From my kitchen – OwlCat Designs

December 12, 2012December 16, 2017

Spitzbuebe (little Rascals or Linzer Cookies)

Spitzbuebe – ‘Littel Rascals’ – Swiss Christmas Cookies

Spitzbuebe translates literally to mischievous boys, but I have seen similar cookies called Linzer cookies here in the US.

This is how I make the and the way my recipe adapted over time. You would do well to not work in a warm kitchen and maybe this is not the cut-out you want to make after a long and stressful day, or have your little ones help you with for that matter. My mom would almost always make them after we went off to bed. Now I know why. The dough can go from crumbly to sticky and crumbly (can you believe it) in a matter of minutes and depending on the way the dough came together that particular day, can make you walk the edge towards insanity unless you maybe make them right after a yoga class. With the changes I made to the recipe (like using a whole egg, for example) the chances of that happening have drastically decreased. Although this time a year Yoga classes might be a good idea no matter what. Nothing like the clear head after a good and sweaty class!

Oh and by the way, these are pure indulgence, not really a host of health claims attached. But they are worth every single calorie!

Ingredients

2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 egg
2 and 3/4 cups flour (350g)
2 tsp vanilla sugar (if you use essence, use the clear version, the dark one can give the delicate dough a strange color)
2-3 tbsp currant jelly
confectioners sugar for dusting

Directions

Stir butter until soft, then add sugar and stir until little bubbles show on the bottom of the bowl (see picture)
Add the egg, mixing well.
Add the vanilla sugar and the flour, stir until just combined, knead together quickly, form into a ball, cover the bowl and chill for a minimum if 4 hours
When ready, take the dough out of the fridge and let warm up a bit (15-20 minutes, if you kitchen is cool) cut of half of the dough, keeping the rest chilled, and roll out to a thickness of about 1/16″ (do 1/8″ then roll just a bit more)
Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line several cookie sheets with parchememnt paper or silicon mats (My cutter is a little over 2″ in diameter and I made a good 3 sheets full. Remember, you’ll end up with half as many cookies as what you bake)
Cut out round shapes, making sure you have one for the bottom and one for the top. From all the top pieces, cut out a small shape such as a heart, star, flower or round. If you have special cookie cutters, the tops might be done in one step. Just make sure you have an equal number of tops and bottoms
Bake for 8-10 minutes in the middle of the preheated oven, until just starting to turn a little golden. Cool on the sheet for a few minutes then transfer to wire racks.
Once cooled, separate tops and bottoms. Place the wire rack with the tops over a sheet of parchment paper and using a small strainer sprinkle the tops with confectioner sugar until completely white.
Heat the currant jelly in a small bowl until liquid. Fifteen seconds in the microwave works great. Using a pastry brush, brush the a bottom piece with some jelly, then gently place a finished top on it and set aside. Continue until no more cookie halves remain.
Try to refrain from eating all of them before you showed them off to at least a few friends.

For more classic Swiss Christmas Cookies check here

February 21, 2012December 16, 2017

Pennsylvania Dutch Fasnachts

Since today is ‘Mardi Gras’ the day before Ash Wednesday, traditionally the Pennsylvania Dutch (which are descendants of German and German speaking Swiss settlers to this area: Dutch comes from the German word for German: Deutsch) eat fried pastries called Fasnachts. It’s a free form donut type treat, that was traditionally made to use up the sugar and lard before Lent and fasting started. And since Judy told me all about how to recognize a real ‘Fasnacht’ and how to distinguish them from all the impostures (for one, don’t trust the ones at the grocery store, they are not real unless they are made with POTATO)

Having lived in PA, albeit not in Dutch country for the last 12 years, it is about time to have one of those. And today is the day. So I scoured the internet for recipes and came up with one that seems authentic enough to me. I decided to give it a whirl myself and see if I can’t make some that would stand up to the scrutiny of my dear ‘Dutchies’. After all, I am from Switzerland, I speak German, so… Looks like that might give me some points towards credentials to make these 😉

Recipe from: bellaonline

I did make my own adjustments, some to return the recipe to a more authentic state (like using lard instead of Crisco) others since the modern kitchen is a bit different and I often find, that older recipes need less liquid in today’s kitchen. I am guessing this might be because back in the day, most houses would be heated with wood, and wood heat is very dry, the flour people would have used would have been drier, and during the rising time, the drier air would have affected everything as well. I think next time I would use 1/2 cup less milk to start and see how that goes. In this recipe I ended up using a whole cup more flour, and even this way, the dough was very sticky and hard to manage. I ended up making Fasnachts (or Fastnachts, translates to ‘fasting night’ or more accurately here, the night before the fast/lent) from about half the dough, turning the rest into baked concoctions.

as you can see, the dough is very soft and cutting it into squares, was a bit of a challenge

after that the pieces got to rest and rise, here ready for frying (Note: the recipe suggest to put them on wax paper, which I did. The result? The whole thing sticks, I ~~think next time I~~ will not use wax paper ever again. Floured cookie sheet might work better…

some leftover dough pieces getting fried…

the finished product, here I tossed some in sugar, left some plain. They are also delicious with cinnamon and sugar, but I hear traditionally, some folks cut them in half and butter or syrup them up. Yes, you heard right, syrup 🙂 I don’t think I’d survive that much sugar, but by all means, go try it.

they end up pretty airy, I think the recipe could easily get away with less yeast. But they are delicious! Now off to the office to have them authenticated by the experts 😉

Ingredients

2 cups milk
1 cup mashed potatoes (no salt, milk, or butter added)
1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 stick margarine, softened
1 packet rapid rise yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
6-1/2 cups flour (divided, 2 cups + 4 1/2 cups)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 can (3 pounds) ~~Crisco® or similar vegetable shortening for frying~~ (to make them really traditional, you have to use lard)

Directions

To make the mashed potatoes, either peel and boil or steam, cool and then peel. Mash with a fork. In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk with the mashed potatoes.

Add 1/2 cup sugar plus the margarine. Mix with an electric mixer at low speed. If the mixture is still warm, cool to about room temperature before proceeding with next step. – Dissolve the yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in barely warm water. Add to the potato mixture and mix well. Add 2 cups flour and mix again. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 25 minutes.

Add the lightly beaten egg and salt to the mixture. Add 4-1/2 cups flour, stirring it into the mixture with a large spoon. Turn onto a well floured board and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add a small amount of extra flour if necessary so the dough can be handled without sticking to your fingers. Grease a large bowl. Place the dough in the greased bowl. Cover with a thin towel, and let rise in a warm, draft free place for about 2 hours or until it is at least double in size.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough 3/4″ thick. ~~You can use a doughnut cutter to cut the dough or~~ cut as typical Fastnachts – Cut the dough into 3″ to 4″ wide strips, then cut the strips into 3″ to 4″ pieces. To allow the center of Fastnacht to fry completely, cut a small slit in the center of each piece, using a sharp paring knife. Arrange the pieces of dough, about 1-1/2″ to 2″ apart, on large ~~wax paper lined~~ trays. Cover each tray with a thin towel. Place the trays in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the dough pieces have raised to about double in size. (In the picture on the right, the dough has raised sufficiently and the doughnuts are ready to fry.)

Heat the ~~shortening~~ lard to 365º. Be very careful adding the Fasnachts to the oil, lower gently on a wire spoon, do not drop in the oil, it will splatter and can burn you very badly. Deep fry until both sides are golden brown, turning one time. Drain on white paper towels. Cool completely before serving. Store in a covered, airtight container.

Makes about 20 to 24 Fastnachts, depending on size.

February 15, 2012December 16, 2017

Lazy ‘South of the Border’ Soup

You’re wondering on the lazy part here? Well it all started out with me not feeling like doing much but having to eat like everybody else. So from what I had on hand, I concocted a soup, and here is the real lazy part about it: using up half a jar of tomato sauce that was leftover from a ‘quick-take-to-a-friends-house-Lasagna’. Even I, who make most everything from scratch, (often including tomato sauce) do have some jars of good store bought sauce on hand. A word of caution here: Read the labels, I never buy any jarred sauces with sugar or cornstarch or vegetable protein or really anything other than what you would put in it at home. Lets face it, when is the last time you reached for that soy isolate or sprinkled some monosodium glutamate on your food? Alright then, you might not want to eat that I am guessing. I am even weary of ‘spices’ as they can legally stick all kinds of stuff in there under that label, but I am getting off the subject here.

Where were we? Lazy, oh yes, so I made a soup for a cold winter day when the soul is longing for some sunshine but you really don’t want to put a lot of thought or energy into the food making process…

I added spices and peppers, eggplant and cumin, and I had a name picked out and everything! Life was great. Until I bit myself eating the soup three (yes, 3) times!!? Montezuma apparently misunderstood the title, I mean it was in English and all… ‘~~Lazy Mexican-soup~~‘ there, happy?

Well I do have to say, I ate all the rest of the soup and no more biting myself…

Ingredients

1 medium red onion, diced
4 ribs celery
1/2 medium eggplant, cut into cubes
1 lb campari tomatoes (they are about ping-pong ball sized), quartered
1 red bell pepper, diced (optional: roasted)
1/2 a jar Marinara (Spaghetti) Sauce (about 12oz)
1 tbsp cumin seeds, whole
1 tsp marjoram, dried
1 tsp oregano, dried
1 tsp chili powder, medium or hot, depending on taste
2 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
2 tsp salt
2 qts plain beef stock (for vegetarian option, use vegetable broth)

Directions

If you are roasting the red pepper: Spread the peppers on a line baking sheet and roast in a 400°F oven until blackened in spots. (You can do this alongside other vegetables, like while making the cumin roasted carrots) or alternately, place under the broiler with the door ajar until some brown spots appear.
Add some oil to a large stockpot, add the diced onion, stir and then cook until softened and browned in parts.
Add the celery, eggplant and cumin to the pot. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes, pepper and all the spices. Stir and wait about 1 minute until adding the broth so the spices have toast a bit and time to release their flavor.
Add the Marinara Sauce and bring to a boil.
Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!

See? It doesn’t get much easier, lazier or cheaper than that!

February 12, 2012December 16, 2017

Chicken à la moutarde

Part III of the series: Chicken for every day of the week!

Chicken à la moutarde (chicken with creamy mustard sauce)

A staple in French kitchens and served all over Europe is mustard sauce, or Dijon sauce. A creamy flavorful sauce usually served with chicken or rabbit. And as fancy as it sounds, my version here be made very simply and even better, quickly. I used home made white wine mustard, (yes I’ll do a post on that soon) but any Dijon style mustard would work. I generally like to have both a creamy and a whole grain version on hand, but this sauce works well with just the smooth style as well.

Ingredients

1 boneless chicken breast half, pounded flat between two sheets of cling wrap
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp mustard, divided
1/2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine (or water)
1/2 cup milk

Directions

Rub the chicken breast all over with 1 tbsp of mustard (I like to use the old fashioned kind for this)
In a shallow dish combine the flour with 1 tsp salt and dredge the chicken breast until covered in a thin layer of flour. Season with pepper and thyme.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet, then add the chicken and cook undisturbed until the edges start to look cooked and the bottom is browned. Turn the chicken breast and cook until cooked through.
Add the wine to the pan, gently stir to loosen up any browned bits. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside, keeping it warm.
Mix the additional tablespoon of mustard with a tablespoon flour until a paste forms, add to the pan, and add the milk.
Stir to dissolve any pieces of flour and mustard and bring sauce to a boil, simmer until sauce thickens, and serve over chicken

February 11, 2012December 16, 2017

Cumin Roasted Carrots

I have to admit I was addicted to this recipe for a while last year. Yep, ‘Addictive veggies’, who would have thought? Somehow the way the coarse salt flakes make the cumin taste on those carrots is just beyond description. You have to try it to believe it, but around here, I always make extra so I have leftovers.

And it’s so easy, in fact it only takes 4 ingredients, including the carrots!

I love to bake and roasting is, uhm, almost like baking. Riiight, you’re saying. Well maybe it’s a bit wishful thinking. I have been going sugar and grain free for a while, that sorta limits the baking. One thing you start noticing is your taste buds rejuvenate and become more sensitive. You will be able to taste the natural sweetness in carrots or beets for example, or even milk. It’s quite astonishing how dulled our senses have become to sugar, (read a 1996 study on sugar preference and consumption between rural and urban population groups in Iraq) apparently the more sugar you eat, the duller your senses become to it and the more you need over time. Works kinda like drugs that way, a bit scary, ain’t it? But I digress. The roasted carrots are a must try, even if you’re not a big carrot fan, roasting them caramelizes the sugars and renders them sweeter. Part of why roasted carrots have a higher glycemic index than raw or even steamed carrots.

Ingredients

1 lb Carrots (about), cut into pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp coarse flake salt (such as french grey sea salt, or fleur du sel)
2 tsp cumin seeds

Directions

Preheat oven to 380°F
In a bowl, drizzle the carrot pieces with the 2 tbsp olive oil, and toss to coat. (Trust me, you don’t want to skip this step and just drizzle them on the baking sheet, won’t work, I tried, take it from a cumin roasted carrot addict), then add the cumin seeds.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (easy clean up makes me happy)
Transfer the carrots to the baking sheet, making sure you scrape out all the cumin seeds. Sprinkle with the salt and place in the preheated oven
Bake for 35-45 minutes, depending on the size of your carrots and the desired softness. (Mine usually are perfect after 40)

What’s your favorite vegetable to roast?

February 10, 2012December 16, 2017

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

It snowed yesterday. Not much really, but steady from about 1 o’clock until 11pm. And what does one want to do when snow is falling? Eat stuff that makes us feel warm. Like yummy roasted vegetables. Granted it wasn’t all that cold, but roasting vegetables never needs much convincing in the form of good reasons, sooo…

Roasted vegetables it was, and soup, and more roasted vegetables 🙂 Ahhh, the way the heat of an oven transforms simple, lowly vegetables into something so utterly delicious, it almost melts in your mouth!

See the snow?

Ingredients

1 lb Brussels Sprouts, cleaned and cut in half
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp flake salt (fleur de sel, french grey sea salt or kosher)
2 tsp zahtar seasoning (Middle Eastern spice blend, or you could add a sprinkle of lemon juice, sesame seeds and some thyme)

Directions

Preheat oven to 380°F
In a large bowl, toss the cut Brussels sprouts with the oil until evenly coated
Transfer to foil lined baking sheet (easy clean up), sprinkle with salt, and zatar seasoning.
Roast for about 30 -35 minutes, or until tender and browned in spots. Stirring once halfway through.

Other great things to do with Brussels Sprouts:

Braised Brussels Sprouts,
add lemon pepper seasoning,
roast just with sea salt and cracked pepper
roast then drizzle with lemon olive oil dressing.
Or check out emptywalletgourmetmeal’s recipe

And next I made some roasted carrots. I mean why stop, when we’re having so much fun??

February 1, 2012December 16, 2017

Spinach and Pomegranate Salad

What to take for lunch? Since most of us here don’t get to go home and have a home cooked meal, and PB&J really isn’t a healthy option (I can hear you all scream right now), take out and fast food… well I don’t think I need to go into detail on that (no, salad from McDonald’s isn’t health food either). I got the idea to add pomegranate seed to a spinach salad from a local Mediterranean deli. But at a whopping $4 for a small container, what’s a girl on a tight budget supposed to do? You got it, try to make a similar concotion myself! And let me tell you, the flavor combination it amazing, it’s definitely a winner!

So here is a fun and yummy winter lunch box salad that would be a great side for the chicken with pepper and mushrooms, or add some fromage blanc to make it a light lunch, like I did the other day. No good picture exists to proof that, was too good, didn’t stick around long enough 🙂 And, please, don’t use just any dressing, make your own it will be infinitely better, I will of course give you one that will fit this salad perfectly!

Spinach and Pomegranate Salad with Pine Nuts

Serves 4

5 oz baby spinach
1 pomegranate seeds *
1/4 cup pine nuts
Lemon Olive Oil Dressing (see below)

* to get the seeds out of a pomegranate, cut in half and gently pry the seeds out of the white flesh/lining using your fingertips. I usually do this over the sink in a colander. Careful with the splatters if you pop a seed, it’s highly staining. Totally worth the effort.

January 28, 2012December 16, 2017

Lemon Olive Oil Dressing

juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 tsp salt
1 pinch white pepper (in a pinch you could use black pepper)
1 tsp parsley, dry
1 tsp thyme, dry
1 tbsp finely minced shallots
1/2 cup olive oil (about 1 1/2 to 2 time lemon juice amount)

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a lidded container and shake well then pour over your salad.

Great on Spinach Salad or try over roasted Brussels sprouts!

January 26, 2012December 16, 2017

Chicken with Yellow Pepper and Mushrooms

Part II of Chicken for every day of the week

See more quick and easy, yet no chance of boring chicken recipes here

Could you use more quick week night meals? Maybe? Well, this one is just as quick as you need at the end of a long day, yet it’s tantalizing flavor will tempt even picky eaters. It takes all of 15 minutes to make, if you got all your duckies lined up 😉 So chop and mix everything before you start and you’re ready to rock the kitchen!

Pounding the chicken until it is an even 1/4″ thickness ensures quick and even cooking, saving time and energy. Using a spice mix to rub or sprinkle on the chicken let’s you build flavor without having to add a lot of salt or spend hours roasting and basting. And using white wine, well, ask the French on that one, it works. The alcohol evaporates before this dish ever gets on your plate, but you could definitely use broth or water instead.

Did I tell you about my new magnificent skillet??? It’s got a slick white ceramic coating, I think I am in love 🙂

The spice mix makes more than what you need for this recipe you can use it on chicken, salmon and it’s awesome on pork chops too.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 skinless boneless chicken breast half
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 dash ground pepper (white or black)
1 pinch oregano
1 pinch cilantro
1/2 clove garlic, minced or crushed
1/4 tsp lemon peel
1/4 cup white wine or water
1/4 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced ( I used Shiitake and Maitake, but any mix of mushrooms would work)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 tsp thyme

Directions

In a small bowl, mix cumin through cilantro, set aside
Pound the chicken breast flat in between two layers of cling wrap, using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pot. (Don’t do this after 10, or your neighbors might not like you anymore)
Remove top layer of cling wrap, sprinkle the top of the chicken with the spice mixture
In a skillet, heat a teaspoon oil over medium high, add the chicken, seasoned side down, removing the other layer of wrap from the top, then season that side as well. Cook 3 minutes or until slightly browned on the bottom.
Flip chicken over, add the garlic to the pan (next to the chicken) and cook for about a minute until starting to look golden, then add the lemon peel, mushrooms, bell pepper and thyme.
Cook for 2 minutes, so some of the juices release, then add the wine, cover the pan and give it another 2 minutes, uncover and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated.
Et voilà! Yummy dinner!

January 24, 2012December 16, 2017

Paprika Coriander Chicken

Paprika Coriander Glazed Chicken Breast (shown with red and golden beets)

Part I of the series: Chicken for every day of the week!

Chicken, the easy way out, right? When you just don’t feel like putting that much effort into your dinner, there’s nothing easier or quicker to cook. And let’s face it what else is as perfect of a ‘canvas’ for different flavor as mild chicken?

Each one of these recipe’s makes 2 servings, so make ahead as lunches for the week, something I started doing lately, since there are days when I simply don’t have any time to cook something and end up, you guessed it, eating less than healthy or worse, not at all. Not good, not good, at least not when you’re trying to get back to eating small meals every three hours to have more balanced energy and leave the Christmas pounds behind in January.

This one can be made in the pan or the oven, your preference really. It tastes delicious with steamed red and golden beets and some broccoli…

Ingredients

1 chicken breast half
1 1/2 tsp paprika, mild/sweet
1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, whole
1 tbsp lemon juice, preferably fresh squeezed
1 1/2 tsp raw honey
1/8 tsp salt

Directions

Pound the chicken breast between two sheets of clear wrap, using a meat mallet or bottom of a pot
For the glaze, crush the coriander seeds in a mortar using a pestle, until roughly ground
In a small bowl combine crushed coriander, salt, paprika, lemon juice and honey and stir to combine
Stovetop: Heat oil in a skillet over medium or
Remove top layer of cling wrap from flattened chicken, and spread half of the glaze over the surface using the back of a spoon, then pick up and flip over into the pan, removing the second layer of cling wrap as you do so.
Spread the remaining glaze over top of chicken in the pan, cook until bottom is nicely browned, about 2-3 minutes, flip over, cook 1 minute then add 1/4 cup water to prevent from getting too dark and dry, cook until cooked through about another 2 minutes.

Oven: preheat oven to 400°F and line a small baking sheet with foil
Place the chicken on the sheet, then spread half the glaze over the top, reserve the rest to re-apply once the chicken is done
Bake 15-20 minutes depending on thickness, or until chicken breast is cooked all the way through, remove from oven and spread the remainder of the glaze over the chicken before serving.