Gevulde Boterkoek

 

Gevulde Boterkoek (Butter cake with Almond Paste)

I remember the first time I made a version of this recipe, I was a teen and hanging out with a friend who also happened to be half dutch and she showed me how to make it. I was surprised at how easy it was, yet so yummy. This is a great traditional Dutch treat. Eaten in moderation, of course ;) This version is filled with almond paste so you don't even use almond extract. This was adapted from a recipe book, "The Netherlands Cookbook"

 

For the dough, knead the 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, and pinch of salt. Divide the dough into two and press one half into a buttered 8 " pie pan. 

(you may notice how my pan looks nice, clean and clear...forgot to butter the pan :( and so my cake stuck real good. No worries though, it was still easily eaten up!) 

 

Make the filling with 1 cup of ground almonds, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, grated peel of half a lemon. After the ingredients are blended, place the almond paste on top of the dough layer and smoosh flat to cover most of the dough. Press the other half of the dough on top of the almond paste to cover completely. It helps to press the dough out a bit flat on the counter before you put in the pan.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 1 hour. Cool and then cut into wedges.

This cake always gives me home-y feelings.

The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev! Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:3-6

 

I was thinking about feeling home-y and came across this verse and it feels so good for me to hear this right now. I have recently been told by my doctor, that I can no longer drive due to having epilepsy. I was diagnosed with epilepsy about a year ago. I find this so hard to accept. To be honest, I have cried a lot over it. I've told myself there are so many other things that are much worse. Yet I feel I need to mourn the loss of this freedom and convenience. I am grateful to the Lord for so many things, first I'm grateful that the Lord has been leading me to a place of being confident to face things that are scary and difficult. He has been teaching me to have a better attitude and be optimistic, looking on the bright side of things. I realise again and again, that He does things at perfect timing.

I'm grateful that I can and have been all along, able to walk my kids to school. No inconvenience there. I am grateful that I don't work out side of the home, no extra inconvenience there either. I am grateful that I am not too far from a few stores.

I was told by a friend: "I wonder how the Lord is going to use this. Its gunna be something big". Awesome! Thank you Lord for what hope I have in you! And Lord willing this isn't a forever thing. Lord willing I can find the right medication to stop the seizures. I Do Know for Sure, I am Not alone in this season of my life, or any time.

I have this truth to take with me in my times of shedding tears, if I allow God to use me, He will turn them into shouts of Joy as I come home.

 

Gods word gives me home-y feelings.... more.

 

To Inspire Cozy Feelings on a Chilly Day...Vermicellisoep met balletjes

 "While I relish our warm months, winter forms our character and brings out our best."
- Tom Allen

 

- 25 c. temperatures, and/or 40 km winds and/or 4 ft. high snow drifts. (All of which we have experienced this past month) This definitely makes me want to get back in the house and thaw out stay cozy.

Now for inspiring coziness: Vermicellisoep met balletjes (Vermicelli soup with ground meat balls) a yummy traditional Dutch soup.
I like a big pot (mmm... left overs!)
-10 cups of beef soup stock
-1/2 teaspoon of ground mace
-1 cup broken vermicelli or you can use spaghetti noodles
-1 cup ground beef
-1/2 teaspoon each: salt, pepper
-1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-1 bread kupje (the crusty end of the bread)
-1 egg
-a bit of flour
-2 thinly sliced carrots
-2 stalks chopped celery
Prepare your little meat balls by mixing the meat with the salt, pepper, nutmeg, the kupje crumbled, and the egg. Smoosh it together and make tiny balls a bit bigger than a marble. Roll 'em in a bit of flour.
Get your beef stock boiling, add the mace. Reduce to a light bubbling. Add noodles, then  the meat balls. Dump in the veggies. Taste test. Maybe more salt or pepper or maybe even mace.
This soup has a great unique taste.

Now I'm ready to go out again and shovel a path as I walk the kids to school!
::I am constantly filled with thankfulness to the Lord for the things most of us, feel are necessary but are really blessed privileges. Snow shovels, mittens, boots and scarves, warm home, and warm food. Thank you Father::

Gevulde Pannekoek

 

A truly easy but scrumptious dutch meal. What to make for dinner when you don't have much in the fridge/cupboards and much time...or just wanna try something different and delicious, make Gevulde Pannekoek, translation: Meat-Filled Pancake.

For the pancakes: 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 cups milk, 2 eggs, salt, butter or margarine for baking.

For the filling: 4 tbsp. butter or margarine, 1/3 cup flour, 2 cups stock or bouillon, salt, pepper, nutmeg, lemon juice to taste, 2 cups of cooked meat or minced ( I used ground pork), 1/2 cup canned mushrooms  (I used 2 sliced onions instead)

Make a thick brown sauce of butter, flour, and stock: add seasoning, keep stirring and mix with meat and mushrooms. Keep hot but take care that it does not boil, or meat will get tough.  Filling can be made in advance. Make smooth batter of the pancake ingredients. Heat butter in a 10 inch skillet. Use half of the batter; brown pancake slowly on one side until done. Slide onto platter and keep hot. Make second pancake in same way. Spread meat mixture on light side of first pancake and turn second pancake, brown side up, on top of first. Cut into wedges and serve at once with a green salad. Serve as dinner entree of for lunch.

Honestly at first when I saw this recipe in a little book called The Netherlands Cookbook I was thinking yuck, but for some reason I was intrigued and gave it a shot. Apparently the Dutch love'em some pancakes.