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Agenda 10/6/11 – Patty’s German Journey
Getting Tipsy – Misc Kitchen Tips
1. How to Open Stubborn Pistachios - pistachios are way too expensive to waste. Yet many of the delicious roasted nuts arrived in shells with little to no opening. Rather than attempting to bite them open or ruin your nails in a struggle you can’t win, next time try this foolproof method for opening stubborn shells: Take one half of a shell, stick it into even the littlest opening of an unopened pistachio, and turn the shell half like a key. The pistachio will pop right open!
2. How to Easily Remove Egg Shells Dropped into Eggs - It happens to all of us: You crack open an egg and a tiny piece of its shell falls into the bowl along with the raw egg. If you’ve tried to get it out with your finger or a spoon, you know the slippery dilemma you face. Next time, wet your finger with water before attempting to fish it out. You’ll be shocked at how easily it can be grabbed and eliminated. Also you can use large part of the shell and scoop it out as the shell acts like a magnet.
3. How to Make Burnt Pots Look New Again - Considering how much a nice set of pots and pans costs, you’d expect them to be easy to clean. But even the best stainless steel cooking gear gets black with use and cooked-on remnants. If you’ve attempted to scrub them clean you have probably succumbed to the notion that they will never glisten again. But, if you spray pots with oven cleaner and leave them for a couple of hours the grime will wipe right off!
4. How to Refresh Crystallized Honey - You know that jar or bottle of honey that’s hardened and crystallized on your shelf? It can easily be brought back to its easy-to-pour glory if you let it sit for 15 minutes in boiling water that has cooled for five minutes. 5. How to Soften Hardened Brown Sugar - Brown sugar hardens as its moisture evaporates over time in the cupboard. But you can easily re-moisturize it by placing the open sugar bag in a microwave with a cup of water next to it and zapping it on high for three minutes. Or you can place the sugar in a bowl, cover the sugar with a double layer of wet paper towels, and then cover the bowl with foil or plastic wrap and let it stand overnight. I personally place a fresh piece of bread it in and the moisture of the bread penetrates and moisturizes the brown sugar. Discard bread the following day.
6. How to Remove Stains from Wooden Cutting Boards - Rings of wine, red peppers and strawberries stains don’t help the style of your cutting board. To get out stains, try sprinkling the board with salt rubbing it with lemon. For more stubborn stains, try an abrasive antibacterial kitchen cleaner and scouring pad. For the toughest, reach for sandpaper! And of course wash thoroughly afterward!
History – Pretzel
A pretzel is a type of baked food made from dough in soft and hard varieties and savory or sweet flavors in a unique knot-like shape, originating in Europe. The pretzel shape is a distinctive symmetrical looped form, with the ends of a long strip of dough intertwine brought together and then twisted back onto itself in a certain way ("a pretzel loop"). Pretzels in stick form may also be called pretzels in the English-speaking context. For seasoning and decoration various glazes, salt crystals, sugar and various seeds or nuts can be used. The size varies from large enough for one to be a sufficient serving, to much smaller.
A bread pretzel popular in southern Germany and adjoining German-speaking areas, as well as in some areas of the United States, is made from wheat flour, water and yeast, usually sprinkled with coarse salt, hand-sized and made for consumption on the same day. It is relatively soft, rather than brittle. To avoid confusion with any other kind of pretzel, German speakers call this variety "Laugenbrezel" (lye pretzel) because it is dipped in lye solution (NaOH) before baking. Sweet pastry pretzels with many different textures, toppings and coatings, are made. Crisp hard pretzels, e.g. pretzel sticks and a variety of shapes basically made from the same ingredients, have evolved from the lye pretzel by baking out excess moisture, thereby increasing shelf life and crispness.
In the 20th century, soft pretzels became extremely popular in other regions of the United States. Cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York became renowned for their soft pretzels.The key to success was the introduction of the new mass production methods of the industrialized age, which increased the availability and quantity, and the opening up of multiple points of distribution at schools, convenience and grocery stores, and entertainment venues such as movie theaters, arenas, concert halls, and sport stadiums. Prior to that, street vendors used to sell pretzels on street corners in wooden glass-enclosed cases.
Appetizer – Beer and Gouda Pretzels
Ingredients: 4-3/4 to 5-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 envelope (1/4 ounce) quick-rise yeast 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon caraway seeds 1 cup milk 1/2 cup beer 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Gouda cheese Coarse salt
Directions: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, salt and caraway seeds. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, beer and oil to 120°-130°; add to dry ingredients. Beat just until moistened. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Divide dough into 14 equal portions; roll each into a 20-in. rope. Cover and let rest 10 minutes longer.
Twist into pretzel shapes. Place on greased baking sheets; brush with eggs. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Brush again with eggs; sprinkle with Gouda and coarse salt. Bake 12-15 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Serve warm. Yield: 14 pretzels.
Salad – German Potato Salad
Ingredients: 3 cups diced peeled potatoes 4 slices bacon 1 small onion, diced 1/4 cup white vinegar 2 tablespoons water 3 tablespoons white sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions: Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain, and set aside to cool.
Place the bacon in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Fry until browned and crisp, turning as needed. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add onion to the bacon grease, and cook over medium heat until browned. Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil, then add the potatoes and parsley. Crumble in half of the bacon. Heat through, then transfer to a serving dish. Crumble the remaining bacon over the top, and serve warm.
Put it on the Side – Red Cabbage with Apples
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter 5 cups shredded red cabbage 1 cup sliced green apples 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 3 tablespoons water 1/4 cup white sugar 2 1/4 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions: Place butter, cabbage, apples, and sugar into a large pot. Pour in the vinegar and water, and season with salt, pepper, and clove. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the cabbage is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Main Course – Beef Filled Rouladen Meat rolls filled with bacon, onions and pickles. Delicious, easy recipe Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds flank steak German stone ground mustard, to taste 1/2 pound thick sliced bacon 2 large onions, sliced 1 (16 ounce) jar dill pickle slices 2 tablespoons butter 2 1/2 cups water 1 cube beef bouillon
Directions: Cut the flank steak into thin filets; about 1/4 inch thick and 3 inches wide.
Generously spread one side of each filet with mustard to taste. Place bacon, onions and pickle slices on each filet and form into a roll. Use string or toothpicks to hold the roll together. Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt butter. Place the rolls in the butter and sauté until browned.
Pour in 2 1/2 cups of water and add the bouillon cube; stirring to dissolve the bouillon cube. Simmer the rolls for about an hour.
Dessert – Plum Tart
Ingredients Crust: 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 3 tablespoons (about) ice water
Ingredients Topping: 1 1/2 pounds plums, halved, pitted, each half cut into 6 slices 6 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon all purpose flour 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted 1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze) 1/4 cup apricot preserves
Directions For crust: Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Directions For topping: Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss plums, 4 tablespoons sugar, ginger and cinnamon in bowl. Roll out dough on floured surface to 12 1/2-inch round. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Mix 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon flour in small bowl; sprinkle over dough, leaving 2-inch plain border. Arrange plums in concentric circles on dough, leaving 2-inch plain border; drizzle with melted butter. Fold dough border in toward center. Brush border with egg glaze; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake tart until plums are tender and crust is golden, about 45 minutes.
Stir preserves in saucepan over low heat until melted. Brush over plums. Cool tart 1 hour on baking sheet. Run long thin knife under tart to loosen. Using 9-inch tart pan bottom, transfer tart to plate; serve at room temperature.
Lighten UP!!! Warm Potato Salad Dietitian's tip: A mixture of smooth and whole-grain mustards forms the base for vinaigrette much lighter than traditional mayonnaise dressings. This salad is most flavorful when served warm or at room temperature. Serves 6.
Ingredients: 1 pound small red or white new potatoes (about 1 1/2 inches around) 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar 2 tablespoons minced shallot 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions: Put the potatoes in a saucepan, add water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let stand until just cool enough to handle. Cut each potato in half (or quarters, if the potatoes are large) and place in a warmed serving dish.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mustards, the vinegars and the shallot until well blended. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to make a thick dressing. Stir in the parsley, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes, mix gently and serve immediately.
Nutritional Analysis - (per serving)
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