Red Cabbage (Rotkohl)

I do apologize for the photograph.  The color does not do the dish justice.  I am trying to improve my skills as a photographer.  Clearly I am much better as a cook.

I have always loved red cabbage and realize this is a love not shared by everyone.  I am lucky that my eldest shares this love and I often make it when we get together.

In 1977, the Winnipeg Folklorama published a cook book "Folk Festival Fare", edited and arranged by Edith Cherniack featuring the popular dishes of the various pavilions.  Folklorama continues to this day and the foods served have always been a major highlight of the festival.  I feel lucky to have this book because I know of no other copy among my friends or relatives.

This recipe is from the German pavilion, I have made a few adaptations over the years:

Ingredients
1 head red cabbage, cored and chopped finely
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into wedges
salt an pepper to taste
3 tablespoons vinegar
5 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup red wine

Directions
In a heavy 4-5 quart pan, fry bacon and onion lightly.

Add cabbage, apples, cloves, salt and pepper.  Cover and cook over moderate heat stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes.  Add vinegar and sugar and red wine, cover and continue to cook over low heat until tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Make sure cabbage remains moist, add more vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper according to taste.

Cuban Style Chicken

One thing my travels have given me is exposure to different spices and ingredients and different ways to combine them.  Although the food in Cuba tended to be somewhat redundant after a while because I was travelling off the tourist grid and ate in the poorer districts, I periodically miss the food.  I am talking about rice and black beans, lime, and cumin.  I know the ingredients sound very similar to mexican or peruvian, but there is a difference between each. 

I found this recipe online at Recipes4us.co.uk

I buy whole chickens from a Hutterite farm because they are far superior to anything I could buy at a supermarket.  What I generally do is skin the chicken and cut it up, using the breasts for one meal, the drumsticks, wings and thighs for another meal and use the carcass to make chicken stock.  I used this recipe for all the dark meat.

Ingredients

chicken pieces 

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (I use EL PASO pickled sliced jalapenos in a jar)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tomato, chopped

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 400g/14 ounce tin black beans, drained

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the chicken and saute until browned on all sides.  Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion, green pepper, jalapeno pepper and garlic and cook for a few minutes, until onions are softened

Add the cumin, tomatoes, lemon juice and black beans and mix well.  Return the chicken to pan, cover and simmer for 20 minutes stirring once or twice

Remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes or until chicken is done.

Serve over rice.

Stuffed Peppers

I have been making stuffed peppers for decades and they have always been a family favorite, which is why I am sharing with you.

As you know, a recipe is really only a general guideline.  At least as far as I am concerned, because, depending on what I have available in the house and depending on my mood, things change.  My daughter pointed that out to me the last time we were together preparing for Christmas dinner; "You always change!  I never know what to expect!  You have made your turkey differently every year!"  I will admit, this was not said with admiration, but rather more a sense of frustration.   Sigh.... my husband also frequently laments that he never gets the exact dish twice.

My only defense is  luck with each effort.

Anyway, back to business, this recipe is adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.

Ingredients
2 large green peppers. ( I use any color pepper and the number depends on how much filling I have)
salt and pepper
1 pound ground beef
1 small chopped onion
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1/3 cup rice (I have used cooked and uncooked)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 cup cheese cubed (I have used cheddar, mozzarella and monterey or a mixture of these)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions
Halve the peppers lengthwise, removing the stems, seeds and membranes.  Immerse peppers into boiling water for 3 minutes.  Invert on paper towel to drain.  Sprinkle the insides lightly with salt.

In a large skillet cook meat and onion till meat is brown and onion tender.  Drain off fat.

Stir in undrained tomatoes and rice, Worcestershire sauce, basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Bring to boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered  for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is done.  Stir in the cubed cheese.

Fill the peppers with meat mixture and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.  Place in a  square baking dish.  Bake at 375 degrees about 20 minutes or until heated through.

Cranberry Sauce Bundt Cake

I love cranberry sauce with turkey.  Lately I have made the sauce from fresh berries, which cannot be compared to the canned.  Although the number of people at the holiday dinners has grown each year, we still manage to have leftovers, and I am then busy looking for recipes to find a new way of serving the leftovers.  I am sure there are many of you facing similar challenges and you might find this recipe helpful.

I adapted this recipe which I found on the internet on Food.com   

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1  1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sour cream

2 cups cranberry sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition

Stir in extract

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt

Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream, beating well after each addition

Spoon one-third of the batter into a greased and floured 10 inch Bundt pan

 Top the cake batter with one-third of the cranberry sauce

Repeat layers two times

Bake at 350 degrees for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean

Cool for 10 minutes before removing cake from pan onto a wire rack