Category Archives: kitchen stories

>Classic Wisconsin – Grandma’s German Potato Salad

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>This recipe has a little extra personal meaning since last September. I have a new job, a great job, teaching online. Our offices are in an older building about 2/3 mile from my home, so I walk to work whenever I can. My walk route takes me past Grandma Frances’ childhood address. I like to think that the connection adds to the good vibes that come every time we make this recipe – and every time I walk to work.

Since she was Chuck’s grandmother, I’ll let him write the guest post. He’s not the only one who makes this dish, but I still think he makes it best. Based on this piece of history, maybe his talent is genetic!

Grandma Frances’ German Potato Salad

This recipe was handed down to us. I remember looking forward to eating this as a young child. We would arrive at Grandma’s house on 14th Street in Milwaukee and the kitchen would have this wonderful almost sweet and sour aroma. It can be served warm, which is how I like it best, or you can make it up in advance and serve it chilled. Enjoy!

3 pounds, about 6 medium, Red Salad Potatoes
1/2 cup sliced White Onion (A Sweet Yellow Onion may be substituted.)
2 Tablespoons Flour
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Celery Seed
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup Vinegar
6-8 Slices Bacon cut into 1 inch pieces (I prefer the Patrick Cudahy Thick Sliced, Double Smoked style in the black labeled box).

· Combine Flour, Sugar, Salt, Celery Seed and Pepper into a small bowl or Tupperware dish so they are thoroughly mixed.
· Peel and slice Potatoes into bite size, 1/4 inch thick pieces. Boil until they are cooked, yet still firm, drain.
· In an Electric skillet, cook the Bacon until crispy. Set bacon aside on a paper towel to soak up the grease. Drain all but about 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease out of the skillet.
· Sauté Onion in the hot skillet with the bacon grease for 2 minutes.
· Sprinkle in the dry ingredients mix. Stir in the Water and Vinegar. Stir constantly until it bubbles then let it reduce to a syrupy consistency.
· Reduce skillet’s heat to simmer, blend in Potatoes. Blend bacon into the mix. Let simmer and stir occasionally for 30 minutes.

I posted this recipe because it’s a great side dish as spring starts. It’s also my entry to the Favorite 50 States Recipes contest. I can’t wait to see what they choose. Maybe it will broaden my choices for our Eating the Opponent project next year.

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>On teaching, voting, and cooking supper

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>Election Day wasn’t bad, all things considered. My ward has a lot of well-informed and politically active people, including our representative in the state assembly. We found the new poll location, pulled our photo IDs out to prove we are who we are, the poll workers blinked at my double name (older people: most young ones don’t even notice) because it didn’t match the poll listings exactly. It was close enough that they let me vote.

Yesterday I wondered why the meat was taking so long to cook. It looked done, but the meat thermometer kept giving me dangerously low numbers – at least it did until I realized what was wrong and turned the temperature readout back to Fahrenheit. Shhh. You’ve done that, too, haven’t you?
I must learn when to sit on my hands and keep quiet. We are short a teacher temporarily at school, a high school language arts teacher. I’m not a high school teacher, but I do know much of the literature at that level. I offered to help out. I haven’t regretted it yet… but remind me later that no one forced me to do this: I stuck my neck out and offered.
Back on the topic of Election Day, my fellow blogger and good friend Green Girl made it through her primary election for school board. Now comes the real work: the main election. Readers, head over to her blog to congratulate her; she deserves it! Instead of complaining about the local schools, she has taken action to make the situation better.
Making the situation better: that’s what running for office is all about. Go Green Girl!

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>Why I’m taking hiatus from posting Recipes

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>When I look up recipes via my blog, I find errors. Typos, ingredients left out…

  • It’s becoming a chore instead of fun. “Oh, no, what will I post this Tuesday?”
  • I’ve found myself repeating recipes too often.
  • My recipes are becoming boring – to me. And if I’m bored, you’re probably bored.
  • Change is good.
On the other hand:
  • I’ll still post seasonal recipes while the Farmers’ Market is running.
  • My garden will inspire more; I’m sure of it.
  • I like to play in the kitchen; I’ll share some of those experiments with my readers.
  • If there’s a story behind a recipe, it’ll make an interesting post.
  • I’m working toward incorporating more meatless meals into the family diet. Those may be worth sharing.
So, dear readers, I’ll still share kitchen stories and kitchen fun and maybe even join in a foodie blog hop or two. But for now, The “kitchen stories” label will have a well earned rest.

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>BBQ Beans and Salsa

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>Simple, meatless, inexpensive, and delicious – I made this with cans, but I think it might be even better with dried beans soaked overnight and cooked in the crock pot. The original, on Dr. Oz’ website, was lacking a few details such as amount of barbecue sauce. I was generous with mine. The original recipe also called for enchilada sauce or salsa. I stuck with the BBQ theme in my flavors. It worked.

1/2 lb. pasta – I used spaghetti.
1 can yellow corn – of course, I used frozen corn from last summer’s Farmers’ Market.
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
BBQ sauce to taste
Cook pasta. Add beans and corn. Stir in BBQ Sauce of your choice. Serve warm.
Now the fun part:
You know me. I’m not going to let a simple recipe stay simple. I added peppers in three colors, all from the freezer. A little onion, diced, made it tastier still. Then there’s garlic – or did I add garlic? I was playing by ear by this time. Maybe I left the garlic out and stuck to the barbecue theme.
This was delicious. I had some left over for lunch the next day, too. I love a recipe that leaves room to improvise, and this one qualifies.

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>Quick Beef Burrito Skillet

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>Amigo and I visited our favorite diner for lunch yesterday. For the first time, we ordered almost exactly the same thing: the Mexican skillet. Both of us had hash browns & wheat toast. The only difference – he had his eggs scrambled, and mine were over easy.

That got me thinking. We must be able to make a similar brunch dish at home. I dug into my recipe files, and sure enough, I found one. I haven’t made this yet, but it looks easy and delicious. Home made salsa will add an extra homey touch.
Quick Beef Burrito Skillet
1 lb. ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can (19 oz.) kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup salsa
1 cup water
4 flour tortillas 6 inch size), cut into 1 1/2 inch squares
1 cup cheese – Mexican style, if you have it
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup chopped green onions
Brown and drain beef.
Add seasoning mix, salsa, water, and beans. Bring to a boil. Simmer for five minutes.
Stir in tortillas. Top with cheese. Cover. Let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Top with sour cream and onions.
Other ideas? Readers, what else could I add – or subtract? I do like things simple, especially on school nights.

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>Ah, that caffeinated aroma of a kitchen floor

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>At least my vacuum cleaner will smell good for a while.

Let me back up. I just vacuumed the kitchen floor. Vacuumed. Not washed, not mopped, not swept, not Swiffer wet-jetted. Vacuumed. I was out of fluid for the Wet-Jet, and I wasn’t ready to get down on my knees and scrub. Besides, all the good rags were in the wash.
Let me back up a little more. I just vacuumed up a pile of coffee grounds. Freshly ground, organic coffee grounds. The floor smelled great. So did my pants. If I’d been wearing brown, maybe I wouldn’t have thrown them right in the laundry. But anyway, back to the story. My tiny kitchen was half covered by, no, maybe… Okay. I’ll back up again.
It was a typical weekday evening. I made my lunch, got my clothes ready for morning, made sure my Kindle was charged. Of course I charged my Kindle to get ready for bed; doesn’t everyone? As a final step, I usually set up the coffeemaker for morning. The filtered water was ready, the coffee filter in place, but before I could measure my life in coffee spoons, I needed one more ingredient. As chief groundskeeper of Chez OkayByMe, I gathered my materials: coffee grinder, container, and cleaning brush.
It all began well. The grinder was working well, sending the organically grown, fair trade processed, deliciously blended beans through the blades to become my refreshing beverage of choice. I inhaled with pleasure. When the container filled almost to the top, I applied the small wooden brush to dust the remaining grounds from the grinder. An important step to prepare the grinder for storage, this was also my undoing.
You guessed it, readers. I spilled. Not all of the coffee grounds fell to their death, but at least one third of what I’d just ground hit the, well, ground. With some on my pants and some on my shoes and more, much more, on the floor, I called out to Chuck. “Is the vacuum still downstairs?” He brought it to me and cautiously backed out of the kitchen without daring to say a word.
So there you have it. At least my vacuum will smell good for a while. It’ll smell of freshly ground organic coffee.

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>Eating the Opponent for the Playoffs

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>

I baked pumpkin bread in the bread machine a few days ago and thought, “Ooh! I should post this.” Duh. I posted it just before Christmas. By the way, it’s delicious with pecans.
As for Eating the Opponent, we’re thinking New York Strip Steak and Jersey bagels. Then again, New York pizza has its own style and Lombardi’s of Manhattan is reputed to have been the first pizzeria in the U.S. Related to the trophy namesake? My research in that direction has had no results.
On the other hand, there are the famous New York black and white cookies, made from cake, not cookies. They look delicious, but I don’t have time to bake a high-maintenance recipe that includes small cakes and two kinds of frosting. I wonder if any local bakeries make them? It might be worth checking. This native New York dish has a roundabout connection to the upcoming game, almost a 6 Degrees type of thing. Here goes.
The last time the New York Giants came to Lambeau Field, there was a big to-do about Eli Manning’s favorite TV show being Seinfeld. Not wanting to give comfort to the enemy, our local affiliate refused to run its Seinfeld reruns at the usual time on that Saturday night. Seinfeld has incorporated the black and white cookie into at least one or two episodes. Is that enough for a connection? Well, if I had time to bake, maybe.
My research also turned up New York chili dogs, a.k.a. Coney dogs, but we used those as a tribute to the Detroit Lions. Let’s hear it, readers. Can you name a uniquely New York food suitable for Eating the Opponent this weekend?

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>Dutch Babies, updated

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>I made the basic Dutch Baby, an egg and flour pancake, a year or two ago. I saw two recipes for Dutch Babies plus in our Sunday paper, so Amigo and I hit the kitchen during break and made them for brunch. We made the orange-cranberry variation; the ham and cheese option looks good, too.

Dutch Baby with Cranberry Orange Syrup
1 cup milk
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon sugar
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. I don’t always preheat; this time, it’s important.
Whisk milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl. Vigorously whick in flour until smooth. Bring marmalade, cranberries, and 1/4 cup water to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer to the consistency of light syrup. Cover; keep warm.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, heat butter in a heavy bottom 10 inch skillet (cast iron suggested; I used my stainless steel). Heat until light golden brown. Pour milk mixture into skillet. Transfer to the oven and bake until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Without removing pan from oven, sprinkle with sugar. Turn oven to broil; broil until very puffy and golden brown, a few minutes longer.
Serve immediately from the skillet, drizzled with orange-cranberry sauce.
This recipe serves four. Amigo and I had our share and had extra left over. Next time I make this, it’ll be on a weekend when we have at least three people at home for brunch. Or maybe I’ll cut the recipe in half.
The cheddar & ham option uses the same basic Dutch Baby (eggs, milk, flour, salt, butter) and then adds 1/2 cup green onions and 1/2 cup diced ham to the melted butter. When the onions are soft and the ham heated through, add the egg/milk mixture to the pan and continue.
After 15 minutes in the oven, sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Continue with broiler as above.
Sound good? I thought so. Enjoy!

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>Cooking School!

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>Rouxbe Cooking School online

Lesson One: Pan Frying
I learned quite a bit from this lesson. I’m a decent cook and my adventurous side shows in the kitchen, too. This basic technique lesson included heating the pan, controlling the pan temperature, and when to adjust the heat. The lesson suggested a stainless steel pan that can also go in the oven. I received one for my birthday, and I haven’t had the courage to use it yet.
Each lesson follows the same structure: Goals, Video, Practice, Quiz, and Discussion. The videos are good; simple, easy to follow, and yet not condescending or dumbed down. Practical advice exists, too. The pan frying lesson recommends a stainless steel pan, but includes a section on other types of pans, including cast iron.
After the lesson comes the fun part: the Edible Exercises, or Practice sessions. Rouxbe offers a recipe collection featuring the focus skill for the lesson. Choosing is nearly impossible – all of these look so good! I might try one today and a different recipe later on.
If I see anything pan fried that fits our Eating the Opponent plan, look out! I have a stainless steel pan and now I know how to use it.

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>Pasta Pan-fried with Butternut Squash, Fried Sage, and Pine Nuts

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>Do you have a few butternut squash stashed from last summer? This is a delicious way to put a squash on the table.

The original recipe called for an entire squash and lots, I do mean lots, of pasta and herbs. With our almost-empty nest, we made half of the original. Chuck cooked up the rest of the butternut squash in a tradition way, mashing it with sugar and butter.
Ingredients:
1/2 medium butternut squash
1 small sweet onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
1/2 pound farfalle pasta
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 oz. high quality Parmesan, shredded or shaved (about 1/2 cup)
Directions:
Heat oven to 375. Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the strings and seeds from the center. Flip the squash halves upside down and peel them. Cut the squash into 1 inch cubes. Toss with the onion, garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper. Mince about half of the fresh sage leaves and toss with the squash.
Spread the squash mixture in a thin layer on a large baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes or until the squash is soft.
Heat pasta water to boiling and cook the farfalle until al dente. Drain and set aside. As the squash finished roasting, heat about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large high-sided saute pan. Drop in the rest of the sage leaves and fry for about a minute, or until the begin to shrivel up.
Remove with a slotted spoon and salt lightly. Crush with the back of a spoon.
Add half the pasta to the pan, along with half the roasted squash mixture. Crumble in half the sage. Cook, stirring frequently, for five minutes or until the pasta is heated through and getting crispy on some of the edges. Add the pine nuts and cook for another minute. Stir in half the cheese and serve.
These are the amounts we used. I hope the “half a squash” doesn’t confuse anyone. It was delicious.
Chuck found this at http://thekitchn.com.

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