Czech recipes of all types are fun for me to make and eat. December 2021 I joined Sokol San Francisco for their Christmas cookie webinar. It was a wonderful class and I chose to make the Vanilkove Rohlicky. The burst of lemon in every bite is so refreshing and delicious. The substitution of almonds for walnuts was delicious as well. I’ve attached a link to the full YouTube video to enjoy!
CZECH VANILKOVE ROHLICKY
INGREDIENTS:
240 g flour, sifted
180 g butter, room temperature (increase by 2 tbsp. if using almonds)
120 g ground walnuts (I used almonds)
60 g sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. lemon zest (optional)
vanilla sugar & confectioner’s sugar for coating
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat over to 350 degrees F.
Grind nuts to course texture.
Mix ground nuts with sifted flour, egg yolks, sugar and butter (cut into smaller pieces). Add lemon zest. (My cookies were a little dry, so I added juice of 1/2 a lemon).
Work into smooth dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days ahead of baking.
Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll each into a strand about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Cut the strand into small equal-size pieces (about 1/2 inch).
Roll each piece into a ball then flatten between your hands. Press side of cookie inward to make a crescent shape. Don’t make them too long and skinny since they will break very easily.
Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Let cool slightly, but still warm, roll each crescent in a bowl of confectioner’s sugar mixed with vanilla sugar. You can also sift the sugar mixture over the baked cookies.
Our family stories are filled with memories of great good, many of which are family traditions handed down from our ancestors. Vianočka is a Czech/Slovak Christmas bread, similar to other Christmas breads that I enjoyed in my childhood. My Mother and later myself, would make a Norwegian version Julakake.
Global Slovakia hosted an online cooking class last December taught by Lenka of wanderingsenses.com, walking through the making of this delicious, light bread. This was the first time I ever braided a bread. It wasn’t perfect, but pretty good for a first attempt. As I was making, and later eating, this bread, it made me wonder if this was a bread that my Czech and Slovak ancestors would have made.
Vianočka
INGREDIENTS:
500g all-purpose or pastry flour
220-250g whole milk, at room temperature
30g fresh yeasts or 12g active dry yeasts
100g sugar, white
110g butter, unsalted, melted and cooled down
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 whole egg, at room temperature
8g salt
Zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons rum-soaked raisins, optional
1 tablespoon almond slices
1 whole egg, for egg wash
1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for dusting
DIRECTIONS:
1. Start with pre-hydrating your yeasts. In a small bowl combine together 100g of milk with 20g of sugar. Heat it up until warm (not boiling) and stir a couple times to dissolve the sugar. Mix in 12g of dry or 30g of fresh yeasts, cover the bowl with a clean towel/ clean plate and let it rest for ~ 10 minutes until frothy
2. In a meantime, in the bowl of your standing mixer or in any bigger mixing bowl combine together 500g of flour (sift the flour into the bowl), 80g of sugar, 8g of salt and zest from 1 lemon. Mix well with a spoon or whisk. Pour in 120g of milk (eventually you might add another 20-30g of Milk, depending on the texture of the dough), 110g of melted butter, 2 egg yolks, 1 whole egg and yeasts mixture. Start kneading the dough with a hook attachment or with your hand for approximately 8-10 minutes until fully incorporated, smooth, silky and not sticking to your hands or to the sides of your standing mixer. Try to resist from adding unnecessary extra flour to the dough. After a few minutes of kneading you’ll start strengthening a gluten and the dough will become more elastic and less sticky. Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plate and let it prove in a warm place for next 60-90 minutes or until double in size
3. Once the dough is well proved, it’s time to shape Vianočka. Divide the dough into 5 equal-size balls and if you’re using Rum-soaked raisins, divide them equally and incorporate into individual doughs at this stage. Roll each of 5 dough balls out into five equal-length coils (long ~ 40cm/ 16 inch). Braid 3 coils together into a tail and transfer it carefully on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Twist rest two coils around each other and place them on top of the three-coil tail and tackle to hold together. Cover your Vianočka with a clean towel and let it prove for the the second time for ~ 45 minutes to one hour
4. To bake Vianočka, preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit/ 200° Celsius. Brush your bread generously with an Egg Wash and sprinkle your Vianočka with some Almond Slices. Place it into the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 375° Fahrenheit/ 190° Celsius. Bake for ~ 35-45 minutes, depending on the size of your Vianočka Once baked, let it cool down, dust with some Powdered Sugar (if preferred), slice and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee by itself or with a butter & jam on top
A tangy, yet spicy jelly on top of a mild cheese is such a wonderful appetizer. I’ve enjoyed many of these appetizers through the years but Christmas 2021, I made my own! After the epic fail of Grape Jalapeno jam a few years ago, I was a little nervous. Never fear, this recipe is a winner! Other than cleaning and chopping the jalapenos, this was an easy recipe and yielded 7 half pints of Jelly and a little more to enjoy immediately! It was wonderful on top of cream cheese or brie. It would be marvelous with chicken or fish, too.
It you make homemade Christmas gifts, I would highly recommend this for friends and family!
Cranberry Pepper Jelly
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (I used a 12 oz. package of fresh cranberries)
1 cup jalapeno
2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup water
4 cups sugar
6 tbsp. Ball RealFruit™ Low or No-Sugar Pectin
DIRECTIONS:
Sort & wash cranberries. Measure pectin and add 1/2 cup sugar to it.
Add vinegar and water to large stock pot.
Chop and remove seeds from jalapenos. 1 cup of jalapenos makes a fairly mild jelly.
Add peppers and cranberries to the vinegar and water to pan.
Bring to boil.
Reduce heat.
Simmer for about 10 minutes until everything is soft.
Strain out the cranberries and pepper mixture with a slotted spoon to a food processor or blender.
Blend until very smooth. (you can add some of the liquid from the pan to help break up the cranberries and peppers, if you need to)
Return to the saucepan.
Add sugar/pectin mixture. Bring to rolling boil.
Add the remainder of the sugar.
Bring back to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute.
Fill hot jam into hot jars.
Wipe rims.
Attach lids. Tighten bands finger tip tight.
Process in water bath canning pot for 15 minutes. Turn of heat, allow jars to sit in hot water for at least 5 minutes.
Roasted Vegetables are divine and when I saw this recipe, I had to try it! It’s very tasty and the orange flavor was perfect when served immediately. It would be a special side dish for the Thanksgiving table this year! Megan and I were chatting about the recipe and decided next time we will try roasting carrots, onion and fennel. Mix it up!
Note: I saved leftovers for the next day and the goat cheese mixture was very strong with orange flavor. Perhaps a sprinkle of orange zest on the top only, would be enough.
Roasted Radish and Carrot Salad with Orange-Honey Whipped Goat Cheese
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped into 1.5 inch pieces
1 lb. radishes, trimmed and halved
1 small red onion, halved, then thickly sliced
2 T. olive oil
1/2 T. sugar
1 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 T. fresh parsley (or 1 T. dried parsley)
Topping:
2 oz. goat cheese
3/4 cup Greek yogurt, full fat
2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme)
1/2 tsp. salt
.1/2 of orange zest
2 tsp. honey
Garnishes:
2 T. fresh parsley (or 1-2 tsp. dried parsley)
1/4 c. pecans, roasted & chopped
sprinkle of orange zest
honey drizzle
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Add the carrots, radishes, onion, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper and parsley to a sheet pan or roasting pan. Toss to combine then place in the oven and roast for about 35-40 minutes until the veggies are tender.
While the veggies roast, make the goat cheese. Add the goat cheese, yogurt, thyme, salt, pepper, orange zest and honey to a food processor, Process until smooth.
When veggies are done, spread the whipped goat cheese onto a plate/platter. Top with the veggies. Garish with parsley, orange zest, pecans and honey drizzle.
This flavorful dish is like a burst of autumn in your mouth. Each bite is full of flavor. The addition of raw apple kicks it up a notch. What a wonderful dish to share at holiday gatherings.
This main dish is delicious on its own but, if you prefer more protein, add a bit of pork, chicken or beef. I had leftover pork roast and added a few slices and thought it added even more to the dish. This has become a real favorite and one I’ll be making over and over again.
Roasted Brussel Sprouts Salad with Maple Butternut Squash, Pumpkin Seeds & Cranberries
1 ½ lb butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (Yields about 4 cups of uncooked cubed butternut squash)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Other Ingredients:
½ cups pumpkin seeds
1 cup dried cranberries
2-4 tablespoons maple syrup optional
Optional: Add sliced cooked pork, steak or chicken
DIRECTIONS:
Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Make sure Brussels sprouts have trimmed ends and yellow leaves are removed. Then, slice all Brussels sprouts in half. In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine. Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened.
Roasted butternut squash:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix.
Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.
Note: You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven.
Assembly:
In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, and cranberries, and mix to combine. (OPTIONAL): For more sweetness, add 2 or 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, if desired – do not add all maple syrup at once, start with 2 tablespoons, then add more, if desired, and toss with the salad ingredients to combine.
Lemon Bars in the Spring and Cranberry Lemon Bars for the holidays! With a bag of lemons and a large bag of cranberries on hand, I decided to make these delicious bars. I forgot to sprinkle with powdered sugar, but I was too anxious to taste them. They are tart with a burst of flavor from the cranberries. The bars were a real hit!
Cranberry Lemon Bars
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CRANBERRY LAYER:
1 (12-ounce/340-gram) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
Start preparing the cranberry layer: Combine the cranberries, sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan. Zest 2 of the lemons directly into the saucepan; reserve the lemons. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the mixture is jammy, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
Make the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with one large sheet of heavy aluminum foil, making sure there are no gaps or holes, then generously coat with cooking spray.
Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the vanilla into the butter, then pour over the flour mixture. Stir until the dough comes together in a mass. Press into an even layer in the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown around the edges and dry and golden on top, 17 to 20 minutes.
While the crust bakes, begin preparing the lemon layer: Squeeze the juice from the 2 reserved zested lemons. You should have 1/2 cup. Squeeze the juice from another lemon, if needed.
Whisk the sugar, flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the eggs and whisk gently just until incorporated. Add the lemon juice and stir gently with the whisk just until smooth.
Let the crust cool for 5 minutes, then spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the crust. Carefully and slowly pour the lemon mixture on top to create two distinct layers.
Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is set, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 2 hours. Using the foil, slide the bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 24 squares, wiping your knife between cuts for clean slices. If desired, sift confectioners’ sugar over the tops just before serving.
Cabbage must be a part of my Czech/Slovak DNA because I love cabbage and sauerkraut. Cabbage rolls are so delicious, but I don’t have the desire to make the rolls, just enjoy the savory ingredients. This recipe was just what I was looking for. Even my 3-year-old granddaughter likes it. She must have inherited that piece of my DNA as well!
I made half of a recipe and used half ground pork and half ground beef, no veal.
Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup uncooked white rice (or any rice of your choice)
2 pounds green cabbage, cleaned, cored and cut into two-inch chunks
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces raw bacon diced
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tart red wine such as Merlot
1 pound lean ground beef (90/10)
½ pound ground pork
½ pound ground veal (if you can’t get ground veal, increase ground pork to one pound)
3 cups tomato juice (or for a more intense flavor, use V-8)
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dry thyme
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup drained sauerkraut
DIRECTIONS:
Cook rice according to package directions. Try to time the rice so that it finishes cooking as the preparation of the dish nears the end. If rice is finishes too soon, fluff and leave at room temperature to cool.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch cabbage chunks for five minutes. Drain, cool and set aside.
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, place olive oil and bacon and cook until bacon is almost browned, about 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium high and add onions and sauté for three minutes. Add garlic and sauté for one more minute. Add red wine and deglaze the pan.
Move the cooked onion mixture to the edges of the pan and place all three meats into the center. Keep moving the meat around to brown and slowly work in onion mixture until the meat is fully browned.
Add tomato juice, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Reduce to medium and simmer for five minutes.
Add in sauerkraut, cooked rice and cooked cabbage. Bring back up to heat and simmer for five more minutes.
Caramel Cookie Bars should be classified as a sin…but a very delicious one! Daughter, Megan, made these to take to friends that recently had a baby and she shared a piece with me. Oh my gosh! They are decadent and perfect for a special occasion.
Caramel Cookie Bars
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup salted butter softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips/chopped chocolate use your favorite (I like a combination of milk and semi sweet)
Prepare a 9×9 pan by lining it with parchment paper or spraying it with non stick spray.
Measure out the chocolate chips/chopped chocolate into a bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth, light in color and fluffy. This will take a few mintues.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix in the egg add vanilla.
Once completely combined, stop the mixer and add in the flour, baking soda and salt.
Start mixing slowly, once the flour mixture is about half way incorporated into the dough, pour the chocolate chips/ chopped chocolate into the mixer and allow everything to mix together.
Stop the mixer as soon as the flour is completely incorporated. Avoid over mixing. Set the cookie dough aside.
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, stir to combine the caramels and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
Divide the dough in half and press half into the bottom of your prepared 9×9 pan.
Pour the caramel mixture on top of the cookie dough. Spread until evenly covered.
Take large portions of the remaining cookie dough, flatten them in your hand and then place on top of the caramel.
Bake in your 350° oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is just set.
Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.
Let the cookie bars cool COMPLETELY before cutting.
Iowa Chops in the Slow Cooker has become one of my go-to recipes. It’s easy to prepare and simmer throughout the day. Serve with steamed baby potatoes or boiled perogies. I also served with roasted butternut squash and brussel sprouts. The pork is so fork-tender and will melt in your mouth.
Iowa Chops in the Slow Cooker
INGREDIENTS:
4 Iowa chops (thick boneless pork chops–I get mine at Costco)
salt & pepper
1+ cups frozen pearl onions
1 can mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Bohemian rub seasoning (available from Savory Spice Shop)
DIRECTIONS:
Place Iowa chops in slow cooker and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add frozen onions to slow cooker.
Combine soup, sour cream, and Bohemian rub seasoning and pour over pork chops and onions.
Who doesn’t love a Gingerbread cookie, but bump it up a notch with pumpkin AND chocolate chips! These cookies are delicious and a great fall treat. I added more flour to keep the cookies from spreading, perhaps because of the gluten-free flour I used. I would make these again and try with all-purpose flour and they would equally as good!
Soft Batch Pumpkin Gingersnap Chocolate Chip Cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter or vegan butter, softened to room temperature
1-3/4 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2-1/3 cups gluten-free 1:1 or “cup for cup” baking flour blend (I added 1/2 cup additional flour after baking the first pan–see before & after photo below)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, divided
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels (I used Nestle)
Left–Cookie before adding additional flour; Right–Cookie after adding flour
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees then line a half sheet pan with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
Add butter and 1 cup sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer or large glass bowl if using a handheld mixer. Beat until lightly and fluffy. Add pumpkin puree, molasses, and vanilla then beat until combined. Add egg then mix until just combined.
In a separate bowl stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, 1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing until just combined before adding the second batch. Add dark chocolate morsels then mix until just combined.
Stir together remaining 3/4 cup sugar and 3 teaspoons ground ginger in a bowl then scoop cookie dough by the Tablespoon into the mixture and roll to coat. Place onto prepared baking sheet then bake for 7-8 minutes (7-1/2 minutes were perfect for mine.) Rap the sheet pan on the counter (aka drop the sheet pan from a couple inches above the countertop onto the countertop) then let cookies cool slightly before transferring to cooling racks to cool completely.
Fork Lore 