This is my quick and dirty version of curry ketchup.  I used this when I want curry ketchup but I haven’t stocked up on any from the local store and don’t have time to make the from-scratch version. You can certainly make a more gourmet version of this, where you make the ketchup from scratch and simmer all the ingredients together. That version is good too, and I plan to make that one eventually as well. For weeknights though, when I just want that extra kick of flavor, this is the version I turn to.  The ingredients are usually already in my cupboard and it only takes a few moments to whip up a batch.

In a bowl put in your ketchup, and then add in all of your spices. You’ll need:

• ¾ cup of ketchup
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• ¾ tsp curry powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• Dash of salt
• Dash of pepper

Mix them all together thoroughly. Put the bowl in the microwave and heat on high for 30 seconds. When finished, stir thoroughly, and return the bowl the microwave. Repeat this process two more times, until you have a total cooking time of 1 min and 30 seconds. Taste the ketchup, and add more salt or pepper to taste if needed. Then cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Then you have quick curry ketchup ready to go for fries, burgers, or wurst!

Do you like hamburgers? Meatballs? What about something somewhere in between? If you’ve wished for something like that, I have the perfect thing: Frickadellen – German Hamburgers.  Frickadellen is like a hybrid between a hamburger and meatball, a bit like a smashed meatball. You can put them on buns or you can eat them plain with dipping sauce. I typically like ketchup with mine. For these particular ones, I made a special version of it, curry ketchup.

They are incredibly easy to make, flavorful and delicious! Plus they pair with just about anything else.

Frickadellen are relatively simple to make. You’ll need:

• 1 lb ground beef (we use 93% lean)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 diced onion
• 2 Tbsp parsley
• Pinch of Salt
• Pinch of Pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Bring a frying pan up to medium heat and put a few tablespoons of oil in.  Form the meat into thick patties and place inside the heated frying pan.  Cook until the meat is completely done, roughly 7 minutes on each side. Take off the heat and serve on a bun, or plain with a couple of sides.

Good sauces for your Frickadellen: Honey mustard, ketchup, or curry ketchup.

The weather here has suddenly gotten very fall like. It’s as though it took a look at the calendar, saw October and realized that the 80 degree days weren’t going to work anymore.  The lower temps, and leaves starting to change got me thinking about the October I last spent in Munich. One thing that was everywhere? Kürbissuppe, also known as pumpkin soup.  Almost every single restaurant we went to in Munich had Kürbissuppe on the menu.  It seems the pumpkin everything trend this time of year isn’t only an American thing.

So, I decided to make some savory pumpkin soup so that I could officially mark the start of fall. (I’ve already had several iced pumpkin spice lattes though, does that count?)  The local grocery store’s edible pumpkin options were primarily white pumpkins, as the rest were massively over sized decorative ones.  The produce manager assured me that white pumpkin tasted as good if not better than regular pumpkin though, so I decided to give it a whirl. Apparently, white pumpkins are all the rage in the States right now. Who knew?

On to the soup… the ingredients you’ll need are:

• 8 cups white pumpkin (roughly one medium sized pumpkin)
• 4 cups vegetable stock (chicken would also work, but as an ex-vegetarian who still leans that way I prefer to keep things vegetarian friendly as often as possible)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup celery
• ¾ cup onion
• 1 cup carrots
• 6 tbsps butter
• 6 tbsps flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

Chop of all of your veggies and pumpkin. I diced the celery, carrots and onions finely.

The pumpkin I cut up into roughly 1 inch cubes. There was a lot of pumpkin.

The “meat” of the white pumpkin is much lighter than a regular orange pumpkin.

Melt the butter in the bottom of the pot.  Add celery, onion and carrots and cook until the veggies start to soften.

Add the flour, and cook for 1 minute.  Then add in your cinnamon, salt, allspice, nutmeg and ground clove. Combine. Then add in your 8 cups of pumpkin. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes and stir occasionally until the roux and  spices cover the pumpkin, and the pumpkin has started to warm.

Then add your 4 cups of vegetable stock. Bring to a boil.  Cover and then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 12 minutes stirring occasionally.Check the pumpkin to make sure its tender, if it is, you’re ready to go for the next step.

For the next step you need one of the three things: a blender, a food processor or a submersion blender.  Any of these ways work, but I chose to use a food processor.

Slowly ladle the soup into the food processor in small measures, 1-2 cups at a time. Cover the processor tightly. I also used a towel to hold the lid closed. Hot liquid combined with the high speed of the processor will create a lot of excess energy and steam. Make sure you keep yourself safe first!

As I process, I put the liquefied pumpkin soup in a separate bowl or pot. When I’ve finished it all, I return it to the original pot. You should still have your pot on a simmer heat. Stir again once you have all of the pumpkin soup back in the pot to make sure its well-combined and fully processed.

Then add your cup of heavy cream. Stir thoroughly to mix the cream into the soup. Let the soup simmer for a few more minutes to let the cream fully heat thicken a bit.  Taste and make sure all of the spices are to your liking. Then your soup is ready.

Serve in bowls. I like a side of bread with mine.

What’s your favorite fall comfort food?

White Pumpkin Soup

Megan The weather here has suddenly gotten very fall like. It’s as though it took a look at the calendar, saw October and realized that the 80 degree days weren’t going… Food White Pumpkin Soup – Kürbissuppe European Print This

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 8 cups white pumpkin
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup celery
• ¾ cup onion
• 1 cup carrots
• 6 tbsps butter
• 6 tbsps flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

1. Chop of all of your veggies and pumpkin. Dice the celery, carrots and onions finely. Cut the pumpkin into 1 inch cubes
2. Melt the butter in the bottom of the pot.  Add celery, onion and carrots and cook until the veggies start to soften.
3. Add the flour, and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add in your cinnamon, salt, allspice, nutmeg and ground clove.
5. Then add in your 8 cups of pumpkin.
6. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes and stir occasionally until the roux and  spices cover the pumpkin, and the pumpkin has started to warm.
7. Then add your 4 cups of vegetable stock. Bring to a boil.
8. Cover and then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 12 minutes stirring occasionally.
9. Check the pumpkin to make sure its tender, if it is, you’re ready to go for the next step.
10. Slowly ladle the soup into the food processor in small measures, 1-2 cups at a time. Cover the processor tightly and be careful with the hot liquid - use a towel to secure lid.
11. Pour soup into dishes and top with toasted pumpkin seeds or sour cream.

I mentioned in a previous post about Munich that I had some really delicious carrot salad at a restaurant near Schleissheim. It had a sweet orange flavor that was rich, and made the carrot salad almost taste candy like. I’m a fan of carrots any day, but these took it to a whole other level of deliciousness. I haven’t been able to find anything like it in the States, and none of the recipes I could find quite fit the bill either.

So I attempted to recreate it, and while its missing the atmosphere of being eaten near a palace, its pretty close.

Orange Carrot Salad  – Karottensalat

To get started you’ll need:

• 1 1/2 cups of shredded carrots  (1 10 oz bag)
• 1/2 cup of orange juice
• 2 tbsp butter
• dash of salt
• pinch of garlic powder

Put the stove on medium heat. Add in your butter to start melting. Pour in one 10 oz bag of shredded carrots. I usually give them a quick rinse before putting them in.  Also add in your dash of salt and pinch of garlic. Heat the carrots until soft, about 5-7 mins, stirring occasionally.  Then add in 1/2 cup of orange juice.  Let simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot. You can put leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. These are also delicious cold, as a side with sandwiches or bbq!

Orange Carrot Salad - Karottensalat

Megan I mentioned in a previous post about Munich that I had some really delicious carrot salad at a restaurant near Schleissheim. It had a sweet orange flavor that was rich, and… Food Orange Carrot Salad – Karottensalat European Print This

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 2 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes 10 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups of shredded carrots  (1 10 oz bag)
• 1/2 cup of orange juice
• 2 tbsp butter
• dash of salt
• pinch of garlic powder

Instructions

Put the stove on medium heat and add in your butter to start melting.

Add in one 10 oz bag of shredded carrots. Heat the carrots until soft, about 5-7 mins, stirring occasionally.

Then add in 1/2 cup of orange juice and let simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve hot.

Do you have a favorite dish at a restaurant that you’ve recreated at home? Was it easy to recreate?

Spätzle is my absolute favorite German food. If I could eat it every day I would. You can make it with a number of other dishes – brats, roasts, ham, rouladen. It tastes good with everything. It’s typically served with gravy, but I love it plain with butter and salt.  It also reheats well, so you can make a big batch and reheat the leftovers for the next day.

The best part of spätzle? It’s incredibly easy to make, and the ingredients are probably already in your kitchen.

Spätzle

You’ll need:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 ¼ cup milk
• 2 eggs
• Pinch of salt

You’ll also need a spätzle maker. You can find them almost everywhere online. If you have a local German deli or store, you might be able to find them there, too. (In a pinch you can also use a colander. It’s much messier and more labor intensive, but it still works.)

Get a large pot. Fill it with water, add salt and set it to boil.

Put the 2 cups of flour in a large bowl and create a well in the center. Put your eggs in the center and start scrambling them and incorporating the flour. Then very slowly add in the milk. Start with one cup, and then add more as needed.

Set your spätzle maker on top of your boiling pot of water. There should be little hooks on each end to help balance the spätzle maker while you work.

You want a brownie-batter consistency where the dough is fluid enough to pour but still sticky enough to cling. Mix thoroughly. Similar to the pancake batter, I like to put the batter into something that can pour it.

Pour your batter into the top of the spätzle maker and then quickly start moving the mechanism back and forth. It cooks very quickly. In order to have it cook evenly you must get all of the batter into the boiling water as quickly as possible.

The spätzle is done when it all rises to the top. This typically takes 2 to 3 minutes.

Add some butter and salt and top with some chives. Or smother it in gravy. It’s good either way.

Pair your spätzle with some other German staples and dig in!

What’s your favorite German food?

Griessnockerlsuppe is the family comfort food recipe. If it’s cold, or if you’re sick this soup is the perfect cure for what ails you. It’s also made of some simple ingredients that are pantry staples, so it’s easy to make in a pinch and a great substitute for chicken noodle soup.  I know it was the one thing I always wanted (and let’s be honest, still want) when I’m sick.

To start, you’ll need to grab some cream of wheat, butter, one egg and beef broth (in this case we used beef bullion and water, you could also substitute vegetable broth if you’d like a vegetarian option).  Measure out your ingredients and start heating up your beef broth while you let the butter sit out for a bit on the counter to soften.

Then use a whisk to whip the butter up. It should be a very soft even consistency, like you would have to make buttercream icing.In a separate bowl, crack an egg and whisk it thoroughly.  Add half of your cream of wheat and the beaten egg to the mixture.

Mix thoroughly and then slowly add your the rest of your cream of wheat. Gather the dough together in your bowl like this:

Let the dough rest for five minutes. Then take a spoon that you’ve dipped in cold water and grab a small tablespoon sized amount of the mixture and put it into your simmering broth. Repeat this until you’ve used up all of your dough, and then set the mixture to simmer for 15 minutes. By the end you should have plump dumplings.

Serve in a soup bowl, and sprinkle a bit of chives or parsley over the top for extra flavor.

What’s your favorite comfort food during the winter or when you’re sick?