Out, out dang dirt!

Posted on May 15, 2012 by brickers

I get a lot of satisfaction from gardening. Many years ago, when DotMom used to make me help her lug jugs of water out to her garden plot at the local college, I would have never believed I would get any enjoyment out of digging in the dirt.

But all that changed when Hubby Bryan and I bought our house. Suddenly, some of the household tasks that I once abhorred became pleasurable with the pride of ownership. (Although I don’t think I will ever derive any great pleasure from cleaning.)

Now I enjoy digging in the dirt, planting flowers, herbs and at least one tomato plant each spring. I even derive some satisfaction from watering such plants and pulling the pesky weeds from among them.

What I don’t like, however, is the residual dirt beneath my fingernails. Yesterday, after a marathon session of flower planting on Sunday before having to (reluctantly, and whining about it all the way) go into the office to finish up my weekend duty, there was still a bit of dirt hanging on beneath my nails. And no amount of scraping, picking or soap could dislodge the offending black stuff.

I wore gloves, for gosh sake! But I’ve never found a pair of gardening gloves that can keep dirt from imbedding beneath my fingernails. I’m a bit of a messy gardener, it seems, and my gloves almost always end up covered in dirt, inside and out, and are often soggy to boot. I really don’t know why I bother putting them on.

Maybe I just need to coat my fingers with a thick layer of Vaseline? But then the dirt would really stick.

Rubber gloves might be a bit more practical, but I’m sure dirt will find its way into those, too.

So I guess I’ll just have to wear my dirty fingernails like a badge of honor. I really do wash my hands and shower regularly. Out, out dang dir

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Twisted treats

Posted on May 10, 2012 by brickers

A few weeks before we boarded the plane for Germany, more than a month ago now, I was talking about our upcoming trip with a former exchange student’s mother. “Oh, bring me back a pretzel,” she requested, relating how they were a favorite food when she visited her daughter.
Even though it had been more than 30 years since I had eaten one, I remembered the German pretzels well, and we lamented that nothing available in the U.S. compared with those pretzels. Alas, the pretzels are best fresh and don’t stand up well to being stashed in the suitcase, so I wasn’t able to fill her request.

However, I remembered the conversation as Hubby Bryan and I bit into our first pretzel the night we arrived in Munich (after a few hours of napping at hostess Heidi’s house). While sometimes the reality pales in comparison with memories —  particularly three-decades-old memories —  that wasn’t the case with the pretzels. They were every bit as good as I remember, and Hubby Bryan was immediately hooked.

So, during the course of our 10-day trip, we consumed pretzels everywhere we went: at the Hofbräuhaus in Munich city center, accompanied by large glasses of beer, of course; for supper with plates of sausages, wienerschnitzel and white asparagus (more about that seasonal delicacy later); and even for breakfast, fresh from the bakery, split open and spread with butter and homemade preserves at the home of our other host family, the Zobels, in the village of Rot am See outside of Worthington’s sister city, Crailsheim.

I would estimate that we consumed a minimum of three pretzels apiece a day while we were in Germany. The German pretzel — “bretzel” over there — is an entirely different species than the pretzels sold in the U.S. They have the same color as the snack pretzels sold in American grocery stores, but are bigger and much softer. And yet, they are not like the soft pretzels you find at ballparks, either. German pretzels have a dark brown, crispy crust, but they are soft on the inside.

Because we were so enamored of pretzels, our German hostess Heidi and her friend Steffi resolved to find out which Munich venue makes the best pretzels —  for our next visit there. We will anxiously await the results of their survey.

In the meantime, Bryan and I have been going through pretzel withdrawals. My mouth is watering as I type this blog. But while I did nothing more than complain and lament that there was nothing so good here, Bryan took action. He went online and researched pretzel recipes, trying to determine exactly how the German bakers were able to achieve that crispy exterior and soft interior.

And on Sunday — after church and before his weekly beer-brewing session began — Bryan made a batch of pretzels (I helped roll out the ropes, but the project was mostly his). While he still wants to tweak the recipe a bit, we were both quite satisfied with the results, and so were visitors who stopped by later that day. We may never be able to achieve that dark brown crust with the ingredients and tools we have available in our American kitchen, but the texture was similar to what we savored overseas. I’m not sure how they will hold up to freezing, since the pretzels were consumed too rapidly to try, and so I must emphasize that they are best consumed the same day they are made.
Here’s the recipe:

Bretzel

Combine 1½ cups warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 package active dry yeast. When yeast begins to bubble, add 22 ounces bread flour (about 4½ cups) and 3 tablespoons butter to form a soft — not sticky — dough. (Add a little bit more water if necessary, but make sure the dough does not get sticky. We were able to roll out the ropes without putting any flour on the board.) Let rise until doubled in size.
Divide dough into 14 balls of equal size. Using hands, roll out each ball into about a 20-inch rope. Form into a pretzel shape and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets (coat paper with cooking spray or a little olive oil). Cover and let rise again for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 10 cups water to a boil; add Z\c cup baking soda. Drop pretzels, one at a time, into the soda water and let boil for 1 minute, turning after 30 seconds. Remove from water, let drain briefly, and return to baking sheets.

Mix 1 egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water. Brush tops of pretzels with the egg wash and dust with kosher salt.

Our half-eaten pretzel at the Hofbräuhaus in Munich, Germany.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, until richly brown.

 

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The Crailsheim Connection

Posted on May 1, 2012 by brickers

The idea of sorting through all the stuff on my desk isn’t nearly as appealing as daydreaming about the wonderful vacation from which I have just returned.

Hubby Bryan and I spent a whirlwind 10 days in Germany – with a short foray into Austria. It’s a trip that we’d been pondering for quite some time, inspired by the wonderful connections our family has made there over the years. After talking wistfully about it as a far-off future possibility, we finally decided to just do it. And are we ever glad we did.

I will do more of a travelogue piece in the future, and I definitely have a few more blogs floating around in my head.

But I must pause for a moment and reflect on the origins of our trek – Worthington’s sister-city relationship with Crailsheim, Germany, which I believe is celebrating a milestone 65 years. A young girl’s post-World War II project to send shoes to her pen-pal in Finland inspired our community to befriend a city of similar size in a country that had very recently been Enemy No. 1.

The relationship wasn’t without controversy – I recently read that a significant number of Americans were injured or killed in a battle that took place near Crailsheim – and some residents objected to sending food and clothing to such recent enemies. But somehow such obstacles were overcome.

My parents – newlyweds at the time – participated in sending donated goods over to the war-torn city of Crailsheim, putting their names and addresses in the pockets of the clothing they sent. Soon, they heard back from a doctor and his wife, who sent a small photo book that detailed their town’s destruction, along with sincere thanks for the items they received. Years later, Mom and Dad would have the opportunity to meet the Kreisels on a trip to Crailsheim.

Our hostess for much of our stay was my German sister Heidi Pontin-Kirn, an exchange student from Crailsheim who lived with my family in 1969, when I was just 6 years old. I hadn’t seen Heidi for more than 30 years, and she did not know Bryan at all, but she insisted that we stay at her small apartment, showed us around Munich and drove us down to Crailsheim. She is still my big sister, and I am still her little sister, despite the miles and years.

In Crailsheim, we were treated royally at the local hotel and renewed friendships that were begun during the first high school choir exchange in 1980-1981. From there, we went to the nearby village of Rot Am See, where we were hosted by the Zobel family – a friendship started when Andy Zobel came to Worthington as part of Crailsheim’s Burgerwache Band.

So our trip was very much influenced by a little girl who decided to collect some shoes 65 years ago. The ties that bind our hearts to Crailsheim are strong and deep.

 

 

 

 

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Gone to pot?

Posted on April 27, 2012 by brickers

At the base of the front window of our abode is one of those miniature plastic greenhouses. Inside that flimsy plastic structure are the beginnings of my “garden.”

I put garden in quotes because it really isn’t much of a garden. The plot of land where I once grew tomatoes, beans, peppers and fresh herbs was sacrificed for a new garage a few years ago. Now, I do most of my planting in pots. I did stake out a small in-the-ground plot for herbs a few years ago, but the bunnies always get to it before I do. Except for the chives

So the tiny seedlings will eventually make their way outdoors to a selection of pots that are scattered around our small yard. Or at least that was the hope as of the writing of this blog. Since then, we have been away from our abode for almost two weeks (more about that absence at a future date), and hopefully the seedlings survived in their greenhouse environment.

I may be wishing that I had transferred the plants to a self-watering apparatus for which I snagged the plans off a Facebook friend’s post. I still plan to utilize the idea, just didn’t get it accomplished before Hubby Bryan and I set off on our journey.

The contraption is made out of a plastic soda bottle, cut into two pieces. The top half of the bottle, when turned upside down, becomes the actual planter. A small piece of paper toweling is placed across the neck opening to keep the soil from falling through. Small slits are cut just above the neck to allow the soil to draw up water.

The bottom part of the bottle is the irrigation system. A couple of inches are cut from this sleeve so the planter top will nestle snuggly inside it. The bottom is filled with water, which is drawn up through the slits to keep the seedlings moist.

If the seedlings didn’t survive my absence, I will be scavenging our recyclable bin for soda bottles. Even if they did survive, soda bottles might be their next stop before moving permanently outside.

While there were a few flower seeds incubating in the greenhouse, the bulk of the seedings were of the her variety. Herbs are one of my favorite things to grow, and basil in particular.  What I don’t use fresh from the garden goes into the freezer for use throughout the cold winter months. But this year’s first harvest of fresh basil is likely to go into this salad.

Avocado Basil Pasta

Cook 8 ounces bow-tie or wagon wheel pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 2 medium avocadoes, halved, seeded, peeled and coarsely chopped; 6 slices bacon, crisp cooked, drained and crumbled; 2/3 cup fresh basil, chopped; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 3 cloves garlic, minced; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add the hot pasta and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with ½ cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Just a reminder that recipes are always welcomed for this forum. Send your favorites to Lagniappe, Daily Globe, Box 639, Worthington 56187; email brickers@dglobe.com.

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Not-so-diet-friendly fare

Posted on April 16, 2012 by brickers

A blog or two ago, I promised to share a few more selections from the Bratsch family cookbook CD, titled “Around the Dining Room Table.”

At first, as I flipped through its electronic pages, I concentrated on the recipes that are admissible in the low-carb diet that is under way at our abode. But pretty soon, my mouth was watering over the selections that feature ingredients that we’re trying to avoid, mainly pasta, potatoes, breads and desserts.

If I want to stick to my resolve, I can’t consume such things at the moment, but that doesn’t mean I should inflict those limitations on you readers. So let’s start with pasta, one of the things that I’m most craving at the moment. This version, labeled “Theo’s Favorite” on the CD, is made a bit healthier with the addition of fresh spinach, and a bit more decadent with bacon.

Spinach Bacon Mac ’N’ Cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook 3 cups shell macaroni according to package directions; add one 6-ounce package baby spinach for the last minute of cooking time.

Cook 4 slices bacon and remove from pan and dice when cool; reserve drippings. Add 2 tablespoons flour to reserved drippings and stir until bubbly. Gradually stir in 2 cups milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Add 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese and ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese; stir until melted. Add bacon and macaroni-spinach mixture. Pour into a greased casserole dish and top with another 1 cup cheddar cheese.

Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

Parmesan Cheese
Potatoes

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt ¼ cup butter in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish or pour ¼ cup olive oil into bottom of dish.

In a large plastic bag, place ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup finely shredded cheddar cheese, ¼ cup flour, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste; shake to mix thoroughly. To bag, add 8 potatoes, peeled and quartered, and shake until well-coated.

Arrange potatoes in a single layer in the baking dish. Bake for 1 hour or until potatoes crisp and begin to brown at the edges. Turn potatoes once, halfway through baking time.

Chicken Fajita Pizza

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium heat until hot. Add 2 chicken breasts, cut into thin slices, and stir fry until lightly browned. Stir in 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 or 2 teaspoons chili powder (to taste); and ½ teaspoon salt. Add 1 small onion, thinly sliced; ½ red bell pepper, cut into thin strips; and ½ green bell pepper, cut into thin strips. Continue to stir fry for a couple minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp.

Have ready one 14-inch ready-made pizza crust or homemade dough. Place on pizza pan and bake for 8 minutes. Spoon chicken mixture over crust. Spoon ½ cup salsa (the recipe suggests Newman’s Own Pineapple Medium Salsa) over top and sprinkle with 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Black Russian Cake

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-inch Bundt or tube pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 package yellow cake mix, ½ cup sugar, one 6-ounce package instant chocolate pudding, 1 cup canola oil, 4 eggs, ¼ cup vodka, ¼ cup Kahlua and ¾ cup water. Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes; invert onto serving plate.

Meanwhile, combine 1 cup powdered sugar with ¼ cup Kahlua. Pour glaze slowly over cake. Cool completely. Cake freezes well, glaze and all.

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To brunch or to lunch?

Posted on April 4, 2012 by brickers

Easter is just a few days away, but we have yet to decide on the menu for the holiday meal at our house.

Brunch or dinner? That is the main debate as we try to figure out what will work out best with my weekend work schedule. And, of course, there’s the low-carb diet to which Hubby Bryan and I are trying to adhere. We give ourselves a bit more leeway on the weekends, but many brunch dishes have breads as a base. But then, what would Easter dinner be without a basket of rolls?
We just might have to write-off the dietary restrictions for one day, as I’ve found a couple of recipes that I’d like to try.

Actually, I have to admit that I already did a trial run on this first recipe. I had never tried to make scones before, the chives have already emerged in my small garden patch, and the combination of beer and cheddar cheese was irresistible. (We each ate one, and the rest went into the freezer.)

Cheesy Chive Scones

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in ½ cup minced fresh chives and 1½ cups coarsely shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
In a small bowl, whisk ¾ cup chilled beer (a wheat beer is recommended), 1 egg, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
Gradually add beer mixture into dry ingredients, stirring until moist clumps form, adding more beer by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Once all the flour is incorporated, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until it comes together.

Pat dough out into a 1-inch thick circle. Using a biscuit cutter (I used a small plastic glass since I didn’t have one), cut out scones; gather scraps, reshape and repeat. You should have 10-12 scones.

Place scones on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk another egg and brush over top of scones. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

Bake for 14-16 minutes, until scones are golden brown.

The scones would be good served with either brunch or dessert. I think this recipe, from the folks at Pillsbury, might be better suited to brunch.

Lemon Monkey Bread

Heat oven to 350. Coat a 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, combine 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel and 1 box (4 serving size, NOT instant) lemon pudding and pie filling mix.
Separate two cans refrigerated biscuit dough into 16 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into fourths and place in another large bowl. Add ¾ cup butter or margarine, melted, and toss to coat, making sure each dough piece is covered with butter. Roll each piece in the pudding mixture and place in the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and no longer doughy in the center. Cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out onto serving plate.

In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup powdered sugar and enough lemon juice (2-3 tablespoons) until smooth and drizzling consistency. Add 1-2 drops yellow food coloring. Drizzle glaze over warm monkey bread.
Serve warm. Stir in airtight container in refrigerator.

Although I wouldn’t exactly call this salad healthy, it does feature cauliflower, which has become a meal staple at our house. This recipe is an oldie-but-goodie from DotMom’s files, originally labeled Mean Salad.
Easter Nice Salad

For dressing, combine ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons vinegar and 1 small onion, chopped. Refrigerate up to 8 hours.

Tear 1 head lettuce into bite-size pieces. Separate ½ head cauliflower into small flowerets. Mix lettuce and cauliflower with dressing. Sprinkle in 8 slices fried bacon, crumbled, and ½ cup fresh Parmesan cheese; toss until well combined.

Oh, and by the way, since I started writing this blog, my in-laws have solved the brunch-lunch dilemma by inviting us out for dinner.

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Family foods — and ties — that bind

Posted on March 22, 2012 by brickers

WORTHINGTON— This is a blog that is long overdue.

A year ago, for the Daily Globe’s annual report section (which again comes out this Saturday with a theme of “Hometown Proud”) I interviewed Sue Bratsch Salzwedel of Okabena. Sue is an enterprising gal, not only a working wife and mom employed by Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, but also making jewelry and offering home staging services in her spare time. I’ve known Sue since high school (she was a year younger), and it was good to catch up on all that’s happened in her life since those high school days.

I’m also acquainted with several of Sue’s siblings (she’s the second child of seven born to Ray and Monica Bratsch, formerly of Worthington, now of North Carolina), and she was nice enough to provide me with the a CD copy of the cookbook that her family compiled for their parents’ 50th wedding anniversary, crediting older sister Laura Bratsch Kruse (who now lives in New Jersey) with doing the bulk of the work on it.

The cookbook CD, “Around the Dining Room Table,” somehow got lost in the shuffle of my overflowing desk and resurfaced a while back. I perused it at length, set it aside for future blogging.

Well, the time to share it has finally come, and I have to note that this is much more than a cookbook. The CD contains photos of the Bratsch grandchildren, recollections of memorable meals in the Bratsch household, lists of favorite comfort foods and short essays written by the siblings.

“Cooking good food is an act of love,” writes son John Bratsch in what serves as the CD intro. “Eating well makes people feel good. Bottom line: Mom loved us. We can tell she loved us because she fed us well. Sometimes showing is a whole lot easier than saying.”

The recipes aren’t necessarily credited to specific family members, although the titles sometimes give away their origin and subtitles note when a recipe is a family member’s favorite. We’ll start off with one that obviously came from Sue’s kitchen.

MinnesotaShredded BBQ Pork

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place a 5-pound pork roast or loin in a heavy 6-quart oven-proof roasting pan. Sprinkle with seasoning salt and garlic salt to taste. Combine ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup vinegar and 2 cups water; pour over pork. Cover and bake for 3 hours. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Remove fat and bones and shred meat. Return pork to roaster. Stir in 1 cup ketchup, 1 cup barbecue sauce, 1 tablespoon dried mustard, 1 onion, chopped, and 2 cloves garlic, minced. Cover and continue to cook for up to 4 hours, stirring every half hour to break up the meat. Makes 12-18 servings.

“The longer this cooks slowly, the better it is,” says a footnote to the recipe. “Easy to make ahead and put in a Crockpot to warm up for company. Freezes well.

 

The CD cookbook encompasses more than 250 pages (and you can turn them just like you do an actual book), so there are lots of mouthwatering recipes from which to choose. To go along with the pork, I selected an easy refrigerator roll treatment, also from Sue’s kitchen.

Garlic Cheese Buns by Sue

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray pie tin with cooking spray.

Using 1 tube of refrigerated homestyle biscuits, slit biscuits open, fill with shredded cheese of choice and close. Place biscuits in pie tin. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic salt, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 10 minutes.

 

I promise to share more from “Around the Dining Room Table” in a future blog. For those who might be interested in compiling their own family recipes, the cookbook CD was printed by Morris Press of Kearney, Neb., an enterprise that is responsible for many church and community cookbooks. And if you’re not quite that enterprising, consider sharing your family favorite recipes here. Email me at brickers@dglobe.com; send via regular mail to Lagniappe, Daily Globe, Box 639, Worthington 56187; or check out this blog online at http://lagniappe.areavoices.com.

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In praise of pie

Posted on March 14, 2012 by brickers

 Could I let National Pie Day go by without a mention? (Yes, it’s today, March 14.)

Actually, I could, because I’m not much of a pie appreciator. I’m more of a cake connoisseur. Does anybody know when National Cake Day is? I’m sure there is such a thing.

But I know there are plenty of pie lovers out there, so I scoured the pages of DotMom’s “Mixing & Musing Cookbook” for an appropriate recipe to share today. Since we’re in-between seasons for the fruit varieties, I finally settled on what would be my choice in any pie shop — French Silk. I do have to offer a word of caution, however. This recipe uses raw eggs; if you have concerns about that, buy pasteurized eggs.

French Silk Pie

In a small mixing bowl, beat together ¾ cup sugar and ½ cup butter, softened, at medium speed until creamy and fluffy. Melt two 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate and incorporate into mixture along with 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating at high speed about 3 minutes after each addition.

Pour mixture into a 9-inch baked pie shell. Sprinkle ¼ cup slivered almonds around the edge and arrange shaved unsweetened chocolate in center of filling. Chill at least 2 hours.

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Blarney and beer

Posted on March 12, 2012 by brickers

There’s nary a drop of Irish blood running through my veins, but there is a whole lot of blarney in our clan, so I’ve been known to hoist a green pint come March 17, particularly when St. Patrick’s Day falls on a weekend as it does this year. The beer, however, is much more apt to be of a German variety than a pint of Guinness — a bit too dark for my tastes.

Although it’s not his particular favorite either, Hubby Bryan has acquired several T-shirts and sweatshirts that bear the Guinness logo. He was wearing a bright green Guinness sweatshirt recently when we stopped for a bite and a brew at an area bar and grill. The proprietress, taking note of his apparel, immediately apologized for not having Guinness on hand, and Bryan quickly assured her that he wouldn’t have ordered it if she did.

But he might concede to include a bit of the Irish brew in this chocolate cake recipe, shared by Sister Margaret fromColorado. She toted the dessert to a recent gathering and declared it “Yummy!” HB and I might have to make an exception to our diet regimen for a slice of this on Saturday.

Luck O’ the Irish Chocolate Cake

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Using a stand mixer, combine 6 eggs, 1½ cups oil, 3 cups sugar, 1 cup dark cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons vanilla, 2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons baking soda. Add 4½ cups flour in three or four stages, alternating with 3 cups stout beer, until completely incorporated.

Pour batter into three eight-inch cake pans; bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven; cool completely.

For frosting, cream 1 pound softened butter. Add 2 pounds powdered sugar, ¾ cup dark cocoa, ½ cup malted milk powder, ¼ cup Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur and ¼ teaspoon vanilla. Spread frosting between layers and over entire outside of stacked cake.

For a St.Paddy’s Day touch, serve with whipped cream tinted with green food coloring.

 

Traditionally,St.Patrick’s Day is celebrated with a big plate of corned beef and cabbage, which I don’t find very appealing. But this stew recipe might take care of any stout leftover from the cake baking.

Irish Stout Stew

Place ¾ cup flour in a resealable plastic bag. Add 2½ pounds beef stew meat or sirloin steak, cut into cubes, a few pieces at a time, and shake the bag to coat.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

In a slow cooker, combine beef, 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced; 2 carrots, peeled and diced; 2 large onions, cut into large dice; and 1 or 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme). Pour 2 cups Irish stout beer over top of all. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, about 8 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove thyme sprig if used.

 

If stout cake or stew are too big an undertaking, how about celebrating St. Pat withIreland’s most famous vegetable, the potato. Here’s an easy baked potato treatment I’m anxious to try.

Crispy Irish Spuds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Clean and dry 6 large russet potatoes and pierce with a fork. Rub seasoned oil liberally over the potato skins.

Put potatoes on top rack of oven, placing a baking sheet on rack underneath to catch any drippings. Bake until tender, about 50 minutes.

Slice potatoes open and top with butter and chives.

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Doing the dunk

Posted on March 6, 2012 by brickers

Twist, lick, dunk.

Get your mind out of the gutter. Those three words are not for mature audiences only, but actually for the immature and young at heart.

It’s the process for eating an Oreo cookie.

Today, the classic sandwich cookie is celebrating its 100th birthday. On this day in 1912, the first Oreo cookie was sold inHoboken,N.J.It’s doubtful that the first person to consume the black-and-white treat knew to twist apart the cookie halves, lick the cream and then dunk the chocolate wafers in a big glass of milk, but somewhere along the line, that’s how it came to be done.

But there are other ways to consume Oreos, and in honor of its centennial, here are a couple of Oreo-centric recipes.

It would probably be easier to crush up some cookies and fold them into some vanilla ice cream  — or just purchase a carton of Cookies ’N’ Cream, but making Oreo Ice Cream from scratch is a whole lot more fun.

Oreo Ice Cream

Combine 1 cup whole milk and 2 cups heavy whipping cream in a saucepan over medium heat.  Cook until bubbles form around the edges.  In a medium bowl, whisk together 6 egg yolks and ½ cup sugar until smooth and well combined.  Slowly add the warm milk mixture to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.

Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.   Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 5 to 8 minutes, until the mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Pour the liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.  Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until completely chilled.

Once the mixture is well chilled, pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Once the mixture is softly frozen, transfer half of it to a storage container.  Coarsely crush 20 Oreo cookies. Add half of the chopped Oreo pieces and fold in gently with a rubber spatula.  Add the remaining ice cream and Oreo pieces to the container, and fold once more until the mixture is evenly combined.  Freeze until completely hardened.

Oreo-licious Dessert

Crush 1 large package Oreo cookies. Reserve 1 cup crumbs. Mix remaining cookie crumbs with ¾ stick of butter; press mixture into the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch pan.

Mix one 12-ounce tub frozen dessert topping, thawed, with 8 ounces softened cream cheese and 1 cup powdered sugar. Spread over the crumbs in bottom of dish. Mix 1 large package chocolate instant pudding mix with 2¾ cups milk. Spread over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Top with another 12-ounc tub of dessert topping, then sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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