Hungarian Beef Goulash

We all grew up on something called goulash, a dish with pasta, beef and a red sauce of some kind.  My mom used macaroni and hamburger in hers.  It was quick, filling and an easy recipe.  I’m sharing a real Hungarian beef goulash that is filled with paprika like a true goulash should have.  

Brown Sauce Base (make prior to other steps and set aside)

4 T. butter

4 T. flour

2 c. beef broth

½ tsp. Tabasco Sauce

Goulash

Brown Sauce Base

¼ cup butter

4 large sliced onions

2 cloves minced garlic or 1 heaping teaspoon

3 lbs. boned round or chuck cut into 1 inch cubes

8 oz. diced tomatoes, drained

4 tsp. paprika

½ tsp. dried marjoram leaves

½ tsp. salt

1 bay leaf

Brown Sauce Base

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat and cook until golden brown, keeping a close watch and stirring occasionally.

Stir in flour, continue stirring constantly, until brown.

Stir in broth and Tabasco.

Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and comes to a boil, set aside. (Huff the pot a little because this sauce smells divine.)

Goulash

In large saucepan or Dutch oven melt butter, add onions and garlic and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Add beef, browning on all sides.

Stir in tomatoes, the brown sauce base, paprika, marjoram, salt and bay leaf.

Cover and simmer at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender (I prefer about 5 hours of simmering – you could even transfer this to a crockpot and forget about it for several hours).

Serve over buttered noodles, spaetzle, mashed potatoes or rice.  I like it over noodles with a dollop of sour cream on top, but will also share a simple spaetzle recipe with you.

Spaetzle

Spaetzle is a a type of egg noodle or tiny dumpling with a soft texture found in the cuisines of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Hungary. It’s made with flour, water and eggs. If you choose to make it yourself, which is very easy to do, you’ll get to enjoy the marvelously fresh flavor of homemade noodles.

   

Spaetzle makes a great side dish for beef or chicken where the sauce on your meat can be drizzled on top of the noodles.

Spaetzle

Serves 6-8

3 eggs

1 cup milk

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat the eggs until foamy with a wire whisk.  Beat in the milk until well combined.  Mix together the flour and salt and then stir into the egg mixture a little at t time.  The dough should become stiff and elastic.

Bring a big pot of water to a boil.  If you do not have a spaetzle maker (I don’t), place a colander over the pan of water. Pour about ¼ of the batter in the colander and press through the holes into the water with a spatula.

Add butter and serve with a meat and gravy on top. 

Tomorrow, the Bacon Bowl for Super Bowl 

Enjoy your little trip to Hungary and Germany.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours. 

Peaches and Cream French Toast

Cold today and suppose to be cold tomorrow.  Here is a recipe you make up tonight and bake tomorrow morning for a delicious hot breakfast

1 day old loaf French bread

8 eggs

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cans drained sliced peaches

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup heavy cream

Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Cut bread into slices and arrange bread in a layer in dish.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs with milk, sugar and vanilla until blended; pour over bread. Drain and arrange peaches on top and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

Remove baking dish from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°F. Drizzle cream over peaches and bake, uncovered, until casserole is lightly browned on top and just cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.  

Tomorrow I think I go international again and give you a real Hungarian beef goulash recipe.

Keep warm, be happy and may God bless you and yours.  

My Maid Rite Copy Cat Recipe

Do you love Maid Rites?  I sure do.  If I’m in a town where there is a Maid Rite (we lost ours years ago), I’ll often go there for lunch to have them.  The original Maid Rite in Marshall Town, Iowa was served on a warm bun and topped with mustard, onion and dill pickle.  I like mustard, ketchup, and pickle. 

I worked at Hayes Maid Rite back in the 60’s and fell in love with them then.  I got free meals as a benefit and I usually got a Maid Rite.  Duane would make up the Maid Rite meat fresh each day and did not share his recipe.  I just observed and he’d teased me showing me a bottle of what he called his secret ingredient.  No label was on the big bottle.  He did nothing more than add water to what looked like hamburger and let it cook down until all the moisture was out of the beef.  He then add his “secret ingredient” by shaking a little of it over the meat and stirring.

Some years ago, I saw a TV show on the Food Channel where they visited the original Maid Rite in Marshall Town.  They gave a bit of the secret away then saying that they ground up an entire beef getting the benefit of the best cuts.  They also said that they used only one other ingredient, that being Worcestershire sauce. 

You are going to have to trust my memory and me remembering back many years ago.  No promises on being 100% correct but try it and see if it is not close to what you think it should taste like. 

The secret is whole beef or really good beef and no seasoning other than Worcestershire sauce.  That must have been Duane’s secret ingredient in the bottle.

 So today I am cooking up 2 lbs. of 90% lean hamburger.  I add about 1 ½ cups of water to it and let it cook and simmer until all the liquid is gone and all of the beef is broken up.  I add about a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and put it on a warm grilled bun.  Put on the toppings you like or make it a Cheese Rite with a slice of cheese.  As a waitress at Hayes, I was responsible for making up the Maid Rites as they were ordered and wrapping them in one piece of paper.  I have wonderful memories of working there.

I’ll use the left over meat for Tacos by adding onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder.  You can also turn it into a Sloppy Jo if you like for another sandwich.  Add ketchup, onion powder, a little brown sugar, and a tsp. of vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. I don't really use a recipe making these.  Depending on the amount of beef I cook up, I just toss and taste.  This is a great dish to be made in the crock pot.  It will stay warm and people can make their own when they wish. 

Either sandwich would be great for sandwiches or sliders for the Super Bowl this week end. Don't forget to serve it with a spoon.

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.  

Homemade Hot Sauce

Everyone has their favorite hot sauce.  I always have Louisiana and Tapatio hot sauce in my refrigerator.  Ever thought of making your own?  Here is a simple recipe for making one with your label on it.  You can make it hotter by adding a couple more peppers.  This is plenty hot for me.  Try it on your next Buffalo wings.

Hot Sauce

4 habanera peppers

3 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup onions, thinly sliced

¾ cup of distilled white vinegar

¾ teaspoon of salt

A few sprays of cooking spray

Chop the chilies. (Use gloves and rub your eyes.)

After spraying the pan with cooking spray, sauté onions for 4 minutes (medium heat); add the garlic and cook another minute.  Do not walk away and let the garlic burn.

Add peppers, white vinegar and salt, and bring to a simmer.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for another eight or nine minutes.

Pour mixture into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.

Pour into a container and let it cool uncovered. Cover with an air-tight lid (mason jar is great) and refrigerate for a few days to let flavors blend. 

Hot Buffalo Wings

Super Bowl is coming up Sunday.  These would be nice to show off to your guests.  

3 lbs. chicken wing drumettes

1  cup flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon ground pepper

1/2 tablespoon salt

5 cups vegetable oil

4 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup hot sauce

1  tablespoon sugar

Rinse and pat dry chicken with a paper towel. Set to the side.

Mix flour, corn starch, ground pepper, and salt in a bowl. Mix well and add chicken to flour mixture. Toss to coat. Shake the flour from chicken, and place on a cooling rack.  You may oven bake these with no coating on them if you do not want to fry or use a coating, but the real Buffalo wings are fried.

In a frying pan over a medium heat add oil and allow to get hot (350 degrees F); add in chicken and fry for 14 minutes or until cooked all the way through (maybe longer if they are big wings). Remove from oil and set to the side.

In a bowl add butter, lemon, hot sauce, and sugar. Mix well. Then toss wings in sauce.  Place on a plate and eat hot.  Serve them with Ranch Dressing and carrots and celery. 

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.   

Three Cheeses and Shrimp Manicotti

I love manicotti.  When ever I go to the Olive Garden, I always seem to pick it.  Thought I'd share a great Italian manicotti recipe with you today with a twist adding shrimp to the stuffing.

1 box manicotti pasta

1 lb. cooked shrimp, cut into small bite size pieces

1 container ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. onion powder

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray large lasagna casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. Cook manicotti in salted, boiling water with a drizzle of olive oil until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine cooked shrimp, cheeses, garlic, and seasonings.

Béchamel Sauce

5 tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup flour

4 cups warm milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of nutmeg

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the warm milk, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and creamy, about 8 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Taste for seasonings and adjust if needed. Remove from heat and set aside.

Put the cheese mixture in a large baggie and cut the tip off baggie.  Make it large enough to pipe the stuffing. Stuff each manicotti with shrimp and cheese mixture. Arrange in prepared casserole dish side by side in a single layer. Cover with béchamel sauce. Top with additional mozzarella cheese if you like. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes until cheese is heated through and bubbly. Let cool for at least 5 minutes so manicotti can set.

Variation – Before serving, you may also pour a little red marinara sauce over the béchameli for additional color and flavor.  You may also add chopped spinach to the stuffing or replace the shrimp with chopped up chicken. 

This freezes nicely for another meal.

Have a great Monday.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.

Bacon, Jalapeno and Apple Jam Chicken Wings

Last night I made chicken wings using the jam recipe I made this week.  It was a test to see what I could use the jam on and the wings were outstanding.   I also tried it on meatballs earlier this week and it was good, but I loved the wings.  I'm now going to try to use it in my baked bean.  I love Bush's Original Baked Beans, but usually goose them up with maple syrup, bacon, onion powder, and a barbecue sauce for a little heat.  My thought was that the jam has some of that in it so am adding a couple of teaspoons full to my beans.

To make the wings, I pre-baked the wings.   Preheat then oven to 425 degrees F.

Oil a baking sheet (or 2) and spread your wings out evenly.  Salt and pepper the wings.  

Bake in oven for 45 to 60 minutes. You want to make sure they’re nice and crispy!

In a large bowl, mix your jam with a tablespoon of warm water.  Drop your baked wings into the mixture and toss to fully coat with the jam. 

You may sprinkle them with sesame seeds or green onion when serving.  

Repeating bacon, jalapeno, apple Jam recipe again.

Bacon, Jalapeno and Apple Jam

9 slices of pre-cooked bacon cut up with kitchen scissors into small pieces

2 large apples, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch dices or grated (I grated the apple for quicker cooking)

Dash of salt

1/2 cup diced jalapenos (deseeded and chopped in small food processor)

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or a good balsamic vinegar (I used a good balsamic)

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

½ cup maple syrup

¾  cup apple cranberry juice

Fry bacon and set aside or you can use the precooked bacon for convenience like I did. 

In a medium sauce pan, cook your apples in the apple cranberry juice until tender.  Add the vinegar, sugars, maple syrup, salt, jalapeno's and bacon.

Bring the jam to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer for 60 minutes.  Stir the jam every 15 minutes.

If you do not like heat, you may wish to reduce the amount of peppers in half.  With the extra sugar I added to the recipe, I’m happy with the heat because I deseeded the pepper.  I really like the brown sugar and maple syrup flavor with the bacon.

To test you jam, put a half teaspoonful of the jelly on a chilled plate (put plate in the freezer). Allow the jelly to cool a few seconds; push it with your fingertip. If it wrinkles up, it's ready.  If not, then boil another 15 minutes and test again. 

Store the jam in the refrigerator.

Try it.....you'll like it if you like bacon, heat, and sweet.  That is me all over.

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.

Apple Fritter

It is what's for breakfast

I canned apples last fall and need to start using some of them up.  For Sunday brunch or breakfast when you have time to fuss, try this apple fritter recipe.  You can use canned apples or fresh, which ever you like.  I’m going to used my apple-pie-in-a-jar in the recipe, but will drain and just use the apples.

2 large good baking apples peeled, cored and chopped or 2 cups of canned apples drained.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 eggs

2 tablespoons melted butter

3/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring

Oil for frying

                                                        

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl with a whisk.  Set aside. 

In a small bowl combine milk, eggs, vanilla, butter and beat with whisk.  Combine two bowls pouring the smaller into the larger and mixing well.  Fold apples into the batter.

The consistency will be like a thick pancake batter.

Pour enough oil into skillet to make about 1/2 inch deep.  Heat oil (medium) and drop heaping teaspoon spoonfuls of batter into hot oil once the oil hot (make a small test one). Cook until brown on one side, flip and continue frying until both sides are golden brown.  Around 2 minutes on each side.  Watch for bubbles like a pancake and that usually tells you that it is ready to flip.

Remove and drain on paper towels.  The recipe makes about 1 1/2 dozen fritters depending on what size you make them.

You can dip them in glaze, drizzle them with honey or just shake powdered sugar on them.  Do it while they are still warm.  I like them with just a little powdered sugar. 

Variation -  You can use the same recipe and use sliced bananas to make a banana fritter.  You can change up the fruit to what ever you fancy.

The smell will raise everyone in the house and tell them that something warm and wonderful is waiting for them.

Have a warm and wonderful Sunday.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.