Saturday, March 7, 2015

Polish Reuben Casserole {my favorite casserole in the whole wide world}

Polish Reuben Casserole is one of my very favorite foods. I could eat it all day, everyday. I really can't get enough of it. Although, it wasn't always like that. The first time my dad made it, I hated it. But after several years, I grew to like it. But not just like it, I loved it. 
So, what exactly is Polish Reuben Casserole? Polish Reuben Casserole has layers of sauerkraut, noodles, and polish sausage topped with a creamy mushroom mixture, bread crumbs, and Swiss cheese. If you like Reuben sandwiches, you'll love this casserole. 
My dad first found this recipe in a big cookbook. However I can't remember which cookbook. Through the years we have made small changes to suit our family. It originally called for only 8 oz. of wide egg noodles, but we wanted more noodles on it. So, I doubled the noodle amount, and in doing so, I have doubled the amount of milk called for in the recipe. 
Everyone always asks me if I'm Irish simply because of my red hair. When I tell them "no", they go onto ask if my parents have any Irish blood in them. I then answer "no" and that I am actually very German. On St. Patrick's Day, however, I become an adopted Irishmen with my friends very Irish family. Polish Reuben casserole may not be  corned beef and cabbage, but it would make a great substitute if you are in a time crunch. As St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, Polish Reuben casserole would make a festive sauerkraut dish for St. Patrick's Day. 


Polish Reuben Casserole


Ingredients:

2-3 cans (10.75 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup
3-4 cups milk (I do 3.5 cups)
1 onion, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1 can (16 oz.) sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
1 pkg. (16 oz) wide egg noodles (uncooked)
1 1/2 lb. Polish Sausage, cut into 1/4 - 1/2 inch pieces
8 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
 2 tsp. butter, melted

Directions: 
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
  2. Combine soup, milk, onion and mustard in a medium bowl and blend together well.
  3. Spread sauerkraut on the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Top with uncooked noodles.
  4. Spoon soup mixture evenly over the top. Top sausage.
  5. Combine butter and bread crumbs in a small bowl. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over top. Then sprinkle the cheese on top. 
  6. Cover tightly with foil. Bake in oven for 40 minutes- 1 hour or until noodles are tender. 
  7. Serve up and enjoy!

This casserole is so easy to make. I hope you find to love this recipe like I did. The great thing about cooking at home is that you can make the way your family likes it. So if your family wants more sauerkraut, add another can of sauerkraut. Want less noodle, but the same amount of sauerkraut? Then halve the noodle amount and milk amount. This recipe is simple a blueprint. And with that I shall I say goodbye and have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 Peace, Love, Bake on... & the luck of the Irish.

                                                  Andrea 

Monday, February 9, 2015

How to Make a Heart-Shaped Valentine's Day Cake (without a heart-shaped pan)

Any occasion that I can bake up something festive is right up my alley. Valentine's Day is one of those holidays where it's easy to bake up something special.
There's something out there for everyone when it comes to festive bakery treats. The best place to find festive treats to make for Valentine's Day (or really any holiday) is on Pinterest. I love Pinterest. I could talk all day about my love for Pinterest. Anyway, I saw a pin that I thought was really ingenious. It was directions on how to make a heart cake without having to use a cake pan shaped like a heart (those can be difficult to find). So, I thought I was share it with ya'll because something so cute and easy must be shared.


Valentine's Heart Shaped Cake
adapted from BetterRecipes.com

1 cake mix (2- layered or 9x13 size)
Eggs, oil, water (as directed on cake mix)
Frosting
Red food coloring
Sprinkles or other decorations

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix up cake mix according to directions on the package. Divide the batter evenly into an 8 inch greased round and 8x8 greased square pan. Bake for the labeled amount of times on cake mix (or until when a tooth pick comes out clean).
Remove from oven when baked. Cool in pan for ten minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Once cake has cooled, cut the round cake in half. Assemble to cake on a serving tray of some sorts. Use a little bit of frosting to "glue" to pieces together (Follow the picture guide below from BetterRecipe.com) Frost cake and decorate with sprinkles or other candy decorations.
Take pictures at your amazing creation and enjoy!


Heart Shaped Valentine's Cake Easy
BetterRecipes.com

I hope my directions don't confuse, but in the likely chance that they do please go to BetterRecipes.com for beautiful photographs and detailed instructions. I hope you have a very happy and LOVELY Valentine's Day!

Peace, Love, Bake on.

                          Andrea 



Sunday, February 1, 2015

Blueberry Cobbler {updated}

I thought I would update my one of my old posts, Blueberry cobbler. This recipe has become a staple in my house for couple years now. My old post didn't really do this recipe justice. Really the picture on this post does not do this recipe justice either. I found this recipe several years ago just when I was starting up my blog almost 2 years ago. 
This dessert is always a hit where ever I take it. Everyone always asks for the recipe. I could eat this whole thing by myself. There's not just eat one serving. It's so scrumptious. Words or pictures really can't describe it loveliness. It's even better served warm with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream. Consider yourself warned. 
This recipe does call for blueberry pie filling, but you do not have to use blueberry filling. I use this recipe as the basis for all my cobblers. I sometimes use canned peaches instead. You can use any fruit, but you would might need to put a little water over the fruit and sugar or make compote with the fruit. Also, I don't always have 2 or 2.5 quart dish so I use a 9x13 dish. This way it can easily be double for a larger crowd or for hungrier appetites. If you don't have an hour to bake it, you can do 40-45 minutes at 375 degrees, which is what I do sometimes. 

Easy blueberry cobbler dessert

Blueberry Cobbler
adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients
  • 6 tbs. butter
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup self-rising flour (or 1 cup flour, 1 1/3 tsp. baking powder, & 1/3 tsp. salt)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 (21 oz.) can blueberry pie filling or other fruit(You don't have to use pie filling)
Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Melt butter and pour into a 2 or 2.5 quart casserole or baking pan. Mix sugar, flour, and milk together.
  3. Pour mixture into pan over butter, but do NOT mix. Pour blueberry pie filling over mixture, but do NOT mix. 
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. 
  5. Serve warm with ice cream, if you desire to do so.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family and I do. Have a happy Sunday! I will enjoy mine inside since its snowing out.

Peace, Love, Bake on.



                                                          Andrea