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308 pp, 47 drawings, 1995
$25.00 paper 0-87745-515-5
“Anyone who can't cook a good, hearty meal out of this book belongs in the Home for the Culinary Challenged.”—Donald Kaul, columnist, Des Moines Register, Washington Bureau
“Huh—recommend a new cookbook? Who, me? Really, I'm much more comfortable when I'm on the other end of recipes like these. Publishing new and unusual recipes is as much a tradition at the Des Moines Register as picking All-State teams and hosting RAGBRAI. Register recipes have been covering Iowans' refrigerator doors and filling our recipe boxes for decades. This book is a must in every Iowa kitchen.”—Chuck Offenburger, columnist, The Des Moines Register
“'The Des Moines Register' Cookbook reveals the incredible diversity of the people and the rich natural bounty of the state of Iowa. The recipes chosen were distilled like fine wine as area cooks served them through the years for family dinners, at church potlucks, in elegant tearooms, and on the counters of cozy diners. 'The Des Moines Register' Cookbook is a treasure of tantalizing treats that are simple to prepare, a pleasure to serve, and a delight to eat. Sharing is one of the basic qualities of midwesterners, and in 'The Des Moines Register' Cookbook they have shared their very best.”—Evelyn Birkby, author of Up a Country Lane Cookbook
The food pages of the Des Moines Register, Iowa's highly regarded statewide newspaper, have long reflected the wide-ranging tastes of Iowa cooks. Now, the experts who create these pages present hundreds of their favorite recipes, updated for today's cooks and seasoned with anecdotes gathered from readers over the years.
If the Register's editorials can be heard as the voices of Iowans, its recipes reflect and enhance their pleasures, both rural and urban, casual and elegant—state fairs, birthday dinners, holiday reunions, family celebrations, and the ubiquitous and overflowing gardens of summer. From Green Tomato Salsa to Rhubarb Pie, “The Des Moines Register” Cookbook offers memorable meals for all your happy occasions.
Jeannie's Pork Roast and Dumplings
From Jennifer Phelps of Carlisle, Iowa
ROAST
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 (1 1/2- to 2-pound) pork tenderloin
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
SAUERKRAUT
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon butter
1 (16-ounce) jar sauerkraut
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 small apple, cored and diced
DUMPLINGS
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour
1 cup cold milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 slices white bread, cubed
GRAVY
2 tablespoons pan drippings from roast
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
ROAST: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mash garlic with salt and smear over meat. Place tenderloin, fat-side up, on rack in shallow, lightly oiled roasting pan. Sprinkle with caraway seeds. Roast in oven 1 hour 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 170 degrees.
SAUERKRAUT: Saute onion in butter until translucent. Drain sauerkraut and add to onion, along with sugar, caraway seeds, and apple. Cover and cook over low heat 20 minutes.
DUMPLINGS: Beat eggs. Add flour, milk, butter, and salt gradually, mixing well with wooden spoon. Beat vigorously with spoon 5 minutes. Set aside 30 minutes. Bring large pot of water to full boil. Stir bread cubes into dumpling dough and turn out onto floured waxed paper. Flour hands and shape dough into 2 ovals. Drop into boiling water and cook, covered, 15 minutes. Turn dumplings over and boil 15 minutes longer. Dumplings will rise and cook on top of water.
GRAVY: Remove tenderloin for roasting pan. Drain off grease, reserving 2 tablespoons and browned bits in bottom of pan. With wooden spoon loosen bits of browned meat and drippings. Add flour and stir into grease and browned bits with whisk on top of stove over medium heat until mixture (roux) thickens. Add chicken broth and simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Slice dumplings and pork and serve with gravy and sauerkraut.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Cheesed Carrots
From Ruth Jones of Shawnee, Kansas
4 cups carrots, sliced
1/4 cup onion, finely minced
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1/3 pound good melting cheese (such as Cheddar or Velveeta)
1/2 cup bread or cracker crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook together carrots, onion, and celery in water until carrots are fairly tender but not soft. Drain. Meanwhile, melt cheese and 2 tablespoons butter over low heat or in microwave. Pour cheese over vegetables. Put mixture in casserole and bake about 20 minutes or until casserole is heated through. Mix bread crumbs with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. During last 10 minutes, sprinkle bread crumbs on top of casserole and continue cooking. Makes 6 servings.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
CRUST
1 1/2 cups finely crushed Graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup ground almonds
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
FILLING
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cognac
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 can canned pumpkin
TOPPING
1 1/3 cups sour cream or plain yogurt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cognac
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted, for garnish
CRUST: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Generously grease 10-inch spring-form pan. Combine crust ingredients. Press crumb mixture firmly into bottom of springform pan. Set aside.
FILLING: Beat cream cheese with mixer until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add cognac, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Blend well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cream and pumpkin. Mix well. Pour filling into unbaked crust and smooth top. Bake 2 to 3 hours, until soft but firm. Shake pan slightly. Filling should not wiggle. Remove cheesecake from oven and let cool on rack 30 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn up oven to 350 degrees.
TOPPING: Combine sour cream, sugar, cognac, and maple syrup. Mix thoroughly. Spread topping on cooled cheesecake. Return assembled cheesecake to oven for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let cake cool on rack at least 4 hours at room temperature before removing sides of pan. Garnish outer edge of cake with toasted almond slices. Slice cake with warm knife.
You can make cheesecake up to 2 weeks before serving. Store tightly wrapped in freezer. Or make 2 days before serving and store tightly wrapped in refrigerator. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
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