German Skillet Supper for a Cold Day

The weekend weather sounds dreadful! This winter has had several really cold days, colder than usual for Kansas. I've heard so many people talk about how tired they are of winter cold. Here is a recipe to warm your day. The crisped potatoes, spicy kielbasa and tangy sauerkraut will make you think you're in Germany.
I made this skillet dinner a few weeks ago and was appreciated after the crew had been feeding cattle on a frosty windy day. 3 off us and a child (and its not a children's favorite) ate 7 servings! and the little bit that was left was good warmed up for a supper later. Thanks to Chef Alli for the recipe.

POTATO, KIELBASA, AND SAUERKRAUT SKILLET

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 shallot minced (or small onion)

3 cloves garlic

1 red bell pepper (seeds and membranes removed) diced

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

½ teaspoon caraway seeds

2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

Pinch of red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth

1-2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

14 oz. kielbasa sausage sliced in ¼” rounds

3 cups sauerkraut, drained well

½ cup sour cream

1 ½ cups shredded Swiss cheese

3 small Yukon gold potatoes, skin on, sliced very thin

½ teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

2.    In a 12” cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium heat; add shallot, garlic and red bell pepper and sauté until softened slightly. 

3.    Move vegetables in skillet to one side, then add the sliced kielbasa sausage to the skillet and sauté until sausage is browned on both sides. 

4.    Add sauerkraut, mustard, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, red pepper flakes, and pepper to the skillet. Stir all ingredients together, cooking until heated throughout, then add the wine (chicken broth) and parsley and cook an additional minute. Spread sour cream over the skillet mixture, then top with cheese. 

5.    Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, toss the potato slices with melted butter and salt; layer seasoned potatoes over the sauerkraut mixture, covering the entire top. 

6.    Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes, or until potato slices are browned at the edges and the mixture is hot and bubbly throughout. Let stand 5 – 10 minutes before slicing into wedges to serve. 

Cherries for George Washington's Day

Today is George Washington's Birthday. We used to celebrate that in February, and Abe Lincoln's birthday on Feb. 12, before it was all rolled together into Presidents' Day on the third Monday. (Does that make me old - that I know that??) Anyway, I always think of cherries for February foods. Even though we now know that George Washington probably didn't really chop down a cherry tree and confess truthfully to it, historians do say he liked cherry pie. So its February and we're making something cherry.
I needed a quick covered dish to take to a meeting during a busy week, so this wasn't going to be the time for that cherry pie! Instead I recalled a 4-H demonstration my daughter had done ages ago (like 20 years!). We must have been so tired of that Cherry Angel Delight dessert after many practices that I didn't save the recipe. Nothing in my recipe notebooks. So I searched the old 4-H record books, and found it! Not only did she do this for a 4-H Day demonstration, but it was also a Favorite Food Show entry. It made a good demonstration and is an easy dessert to prepare. Blue ribbon all-around. The day after I made this I happened to find a very similar recipe on Pinterest, I guess it is still popular.

Cherry Angel Delight 

(also called Heaven of Earth Cake on Pinterest)

1 large prepared angel food cake (you can be ambitious and make your own, but remember I said this was an easy prep? Use a cake mix or buy a baked cake).
1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling
1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 ½ cups cold milk
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream

Directions:
Cut or tear cake into ½-inch pieces to measure 8 cups. Place half the cake cubes in a 9-inch x 9-inch baking pan. Reserve ⅓ cup of pie filling, spread remaining filling over the cake cubes. Top with remaining cake cubes. Combine pudding mix, milk, and sour cream. Spoon over cake cubes. Cover an chill. To serve, cut into squares and top with reserved cherries.

The Heaven on Earth Cake version also included 8 oz. of whipped topping (Cool Whip). It was assembled with ½ of the cake cubes, ⅔ of cherry pie filling, ½ cake cubes, pudding mixture, whipped topping, garnish.

I prepared the dessert as a trifle in a footed clear bowl. Since this made the cake layers a little thicker and I wanted it to look pretty from the side, I layered it cake cubes + pudding mixture + cherries + cake cubes + cherries + pudding mixture, garnish with reserved cherry pie filling. Later I thought I should have also garnished with slivered almonds, next time!

Pizza Day

Last week was National Pizza Day. I had no idea of that designation until after I'd made pizza for lunch - but pizza is a popular meal at our house, so it was a lucky coincidence.  I wanted to try the "Easiest Pizza You'll Ever Make" recipe by King Arthur Flour. And it is! You can use this recipe as a 'do-it-yourself' party and let everyone add their own favorite toppings, or fix it yourself for your family. I reduced the original recipe by half, to make two medium pizzas; but if you make the recipe from the KAFlour website (kingarthurflour.com), or double this recipe posted here, you cam have three to four 12-inch pizzas for a party. Or you can easily double the original recipe (I would make 2 batches for easier handling) for a larger party. This dough is easy to mix and easy to work with. 

I made two pizzas ready for the oven, and instead of baking the second one, I wrapped it tightly in foil and put it in the freezer. To reheat/cook, let thaw slightly then put in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Cover with foil for the last 20 minutes to keep it from getting too brown. 

EASIEST PIZZA CRUST  

Ingredients: 

1 cup lukewarm water

½ tablespoon sugar

½ tablespoon active dry yeast

½ tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil (optional) 

2 ¾ - 3 cups all-purpose flour 

Toppings: pizza or spaghetti sauce and your choices: Browned sausage or ground beef, chopped green peppers, chopped black olives, mushrooms, onions, and shredded cheese. 

Directions: 

1.    Dissolve the sugar, yeast, and salt in lukewarm water (and olive oil if you’re using it).

2.    Add the flour, starting with 2 ¾ cups and adding more as necessary to make a soft, smooth dough. 

3.    Knead the dough (with your hands, a mixer, or your bread machine set on the dough cycle) until its smooth and elastic, about 7 – 10 minutes. 

4.    Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or other container, cover it, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, whatever fits your schedule. (good time to prepare the toppings)

5.    Gently deflate the dough, and divide into two pieces. Roll each piece, on a floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, into a circle to fit a 12” pizza pan. To roll, work from the center to the outside like pie dough. Let the dough rest several times to relax it and make it more cooperative. Turn it over from time to time and roll the reverse side. 

6.    Place the rounds on pizza pans, pizza stone or baking sheets. 

7.    Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and get out the toppings. 

8.    Brush each crust with olive oil; spread with sauce and add your favorite toppings. Sprinkle the top with grated or shredded cheese. 

9.    Bake the pizzas for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown, the toppings are hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted. Remove the pizzas from the oven. 

10.  Transfer to pizzas to a cooling rack for about 10 minutes to let the toppings set. Slice and serve. 

No-Bakes Just Got Even Better!

"There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate" (Linda Grayson). 
I agree! Chocolate is the perfect taste to celebrate friendship, love, and Valentine's Day. These easy to make no-bake cookies are so quick you can make several batches to share with friends. I've loved this basic recipe for years, but this version from Sally's Baking Addiction has a different twist. I used 3 squares of 100% cacao unsweetened chocolate instead of the usual powdered unsweetened chocolate and I think it enriched the flavor. Also soaking the oats for 5 minutes incorporated the ingredients better. Be sure to use quick oats or pulse regular oats in the food processor 4-5 times to make them finer cut. The original recipe suggested using coconut oil instead of butter, I'm going to try that next time. Coconut oil solidifies like butter when cooked and cooked. 

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER NO-BAKE COOKIES

Ingredients:

3 cups quick oats

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

½ cup milk

¼ cup natural unsweetened or dutch-process cocoa

⅔ cup creamy peanut butter

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions: 

1.    Place oats in a large bowl. Set aside. 

2.    Combine the butter sugar, milk, and cocoa together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the butter melts, then bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minutes without whisking. Remove from heat and, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until completely combined. Pour this mixture over the oats, then stir to combine it all. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes. This allows the oats to soak up some moisture.

3.    During the 5 minutes, line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. And make sure there is enough room in your refrigerator for the baking sheets. 

4.    Using a 1-Tablespoon cookie scoop (or a spoon), drop a tablespoon of dough onto the lined baking sheets. If desired flatten out and shape into a cookie. Repeat with the rest of the dough. 

5.    Refrigerate the cookies for at least 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and enjoy! Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.