Sylvia Rose

The Frugal Kitchen Pantry: Part One

September 13, 2019 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

One of the best ways to save money in the kitchen is to keep a well-stocked pantry. Learn which pantry essentials you should have on hand if you’re looking to stay in more and eat out less.

barley lentil buddha bowls and how to DIY

FEEDING DREAMS WITH THE FRUGAL KITCHEN PANTRY

Most of us have savings goals.

Some of us want to buy a house, a car, or a family vacation; others want to be able to afford karate classes for their children.

Whatever those goals may be, one way to get closer to them is to eat out less. The temptation to dial for delivery or to make a quick stop at the fast food joint on the way home from work is weakened if you know you have something you can whip up with minimal effort.

Accepting the challenge of using what’s on hand is not only gentler on your pocketbook, but it’s usually better for your waistline, too! And guess what? It all starts with what you have in the kitchen pantry.

The frugal kitchen pantry.

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Easy German Currywurst for Oktoberfest

September 10, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 2 Comments

German currywurst recently marked its 70th anniversary, and it’s no small wonder why! This convenient and delicious street food can be found everywhere you go in Germany. No Oktoberfest party should be without it!

Eating German currywurst with chopsticks

MEET MY SPECIAL GUEST!

If you caught the video for this post or for my spätzle post, then you’ve already met my mother. That’s her in the picture below! Isn’t she radiant? Her name is Petra and she’s taught me everything I know about German food.

I didn’t think I would need her expertise in making currywurst, because it’s such a basic preparation, but as it turns out, I was wrong.

She’s been enjoying German currywurst since the ’70s and has curry ketchup in her blood. I was foolish to think I wasn’t going to learn something from her!

When most people reach for the ketchup, relish and mustard to dress their sausages, she’s the outlier with her currywurst.

Presenting German Currywurst for Oktoberfest

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German Spätzle Noodles Recipe (with bacon and toasted breadcrumbs)

September 6, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 4 Comments

German spätzle noodles are easy enough to make, but need a bit of time and elbow grease. Learn how to make this traditional German recipe with buttery toasted breadcrumbs and crisp bacon.

German spätzle noodles with toasted breadcrumbs and bacon

WHAT’S SPÄTZLE?

German spätzle noodles are a type of pasta made with fresh eggs. Spätzle is found in quite a few European countries apart from Germany, like Switzerland, Austria, and Hungary. These noodles are something I was fortunate enough to grow up with and are high up on my list of comfort foods. They made an appearance on special occasions and were usually served with beef rouladen, schnitzel, or a potful of goulash. Of course, when my mom cooks, she cooks to feed an army, so my brothers and I would be eating spätzle leftovers for days. More about what to do with spätzle leftovers later, that is, if you even have them!

SIMPLE SPAETZLE RECIPE VIDEO

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German Beef Rouladen: an Authentic Traditional Recipe (with pickles)

September 3, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 9 Comments

German beef rouladen is a traditional recipe that’s perfect for special occasions or Oktoberfest gatherings. Think thin slices of inside round rolled up with bacon, mustard, pickles, onions and seasoning that’s slowly braised until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender. Scrumptious!

rolling german beef rouladen — `Rolling German beef rouladen`

WHAT’S GERMAN BEEF ROULADEN?

The recipe I’m sharing with you today is one that is near and dear to my heart. It’s a dish that I grew up with that was reserved for special occasions.

German beef rouladen is essentially thinly sliced inside round that’s rolled up with mustard, onions, pickles, bacon and spices. It is then slowly braised in a low temperature oven.

The end result is a tender piece of meat that practically falls apart at the slightest touch and bursts with rich flavours. It was one of my most requested meals growing up and it remains a special treat to this day.

GERMAN BEEF ROULADEN RECIPE VIDEO

If this is your first time visiting the kitchen, you’re about to find out why I call my kitchen vintage… If you like my style, please consider subscribing to the Vintage Kitchen Vixen YouTube channel!

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Hosting a Book Swap Party (thrilling your favourite bookworms)

August 30, 2019 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Book swap parties are the ideal gathering for any bookworm. Whether you’re looking to get your hands on some new, interesting reads or offload some titles you’ll never read again, you might as well make an afternoon of it! Get inspired with these ideas for your own book swap party.

SO YOU WANT TO HOST A BOOK SWAP PARTY…

Book swap party hosting is a wonderful way to unite your fellow bookworm friends in one room.

The way I figure, if you want to purge some books off your shelves, you might as well make an afternoon of it!

It’s not often friends and family are gathered together for a book-themed party, and in my experience, invitations are enthusiastically received.

It’s a fun way to weed out titles from your shelves and bring home titles you might not normally buy for yourself.

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Classic Croque-Monsieur Sandwich (a next-level ham and cheese melt)

August 27, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 2 Comments

The classic croque-monsieur is an elevated ham and cheese melt. Think melted gruyère cheese, thick slices of ham, crusty sourdough bread, a hint of dijon mustard, and all of it smothered with a velvety white béchamel sauce. Scrumptious!

I didn’t grow up eating croque-monsieurs. I grew up eating plain old grilled cheese sandwiches with a dollop of Heinz ketchup and tomato soup. I’m not knocking grilled cheese either; I adore grilled cheese sandwiches!

The croque-monsieur is something else though. The first time I had a croque-monsieur, a timeless French sandwich, I was in my second year of university. One of my best friends invited me to her dorm room and made me this sandwich.

“It’s a croque-monsieur,” she explained. A ham and cheese sandwich taken to the next level. If you’re new to this particular breed of sandwich, you’re in for a treat!

CROQUE-MONSIEUR RECIPE VIDEO

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