French Chocolate Brownies

The recipe from : http://tendercrumb.blogspot.com/2008/06/twd-french-brownies.html. I added less sugar: 2/3 cup (and it was still too sweet to me); I used  whole wheat pastry flour, Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mega Chunks (Enjoy Life Foods) which I melted in the microwave . It was my first brownies and  I’m not going to bake them again. I’m not amazed by that kind of dessert. A lot of work, too many mixing bowls to wash and not much to eat. The recipes says “cut it the brownies into 16 squares”, but for us it was just 4 servings.

Valentine’s Night at Home

HAVE A ROMANTIC VALENTINE’S NIGHT!

Valentine’s Day Cake recipe: http://przytulankaneo.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/heart-cake/.  Filling : whipped cream flavored with cherry compote and stabilized with unflavored gelatin (http://bakedbree.com/whipped-cream). I used http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=9349557A-423B-522D-F223D89DFC184E85&killnav=1.

Blood Orange Marmalade

 

I.

2 lb blood oranges, washed and dieced

2 cups of water

1 cup raw Turbinado sugar

Place the  the diced oranges in a medium saucepan, add  the water and sugar. Cover with a lid , bring to simmer, reduce heat to low; cook until orange peel is tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Pour into Strain the cooked oranges and discard syrup.

II.

all cooked oranges

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 lemon, juice only

 

Place the oranges, water , lemon juice and sugar in the saucepan and cover it with the lid. Bring to simmer, reduce heat to low; cook until cook until orange is very tender and rind is translucent, about 60 minutes longer. Store in refrigerator in a airtight container or jar.

Adapted from : http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/02/blood_orange_marmalade#ixzz2JVs023DV

 

 

 

 

Goat Cheese, Salmon and Brussels Sprout Deep Dish Tart

French Tart Dough Recipe: (http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/05/french-tart-dough-a-la-francaise/)

Preheat your oven to 410 F. In a microwave safe mixing bowl combine:

180 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cook in the microwave until the butter is melted. Then mix in:

300 g white whole spelt flour *

Transfer the dough to 10 x 3 in  springform pan and pat it into the shell with your hand. Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Increase the temperature in the oven to 450 F.  In the meantime, prepare  the cheese filling:

• mix 445 g  cottage cheese (4% milk fat) with freshly ground pepper , garlic powder and  Cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 300 g fresh goat cheese crumbled (http://anjaeatscheese.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/goats-milk-cheese-chevre/)
• 113 g smoked wild salmon, chopped
• 3 jumbo eggs
• 445 g steamed Brussels sprouts, cut in halves

Pour the filling into the tart shell and bake for 45 minutes.

*using spelt flour in  the French Tart Dough Recipe was not a good idea even dough my husband has found it delicious and unique ; the crust was not flaky but fragile like a mud pie.

Apple Chocolate Popover

Adapted from the recipe : http://www.joyofbaking.com/breakfast/ApplePopover.html

Apple Filling:

2 large Granny Smith Apples (1 lb), peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices

100 g chopped milk chocolate with hazelnuts

Popover Batter:

3 jumbo eggs

1/2 cup fat free milk

2 tablespoons melted and cooled butter

1/2 cup whole grain spelt flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoon raw cane sugar

Preheat your oven to 425 F.  Arrange  the apple slices in a glass pie dish(9-inch) and microwave them until tender (5 minutes). Top with the  chopped chocolate and nuts.

In a mixing bowl place all  the batter ingredients . Using an electric mixer combine them until the batter is completely smooth. When the oven is ready, pour the batter over the apple filling. Bake for 20 minutes.

My husband was eating the  hot popover with some whipped cream and rum.

Whole Grain Sourdough Dumplings

 

Dough:

100 g sourdough starter (63 g whole wheat + 37 g rye ), take from the fridge

281 g kefir or buttermilk

410 g whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl combine the starters and kefir. Stir the flour and salt into sourdough mixture until dough comes together.

Knead the dough until firm and smooth. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 5-8 hours. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for an hour.

Divide the dough in fourths, then roll out one half to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into rounds using a band from “Mason jar”

Place a small spoonful of  filling into the center of each round. Fold over the edges, and press together with your fingers. Repeat procedure with the remaining dough and the filling.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add dumplings and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until they float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon.

You will need 1 lb filling of choice, savory preferred.

My husband wanted to eat dumplings  just with “Farmer Cheese”. I would mix cottage cheese with flavorful hard cheese, black pepper and cayenne  or I would use feta and spinach.

 

 

 

Dover Sole, Amaranth, Cheddar Cassarole

 

1 cup amaranth seeds cooked in 2 cups water

1/2 lb TINTERN -Welsh Cheddar with Chives and Shallots (http://anjaeatscheese.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/tintern-welsh-cheddar-with-chives-and-shallots/), crumbled

1 lb broccoli florets, steamed

1.2 lb Dover Sole fillets

lemon juice, salt, black pepper and sweet paprika powder to season fish fillets.

 

Preheat your oven to 400F.

In a baking dish  arrange and bake  seasoned fish  fillets; then  top with steamed broccoli, and cooked amaranth mixed with crumbled cheese. Bake until cheese is melted.

 

Polish Gingerbread Soft Cookies-part 2

Remove the dough from the refrigerator.  Preheat your oven to 350F. The dough will be very sticky, so you can :

1. On a well-floured work surface, roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch, then cut with a knife or pastry wheel ( I have tried cutting into shapes using cookie cutters but the dough is to wet and looses shape easily and it is impossible to transfer  shapes to a baking  sheet. ).

2. Just press dough into shaped cavities and bake. I used Gingerbread Village Cookie Pan. There is enough dough for 18 cookies. I have a quite good result with a  floured pan (no greasing).  Bake for 15 minutes.
Submitted to

Polish Gingerbread Soft Cookies-part 1

In a medium saucepan, cook:

340 g organic raw honey

2 teaspoons gingerbread spice mix

2  organic oranges (juice and zest)

In a large mixing bowl measure:

250 g whole wheat  pastry flour.

Mix in honey mixture.

Then add :

1 jumbo egg

and mix to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes

Then add:

50 ml vodka (I added sake) mixed with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda,

100 g  chopped nuts (I added cashews)

Finally, add 150 g whole wheat pastry flour and knead soft dough.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Submitted to

Quail Eggs in Chanterelle Mushrooms and Cornichons Sauce

 

18 quail eggs, hard boiled, peeled and halved

12 cornichons, sliced

4-5 oz pickled chanterelle mushrooms whole

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

freshly ground black pepper and Cayenne pepper to taste

Combine the ingredients and enjoy.

 

Simple Tart with Hot Smoked Wild Alaskan Salmon

 

French Tart Dough Recipe: (http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/05/french-tart-dough-a-la-francaise/)

Preheat your oven to 410 F. In a microwave safe mixing bowl combine:

90 g unsalted butter,cut into pieces

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

Cook in the microwave until the butter is melted. Then mix in:

150 g white whole wheat (pastry) flour.

Transfer the dough to 10 x 1.125 in (25.4 x 2.9 cm) tart mold with a removable bottom and pat it into the shell with your hand. Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Increase the temperature in the oven to 450 F.  In the meantime:

• mix 16 oz Daisy brand cottage cheese (4% milk fat) with freshly ground pepper and Cayenne pepper (to taste)
• add 1 jumbo size egg
• cut 8 OZ smoked salmon into a bit size pieces

Fill the shell with the cottage cheese and arrange the salmon. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the tart in the oven for additional 15 minutes.

 

Lazy Wife’s Dinner Casserole with Israeli Feta

16 oz   any spicy  salsa

16 oz Israeli feta , diced

16 oz pork loin, sliced

Preheat your oven to 450 F. In the meantime, brown the sliced meat in the broiler. Put all the ingredients in a broiler safe baking  dish or pan and mix well. Bake for 30 minutes. Than brown the top of  baked casserole in your broiler.

Meatless Protein Casserole

Meatless Protein Casserole

1 cup roasted buckwheat grouts, rinsed and cooked

16 oz Daisy brand cottage cheese 4% milk fat

16 oz broccoli florets, steamed and mashed

3 jumbo size eggs

2 garlic cloves, pressed

salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper

In a large mixing bowl combine the ingredients listed above than put the mixture into a square baking pan (8.5″ x 8.5″ x 2″).

In the meantime preheat your oven to 450 F.  Bake  the casserole for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the casserole cool inside.

Lentil Soup with Silken Tofu

1/2 cup red split  lentils

1/2 cup brown rice

3 cups water

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon chipotle in adobo sauce, pureed

1/4 cup  heavy whipping cream

12 oz silken tofu, cubed

Bring the water to boil, add the lentils and rice. Cook until ready. Than mix in the curry powder, chipotle and cream. Add the cubed tofu. Serve hot, topped with fresh coriander leaves.

Morbier Cheese Whole Wheat Puffs

1/2 cup skim milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1-2 teaspoons mustard

2 jumbo eggs

3.4 oz  grated Morbier cheese

Place the milk and butter in a  medium saucepot over a medium heat and cook until the butter is melted. Stir in the flour and mix until dough is smooth and comes together in a ball.

Let cool for a few minutes and add the eggs one each time. With a mixer paddle, mix the dough until the dough is smooth and glossy. The mix in the spices, mustard and Morbier cheese.

Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour (up to 48 hours).

Preheat your oven to 400F. Line a baking tray with parchment. To create puffs place the dough on the try using a tablespoon. Bake (a middle rack of the oven) for 25 minutes or until the puffs become golden brown.

Dill Sauce for Grilled Arctic Char (or Salmon)

1 cup chopped fresh dill leaves

1 lemon, juice only

2 tablespoons mayo

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 garlic clove

Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend or pulse until smooth. Serve over  grilled fish.

Seville Orange Marmalade Glaze Chicken Drumstick

5 chicken drumsticks, skinless

black pepper, chili pepper and salt

4 tablespoons Seville orange marmalade

Sprinkle the drumsticks with the spices  generously and cook them in the microwave. Dissolve the marmalade in the chicken juices released during cooking to make the glaze. Spoon the glaze over the drumsticks and broil until caramelized.

Polish Apple and Prune Pie with Meringue Topping

 

This is my favorite pie all the time. My Mum used to make it a few times a year .  Every second  fall, she prepared  plenty of jars with preserved apple pie filling .  I prefer a pie filled with fresh plums or apples but you can  also use any fruit preserve instead.

For a dough:

Frozen ball of dough

226 g  room – temperature unsalted organic butter

4 egg yolks

1 whole  organic egg,  jumbo size

45 g raw Turbinado sugar

270 g whole wheat pastry flour or whole spelt flour

pinch of salt

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients listed above and mix thoroughly. Put the ball of dough into a freezer bag and place into your freezer for 1 hour.

For a filling:

750 g shredded apple, juice drained

410 g Italian Prune plums (weighted without pits)

or

4 (12- to 14-ounce) cans prune or cherry pie filling

or 4 jars of any fruit preserve (I would recommend a good quality black currant preserve)

For a meringue topping:

4 egg whites

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites with the sugar until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.

Preheat your oven to 400F.   Lightly grease a baking pan with butter.

Take out  2/3 of dough and shred it using  hand grater. Then arrange the grated  dough  to fit the bottom of the prepared pan.  Prebake the pie base in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Shredded dough

Bottom of pie

Spread the plums and apples (or any filling of your choice) evenly over the prebaked  base of the cake.

Remove 1/3 of dough from the freezer and shred it .

Spread the half of grated dough over the fruit, cover with meringue topping and finish with the remaining shreds of dough.

Bake for 60 minutes at 375F. If the top of pie browns too quickly you can cover it after 30 minutes of baking with a sheet of aluminium foil.

Let cool completely (overnight) in the baking pan before serving.

Coconut and Hazelnut Spread

 

250g  coconut flakes, unsweetened and unsulfured

250g  hazelnuts, roasted*

1/3 cup Truvia sweetener

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

To roast hazelnuts, preheat your oven to 375 F. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, turn off the oven and leave  them for  another 10-15 minutes  Make sure to roll the hazelnuts halfway so all sides can roast evenly. Let cool completely and remove their skins.

In a food processor** blend the coconut until it starts to form a paste. Add the cocoa and Truvia and blend until well combined. Then add the hazelnuts and blend until creamy.

**I used the chopping attachment for my  blender so I haven’t achieved smooth consistency. The spreads smells amazing but my taste buds are not very satisfied ( I do not like the taste of coconut oil ).  It hardens in the  refrigerator it needs to be brought to room temperature to spread  on a slice of bread or crepes.

Inspired by:

http://myfoodreligion.com/2012/07/21/not-nutella/

Country Pork Ribs Cooked in Ketchup Sauce

2 lb Country Style Pork Ribs

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

4 tablespoons reduced salt soy sauce

8 tablespoons organic ketchup

In a Dutch oven melt 1 tablespoon of the oil and brown the meat both sides.  Remove the ribs from the Dutch oven and set aside. Melt another tablespoon of the oil to brown the onion and garlic. In the meantime, sprinkle the meat with the black pepper and herbs. When the onion is ready, mix in the  soy sauce,  smoked paprika and ketchup. Bring back the meat to the Dutch oven and coat it with the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover the dutch oven and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is tender. Turn the meat from time to time to coat both sides evenly with the sauce.

Tamarind Chutney

I use tamarind chutney as  other condiments (ketchup and mustard) or to spice up sauces,  braised meats or fried mushrooms.

Put 16 OZ of tamarind into a bowl and cover with boiling water.

Tamarind bought at  the Asian supermarket

Cover the bowl with a plate and set aside for 1 hour.

Drain the water and cut the tamarind into pieces with  a fork.  Add 2 cups of boiling water, cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

Then mash the softened tamarind into pulp and strain pressing the tamarind into the strainer so that all the pulp comes out.

Then mix in into the  pulp:

1/3 cup Truvia sweetener

1 tablespoon habanero hot sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Put the chutney into a jar and refrigerate for 12 hours before using. Chutney can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 months.

Smoked Paprika Sausage Links

First I grounded :

1 lb beef boneless skirt steak

1.50 lb chicken breast

4 garlic cloves

Then I seasoned the meat with:

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

I used collagen casings and  a small sausage attachment.

I needed my husband’s help for making these sausages. He was pushing the meat mixture into feeder head and I was controlling the casings. Then I baked the sausages in the oven. They taste quite good; could be more moist but for sure they much healthier than those sold in supermarkets.

Raw Sausage Lings

Sausages served with rice and sauerkraut cooked in mushroom broth

Chili Pepper Olive Oil Marinated Pork Chops

Pork Chopd marinated in Chili Pepper Olive Oil

 

4 pork chops

Marinade:

1/4 cup chili pepper extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon pickled ginger slices

1 large onion, chopped

Chili Pepper Marinade

 

 

Marinate for 4 hours in refrigerator.

Remove the meat and onion from marinade, drain on paper towels to reduce the amount of olive oil.  Cook in  hot pan until golden brown. Serve over stir-fried broccoli and cauliflower.

Drunken Peach Country Ribs

Drunken Peach Country Ribs

2 lb country style ribs

Marinade:

4 peaches, cut in quarters

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup Chardonnay

1 tablespoon habanero hot sauce

2 garlic cloves

Cut the meat into portions. Blend the marinade ingredients and  cover the the ribs. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 8-15 hours. Grill or broil until nicely browned.

Drunken Peach Country Ribs Served with Brown Rice and Sauteed Mushrooms

Broiled Sesame Coated Hot Meatballs and Brussels Sprouts

 

16 oz organic ground beef(80/100)

5 oz chevre (http://anjaeatscheese.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/goats-milk-cheese-chevre/)

1 tablespoon Habanero Hot Sauce

1 teaspoon Italian dried herbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small onion, chopped

Combine the ingredients:

 

Scoop up a bit of the mixture with a spoon to make a meatball and coat it with white sesame seeds.  Arrange the shaped meatballs in a baking pan.

Broil until browned and meat releases their juices. In the meantime, steam 1 lb of Brussels sprouts. Cut the steamed Brussels sprouts in half.

Remove the broiled meat balls from the pan and mix the sprouts with the meat juices. Broil  them until they’re crispy and brown.  Then mix in 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds and serve.

 

Cherry Pork Medallions with Traditional French Brie

1lb pork tenderloin, cut into medallions

1/2 lb pitted cherries

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

salt, black pepper, Cayenne pepper and Italian dried herbs

Sprinkle the meat with salt and herbs. Combine the cherries and vinegar. Blend them with a potato masher and add the medalions.  Marinate the meat overnight in the refrigerator.

Bake until the meat and cherries are caramelized. Serve with red rice and topped with Traditional French Brie (http://anjaeatscheese.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/traditional-french-brie/)

Chicken Thighs Marinated in TJ’s “Salsa Autentica”

2 lb  organic chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)

black pepper, salt and  Italian dried herbs

12 tablespoons ” Salsa Autentica”

Sprinkle the meat with salt, freshly ground black pepper and herbs. In a large glass bowl combine the thighs and salsa. Marinate for 8 -24 hours. Remove the meat from marinade and grill.

Salsa Autentica

 

Shrimps in Mayo Sauce

Shrimps in Mayo Sauce

1 lb cooked and peeled shrimps

For the sauce:

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 lemon, juice only

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon brown mustard

3/4 cup cilantro leaves

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon capers

7 cornichons , chopped

In a medium glass bowl, combine the ingredients and refrigerate overnight. Then mix in the cooked shrimps and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 6 hours). Serve with fresh bread.

Grilled Boneless Skirt Steak

1 lb boneless skirt steak , cut into 5 pieces and sprinkled with sea salt

Marinade

Put into a  blender and puree :

1 medium Vidalia onion

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon brown mustard

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Italian dried herbs

Coat the skirt steak pieces with the marinade and let stand for 20 minutes (I kept the meat for 20 hours in the refrigerator, because my husband likes well marinated steaks) . In the meantime  heat a grill pan. Scrape the marinade off the meat pieces and cook them over high heat, 6 to 7 minutes, turning once, for medium-rare meat.

Cooking

Feta and Salmon Pie with Millet Crust

Feta and Salmon Pie with Millet Crust

This savory pie I made for my husband’s birthday.

Millet “Crust”:

1 cup hulled millet

3 cups boiling water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add the millet to the salted water, cover and return to boil. Cook at the lowest heat seating for 25 minutes. Drain and let cool. Press the millet into a springform pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Millet Crust

In the meantime prepare the filling:

1 lb feta cheese (http://anjaeatscheese.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/pastures-of-eden-feta-from-israel/),crumbled

1 cup kefir or plain yogurt

4oz smoked wild salmon, cut into small pieces

2 jumbo eggs

2 garlic cloves, crushed

black pepper, sweet paprika powder to taste

Filling Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 450 F and brown the crust. Add the filling.

Bake for 20 minutes at 450 F and for 20 minutes at 420 F. Let cool completely before cutting.

Serve with the spinach salad.

8 oz  spinach leaves

1 lemon, juice only

red ball pepper, chopped

salt, black pepper and sweet paprika powder

Combine the salad ingredients and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Polish Classic: Minced Meat Cutlet (“Mielony”)

Minced Meat Cutlet (“Mielony”)

For about 15 cutlets:

1 lb minced beef

1 lb minced chicken or turkey breast

1 lb minced pork loin or tenderloin

2 medium onions, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 eggs

black pepper, sweet paprika powder, marjoram leaves and salt to season the meat

1 cup bread crumbs

vegetable oil for frying

Shaped cutlets and bread crumbs

You can buy minced meat or ground it at home with the onions and garlic cloves. Add the eggs spices and combine them with meat. Refrigerate the meat mixture for at least two hours or overnight.  Make flat, oval-shaped cutlets, coat them with breadcrumbs and put on heavily preheated vegetable oil. Fry them until golden-brownish, reduce the heat and fry further few minutes. Clean the frying pan with kitchen towel and add fresh oil after cooking each batch (4 cutlets).

Frying

If you are not sure if the  fried cutlets are fully cooked inside, bake them in an oven preheated to 400F for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with mashed  potatoes and various salads. In Poland, the minced cutlets are also eaten cold on a slice of bread.

Tuna Salad

You can buy a tuna salad sandwich in every deli in NY. It’s simple and tasty.

Tuna Salad over Pita Bread*

4 jumbo eggs, hard-boiled

2 cans (5 oz) very low sodium solid White Albacore tuna in water

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped  (next time I will add radishes/  bell pepper/cornichons)

3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise

black pepper and sweet paprika powder to taste

Salad ingredients

Combine the ingredients and refrigerate the salad overnight.

*http://loafstreet.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/whole-wheat-sourdough-pita-breads/.

Polish Classic: Pork Chop (“Schabowy”)

Pork Chop (“Schabowy”)

360 g pork chops ( thinly sliced pork loin, pounded with a meat hammer until an even thickness about 1/4 inch)

2 medium eggs combined with 2 tablespoons of water

3/4 cup bread crumbs

salt, black pepper, marjoram leaves and sweet paprika powder to sprinkle the chops

vegetable oil for frying

Dipping in eggs and then in bread crumbs

First dip the seasoned chops in the egg mixture than in the bread crumbs.

Repeat.

When all the chops are ready, heat up some oil on the pan and fry two chops until golden both sides.

Clean the frying pan with kitchen towel and add fresh oil after cooking each batch.

Serve warm with mashed  potatoes and various salads . In Poland, the pork chops are also eaten cold on a slice of bread.

Polish Wafers with Butter Cream Filling

For butter cream filling or icing:

300 g butter at room temperature

2 egg yolks

1 egg white

8 tablespoons powdered (=icing  or confectioners’) sugar

3 tablespoon cocoa

5 tablespoons milk

Cream all the ingredients. You can use the butter cream  to top cupcakes , sponge cake  or  spread swiss rolls.

Andruty (pronounced : androotyh) are thin, plain, crispy and fragile wafers which you can  buy at grocery stores around Poland and they should be available at Polish delis in United States.

Just spread the butter cream and top with another wafer until you use up all of the filling and wafers. Let sit at room temperature for at least 3 hours before cutting. If you have too much of butter cream filling and not enough wafers , top them with chopped walnuts or hazelnuts (180 g).

Salmon with Fresh Dill

Wild salmon, lemon juice, some salt and black pepper.  Top the fish fillet with fresh dill leaves and bake.  Enjoy!

Veal Cutlets with Red Dragon Cheddar

1 lb thinly sliced veal cutlets

for stuffing:

parsley or coriander leaves

pickled cucumber, sliced

2 slices “Red Dragon” – cheddar with wholegrain mustard and ale (http://mycheesediary.blogspot.com/2012/02/red-dragon-cheddar-with-wholegrain.html)

salt, sweet paprika powder and black pepper to sprinkle the cutlets

Red Dragon Cheddar

Sprinkle the meat with spices. Top the cutlets with parsley leaves,  the cucumber and cheese slices . Fasten them with butcher twine. Bake or broil until golden brown. Serve hot.

Orange Tea Lamb Chops

Orange Tea Lamb Chops with Baked Potatoes

2  large oranges, juice only

5 bags orange flavored tea

1 tablespoon soy sauce, reduced salt

4 oz oyster mushrooms

6 lamb chops

black pepper, sweet paprika powder to sprinkle the meat

5 green onions chopped

Broil  the meat (previously sprinkled with spices ) and onions until nicely browned both sides . In a dutch oven, combine the orange juice and tea. Bring to boil and the mushrooms. Then add the browned meat and onions and cook until meat is  tender and the sauce becomes thick and dark.

Crustless Quinoa and Kale Pie

1/2 cup tricolor quinoa cooked in 1 cup water

10 oz Kale, chopped and steamed

4 oz smoked wild salmon

4 oz Blue Stilton cheese (http://mycheesediary.blogspot.com/2011/10/blue-stilton.html)

3 jumbo eggs

2 cups plain Greek style yogurt

2 garlic cloves, chopped

salt, black pepper and sweet paprika powder to taste

Preheat your oven to 450 F. Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Transfer to a  glass pie plate. Bake for 30 minutes.

Cooked Greens with Tomatoes and Capers

Cooked Greens with Tomatoes and Capers served over Flatbreads (http://loafstreet.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/flat-breads-with-kamut/)

I chopped 5 spring onions and 2 garlic cloves. In a dutch oven I heated  1 tablespoon 0f extra virgin organic coconut oil and I cooked the onions and garlic until browned. Then I added 1 1/2 cup of cherry cooking wine, 1 tablespoon of capers and a can of  diced and fire roasted tomatoes with chili pepper. I covered the dutch oven with its lid and brought the ingredients to boil.

Then I added a bag of:

I simmered it covered for 30 minutes.

Burgers Stuffed with Traditional French Brie

1 lb  organic ground beef (85%lean)

I used a top muffin pan to form patties

Then I covered the patties with plastic wrap and I refrigerated them for a few hours

3 slices Traditional French Brie (http://mycheesediary.blogspot.com/2011/10/traditional-french-brie.html)

I topped 3 patties with the cheese slices and then I topped with remaining patties and I pressed edges firmly to seal.

The burgers were cooked in a broil , salted and sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper to taste – just before serving.

Multi-flavor Yogurt Cake

On the Easter evening I baked this cake. I was inspired by the recipe from:http://seeyouinthemorn.blogspot.com/2011/07/neapolitan-marble-cake.html but I made a few changes.

For a batter:

DRY INGREDIENTS:

In a medium bowl I mixed:

3 and 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

WET INGREDIENTS:

In a large mixing bowl I combined (using an electric  mixer):

1 cup grapeseed oil

2 cups organic sugar

Then I added :

3 jumbo eggs (one at a time),

beating well after each addition.

Then I added:

2 cups Greek style yogurt (2% fat)

and I beat until just incorporated.

Then I added the dry ingredients from the medium bowl in 3 additions.

Then I preheated the oven to 350F and I sprayed the inside of Bundt pan.

Preparing flavors

Cherry flavor:

1 cup Dark Morello Cherries in light syrup,drained (first measured, than processed in a blender)

combined with

1/3 of the batter

1 tablespoon cherry wine

Coconut flavor:

1 tablespoon coconut flavour

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut

mixed in

1/3 of the batter

Chocolate flavor:

3.5 oz dark chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons Marsala wine

7 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

I melted the chocolate in a microwave, then I added the wine and mixed in the cocoa powder. Then I combined the chocolate flavor with 1/3 of the batter.

Filling the pan: 1)cherry flavor, 2) chocolate flavor, 3) coconut flavor

I filled 2/3 the Bundt pan ( 2 layers of 3 flavors) and I  used a tablespoon to pull through the layers. I had some leftovers of 3 flavored batters so I filled another pan (photo below) with it:

I baked these for 25 minutes at 350F. I let them cool in the pan before removing.

The cake in the Bundt pan was baked for 60 minutes at 350F. I removed the baked  from the pan after 20 minutes.

Our Third Wedding Anniversary

Three years ago, on Thursday morning we got married. It was just before Easter. I believe that Spring and Easter is  great time to start a new life together . The best proof  is that our love have been blooming all these years.

 

I made this decoration to commemorate the day of our weeding and connect it with Easter.

I also baked a very special bread: http://loafstreet.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/sourdough-heart/

And the Multi-flavor Yogurt Cake:

Recipe on Tuesday.

Easter 2012

I didn’t cook anything special for Easter – we don’t like any traditional dishes – neither Polish or American. So I decided to just relax and forget about cooking and baking. But I couldn’t  give up decorating our home.  I love all of them, not only because they’re cute but also most of the items was collected by my Mum and after her death I brought them from Poland to our home in NY.

Spinach and Blue Stilton “Tart” Cooked in Microwave

Spinach and Blue Stilton "Tart" topped with pike caviar

Filling Ingredients:

1 large egg

6 0z baby spinach leaves, cooked in microwave for 2 minutes

0.24 lb Blue Stilton (http://mycheesediary.blogspot.com/2011/10/blue-stilton.html)

0.7 lb cottage cheese

black pepper and sweet paprika powder to taste

1 garlic clove, pressed

Blend the ingredients and refrigerate until you ready to use it.

In the meantime cook 1/2 cup brown rice and than arrange the cooked rice over a glass baking dish.

Add the filling and cook in the microwave for 6-7  minutes. Let cool before serving.

 

Horseradish with Beets

 

 

Horseradish with Beets for upcoming Easter

 

Horseradish with beets is a  very popular condiment in Poland. It goes well with cold cuts, sausages and roasted meats. My Mum always made it for Easter and Christmas. We have never been preparing the horseradish at home and we just used our favorite brand easily available in grocery stores.

4 small cooked beets and 8 oz prepared horseradish

The prepared horseradish I bought at Trader Joe’s is very strong and addition of beets made it milder.

All you need to do is peel the beets and grate them.

Then combine the beets and horseradish...

Then pack it into a jar and refrigerate. And enjoy!

The horseradish with beets should be stored in a refrigerator up to two weeks.

Goat’s leg – part 3: result

At 2 pm I put the rubbed meat into my broil to brown it both sides. Then I cooked  the meat in the oven at 350 F for 1 hour.

The meat looked tempting but was too sinewy to enjoy its flavor. I’m not going to cook goat’s meat anymore.

Goat’s leg part 2: spice rub

My goat’s leg was marinated for about 18 hours.  So it’s time to prepare thespice rub.

Spice Rub Ingredients

1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, first measured than ground

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon sweet paprika powder

1 teaspoon  caraway seeds, first measured than ground

1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

1 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves and stalks

Rub ingredients blended into a paste.

I removed the leg from marinade, sprinkled it with freshly ground pepper...

and spread the rub over the meat.

I covered the leg with plastic wrap and I refrigerated it.

I let it sit from 9 am to 2 pm.

Goat’s leg-part 1: marinade

Yesterday I bought a half of goat’s legs. I had never prepared the goat’s meat so I searched the Internet for a recipe. I have found a very useful instruction how to marinate and tenderize  the goat’s meat which is told to be though (http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Roast-A-Leg-of-Goat-and-Be-Awesome/#step1). I didn’t follow all of the steps from the recipes.

Goat Leg (2.5 lb.)

I've trimmed a hard white tissue membrane off.

Marinade ingredients

Papaya seeds have a chemical which tenderizes a meat.

3 lemons and 1 Cara cara orange(peeled)+papaya seeds+...

blended with 2 cups beer (lager) +2 tablespoons maple syrup + 3 tablespoons reduced salt soy sauce

I placed the leg in a plastic bag and I covered it with the marinade. I refrigerated it at 3PM. Tomorrow, I will make a dry rub.

Orange-Balsamic Vinegar Braised Beef Short Ribs

Orange-Balsamic Vinegar Braised Beef Short Ribs

2 lb beef short ribs

2 oranges, zest and juice

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup cilantro, chopped

2 cups water

Orange-Balsamic Vinegar Braised Beef Short Ribs

In a dutch oven, brown the ribs, then add the ingredients listed below. Cover the lid, reduce the heat to medium and braise the meat until meat  falls off the bones. Season with black pepper and serve with buckwheat  groats (cooked in the sauce) and broccoli florets.

Chocolate Stout Cake with Blueberry Vanilla Chevre Cheese

Chocolate Stout Cake with Blueberry Vanilla Chevre Cheese

This cake I baked for International Woman’s Day, which was observed for the first time in 1909 in the United States following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America.  But the holiday used to be celebrated  ostentatiously, especially in Soviet Union and in the countries of the Eastern Block. When the Iron Curtain felt people didn’t want to celebrate the communist holiday anymore, especially in the way they did it in the past, when  working women was given  a carnation and (you can laugh, but it’s all truth) a pair of pantyhose at their workplace.

To find out what IWD means today you can visit: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/about.asp).

Recipe:

In a large mixing bowl, I combined:

2 cups Double Chocolate Stout

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups raw cane sugar

1/3 cup grapeseed oil

3 eggs.

Then I mixed in:

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour.

Chevre, Stout and Cake Batter

I preheated the oven to 350F. I buttered and floured 13 x 9 x 2 in. oblong pan and I poured the batter.  I topped the batter with the slices of Blueberry Vanilla Chevre (10 oz) and about 1/2 cup of roasted unsalted pistachio pieces.

I baked for 40 minutes.

Chocolate Stout Cake with Blueberry Vanilla Chevre Cheese

Adapted from the recipe from  Jenelle’s “One Apron” blog (http://www.oneapron.com/2011/08/root-beer-cake/)

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Everyone!