Aaaaand my first attempt at an ethnic, Christmastime dish from my childhood was a bust. Why? Because I wasn't paying attention. (Kiddo gets to bark at the parent this time.)
Okay, maybe my attempt at Kjoaschemooss--loosely translated from low German: cold cherry soup--wasn't a TOTAL bust. It tastes fine. But it definitely isn't like Grandma used to make it. The color's not right and it's a little too tangy. But I knew it wouldn't be like Grandma's soon as I opened the can of cherries. Correction: I knew it as soon as I opened the can of cherry pie filling. That's what I get for blindly trusting that the food warehouse employee knew what I was talking about when I asked where I could find the canned cherries. I went directly to the display he indicated and paid no attention to the specifics. (And as much as I'm trying to blame it on the guy, I realize it's no one's fault but mine.)
I'm not sure if I'd like this dessert very much if I hadn't been eating it for as long as solid food has been allowed. If any of you make this, please let me know what you think! I haven't had anyone in this house try it yet, because I'm embarrassed that I made such a lame mistake. And I almost gave it a second go with the right cherries so that I could post THAT finished product, but that totally defeats the purpose of my blog. But I'll make sure to update my Facebook page if the next batch is better!
CHERRY MOOSS
2 cans bing cherries
2/3 c. sugar
3 1/2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 can water
1 can evaporated milk
In a 4-qt. kettle, bring cherries and water to a boil. Mix flour and sugar together and slowly add it to the cherries while stirring quickly, to prevent lumps. Add lemon juice, salt and cinnamon. Let cook for about 5 minutes. Remove kettle from stove and set set for about 15 minutes, then stir in evaporated milk. Serve chilled.
Tonight, I felt like making something thick. I browsed through my gmail "Food" folder and found yet another recipe from my friend, Hillary (@momdmbfan). This one sounded exactly like what I was looking for, and it helped that I had some of the ingredients. I did have to finally buy a cast iron skillet, though.
The flavors in this are mild, depending on how many jalapenos you use. I used only one, and only of half the dish. The kiddo only likes jalapeno when it's on Cheetos. I used sharp cheddar and sweet white onion. As with many of the dishes I've made, I feel like it's missing something. Maybe a dash more salt would help. When I make this again, I think I'll make taco meat, and use that. Or I could use the mister's hamburger meat. Hmmm....
CORNBREAD SKILLET
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup corn meal
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 15oz can creamed corn
1 cup milk
1/4 cup veg. oil
1 lb ground chuck
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 large onion chopped
2-4 jalapeno peppers
Mix first 7 ingredients together.
Brown ground chuck. Pour 1/2 meal mixture into hot iron skillet, sprinkle evenly with beef. Top with onion, cheese and peppers. Pour remaining batter over top. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.
P.S. After typing us this entry, I realized I completely left out the vegetable oil. *sigh*
Okay, so I don't know if I can even call this "Texican Chili" because I changed the recipe up quite a bit. But, I don't wanna put MY name on it, because this isn't the greatest chili I've ever tasted. I got a, "It's missing something," and a, "I like it just the way it is." I tend to agree with the former.
It's a slow cooker recipe, which I love, because the whole house smelled amazing. The only complication is that you cook all the meat first. Big whoop, right?
If you have a chili recipe that you love, can you take a look at the ingredients below and tell me what you think is missing? Thanks!
TEXICAN CHILI
8 bacon strips, diced
2-1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 can (28 ounces) stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt, optional
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon pepper
In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels to
drain. Brown beef in the drippings over medium heat; drain.
Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; add bacon and remaining ingredients.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender,
stirring occasionally.
