Authentic German Potato Salad

There are a few recipes that I have learned here in Austria that have completely replaced foods that I have grown up with, and this is one of them. While potato salads in the United States are usually creamy and smothered in mayonnaise, the potato salad here is vinegar based and a bit lighter. I have come to really love the flavor and simplicity and will forever make my potato salads this way.

Serves 8

6 cups diced peeled potatoes
2 small onions, diced
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Boil potatoes until soft (about 10 minutes) and then drain water and set aside to cool. Once cool peel off skins with a butter knife. Some prefer to peel the potatoes before they are boiled and that is ok too. Then slice them into bite sized chunks.

In a large pan big enough to hold everything, saute onions in olive oil until soft. Add vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to the pan. Once this mixture is boiling, add the potatoes and heat everything through. Serve warm or cool.

You could also add crumbled bacon for a little extra flavor. Guten Appetit!

Sausage Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

Adapted slightly from Allrecipes

My sister and I tried this stuffing while she was out here, and it was fantastic! Lovely fall fruit flavors blended with spices and meat - it was an excellent combination. It would be interesting to use dried herbs, and different kids of breads. We tried it a second time without meat and it was still awesome, so feel free to make this one vegetarian if you so desire.

Serves 5-6

5 1/2 cups cubed bread (the recipe calls for half white half whole wheat, but whatever)
1 lb. ground turkey sausage
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 Tbsp fresh sage
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 apple, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup minced parsley
1 cup turkey stock
4 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 (176 C) and spread out the bread cubes on a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes until evenly toasted. Then transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.

In a large skillet, cook sausage and onions over medium heat. Then add celery, sage, rosemary and thyme. Cook and stir 2 minutes to blend flavors.

Pour sausage mixture over bread. Mix in chopped apples, cranberries and parsley. Drizzle turkey stock plus melted butter, and toss mixture lightly. Fluff with fork. 

Missy's Favorite Turkey Dressing

from Simply Recipes

I have made this recipe for every holiday party in the last three years and it is always my favorite! It's got a great blend of fall flavors and is so easy. It's a perfect side when you want to feed a lot of people.

Serves 8-12

1 loaf day old French bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 10-12 cups bread cubes)
1 cup walnuts (I have also used hazelnuts)
2 cups onion
2 cups celery
6 Tbsp butter
1 green apple, peeled, cored and chopped
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped olives (martini olives, the ones with the pimento)
1-2 cups turkey or chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp ground sage
salt and pepper to taste

Toast the nuts on medium high heat until browned, about a minute or two. Let them cool and then chop them roughly.

Heat a large saute pan on medium heat. Melt 3 Tbsp (about half) of the butter in the pan and then pour in the bread cubes, coating them with melted butter. Let them toast; only turn them when they begin to turn brown. (It's best if the bread is already a bit dried out. If it's still moist, lay the cubes in a baking pan and put them in a hot oven for 10 minutes or your stuffing will turn out mushy.)

In a large pot, saute onions and celery on medium high heat with the other half of the butter (about 3 Tablespoons) until cooked through, about 5-10 minutes. Add the bread, chopped nuts, apple, raisins, olives and parsley. Add one cup of stock, the rest of the seasonings and salt and pepper.

Cover. Turn the heat to low and cook for an hour or until the apples are cooked through. Check every 10 minutes or so to add water if the stuffing starts to dry out and stick to the bottom of the pan.

Carrot Soufflé

adapted from Simply Recipes

This is a very tasty side dish, easy to make and very interesting way to use carrots. I didn't read very carefully and accidentally made enough for a small army, but it was no bother. The leftovers were just as good.

serves 8

2 lbs carrots

1 cup whole milk

2 cups cracker crumbs

3/4 cup cheddar cheese

1/3 cup minced onion

1 Tbsp (13 grams) butter

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp black pepper

salt to taste

3 eggs

Turn on the oven to 350 F (175 C). Butter a 2 quart baking dish and set aside.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and let the carrots boil 10 min, or until soft. Then puree carrots until smooth with a blender.

In a bowl, slowly mix the carrots with the milk, stirring slowly between pours until smooth and even. Then stir in one cup of crackers, cheese, onion, butter and spices.

In a separate bowl, whip eggs to a froth, then whisk them into the carrot mixture. Spoon entire bowl into prepared baking dish, sprinkle one cup of cracker crumbs on top

Bake 40-45 minutes when the soufflé is puffed up and golden.

Spinach Prosciutto

adapted from Prociutto Recipes

Well, the holiday season is almost over. And while I love eating all of the traditional dishes and special foods, I'm always ready to get back to my lighter regular fare. This is a great side dish with lots of flavor and fairly healthy too.

2 Tbsp olive oil

10 ounces spinach (one big bunch)

4 ounces prosciutto (about 125 grams) *You could substitute cooked bacon

1/2 cup roasted red peppers

1 cup artichoke hearts, roughly sliced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced into rings

parmesan cheese as a garnish

Heat oil in a skillet. Add garlic and onions and saute until softened. Then add artichoke hearts, spinach, red peppers and prosciutto. Cook 10 minutes or so, until heated through. Serve warm topped with parmesan cheese.

Healthier Fried Rice

adapted from Bella Eats

I love fried rice, but always feel bad eating it at restaurants because it feels so greasy. This recipe uses a little drop of oil, but the rest is a bit of egg, colorful veggies and rice so it doesn't feel heavy going down. This is also a perfect dish to whip up if you ever have a lot of leftover rice to use.

Serves 4

2 Tbsp peanut oil (I used rapeseed oil)

1-2 large carrots, peeled and chopped finely

1 red bell pepper, chopped finely

1 cup peas

2 Tbsp fresh chive or scallions, minced

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

4 cups steamed brown rice, cold

3/4 tsp salt

1-2 tsp Asian sesame oil (optional)

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Saute the carrot and bell pepper and peas until tender, then remove to a separate bowl and set aside.

Wipe the skillet clean and put back on the stove with the heat on high until it is hot enough to vaporize water upon contact. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil, swirling to coat evenly and heat until hot and just starting to smoke.

Add eggs, tilting pan and swirling eggs to form a thin and even layer and cook for about 30 seconds. Add rice and stir-fry, breaking up the eggs and letting rice rest for several seconds between stirs, until rice is hot (about 2-3 minutes).

Add the vegetables, chives, salt and sesame oil to taste, stir-frying until well combined. Serve warm.

Carrot Salad

From Kari and Emmi Koivisto

Ok, this recipe is so simple, but I thought it deserved a post.

I love carrots, but had never enjoyed them like this before:

Finely grated, with pineapple, raisins or great with salad dressing.

Grating the carrots really brings out their sweet, juicy flavor. It is a perfect side dish for those nights where you don't have time to put a lot of time into dinner, but still want something healthy and delicious.

serves 4

5-6 large carrots

pineapple (or raisins)

Peel the carrots and finely grate them into a bowl. Toss in the pineapple (or raisins. or both) and serve.

Mujaddara (Middle Eastern Pilaf)

adapted from Avocado Bravado

In an effort to diversify my cooking repertoire, I took a baby step with this Middle Eastern rice pilaf and was pleasantly surprised. Served with a side of greens, it was a great easy dinner that was healthy and easy on the wallet. The caramelized onions are cooked slowly to give a sweet and spicy kick to the rice and lentils.

Serves 2-3

4 onions, sliced

3/4 cup lentils

3/4 cup rice

olive oil

1/2 Tbsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cumin

Heat oil and a dash of salt in a large non-stick skillet on medium low heat. Add onions, sugar and spices and stir every few minutes for half of an hour. At this point, the onions should be softening and turning a nice golden brown. Turn up the heat and cook the onions for an additional 15 minutes, being careful not to let them burn. Once done, set aside.

In the meantime, prepare the lentils and rice according to their package directions. (You can cook them together if you want, just add the lentils a little after the rice so they don't become too soft)

Mix together lentils, rice, most of the onions, salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm, garnished with remaining onions.

Sweet and Sour Green Beans and Onions

adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

1 lb green beans, trimmed

1 Tbsp butter

2-3 large red onions

1 chili pepper (1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper)

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp dark brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Steam beans until just tender, about 5 minutes. Then transfer to a plate and set aside.

Melt butter in a lager heavy skillet at hight heat. Peel the onion, chop in half and chop again lengthwise leaving you with larger pieces of onion. Saute until onions begin to soften (3-4 minutes). Add vinegar and sugar and stir until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Add in beans; toss to coat and heat through, about 1 additional minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Christmas Beet Salad

from Nordic Recipe Archive

This is a traditional Finnish dish at Christmas time and goes well with ham, turkey or other meat dishes. It reflects the local produce available this time of year in Scandinavia. It is even better the next day so feel free to prepare it in advance.

2-3 potatoes

2-3 carrots

2-3 beets

2 pickles

1 apple

1 very small onion

1 cup sour cream

Peel and cook potatoes and carrots until soft, remove from heat and let cool. In a different pot, do the same with peeled beets, once soft reserve 1 tbsp of the water. Cut the potatoes, carrots, beets, apples and pickles into small cubes. Mince the onion and mix all of the vegetables together in a bowl. Cover the bowl and put in the refrigerator for the flavors to mingle together. Mix together sour cream and 1 tbsp beet water to dye it pink. Serve the cream on the side.

Orange Dream Jello Salad

From Grandma Ilez

This is from Ben's Grandma Ilez, and where I am from having at least a couple of jello recipes handy is basically mandatory. The orange and whipped cream blends flawlessly and provides a light, sweet side to any casual dinner.

2 cups whipped cream

2 boxes orange jello

2 cans mandarin oranges

The day before (or at least several hours before) prepare the two boxes of jello according to the directions on the box. Just before serving, mix together the prepared jello, whipped cream and gently fold in the mandarin oranges. Keep cold until serving.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Adapted from Savour Fare

Tomatoes at the grocery store are so cheap right now they beg to be taken home. Luckily Ben and I love them so it is easy to work them into meals, but today I had a huge abundance of very ripe tomatoes so I decided to try out this method of roasting them to bring out different flavors and have the whole batch as a part of our dinner.

6 plum sized tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

spices - you can use what you wish, here are some combinations:

basil/lemon pepper/oregano

thyme/rosemary

Preheat the oven to 200 (93 C). Cut tomatoes in half if they are small (I had large ones, so I cut them into quarters) and drizzle them with olive oil mixture. Roast on a baking sheet cut side up (baking paper underneath for easy cleanup) for 4-6 hours. The longer the better really. The tomatoes will slowly wrinkle and become caramelized and the flavor is just amazing.

These can be stored in the fridge (covered) for up to three days. They are beautiful in pasta, on salads or just eaten right off of the baking sheet!

Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans Salad

adapted from Stacey Snacks

I love roasted vegetables, there is so much flavor released and it is so easy to do. This is a simple salad that would taste great as a side dish or a light lunch.

1 lb of potatoes, with skins on

2 onions, roughly chopped

1 lb green beans (would also taste great with chunks of Zucchini)

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp parsley

3 tsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk dressing and set aside. Quarter the potatoes and place them in a bowl. Chop the onions into thin strips, and place them into the bowl with the potatoes. Drizzle the mixture with salt and olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 400 (204 C) for about 25-35 minutes, or until crispy.

Blanch your green beans in boiling water for only about 5 minutes (so they stay crispy) and drain in a colander. You can rinse them with cold water to prevent them from cooking longer if you like.

Once potatoes/onions are done, combine them together and just before serving, pour the dressing over the whole mixture. Best served warm, but tastes great at room temperature as well.

Pesto Potato Salad

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

This is a fresh twist on potato salad with no mayonnaise and one of my favorite flavors: pesto. The salad turned out beautifully and it was very easy to put together.

2 lbs small potatoes, quartered

1/2 lb green beans, cut into 1 inch segments

3/4 cup pesto (about 6-7 ounces)

4 Tbsp mild vinegar, like white wine or white balsamic

1 small purple onion, diced

3 diced tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts, but next time I might try pine nuts or almonds)

1 Tbsp butter or olive oil

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

Clean potatoes, cut them into quarters. Boil in salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add beans; cook for 4 additional minutes. Drain and let cool, transfer to a large bowl.

In a small mixing bowl, combine pesto, vinegar, and diced tomatoes. In a frying pan, saute onion until soft and add to the pesto mix. Pour over potatoes and beans and mix until potatoes are evenly covered. Add salt and pepper.

Toast nuts on medium with olive oil, salt and sugar; stirring constantly until they are a golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside to cool on a plate.

Garnish potato salad with nuts, serve immediately or make this up to two hours in advance.

Cabbage and Almond Salad

Adapted from Everybody Likes Sandwiches

I wanted a salad that was a little different from the lettuce/tomato/cucumber mode and I found this one that turned out great. I added toasted almonds and some red pepper for color and it was crunchy and delicious.

1/2 cabbage

1-2 red peppers, diced

1/2 cup toasted almond slivers

1 cup garbanzo beans

Dressing:

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp Red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 Tbsp parsley

1 clove garlic, finely minced

salt and pepper to taste

Toast the almonds with a little oil and salt until lightly browned. Set aside. Dice the cabbage into small pieces and add in the red pepper and garbanzo beans and toss. Mix the dressing in a small bowl, pour desired amount onto the salad, and toss. Garnish with almonds and serve.

Tasty Three Bean Salad

adapted from Cooking Books

This is a quick side that is bursting with flavor and vitamins.


1 can (16 oz) chickpeas
1 can (16 oz) white beans
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup chopped parsley (2 Tbsp dried)
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Drain and rinse beans, and gently toss in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.

Roasted Red Potatoes

adapted from Life's Ambrosia

This is easy and cheap and looks great as a side for any meal.


4 medium red potatoes, washed and diced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried oregano
dash of chili powder
2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, combine olive oil and spices and mix well. Pour the olive oil on the potatoes in a medium bowl and toss until evenly coated. Place potato mixture in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet or parchment paper, and bake on the highest rack for 3o minutes. Take them out half way through and stir the potatoes, being careful to return them to a single layer. If you want them to be golden brown and crispy, turn on the broiler for the last 5 minutes.

Red Potato Salad

adapted from Allrecipes

Spring means it's picnic time! For the May day celebration here in Finland, I was in charge of making the classic potato salad for our Vappu picnic. The bacon in this recipe adds some nice flavor, and the cucumber and celery have a nice crunch to them. Feel free to add or substitute as needed, this recipe is pretty flexible.


2 lbs scrubbed red potatoes
6 eggs
1 lb bacon
1 onion, minced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 small cucumber, diced
1 cup mayonnaise (could substitute 1/2 cup for light sour cream)
1 tsp dill
1 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp mustard
dill pickles, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, but still firm (about 15 minutes). Drain water and set in refrigerator to cool.

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 10-12 minutes, then remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.

Cook bacon in a deep skillet over medium high heat until evenly browned. Drain grease, crumble and set aside.

Chop the cooled potatoes, leaving the skin on. Add to a large bowl, along with the eggs, bacon, onion, celery, pickles and cucumber. Mix the mayonnaise with spices and mustard and combine with potato mixture. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Crispy Oven Fries

Sometimes, Ben and I just get a hankering for fries. I don't mean the stringy ones from McDonalds, but the ones that still look and taste like potatoes. I have tried quite a few different recipes, and this one is my favorite. Adding the egg whites ensure that the spices distribute evenly without making them too greasy.


1 lb potatoes, washed and cut into wedges (skin on)
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili
2 Tbsp Parmesan
2 egg whites

Cut washed potatoes into wedges. In a small bowl, combine all spices, oil, egg whites and cheese. Mix well with a fork until the spices are well blended. Pour liquid over potatoes and turn them over to coat evenly. Place on a cookie sheet covered in baking paper and bake at 400 for 45 minutes, turning about halfway through. I leave mine in until I know that they are turning brown and crispy.

Broccoli Crunch

adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Sauce:

1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup almond butter

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp honey

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp hot water

4-5 cups fresh broccoli florets (I also added a handful of fresh green beans)

2 crisp apples, cut into chunks

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup candied almond slivers

(2 tsp sugar + 1 tsp salt)

1/3 cup pan-fried crunchy shallots (or onions if needed)

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add a dash of salt.  Dump the broccoli in and allow to boil for less than 30 seconds, just to take the edge off.  The broccoli should be pretty crunchy.  Rinse with cold water and set aside to dry.

Make the dressing by smashing the garlic clove and chopping it up.  Repeat as necessary until it becomes a paste.  Warm the butter in a bowl and add the rest of the sauce ingredients, whisking until smooth.  

Toast the almonds in olive oil and and coat with salt and sugar, stirring constantly until almonds begin to brown.  Set aside to cool.  Then caramelize the shallots, cooking them in a bit of olive oil until soft and browned.  Chop the apples and red onion and add to the broccoli, adding the shallots and almonds just before serving.  Drizzle with the sauce, toss and serve.