Mid-European Foods

Welcome to Middle Eastern Europe--lush wooded mountains cover a third of the land. Rich fields are heavy with potatoes, sugar beets, wheat, rye...which, of course, reminds me of Montana. The western part of Montana is mountainous which flows down the plains and badlands in the east. No wonder a lot of mid-eastern europeans settled in this part of the United States.

Cracker Dumplings: 3 slices white bread; 1 cup milk; 1/4 lb. saltine crackers, rolled fine; 1/4 tsp. garlic salt; 1/4 tsp. onion salt; 3 eggs; 1 Tbsp. butter; 2 Tbsp. parsley flakes (optional). Tear bread into small pieces. Pour milk over bread and allow to soak. Add cracker crumbs, salts, eggs and butter. Combine until mixture will hold its shape. form into six or eight cylinders the size of frozen orange juice cans. Roll in flour until lightly coated. Place into boiling, salted water; cook for 20 minutes. Drain well. Serve with roast pork, veal or stewed chicken.

Potato Dumplings: 2 eggs; 3 cups cooked, riced potatoes; 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour; 1 tsp. salt. Beat eggs until frothy. Add potatoes and mix well. Combine flour and salt; blend into potato mixture. Form a roll 1 1/2 inch in diameter and cut into 1 inch pieces. Put dumplings into boiling water or broth; cover. Stir loose from bottom when they come to a boil. Replace cover; boil 10 to 15 minutes longer. Test by taking one out of liquid and cut in half. Roll in melted butter when done and serve with sauerkraut.

Dill Gravy on Toast: 2 Tbsp. butter; 2 Tbsp. onion, minced; 2 Tbsp. flour; 2 cups milk; 1/4 tsp. salt; 1/3 cup fresh dill stalks chopped fine (you can also use dried dill to taste); 1/4 cup vinegar; 3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped; dash of pepper. Melt butter in a heavy pan. Add onion and saute until transparent, but not brown. Stir in flour and follow with milk and salt, stirring constantly. Cook until mixture thickens to a white sauce. Stir in dill and vinegar and cook a while longer. Add egg to the sauce. Add pepper and more salt, if desired. Remove from heat. This sauce may be used on mashed potatoes, baking powder biscuits or toast.

Pigs in a Blanket: 1/2 lb. uncooked rice; 1 head cabbage; 1 onion, chopped; 1 Tbsp. shortening; 1 1/2 lb. ground pork; salt and pepper to taste; 1 egg; 1 large can sauerkraut; 1 quart tomatoes. Soften rice in hot water. Precook cabbage until soft and limp. Drain and cool; separate leaves. Mix meat and rice together; season to taste. Add egg, onion and shortening; mix well. Fill cabbage leaves with mixture. Roll and seal ends well. Fill pan with layer of sauerkraut and layer of rolls, repeat layers. Add tomatoes to cover all rolls. Bring to a boil; cover. Cook over medium heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. You can also slow bake these in a 300 to 325 degree oven until done.

Bohemian Crescents: 4 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 lb. butter; 4 Tbsp. shortening; 2 pkgs. yeast; 1/4 cup lukewarm water; 4 egg yolks, beaten; 1/2 pint sour cream. Sift dry ingredients; cut in butter and shortening as for pie dough. Dissolve yeasts in lukewarm water. Beat egg yolks. Add sour cream and yeast mixture. Mix thoroughly; add to flour mixture. Mix lightly. Wrap in waxed paper and put in refrigerator overnight. Poppy Seed Filling: 1/2 lb. ground poppy seed; 1/2 cup sugar; 3 Tbsp. milk; 1/4 tsp. cinnamon; 2 Tbsp. melted butter. Combine all seed filling ingredients in saucepan and cook over low heat about 5 minutes. Stir to prevent scorching. Work with about one-fourth of crescent dough at a time. Roll out 1/4 inch thick on slightly floured board and cut into 2 inch squares. Place poppy seed filling on one end. Roll up and form into crescents. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 425 degrees.

Apricot Kolache: 2 pkgs. yeast; 1/2 cup warm water; 2 1/2 cup milk, scalded; 1/4 cup sugar; 1 tsp. salt; 1/2 cup shortening, melted; 7 cups sifted all-purpose flour; 2 egg yolks. Soften yeast in water. Combine with milk, sugar, salt and shortening; cool to lukewarm. Stir in 2 cups flour; beat well. Add egg yolks and yeast; mix well. Add eough of remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn out on lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and satiny for 10 minutes. Shape into a ball. Place in lightly greased bowl; cover. Let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk. Punch down; let rise again until doubled. Shape into small balls the size of a walnut. Place on greased baking sheets. Let rise for 10 to 15 minutes. Filling for Kolache: 1 (11 oz.) pkg dried apricots; 1 cup sugar; 1 tsp. vanilla; dash of cinnamon. Mix filling ingredients together. Make small indentation in center of bun; fill with 1 tablespoon of filling. Return to warm place to finish rising. Bake in 450 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter and remove to cooling rack.

A few hints from "6001 Food Facts and Chef's Secrets" by Dr. Myles H. Bader

To get rid of ants: 1. Place whole cloves or sage around the windows and doors or anywhere else they appear. 2. To kill ants---mix two cups of borax with one cup of sugar in a quart jar. Punch holes in the lid and sprinkle around the outside of the house. 3. To get rid of ants, pour Ivory Liquid Soap around. This is the only liquid that seems to work.

Bay leaves can be placed in all kitchen drawers, in the flour and sugar containers to keep crawling insects away.

If your dishwasher has stains in it, try filling your dispenser with dried Gatorade or Tang and run it through a cycle.

When you purchase flour, put it in the freezer for a few days to kill any insect eggs that might be in the flour. (This hint is from me).