Monthly Archives: January 2016

Braised Red Cabbage With Apples

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Braised Red Cabbage With Apples.

Elfie and momWinter  wouldn’t be Winter without a big pot of Braised Red Cabbage with Apples!  This is a family recipe that has been handed down by my mom and my grandmother. As you know by following this blog, we are big vegetable fans. Harry and I aren’t vegetarians but a diet rich in vegetables and fruits is just plain healthy.  Red cabbage is regular visitor on the German table, so it’s my pleasure to share my mother’s recipe with you.

PS: Shhh…..Elfie’s Mom always put fried bacon in this recipe! Maybe Bacon is the secret to living to 84!

 

TwoFoodNuts Braised Red Cabbage with Apples:

  • 1 medium red cabbage
  • 2 large or 4 small apples, peeled, cored and sliced
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 cup of apple cider vinegar (mom would have used red wine vinegar)
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 2 Tbsp of olive oil (optional, but it gives richness to the finished dish)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Braised Red cabbage with applesYou’ll need a dutch oven to prepare this recipe.  We don’t make it in a slow cooker,  but you can certainly use one.  The recipe makes a large batch that’s perfect for a big crowd or for freezing.

Begin by quartering the cabbage. Remove the big white core.  Now finely slice the quarters. As you slice one of the cabbage quarters, layer on one sliced apple and a tiny bit of salt and pepper. (go easy here so its not too salty).

Red cabbage

Once you have all the cabbage and apples layered, pour the other ingredients into the pot.  Now, let the stove top or the slow cooker do all the work!

Cook’s Tip:  If using a slow cooker, cook on low all day and turn up to high with the lid off for about an hour to reduce the excess moisture.

I cook the cabbage on medium-low for about 2 hours covered. Then remove the lid for the remainder of the cooking time. You want the excess moisture to cook away, leaving the cabbage in a light glaze.  The dish is finished when the cabbage is tender and the apples have dissolved. Taste for salt and pepper. That’s it!

Look at that color!  Here we served the Braised Red Cabbage and Apples along side quality smoked sausages with hot mustard and fluffy mashed potatoes and finally our creamed Kohlrabi and Carrots.  It’s equally good with our German Rouladen.

Guten Apettit!

red cabbage Next time you go shopping, look for this much under-used vegetable and you may just find a new side dish in our braised red cabbage!

 

 

 

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Eggs For Dinner. Ole!

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Eggs With A Mexican Twist.

Busy lives demand fast, healthy meals that hit all the high notes in taste. This dish offers protein without meat, speed in preparation and savory flavors sure to please. It’s versatile too. We love eggs for dinner and this is a favorite at our house, we hope it will be at your table as well.

eggs for dinner

Lets get started:

The base of this dish is warmed flour tortillas topped with:

  • scrambled eggs(2 per person)
  • You can do the “Hungry Man or Woman” version and use 3 eggs.
  • sour cream
  • chopped tomatoes
  • fresh avocado
  • grated cheese (use your favorite)
  • Chopped red chili (optional)
  • chopped fresh herbs (we used Italian parsley) try sliced green onion too!
  • salsa.

We begin by cracking the eggs into a bowl and adding chopped red chili. Set aside.

Next chop fresh tomatoes and avocado and herbs. This takes just minutes.

Grate some cheese. This is a  good way to use up those bits in the fridge  Just a little to keep fat in check.

Place two non stick pans on the stove. You will heat the tortillas by placing on the hot pan for 30 seconds per side.

Make the scrambled eggs while you heat the tortillas. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble the best dish by placing the scrambled eggs on the warm tortilla, then topping with dollops of sour cream, the chopped tomatoes, avocado, cheese, salsa and herbs.

It took Elfie no more than 15 minutes to make this start to finish. It’s rich in protein from the eggs and avocado and bit of cheese. It’s going to be your new favorite meat-free supper!

mexican eggs

 

Quiche by TwoFoodNuts

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Quiche Like No Other.

Quiche is a funny thing.  It seems to go in and out of favor every few years.   Then there was the old saying “Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche”!   What was that about?  No one ever said real men don’t eat ham and cheese.  For us, Quiche is ever-evolving and in many ways it’s better today than it’s ever been. With access to such a variety of cheese and fresh herbs year round you can always whip up a sensational lunch or light supper.

quiche for lunchQuiche accompanied by Harry’s Famous Caesar Salad is always a hit around here. When we have company for dinner we make a large Quiche in a pan, but for our little lunch we went through the trouble of making individual Quiche.

This recipe results in a light texture and a rich taste due to the heavy cream and the addition of the Ricotta cheese.

If you aren’t able to make pie crust, you have a couple of options.  Ready-made pie crust or quality puff pastry yields a wonderful Quiche, so no excuses.  You can do this!

TwoFoodNuts Ham and Cheese Quiche:

Makes one 9 inch Quiche

1 puff pastry thawed and laid into a removable bottom tart pan or pie plate.

  • 1 small package sliced mushrooms
  • 1 Tbsp butter to fry mushrooms
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme to add to mushrooms
  • 4-6  slices quality country ham from the deli (or 1/2 cup left-over dinner ham diced)
  • 1/4 cup peas  or asparagus
  • 1 cup of Ricotta Cheese
  • 1/3 cup of Feta crumbled
  • 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan
  • 1/3 cup grated cheddar
  • 4 large eggs beaten
  • 1 cup of heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by cutting up the ham and grating the cheeses into a mixing bowl.  Fry the sliced mushrooms along with the thyme sprig in a little butter.  When the mushrooms are brown, discard the thyme.   Add everything into the mixing bowl and stir well to incorporate. Pour into the pan and  decorate with the little pieces of extra dough.

decorating the Quiche

 

Quiche from scratchBake the Quiche in a 350F oven on the middle rack until the filling is just set. The reason Quiche is often rubbery is that it is over baked. You should be able to touch the center of the quiche with a slight pressure but not break the surface. There should be the slightest jiggle when the Quiche is cooked.

Allow the Quiche to set for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into it.  Serve with a side salad for a complete lunch or dinner!quiche for lunch

Don’t forget to share this recipe with your friends and family on FaceBook!

 

 

 

 

Kohlrabi and Carrots

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Creamed Kohlrabi and Carrots, Yum!

Not many people know how to cook Kohlrabi.  It’s not some strange tasting thing, but it does look a bit unusual. Kohlrabi is in the turnip family and has a very mild taste. It’s a very crisp veg when used raw but tender when cooked.  Here we paired it with carrots in a cream sauce. It actually makes a nice change from potatoes as the accompaniment to our Easy Roast Chicken.

white and purple kohlrabi varieties

If you try this recipe and like it you can thank Elfie’s mom!  This may be an old fashioned way of serving this much under-used vegetable but one that needs to be in your recipe box.

Creamed Kohlrabi (1)

TwoFoodNuts Creamed Kohlrabi and Carrots:

  • 3 Kohlrabi peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 3 carrots peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 low sodium chicken stock cube
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 1 and 1/2  to 2 cups milk (the sauce should be creamy not gloppy)
  • 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
  • Pepper to taste.

Kohlrabi peelCook’s Tip: You must take a thick peel off to get to the crisp white flesh.  We use a knife to peel them.   Salt the dish once the vegetables are cooked and in the finished sauce. The stock cube can add enough salt.

Once the vegetables are cut into 1/2 inch pieces, place in cold water with the stock cube and boil in gently boiling water unto the kohlrabi is tender.  We can’t tell you exactly as they can be very crisp if fresh and somewhat softer if not so fresh. You want them to keep their shape but be just tender.

While the veggies are cooking, make the sauce in a non-stick saucepan large enough to hold the sauce and the cooked veggies. Place the butter and flour into the saucepan and heat gently to melt the butter into the flour.  Once it is smooth, whisk in 1 & 1/2 cups of the milk.  Turn up the heat to medium high and allow the sauce to thicken.

If you find it’s really thick, add the remaining 1/2 cup of milk. Simmer for another minute.  Now grate in the nutmeg and a good grind of pepper.  Drain the cooked Kohlrabi/Carrot mix and stir into the cream sauce. Add the chopped parsley and taste for seasoning. Add salt only if the finished dish is a bit bland. Top the veggies with another sprinkle of parsley when serving.

Kohlrabi and carrotsJPGWe served the Creamed Kohlrabi and Carrots with our delectable Easy Roast Chicken.  No Potatoes tonight!  You should give it a try.

 

 

Baby Its Cold Outside Shepherd’s Pie!

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Comfort Food Shepherd’s Pie

Boy, this one is really “Old School”!  Everybody likes comfort food and in order to be really comforting it has to be simple to make. Before we built our new house, we lived in a little cabin here on the property. The kitchen was an after-thought, so making big fancy meals didn’t work. We spent a lot of time outdoors in those days as we tried to tame the jungle that was our little country property. After a long day of raking leaves, or shoveling snow we’d be exhausted but starving. This humble little supper was a favorite then and now.

 

TwoFoodNuts Sheppard's Pie

Here’s our TwoFoodNuts Shepherd’s Pie recipe:

Serves 4

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 1 can peas and carrots or (1 & 1/2 cups frozen)
  • 1 package Beef gravy Mix, (we like Knorr or International Gravy Mix)
  • 1 & 1/2 cups cold water
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 3 Russett Potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 Tbsp salt for boiling the potatoes
  • 1/4 cup soft butter for mashing

Peel and cube the Potatoes. Boil in a pot of salted water until very soft. Drain well and mash with 1/4 cup butter.

sheppard's pie filling

Fry the ground beef until well browned. Add the onion and fry until it is just transparent.  Add the peas and carrots, sprinkle the gravy mix in and add the water. (If using frozen peas and carrots you need to microwave for 3 minutes or so).

Gravy mix

Bring the meat filling to a boil and once the gravy is thickened, place the meat into a 2 quart casserole dish. Scoop the warm mashed potatoes on top and using the open side of the spoon, make a nice pattern on top.  Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes since everything is hot when assembled.

 

TwoFoodNuts Sheppard's Pie

The top should be lightly brown and the gravy will bubble up when its done!

Sheppard's Pie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So after a hard day, this is your reward! What do you think? Would you stick around to eat with us?