Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Texas Blue Cheese with Pears and food around the world!

There's no recipe here, just a story and some pictures.
I have been traveling to Europe for 44 years. I learned to enjoy many different foods and beverages that I had never experienced before. I drank my first coffee and ate my first baguette in Paris, my first great cheese in France, my first beer in Germany. I've become a food snob about all of those products. In France, I learned that the stinky cheese is the best cheese, I learned that nothing compares to a baguette with fresh country butter. In Germany I learned that a big hot pretzel is best when served with mustard and a good lager beer. I learned in Switzerland that Raclette is not only a great cheese, but a great social dining experience with friends and family. In Italy and Sicily, I learned that a big greasy slice of pizza is best served from a street vendor  wrapped in a piece of parchment paper. There's nothing that compares to an English Breakfast and Belgium has the best Chocolate! My wife and I are still planning trips to Europe and look forward to discovering new foods and beverages!
I've also learned that the world is getting smaller and we have the opportunity to experience all of the items above, in the States.
A great example is the Texas Blue Cheese that we recently purchased. We served it with slices of Pear and it was equal to any Blue or Roquefort Cheese that we have eaten in France. I was surprised and pleased at the same time.
Expand your taste level, experience new foods and beverages. If you never travel out of your small community, you can experience the world at your back door.

Texas Blue Cheese and Pears






English Breakfast at Borough Market in London




French Macarons



Raclette





Blue Cheese in London


French Cornichons

The experience of Raclette

A plate of Raclette with potatoes, bread and cornichons



Our favorite Cheese Shop in Paris





Enjoy!
The World of Food!

Texas Mac & Cheese

This needs no introduction.

Texas Mac & Cheese

1 pound of Elbow Macaroni
1 pound of Bulk Sausage, I use Vegetarian Gimme Lean Sausage.
1 C Diced Onion
16 oz of your favorite Salsa
2 - 8 oz packages of Shredded Queso Quesadilla Cheese
Pickled Jalapeno Nacho Slices, from a jar or can.

Garnish:
Tomato Wedges
Chopped Fresh Cilantro
Additional Salsa

Heavily butter a 3 quart casserole.
Cook Pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.

In a large skillet:
Heat 2 TBS of Vegetable Oil.  Sauté the Sausage and Onion, just until browned.
Add the Salsa.

Layer the ingredients into the casserole dish:
1/2 of the Macaroni
1/2 of the Sausage/Onion Sauce
1/2 of the Cheese
Repeat.

Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 30 - 40 minutes.
Serve in individual bowls topped with Tomato Wedges, Jalapeño Slices and Chopped Cilantro.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



Monday, December 23, 2013

Chocolate Chip Bars

As we were baking goodies for Christmas, my wife came across this recipe card from her recipe file box.
My wife grew up on a Mennonite Farm in the Heartland. Everyday her mother ( Irene Thiessen) would take lunch to her father and brothers working in the field. She would prepare a lunch, pack the pick up truck and spread it out on the tailgate when she arrived.
This was their favorite dessert. My wife made it for our kids and we are making it for our grand children. It's quick, easy, simple. delicious........ It's a great recipe to teach kids to bake.
I've adapted it a bit to update it. I have not changed the integrity of the original recipe.
This was made by hand, a mixer is not necessary.

1 stick of butter, melted
1 1/2 C well packed brown sugar
1/2 C white sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 TBS vanilla
2 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder  (my wife eliminated the baking powder to make the dough more dense)
1 (10 - 12 oz) bag of chocolate chips (for Christmas she uses a bag of red, green and brown chips)

In a bowl, mix together:
butter
brown sugar
white sugar
until well combined

Add:
eggs (one at a time)
vanilla

In a small bowl, sift together:
flour
salt
baking powder
Add to the wet ingredients
Stir until combined
(my wife folds some of the chocolate chips into the batter)

Spray a jelly roll pan with a cooking spray
Spread out the dough evenly and top with remaining chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes. The edges will be slightly browned
Do not over bake!
Cool completely and cut into squares







This is Irene Thiessen's original hand written recipe card.




Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Sunday, December 22, 2013

BBQ Sauce / Homemade for BBQ Meatballs or Sausage


To make BBQ Meatballs:
Saute baked Meatballs in Olive Oil until browned,
Make the following Sauce :

In a small bowl:
Mix well,
1 C Ketchup
2 TBS granulated Sugar
2 TBS Worcestershire  Sauce (I use vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce )
2 TBS White Vinegar
3 TBS finely minced Onion
Hot Sauce, (Tabasco) to taste ,(I use about 6 dashes)

Pour over browned meatballs in a skillet and re heat.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from The Hippy in the Kitchen!


    I want to wish all of my viewers, in the over 78 countries that follow my blog, a very Merry Christmas. 
    Happy Holidays as you celebrate the diverse traditions of the season.
    I have included phrases in many languages to express my appreciation for all who view the blog.

    I continue to hope and pray for Peace in the world. I am passionate about it.
    I've had the opportunity to travel the world and I embrace all people, all cultures, all beliefs and certainly all food!

    The world is an amazing place!
    Travel is enlightening!
    Terry!
    Enjoy!
    Peace in the Kitchen!

    Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees
    Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees
    African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
    Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden
    Arabic: Milad Majid
    Argentine: Feliz Navidad
    Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
    Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
    Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
    Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
    Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
    Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
    Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina
    Brazilian: Feliz Natal
    Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
    Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
    Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
    Chile: Feliz Navidad
    Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
    Chinese: (Mandarin) Sheng Dan Kuai Le
    Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
    Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
    Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
    Corsian: Pace e salute
    Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
    Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
    Croatian: Sretan Bozic
    Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
    Danish: Glædelig Jul
    Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
    Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
    English: Merry Christmas
    Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
    Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
    Estonian: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi
    Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
    Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
    Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
    Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
    Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
    French: Joyeux Noel
    Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
    Galician: Bo Nada
    Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
    German: Fröhliche Weihnachten
    Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
    Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto
    Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
    Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
    Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
    Hindi: Shub Naya Baras (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
    Hungarian: Boldog Karácsonyt
    Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
    Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
    Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
    Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
    Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
    Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
    Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
    Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
    Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
    Kurdish: Serî sallî nwê pîroz
    Lao: souksan van Christmas
    Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
    Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
    Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
    Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
    Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
    Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
    Luxembourgish: Schèine Chreschtdaag an e gudde Rutsch
    Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
    Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
    Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
    Maori: Meri Kirihimete
    Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
    Navajo: Merry Keshmish
    Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
    Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
    Papiamento: Bon Pasco
    Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
    Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
    Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
    Philippines: Maligayang Pasko!
    Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
    Portuguese:Feliz Natal
    Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
    Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
    Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
    Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
    Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit
    Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
    Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
    Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
    Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
    Scots Gaelic: Nollaig Chridheil dhuibh
    Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
    Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
    Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
    Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto
    Spanish: Feliz Navidad
    Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
    Switzerland (Swiss-German): Schöni Wienachte
    Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
    Tamil: (Tamizh) Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
    Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
    Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
    Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
    Ukrainian: Z Rizdvom Khrystovym or S rozhdestvom Kristovym
    Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
    Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
    Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
    Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!


Caramel Apple Dump Cake



Texas loves Dump Cake. I've posted other recipes for:
Dump Cake (this is the original basic recipe)
Polly's Fall Spiced Dump Cake
Tropical Dump Cake

Caramel Apple Dump Cake: 

2 cans of apple pie filling  
1 box of yellow cake mix 
2 sticks of butter, melted (1 cup) 
1/2 cup caramel sauce
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans 
Whipped cream for garnish
In a greased 9x13 dish, mix apple pie filling and caramel sauce.
Add 1/2 tsp cinnamon evenly in pan.
Pour dry cake mix directly on top of the pie filing, spread evenly.
Top with melted butter and pecans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until top is golden brown and apple filling is bubbly around the edges.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Christmas Breakfast Casserole

This recipe is adapted from allrecipes.com

1 pound of ground pork sausage, I use vegetarian Gimme Lean Fresh Sausage
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs, beaten
2 C milk
6 slices of Artisan Bread (Artisan Breads tend to be baked in rounded, rustic shapes with a hard or chewy exterior.
( Pain de Campagne), cut into cubes
1/4 C Italian flavored Bread Crumbs
2 C of shredded Swiss or Emmenthal Cheese (I shred it from a block)

Saute sausage until browned, drain , cool slightly before adding to egg and milk mixture.

In a large bowl:
mustard
salt
eggs
milk

Stir well
Add:
sausage
bread
bread crumbs
cheese
Stir Well

Pour into a greased 9"X13" dish
Cover with foil and refrigerate for 8 hours or over night

Bake at 350 degrees covered with foil for 50 - 60 minutes

Uncover , reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue baking for 30 minutes.




Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!