International Recipe Swaps

I posted a couple of these on Swap-Bot, hoping to get some exotic recipes to try - here are mine:

From the first swap - My taste of Philly:

EASY PHILADELPHIA ALFREDO SAUCE

1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package Philadelpha cream cheese
(I use the third less fat one)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 cups milk
6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Dash of Nutmeg

Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve.

This next one is a favorite for making when I'm having parties...people always rave about it and ask for the recipe. It's really flattering because it's so simple!

Italian Roast Beef (for sandwiches)

Rump Roast (about 3 lbs)
Packet of Good Seasonings Italian Dressing (or any Italian Dressing packet)
Jar of Pepperoncini peppers (the ones that come with the Papa John’s pizza – they are not superhot but have a nice kick to them)
1 can beer OR 1 cup beef broth

Trim roast and place in bottom of crockpot. Sprinkle Italian dressing packet all over roast, including the sides. Pour can of beer all over, then pour half the juice from the pepper jar in. Cook on low 8-10 hours, adding remainder of peppers (including juice and whole peppers) to crock 1 hour before serving.

Shred meat and place on toast with melted provolone cheese – Yum!!

The following is a recipe for my mother in law's good old fashioned Italian Style Chicken soup. She was one of those real Italian mothers who always made you eat until you were sick - saying "Manja" Eat More! My husband can make this now and it's close but I don't think anyone can make it exactly like she did! It's so awesome to eat when it's cold out too!

Mom's Chicken Soup

Boneless breasts or chicken pieces (your choice)
Large pot of boiling salted water - preferably about 10 cups of water
3 celery stalks whole
4 or 5 carrots whole
2 or 3 potatoes, whole & peeled
1 large onion, whole, stuck with 3 or 4 cloves (just poke the whole cloves into the onion)

8 boullion cubes (depending on how large your pot is). 8 cubes to 10 cups
Splash of tomato sauce
(Optional, an egg broke into the boiling water)
Oregano to taste
Basil to taste
Parsley to taste
Salt & pepper to taste

Put chicken in pot and boil, skimming the scum off the top of the water when necessary. When chicken cooked, add rest of ingredients (add splash of tomato sauce towards the end). Cook on a high simmer with the top of the pot not completely covering the pot (leave a crack). Simmer for 1 hour at least or until all the veggies are super tender. When close to serving, cook up 1-2 pounds (depends on how many people you're serving) of Orzo pasta (or your favorite small pasta).

In our family, we then remove the chicken and place in a separate bowl. My husband actually takes some of the potatoes and carrots out, adds butter and mashes - he swears it's delicious!

Place cooked orzo in bowl, add soup and parcel out chicken. Top with grated Parmesan cheese. Delish!!!

For Dessert - the most popular thing around here is Cheesecake...of course we use Philadelphia brand cream cheese - yet again! LOL

New York Cheesecake (the easy version)

15 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.
3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

This last swap's German recipes (I lived in Germany when I was younger and loved these!)

Yaeger Schnitzel

4 boneless veal cutlets OR 4 boneless pork chops or sliced pork tenderloin

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

A dash of salt

A dash of pepper

A dash of paprika

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

Rinse meat under cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel and tenderize on both sides. Sprinkle meat on both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika. Beat the eggs and dip both sides of meat into the mixture. Roll both sides in flour, then dip into the blended egg again. Now dip both sides into the bread crumbs.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and fry the chops on both sides over medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until both sides are crisp and golden. Tip: Don't cover the pan while cooking or the meat won't be crispy. After the meat is done cooking, pat with a paper towel to remove the excess oil.

Jaeger (Mushroom) Sauce for Schnitzel

1 cup fresh mushrooms chopped (or use canned strained mushrooms)

1 1/2 cup water (or dry white wine – I like the wine flavor best)

1/2 onion, diced

1 package brown gravy mix

2 tablespoons margarine

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Sour cream to taste (at the end)

Melt margarine in a large saucepan. Add onion and mushrooms and fry until golden. Add water or wine, bring to a boil, and blend in the brown gravy mix. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 5-10 minutes. Before serving, add sour cream and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley.
(Some people add crumbled bacon to the sauce while cooking – it does add some flavor – it’s another option)

Serve with steak fries – Yum!!!

KAROTTEN IN BIER(Carrots In Beer)

4 large carrots

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup dark beer

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Peel and slice carrots. Melt butter in medium-size frying pan; add beer and carrots. Cook slowly until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in salt and sugar. Cook for another 2 minutes and serve hot.

German Rye Bread

2 pkg Active Dry Yeast
1/2 c Warm Water (110-120°F)
1 1/2 c Milk; Lukewarm
2 tbs Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1/2 c Molasses
2 tbs Butter
3 1/4 c Rye Flour; Unsifted
2 1/2 c Bread Flour; Unsifted

Dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl combine milk, sugar, and salt. Use a mixer to beat in molasses, butter, yeast mixture and 1 cup of rye flour. Use a wooden spoon to mix in the remaining rye flour. Add white flour by stirring until the dough is stiff enough to knead. Knead 5 to 10 minutes, adding flour as needed. If the dough sticks to your hands or the board add more flour. Cover dough and let rise 1-1/2 hours or until double. Punch down dough and divide to form 2 round loaves. Let loaves rise on a greased baking sheet until double, about 1-1/2 hours. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Use real butter on top of this bread – sooo good!

Gluhwein (great in the winter or for New Year's eve)

1 bottle of red table wine

1/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

2 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

lemon and orange peel

Boil all ingredients together except the wine and reduce by half. Strain and add the wine. Bring the mixture almost to the boiling point. Serve hot.

BLACK FOREST CAKE

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 oz. semisweet chocolate

1 stick butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups whipping cream

2/3 cup confectioners sugar

1/3 cup kirsch (cherry liquor)

16 oz can pitted red tart cherries drained (reserve liquid)

12 maraschino cherries with stems

Chocolate curls

You need two 9-inch round cake pans. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a double boiler or microwave, melt chocolate over low heat. Cool.

In another mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add melted chocolate and gradually add the flour mixture. Add almond extract. Pour batter into greased and floured pans.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then on a wire rack. Cut each layer horizontally, to make four layers.

You will need a pastry bag with a star tube. In a mixing bowl, beat cream until stiff. Gradually add confectioners' sugar. Sprinkle 1/3 kirsch on a layer of the cake. Cover with whipped cream and add 1/3 of the drained cherries. Place a second layer on top and repeat. Then add the third. Top the cake with a fourth layer. Spread 2/3 of the remaining whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake.

Place the last of the whipped cream in a pastry bag and pipe rosettes of whipped cream around the top edge. Top rosettes with stemmed cherries and garnish top center and sides with chocolate curls (made by shaving a chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler).Enjoy!!