Weekend Kitchen Gadget

Cutting onions can be scary. All that sulfuric acid released, the tears running down your face and the smell that lingers in the air. I recently saw the Movie "Julie& Julia". Julia was cutting onion when her hubby came home. The cut onions were piled high and the fumes were so great that he could not even enter the kitchen. Julia was crying while saying she was going to learn how the chop these faster. We all just had to laugh at the scene. Although is it no Laughing matter..rather a crying one. Today's gadget is the tools I use to cut them faster and get the crying over with.

First one: The Chopper
This is fast and hardly any crying.
You can chop, dice, or mince.

Second one: The Mandolin
Slices the onion in rings thin or thick.

Here is a smaller one I use:
Cuts going both directions.
Keeps the onion contained.
I like that.Less crying.

Third the Food Processor
This really cuts the time and the crying.
However, you can not cut rings with this one.

How to stop the tears?

• A burning candle some say...I have tried it. Sometimes it works.
• Put the onions in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before cutting. Yeah, sometimes this works.
• Cut the blossom end first. This one does seem to work when chopping a little bit.

I'm sure there are many more solutions. My thought is as long as we have been cutting onion our tears have flowed. Need a good cry, let's get cutting.

Schwabischer Zwiebelkuchen

When I lived in Germany I really loved this time of year when the Zwiebelkuchen was made. An onion pie that is a seasonal dish. Usually during the New Wine Seasons; Early Spring and the Fall. Since Fall is my favorite time of the year,I think of it as a Fall Food. Having a piece with a glass of new wine is a joy.
My recipe id made to sever a large group of people. Therefore I make it in the 11x15 inch jelly roll pan. This is not a quick cook dish. The time from start to finish is about 2 hours. However it is worth it this time a year. After all it's a Seasonal dish.

Schwabischer Zwiebelkuchen

The Crust.
2 packages of yeast
10(oz) skim milk
1/8 teaspoon Sugar
2 Tablespoon Flour

• mix together and place in a warm place for 20 minutes.

The fillings:

Onion filling:
10 medium size onions.
10 oz Hickory smoked think sliced Bacon
1 Tablespoon Caraway Seeds.

• Slice the onions thin- I use a mandolin. You want the onion to be in thin rings.
• Place the onions in a large bowl add Caraway seed and toss.
  

• Dice the Raw Bacon.

In a large skillet placed on Medium high heat add the bacon cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the onion mixture on the top of bacon cook for about 2 minutes more. Then stir from bottom to top frequently until the onion are transparent in color. Set aside.

Quark filling:
16 oz of Quark (German style cheese)**
4 eggs
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

• Mix together and refrigerate

Line a middle placed oven rack with Foil and preheat to 435 degrees Fahrenheit(225 Celsius).

The Crust-- Continued:

3 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

• sift together

• Cut in 4 Tablespoon Unsalted butter.
• Add the yeast mixture and mix. form a soft ball
• rolling out on floured surface to 11x15 inch rectangle

Melt about 2 tablespoon of unsalted butter.

• brush 11x15 jelly roll pan bottom and side with half of the melted butter.

• Place the floured side dough in the prepared pan

• sprinkle some flour on the top and with small roller, roll out the go up the sides of the pan.( I use my double wood roller from my gadgets)
• Brush the whole dough with remaining butter.

Add the Onion filling and spread evenly.
Add the Quark filling on top and lightly spread evenly.

Place on the foiled lined oven rack and bake for 40 minutes.

• At the 20 minute point, shield the edges with the foil. Just pull the foil around the edges and cover to prevent crust from browning anymore.

• continue cooking until the top is lightly browned.

This will serve about 24 people. I like it warm.

** you can use Creme Fraiche in place of the Quark




copyright 2009"Auntie E's CookBook/M Dubros"

Ask Around theTable- German Fest time.

Welcome to my Table Talk. Here I will post a question and everyone will be able to give an opinion. Just as if you were here at my table. This month the question is German base.
My daughter is having a German Festival with her German class. The students are to make German food for it. I love German food. The Breads, Meats and Deserts are great. I really love Zwiebelkuchen (Onion Pie). When in Germany you could smell it at the fest. A piece with a glass of wine, Delicious!

What is your favorite German food?
What would you bring to a German Fest?

Oh Yes, I will post the Recipe for the Zwiebelkuchen later this week. I'll need to cook it for this upcoming Thursday. It is my authentic recipe from Germany.

Weekend Kitchen Gadget

This is a Spaetzle Maker

Spaetzle are Mini German Dumpling. They can be used as a side dish or in soups. I really like them with Schnitzel. We serve it with the Hunter sauce gravy mix by Maggie.
Here is a recipe for Spaetzle:
3 whole eggs
3 cups sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon of seasalt
1 cup skim milk
boiling water or broth

1. sift together flour and salt set aside
2. Beat eggs in electric mixer
3. add flour and milk alternating. starting with flour and ending with flour.
4. using the spaetzle maker...put the dough in the basket.. side back and forth over the boiling liquid. stir to keep them from sticking. they will rise to the top when the are done. Remove and place into a strainer.
you can add butter to them or saute them in butter til lightly browned.
I have tried to make these with out the maker..it is very hard.

These Spaetzle makers are easy to get online and the cost is under 12.oo.

Try my Turkey Schnitzel with them.

Cranberry Pumpkin Amish Bread

Cranberry Pumpkin Amish Bread

2 cups sour friendship bread starter*
1/2 canned pumpkin
1/2 cup quark cheese (you can use plain yogurt)
1/2 cup creamy Honey
2 eggs

Mix the above well- set aside


sift together 2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoon baking Powder

removed 2 tablespoon of sifted dry ingredient.
Add remaining dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. mix well.(this is your Batter)

to the 2 tablespoon of dry ingredients add 1 cup dried cranberries. Mix well
Fold the cranberries into the batter.
Butter and sugar two 4x8 inch loaf pans
Divide the batter evenly into the loaf pans
Cook for 40 minutes in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven.

*Need to make starter. Here is a link to the recipe for starter.

Auntie E's Apple Fritters

Using the corer/slicer from the Weekend Gadget post we made these yummy Fritters. Yes they are work, however most of the work is in the cooking and It really does not take that long to make.



Buttermilk Apple Fritters
4 Gingergold apples, peeled cored and cut in various sizes.
2 Tablespoon sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoon Honey
1 cup Buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for deep frying

-Put cut apples and sugar in bowl, mix and set aside
-Mix together eggs, honey and buttermilk.
-Sift together flour, Baking powder and soda, salt and cinnamon. reserve 2 Tablespoon**.
-Add remainder flour mixture to wet ingredients.This is your batter.
**Add reserve flour mixture to apples and and stir.,
-Fold apples into the batter

Heat 3 inches of oil in a sauce pan or fryer pan to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, use a thermometer for this, It is important that you maintain this temp throughout the cooking.
Once the oil reaches the temp, begin dropping the apple batter by spoon fulls into the oil. Do not walk away from the stove.It is important to stay with the process from here out. They cook rather fast.
You will want to turn them once they are golden brown on the bottom side. remove once golden brown on both sides. Remove and place them on a cooling rack, that way they stay crisp.

copyright 2009 "Auntie E CookBook/MDubros"

Enjoy them with Maple syrup
We did!

Weekend Kitchen Gadget

Since it is apple season.
Here is my apple corer and slicer.

It has two different sizes of slicer. The green one for a thicker ring and the red for a thinner one. I love using this all the time. Making pies, fritters, breads and tarts are so easy. Just turn the crank and your done. Peeling. coring and slicing at one time. If you want the peel left on that can be done.
This next week I will be using this in a few recipes. Dee's Apple Fritters is one I'll be sharing.

Aloha Friday - Candy Apples?

October is a month in which candy apples are out. I have seen the red cinnamon and the Caramel one.

Question:

Which kind do you like, Cinnamon or Caramel?

I like the Caramel ones.

I will be tallying your answers and will post a recipe for the favorite one.
This is a Answer MckLinky Just click on the Your next and enter your URL and Answer, that's it. You can also leave your answer in the comments instead.


If you would like to see other links or join in Aloha Fridays, the link is the Meme Photo at top. This Meme is sponsored by An island Life

Cranberry Sauce from 1894.

**You can clock on each photo for a closer view.
This is a recipe from my White House collection. This recipe dates back to 1894. It is in my White House cookbook of 1900. Grove Cleveland was President in office during 1884. The photo is how the White House look at that time. Very different from today's.


The kitchen was run by Chester Arthur's Chef Hugo Ziemann (pictured in the upper right corner). This recipe is written in original form. The photo shows why it states"...put them on the fire...". In today's time, I would suggest putting them on medium low heat.

If you use a Number system- around 3.

Cranberry Sauce

One quart of cranberries, two cupfuls of sugar and a pint of water. Wash the cranberries, then put them on the fire with the water, but in a covered saucepan. Let them simmer until each cranberry bursts open; then remove the cover of the saucepan, add the sugar and let them boil twenty minutes without the cover. The cranberries must never be stirred from the time they are placed on the fire. This is an unfailing recipe for a most delicious preparation of cranberries. Very fine with turkey and game.

Recipe by Hugo Ziemann(White House steward under Grover Cleveland)
Photo's courtesy of White House Historical association. and White house Museum.

Lisa over at Stop and Smell the Chocolate is having a Fall Fruits Festival week. Today it is Cranberry Day. For more Cranberry recipes Stop over at Lisa's.

Fall Foods- German Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin is really consider a round orange winter squash. I like pumpkin a lot. In Germany soups are big in the Fall. Just picture yourself; snuggled in a blanket with a mug a Soup in hand. You could be at a football game or Bonfire sipping that cup of soup. This is the wonderful time of year and this soup does well in a thermos on the go. It can be served hot or cold. I prefer it Warm just enough to sip. The name I gave it is for my favorite memories in German, love of Pumpkin and fall soups.

German Pumpkin Soup.

1(15oz) can 100% pure Pumpkin
1/2 cup finely diced Sweet Onion
1 Tablespoon Freshly grated Ginger
1 small clove garlic- Pressed or minced.
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
A Nip of Grounds Cloves
A Smidgen of Ground fresh nutmeg
1 cup Orange Juice
2 cups Vegetable broth (heated to a boil)
2 Tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup

-In a 12 cup (2.5 liter) soup pot on medium high heat add oil, when heated a little add onion , ginger, and garlic. cook and stir til onions are transparent in color. about 2 to 3 minutes.
-Add Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmeg stirring well for about 1 minute.
-Add Orange juice stir well bring to a boil.
-Add Pumpkin and stir well,
-Add Broth and bring to a simmer(Bubbling around the sides of pan). Turn down heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
-Add Maple Syrup and stir.

Serve Warm, Will serve 6 to 8 people.

I serve it with a little Quark(European- style cheese) on top (As in photo). You can use sour cream in place however the flavor is differently not the same. If you can find Quark try it. Appel Farms out of WA is the brand I use.

Lisa over at Stop and Smell the Chocolate is having a Fall Fruits Festival week. Today it is Pumpkin Day. For more Pumpkin recipes Stop over at Lisa's.

Caramel Pear Crisp

Lisa over at Stop and Smell the Chocolate is having a Fall Fruits Festival week. Today it is Pear Day. I put together this recipe. One of the favors I like this time of year is Caramel. It is always thought of with Apples. Thought I would pair it with pears, now that's a pun. Also I like Apple crisp, had some at Mimi's Cafe this weekend. Boys was it good. I think Bartlett Pears are my favorite at this time of year. I hope you will enjoy this recipe. It is very sweet so a little will do or if you have a sweet tooth maybe more. With a savory dinner it is a great finish.Yields about 12 servings.

Caramel Pear Crisp

1 (15 oz)can half Bartlett Pears(Drained)
1 (15 oz) can sliced Bartlett Pears(drained)
4 Tablespoon melted unsalted butter
4 Tablespoon Honey
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoon Flour (divided)
1 cup Caramel Bits(I use Kraft)
1/2 cup packed Dark brown sugar
1/4 cup organic Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon

*Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit.
* Mix the butter and honey together. Brush the bottom and sides of a 1-1/2 or 2 Quart deep casserole dish with about 1 Tablespoon of the honey butter mix,set the remaining aside.
*Place the drained pears in the dish.
* mix and Caramel Bits with 2 Tablespoon of flour. Pour over the pears.
* Mix 1/2 cup Flour, sugars and cinnamon together, Add Honey butter and stir
* add 1/2 cup flour to the mixture and cut in just til crumbly
* Pour over Top the Caramel bits.
Cook for 35 to 40 minutes til bubbly. Top will be dark brown already so I let it get a little darker.

copyright2009"Auntie E's CookBook/M Dubros"

Weekend Kitchen Gadget

This are my rolling pin collection. The wood one I have had since the 70's. I used it for every thing I made. Some time I put a fabric sleeve on it so thing would roll easier. Like dough, to much flour can cause it to be tough. So along can the Mable one. It was great for rolling sticky things and the pie dough. A little heavier and it does remain cool. Oh the double side wooden roller...That I use all the time now. Great for rolling out Pizza, cookie and Biscuit dough. I tend to grab that one first. The Silicone(yellow) roller (always wanted one of those). When the opportunity came to purchase one,I did. Haven't used it that much. Find the dough tend to stick to it. If anyone has a silicone roller, can you give me a clue in using it? Now I have it just for the looks, hehehe.

FriendshipBread Time-Pumpkin

Here we are again, time to share an Amish Friendship Bread recipe. Since It is October I have created a Pumpkin one.
I was asked last time if I share the starter. I do not have many friends who cook. I have shared it with some. Now I am sharing the recipes. Today I will find a neighbor who will like the Starter and share a loaf of the bread with them.

Amish Pumpkin Nut Bread
1-3/4 cup Starter
1/2 cup Pumpkin
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
4 Tablespoon Melted butter.
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Mix above ingredients together.

Sift together:

2 cups flour
2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie spice (I used McCormick)
1-1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

Add to the wet ingredients. mix well
fold in 3/4 cup chopped Pecans*
*a tip: add about 2 Tablespoons of the sifted dry ingredients to the nuts; it will help the nuts to well distribute throughout the bread.

Put into two greased and sugared 4x8 bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes.

copyright 2009 "AuntieE's CookBook/M dubros"

Queen Margherita Pizza

Pizza has become a favorite in America. One can not go to any state and not find a Pizza establishment. We Americans think our Pizza is the best...some might even think we invented it. Well we did not and I have traveled all cross the world and can tell you there are some good Pizza out there. While living in Germany I have some really good pizza. Then in Italy oh the pizza there was to die for.

So,let me tell you a little about this pizza we enjoy. It has been around since the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. It was their fast meal per say, for the social class that could not spend hours at the table. The dough was made and top with whatever meat they had. In the 7th century AD water buffalo were imported from India to what we know as Italy. From their milk they made the original Mozzarella. It is still made there today. Parmesan cheese is a long lived food and has been made in the Reggio-Emila region of Italy since the 10th Century A.D. Oh those tomatoes we so enjoy...they came from Mexico. the Spanish conquistadores brought the plants, thought to be Poisonous, back with them. It was introduce to Europe as a decorative plant. The plant was called "Pomodoro", Golden apple, and "Pomme d'amour" love apple. Oh the thoughts I have about those names, and they thought it was a poisonous apple. By the late 17th century the cultivation of tomatoes, from this plant for food ,was a thriving enterprise around Naples.
These Ingredients; the Bread base, Buffalo Mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and Tomatoes were the base for the Neapolitan Pizza. In 1889 the dish was given it's royal stamp of approval. That same year King Umberto and Queen Margherita were visiting Naples. they were given a Pizza party of sorts. The Queens' favorite was the Neapolitan she enjoyed it so much that her name was given to the pizza.
There is so much more history but, I will stop there. Since I want to give you the recipe for this pizza. However I will pick the story up at a later time.

Queen Margherita Pizza- Auntie E's Version

You will need:
1 large Pizza dough, rolled out. (I get mine from the pizzeria and they stretch it for me.)
1/2 cup tomato base pizza sauce-(I use Boboli, original pizza sauce.)
2 cloves garlic minced
5 basil leaves chopped
2 cups Mozzarella cheese shredded or Sliced. (If you can find Buffalo Mozzarella try it.)
2 Roman Tomatoes- Sliced thinly.(they hold up better in this kind of recipe)
3 tablespoon Grated Parmesan cheese.
2 tablespoon olive oil.
Pizza pan or stone
some corn meal

set oven at 450 degrees-preheat
use a pizza stone if you have one. Sprinkle your pizza pan with a little corn meal.
lay the dough on the stone, roll the edges to form a rim,Brush the edges with Olive Oil.
spread the 1/2 cup of Sauce on the bottom of dough .
sprinkle with 1/2 the garlic and 1/2 the Basil.
top with 1/2 the cheese.
Add tomatoes around top of cheese, sprinkle with the remaining Basil and Garlic
Sprinkle remaining cheeses on top.

bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden.

The photo is a the pizza I made with the my Pizza machine Gadget.

Weekend Kitchen Gadget

This is a Pizza Cooker. We got this many years ago.
It will heat up to the proper temp and cook the pizza to perfection.
You can make a Chicago deep dish or a Mediterranean thin.

The Lid lifts off easily making clean up great.

It is easy to make your own dough. Or you can go to a pizzeria and sometimes buy theirs. We have a Bertucci's here, who will sell pizza dough.It is always fresh, made daily, and the price is good 2.99 to 3.50 depending on size. That is where I will get mine for today's pizza.

Aloha Friday - Gadgets

Here we are it's Friday. Time to lay back and travel around in Bloggersville visiting new and old friends. We answer a question they have and leave our link. There is a Master link list here if you want to join in or just visit others. Sign my link list and I will make sure I visit you.

Here is your question:

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget?

I host a Weekend Kitchen Gadget every Saturday. I have posted a few. I have a pizza cooker that I loved to use. It will be pulled out of my gadget closet for this weekend's post. Oh yeah It going to be pizza weekend!