RECIPE: Bacon Gravy Schnitzel

In honor of Oktoberfest and my german hertiage I cooked up the traditional German Schnitzel, a crispy breaded veal cutlet, to a new and luscious level with the addition of this Jaeger sauce. Hearty bacon, onions and mushrooms create a savory sauce that pairs perfect with mashed potatoes or noodles.

Here is the recipe I followed in order to create this tasty, hearty traditional German meal!

What you need:

ounces sliced bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 yellow onion, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces

1 cup of chopped mushrooms

2 cups of beef stock

1 tablespoon of flour and 1 teaspoon of flour

Four veal cutlets- pounded well

1 cup of all purpose flour

1 teaspoon of mustard- I used dijon

3 eggs

2 cups of plain breadcrumbs

1/2 cup of unsalted butter

Directions:

1. For the gravy: Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy and most of the fat has been rendered. Add the onions to the pan and cook until softened, 4 to 6 minutes, and then stir in the mushrooms Stir in 1/4 cup of the beef stock to combine, and then stir in the flour to combine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer.

2. For the jaeger schnitzel: Place each veal cutlet in between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound each one using the spiky side of a meat mallet to tenderize it. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

Set up the breading station. whisk together the flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl or dish, and whisk together the mustard and eggs in another shallow baking dish. Combine the breadcrumbs with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a third baking dish.

Dredge each veal cutlet first in the flour, then through the egg mixture, and lastly through the breadcrumbs. Transfer onto a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Then pour gravy onto the schnitzel. Enjoy this cozy meal perfect for the fall and winter.

ORLANDO TRIP

I recently just got back from a quick vacation to Orlando, FL which is why I took a little break from the blogging world. This was my first time going to Orlando. I was super excited to experience the roller coasters for the first time and try out the new Transformers 3D ride, but one thing I couldn’t hold my excitement for was the harry potter world and EPCOT. This posting is just to give you a snapshot of my favorite meals I had while in Orlando. With the amount of walking I did this trip in the parks I didn’t feel so bad eating these foods 🙂

First up, HARRY POTTER WORLD. Speechless, phenomenal, breathtaking are just a few words to describe this magical land. You don’t have to enjoy the movies or the books to get the full experience behind the Harry Potter World.  As I walked up to the entrance of Hogwarts, I literally had chills up and down my body. The architecture was perfectly replicated as if you were standing in the movie.

For Food, We stopped at ” Three Broomsticks” for a traditional English Breakfast. I am not a fan of many mixed foods on my plate but the flavors of the meats with the potatoes were delicious. The smokey sausage paired so well with the savory buttery potatoes and croissant roll. The eggs were fluffy and the stewed tomato had a Parmesan breadcrumb crust. Not sure what is in a full English breakfast, this website describes all the ingredients that compose of this meal.

Cant go to Harry Potter World, without a tasting of the famous Butter Beer. ( Sorry unfortunately there is no alcohol in it) But still has an amazing flavor. Hard to explain the flavor of this cold creamy drink and the true recipe has yet to be released but one can describe the flavor as butterscotch mixed with a shortbread cookie with the texture of a root beer float.

Next up is EPCOT. The land of countries where you need to go on an empty stomach because you will be tempted to eat something from every country. Epcot features a handful of countries from around the world and features dishes, crafts, restaurants, products and environment, just as though you were in that country.

GERMANY- For lunch we had brats and beers!

UNTIED KINGDOM- We stopped at a little english pub for some english cider ( Strongbow) and a classic Fish and Chips to share. The fish and chips were flaky, buttery and cooked to perfection. Went so well with a cold glass of cider.

FRANCE- One of the last stops we made was in France at a bakery for some french pastries and danishes. WOW. I couldn’t even decide which I wanted. I ended up getting a chocolate caramel tarte.

For any of my bloggers who have not experienced this place- PLEASE GO! Save up! You will not be disappointed. Just make sure you bring comfortable walking shoes because you will be walking for hours upon hours!  🙂

Slow cooker Kielbasa with Apples, Onions, Sauerkraut

My  boyfriend made this recipe for me for my birthday this past year. Because he is Polish and I am German, it would only be right to combine to two in a dish. Lets just say I was blown away by his cooking and this recipe! You can have this on top of roasted potatoes or just with a slice of toasted bread The apple aroma fit so well with the fall season outside!

Courtesy of twitter.com/tbicz :

“With this recipe I put a unique German spin on a traditional Polish recipe from my Great Grandmother from Krakow. This German version has a heightened taste of apple and more of a sweet flavor than the traditional Polish Kielbasa”

What you need:

3 packages of Kielbasa with 2 links in each package

1 package of Sauerkraut ( 2 ounces)

2-3 cups of apple cider ( less than 2 cups for less acidity, more than 3 cups for a sweeter flavor)

1/4 of an onion cut into thin pieces

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

Directions:

Cut the 6 sausages into 5 pieces from each link. Turn the crock pot on medium and pour in the sauerkraut, apple cider, onions and brown sugar. Mix well. After ingredients are mixed together add in  the sausage cuts. Make sure they are fully submerged in the sauerkraut mix for up to 5 hours before serving.

After cooking the Kielbasa for 5 hours, the sausage will literally melt in your mouth over top the delicious sweetened  sauerkraut! Enjoy!

Restaurant Review: Frankford Hall

Nestled in the heart of Fishtown in Philadelphia, Frankford Hall is your go to place for simple, fast, quality German Cuisines. Choose to hang out inside with a group of friends playing Jenga at the table or relax outside in the beer garden!

Frankford Hall is  first come first serve with no reservations. Grab a seat while you see an open one! This Steven Starr establishment is set up like a fast food joint- you walk up to the counter to order your food. Its cheap, fast and no tipping is required. Don’t be fooled! Frankford Hall hands down and two thumbs up is the best German Food I have tasted ( along with my grandfathers of course).

The menu is short and simple with your typical German Favorites: Warm Bavarian Pretzels, Sausages, Red Cabbage, German Potato Salad and Sauerkraut. Frankford Hall really stresses the importance of flavor behind their homemade sausages. Its simply just a sausage link on a roll, with a side of Mustard. I had the Keisekrainer ( beef,pork,cheese). Trust me when I say no need to add a bunch of toppings. The cheese melted out of the sausage which paired so well with the toasted buttery roll.

I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for something that is cheap and has a unique atmosphere! Bravo Steven Starr for allowing me to explore my German roots close to home at this one of a kind restaurant!