Category: Family Time

The Little One has been watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs lately, so I decided to have a German Snow White themed dinner for family movie night!

Appetizer:  Bavarian Pretzels

Dough Ingredients:

• 3 tea Instant dry yeast
• 1 ½ Cup Warm Water (100-110 degrees)
• 2 TBS granulated sugar
• 4 Cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tea salt

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 Cup water
• 2 tea baking soda
• Coarse Sea Salt
• ¼ Cup Butter

Instructions: 

1. Combine yeast and warm water and sugar.
2. Add in flour and salt (knead or use mixer).
3. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel, and place in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven 425, grease baking sheet.
5. Divide dough into 8 equal parts. Roll each part into 24 inch rope to form the pretzel.
6. In a shallow bowl, combine the water and baking soda.  Submerge each pretzel in water and place on the baking sheet.
7. Sprinkle with sea salt and let sit for 10 minutes.
8. Bake for 12 minutes then brush with melted butter.
9. Serve with cheese sauce.

Entrée: Gulaschsuppe (soup)

Ingredients:

• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 lb beef, cubed into bite sized pieces
• 2 T. balsamic vinegar
• 2/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 6 med thin skinned potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite sized pieces
• 32 oz beef broth
• Water
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 T. paprika
• 6 oz. tomato paste

Instructions: 

1. Cook onion, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil until the onion is caramelized. 
2. Scrape pot and add beef, browning well. 
3. Scrape the pot again and add the wine and balsamic vinegar, let it simmer on low until the wine has almost entirely evaporated.
4. Add broth, bay leaves and paprika, and let simmer for about an hour to tenderize the beef. 
5. Add potato cubes and enough water to cover plus about 1 inch above, and bring to boil. 
6. When potatoes are tender, add tomato paste, lower to a simmer and let cook for about another 15 minutes.

Fruit: Apple Dumplings

(I got this idea from the Disney Princess Cookbook.)

Dough Ingredients:  

• 1.5 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 6 TBSP of cold butter
• 1/2 cup of milk

Filling Dough Ingredients:  

• 2 peeled apple (cut into quarters)
• 1 TBSP butter (cut into quarters)
• 3 TBSP of brown sugar 
• 1/4 cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

Syrup Ingredients:  

• 1 cup of hot water
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 TBSP melted butter

Instructions: 

1. 1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 9inch square baking pan.
2. 2. To make the dough, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl.  Cut 3 tablespoons of butter into small pieces.
3. 3. Use your hands to knead the butter and flour together.
4. 4. Stir in the milk.
5. 5. Flour a surface and knead the dough until it holds together and dust the top with flour.  Roll out into a 12 inch square.
6. 6. Cut the dough into four equal squares and place two quarters of apple in each square.  
7. 7. Place 1 quarter tablespoon butter one quarter in each square. 
8. 8. In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg.  Spoon equal amounts of mixture in each square.
9. 9. Gather three corners of dumpling together and pinch together.  Put all four in the baking dish an inch apart.
10. 10. Combine hot water, the remaining brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of butter, melted.  Stir and pour over the dumplings in the pan.
11. 11. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
12. 12. Spoon more syrup over the top, and serve warm.

Vegi:  Crispy Potato Bake

Ingredients:

• 6 russet potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 teaspoons rosemary
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• ¼ cup real bacon bits

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Use a mandolin or sharp knife to make thin, equal slices of your potatoes and onions – about 1/8″ thick is ideal.
3. Grease a round casserole dish.
4. Use a spiral pattern , arrange the sliced potatoes in your baking dish.
5. Insert the sliced onions an equal distance apart amongst the sliced potatoes.
6. Place the butter in a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 330 seconds until completely melted. Stir in the olive oil and then pour the mixture over the casserole.
7. Sprinkle on your seasoning and bacon bits.
8. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 45 minutes.
9. Remove the tinfoil and continue baking for 15 minutes to crisp up the potatoes and bacon.

Dessert: Poison Apple Pie

(I got the idea for my Poison Apple Pie from A Magical Kingdom Called Home Blog.)

Ingredients:

• 4 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and diced
• 14oz can whole cranberries
• Juice from one lemon
• 2 tsp pie spice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• Two pie crusts
• Egg wash

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line pie plate with one pie crust and set aside. Pour lemon juice over diced apples and stir to prevent browning.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring cranberries, one cup of apples, sugar, water, and pie spice to a boil over medium heat. Then lower heat and simmer 10-15 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and add remaining apples. Let filling cool while preparing the crust.
4. Lay second pie crust on working area. Using a picture reference and a knife, free hand the Poison Apple face to the pie crust. Paint the crust with egg wash.
5. Turn pie filling into pastry lines pie plate and then carefully place crust on top. Fold and pinch pie crusts together. Cover edges with aluminum foil or pie crust protector shield.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, remove crust shield and bake for additional 15 minutes.

Drink:  Evil Queen’s Punch

Ingredients:

• 2 envelopes lemon-lime Kool-Aid
• 10 cups water
• 2 cups sugar
• 46 ounce can of pineapple juice
• 1 quart lime sherbet
• 2 liters lemon-lime soda

Instructions: 

1. Combine the Kool-Aid, sugar, water, and pineapple juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. When ready to serve, scoop lime sherbet into a punch bowl.
3. Pour the kool-aid and juice combo over the Sherbet. Follow this up with lemon-lime soda.
4. Serve immediately.