Valentines Gift of Chocolate Covered Strawberries

My trip out to the store over the weekend involved purchasing a pound of strawberries sold at the very low price of $1.67 (the 3 pounds for $5 sale). The ridiculously low price got my wheels turning and I thought this would be a prime opportunity to purchase something sweet to go with this tasty fruit since Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. I picked up some milk chocolate baking chips with the idea to make some chocolate covered strawberries. The strawberries are a breeze to make and the chocolate melt can be accomplished by using double boiler method or microwave. I am old school and always prefer the double boiler method. Microwaves vary in intensity and there is always risk of overheating the chocolate which of course renders it useless for doing the job. I made a pound of these with my kids over the weekend and we successfully finished all but two during our Sunday night dessert. The recipe below calls for using two pounds of berries since that will adequately use up an entire package of baking chips. If you want to make these extra fancy, proceed to add a second covering of melted white chocolate. If you really want to impress that someone special this Valentines day, why not gift him or her a batch of these?

 Chocolate Covered Strawberries Made Easy

2         pounds strawberries  (about 35 berries), rinsed and dried thoroughly

1         pound milk chocolate baking chips

2         1   tablespoon shortening

1.       Fill pot with two inches of water and bring to a boil.

2.       Place heat safe bowl or another pan over boiling saucepan.

3.       Reduce heat to simmer and place baking chips and shortening into bowl

4.       Using a spatula, stir and fold chips and shortening together until completely melted and chunks are broken down. 

5.       Turn off heat source, remove bowl and place next to strawberries.

6.       Take the berries by the stem and dip into chocolate sauce, twirling around so just about the entire berry is cover in chocolate; then place on wax paper lined cookie sheet.

7.       Once all berries have been coated in chocolate, chill in refrigerator to allow to set. Once the coating has set, you can serve and eat or prepare second coating of white chocolate and repeat steps 4 through 6.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Czech Fried Cheese (Syr Smezany)

Syr Smezany or fried cheese a very popular dish often served up as a meal in itself or as a common appetizer at a tavern or by a street vendor. The recipe is simple as the ingredients list is short as is the price. This recipe will also be a sure fire way to win over some younger diners at the table as most kids will connect this dish to cheese sticks. The form of Czech fried cheese though takes on a rectangular shape.

Czech Fried Cheese Recipe

Serves 2

4 slices Edam, Gouda or Swiss Cheese ½”” thick

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 large egg, beaten

¾ cup breadcrumbs

1 cup vegetable oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

1.       Establish assembly line that consist of flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs all on separate plates and all in that order.

2.       Heat oil to 375 degrees in skillet or fryer

3.       Dredge cheese in flour, then submerse in egg, and roll into breadcrumbs.

4.       Shake off excess and place into hot oil in skillet.

5.       Be sure to turn fried cheese after about twenty seconds. It fries quickly (only about twenty to twenty five seconds on each side).

6.       Place on paper towels to capture excess grease.

7.       Serve with boiled potatoes, salad of choice and a side of tartar sauce.

Happy New Year From My Favorite Czech Recipes

Alas, another year has come and gone and I am now looking forward to a busy, but fun 2012. I look back at the posted recipes for 2011 (rajska omacka, cucumbers in sour cream, roast duck, and Christmas checkerboard cookies) with inspiration to create more Czech dishes during the New Year. Since the launch of this blog a few years back, I have posted just about every Czech recipe I have in my recipe box to date, though I am to the point where I will begin experimenting with existing recipes created by others and tweak them here and there (if my taste buds demand it). I realize people like to visit this site for classics such as Svickova and Dumplings; please understand this is a blog which grants me the opportunity to ramble with other Czech recipes and those non-Czech recipes. I also enjoy sharing a few cooking tips whenever possible.


On a side note, I just uploaded a new crock-pot Italian Beef recipe that I am happy to share. It is a recipe passed over from my mom. This simple recipe requires a simple inexpensive cut of pot roast that slow cooks throughout the day, yielding a tasty tender sandwich.

Winter Passion Other than Cooking

When I am not engaging in the daily grind of work or spending my usual time in the kitchen (or on this cooking blog), I like to engage in my two favorite sports, golf and ice hockey. Living in Chicago I am fortunate enough to have several local parks within the city and in the surrounding suburbs that are great places for outdoor skating in the winter. Last year I introduced the sport of skating (and hockey) to my six year old and plan on doing the same with my little two and half year old this winter. The excitement of teaching these kids the fun wiinter sport encouraged me to write a lens about Chicago skating rink directory covering ten quality outdoor rinks in the area. For those that reside in the area or plan on visiting the Chicago area during the winter, I highly recommend you check out my new site.

Making Checkerboard Cookies (Sachovnice)

Yesterday I finally got around to making some Czech checkerboard cookies. The linz dough recipe I used was out of Brizova’s cookbook, though I have seen similar recipes throughout the web. The ingredients are simple and minimal; flour, butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and cocoa. This preparation is simple and straightforward as the dough is divided in half before the cocoa is added to make the chocolate squares (checkerboard) or as the dark swirl (pinwheels). The other option with the light and dark dough is to make random cutouts to make a salami cookie. I liked Brizova’s recipe as it was easy to follow and required just a small list of ingredients.

Making the cookie was an enjoyable experience as I recruited my six year old to sift the flour, cut in the butter and work the mixer. The cookie dough was very crumbly and loosely held together and maybe that is the way it works with a linz dough. You really have to work the dough out to get the butter to moisten and bind every flour and sugar crumb together. The moisture from the egg yolks and vanilla really didn’t help as much as I expected. The cookies baked fairly quickly and brought forth a very festive appearance. I was somewhat happy with the results (see picture above). The challenge of getting the dough to stick together adequately may have explained why the finished products were susceptible to cracking. I found this out very quickly when I had a few checkerboard cookies break as I transferred off the cookie sheet. I enjoyed this cookie better when it was still warm out of the oven as opposed to the cooled down crumbly version.  As there are numerous sugar cookie varieties that taste much better, I would gladly make these checkerboard cookies again simply due to their fun appearance. 

Merry Christmas!

Tips For Decorating A Cheese Platter

I am in the midst of planning a Christmas Eve party with friends and relatives that will have the offerings of assorted meats and cheeses served with accompaniment of cold salads and a few hot side dishes. We try to keep the Christmas Eve celebration easy as we opt for the formal sit down dinner the next day. Our Christmas Eve celebration meal is essentially a build your own sandwich with the offerings of a fresh baked spiral ham, sliced turkey, and roast beef. The meat gets accompanied with choice of cheeses, fresh breads, and assorted condiments. 

Just because the fare is considered informal, there is no reason to hold back on creativity. The cheese tray is one item that can definitely be tweaked to present a fun festive appearance. Some quick ideas to making a cheese tray look fancy and fun:

1.       Serve it on a mirror

If you have a small platter sized mirror (doesn’t have to be round); this will serve as an excellent serving platter for cheeses. Make the presentation look fancy by cutting the cheese in triangles and fanning them throughout the mirror. The mirror will also display well when it is resting on a festive red or green holiday tablecloth. The food will also not trash the mirror as it wipes away clean at the end of the evening with a hot soapy wash cloth. I learned this trick when I used to work in the hotel kitchen and have used it many times.

2.       Serve with fruit

Cheese always tastes and looks delectable when accompanied by fruit. Consider garnishing the tray with fanned strawberries or opt for grapes. Specialty stores may even carry the “mini grapes” which go well with the cheese. Other options include raspberries, blackberries, or kiwi. Make the fruit colors vibrant so they contrast against the pale tones yellow and orange of the cheese.

3.       Greens

I know it sounds predictable, but a little bed of kale does not hurt. Try to go with the different dyes of kale as there are other color options beside just the plain green. Kale has more defined and artistic edges than typical bed of lettuce. Try to avoid using the jagged ends of greens such as romaine.

4.       Edible Ornaments

Get a little crazy with your cheese display and break out the paring knife and a few veggies. Fun edible garnishes include tomato peel roses, radish roses, apple swans, etc. There are many websites found on the internet that show some simple easy to make vegetable or fruit garnishes.

These are only a few simple tricks to make the holiday cheese tray more fun. Obviously the creativity does not stop there as one can go artistic with the way the cheese is cut or even rolled up if one decides to serve a spreadable cheese in a ball covered with crushed walnuts or almonds. Whatever you do, just make it fun!

German Apple Pancake Baked in a Skillet

The weekend was busy as it began last Thursday preparing a Thanksgiving dinner for nine people and preparing subsequent turkey leftover meals throughout the rest of the extended weekend. Many hours were spent within the confines of just the kitchen. I was successfully able to use up just about all the remaining turkey from Thanksgiving which involved the likes of turkey sandwiches and even a round of southwest turkey wraps.


I did manage to squeeze in a favorite Sunday morning treat for the family. I took time out to prepare a skillet baked German Apple Pancake. The recipe has been in my possession for years and I love to make this with a very tart apple such as a granny smith. For those that have not prepared a German apple pancake, the final presentation is a combination of cinnamon apple tart and egg custard base. The skillet allows for the delicious pancake to develop crispy edges with a sweet baked custard inside that is topped with caramelized apples with cinnamon sugar and nutmeg. The decision to add syrup is a matter of personal preference, though it really does not need any additional help with respect to sweetness.

I had posted this recipe on my squidoo site many moons ago and will post the link here. This recipe appeals to those breakfast lovers of pancakes, French toast, crepes and fancy egg dishes. Just add the flavors of apple and cinnamon and this breakfast is a hit. There are several variations of the German Apple pancake recipe floating about on the internet. They all are pretty close together as the call for the ingredients of three to four eggs, flour, baking powder, butter, cinnamon sugar, and apples. This recipe will comfortably feed four. If your group is large consider doubling up the recipe.

Thanksgiving Wishbone Rules

I would like to wish everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving. This is probably one of my favorite meals during the year as I really enjoy the gathering of friends and family over a roasted turkey with an abundance of some of the year’s best side dishes. I would also use this opportunity to post the rules for those interested in engaging in the traditional wishbone pull between two willing participants. Once the turkey has been carved, remove the wishbone and pick the bone clean of any meat. This wishbone will then serve as entertainment before or after the supper.


The rules are as follows:

1. Each person holds a side of the wishbone.

2. Eyes are then closed and a wish should be made.

3. Count down out loud……”3…2…1”.

4. Pull on wishbone.

5. The participant with the larger bone will be rewarded with a wish come true (at least he or she hopes!)

For those that are still scrambling for a good turkey bread stuffing recipe, feel free to try my nadivka recipe I posted previously. The recipe produces a very moist rich stuffing and can be altered slightly with the addition of fresh mushrooms or sage sausage.

How to Prepare Czech Roast Duck

One of my treasured czech meals is bohemian style roasted duck. I usually get this meal onc a year if I am lucky. I typically have to order it at a czech restaurant or prepare it for myself while the rest of the family enjoy roast chicken or pork. Their disdain for eating duck is primarily attributed to their appreciation of these little fussy waddlers observed at the petting zoo or at the local parks swimming happily down the river. Somehow and someway, my view of duck has pushed me past the cute fuzzy image more in favor of the tasty Sunday roast that is served with homemade dumplings, sauce, and a braised cabbage dish. Just about every grocery store will carry duck in the frozen poultry section; if you can get one fresh, all the better! The bird usually weighs no more than five pounds and offers up between three to four servings. I have seen the price range for a five pound duck range anywhere between eleven to twenty bucks for a roaster; a fresh one most likely costing a bit more. I have seldom seen duck sold at larger weights. Should you desire a bigger size roast, you may want to consider goose which is prepared basically the same method, though with increased cooking times. Many Czech restaurant menus will sell roast duck alone as a combination with roast pork (Veprova). Bohemian style duck is pretty simple to prepare and goes extremely well with such accompaniments as yeast raised dumplings, sauerkraut, and sour cream dilled cucumbers. Squeezing in a cold czech pilsner with this meal is the cherry on the sundae.



Bohemian Style Roast Duck (Kachna)



1 - 5 pound duck
3 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt/Pepper
1 cup water

Method

1. Clean and rinse duck inside and outside cavity
2. Pat dry duck
3. Pierce fatty sections of duck with fork
4. Coat inside and outside of duck with combination of salt, garlic, and caraway seeds
5. Place duck breast side down on roasting pan
6. Pour cup of water into base of roasting pan
7. Place pan into 350 degree oven and roast for one hour covered
8. After first hour flip duck over, rebaste with juices and fat gathered on bottom of pan and roast for additional hour
9. Allow duck to rest ten minutes, then carve
10. Serve with dumplings and kraut or braised cabbage

Tip: For a crispier finish, consider increasing temperature to 375 for final fifteen minutes and remover cover.

How to Buy The Right Size Turkey For Thanksgiving

One of the most daunting tasks for many hosting their first Thanksgiving is trying to determine how much turkey is required for the big holiday gathering. Preparing this large meal for family and friends can be stressful enough aside from having to worry if there is enough food. The guidelines are pretty simple with purchasing the turkey, though the amount desired can be subjective on what is considered enough.  I typically like leftovers so my rule of thumb is to purchase the bird based on estimate of at least a pound and a half per person. That may seem like a lot of meat to buy, but a turkey weight also includes weight of bones, neck and gizzards. A pound and a half estimate will be more than enough for the hungriest of guests. An estimated range of between 1.50 to 1.75 pounds per person will definitely ensure a few leftover meals after the holidays. Once the meat is picked, it can be conveniently frozen and recreated in delicious dishes like pot pies and tetrazzinis. If the purpose is to minimize excess food, then you can adequately feed your guests at a pound per person assuming there will be other side dishes. The Butterball turkey company has a convenient turkey calculator that also assists with those unsure of how much bird is enough. The cool website also has a thaw calculator which is also imperative to ensure the bird is ready to go in the oven on the big day. The link to this website can be found here.

Restoring an Old Maple Butcher Block

We had the fortune of inheriting an old butcher block that previously belonged to my grandparents. This 200 pound plus monstrosity had become a fixture in the garage for the past five years and we finally decided to clean it up so we could use it in the kitchen. While the block is structurally in great shape, it was in dire need of some intense clean up and restoration. The makeover process all started with a bucket of hot sudsy water with a tad of bleach. We gave the block a good wipe down from top to bottom. The block had numerous stains, blemishes and cobwebs stuck to it so this bucket cleaning was first in order. We even cleaned the wheels on the bottom of the legs.


The next process was to allow the block to dry in the sun for a few hours before we prepared the finish sander. We used the orbital sanders and began the process with an 80 grit sheet which is pretty abrasive but capable of removing years of debris, old oils, and nicks. After we sanded down the surface to our satisfaction, we finished sanding the surface with a finer grit (240) grit paper for smooth block. Since the sides were relatively smooth, we simply hit them with a light sanding of a very fine (400 grit) paper. The block was wiped down with a rag soaked in hot water and allowed to dry again.

The next stage involved applying food grade mineral oil to the surface as several applications were required as this newly sanded block soaked up the oil quickly. Once the porous block no longer took any more oil; the excess oil was wiped clean with a dry towel. It is at this stage I would recommend (though I didn’t do it), applying a coating of beeswax that will serve as surface protector to the butcher block. Some mineral oils are sold with beeswax included, though I could not find it at the store I was shopping at. Beeswax serves the purpose of acting as a natural surface protector to the butcher block as well as giving the fixture a more finished appearance.

Our final step involved giving the block a little charm by painting the four legs to match the kitchen décor. The block required two of us to lift and roll into the kitchen. It is now a happy addition to our kitchen and will prove useful when it comes to food preparation and much needed counter space as the holiday season approaches

How to Prepare a Berry Sauce using Frozen Berries

One of my favorite fruits harvested in the summer is raspberries and blackberries. A good hearty outcropping of these fruits during July makes for great time out snacks when tending to the garden or yard. Those berries that remain uneaten at the source are eventually picked and find their way to the freezer for later use. Aside from being used as a pastry filler and coffee cake ingredient, I like to occasionally prepare a blackberry sauce as an accompaniment to palacinka (crepes), pancakes, cheesecake topper, or simply drizzle over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Frozen berries work just as well as fresh when it comes to making a sauce, and some cooks will give the sauce a slight kick with the hint of Chambord or private label berry liqueur. I usually leave those additions out as I am preparing desserts that include my children. The recipe is so easy to follow and will keep for a day or two so there is no need to prepare too much. Left over sauce can be used as syrup for pancakes or a base for a salad dressing.


Blackberry Sauce

2 cups frozen blackberries, thawed; retain juice and set aside in small bowl.
¾ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon corn starch

Method

1. Pour thawed berries into pot
2. Add water and sugar and bring to a boil.
3. In a small bowl, mix corn starch and reserved berry juice together.
4. Reduce heat to simmer and add corn starch/berry mixture, whisk and continue simmering for a few minutes until sauce thickens.
5. Remove from heat and run blackberry sauce through strainer (removing seeds and pulp). Allow to cool before serving over dessert.
6. Store sauce in refrigerator for later use.