Oktoberfest 2014!

 

From this post, you know how really far behind I am in my blog posts. :) Well, what can I say? Life has been busy, and I have been tired. So, while this post is four months late, you could also look at it as being eight months early...that gives you plenty of time to prepare yourself for this year's Oktoberfest, right?

Bavarian-Style Beef Roast and Sauerkraut

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3-pound beef boneless tip roast, trimmed of fat
2 teaspoons caraway seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag (16 ounces) frozen small whole onions
1 can (16 ounces) Bavarian-style sauerkraut, undrained
1/2 cup dark beer or beef broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard

Directions:

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook beef in oil about 5 minutes or until brown on all sides. Sprinkle with caraway seed and salt.

Place beef in 5- to 6- quart slow cooker. Place onions, sauerkraut, and 1/4 cup of the beer (or beef broth) around beef.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 6-8 hours.

Remove beef from cooker; cover to keep warm. Mix flour, remaining 1/4 cup beer (or beef broth) and the mustard in small bowl; gradually stir into juices in cooker. Increase heat setting to high. Cover and cook 15 to 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve beef with juices.

Makes 10 servings.

Source: Betty Crocker, you can find it here.

Notes: Oh, this was so good. Such a great mix of flavors. Not your regular pot roast, that is for sure.

Herb Spaetzle

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup mixed chopped herbs (parsley, chives, marjoram, oregano, or dill are great)
Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over medium heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until they are a homogenous mixture.

In a large bowl, add flour and make a hole in the flour. Add a pinch of salt and using a fork, gradually combine the milk/egg mixture with the flour. Mix until they are just combined. Stir in 1/4 cup of the herbs.

Place the batter in a colander over the boiling water. Using a rubber spatula or a spaetzle maker, push the batter through a colander into the boiling water. Boil the spaetzle for 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Drain the spaetzle and place in a medium bowl. Add some olive oil and remaining 1/4 cup of herbs. Toss to coat evenly and serve immediately.

Source: Food Network, recipe by Anne Burrell, you can find it here.

Creamy German Potato Salad

Ingredients:

4 1/2 pounds red potatoes (about 18 medium)
1/2 pound bacon strips, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes; place in a stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until tender.

In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 5 tablespoons drippings. Set bacon aside.

In the same pan, saute onion in drippings until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened.

Remove from the heat; gradually whisk in cream. Set aside. Drain potatoes. Transfer to a large bow; add reserved onion mixture and bacon. Stir gently to coat. serve warm.

Yield: 13 servings (3/4 cup each)

Source: Taste of Home, you can find it here.

Notes: Holy cow, this is good stuff. I could go for this now...for lunch and dinner, all by itself.

Gurkensalat (German Cucumber Salad)

Ingredients:

2 large cucumbers, sliced thin
1/2 onion, sliced thin (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Spread cucumbers and onion on a platter; season with salt and let rest for 30 minutes. Squeeze excess moisture from cucumbers.

Stir sour cream, sugar, vinegar, dill, and parsley together in a large bowl.

Fold cucumber and onion slices into the sour cream mixture.

Refrigerate 8 hours to overnight; garnish with paprika to serve.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by hisunbeam. You can find it here.

Notes: This is so fresh, light tasting, and flavorful. It also made for some great leftovers. Good stuff!

Slow Cooker Brats

Ingredients:

2 packages fresh bratwurst links (10 brats)
1/4 cup butter
2 cans beef broth
2 onions, cut in half, and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2-3 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
10 (6-inch) bratwurst buns

Directions:

In a slow cooker, combine the butter, beef broth, onions, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, minced garlic, brown sugar, and sauerkraut. Place bratwurst on top over all. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

The slow cooking imparts a wonderful flavor to the bratwurst. It makes them very tender. If, like me, you prefer to have brats that are browned and slightly crispy on the outside, remove them from the slow cooker and place them on a foil covered jelly roll pan and broil on high for 1-2 minutes or until browned to your taste.

Serve bratwurst alone on buns with your favorite mustard, or on buns topped with saurkraut/onion mixture.

Source: I modified this from a recipe that I found on Allrecipes.com, submitted by Dgoodcookr. You can find it here. We have actually posted this before on another Oktoberfest post, which you can find here.

Notes: This is so flavorful. The sauerkraut/onion mixture is so tasty either on top of the brats served on buns, or served on the side.

German Honey Mustard

Ingredients:

1 cup honey mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon celery seed

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and celery seed.

Top favorite brats with mustard and serve on buns.

Source: Taste of Home, you can find the full recipe here.

Notes: We didn't make the full recipe, which includes directions for marinating the brats in and then basting them with the honey mustard. Though I can only imagine it would be super tasty that way too. The honey mustard was quite good.

Red Cabbage

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
5 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 lb red cabbage, cored and shredded (8 cups shredded)
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple packed in juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp caraway seeds

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently until the bacon is crips, about 5 minutes. remove with a slotted spoon. Do not drain off the bacon fat.

Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring frequently until the onion is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the cabbage and stir to coat. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occassionally until the cabbage begins to wilt, about 20 minutes.

Return the bacon to the pan. Add the pineapple and its juice, vinegar, salt, and caraway seeds. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the cabbage is very soft, about 25 minutes. Serves 4.

Source: We got this out of an old Biography Magazine. Too bad those magazines are out of print now. They were great magazines and the recipe section was always outstanding! I have not been able to find them online as of yet.

Caramel Apple Strudel

Ingredients:

5 medium apples, peeled and chopped (5 cups)
3/4 cup apple cider or juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
1/4 cup fat-free caramel ice cream topping
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon coarse sugar
Sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, and/or additional caramel ice cream topping, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large saucepan, combine the first six ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15-20 minutes, or until apples are tender, stirring occasionally. Cool completely.

Unfold puff pastry onto a large sheet of parchment paper; roll into a 16x12-inch rectangle. Transfer paper and pastry to a baking sheet, placing a short side of the rectangle facing you. Using a slotted spoon, arrange apples on bottom half of pastry to within 1 inch of edges. Drizzle apples with caramel topping. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with the bottom side. Pinch seams to seal and tuck ends under.

In a small bowl, whisk egg with water; brush over pastry. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Cut slits in top. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. If desired, serve with whipped cream, ice cream, and/or additional caramel topping.

Yield: 8 servings.

Source: Taste of Home, you can find it here.

Notes: Oh, I love apple strudel. This is good stuff. I have also made this recipe for apple strudel before too, which is also fantastic.

The Extras

Soft pretzels

Assortment of German mustard and pickles

German cookies

Buns for the brats

Oh, and don't forget to stock up on as many different kinds of root beer as your can find! :)

 

Soup's On!

We sure like our soup on this blog! I've been making about one soup a week since the fall. Soup warms and fills you up, makes a ton, and gives you some great leftovers.

I've noticed (for me, at least) that I tend to make a lot of Mexican-style soups. So, I thought I would share some soups with a different influence today.

The first soup has an Italian flair to it. The second has an Indian influence. The final soup has a mix of Polish/German traits. Besides being soup, what ties them all together? They are all really fast and easy to make.

I hope you like them!

Oh, and make sure to check below the three recipes I posted, because my sister shared some of her favorite soup recipes too (four more soup recipes, to be exact)!



Garlic-Basil Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon butter
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup minced fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cups frozen cheese tortellini
1 can (19 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large saucepan, saute garlic in butter until tender. Stir in the broth, water, basil, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in tortellini. reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 3 minutes or until tortellini begins to float. Stir in beans and vinegar; heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Information: One serving (1 1/4 cups soup with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese) equals 284 calories, 8 g fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 953 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 15 g protein.

Source: This is from a Taste of Home Light and Tasty cookbook, submitted by Linda Kees.

Notes: I doubled the recipe and added more beans (I always like more beans than what most recipes call for!).

Mulligatawny Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 cups canned chicken broth
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
1 cup cooked rice
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

In a large saucepan, heat the butter and oil over medium heat until the butter has melted. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until the onion is tender (about 5 minutes).

Stir in the flour, curry powder, salt, and cloves until well combined. Add the chicken broth and 2 cups water, stirring until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 15 minutes until the flavors have blended. Add the chicken and rice and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: This came from Biography Magazine. Biography Magazine is no longer being published (which is a pity because it was such a cool magazine!). Each month, they would do a spotlight on a famous historical figure and then create a whole meal based around that person. The article that this soup came from was entitled "A Passage to India: Rudyard Kipling."



North Woods Bean Soup

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1 cup baby carrots, halved
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (15.8 ounce) cans of Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed (or any white beans)
1 (6 ounce) bag fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions:

Heat a large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and kielbasa; saute 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium, cook 5 minutes. Add the broth, Italian seasoning, pepper, and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Place 2 cups of the soup in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to pan. Simmer an additional 5 minutes. Remove soup from heat. Add spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.

Yield: 5 servings (1 1/2 cups each)

Nutrition information: 227 calories, 3.9 g fat, 18.1 g protein, 30.8 g carbohydrate, 6.7 g fiber, 26 mg cholesterol, 3.5 mg iron, 750 mg sodium, 112 mg calcium.

Source: Cooking Light, January 2002

Notes: Do NOT add salt. The kielbasa makes this soup plenty salty. You won't need to add any, I promise. Also, it is very important to puree the 2 cups of soup called for in the recipe. It is necessary to helping make the soup creamier...and prettier! Seriously, the soup isn't very pretty before that portion is pureed!

A few more soups from the foodie in the Midwest:
I also agree with my sister, soup is a fantastic meal! Love how cheap, easy and versatile it is. And it makes yummy lunch the next day. I wanted to add a few of my tried and true recipes. No pics yet, sorry!

Hunters Minestrone

This recipe is very hearty and flavorful. It makes a big batch too. I highly recommend it. I got the recipe from a Tyler Florence cook book, but it can also be found on the Food Network website.

Ingredients:

2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 lb small rigatoni
extra virgin olive oil
8 fresh sage leaves
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
3/4 lb loose pork Italian sausage
2 med carrots, coarsely chopped
2 med celery ribs, coarsely chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 (28 oz) cans cannellini beans

Directions:

Combine the stock and halved garlic head in large stock pot. Bring to a simmer 15 minutes until broth has a nice garlic flavor, discard garlic.

Bring another pot full of water to a boil, cook pasta for six minutes, it should be underdone.

Pour 1/4 cup olive oil in large pot. Add sage, rosemary and thyme; cook at medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add sausage, cook until browned. Chop carrots, celery and onion in food processor, add veggies and cook 4 minutes until veggies are softened, but not browned. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, beans, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta, parsley, and salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf and herb sprigs.

RED BEAN & MUSHROOM STEW WITH DITALINI (COOKING LIGHT)
Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups pre-sliced mushrooms
1 cup diced carrot
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth
1 cup uncooked ditalini (about 4 ounces short tube-shaped pasta)
2 tablespoons commercial pesto
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and carrot; sauté 4 minutes. Stir in water and the next 4 ingredients (through broth). Cover; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta; cook, uncovered, for 11 minutes or until pasta is done. Stir in pesto; sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Roasted Tomato Tortilla Soup (Cooking Light)
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

5 medium tomatoes, cut in half (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 (6-inch) Anaheim chiles
7 (1/4-inch-thick) slices onion
2 large garlic cloves, halved
Cooking spray
8 (6-inch) white corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup diced ripe avocado
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded queso fresco
8 cilantro sprigs
(You could also add some shredded chicken to add a little meat, which I did. My hungry husband needs it!)

Directions:

Preheat broiler.

Arrange tomatoes, cut sides down, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Cut chiles in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place chiles, skin sides up, on baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes. Peel tomatoes and chiles; place in a small bowl. Place onion and garlic on baking sheet; lightly coat with cooking spray. Broil 20 minutes or until browned, turning after 10 minutes. Add onion and garlic to tomatoes in bowl. Discard foil.

Arrange tortilla strips in a single layer on a baking sheet; coat with cooking spray. Broil 9 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Place tomatoes, chiles, onion, and garlic in a food processor. Process 1 minute or until blended. Spoon tomato mixture into a large saucepan; cook over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro and the next 5 ingredients (through broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with about 6 tortilla strips, 1 tablespoon avocado, 1 tablespoon queso fresco, and 1 cilantro sprig.

Chili-Spiced Chicken Soup with Stop Light Peppers & Avocado Relish ( Cooking Light)
(This is my husbands favorite! Its delish)
Ingredients:

Spice blend:

2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Soup:

1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
2 cups chopped sweet onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 (32-ounce) carton fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Relish:

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
3 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
1 diced peeled avocado
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Directions:

To prepare spice blend, combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl.

To prepare soup, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons spice blend over chicken. Sauté 8 minutes or until done; cool. Chop chicken; set aside.

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat; add onion, bell peppers, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with remaining spice blend; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in chicken, corn, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Add lime juice.

To prepare relish, combine chopped cilantro and next 4 ingredients (through avocado).

Ladle 1 1/4 cups soup into bowls; top with 1/4 cup relish. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information: Calories:285, Fat:9.6g (sat 2.1g,mono 4.7g,poly 1.8g), Protein:27.2g, Carbohydrate:23.1g, Fiber:5.5g, Cholesterol:648mg, Iron:3.1mg, Sodium:773mg, Calcium:99mg