Columbus Foodie

I’m not sure why, but this recipe seems apropos for the time of year it is - brats and beer, what could be more October? And in soup form? Perfect fall dish. The recipe had good flavor, although my husband seemed to enjoy it a bit more than I did.

I’m submitting it to be part of this week’s Bookmarked Recipes event.

Brat, Beer and Cheese Soup
recipe slightly adapted from Penzey’s

4 bratwurst sausages, cooked and sliced
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 c. onions, minced (about 2 medium onions)
1 c. celery, minced (about 4 large stalks)
1. c. carrots, sliced (about 3 medium carrots)
1/4 c. flour
1 lb. potatoes, peeled and diced
6 c. chicken stock
1 12 oz. bottle of good beer
1/2 tsp. regular mustard powder
1/2 tsp. graulated garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. chipotle pepper
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

Heat olive oil in soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook about 15 minutes or until tender, stirring every so often to keep from sticking. Stir in flour; cook about 1 minute.

Add potatoes, stock and beer. Bring to a boil and cook 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add mustard powder, granulated garlic, ginger, salt, pepper and chipotle. Combine cream and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Stir into the soup.

Remove soup from heat. Add the cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted and smooth. Remove 2 cups of vegetables with some liquid and add to a blender of food processor. Puree. Stir back into the soup to give it nice body. Return to low heat and add sliced, cooked bratwurst. Cook until the bratwurst is warm; 5 minutes should do it.

The theme for this month’s Homegrown Gourmet is “Game Day Dishes” - this recipe fits the bill in a couple of ways. Columbus is a HUGE football town. I mean HUGE. It’s all Buckeyes, all the time. And one of the places people congregate on game day is Cap City (considering it’s only a mile or so away from the Shoe, I can see why). And since this recipe is by an Ohio-based restaurant, there’s another connection there. Either way, its one of my favorites.

I’ve had Cap City Fine Diner’s meatloaf recipe for a while now (thanks to the nice chef who posts his recipes online), and have even blogged about making it before. But I’ve never made it before in it’s original incarnation, complete with meatloaf and mashers and onion strings and barbecue sauce. It’s one of their signature dishes, and one of the reasons I visit the restaurant from time to time. So here’s my version of the Cap City Meatloaf Platter, as true to the original as possible:

Cap City Meatloaf
recipe courtesy Cap City Fine Diner (Columbus, OH)

2 pounds ground beef
8 ounces ground veal
1 1/4 pounds ground pork
1 diced medium white onion
4 cups sliced shiitake mushroom
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon chopped sage
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic puree
1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons salt and pepper
1/4 cup barbecue sauce (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Saute mushrooms in olive oil and set aside. Saute onions until caramelized and set aside. In large mixer, add beef, veal, pork, eggs, bread crumbs, herbs, garlic, and cream. Mix well. Add mushrooms and onions, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Put mixture into 6×9x4-inch loaf pan, pushing down firmly to pack meat into place. Cover with foil. Place loaf pan into a cooking pan at least 6-inches deep with 3 inches of water in the bottom. Cook in oven for 90 minutes. Remove foil and cover top of meatloaf with barbecue sauce. Cook for another 30 minutes.

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Cap City Barbecue Sauce
recipe courtesy Cap City Fine Diner (Columbus, OH)

3 cups ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons molasses
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 pinch cayenne powder
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Allow to cool and refrigerate until needed.

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Cap City Buttermilk Mashers
recipe courtesy Cap City Fine Diner (Columbus, OH)

note: the recipe didn’t specify quantity of potatoes, so I used around 5 lbs, and added extra ingredients as necessary to taste - it’s simple enough to scale down as necessary

1/2 pound butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh chives
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer potatoes until fork tender. Heat buttermilk and butter. Mash potatoes and slowly add buttermilk and butter. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh chives.

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Chili Onion Rings
recipe courtesy Cap City Fine Diner (Columbus, OH)

2 medium-sized, thinly sliced white onion
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper

Marinate onions in buttermilk. Mix flour, chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Dredge onions through flour and spice mixture. Fry in oil at 350-degrees until onions are a golden brown.

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There isn’t a recipe for bread on the site, so I just took a nice crusty bread and spread it with some garlic butter and toasted it under the broiler for a minute or so until browned. To assemble, I laid down a piece of bread, topped it with a nice thick slice of meatloaf, a mound of mashed potatoes, which I drizzled barbecue sauce on (Cap City doesn’t put the BBQ sauce on the potatoes, I did it this way as a personal preference). Topped the whole thing with some onion straws. Yum.

I’ve got a confession to make - I’m sick to death of cobblers. I’m not sure why, since I didn’t really make many this year. But the thought of one right now? Ugh. Crisps, on the other hand, are a different story. There’s nothing like the crunch of the topping on top of the fruit that’s unencumbered by mounds of dough. So when I picked up some really pretty pears and apples last weekend, I knew they would end up in some type of fruit dessert.

The caramel in this recipe brings it up to an all new level. We both LOVED this recipe, and have designated it our “go-to” crisp recipe in the future. We served it with some brown-sugar whipped cream we got at Whole Foods and ::swoon:: it barely lasted a day before we had devoured it. Dangerous stuff to have around. I’m submitting this recipe to the Cobblers, Crumbles and Crisps, Oh My! event over at Joelen’s Culinary Adventures.

Caramel Apple and Pear Crisp
recipe courtesy Pillsbury

INGREDIENTS:

Fruit Mixture
2 medium apples, peeled, sliced (2 1/2 cups)
2 medium pears, peeled, sliced (2 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup caramel ice cream topping

Topping
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter

Garnish
Whipped cream
Caramel ice cream topping

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In sprayed baking dish, combine apples, pears, sugar and allspice; toss gently to mix. Drizzle evenly with ice cream topping.

2. In medium bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, walnuts and flour; mix well. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over fruit mixture; press lightly.

3. Bake at 375°F. for 30 to 35 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is crisp. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

4. To serve, spoon liquid from baking dish over fruit. Top with whipped cream and caramel ice cream topping. Store in refrigerator.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

1/8 of Recipe: Calories 370 (Calories from Fat 130); Total Fat 14g (Saturated Fat 6g); Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 190mg; Total Carbohydrate 58g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 42g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 8%; Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 6%; Iron 6% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 3 Fruit; 2 1/2 Fat
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

When I think of the word “luscious”, it evokes in me a number of things - combinations of flavors and textures that complement the best parts of the ingredients, maybe luxurious ingredients that I don’t normally use.

But lusciousness need not be complex. This dish basically breaks down into three parts - the grilled fish, the lentils, and the vinaigrette. Each one works on its own, but together, the combination is sublime. We took a shortcut by using a couple of packages of the prepared beluga lentils from Trader Joe’s. I’m sending this over to the Blissfully Delish blogging event.

Grilled Rainbow Trout with Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette and Black Beluga Lentils
recipe courtesy Scott Youkilis via StarChefs

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups black beluga lentils
1 bay leaf
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 Tablespoon finely chopped capers
1 Tablespoon finely diced plus ½ cup julienned shallots
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 whole rainbow trouts
2 Tablespoons canola oil
2 Tablespoons butter

METHOD:
Preheat grill. In a saucepot, cover lentils in two times the amount of water. Add the bay leaf and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the lentils are soft but still have a little bite, then drain.

To make the vinaigrette, in a bowl whisk together both mustards, capers, diced shallot, vinegar, sugar, and parsley. Slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Season the fish well with salt and pepper on the meat side. Coat the skin and the grill with cooking spray. Grill fish, skin side down and open. Cover with a lid and cook for 4 minutes. Carefully remove from grill.

Heat canola oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the julienned shallots and butter, and reduce heat to low. Cook the shallots until soft and brown. Then add the lentils. Remove from heat and toss in the vinaigrette.

To serve, mound the lentils on each plate and top with the fish. Drizzle more vinaigrette on the fish and around plate if desired.

Adapted by StarChefs.com

Ever see a recipe in a magazine that looks good in theory, but is odd enough that it could go either way? That’s the way we felt about these Thanksgiving Turkey Burgers - I mean, the ingredients sounded like they could go well together, but cranberry mayonnaise? Stuffing in the burger?

Turns out it’s probably the best burger either of us have ever had. I had some confetti potatoes to use up, so I ended up making a potato salad on the side, which given the burger, was just begging for me to add a little cranberry mustard to it. That one ingredient was just the thing needed to tie both dishes together. This is one that we’ll definitely make again.

And the best surprise? How affordable it was to make. Using mostly ingredients we got from Aldi, it was well under $10 for 4 people. Who knew? So I’m submitting this one to this week’s Frugal Fridays event.

Thanksgiving Turkey Burgers
recipe courtesy “Great American Grilling” special interest publication

1/2 c. mayonnaise
3 tbsp. jellied cranberry sauce
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 c. minced onion
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
1 large egg white
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. crushed dry stuffing mix
Salt and pepper
4 hamburger buns, split in half

Preheat and oil the grill. Combine the mayonnaise and cranberry sauce in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saute pan set over medium heat. Add the onion, sage, and thyme; saute about 3 minutes or until the onion is soft. Remove from the heat.

Combine the turkey and the egg white in a large bowl, using your hands to blend. Add the cranberries, onion mixture, and stuffing mix and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste and form the mixture into 4 patties about 1/2 inch thick.

Grill the patties over direct medium-high heat about 5 minutes (ours took a bit longer) on each side or just until cooked through. Do not overcook; the turkey will dry out quickly (ours stayed nice and most, thankfully). Meanwhile, toast the buns over indirect medium heat about 5 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove patties from the grill and let them rest 3 minutes. Coat the cut sides of each bun with 2 tbsp. of the mayonnaise mixture, add the patties, and serve.

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Cranberry Potato Salad

1 1/2 lbs. confetti potatoes
1/8 c. cider vinegar
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
1/2 tbsp. cranberry mustard
Mayonnaise, to taste (start with 1/2 cup)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Boil potatoes with skins intact until firm-tender, about 15 minutes. Slice thickly, and put in medium bowl. Sprinkle with vinegar, and then add onions, mustards, and mayonnaise, and stir to combine. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.

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Cost breakdown:
Mayo, cranberry mustard, salt, pepper and vinegar = FREE, normally on hand
Sage & Thyme = FREE, from my outdoor herb garden
1.5 lbs. ground turkey (where 1 lb chub = $1.19 @ Aldi) = $1.79
Cranberry sauce (where 1 can = .79 at Aldi) = .25
1 onion = .45 @ farmers market
1 egg = .10
1/2 c. dried cranberries (where 1 package = $3.49 at Aldi) = $1.25
1/2 c. dried stuffing mix (where 1 package = .79 at Aldi)= .25
4 burger buns (where 1 package of 8 is .89 at Aldi) = .45
1.5 lbs. confetti potatoes = $2.99

For a total cost of $7.53.

When you don’t have kids, it’s kind of difficult to estimate what a “kid friendly” recipe is - is it something that’s easy for kids to make? Is it something that most kids would like to eat? So when I was brainstorming on what to make, I thought back to my first home ec class in 7th grade, where we made a version of this. So simple to make, and so delicious.

What makes this version special is using salted butter instead of margarine. It gives the finished dessert a salted caramel flavor that totally rocks. I’m submitting this recipe to be part of this week’s Kids Cooking Thursday event.

Monkey Bread
recipe adapted slightly from Recipezaar

4 (7.5 oz) packages refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 c. salted butter
1 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. water
1/2 c. walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Place nuts onto bottom of greased Bundt pan. Quarter biscuits, roll in cinnamon and granulated sugar that has been mixed together. Place loosely in pan.

Melt butter, brown sugar and water, boil for 2 minutes (until it has a nice caramel consistency) and pour over biscuits. Bake for 25 minutes, and unmold 1-2 minutes after removing from oven.

To serve, do not cut with a knife - pull apart small pieces with fingers.

I’ve never been a big fan of macaroni salads that are on the sweet side until I tried the macaroni salad at Sammy’s last week. What set it apart was the shredded cheese and radishes in it, and somehow it all worked. So I found a similar recipe online, and played with it a tiny bit to get the macaroni salad I wanted. If you want to lower calories and fat but not taste, use canola mayo instead of the regular low-fat. It has the same fat/calorie count as the low-fat, but tastes like the full fat variety.

I’m submitting this recipe to this week’s Presto Pasta Nights event, hosted this week by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast.

Classic Macaroni Salad
adapted from recipe by NC Cooperative Extension

8 oz. uncooked small elbow macaroni (4 cups cooked)
1 C. low-fat mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. Granulated sugar
2 tsp. Prepared mustard
Dash of Celery seed
1/2 tsp. Salt (optional)
1/8 tsp. Ground black pepper
1 C. (4 oz.) diced reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 C. cooked green peas
1 C. sliced or diced celery
1/2 C. sliced scallions, including green tops
1/4 C. chopped Kosher dill pickle
1/4 C. sliced radishes

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Pour cold water over macaroni; let stand while preparing salad. In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, celery seed, salt (if desired), and pepper. Drain cooked macaroni well.

In large salad bowl, combine macaroni, cheese, peas, celery, scallions, pickle, and radishes. Pour mayonnaise mixture over macaroni mixture; toss to blend. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 254 cal, 11g fat, 9g pro, 183mg sod, 20mg chol

You guys already know that I’ve been all about the soups and stews lately. As sad as I am to see summer fade into fall, I’m so pleased that it’s cool enough now that I can eat hearty hot dishes again. I wanted to find something that would incorporate some of Thurn’s wonderful smoked sauerkraut. When I saw this recipe over at The Cookbook Junkie, I knew it was exactly what I was looking for. The finished stew kind of reminds me of an orange (tomato based) borscht. Definitely would make again, maybe next time using smoked sausage in the place of pork (to save some $$). I’m submitting this recipe to the Low and Slow blogging event over at The Constables’ Larder.

Transylvanian Goulash
recipe from The Time-Life International Cookbook (1977)

1 lb. sauerkraut, fresh, canned or packaged
2 tbsp. lard
1 c. finely chopped onions
1/4 tsp. finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
3 c. chicken stock or water
2 lb. boneless shoulder of pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
1/2 c. tomato puree
Salt
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 tbsp. flour

Wash the sauerkraut thoroughly under cold running water, and then soak in cold water for 10 to 20 minutes to reduce its sourness (we skipped this step - just drained it and gave it a cursory rinse).

Melt the lard in a 5-quart casserole (I used a Dutch oven) and add the onions. Cook them over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are lightly colored, then add the garlic and cook a minute or two longer. Off the heat, stir in the paprika, continuing to stir until the onions are well coated. Pour in 1/2 cup of the stock or water and bring it to a boil, then add the pork cubes.

Now spread the sauerkraut over the pork and sprinkle it with the caraway seeds. In a small bowl, combine the tomato puree and the rest of the stock or water, and pour the mixture over the sauerkraut. Bring the liquid to a boil once more, then reduce the heat to its lowest point, cover the casserole tightly and simmer for 1 hour. Check every now and then to make sure the liquid has not cooked away. Add a little stock or water if it has; the sauerkraut should be moist.

When the pork is tender, combine the sour cream and heavy cream in a mixing bowl. Beat the flour into the cream with a wire whisk, then carefully stir this mixture into the casserole. Simmer for 10 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning. Serve Transylvanian goulash in deep individual plates, accompanied by a bowl of sour cream.

One of my favorite things to eat growing up was apple strudel. As much German as I have in my family tree, it would be a shame for me not to love it. But one thing I don’t love? The tons of work involved with making strudel dough. I’ve found that puff pastry makes a great substitute. I used apples I got at the farmers market. I adapted the recipe slightly by adding a handful of walnuts to the apple mixture. I’m submitting this recipe to the In The Bag blogging event, hosted by Real Epicurean, which is celebrating Fruit & Nuts as the theme this round.

Apple Strudel
recipe adapted slightly from AOL Food

1/2 of a 17.3 ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (I used one Golden Delicious and one McIntosh)
2 tbsp. plump golden raisins
Granulated sugar (for sprinkling)

Directions
Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it’s easy to handle. Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Stir the egg and water in a small bowl.

Mix the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the apples and raisins to the flour mixture and toss to coat.

Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 16×12-inch rectangle. With the short side facing you, spoon the apple mixture onto the bottom half of the pastry sheet to within 1-inch of the edges. Starting at the short side closest to you, roll up like a jelly roll. Tuck the ends under to seal. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet. Brush with the egg mixture, and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Cut several 2-inch-long slits 2 inches apart on the top.

Bake for 35 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Slice and serve warm.

This is one of those quick weeknight recipes - you know, the ones you make when you’ve got a hungry brood to feed but are short on time? Not only is it quick to prep, but by using chicken leg quarters, it’s more budget conscious. I had made baked potatoes on the grill the night before, so used the leftovers from that to make the twice baked potatoes.

So I’m submitting it to Frugal Fridays, as it fits the theme of feeding 4 people for under $10. Here’s the cost breakdown:
4 chicken leg quarters @.49/lb = $1.50
1 cup BBQ sauce @.99/bottle = .75
Condiments (already on hand) = FREE
2 large baking potatoes @ .99 each = $1.98
1/2 c. sour cream @ .99/pint = .25
1/4 c. milk @2.50/gallon = .10
4 tbsp. butter @ $1.99/lb = .25
Grated cheese (3/4 c) @ $1.50 per 2 cups = .60?
Bag of frozen corn = .99

TOTAL for the meal is $6.42

Spicy Oven BBQ Chicken
recipe courtesy Cooks.com

2 1/2 to 3 lb. broiler fryer chicken
1 c. bottled barbeque sauce
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper sauce
1/4 tsp. dried oregano

Place chicken, skin side up, in ungreased rectangular pan, 13×9x2 inches.
Mix remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken. Cover and bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken; bake uncovered until thickest pieces are done, about 30 minutes longer.

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Easy Twice Baked Potatoes
recipe courtesy Recipezaar

2 large baking potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon refrigerated minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8-1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup grated cheese, divided
2 green onions (to garnish)
paprika (to garnish)

Bake potatoes in a 375 degree oven 1 to 1 1/2 hours until done.
When potatoes are done let them cool 10-15 minutes.
Then slice them in half lengthwise.
Using a spoon carefully scoop out the potato, leaving a little on skin so they don’t break. Save the skins.
In a large bowl mix all the ingredients except 1/4 cup cheese, green onion and paprika with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. If not creamy enough add a bit more milk.
Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Spoon potato mixture evenly into shells.
Top with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese and green onions.
Sprinkle lightly with paprika.
Return to oven until hot and cheese is melted, about 15-20 minutes.
Or you can wrap in saran wrap and put in a freezer ziplock bag and freeze for use at another time.