My Kitchen My World - Sweden

Cutting it close this month! But the last day of August still counts. :)

This month for My Kitchen My World we visited the cuisine of Sweden. I didn't want to do Swedish meatballs, they're too well-known around here to be considered a challenge. Instead, I found a dish called Kroppkakor, or potato dumplings. They turned out so delicious. I don't think I added nearly enough flour to the dough, which made it extremely messy to work with, but at least it tasted good!

Swedish Kroppkakor
10 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled, and cooled
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour, or enough to make a soft dough
8 oz. bacon, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp. ground allspice

Mash potatoes. Mix in egg and flour to make soft dough, set aside.

Fry bacon and onion until bacon is crispy and onion is soft. Add allspice. I just want to note that this mixture smells absolutely incredible!

Flatten pieces of dough into rounds. Top with 1-2 tsp. bacon mixture, then close the dough around the filling and form a ball.

Drop dumplings into simmering salted water, 4 or 5 at a time. Cook for about 5 minutes (another recipe said 15 minutes, we did somewhere in between).

Serve with bechamel sauce (basic white sauce) or melted butter, and lingonsylt (lingonberry jam). We didn't have lingonberry jam, so I had Jeff make some cranberry sauce instead.

With the potatoes, and the allspice, and the cranberry sauce, this stuff tasted like Thanksgiving! It totally put me in a fall mood. Jeff and I each had several dumplings, my 3-yr-old and 1-yr-old each devoured two, and my two older kids were only able to tolerate one after I put ketchup on it.

One recipe I found says that leftover dumplings are good cut up and fried crispy the next morning. I know what we're having for breakfast tomorrow! :)


*Update: We chopped up the leftovers and fried them in bacon grease. They turned out quite yummy.

Lemon Bar Muddy Buddies

I normally post my Iron Craft projects on my other blog, Pursuit of Craft. But this one is a recipe, so here it is!

The Iron Craft challenge was to create something to do with picnics. I recently found a recipe for Lemon Bar Muddy Buddies, which got me so excited. They taste like lemon bars, but in the form of fun little bite-sized snacks. Toss a batch of these in a lunch basket with some sandwiches and water bottles and you've got the makings of a great picnic!

Lemon Bar Muddy Buddies
(from Lemon Tree Dwelling)
8 c. Rice Chex cereal (generic works fine!) 
1 c. white chocolate chips 
1/2 c. lemon curd 
1/4 c. butter 
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Melt white chocolate chips and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. (The melting won't be smooth - don't worry!)

Once melted, remove from heat and stir in lemon curd until smooth. Pour Rice Chex into a large paper bag (grocery size) and pour lemon mixture over cereal. Fold the bag to seal and shake to coat cereal. 

Add powdered sugar to paper bag and shake once more to coat.

Spread out on cookie sheet to cool; once completely cool, store at room temperature in airtight containers.

Yummy!

Linking to:
Think Tank Thursday at Joyful Homemaking
Weekend Wrap-Up Party at tatertots & jello 

My Kitchen My World - Cuban Pork with Black Beans and Rice

After a very long absence, I am once again contributing my culinary offering to My Kitchen My World. The country for June was Cuba. So I hopped onto Allrecipes.com and found some delicious Cuban recipes.

Cuban Pork
(adapted from Allrecipes.com)
1 1/2 lb. pork loin roast, cut into 5 or 6 thick slices
1 lime, zested and juiced
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pinch crushed red pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic

In a bowl, mix together the lime zest, olive oil, cumin, salt, crushed red pepper, and garlic. Reserve the lime juice. Rub the seasoning mixture onto both sides of the pork slices.

Spray a heavy skillet or ridged grill pan with cooking spray, and place over medium heat. Pan-fry the pork slices until browned on both sides, 6 to 7 minutes per side. After you turn the meat over, pour the reserved lime juice over the meat and continue cooking until no longer pink in the center. Serve hot, topped with pan juices.

This pork is just bursting with lime flavor, and it paired really well with some plain rice and some delicious black beans.

Cuban Black Beans
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
4 tsp. minced garlic
3 cans black beans, not drained
1/2 can tomato sauce
4 oz. roasted red pepper, chopped
1 tbsp. vinegar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. black pepper

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and saute onion, green bell pepper, and garlic until tender.

Into the onion mixture, stir the beans, tomato sauce, red pepper, and vinegar. Season with salt, sugar, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Ahh, feels good to be back. I really am going to try to post recipes more frequently, I've really slacked off the past few...um...years.... 

Linked to:
Weekend Wrap-Up Party at tatertots&jello 
Think Tank Thursday at Joyful Homemaking 
Project Inspire{d} at Dukes and Duchesses 

Indonesian Peanut Chicken

Every once in a while Jeff and I grab a cookbook, leaf through it, and choose a couple recipes that we've never done before. Ethnic dishes are particular favorites of ours; we love being able to enjoy flavors from around the world in the comfort (and frugality) of our own home. We also think it's great to be able to introduce various flavor profiles to the kids.

Blah blah, fancy talk, what I really mean is: this week we were bored with the same old meal rut we've been in and wanted to try something less boring. :)

This is a fun recipe, a little sweet, a little spicy, a little exotic. The three-year-old didn't care for it, but the older kids liked it well enough. As for Jeff and I, we found it delicious.

Indonesian Peanut Chicken
(from Betty Crocker)
3- to 3 1/2-pound cut-up broiler-fryer chicken (we used chicken leg quarters)
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 cup water
1/4 cup salted peanuts
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet or 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook chicken in oil about 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides. Cover and cook over low heat about 20 minutes or until juice is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Remove chicken from skillet with tongs.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet; heat over medium heat. Cook onion in drippings, stirring occasionally, until tender; reduce heat. Stir in peanut butter, chili sauce and red pepper. Gradually stir in water, stirring constantly, until peanut butter is melted.

Add chicken. Spoon sauce over chicken. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 5 minutes, spooning sauce frequently over chicken, until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with peanuts and bell pepper. 

Linking to:
Think Tank Thursday at Joyful Homemaking 
Weekend Wrap-Up at tatertots&jello 

Chocolate Cakies with Creamy Chocolate Frosting

Let's just get this out there right off the bat - these were supposed to be whoopie pies. But as I watched the cakes baking in the oven and saw them spreading out to be about the size of my hand I decided that I wouldn't sandwich them like you would a traditional whoopie pie. I mean, those would have been some seriously huge whoopie pies. Instead, just served individually and topped with frosting, these are like little handheld cakes - Cakies! They're kind of like cupcakes, but easier to eat.

That being said, you could totally use this recipe to make whoopie pies, just scoop the batter out by 2-tbsp scoops instead of 1/4 cup. Then sandwich the frosting between the cakes. Or, you know, just use 1/4 cup and make really big whoopie pies. I won't judge you.

Chocolate Cakies
(from sweet falcon)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk (or 1 tbsp lemon juice and milk to make 1 cup)
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld mixer, then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.

Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 buttered large baking sheets. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting
(from Let's Make Whoopie...Pies) 
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat together butter and chocolate. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Use to frost cakies or to fill whoopie pies.

Linking to:
Project Inspire{d} at Dukes and Duchesses
Think Tank Thursday at Joyful Homemaking
Weekend Wrap-Up at tatertots&jello

Turkey Chili

A while back, Jeff bought three huge turkeys, because they were super cheap. Thank goodness we have a large freezer downstairs! Anyway, several days ago we cooked one of the turkeys, and of course we boiled up the carcass into some fantastic turkey broth. This dish was a great way to use some of the broth and leftover turkey. It also takes advantage of the fact that fresh cilantro is really inexpensive this time of year. This chili has a delicious flavor and, being a bit lighter than traditional chili, is a great meal for a spring evening.

I may or may not have eaten three bowls in one sitting.

Turkey Chili
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp oil
3 cups turkey broth
2 cans beans, drained, or equivalent beans cooked from dry (I used black beans and soy beans)
1 can corn, drained
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 cups chopped turkey

Cook onion, green pepper, and garlic in oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes.

If you like your chili spicy, you can add some canned chilies, or some hot sauce.

Linked to:
Weekend Wrap-Up Party at tatertots & jello
Think Tank Thursday at Joyful Homemaking

Perfect Chocolate Frosting

This is exactly what the title says - PERFECT CHOCOLATE FROSTING. It is a-freakin'-mazing.

This ain't no grainy buttercream with a bit of cocoa thrown in to make it powdery brown and cocoa-flavored. No, this is frosting of the smoothest, creamiest caliber, with a rich, dark chocolate flavor that simply can't be beat.

It is perfection.

Perfect Chocolate Frosting 
2 1/2 sticks butter or margarine, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. milk chocolate, melted and cooled

Combine butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a food processor and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl as needed. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, about 5-10 seconds. Scrape the bowl again, then add the melted chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, about 10-15 seconds. Pipe or spread onto cake, cupcakes, cookies, or straight into your mouth.

Linking to Tatertots and Jello Weekend Wrap-Up Party