De Ma Cuisine

Kid-Friendly Archive

Friday

11

May 2012

0

COMMENTS

Mom’s Potato Salad – Guest Post

Written by , Posted in Breakfast, Dinner, Eggs, Gluten Free, Guest Posts, Kid-Friendly, Legacy, Lunch, Potatoes, Potlucks, Salads, Sides, Vegetables

I thought it would be fitting, since it’s my birthday week and it’s almost Mother’s Day, to have my mom write a post for me. The two go hand in hand, since I’m the oldest, so my birth made her a mother.

See that photo? The frame is kinda dirty because it’s usually in the kitchen. I don’t mind. That’s why I didn’t clean it off for its photo shoot. That’s Mom and I at Niagara Falls. There are lots of photos of Mom and I that I love, but this is one of my favorites.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized more and more how much I am like my mom (and my dad too). I think it’s a good thing. I appreciate the traits, values, and talents they’ve passed on to my brothers and I. My mom is a hardworking woman, but she can be so silly too. I love that. I love that I discovered a passion for cooking, as she did. Most of our Skype conversations include at least one discussion about a recipe, or what one of us had/is going to have (different time zones) for dinner. It’s a fun thing to share with her, even from far away.

Thanks, Mom, for years of home cooking, and for instilling in us your love for food! Happy Mother’s Day! I love you!!

Here’s Mom…

Hi, this is Rachel’s Mom, Susan Pries, posting a near-Mother’s day blog. One of my favourite (this is the Canadian spelling) comfort foods is potato salad, my recipe, of course.  When I was in Kindergarten I often went to my Grandmother’s house for lunch after school.  My favourite lunch was an egg salad sandwich. One day my Grandmother told me she was out of hardboiled eggs.  I said that was OK, I really only liked the mayonnaise anyway.  She couldn’t bring herself to making a mayonnaise sandwich, so I got mayonnaise and jam.  Back to the potato salad. I never really liked potatoes a lot; it’s probably the mayonnaise that I like, but even I can’t serve myself a mayonnaise salad, so I add potatoes & hardboiled eggs.  I probably have grown up a bit since those early days, and I do enjoy potatoes quite often now and don’t need nearly the same amount of mayo.  Another thing about my potato salad is that I don’t usually add “crunchies” that is, raw onions or celery.  When our children were much younger they didn’t like to eat vegetables (they’ve grown up too) so I left out the celery & onions (I’m not fond of raw onions in anything, so I was happy to oblige).  So, here’s my recipe for potato salad (not very original) which I have been known to eat for breakfast (just think fried eggs and hash browns).

Happy Eating!

Mom's Potato Salad

Ingredients

  • 5 lb potatoes (or 1 medium potato per person)
  • 6 large eggs
  • Dressing: 1½ -2 cups Miracle Whip (or other Mayonnaise-type product) may use ½ sour cream
  • ¾ tsp regular mustard
  • 2 Tbl white vinegar
  • 2 Tbl white sugar
  • ¾ tsp salt (to taste)
  • dash of paprika
  • onion powder to taste
  • garlic powder to taste
  • 1 Tbl parsley
  • For “crunchy" version, you may add: ¼ cup chopped green or white onions, ½ cup chopped celery.
  • Rachel may wish to add: 5 or more slices of cooked, crumbled bacon

Instructions

  1. Steam potatoes until soft.
  2. Cover eggs with cold salted water; cover; bring to boil; turn off heat and let sit, covered for 15 minutes.
  3. When done cooking, cool potatoes & eggs (separately) under cold water.
  4. Combine dressing ingredients.
  5. Peel & dice the potatoes & eggs and add enough dressing (add a bit more if salad won't be served right away).

Notes

As with most of Rachel's recipes, all amounts are "to taste." You may choose to leave the potatoes with skin-on. (But do peel the eggs). Serve immediately at room temperature or chill and serve within a day or two. This salad is especially good served with homemade hamburgers, on homemade buns, with chips and homemade salsa on the side.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/post-by-mom/

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers, mother figures, and to all who have (or have had) mothers… And especially to my mom, who is certainly my favorite.

Monday

28

November 2011

2

COMMENTS

Christmas Memories

Written by , Posted in Baking, Cookies, Dessert, Holiday, Kid-Friendly, Legacy

BrandoAntlers2008-1

It doesn’t feel like Christmas is less than a month away. It’s starting to feel more like it now that Thanksgiving dinner has been eaten, and we’ve almost finished decorating for Christmas. But, tomorrow it’s supposed to be 80 degrees F. The song White Christmas will be playing for sure! 🙂 In any case, no matter what time of year the weather makes me think it is, the holidays are upon us!

I’m reflecting on holidays past, and feeling a bit sentimental. I remember walking into the living room and seeing my Cabbage Patch Kid doll waiting just for me. I remember the day after Christmas (boxing day, in Canada) we’d all drive to Oma and Opa’s for the big family Christmas. As kids, we couldn’t wait to be finished with dinner and the Christmas carols so we could open presents! I remember the smells of Christmas morning – Mom would always make a cinnamon bread wreath that had icing and cranberries on top. Cinnamon always smells like comfort, like Christmas to me. I remember making Pfeffernusse with my mom every year. She’d make a huge batch of dough and we’d roll them into long skinny lines and then chop them into bite-sized pieces. The windows would get all foggy with condensation. It was cold and snowy outside, warm and cozy inside.

I remember my first Christmas as a newly married couple. Decorating our own place, starting our own traditions, like watching Home Alone as we put up Christmas decorations. I remember two years ago, a friend gave us some reindeer antlers. We put them on our dog and tried to take pictures of him. They stayed on his head for about thirty seconds.

And this year, we’ll make new memories, explore new traditions, repeat old ones. (Antlers on dog, check. Photo taken, check.) We’ll drink cider, sing carols, get a Christmas tree, try to get the dog to keep the antlers on for a little longer (success!!), drink peppermint hot chocolate (from Trader Joe’s – have you tried it?! We’re slightly obsessed with it!)…

Of all the Christmas memories, I could never pick a favorite. But one of the best was making Pfeffernusse. The ones we make are the tiny, sweet, minty cookies (not the brown spicy ones – also good, just not our tradition). This year one of my brothers is coming to visit. Maybe we’ll make some together! (What do you think, Josh?) I forgot to ask my mom for the recipe – I was going to post it, and I guess I’ll need it if Josh and I are going to bake them… whoops! (I wasn’t going to admit that, and was going to post another recipe, but that’s really the one that goes with this post… so I’ll leave it, and you’ll know for sure that I’m far from perfect. I’ll post it when Mom emails it to me, in case you want to start a new tradition with your family. :)) (Update: Success! We have the recipe! Thanks, Mom!)

Enjoy the holidays, friends! Happy memory-making!

Merry Christmastime!

Pfeffernuesse - From the Melting Pot of Mennonite Cookery

My Great Grandmother Harder used to make these and my mom taught us to make them. We'll continue the tradition for a 4th generation.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups shortening/butter or combo
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup cream/milk or combo
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract
  • 6 cups flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • salt
  • 1 cup milk

Instructions

  1. Cream together: shortening/butter or combo and sugar.
  2. Add: cream/milk or combo and peppermint extract.
  3. Sift: flour, baking powder and salt.
  4. Combine and add alternately with dry ingredients: milk.
  5. Beat until a medium soft dough is formed. Chill for several hours or overnight.
  6. Divide into 6 parts; Roll out 1/2" thick; cut into long strips and roll into long fingers.
  7. Cut across sereral rows at a time, making pieces the size of a small marble.
  8. Place on greased baking sheet.
  9. Bake in preheated 425' oven for ~ 7 min, until a light golden brown.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/christmas-memories/

Wednesday

23

November 2011

1

COMMENTS

Pumpkin Pasta

Written by , Posted in Cheese, Dinner, Holiday, Kid-Friendly, Lunch, Main Dishes, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Do you want to do something with the extra pumpkin filling you didn’t use in your Pumpkin Pie? One option is to make another pie. Or, you could make some pumpkin pasta for dinner on Friday night. If you didn’t have Pumpkin Pie, but have some winter squash that needs a delicious use: roast it, scoop it out, puree it (freeze it, if you’re not ready to use it yet)… then you’re ready to cook!

Ooh, another yummy way to use leftover pumpkin is on grilled cheese. Not kidding. Take a little pureed pumpkin (about 2 T per sandwich) and spread it on a slice of bread. Top with cheese, close the sandwich, and butter (or olive oil) the outside of the slices and grill until cheese is melted and bread is toasty (I’m sure you know how to make grilled cheese, so all that was probably totally unnecessary).

For more ways to use Thanksgiving leftovers, check in on Friday. Until then, enjoy your loved ones, the turkey, potatoes, gravy… I don’t need to list the whole meal, mostly because it’s making me hungry, and you know what it entails. Happy Thanksgiving, Friends! And for those of you in non-Thanksgiving places, happy tomorrow’s Thursday to you!

Here’s the pasta. It’s basically like Mac and Cheese meets Pumpkin.

Happy Eating!

 

Pumpkin Pasta

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 2-4

Ingredients

  • pasta (rice, whole wheat, or regular - spaghetti, rotini, penne)
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 T flour
  • 1 C (or more) milk
  • 1/2 C stock (or water, or milk)
  • 1 C pumpkin, pureed
  • pinch cumin
  • pinch all spice
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1/4 t red pepper flakes
  • 1 C sharp cheddar cheese (or whatever cheese you like), grated
  • 1/4 C parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 C pasta water
  • 1/2 T balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta (reserve 1/2 C pasta water before draining pasta).
  2. Heat oil in pan, add flour. Whisk together and cook 30-60 seconds. Add milk and stock slowly, whisking as you do. Once it's getting thick, add pumpkin and seasonings. Bring almost to a boil (try not to let it boil - the sauce may break) and turn heat off. Add cheese, whisking; add pasta water and balsamic vinegar.
  3. Serve topped with any, all or none: homemade croutons (toasted slices of bread seasoned with olive oil, chili powder, salt and pepper), caramelized onions, parmesan, bacon. Great on it's own, or as a side with chicken or beef or leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/inspired-by-pumpkin-pie-filling/

Thursday

4

August 2011

0

COMMENTS

Sweet Onion Mac and Cheese with Croutons

Written by , Posted in Bread, Cheese, Dinner, Herbs, Kid-Friendly, Main Dishes, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Sauces, Sides, Toasting, Vegetables, Vegetarian

 

Rach’s Sweet Onion Mac and Cheese with Croutons
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
  • 1/2 LB whole wheat elbow macaroni
  • Croutons: pinch cayenne
  • pinch basil
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1 T Parmesan cheese
  • 2-3 T olive oil
  • 1 C cubed bread (1″ cubes)
  • Pasta: 1 T olive oil
  • 1 onion (or a few spring onions), diced
  • 1 T fresh oregano and basil (or whatever herbs you think would taste nice together), chopped
  • 1 T honey
  • 5 cloves garlic, diced
  • 2 T flour
  • 1/2 C yogurt
  • 1/2 to 1 C pasta water
  • 1/2 C cauliflower, pureed
  • 1-2 C grated cheese (mixture of any: Parmesan, Monterey Jack, Sharp Cheddar, Mozzarella)
  • to taste Salt
  • to taste pepper
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 1 C Milk
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta.
  2. Prepare croutons: Combine basil, cayenne,salt and pepper, and Parmesan with a bit of olive oil. Pour over cubed bread. Bake at 350 F for 10-20 minutes, or until toasty, flipping once halfway through.
  3. While pasta and croutons are cooking: Heat a medium-sized skillet and add 1 T olive oil. Add onions and cook over med-heat for about 5 minutes. Add herbs; 2 min; add honey; cook until onions are soft; add garlic; 1 min (don’t let the garlic burn!).
  4. Add flour; whisk in; 30 sec; add milk; whisk in; add yogurt; whisk in; add pasta water; whisk in; add cauliflower, whisk in; let it thicken, but do not boil.
  5. Turn heat to very low and add cheese; whisk in (whisking like a figure-8). Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  6. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and combine.
  7. Serve topped with croutons and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Notes
May 14, 2010

 

Wednesday

29

June 2011

1

COMMENTS

Nutella, Bacon and Strawberry Grilled Cheese

Written by , Posted in Bread, Brunch, Cheese, Fruit, Kid-Friendly, Lunch, Meat, Pork, Quick and Easy, Sandwiches

 

Nutella, Bacon and Strawberry Grilled Cheese
Recipe Type: Sandwich
Author: De Ma Cuisine – Rachel Oberg
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • Nutella
  • 6 slices Gruyere-Cheddar Melange (from Trader Joe’s), or just Gruyere
  • 6 slices New York Cheddar
  • 4 strawberries, sliced
  • 4 slices bread
  • 1/4 to 1/2 C chopped, cooked bacon
  • butter (or butter spread)
Instructions
  1. Spread bread with butter (outside sides). Spread inside of one slice (per sandwich) with Nutella – not too much, or it will be too sweet.
  2. Top Nutella side (in this order) with: Gruyere, strawberries, bacon and cheddar.
  3. Grill (using a cast iron skillet to press down if desired, or a panini press) until cheeses are melted and bread is crispy.
Notes

We gave this one *** (“Loved It”)