Michigan Recipes

I created these after a trip up north to Traverse City, Michigan's Cherry Festival. Wonderful with their dried cherries! A big hit wherever I take them!

This recipe won 1st place in the sourdough category of the Michigan State Fair 3 years in a row! Best if baked in a cloche, a covered stoneware baking stone.

This is as close as one can get to the famous restaurant 'bar scheez; spread my mother loved, Win Schuler's®. It became a staple in our house. The horseradish gives the spread that interesting bite. You'll have people begging you for the recipe and you won't be able to stop eating it! You can start with less horseradish and increase to your taste. Serve with crackers, pita or bagel chips, or pretzels. Even great with celery sticks! Store leftovers in refrigerator in airtight container.

This is a recipe for a Minestrone Soup that is very similar to Lelli's Minestrone soup here in Detroit. Make sure you use a large stock pot, because this recipe is big. SIMPLY AMAZING!

This is a secret recipe for a favorite dip served at a New Mexican restaurant in East Lansing, Michigan. It's perfect for a Cinco de Mayo party. Serve with tortilla chips.

A family favourite that fills the house with a cinnamon aroma. A delicious plum dessert, dusted with icing sugar!

Took me three tries but I finally nailed a restaurant style Lebanese rice pilaf. Nothing I tried online came close to this and I guess the secret is the right kind of rice, the right rice/water ratio and of course, plenty of butter and oil! Find yourself a good Lebanese yogurt marinade, grill some meats, and get a hold of some hummus. If you're from Southeast Michigan or anywhere else with a large Middle Eastern population, you will feel like you're eating at your favorite place! Trust me.

I live in Buckeye country, that's the land of Ohio State University football to the rest of you. We love to tailgate and watch the Bowl games, and are always trying to come up with clever things to do to our biggest rivals up north, the Michigan Wolverines. The cherries and maple in this wonderful salad inspired the name. Enjoy!

A light, easy dessert that looks impressive!

A flavorful sweet-and-sour cabbage soup. Years ago a local restaurant served a cabbage apple soup that I've been trying to recreate. This is my best attempt, and possibly even better! For a vegetarian version, simply omit the bacon.

This is the result of my quest for perfectly creamy and flavorful hummus. We have many Middle Eastern restaurants in metro Detroit and I've always wanted to perfect the recipe at home. The secret to ultimate creaminess with this recipe is the Vitamix® blender, which really emulsifies the mixture so it's not grainy. Using a food processor in the past, it never came out smooth. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and lightly garnish with a dash of paprika or minced parsley if desired. Sprinkle toasted pine nuts on top when serving for a savory variation. Great with fresh baked pita, pretzels, or sliced vegetables.

A sweet yet mildly spicy Caribbean rendition of an old vegetable staple makes what sometimes is a bitter-tasting veggie, liked by few, into an exciting side dish. After snowblowing a traditional Michigan winter evening, Charlie yearned for the island taste. He blended this up and it was requested again three nights in a row.

A heavy cookie with dates and nuts. Derived from Bavarian Inn, Frankenmuth, Michigan.

This is a Czech Pastry my Grandma use to make with a homemade prune filling and streusel topping. I changed it a little so I could use the bread machine. They are worth the hard work!

A yummy cardamom flavored batter to use with a krumkake iron. These can be served plain or filled with flavored whip cream.

This recipe came from Istria in the former Yugoslavia. It can be an entree (our favorite) or side dish. I have fond memories of helping my mother make large batches of these and freezing them for the winter. They are still one of my favorite meals and my children (now grown up) still look forward to these any time I make them.

This is a super quick salad with for those hectic holiday times. It has that Michigan twist on it with the dried cherries.

This is a showstopper, perfect for summer. Serve with vanilla ice cream to make it a perfect dessert. Use frozen fruit, if the fresh is not in season.

My mother came up with this wonderfully simple dish on a snowy Michigan night when all she had on hand was a pound of ground beef. My father and I just loved it, and when Dad asked her what it was called she laughed and said 'Gunk on Noodles.' The silly name stuck, and I've been making it for my family for 25 years. A quick meal made with items we all have on hand.

This was a 'secret' recipe some guy in Michigan gave my parents. Too good not to share.

Simple hot dogs prepared Michigan style. I like to serve these with dill pickle-flavored potato chips for extra tang but French fries work good too.

A magical melting moment of pure maple pleasure mixed with the wholesome goodness of peanut butter in a soft, moist delicious cake topped with a nutty peanut butter frosting. You can even add a cream cheese frosting drizzle for extra-special occasions!

Growing up in a small Michigan town with a large Polish population, these sloppy joes seemed to be at every wedding, graduation, and funeral. Slightly sweet with a little tang, just like potato chips, you can't eat just one!

Michigan cherries give this drink a tangy twist.