Fall Into Flavor: Spaetzle mit Kaese

We've enjoyed having people over for some authenic German (mostly Bavarian) food lately, and we always make up a batch of Spaetzle. It's been a HIT. I love it myself, and in asking one of our guests, Teena, which recipe she'd like to see on my blog the soonest, she decided on the Spaetzle. So, here ya go, Teena - and everyone else! Enjoy!

Oh, I guess I should tell you that Spaetzle is a type of mini-dumpling. And "Kaese" is cheese (hence, the ginormous hunk of cheese below).





Ingredients:

♥ 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
♥ 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
♥ 1/3 tsp salt
♥ 1/8 tsp pepper
♥ 3 eggs
♥ 3/8 cup 2% milk - I add a teeny bit more
♥ 3 TBS butter
♥ 1 Onion (sliced) - I actually use 1/2 onion (diced)
♥ 1 1/2 cups shredded Emmentaler cheese - I use Jarlsburg

Instructions:

♥ Sift together flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Beat eggs in a medium bowl. Alternately mix in milk and the flour mixture until smooth. Let stand for 30 minutes.

♥ Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Press batter throug ha spaetzle press (I used a colander - although I'm sure it must be easier to use the real thing...so, I'm looking into buying one) into the water. You may also use a potato ricer, colander, or a cheese grater. When the spaetzle is floating at the top of th water, remove it to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Mix in 1 cup of the cheese.

♥ Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook until golden. Stir in spaetzle and remaining cheese until well-blended. Remove from heat, and serve immediately.

Apparently, I didn't get any pictures taken until AFTER the Spaetzle was nearly gone!


Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com.

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Fall Into Flavor: German Red Cabbage

I'm a little late in posting this weeks Fall Into Flavor...do forgive. I've been editing photos and more photos from the myriad of fall photoshoots from October. Now that it's cooler and the leaves are all dull and crunchy, there are less requests for photoshoots. Also, the Hubs and I have been hosting friends for dinners (which has been all too fun!) and it's gotten me out of my dull cooking habits. I'm enjoying stepping out of the box (literally - boxed dinners) with a little homemade (from scratch!) German flair! Sylvia - you might like some of these!

So, this week, I'll share one colorful and zesty sidedish that I call "German Red Cabbage." I'm sure there is an official German name...I may have to get back to you on that one in a few years. ;)

I decided that red cabbage is now one of my favorite...vegetables??? For a very shallow reason: it's color. Isn't it stunning? I must admit, my crush goes further. It actually tastes fabulous, too! It's kind of a "meaty," if you will, kind of cabbage with a sweet taste. I like it. Alot.

I have to say, the recipe says to cut it into strips. I was lazy, and used scissors. Plus, it made cooking feel more like craft-time! ;)



I also must admit my complete ignorance when it comes to spices. I actually had to buy all of these. None of them were already in my pantry. Not to mention, I had to ask a fellow shopper in the grocery store where to find a Bay Leaf! I was looking in the produce section, expecting to find it with the Cilantro and Parsley (which, I apparently can't tell the difference between, as my meat dish called for fresh Parsley and I ended up with Cilantro...nice).



My favorite part about this recipe has to be the apples, though. It adds just the right amount of sweetness and tartness. And it's an apple...who doesn't like apples in the fall?

Speaking of fall - - this recipe calls for a Dutch Oven (yeah, I don't know what the connection is, either...just thought I would make myself a nice segway with the whole "fall" thing). And another admittance of total culinary ignorance: I don't really know what a Dutch Oven is. I mean, Hello...where am I going to find a Dutch Oven in America anyway? Plus, I'm making a German meal - so it just wouldn't do. What did 'do' then, you ask? A crockpot, friends. Love 'em. I pretty much let this cabbage stuff simmer on low for like, 6 hours. It's forgiving like that, it seems. And, the whole apartment smelled lovely like red cabbage and sweeeeeeeet apples!



Here's how it's done folks...

Ingredients:

♥ 1 medium red cabbage, cored and sliced (or cut with kitchen shears)
♥ 2 lart tart apples, peeled and sliced
♥ 1 medium sweet onion, sliced and separated into rings
♥ 1 1/2 cups of water
♥ 1 cup cider vinegar
♥ 1/2 cup sugar
♥ 1 TBS butter
♥ 1 tsp salt
♥ 6 whole peppercorns
♥ 2 whole allspice
♥ 2 whole cloves
♥ 1 bay leaf
♥ 2 TBS cornstarch (which I totally forgot about, so if you forget, it'll still be yummy)
♥ 2 tsp cold water (aaand, I forgot about this, too)

Instructions:

♥ In a Dutch over (or crock pot), toss cabbage, apples and onions. Add water, vinegar, sugar, butter and salt. Place the peppercorns, allspice, cloves and bay leaf on a double thickness of cheesecloth (I used a coffee filter). Add to Dutch oven, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/4 hours.

♥ Discard spice bag. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir in cabbage mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stor for 1-2 minutes or until thickened (wish I would have done this part...it was too soupy!)

Enjoy!

Wiener Backhuhn oder Backhendl: Viennese Fried Chicken

Mmmm. Mmmm. This chicken is GOOD! We've used this standard Germany recipe about 6 times now and we love it. It's not exactly the most healthy preparation of chicken you've ever tried, but BOY is it yummy! We've tried it on some of our friends, and yes, they thought it a tasty treat as well.


INGREDIENTS
2 frying chickens, cut in serving pieces (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
lemon juice
salt
flour
3 eggs, well beaten with a little water
breadcrumbs
lard or vegetable shortening for frying (I used veggie oil)
melted butter


INSTRUCTIONS
Chicken pieces may be skinned or left as they are. Flatten breast quarters so they will fry evenly. Sprinkle all pieces with lemon juice and let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with a little salt and dredge well with flour. Dip into beaten egg until all sides are well coated. Dredge thoroughly with breadcrumbs. Let stand at room temperature with breading 20 minutes before frying them.

Heat lard, shortening or oil in large skillet. Melted fat should be about 2" deep. Saute turing once so that pieces become golden brown on both sides. Once chicken is brown, lower heat and fry 8 to 10 minutes on each side. Total frying time should be about 25 minutes. Arrange chicken in open baking pan. Pour a little melted butter over each piece and bake in 350 degree oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until breading is very dry and crusty.

ENJOY!

Honig Brät Mandeln: Honey Roasted Almonds

This is a super yummy treat! Jim discovered it while on the streets of Ingolstadt, Bavaria with Missionary Charlie Ellis, and I discovered it at Scheel's Sports at Jordan Creek in Des Moines. Imagine that. I found the recipe and tried it out at a Young Marrieds Fellowship. It was a hit! Everyone was "nuts" for it! So, try it out! I know you'll love it! It was Jim's idea to add the brown sugar...he said it made them taste more like they did when he was in Germany. He was right, the almonds were much tastier with the brown sugar.


INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole almonds, skin on ( I used 2 cans of Roasted, Salted Almonds - it was cheaper)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 - 1/2 (depending on taste) brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt (If you use the already salted almonds, only use 1/4 tsp)
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. water
2 tsp. almond or vegetable oil


INSTRUCTIONS
Spread the almonds in a single layer in a shallow ungreased baking pan and place in cold oven. Bake at 350º F, stirring occasionally, until the internal color of the nuts is tan to light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. (The nuts will continue roast a little more after they are removed from the oven.) Set the roasted almonds aside.

*Note: If you use the already roasted almonds, the above step can be skipped.

Thoroughly mix the sugar, salt and brown sugar.

Stir together the honey, water and oil in a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the roasted almonds and continue to cook and stir until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the nuts, about 5 minutes.

Immediately transfer the almonds to a medium-size bowl into which some sugar mixture has been sprinkled. Sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture over the almonds and toss until they are evenly coated. Spread the almonds out on wax paper. When cool, store at room temperature in a tightly covered container or plastic bag for up to two weeks. Makes 2 cups.