Milchreis - Rice Pudding

                                   Milchreis - Rice Pudding

This is a traditional german Rice Pudding recipe. Not sure if the american version is similar. The recipe is from one of my favorite german star cooks Stefan Hensler.

This is what you need:

- 800 ml milk

- 200 gr. Milk rice or Risotto rice (or short grain rice) however its written on the package

- 1 Vanilla bean, the paste inside and then the whole bean (or Vanilla extract)

- 1 pinch of salt

- 4-6 TBSP Sugar

- around 50-100 ml heavy whipping cream

This is how you do it:

Pour the milk in a sauce pan along with the sugar, salt and the vanilla bean paste and vanilla bean and heat up until it boils. Once it starts boiling add the rice immediately but slowly and stir while you pour in the rice. Reduce the heat to a medium-low and cover it up. Let simmer for around 20 min, stirring just occasionally. In the meantime, you can whip up the heavy cream. I added a tiny bit of sugar to it but you don't have to. Once the time is up, stir and check the consistency. Let simmer for another 5 min if you think it could need some time. Then add the whipping cream and stir well. Let sit another 5-10 min without heat so they can absorb the cream. It will make it a little bit more fluffy and also helps with the tenderness of the rice. 

Serve warm with toppings of your preference like sugar-cinnamon mix or fruits. It's also good cold, but we prefer it warm. It's a hearty, warm comfort food on cold days (or any day lol)

Guten Appetit 

Grilled Pork Belly in Beer marinade

         Grilled Pork Belly in Beer marinade 

This is for you folks whom always see the Pork Belly at the Grocery store but don't know what to do with it or how to cook it. This is an amazing Marinade with is good to prepare a day ahead and then to grill it the next day. This is a very german thing and recipe. I searched long for this. Since I failed to make pictures in the past and I just decided today to make some tomorrow, I just have the marinade picture. I will update with a finished product. Promise.

This is what you need:

- Pork Belly

- 200 ml Beer (use the brand you usually use. We like Yuengling)

- 3 TBSP Mustard (also, use the Brand you would usually use. Not Dijon though)

- 1 Bay Leave

- 4 Juniper Berries (you can find on Amazon)

- 4 Cloves of Garlic 

- 1/2 Onion

- 3 TBSP Oil

- some Red Pepper Flakes

- Salt and Pepper

This is how you do it:

In a big Zip Lock bag put all the ingredients and the Pork Belly. Let sit at least 2 hrs or over night (or longer if necessary) 

Take them out of the Bag and grill them. Enjoy them with whatever side you like. From Garlic Bread over Pasta Salad or Potato Salad. 

Guten Appetit 

McD Chicken nuggets copycat

                McD Chicken nuggets copycat

I found this McDonalds copycat recipe on the internet and let me tell ya, boy that's 

good. You need to try this.

This is what you need:

- Chicken breasts (as many as you want/need)

- Salt and Pepper

- Flour

- Cornstarch

- Garlic Powder

- Onion Powder

- Eggs

This is how you do it:

Cut the Chicken breasts into cubes and pulse them in a Blender. Don't pulse them to fine though. Take them out and salt and pepper them. Don't be greedy with the salt. You want flavor.  Form "nuggets" and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a silicone baking sheet). Place them in the freezer for 2 hrs..

In 2 separate bowls have some whisked eggs with a bit water ready, in the other mix the Flour, cornstarch, Onion and Garlic powder (go after your guts. It depends on how much you have. I tasted it and adjusted from there. Again, don't be greedy here) Coat the Nuggets first in the wet, then the dry, another time wet and again dry ingredients.

Technically, your Nuggets are done. Now its up to you how you want to cook them. You can pan fry them in oil, air fry them (with some oil sprayed on them) or bake them in the oven (again, spray some oil over them). When you Air fry them, don't use the metal rack. They glue to them and rip off the breading. Or use some baking sheet underneath. It took around 20-30 min. on 400 degrees in the Air Fryer but you might want to have play with this time also. They are way faster fried in oil (and probably more flavorful) but with trying to reduce fat, it's definately and option.

Sorry for not having a picture. I will update when I have one. 

Pasta Alfredo

                                           Pasta Alfredo

I know Alfredo is not really a thing in Italy. Maybe in Rome, but even there I haven't seen this dish on a restaurant menu. Maybe it's more like a mom'n paps kind of thing? Anywho, this dish is a big thing in the United states. But thus far, I haven't found a recipe I liked. I made it for my daughter and the Husband, but I never ate it. Until I found this one. This is really the best Alfredo recipes out there. So, I save you from searching the internet. Just try this and let me know if I was right lol. This is not my recipe though. But let me tell you again the importance of using the original Parmigiano Reggiano. First, the flavor is really different. You will taste it. Second, the quality. It's just made with better ingredients then the copycat. Never go for the grated one. You don't know what else they grated into that. You can find the original Parmigiano at every good grocery store. Look on the back to find the burned in Logo of Parmigiano Reggiano. Then you know it's the original. And of course the price. It's a lot more expensive, but that dish is so cheap on the other ingredients, then you want to put that extra money into quality cheese. 

This is what you need:

-  1/2 cup of Butter (or 1/3. that worked too)

-1 1/2 cups of Heavy Whipping cream

- 2 TSP minced Garlic 

- 1/2 TSP Italian Season

- 1/2 TSP salt- Pepper 1/4 TSP or none like me ;-)

- 2 Cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (don't settle for less)

This is how you do it:

Add the Butter and cream in a large skillet or pot. Simmer on low for about 2 min.. Whisk in the garlic, Italian season, salt and pepper and let simmer for another min.. Whisk in the Parmigiano Regiano and let  melt. Serve over every kind of Pasta or whatever you like.