Shrimp with Rice

Based on a Paula Deen recipe

1 cup rice

1 lb of fresh shrimp, cleaned, peeled, deveined

1/2 onion, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

1 can of shrimp soup

1 1/4 cup of grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Creole Seasoning

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Cook the 1 cup of rice with 2 cups of water for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the shrimp and chop the vegetables. In a non-stick skillet brown the onion and the bell pepper. In a medium size bowl combine the fresh shrimp, browned vegetables, shrimp soup, 1 cup of the cheese and the seasonings. Add the cooked rice and combine everything really well. Then put the mixture in a greased casserole dish and sprinkle with the remaining Cheddar cheese. Bake the dish at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Hirschgulasch

Deer Goulash

15 juniper berries
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 lbs deer meat (back strap or deer steak)
salt/pepper
4 carrots
2 leeks
1 big onion
1/4 cup of bacon fat
1/4 tsp thyme
1 bay leave
3/4 cup red wine
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp cranberry sauce (whole cranberries)

Crash the juniper berries and mix it with the ginger, cinnamon and salt/pepper. Cut the deer meat in cubes and rub the seasoning on it. Cut the bacon fat in very small cubes and brown it in a large pot. Add the seasoned meat and brown it as well.
Meanwhile chop the vegetables (carrots, leeks, and onion). Add them to the meat and cook them for a little bit with the meat. Add the rest of the seasonings such as thyme and the bay leave. Add the red wine and water, cover it and let it cook on low to medium heat for about 2 1/2 hours. If necessary you might have to add some more water after a while. After the meat is tender and the vegetables are cooked; you have to fish the meat out of the stock. After you have done that (it is some work, I won't lie) you make a sauce out of the vegetables and liquid. Use a hand-held blender for it. Be careful it is extremely hot at this point. After the vegetables have disappeared into a sauce, add the meat back and now you can finish the dish up with the heavy cream and cranberry sauce.

Serve over potato dumplings or potatoes. Usually I would also serve it with some apple red cabbage but Walmart has discontinued this item. Well, I can fix it again in Germany. I don't have the time to make this delicious side dish myself right now.

Pineapple Cake with Coconut Topping

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
20 oz crushed pineapple with juice
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

coconut topping

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
5 oz evaporated milk
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, and eggs. Mix everything well. Stir in the pineapple, flour, baking powder, and vanilla. Bake in a 13x9-inch greased and floured baking dish for 50 minutes.

In a medium saucepan bring the butter, sugar, and milk to a boil and boil it for about 4 minutes over medium-high heat; you have to stir constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut, pecans, and vanilla.

Spread the coconut mixture over the hot cake and return the cake back to the oven and bake it until the top is browned.

Enjoy.

Cindy's Meatloaf

This is my mother-in-laws recipe

2 eggs
2 lbs ground chuck
8 oz tomato sauce
1/2 finely chopped onion
1/2 sleeve saltine crackers (crushed)
1/2 Tbsp Texjoy steak seasoning
1 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the meat, onion, crackers, eggs, and seasonings in a bowl. We use our hands in the Stephens Family. Add in 1/2 of the tomato sauce. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Using your hands form a nice meatloaf in the baking dish. Spread the remaining tomato sauce on top. Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until the meat is done.

Red Beans and Rice

1 lb dry Kidney beans

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp minced garlic

3 stalks celery, chopped

6 cups water

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1 Tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp Cajun seasoning (Creole seasoning)

1 lb sausage (I use deer sausage)

2 Tbsp tomatoe paste

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Rinse beans and let them soak in a large pot overnight.

In a skillet with the olive oil, cook the onions, bell pepper, garlic and celery for about 5 minutes.

Rinse the beans and put them in a large pot with 6 cups of water. Add the cooked vegetables and season with the bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, parsley and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a medium-low. Simmer for about 2 1/2 hours.

Add the sausage and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Add the tomatoe paste.

Serve over rice.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

3 chicken breast cooked and de-boned (I use the chicken out of a can but you don't have to)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 small onion (chopped)
8 oz grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp butter
Tortilla chips
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Saute the onions in butter. Add the soups, broth and the tomatoes. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile layer a casserole dish with the tortilla chips, then half the chicken, half the cheese and then half the sauce. Then repeat with the remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Upside Down Apple-Praline Cake

Paula Deen's Recipe

1/2 cup melted butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 Fuji apple (thinly sliced)

1 Granny Smith apple (thinly sliced)

1 cup butter, softened

2 1/4 cups sugar

5 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups whole buttermilk

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Caramel Mousse (make 2 hours ahead)

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1 package unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

1/3 cup boiling water

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup caramel ice-cream topping

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Caramel ice-cream topping

glazed pecans

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Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with nonstick baking spray with flour. Pour 1/4 cup melted butter in each pan. Sprinkle each evenly with 3/4 cup brown sugar. Arrange apples slices in a single layer over brown sugar; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat 1 cup softened butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating just until dry ingredients are moistened after each addition.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 20 minutes. Remove from pans, and place, apple sides up, on wire racks; cool completely.

In a small bowl, soften gelatin in cold water; let stand for 2 minutes. Add boiling water, stirring to dissolve; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat cream at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Slowly add gelatin mixture, beating until combined. (Mixture will look like it is melting, but will firm up.) Stir in caramel. Cover; and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using.

Spread half of Caramel Mousse evenly over top of 1 layer. Place remaining cake layer over mousse. Spread remaining Caramel Mousse over top of cake. Drizzle with caramel topping, and sprinkle with glazed pecans before serving, if desired. Store cake in refrigerator.

Zuericher Geschnetzeltes

Veal in Cream Wine Sauce

½ lb veal (I use chicken or boneless pork chops)
olive oil
salt/pepper
1 onion
1 small package of sliced mushrooms
½ cup white wine
½ cup heavy whipping cream

Slice the veal into thin slices and brown them in a skillet with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Take the veal slices out and brown the mushrooms and chopped onion in that same skillet. Put the veal slices back in the skillet and add the white wine. Let it simmer a little bit until half of the liquid is evaporated. Then add the cream and let is simmer until the sauce thickens. Serve over rice.

Mousse au Chocolat

1/2 cup milk chocolate

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate

3 egg whites

4 oz heavy whipping cream

Melt the chocolate and let cool down a little bit. Whip the egg whites until they are stiff.

Stir in the melted chocolate. Whip the cream until it is stiff and then fold it into the chocolate mixture. Chill the cream for at least 2 hours.

Oma Leni's Kartoffelsalat

Potato Salad

5 – 6 medium size potatoes
4 cucumbers
salt
4 oz bacon fat
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
salt/pepper

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Boil the potatoes with the skin on until they are tender. Set aside. Peel the cucumbers and slice them into thin slices preferable with a vegetable slicer. Put some salt on them and let them stand for a little bit. Cut the bacon fat into small cubes and fry them in their own fat until crispy. Peel the cooked potatoes while they are still warm. Slice them into thin slices and put them in a big bowl. Now squeeze the cucumbers so that the cucumber water is left. Put the drained cucumber slices into the bowl with the potatoes. Add the bacon cubes. Now mix the mayonnaise, a little bit of the cucumber water, lemon juice, sugar and salt/pepper until you like the mixture. Usually it shouldn't taste like mayonnaise anymore. Add the dressing to the cucumbers and potatoes. Mix everything really well but be careful not to smash the potatoes. Try to leave them in slices. Serve warm with steak, meatballs, or Bockwurst.

My grandma Leni made this potato salad every time I was at her house. I miss you grandma.