Hurray for Apple Dumplings

In my family, while growing up, when Mom made Apple Dumplings they were our supper, not a dessert. I guess Mom and Dad felt the sheer volume of calories and such were worthy of consideration as a "meal." For me, that was never enough. I have mentioned my sweet tooth in past, but it is still going as strongly today as I am approaching age 70 as it did at age 10. Mom made enough that we all had one. Possibly, Dad was allowed two, though I am not certain. But I always wished there were more, because they were one of my favorite of many favorite desserts.

These days, I know how much time it takes to prepare them, and just how far they (don't) go. I can certainly sympathize with Mom's efforts to feed a big family. But, I don't think there has ever been a time when I didn't wish for more than there were. These days, if I don't keep a close eye out, my husband will just polish off the whole of the remaining dumplings in the pan. Horrors! Because that means I won't get another one!

Apple Dumplings

Okay, I might be exaggerating. A little. Well, a teensy bit, maybe. But I just love Apple Dumplings. 

Rice Pudding

Coconut Milk and Saffron Rice Pudding

There are other things Mom made for us, that still, to this day, I crave and make. I recall Mom making rice pudding from leftover "Minute Rice." She used tapioca for the thickening. I love rice, and I love rice pudding. I do not use "Minute Rice," but when I have leftover rice (usually made with saffron in it) I make rice pudding. For myself only, as my husband is not at all fond of plain rice, and something about rice pudding (despite the fact that he has a sweet tooth nearly as big as mine) is a no-no for him. So, I do not have to share, when I make rice pudding. I do, however, have to make sure there is something else that he will eat, for dessert. 

To make my version of her rice pudding, Combine about 2½ to 3 cups of milk (or substitute a can of coconut milk, adding enough water to make the amount of liquid needed) in a medium saucepan with 3 tablespoons of minute tapioca and ½ cup of sugar. Let stand for a few minutes, then stir and combine with 2½ cups of leftover rice. Bring the mixture to boil, stirring and once boiling, reduce to simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool. Optional is adding in raisins, or cinnamon, or cinnamon stick while cooking. Add in vanilla, if desired, once off heat.

Potato Pancakes

Potato Pancakes

Mom also made what she called "Potato Pancakes," when she had leftover mashed potatoes. They were more like a freshly hand-patted corn tortilla in texture and style. Certainly they bore no resemblance to what is termed "Potato Pancakes" in restaurants. These were made and to me, were a most particularly special treat for lunchtime next day. As we grew older, my sisters and I would beg Mom to make lots of extra mashed potatoes, so we could have Potato Pancakes for lunch next day. And preferably, more than just a couple! She served these to us first just sprinkled with salt. Then as "dessert" a second with jam spread in the center and rolled up. Yum!

But Apple Dumplings? Oh me, oh my!

Apple Dumplings

Apple Dumplings

Makes 6 Dumplings

SYRUP:
1½ cups water
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated is best)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

DUMPLINGS:
pie dough recipe for double crust pie
6 medium sized baking apples, pared, cored
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut in 6 pieces 

For the syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and bring to a boil, ensuring the sugar is dissolved completely. Add the butter and set aside.

For the dumplings: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the pie pastry as for pie, keeping it in a relatively rectangular shape. Cut the pastry into six (7 to 8-inch) squares. Set one apple onto each square. 
 
In a small bowl, combine the ¼ cup granulated sugar, teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon nutmeg, tossing well to evenly distribute the spices. Using a small spoon, place about 2 to 3 teaspoons of the cinnamon/sugar/nutmeg mixture into each core of the apples. Place one small pat of butter on top of the sugar mixture in each core. Have a small bowl of water at hand. Bring one corner of the pastry to the top of the apple (I usually start with a corner that may not be quite perfect). Dampen the top, then bring up the next corner of the dough and press into place. Repeat with the last two corners of the dough. Repeat this for the remaining 5 apples. If desired, cut little leaves out of the dough scraps and dampen the backs to adhere and decorate the tops of each dumpling. Set the dumplings, preferably not touching, into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Pour the syrup over all. 

Bake the dumplings for approximately 45 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the pastry is golden. Serve the dumplings warm or cold, plain, with milk or cream, or with vanilla ice cream.

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Potato Pancakes and Huevos Rancheros

First off, I have to relate what I mean by "potato pancakes". In our house, as we grew up, my Mom would take leftover mashed potatoes, cold from the fridge. She would cut in flour as for making pie pastry (using a fork or pastry cutter) until the mixture would hold together to make balls, and then roll these balls of dough into thin "pancakes". Back then, her favorite frying medium was Crisco, so into a relatively hot skillet went a dab of Crisco, and then in went the thin, round pancake. She would cook them until the bottom was dotted with brown, then flip for a minute or so until the opposite side had browned spots, and then begin cooking the next one. These were what I knew as "potato pancakes."

Mom's Style of Potato Pancakes

In our house, these were as much a treat as rice pudding, so whenever Mom made white rice or mashed potatoes for dinner, we would all clamor for her to "make too much." This would ensure that we would have a treat the next day. And it was a real treat to have potato pancakes, made this way. She would often serve them to my sisters, brother and me for lunch. The first one or two would be sprinkled with salt. Warm from the pan, they were nicely flexible, so she would roll them up and serve them. Once we had eaten them this way, then we would have them with a little jelly rolled in; the "cherry" on top of what was already a spectacular treat. 

These childhood memories stay strong in me, even at age 65. To this day, though I don't make them often, I do still make them. I even made them when I lived in Guatemala, and when making them alongside a maid named Graciela, she dubbed them "Tortillas de Papa", meaning nothing more than "tortillas made of potato" or "potato cakes". I asked her if she could try patting them out by hand, just as when she made fresh corn tortillas. She could, and she did! So, my children also grew up with my Mom's style of potato pancakes, now and again. I don't really know if they are so near and dear to their hearts as they are to mine, but they do know them. 

How are they Made?

Potato Pancakes

I have no real recipe for these. How much flour to add to the cold mashed potatoes is changeable, depending on how wet your mashed potatoes were to begin with. Last evening I started with approximately 

• 2 cups of cold mashed potatoes. 

I added in about 

• ¼ cup of all-purpose flour 

to begin, cutting it in. The mixture was still too wet and soft to form, so I added in about another 

• ¼ cup of all-purpose flour. 

I added more flour, in smaller amounts until I could pick up some of the mixture in my hands, make a cohesive ball of "dough" that would hold together, and then roll it out. Like with pie dough, the mixture should not be over-handled. The flour that is added will build gluten and toughen the mixture. To roll them out, sprinkle a generous amount of flour onto a surface. Form a 2-inch ball of the dough into a smooth round, then flatten it and place onto the floured surface. Sprinkle a little more flour on top, then with a rolling pin, roll it out to about ⅛-inch thick and about 6-inches in diameter. Last evening I got 8 potato pancakes from the amount of potatoes I started with.

Heat a skillet to about medium heat, then add in a little bit of your preferred oil. I find that cooking spray works well, so as not to add too much oil to the pan. One of those "Misto" sprayers with your favorite oil would work. Set one of the rolled out pancakes into the hot pan and allow it to cook until it has formed myriad brown spots, as in the photos above. This could take from 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the heat level. Flip the pancake and cook about one minute more, until the opposite side also has browned spots. Remove to a plate, add a little more oil, and continue with the remainder of the pancakes. 

Potato Pancake Huevos Rancheros

For whatever reason, though I have made these often enough in the past 26 years, my husband never even tasted them. Again, for whatever reason, last night he asked if he could have some of them. Since I made plenty, this was no problem. I explained that they were good just with salt. He ate them with his vegetable soup for dinner. There was one remaining on his plate, and I told him to try it with jelly. He did, and loved it! A new convert!

Potato Pancakes, topped with beans, then with eggs, and finally, with salsa

As I ate them with some pork for dinner last night, I thought of using them instead of tortillas in the style of "Huevos Rancheros." I felt that since they are made of potato, and potatoes (usually in the form of hash browns or home fries) are served with breakfasts, that this would be a good plan. I had beans cooked up already, just because I love them, so I was all set. This morning I got everything out, starting with two of the leftover potato pancakes. I heated some of my "refried beans" and then fried 2 eggs. To top it off I used some of my fermented salsa. It was most excellent and everything I had hoped!



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.