Boerkole

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Shipwreck Casserole

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Butter Cake

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Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup Butter                                            - 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1 cup Sugar                                                - 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Flour                                                 - 1 tsp. Almond Extract
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Directions:
Cream butter and sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake about 40 minutes.
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Well, the weather outside's craptastic...
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... so I thought I'd try to bake another of my Dutch Mother's recipes. This one is called Butter Cake, or in Dutch, Boeter-Koek. This is very easy to make. In fact, I remember making these all by myself as a little kid. The hardest part is dealing with the sore arm you'll get from mixing it all together. I was thinking of renaming it Bachelor Cake... but, since it's still baking in the oven and I don't know if it turned out right yet, I'll hold off for now.
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Ingredients:
1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
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Directions:
- Separate the egg yolk (and keep the egg white for later) 
- In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, butter and egg yolk (keep the wrapper from the butter stick... you will use it later).
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(I heated up the cold butter from the fridge for 30 seconds in the microwave, which is why there is a finger print in the top of it - I just had to check!)
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--- I mean really mix it together... and then mix it a bit more! It will end up looking almost powdery and crumbly when you are done.
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- Stir in the flour, baking powder and vanilla extract, then mix it some more... and some more!
--- Come on, what kind of a wuss are you? Mix it! More! Until it again looks all powdery and crumbly, but has a fairly even texture to it (no big lumps).
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- Take the wrapper from the butter stick and grease the pie pan with it. Without it, you won't be able to get it nicely out of the pie plate. Of course, if you substituted margarine for butter (and made a margarine cake) you can spray the pie plate with Pam or something similar.
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- Place the mixture into the pie plate and press it all down tightly with a fork.
- Add the egg yolk on top of the cake and spread it around with a spoon, shaping the cake into the pie plate and smoothening out the top.
- Place in oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
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This is actually a very filling little snack - my Mom often takes a piece along with her if she travels on the bus or in the plane. Another nice thing about Butter Cake is that you can easily freeze it - and if pre-cut, you don't need to thaw it out to eat it because it will still eat fine frozen. In this way, it is easy to keep "an extra butter cake" in the freezer just in case unexpected guests drop by for a cup of coffee. 
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(Note - It looks like I put a little too much egg-white on top. Next time, I'll try putting it on with a brush).
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Roggebrood (Pumpernickel Bread)

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Ingredients:
- 3 cups Water                                              - 3 cups Sunny Boy Cereal
- 1/3 cup Syrup                                            - 1 cup Flour
- 1/3 cup Molasses                                       - 1 & 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
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Directions:
Put in baking tin and boil for about 3 hours in a big pan. Then put in over for 1 hour at 250 degrees.
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White Bread (Basic Recipe)

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Ingredients:
- 2 pkg. Dry Yeast
- 2 tsp. White Sugar
- 1/2 cup Lukewarm Water
- 3 & 1/2 cups Lukewarm Liquid (milk, water, or mixture of both)
- 3 tbsp. White Sugar or Corn Syrup
- 2 tbsp Margarin or Softened Shortening
- 12 cups Sifted Flour
- 1 & 1/2 tbsp. Salt
- Melted butter
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Directions:
Dissolve sugar into warm water. Sprinkle sugar on top and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir well. Add to 3 & 1/2 cups lukewarm liquid (milk, water or mixture of both), 3 tbsp. white sugar or corn syrup, 2 tbsp. margarine or softened shortening. Add 8 cups of sifted flour and 1 & 1/2 tbsp. salt, cup by cup, beating well.

Turn onto a floured board or baking canvas and knead in a further 4 cups of flour. Continue working until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a salad bowl. Cover and set to rise in a warm place, free from drafts, for about 1 & 1/2 hours.

Punch down and mould into four loaves. Place in oiled bread pans, cover and let rise for about 1 hour. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes. Brush top of loaves with melted 5 minutes before removing from the oven. Cool on wire rack.
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Mom's Rolls

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Ingredients:
- 2 packages Yeast                                           - 1 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Lukewarm Water                              - 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Scalded Milk                                       - 1/2 to 2/3 cup Sugar
- 3 tbsp. Shortening                                         - 7 cups Flour
- 1 tsp. Salt
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Directions:
Allow yeast to rise in 1/2 cup lukewarm water in which 1 tsp. sugar has been dissolved. Scald milk. Add shortening and salt to milk. Allow shortening to melt. Mix water, eggs and sugar well. The amount of sugar used depends on how sweet your want it. Add egg mixture to milk mixture, then add yeast mixture. Add flour and mix well.

Let stand until double, Punch down and let rise again. Punch down and make into 2 & 1/2 dozen rolls. Allow rolls to rise. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
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Dutch Rye Bread

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Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. Molasses                                       - 4 cups Sunny Boy Cereal
- 1 tsp. Salt                                                  - 1 cup Flour
- 2 & 3/4 cups Water                                   - 1 tsp. Baking Soda 
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Directions:
Mix dry ingredients together. Add molasses to water. Slowly add dry ingredients to water mixture. Put in one loaf pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for one hour at 275 degrees, then remove the aluminum foil and bake for 1/2 hour longer. Romve from pan and place on rack to cool.
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Cinnamon Buns

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Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Lukewarm Water
- 2 tsp. Sugar
- 2 packages Fleischmann's Royal Fast Rising Yeast
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 & 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 6 tbsp. Shortening
- 2 Eggs
- 6 cups Bread Flour
- Melted Butter
- 1 & 1/2 cups Brown Sugar (lightly packed(
- 3 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
- 1 cup Dried and Seedless Raisins
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Directions:
Measure into a large bowl: 1/2 cup lukewarm water and 2 tsp. sugar; stir until sugar is disolved. Sprinkle with 2 packages Fleischmann's Royal Fast Rising Yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes, then stir well. Scald 1 cup of milk and stir in 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 & 1/2 tsp. salt, 6 tbsp. shortening, and cool to lukewarm. Add to yeast-mixture and stir in 2 well-beaten eggs. Stir in 3 cups of once sifted bread flour and beat until smooth. Work in 3 more cups of flour and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl and brush top with melted butter or shortening. Cover and set in a warm place, free from drafts. Let rise until doubled in bulk. While dough is rising, combine 1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar, 3 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1 cup dried and seedless raisins. Punch down dough and divide into 2 equal portions and form into smooth balls. Roll each piece into an oblong 1/4 inch thick and 16 inches long; loosen dough and brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with raisin mixture. Beginning at a long edge, roll up each piece loosely, like a jelly roll. Cut into 1 inch slices. Place just touching eachother a cut-side up in greased 7 inch round layer-cake pans (or other shallow pans). Grease tops, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk. Bake in moderate oven, 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot or reheated.
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Ginger Bread II

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Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Sugar                                            - 1 tsp. Cinnamon                                    
- 1/4 cup Butter                                           - 1 tsp. Ginger
- 1/4 cup Lard                                              - 1/2 tsp. Cloves
- 1 Beaten Egg                                             - 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1 cup Molasses                                          - 1 cup Raisins
- 1 & 1/2 cups Flour                                    - 1 cup Hot Water
- 1 & 1/2 tsp. Soda
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Directions:
Cream sugar and butter and lard. Add beaten egg and molasses. Combine dry ingredients and add to previous mixture. Add hot water last. Pour into an 8" square pan and bake at 360 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
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See also: Ginger Bread
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Brown Bread or Muffins

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Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup Sugar                                          - 1 & 1/2 cups Bran
- 2 tblsp Shortening                                   - 1 & 1/2 cups Sunny Boy Cereal
- 2 Eggs                                                     - 3/4 cup Raisins
- 1 cup Sour Milk                                      - 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Baking Powder                              - 1/2 cup Molasses
- 2 cups Flour
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Directions:
To sour milk, put 1 tblsp of vinegar or lemen juice in cup and fill with sweet milk. Let set a few minutes. Bake in a hot oven 20 minutes for muffins and 45 minutes for bread.
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Ginger Bread

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Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup Shortening (Butter and Lard)                    - 1 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar                                             - 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 2 Eggs                                                                    - 1 & 1/2 tsp. Ginger
- 1 & 1/2 cups Flour                                                 - 1 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. Soda                                                          - 1/2 cup Karo Syrup
- 1/2 cup Boiling Water
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Directions:
Cream shortening, add sugar gradually and cream together until very light. Beat the eggs until light and add to the shortening and sugar. Mix flour, soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Mix syrup in boiling water and add alternately with the flour mixture to the shortening, sugar and egg mixter. Bake in well greased and floured loaf tin in a low overn (300 - 325 degrees) for 50 - 60 minutes.
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See also Ginger Bread II
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Raisin Bread

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Ingredients:
- 3 cups Flour                                - 1/4 cup Butter or Lard                - 1 cup Raisins
- 4 tsp. Baking Powder                 - 1 Egg                                           - 1 cup Water or Milk
- 1 tsp. Salt                                    - 1/2 cup Sugar
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Directions:
Beat egg with sugar, add water and butter. Add the flour with baking powder and salt, then mix in the raisins. Put in oven for about 1 hour with moderate heat.
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Rhubarb Lemonade

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Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Rhubarb                                            - 2 cups Water
- 3 cups Sugar                                             - 1 level tbsp. Citric Acid
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Directions:
Cook rhubarb for 15 minutes, then sift through a cheesecloth. Boil juice again with citric acid. Add colouring if desired.
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Boeren Jongens

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Ingredients:
- 2 & 1/2lbs. Golden Raisins                          - 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- 1 & 3/4 cups Sugar                                      - 1 Bottle of Brandy
- 7 & 1/2 cups Water
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Directions:
Wash raisins and let them soak in the water for about 20 min., then add sugar and let cool. When cool, mix in the brandy and let stand in bottles for 2 weeks.
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From Wikipedia: Boerenjongens
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Boerenjongens (Dutch pronunciation: [buːrə(n)ˈjɔŋə(n)s]) is a Dutch dish of raisins soaked in brandy. The name means "farmer boys" in Dutch.^[1] This recipe is especially popular with older Dutch people and traditionally consumed at holidays or birthdays. In the city of Groningen and other cities in the countryside like Enschede there is often boerenjongens-flavoured ice cream for sale.
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In America, it is sometimes made with whiskey instead of brandy.^{[citation needed]
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A variation to this recipe, apricots in brandewijn, is called boerenmeisjes (English: farmer girls).

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Shipwreck Casserole II - Updated Version

Okay, so I talked to my mom on the phone before I baked the Shipwreck Casserole recipe, and here is the version as she makes it - also, I am halving the size of the recipe, since my pot looks to be about half the size of hers. She assured me that making half as much should not burn the casserole with the same cooking times - I hope she's right! She also told me that it freezes well, which is what I want.
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Ingredients:
- 2 sliced raw potatoes ($0.42)                                  
- 1 sliced onion ($0.71)                                          
- 1lb hamburger (browned) ($2.74 - Med. Ground Beef) - Okay, I made the recipe with 1lb of hamburger instead of 3/4lbs - I mean, really, can a little more hamburger be a bad thing?             
- 3 stalks sliced celery - 250g of celery = 1 cup = 3 stalks ($0.45)
- 300ml of ketchup ($1.20) + 150ml of water

Directions:
Place ingredients in a greased baking dish, layered in the order given. Season with salt and pepper. Cover. Bake for 2 hours @ 325 degrees.
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Alternative Cooking Times & Temperatures: 
- 1 & 1/2 hours @ 350 degrees
- 1 & 1/4 hours @ 375 degrees
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Cost to Make:
$5.52 (2017 Prices)
3 Meals = $1.84/meal





 
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Borekole Recipe (Dutch Kale, or Stamppot)

Red Russian Kale

My parents were landed immigrants. Yup. It's true! They moved to Canada in the mid-1950's from Holland. There was not much going on in Holland after the war. The country had been demolished by six long years of fighting and the thousands of bombs dropped from on high. It was a pretty trying time, and since Canada had liberated the Dutch and set fire to the imaginations of impressionable youngsters like my parents, when Canada was seeking immigrants to populate its vast expanse and offered the Dutch free passage and $50 (the equivalent of about $500 today) to come and live with them, they jumped at the chance. One of the things they took along with them was their penchant for Borekole, or Stamppot, or simply "Kale" as we children knew it. I have to laugh when I think of all the men - my dad and uncles - who have walked into the house after a day's work, smelled the stamppot cooking, and with a hearty bellow expressed their approval, "Mmmmm, borekole!" It has to come deep from within your diaphragm to achieve the proper manliness effect.  

Rotterdam after German Bombing

You have to understand the times to understand the attachment to borekole. My family came from Friesland, a northern farming province of Holland. Compared to the rest of the Netherlands, they were relatively well off. My dad, for example, was able to forage for wild eggs and catch eels in the canals and my mom told me they were never reduced to eating tulip bulbs during the "starvation years." However, when I attended university, one of my professors was also a Dutch Immigrant of the same generation, and he told me that while growing up in Rotterdam during the war, he remembers going into the alley to pull the lids off of garbage cans, run his finger around the rim, and lick it clean just to get the flavour of food. In fact, after the war ended, those same children were billeted out enmasse to the farmlands of regions like Friesland for a few months to "fatten them up." It was in this way that my mom gained a younger foster brother who had been orphaned during the war. 

Needless to say, borekole was one of the foods that "got them through it." It is easy to grow, simple to make, and sticks to your belly, making you feel "full." Did I mention it's healthy for you too? They ate a lot of it, although the recipe I am showing you today includes some variations, like mayonaise and farmer's sausage. Back then, they used vinegar and had no meat - even after the war, "meat" was a once a week thing. You didn't miss dinner on "meat night."

So, since I am growing kale on the balcony, I invited my mother over to show me how to make kale "the Dutch Way." I felt kinda bad inviting my mom over to dinner and asking her to cook, but I felt even worse when she brought along the potatoes and the farmer's sausage. Ah! Moms! What would we do without them, eh? There she is, giving the cook's salute!
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The Chef & The Ingredients

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So, anyway, onto our recipe for Dutch Kale.

Here are the ingredients and directions for the recipe we used (Serves 3-4):

6-7 Potatoes
2 x Farmer Sausage
1/4lb Butter
Gravy Mix
1 Bunch of Kale (a bunch of kale weighs approximately 3/4 of a pound, or 12oz)

Step One - Peel the potatoes and put them into a large pot.
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Step Two - Add the kale on top of the potatoes
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Step Three - Add the sausage on top of the kale - be sure to poke some holes in the sausage so it doesn't burst.
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Step Four - Add water and bring to a boil over high heat. Let it cook for around 20 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked.
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Step Five - Remove the sausages and drain the water, then add the butter and gravy.
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Step Six - Mash it all up! Did you really need to ask why it is nicknamed "stamppot"?  Ah, the Dutch. They're a pretty industrious people - but they suck at making up names. 
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"Stamp da pot, jonge! Stamp! Stamp! Stamp! In dat pot over der! Nowwa, what-a shoulda we call-a dis ting? Hmmmm... wait a minute... I got it... how 'bout Stamp-Pot!?!"
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"Eet Smakelijk" (Pronounced "Ate Smack-a-lick," which means "Eat Heartily" in Dutch - it's something you wish to the others around the table after you've finished saying grace).
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As you can see, the son of a landed immigrant now adds copious amounts of mayonnaise to the dish, although in the old days - and for those watching their calories - sprinkling vinegar on top is the traditional way to season it to taste.

So there you have it. It's easy to grow, easy to make, and as an added bonus, you've cooked it all in one pot so it's easy to clean up afterwards too. This was probably considered "fast food" before the invention of the microwave. 

For those of you preppers out there, this is a great recipe to file away. It helped many of the Dutch get through some pretty dire times, after all.

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Related Posts:
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Tips for Growing Kale
Man With A Pan Recipe List 
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