Brisket, Latkes & Applesauce, Oh My!

This is my third holiday season with my fiance and each year he has slowly been introducing into some of the traditions of Hanukkah. The first year was the eight days of gift giving (which he REALLY enjoys!), the second year we bought a small menorah and lit the candles each evening. This year I decided that on the last night of Hanukkah I would try my hand at making a few traditional Jewish dishes, namely Brisket, Latkes and Applesauce all of which turned out superbly.

For the brisket I modified a slow cooker recipe that I found in a Jewish Cookbook, Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes : 120 holiday and everyday dishes made easy by Laura Frankel. The latkes that I made resemble hashbrown patties and were super easy to make. To serve with the latkes I made homemade applesauce which was beyond anything I've ever done before and so easy that I've decided to never by store bought applesauce again. 

Happy Holiday Cooking Everyone!

Latkes

Potato Latkes

Ingredients

6 large baking potatoes, peeled and shredded
1/2 onion, sliced into thin strips (optional)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 eggs
1/2 of veg. oil (or enough to have about 1/2 to 3/4 inch of oil at the bottom of the pan.
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Peel and shred the potatoes. This is where a salad shooter pro would come in handy, but if not a good old cheese grater using the largest holes works fine as well.

In a large, deep skillet, heat oil on medium heat until just hot enough so that when water is flicked into the pan it pops and sizzles. It is important in this recipe to make sure the oil does not get too hot, or you may burn the latkes.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Using a large wooden spoon, scoop out a small amount of the potato mixture and place it in the oil. Flatten it out into a round patty. Wait a minute for the oil to heat up again and place another spoonful in the oil. Repeat as many times as necessary for the pan to become full.

The latkes will take about 3 minutes per side to cook, or until they are golden brown.

* To keep latkes warm and crisp, line a lipped baking sheet with tinfoil and place a gridded baking rack on top. Place the latkes on the baking rack and place them in a oven warmed to 200 degrees.

Things I'll try next time

* Instead of using onions, I used onion powder because Aaron hates onion. I also omitted the garlic, but will also try it next time.

Slow Cooker Applesauce

Slow Cooker Applesauce

Ingredients

6 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker. On the low setting let cook for 6 to 8 hours, stirring after 5 hours and then again before serving. I was able to keep it in the fridge in a covered container for a few days (it didn't last very long!).

Things I'll try next time

* I used granny smith apples that had been on my counter for a few weeks and they worked just fine. I may add more apples or cut down on the sugar a pinch because it was very sweet.
* If I use a sweeter apple like a honey crisp or a pink lady I may cut back the sugar even more.
* I served these on the latkes, but they also worked great as a topping for ice cream or oatmeal.

Creating the Perfect Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a big deal for me. It is one of those holidays that centers around the kitchen and where I can try out new recipes on unsuspecting friends and family!

For me, a great dinner party starts with a plan. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a hyper-organized person and usually can be found with list in hand. For the second time this year I have tried out a new organizational technique: printing out a cooking plan that includes all the recipes I'm going  to prepare, in the order that I will be making them. I then store them in plastic sheet protectors and use them to refer to during the cooking of my holiday meal.

This turned out to be a useful tool for a few reasons. First, it was easy to create a shopping list for what I would need for the dinner when all of the ingredients are printed out for me in one place. Second, having the recipes on hand, in one place, made it easier to keep track of what I still had left to do. I would simply use a dry erase marker on the sheet protectors to cross out steps as I went. Thirdly, I often get asked for copies of my recipes and hey, I just happen to have a handy printed out copy to hand over right then and there.

Sure, I may have gotten a few askance looks from friends and family, many of them shaking their heads in mock pity over my apparent "going over the OCD deep-end" moment, but that sure didn't stop any of them from enjoying the sumptuous banquet I laid out for them!

I found what was missing in my Potato Soup

Potato soup was never a staple in the Hughes kitchen, though a somewhat bastard cousin was... see my grandma's Potato Goup recipe. In my kitchen, Potato Soup is a fall favorite, not only because it tastes delicious, but also because it is an easy recipe that you can throw in the crockpot and forget about while you're at work or school. My recipe changes a little each time I make it. I'm always adding spices or trying out new ways of thickening it up, adding cheese, adding cream and sifted flour, playing with reducing the fat (ha, yeah right!). All this experimenting was for one simple reason... I felt that it was missing something. Of course it tasted great, but it was missing that one ingredient that would make it AWESOME. I found it last night as I was making the soup and unsurprisingly it is a staple that could be found in MANY of my grandma's dishes. Bacon grease. That's right... good ol' lard was the key to unlocking the secret of this dish. This takes me back to my grandma's kitchen where she would have tubs of lard stored in gallon sized old olio containers. I'm sure she would have recognized what it needed right away.

Creamy Potato Soup

Ingredients
5 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced 
32 oz chicken broth (I use low sodium, but I don't think it really matters)
6 sprigs or 1 tbs fresh thyme leaves (I remove them from the stems)
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1/3 cup sifted flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbs bacon grease 
pinch of white pepper to taste
pinch of salt to taste 

In a crock pot combine potatoes, chicken broth, thyme, onion, and garlic. Set on low and let cook for 6 to 7 hours.

In the meantime, fry up some bacon for garnish. (See my handy tips for cooking bacon here)

30 minutes before serving to the crockpot to high and add the bacon grease. In a small bowl whisk together cream and sifted flour and add it to the soup mixture. If I have leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge I will add them at this time to make the soup a little thicker. 

After letting it simmer for 20 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and garnish with shredded cheese, bacon bits, chives and sour cream.

An easier way to make bacon

Far from being regulated to a breakfast item, bacon has made its way into being a staple at my house. From garnishing salads and soups to being the basis for some damn fine gravy, bacon has become a versatile way to add a little "love" to any recipe. While I love bacon as much as the next person, I have never enjoyed cooking it. I inevitably end up with burns on my hands, grease all over my oven and a very dirty frying pan. All that has changed with a simple twist to frying up bacon. I now bake it! Now bacon takes no time at all, with no mess, no burns and it comes out perfectly every time. Here is how I do it:

Line a large lipped baking sheet with aluminum foil (shiny side down of course!). 

Spread out bacon pieces onto the sheet in a row, letting the pieces slightly overlap each other.   

Turn on the oven to 375 degrees (do not preheat!) and put the bacon on the middle rack. You should let them cook for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and then flip them once. Cook an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until they are at your desired amount of doneness. And that is it! You can sieve the grease out of the pan to save for later or just wait for it to cool down and simply throw it away. No messy pan to clean!

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

The sun has finally left us here in the Pacific Northwest and that means.... Crockpot time! One of my favorite crockpot meals is a twist on a Hughes family staple, Chicken and Dumplings. With minimal prep time and delicious, soft dumplings, this is an old favorite made anew. The recipe below will serve a family of four easily and works great served over mashed potatoes.

 Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast fillets (any cut of chicken breast will do as long as it is boneless!)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
32 oz chicken broth, low sodium
2 tbs butter
2 large eggs

2 tsp fresh chopped thyme leaves
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/4 cup milk
1/4 heavy cream

2 cups self rising flour

pinch of coarse salt

pinch of ground white pepper

Directions

In a crockpot, place chicken breasts, soup, butter and broth. Set on low heat for 5 to 6 hours or until chicken is tender and easily breaks apart with a fork. Shred the chicken into small pieces. Turn crockpot on high

In a large mixing bowl whisk together creme fraiche, milk, cream, eggs and thyme. Add flour to the mixture, stirring until just combined. In the crockpot, drop the dumpling mixture in by the spoonful. Cover the crockpot and let it cook on high for 30 to 40 minutes. I found that it works best if I flip the dumplings after 30 minutes to make sure both sides are done. Break a dumpling in half to check for doneness.

Things I'll try next time

* Those dumplings suck up a LOT of moisture so it is always better to add more broth than less. Don't worry if the mixture hasn't thickened before the dumplings are put in, the dumplings will thicken that broth right up!
* The thyme was a must. I've never been a big fan of this particular herb, but it went deliciously with the chicken. I may try to experiment with other seasonings, this is an easy dish to explore new flavors.

Schnitzel & Spätzle

This tongue twisting meal was inspired by a recent trip to an authentic German restaurant: Otto and Anita's Schnitzel House in Portland, Or. While there I fell in love with the flavor and texture of their two main dishes, Schnitzel and Spätzle. And while schnitzel is traditionally made with veal, chicken makes a great substitute for those of us who are a tad squeamish about eating a baby ANYTHING.

Chicken Schnitzel

Ingredients

2 large eggs

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh minced parsley

pinch of coarse salt

pinch of ground white pepper

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 tbs oil

4 chicken cutlets, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness

Directions

Beat eggs in a shallow bowl with garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside. In a separate shallow bowl mix together breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. (It was at this point I stopped to make the Spätzle for they could both be done around the same time.)

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. I use a gas range and putting the burner at 3/4 of the way to full worked best for me. I also waited until the oil was hot (water sizzled and popped when I flicked a bit of it in the pan).

After pounding the chicken (teehee!) dip each cutlet first into the egg mixture, then into the breadcrumb mixture making sure to completely covering it with the bread crumbs. Cook 2 of the cutlets at a time, about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown.

Transfer the cooked cutlets to a baking dish and stick them in a warmed oven to keep them hot while finishing cooking the rest of the cutlets.

Things I'll try next time

* I found that the second set of cutlets turned out a bit darker with more burnt edges. I may suggest adding more oil if needed to the second batch to keep this from happening.
* I will try making a simple sauce to cover the cutlet next time.
* A small spritz of lemon on it would also enhance the flavor.

Spätzle

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch ground white pepper
1/4 tsp course salt
3 tbs butter
2 tbs fresh minced parsley

Directions

In medium stockpot bring to boil 6 cups of water. (I filled my pot about 3/4 full and it worked fine)
Mix together flour, salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Beat eggs well and add to dry mixture along with the milk. Mix until smooth. The batter should be the consistency of thick pancake batter.


Press dough through the spätzle maker. The faster you move the device the smaller the pasta will be. If you don't have a speciality tool, you can use a large cheese grater or a ziplock bag pierced with a skewer 4 or 5 times.

Cook at a simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Drain.

In a nonstick skillet, saute the spätzle with the butter for a few minutes. Serve immediately.

Things I'll try next time

*I will probably try adding cheese and cream to the butter mixture when I saute it. Also I will try adding pieces of bacon or saute it in a bit of bacon fat instead of butter.
 

Smores Bars

Ingredients:
      2 cups crushed graham crackers
     3 cups mini marshmallows
     3/4 cup melted butter
     1/3 cup sugar
     1 12oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
     1 egg


Grease a 7x11x2 glass pan, set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
In a medium bowl combine sugar, graham cracker crumbs, egg and butter. Take 2/3 of the crumb mixture and press into the bottom of the glass pan. Bake for 5 minutes. Spread marshmallows and chocolate chips on top of crust and then sprinkle remaining graham cracker mixture on top. Bake for 8 minutes. Take out of oven and with a fork gradually spread out chocolate and marshmallows. Put back in oven and bake for 5 more minutes.

Cinnamon Belgian Waffles

Ingredients

    2 egg yolks

    1 tsp vanilla

    1 cup buttermilk

    1/4 cup butter, melted

    1 cup flour

    1 1/2 tbs baking powder

    1/2 tsp baking soda

    2 tbs sugar

    1/4 tsp salt

    2 egg whites

    2 tsp cinnamon

Whisk together egg yolks, vanilla, buttermilk and butter in a large bowl, set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, soda, sugar, salt and cinnamon; stir into buttermilk mixture. Whip the egg whites until stiff and then immediately fold into the batter.

Spoon batter into a hot waffle iron.

Yields: 4 large waffles.

 

Pine State Biscuits

In Portland, Or there is a popular breakfast place that is famous for its southern style buttermilk biscuits. In our family, biscuits and gravy was a staple at many a breakfast (and dinner). While my grandmother made some damn fine biscuits, in this one instance I will admit that Pine State does it better. Here is my attempt to recreate their recipe. I've gotten close, but have yet to match their flaky goodness.


Ingredients
     3 1/2 cups flour
    3 tbs baking powder
    2 tsp soda
    1 tsp salt

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

    (now comes a tricky part!)

Mix in with the dry ingredients 1 cup of salted butter. The best way to do this is freeze the butter before hand and then grate it into the mixture. Then blend until the ingredients are combined.

In a separate bowl mix:
    3/4 cup buttermilk
    1/2 cup yogurt
    2 eggs

Combine dry and wet ingredients together, adding flour until dough is workable.

Roll out dough until it is 1/4 inch thick. Fold dough and continue to keep rolling out until multiple layers are created. With a floured biscuit cutter, cut biscuits and place on cookie sheet. Brush tops with melted butter.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
  

Roasted Red Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbs minced garlic

6 Yukon gold and baby red potatoes cut into slices.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2.  In a large ziploc bag, place all ingredients. Shake the bag every few minutes for 10 minutes, coating the potatoes in the oil and mixture.
3. Line a roasting pan with tin foil. Place the potato mixture in a single layer on top of the foil.
4. Bake for 50 minutes, shaking the pan every ten minutes or so. For the last 10 minutes, turn the oven to broil to crisp the tops of the potatoes.