Guest Blog! Christy Robinson, Vodka Sauce

My name is Christy Robinson and I am Morgan's mom.  I too love cooking and reading recipes and food blogs so I guess you could say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

It's hard to believe how quickly two weeks can fly by!  We have enjoyed having Morgan at home and aren't ready for her to leave quite yet.   Not only has it been great to spend some time with her but we have thoroughly enjoyed all of her cooking and baking!

While Morgan was a great cook before she left the states for her year abroad, she has perfected her culinary skills over the past several months.  Her tiny kitchen in Munich hasn't held her back at all!  The name of her blog describes her kitchen to a "T".  It truly is 2 burners and a mini fridge. She is living proof that a good cook doesn't need all the shiny gadgets on the market.

We had the pleasure of sampling her Orange Madeleines, Earl Grey Tea Madeleines, Swedish Visiting Cake, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Lentil Soup, Edamame Soup, and Kaesespaetzle to name a few.  Most of these recipes are also on the blog and I highly recommend them!

We had a small "Welcome Home" party with friends and family soon after she arrived back home.  I served one of my favorite dishes.  This is a recipe that was given to me from an Italian family friend.  It took some arm twisting and a bottle of wine to get his secret recipe but finally I was successful!  I hope you enjoy this as much as we have!

VODKA SAUCE

1/2 stick butter

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 large (28 oz) can whole tomatoes (San Marzano are best)

1/4 to 1/3 cup vodka

1 pint heavy cream

Sauté onion in butter until translucent.  Add vodka and simmer.  Add cream and continue to simmer.

Puree tomatoes in a blender and bring to a boil in a separate pot.  Slowly add the cream mixture to the tomatoes and stir until well blended.

Simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally.

Serve over penne pasta.  You can add some cooked chicken or shrimp but sometimes simplicity is best.

Enjoy!

Farewell, Virginia!

Well these past two weeks were definitely a blur...

I really enjoyed my time at home and am definitely glad I decided to make a visit during this break.  I had originally planned to stay in Europe for the entire year but after the Christmas Break and after seeing the incredible rates during February, I decided that a short visit home would be a healthy, relaxing and, of course, enjoyable way to spend the first leg of my semester break.  It definitely was!

I LOVE living in Germany, this year has taught me so many valuable life skills and so much about myself.  I have definitely furthered my proficiency in the German language, met many wonderful people and have had the amazing opportunity to see some of the most beautiful places in the world.  I am so grateful that I am able to have this experience, a big danke schön to everyone who has helped me!!

Munich is a wonderful city, in fact, my favorite city of any of the places I have visited on this trip or at any other time.  My tiny Studentenstadt apartment has come to feel like my home for the year.  I've never really felt homesick but I don't know that I could live abroad forever.  Walking down the streets in Munich, I can't help but smile and think about how lucky I am to live there and these past two weeks at home have reminded me how important everything here is to me as well.  It's always so great to see friends and family and life in America is just so comfortable!

Needless to say, I did A LOT of cooking and baking these past two weeks.  Cakes, cookies, soups, etc.  It was fantastic.  One thing I noticed was the difference in the butter, I don't know what it is, but the butter is Europe is much better- somehow it has a richer, deeper flavor.  Having to cook in a tiny apartment kitchen has definitely improved my culinary skills and it was really, really nice to be able to practice them in a full sized kitchen and to share what I've learned with family and friends!!

Tomorrow, it's off to the airport (after a little bit more packing!) and hopefully a smooth flight straight to Munich.  I apparently messed up my booking just a little bit - oops!! and will not have a day in Munich as planned, but rather will be staying in the airport and going straight to Dublin.  Let's hope I get some sleep on the way!! I'll be in Dublin from February 29 until March 5, then London March 5-10 and finally in Paris from March 10-17.  I think I'll stay in Munich for awhile after that, I'm assuming I'll need a little down time before too much more activity.
Classes don't start until April 16, so I may possibly try to fit in another short trip!

I'll try my best to keep you guys posted on where I am in the world and what I'm up to these next few weeks!  I look forward to trying some Irish, English and French foods and drinks and will definitely be posting about them!  For more timely updates, it's best to email me or check my twitter/facebook.

Sorry guys, no recipe on this post.  Stay tuned though!! A guest blog from my mom (with one of her favorite recipes!) will be posted tomorrow!

Surprise!! I'm in the USA! and Orange Blossom Madeleines

So the Wintersemester in Munich is officially over.  Aside from one essay I am totally free from academic responsibilities until 16. April.  Gott sei dank!! Not that classes are too demanding or anything I am just ready for a break! and some TRAVELING.
After spending a few dreadful days over the winter break in my sad little apartment, I decided to make the most of this long break and for the most part, stay away from Studentenstadt.  Tickets back to the States were ridiculously cheap so I decided to visit everyone in Virginia for the first leg of break.  At first I wanted to make it a surprise visit but I couldn't keep the secret; we ended up telling everyone except my grandmothers.  We had a little family party tonight and they loved the surprise!!

Being back in the States is a little strange!! From the moment the Passport Control Officer at the airport started making small talk with me I began to realize how different these two cultures I have come to know are really quite different.  In Germany everything is about order, efficiency, discipline and moderation; it's not at all a bad thing, it's simply different.  There no outstanding customer service or small talk, but instead you do what you came to do and you're on your way.  In some ways, this has made me appreciate some of the conveniences available in the States and the more natural open-nature of Americans.
One thing I definitely appreciate A LOT more after 6 months is a real-life, full-sized kitchen.  Complete with the beloved Kitchen Aid, countless appliances and spacious sink!! Simple Pleasures. I came home to  big bags of flour and sugar waiting for me on the counter;  seems like someone was awaiting some baked goods, eh?  Needless to say, I've been busy since I arrived.  Cookies, cakes, soup, quiche, madeleines...

My aunt, Jeannie, gave me this Madeleine recipe back in December.  Finally reunited with a full kitchen and madeleine pan, what better time to give this recipe a try?!
I really liked it! Madeleines are a lot of fun and pretty easy to make.  You'll need a madeleine pan to make these , yes, yet another pan for your kitchen.  If you like them, it's totally worth it.  They are really easy to throw together and are really great for guests and especially great with tea.  Their claim to fame is, no doubt, the so-called "Madeleine Episode" in the chef d-oeuvre of Marcel Proust, À la recherche du temps perdu; Proust takes a bite of the little scallop-shaped sponge cake involuntarily evokes memories of his childhood.
 "No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses, something isolated, detached, with no suggestion of its origin. And at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory – this new sensation having had on me the effect which love has of filling me with a precious essence; or rather this essence was not in me it was me. ... Whence did it come? What did it mean? How could I seize and apprehend it? ... And suddenly the memory revealed itself. The taste was that of the little piece of madeleine which on Sunday mornings at Combray (because on those mornings I did not go out before mass), when I went to say good morning to her in her bedroom, my aunt Léonie used to give me, dipping it first in her own cup of tea or tisane. The sight of the little madeleine had recalled nothing to my mind before I tasted it. And all from my cup of tea." 






While this recipe isn't for the classic Proust-Acclaimed Madeleine, I'm sure he would have approved.  The orange flavor in these little cakes is really nice and they go especially well with Earl Grey (or any other citrus-accented tea).  It's a really fast recipe and I think it's pretty easy.  Two things to aim for: butter that pan well, really well, and try to have the ingredients at a consistent temperature.  The consistent temperature helps with the formation with the bump in the middle madeleines are known for; if it's not gonna happen, no worries.  So the madeleines might not be perfect (they very well might be!!), I'm pretty confident there won't be too many left at the end of the day.  Okay, on to the recipe!

Orange Blossom Madeleines

Source: Jeannie Goodyear, The Lodge & Club at Ponte Vedra Beach

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1/8 tsp salt 
• 2 tsp shredded orange peel
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup browned butter (1/2 stick), slightly cooled 
• 2 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed 
• simple glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar + enough milk (about 2 Tbsp) to make the right consistency 

Directions: 

• Grease the Madeleine pan and preheat the oven to 400 F 
• In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange peel
• In a smaller bowl whisk together the egg, milk, butter and orange juice concentrate.  
• Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry. (It should be lumpy, over mixing will take away from the consistency)
• Scoop the batter into the molds, filling about 2/3 full; I used a cookie scoop and the portion seemed pretty much right.
• Bake for about 8 minutes, until the sides are golden.  The tops will probably look a little pale.  
• Let them cool in the pans for a few minutes then remove to a cooling rack.  Dip the scalloped top sides in the glaze and allow to dry.  
• They are best served slightly warm.  

Bon Appétit! 

Brrrrr it's cold in Munich! Soup's on!

Hofgarten

Munich, or all of Europe for that matter, is a quite a cold place at the moment!!  The season started out very mild but now it's definitely in full swing with temperature staying much below the average lows. It's been hovering around -10 C (about 14 F), but often getting colder than that as low as -20 C at night!  Here is a video a friend recommended from BBC, it's Hamburg where literally all of the water is frozen!

Heidi, Sara and I decided to brave the cold for a bit today and take a long walk through the English Gardens.  It was covered in snow and pretty cold but it was a really nice walk.

















In light of this cold weather, soups have definitely been in order!  Soups are definitely one of my favorite things to make; they are comforting, versatile and easy to do well, or rather hard to mess up.  The base is pretty standard and you can adjust the flavor until you get it to where you want it to be.  This past week I made Potato Soup, Carrot Curry Soup and Green Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter.

When making a savory soup, I stick to a pretty standard base.  First, have pretty much everything ready to go.  I've definitely made the mistake of being lazy and prepping veggies one at a time and having little problems pop up.  Burnt onions, missing spices, whatever; definitely avoid it.  For a 4-6 serving soup start by dicing two yellow onions and mincing three cloves of garlic.  Heat a bit of olive oil in a large pot and add the onions and garlic with a  bit of salt to bring out their juices.  Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
Next add the veggies, cover with broth and simmer.

Before this year, I had never really had much of any curry.  I been recently learning to cook with it and experimenting with it in recipes and I'm really liking it!  I was a little nervous about making Carrot Curry Soup, carrot soup is pretty different from soups I usually make but a friend of mine told me it was her favorite so I decided to give it a try.  We looked at a few recipes online to get a general idea of how to make a successful carrot soup and then took added our own ideas.  I really, really liked this soup.  It definitely has a kick from the curry and mustard seeds but it's pretty well balanced with the sweetness of the carrots and the creaminess of the yogurt.  This soup was definitely a hit!

Carrot Curry Soup 

source: original recipe

Ingredients: 

Olive oil 

2 onions 

3 cloves of garlic

1 Tbsp curry powder, more or less to your taste.  

1/2 tsp mustard seeds 

500 g (about 1.25 lb) carrots, cut into about 1/2" rounds (+a tsp or two of brown sugar if your carrots aren't sweet- probably the case in winter) 

low sodium vegetable/chicken broth (about 4 cups)

1/2 cup plain yogurt/sour cream or 1/3 c heavy cream 

Salt and Pepper 

Prepare the soup base as described above, sautéing the onions and garlic together until tender.  

Stir the curry powder and mustard seeds into the onions and cook until fragrant, about a minute.  

Add the carrots and cover with enough broth to submerge them.  

Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the carrots are soft, about 25-35 minutes.  

Remove from the heat source and blend the carrots with an immersion blender until smooth.  

Stir in the yogurt/sour cream/cream and add salt & pepper to taste.  

It's definitely not the most photogenic soup, but it's delish!

Green Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter 

 source: 101 Cookbooks 

For this recipe, I'll just give the link to the original post at 101 Cookbooks.  I followed the recipe exactly and it's great.  This soup is also pretty spicy but as my friend and top food tester, Heidi, put it, it's "spicy in a really pleasant way."  The heat is balanced with coconut milk and it's really not too overpowering.  I really like this recipe, I'll certainly make it again, maybe with split peas.  

Also not particularly aesthetically pleasing...  

Guten Appetit! 

The last week of WiSo, travel plans and Lavender Syrup

(From 3 February)

The Winter Semester at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität is just about over.  This coming week is the last week of classes and essays are due in the coming weeks.  This weekend is all about preparing for tests and planning the big trips coming up.
We have nine weeks off from classes, a crazy long time.  I'll be traveling for a good amount of the time and a few weeks I've left open to either stay in Munich or some spontaneous trip.  Who knows!  I've booked a ticket to Dublin with a friend from the study abroad program, Heidi.  After we watched the [horrible] movie Leap Year over the Christmas Break we have been trying to plan a trip to Ireland.  The storyline of the film is really banal but the setting is gorgeous. It seems so green and the castles are beautiful, very different from the ones in Germany! AND totally by coincidence, we are going to be in Dublin on Leap Day!  According to the movie, it's an Irish tradition that a man who receives a marriage proposal on Leap Day must accept it; hmmmm... ;)
We've been preparing for our trip in Munich at the Irish Pub near the Frauen Kirche in the city center.  It's a really fun environment and the Snakebites/Shandy (Irish drink of equal parts helles Beer, Cider and Black Current juice) are the best.
We're planning to visit not only Dublin but also some areas on the West Coast and perhaps in the South.  I'm really looking forward to it!  It will be interesting to be in another English speaking country outside of the US and I am definitely looking forward to experiencing the Irish culture and nature.
The next stop: England!  I'll spend about 4 or 5 days in England, probably just in London.  On the 10th I'll take the Chunnel (the train under the English Channel) to Paris!  I am SO EXCITED.  After taking French classes for most of my life, I am so ready to go to Paris!  Two friends and I rented an apartment near the Sacre Coeur church, about a 10 minute walk from the Louvre!  It ended up being about the same price as a hostel and includes a full kitchen and washer/dryer- definitely worth it! Definitely more to come about these trips.

A few weeks ago I purchased a little pack of lavender buds from the Viktualienmarkt in Munich and for the longest time could not decide what to make with them.  I finally decided to make a lavender syrup to mix into crème fraîche (great for the french yogurt cake!), whipped cream, make steamers, whatever.  It's great! And insanely simple to make.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 T lavender buds
(a bit of vanilla extract if you want)

Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, allow it to cook a minute or two and remove from heat.  Stir in the lavender buds and pour the mixture into a jar.  It's that easy.

To make a steamer you'll need a frothing wand or use the steamer attachment of an espresso machine.  Heat the milk and about a tablespoon (more or less, depending on your sweet tooth) of the syrup, strained or not, over medium-low heat and froth until fairly foamy.  Add a bit of honey if you'd like.  I only had regular milk but a friend of mine said a lavender steamer made with almond milk is the best!

To sweeten crème fraîche or cream, simply stir it in.

Guten Appetit!