Schnitzel und Spätzle

Ahhhh Schnitzel and Spätzle.  A homey, hunger-satisfying meal we learned to love while living in Heidelberg, Germany.  Schnitzel is a breaded pork or veal cutlet & Schnitzel are buttery noodles OF LOVE.  They really are.  In Germany it is not uncommon to be served a Schnitzel as big as your head.  It's both obscene & mouth-watering.  You will not lose weight eating this meal, but you will be very, very happy.  And you will not be forced to nag your picky eaters.  It's a trade-off I'm willing to make once in a while.

That all being said, there are nearly an infinite variety of Schnitzels & Spätzle.  Some Schnitzel are served with gravy.  Some you squeeze lemon over.  Some are topped with mushrooms - yum!  Spätzle varies in shape depending on the press used to make it.  Homemade tastes best, of course, but you can easily buy the noodles in the international aisle of your local grocery store.

The photo inserted above was going to be my own.  However, my family ate the food too quickly.  I'll add my own the next time I make it.  This is without a doubt a family favorite.  Half the time my 3 year old subsists on air & sugarless gum - but this meal....this meal she EATS.  Without further ado, here is the super simple recipe:

Schnitzel [shnit-zl] (breaded pork cutlet)

Thin cut, boneless pork cutlets - trim fat, place in ziploc freezer bag & pound until very thin (around 1/4").  I use an old German wooden potato masher.

Arrange 3 shallow bowls or plates in a line on the counter near the stove.
Plate 1: flour
Plate 2: beaten egg (1 or 2)
Plate 3: 1 1/2 c. breadcrumbs or Panko (my favorite!), garlic powder to taste (1/2 to 1 tsp.), salt & pepper to taste, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.  Mix well.

Heat oil on Med/High in a large non-stick frying pan (I use canola).
Coat each cutlet in flour.
Coat each cutlet in egg.
Coat each cutlet in breadcrumb mix.
Pan fry each cutlet until golden on each side - only takes a few minutes per side.
Set on a plate lined with paper towels.


Spätzle [shpayt-zl] (egg noodles)

You can purchase these noodles at your local grocery store!  Boil in salted water  (don't forget the salt it gives them flavor!). Serve with butter & Parmesan cheese.  Note: this is the EASY way (which I use!) but fresh-made Spätzle is the best.  I'll update this post when I make my own!  See the link below with a very easy looking Spätzle recipe.

 alternate schnitzle recipe including spatzle

I like to serve this meal with steamed broccoli or a fresh green salad.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Guten Appetit!

Gemma

Trash into Treasure

Friends! The process of recovering from the holidays and getting ready for our move has set me back and out of my routine! Sorry for the delay in blogs.

As I am cleaning out my pantry, I am finding ingredients that have been neglected and forgotten about. First challenge was using a bag of red lentils. A quick search led me to a curry delight. Not only did it get nods from my better half, my kids enjoyed it too. The only change I would make is a wedge or two of fresh lemon juice on top just before serving.

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/red-lentil-curry/Detail.aspx

My second challenge was making brownies for our party of four for the super bowl. I thought I was in luck because I remembered seeing a mix bag in the back of my pantry. All came to a halt when I discovered that it expired in 2004! Another quick search found this brownie recipe that not only used ingredients I already had in my pantry, but made me fall in love with brownies again as a sophisticated dessert! I knew that only the four of us would eat these brownies straight out of the pan, so I skipped the parchment paper step. My tip for this one is follow all the other directions carefully, and wrap all extra immediately. They dry out fast...no preservatives:-)

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/ultimate-brownies

Enjoy!

Roasted Red Onion and Squash Pasta

Every month my heart races just a little more than usual when I find my Everyday Food issue in the mail. I usually tear it open right at the mail box! So this month, I tried the roasted red onion and squash pasta recipe. We are about to move :-) and I need to use up all the frozen squash from the farmer's market! I really enjoyed the roasted vegetables, and the sage, the sage was almost fried! So delicious and crispy coming out of the oven. The process easy, ingredients all on hand, taste, not bad...BUT, not filling! I hate to negatively rate a recipe from my beloved magazine, but I will say, next time, I will add some tofu or any protein you desire.

Ingredients:

2 medium red onion, cut into 6 wedges each

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¾ inch pieces

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh sage leaves

1 Tablespoon olive oil

coarse salt and pepper

½ pound rigatoni

¼ cup grated fontina

Extras:

Pre – cooked tofu or chicken breasts

Crumbled feta

Preheat oven to 450. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss onions, squash and sage with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and roast ntil tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package intructions. Drain pasta, return to pot. Add vegetables and cheese, and toss to coat. If using protein and extra cheese, add at this time as well.

MOM'S SUGAR COOKIES

My mom baking with the kids

Christmas at our house is not complete without our favorite frosted sugar cookies.  The smell! The taste!  They bring me back to happy childhood memories in an instant!  I crave these cookies and because of that I do not make them very often.  I have absolutely no will-power or common sense when it comes to eating them.  If you leave them on the counter unattended they will be eaten.  In mass quantity.  I absolve myself of all blame.   They are the crack cocaine of Cookiedom and I am a Christmas cookie addict.

These cookies are mildly labor intensive what with all the chilling, rolling, cutting, baking & frosting, but do not be discouraged!  They are so worth it!  I hope you give them a try, give them to your friends & neighbors & bake them with your children.  I have such fond memories of making these with my Mom & sister at Christmastime.  I hope that you too will find a new Christmas tradition in making these with your loved ones.

MOM'S SUGAR COOKIES

Sift the following:

2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

In another bowl cream together:

3/4 c. Crisco or butter

1 c. sugar

Add to Crisco & sugar:

2 eggs

2 T. milk

1 tsp. lemon extract

1 tsp. almond extract

Add flour mixture other ingredients, mix, 

cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap & 

chill 30 min to several hours

Roll thin & cut with cookie cutters

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 min.

FROSTING:

Powdered sugar

add almond & lemon extracts (about a capful of each - to taste)

Add milk & mix to desired consistency

Divide frosting into small bowls.  Add food coloring.  Frost.  Embellish with sprinkles, red hots, dragees (silver & gold balls), etc...

I HIGHLY SUGGEST DOUBLING OR TRIPLING THIS RECIPE AS THE COOKIES WILL NOT LAST LONG!

Frosted cookies can also be frozen to give you the illusion that you are not eating them as quickly as you actually are.

Guten Apetit & Merry Christmas!

Gemma

Fish Tacos, and more!

Sorry for the delay in adding new posts...Gemma and I were together for Thanksgiving with our families and had a wonderful time! My husband went hunting for the first time with Gemma's parents and husband, Jay. What an adventure! We brought home a buck and have already started experimenting with all kinds of new recipes for venison! Pictures haven't been downloaded yet, so stay tuned for those yummy creations.

With Christmas greatness and food all around, I decided to post a meal that is truly a breeze and a refreshing break from all the other rich foods we eat this time of year. Instead of using the tilapia called for in this recipe, I cheat and use Trident's Ultimate Fish Stick. I find them at Costco. If you see them, grab them, you won't be sorry! I prepare the rest of the ingredients the same way. The next day, we usually have a fish taco salad with the leftovers. Feel free to improvise with your favorite taco ingredients. In my household, we always add avocado. Sweet potato fries are a great side. Enjoy!

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/fish-tacos-with-cabbage-and-lime

Perfect Pumpkin Bake

Looking for fitting meals to pair with the season? One of our favorite comfort flavors is pumpkin. The good news is that many autumn squashes are equal substitutes in recipes. The best tip I have for all seasons is to get to know the produce staff at your grocery store. They can really help you out if your looking for an ingredient or even prep. My produce manager will even cut butternut, acorn, spaghetti squash and pumpkin if asked on the spot!

If after you've cubed your squash you have extra, you can use the extra in soups or even risotto. Stay tuned for those recipes to come!

Here's what you need:

one pumpkin cubed (butternut squash will also work) - approx. 4 cups

3 potatoes cubed

one red onion wedged

one summer sausage roll cubed

one bunch of fresh sage chopped

rosemary (1 T. dried or 1/4 c. fresh)

a drizzle of oil

salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a 9" x 13" dish and drizzle with oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 1.5 hours on 350 F until all the ingredients are tender. Eat and Enjoy!

What to do with that leftover cubed pumpkin...

My husband's hometown pays homage to the pumpkin every year with a festival called the Pumpkin Show. I have learned to absolutely delight in every part of autumn, especially the pumpkin. Several years ago I attended a cooking demonstration by Marilou Suszko at the pumpkin show and got these great recipes that have now become part of our family tradition every year at this time. Despite the usual pumpkin flavors and spice pairings, I find these refreshing and comforting. I hope you enjoy them and that they become staples in your autumn fare!

A few editorial notes...these recipes are shallot heavy. I highly recommend using them! You can usually find them next to the regular onions in the produce department. This soup recipe introduced me to fish sauce. Do not be afraid! However, if your aversion to fish sauce is like Gemma's, her tip is to use soy sauce as a substitute:-)

Pumpkin Risotto

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 c. unsalted butter

1 T. olive oil

8 shallots, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1.5 cups risotto rice, or long grain rice

1/2 c. white wine

2 c. diced pumpkin

1/4 c. flat leaf parsley, chopped

1.5 c. grated parmesan

salt and pepper to taste

Put the stock in a saucepan. Heat until almost boiling then reduce heat and keep liquid at a simmer.

Heat the butter and oil in a deep skillet or heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook the shallots for 1-2 minutes until softened, but not browned. Add garlic.

Add rice and stir until all the grains are coated and glistening, about 1 minute. Pour the wine and stir until completely absorbed.

Add 1 ladle of hot stock, pumpkin and parsely. Simmer, stirring until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue to add the stock at intervals and cook as before, until the liquid is absorbed, the pumpkin cooked, and the rice al dente., about 20 minutes.

Add final ladle of stock, parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix well. Remove from heat and let sit for at least 2 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Silky Pumpkin Soup

3-4 shallots, unpeeled

3-4 c. diced pumpkin

2 c. canned coconut milk

2 c. chicken broth

1 c. loosely packed fresh cilantro

1/2 t. salt

2 T. fish sauce

pepper to taste

1/2 c. minced scallion

In a heavy skillet, dry roast the shallots turning occasionally until softened and blackened. Peel, cut lengthwise in half and set aside.

Place coconut milk, broth, pumpkin cubes, shallots, cilantro, salt and pepper in a large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer until the pumpkin is tender.

Stir in fish sauce and cook for another 3 minutes.

Serve with minced scallion sprinkled on top.

Bake Sale Cookies

If you need to make cookies for a bake sale, or your kid's class or a potluck, these are some seriously impressive cookies to make.  Maybe you've just moved to a new neighborhood & want to make a good impression on your new neighbors.  Or maybe you've never befriended your neighbors and are feeling a little lonely.  Or maybe you're having a rotten day & your husband is driving you crazy & your to-do list is a mile long & school called & your kid just threw up...on the school nurse.  Whatever the case may be, these cookies are sure to brighten anyone's day.  Hand over a little plate of these discs of perfection to your co-workers, to your neighbors, to the school nurse and - voila! - you've got an instant friend!  Maybe we should call them Best Friend Cookies.  Here's how to make them:


Bake Sale Cookies*
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat together:
2 sticks unsalted butter - melted & cooled
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated white sugar
2 eggs + 2 yolks
1 T. vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients & add to the wet:
3 1/3 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Add 1 12 oz. bag of chocolate chunks (or chips).

Scoop by 1/4 c. onto parchment-lined cookie sheets.
Bake for 17-19 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through.

Guten Appetit!
Gemma

*Recipe from American Test Kitchen: Big & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Basila

This is a comfort food from childhood and a staple in my kitchen. The authentic dish is precise, however, in efforts to simplify my cooking, I found I can take liberties and not substitute on flavor or texture. If your family isn't keen on green peas, you can use any other vegetable.

1 lb. ground sirloin beef

1 onion sliced or chopped

1 T. cinnamon

1/2 T. all-spice

salt and pepper to taste

1 can of your favorite tomato product (diced, sauce, etc.), my favorite are diced tomatoes

1 16 oz. bag of frozen green peas (or green beans, or baby frozen okra, etc)

1.5 cups rice (Gemma loves Jasmin rice!)

Cook the rice while making the basila.

Brown the ground beef on medium high in a skillet. As the meat is browning, you can add the onions, cinnamon, all-spice, salt and pepper. Once all the meat is browned, onions softened and juices somewhat evaporated, add the diced tomatoes and stir to incorporate. Add the green peas and bring the basila to a boil. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Guten Appetit!
Jasmin

A note from Gemma: My 5 year-old Josh walked in the house after riding his bike one afternoon last week & exclaimed "Mmmm! That smells like my favorite dinner!"  I was cooking Basila!  He & his sister loved it!  I will say that my kids are not fond of chunks of tomatoes, so I use tomato sauce or a small can of tomato paste with some water added.  They are also not crazy about peas - which is too bad because they add such a lovely bright, green color!  I used canned green beans the last time I made it & the whole family chowed down.  Also, as Jasmin says "Don't be afraid of the cinnamon & allspice!"  It sounded weird to me at first - meat with these spices - but, let me tell you; It is amazingly delicious!!  Try it tonight!

The Best Blueberry Muffins. Ever.

Earlier this summer I went blueberry picking at a local farm.  It was so much fun & the berries were delicious.  When we got home I was excited to whip up some pancakes & bake muffins.  I searched online for a good recipe & finally found one that got rave reviews: #51997 on recipezaar.com. 

They were not kidding when they called them Awesome Blueberry Muffins!  I've made these muffins 4-5 times since July & will be making them again next week for a brunch.  When it was my son's turn to bring snacks, I baked them for his kindergarten class.  He reported back that his classmates said "they were the best muffins in the whole world ever!!!" (Three exclamation points to show just how excited he was!) ! Whether you use fresh picked, organic blueberries or grab a bag from the frozen aisle; this is a go-to recipe!

You will need:

Muffins:

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. white sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

optional: cinnamon!

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 c. milk

1 c. fresh blueberries

Crumb topping:

1/2 c. white sugar

1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. butter, cubed

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners
3. Combine dry muffin ingredients
4. Place oil into a 1 cup measuring cup, add the egg & enough milk to fill up the cup (1/3 c.)
5. Add to dry muffin ingredients
6. Fold in blueberries
7. Fill muffin cups right to the top and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
8. Mix crumb topping ingredients with a pastry cutter/two knives/food processor  (This makes a lot of topping!  I keep the extra in a ziploc freezer bag & save for my next batch of muffins!)
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven or until done. (Mine only took 18 minutes)

I strongly recommend that you double this recipe; one batch will simply not be enough!  Give this recipe a try & report back here.  Tell me if you don't think these muffins rock.

Guten Apetit!
Gemma