Minnesotahash Recipes

A MINNESOTAN'S BEEF AND MACARONI HOTDISH

Steps:

• Cook beef in large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer beef to a bowl.
• Cook macaroni, bell pepper, and onion in the same skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add cooked beef, tomato sauce, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt, basil, oregano, ground black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, and hot pepper sauce. Pour in beef broth. Cover skillet and simmer until macaroni is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.

MINNESOTA HASH

Steps:

• In a nonstick skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil over high heat. When the butter starts sizzling in small bubbles, add the carrot rounds and cubed potatoes. (NOTE: I always leave the skins on the potatoes: they just taste better that way and have a better texture for this dish.).
• Stirring occasionally, sauté the carrots and potatoes in the oil and butter until both begin to brown on their cut surfaces. At this point, lower the heat to medium and add the chopped onion and celery seeds. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, coating everything to taste. (NOTE: Adding salt earlier than this step usually impedes the nice browning you get on the carrots and potatoes that you want.).
• Continue to sauté the vegetables until the onions begin to turn translucent. Pull all the vegetables back from one side of the skillet and add the chopped kielbasa, stirring it in, slowly. Doing this -exposing the bottom of the pan in this way- will help the meat brown faster when it hits the pan. Brown the meat and onions while keeping an eye on the potatoes and carrots, being careful not to burn them.
• When the meat has browned on the outside of most pieces, add the chopped apple pieces along with the dried herbs. (NOTE: Fresh herbs are nice but I find that dried help suck up more of the moisture in this dish and have a certain rustic quality. Just make sure that when you add the dried herbs, rub them between your fingers to crush them into powder.).
• After about a minute or two, when the apple pieces have softened slightly, add the chopped cabbage over the top, season with a tiny bit of salt (remember: the kielbasa is already salty) and a decent amount of pepper, before folding into the hash.
• Wilt the cabbage as you mix the complete dish together and remove from the heat.
• Serve hot. This goes very well with poached eggs.

EASY DINNER HASH

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the sausage, and cook until crumbly and just slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the diced potato and onion. Continue cooking until the potatoes are tender and have lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Once the potatoes are tender, stir in the mixed vegetables until hot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese before serving.

MINNEHAHA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan.
• Beat together the white sugar and butter. Add the eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake completely on wire rack.
• Combine the brown sugar, egg whites, water, and salt in a heat-proof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water and beat with an electric mixer. Cook the frosting, beating constantly, for 10 minutes, or until the frosting will stand in peaks. Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until thick.
• Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. To decorate, place one large raisin in each corner. Then place toasted almonds, toasted pecans, and red and green cherries all over the cake.

MINNESOTA BARS

Steps:

• Mix oil, brown sugar, and corn syrup.
• Add oatmeal and mix together. Press into 13x9-inch pan.
• Bake at 375°F for 12-15 minutes. Watch carefully--should be soft and light brown, a little harder on the edges (it gets stiffer as it cools).
• After cooling crust: Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter. Mix together well.
• Spread on top of cooled crust. Cut into squares.

MINNESOTA'S FAVORITE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C).
• Grease cookie sheets.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture.
• Stir in the milk chocolate chips, and semi-sweet chocolate chips, toffee bits and pecans.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the greased cookie sheets.
• Bake 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven.
• Allow to cool on the baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.