Czech in the Kitchen

Cheddar Ham and Chorizo Muffins

Posted by Pussycat in Sides, Sweets | 2 Comments

15June2014

Yum

It’s been raining here all weekend so the air conditioning has gotten a break and it’s still cool in the house. As much as I’m not thrilled with this weather, in my mind the universe is giving me a break from the garden… and providing it with much needed rain. The last couple of weeks while I’ve been watering and babying my veggie garden beds I’ve also been feeding all the mosquitoes well. It’s astounding to me how many of those little buggers swarm my legs and chow down, getting some pretty good bites in faster than I’m able to swat at them! They’ll be fasting this weekend while I hibernate in the kitchen and pull out some favourite recipes.

Muffins are something that I’ve made many of over the years and I’ve narrowed down the list to several favourites. Last timeI gave you Peanut Butter Banana ones found here. This time I wanted something more savoury and these make a great snack or breakfast with chunks of ham, chorizo and loaded with cheese!

Once again these come from my torn up, dripped on, well used muffin recipe book. Adapted or course because their recipe didn’t call for any meat. Thus if you want you can leave out the meat and have a great cheese muffin!

Ingredients

2 Cups Flour
1/3 Cup White Sugar
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 Cup Chopped Ham and/or Chorizo
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Egg

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add and mix in the cheese and meat. Beat together the buttermilk and egg in a separate bowl and then mix the wet into the dry mixing just enough to blend.

Fill muffin cups, sprinkle with a little grated cheese and if you like also a little paprika for color. Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes. Makes approximately 12 muffins.

The North Star and a Bacon Cheeseburger with Chips

Posted by Pussycat in Reviews | Leave a comment

12June2014

I haven’t been posting lately as spring has sprung and I’ve been busy planting and weeding the ridiculous number of vegetable beds we built in the fall. Most days when I would normally be cooking I grab a piece of cheese or a piece of bread or both and call it a day. Shortly I’ll post from my garden and will get back to making some good food. In the meantime I give you the best little burger joint this side of the border. As much as I love to cook and am not half bad at it….. I take pride in recreating most things that we find in restaurants…. this burger seems to be just a little beyond my reach. Maybe I haven’t tried hard enough… maybe I don’t care to… it’s just so easy to stop by… and enjoy and support a local Drive In that serves up the best burgers I’ve had the pleasure of eating.

There is something to be said for a great scratch-made burger that has not been frozen but rather made to order for when you make your request. This is how the North Star does it. Their burgers are to die for! A little shack in the rougher end of town with just a couple of picnic tables. If it’s raining, eat in your car…. I have … 🙂 And make sure you go to the bathroom BEFORE you get there…. I’m honestly not sure if they have a public washroom and I honestly don’t care.

I have never been a fan of burgers that are dripping with meat sauce… if I want a sloppy joe then I’ll make one at home and I also absolutely hate when the bun is a whole lot of filler. You know them. The bun is three times the size of the burger and far more than anyone really wants to eat. I don’t go to a burger joint for a bun, if that’s what I want I go to a bakery. I want a burger that has discernible toppings, lettuce that looks like lettuce and a tomato and bacon that isn’t sliced with a Ginsu knife… you know the kind… sliced so thin they don’t want you to come back… like in the old commercials. I know the pics aren’t the greatest… and it may be hard to see the beef but it’s only because I was really hungry and wasn’t interested in posing the meal…. and there are two REAL slices of bacon that do a good job of hiding the meat. Make no mistake though… you taste it ALL in EVERY yummy bite!

When you order a bacon cheeseburger here you get two nice obvious slices of bacon, cheese and all the rest that add so much to the burger dare I say it is heavenly. Some have said that since the new ownership a little while ago the burgers have gotten smaller and the prices have gone up…. I don’t care…. If I can get a fresh bacon cheeseburger and homemake – YUP homemade sliced and fried chips (not loaded with an obscene amount of salt cause they let you salt your own) for under 15 bucks I’m thrilled. And really… I don’t need a burger the size of a monster whopper at Burger King…. if I do I can go there…. that’s just not my cup of tea.

The proportion of burger to bun to toppings is perfect. The burger is juicy and the chips (if they haven’t run out for the day because everyone loves them) are crispy and perfect every single time I’ve had them. (Maybe just don’t let them sit in the bag for a while… anything crispy will get soggy after steaming in a bag for a while). And I’ve had them a few times since they’ve opened this summer. That’s the hitch folks. This little shack is closed during our Winnipeg winters and who can blame them… it’s just way to cold out there. I must admit that I crave these burgers in the wintertime and if it was snowing outside right now and they were closed I may not be so forgiving… but for now they are open and I’m a huge fan!

They also have another couple of interesting burgers… PB and J and a Blue Cheeseburger… I haven’t gotten there… waiting to get tired of this one… though that may take a while so I’ll make this commitment here and now…. I vow to try their other burgers this summer and report back…. stay tuned!

For now if you live in Winnipeg you must MUST try these if you haven’t already… and if you don’t live here…. come on down and give them a shot… just make sure it’s summertime… because that’s the only time they are open and it’s beautiful here this time of year!

531 McGregor Street in Winnipeg…. Google it! 🙂

Macaroons

Posted by Pussycat in Sweets | 2 Comments

9May2014

Yum

Passover “Forgotten” Macaroons found in Chabad.org

One of the sweets that’s popular during passover, or actually anytime of the year are Macaroons. It’s not something I make a lot as P isn’t a huge fan of coconut. Given that I love coconut and was baking several things for Passover I decided that these would be a great addition to our table.

These are so easy to make and in the past I’ve found it challenging to have them crunchy on the outside with a little sticky and gooey on the inside. However… people… I will tell you that I believe I’ve found the secret!

When baking these you literally preheat the oven to 350 degrees and when you have these little beauties on the pan, ready to go, simply put them in, TURN the oven OFF and let them sit in there overnight… not sure if this qualifies them as “no bake” but it sure makes them super easy and pretty much “no fail”! They will turn out perfect every time, nice and golden on the bottom and just a little gooey inside. I made several batches and each was just as perfect as the next. Simply perfect and so easy.

Ingredients

2 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, while it’s heating up beat the egg whites in a stand mixer until they form stiff peaks then add the sugar slowly while continuing to beat. Beat in the salt and vanilla and once mixed turn the mixer off and stir in the coconut. Drop little mounds onto a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick baking spray or on parchment paper and make sure you give them some room as they will spread.

Place the cookie sheets in the oven and TURN THE OVEN OFF. Leave macaroons in the oven overnight and in the morning remove from cookie sheet. You can then melt some chocolate and either dip or drizzle them. Enjoy.

Mundel (Mendel) Bread

Posted by Pussycat in Sweets | Leave a comment

8May2014

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I started making what we lovingly call Mendel bread for our friend Mendel… many years ago. This was his favourite treat and being a ridiculously busy family they didn’t make it often. So I got the recipe and learned how to make it, sharing with him several times. Even after not making it for numerous years it always reminds me of him.

This year as I was making Passover dinner I felt I needed to include this treat. Essentially it’s the Jewish version of biscotti, very simple to make and it stays incredibly well in the freezer, if you can keep ~~your~~ everyone’s hands off it and have any left over.

I found this recipe in the Jewish Chronicle and it’s Sadye’s Mundel Bread. It’s definitely one of those things that you can make just to always have on hand for a relaxing cup of coffee or tea. Yummy!

Cream together…

1 stick of butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
5 eggs

Add…

3 cups unsifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp almond flavor
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup slivered almonds

Form into 2 smooth logs on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 20 – 30 minutes. Remove from oven, slice, turn slices on side and bake another 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

I would then… while still quite hot… dust with a sugar and cinnamon mixture. So simple and so… so… good!