POLISH BIGOS (HUNTER'S STEW) - Bill Szemcsak

POLISH BIGOS (HUNTER'S STEW)

• 3 lg. cans sauerkraut
• 1 c. cooked barley
• 3 cans mushrooms
• 1 tbsp. dill weed
• 1 tbsp. caraway seed
• 1 tsp. Accent
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 lb. butter
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 lbs. cooked fresh Polish sausage

Pour boiling water over sauerkraut; squeeze out and put in roaster. Fry onion in butter until tender. Mix with sauerkraut; add remaining ingredients. Put in oven; cover and bake for 30 minutes at 300 degrees

Hobo Breakfast from Bill Szemcsak, Sr. - Submitted by Barbara Davis

This was just one of the great meals Dad used to make and to this day I love it and so does anyone I make it for.


Another great camping memory.  Thanks and much love Dad...


The following can be divided in half to serve less people.  
Aprox. Serving to 4-6 people

• 1 lb. bacon
• 12 eggs
• 1 lg. onion
• 4-5 potatoes
• Butter
• Ketchup and/or hot sauce(optional)

Dice bacon and cook to just before crispy.  
Remove from pan and add thinly sliced potatoes to the bacon fat, when the potatoes start to soften add the diced onions, cook together till potatoes and onions (not burnt) are soft.
Remove and place on paper towels with the cooked bacon for a few minutes (just to get some of the bacon fat out).  
Wipe out frying pan leaving a thin layer of the bacon fat, re-add the bacon, potatoes and onions and warm.
Scramble eggs, get the frying pan hot and add the scrambled eggs to the pan with the bacon, potatoes and onions.  Add salt and or pepper if desired.
Cook on medium heat till eggs are done.  
Place on plates, add ketchup or hot sauce. 

Stuffing - by Barbara (Szemcsak) Davis

 I use a

• sunflower raisin bread (about a loaf),
• add 4 eggs, 
• chop or dice the cook liver from the turkey (or chicken),
• 1 lg. onion diced and sautee, 
• 6-8 celery sticks diced, 
• poultry seasoning,

Mix all together. I don't stuff the turkey anymore but bake the raw stuffing in a corning ware pan. I spread butter (you could use Pam spray)on the sides and bottom of the pan and bake till done. Sometimes I also add real cranberries to the stuffing mix as well.

Spare Ribs & Sauerkraut - Dorothy Szemcsak - Submitted by Barbara (Szemcsak) Davis & Kathy (Syontko) Szemcsak

Dorothy's Famous Spare Ribs & Sauerkraut:

Grandma Szemcsak

This Recipe has been handed down from Barbara Szemcsak (grandmother) to Dorothy Szemcsak (Mother) to Barbara Davis (Daughter) and Kathy Szemcsak (Daughter in Law).

Dorothy always made this for her family when ever they got together. Mom is smiling right now!

• Ribs (country preferred)
• Paprika
• Barley
• Bay Leaf (1-2)
• Diced onions (1 large)
• Sauerkraut
• 2 can Tomato Sauce
• Flour
• Sour Cream
• Tomato Soup

Flour ribs, brown in oil, cover and simmer with paprika.
In a separate Pot: add a little oil, diced onion, sauté. 
Add well washed sauerkraut- simmer 10-15 mins.  
Add 2 cans of tomato sauce, 1 can of tomato soup, 1 cup barley (can add more if you really like barley) 2 bay leafs and lots of paprika.
Add ribs and sauce from pan used to brown and simmered ribs.  
Cook all till meat, sauerkraut and barley are tender (soft), 
add sour cream to taste.

Note: As far as the measurements are concern, like this one that was handed down, most was by watching and doing, than exact measurements. I will try to give you what we use;

4-6 country style Ribs
1- cup or a Hand Full Barley
1- lb. bag or 2 - cans of Sauerkraut
1- 8 oz. Sour Cream
1- large Onion
2- 8 oz. cans of Tomato Sauce
1- 8 oz. can of Tomato Soup

Also as far as Paprika, start with a tablespoon and add accordingly.  
For folks that don't know, Paprika is dry Red Pepper (not hot).

Palacsinta (Crepes) - Dorothy (Kulbacki) Szemcsak, submitted by Barbara (Szemcsak) Davis

Palacsinta (Crepes)

• 4 eggs beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp. oil

Mix flour, salt and sugar.  Combine beaten eggs, milk and oil and add to flour mixture gradually making a thin smooth batter.


Add butter or oil to skillet getting it hot, add a small amount of batter making a THIN pancake.  Brown lightly both sides and remove.  Repeat till all batter is gone.  Spread filling on pancake, roll and put into a warm oven in buttered baking dish till heated.  Remove, sprinkle with powered sugar.


Fillings:  Any jams or preserves, prune and cheese fillings (see below) Cheese filling:

• 1/2 lb. cottage cheese
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla

Beat together.

EASTER CHEESE - Dorothy Szemcsak - Submited by Barbara Szemcsak Davis

EASTER CHEESE from Dorothy Szemcsak

Ingredients:

• 12-15 eggs beaten
• 1 qt. milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
•  raisins (optional)

Directions:
Put milk in pot med. flame till boiling, reduce heat, keep stirring so it doesn't burn- mix finely beaten eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt together when done add slowly to milk, continue stirring until mixture thicken (will usually become lumpy, you can add the optional raisins), pour mixture into a cheese cloth (careful will be hot). Wring cheese cloth until you have a ball with no more mixture coming out, place in frig overnight. Love this...

Mom's Potato Salad - Dorothy A. Szemcsak

• 5 lbs. Potatoes
• 1 Large Onion Chopped Small
• 1 cup of Chopped Celery
• 1 cup of Mayonnaise 
• Small can of Evaporated milk
• 2 Tbsp. Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Sugar
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Boil Potatoes with skins, until you can stick a fork through the Potato, peel Potatoes while still warm.
Cut Potatoes in 1 or 2 inch cubes.  
Place in a large mixing bowl. 
Add Celery and Onions. 
Mix Vinegar,Sugar and Mayonnaise and mix with the Potatoes. 
Once mixed, add Evaporated Milk.( Very Important to add last).
Chill and Serve

Polish Potato Pancakes - Placki Kartoflane - Bill Szemcsak

This is the way my Mom made her Polish Potato Pancakes- If you are going to use this recipe, I can not stress enough the HAND GRATING ! The texture will not be like Mom's if you use a blender or food processor.

• 5 lbs. Large Potatoes
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Large Yellow onion 

Grate peeled Potatoes and Onions with a Hand Grater. Add Flour, Eggs, Salt and Black Pepper. (remember, you can always add salt and black pepper to taste)  Mix the ingredients together. Put oil in the bottom of a skillet and heat to medium-high. Put 2 or 3 lumps of the potato mixture in the hot oil (leave space between each lump), and flatten. Let them brown on one side, flip and let brown on the other side. Drain on paper towel. Serve warm. Serve with Sour Cream or Applesauce! 

Polish Little Cakes - Kolaczki - Kathy Syontko Szemcsak

My Mom, Sophie, always made these Little Cakes around Christmas and Easter in our home on Johnstone Street.

• Makes about 7-9 dozen Fruit Filled Cookies
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes

All times are Approximates - Kathy wanted the times in to show that it does not take long to make them.

Ingredients:

• 1 (16-ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 1 lb.  (4 sticks) butter, softened
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 (14-ounce) cans fillings of choice (poppy seed, apricot, prune, raspberry, etc.)
• Confectioners' sugar

 Directions:

Mix cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add flour 1 cup at a time and mix well. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough 1/4-inch on a surface that has been dusted with equal parts confectioners' and granulated sugars, keeps the dough from sticking. Cut into 2-inch squares. Place 1/2 to 1 teaspoon filling on center of each square. Overlap opposite corners of dough to the center over filling. 

Bake for 15 minutes or when corners start to brown. Cool and dust with confectioners’ sugar. If not eating in a day or two, do not put confectioners' sugar on it, wrap or store in tight container. Freezing is acceptable also.

Bill's FireHouse Chili - William Szemcsak

This Recipe is dedicated to my Sons, Billy; the firefighter and Michael; the Police Officer....
Billy will make it at the Firehouse and Michael can stop by for Dinner!

Ingredients

• Chopped Green Peppers
• Chopped Onions
• 3 lbs of ground Chuck
• 3 Large Cans of Kidney Beans
• 3 Large Bottles of Spaghetti Sauce (Ragu Mushroom or Sausage)
• 1 small can of mushroom slices
• Chili Power
• Garlic Powder
• Salt
• Black Pepper

In a LARGE pot, Brown Ground Chuck, breaking up Chuck with a spoon to small pieces. While browning the Chuck, add Chopped Onions and Green Peppers. Also add 1 tsp. each of Garlic Power and Chile Power to Chuck. Add a pinch of Black Pepper and Salt to Chuck. Open can of mushrooms and place into Chuck.

As meat mixture is cooking, open and DRAIN Kidney Beans, place on the side for now.

After meat is brown, onions are transparent, add Ragu Spaghetti Sauce, mixing it all together, add Kidney Beans… Now the IMPORTANT PART; as the Chili is cooking on medium heat, stirring often; add 1 tsp. of Garlic Powder; and START with 1 tsp. of Chili Powder, add more if needed during the cooking of chili, don’t rush it. If you like it THICKER, add small can of Tomato Paste, but if you do; you may have to add a little more Chili Powder. After about 60 minutes, place heat on low for 1 ½  - 2 hours.

Things to remember during cooking of the Chili, if a alarm comes in, TURN OFF STOVE!, Second; STIR OFTEN!, Third; TASTE OFTEN, Fourth; Don’t add a lot of Chili Powder, or the Chili will become a 3 alarmer, and some people don’t like it HOT and you can always add “Hot Sauce” to your own portion.

This Chili is great on a Cold Damp Day/Night and should be served with; Oyster Crackers, Sour Cream and or Shredded Cheddar Cheese. 

Remember 343! 

CHRUSCIKI- Angel Wings - Kathleen Syontko Szemcsak

• 5 Egg Yolks
• 1 Whole Egg
• 1 tbsp. Brandy, Rum or Vanilla Extract
• 2 Cups of Flour *
• * add more to make Firm Consistency to roll
• 6 Tbsp. Sugar
• 6 Tbsp. Sour Cream

Beat eggs, add Sugar and mix in rest of ingredients and mix well.

Roll out thin approx. 1/8 inch thick
and cut into diamond shapes. Make a split in the center, pulling one end through the split.
Fry in deep hot shortening. When nicely brown remove and drain on paper toweling or brown
paper bag. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when serving. 

Szemcsak’s American Stew

Scouting in the Winter - Fords Park
Dad is with the Stick!

Dad started making this over a camp fire during our Cub and Boy Scouts Days. It really is a favorite of my sons. Great with a hand full of Oyster Crackers. 

• 1 pkg of All Beef Hot Dogs
• 1 Large Can of Campbell’s Pork n Beans
• 1 Medium Onion
• 1 Green Pepper
• 4 Slices of American Cheese
• Salt – To Taste
• Black Pepper – To Taste
• 1- TBSP. Spicy Brown Mustard
• 2 – TBSP. Ketchup
• Butter or Margarine

Drice Onion and Green Peppers in approximately ¼ x ¼ inch pieces and place in a large Skillet with melted Butter or Margarine,

Sauté until onions are transparent.

While Onions and Peppers are sautéing, SLICE Hot Dogs in ½ inch pieces.

After the Onions/Peppers are done, add Hot Dogs and Fry till Golden Brown on each side.

Once the Hot Dogs are Golden Brown, Add; Pork & Beans, Mustard and Ketchup; Salt and Pepper.

Heat and Stir until the juices start bubbling, remove from HEAT,

Place Slices of Cheese on top and COVER, once the cheese start to melt, serve.

Quick and Easy Pierogi Casserole - Cieszyć! - Disfrutar! - Bill Szemcsak

We all love Pierogies, but know that it takes hours to prepared and minutes to eat them!

I'm going to give you a Recipe for Pierogi Casserole, you make it the way it is or play with it a little, but one thing I can promise, make it and you will think someone ran down to one of our Perth Amboy's many churches and the little Ole Ladies made them for you!

Enjoy ! élvez !cieszyć!  disfrutar! האַנאָע האָבן !

• 1 LB. (box)        Lasagna Noodles
• 5 LB                  Potatoes
• 1 LB.                 Grated Cheddar Cheese 
• 1 Large Can       Saurkraut Drained
• 1 LB                  Butter
•                           Salt
•                           Casserole Dish

                        Instant Potatoes*
                        pat of butter = about 1/4 inch slice**

Cook and Mash the Potatoes. Add about 1/2 cheese and 1/2 butter to the mash, salt to taste. *As an alternative you can use Instant Potatoes (but that didn't come from me)!

Boil the noodles until soft (not over cook please).

Once the Potatoes are mash and Noodles are cooked, you are ready to begin the casserole.

** Please Sauté your saurkaurt in butter, just  for a little while to take edge off (sour).

Layer the bottom with some saurkraut, place a pad of butter or two, of a casserole dish, then

place a layer of noodles in the dish add a couple of pats of butter, layer of mashed potatoes, then layer noodles, layer of saurkaurt, repeat layering as desired but stop with a noodle layer on top.! If any Butter is left finish it off on top.

Note:

Butter is important in the world of Pierogies, so use it like there's no tomorrow. Remember the old days when you went to pick the pierogies up at church, the first thing you smelled was "melted Butter".

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour - again don't over cook!

Serve with Sour Cream and or Apple Sauce..

Of course if you use *Instant Potatoes, it is quick to prepared, I won't tell (*_-). 

Alternative Recipe with Onions.....

• 1 LB. (box)         Lasagna Noodles
• 5 LB                   Potatoes
• 1 LB.                  Grated Cheddar Cheese 
• 1 Large Can        Sauerkraut Drained
• 1 LB                   Butter
•                            Salt
• 4                         Medium sized onions (If Wanted) extra*

Cook and Mash the Potatoes. Add about 1/2 cheese and 1/2 butter to the mash. 

*As an alternative you can use Instant Potatoes (but that didn't come from me)!

Boil the noodles until soft (not over cook please).

*saute onions in some butter if you are going to use (I'm not crazy about the onion thing, wife is)

* Please Sauté your saurkaurt in butter, just for a little while to take edge off (sour).

Once the Potatoes are mash and *onions are sauteed, you are ready to begin the casserole.

In the Casserole Dish start with a layer of ONIONS, then place a layer of noodles in the dish add a couple of pats of butter, layer of mashed potatoes, then layer noodles, layer of saurkaurt, repeat layering as desired but stop with a noodle layer on top. Place a LAYER of ONIONS on the TOP and, if any Butter is left finish it off on top. 

Note:

Butter is important in the world of Pierogies, so use it like there's no tomorrow. Remember the old days when you went to pick the pierogies up at church, the first thing you smelled was "melted Butter".

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour - again don't over cook!

Serve with Sour Cream and or Apple Sauce..

Of course if you use *Instant Potatoes, it is quick to prepared, I won't tell (*_-). 

Hungarian Egg Noodle - Tojásos Tészta

fine, medium and wide noodles.

Usually, only three ingredients are required -- flour, salt and eggs.

Makes about 1 pound cooked. 

Ingredients:

•    2 cups all-purpose flour
•    1 teaspoon salt
•    4 large eggs

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Then add eggs and knead until it’s smooth dough. 

Cover, on a lightly floured surface for about 15 minutes. Roll by hand or using a noodle roller and let dry for 5 minutes or more before cutting into the width desired. 

Cook fresh noodles in salted water for about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain.

You can store noodles with dried, Place the noodles to be dry on flat surface single layer. Make sure it is dry completely, which can take a couple of days. You must store in a airtight container.

Have Fun!!!

Szemcsak's Pierogies

Pierogi Dough. 

Sift about 2 1/2 c. flour onto breadboard.

Sprinkle with 1/2 t. salt.

Make a volcano-like crater in the flour mound and deposit 1 egg into it.

Work ingredients into a dough, gradually adding about 1/2 c. lukewarm water in a thin stream.

Knead dough on floured board until firm and smooth,

Roll it into a ball, and

Let it rest 10 minutes or so beneath a warm inverted bowl.

Take 1/3 of the dough at a time (leaving the rest beneath the bowl) and roll out thin.

With glass or biscuit-cutter, cut dough into circles.

**Place a spoonful of filling on each circle slightly off center, fold in half, and press edges together with fingers, crimping to ensure a tight seal.

Drop small batches of pierogi into a fairly large pot of boiling salted water, making sure not to crowd them.

When boiling resumes, reduce heat to a slow boil and cook about 10 minutes.

Test one to see how well dough is cooked.

Remove to colander with slotted spoon and rinse lightly with cold water. I place them in a large bowl and cover with melted butter (like the churches did)

Fillings… Ask if you have a favorite filling – my favorite are Potato/cheese, Sauerkraut

Potato/Cheese  Pierogi Filling-  

Ingredients:

3-5 lbs of Potatoes

2 cups of Cheddar Cheese

Milk

Butter

Salt to taste

Peel Potatoes and cut in 1- 2 inch pieces

Place Potatoes in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Boil Potatoes until soft for mashing. Drain water, add Cheddar Cheese, butter, milk and salt to taste as you are mashing Potatoes. Mash the Potatoes until no lumps, NOT WATERY! You should be able to place your folk into a mound of potatoes and it will stand up.  Go to ** above

Sauerkraut

Take a can or package of shredded Sauerkraut, drain and soak in water for a hour or more.

In a large skillet, melt about a ½ stick of butter or margarine.

Drain Sauerkraut good and place in Skillet, sauté until Sauerkraut is lightly brown.

Go to ** above  

The Above dough recipe make 25-30 pierogies or roughly four servings.

Szemcsak's Stuffed Cabbage - Kathy Syontko Szemcsak Töltött-Káposzta, Gołąbki, Plnené Kapusta

This is a combine Recipe from 4 families;

Szemcsak (Hungarian), Kulbacki (Polish), Piorkowski (Polish) and Syontko (Slovak)

• 2 lb. Chopped Meat
• 1 lb. Ground Pork
• 1 medium onion – Chopped (fine) and Sautéed in butter.
• 2 cup of white rice (washed) Instant rice ok, but I didn’t say that!
• 1 can of sauerkraut ( no seeds)
• 4 strips of bacon
• 1 lg (16oz) can of  Tomato Sauce
• 1 lg (16oz) can of  Tomato Soup
• 1 lg head of cabbage

Spices:

• Hungarian Paprika
• Salt
• Black Pepper

Parboil head of cabbage.

Mix chopped meat, ground pork, chopped onion and rice in a large mixing bowl.

Note: Add above spices to taste!

Take one cabbage leaf at a time and cut of the HEAVY VEIN, fill the leaf with 2 TBSP of Meat.

Roll, folding in one side as you roll and tuck in the other side with finger.

Continue until all cabbage and /or meat is done.

In a Large Pot, line the bottom with left over cabbage and some sauerkraut(Prevents from burning rolls on bottom).

Place cabbage rolls on bottom, after a roll or two, put in some sauerkraut mixed among the cabbage rolls, halfway up, place 2 slices of bacon.

Continue until all the Cabbage Rolls and Sauerkraut is in the Pot.

Place remaining bacon on top!

Pour Tomato Sauce and Tomato Soup in Pot, add enough water until cover.

Cook for about an hour or two…..The way to check is to make sure the RICE is Cooked/Tender.

My way to check is take a food thermometer and reached a temperature of 160-170.

While cooking, taste sauce and add salt/pepper/paprika to TASTE….remember you added spices to Meat Mix!