Brovaria, Poznań, Poland

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In the two and a half days that I've been in Poznań, I've been to Brovaria twice.  In my book, that qualifies as a favorite.   Located in the town square, Brovaria is home to the hot beer that I've been hearing so much about.  

 The idea takes a little getting used to, but this hot spicy beer is really quite nice to sip on a chilly afternoon.  It reminds me of a mulled wine or cider but not so sweet.  I've come very close to duplicating this beverage at home. 

With today's hot beer, we tried meat filled pierogi served with creamed spinach and mushrooms (they're big on mushrooms here).  We split an order; so surely, that is not too many points.  Not to worry, this is vacation, and we must have walked at least 3 miles after getting on the wrong train.

Restauracja Ratuszova, Poznań, Poland

We enjoyed a great meal Restauracja Ratuszova in the town square in Poznań, Poland. My husband had been reading about it online.  It's described as being built into a cave. 

 

The main dining room and bar are in the cellar and have a very Old World feel, right down to the mural.

I was chatting with a Polish pilot a couple of weeks ago and asked what I should be sure to try when dining out in Poland.  He told me that most meals in Poland begin with soup - Zeruk and Barscz come highly recommended.  Tonight I tried the Zeruk, a sour, white sausage soup.  Note the adorable presentation, right down to the knob of the bread bowl lid.

 In addition to the soup, our table tried:

Salad with chicken - it was agreed that the salad had a decidedly European taste to it, possibly the chopped fresh parsley.

Roasted Wild Boar, with a blueberry sauce (according to the website, we thought it might be black currants), and radish sprouts.  The boar had a nice flavor, but was a little chewy.  I think it's like having alligator in Florida; you have to try it.

All of the entrees were served with roasted potatoes and mixed vegetables.

 

Pork loin, wrapped in bacon, served with a cranberry sauce

 

Apple pie with a peach sauce, tasty

I'm pleased to say that culinary options have improved a lot since my brother was in Poland 20 years ago teaching English as a Second Language and exisiting on potatoes and cabbage.  Our share of this meal (for 2 people) came to $62, including tip,  for soup, salad, wild boar, a glass of wine, two beers and apple pie - certainly more affordable than less memorable meals in other European cities.  

I must add a thought here and say that Ratuszova was the first place I've been to in Poland to offer a non-smoking dining room. It's been a couple of years since smoking in public places has been banned in Arizona.  It seemed so radical at the time (especially the requisite signage), but I've not only gotten used to it, but have come to really appreciate it. 

 

Taste Barcelona, Poznań, Poland

March 2011 - Sorry to say this restaurant has closed.  

Wouldn't you know my first meal in Poland would be Spanish food?

We had planned to have zupa (soup) at a nearby restaurant, but it was Saturday night, and we were without a reservation.  So we found a table at Taste Barcelona in Stary Browar, a huge red brick mall that used to be a brewery.

My husband ordered the Catalan, a selection of Spanish meats (jamon serrano, chorizo, y salchinchon) on a bed of greens.  I had the Costa Brava, very similar to my own Spanish Green Beans dressed up with goat cheese and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Party Menu

We recently hosted a party of about 40 friends and family members, and my niece has made a written request for the menu.  It was an interesting mix of folks that I work with at the church, people my husband has worked with (including Polish pilots), neighbors, and my parents and sister.

We served things we enjoy.  If there was a theme to the menu, it would be international - a Cuban drink; Polish, French and Greek pastries; Middle-Eastern, Spanish, and Southwestern appetizers.  

We snapped a few food shots before our guests arrived, but we had such a good time visiting with everyone that we forgot to take any photos of the people!

Savory
Jalapeno Smoked Almonds
Zesty Sausage Squares
Pineapple Cheese Ball
Hummus with Pita
Chipotle Spread with Toasted Baguette Slices
Swedish Meatballs - the standard with grape jelly and chili sauce
Veggie Platter with Peppercorn Ranch Dip (Costco)
Pinchos Morunos - these were the hit of the party!  We used a package of pork loin from Costco - 5 x the recipe.  Grilling these during the party was our performance art for the evening.  They couldn't come off the grill fast enough. 


Sweet
Petite Lemon Cakes (Costco)
Seedless Red Grapes (Costco)
Cream Puffs (Costco)
Chocolate Chip Cookies - just the recipe from the back of the chip bag  
Baklava
Kolachi (almond, apricot, poppy seed) - our Polish guests gave this recipe a thumbs up, although there was some discussion about the proper name; it seems to vary by region. 

Beverage
A variety of beers
Sodas and bottled water
Decaf Coffee
Mojito Punch - The last time we served mojitos at a party, it seemed as if I spent the whole time muddling mint.  The larger quantity is the way to go.   

Hot Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash - Thanksgiving Side Dish

I created this recipe more than 25 years ago.  It's a combination of a dish my husband described (said dish prepared for him by an old flame,  ;-) so the pressure was on) and a recipe for Stuffed Zucchini from the South Fork Ranch Cookbook that I found in the public library.  This was during the heyday of the nighttime soap Dallas and long before the internet, the Food Network, and food blogs; it seems almost primitive!

Ingredients

2 acorn squash
1 lb. hot pork sausage (I use Jimmy Dean)
1 c. mayonnaise
2 c. herbed stuffing mix
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350.  Slice squash in half and remove seeds; place cut side down on a parchment covered baking sheet (makes clean up easier).  Bake for 60 - 90 minutes, until tender. 

While the squash is baking, brown sausage; drain on paper towel.

Using a potholder or tea towel to hold the squash, scoop out most of the squash from the shell; mix in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients using only half of the cheese.  Fill the squash shells with squash sausage mixture.  Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.  Return to baking sheet and bake at 350 for 30 - 35 minutes.

Serves 4 as a main dish

Note: to serve this as a side dish, place the mixture in a greased casserole dish, top with Parmesan cheese.  Will serve 8 - 12 as a side dish.   

This Thanksgiving recipe has been shared with All Through the Year Cheer.  

Pumpkins

The youth at church sell pumpkins every year to raise money for their summer mission trip.  This is half a semi-truck load.  I believe they come from a farm in New Mexico.  The variety of colors and textures is surprising; they're beautiful!

 

(tjs3?) Crab Cakes

My niece recently fixed crab cakes; they were the best I've ever eaten.  I believe she was using her boyfriend's recipe.  I'm not saying this is his recipe, but after the meal, we did find a packet in the kitchen similar to the one below.

 

Source: Old Bay Crab Cake Classic packet

Ingredients

1 pkg. Old Bay Crab Cake Classic
1/2 c. mayonnaise (Best Foods or Hellman's, ideally)
1 lb. fresh or canned crab meat, drained and cartilage removed.

Directions

Mix Crab Cake classic and mayo in a large bowl.  Add crab meat; toss gently until well mixed.   Shape into 6 patties.  Broil or fry (I used 3 T canola oil and 3 T butter over medium heat) 5 minutes per side or until golden brown turning only once.

Turn very carefully.  I've had problems with crab cakes breaking apart in the past, so I used one spatula to lift the crab cake, put a second spatula upside down on top of the crab cake, so that when I turned the whole thing over, it was easy to gently slide the crab cake off of the second spatula without it breaking apart.

We put together a sauce to have with our crab cakes, recipe below.

Ingredients

1 T. butter
1 small shallot, finely minced
1 T. white wine (I wish that I had used brandy or sherry.  I think it would have added more to the sauce.)
2 T. dijon mustard
1 c. heavy cream
1/4 t. kosher salt

Directions

Sautee shallot in butter until translucent; Add wine and mustard, stirring until blended.  Add cream and salt.  Simmer over low-medium heat for just a few minutes.

Hummus

Our daughters introduced us to hummus, and my husband and I have gotten in the habit of splitting an order during happy hour at our local brew pub for a light, inexpensive meal.  I was  thrilled to see that it's easy and even less expensive it is to make your own!

Ingredients 

2-15 oz. cans garbanzo beans (or 3 cups cooked beans)
1/2 c. liquid from beans
5 T. lemon juice
3 T. tahini*
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 t. kosher salt
4 T. olive oil

* My friend, Julie, has substituted peanut butter for tahini in a pinch and it tastes great! 

Directions

Drain beans, reserve liquid.  Blend beans with lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt, and oil in food processor.  Add bean liquid and process until smooth, 3 - 5 minutes.

Serve with vegetables or pita.  The pita in the photo was sprayed with canola oil, sprinkled with kosher salt and Parmesan cheese and broiled just until the cheese looked puffy but not long enough to make the bread crisp. 

Pineapple Cheese Ball

Something a little different than the traditional port wine cheese ball.  This recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, the 612th TFS Wives' Cookbook, 4th edition published in 1980.    While this simple book lacks color photos (my favorite part of  any recipe),  I did have the advantage of sampling many of the recipes at potluck gatherings.  Thanks to Lois Howard for sharing this one.

Ingredients

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 t. seasoning salt
1/4 c. green bell pepper, finely diced
1 T. dried onion
1 c. dry roasted sunflower seeds

Directions 

Combine all ingredients using only 1/2 c. sunflower seeds in cheese mixture.  Form a ball and refrigerate approximately 30 minutes.  Roll in remaining sunflower seeds; refrigerate until time to serve with crackers.

Chipotle Roasted Garlic Spread

This is my effort to  recreate  the  spread we  enjoyed at Tabule and I raved about on this blog.   Adjust the amount of chipotles and adobo depending the the size of the peppers and your taste.   With the garlic, however, I'm urging you to be bold.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. Best Foods mayonnaise (Hellman's in some parts of the country)
1 - 2 chipotle peppers, minced
1 - 2 t. adobo sauce
2 - 4 cloves roasted garlic

Directions

Combine all ingredients in food processor until light and well combined.  Serve with toasted slices of baguette.

Zesty Sausage Squares

There are never leftovers when I serve this dish!  Another favorite from the 612th squadron cookbook.  Serve in small squares for an appetizer, larger ones for brunch.  This recipe comes from Sue Rider, a wonderful cook and hostess.

Ingredients

1 c. buttermilk biscuit mix
1/3 c. milk
4 T. Mayonnaise
1 lb. hot pork sausage
1/2 c, onion, chopped
1 egg
2 c. grated cheddar cheese
2-4 oz. cans green chiles, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix biscuit mix with milk and 2 T. mayo, spread in a well greased 9 x 13 pan.  Pat down.  Saute  sausage and onion.  Drain on paper towels; spread on biscuit mixture.  Beat egg with remaining mayo, cheese, and chiles.  Spread on top of meat mixture.  Bake 25 minutes.  Let set 10 -15 minutes.  Cut into 1 inch squares.  Makes approx. 100.  (The onion and sausage mixute can be done ahead.)

Pincho Moruno (Moorish Style Kabobs)

My husband found this recipe in The Foods & Wines of Spain by Penelope Casas.  He had to buy the book when he saw that Penelope wrote about having Pinchos at the same tapas bar we had - at the Bar Espuela on the Plaza Santa Ana in Madrid.  She has street cred, or should that be kitchen/bar cred?

We sometimes saute the pork with a little olive oil rather than grilling.  It's not traditional, but the meat seems to be a little more moist.  If grilling, be careful not to overcook.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1 teaspoon minced parsley
freshly ground pepper

1 lb. lean pork, cut in  3/4 - 1 inch cubes. (We like to use pork loin)

Directions

Mix all ingredients except pork in a large bowl.  Add the meat cubes and stir to coat.  Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.  Thread on skewers; grill until well browned, but juicy.

Also an excellent main course.  Make the pork cubes larger, serve with mashed potatoes, and a green vegetable.

Turkey - Pumpkin Chili

It seems like pumpkin is turning up in everything this time of year.  When I read about the health benefits of pumpkin, the antioxidants and fiber, and see that a cup of pumpkin puree has only 1 Weight Watchers point, it's no wonder.  I'll be looking for more ways to work it into my diet. 

Ingredients

1.2 lb. extra lean ground turkey
2 T. taco seasoning, (or one packet)
1 1/2 t. kosher salt
1 onion, diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
3/4 c. diced green chili
1 jalepeno, seeded & deveined, finely diced
28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
15 oz. can black beans, undrained
15 oz. can pinto beans, undrained
15 oz. can red kidney beans, undrained
15 oz. can pumpkin puree
4 c. chicken broth
1/4 t. cinnamon
salt, to taste

For a more stew-like chili, stir 1/2 c. corn starch into 1 c. cold water.  Add to chili after cooking 1 hour and simmer until thick.


Directions

Season ground turkey with taco seasoning, and kosher salt; brown in a large dutch oven.   Add remaining ingredients (except cornstarch and water).  Simmer 1 hour.  If desired add cornstarch & water.

Yields 24-1 cup servings, 2 WW Points per cup

Cook E Jar Restaurant, Casa Grande, AZ

Looking for a bit of lunch before heading home from our Casa Grande trip, we stumbled upon the Cook E Jar Restaurant (right across from Food City). 

They were serving breakfast all day on Sunday.  Our selections included an omelet, a "light breakfast," a Cuban sandwich, and the dish that drew the most attention - a generous serving a French Toast topped off with sliced banana and walnuts.  My friend, Julie, always does like to start her day with a little fresh fruit! 

The food was tasty, the coffee fresh and plentiful,  and the service very attentive.  Cook E Jar is definitely on our "do again" list. 

Legends Restaurant, Franciso Grande Hotel & Golf Resort, Casa Grande, AZ

Meeting dear friends from our Air Force days has become an annual tradition.  We rendezvous half way between our homes at the Francisco Grande.   We always stay in the Tower, nice rooms with great views of the golf course. 

For four years, we've enjoyed the food in Legends, the hotel restaurant.  This year, our selections from the menu included: a salmon cesar salad, meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes, and pangasius (a mild white fish) stuffed with blue crab meat and finished with a white truffle balsamic glaze.  The food and service have always been fantastic!

Nutella Buttercream

For my sister's birthday, something chocolate was required.  A chocolate cake with Nutella Swiss Meringue Buttercream.  My mother prepared her other favorite, a Tres Leches Cake, as well as a fried chicken dinner with all the trimmings.  She is well loved and last Friday, very well fed.

To make the buttercream, I added 3 small jars of Nutella to a Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe I found online.  (I have since tried it with the Jif hazelnut chocolate spread and its thicker texture works better in the frosting.)  I have made meringue buttercreams before, but I now realize they were Italian style rather than Swiss.  In this recipe the egg whites are heated before beating.

In the Italian version, a hot syrup is added to the fluffy whites. This method seems to yield a frosting that holds up better at room temperature.  The Swiss was a little to soft to work with, hence the unusual piping pattern around the bottom of the cake.