Konigsberger Klopse (German Meatballs)

This recipe was invented in the city of Konigsberg, today known as Kaliningrad, Russia.
My aunt, Tanta Hanna was born and raised in East Prussia, Germany and this was one of her signature dishes. Later in her life when they moved to the Fraser Valley she was one of the top cooks at Menno Hospital.  I have always interpreted this recipe as 'Meatballs for a King' and once you have taken the time to work through the processes, you'll know why it's worth it. The traditional creamy sauce is made from the broth in which the meatballs were cooked. This dish was only served on special occasions.  February is the birthday month for our family.  So this past weekend I served this to our family as they ramped and raved about this 'old fashioned comfort food.'

Ingredients

Broth ~ Prepare Broth

• 6 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 whole allspice
• 6 pepper kernels
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 onions chopped medium size

1. Add water to the soup pot.
2. Add spices. 
3. Chop your onions medium size and add to the broth.
4. Wait till the onions drop to the bottom of the pot.

Let this broth simmer for about 30 minutes while you prepare your onion mixture.

Onion Mixture ~ Prepare while the broth is cooking.

• 2 onions chopped fine 
• 4 tablespoons butter 
• 2 tablespoons parsley

1. Melt butter in a frying pan.
2. Fry onions in butter and add parsley. Do this slowly.
3. Fry the onions till caramelized.  This reduces excess moisture.
4. Now add this mixture to the meat mixture 

Meat Mixture: Meatballs ~ Prepare meatballs and spices while your onion mixture is frying.

• 2 pounds ground veal (optional: ground beef)
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 onion chopped fine
• add the onion mixture (above) to this meat mixture

1. Combine veal and other ingredients and mix well.
2. Add one more chopped fine onion.
3. Now add the onion mixture from above.
4. Form meat into golf-size balls.
5. They may be a bit delicate to work with but the final result will be moist.  
6. Lay the meatballs on a baking sheet and carefully place them into the hot broth.
7. Let cook for 30 minutes and remove meatballs from the hot broth.
8. Do not stir, as they will fall apart.
9. Discard bay leaves.

To Make Creamy Sauce

• Mix 1/4 cup water with 6 tablespoons flour and mix well.
• Add this to your beef broth and it will thicken.
• Add 2 beef bouillon to the broth.
• Add 1 cup sour cream to the broth and stir.
• Make sure it has a thickening consistency.  You may need to add a bit more flour considering your amount of broth.  You will never have enough broth sauce.
• Add the cooked meatballs back to the heated sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve meatballs and cream sauce with new boiled potatoes or buttered spaetzle noodles.

We always serve this on potatoes, add capers, and fresh parsley.

You won't be making this every day, but remember, when you do...it's for a special occasion.

It freezes well and has been served on many a ski holiday. 

A feast fit for any birthday!

Tomato Soup (Flashback Friday)

The new bride who shared this recipe with me some 30 years ago had no idea what a family favorite it would become to us. I've been wanting to re-post it because I feel like I need to reiterate how easy and delicious it is!  When I posted it early in 2009, the photo had a puff pastry on it - which possibly just looked too complicated. Hopefully this one will eliminate any of those fears. This soup makes a nice appetizer or main course served with a quickly made French Bread. Over the years this has been my go-to soup and bread to take to someone who needs a meal.

Soup Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped very fine
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped very fine
• 2 stalks celery, chopped very fine
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp dill weed
• 28 oz canned whole tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste (optional)
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• pepper, to taste
• 2 cups chicken stock

White Sauce:

• 3 Tbsp butter 
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 2 cups milk

Method:

1. Blend tomatoes in blender until just blended. (Do not substitute whole tomatoes with crushed tomatoes - the flavor will be much stronger)
2. Heat first 4 ingredients in large pot until vegetables are soft.
3. Add spices, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes. Add chicken stock.  Simmer 20 min.
4. In a small pot, melt butter, using whisk - blend in flour and milk, stirring continuously to make a smooth sauce. Once it bubbles, add into tomato soup. Serves 4 – 6

Tips and ideas:

• I often double the recipe as it is good for leftovers. I've also added a can of tomato rice soup with water to stretch the recipe. I like the rice in there.
• For chicken stock I use 1 Knorr bouillon cube with water or Better than Bouillon (paste) with water. To make a vegetarian soup, use vegetable broth.

• To serve with puff pastry, Cool soup slightly, refrigerate until ready to use. Divide among 4 -6 onion soup bowls, leaving 1 inch from top. Roll out 1 -2 pkgs (14 oz each - 397 g) thawed frozen puff pastry to 1/8" thick. (I used 1 pkg. for 6 bowls, but I had to combine the scraps and re-roll) Cut rounds out, about 6 inches in diameter – slightly larger than tops of bowls. Cut a few slits to allow steam to vent. Press to outside of bowl, but not to rim. Chill 1 hour. Bake on lower 1/3 of oven, at 400 F, 15 – 20 min. Watch that the pastry doesn't brown too quickly.

Chewy Sandwich Cookies

I got this recipe from my mother in law, I used less sugar than she did and found they tasted just as good. They have a chewy texture and a hint of spicy flavor. She claimed they tasted best right out of the freezer. Either way I find them delicious.
There is no butter or shortening in this recipe just in case you thought I forgot.

• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

1. In a bowl mix molasses, corn syrup, sugar, eggs, and lemon juice until well blended.
2. In a separate bowl stir together 1 cup flour, baking soda, ginger, lemon zest, and combine with the mixture in the first bowl. Then add more flour as you need. I used 3 cups in total.
3. Separate the dough into 2 parts and shape each part into a roll. You may need a little extra flour as you shape the rolls as the dough tends to be a bit sticky. Wrap in waxed paper and freeze.
4. Remove from freezer and slice the rolls into approx 1/4 inch slices and bake in a 350º oven for 8 minutes.
5. Cool on rack. Spread jam between 2 cookies. I prefer wild plum jam.
Yield: 38 sandwiched cookies

Butter Soup

Butter Soup is pronounced"bu .. tta soop" (as in book) I really think this was one of the clinchers in obtaining a marriage proposal since my mom made it and his mom did not.

I've learned to make it and every now and then we have it for a treat for our lunch.

It really is a poor persons soup. It can be gussied up by adding some smoked meat but really it tastes quite nice as simple as it is. If you love noodles, there is a good chance you will like this. Did anyone else ever have this growing up?

Butter Soup

• 8 cups of water
• 1 large onion
• 6 medium fresh potatoes. . with the skin left on
• 1 large bay leaf
• 5 whole cloves
• 8 peppercorns
• 1 star aniseed
• a handful of fresh parsley

1. Bring water to boil, add the onion and the large diced potatoes. Simmer 15 minutes.
2. Add all the spices but the parsley wrapped and tied in cheesecloth. Let simmer another while you make the noodles.
3. Add the chopped parsley to the soup separately from the cheesecloth.

Noodles

• 1 large farm fresh egg
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup of flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Stir together the egg water, salt and stir in half the flour and then dump it onto the counter and knead in the rest of the flour. You may need a little more.
2. The way my mom did it and I continue to do it. I cut it into strips, and with a clean scissor, I cut noodles, some small and others a bit bigger. No need to be perfect here. Doing it this way, you don't add a lot of extra flour into the soup.
3. Stir the noodles into the soup, bring to boil and boil a few minutes until the noodles are done.
4. Ladle it into bowls, and put a dollop of butter onto the top, serve with a bit of fresh cream.

Strawberry Ala Mode

It's our first long May Day weekend.
Victoria Day!
Invite a few friends and serve up a fresh strawberry shortcake.

How do you serve strawberry shortcake to a large crowd?

Instead of plating each one individually, I made it in a large fruit bowl.
You can use biscuit dough or your favorite shortcake recipe.

 I used my favorite sponge cake recipe.
Oh, how many of you know the difference between a sponge cake and an angel food cake?
Sponge cake only uses the fat from the egg yolk.
Angel food cake uses no fat. (egg whites only)

 Ingredients for Sponge Cake

• 9 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 4 pounds fresh strawberries quartered
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups whipping cream for topping, adding sugar to taste or you can use softened ice-cream.

Method

1. Mix eggs, sugar, vanilla and baking powder in your mixing machine at high speed for five minutes.
2. Slowly add flour and cornstarch and mix at slow speed till mixtures are combined.
3. Bake in a tube pan with a removable bottom.
4. Dust bottom of the pan with flour.  Do not grease an angel food cake pan, preventing it from falling when you turn it upside down.
5. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
6. When baking is completed, remove from oven and turn upside down for about 40 minutes.
7. Remove cake from pan and lay on a rack.
8. I used a 4 1/2' x 13" pan (rectangular).  It's easy to cube and I can freeze what I don't use.
9. I always have a few extra pieces in my freezer. 

Strawberry Mixture

1. Cube and layer sponge cake in a glass bowl.
2. Combine sugar and strawberries and layer over the cubed cake.
3. Repeat this procedure 3 times, finishing off with strawberries on the top.
4. Swirl whipping cream till it reaches a high mound. 
5. Top with a few extra berries.
6. Prepare ahead of time, let the flavors juice together and chill in the fridge.

Have fun creating your own version.

Just in time for the long Victoria Day Weekend.

Bread for the Journey

In our small group this week we studied how to break down a Bible verse. To dissect it word for word, so we can come to a fuller understanding of Gods word rather than simply skimming over it. To meditate on the entire meaning of it, not just part of it.

Grace ~ a gift freely given to us by God, though we are undeserving of it.
Peace ~ freedom from an inner turmoil resulting with a sense of inner calm.
Abundance ~ a large quantity til  overflowing.
through ~ coming in one side and out the other of my entire being, going from head knowledge to heart knowledge.
knowledge ~ a keen awareness and comprehension gained by personal experience.
God ~ creator, ruler, authority over all
Jesus Christ ~ teacher
Lord ~ someone having influence

Now read the verse again, keeping these definitions in mind and really contemplating  them.

Make the verse personal. Which word stands out for you?

For me it is the word Grace and what it means in my own life. God freely gives it. It is a gift, because of His great love for me. It is lavished upon me, whether I deserve it or not. I don't always accept it.
Breaking the verse down word by word and taking the time to meditate on it makes me realize that Grace and Peace is a promise for me that will overflow in my life if I seek Him and get to know the triune God more intimately and make Him ruler over my life. ALL of my life. (Easier said than done).
It leaves me with hope, encouragement, reassurance that even in my failings, I am loved, forgiven as I get to know God / Jesus more intimately. That gives me comfort.

May Grace, and Peace abound in your life as you seek a closer relationship in Christ. Receive the gift, it is freely given.

Rhubarb Tart with Custard Topping

I use tart pans with removable bottoms instead of pie plates often for the ease of serving. A tart pan is perfect for tart or rich fillings when the flavour of your filling goes a long way. Rhubarb, lemon and rich chocolate are perfect for tarts. Tart pans are also easier to edge the pastry. All you do is press it over the edge and allow the excess to fall off over the side. If you want to make this tart for a larger group. .. use all the crust dough to fill a large cookie sheet with edges and double the filling and topping. You could half the recipe for the crust but it is very handy to have crust ready in the freezer and it only takes an hour or so to thaw on the counter.

Crust (use half for the tart)

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg yolks
• milk

1. Put both the egg yolks in a 1 cup measuring cup . . give them a quick stir with a fork and then add enough milk to make 2/3 cup.
2. In a food processor or large bowl, combine the flour and the salt.
3. Add the cubed cold butter and pulse until large crumbs form or cut in butter with a pastry blender.
4. Add the milk and egg mixture until combined.
5. Use half the crust dough to roll out and line a 10 inch removable bottom tart pan.
6. Wrap the remainder of the crust dough well in plastic wrap and seal in a heavy freezer bag and freeze for future use. . .unless you double the filling and topping recipe and bake it on a cookie sheet.

Filling

• 3 cups of thinly sliced rhubarb
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup minute tapioca

Topping

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Combine the rhubarb, sugar and tapioca and arrange evenly over the crust.
3. Cover lightly with some foil.
4. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the tapioca is nearly clear.
5. While the filling is baking stir together the topping ingredients.
6. Pour over the baked rhubarb filling and bake an additional 15 minutes or until set.
7. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
8. If there are leftovers. . cover with a bit of plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Oma's Soft Cream Cookies

I recently made 6 times the recipe for a wedding event which gave over 700 cookies since it was one of the bride's favorite cookies and thought it would be a good Flashback Friday recipe. It is that time of year again where the home smells of sweet delights baking in the kitchen. If you like peppermint cookies, you can add 3 teaspoons of peppermint extract to make them peppermint cookies.

Some cookies are just a sweet reminder of days gone by, and I have fond memories of these soft and delicately sweet cookies. Do you remember these when you were growing up?

• 2 cups sour cream, or whipping cream
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup of margarine or butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 5 cups flour
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons baking powder (yes that is the correct amount)

1. Mix margarine sugar beating well
2. add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition
3. mix in the vanilla
4. Mix dry ingredients together
5. add into the egg mixture stir alternately with the sour cream.
6. This dough is soft and should be in the fridge over night, so it can be rolled out easily the next day. When you roll out the dough, flour the counter and over the dough liberally because the dough is a bit sticky. 
7. Roll out dough on floured surface just over a 1/4" in thickness, into desired shapes.
8. Bake at 350 F for 10-15 minutes watching carefully not to brown. They taste best looking whitish.

You may choose to ice them when cooled with the following glaze.

Glaze
2 cups icing sugar mixed with cream til it is a thick but spreadable constancy.
Add a few drops of food coloring if desired.

Glazed Fruit Salad

With summer fruits filling the markets, it's easy and fun to make healthy meal choices. This hardly can be called a recipe, but it's a simple idea that dresses up a bowl of fruit.

I used the hollowed out pineapple shells as bowls, but you can use other fruit shells or just a bowl. The glaze will keep the fruit from turning brown.

Ingredients and Method

-8 cups assorted fresh fruit, cut into bite sized pieces (drained canned pineapple works well)

-1 19oz (2 cups) can peach pie filling.

In a large bowl cut up fruit and fold in the pie filling. Transfer well coated fruit into your serving bowl and enjoy.

Crunchy Baked Chicken Tenders

We had chicken dinner on Sunday.  It looked nothing like the Sunday chicken dinner that I grew up with...no stuffing, no mashed potatoes and no gravy. But there were delicious strips of lean chicken breast...moist and tender on the inside with a crunchy topping.  And while they were baking, I baked a pan of potato strips alongside.  In twenty minutes time, we had a healthy plate of chicken strips and oven fries in the comfort of our own home.  That is fast food at it's finest!

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders (chicken breast strips)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1. Mix buttermilk, crushed peppers and garlic salt together in a shallow dish (like a pie plate) and add chicken tenders...turning pieces to coat.  Cover and set aside to marinade for one hour or overnight.
2. Combine panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, cayenne and pepper.  
3. Drain chicken tenders and roll in the bread crumb mixture, pressing to coat on all sides.
4. Bake on a rack (cooling rack) that has been placed on a baking sheet at 450°F for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Serve immediately alongside oven baked fries, fresh veggies and dips of your choice. (Ranch and honey mustard pictured above).