Ruben Sandwich – The “In A Mini Skirt Way”

Today’s post is a quickie. Mostly because I’m not feeling well, and because I haven’t posted in ages and I’ve been meaning to post this for some time. But anyway, back to my insane love of Russian Sauce. Which seems odd when paired with a Rueben sandwich, but it’s so perfect. So creamy. So “hit-the-spot”, that I just don’t seem to have any other words to describe how I love this sauce.

The cast of characters.

I some how forgot to photograph the sauerkraut and the garlic. Mostly because the ‘kraut was on the stove in a pan of melted butter, warming up. Must use warm ‘kraut! Oh, and by the way, that is wild horseradish in the jar. YUM! And I forgot the garlic until I looked at the bowl and said to myself, “Something’s missing?”.

I’m only including the recipe for my version of Russian sauce, and the proper layering of my version of a Rueben sandwich.

Russian Sauce

Mayo
Hot Sauce
Dill pickles, or dill pickle relish
Worstecshire sauce
Horseradish sauce
Sour cream
Lemon juice
Red Onion
Garlic

No clue on actual measurements. I think it’s about 3/4 of mayo and 1/4 or the sour cream. Couple tablespoons of horseradish sauce and lemon juice. Couple teaspoons of red onion, garlic, hot sauce, dill pickles and Worcestershire sauce.

Mix it all in a bowl and set aside. Sometimes I add a little ketchup because I like that little bit of sweetness, and sometimes I don’t. Depends on your individual taste.

Now, the key to a good Ruben is all in the layering.

Warm the corned beef in a pan just so it’s warmed through. You start out with Rye bread. I like seeded rye bread but that’s just me. Take a 2 slices of bread, slather them with Russian sauce. Put a piece of Swiss cheese on the bread, and then slather the cheese with Russian Sauce. Place a piece of corned beef on top of the bread, and then slather the corned beef with Russian Sauce. I usually add a couple red onions and then the ‘kraut and then a layer of Russian Sauce. Add another piece of corned beef, and then you guessed it…slather it with Russian Sauce. (See the pattern?) Add a piece of swiss cheese. Add the 2nd piece of rye bread and place on top of the cheese to form a sandwich. Now, butter one side of your sandwich, and place in a prewarmed pan. While that side is cooking, butter the other side. By the time I get it buttered, it’s time to flip the sandwich. Do that. And then I have a sandwich weight, but you can use a plate and a smaller sized lid to lightly press down on your sandwich. You want it all to melt together and get gooey!

Remove from pan, cut, and serve with extra Russian Sauce for dipping.

How do you make your Rueben Sandwich? What sauce do you use? I wanna hear from you!

I’m dying to hear from you!

Well okay, so I dunno about the dying part. Being sick sometimes makes me melodramatic.

And needy!

Have a fantastic week!

Blackberry Cobbler Bread

5 c Fresh blackberries
1 1/4 c Sugar
3 1/2 tb Sifted flour
Butter

Dough:
2 c Flour
2 tb Sugar
4 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Cream of tartar
1/2 c Butter
1/2 c Milk

Toss 5 cups fresh blackberries with 1 1/4 cups sugar and pour them into a well buttered 1 1/2 quart oblong baking dish. Sprinkle 3 1/2 tablespoons sifted flour pver the berries, dot them with butter, and set them aside.

Into a bowl, sift 2 cups flour with two tablespoons sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoons each of salt and cream of tartar. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. With a fork, stir in 1/2 cup milk and form the mixture into a ball. Roll the dough out 1/4 inch thick on a floured board. Cover the blackberries with the dough and trim the edges. Cut a vent in the center of the dough and sprinkle the top generously with sugar. Bake the cobbler in a hot oven (400F.) for 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden.

Drizzle a little heavy cream across the top, and enjoy.

Bread pudding, of any kind, is one of my favorite desserts. I love it warm, with a drizzle of heavy cream or chocolate or caramel.

This recipe is one that I take to potluck events, and always get asked for the recipe. It’s simple!

Slow Cooker Eggnog Bread Pudding

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups eggnog
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 cups cubed bread, white or wheat (I leave the crusts on, but some people cut them off. Totally up to you)
1 cup raisins, or dried cranberries or dried blueberries or dried apple pieces

Put eggs, milks, cinnamon and sugars into large bowl and bead with wire whisk until well blended. Add bread and stir until bread is soaked. Stir in raisins and pour into a slower cooker that has been coated with butter. Turn heat on high for 2 hours, reduce to low heat and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle of pudding.

Good warm or cold.

(pictures coming this afternoon after mine is done)

Go make this today!!!

Yes, I know. I’m a week late, a dollar short, and that’s the story of my life.

I’m frantic cool like that. (And yes, frantic, is my new word. I’ll be abusing it, don’t you worry!)

So now, onto the Pumpkin Bread Recipe that I’ve been withholding from you all for almost 2 weeks!

Pumpkin Bread
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter 2 loaf pans. Sift together flour, salt, sugar and baking soda. Mix the pumpkin, oil, apple sauce, eggs, water and spices together, then combine with dry ingredients. Don’t over mix. Pour into loaf pans and bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean. Remove from oven, turn onto wire rack and cool. (or not … *smile*)

Toppings

Dollop of whipped cream (the real stuff – that you pour out of the carton and whip with your blender), sprinkled with cinnamon
Whip cream cheese and heavy cream together to form soft peaks. Spoon onto pumpkin bread and add sliced almonds
Lastly, my favorite!

Drizzle Ducle de Leche over slices. (HEAVEN)

If you don’t have a recipe for Ducle de Leche I recommend Kay’s recipe at Dutch Girl Cooking. Super simple and perfect! I stumbled onto Kay’s blog a while back and have been enamored ever since. Frankly, her photos are spectacular, and I love her uncomplicated way of showing how to prepare each dish.

Also, I have something to share with you all.

This is my pantry. As many of you know, I’m single. I must have a fear of starving or something.

But really, if anyone ever needs anything, I’m sure I have it. And this isn’t even the whole pantry area. There are four more doors that I can’t really photograph because I’d have to get under the table and there’s not much light. And well folks, it ain’t pretty! It just ain’t!

(please refrain from noticing the outdated counter tops – my dream kitchen with the copper caped counters just isn’t moving along as quickly as I’d like)

Good Morning Everyone.
.
I’ll be posting my version of “Pumpkin Bread” in this post later today, (actually I’m posting pumpkin bread in a new post, because I own this blog, and life got in the way of posting that recipe, that day!) but this morning, I’m uploading this post for the #TrickOrTweet scavenger hunt held by True Femme. (click here to visit the True Femme site and get all the info about the #TrickOrTweet scavenger hunt)

I’m offering two prizes. One I’m giving clues for, the other, you’re own your own. *Insert EEEEvil laugh*

The first prize is for the tweet you’ll be tweeting. Somewhere on my http://www.oubetcha.com website is a martini glass filled with “Pumpkin Divine”. If you’ve never tried a Pumpkin Divine Martini…What Are You Waiting For? Wonderful! Fantastic! Oh-So-Out-Of-This-World! I’ll be posting the recipe for Pumpkin Divine Martini’s this afternoon as well. Whoa! Let me catch my breath….

Just give me a minute….

Almost there….

Whew!

Continuing on. Somewhere on the http://www.oubetcha.com website, is a Pumpkin Divine Martini *deep breath*. Find the drink, click on it, and you’ll be led to another clue that will lead you to the tweet you’ll need to post on twitter to be eligible for the prizes there. Once you’ve posted the tweet to twitter, please come back here to In A Mini Skirt, and leave me a comment. One lucky random winner from all the comments left on this post will win a pair UBetchass lacey boy shorts. Please be aware – sending of prizes can take up to 2 weeks. These are still in production, and will not be ready for another week. You have your choice of small, medium, and large. You can also pick from black, nude, pink, green, yellow and purple.

Prize Number 2

Somewhere on my design site, http://www.jayanndesigns.com is another Martini, send me a DM on Twitter @UBetcha_Apparel with the Martini’s location (Page and description of image it’s on) and one random winner will receive my brand spankin’ new “Cranberry Pumpkin Cookies” recipe, on a custom designed recipe card, in the mail or email, whichever you prefer. Please leave your email address in your DM.

If you have questions…Tweet me! @UBetcha_Apparel

RECIPES

PUMPKIN DIVINE MARTINI

Ingredients:
* 1/2 oz Sylk Cream Liqueur
* 2 oz vanilla vodka
* 1/2 oz pumpkin liqueur or pumpkin spice syrup
* 1 tsp whipped cream
* cinnamon stick for garnish

Preparation:
1. Pour the Sylk Liqueur and vodka into a shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake well.
3. Add the pumpkin liqueur or syrup.
4. Shake again.
5. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
6. Top with a teaspoon of whipped cream.
7. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

PUMPKIN BREAD

Chocolate Apple Pie and Wheat Bread Recipes

I am just going to link to the Chocolate Apple Pie Recipe from Kayotic Kitchen. I couldn’t help it. I love eating Hersey’s chocolate with a slice of apple, and I can only imagine how wonderful this will taste. I’m going to try to make time to whip this up this weekend. Wish me luck! With the lovely spring-y weather we are having, I’m going to want to be outdoors digging things up I’m sure.

Also, I’m posting a recipe I found for Wheat Bread. I have been on a bread making kick after hearing that my hours will be cut to 32 for the time being. I’m scared. And definitely trying to find ways to pinch every last dollar. This is a very tastey recipe. The cost will also be kept down because my family is going to start grinding it’s on wheat, so I’ll have wheat flour coming out of my ears, and not have to purchase any.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 4 tablespoons white sugar
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 6 cups bread flour
• 6 cups whole wheat flour

DIRECTIONS

1. Dissolve brown sugar in 1 cup hot water. Add shortening, and stir to melt. Let cool.
2. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 4 cups warm water. Add white sugar, salt, and bread flour. Beat well. Stir in shortening mixture. Stir in enough whole wheat flour to make a stiff but not dry dough.
3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a large, well oiled bowl. Cover, and allow to rise until dough doubles in bulk.
4. Divide dough into four equal parts. Shape into loaves. Place in greased, 9 x 5 inch pans, turning each loaf over in pan to grease top. Allow to rise until dough doubles in bulk.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes. Let cool before slicing.

This came out beautifully and the flavor and texture are perfect. This has to be my favorite wheat bread recipe so far and I’ve tried several.

If anyone else has any wheat bread recipes, send them to me. Also, any suggestions about grinding and using your own wheat? Love to have you send me those also!