Wiener Schnitzel

Viennese Cutlet - Wiener Schnitzel Recipe from about.com

Das Wienerschnitzel

J.McGavin

Few foods are more evocative of Austrian cuisine than the humble Wiener Schnitzel, or Viennese Cutlet. As with many simple recipes, the quality of the ingredients are what will make or break your experience with this golden fried treat. Old oil or meat should be avoided and watch your schnitzel carefully, to avoid burning. Eating it fresh is also important.

Ingredients:

• 4 veal cutlets (traditional) pounded to 1/4 inch thickness (about 5 oz. each) (you may use chicken or boneless pork chops, as well)
• 1/4 c. flour (all purpose or brown rice)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• Oil or lard for frying (lard is traditional)

Preparation:

• To pound meat thin you may want to place the cutlet between sheets of plastic wrap for easier washing up. Use a heavy, flat-surface pan to pound (not a meat mallet).
  
• Pound the meat evenly to 1/4  to 1/5 inch thickness for best results.
  
• Do not press the bread crumbs into the meat. The crust should not adhere completely, but form a loose shell around the schnitzel.
  
• Make sure the breaded meat “swims” in fat. Contrary to instinct, the breading will take on less oil than if the meat is sticking to the pan. Also, the breadcrumb topping has a chance to puff up a little, and your clean up is easier. 
• If schnitzel is not cooked all the way through, can cover with lid and allow to cook longer as well.

Directions:

1. Set up 3 shallow dishes. Place the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in one and breadcrumbs in another. Beat eggs well and place in the third dish.
2. Heat at least 1/4 inch of oil in the pan to 350°F.
3. Working one at a time, dredge cutlets first in flour until the surface is completely dry. Dip in egg to coat, allow the excess to drip off for a few seconds and then roll quickly in the breadcrumbs until coated. Do not press breadcrumbs into the meat. Place meat immediately in the pan with the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Cook the schnitzel in batches, if necessary.
4. Fry the schnitzel for on a lower setting (about 280 F) for about 5 min/side. You may want to swish them around a little with your fork to make sure they are not sticking to the pan. Turn them over once and fry until both sides are golden brown. Remove from pan, allow the oil to drain off, place on a plate with lemon slices and serve.

Also good with Wiener Schnitzel: cucumber salad and french fries.

Orange Chicken

from Ourfamilyfavs

 Originally from blogchef.net. We made it the other night and it's my favorite orange chicken recipe yet. Felt like the orange flavor is really brought out.

Ingredients

Chicken:
• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-1/2” cubes)
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 eggs (beaten)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• Oil (for frying)
• 
  
Orange Sauce:
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons FRESH orange juice
• ¼ cup FRESH lemon juice
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (grated)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (I actually added a little more brown sugar... )
• ½ teaspoon ginger root (minced)
• ½ teaspoon garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoons green onion (chopped)
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (we added more... again, we like it HOT)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 c. water

Instructions

• Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in egg mixture and shake in flour mixture to coat. Deep fry chicken in batches at 375 degrees in a deep fryer (or use a wok) until completely cooked.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine 1 cup water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger garlic, and onion. Bring to a boil.
• Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onions.

Serve over rice.

Thai Peanut Saute (from Noodles & Co)

 
from favfamilyrecipes

Note: This is Favfamily recipes version of the “Indonesian Peanut Saute” from Noodles & Co. Although don't mistake tsp for Tbsp on the Sriracha chili sauce, makes a big difference, trust me! The Peanut Sauce would also be good with lettuce wraps as well. I made this with leftover pork schnitzel the other night and it was delicious as well. Tried mixing veggies, meat, noodles, and sauce altogether before serving and didn't like it. I prefer serving them separate and everyone mixing it themselves. Also, think I would cook the chicken with just the oil and garlic. I can't tell a difference. Definitely doesn't make or break it.

Ingredients

• 1-2 Lbs. chicken, cut into thin strips
• vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp Sriracha chili sauce
• juice of 1 lime
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 3-4 shakes soy sauce
• salt & pepper (to taste)
• 16 oz. (1 pkg.) linguine noodles
• shoestring carrots
• broccoli florets, chopped
• green onion
• bean sprouts
• peanuts
• 2-3 limes, slices

PEANUT SAUCE:

• 1 c. chicken broth
• 6 Tbsp. (heaping) creamy peanut butter
• 2-4 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce - depending on how hot you like it
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 6 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
• 4-5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

Instructions

• In a large skillet, saute chicken in oil, Sriracha, lime, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, salt & pepper. While chicken is cooking, prepare the linguine (to al dente) and make the peanut sauce. After the chicken is cooked, remove from the skillet and wrap in foil to keep warm.
• Re-oil the skillet, add vegetables and saute (except for the bean sprouts, add those a few minutes before serving so they are still nice and crunchy and don't get overcooked). Add the chicken and bean sprouts to the skillet, cover, and reduce heat.
• Drain noodles and stir them together with the peanut sauce. Top with veggies & chicken and garnish with peanuts and limes.
• FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE: Combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until sauce becomes smooth and well blended.

Eggplant Lasagna

from Allrecipes.com

  Best if made a day ahead and allowed to sit in the fridge til baking. I used the ingredients for this, but made it like a lasagna, one pan with one layer of pasta and the other without. Both were good and definitely want to do again. Want to try frying. 

Ingredients

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder, divided
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (maybe more or add fresh over sauce?)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
• 2 large eggplant, peeled and sliced about 1/8 inch thick.
• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese (tried doubling and too much, maybe 22.5 oz?)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 (28 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 
2. In a shallow mixing bowl combine 3 eggs, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. In a separate, shallow dish or plate, pour the flour.
3. To fry eggplant: Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Dredge eggplant slices in flour, then in egg mixture and fry slices 2 or 3 at a time in hot oil. Place fried slices on a paper towel lined plate to drain.To roast eggplant: Heat oven to 350 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper/lightly grease it. Dredge eggplant slices in flour, then in egg mixture and place on cookie sheet. May take 2 cookie sheets. Roast in oven about 20 min. (until bottom is slightly crusty) then flip and roast other side.
4. In a large bowl combine ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, remaining 1 cup Parmesan, remaining 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 egg, parsley and spinach; mix well.
5. Spread about 1/3 of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place one layer of roasted/fried eggplant over pasta sauce. Then place a layer of lasagna noodles if desired on top. On top of that spread a 1/2 of spinach mixture evenly. Repeat to form 2 layers of each.Pour remaining pasta sauce on top and finish with sprinkling remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on top.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 375 uncovered for about 40 minutes.

Free-Form Apple Tart

from Sis. Burdges

I love this because it reminds me of German desserts.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C cold butter/margarine cut into 10 pieces
3 T ice water
1/2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon peel
4 large Golden Delicious apples (about 1 1/2 lbs) peeled, I used 3
1/4 C granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 T butter/margarine
Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions:
1. Have ready a cookie sheet without sides

2. To make pastry in food processor: process flour and butter until coarse and crumbly. With motor running add water, lemon peel, and juice. Process until dough leaves sides of bowl.
To make pastry by hand: put flour in a bowl. Cut butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water, lemon peel, and juice. Stir until dough holds together.

3. Gather dough into a ball, flatten, wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate 30 min or just until firm enough to roll out.

4. Meanwhile cut each apple in half from top to bottom. Remove core and cut stem and bud ends. Turn halves cut sides down and slice thinly.

5. Heat oven to 425 F. On lightly floured surface roll dough into a 13-inch round (or on parchment paper to make transfer easier). Edges can be uneven. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheet.

6. Leaving a 2 inch border, arrange apples in concentric circles from outside toward the middle. Sprinkle with mixture of sugar and nutmeg mixed together. Then dot with butter. Fold edges of pastry over apples.

7. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 F and bake 35 minutes longer or until apples are tender and pastry is golden. Slide tart onto wire rack to cool. Before serving dust with confectioners' sugar.

Makes 6 servings.