Hungarian Goulash Soup

January 15, 2021January 2, 2022 cathysmahaLeave a comment

Hungarian Goulash is different from the Midwest Goulash I grew up with. The Midwest version was always elbow macaroni, hamburger, tomatoes and sometimes, cheese. I experienced the traditional version in a Hungarian restaurant in Denver and again in Eastern Europe. Goulash (Gulyasleves) is one of the national dishes of Hungary. It reminds me of our traditional Beef Stew, although not as thick as stew and uses different spices.

This recipe is an adapted version of the recipe from a tour guide, Food Tour Budapest. We had a marvelous tour of wonderful restaurants, meandering the streets of Budapest experiencing traditional food and drink in historic and unique restaurants. How I wish I could travel again and experience such a tour. Some day… In the meantime, I can recreate the food memories in my own kitchen.

HUNGARIAN GOULASH

2 tablespoons lard or cooking oil (I used Olive Oil)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika; add a bit of spicy paprika if desired
1 pound cubed beef stew meat or pork shoulder
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons caraway seed
4 cups water (I added a bit more as the goulash cooked)
1 whole red pepper, chopped
1 whole tomato, peeled and chopped (or a can of tomatoes)
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, halved and sliced
1/2 cup chopped celery
Optional: small bits of pasta

Add the lard or oil to the stew pot.
Add onions to the hot lard or oil. Cook the onions until they are glossy and saucy.
Remove from the fire and add the paprika. Mix with the onion. Add a bit of water, to prevent from burning.
Add the meat cubes and put back on the fire. Sprinkle with salt and caraway seed. Add more or less, depending on your tastes
Add the chopped carrots and celery.
Once the meat has a bit of color, add water, chopped pepper and tomatoes. Lower heat to simmer and cover. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
After one and a half or two hours, check the meat. Add the chopped potatoes and cook through, about 20 minutes.
Add the pasta pieced (optional) when the potatoes are almost done.
Taste the broth and adjust seasoning as desired.

Serve with bread (white or rye). Optional: add freshly ground paprika or spicy green pepper.

Recipe adapted from FoodTour Budapest and Hungarian Cooking Goulash Soup.

Appetizers · Family Favorites · Holidays

Smoked Salmon Dip

December 11, 2020January 3, 2022 cathysmahaLeave a comment

Dips and appetizers are a staple for the holidays. In 2020, we will not be having the large holiday parties and gatherings, but we can still enjoy our favorite foods and traditions in our homes.

Ina Garten’s Smoked Salmon Dip is an easy, delicious dip that last well in the refrigerator for a day or two. Smoked Salmon is a favorite of mine, anytime of year, but dip time is holiday time!

SMOKED SALMON DIP

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, drained
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound (4 ounces) smoked salmon, minced

Cream the cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until just smooth.
Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, horseradish, salt and pepper, and mix.
Add the smoked salmon and mix well.
Chill and serve with crudites and/or crackers.

RECIPE FROM INA GARTEN

Appetizers · DIY · Family Favorites · Garden · Home · My Roots · Vegan · Vegetarian

Easy Dill Pickles

September 18, 2020January 3, 2022 cathysmahaLeave a comment

My Mother always grew a large garden and had a plentiful canning room in the basement with many types of pickles, tomatoes, corn, green beans, chicken, beef, peaches, pears, apples, jams. jelly, and more. What she didn’t can, she froze. I fondly remember the annual family gathering to pick, husk, parboil, cut and pack sweet corn for the freezer. How wonderful to enjoy this bounty during the long, cold Iowa winters.

This year I had a plentiful harvest of cucumbers. With the first hard freeze shortly after Labor Day, I had to pick most the produce, including many cucumbers. I made my Mom’s Easy Dill Pickle recipe and it didn’t disappoint. The addition of fresh garlic to the second batch will be a new twist!

EASY DILL PICKLES

Medium Cucumber, sliced into spears or slices
Fresh dill
White vinegar
Water
Salt
Alum
Optional: Peeled cloves of garlic

Wash medium size cucumbers and pack in canning quart jars. Add fresh dill to the top (stem and all). Place 1/4 teaspoon alum in the top of each quart jar of cucumbers.
Boil canning lids and rings in a separate pot.
Mix 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. To each quart of liquid add 4 tablespoons salt. Heat liquid to boiling point. Pour liquid, while hot, over pickles.
Immediately place lids and rings on each jar.Let stand until cool. Check to assure lid has sealed. Let the pickles sit in the brine for a few days/weeks. Store in a cool place.
I’ve also made these pickles and just placed in the frig, skipping the canning process.

Family Favorites · Fish

Low Country Boil

September 11, 2020January 3, 2022 cathysmaha2 Comments

Many years ago my husband’s family had a large family reunion on the North Carolina Beach. Each family took turns cooking dinner. My brother-in-law, Ron, and his wife, Cathy treated us to a Low Country Boil. It was wonderful and something our family still loves. While we are landlocked, we can still enjoy a good Low Country Boil.

LOW COUNTRY BOIL

5 quarts water
2 pounds Kielbasa or hot smoked link sausage, cut in 1″ pieces
4 pounds small new red potatoes
6 ears fresh sweet corn, husked and cleaned
4 pounds fresh shrimp in the shell
1 red onion
Old Bay Seafood seasoning
Cocktail Sauce

Optional: Add fresh, cleaned mussels or crab at the same time as the shrimp.

Bring 5 quarts water and 1/4 cup Old Bay Seasoning to a rolling boil in a large covered stockpot.
Add potatoes and onion; bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Add sausage and corn, and return to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or
until potatoes are tender.
Add shrimp to stockpot; cook 3-4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Drain. Serve with Old Bay Seasoning and cocktail sauce.
Serve all on large serving platters. Dig in!

Desserts · Family Favorites

Peach Raspberry Cobbler

September 7, 2020January 3, 2022 cathysmaha2 Comments

Palisade (Colorado) peaches are divine and something our family looks forward to each year. Due to an early freeze, we weren’t sure we could purchase peaches. A local high school band had a fundraiser with peaches and we purchased 3 boxes of the most beautiful peaches.

This recipe for cobbler combines my favorite two fruits, raspberry and peach. My mouth waters just thinking about it. Fresh fruit is the best but I have also made from frozen peaches with great results.

What will I do with the rest of the peaches? Oh, wonderful peach salsa!

PEACH RASPBERRY COBBLER

8 medium sized peaches (about 2 lb. or 4 cups), ripe peeled and sliced
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups raspberries, rinsed and drained
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a shallow 1.5 to 2 quart baking dish.
Mix together peaches, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle raspberries over the peaches.
In a food processor or a bowl, mix together flour, 3/4 c. sugar, butter and nutmeg until it has the texture of coarse oatmeal. Crumble over the fruit.
Bake until bubbling in the center and golden brown on top, about 45 -60 minutes.
Cool for at least 10 minutes. Best served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Family · Family Favorites · Holidays · My Roots

Easter Memories

April 10, 2020January 14, 2021 cathysmahaLeave a comment

Easter 2020 will be like no other. Most Americans will be home, distanced from family and friends. Our family will be doing the same but plan to share food and get together on Zoom for a short visit. Saturday we will be doing porch pickups of 1) homemade rolls, 2) Fresh Peach Cobbler…summertime favorite (using frozen peaches from last summer), and 3) Scotcheroos…Easter tradition. We will each cook our own dinner and enjoy a bit of what the others have made. It won’t be the same, but it will be an Easter to remember.

Today is the 26th day of self isolation and I am so blessed to be doing well, keeping in touch with family and friends and checking items off my ‘to-do’ list. Cleaning closets and recalling memories is part of the experience. While selecting books to read to my grandchildren, I found one of my childhood Easter books now very tattered but well loved. One of my daughter’s remarked that the bunny’s red eye creeps her out…I never even thought about that!

The pictures and stories are charming and would spark my childhood imagination. Here are a few pages:

‘Helping One Another’ is something we need to do all of the time, but especially now. ‘Jack In The Pulpit’ takes me back to springtime in Iowa and wandering the timbers with my Mother gathering Morel mushrooms and seeing Jack In The Pulpits, bluebells, Johnny Jump Ups, and many other wild flowers.

This week I also rediscovered my childhood bank, a bunny so sweet and tender. She was manufactured in the 1950s by Knickerbocker Plastics in North Hollywood, California. My mother saved her for many years, but why have I stored in the basement all these years? It’s time for her to shine her pretty little face again.

Memories are a wonderful thing…to be treasured and shared.

May your Easter be joyful…May your blessings be many. Happy Easter!

New Traditions · Soups and Stews

Hamburger Soup

March 20, 2019January 3, 2022 cathysmahaLeave a comment

Hamburger Soup is quick, simple and delicious. Enough said.

HAMBURGER SOUP

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion , diced
2 cloves garlic , minced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups beef broth
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
1 can condensed tomato soup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups mixed vegetables, fresh or frozen (I used carrots, celery, corn & peas)

Brown onion, ground beef and garlic until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
Add potatoes, broth, tomatoes, tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, seasoning and bay leaves. Simmer covered 10 minutes.
Stir in vegetables. Simmer 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Recipe slightly adapted from Spendwithpennies

Cookies and Bars · Desserts · New Traditions

Lemon Raspberry Streusel Bars

March 1, 2019January 3, 2022 cathysmahaLeave a comment

Raspberries may very well be my favorite fruit and would certainly be on my ‘last dinner’ list. This recipe started out to be Lemon Blueberry Bars as the original recipe stated. Midway through making the bars, I realized the frozen blueberries were off, so quickly switched to raspberries that I had in the freezer. Frankly, I love the results. Even the nutmeg called for in the original recipe suited the raspberries.

Another new favorite!

LEMON RASPBERRY STREUSEL BARS

yield: 24 BARS

CRUST:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FILLING:
2 cups fresh raspberries (I thawed frozen raspberries)
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

TOPPING:
5 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a 9×13-inch pyrex pan with nonstick spray.
Prepare the crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, zest and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg and vanilla together; stir into the crumb mixture until a dough forms. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly. (Keep the oven on)
Sprinkle raspberries over the crust. In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup sugar and nutmeg; sprinkle over the raspberries.
Prepare the topping: In a medium bowl, use a rubber spatula to cream together the 5 tablespoons butter and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in the flour, so that the mixture is crumbly, like streusel. Sprinkle over the raspberry layer.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until browned. Cool.

Recipe adapted from RecipeGirl.com

New Traditions · Soups and Stews

Turkey Green Chile

February 21, 2019January 3, 2022 cathysmaha2 Comments

Green Chile was a novel concept to me until I moved from the midwest to Arizona and then to Colorado. My Iowa roots only knew Chile as red, in Chile Con Carne. I’ve grown to love green chile but I prefer mine mild. This Green Chile was a favorite of mine made at a local office building cafeteria many moons ago. It’s been years since I have made the turkey (vs. pork) green chile and I was happy to experience it once again. The original recipe made a much heavier roux but I prefer it on the lighter side.

Warm flour tortillas to serve with the chile to warm you on these cold winter nights!

TURKEY GREEN CHILE

3 quarts (96 oz.) chicken stock (remove 1 cup for roux)
1/2 cup olive oil
2/3 cup diced onion
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
12 ounces diced green chiles
2 pounds ground turkey
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon jalapenos
4 tablespoons flour (or more if you want the chile to be thicker)
16 ounces chopped tomatoes
2 to 3 chopped green onions
salt, cayenne or tabasco to taste

Prepare chicken stock. Simmer while preparing other ingredients.
Heat olive oil; add onion, cilantro, 8 ounces green chiles, turkey, garlic, oregano and jalapenos until turkey is cooked. Lower heat.
Combine flour with the 1 cup of reserved stock to make roux. Mix thoroughly. Add to stock and stir. Add sautéed mixture.
Add 4 ounces green chiles, chopped tomatoes and additional green onions. Season to taste.
Serve with warm tortillas.