Bohemian Kolaches-Grandma Rumppe's

So, there has been a lot of discussions in our house regarding Kolaches.  These are Czech pastry's that are baked in the oven, filled with fruit filling and take in many shapes and configurations.  I have come to believe that asking for a kolache is equivalent to asking for a "pastry".  Just as there are many types of pastries, there are many types of kolaches.

In our house, it is pronounced KŌ-lah-cha. I have also come to learn that even the pronunciation of the pastry's name is fodder for discussion. The point is, if you are me and trying to provide your Czech father with a memory from his childhood, you need to do a little research and figure out the details of the pastry on which he was brought up.  Hand him a Kolache that isn't shaped like the ones he remembers growing up in Wisconsin, or with filling that is not what Grandma used and he WILL tell you about how HIS mother made them.

BEHOLD! I bring you Grandma Rumppe's Recipe for Czech Kolaches in her own (beautiful) pen-woman-ship.  <shaking fist in the air>THIS is why you young people need learn cursive handwriting.</shaking fist in the air>.  My sister Mary found the recipe among the personal affects of my Dad's sister, Carol.  

There were a few things that confused me when I first read through the recipe.  The first is that the recipe calls for 1 ounce of compressed yeast.  Yeah, I had the same reaction...what-the-what? I did a little bit of research and was able to determine that compressed yeast is compressed into a small block to minimize the surface area and therefore keep it from spoiling too quickly.  It is different from the envelope or jar of granular yeast that we see more often in stores here in the US.  Compressed yeast has a short shelf life but has a diminished fermentation aroma.  I have seen web sites that provide conversions ratios for compressed yeast to active dry yeast is 

1 oz of compressed yeast is about ½ oz of Active Dry Yeast or 1½ Tbsp. 

The second issue I had with the recipe is that it calls for ¾ cup of shortening and butter mixed.  I ended up using ⅜ cup of butter and ⅜ cup of shortening. 

The first time through this recipe I did my best to stick to the instructions as they are written.  I thought about the necessity to scald the milk, wondering if my Grandmother didn't have access to pasturized milk.  I did a little online research and found that scalding the milk breaks down the whey proteins which would otherwise hinder the yeast from being the best yeast it can be. So, pour the milk in a wide hallow pan and heat the milk to between 180 - 185°.  

I did go off script by:

• using silicone mates instead of a greased cookie sheet.  
• Instead of dropping the prescibed 2 tablespoons of filling into each one.  I first cut out the circles, noticed how many I had, (44 of them, (see note below)), then spread the filling out on some parchment paper to form a rectangle, then using a piece of dental floss, divided the rectangle up into roughly equal-sized partitions. the method seemed to work pretty well.  I would say that each of my kolaches received a teaspoon of filling,
• I also brushed each with a little egg white before baking to give the kolaches a little bakery bling.

In Memory of Janice Rumppe

The photo is titled Janice and Francis, Christmas 1958.  Those apron-clad ladies are
my grandmother, Francis Rumppe and my mother, Janice serving up pie.  Mom was pregnant with my older brother Mike in this photo.

"Save that. I can use it for soup." 
~Jan Rumppe 

 

This blog came about after years of my sister Mary (Mt Vernon, Iowa) trying to convince my mother that the two of them needed to make a family recipe book.  Actually, Mom did not seem to need a lot of convincing. She seemed to think it was a good idea, but the distance between them was (at the time) prohibitive.  In 1998, I was getting my Masters Degree in Educational Technology.   I had just learned about this new thing called a "blog".  After listening to the two of them discuss the need for the recipe book for the umpteenth time, I suggested the two put the recipes into a blog.  My sister's reaction is kinda funny now that we are all here in the future together, but she asked, "Why would having all of these recipes on a computer help? The computer is in the office and I cook in the kitchen?"  "...the computer..." there were no mobile devices yet and a family only had one computer.  Nevertheless, Mom was game and so, with her recipes and my knowledge of the then newfangled "hypertext markup language", this blog was cobbled together.

Jan Rumppe knew how to cook within her means. I come from a family of seven. As teachers, my parents needed to live within a budget. Mom managed to stretch a dollar by making many-what is known in Minnesota as-"hotdishes", (aka casseroles).  Those that I remember most include, Tater-Tot Hotdish (with cream of asparagus soup), Ham Hotdish, Spaghetti, Lasagna and-on occasion-the ol' box of Hamburger Helper or can of "Manwich" came out. Mom also made large pots of beef and barley, or split-pea soup.  

A pound of hamburger was able to feed all seven mouths and still have some leftovers for the next day. About once a week, we would have "left-over night" whereby the refrigerator was cleared out of all the extra left-over bits.  Just to gussy-up these otherwise run-of-the-mill meals, Mom would dim the lights and light a candle to create some "OMMbiance". 

Recipe card boxes

Mom would often scour magazines like Better Homes and Gardens for recipes.  She had a knack for sifting through those that require too much effort, or hard-to-find ingredients.  She also seemed drawn to the unusual combinations such as this recipe for Roast Chicken With Rosemary and Pears, which she cut from the Minneapolis Star Tribune when published October 23, 2019.  Like many in those times, Mom kept recipe boxes filled with 3 × 5 cards-most had crinkled and/or butter-soaked edges.  Trips to the grocery store often coincided with biweekly paydays.  Mom would buy groceries for two weeks at a time.

I still remember her tearing up in aisle 6 of Target (Yes, Target had grocery stores back then), holding a box of Cheerios in her hands and seeing that the price had now gone above a dollar. Obviously, by today's measures, that would be quite a deal. But back in the 1970s, the cost of everything was going up and Mom had legitimate anxiety over how she was going to manage to make due with even less.  

Some of my fondest memories of family were over the meals she would prepare for when guests were over.  The meals of beef and cheese fondues sticks out the most in my mind.  Because there were so many people just within our immediate family as well as any guests, there were at least two fondue pots going on either end of the table.  The combined smells of burning Sterno fuel and hot peanut oil still bring me back to those meals that would seem to last for well over an hour.  And while your meat cooked, you had a chance to talk, laugh and spill a glass of milk.

As you might have guessed, dinnertime was an every-night, whole-family event-well at least until we got to high school and then the sports, theatre and choir events would take precedent.  Mom established this tradition. Imagine seven of us gathered around a table which always felt too small for all of us and our many elbows.  After we said prayers over the food, we would dish our own plates and pass clockwise.  It was then that we would be asked to share what we learned in school that day, or to talk about anything that got us excited.  Often the conversations were upbeat, sometimes not, but either way those moments shared over a meal was the tool God (and Mom) used to keep the family glued together.  It is one that I was more than happy to adopt when my wife and I started a family.

This blog may give you an idea of what was on our forks, but in truth, I believe it was the moments between the forkfuls that built my family.  I appreciate my parents for keeping it together in the tough times and teaching my siblings and I, no matter the challenge, provide a little elbow room for some OMMbiance.  

Now, would you please pass the hotdish?

Grilling Spice Rub

I was watching Nick Stellino's PBS show and he OFTEN talks about his "Magic Spice Rub".  I tried it and I got to say, it is pretty dang good...and simple too!  Nick used plain paprika but I used smoked paprika just to give it another dimension.  

To be clear, I use this for grilling and sometimes frying. but I use another rub for smoking meats.  
Use this spice rub to flavor your favorite grilled chicken, beef, fish, and pork dishes.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar

• 1 tablespoon Garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 tablespoon pepper

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

• 1 tablespoon onion powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add the ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly. 

1. Store in an airtight container for later use. 

Marinated Mushrooms

 

Marinated Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 1 package mushrooms
• 1 tbs butter
• ½ cup vinegar
• 1 cup oil
• 1 tsp sweet basil - crushed
• 2-3 cloves garlic-minced
• ½-¾ tsp salt

Directions:

1. Wash mushrooms - do not soak
2. Place mushrooms in double boiler 
3. Add 1 tablespoon butter and some salt
4. Cook for 15 minutes stirring often
5. Put mushrooms into a bowl
6. Add remaining ingredients
7. Refrigerate 

Ham Sliders

Mom and Dad had Kathy and me over for dinner recently.  She served these tasty little sliders.  She said she got the recipe from Taste of Home Magazine March/April 2022.  Kathy and I both agreed this recipe has got to go on the blog.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package (12 ounces) Hawaiian sweet rolls
• ½ cup horseradish sauce
• ¾ pound sliced deli ham
• 6 slices Swiss cheese, halved
• ¾ cup butter, cubed
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• 3 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 2 ¼ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• ⅜ teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Without separating rolls, cut rolls in half horizontally; arrange bottom halves of rolls in a greased 9×9-in. baking pan. 
2. Spread cut side of roll bottoms with horseradish sauce. Layer with ham and cheese; replace tops. and now separate the buns.
3. In a small skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender, 1-2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. 
4. Pour over rolls. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake, covered, 25 minutes. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, 5-10 minutes longer.

Turkey Cherry Pasta Salad-D'Amico and Son's

Turkey Cherry Pasta Salad

From D'Amico and Son's

When a waiter has come back to the table and asked if there is anything else they can get for me.  If I really enjoyed the meal, I have been known to ask for the recipe.  Often, (but not always), the restaurant will already have pre-printed recipes.  This is one such recipe.  Thank you to D'Amico and Son's of the Twin Cities.  

This recipe serves 4.

SALAD:  

• 1 pound rotini pasta
• 1 ½ to 2 cups cooked, diced turkey breast (smoked is very good in this recipe)
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 diced celery stalks, diced
• 1 cup whole toasted almonds

POPPYSEED DRESSING:

• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 2 cups real mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

PREPARATION:

Salad:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. 
2. Drain. 
3. Rinse in cold water. 
4. Chill. 
5. Combine pasta, turkey, dried cherries, onion, celery and almonds.

Dressing:

1. Combine powdered sugar and vinegar. 
2. Add mayo, water, poppy seeds, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. 
3. Add to pasta mixture. 
4. Toss until pasta is coated with dressing.

NOTE: May be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Refrigerator Pickles

Mary's 2021 Pickle Packs-Spears, Sliced and Slabs.

Mary (Rumppe) Young got this recipe from her son-in-law Brodie. She likes it because it is both easy to prepare and also the pickles stay crisp.  

Brine:

• 2 cups Water
• 1 cup Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Salt 
• 1 tsp Sugar

Directions:

• Boil to dissolve the salt and sugar
• Cool to room temperature
• In a quart jar add.
• Sliced Cucumbers
• 1 Dill flower head
• ½ tsp Peppercorns
• Enough brine to cover
• Cover jars and keep in the refrigerator.  

Mary says it takes about a month before the cucumber slices start to take on their pickle qualities.

 

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is another favorite cookie in our family. My family does not request the normal Christmas cookie. This is one that is always requested.

Ingredients:

2¼ cups all-purpose Flour

⅓ cup unsweetened Cocoa

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

½ teaspoon Salt

1 cup Butter

¾ cup White Sugar

¾ cup packed Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 Eggs

2 cups Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla on medium speed until creamy.
4. Add eggs and beat well.
5. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well.
6. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
7. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set.
9. Cool slightly before moving to cooling rack.

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

For whatever reason this recipe is better than any recipe I have found for Chocolate Chip Cookies. Maybe it is the baking soda dissolved in the hot water. Also I use Trader Joes Chocolate Chips because they are less waxy than the name brands. These cookies are soft and melt in your mouth delicious. Bottom-line, truly the best.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Butter, softened

1 Cup White Sugar

1 Cup packed Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

2 teaspoons Hot Water

½ teaspoon salt

3 Cups Flour

2 Cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips 

1 Cup Walnuts or Pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cream together butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. 
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
4. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt.
5. Stir in flour, chocolate chips and nuts.
6. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans
7. Bake for about 10 minutes or until edges are nicely brown.

Enjoy!

Beef Stew

Kathy searched the web for a recipe for beef stew that was intended for the Instant Pot.  Here is the one she settled on from The Salty Marshmallow .  The recipe makes 6good portions, so I had 3 meals of beef stew.  

I like it so much that less than a week later, when we were considering what we could serve for dinner when my parents came over for my mother's birthday, I suggested the beef stew recipe again.  So, for the fourth time in less than a week, I ate beef stew.  Mom and Dad gave their strong approval, which meant this recipe was now destined for the Rumppe Roast Family Recipe Blog.  Even after serving my folks this time, we still have another meal of beef stew...wanna guess what is for dinner tonight?

From cutting board to table it takes about 2 hours.  

Ingredients

• 1 ½ Pounds Beef Stew Meat
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 Large Onion, Chopped
• 1 16 Ounce Bag Baby Carrots, Cut Into Slices
• 1 Pound Potatoes, Cubed
• 2 ½ Cups Beef Broth
• 1 10 Ounce Can Tomato Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Wondra Flour
• ½ Cup Water

Rolled Rib Roast with Horseradish and Garlic

Mom would often make this when we had company over.  She found this recipe in a barbecue cookbook and transformed it into a meal prepared in the oven.  We live in Minnesota after all.  The grill is inaccessible for half the the year.  Mom would serve this with baked potatoes, salad and whatever vegetable she happened to find nearby.

If you use too small of a roast, it will likely over-cook.

Ingredients

• ⅓-½ cup prepared horseradish-Mom recently used Reece's Prepared Horseradish
• 1 ½ - 2 Tsp minced garlic
  
• 5-6 lb Rolled Rib Roast

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375° degrees
• Mix the horseradish and garlic together.
• Insert half of the mixture into the cracks and crevices as you are able.  You may also need to insert a blade into the ends to form pockets.
• Spread the remaining mixture on the outside of the roast.
• Insert a meat thermometer into the center of the roast.
• place in a uncovered roasting pan
• Bake until the temperature reads to desired doneness.
• 140° for rare
• 160° medum
• 170° well done.
• Let roast stand 15 minutes before carving.
• Approximately 3-servings per pound.

 

Mom's Vegetable Beef Soup

Mom would often make this soup in order to use up some surplus vegetables.  When we were young Mom just used whole black pepper corns instead of ground.  (I don't know why, perhaps we didn't have a pepper grinder).  Nevertheless, we would have to be very careful to find any stray pepper bb's that made it into our mouths.  We would line the pepper corns around the outside of our plates like trophies and compete with each other for the most.  It was always funny when someone would miss one of the corns and bite into it.

Ingredients: 

• 2½ - 3 lb Pot Roast-cut 1 inch cubes
• 2 cups Onion-chopped
• 1-2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2-3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 64 oz vegetable or beef broth (or combination) or  64 oz V-8.
• 1 quart canned diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• 2 cup celery sliced
• 1½ cup carrots sliced
• 1 - 2 bay leaf
• 1½ tsp salt  (Mom was guessing her amount she uses so start with less and add as needed) 
• black pepper to taste
• 3/4-cup medium barley
• 10-0z package frozen Peas
• Cut Parsley (garnish)

Optional ingredients

• Potatoes
• Peppers
• Green Beans 
• Cabbage
• Corn
• Leeks

Directions:

1. Brown the meat in batches on all sides 
2. Add the onions and garlic and heat until translucent 
3. Add the broth/juice
4. Add tomato, celery, carrots, bay leaf, salt and pepper
5. Add the Barley with the vegetables if using Medium barley. ( If you are using Instant barley, wait to add the barley close to the end of the cooking cycle.)
6. Cook for 45 minutes, (until the barley is done).
7. Add frozen peas before serving.
8. Sprinkle chopped parsley over each bowl of soup.

 Basic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

This is Chad's Mom's basic recipe for homemade dressing. It was so good on her homegrown greens from her garden. She would always add black olives and sliced pepperoni to her salads. Homemade dressings are always healthier and just taste better!

Ingredients:

• ½ C Olive Oil
• 3T Lemon Juice
• 1 T White Wine Vinegar
• 1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Large Garlic Clove (minced)
  
• 1½ tsp Capers (chopped)
• 3 inches Anchovy Paste
• 1T Mayonnaise
• 1-2 tsp Dijon Mustard
• ½ tsp Sugar
• ½ tsp Salt
• (Optional) Chopped Parsley, Thyme, Rosemary or whatever herb you have on hand

Instructions - 

1. Combine all ingredients in a jar or bottle.
2. Shake.
3. Enjoy.

Note:

The olive oil, lemon juice, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic and salt are the basis of this dressing. They may be increased or decreased according to taste with the other items added. The above recipe was the original from Nola Freyer.

Cowboy Caviar

 Cowboy Caviar Dip

I first had this dip/salsa at a BBQ on a very hot day. Because this recipe does not have mayonnaise it holds up in hot weather. Pair it with your favorite chip and a beer and you have an easy appetizer.

Ingredients:

• 1 can black eyed peas (drained)
  
• 1 can black beans (drained)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (rinsed)
• 1 small can picked jalapeños (diced)
• 1 orange bell pepper (diced)
• 1 bunch green onions (chopped)
• 1 bag frozen corn
• Cilantro (optional)
• Italian dressing
• Avocado

Blonde Brownies

Blonde Brownies

This was one of the first recipes that Mom had us kids make.  They were a staple on picnics and after-school snacks.  

Ingredients

• ½ cup softened butter
• 1½ cups brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ cups flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup nuts (if you're nuts)
• ½ - ¾ cup chocolate chips

Potato Gratin Dauphinois

Potato Gratin Dauphinois

Mom found this recipe and served it for Christmas 2019.  She found the recipe online (the original recipe written by Michelle Minnaar is found by clicking the subtitle above.) The combination of the cheese, cream and garlic made this a perfect side dish for a special meal.  A gratin dauphinois is one of the best and most popular French recipes. This creamy potato recipes is best served as a side dish with steak.

INGREDIENTS

Beef Pot Roast and Gravy ala Instant Pot

I just got an Instant Pot recently, and have found it to be a great tool for making beef pot roast.  There is one noticeable difference between roasting the beef in the oven and browning and cooking it in the Instant Pot, namely, the amount of liquids that remain when cooked in an instant pot is remarkable.  Therefore, a great recipe for beef roast needs to have a great recipe for gravy.  (See below.)

Ingredients:

• 2lb Beef Roast
• Seasoning salt to taste  (I used Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning.)
• Flour
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 carrots cut into three-inch lengths
• 1 stalk celery cut into 3-inch lengths
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 2 cups whole Mushrooms 
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 2 cups beef stock

Directions:

1. Set the Instant pot to Saute.
2. season the beef on all sides with the season salt.
3. sprinkle beef with flour, (shake off excess)
4. Wait for the pan to get hot.
5. pour in 2 Tbsp oil
6. brown meat on each side, (about 5 minutes per side.) Brown the edges of the roast as best as you can too.
7. remove the roast from the pan
8. place sliced onion into the pan and 1/4 cup of red wine.  Scrap the bottom of the pan to deglaze the pan and get the little brown bits up.  (Those are flavor crystals.)
9. Add carrot, celery, bay leaf, thyme, roast, and 2 cups of beef stock.
10. Close the lid and set Instant Pot to Pressure cook (high pressure) for 60 minutes.

The vegetables are going to give their life for the meat and the broth, they will not be worth eating once the roast is done.  It would be wise to steam some more carrots and some potatoes to have with the meat.  We put the vegetables on about 15 minutes prior to the meat getting done.

When the meat is done, remove from the pan and let rest. 

Gravy:

Ingredients

• 2 cups beef broth (you can also use beef dripping from a roast)
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce (optional)
• 1/4 cup cold water + 3 tablespoons corn starch
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring beef broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce.
2. In a bowl whisk together cold water and corn starch until dissolved. Pour into boiling beef broth and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir until thickened.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Taste, add more salt and pepper if needed. Taste again to make sure it is just right. 

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Chicken and Dumplings

This is the meal I want to have on a Minnesota Snow Day.  I believe this recipe originated from the magazine Everyday Food.  Mom made this recipe for a family gathering recently.  She has made chicken and dumplings in the past for us, but this recipe had a couple of great qualities to it that surpassed the previous recipe.  For one, the dumplings have a soft texture and are less like a biscuit.  The second is the thickened broth, which carries all of the gelatin and flavors of the chicken broth but will leave you knowing you ate something of substance that will keep you sated until tomorrow's breakfast.

Serves: 6-8 (depending on the size of your ladle.)

Ingredients:

• Broth
• 2 lbs Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 5)
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 cups water
• Roux
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion-diced
• 3 carrots-diced
• 1 celery stalk-diced
• 8 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes-peeled and cut into ½-inch dice.
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley-chopped
• salt and fresh ground pepper (to taste)
• Dumplings
• 1⅔ cups flour
• 1½ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 4 Tbsp cold butter
• ¾ cup whole milk
• Garnish
• Parsley
• Lemon Wedges

Directions: 

Make the broth: Within a medium saucepan combine 

• 2 lbs chicken thighs
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 cups water
  
• Bring to a boil, then 
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered until the chicken is cooked-about 20 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a plate, let cool 10 minutes
• Strain Broth-there should be 4 cups.  If not, add more water.
• Discard skin and bones.
• Shred meat into bite-sized pieces, (there should be about 3 cups).

The Roux

• Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
• Add diced onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, thyme.
• Cook stirring, until the onion is translucent, (3 to 4 minutes). 
• Sprinkle with ¼ cup flour.
• Cook 30 seconds.
• Gradually stir in broth.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium and simmer two minutes.
• Stir in chicken and 3 Tbsp chopped parsley.
• Season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

The Dumplings

• Whisk together:
• 1⅔ cup flour, 
• 1½ teaspoon salt, 
• ¾ tsp ground pepper, 
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 Tbsp chopped parsley
• Cut in 4 Tbsp cold butter.
• Stir in ¾ cup milk until dough holds together.
• Drop 8 heaping spoonfuls of dough on top of chicken mixture.
• Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Serve with more parsley and a lemon wedge.

Cowboy Beans

This is a recipe that comes from Kathy's side of the family.  Kathy and her sisters are the third generation of cooks in her family that make this recipe.  It has been a staple at family gatherings for years.  This is a perfect side dish for potlucks, picnics and parties and you can eat them until you...Pop!  (The P alliteration reminded me of a weird spoken word piece from a Monkee's album from my youth.)  Although traditionally, this is used as a side dish, with grilled brats and burgers, I've often thought this could be a main dish.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup fried Bacon Pieces
• ½ cup diced Onion
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1 can Butter Beans (drained)
• 1 can Kidney Beans (NOT drained)
• 1 can Pork-'n-Beans

• 2 tablespoons Vinegar
• ¾ cup packed Brown Sugar
• ½ cup Ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon prepared Yellow Mustard

Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Bars

Here is another recipe you will not find in a Weight Watcher's Cookbook.  Like many of her recipes, my Mother, Jan, probably found this while thumbing through a magazine.  This recipe was published in a McCormick ad.

Any time you can put cinnamon or caramel in a recipe, you are going to have my attention, but put them both together in a recipe and you will have my undivided attention.


INGREDIENTS:

• 1½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 package (14 ounces) caramels, unwrapped (or one 11 oz bag Caramel Bits)
• ¼ cup milk

Vegetable Bake

This recipe for Vegetable Bake was called "Crunchy Mixed Vegetable Bake" in The Pamper Chef cookbook Recipes From the Heart.  We've been serving this side dish up for Thanksgiving and Christmas for a number of years.  Kathy's Dad will always ask for "seconds".

Yields 12 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can (10¾ ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 48 ounces frozen broccoli, carrot and cauliflower blend
• 1 can (2.8 ounces) French fried onion rings

DIRECTIONS:

Smoky Grilled Potatoes

Smokey Grilled Potatoes

Here is a recipe I got by watching Cook's Country (aka America's Test Kitchen).  Grilled red potatoes are both simple to make. as well as delicious.  The waxier potato holds up well on the grill. The recipe touches on many of the tongue's flavor sensors. There is little sweet from the grilled onion, a little salt from the seasoning, a vinaigrette which hits the sour, a little smoke flavor from the bacon and some heat from the Chipotle peppers.

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

• Six Slice Bacon Fried until crisp. (reserve fat)
• 3 lbs 1½ - 2” red potatoes 
• 1 large yellow or white onion
• Salt
• Pepper
• Green onion
• Dressing (See below)

Pulled BBQ Beef

This blog is intended to represent a portion of my family's history through the food we make and serve to our friends and loved-ones. I try to be careful when I post to include recipes that have been in the family and are part of our culture.

At my daughter's college graduation party we were interested in serving some kind of a hot sandwich. Sloppy Joes were out of the question, because, well to be frank, I don't much care for them. One of Kathy's work mates suggested the following recipe for pulled beef sandwiches.  The recipe is going to make a lot of sliders so it is perfect for a big gaggle of guests.  When it got my mother-in-law's approval, I knew it would be a recipe we would be making for future family gatherings.

When Kathy told me that it had hamburger in it, I was reluctant to believe what she was told-that the hamburger will not be noticed.  It turns out to be true, you don't notice the hamburger.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 lb Boneless Chuck Roast
• 1 ½ lb Ground Beef
• 5 oz. Heinz 57 Steak Sauce
• 1 ¾ cup Ketchup
• 18 oz. (2 cups + 2 Tbsp) Ken Davis Original BBQ Sauce.  (Save the rest for later.)

Mac and Cheese with Smoked Gouda and Cheddar

Everywhere else in the English-speaking world, a dish like this would be classified as a "casserole". Here in Minnesota, we would put it in the group called "hotdish". (Although since it contains no canned, creamed soup, some Minnesotans might reject it as not hot-dishie enough.)

If your only knowledge of Macaroni and Cheese is the stuff from a blue box, you owe it to yourself to try making it from scratch.    It took about 25 minutes of preparation and 20 of baking.

Ingredients:

Banana Bread Part III

This is the third banana bread recipe on this blog.  You might assume my family has an unnatural fixation with the stuff.  I have nothing against the other two recipes but I have to say when I tasted the banana bread of the following recipe, I knew I found the one my family would like.

It came to me via a friend and colleague, Lisa who, years ago, was the Principal during summer school.  She treated her staff to some of her homemade banana bread.  Her recipe was based on one found in the Pike and Embarrass Lutheran Churchwoman Cookbook.  (That's right...authentic Lutheran baked goods!) The cookbook credited Mrs Arvo Koski as the contributor.

Makes 1 9 x 5 inch loaf

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups sifted flour (240 grams)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp baking soda

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• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup butter
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp banana flavoring

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• 1 - 1¼ cup (about 2 - 3) ripe bananas (mashed).
• 2 unbeaten eggs
• ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)

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• 1 Tbls Sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F
2. Oil and flour a bread pan
3. Sift together the 4 dry ingredients and set aside.
4. Mix the sugar, butter, vanilla and banana flavoring into the dry ingredients.
5. Stir in mashed bananas, eggs, and optional chocolate chips.
6. Pour into loaf pan
7. Sprinkle sugar on top surface of batter
8. Bake for 1 - 1¼ hours
9. Cool before slicing if you can wait that long.

Rib Rub

Without the smoke, bacon would just be fatty, salted pork with lots of gristle.  I got a small electric smoker from my parents a couple of years ago.  Smoking meat not only implies the smell of smoke will be infused in the meat but it also implies the meat will be cooked with low heat for a long period of time and if you are a perfectionist, you are going to use a dry rub on the meat.

Dry rubs provide salt which tenderizes the meat, and some sugar which combines with the fat to produce the "bark".  Barbeque sauce will coat the meat but will not produce the bark, which is the signature of good ribs.  This recipe is based on the recipe from the family of my daughter's boyfriend, Sam.  I like it because the ingredients don't compete with each other. No one ingredient overwhelms the others.

INGREDIENTS:

• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup seasoning salt - like Lawrys
• ¼ cup smoked paprika
• 2 Tbsp garlic salt
• 1 Tbsp onion salt
• 1 Tbsp ground black pepper
• 1½ tsp chili powder
• 1½ tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1½ tsp celery salt
• 1½ tsp rubbed sage
• 1 tsp dried mustard
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground allspice

This will make more rub than you'll probably need for a single use.  Store the remaining in a air-tight container.

1. Pat meat dry with a paper towel.
2. Remove the thin membrane from concave side of ribs.
3. Liberally sprinkle rub on all faces of the meat.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 8-24 hours.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Tomatoes and Garlic

Brussel Sprouts...Yay!

The flavors in this recipe are a perfect combination with each other.  I noticed many recipes for Brussel sprouts include balsamic vinegar or a balsamic reduction.  Taking the hint, I looked for a source for the acidic component but one that will not mask the flavor of the Brussel sprouts.  The tomatoes used were Sunset brand Flavor Bombs.  They were being sampled at the grocery store one day.  Let's just say the name Flavor Bombs is a wholly appropriate name. We've been buying them ever since.

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 lb Sunset brand Flavor Bomb tomatoes
• 3 Tbl olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 Tbl fresh thyme leaves
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375° F. 
2. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the Brussels sprouts and tomatoes with the oil, garlic, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. If you like your tomatoes still whole, consider separating the tomatoes and the Brussel Sprouts.
3. Turn the Brussels sprouts cut-side down and roast.
4. Add the tomatoes to the pan during the last 10 minutes the sprouts are in the oven.
5. Roast until the Brussel sprouts are golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Thin-Crust Pizza

If you think about it, pizza seems so simple. Cover some dough with a tomato sauce, add some mozzarella cheese and a few toppings. How could you go wrong? It is hard to imagine how there can be so much variation from one pizza to the next.

When I am rating pizza, I first consider the crust. I like it thin, crisp on the outside, slight chew on the inside and it needs to support the toppings when held by the crust's edge.) After the crust I consider the sauce. I am a traditionalist and like a tomato sauce. If its too watery, it ruins the crust. Too thick, it is all a person tastes.

That said, this recipe from America's Test Kitchen hit the mark. (Go ahead and check out the 14-day trial--you will want to get the membership once the trial period is up.) The only downside to this crust recipe is the dough needs to proof in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. The purpose of the long proofing time will be apparent when you first shape the dough. The dough will be flexible and will hold its shape.   Proofing in the refrigerator leads to a more flavorful thinner crust too. The sauce meets all of the requirements I mentioned above. There will be leftover sauce which can be refrigerated for a week or frozen for up to a month.

INGREDIENTS:
Dough

Chocolate Chip Cookies

When we were growing up, we had black labrador retrievers.  Teak was the name of our first dog who was followed by Soot. The dogs were well accustomed to responding to the sound of the cover on the cookie jar.  I bring this up because one of the memories I have of baked chocolate cookies is it seemed there was always one pan that went in the oven without the timer being set. Typically the odor of charred cookies hit the nose of the baker, a few choice words were uttered, the oven door was opened and the stove hood fan was turned up to high.  These cookies were appropriately named "Soot Cookies".  The black-bottom beauties resided in a bowl next to the cookie jar for the enjoyment of the dog with the same name.

The recipe that follows makes a chewy chocolate chip cookie.  I took it off of the back of a bag of Ghirardelli Bittersweet (60% Cacao) Chocolate Chips.  I made the cookies according to the recipe leaving the nuts out.  I used parchment paper on the cookie sheet and baking each pan for 11 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

Scandinavian Almond Cake

To my knowledge, I have no Scandinavian blood in me.  But you can't live in the upper midwest without being immersed in Nordic culture. While there are some foods I shall never understand— lutefisk being tops on my list—I admit I have a fondness for the desserts.

Recently, Kathy and I were avoiding some highway construction and found ourselves passing the Nordic Ware factory.  Nordic Ware is probably best known for developing and trademarking Bundt® pans. I noticed they have an outlet store next to the factory and there was a sign indicating it was open.  One of the things that we purchased was an almond cake pan.  It came with a recipe for Almond Cake, which I cannot find on the Nordic Ware website.  They sold two styles of pans.  The all aluminum style came with a recipe for Almond Cake while the newer pans with a non-stick coating come with a recipe for cinnamon bread instead.  I have nothing against cinnamon bread but it will have to be incredibly tasty to beat out this Almond Cake.

INGREDIENTS:

Jan's German Potato Salad

What doesn't taste better with bacon? The original recipe came from my paternal grandparents.  Their names were Elizabeth and Fred George.  The recipe has evolved over the years.  The original was flavored mainly with bacon grease, and this recipe is flavored more by bacon itself.  

Unlike traditional potato salads, this one does not have mayonnaise and it is not served cold but either hot or at room temperature.

Beau Monde Chicken

When I was about 15 or 16, my Uncle Bill invited me for a winter weekend at his cabin near Outing MN.  His cabin was rustic.  He used an old wood stove for cooking, the table had chrome legs and a vinyl top and the kitchen area was so small you had to step into the living room to change your mind.  

Although the area near his cabin has modernized over the years, at the time, there wasn't much in the way of convenience. The grocery store near the cabin may have been as large as two-car garage and used four shelves to display the variety of food much of which was canned fruits and vegetables.  In other words, if you wanted a nice meal at the cabin, you brought your own food with you.

For this particular night, the meal consisted of roasted chicken seasoned with Beau Monde. Never heard of it?  It is a blend of spices primarily of celery salt, onion salt and salt and is made by Spice Island, (look for glass bottles with beige labels).  He placed the chicken pieces in an old aluminum pie pan and popped it in the wood-heated oven. Bill also served steamed carrots and onions. While we waited for the food to cook, I was offered a shot of blackberry brandy and taught how to lose at cribbage.

There were a number of lessons taught to my young self that night.  

• Delicious food can be prepared very simply
• blackberry brandy is as delicious as cough syrup
• never throw a five into your opponent's crib and 
• vinyl-topped tables stick to your arms when the wood-heated stove is nearby.  

Ingredients:

Chicken (whole or pieces)
Beau Monde Seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 3 oak logs, (or 350˚).
Bake chicken until the breasts register 165˚, thighs and legs can be as high as 175˚, (about 45 minutes.)

Sandbakkels

The Original Recipe in Francis' own handwriting.

This recipe represents the contributions of both Grandmas.  Grandma Rumppe's Sandbakkel recipe with Grandma Dot's Pecan Filling. Neither of them were of Norwegian heritage, but seeing how both raised their families in the upper midwest, both were familiar with the culture of Norwegian cooking. Grandma Rumppe lived with us for a while in a very small house in South Minneapolis.  She cared for the kids while my mother went back to school to get her degree from the University of Minnesota. To distinguish herself from the other lady of the house, Grandma referred to herself as "Mother Rumppe".  Based on the date shown in the upper right-hand corner of the recipe card to the right, Grandma probably wrote this recipe during the time she was staying with us.

Sandbakkels

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening (part butter)
¼ teaspoon salt
Break in one egg (unbeaten)
2½ cups flour (enough until batter leaves the bowl).

Oh My! Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

Mom found this easy recipe in the Parade insert from the local paper.  Dad said it is "a keeper", which only means it ranks above Jell-O and powdered donuts.  (Just kidding, Dad.)

Serves: 4, Prep: 30 Min, Total Time: 1 hr 10 min

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 medium sized potatoes, ½ cubes
• 1 rib celery, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 21⁄2 cups chicken or turkey broth, warmed
• 1⁄4 cup heavy cream
• 3⁄4 tsp dried thyme
• 11⁄2 cups cooked, shredded, skinless turkey meat
• 1⁄2 cup frozen peas
• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 large egg