Chocolate-Cherry Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup dried cherries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a cookie sheet.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy and pale in color, 3-5 minutes. This step is important for ensuring soft, chewy cookies. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Using a wooden spoon, carefully stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips, dried cherries and macadamia nuts.

Drop heaping spoonfuls of the batter onto the greased cookie sheet.
Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Note: It isn't necessary for this recipe (I personally prefer the cherries to be chewy), but you can optionally place the dried cherries in a bowl and cover them with boiling water to soften them. Let them soak for 7-8 then thoroughly drain them. If you choose to soak them, use only 1/2-3/4 cup dried cherries as they will expand.

Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

 

Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Ingredients

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch square pan.

Mix oats, brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Whisk milk, eggs, canola oil, and vanilla together in a separate bowl. Stir egg mixture into the oat mixture until well combined. Let sit until flavors blend, about 20 minutes.

Spread oat mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into 16 bars.

Rotkohl ~ Braised Red Cabbage

Rotkohl

For some people, comfort food is fried chicken, meatloaf, or spaghetti. For me, it’s German food. Serve me a platter of sauerbraten, spaetzle, and rotkohl and I’m a happy camper. Bring me some fondue and mulled wine to go along with it,

I love to throw a few juniper berries in with my rotkohl because they add a wonderful freshness to the dish. I don’t how know to describe the flavor of juniper berries other than to say that they give gin its distinctive flavor.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium head red cabbage, shredded
1 granny smith apple, deseeded and grated
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple cider or red wine vinegar
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup water
3-4 dried juniper berries
Pinch ground cloves

Directions:
Place the butter in a 6-quart or larger lidded pot set over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the cabbage, apple, onion, vinegar, sugar, water, juniper berries, and cloves to the pot.

Allow the mixture to come to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and simmer, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the cabbage is tender and turning translucent (about 1 hour).

Apple Fritter Coffee Cake ~ Hot Chocolate Bombs

                                                    

                  Apple Fritter Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Coffee cake:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 apples, peeled and chopped (your favorite kind), mixed with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Glaze:
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1-3 tablespoons of milk or cream- depending on the thickness of glaze

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Use a 9x5-inch loaf pan and grease with Crisco or spray with non-stick spray or line with foil and spray with non-stick spray to get out easily for slicing.

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside.

In another medium-sized bowl, beat white sugar and butter together using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended in; add in vanilla extract.

Combine & whisk flour and baking powder together in another bowl and add in creamed butter mixture and stir until blended.

Mix milk into batter until smooth.

Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan; add half the apple mixture, then half the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Pour the remaining batter over apple layer and top with remaining apple mixture, then the remaining brown sugar cinnamon mixture.

Swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using knife or spoon.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, approximately 50-60 minutes.

To make the glaze, mix powdered sugar and milk or cream together until well mixed.

Let cool for about 15 minutes before drizzling with glaze.

*****

 

Hot Chocolate Bombs

Hot Chocolate Bombs are chocolate spheres filled with homemade chocolate milk powder and marshmallows that are put into a mug with hot milk for a delicious cup of hot cocoa.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Freeze 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Chocolate Milk Powder
⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (39g) cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
Chocolate Bombs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons chocolate milk powder, divided
3 tablespoons mini marshmallows, divided
1 silicone chocolate bomb mold

Directions:
Chocolate Milk Powder

To get started, get out a jar with a lid or a food processor.

Combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Use a food processor or shake up the ingredients in a sealed container until all the ingredients are mixed together. 

Store in a sealed container in a cool, dry place.

Melting Chocolate--Double Boiler Method

Fill a medium pot almost halfway with water. Bring the water to a simmer over low heat. 

Place a heat-safe bowl (glass or stainless steel) that can just fit on top of the pot of simmering water, but leaves a gap between the water and bottom of the bowl.

Add the chocolate chips to the bowl. Keep the heat on low and use a rubber spatula to stir the melting chocolate chips until smooth. Remove the bowl of chocolate, but leave the water in the pot to be used later.
Chocolate Molds

Add a heaping spoonful of the melted chocolate to each of the six chocolate molds. Use the spoon to spread the chocolate up the sides of each mold. Make sure the entire inside of each mold is evenly coated with chocolate. (Save extra chocolate to use later.)

Freeze the chocolate for 10 minutes, or until completely set.

Once set, carefully remove the chocolate cups from the mold, placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Assembling Hot Chocolate Bombs

Flip over three of the molds to be filled. Fill each of the three halves with 2 tablespoons of the chocolate milk powder and 1 tablespoon of mini marshmallows.

Place the other three halves, seam-side down, on a separate baking sheet. Place the sheet on top of the pot of warm water over low heat to slightly melt the rims of the molds.

With gloves on (so you don't leave fingerprints) cover each filled chocolate half with an empty half, sealing it.
Decorate with any extra melted chocolate, sprinkles, and other candies. Use immediately, or within 24 hours, for best results. Store at room temperature.

To make hot chocolate, add a chocolate bomb into a mug. Slowly pour about 1½ cups of hot milk over the bombs and stir. Sip and enjoy!

Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
3 cups whole milk
3⁄4 cup white sugar
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 bananas

Directions:
Prepare a baked 9-inch pie shell. In a large saucepan, scald the milk.
In another saucepan, combine the sugar, flour and salt; gradually stir in the scalded milk. Over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook until thickened. Cover and, stirring occasionally, cook for two minutes longer.

In a small bowl, have the 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten, ready; stir a small amount of the hot mixture into beaten yolks; when thoroughly combined, stir yolks into hot mixture. Cook for one minute longer, stirring constantly.

 Remove from heat and blend in the butter and vanilla. Let sit until lukewarm. 

When ready to pour, slice bananas and scatter in pie shell; pour warm mixture over bananas. If desired, make a meringue (you'll have 3 leftover egg whites) to top the pie, or just let the pie cool until serving.

Microwave Caramels

Microwave Caramels

Ingredients

¼ cup unsalted butter
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup corn syrup (Karo Syrup)
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
Optional Toppings
Salt
Chocolate

Directions:
Note: This mixture gets very hot.  Make sure there are no children around when you make this recipe.

Mix all ingredients in a large microwave safe bowl.  The mixture will bubble up.

Microwave on high for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds.  

Pour into a small buttered dish and allow to cool completely.  

Cut into small squares.  If desired, drizzle with chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt.

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Note: This mixture gets ver

Note: This mixture gets VERY hot. Ensure there are no children underfoot when you make this.
Mix all ingredients in a large microwave safe bowl (the mixture will bubble up so make sure there is lots of room in the bowl)