VEGETARIAN GERMAN POTATO SALAD - DADDY'S DELI NIGHT

This is another of the recipes that I rotate when we have Daddy's Deli Night. I love German Potato Salad which has bacon as an ingredient, but this version has all the flavor and tang. Give it a try, you will not miss the bacon.

VEGETARIAN GERMAN POTATO SALAD

1 1/2 pounds potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
dash black pepper
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vinegar

1. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, 20-30 minutes. Drain.
2. Heat a pan with oil. Saute onions until tender. Add flour through black pepper, stirring constantly for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add water and vinegar and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
3. Serve warm or cold.

ENJOY!

BROCCOLI & CHEESE SOUP

Our family loves to have soup for a meal. Usually, we make a loaf of Crusty Cuban Bread with it for a warm and delicious meal. So often Broccoli and Cheese soup has a lot of cream and cheese in it. This recipe makes a smooth and tasteful soup with the emphasis on broccoli. Give it a try and ENJOY!

BROCCOLI & CHEESE SOUP

2 tablespoon butter
2 pounds broccoli, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup water

Saute the above ingredients and then add the water. Let simmer covered for 20 minutes.

The broccoli will looked overcooked. Add 2 cups vegetable broth plus one cup additional water.

2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup shredded cheddar
1 cup shredded Parmesan

Add 2 cups spinach leaves and cook for 1 - 2 minutes. Place 1/3 the soup mixture in a blender and add the cheese. Process until smooth. Place in bowl and continue until all the soup mixture is blended.
Return to the pot and warm. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve with additional cheese and croutons if desired.

ENJOY!

BARLEY AND ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

My sister, Joanne, is a great at remembering to send cards for the holidays and birthdays. Usually when a card card comes she sends me various clippings from the newspaper and magazines about new recipes or restaurants in the Twin Cities. I always enjoy receiving them and trying the recipes. This is one of the recipes she sent me and it is a winner. The barley gives the dish a nutty flavor and makes a great main course or side dish. Give it a try and ENJOY!

BARLEY AND ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup pearl barley
1/4 cup white wine
3 cups vegetable stock, divided
2 cups asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup toasted, sliced almonds

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the barley and cook for another 3 minutes until lightly toasted.

Add white wine and cook, stirring until the wine has evaporated. Add 2 1/2 cups of the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the asparagus, 1.4 cup Parmesan cheese and remaining broth if needed, simmer, covered for an additional 5 minutes, or until the asparagus and barley are tender. Garnish with remaining Parmesan and almonds.

HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

The other day my sister called and asked for this recipe. She wanted to serve it with her Easter dinner. This simple casserole is a great addition to any meal. We usually have it at our Christmas meal with family, After I sent her the recipe, I decided to add it our Easter meal too. ENJOY!

HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

2 pounds frozen hash browns
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
corn flakes for topping

Combine the the ingredients except for the corn flakes. Place in a casserole dish. Top with corn flakes and bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes.

ENJOY!

THREE BEAN SALAD - DADDY'S DELI NIGHT

I am sorry I have been away for a while. I sold my business in March of last year and I started this blog to have some fun. In December, I had to take the business back and the business took most of my time and focus. Now I am back and will try to have regular postings again. So here goes!

I enjoy making dinners for my family and since I have two vegetarians to cook for, I need to be creative with our menu planning. About once a week, we have Daddy's Deli Night. I make 3 - 4 deli salads for our meal. Today I will share our Three Bean Salad, which is a bit of a misnomer since I put in more than tree types of beans in. You can experiment and put in whatever type of beans you like.

It's nice to be back and ENJOY!

THREE BEAN SALAD

1 15 oz can dark kidney beans
1 15 oz can light kidney beans
1 15 oz can green beans
1 15 ox can wax beans
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
2 cups celery sliced
1 large onion sliced
1 medium green pepper chopped
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup basil chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

1. Drain beans and combine with vegetables and basil.
2. Boil the vinegar, oil and sugar to a boil
3. Cool the liquid mixture and pour over the vegetables. Refrigerate overnight.

ENJOY!

Scalloped Potatoes

This recipe is a very easy rendition of scalloped potatoes. The original recipe called for breakfast sausage crumbled and mixed in. I replaced the sausage with sauteed mushrooms and the family doesn't miss the sausage. I use a mandolin to slice the potatoes and onions, which makes this a quick dish to put together. I leave the skins on the potatoes or you can peel them if you wish. This is a great family comfort meal. ENJOY!

SCALLOPED POTATOES

6-8 potatoes, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
10 3/4 ounce cream of mushroom soup condensed
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Saute mushrooms in butter until done, 5-8 minutes.
3. Mix the mushroom soup, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl.
4. Layer 1/2 the potatoes, onions and all the mushrooms in a casserole. Top with 1/2 the soup mixture and 1/2 the cheese. Repeat with the remaining items.
5. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

ENJOY!

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

It was my wife's birthday at the end of November and I usually make whatever cake she wants for her birthday. This year we were watching a show that featured cranberries and one of the recipes was a Upside Down Cranberry Cake. The lady who made it on the show did not share her recipe as it was a family secret recipe handed down over the years, However, we found this recipe on the internet and I made it for Terri for her birthday. It is a very colorful cake and a great addition for the holidays.Give it a try if you enjoy the tangy taste of cranberries.

CRANBERRY UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

For the topping
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 pound cranberries

For the cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

To make the topping, butter a 9 inch round cake pan. Put the butter and brown sugar in the prepared pan and place the pan over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved. Scatter the cranberries over the butter-sugar mixture. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the cake, in a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix well. Using a spatula, fold in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk.

In a bowl, using a whisk or electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the batter.

Spoon the batter over the cranberries in the cake pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until done. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake. Invert onto a serving plate , let stand for 5 minutes, then lift off the pan.

Enjoy the cake with whipped cream or ice cream.