Pigs in the Blanket - Polish Style

Polish "Pigs in the Blanket"

I have a lull in grad school right now... that three week coveted break.  Sadly, I was waiting for my down time to write my 92 year old Nana a letter.  Instead I wrote her eulogy last night.  This was my favorite dish that she ever made for me and thankfully, she taught me and my sisters how to cook this. It is amazing, and I will think of Nana each and every time I make it.

Pigs in the Blanket... Polish Style. Regina Lingel - Polish Style.  Na zdrowie!

When I tell my son or  friends that I'm making pigs in the blanket for dinner, they don't sing praises  because I'm shoving a hot dog in some dough.  No, it's not simple like  that. This is my Nana's recipe for beef remoulade.  I promise it's good  enough to serve to dinner guests, and the leftovers make great  lunches.

I don't recall the cut of meat that I  used when I lived in the states, but here in Japan, I buy thinly slices cuts of sukiyaki beef (three packages). Ensure you have plenty of string for tying  the blankets. You can find good cooking string at the 100Y shop.

- Season strips of meat of meat with garlic  salt
- place one piece of bacon on each strip of meat.  Top with a slice of yellow onion.
- tie each piece so it looks like  this above
- brown beef in a large pan; I put bacon and water  and beef broth in the pan to help the meat to not stick
- put in  the crock pot
- cover all meat with your choice of gravy; I use  Heinz Savory Beef gravy and the leftover gravy that I store in the freezer
- simmer in the crock pot for 8 hours or more.
Ensure all the piggies are covered in the gravy so they don't dry out.

- Serve with beef flavored Rice-aroni.   Toast your Grandmother. Cherish Family. Enjoy!

Christie's Wild Rice Casserole

I went "home" this summer, meaning I went to FL to be with family. My sisters chose to have much bigger families than me... Lots of kids (ok, two or three children each) and a husband and dog! So their evenings are a little more rushed than mine. Christie swears by the casserole. And she freezes them to throw in on those last minute game nights. She served me one of her frozen casseroles last July, and we truly gobbled it up! I recreated it last night. I chose the lazed kitchen prep and made just one on a Saturday night, and it was a hit. A big hit! Even late night guests were impressed when trying it late at night.

What you'll need:




4 pieces of chicken (breasts or thighs)
1 box long grain wild rice mix (cooked)
1/4 C butter
2 celery ribs
1 medium onion
1 8oz can sliced chestnuts
2.5 cups cooked chicken
1.5 C cheddar, divided
1 can cream of mushroom
1 8 oz SC
1/2 C milk
Salt/pepper
Croutons

First, I prepared the rice and it set aside in a throw-away pan, sprayed with Pam. Then I boiled the chicken. I love dark meat, so I used chicken thighs. After salting the water, I added the chicken. I do not cube it; but I did put a slice in the middle. Chicken was ready to go in 30 minutes. While it was boiling, I had prepped the rest, which just means that I  sauteed the onions and celery in butter to soften, and sliced and diced and mixed the ingredients in the throw-away pan.



Add the soup, sour cream, milk and cheese, top with crushed croutons and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. I am using my Japanese convection oven, but my gas oven would have worked just as well. Throw away pans, while not visually appealing, appeal to those who don't have the luxury of a dishwasher.  That still happens, you ask?  In Japan, yes...






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Location:Honcho 3-Chōme,Yokosuka,Japan