Recipes

Caraway Red Cabbage

January 31, 2014 by NZ Filbruns 2 Comments

I had a large head of red cabbage in the garden, so I cooked it up this evening. We have a favorite way to make it–a recipe handed down from my Dad’s Belgian family.

Ingredients:
2 Tb butter
1 c chopped onion
1/4 c sugar
2 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t caraway seeds
1 c vinegar
3/4 c water
1 large (about 3 pound) red cabbage, shredded

Saute onions until golden in hot butter in large saucepan; stir in sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes or until cabbage is tender.

I don’t exactly follow the recipe; I used stevia instead of sugar, and I don’t bother sauteing the onions. I just omit the butter and throw the onions in raw and let them cook with the cabbage. This is delicious! We enjoy it for a meal, and then I freeze the rest in meal-size bags for winter. If any of my uncles read this, maybe they will remember who hand-wrote the recipe on a page for my mom’s cookbook? Thank you, which ever one did that, for passing on this recipe! Another generation is now enjoying it–my daughter loves it!

I got some other food put up for winter today, also–28 pounds of sourkraut, 16 quarts of green beans, and also made about 4 pounds of butter. Since there was extra space in the canner, I put in four jars of chick peas. I hadn’t soaked them, but they cooked up nice and soft in the 25 minutes I processed the green beans at 10 pounds pressure. We’ll just use them soon, since they didn’t get the 90 minutes processing they need to be shelf-stable. It was a way to take full advantage of the fuel to heat the canner.

Cherry Soup

December 26, 2012 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

We’ve picked wild sweet cherries twice this year, already, and I thought I’d share one of our family’s favorite ways to eat them: Cherry Soup. This is a recipe that my Mom got from a Hungarian cookbook back when I was a girl. We always enjoyed it growing up, and my family loves it today. I don’t think I make it exactly like the recipe, and I happen to be holding a sleeping baby right now so I’m not going to go look it up, but here’s how I make it:

Put in pot:
1 quart pitted cherries
1 quart water or fruit juice (I concentrate plum juice and often use that)
3/4 cup sugar (not sure of this one–might want less)
1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon
Bring to a boil. Whisk together:
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup flour
Add to boiling mixture, stir till boiling again and thick.
Beat 2 eggs. Stir some of the boiling mixture into the eggs to warm them, then stir them into the pot. Turn off the heat as soon as you think the eggs are cooked enough.
Stir in 2 cups cream or milk.

We enjoy this with crusty bread. Sometimes this soup will be the main course; other times I make it to go along with something else. Leftovers are great for breakfast, or dessert at lunch the next day.

The finished soup

Baby loves cherries already

Broccoli

December 21, 2012 by NZ Filbruns 2 Comments

When I was in the garden this morning, I noticed (again) that the broccoli needed picked, so assigned a boy to cut it for me. We got a nice bowl-full of beautiful, worm-free organic broccoli! Next question–what to do with it? I can’t eat it raw, and we don’t especially like it cooked. When Gayle got home from work I asked him if he had an idea; he suggested cooking it with mushroom soup. I got online, and found this recipe. Well, I have to work around Gayle’s allergy to cow’s milk, and I don’t keep those ingredients on hand anyway, but it sounded good. So, I cooked the broccoli. While that was cooking, I put homemade goat feta cheese in the food processor, with some goat yogurt, and a couple of tablespoons of basil pesto from the freezer, and whizzed it. Then, I made croutons from a flopped batch of sourdough bread by frying cubes in a skillet with fat, seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika. As soon as the broccoli was cooked, I drained it and in the same pot it had been in, made a white sauce with goat’s milk, flour, salt, pepper and paprika, and added cooked frozen mushrooms and the cheese mixture. I put the broccoli in a baking dish, poured the sauce mixture over it, and topped it with croutons. Then, I baked it for half an hour or so. It turned out quite good!There! Now, I can look back here when I want to remember how I did this.

Black Chicken

August 9, 2012 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

I was putting a chicken and a duck in the crockpot this morning to roast for supper, and told the boy who happened to be in the kitchen, “I’m cooking a purple chicken and a wild duck!” He laughed and reminded me about a Mexican who once bought some chickens from us. When we lived in Michigan we sold a lot of old laying hens to Mexicans–they liked them better than fryers and bought a lot from us live to butcher themselves. This particular man wanted a white chicken, and we happened to have one that was covered with white feathers. Now, it so happens that some white chickens (I think Silkie bantams) happen to have purplish skin, and the meat and even the organs are quite dark. This man took the chicken home and killed and plucked it, but the next day he was back complaining about the “black chicken.” His exact words were, “We eat cat, and we eat dog, but we don’t eat black chicken!” I think we gave him a different chicken, and we’ve been chuckling about it ever since.

By the way, this is a great way to use a tougher chicken, like an old laying hen. My sister-in-law discovered this method by accident, and I now do it a lot. Simply put one or two chickens in the crockpot with no water and turn on high for 6-10 hours, till they are fully cooked. Delicious and tender! I take off the breast meat when we’re ready to eat, and the drumsticks and thighs, then add water to the pot and cook again to make broth from what’s left.

Sourkraut Again

July 1, 2012 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

Two of my friends asked me this week about making sourkraut, so when I made my last batch of the year yesterday I decided to take pictures of the process for them. So, if you’re not interested in how to make sourkraut (thank you, Mom, for teaching me how!) then skip this one–although Grandma and aunts might want to look at the last picture!

Start by weighing out 5 pounds of cabbage and cutting the head into wedges.

Shred the cabbage. I use this hand-cranked gadget, but I’ve seen kraut-cutters occasionally. They must have been more common a hundred years ago–just a series of blades in a frame that you would push the cabbage back and forth over.

After all five pounds of cabbage are fairly finely shredded, sprinkle on 3 1/2 Tablespoons (2.5 ounces) of non-iodized salt.

Mix the salt through the cabbage.

If you don’t have a shredder of some sort, a large knife works, too–just takes a little longer. Cut your wedge of cabbage into several thin slices, then chop this way.

Five pounds of cabbage equals five pints of kraut. (A pint a pound the world around, you know!) I was making fifteen pounds yesterday, so the first two batches went into these five quart (liter) jars.

This first five pounds only half filled the jars, so at first it was pretty loose. It’s a good idea to put the jars in the mixing bowl to fill them, to save mess.

The second five pounds is going in the jars–now I have to pack it in. Press it down as tightly as possible. Yes, it will all fit in.

As you continue to pack the kraut in, the salt pulls water out of the cabbage, and you end up with a lot of liquid–good reason to do this in the bowl! I failed to do that with this batch, and ended up with a wet table.

For my last five pounds yesterday, I used odd-sized jars, so to find the right combination I got 10 cups of water and poured it into the jars till it exactly fit. Then I knew I had enough room for five pints of kraut.

Yes, all that cabbage fit in those five jars!

Sorry, no picture of the end of the process–this is why! He woke up five minutes before I finished and thought the world was coming to an end because he had to wait for Mommy! I cut squares of plastic from bags I bought frozen vegetables or sugar in, and put those right on top of the kraut, to help keep out the air and protect the lids, then put on the lids. The five biggest jars, of course, take preserving jar lids and rings, and the smaller jars have their own lids. Grease the inside of the preserving jar rings so they’ll be easier to take off. The juices ooze out as the cabbage ferments, and salt water is corrosive. Mom always uses the rustiest rings she has, so as not to ruin her good ones. Mine are all pretty nice, so I just use what comes to hand. Be sure to set them on a surface that will not be hurt by the salt water, and it’s a good idea to have a way to catch it! You’ll have a fair amount coming out of the jars. Keep them in a cool, dark place. DO NOT OPEN FOR SIX WEEKS! It takes that long for the kraut to totally ferment. Refrigerate after opening. Air makes it spoil.

Pumpkin Soup

May 27, 2012 by NZ Filbruns 3 Comments

I made pumpkin soup for supper last evening, and thought maybe our American family and friends would be interested. This is a very “Kiwi” dish, and we’ve learned to love it. It’s the kind of soup that can be made in any number of different ways. Last night, I peeled and diced a largish pumpkin (all winter squash is called pumpkin here, and you can use any kind for soup), then nearly covered it with water. I put it on to cook on high, then went to take care of baby. When it started boiling, someone turned it down for me, and when I was able to get back to it, I chopped the good parts of several onions that were going bad. I probably ended up with about 2 cups of onion, if you want approximate proportions. By then, the pumpkin was soft, so I stirred the onion in, then put in 2 quarts of cooked, shredded, frozen potatoes (we had more stabbed potatoes when we dug them than we could use before they went bad, so cooked and shredded, then froze them). Once the potatoes were thawed and everything was soft, I added a couple of teaspoons of salt and several sprinkles of cayenne pepper, then pureed the whole pot with my stick blender and stirred in a can of coconut cream. The result? A delicious, thick soup that the entire family enjoyed! You can also add milk or cream, but since Gayle can’t have cow’s milk, I used the coconut cream. It adds a delicious flavor.

Grey pumpkin–the most common variety here.My big pot of soup.

Can’t beat a good cupful of pumpkin soup!

Leftovers

May 5, 2012 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

I read a few blog posts about using leftovers this morning and thought I’d share how I deal with them.

I love leftovers–they make quick meals so easy. Leftovers have been a life-saver to me more school days when it comes to lunchtime than I can count. So often, it gets to be 12:30 or even 1:00 and I realize we need something to eat–quickly, sort through the fridge and see what’s there. We do occasionally have to throw things out (maybe my husband would say more than occasionally), but it gets recycled into eggs.

Some days, depending on what I find, I’ll put the leftovers in a casserole dish and heat in the oven at about 300°F. If there were several casserole leftovers, they can all go in the same dish and won’t run together too much; or I’ll use a couple of smaller dishes. Usually, 20 minutes is long enough to heat. Then, everyone gets to choose from the offerings.

Other days, again depending on what I find, I’ll put it all together into soup. Most of the time, it turns out delicious! Adding cheese on top in each bowl always helps, too.

Today was a clean-out-the-refrigerator day. Since I was thinking about this, I kept track of what went in the pot. We had approximately 1/2 cup of goat stew, 1/4 cup of pork headcheese (brawn), 1 cup peas, 2 cups hash browns, 1 cup cooked rice, 1 or 2 cups stuffing and about 1/2 cup cooked hamburger (I had baked them together in a casserole last night). I added a small can of pork and beans (a secret ingredient in a lot of my soups/stews) and some water and heated it on low. It wasn’t one of my more successful leftover stews, but fairly good. Cheese would have made it really good, but Daddy was home and he can’t have cow cheese so we didn’t have it.

Sometimes I’ll add tomatoes or tomato juice, or broth, to make it easier to heat without scorching and add flavor. I just try to have some meat and some vegetables, as well as something starchy (rice or potatoes).

One thing the children really like is leftover mashed potatoes, put in a casserole dish and topped with bits of sausage, then served with cheese and ketchup. Baked potatoes, diced, work really well in a quick soup.

I’m thankful that my crew doesn’t mind eating leftovers! Oh, I should also say–my husband likes leftovers every day for his lunch; I try to plan meals so we have extra. I put them in a microwavable plastic dish that fits nicely in his lunch box and he heats it at lunchtime. Much easier than coming up with sandwiches!

Sourkraut

February 18, 2012 by NZ Filbruns 3 Comments

I had a request for my sourkraut recipe, so here goes.

I weigh out 5 pounds of cabbage, then shred them. If the head is decently tight, this gadget works great–otherwise, chop finely with a knife. Then, mix in 2 1/2 ounces of non-iodized salt. Pack this all into 5 pint jars–yes, it will fit! Fill the jars, then pack it down with your fingers and fill the jars again, then pack it down again, and fill again–the cabbage keeps wilting down and you can pack an incredible amount in. You want to end up with the cabbage/juice mixture all the way to the top of the jar. I cover with a piece of plastic wrap, or a plastic bag cut open, then put the lid on. Warning–don’t use a good ring for it if you use Mason jars–it will rust! Put in a darkish, coolish but not cold, place for six weeks. Be sure to have something under the jars to absorb the juices that ooze out, because they will for the first week or so. After six weeks (mark your calendar), open a jar and taste–should be good! As long as you don’t open the jars, they will keep on the shelf, but as soon as you open a jar it must be kept in the fridge. The children and I like to eat this for our salads in the winter at lunchtime. Gayle doesn’t like it, so we eat it when he isn’t home. It’s also delicious cooked with porkchops, of course, and Gayle likes it that way with mashed potatoes. I like to eat it raw because of all the good-for-you enzymes and bacteria.

I should mention–I end up using odd-sized jars for my kraut here, so I just measure out five pints of water and pour it into jars till I have the right combination.

Today’s Snacks

December 21, 2011 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

I don’t very often fix a snack for the children, but today I was inspired to make not one but two! For an afternoon snack, I took a cup and a half or so of ricotta cheese that was in the fridge, and mixed in a bit of salt and some oregano and basil, then spread it on crackers. That was quite popular!

Busy making sure he got his fair share–and then some, maybe!

After supper and clean-up, I made some quick milkshakes. I filled the food processor about half full of sliced frozen bananas, then covered them with milk and added a bit of vanilla and a pinch of salt, and ran the processor until it was smooth and thick. I spooned it into tea cups and everyone enjoyed the treat!

Boys discussing their plans for tomorrow as they enjoyed their treat.

Corn Crunch

November 23, 2011 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

I finished making a batch of Corn Crunch this morning, and thought maybe some of you would like to know about it. I do not buy cold cereal. It costs too much and is not good for you, as far as I’m concerned. (One of my favorite stories is about the scientist in the 1960s who did an experiment with rats and cornflakes. He had three groups of rats; one he fed rat chow as a control; one got cornflakes; and one got the box the cornflakes came in. The group that ate cornflakes sickened and died before the group that ate the box died of malnutrition.) Corn Crunch is one of our favorites, and one that I feel good about feeding my children.

Mix: 1 quart buttermilk or mixture of yogurt and milk
3 cups cornmeal (I grind popcorn)
4 cups flour (I use whole wheat)
Let it set overnight. Next day, mix in:
1 cup sweetener of your choice
2 teaspoons soda
2 teaspoons salt
Spread on two ungreased cookie sheets and bake 15-20 minutes at 350°F. Let cool enough to handle. Crumble a bit and grind in food processor or blender. Return to cookie sheet and toast in oven till nearly dry, stirring often. It will finish drying the last tiny bit after you take it out.

The baked “cake”, ready to grind.