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Published: March 13, 2008 11:03 am
Cookbook Corner: New Ulm Methodists offer sesquicentennial heartiness
Originally published in the March 7, 2008, print edition.
By Sarah Johnson
The Land Correspondent
This month’s column comes to you courtesy of the extreme cold we are experiencing as I am writing this. The outside temperature is gusting in the 30-below-zero-windchill category. Snow is drifting across washboards of ice in the road, on the sidewalks, across yards and parking lots. The earth and sky are stained in variations of flat, cold gray.
Anyone want a nice salad? (Slap my mouth! Of course not.) What we need is some serious home-cooked, stick-to-your-ribs comfort food. If it’s going to be arctic outside, the least we can do is try to make it a little warmer on the inside.
The First United Methodist Church in New Ulm is celebrating its 150th year with a new cookbook generously filled with recipes like the ones that follow. My eye was drawn to dishes such as slowly simmered soups, hearty entrees and sweets you can really stick a fork into. The salads can wait until spring.
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When I have the time I like to make a couple of giant pots of soup and freeze a bunch of it. These two soups are loaded with all the good stuff and are hearty enough for a main course. Bean Soup With Pasta boasts smoky ham, fresh winter vegetables and tender pasta in a fragrant broth. Cream of Cabbage soup features more winter vegetables soaking up a rich, creamy broth, with the added tang of cheese to make it stand out from most cabbage soup recipes.
Bean Soup With Pasta
Submitted by Fran Albright
1 piece smoked pork (ham)
6 cups water
1 diced onion
2 carrots, cut up
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 parsnip, halved and sliced
1 beef bouillon cube
1 stick cinnamon, broken up
1 (14 ounce) can Great Northern beans, drained
2 cups sliced cabbage
1 cup broken spaghetti or small pasta
Salt and pepper, to taste
Grated parmesan cheese for garnish
Begin to cook ham (cross-cut shank or butt) in a pot of water; keep it simmering about three hours. Remove from broth and dice; recipe calls for two cups diced ham. Return ham to broth. Add cut-up onions, carrots, parsnip and celery and also cinnamon stick, broken into pieces. Add the bouillon cube.
Cook until vegetables are tender. Add coarsely chopped cabbage; cook an additional 10 minutes. Add canned beans and pasta. Cook until pasta is tender to the bite. Adjust seasoning to taste. Remove cinnamon stick. Yield: 12 cups soup or 6 servings. Note: Flavor improves for an easy second meal.
Cream of Cabbage Soup
Submitted by Kris Kearney
4 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
3 cups diced, peeled potatoes
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup diced carrots
6 cups chopped cabbage
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon dill weed
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 pound American cheese, cubed
Pepper, to taste
In large kettle, bring water and bouillon to boil. Add potato, onion and carrots. Cook until tender. Add cabbage, celery and green pepper, if desired; cook, uncovered, five minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add garlic and dill. In medium to large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour; cook and stir over medium heat until golden brown. Gradually add milk and broth, stirring until smooth. Add cheese, thyme and pepper; cook over low heat until melted. Stir into vegetable mixture. Stir five minutes and serve.
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These little burgers pack a wallop of good taste in a tiny package. Toss the ingredients together in minutes, stick ’em in the oven for a bit and enjoy. You can also make pans of this dish in advance and freeze them for special occasions; just rewarm them in the oven and you’re good to go.
White Castle Hamburgers
Submitted by Elaine Lieder
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
18 dollar-size buns
Sliced pickles
Sauté beef and onion; drain and cool. Add cheese, mayonnaise and soup mix. Line a cookie sheet with halved dollar-size buns. Make sure bottom buns are touching each other. Fill with hamburger mixture and top with pickle; cover with tops of buns. Cover with foil and bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.
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Polish sausage, potatoes, carrots and cabbage reach a German-flavored nirvana in the next recipe. A savory sauce gets poured over all. Mmmmm.
Polish Sausage Dinner
Submitted by Linda Kaiser Livers
1 to 1 1/4 pound Polish sausage
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups water
1 small head cabbage, quartered
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Place sausage in large kettle; add potatoes, carrots and water. Cook, covered, 15 minutes. Add cabbage. Cook, covered, until all vegetables are tender, 15 to 17 minutes. Place meat and vegetables on platter; cover to keep warm. Reserve one cup liquid from cooked meat and vegetables. Blend flour, brown sugar, vinegar and spices in small saucepan. Gradually stir in broth and boil. Stir one minute. Pour over other ingredients and serve. This is a delicious and easy variation of the New England boiled dinner.
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Healthy Blueberry Muffins have a nutritional punch sorely missing in most blueberry muffins. Whole grains, banana and walnuts make these gems more satisfying.
Healthy Blueberry Muffins
Submitted by Rachel and Steve Alwin
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 mashed banana
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup walnuts
Mix first nine ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mix banana, buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla. Add to flour mixture. Fold in blueberries and nuts. Fill lined or greased muffin tins. Bake 15 to 18 minutes at 400 F. Yield: 12 muffins.
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The Mighty Missouri may be famous for its mud, but having swum it many a time, I can attest that the Missouri also has plenty of sand. Missouri River Sand Bars have a crumbly oatmeal crust topped with decadent caramel and pecans, all drizzled with chocolate. This recipe is a keeper. My family agreed: Five out of five “yums” from the Johnsons.
Missouri River Sand Bars
Submitted by Lorene Walden
Crust
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups melted butter
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Caramel sauce
1 (14 ounce) package caramels
1 cup cream
1/4 teaspoon butter flavoring
1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping
1 cup chopped pecans
2 milk chocolate bars, grated
Preheat oven to 350 F. Crust: In a large bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in butter, pecans, butter flavoring and vanilla. Press into 14x18-inch pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Caramel sauce: Combine sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring constantly. When melted, pour over crust. Topping: Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over bars. Return bars to oven and bake an additional 15 minutes. Yield: 24 bars
To order the cookbook, send $12 plus $3 shipping to First United Methodist Church, Cookbook Order, P.O. Box 364, New Ulm, MN 56073.
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