Madison House Chef

Oktoberfest Celebration: Weiner Schnitzel

Weiner Schnitzel, kraut, pomme frites, soft pretzel, and bavarian senf (Bavarian mustard)

My husband Ken and I have long enjoyed Munich as a place to relax, to eat good food and drink exceptionally good beer. This year after leaving Florence, thirsty for a tall Augustiner Edelstoff and wanting to show the kids the amazing Deutsches Museum, we spent several days in Munich. During the time there both kids discovered a love for Weiner Schnitzel.

Mini Burgers on Waffle Fries

 
bacon cheese burger

Bite size (or two).
Creative.
Personalized.

These would be great for a party, either served in a bzillion different condiment combinations OR served as a mini ‘burger bar’ set up.

 

 

Baked Potatoes – Any Way You Like It

Tonight was baked potato night at the Madison House Chef kitchen table with each potato topped with favorite ingredients.  Meatless for Miss Muffet and myself, and a big slab o’ beef for the boys.

When selecting a baking potato, choose a football shaped Russet with tight skin, no blemishes or bruises, and positively no sprouts or green discoloration.

 

Freshly Hand Ground Beef Burger (with photos) … the story of a meat grinder

When I was a little girl I remember going to my maternal grandparents’ house and seeing meat being ground for sausage. I didn’t like sausage at the time and thus my focus was directed not to what was being made, but on how it was prepared.  What I remember was a large, silver, wood handled, heavy tool – a shiny grinder.  This fine mechanism was heavy enough that it needed to be clamped to a big white wooden stool.  Most of the time I could only watch, but on occasion I’d get a turn at the handle; what a strenuous task!

Fast forward a few years (okay, quite a few).  I am now the proud owner of that same heavy tool. 

Monday Marathon

Yesterday/Monday: Began the day by walking to the butcher shop for 5lbs of ground beef, 5 lbs of ground pork, 10 lbs of Milanesa res (beef sliced incredibly thin) and 2 plump chickens.  After walking home and changing clothes I went to HEB (drove, bummer) for 5lbs of bacon, 5 lbs of Italian sausage, 9 cans of tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes, 4 lbs onions, 1 large jar of pickles, and few other items needed.

The result by days end --

two roasted chickens, meat pulled from the bone -- (one protein 3 meals)

15 C of homemade chicken stock made from the bones of the roasted chickens (frozen 3 C portions)

45 roladens with bacon, pickle and onions (frozen 2 per bag with extra onions)

3 LARGE pots of ragu (still finishing their day 2 cooking today with a little more added tomato sauce; will freeze later for a bzillion meals.)

…and a batch of chocolate chip cookie in bar form.

It’s been quite a Monday marathon – and the larder is again well stocked.

What a fabulous day off.

Micro-Burgers

My daughter, who generally prefers chicken or cheese based protein in her bento, requested that she have a little variety for a while.  She’s getting “chicken-ed out.”  After a brief discussion we agreed that the best item for her bento tomorrow would be a left over burger.  She’s had this before and really enjoyed the 2 inch diameter burgers that I prepared.  However, I couldn’t find the cutter that I ordinarily use and thus I used a silver cookie cutter that I generally use for cheese --- it’s a star.  The result was an immediate hit; fancy looking, star shaped, micro-burgers.

Of course it’s a rather fusion bento as she still requested having an onigiri.

This was definitely a photo-worthy trio of stars.

Texas BBQ Hot Dog

One of the valley taste combinations that I have come to enjoy is the BBQ-pickles-onion taste that comes when one orders a bbq brisket plate.  Without fail, the condiments include hamburger dill pickles sliced thin, fresh onions often in rings sometimes diced, and tangy BBQ sauce. 

The Texas BBQ taste sensation adorns this all beef wiener – the saltiness of the hot dog added to the mouth puckering tanginess.  Wash it down with a cold brew and you have yourself a handheld meal.

Jalapeno Guacamole Gourmet Hot Dog

A little change of pace from burgers...  a gourmet dog.

This coal grilled, all beef, kosher hot dog rests on a grill toasted bun slathered with guacamole, and topped with jalapeno and green onion.  

Serve with a cold cerveza.

Comer con gusto!

Red Onion, Hamburger Dill Pickle, Guacamole Burger

 

 

Another combination of ingredients that create a delectable burger:

Red Onion
Hamburger Dill Pickles
Guacamole

 

Mushroom 'Unmelted' Swiss Burger with Cracked Black Pepper

It's not unusual to find a Mushroom Swiss burger on any bistro menu, but most often a thick slice of pre-cut, processed cheese has been placed on the burger patty.  However, for a taste that allows the subtle nature of high quality swiss to complement the beef, slice the swiss into thin opaque pieces and place them atop the mushrooms and not directly on the burger patty.  

For an added complementary taste, season the patty with fresh ground black pepper after it comes off the grill.  

Enjoy!

Stuffed Blue Cheese Burger

 

This burger delights the blue cheese lover with tender beef, the sweetness of pickled red peppers and the full bodied flavor of the blue cheese. The preparation technique allows for a larger portion of blue cheese.

 

 

 

 

The Passion Burger aka The Olive Burger

On July 11, I posted a photo and thoughts about eating an Olive Burger while reminiscing about the Key Hole Bar's olive burger.  Ta dah!  Sound the trumpets, fire up the grill... we drove 1,828 miles to eat the real thing.  

 

 

 

 

8 Down, 434 Meatballs to Go

 

Last night we had mashed potatoes covered with meatballs and onion gravy.  Comfort food!  

442 Meatballs

On Saturday, as I wrote my homily incidentally which happens to be a food text, I rolled and cooked 442 meatballs.  Literally.  I counted them as I rolled them and placed them onto pans of 100.

Taste tests conclude that the meatballs taste delicious.  I didn't realize until well into the mixing process that I was making them a little different than usual.  I did not add the pork and I used a little leaner meat.  If meatballs can be "healthy"... no, not healthy... "lower in fat" ... yes, that's it ... Again, if meatballs can be 'lower in fat' then these qualify.  They taste delicious, the flavor is lighter, and they are less greasy.  It's a slightly different flavor than previously, but equally yummy.

This batch, many of which will be frozen, will hold us for a while!

By the way, I found the original recipe, which had been hiding between two cards in my recipe box, and it wasn't from Auntie Weeza, but from Mom's friend Carol Duncan, 1968.  Oh how retro!

Channeling My Inner Olive Burger

Yum!  Delicious!

Ken grilled this amazing burger to perfection creating a nice sear on the outside and a perfect medium-rare on the inside.  As of late I've been partial to jalapenos on my burger, but this time it was olives a la Key Hole Bar in Mackinac City. 

Can anybody remember what else Key Hole Bar puts on their olive burgers?  I seem to remember a sauce or dressing, but I don't think that it was mayo.  

Nearly Beef Sashimi

Midday Monday afternoon Ken and I stopped at the local butcher shop to pick up pork chops for supper.  We also planned to inquire about ordering a beef tenderloin.  The shop around the corner from us doesn't keep tenderloin in the case (much higher in price than their average beef/pork/sausage/chix offerings), but at times has frozen ones on hand.  We decided that we really didn't want frozen and from an earlier conversation we knew that if we gave them a day or so lead time that they'd be happy to put one aside for us.  So... we're picking up the pork chops and when the butcher asks, as on every occasion, 'is there anything else?' I said, 'Do you have beef tenderloin today?'  His response, 'let me ask.'  (Good answer)  

Ox Tail Soup

Since the opening of Aguilar's Meat Market, I've been eying the ox tail and wondering what to do with this 'non-traditional' beef piece.  One day in the midst of a food conversation I mentioned to my mom that I was interested in trying ox tail -- she proceeded to tell me that my grandmother used to make ox tail stew.  Go figure.  Thus once again channeling my inner Kraut, I ventured into research and study of what makes an edible ox tail.  The result follows -- I admit that the final product was tasty and certainly edible, but further research and another try will one day be on the docket. 

Roladen

One of Ken's favorite dinner's is a German favorite, Roladen.  As a little girl I remember both my Mom and my Grandma making it.  When we were last in Munich, we ate delicious roladen and since that trip it's become a fairly regular part of our menus.  Not long ago I brought more meat home that I had planned to make for roladen for that night's dinner so I decided to give freezing whole roladens a try. While I don't generally enjoy frozen meat they were delicious -- the secret I think was long and low.  I put them in the crock pot with a little beef stock and ta dah!

It Tastes Like New Year

Having decided that meatloaf just didn't seem to be the meal I wanted to remember as our last of 2008 I went to the store and picked up some Johnsonville sausage and a bit of ground pork.  Channeling my inner 1970s hostess the meatballs began to cook I thought "it smells like a holiday."  I remember my mom making mini italian meatballs (aka cocktail meatballs).  She plunked them into a pan with onion soup mix and water to keep them moist and hot until we ate them (at the party, of course) with BBQ sauce.  Delicious.  

Here's my version... one based on her recipe whose origin I don't know. Mom? Where did the recipe come from?  I guess:  Auntie Weeza.

For a small batch (10-12 dozen)

1.5 lbs fresh ground beef
1 lb fresh ground pork
1 pkg sausage (mild; 5 Johnsonville size sausages)
1 pkg of Lipton Beefy Onion soup mix, dry
1/2 a container of Italian bread crumbs  (I have no clue how much... a cup?)
2 eggs

Place all ingredients into the bowl and mix together thoroughly with your hands.

Roll into 1 inch balls

Place in 350 degree electric frying pan.  Cook on one side until a 'crust' forms and they roll over easily to the uncooked side.  You know it's time to turn them when the cooked color of the meat reaches about 1/3+ of the meatball.  Roll them over and cook the other side.  There is no timing here -- just cook them until they are 'done'  and no longer pink.  This is the one and only time I condone well done beef, but the pork and sausage are in there too thus I'm being safe.

Drain on a paper towel (or paper grocery bag).  Put into a serving dish.  Eat with a toothpick.

These freeze FABULOUSLY and the meat comes together in triple, or more, easily.  I like to do a big batch 5 lbs each meat and then freeze them. (Hey, my hands are gooky with meat, might as well keep going, they don't take long and kids find rolling meatballs to be fun.) 

These mighty bites make great meatball subs, go well in spaghetti sauce, or go easily onto a pan next to the pizza rolls when someone has the late night munchies (I won't say who...)