This has been an education that is going to be ongoing. Luckily part of my heritage hails from the same background that seems to predominate the food culture here. (Yes Jean, I contemplating a project here)
Grocery shopping has been interesting. So far we've hit the Walmart Superstore (not so good, almost no fresh veggies, nothing but low fat or non-fat yogurt, etc. The next store was the little general store in town. Food with dates on the package are good, without dates . . . don't! Then we found a grocery in Bismarck that reminded me of a Whole Foods. Pricey, but a varied stock. (Lesson learned: don't eat cold soggy "fried" catfish being hawked by an elderly man who has never had catfish before! Blech! Poor Bob)
North Dakota is quite the grain growing state. The store in Bismarck (must go back when I get my pantry setup) had a wide variety of grain products produced here, most of them organic. Lots and lots of different flours!
Medina is a tiny town, 325 people. We've eaten twice at the local little bar - the second time we had this soup. OMG! This is German Russian food at it's best. It can be made with good chicken stock instead of the bouillon.
Knoephla Soup
1 Tbl. butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 cups water
3 Tbl. chicken base
1 bay leaf
4 medium potatoes (peeled and diced)
1 pint half and half or milk
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbl. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 small bag knoephla dumplings ( about 1 1/2 lbs.)
In a medium-sized soup kettle, saute onion in butter. Add
water, chicken base, bay leaf, potatoes, and knoephla. Bring
to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add milk or half
and half and seasonings, and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Remove
bay leaf.
Makes 12 cups.
For those who prefer to make their own knoephla rather that
buy the frozen ones, this is how I do it.
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup water
Mix above ingredients and cut into boiling soup.
Grocery shopping has been interesting. So far we've hit the Walmart Superstore (not so good, almost no fresh veggies, nothing but low fat or non-fat yogurt, etc. The next store was the little general store in town. Food with dates on the package are good, without dates . . . don't! Then we found a grocery in Bismarck that reminded me of a Whole Foods. Pricey, but a varied stock. (Lesson learned: don't eat cold soggy "fried" catfish being hawked by an elderly man who has never had catfish before! Blech! Poor Bob)
North Dakota is quite the grain growing state. The store in Bismarck (must go back when I get my pantry setup) had a wide variety of grain products produced here, most of them organic. Lots and lots of different flours!
Medina is a tiny town, 325 people. We've eaten twice at the local little bar - the second time we had this soup. OMG! This is German Russian food at it's best. It can be made with good chicken stock instead of the bouillon.
Knoephla Soup
1 Tbl. butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 cups water
3 Tbl. chicken base
1 bay leaf
4 medium potatoes (peeled and diced)
1 pint half and half or milk
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbl. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 small bag knoephla dumplings ( about 1 1/2 lbs.)
In a medium-sized soup kettle, saute onion in butter. Add
water, chicken base, bay leaf, potatoes, and knoephla. Bring
to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add milk or half
and half and seasonings, and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Remove
bay leaf.
Makes 12 cups.
For those who prefer to make their own knoephla rather that
buy the frozen ones, this is how I do it.
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup water
Mix above ingredients and cut into boiling soup.
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough! 
, potatoes are a bit higher. I was always curious as to why John and his Ma always brought as many oranges and nuts as they could get in his vehicle. Now I know why!
I still can't wait to see pictures.