Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Beef Borscht – You Really Can’t Beat This Beet Soup
It was also this soup that started my lifelong love of adding sour cream to things. The way the tangy, rich cream melted into the hot, beefy broth was a wonder to behold, and unlike any other soup I’d eat the rest of the year. Speaking of beefy broth, I only used one measly piece of shank, but you are welcome to add one or two more to make this even more awesome.
Of course, there are a thousand versions of borscht, and as usual I have no idea how authentic this is, which is fine since, well, it’s soup for God’s sake. Beside what vegetables to add or delete, there is also the question of temperature.
Word on the street is that the Ukrainian/Russian versions are served piping hot, and that the Polish versions are served chilled. However, there does seem to be a general agreement as far as beverage pairings go. I’ll let one of my YouTube followers, Afterapplepicking, explain:
“Hot, beefy, red, Russian borscht is only to be served with copious amounts of beer or vodka. Which is quite a distinction from the cold, vegetarian, pink Polish borscht, which is only to be served with copious amounts of beer or vodka.”
Well said! Anyway, I hope you give this blast from my soupy past a try soon, and as always, enjoy!
Ingredients (amounts not critical!)
2-3 quarts of beef broth
(to make your own: simmer a well-browned beef shank or two in 3 quarts of water for 4 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone, and completely flavorless)
1 bay leaf
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
3 cups sliced beets
2 cups chopped cabbage
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup white vinegar, or to taste
sour cream and dill or chive to garnish
*This soup doesnt require a lot of thought. Simply simmer everything until tender!
View the complete recipe
*This soup doesnt require a lot of thought. Simply simmer everything until tender!
View the complete recipe
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Cranberry Muffins
Muffins are what we call a "quick" bread and you can see why when you make these Cranberry Muffins. These are delicious muffins either warm from the oven or at room temperature. Your kids will love them in their lunchboxes or as an after school snack with a tall glass of milk. I am going out to lots of places this summer like parks, swimming pools etc. These are so great to bring with you as snacks. My friend Oksana gave me this recipe. When we were flying on the plane she brought these muffins and shared with us. I asked her for recipe and now I can share with everybody.
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1.5 cups sugar
2 sticks of melted butter or margarine
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vodka
1tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbs vinegar
2 tsp vanilla
3.5 cups flour
3/4 cup cranberries
Enjoy!!!
Monday, May 19, 2014
Gluten Free Sun Dried Tomato Focaccia Bread
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| Today's new recipe? Gluten-free sun-dried tomato bread. |
A Focaccia To Love
Moving season is upon us. Yes, Los Angeles has a moving season. Southern Californians do not like to move in cold weather- in other words, when the mercury dips below the 60º mark. 58 degrees? It's time for UGGs and cocoa and ordering in. Not for hoisting sofas up or down a flight of stairs. Are you crazy?
And yes. We are moving. Come June 1st or thereabouts we are joining the migrating, apartment swapping masses. We are weeding through the promises that bloom on Craigslist (a veritable bouquet of alluring superlatives). Amazing! Gorgeous! Light and bright! And the ever popular- HUGE! This whole searching (and so far, not finding) process inevitably makes me insanely hungry for bread. Not store bought bread. Freshly baked warm from the oven bread. The kind of rustic, crusty loaf that conjures the word hearth. And home.
Because when you're searching for a place to live, nothing whispers home to your soul like the yeasty sweet aroma of baking bread.
Read more + get the recipe >>
Sunday, May 18, 2014
A Spicy Dicey Mango Relish
I found myself in possession of some nice, fat shrimp, which I planned to spice up and sear simply (I promise to show that recipe at a future date). I was thinking of topping with some kind of fresh salsa, when I saw Michele had bought some mangoes for a lassi (I promise to show that recipe at a future date).
As luck would have it, the mangoes were sitting near a can of coconut milk, and I remembered the rice pudding video, and the diced mango technique I had so casually promised. The rest of the story is kind of anti-climatic.
This mango relish is wonderfully versatile and infinitely adaptable. It might be at its best simply enjoyed with tortilla chips, but a close second would be as I used it here, to dress some kind of spicy meat. It was crazy good on these shrimp. Promise me you will give it a try soon…or at a future date. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about 3/4 cup Mango Relish:
1 mango, prepped as shown
2 tsp chopped cilantro
2 tsp sambal chili sauce, or other type of fresh or jarred chilies
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
big pinch of salt
Please Note: everything here is “to taste.”
View the complete recipe
View the complete recipe
Saturday, May 17, 2014
WOW!!!!! I won 25 gift certificate from foodie blog roll
wow!! Im on cloud nine...
I just got a mail that I won a gift for the contest I have participated in foodie blog roll...
I already mentioned about this contest in my other blog FOOD BLOG NEWS....
to stay connected with event s and contests plz follow my other blog FOOD BLOG NEWS...
you can watch HERE
Im the winner of third round...just comment and win....
Friday, May 16, 2014
PEANUT BUTTER CANDY sort of like a Pay Day candy bar
If you like Pay Day candy bars, you will love this recipe. It tastes very similar, but SO much fresher and better. This recipe makes a 9 x 13 pan of candy, which would be an excellent addition to your childrens birthday party menu! They take just a few minutes to put together and then an hour or so in the fridge, to "set".
4 cups honey roasted peanuts
(1) 10½ ounce bag miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup butter (melted)
(1) 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
(1) 10 ounce bag peanut butter chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
Line a 9 x 13 dish with foil and spray it with cooking spray (I spray my foil with cooking spray then blot it with a paper towel so it doesnt make the candy greasy). Set aside.
In a large (heavy bottomed) saucepan, mix the marshmallows and melted butter. Heat over medium-low heat until completely melted (you do not want the marshmallows to boil, but you want to see a little bubble now and then). Keep it at this temperature for about a minute.
Stir in the sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter chips and peanut butter. Stir until everything is melted and smooth.
Pour this mixture over the peanuts in the pan and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the other half of the peanuts over the hot mixture and press the nuts into the surface of the hot mixture (with your hand). Chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours or until firm. Cut into pieces and serve. Store covered in fridge. Makes 60 pieces of candy.
Read More..
4 cups honey roasted peanuts
(1) 10½ ounce bag miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup butter (melted)
(1) 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
(1) 10 ounce bag peanut butter chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
Line a 9 x 13 dish with foil and spray it with cooking spray (I spray my foil with cooking spray then blot it with a paper towel so it doesnt make the candy greasy). Set aside.
In a large (heavy bottomed) saucepan, mix the marshmallows and melted butter. Heat over medium-low heat until completely melted (you do not want the marshmallows to boil, but you want to see a little bubble now and then). Keep it at this temperature for about a minute.
Stir in the sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter chips and peanut butter. Stir until everything is melted and smooth.
Pour this mixture over the peanuts in the pan and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the other half of the peanuts over the hot mixture and press the nuts into the surface of the hot mixture (with your hand). Chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours or until firm. Cut into pieces and serve. Store covered in fridge. Makes 60 pieces of candy.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Crispy Cheese Spring Rolls
Ingredients
Spring roll wrappers-10
Grated Paneer-1/2cup or Cheese of your choice
Ricotta Cheese-3tbsp
Minced green chilli-1tbsp
Minced ginger and garlic-2tbsp
Minced onion-5tbsp
Soy sauce-1tsp
Red chilli sauce-1tsp
Salt to taste
Oil-2tbsp and for deep frying
Method
In a small sauce pan heat 2 tbsp oil, when hot add minced onion, green chilli, ginger and garlic. Fry onions for few mins, reduce the heat and add soy sauce, red chilli sauce and salt to the onion mixture. Remove onion mixture to a small bowl and allow to cool, add grated panner and ricotta cheese, mix well. Take a spring roll wrapper, place the cheese mixture in the center, seal all the sides with water or egg and make a roll. Make sure the cheese mixture does not come out. Heat oil in a pan to deep fry, when hot deep fry the prepared cheese spring rolls until golden brown and crisp. Serve hot.
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