NEPA Cookin' (Lancaster, Lebanon, Pittston: lawyer, home, organic)

[Jungle George]

I was thinking, it might be a nice thing for folks looking to move to NEPA as well as NEPA residents & folks like me who have ties to NEPA but live in other parts of the country to have a thread dedicated to the one thing that ties us together no matter our opinions, views, religious, economic or political standing....FOOD!!

My grandparents were from Czech/Austrian stock & my grandma was always cooking (and God help you if you weren't at the table on time to eat with the whole family!!! )

I can start out with my own rendition of halushki. I've had to adjust to what's available here in Florida, but my mom said this tasted exactly like her mom's.

If you don't have the time or inclination to make your own egg noodles, I've found that "Pa Dutch brand Dumplings" in the cellophane bag come closest. Also, (I don't know if it's just me) but butter doesn't taste like butter anymore so I use only local organic.

Cook the noodles in boiling salted water per instructions on package or per your recipe if homemade.

I then melt 1 stick of butter in a frying pan & fry 2 tbsp. caraway seeds on low heat for a minute or 2. Add 2 chopped onions & 1 package (I use Hebrew Nat'l) sauerkraut that's been drained & squeezed dry til all the brine is out & fry til browned.

Add this mixture & 1 package of farmer's cheese (crumbled) to the cooked noodles & adjust seasoning with salt & pepper to taste.

SO easy!!

I've got some other recipes I've got to dig out that might bring back memories also...

Hope y'all have fun with this!!

[WatsonWest]

This is making my hungry for the food from when I was a kid.
My Mother's side is primarily German from Lebanon County / Lancaster County area & I was raised on PA Dutch / Amish type cooking.

Now I want to make some chicken corn soup & grape pie!
I might just do that for dinner tonight or tomorrow.

Grape pie is the best...& almost noone has heard of it.
concord grapes...a lot...slip the skins off by squeezing them (it's actually easy & you can get the kids to help)
cook the pulp for a few minutes & put through food mill to seed the grapes
put the skins back in with the pulp (no seeds) with a lot of sugar, some flour & lemon juice and cook until it cooks down & the whole thing turns a wonderful purple
add pat of butter just after turning off heat
put in pie shell & top with another crust & bake
chill before serving so it has time to set up

I don't have my book near me so I don't remember times & exact amounts now. If someone wants them, I'll be happy to look them up.

I'm off to see if I have any grapes in the freezer now!
Yummy.

[EnyaGirl]

Originally Posted by WatsonWest

This is making my hungry for the food from when I was a kid.
My Mother's side is primarily German from Lebanon County / Lancaster County area & I was raised on PA Dutch / Amish type cooking.

Now I want to make some chicken corn soup & grape pie!
I might just do that for dinner tonight or tomorrow.

Grape pie is the best...& almost noone has heard of it.
concord grapes...a lot...slip the skins off by squeezing them (it's actually easy & you can get the kids to help)
cook the pulp for a few minutes & put through food mill to seed the grapes
put the skins back in with the pulp (no seeds) with a lot of sugar, some flour & lemon juice and cook until it cooks down & the whole thing turns a wonderful purple
add pat of butter just after turning off heat
put in pie shell & top with another crust & bake
chill before serving so it has time to set up

I don't have my book near me so I don't remember times & exact amounts now. If someone wants them, I'll be happy to look them up.

I'm off to see if I have any grapes in the freezer now!
Yummy.

That sounds soooo good! Thanks for posting

[ScranBarre]

Great thread idea! Here is a list of the recipes I have available in my own repertroire. Please feel free to respond if you'd like one of them expressed in greater detail, and I'd be happy to assist!

• Burnt Pop-Tart a la Smoking Toaster
• Semi-Hard Ramen Noodles Smothered in Sodium-Laden Pittston Tap Water
• Fresh Garden Salad Featuring Brown-Edged Lettuce and Greening Carrots
• Taste Bud-Searing Hot Pockets
• Dark Black Crusted Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Featuring Half-Melted Cheese
• Soggy Triscuit and Moldy Cheese Party Platter

Bon appetit!

[Jungle George]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Great thread idea! Here is a list of the recipes I have available in my own repertroire. Please feel free to respond if you'd like one of them expressed in greater detail, and I'd be happy to assist!

• Burnt Pop-Tart a la Smoking Toaster
• Semi-Hard Ramen Noodles Smothered in Sodium-Laden Pittston Tap Water
• Fresh Garden Salad Featuring Brown-Edged Lettuce and Greening Carrots
• Taste Bud-Searing Hot Pockets
• Dark Black Crusted Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Featuring Half-Melted Cheese
• Soggy Triscuit and Moldy Cheese Party Platter

Bon appetit!

Oy!!! Don't let Gordon Ramsay get hold of you Paul!!!

Maybe if you changed the wording a bit to make these treats sound more "upscale" like Blackened Frommage A' Pain Melange instead of "Dark Black Crusted Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Featuring Half-Melted Cheese" they'd be more appetizing!!

PLEASE Paul.....NO greater details needed!!! :

[Jungle George]

Originally Posted by WatsonWest

This is making my hungry for the food from when I was a kid.
My Mother's side is primarily German from Lebanon County / Lancaster County area & I was raised on PA Dutch / Amish type cooking.

Now I want to make some chicken corn soup & grape pie!
I might just do that for dinner tonight or tomorrow.

Grape pie is the best...& almost noone has heard of it.
concord grapes...a lot...slip the skins off by squeezing them (it's actually easy & you can get the kids to help)
cook the pulp for a few minutes & put through food mill to seed the grapes
put the skins back in with the pulp (no seeds) with a lot of sugar, some flour & lemon juice and cook until it cooks down & the whole thing turns a wonderful purple
add pat of butter just after turning off heat
put in pie shell & top with another crust & bake
chill before serving so it has time to set up

I don't have my book near me so I don't remember times & exact amounts now. If someone wants them, I'll be happy to look them up.

I'm off to see if I have any grapes in the freezer now!
Yummy.

That Grape Pie sounds wonderful!!! If it's not too much trouble the recipe amounts would be great when you have a minute or two!! We get concord grapes here in the late summer & I'll have to try it!!!

[EnyaGirl]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Great thread idea! Here is a list of the recipes I have available in my own repertroire. Please feel free to respond if you'd like one of them expressed in greater detail, and I'd be happy to assist!

• Burnt Pop-Tart a la Smoking Toaster
• Semi-Hard Ramen Noodles Smothered in Sodium-Laden Pittston Tap Water
• Fresh Garden Salad Featuring Brown-Edged Lettuce and Greening Carrots
• Taste Bud-Searing Hot Pockets
• Dark Black Crusted Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Featuring Half-Melted Cheese
• Soggy Triscuit and Moldy Cheese Party Platter

Bon appetit!

ROFL!!!!! I'd LOVE your recipe for burnt pop tart!! Hmm, let's see. I've got one for spanikopita (spinach pie) that is ALWAYS a hit whenever I make it, or whoever I make it for. It's got lots of spinach, feta cheese, onions, cream cheese, and a yummy filo dough crust. If anyone would like the recipe, let me know

[The Commish]

Asparagus Risotto (in a mild fresh asparagus purée)



So tasty.

Basically it's 1 cup risotto, 3.5 tbsp of butter (don't skimp), about a whole package of chicken broth, 1 small onion (err on the side of less), 1 lb asparagus (again, don't skimp), 3/4th cup of white wine, and kosher salt.

First prepare the asparagus by snapping off the woody ends. Then boil about 2/3rd of the asparagus in water, running them under cold water at just about the point where a fork can pierce the outside with a little pressure yet goes in smooth through the meat of the plant. Then puree that cooked asparagus in a blender with some chicken broth (just enough to get it to puree). Set aside.

Pour the stock in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.

Then, finely chop the onion and fry in a little olive oil and the butter (but set aside 1 tbsp for the end). When translucent, add the rice and toast for a minute or two. Do not wash the rice. Risotto gets its creaminess from the starches in the rice, which won't remain if you wash it. Then add the wine and stir. The big myth about risotto is that you always need to stir. This is not true. You only need to stir each time you add liquid, and maybe a few times after that.

When it appears the rice has absorbed all the wine, begin to add a ladleful of broth, adding more each time it appears the rice has absorbed all the liquid. This step could take 20-30 minutes. You eventually want to get the rice to a point where it still has a little "bite" but it's tender. You want "al dente" rice, I suppose; not mushy or crunchy rice.

At some point, you want to add the remaining asparagus to the rice (cut in 1-inch diagonal pieces). This part is probably the trickiest, since you don't want to overcook the asparagus or the rice. When the rice is finished, add the asparagus puree and fold in the remaining butter and add cheese if you'd like. Add salt to taste (can do this at any point, basically).

Serve immediately!

It's almost "soup-like," but thick, mild, and delicious.

*Note- if you make more than 1 cup of risotto, make sure you add more asparagus. Non-soupy risotto not made in a restaurant sometimes has the texture of glue, and you don't want that!

[ScranBarre]

A well-debating lawyer AND a great cook?! You're just lucky you're straight or else you'd have to force off a random bouqet of roses! LOL!

[Jungle George]

Originally Posted by The Commish

Asparagus Risotto (in a mild fresh asparagus purée)



So tasty.

Basically it's 1 cup risotto, 3.5 tbsp of butter (don't skimp), about a whole package of chicken broth, 1 small onion (err on the side of less), 1 lb asparagus (again, don't skimp), 3/4th cup of white wine, and kosher salt.

WOW!!! That sounds (AND looks) really good!! Thanks for the recipe!! I've been a vegetarian for 32 years now, so any new recipe is great for me!! (I just change the chicken stock to vegetable stock)

We always have a super abundance of mangoes on our tree here, & since mango season's coming up, here's a Florida recipe I concocted to use some up. Folks in NEPA should have mangoes available cheap in the summer months & this pie's great on a hot summer day!!

Jungle George's Mango Pie

2- frozen pie dough sheets (1 for top & 1 for bottom of pie)
5 cups ripe mango, peeled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. Dark Rum (I use Myer's)
2 tsp.fresh grated nutmeg
2-3 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. lime zest
2 tsp.lime juice
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut (optional...sometimes I add it, sometimes not depending on if there's a fresh one on the tree)
1 egg, beaten with 2 tbsp. water
whipped cream to top

Line a pie plate with 1 pie dough sheet.
Make the pie filling by combining mango pieces, sugar, rum, nutmeg.
flour, zest & lime juice. Mixture should be moist but not wet.
Pour into bottom crust.
Place the 2nd pie dough sheet over pie & crimp the edges & brush the top of pie with egg and water wash.

Cut vents in top and bake 45-50 minutes in pre-heated 350 degree oven.

Let cool & then refrigerate. Serve cold with whipped cream. (I drizzle some rum over the top before the whipped cream, but then again, I live on the edge...)

Enjoy!!