Welcome to My Kitchen

School starting, community fairs and festivals and a return to routine schedules call for easy to prepare meals, as well as specialty items for bake sales and festival events. Cucumbers, peaches and tomatoes beg for preserving via canning, freezing and drying. Summer temperatures make one hesitant to heat the kitchen for meal preparation in addition to canning and baking.

Odessa resident Merleen Smith experimented with a slow-cooker version of Tater Tot Casserole when family requested this main dish. She layered the browned hamburger, condensed soup and cheese in a slow-cooker. When the mixture was cooked, she prepared the tater tots in an air fryer to top the casserole just before serving.

Crockpot Tater Tot Casserole (air-fryer assisted)

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 to 2 cups grated Colby/Jack cheese

Tater Tots

In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion. Season with salt and pepper. Place browned meat mixture evenly in the bottom of slow-cooker crock, spread with the soup and top with the cheese. Cook on high 2-3 hours.

Prepare tater tots in air fryer at 400 degrees. Cook 8 to 10 minutes until crispy. Place on mixture in crock just before serving. Yield: 4 servings.

Note: due to limited space, I have not invested in an air fryer. I cooked the tater tots in the microwave, slid them onto a baking sheet and crisped them under the oven broiler.

Cucumbers in area gardens are producing abundantly. Gurkensalat, a cucumber salad of German origin, is a refreshing accompaniment to casseroles or meat dishes. Many folks like a light rye bread to dip in the salads tangy dressing. This recipe is attributed to the late Rose Hausauer, recorded in several of the Odessa Memorial Hospital cookbooks.

Gurkensalat (Cucumber Salad)

3 medium size cucumbers, about 8-9 inches long

1 Tbsp minced onion

1 tsp salt

1 cup heavy, sour cream

1/2 cup water or buttermilk

2 Tbsp vinegar

Dash ground black pepper

Peel and thinly slice cucumber. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with onion and salt. Let stand 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients and chill.

Drain mixture in colander. Return to bowl and add chilled dressing mixture. Stir gently to evenly coat cucumbers. Serve immediately. Yield: 4-6 side servings.

Note: Rose referred to country sour cream, something not readily available these days. My recommendation is to use premium quality sour cream and definitely use buttermilk instead of water in the dressing. Also, feel free to add more onion to suit your taste.

Sugar Kuchen is often requested at the Odessa Museum Bake Sale during Deutschesfest. An easy recipe to make if you are trying to decide what to contribute to this year’s sale. The sweet yeast dough is topped with thick cream and sprinkled with a cinnamon-sugar crumb mixture. The following recipe is attributed to the late Mrs. Con Schlimmer, with my variation in preparation.

Sugar Kuchen

1 package active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 cup scalded milk (200 degrees)

1/2 cup melted shortening

2 eggs

5 cups all-purpose flour

Topping:

2 cups heavy/thick cream

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

In a small bowl soften yeast in warm water mixed with the tablespoon sugar. Heat milk to 200 degrees then cool to lukewarm.

In a large mixing bowl beat eggs until blended. Add the softened yeast and cooled milk. Stir in the flour, mixing well until dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk.

Meanwhile, combine butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon using a pastry blender or fork to form fine crumbs. Set aside.

Divide dough into four equal balls. Roll or press to fit in well greased, 9-inch pie plates or round cake pans. Cover with a dish cloth and let rise about 1 hour. Spoon 1/2 cup cream over each, spreading to the edge. Sprinkle one fourth of the crumb mixture on each. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 20 to 25 minutes, until edges are golden brown.

Note: you can add more cream, or a cream-egg mixture and sweetened fruit of your choice. Peaches, pears or apples work well with this kuchen dough.

Kraut Ranza, is another German festival favorite. Yeast dough surrounds a seasoned cabbage, kraut and meat filling. The invention of frozen bread and roll dough has inspired many clever cooks to develop recipes requiring less preparation. Kraut Runza, a slightly different spelling in this version, is attributed to Jonelle (no last name available).

Kraut Runza

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

4 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled fine

2 cups chopped cabbage

2 cups well drained sauerkraut

1-2 drops liquid smoke

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 package frozen Texas Rolls, thawed about 2 hours

Brown ground beef and drain off fat, set aside. In same skillet, sauté onion and garlic, stirring in cabbage and cooking until tender. Stir in sauerkraut and seasonings. Add bacon just before filling rolls.

Roll each roll into a 5 inch circle and fill with 1/4 cup of the meat mixture. Pull up edges and pinch to seal.

Place on parchment lined baking sheets and let raise 15 to 20 minutes in a warm place.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake runzas 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly and brush lightly with melted butter. Yield: 24 runzas.

– Share your favorite festival, fair and fall food recipes with your fellow readers by sending the to: Welcome to My Kitchen, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159, email therecord@odessaoffice.com or drop them in the mail tin in the Record-Times office in Odessa. Follow our Welcome to My Kitchen Facebook page for kitchen tips and other recipes I find of interest. Check flower bed mulch to be sure it hasn’t built up around peonies during summer watering. Peonies do not like deep mulch or decaying debris around their rhizome crowns.