CRANBERRY CRUNCH BARS (or SQUARES)

This recipe is sooooo very delicious and one of my favorite bars – the tangy cranberries, make this very elegant.  They are also great topped with sweetened ice cream or a vanilla custard, but can be served hot or cold.

OATMEAL CRUMBLE
1 cup flour
1 ½ cup rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks sweet butter
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup sugar

CRANBERRY FILLING
1 ½ cups sugar
1/8 tsp salt
¾ cups water
3 cups cranberries (frozen)
¾ cups raisins
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ tbsp cornstarch


Preheat oven to 350oF. Prepare 9”x9”X2” Glass pan by lining with parchment paper.

Oatmeal Crumble: In a large mixing bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. First mix with a fork then with fingers for a more crumbly mixture. Spread 1/2 the mixture on bottom of the prepared baking dish and press down with fingers. 

Cranberry Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in water. Add cranberries and raisins.  Set over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Turn down heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool to lukewarm. Spread with ¾ of cooled cranberry mixture, and then sprinkle with remaining crumbly oatmeal mix. Save ¼ of cranberry spread to spoon over top of ice cream.

Bake at 350o F for approximately 35 minutes or until nicely browned.

Serving Suggestions: Serve slightly warm and spoon out large portions onto a shallow soup dish and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and or whipped cream and a bit more cranberry filling. Serves 6-9 as dessert. Serve completely cooled and cut in squares for cookies.  Makes 16 2” square cookies.

More of these amazing recipes at www.dreammachine.biz

Chapters - Kitchener, Ontario Taste & Sign

Chapters Taste & Sign 

"Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes" Cookbook

December 7, 2009

"Helen’s Hungarian Heritage Recipes" by Canada’s newest cookbook author, Clara M. Czegeny from Paris, Ontario, is a truly authentic collection of treasured Hungarian family recipes passed down through generations of the Szabo-Czegeny families. We SNAP'd Clara at a Taste & Sign event to promote the book at Chapters in Kitchener. 

Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes, is a collection of classic, cherished and treasured Hungarian family recipes handed down through the generations. You will never find a more unique, authentic cookbook.

Check out http://www.helenshungarianrecipes.com/

Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes TM

SNAP KITCHENER/WATERLOO Dec2009

Taste & Sign - Chapters - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Taste & Sign - "Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes ™©2005"

Friday November 13th, 2009 

Author Clara M. Czegeny was at Chapters Burlington on Friday November 13th, 2009 to introduce her new cookbook Helen’s Hungarian Heritage Recipes and serve up some tasty samples. The book is a collection of treasured Hungarian family recipes that have been lovingly passed down through generations of the Szabo-Czegeny families.

The new book will take you on a culinary journey through Hungarian Cuisine that is boldly brushed with paprika and wet your appetite for this subtle and complex cuisine with a melding of Germanic, Slavic, Tartar, and Turkish influences.

  

Clara encourages everyone to "Put a Little Paprika in Your Life"

Liaison Culinary School Boot Camp, Hamilton, Ontario

Liaison Culinary School Boot Camp

In late October the students of the Liaison College Boot Camp were in for a special treat. Famous Chef Ilona Szabo (Helen Irene Czegeny) stopped in to teach the students how to make Chicken Paprikas. Helen is famous for her Hungarian recipes and is doing a book tour this month. Visit her website at www.helenshungarianrecipes.com for dates and schedules. The Liaison College Bootcamp is starting a new season on January 27th 2010 with a 13 week culinary educational experience that will have you coooking like a pro. Have a look at their website for more information at www.liaisonhamilton.com

Chef Helen and lovely daughter Clara, co-authored these treasured Hungarian family recipes just in time for Helen's 80-th Birthday celebrations in Jan 2006.

Helen & Clara Storm Through Ontario - Taste & Sign Events

Meet the Hot Hungarians!

 HELEN'S HUNGARIAN HERITAGE RECIPES!

Helen and Clara Margaret Czegeny have co-authored this treasured Hungarian family recipe collection.

 

Friday Oct 9, 2009 INSIDE BRANT- ROGERS TV - Brantford Channel 20 12:30 pm

Thurs October 15 12:30 pm CTV KITCHENER Channel 13 COOKING SEGMENT

Wed Oct 21 6:30 - 9:30 pm Liaison College Hamilton - Culinary Arts

Chicken Paprikas & Nokedli - Secrets from Chef Helen

Fri Oct 23, 2009 10-2 pm Books for Cooks – London Covent Garden

Sat Oct 24, 2009 1-4 pm Chapters - Waterloo

Wed Nov 4, 2009 - 6:30 - 9:30 pm  Liaison College Kitchener - Culinary Arts

Super Soups & Sides - Secrets from Chef Helen

Sat Nov 7, 2009 1-4 pm Coles – Brantford

Fri Nov 13, 2009 6-9 pm Chapters - Burlington

Sat Nov 14, 2009 1-4 pm Chapters – Kitchener

Sat Nov 21, 2009 1-4 pm Chapters Ancaster

Sat Nov 28, 2009 1-4 pm Chapters Woodbridge

Sun Nov 29, 2009 1-4 pm Chapters – Milton

Join us for these events. Tasting, Signing, Chatting!

Clara Czegeny

Hot Hungarian Chef

http://www.dreammachine.biz/

Rustic Plum Tarte - Hungarian Style

Hungarians, Croatians, Poles, just about every Eastern European country has its version of plum tarts. This easy rustic plum tart recipe starts with a flaky pie crust pastry dough, followed by a sugary cinnamon plum filling. It's really an open-face pie that exists in almost every culture. This was mom’s way of treating us to dessert in the late summer and early fall while she juggled a million other tasks, including washing and cooking for the hired hands on the farm.  What could be more lovely and delicious?

Crust

1 and ¼ cups flour

2 tbsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

1 1/2 sticks sweet butter

Filling

½ cup sugar

3 tbsp all purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

1 lb of plums (about 20 Italian Prune Plums)

2 tbsp butter, chilled and cubed

Egg Wash

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup milk

Preparation: In a medium bowl stir together the flour, sugar and salt until combined. Using your fingers work quickly (to ensure the butter stays as cold as possible) and cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add in 2 tbsp of cold water, slowly, just enough for the dough to hold together without becoming too wet. Mold into a ball then flatten into a 6 inch disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour. Otherwise freeze for later baking, but not more than 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 425oF. Remove dough from fridge, let come to room temperature - about 10 minutes.  Roll out dough onto a floured surface, making it 11"around. Place dough gently on a pizza pan or a cookie sheet.

Plum Filling: Clean and cut plums in quarter slices each, discarding stone. In a small bowl whisk together sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Toss cut plums into mixture to coat.  Arrange plums in concentric circles on dough or for a more rustic look – just pour plums onto the dough leaving a 4” border.  Dot with cold butter.  Gently fold the dough border inwards towards the plum filling overlapping on each turn.  There should be a 4” hole exposing the plum filling in the middle, this is what makes it so great – it’s a pie, but it’s not a pie. Finally, brush with egg/milk wash and sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar.  This will give it a shiny sugary sheen. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350oF and bake until mixture begins to bubble around edge, about 30 minutes. If crust begins to brown to quickly cover with strips of foil. Cool on rack and enjoy!

For more of these rustic Hungarian dishes, log onto http://www.dreammachine.biz/ and thumb through

Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes Cookbook.Now available in e-book version and Large Print Edition!

Enjoy

Clara

(AKA Hot Hungarian Chef)

HUNGARIAN SAUSAGE- Magyar Kolbász by Clara Czegeny

HUNGARIAN SAUSAGE

Magyar Kolbász

Hungarian Kolbász - consists of pork and beef seasoned with traditional flavours of Hungary's cuisine - paprika, garlic, salt and pepper. The fresh sausage freezes well. Years ago then did not have large freezer, so sausage was smoked to keep. This sausage is heavy on garlic and paprika. The recipe that follows is for fresh sausage. Fresh Kolbász is roasted in the oven and served with fresh white bread, dill pickles or beets and a glass of red wine.

My father carried on the traditions from his family especially when he arrived in Canada. He used to make smoked sausage in the true old-fashioned Hungarian way. Some of the sausage would be prepared immediately and cooked fresh, while the rest would be smoked and dried like pepperoni to be used in all kinds of dishes with potatoes and sauerkraut: such as Rakott Krumpli, Kolbászos Paprikás Krumpli or Lecso.

(Although this recipe sounds like a LOT of meat, it only makes about 11 pairs of 2 lb links.  That's not a lot considering the number of recipes you can use it in.)

22 lbs coarse ground pork (butt or shoulder)
¼ cup black pepper
¼ cup salt
5 - 6 garlic cloves
2 cups water
1/3 cup sweet paprika
2 tbsp hot paprika (erös)

Crush garlic cloves with a flat knife and course salt on a wooden cutting board. Then, place all spices in a large bowl with meat. Mix everything together well. Keep the meat mix cool. Stuff into casings using meat grinder attachment. Let the sausages hang for a day in at least 20°F centigrade. Smoking is not necessary if you plan to eat Kolbász fresh or freeze it.

You can prepare Kolbász in a variety of ways. Here are just two.

Method 1: Take several fresh links and place in a heavy frying saucepan with a cover. Pour approximately 2” of water over the sausages, cover, and bring to boil. Then, turn down heat and simmer sausages until they take on color. Turn sausages over and add more water if evaporated. Be careful not to burn. When both sides are reddish-brown, leave the cover off and continue cooking slowly to reduce liquid. You will know that it is ready, as the colour is dark reddish brown and the aromas are heavenly.

Method 2: Place links into large shallow roasting pan. Pour 1 cup water in bottom. Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes until casings become toasty brown and split. Serve with rye or crusty white bread.

Note: Sausage casing are readily available at your grocer. They are usually sold in 1 lb plastic containers preserved in vinegar.
 
Enjoy
For more great recipes and stories - log onto http://www.dreammachine.biz/
and purchase Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes (cookbook)
 
Signing off -
The Hot Hungarian Chef

Every once in a while, someone does something that overwhelmes you, makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside and promotes the good you are trying to share.

Today is one of those moments. One my distributors for my Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes cookbook, shared that she wanted to frame a lovely Hungarian Kitchen Blessing poem. She was going to tear the poem right out of the book and have it professionally framed. Yikes! Well - sir - I came to the rescue and worked with the gallery to have it done up professionally. The results - an incredibly lovely wedding shower gift and a wedding anniversary gift too.

I will share this poem in graphic format (see above) in Hungarian and in English. (translation below)

The lady that shared this story commented, that if we could just all abide by this poem - the Faith, Hope and Charity rule, we would be at peace with the world. How lovely and how true!

Hungarian House Blessing

Where there is Faith,
There is Love.
Where there is Love,
There is Peace.
Where there is Peace,
There is God.
Where there is God,
There is no Need.

Amen...

Evangeline Mackell was crowned Miss Halton Region 2009

A proud mom never misses an opportunity to share great news and exciting things about her family. Well - this is my chance to boast. The graphic designer and photographer of Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes (my cookbook) is none other than my lovely daughter - Evangeline Mackell.

This past month, she was crowned Miss Halton Region 2009 - a big honour in and of itself, but to top if off - this little lady competed in a pageant with 72 others girls from across our great nation of Canada and placed in the TOP TEN overall! It just shows you that money doesn't always have to do the talking... beauty, talent and artisitic ability can too!

Here's to a wonderful memory that will be cherished forever. Below is the write-up from the Oakville Beaver newspaper.

Poet competes for Miss Canada Globe title
Arts & Entertainment
Aug 14, 2009

Evangeline Mackell has never been in a beauty pageant in her life, but that is all about to change as she competes for Miss Canada Globe later this month. The 26-year-old Oakville resident has done some modeling in the past, but she said she never thought to enter a beauty pageant.
That all changed through a chance meeting with the executive director of the Miss Canada Globe Pageant.

Following an application and interview process, Mackell was the lucky woman chosen as Miss Halton Region. “I was surrounded by 30 of the most beautiful girls, like Miss Mississauga and Miss Toronto, and we were sitting and watching everyone get crowned and I was elated,” she said. “I never expected anything like this.” Mackell said the timing was extremely lucky, as 26 is the age cutoff for the contestants. The pageant is in Toronto from Aug. 21-23.

Contestants will be judged in several different categories, such as evening gown, swimsuit, talent and interview. While the thought of wearing a bathing suit in a contest may make some women shudder, Mackell said she isn’t worried about this component. “I have been working out and training and have quite an athletic physique, so I’m not really nervous to be in a swimsuit,” she said. “I’m more worried about walking on four-and-a-half inch heels, which is a standard shoe for the pageant.”
She said her talent may also give her an edge. “I do live poetry, so I am reading my own poem that is really amazing that I wrote a couple of years ago called Beauty Beyond Obvious that I think will fit the bill,” Mackell said. “I’m going to try to bring as much of my artistic expression into the competition as I can.”

Mackell hopes the pageant will give her business a boost. She is a freelance graphic designer and photographer who also runs her own greeting card company called Design in Bloom ( http://www.designinbloom.ca/ ).

“As an artist, I need to have people know who I am,” she said. “I want to break the starving artist cliché and I feel this might be my big break. Even just to make some amazing connections and expand my network and have everyone know what I do. Maybe they’ll go to my website and see all my prints and pictures, and who knows what could come of that.”

(For more info - please check at the web below)

http://misscanada.cpmcanada.com/

Classic Hungarian Meals - by the Hot Hungarian Chef

The instructions on making strudel and dumplings alone are worth the price of admission!

Have you ever picked up a colourful cookbook in a foody store and just bought it thinking that you would be able to recreate those lovely meals? And then - you try to make one of them - and they don't tell you that the rest of the side dishes that compliment that meal - are throughout the book.

Helen’s Hungarian Heritage Recipes is one of those heart-warming, soul-touching kinds of cookbooks that takes you back to your childhood memories of all those amazingly delicous meals your grandmother and mother made. You are grown now - relying on your memory and you can't just get it right.

In Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes, you will be introduced to the most extensive collection of over 200 authentic and treasured Hungarian family recipes ever published.

Finally, Chef Helen Czegeny shares with you the secrets of Hungarian cooking like a true Hungarian Chef. Let the Czegeny's take you on a culinary journey and learn about the culture and the flavours of Hungary.You will fall in love with Hungarian food one dish at a time.

The instructions on making strudel and dumplings alone are worth the price of admission!

Not to fear, we are responding to your requests.

Those of you who are veterans on the Hungarian Meal Scene might find this interesting. Others, will welcome the combos as there are soooo many to chose from - it's hard to know what side dish or dessert goes with what.

Here's just a few celebration type menus and then the great stand-by peasant type everyday meals.

We hope you find this helpful to bring back that full warm comforting feeling from making a complete classic Hungarian meal.

(Oh yes - by the way - the numbered reference pages are from our cookbook)

Elegant/Elaborate Celebration Meals
(Weddings, Anniversaries, Birthday, Christmas)

Meal # 1

Course # 1 Hen Soup with Cork Screw Noodles (Tjuk Leves Csiga Tésztaval) Page 39 & 63
Course # 2 Cabbage Rolls (Toltött Káposzta) Page 110
Course # 3 Breaded Chicken (Kirantott Csirke) Page 149 with Parsley Potatoes (Petrezseljmes Krumpli)- Page 92 and Cucumber Salad (Uborka Salata) Page 72
Course # 4 Dobos Torte (Dobos Torta) Page 195

Meal # 2

Course # 1 Mixed Potato Vegetable Soup (Zoldseges Krumpli Leves) Page 47
Or Kolrabbi Cream Soup (Karalabe Kremleves) Page 56
Course # 2 Chicken Paprika (Paprikás Csirke) Page 127 with Dumplings (Nokedli) Page 95
and Cucumber Salad (Uborka Salata) Page 72 (Additional side dish can include Buttered Peas, and/or Carrots) (Parolt Sárga Repa) Page 81
Course # 3 Apple Filled Pastry Squares (Almas Pite/Lepeny) Page 223

Simple Peasant Type (Everyday) Meals

Meal # 1

Course # 1 Dry Bean Soup with Pork Hocks (Saraz Bab Leves) Page 52
Course # 2 Hungarian Palacsinta filled with Cottage Cheese – (Magyar Palacsinta, Túrós Totelek) Page 229, 230

Meal # 2

Course # 1 Dry Bean Soup with Pork Hocks (Saraz Bab Leves) - Page 52
Course # 2 Layered Potato Sausage Casserole (Rakott Krumpli Kolbászal) Page 89
Course # 3 Sponge Cake (Jelly Roll with Apricot Jam) (Piskóta Terecs) Page 200

Meal # 3

Course # 1 Savoy Cabbage & Potato Stew - (Kelkaposzta Fôzelék) Page 112
Course # 2 Golden Walnut Sweet Bread (Arany Galuska) Page 168

Meal # 4

Course # 1 Goulash Soup (Gulyás Leves) Page 40 & Hungarian Crusty Bread (FehérKenyer)
Course # 2 Cottage Cheese Noodles (Túrós Csusza) Page 108
Course # 3 Fruit Compote (Apple or Pear) (Zumolcs Compote) Page 246

Meal # 5

Course # 1 Mixed Potato Vegetable Soup (Zoldseges Krumpli Leves) Page 47
Course # 2 Pork & Sauerkraut Rice Casserole (Kolozsvari Rakott Káposzta) Page 116
Course # 3 Cottage Cheese Strudel or Apple Strudel (Túrós, Almas Retes) Page 183 & 185

For all of these classic Hungarian recipes, please visit

http://www.helenshungarianrecipes.com/

Stop by and get your free recipe today.
e-books are now available! $28.00 + S/H


==========================================================================
The HotHungarianChef

Clara and her mother Helen, co-authored these amazing treasured Hungarian family recipes.

So, whether you crave Chicken Paprikas or Almas Retes, this authentic, beloved, cherished and Hungarian Heritage Recipe collection includes a vast array of national favourites, from appetizers through desserts. Learn about, create, and taste the flavours and culinary traditions of Hungary - from Cabbage Rolls to Poppy seed and Walnut Rolls and the famous regal Dobos Torte. It must have been an amazing task - God bless you both! Great Job!

Julie & Julia- a Feel Good Classic Movie

Today's blog is about the debut of a wonderful food movie, Julie & Julia, based on a book by Julie Powell, a young secretary who turned her whole life around when she found purpose by deciding to cook her way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child.

She did not pick the easiest book on her shelf, or the trendiest; she picked Julia Child's masterpiece, which Julia spent years writing while living in France, falling in love with the food, and looking for her own purpose in life. Julie Powell got into her dumpy little Brooklyn kitchen and wrestled livers and brains and aspic, and through a book that is 37 years old found her way to becoming a better cook, and to becoming a writer.

Finding one's way in the kitchen can be a challenge, a task, or a pleasure. Sometime all three. But you know what? That's the point. Becoming comfortable and confident in the kitchen is one of life's greatest joys, and we don't think that's overstating it in the slightest. Feeding your family, entertaining friends, perfecting a roast chicken -- these are the happy skills in life that give back a thousandfold. Julia Child made so many people excited about rolling up their sleeves and getting real, authentic, delicious food on the table. For that we are forever grateful. And to Julia, we dedicate this newsletter. The recipe introductions are Julia's own words, from her groundbreaking book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

And at the heart of it, that's the thing. Crack open a cookbook, find a recipe online, be inspired by the farmers' market, but just get into the kitchen and cook.

Hopefully that cookbook will be Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes - now in E-book format and Large Print Edition. Visit our website today and remember - put a little paprika in your life! www.dreammachine.biz


 ============================================================================
Clara's Sister Anne Lindsay congratulatory cookbook note says..."Clara and my mother Helen co-authored these amazing treasured Hungarian family recipes.

So, whether you crave Chicken Paprikas or Almas Retes, this authentic, beloved, cherished and Hungarian Heritage Recipe collection includes a vast array of national favourites, from appetizers through desserts. Learn about, create, and taste the flavours and culinary traditions of Hungary - from Cabbage Rolls to Poppy seed and Walnut Rolls and the famous regal Dobos Torte. It must have been an amazing task - God bless you both! Great Job!