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.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

When I was a kid, my Mom would make us Pineapple Upside Down Cake. I really liked it with the syrupy top. I forgot the cake is really sweet. The kids thought it was neat how the cake is made. It is a really simple cake to make. I tried very hard to it all the items blended but the butter still had pieced in it. When I cooked it, the cake had came together so I shouldn't have worried. My son helped me flip the cake and ta-da! The cake stayed whole. The kids loved it. My husband loved it. I thought it was a great way to bring me back to my childhood.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
1/4 & 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened and divided
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
9 slices of pineapples, drained
9 maraschino cherries, drained
1 1/3 cup all prupose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9x9 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Evenly coat the bottom of the pan with 1/4 cup of melted butter.
4. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the melted butter.
5. Arrange the pineapple pieces in an even row over the brown sugar.
6. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice. Set aside.
7. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, 1/3 cup softened butter, baking powder, salt, milk, egg, and vanilla. 
8. Beat on low with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.
9. Turn the mixer to high speed and allow to mix for 3 minutes. 
10. Pour the batter over the pineapples and cherries in the baking dish.
11. Bake the cake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
12. Immediately, take a heatproof plate and place it upside down over the pan.
13. Turn the plate and pan over quickly.
14. Allow the cake to sit for a minute so the brown sugar mixture can drizzle over the cake.
15. Remove the pan and serve warm.

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.

Two years ago.................................I made Roasted Apple Bread. 
Three years ago...............................I made Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies.

Did you already know............................
-In 1901, James Dole formed the Hawaiian Pineapple Company.
-By 1923, the Hawaiian Pineapple Company was the largest pineapple packer in the world.
-In 1925, Dole sponsored a recipe contest  with many entries for Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

Cheeseburger Pasta

Do you ever feel like you just need more hours in the day? It probably doesn't help with a ten hour work day. So, I like to find quick meals. I will admit that I am lucky since my husband makes/buys our dinners during the weekdays. Then my turn to cook is Friday through Sunday unless it is a holiday then I'll cook. My husband was going to make this meal but something came up. Since he had purchased all the items, I made it for a quick weekend meal. I was thinking about skipping the pickle juice but I had a jar of pickles in the frig. My son loves pickles. I know my husband was going to skip the pickle juice. I'm glad I didn't. It really added a nice flavor to the dish. Also, my neighbor gave us a tomato and two orange bell peppers which I added to the dish. No one could tell there were extra vegetables not even my husband. My husband even requested the leftovers since he liked it very much. I have a feeling my husband will be making this dish on a night he cooks. It looks like a Hamburger Helper but it taste nothing like a box meal.

Cheeseburger Pasta
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup orange bell pepper
2 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 can (14.5 oz.) tomato sauce
2 Tbsp pickle juice
4 Tbsp prepared yellow mustard
8 Tbsp ketchup
2 cups penne pasta
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, brown the hamburger with the onion and garlic.
2. Add the tomato and bell pepper. Cook for a minute.
3. Season with the steak seasoning and the season salt. 
4. In a bowl, combine the tomato sauce, pickle juice, mustard, and ketchup.
5. Mix the tomato sauce mixture into the hamburger.
6. Allow the mixture to simmer while the pasta cook. 
7. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain well. 
8. Mix the pasta with the hamburger mixture.
9. Sprinkle the cheese into the hamburger mixture and mix.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.

One year ago..........................I made FYI: Tomatillos.
Two years ago........................I made Peanut Butter Layer Bars.
Three years ago.......................I made Broccoli Cheddar Soup.

Did you already know.......................
-In 1971, Betty Crocker introduced Hamburger Helper.
-The product was introduced for a family to stretch a pound of meat into a meal for five. 
-Hamburger Helper is made by General Mills under the Betty Crocker brand.

Baked Potato

When I first was married to my husband, I decided to serve baked potatoes for supper. I made all these toppings for a potato bar. All the toppings were in little dishes so we could specialize our own meal. The problem was I hadn't cooked the potatoes all the way. I even tried to cook the potatoes longer but it seemed like they were never going to cook. The potatoes tasted raw. The toppings weren't going to make dinner any better. Since that terrible meal, my husband would say I can cook anything but a baked potato. He thought it was a funny joke. Mashed potatoes? No, problem. Hash Browns? No, problem. Even fries were no problem. I hadn't attempted a baked potato again. Well, now my husband said I redeemed myself. I can make a baked potato and it was good! The potato was fluffy and fully cooked. Now, he will have to find something else to give me a hard time about like maybe always being late.

Baked Potato
4 large russet potatoes
Vegetable oil for coating
Toppings: bacon, sour cream, butter, cheddar cheese, green onions, chives, broccoli, etc.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Wash and scrub the potatoes. 
3. Dry thoroughly. 
4. With a fork, poke 10 holes all over the potato.
5. Coat the potatoes with the vegetable oil.
6. Place the potatoes on a middle rack.
7. Bake the potatoes for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the skin feels crisp but the flesh inside the potato is soft.
8. Serve hot but be careful of the steam when splitting the potato open.

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown.

One year ago.........................I made Four Chip Cookies.
Two years ago.......................I made Peaches and Cream Cake.
Three years ago.....................I made White Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins.
Four years ago......................I made Ultimate Streusel Cake.

Did you already know..........................
-In the world, the potato is the 4th largest food crop.
-In Peru, the Inca Indians were the first to cultivate the potato.
-The Inca Indians used potatoes for medicinal remedies from toothaches to promote the healing of broken bones. 

Banana Oat Snack Cake

Alright, you can judge me. Yes, I served this cake for breakfast. I figured it was close enough to banana bread. The kids liked it. It is moist and taste very similar to banana bread. My husband liked it. He prefers banana bread but he said it needed less oats. I had even decreased the oats from the original recipe. I think the oats would have tasted better toasted but I liked the recipe. It did make a nice breakfast and the kids didn't complain.

Banana Oat Snack Cake
6 oz. unsalted butter
1 cup old fashion oats
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 ripe banana, smashed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a 8x8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Melt the butter in the microwave for 1 minute. Set aside. 
4. In a large bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. 
6. Mix the melted butter into the brown sugar mixture. Whisk together until incorporated.
7. Add the bananas and mix well. 
8. Add the sugar mixture to the flour mixture. Whisk until incorporated.
9. Add the batter to the prepared dish.
10. Bake the cake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
11. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

One year ago...........................I made Basil and Tomato Pasta.
Two years ago.........................I made Corn Salsa.
Three years ago.......................I made Mussels.

Did you already know......................
-Since 7,000 B.C., ancient China have been eating oats.
-The ancient Greeks were the first known to make porridge from oats.
-In the U.S., 75% households have oatmeal in their kitchen.