Saturday, June 25, 2011

Rouladen mit Spatzle und Blaukraut

Beef rolls with homemade noodles and red cabbage

Ingredients for Rouladen:
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4 large thin slices of beef
4 slices of bacon [ I did two slices of bacon per slice of beef]
4 cubed onions [ thin slices after the onion is halved is fine ]
4 tbsp mustard [ German senf is stronger than your good ol' French's ]
2 sprigs rosemary
2 tbsp oil
1 cubed parsley root
1 chopped leek
1 large sliced carrot
1/2 cubed celery root
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
5 juniper berries [ you can use the dehydrated ones in the spice section ]
2 cups of red wine
salt, pepper



Ingredients for Blaukraut:
2 lb red cabbage
5 tbsp butter
1 diced onion
2 diced apples
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
2 tsp flour
4 tbsp red wine
salt


Ingredients for Spatzle:
1 lb flour
6 eggs
200 ml milk
1 tbsp melted butter
salt

Preperation:
Rinse off and pat dry the slices of beef.  Cover one side with mustard, add salt and pepper.  Put one slice of bacon [ I put two ] and sliced onions on top.  Roll the meat slice and fix end with a toothpic [ using metal scewers like you would use to lace up your turkey work way easier ].  Do the same for each slice of meat.

Heat oil in a large frying pan and fry the meat rolls until all sides are dark brown. Take the meat out and add the [ you must have all of it pre- chopped ] parsley root, leek, carrot, celery root, and rosemary and fry for approximately 10 minutes.  Slowly add small portions of wine and bring to a boil each time until all wine is added.  Ad the tomato paste, bay leave and juniper berries.  
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You can use a roaster on the stove but we did a roaster in the oven .  Putting the beef rolls at the bottom of the roaster, take the veggie mix and pour over the top of the rolls.  Place at 300 degrees in the oven for 2 hours.

Wash red cabbage and cut into quarters.  Cut out the stem and cut the cabbage in very thin strips.  Dice onions and apples [ peeling the skin, rmove the core].  Heat butter in a larrge pot and saute diced onions, apples, and sugar.  Add cabbage and vinegar and let simmer covered for 10 minutes.  Add water, wine, salt, bay leaf, and cloves.  Simmer for another 30-45 minutes stirring occassionaly.  Add water if necessary, or thicken with flour if desired.

Put flour in a large bowl.  Add eggs, milk, salt, and melted butter.  Use a wisk and beat to a smooth dough and let the dough sit for about 10 minutes.  Bring salted water to a boil  in a large pot.  Place dough on a cooking board and scrape off little pieces into the boiling water, only 1-15 pieces at a time.  When the Spatzle float to the surface, take them out with a slotted spoon.  Repeat until all dough is used up.
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Take the beef rolls out of the roasting pan.  For the "gravy" using a strainer, and a bowl your going to pour the vegetables and juices out of the roasting pan into the strainer.  Press the vegetables with a spoon to "squish" the juices out of the veggies.  
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In Germany they discard those veggies - my Chef instructor who taught us this dish was embarassed as we thought of recipes to use the mixture of carrots and parsley snips to make a veggie soup. 

Serve w/ Spatzle and Blaukraut, a glass of wine, Enjoy!
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Saturday, June 4, 2011

Memorial Day BBQ

A tasty treat from my husband:

  • Hamburger grilled to perfection!
  • Add a few slices of bacon
  • A special BBQ sauce
  • A slice of cheddar cheese
  • Put it all snuggled in a German brotchen
  • A side of sweet potato fries
Voila!  A tasty Memorial Day BBQ feast!
Enjoy with a tasty Dunkel Bier and your friends

Bacon Cheese Burger

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Fresh Berries & Oats Daystarter

It's so simple, I'm addicted.
Take your travel bowls out, this is a great way to have a healthy breakfast on the go!

1/4 Cup Quick Oats [you can use raw oats as well, it just takes longer to absorb the milk]
1/2 Cup Soy Milk [ my preference]
1/4 Cup wild frozen berries [ you can use any fruit you wish, berries are great antioxidants ]
1/3 Cup slivered almonds [ or whole, I found slivered raw in the commissary ]
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1    Teaspoon Splenda [you can also use honey or any sweetener or none!]

Layer this all in your travel bowl, pop on the seal lid, shake! And go...
This morning I enjoyed it in one of my Polish Pottery bowls, and mixed it by hand.


Breakfast
Tasty and Fresh :: Approximately 265 Calories
Many thanks to my cousin Maura for introducing me to this OH so simple breakfast treat...

Friday, February 11, 2011

Tom Ka Soup

I must say I'm slightly addicted to this soup. My dear friend and fellow MilSpouse Naomi took me to the Thai grocery store, handed me some "KEY" ingredients and talked me through making this. So what is it? Spicy heaven in a bowl:

Please note my directions aren't from a recipe book, they're from memory, so its not your standard "Betty Crocker" measure and go. Have fun with it!

Start out with

  • 4 tbsp of Tom Ka Paste
  • 1 tbsp of Fish Oil
  • Either Olive Oil or infused Chili Oil [did I mention I like it spicy?]
  • 6 Baby Tomatoes
  • 6 Mushrooms [sliced]
  • 1 Zucchini [sliced]
  • Red Chili Pepper [if you like spice!]
  • Fresh Asian Basil [commissary doesn't have this so I use fresh basil if I can find it or jarred]
  • Fresh Lemon Grass [again, if I can get to the Asian store, otherwise I'll use a squeeze of lime juice to taste]
  • Can of Coconut Milk
  • Can of Coconut Cream [if you like a little sweet with your SPICE] :) Ok I'll stop with the spicy comments
  • 1 cup of water if you go with the sweet version, OR 2 cups of water if you stick with just the Coconut Milk
  • Chicken Breast [I use a bag of flash frozen Chicken Tenderloin 6 pieces]

To start out, pour a little of your Chili/Olive oil in a frying pan, place chicken breast into pan and saute till browned.

While this is going on, open your can of Coconut Milk and pour into a large pot, turn heat on Medium to heat up the Milk [there are instructions on the Tom Ka Paste which are more specific, but I tend to do things my way after I get used to a recipe] once you see it starting to bubble, stir it [you'll also notice a thin film of 'oil' on top] this lets you know its the right heat to add your 4 tbsp of Tom Ka Paste. Mix thoroughly, let it continue to simmer.

Here is also where you would add half the can of Coconut Cream for sweet. Be careful, first time I opened a can of Coconut cream I ended up popping the spoon through a hard crust of coconut to find a surprise SPLASH of clear liquid popping out at me.

Take chicken out of the frying pan, slice it up into bit size chunks, put this in the coconut/paste mix on the stove. Add 1 cup of water. Put a lid on it.

Saute your zucchini & mushrooms in oil as well, just to soften them up and get flavor from the Chili Oil, if you went with the spicy version. You'll also want to dice up your Chili Pepper nice and fine and use it to saute the veggies.

Add veggies to the soup pot.

Add the fish oil, lemon grass, and basil [these are all to taste so you'll have to try it out, I like 1 tbsp of fish oil, a and a tbsp of the lime juice. Basil I use a tsp from the fresh chopped in the jar].

Also those baby tomatoes? Slice them in half now, and pop them into the soup. You don't want to boil the heck out of them but they need to simmer a little bit while the flavors blend together.

This is freezable. In addition you can boil up 1 cup of brown rice in 2 cups of water to add to your soup, or serve it with whatever side you like. I prefer the brown rice to white, but that's an option too. ENJOY!


Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Orange Meringue Pie


Orange Meringue Pie

This orange meringue pie is adapted from a 1940 SunkistTM recipe booklet.

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 5 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
  • 2 cups Sunkist orange juice
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons Sunkist lemon juice

Meringue – I did NOT use this I used the Meringue from a Lemon Meringue recipe in my Betty Crocker book.

  • 3 egg whites
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 9-inch baked pastry shell or baked orange pastry (below)

Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and grated orange peel in top of double boiler. Add orange juice and cook over boiling water, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in beaten egg yolks and cook another 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add butter and lemon juice. Cool filling slightly . Pour orange filling into a baked 9-inch pastry shell.

Beat egg whites until frothy; gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Cover with meringue all the way to edges. Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Orange Pastry

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1/4 cup Sunkist orange juice (about)

Sift together dry ingredients; add orange peel. Cut in shortening until particles are the size of small peas. Add orange juice a little at a time, mixing lightly with a fork, using just enough to hold dough together. Do not overmix. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Roll pastry out on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate; prick bottom and sides then trim edges and crimp. Or, to help pie keep its shape, use pie weights or fit a second pie plate over the crust to hold in shape. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Monday, February 7, 2011

WordPress Blog


Hi there, I've used WordPress for a few years now and I honestly don't wish to move my blogroll over - so I'll link to it here and see you on the WordPress site!

Happy Blogging to ALL!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE
:
COMBINE
1 1/4 CUP SUGAR
3 TABLESPOONS “QUICK” TAPIOCA
1/4 TEASPOON SALT
1/4 TEASPOON GROUND NUTMEG
I LB RHUBARB (3 CUPS) CUT INTO 1/2″ PIECES (FRESH IS BEST FROZEN
WORKS)
2 CUPS FRESH STRAWBERRIES SLICED
**COMBINE TO COAT AND LET SIT 20 MINUTES
POUR OINTO UNCOOKED PIE CRUST
DOT WITH 1 TABLESPOON SLICED BUTTER
COVER WITH TOP CRUST
BAKE@400 FOR 40 MIN

THIS RECIPE IS FROM THE BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS COOK BOOK I GOT WHEN WE WERE MARRIED..I HAVE SUBTRACTED SOME SUGAR AND ADDED SOME FRUIT….ENJOY,ALICE