Christmas morning without Kolaches is like the 4th of July without fireworks. Cherry Kolaches have always been my favorite and, until a few years ago, the only kind I ever made. What to do when your new son-in-law doesn’t like cooked fruit? You can never go wrong with Chocolate.
Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses
The first year I was a bit doubtful about the results but I was pleasantly surprised. I took a piece of dough, as I would for the cherry kolaches, but flatten in slightly, pressing 1-2 chocolate kisses in the dough, then pinching the dough closed around the chocolate.
Update January 2021: I have made these every year but have graduated to a higher grade of chocolate, using Ghirardelli chocolate chips or squares.
Allow the dough to rise, per the recipe, and bake. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar when removing from the oven (optional).
Several weeks ago a Facebook friend shared a recipe for roasted cabbage and I meant to copy or print it. Short story, short…I forgot. This week I was in the mood for roasted cabbage and…no recipe. After a quick Google search, I found a similar recipe from Martha Stewart for Roasted Cabbage Wedges.
The recipe calls for caraway OR fennel seeds and I AM a caraway seed lover but decided to do a few of both. The fennel seeds won, hands down! The fennel gives a nice touch to the roasted cabbage where I didn’t feel the caraway enhanced the flavor. My Czech ancestors would probably roll over in their graves if they heard me admit that!
Great recipe to pair with pork, Bratwurst or for a vegan dish.
ROASTED CABBAGE SLICES
1 tablespoon plus 2 more tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium head green cabbage cut into 1 inch slices
Coarse salt and pepper
1 teaspoon caraway or fennel seeds
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.
Place 1 medium head green cabbage cut into 1 inch slices, in a single layer on the baking sheet. Brush the cabbage slices with 2 tablespoons oil.
Season with coarse salt and pepper, then sprinkle with caraway or fennel seeds.
Roast until cabbage is tender and edges are golden, 40-45 minutes.
My Dad, Archie, was one of the funniest men I ever knew. His sense of humor was direct, often dry, and accepted by all. He could say things to people that no one else could say and they would laugh heartily and love him dearly. Love of laughter is one of the great gifts my Father gave to me. I miss him.
When I was 12 years old my Father died as a result of a farming accident. From that day forward my life changed forever. He would never attend one of my high school sporting or music events…he wouldn’t walk me down the aisle…he wouldn’t get to hold my children in his arms and play with them. But he is always with me…always.
Photographs of my Father and I are near and dear to my heart because there are few. Taking a photograph ‘back in the day’ required film, developing, flash bulbs and they were treasured….not to mention that my Father was camera-shy.
Before my Mother died, she passed on photos my Uncle Mahlon ‘Sparky’ took when I was little. These are some of the most treasured photos of my childhood.
The sweater my Father is wearing in this picture, is one I wore through high school and still have in my Mother’s cedar chest (if you’re under 50, you probably don’t know what that is).
Dad, I know you’re listening, and know I love you and miss you! Heavenly hugs to you and to Mom.
Strawberry season is here. Bring on the shortcake! This recipe is from an old Czech cookbook that I’ve cherished for years. The cake is yummy enough to eat by itself, but topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream is to die for.
My girls love the cake more than the strawberries…I’m partial to the entire package. I have been know to drown the cake and berries in milk, something I picked up from some elderly Norwegian friends back in Iowa.
However you like it, try it. It’s strawberry time!
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and bake in 9×9″ baking pan for 45 minutes or until baked through.
Cut into squares and top with fresh sliced strawberries and whipped cream.
I love sauerkraut and who doesn’t love dumplings? This Pork Chop with Sauerkraut and Dumpling recipe was something I created many years ago, probably when I was in a panic to cook something after a long day at the office. Before kids, I made this recipe a lot but the kids weren’t fond of sauerkraut as children, but as adults they love it!
It was time to give this recipe a whirl again. I enjoyed it thoroughly but daughter Sarah and I both thought we would enjoy just the sauerkraut and dumplings alone just as much as with the pork chops.
PORK CHOPS WITH SAUERKRAUT AND CHEATER DUMPLINGS
4 to 6 pork chops
1 can sauerkraut with caraway seeds (or add your own caraway)
1 tube refrigerated biscuits
Brown pork chops in large skillet. Salt and pepper.
Add undrained sauerkraut and additional water to cover pork chops.
Simmer until pork chops are tender and cooked through.
Add water to cover pork chops, again and place biscuits on top of sauerkraut.
Cover and cook over medium heat until biscuits are cooked.
Roast Pork was a staple on the farm, most often served with mashed potatoes, gravy and our beloved sauerkraut. I don’t make it as often any more, but thoroughly enjoyed roasting this beautiful pork loin, prepared with olive oil and Bohemian Forest Rub from our local spice shop, Savory Seasonings.
SAVORY ROAST PORK LOIN
4-5 pound pork loin
olive oil
garlic salt
Bohemian Forest Rub (Savory Seasonings) or rub or choice
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Rub Pork Loin with Seasoning.
Roast pork, uncovered, for 3 hours or until internal temperature is at 180 degrees.
My Czech roots are precious to me and this week I enjoyed a hearty stock of Sauerkraut Soup. This recipe was one of two recipes my Mother made and she was given this recipe by our dear Bohemian friend, Blanche.
I understand that many families serve a Sauerkraut Soup as a traditional Christmas Eve meal but I enjoy it anytime!
After the rich, sweet treats of the holidays, the hearty sauerkraut soup was a welcome change allowing me to walk down memory lane once again.
SAUERKRAUT SOUP
1 pint sauerkraut (add extra caraway seed if desired)
1 cup finely diced ham
1 quart cooked and drained diced potatoes
1 quart Milk (more or less)
chunk butter
1 egg yolk
1 heaping tablespoon of flour
salt and pepper
dill weed garnish (optional)
Put enough water on sauerkraut to simmer slowly with ham.
When tender, pour milk over and a chunk of butter. Salt and pepper to taste.
Break egg yolk into small bowl and whisk.
Add flour and mix together.
Drop small pieces of the dough into the soup until cooked through, 10-15 minutes.
Add cooked, drained potatoes to the soup.
Heat until low boil. Serve or cool to serve next day. The flavor is even better the next day!
My Czech heritage is fascinating to me. My Mother gave me The Czech Book Recipes and Traditions in 1982 and it has become a treasure. The Mushroom and Barley Soup is a favorite of mine. You can add meat, or if vegetarian, leave it out. It’s a hearty, healthy winter soup that makes me even more curious about the Smaha Czech heritage. Požívat! (enjoy)
MUSHROOM AND BARLEY SOUP Houbová Polévka as Kroupama
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, washing, trimmed and sliced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 tablespoon flour
3 cups chicken broth or beef broth
1/2 cup pearled medium barley
1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken, turkey or beef
In a 3-quart saucepan melt butter, add mushrooms, onion, celery, carrot. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring often about 10 minutes.
Stir in flour, then the broth.
Add barley, cover and simmer until barley is cooked through, about 1 hour.
Add cooked diced meat, salt and pepper. For a creamier soup, stir in about 1 cup milk.
Adapted from The Czech Book, Recipes and Traditions, Copyright 1981
Kolaches originated in the Slovak countries and our Smaha family brought this Bohemian tradition to America when they immigrated to Iowa in the late 1800s. This tradition has been passed down in our family for many generations. Kolaches are wonderful any time of the year but especially wonderful at Christmas. My family tradition is to have them Christmas morning while we are opening gifts and sipping coffee or hot chocolate.
Christmas Morning and Kolaches 1987
This picture was taken in Christmas morning 1987 with my Mother, Mother-In-Law, and oldest daughter, Megan. Let the Kolache feast begin!
My all-time favorite Kolache is cherry. This season I was fortunate to buy a large container of fresh frozen tart cherries that I’ve been saving for Kolache filling this Christmas. Other years, I have used canned cherry pie filling. I have made Kolaches from old-fashioned sweet dough recipes but a new favorite is the sweet dough recipe for the bread machine. In a pinch, I have used frozen bread dough, even though not sweet, is very good.
Traditional Kolache come in many flavors including the timeless Bohemian prune or poppy-seed fillings. My Mother’s Kolaches were fabulous and we waited with excitement while they baked, poised to snatch one as soon as they came out of the oven.
Everyone’s Kolaches are a tad different. My Mother didn’t add the crumb topping to her Kolaches but a wonderful farm neighbor, Nellie, made Prune Kolaches with crumb topping in her old wood stove. You haven’t lived until you’ve had Kolaches from a wood cooking stove. My Aunt Lora, baked Kolaches that she pinched closed at the top and sprinkled with sugar. Equally wonderful.
Wishing all of you a wonderful Christmas and many cherished family traditions.
SWEET BREAD DOUGH (FOR BREAD MACHINE)
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1 cup less 1 T. water
All ingredients should be at room temperature. Add the ingredients in the order listed above.
Run the machine through the dough cycle. Remove and work on floured board to desired loaf, rolls, etc.
CHERRY FILLING
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup juice from cherries
3 cups pitted tart red cherries (water pack)
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon red food coloring
Combine 3/4 cup sugar with cornstarch. Stir in cherry juice.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, till mixture thickens and bubbles; cook 1 minute longer. Add remaining sugar, cherries, butter and food coloring and cook until thickened. Mixture will be very thick. Let stand while preparing bread dough for Kolaches.
PREPARING THE KOLACHES:
Pinch a piece of dough about the size of a walnut (or ping pong ball) and place on a greased baking pan. Cover with wax paper then a towel and let rise until double in size. When risen, push centers of balls down and fill with cherry filling (or filling of choice). Let rise again and bake at 400 degrees.
KOLACHE CRUMB TOPPING (Optional)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt (omit if using margarine)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix all ingredients together (use a pastry blender) until crumbly and use as a topping for Kolaches or coffee cakes.
Fork Lore 