by Roxanne -

Spaetzle – German Mac & Cheese

Last year when my sister-in-law was visiting the U.S., we met her in Milwaukee. After an afternoon visiting the stunning Calatrava Art Museum we went to Karl Ratzsch’s restaurant for dinner.

She and I ordered the spaetzle. It was amazing. Creamy, savory, with a hint of nutmeg. Surely this couldn’t be too hard to make? When we got home I checked to see how difficult it was to make spaetzel. It’s surprisingly easy. It’s fast food. About 10 minutes from the start of mixing the batter to enjoying it.

Here’s the recipe –

1 cup flour, 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup water or milk, 1 egg, 1 tsp salt, pinch of nutmeg (or substitute with cayenne or curry). That’s it. Whisk until blended.

Place a colander over a pot of boiling water. Put half the batter into the colander and use a spatula to push the batter through the holes. Repeat with remaining batter.

By now the spaetzle has floated to the top of the pot. That’s how you know it’s done. Drain and top with butter, cheddar cheese or gravy. Creamy, cheesy, delicious. German mac & cheese. Mm mmm. Add a glass of crisp, chilled, white wine.

You can watch how easy it is by watching this college-aged kid here. You don’t even have to understand the language!

You may also like Winter Comfort Food and Ultimate Banana Bread.

by Roxanne -

Winter Comfort Food

This time of year is the time for soups, stews, chilies. But it is also the time of year for other comfort foods that might not so readily come to mind like corn cakes. The world’s ultimate corn cakes can be enjoyed at Maria’s Cafe on Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. But if you can’t get there you can make your own that taste nearly as good.

Into a bowl put 1 cup flour, 1/2 corn meal, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 egg and  1 14 oz can corn – liquid too and mix with a whisk. Add milk to desired consistency. Ladle onto a medium hot skillet that has been lightly seasoned with a little vegetable oil. Flip when the pancake bubbles. Serve steaming with a dollop of Greek yogurt sprinkled with sunflower seeds. Mm mm.

You can improvise by adding grated orange rind & cinnamon, jalapenos or cayenne to the flour before adding the wet ingredients.

And top your hot corn cakes with your own rich and creamy Greek yogurt. An easy yogurt recipe (and great photos) can be found at this post over at A Beach Cottage. It is similar to other yogurt recipes I have used. For Greek yogurt modify this recipe by beginning with a single serving container of Greek yogurt and a quart of milk (whole or 2%).

Pour the milk into a pan and heat until just simmering. Cool for 40 minutes. Blend in 3 tablespoons of Greek yogurt at room temperature. Cover and place in a warm space. I use my electric oven with the light on inside. Leave overnight. That’s it.

Voila! Delicious Greek yogurt. Be sure to reserve the last 3 tbsp so you can make another batch. Top the corncakes above with a spoonful.

Use it in place of sour cream or half & half in gravy and soups. It also works in place of whipped cream on desserts.

by Roxanne -

A Cold, A Confession and Crispy Potatoes

You may recall my 2011 Challenge: A Year Without Buying Clothes. How am I doing? Well I was doing great — until yesterday. Aack! Yesterday I succumbed to the all the “markdown hype.” A fuschia sweater, white cotton turtleneck and earrings, all for $32 made a dent in my wallet. Mind you, I was walking for exercise around MOA (Mall of America), so at least that was good.

My DH offered to buy all three items for me, so I could claim them as a gift. But that’s not the point. For me, right now, I think the point is understanding that this is a process. Changing life-long habits never happens all at once. We take one step, falter, try again. Eventually persistence creates a new habit.

It was similar to bringing my own shopping bags to stores. At first I forgot to put them in my car. Then I forgot to take them into the store. Finally, I remember to bring them and to use them. But this entire process took at least a year.

So rather than beat myself up — I will be gentle with myself, take a deep breath and begin anew. However, I will donate 3 items of clothing and figure out a way to go walking without shopping for clothes at the same time.

Today I am home with the beginnings of a cold – most likely the cold my DH has had all week. But I am being taken care of. He is making fabulous – crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside – potatoes with garlic cloves and cinnamon sticks. The house is filled with the smell of roasted garlic and pungent cinnamon. I will post a link for the recipe. You can see what they actually look like right now and perhaps you can almost smell them?

Photo A. Meshar

Although cold outside, it is brilliantly sunny and all that sunlight is pouring in. Ravel is playing on the radio. . . crispy potatoes await. Life is good.

by Roxanne -

Babette’s Feast

Photo Babette's Feast

Babette’s Feast (same name as the film) came about when I and two friends decided to prepare an autumn feast. One of us (not me;-))lived in a large, old, Victorian home in Hyde Park, Chicago.

We invited family and friends. I remember that my brother and his kids were visiting Chicago and joined us. We created a menu of autumn foods. Everyone was asked to bring one ingredient. No one knew what their ingredient would be used for.

When everyone arrived, guests were asked to help chop, slice, and prepare the food. People who had never met found themselves sharing a cutting board and cooking together. Apples were peeled. Pies were assembled. Chickens and vegetables were roasted with garlic, lemons and herbs. Rolls were baked.

Layers and layers of linens draped the table. Squashes, pumpkins, and if I recall, wheat, candles and bread decorated the center of the table. We even found Limoges china in a hidden cabinet in the dining room! We used it. Cloth napkins and wine glasses were carefully placed.

We all gathered. Candles were lit. Wine was poured. Thanksgiving was offered. Food was shared. Incense was burned. Cello, voice and piano entertained everyone afterward. It was an amazing dinner. An amazing evening.

Photo Babette's Feast

Over the years I continued to plan Babette’s Feasts. I have organized dozens of Babette’s Feasts with many diverse groups of people. The menu has been completely different each time. Seasonal and local food is used whenever possible.

People come, prepare, share a meal, celebrate and are changed. Many experience the healing of being with a healthy community for the first time in their lives. It is always a powerful experience.

It is lavish. It is extravagant. It is elegant. It is simple. It is not expensive. But it is eucharist, thanksgiving, hospitality experienced in a very profound way. It nourishes the body, refreshes the spirit and renews the soul. God is made present and She is smiling!

Photo Red Couch Recipes

Some of the best ways to get the feeling of Babette’s Feast is to watch the movies: Babette’s Feast, Chocolate, Amelie or Like Water for Chocolate. Some books that are fun and uplifting to read along the same line are The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister and the classic, Like Water for Chocolate.

by Roxanne -

Of Passion Fruit, Persimmons and Pomegranates

Passion Fruit
Persimmons

Fresh Figs
Pomegranates

Being married to someone from another culture means that many day-to-day assumptions are different. But this can be fun and interesting. For example, if I have “fruit” on my grocery list I will check for apples, oranges, bananas or pears in the produce department. On the other hand, if you are from the Middle East and you have “fruit” on your grocery list this time of year, you are very apt to come home with small amounts of passion fruit, persimmons, pomegranates, figs and dates. Maybe even kumquats. This makes for a delectable fruit bowl on my dining table.

Persimmons are truly a romantic fruit. Intensely sweet, when ripened, they are like eating a golden-orange jam right from the fruit itself. Passion fruit is another memorable experience. A little goes a long way. They are a little more expensive but only buy one or two. Choose those that are heavier, they will have more fruit. Cut one open. Eat it slowly and savor.

Next time you are at the grocery store check for other fruit, or vegetables, that you wouldn’t normally look for. We often find many new greens or root vegetables that are unusual for us and yet grown locally. This is great because we can support local agriculture while trying new things.

Who knew there was so much richness and romance right in my local produce department? – but it’s there, waiting for us.

What can you try that is new? Explore. Try it out. Check online to see how you prepare it. Sample the lush vegetarian world at our fingertips. See what you think.

Kumquats

Passion Fruit Sliced
Whole Persimmons