Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Historical Foods in America Swedish: 1854 (American Girl Kirsten


(I modified these recipes that are from Kirsten's Cook Book)


Favorite Foods


                                                            Potato Soup

Ingredients                                                                                               12 servings

3 slices of bacon
1 small onion
6 medium potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
Cold water
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Put 2 layers of paper towels onto the counter next to the stove. Seperate the bacon strips and plave them side by side in the skillet. Turn on the heat to medium high. Cook the bacon slices until the edges start to curl. Use a fork to turn each slice to the other side. Continue cooking, turning the slices frequently. When the bacon is golden brown and crisp, lift it out of the skillet and put it onto the paper towels to cool.

2. Peel the onion and chop it into small pieces. Peel the potatos. Cut each potato into 4 pieces. Put the potatos, onion pieces, and salt into the saucepan. Put in just enough cold water to cover them. Turn the heat to medium high until the water begins to water. Turn down the heat. Cover the pan andlet the onions and potatos simmer, for about 20 minutes, or until a fork can pierce the potatoes easily.

3.  Turn off the burner. Leave the cooking water in the pan. Use the potato masher to mash the potatoes and onion. Turn the burner back on medium-high heat. Add the milk slowly while you stir. When the soup begins to simmer, addthe butter and pepper. Crumble the bacon into the soup. Keep stirring the soup while it simmers until it is smooth and hot.

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                                                        Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients                                                                                                     6 servings

2 slices of bread
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
Small onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground pork
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of ground ginger, nutmeg, and pepper
2 tablespooons oil
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup cold water

1. Cut the bread into small cubes. Combine the cream and milk in a small mixing bowl. Measure 1 1/2 cups of bread cubes into the liquid and let them soak for 5 minutes. Peel the onion and chop it into small pieces. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion pieces and cook them until they are clear and tender.

2. Mix the ground beef and pork together in a large mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon or use your hands. Add the egg, cooked onions, soaked bread crumbs, and salt to the meat mixture. Then add a dash of ginger, nutmeg, and pepper. Mix well. Stir the meat mixture quickly with the wooden spoon until it is light and fluffy.

3. Shape the mixture intoballs about 2 inches in diameter. Measure 2 tablespoons of oil into the skillet. Fry a few meatballs at a time in the oil over medium heat. Roll the meatballs on all sides until they are brown on the outside. Take the meatballs out the skillet. Put them onto a plate lined with paper towels. When all the meatballs are browned and out of the skillet, make a gravy by slowly stirring a tablespoon of flour into the meat fat left in the pan. Then add the cup of cold water and stir over medium heat until the gravy is thick. Put all the meatballs back into the gravy. Cover the skillet and lower the heat. Cook the meatballs for 30 minutes. Stir the gravy over the meatballs once or twice while they cook.

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                                                           Fresh Applesauce

Ingredients                                                                                               6 servings

8 apples (Granny Smiths work well)
1 cup cold water
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Wash the apples under cold water at the sink. Cut the apples into 4 sections. Cut the core from each piece. Then cut away the skin from each piece. Measure 1 cup of cold water and pour it into the saucepan. Add the apple pieces to the saucepan. Turn the burner to medium high. When the water boils, turn down the heat to medium low. The apples will be simmering. Cover the pan halfway with the lid. Lower the heat again if the apples begin to boil.

2. Use a wooden spoon to stir the apples every so often to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Simmer the applesfor about 40 minutes, until the apples are very tender. Then turn off the heat. Use a potato masher to mash the apples into a smooth, thick sauce. Stir in the cinnamon.

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                                                          Swedish Pancakes

Ingredients                                                                                               6 servings

6 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon oil
Jam
Powdered sugar (opitional)

1. Melt the butter in the skillet. Turn off the heat. Crack the eggs into the mixing bowl. Use a wire whisk to beat the eggs together. Add 1/2 cup of the milk to the eggs and use the wire whisk to beat the mixture for 2 minutes. Add the flour to the egg mixture all at once, and use a wooden spoon to beat the mixture until it is smooth. Beat in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk. Then add the melted butter, salt, and cinnamon.

2. Add the oil to the skillet. Heat up the skillet until it is very hot. Drop about a tablespoon of the thin batter into the skillet for each pancake. After about 1 minute, the edges of the pancake will brown lightly. turn the pancack. Cook the other side for another minute. Swedish pancakes should be eaten right away. Put them onto plates. Scoop a little jam onto the pancakes and roll them up. You can also sprinkle powdered sugar on top if you want.

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                                                            Saint Lucia Buns

Ingredients                                                                                                  6 buns

1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon saffron
2 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
24 raisins

1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Cut the butter into small pieces. Add the butter pieces to the warm milk and stir. Then turn off the heat. Measure the lukewarm water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Stir well. Set the bowl aside for 5 minutes. Add the warm milk and melted butter to the yeast. Stir in the sugar, egg, salt, and saffron. Then add 1 1/2 cups flour and stir until smooth.

2. Add enough of the remaining flour so that you can shape the dough into a ball. Save some of the remaining flour for kneading the dough. Put the dough on a floured cutting board. Dust your hands with flour an knead the dough. Add flour when the dough is sticky. After 5 to 10 minutes of kneading, you will have a smooth ball of dough.

3. Cover the dough with the towel and let it rest. Spread cooking oil in the large bowl. Roll the dough in the oil until it is coated. Cover the bowl with the towel and set it in a warm place to rise. After 45 minutes, the dough should be twice as large. If not, check it again in 15 minutes. Punch the dough. Then divide it into 6 sections.

4. Take 1 section and divide it in half. Roll each half into an 8-inch rope. Cross the 2 ropes in the middle. Then coil the ends in tight circles. shape 5 more buns in the same way. Place the buns 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Cover with a towel. Let the buns rest for 30 to 45 minutes until they double in size. Preheat the oven to 350 while they are rising. 

5. Mix the egg and water with a fork in a small bowl. Brush this mixture lightly over the top of each bun. Decorate the buns with raisins. Bake the buns for 15 to 20 minutes. When the buns are golden brown, move them to a wire rack to cool.

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                                                         Pepparkakor Cookies

Ingredients                                                                                                      3 dozen

1 cup butter
3 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
2  tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon water
Extra flour for rolling out dough

1. Soften the butter by letting it sit at room temperature for an hour before you begin. Put the sifter into a medium mixing bowl. Measure the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves into the sifter. Then sift them into the bowl. Set the bowl aside. Put the sugar and softened butter into a large mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon to press them against the side of the large mixing bowl, and then stir.

2. Add the egg, maple syrup, and water to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat the mixture until it is fluffy. Stir the dry ingredients into the mixture 1 cup at a time. Mix well after each cup. Cover the bowl with a plate, and chill the dough in the refrigerator, for at least an hour to make to dough eaier to roll and handle. Preheat the oven to 350. Have ungreased cookie sheets ready to use.

3. Sprinkle flour onto a table or counter and spread it around evenly with your hands. Divide the dough into 2 balls. Flatten the first ball and roll it from the  center to the edges. Try to make the whole piece about 1/8 inch thick. Use cokkie cutters to cut out shapes that are about the size. Put the cookies 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.

4. Spread sheets of wax paper on a counter or table. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are lightly browned on the bottom. Watch the cookies carefully. They burn easily. Put the cookies onto the wax paper to cool.

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