Tag: recipe

Pork and Potatoes – A Classic Combination

On By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany, RecipesLeave a comment
Pork Stomach

Throughout our time in Europe, we had many different variations of pork and potatoes together. Whether sausages or pork roast, potatoes pair perfectly with any type of pork dish.

Bratwurst

We decided to take some leftover ham and combine it with scalloped potatoes and cheese for a quick and easy dinner. It isn’t a fancy dish by any means, but it is delicious and hearty. Perhaps pork and potatoes are combined because they are both inexpensive and easy to cook. We hope you enjoy our version of a ham and potato casserole.

Ham and Potato Casserole

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 to 4 Medium Russet Potatoes
  • 1 cup Diced Cooked Ham
  • 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 cup Milk
  • 1/2 cup Shredded Cheese – We used a Monterey Jack Cheddar Blend
  • Dash of Freshly Grated Nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp Granulated Garlic
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
Baked Casserole

INSTRUCTIONS

Peel and wash the potatoes. Slice the potatoes using a mandolin or by uniformly slicing them into 1/8 inch scallops. Place the potatoes into a pot with cold salted water and then turn the heat onto medium-high. Once the water comes to a boil, continue boiling for 5 minutes until they are slightly blanched, but not fully cook as they will finish cooking in the casserole. Drain the potatoes. Whisk the milk and flour together with 3/4 of the cheese, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and garlic. Layer the potatoes and ham in a casserole dish adding some of the cheese and milk mixture as you add each layer. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top of the casserole and bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

Steak Braciole

On By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy, Recipes3 Comments

When most people think of Italian food, they generally think of pasta, red sauces, and pizza, but there is much more to the rich gastronomical heritage of Italy. We enjoyed a wonderful variety of food during our time in Italy, so we thought that we would attempt to create a different style of Italian food for ourselves. Braciole is a thin steak that is stuffed with bread crumbs, vegetables, cheese, and then rolled to create a pinwheel of flavor. We adapted our recipe from one that we saw Chef Jeff Mauro cook on an episode of a television show. It has so much flavor and made for a wonderful dinner for the two of us.

Steak Rolled and Tied

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb Thinly Cut or Butterflied Top Round or Strip Steak (We used top round steak)
  • 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
  • 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
  • 2 cloves Garlic – minced
  • 4 to 6 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese – sliced
  • 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 16 Asparagus Stalks – cut to width
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
Rolling the Steak
Just Before Rolling

INSTRUCTIONS

Blanch the asparagus by boiling or steaming them for about two to three minutes and then shocking them in an ice bath. If necessary, butterfly the steak and then pound out until about an eighth of inch thin. Season the steak with salt and pepper on both sides. Combine the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, and olive oil in a small bowl. Place the mozzarella cheese onto the steak, leaving about an inch perimeter all of the way around. Cover with the bread crumb mixture and then place the asparagus on the steak leaving about a half inch in between each stalk. Roll the steak as tightly as possible and then tie it with butcher twine. Sear the steak on all four sides for about three minutes per side in a skillet with olive oil at medium-high heat. Place the steak in a 250 degree oven for about forty minutes or until the desired temperature. Remove the butcher twine and cut the steak into about one inch pinwheels. If desired, serve with a sauce such as your favorite tomato sauce, but it can be served as is.

Blanching the Asparagus
Shock the Asparagus
Steak with Cheese and Bread Crumb Mixture
Sear the Steak
Steak Braciole

Homemade Turkey Breakfast Sausage

On By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes4 Comments

One of the things that we enjoyed during our time in Europe was having breakfast at one of the many outdoor cafes. Europeans eat healthier breakfasts than what most restaurants here in the United States serve, so we don’t tend to go out for breakfast now that we are back home. We do, however, still enjoy a good healthy breakfast and since pork sausage or bacon can be high in calories, we decided to make a healthier alternative. We used ground turkey and spices to create a very tasty breakfast sausage that won’t leave you feeling guilty when you are done eating. It was actually really easy to make and we think that it tasted as good as store-bought pork sausage.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1tsp Dried Sage
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1/8 tsp Dried Marjoram
  • 1 lb Ground Turkey
Spices

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all of the herbs and then mix them in a bowl with the ground turkey. Be sure that all of the spices distribute equally throughout the ground turkey. Then, using your hands, make small patties that are each 2 to 3 ounces of ground turkey. Ours were about 2 1/4 ounces each, which resulted in 7 patties. To cook, fry the sausage patties in a skillet heated to medium-high with a couple of tablespoons of oil for about four to five minutes per side. Serve with your favorite breakfast items such as eggs and fruit.

Frying Sausages
Cooked Sausage Patties
Healthy Breakfast