Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Explore Your Heritage--July 6, 2017


With the 4th of July so close to Recipe Club, what better way to celebrate America's diversity than with an "Explore Your Heritage" theme! There was Italian, German, Polish, Jewish, Welsh, and Irish dishes all ready and waiting to be eaten. This is what everyone made!

I made Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana soup. This soup is always a go-to meal at Olive Garden, and I've always wanted to make it. A nice creamy soup, but could have been more spicy.

Jan made Crock O' Brats. She has had this recipe forever and it contains a good balance of potatoes, brats, onions, sauerkraut and even an apple! She cooked some great German food!

Kathy brought German Red Cabbage, a recipe of Jan's. Another classic German dish with a sweet taste from the sugar and apples. 

Trudy made Welsh Cookies. These are a family recipe that she hasn't made in years. We're glad you made them for recipe club! These tasty cookies get fried on a griddle, like a pancake, and they have currants!

Rachel made a Jewish noodle dish called Lokshun Kugel. This dish is like a noodle pudding and can be made sweet or savory, but her family prefers savory. 

Anna made a German recipe, Almond Shorts. This is family recipe, and it makes a ton of cookies (a great way to stock your freezer for when unexpected guests come over!). The almond flavor really comes through from the ground almonds making it a mighty tasty almond shortbread cookie.

Margaret made an Irish treat, Blarney Stones. Her family makes these for St. Patrick's Day and it's A light and fluffy cake coated in a thin layer of frosting and rolled in crushed peanuts. These are a scrumptious Irish dessert. 

Pat made a Polish Working Woman's Quick Meal. She brought in a Crock Pot of polish sausage in sauerkraut with a loaf of bread. A quick and easy Polish meal!

Sue made Eggplant Parmigiana, a recipe her dad used to make. In this version, the eggplant is fried and then baked in the oven. A filling classic Italian dish!

Bill brought another Italian staple, Italian Sausage in Tomato Sauce. A great recipe for busy people, Bill just pre-boils the sausage and then sets it in the Crock Pot with tomato sauce. The longer they simmer, the more tender they become!

Marie made a classic German food, Spaetzle, and she even has a special utensil (spaetzle maker) that helps make the spaetzle noodle! That was cool to see! To add different flavors to the spaetzle, you can add onion, or even cook up bacon to add before serving!

Margene made Chocolate Guinness Cake. Borrowing her heritage from her husband, this Irish cake incorporates Guinness into the batter. The chocolate and the Guinness blend so well together!

Rose Mary made a German Potato Salad. This recipe from her friend has a classic German taste with the perfect blend of sweet and sour.

Rose Mary also brought with her some Irish Shamrock Shortbread Cookies. She turned a basic shortbread cookie into cute little shamrocks, perfect for St. Patrick's Day.

As you can see, my plate (and bowl) is quite full from all the different foods! I ate more sauerkraut than I have ever eaten before! It was a wonderful opportunity to try foods from different heritages, and learn how they are made.

Getting hungry? Join us August 3 at 6:30pm at Franklin Public Library. The theme is Light and Health! Bring a dish to end the summer with fresh, light, and healthy recipes! All you have to do to join is cook a dish from the monthly theme, and bring the dish and the recipe to the meeting! It's as easy as pie! See you soon!

Chocolate Guinness Cake

The "Chocolate Guinness Cake" recipe by Garrett McCord can be found at Simply Recipes.

Submitted by Margene McLoughlin

McCord, Garrett. "Chocolate Guinness Cake." Simply Recipes, www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chocolate_guinness_cake/ . Accessed 10 July 2017.

Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup

The "Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana" recipe can be found at Homemade Hooplah.

Submitted by Sarah Bublitz

Chrissy. "Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana." Homemade Hooplah, www.homemadehooplah.com/crock-pot-zuppa-toscana/. Accessed 11 July 2017.


Lokshen Kugel



The "Lokshun Kugel" recipe can be found in The Israeli Cookbook by Molly Lyons Bar-David

Submitted by Rachel Muchin Young 


Bar-David, Molly Lyons. "Savory Lokshen (Noodle) Kugel." The Israeli Cookbook. New York: Crown Publishers, 1964. 103. Print.



Eggplant Parmigiana

The "Eggplant Parmigiana" recipe can be found in The Better Homes and Gardens Italian Cookbook.

Submitted by Sue Stoecker

"Eggplant Parmigiana." Better Homes and Garden Italian Cookbook. 1971. Print.
 

Irish Shamrock Shortbread Cookies

The "Irish Shamrock Shortbread Cookie" recipe is based on a recipe by Ina Garten and can be found at Food Network.

Submitted by Rose Mary Walecki who made the following modifications:
  • Omit the chocolate.
  • Use ungreased parchment lined cookie sheets.
  • Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Pat each piece into one half inch thick disk. wrap each disk separately in plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  • Lightly flour the surface and the rolling pin to keep dough from sticking. Repeat as necessary. Roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thick.
  • Cut out shamrock shapes and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle shapes with green sugar.
  • Chill again for 10 minutes before baking.

Garten, Ina. "Shortbread Cookies." Food Network, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/shortbread-cookies-recipe-1945855 . Accessed 11 July 2017.

Mary Studer's German Potato Salad

Ingredients:


  • 4 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup celery, chopped or thinly sliced
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup carrots, shredded (optional)
  • 1/2 cup bacon grease
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp. flour
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1 cup plain white vinegar (inexpensive brand is perfect)
  • 1 cup water
  • 3/4 or 1 inch thick sliced cooked ham (I use Boar’s Head Low Sodium Black Forest)
  • 12 oz. sliced bacon, divided. (I use Sendik’s Thick Sliced.)
  • Sliced green onion and green tops or chives, divided
  • 4 sliced hard cooked eggs
Directions:
  1. Fry bacon until golden brown. (I bake my bacon on a rack over a baking sheet at 300 to 325℉  until achieve desired doneness. Remove from oven.) Place on a paper towel lined plate and blot to remove excess fat. Drain bacon drippings through a sieve into a liquid measuring cup. Add additional bacon grease or other fat to measure 1/2 cup. 
  2. Place potatoes in a bowl with enough water to cover. Slice three green onions and green tops or 1/3 cup chopped chives. Keep each vegetable in a separate small prep bowl. Chop onion and red pepper into 1/2 inch cubes; thinly slice or chop celery into ½ inch cubes; finely shred carrot and squeeze out excess moisture between a few layers of paper towel or clean dish towel. Chop ham into 1/2 inch cubes. 
  3. Blend sugar, flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir into bacon drippings to make a smooth paste. In a separate bowl, combine the vinegar and water.
  4. Sauté onions and celery in a small amount of olive oil in a 5 quart pan on medium heat until translucent. Add shredded carrot and red pepper and heat until soft. Remove potatoes from water and remove excess moisture with several layers of paper towels or clean dish towels. Add potatoes to vegetable mixture and stir. Add the flour paste mixture to the potato mixture and stir. Heat. When mixture is hot, add 1/2 of the vinegar and water. Continue to stir until mixture thickens. Turn stove down to low (not simmer) and cook until potatoes soften but not so much as to have them break down. Stir often to prevent potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add more vinegar / water mixture if desire thinner consistency. Add cubed ham and stir. Cut three slices cooked bacon into small pieces and stir in most of it. Save the rest of the cooked bacon for BLT! Slice hard cooked eggs and add in two of them along with most of the chives or sliced green onion and green tops. Reserve small amount of bacon, green onion or chives, and two sliced hard cooked eggs for garnish
  5. Serve warm or cold. Can easily be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated. Garnish with additional bacon, sliced hard cooked eggs and either chives or thinly sliced green onion tops.
Note: I have tried many deli and restaurant German Potato Salads. Some are very sweet. Others don’t have enough little kick which the sugar / vinegar ratio in this recipe provides. This recipe has just the right blend of sweet and sour to provide the piquant flavor we enjoy.

Submitted by Rose Mary Walecki

Spaetzle

Batter Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • Large kettle of salted, boiling water
Optional Additions:
  • 1 chopped medium onion
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
Directions:
  1. Combine the eggs, flour, water and salt.
  2. Spoon batter into grater section of spaetzle maker or use a slotted spoon, dropping the batter into the boiling water. Slide the grater back and forth quickly over the boiling water. Cook a few minutes until spaetzle rises to the top. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  3. Optional Additions: Cook chopped onion in olive oil until transparent. Add the butter and 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir in the cooked spaetzle. Cooked chopped bacon may be added just before serving.
Makes 6 (1 cup) servings)

Submitted by Marie Weber

Monday, July 10, 2017

Mary Gilligan's Blarney Stone

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. cream of tartar
  • 3 egg whites
Directions:
  1. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Beat until stiff peaks form. Add 1/2 cup sugar.
  2. In another bowl, beat egg yolks and rest of sugar. Add water. Add dry ingredients and egg white mixture and blend. Bake in greased 9x13 inch pan for 20-25 minutes in 325℉ oven. 
Frosting Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. powdered sugar
  • Milk
  • Vanilla
  • 1 jar dry roasted peanuts, crushed
Frosting Directions:
  1. Make a thin frosting. 
  2. Cut cake into squares and roll each square in frosting and then in crushed peanuts.
Submitted by Margaret Herrick

Almond Shorts

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup melted butter
  • 1 cup lard
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 lb. ground almonds
  • 4-1/2 cups flour
Directions:
  1. Cream together the butter, lard, white sugar and brown sugar, 3-4 minutes. Mix in the beaten eggs.
  2. In a separate bowl, sift together baking soda, baking powder, salt, almonds and flour. Mix together with the butter and sugar mixture. 
  3. Refrigerate dough until stiff enough to roll. Divide dough into three parts. Make three equal rolls about 12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Wrap each roll in wax paper and refrigerate overnight. 
  4. Cut into 1/4 inch rounds and bake at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes or until light brown. 
Makes approximately 90+ cookies!!

Submitted by Anna Restivo

Welsh Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup margarine or butter
  • 1 cup lard
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 7 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. cream of tartar 
  • 1 tsp. baking soda 
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1-3/4 cups currants
Directions:
  1. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, seasonings, and currants. Cut in shortening. Add sugar, eggs, and milk.
  2. Roll out mixture 1 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutter and drop on medium degree griddle. When one side of cookie is light brown, turn like a pancake and brown on the other side. 
Submitted by Trudy Cleaver

Friday, July 7, 2017

German Red Cabbage

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp. bacon drippings
  • 4 cups shredded red cabbage
  • 2 cups cubed pared apple
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1-1/4 tsp. sugar
Directions:
  1. Heat drippings in a skillet, add remaining ingredients and a dash of pepper. Cover tightly, and cook over low heat stirring occasionally.
  2. For crisp cabbage, cook 15 minutes. For tender cabbage, cook 25 to 30 minutes.
Makes 4 to 5 servings

Submitted by Jan Luepke

Crock O' Brats

Ingredients:

  • 5 brats (about 1 lb.) cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 (27 oz.) can sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
  • 1 medium tart apple, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
Directions:
  1. In a large skillet, brown bratwursts on all sides.
  2. In a 5 quart slow cooker, combine the remaining ingredients. Stir in the bratwurst, cover, and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or until potatoes and apples are tender.
Submitted by Jan Luepke

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Chicken Thigh Rollups

Marinade Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup shallots, diced to 1/4 inch
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs, flattened to 1/4 inch thick
Marinade Directions:
  1. Stir together in 2 cup measuring cup the vinegar, olive oil, salt, shallots and garlic.
  2. Marinate chicken for a minimum of 20 minutes in a covered container to a maximum of 2 hours in the refrigerator. Rotate every 6-10 minutes to maximize distribution of marinade.
Stuffing Ingredients:
  • 2 fresh Sendik's Special Italian Sausage, casings removed
  • 1-1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tbsp. fresh basil
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Stuffing Directions*:
  1. Place the sausage, bread crumbs, parsley and basil in a medium sized bowl.
  2. Whisk egg in a separate cup and pour over the other ingredients.
  3. Mix ingredients lightly and form into 3 inch x 1/2 inch logs.
*Extra stuffing can be made into meatballs and frozen for future use. If using plain Italian Sausage, I would add the following ingredients into the mixture as well: 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup grated provolone cheese, 1/2 coarsely chopped basil, finely grated zest of 2 lemons, 1 tbsp. chopped rosemary, salt and pepper. I also used 3/4 cup dried bread crumbs and whisked eggs with 1/4 cup half and half cream together before mixing the stuffing.

Assembly:
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Soak toothpicks in water to prevent burning during the baking process.
  3. Make the coating: combine 1/2 cup Dijon mustard with 1/2 cup honey. Set aside.
  4. Have Sweet Baby Ray's Barbeque Sauce at room temperature ready for basting during baking.
  5. Spread 1/2 cup of honey mustard mixture into a 9x13 inch glass baking dish or any similar sized rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and a sheet of parchment paper.
  6. Place 1 flattened chicken thigh on a cutting board, smooth side down. Place "log" of stuffing on one end of the chicken thigh. Roll up and secure with three toothpicks before placing rollup seam side down in baking dish. (It's possible to make two smaller rollups with each chicken thigh, but more difficult.)***
  7. When all Chicken thigh rollups are seam side down in the glass baking dish, brush each rollup with the remaining honey mustard mixture.
  8. Bake at 375°F for a total of 45 minutes for an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Lightly baste rollups periodically (about every 10 minutes) with the barbeque sauce/
  9. Remove from oven and let rest 10 or 15 minutes. Remove toothpicks before serving.
***You can use a scissors to cut each rollup into three portions for individual appetizer servings. Toothpick can remain inserted in the rollup for ease of serving and enjoying.

Submitted by Rose Mary Walecki