Czech Foods Recipes

I (err although was probably not the first to do so) invented red-bottom cake a) because it's fun to say and b) because I was inspired by my two favorite cupcakes at Hummingbird Bakery.  This is sinful hybrid of their black-bottomed cupcake and their red velvet cupcake.  Also trying to rectify problems of sinking cream cheese that I've come across in cupcakes, by lightening the mixture with egg whites and piping it over the cake instead of dropping it in large 'globs'.  It seemed to work!  Success! You will need: 1 recipe prepared red velvet cake batter or box mix --- 8-10 oz. package cream cheese 2 egg whites 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1. Prepare cake batter and pour into two greased or parchment-paper-lined cake pans. 2. In a bowl, beat egg whites for several minutes until slightly stiff (not into a meringue). 3. Beat in cream cheese, sugar, and salt. 4. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag (or a large plastic bag and then snip off the corner of the bag) and sque...

Easy creamy cheesecake bars without the fuss of being a proper cheesecake.  These were snatched up before I had even finished cutting them!  You will need: 1 box chocolate teddy grahams (or chocolate cookies) 1/2 cup butter (melted) 1/2 cup flour 3/4 cup sugar 24 oz full-fat cream cheese 3 eggs 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/3 cup sour cream 6-12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 if drizzling chocolate over top) 1. Place teddy grahams in sturdy plastic bag and crush to crumbs. 2. In a bowl, cream together cream cheese.  Mix in eggs, vanilla, and sour cream.  3. Fold in 6 oz. chocolate chips. 4. Pour mixture over chocolate crust. 5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 350º. 6. If desired, melt 6 oz chocolate chips in microwave until liquid, stirring occasionally.  Drizzle over cheesecake bars. Warning: bars are difficult to cut cleanly with the drizzled chocolate.  REFRIGERATE! Get someone to do the leg work for ya ;)

Soups and stews always seem to be a great way to take the sting out of a cold winter day. Chicken and dumplings and liver dumpling soup are some of my favorite kettle or dutch-oven prepared soups. I also have another fun soup to make that uses a different cooking method. I like to prepare beef barley soup with the ever popular crock pot. Those that have surfed this blog long enough know that when I get away from Czech recipes, I like to resort to posting a slow cooker meal or something fun on the grill. Well, low and behold……here is one more. The recipe below provides a rather generous quantity given I have family of five and I like to have enough for follow up meals. If you would like to give this one a go, simply cut the recipe ingredients in half. The choice of beef cut is also at your discretion, as I highly recommend beef short ribs if not using a chuck roast. Round steak will also work. Crock Pot Beef Barley Soup 3 lb chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into small stew size piece...

One Czech spouse. Check. One batch of freshly-made dumplings. Check. The only ingredient left for one cozy Czech evening is the guláš . Out of all the Czech dishes, guláš plays a special role in this country. Any pub worth its hospoda title is guaranteed to serve guláš. You know, I even feel confident enough to step that up a notch - any establishment whatsoever in this country serving food will have guláš on the menu (okay, okay, except pizzerias and kebab huts). Most pubs serve it on a mound of pillowy dumplings - around 4 slices or so. Some restaurants trying to distance themselves from traditional Czech food try to put a spin on it - like serving it in a big bread bowl with assorted garnishes on the side. Some places trying to tap into the rustic element will serve a venison guláš. Although, I'm told that since this is quite the money maker, some pubs advertise venison guláš, but it does not actually include any venison. (I've heard numerous stories of this same sort of aff...

One of the cornerstones of Czech cooking is dumplings - bread dumplings, yeasted dumplings, potato dumplings, fruit dumplings, dumplings with bacon, and on and on. So it seemed natural that my descent into Czech cooking begin with this mass of flour and carbohydrates. Most families here don't make dumplings anymore, as they are quite cheap to buy mass-produced ones in the shops. Some have told me they buy them from their local pub, which makes them from scratch. When I confessed my upcoming dumpling adventure to some, the men seemed impressed (thought I was being a good wifey to the Czech hubs), and the women said they remember making them with their mums years ago and I should definitely give it a shot. Making dumplings is a great way to get over that after-work slump of forgoing the dinner plans and diving into a bag of microwave popcorn (I fully admit to having done this), because even though it takes awhile, it's pretty easy, and I felt like a kid in science class watchin...

As I entered into this past holiday season, I   stocked up with plenty of food and beverages to keep family and friends happy and merry. The appetizers, dinner, and desserts were tasty as always and I really appreciated the offerings brought over from our guests. Pot luck parties are the way to go to really stretch a party budget. Aside from our own offerings, I anted up the cost of beer and wine for our guests. One of the key pick-ups this Christmas season was the European beer variety pack at Costco. The beer was $17.99 and featured beer from Czech Republic, Poland, and Italy. Each country offered up six beers in this “eighteen pack”.   I figured a buck a beer for quality beers during the holidays was a no brainer. The Czech beer was represented by none other than Pilsner Urquell. We love this beer and usually serve it with authentic Czech dishes of Roast Pork, Svickova, or roast duck. The beer is rich and has a certain heaviness for which I top out after one or two feeling ...