Spaetzle

For the past five years, my husband goes with his best friend to the Dallas/Eagles game. While he is gone, I always think I will have extra time. How wrong I am. It is all the little things he does which I have to do. Can you tell I am missing him? Also five years ago, we went to Oktoberfest in Munich. It was a lot of fun so I try to make something Germany this time of year. While he was gone, I thought I would make this for the kids. They loved it very much. I guess I'll be making it again when my husband gets back since they told him all about it. I have made Spaetzle before but it was rather plain. This recipe is far from being plain-anything cheesy is a winner with me.

Spaetzle with Swiss Cheese and Caramelized Onions
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
2 cups Swiss cheese, grated
2 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, milk, and eggs. Mix until a smooth dough forms.
4. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water generously. 
5. Working in batches, press the batter through a spaetzle maker (or a colander with large holes) into the boiling water.
6. When the spaetzle floats to the top of the water, remove with a slotted spoon. 
7. Place the spaetzle into the prepared dish in a single layer.
8. Top the spaetzle with cheese. 
9. Continue pressing the batter into the boiling water then adding to the prepared dish. Then top with cheese.
10. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
11. Add the onion and saute until golden brown.
12. Top the onions over the spaetzle. 
13. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
14. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Roland Radler. 

One year ago.................................I made Apple Cider Doughnut Glaze.
Two years ago...............................I made Stuffed Pork Chops.
Three years ago.............................I made Rocket Focaccia Bread.

Did you already know........................
-In 2015, the 182nd Oktoberfest began on Sept. 18th until Oct. 4th.
-To enter a beer tent it is free but arrive early to secure a seat. 
-Reservations can be made since once a tent is full then no more entries.

Salisbury Steak

Did you eat TV dinners as a kid? On occasion, we did. One of my favorite TV dinners was the Salisbury steak meal. So, the other day I figured I would make Salisbury steak for the family. I could have made some TV dinners but I elected to make the meal from scratch. I figured it would be better for us. My daughter requested some creamed spinach which I thought was the perfect side dish. My husband loved the Salisbury Steak. He told me it was one of his favorite meals I have made. He didn't care for the creamed spinach even if the kids and I did. If you are feeling you would like a retro meal, then this is a great meal to make.

Salisbury Steak
1 lb. of ground beef
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 egg
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, sliced
8 oz. white mushrooms
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, and one egg. Mix until incorporated.
2. Divide the mixture into 4 equal sections. Shape into patties.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Melt the butter and cook the meat patties on each side for 4 minutes. 
5. Flip the patties and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside on a plate. Cover.
6. Add the onion into the skillet. 
7. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cook the onions for 20 minutes. 
8. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. 
9. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and mushrooms. Saute for 2 minutes.
10. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth. Stir well. Raise the heat to medium.
11. Add the meat patties into the skillet. 
12. Add one more cup of the chicken broth to the pan. 
13. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and allow the meat to cook for 15 minutes.
14. Serve the patties with spoonfuls of the onion, mushrooms, and gravy over the patties.  

Recipe adapted from Taste of Southern. 
 
One year ago.............................I made Pineapple Syrup.
Two years ago..........................I made Pie Filling.
Three years ago........................I made Pineapple Kolaches.

Did you already know.........................
-Salisbury steak is named after Dr. Salisbury. 
-During the Civil War, Dr. Salisbury tested his food theories on ailing soldiers.
-Dr. Salisbury recommended a diet of hamburgers three times a week.

Creamed Pearl Onions

I tend to make the same Thanksgiving dishes but I wanted to add some new ones. I asked for some suggestions and creamed onions were recommended. I never thought to make creamed onions. My husband thought it was a great suggestion. They were good. Next time, I'm adding white pepper instead of black pepper just for appearance. This dish will be added to our Thanksgiving feast.

Creamed Pearl Onions
1 bag of fresh pearl onions
1 Tbsp salted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
white pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

1. Bring a medium pot of water to boil.
2. Add the onions and boil for 1 minute.
3. Drain and run under cold water to cool.
4. Peel the outer layer of the onion paper off of the onion. 
5. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. 
6. Add the butter and allow to melt. 
7. Add the pearl onions and saute until golden brown 
8. Add the heavy cream and allow to reduce for 5 minutes. 
9. Season with white pepper and salt to taste.
10. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence.

One year ago...................................I made Roasted Squash.
Two years ago.................................I made Green Beans with Bacon.
Three years ago...............................I made Honey Yeast Rolls.

Did you already know........................
-Pearl onions are regular onions just smaller.
-Pearl onions are eaten whole instead of chopped. 
-Pearl onions are grown close together to stunt their growth.

Green Beans with sauteed onions

When I was growing up, my mother always had a vegetable with our meals. Since she was a good role model, I like to follow her example. I'm glad because my children eat their vegetables. My husband is a different story. Normally, I make our vegetables very plain. Sometimes I get fancy and add olive oil with salt and pepper. Well, we have been eating a lot of green beans lately. When I saw this recipe, I knew the kids would love it. We even talked my husband into trying it. He doesn't eat green beans. He probably hasn't had green beans for over twenty years at least. He even would eat these green beans.

Yellow, Purple, and Green Beans used

Green Beans with Caramelized Onions
3 lbs. fresh green beans, stem end trimmed
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large high sided skillet, boil some water over high heat.
2. Add a pinch of salt to the boiling water and the green beans.
3. Cover and cook the green beans for about 5 minutes.
4. Drain the green beans and run the green beans under cold water. Set aside.
5. In the skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. 
6. Add the butter and stir until melted.
7. Add the onions and saute for 20 to 25 minutes or until the onions are caramelized. 
8. Add the green beans to heat for about 5 minutes.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste to the green beans and caramelized onions.
10. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence.

 

One year ago...............................I made Asian Chicken Wrap.

Did you already know.................

- Green beans come in yellow and purple too.

-Purple green beans turn green when cooked.

-Other names for green beans are sting beans, snap beans, ejotes, and haricots verts (tiny green beans).

Bangers and Mash

Since my oldest daughter just returned from England, I asked her if she had Bangers and Mash when she was over there. She said no so I asked her if she saw it on the menu. She said yes but she didn't know what it was. My Dad said she never asked. My Dad said Bangers and Mash is a common pub dish. 

I told my daughter that Bangers and Mash is sausage and mashed potatoes. She said she would have ate it if she had known. My family really liked this dish very much. It is an easy dish to make. The sausage and potatoes are served with a sauce or gravy. I will admit that I don't know how authentic my dishes will be this week but they taste good. The traditional gravy is made with a stock but when I went into the pantry I couldn't find any. The meal was done and I didn't feel like having anyone wait so I decided to make ours cheesy.

Bangers and Mash
2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and diced
8 links beef sausage
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 Tbsp flour
4 cups milk
 1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp heavy cream
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water.
2. Bring the potatoes to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. In a skillet, add the oil and heat over medium heat.
4. Add the sausage to the skillet and brown.
5. Remove the sausage and place on a plate to the side.
6. To the skillet, add the onion to the pan. Cook the onion until soft about 5 minutes.
7. Add the flour to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. 
8. Whisk in the milk to the skillet and return the sausage to the pan.
9. Cook the sausage for about 15 minutes until the liquid is reduce to the desired consistency. Stirring occasionally. 
10. Stir in the cheese.
11. When the potatoes are done, drain the potatoes and mash.
12. To the mashed potatoes, add the butter, milk, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. 
13. To serve, place the mashed potatoes on a plate. Place the sausage on top of the potatoes. Cover the sausage and potatoes with the cheese sauce. 

Recipe adapted from Foodnetwork. com.

Did you already know...
-Bangers and Mash is a traditional English meal. 
-Bangers and Mash are often served with an onion gravy.
-A popular side to Bangers and Mash is peas.

Patty Melt

Sometimes on the weekend, my husband brings us out for breakfast. It is really nice. Our first date, we went to breakfast. Sometimes, we do not arrive to the restaurant until it is the borderline between the breakfast and lunch menu. Please remember we call our son Mr. Brevity for a reason.

One of the restaurants we visit have patty melts on their lunch menu. So when I asked my husband what I should make for supper, he said patty melts. I was surprised and I knew our teenager would be happy. I didn't know what constituted a patty melt. What I found out is that a patty melt is made on rye bread. It has taken me 10 years to convince my husband to eat whole wheat bread. My husband will eat whole white bread. I knew I could never get him to eat rye bread even 20 years from now.

The other thing about patty melts is the presence of caramelized onions. I hadn't realized the steps involved to make a patty melt. I actually thought it was just a hamburger on toasted bread. How wrong was I? I will admit I used a whole white bread with cheddar cheese. My husband asked for American cheese. I will say this meal was very dangerous and I will not make it often. It tasted too good. I served it with a spinach salad.

Patty Melt
8 slices of bread (rye is the preference)
4 oz. of butter, softened
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs hamburger
4 slices of cheese (swiss is the traditional selection)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter one side of the bread.
3. Place the bread with the butter side up on a baking pan.
4. Bake the bread for about 8 minutes or until the bread is toasted to the desired darkness. 
5. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
6. In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
7. Add the onions and saute the onions until caramelized.
8. Form the hamburger into patties.
9. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the hamburgers for about 5 minutes per a side or until internal temperature reaches around 160 degrees.
10. Once the toast has cooked, flip the bread over and add the desired cheese on top.
11. Place the baking pan back into the oven and cook until the cheese has melted.
12. Remove from the oven and assemble.
13. Place the caramelized onions on top of the cheese.
14. Add the cooked hamburger patty and top with another piece of bread with the butter side up. 

Recipe adapted from Serious Eats and Friendly's.

Did you already know........
- In 1935, the first Friendly's restaurant opened in Massachusetts.
-Two young brothers opened the ice cream shop.
-For 5 cents, the Blake brothers sold double dipped ice cream cones.
-Friendly's restaurants filed for Chapter 11 in 2011.