Pumpkin season.

   Just when I was about to write that I love fall and all fall-signature dishes... it started to snow! I guess it is December already so I shouldn't be so surprised, but I am not ready for winter yet! So I will pretend that I didn't see any snow flakes outside and I will blog about pumpkin season... and my pumpkin bread! Every single year during the fall I make lots and lots of pumpkin dishes, either soups, or sauces or cupcakes... or breads! This one is really quick and easy, you can make it in no time and enjoy it for a while ... or share it with a friend, because it makes 2 loafs.

Ingredients:

*  1 15oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix!)
*  3 cups all-purpose flour
*  4 eggs
*  2/3 cup vegetable oil
*  1 2/3 cup white sugar
*  2 tsp vanilla extract
*  2 tsp baking soda
*  1/2 tsp baking powder
*  1/2 tsp salt
*  1 tsp cinnamon
*  1/2 tsp ground ginger
*  pinch of nutmeg
*  1/2 cup chopped pecans
*  1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar, vanilla extra and oil. Mix everything together.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.
3. Pour into two greased loaf pans (8x4 inches) and bake at 350F for 60-70 minutes, until the tooth pick comes out clean.
4. Remove loaf from the pan, place on the wire rack and let them cool for minimum of 30 minutes before cutting.

   Works each time, I promise! Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or for coffee with a friend!

Enjoy,
Magda

Easy cups.

   Somehow people think that lasagna requires lots of time and patience. Well maybe, if you are making your own pasta from scratch, sauce from fresh tomatoes and home made ricotta cheese. Nothing wrong with that and I bet you it would be delicious, but why not cut few corners and use "some help" to save some time (and sanity)? Remember when I made the skinny lasagna looooong time ago (you can find it here)? It was petty easy and healthy, but what I am going to show you today will blow your mind... super easy, super quick, super healthy and super delicious! Seriously, just check out these single wonton lasagna cups, they are genius. Recipe makes 12-14.

Ingredients:

*  wonton wrappers
*  1 jar marinara sauce
*  16oz ricotta cheese
*  2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and drained
*  1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
*  2 cups shredded mozzarella
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a bowl combine ricotta cheese, spinach, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix everything together.
2. To build lasagna cups: place a wonton wrapper into a greased muffin pan, add spoon of ricotta filling, another wonton, spoon of marinara sauce, wonton, ricotta mixture, a little bit of marinara sauce and top everything with mozzarella cheese.

3. Bake at 350F for 20-25.

   It's a perfect dish for somebody like me... somebody who has a "problem" with portion control. You don't have to worry that you will cut a big of a piece of lasagna ... it's portioned for you already. Easy to serve, easy to store, delicious to eat!

Enjoy,
Magda

Ladies reunited!

   Yes, yes, yes... all the ladies are back, at least for a few hours! After so many months of separation we had the whole crew back together last night for our "ladies-night-in". We actually gained one more girl for the evening, maybe not a "real girl" in a physiological sense, but he fit right in!  What a fun night! As one of the appetizers we had a warm artichoke and turkey bacon dip, with lots of different cheeses, chunks of artichoke and pieces of crispy bacon. Served with toasted baguette slices... the perfect appetizer.

Ingredients:

*  16oz cream cheese, room temp.
*  1 cup sour cream
*  1/2 cup mayonaise
*  1 14oz can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
*  10 slices of turkey bacon
*  1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
*  2 cups mixed shredded cheese (mozzarella, Asiago, Parmesan)
*  salt and pepper

*  French baguette, sliced and toasted

Directions:

1. Chop turkey bacon into small pieces and saute in a pan for 6-7 minutes until crisp, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
3. Mix everything until combined making sure that there are no lumps of cream cheese. Add bacon, mix together and transfer into a greased baking dish.
4. Top everything with remaining shredded cheese and bake at 360F for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
5. Serve with toasted baguette slices. 

   I think the dip was a huge success. Creamy, gooey, with chunks of artichoke and bacon. If you are looking for a vegetarian version, you could always skip the bacon, but I do have to admit... it might not be as delicious!

Enjoy,
Magda.

Lets start from the end...

   ... of the dinner, that is! It's been a while since we had our friends over for dinner... and even though I would have lunch with Ms. Laurie here and there, I missed our double date dinners. Sometimes we do something special and sometimes we do something casual... like taco night or like yesterday - home made pizza night. But, since I told you we will start from end of the dinner... there will be no pizza recipes today... I'm going straight to the dessert! Mixed fruit cobbler... I was really craving something homey and comforting and what better than warm cobbler with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream? Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Filling:

*  4 cups frozen fruit (I used mix of peaches, strawberries and raspberries)
*  3/4 cup sugar
*  3 tbsp corn starch
*  pinch of cinnamon

Topping:

*  1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
*  1/2 cup fine corn meal
*  3 tbsp sugar
*  1/2 tsp cinnamon
*  1 tsp baking powder
*  1/2 tsp salt
*  1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubbed
*  1 cup cold half & half (1-2 extra tbsp might be needed)
*  1/2 cup sliced almonds
*  1-2 tbsp sugar for the top

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients of the filling (do not defrost the fruit). Transfer into greased baking dish.
2. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, corn meal, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and butter cubes. Pulse few times until mixture resembles crumbs.
3. Transfer into a bowl, add almonds and 1 cup of half & halt. Mix with the wooden spoon until combined and wet. If it's not wet enough add some extra half & half. It should stick to your fingers.
4. Using your hands, drop the dough by pieces on the top of fruit and sprinkle the top with some sugar. Bake at 375F for 45-50 minutes until top is golden brown.Wait for it to cool down a little, but serve warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

   Do you really need an explanation for this one? Doesn't it look delicious? Sweet, juicy and fruity with a delicious crunchy topping! The perfect dessert for a casual dinner with great friends.

Enjoy,
Magda

Balls of meat!

   Who doesn't love meatballs? Well, I'm sure I could find few people who don't, but I bet you that most of us are big fans of this dish. A funny (or weird) thing about me and meatballs... I prefer to have them in a mushroom sauce rather than a tomato sauce. I love me some puttanesca sauce, but there is nothing better (at least for me) than a white (especially mushroom) sauce. But don't even think about buying the canned condensed soup and turning it into a sauce... that's not the way to go. Here you have a recipe for the best meatballs in the best mushroom sauce... both made from scratch and super delicious.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
*  2 lbs lean ground turkey
*  1/2 cup bread crumbs
*  2 eggs
*  2 garlic cloves, minced
*  1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
*  1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
*  1 tsp black pepper
*  1-2 tsp chicken seasoning
*  olive oil to coat the meatballs

Sauce:
*  16oz mushroom, chopped
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  3 tbsp butter
*  2 cups chicken broth
*  2 tbsp flour
*  1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. To make meatballs: in a large bowl, combine all ingredients (besides olive oil), mix well together just until combined. Gently cover your hands with olive oil, from balls (the size of golf ball) and place them onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 360F for 25-30 minutes.
2. To make sauce: in a skillet melt butter, add onions, mushroom, salt and pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes.
3. Transfer half of the mushroom/onion mixture into a blender, add chicken broth and blend everything until smooth.
4. To the remaining mushrooms in the skillet add flour and cook everything for 1-2 minutes. Add blended sauce, parsley and season with salt and pepper if necessary.  Cook everything for 1-2 minutes - you can add a little bit more liquid if you like your sauce less dense.
5. Transfer meatballs into a sauce and serve with rice or pasta.

   I am telling you, you can't beat this sauce... thick, creamy and chunky at the same time... just perfect. Meatballs are moist and super flavorful... mint and parsley makes all the difference. Try it and you won't regret it.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Different pasta sauce.

   There is nothing wrong with delicious bolognese sauce or any other pasta sauce for this matter, but I always try to come up with a new recipe. I already have few which we really like, but we will be definitely adding this one to the list. Vegetarian eggplant pasta sauce with tiny hints of Indian spices... why not? Eggplant is one of these vegetables that has to be done just right in order for me to like it. Eggplant curry, baba ghanoush, moussaka ... and now also eggplant spaghetti sauce. All delicious and worth trying!

Ingredients:

*  1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
*  1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
*  1 tbsp coriander powder
*  1/2 tbsp ground cumin
*  1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
*  1 tbsp brown sugar
*  1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
*  1 tbsp soy sauce 
*  2 tbsp olive oil
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a deep skillet heat olive oil, add onions, eggplant and fresh cilantro and cook for 5-6 minutes.
2. Add crushed tomatoes, all the spices, season with salt and pepper and cook everything for 15 minutes until eggplant is soft. If the sauce is too thick, dilute it with some water.
3. Remove from heat and stir in grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with pasta.

   Chunky, saucy and delicious, with a hint of cumin and coriander. It's a really great alternative to a meat sauce if you are trying to cook more vegetarian dishes, or if you are just looking for new ideas.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Small and beautiful.

   Small, beautiful and delicious! Turkey sliders with spinach and feta - how awesome does that sound? Sliders are one of Justin's favorite things in the world, but since he is like a big baby sometimes, I have to sneak his vegetables in and hide them in order for him to eat them. So here is a perfect example of my sneakiness .... small turkey patties filled with feta cheese and spinach! You can use that trick on your kids... on your husband... or on yourself (if you are not a veggie lover). Recipe makes around 10 - depending on the size.

Ingredients:

*  1.5 lb ground turkey
*  3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
*  6 oz fresh spinach, chopped
*  1/2 white onion, finely chopped
*  2 tbsp butter
*  1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
*  1 tbsp chicken seasoning
*  1 tsp ground cumin
*  salt and pepper

*  small ciabatta rolls
*  horseradish sauce
*  tomato, sliced
*  pickles

Directions:

1.  In a pan, melt butter and saute onions until translucent. Add spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes to wilt it. Set aside.
2. Combine ground turkey with feta cheese, spinach, and seasonings. Form small patties and grill 3-4 minutes on each side, until fully cooked.
3. Assemble your sliders, our favorite combo is ciabatta buns, horseradish sauce, tomatoes and pickles!

   Such a delicious combo! They are small, so you don't have to feel guilty about eating two of them! They are made out of lean turkey meat and filled with veggies... so you don't have to feel guilty about eating an extra two! Man, I wish I could have a cold beer with this meal... but maybe in a few months!

Enjoy,
Magda.

The Polish cravings continue.

   So continuing with the theme of  "The baby craving Polish food", I made one of the most "Polish" soups - krupnik (barley soup). Funny thing ...  when I was a kid, I hated this soup with a passion! I don't really know (or remember) why, but I really felt like my mom was punishing me for something every time she made it. Well, things have changed since then and I really love it now and it looks like the Baby likes it as well. There are three main ingredients to it that you can't skip: meat (on the bone), barley, and potatoes. I found some large turkey necks and I thought they would be just perfect... and I was right, but you can also use chicken wings or beef ribs. Check it out!

Ingredients:

*  3-4 turkey necks
*  3/4 cup pearl barley
*  1 white onion, chopped
*  2 carrots, shredded
*  2-3 medium potatoes, cubed
*  2 celery stalks, chopped
*  2 bouillon cubes
*  1/2 cup fresh parsley
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Wash turkey necks in cold water, transfer into a pot, cover with water, add a little bit of salt and cook for 1.5 hours (yes, they take quiet some time).
2. Add shredded carrots, celery, onions, 1/2 parsley, bouillon cubes and barley. Cook everything for 30 minutes or until barley is almost done.
3. Add cubed potatoes, season to taste and cook for 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Adjust the amount of water to your liking (depending on how dense you like your soup).
4. Remove cooked  meat, separate it from the bone, shred it, and return it to the soup. Add remaining parsley and it's ready to serve.

   Such a great and satisfying soup. You don't really need anything else, maybe a piece of toast, and you have a perfect dinner.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Bun in the oven!

   I am back... and yes, I have a bun in the oven... literally and metaphorically! We are expecting a little bundle of joy in February of next year and we couldn't be happier and more excited!
I am sorry I didn't post anything in a while, but recently I wasn't really that hungry and if I was... I usually craved Polish food, which I already posted on my blog! This baby is already like his/her momma... loves Polish dishes... mostly soups (surprise, surprise) cabbage, potatoes, pickles and so on! But now, slowly my appetite is returning and I promise I will keep posting regularly... at least until February, I can't promise anything after that!
To celebrate my "bun in the oven" I made an oven full of buns! Polish yeast buns with cheese that is! You know how can I tell that my appetite is returning? I already had three of them... one for me, one for the baby...and one because they are so darn good! Recipe makes 16:

Ingrediets:

Dough:

*  4 cups all-purpose flour
*  3/4 cup sugar
*  pinch of salt
*  1 egg
*  1 cup of warm milk
*  2 tbsp dry yeast
*  4 tbsp melted butter

Topping:

*  12oz ricotta cheese
*  1/2 cup sugar
*  1 lemon
*  1 tsp vanilla extract
*  1 tbsp corn starch

Extras:

*  1 egg
*  1/2 cup powdered sugar


Directions:

1. Mix warm milk with yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar, stir together and let it stand for 5-6 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, sift flour together with  sugar, salt. Add egg, melted butter, and milk and mix together to form a dough. Kneed the dough until smooth, but still a little bit sticky.
3. Transfer the dough into a greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let it in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 1 hour).
4. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide into 16 equal pieces. Form balls and place them on a baking sheet, cover with kitchen towel and let them raise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes.
5. In the meantime prepare the topping: combine ricotta cheese with sugar, vanilla extract, corn starch, zest from one lemon and juice from half a lemon. Mix to combine and set aside
6. Using a bottom of a glass flatten each ball, creating a big dent in the middle. Spoon the cheese mixture, filling the dent completely. Brush the dough around the cheese with bitten egg (extras) and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Place on cooling rack
7. Combine powdered sugar with juice from half a lemon (leftover from cheese mixture), mix to create a silky and runny frosting and lightly drizzle all the buns with it.

   So good! The drizzle on the top is optional but trust me, it's worth the extra step. It makes everything a little tangy and cuts through the sweetness. A cup of coffee (decaf for me) or a glass of milk... the perfect breakfast, desert, or snack!

Enjoy,
Magda.

Go green!

   I just realized that I hadn't done a post about soup for a while. Well, this has to be fixed. This soup is probably one of the easiest, quickest and most delicious of all the soups I make. Even Justin, who might not be the biggest fan of soups, loves this one! Delicious and silky cream of broccoli, only few ingredients, under 20 minutes... and surprise, surprise no cream needed. So it's not only good, but also good for you. You want to know where the creaminess comes for? Super fine blended onions, which were sauteed with a little bit of butter. I'm telling you, it will change your life.

Ingredients:

*  2 medium broccoli, whole, cut into pieces
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  3 tbsp butter
*  2 vegetable bullion cubes
*  parsley for garnish
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Boil broccoli, stems and florets, in salted water for 5-6 minutes or until the stems are soft. Drain.
2. Saute onions with butter on a medium heat for about 8-10 minutes.
3. Transfer onions and broccoli into a blender, add 1-2 cups of water and blend everything until smooth - you might have to do it in 2 batches, depending on the size of your blender.
4. Transfer into a pot, add bullion cubes and cook for 1-2 minutes. You may have to adjust the amount of water, depending on how thick you like your soup. Season with salt and pepper if necessary, garnish with parsley, and it's ready to serve.

   I'm telling you, it's one of the best soups ever. I can eat it all day around. Justin's favorite way to eat this soup is to dip a grilled cheese sandwich in it... delicious, but for me it's just perfect on its own.

Enjoy,
Magda.

More houswifing.

   You probably think what's up with all this canning and preserving, but I'm telling you, there is nothing better than a home made fruit jam. I know that some people might be scared and intimidated by canning and think that it takes long time and cost a lot of money. It couldn't be further from the truth. We always go to the farm to pick our own fruit, which is way cheaper and way better than a store bought, and the canning itself takes no more then an hour (this blueberry jam took me 15 minutes from the beginning to the end - seriously!!!). And just wait when you taste it... it's amazing. You can actually taste the fruit, it's not too sweet, it's tangy and chunky. Just a perfect jam. From 3 pounds of blueberries I got 7 jars of jam... and I "tasted" some on the way.

Ingredients:

*  3 lbs fresh blueberries
*  1 cup sugar
*  1 tbsp lemon juice
*  2 tbsp pectin

Directions:

1. Wash and drain blueberries, transfer them into a big pot and crush them gently with a potato masher. I don't crush all of them, I like chunks of fruit in my jam.
2. Bring blueberries to boil, add sugar and lemon juice and cook on high heat for 5 minutes (constantly stirring). Add pectin and boil for 1 minute.
3. In the meantime, boil small jars and lids for about 4-5 minutes.
4. Transfer hot jam into a hot jars, wipe the edges of the jar, cover with hot lid and close tightly. Repeat with remaining jars and fruit.
5. Transfer jars into a boiling water (make sure that the water doesn't touch the lids) and boil for 5 minutes. Transfer onto a kitchen towel until lids "pop" and jam cools down. Store in room temperature, on your pantry shelf.

   I have to warn you that it is not too sweet. I just hate over-sweetened jams, where you can't really taste any fruit and it's like eating a bowl of sugar. So if you like your jam a little bit sweeter, you can add some extra  sugar... just taste it as you are making it. I think this one is just perfect!

Enjoy,
Magda.

Housewifing!

   Ever since I was a kid, summer was always a season for canning and pickling in our house. When I was little it was really hard to buy fresh veggies in the middle of the winter in Poland, so everybody always made sure that they have plenty of canned and jarred food. During the summer everything is in season, ripe, fresh and cheap, so it's the perfect time to do your pickling. I'm sure I already mentioned many, many times that I am a huge fan of pickled veggies (all of them), so of course I had to do some "housewifing" and make my own assorted pickled vegetables. Here is my recipe (made 6 large jars):

Ingredients:

*  1 cauliflower, cut into small pieces
*  2-3 cups fresh green beans, cut into halves
*  3 red bell peppers, cut into pieces
*  1 1/2 cup small white onions
*  5-6 garlic cloves

*  12 cups water
*  2 cups white vinegar
*  3/4 cup sugar
*  1 tbsp salt
*  10 allspice berries

Directions:

1. Blanch the cauliflower and green beans in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and put into ice water to stop the cooking.
2. To prepare the pickling liquid, combine water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and allspice berries and boil for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and keep slowly simmering.
3. In a large pot, boil the jars and lids for couple of minutes. Remove one jar from boiling water, fill with combination of veggies, add one clove of garlic to each jar, add boiling pickling liquid, cover with hot lid and close tightly. Repeat the process with remaining jars and veggies.
4. Place filled jars into a pot with boiling water (make sure that water doesn't touch the lid) and boil everything on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
5. Place on the kitchen towel and let it cool and seal. To make sure it's sealed check if the lid "popped" - it might take up to 30-40 minutes.

   I like my pickles really acidic, so if you are not fan of it, you might want to cut down on vinegar. Regardless the recipe, your best bet is always to taste it as you go... and if you need to add more vinegar and sugar to make it to your liking, go for it. You can use it on sandwiches, as an appetizer, as a side dish... whatever floats your boat! I love pickled veggies, so I have no problems finding a "use" for them.

Good luck,
Magda

Jagodzianki z kruszonka.

   Yes, the title is in Polish. Not because I couldn't come up with an English version of it, but because it just can't be any other way. Jagodzianki are the most delicious summer staples of Poland. Fluffy, sweet, yeast based buns stuffed with blueberries and covered with a crumbly topping. I'm sure that all my Polish friends will agree with me that there couldn't be any other title than the one I wrote. You can find them in most Polish bakeries all year around, but there is absolutely nothing better that jagodzianki made by your grandma in the middle of the blueberry season. So since we went to pick our own blueberries few days ago, I decided to make my grandmas famous jagodzianki z kruszonka! The recipe makes 16.

Ingredients:

Dough:
*  4 cups all-purpose flour
*  3/4 cup sugar
*  pinch of salt
*  1 egg
*  1 glass of warm milk
*  2 tbsp dry yeast
*  4 tbsp melted butter

Filling:
*  3 cups fresh blueberries
*  1/2 cup sugar

Topping:
*  4 tbsp cold butter
*  4 tbsp sugar
*  8 tbsp flour
*  1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Mix warm milk with yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar, stir together and let it stand for 5-6 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, sift flour together with  sugar, salt. Add egg, melted butter, and milk and mix together to form a dough. Kneed the dough until smooth, but still a little bit sticky.
3. Transfer the dough into a greased bowl,cover with a kitchen towel, and let it in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 1 hour).
4. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide into 16 equal pieces.
5. To make filling: combine blueberries with sugar and mix until coated.
6. Gently roll each portion of the dough, place a tablespoon of the filling in the middle of the dough, and stick the sides together (make sure you seal it completely). Place them on a cookies sheet (seam down), cover with a kitchen towel and let them double in size (about 45 minutes).
7. To make topping: combine butter, flour, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse until crumbs form.
8. Brush the top of the buns with beaten egg, sprinkle with crumbly topping and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

   Oh Jagodzianki, you are the best thing in the world! Soft, aromatic, filled with delicious fresh blueberries up to the edges... heaven! I urge everybody to make them... this will be the best thing you've ever eaten, trust me. Glass of milk, jagodzianka in your hand (or two)... and you will be the happiest person in the world.

Enjoy,
Magda

Small and cute!

   Going to a party and don't know what to bring? I'm often asked to bring an appetizer, and I will be honest that sometimes these little things are the most challenging. I always want to bring something new, something delicious, and something that everyone will like. This time I decided to make mini quiches - I love the big version, so I figured that small ones must be even better. You can make it with any ingredients you want, I chose broccoli and turkey bacon - I'm telling you, it's a delicious combination. Here is the recipe, makes 24 mini quiches:

Ingredients:

*  10 slices turkey bacon, finely chopped
*  1 cup small broccoli florets, cooked
*  1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
*  3 eggs
*  1 cup heavy whipping cream
*  1 tbsp flour
*  1 tsp curry powder
*  1 tsp turmeric powder
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1.  Crisp the bacon in a pan - for around 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl combine together eggs, whipping cream, flour, curry powder, turmeric, salt and pepper. Whisk everything until combined.
3. Add cheese and mix together.
4. Into greased mini muffin pan put a piece of cooked broccoli and a teaspoon of crisped bacon.
5. Spoon the egg mixture into the cups - all the way to the edge, and bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

   Aren't they cute? I am telling you, there is no easier, quicker and tastier appetizer to bring to a party. They are delicious warm or cold, no need to worry about the serving temperature. Yummy!

Enjoy,
Magda

Pizza love!

   Anybody want another pizza? I know we never get tired of them, actually every Friday is pizza night in our house. I won't lie to you, most of the time it's a frozen pizza, but sometimes we get inspired and make our own (depending on how we feel after a whole week of work). As I said before, my herb garden is spreading like wide fire and I am always looking for exciting ideas to use all these herbs, so last Friday we made our own pesto pizza with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Great spin on a caprese salad (one of my favorites) and it let me use up bunch of my mint and basil.

Ingredients:

*  thin crust refrigerated Pillsbury pizza dough
*  8oz mozzarella ball, sliced
*  2 medium tomatoes, sliced
*  1 tsp olive oil

Pesto:
*  1 cup fresh basil
*  1 cup fresh mint
*  1/3 cup pine nuts
*  1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
*  1 tbsp lemon juice
*  1/3 cup olive oil
*  1 garlic clove
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients of the pesto in food processor and process until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
2. Roll the pizza dough, brush 1 tsp of olive oil on the top and pre-bake at 400F for 5 minutes.
3. Once crust is pre-baked, spread a thin layer of pesto on the top. Don't add too much of pesto, just enough to barely cover the top - if you have left overs use in on a sandwiches - delicious.
4. Top pizza with slices of tomatoes and mozzarella and bake at 400F for 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

   Do you see the size of this pizza? Well, let me tell you, it was so good that there were only two tiny slices left after we were done with it. I can't believe that we ate all of it, but it was so delicious that we couldn't stop! Fresh, aromatic and cheesy - that tells you all you need to know!

Enjoy,
Magda

I'm bringing chicken back!

   It's been a while since I cooked some meat and I think it was high time for some chicken breast. I actually had some in the freezer, waiting to be used, and since I didn't really know what else to make - chicken it is. Simple, quick, and with only a few ingredients, it doesn't get any better that that. Check out this baked chicken breast with herbs of Provence and black sesame seeds:

Ingredients:

*  2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*  2 tbsp herbs of Provence
*  1 tbsp black sesame seeds
*  1 tbsp olive oil
*  salt

Directions:

1. Wash chicken breast under cold water, tap dry with a paper towel and place in a baking dish.
2. Coat chicken with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, herbs and sesame on both sides (a little bit more on the top), and bake at 400F for 30 minutes.

 
   I love herbs of Provence. I think it's because my mom uses them a lot and I just have them in my blood. The chicken is so juicy and tender and I have to admit I missed it a little bit.

Enjoy,
Magda

Perfect combo.

   Don't you just love eggs and hash browns for breakfast? I know I do. I could eat them all the time, but I always feel guilty looking at the greasy and oily hash browns at the diners. So here is a better, healthier, baked version of your favorite breakfast combo. Oh, and you can take it to go if you want to. Check it out:

Ingredients:

*  2 large baked potatoes (leftovers from here)
*  3 tbsp fresh chopped dill
*  1 tsp garlic powder
*  6 eggs
*  salt and pepper
*  cooking spray

Directions:

1. Peel and shred two baked potatoes
2. In a large bowl combine potatoes with fresh dill, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Spray muffin pan with a cooking spray and feel each cup with potato mixture, forming a little hole in the middle.
4. Gently break an egg into each potato cup and bake at 350F for 20-30 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs.

   So good. The dill makes all the difference and I really recommend adding it. The edges are super crispy and the eggs are soft and so comforting. All it needs is a little warming up and you have the best breakfast ever!

Enjoy,
Magda

Out of control!

   No not me, at least not yet, my mint is growing out of control! I really don't want to say that I have a huge bush, but seriously I have a huge bush of MINT (no dirty thoughts)!!! All this rain and warm temperatures are just perfect conditions for it apparently. I usually use it as an addition to my dishes or to make mojitos with it, but come on... how many mojitos can I drink? So I had to come up with something that will let me use a bunch of it at once and that's how I came up with mint pesto pasta! If you know me you know that I love, love, love mint and this dish just perfectly hit "the spot".

Ingredients:

*  1 lb pasta (any shape you like)
*  2 cups fresh mint (leaves without stems)
*  4 plum tomatoes
*  1/2 yellow onion
*  1 garlic clove
*  1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
*  1/4 cup olive oil
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook pasta until al dente.
2. In a food processor combine mint, 2 tomatoes, onion, garlic, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and blend until smooth.
3. Transfer pesto into a deep bowl, add 2 remaining tomatoes (diced) and Parmesan cheese, mix to combine. Add hot drained pasta, mix everything together and enjoy.

   Even though it's nothing else but a bowl of pasta, it's super light and fresh! So fragrant and aromatic, and so different too! I recommend it to anybody who likes mint!

Enjoy,
Magda

Endulge once in a while!

   Everybody is so busy recently and it's been a while since we had our friends over for dinner, so it was high time to change it. I had so many ideas about what to make, but nothing really "spoke" to me, until I thought about potato gratin. Once it got to my head there was no turning back... creamy, cheesy potato casserole... seriously how great does that sound? To make it more interesting I added a layer of yams, and some fresh scallions. Supper yummy! I served it with whole roasted chicken (you can find the recipe here) and simple fresh green salad.

Ingredients:

*  4 medium Idaho potatoes
*  1 medium yam
*  2-3 scallions, chopped
*  1 cup shredded cheese (I used mixture of mozzarella, asiago and gruyere)
*  3 cups 1% milk
*  2 tbsp Dijon mustard
*  2 tbsp flour
*  pinch of nutmeg
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a bowl whisk together milk, flour, Dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
2. Peel and thinly slice potatoes and yam.
3. In the medium baking dish layer half of the Idaho potatoes, sprinkle with 1/3 cheese, 1/3 scallions, and 1/3 of milk mixture.
4. Arrange a layer of sliced yams, repeat cheese, scallions and milk.
5. Arrange the last layer of Idaho potatoes, top with remaining cheese, scallions and milk.
6. Cover with foil and bake at 385F for 60 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 30 minutes untill potatoes are soft and golden brown on top.

   I won't lie to you... it's not a diet dish, but everybody can have a day off once in a while. Rich, creamy, and starchy... all of my favorite things. Potatoes are nice and tender, but not overcooked and still hold their shape and texture. I love it!

Enjoy,
Magda

Summer flavors!

   Summer is almost here, that means it's time for delicious fruit cakes and desserts! It was my boss's birthday a few days ago and since he has a sweet tooth, I knew he would appreciate a cake as a gift. He is very health conscious and always trying to eat right, so I decided to make a fruit cake. Not that it has fewer calories than any other dessert, but at least he could have his serving of fruit with it! It's a super easy cake which requires almost no skill and no work... highly recommended. 

Ingredients:

*  1 stick of butter, room temperature
*  1 cup sugar
*  2 cups all-purpose flour
*  2 eggs
*  1 cup buttermilk
*  1 tsp vanilla extract
*  2 tbsp lemon juice
*  2 tsp baking powder
*  pinch of salt
*  1 cup berries (I used blueberries)

Directions:

1. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
2. Add eggs (one at a time) and beat some more.
3. Add buttermilk, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt. Mix everything with the spoon - it will look weird but don't worry.
4. Add flour and baking powder, mix everything together until it forms a smooth and dense batter.
5. Transfer into greased square baking pan, top with blueberries (push them gently into the batter) and bake at 350F for 50-55 minutes until golden brown.

   Not too dense and not too dry, the buttermilk keeps it moist and a little bit tangy. You can use any berry you like, raspberries, strawberries... anything. Perfect for an afternoon break with a cup of tea or coffee!

Enjoy,
Magda

Recipe swap.

   This is a dish that I made long time ago (before the vegetarian approach) and I never had a chance to post it. It's so simple and delicious that I think everybody who eats meat should try it at least once... I promise you won't be disappointed! Me and my friend Shannon always share and swap recipes and ideas for some great family meals. Recently she bought a "Flat Belly Cookbook" and she tried out few of their recipes and liked them a lot. One of them, an Indian chicken with a cilantro and cashew sauce, sounded like something I would love, so I decided to try it as well. Quick, easy, healthy and delicious. Only a few ingredients, but lots of flavor, I'm sure you will like it. The recipe serves 4:

Ingredients:

*  1 lb chicken breast, cut into long thin strips
*  1 cup cilantro (packed)
*  1/2 cup cashew nuts
*  1 cup chicken broth
*  salt and pepper
*  juice of 1 lime

*  rice

Directions:

1. Place cilantro, cashews and chicken broth into a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Transfer into a skillet and start cooking. When the sauce is boiling, add chicken and cook for 10-15 minutes until chicken is completely cooked. If the sauce is too thick add more chicken broth or water.
3. Season with salt and pepper, add lime juice and serve with rice.

   Smooth, creamy, light sauce paired with lean chicken is a great combination. You can also add red pepper flakes if you like some heat, but since I'm not a heat fanatic I decided to skip them all together. I think it might be one of my favorite quick chicken dishes... Justin loved it too.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Summer or Winter!

   Can you have chili in the Summer? Some people think that it's only a Winter weather dish, but I don't care if it's Summer or Winter, if I want one I will have it! Especially if it's vegetarian chili... it's basically a veggie stew! I wasn't sure if it would be as satisfying as the meaty version so I decided to serve it with a large baked potato. I shouldn't have worried about it being "enough", it's super filling, but I just loved it spooned over the baked potato (I'm Polish - I eat potatoes like it's candy!) and sprinkled with some cheese. Check it out:

Ingredients:

*  1 cup dry red lentils
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  1 15oz can red beans, rinsed and drained
*  1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
*  2 15oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
*  2 packs McCormick reduced sodium chili spice
*  1 cup fresh chopped cilantro
*  1 tbsp olive oil

*  4 large potatoes
*  4 tbsp shredded cheese (I used mixed cheeses)

Directions:

1. Wash and scrub potatoes, dry them with a paper towel, pierce with a fork and wrap into aluminum foil. Bake at 400F for 60-90 minutes (depending on the size of the potato).
2. In the meantime, in a Dutch oven heat the olive oil and saute onions for 4-5 minutes.
3. Add dry lentils and cook for 5 minutes constantly stirring.
4. Add tomatoes (with the juice), beans, McCormick spices, cilantro, and 1 cup of water, lower the heat and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are cooked (but not mushy). Add some more water during the cooking if needed - lentils will soak up some of it.
5. Slice potato in half, top with as much chili as you like, sprinkle with shredded cheese and enjoy.

   I cooked my lentils to the point where they were still a little bit crunchy, that's how I like it here. I feel like they give this dish a nice texture and don't make it mushy and one-dimensional. Of course you can cook your longer if you are too lazy to chew, but I encourage you to try them this way. You can also add some hot sauce (as Justin did) and a dollop of sour cream if that's what you like.

Enjoy,
Magda

Yet, another burger.

   We loved our last veggie burgers so much that I decided to make some more. It's a perfect dish for a busy week - it doesn't take long to make, and you can make a bunch of them and enjoy it for few days with different condiments. This time I decided to use cannellini beans instead of black beans and add some corn and roasted bell pepper for extra flavor. I have to admit that they came out pretty delicious. Remember the pickled onions from my last post about fish tacos? They are a great additions to these burgers. Here is the recipe, serves 12:

Ingredients:

*  1 cup quinoa
*  1 1/2 cup oats
*  1 cup frozen corn, thawed
*  1 jar roasted bell peppers
*  2 15oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 
*  1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
*  1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
*  1/2 cup ground flax seeds
*  1/2 cup chia seeds
*  1/2 cup oat bran
*  1/2 tsp ground cardamon
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa in salted water (20 minutes), drain and set aside.
2. Drain roasted bell peppers and blend them in a blender until smooth. Add flax and chia seeds with 1/2 cup of water and let it stand for 5-10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, smash cannellini beans with potato masher and add corn, oats, parsley, basil, oat bran,, peppers/chia/flax mixture, and all the spices.
4. Mix everything to combine, form 12 patties, and place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes and bake at 375F for 15 minutes on each side.
5. Using your favorite burger fixings create a sandwich and enjoy.

   They are really hearty! If you are looking for something healthy and satisfying, that's your dish. You can customize them by adding your own ingredients and I'm sure they will be good no matter what. I really recommend them to all my health conscious (and not only) followers.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Searching for the "one".

   I always hear mixed opinions about fish tacos, some people love them, some people hate them. I've had few different versions of them and I wasn't really that impressed. I can't say I hated them, they were OK, but I would rather have something else. So as always, I took it as a challenge to make my own and see if I can come up with a recipe that will change my mind about this dish. I decided to pair the fish with some red cabbage slaw and marinated onions - I thought that the acid and crunch would make them much better. So here is my creation:

Ingredients:

*  10-12 oz fish (I used cod)
*  1 tsp taco seasoning
*  salt

*  1/4 red cabbage, thinly shredded
*  1 tsp salt
*  1 apple, shredded
*  2 tbsp fat-free mayo
*  2 tbsp Greek yogurt
*  1 lime
*  1 tsp sugar

*  1 small red onion
*  1 cup apple cider vinegar
*  1 cup water
*  1/2 cup sugar

*  4 corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Using mandolin slicer, thinly slice red onion into half moons.
2. Transfer into a large jar and cover with a vinegar/water/sugar mixture. Refrigerate for minimum 2 hours (over night preferred).
3. To make coleslaw: mix thinly shredded red cabbage with 1 tsp of salt and using your hands "massage" and squeeze the cabbage. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Add mayo, Greek yogurt, sugar and lime juice. Mix to combine.
4. Place fish on a baking dish, sprinkle with salt and taco seasoning and bake at 425F for 15 minutes.
5. Top tortilla with red cabbage slaw, flaked fish and marinated onions.

   Judgement time: they are OK, but again, I'm not too impressed. Everything is delicious (I love, love these marinated onions), but somehow I'm not a fish taco person. We ate them and enjoyed them, but I don't see us making them any time soon. The marinated onions on the other hand... I will make sure we always have them in our fridge - we use them on almost everything. But don't get discouraged by my opinion, if you are a fish tacos lover, you might enjoy the dish - it might be your new favorite!

Good luck,
Magda

New healthy habit.

    I know, I already told you that we are drinking fresh vegetables/fruit juices for breakfast, but I love it so much that I can't just stop with one blog post about it. It's so much fun to try new flavor combinations, but I have to admit - some are better than others. Obviously fruit based juices are much sweeter and tastier than the veggie ones, but we like them all... well, most of them. The one I'm posting today is one of my favorites - it looks good, it smells good, and it's delicious. Check it out:

Ingredients:

*  4-5 large carrots
*  1/3 large pineapple
*  10 strawberries
*  2 inches fresh ginger, pealed

Directions:

1. Juice everything together. The End.

   That's all there is to it... it's that easy... and it takes 5 minutes every morning. I love it so much, I could drink a bucket of it and still want more... it's my favorite breakfast ever! It's so worth it to invest in a juicer and make your own juices. It's much better, cheaper, and more convenient than buying it from a juice bar.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Egg sandwich reconstructed!

   I have posted many recipes for breakfast dishes so far, but that doesn't mean that I will stop creating new ones. It's one of my favorite meals in the entire world (probably due to my addiction to eggs) and I am constantly experimenting with new things. I especially love weekend breakfasts because not only Justin makes the best eggs Benedict ever, but also because I always get breakfast in bed with a cup of hot green tea. Weekend breakfasts are always Justin's creations, but during the weekdays I am responsible for it and since we eat it at work it has to be something that is easily transported and won't lose it's deliciousness! Egg muffins... that is my answer - you can make it one night, pre-pack it, and grab them as you heading out the door. Recipe makes 6.

Ingredients:

*  8 eggs
*  3 whole wheat kaiser rolls, cubed
*  1 1/2 cup skim milk
*  1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
*  2 medium tomatoes, diced
*  1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
*  1 tbsp curry powder
*  2 tbsp flour
*  2 tbsp honey mustard
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a large bowl whisk eggs together with milk, curry powder, flour, honey mustard, salt and pepper.
2. Add 1 cup of cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, parsley, and cubed bread. Mix gently to combine.
3. Transfer into 6 greased ramekins, top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes.
4. Let them cool slightly before removing from the ramekins and enjoy your breakfast.

   Egg sandwich reconstructed. You have bread, eggs, cheese, and tomatoes... and no need to make it fresh every day...or spend money on breakfast sandwiches. I love these kind of dishes. As always, you can change up the recipe and add or subtract things you want. I think next week I will substitute tomatoes with mushrooms... that sounds delicious!

Good luck,
Magda

Farmer's pie!

   Do you remember my "meat and potatoes kind of girl" post from long time ago featuring delicious Shepherd's pie (if not you can find it here)? Well, I might not be so "meaty" anymore, but I still love me some potatoes and that's why I created this dish. I can't call it a "Shepherd's pie" anymore because it doesn't have any meat, but since it's a vegetarian version I decided to call it a "Farmer's pie". It's really good and flavorful. I used some chia seeds, because they are not only a great "binder", but also add tons of omega-3s and proteins to the dish. If you can't find them or don't want to spend money, you can definitely skip them in this dish and it still will be delicious. Here is the recipe, serves 6-8:

Ingredients:

Veggies:
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  3 garlic cloves, chopped
*  2 zucchini, chopped
*  4 celery sticks, chopped
*  1 cup frozen corn
*  2 cups frozen carrot/pea mix, thawed
*  1/3 cup chia seeds
*  1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
*  1 tsp dried thyme
*  2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
*  2 tbsp ketchup (trust me!)
*  1 tbsp olive oil
*  salt and pepper

Potatoes:
*  2 large potatoes
*  2 yams
*  1/2 cup skim milk
*  1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
*  2 eggs

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes and yams in salted water.
2. In the meantime, in a large skillet heat the olive oil and saute chopped onions for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, zucchini, celery, corn, and carrot/pea mix. Add a pinch of salt (will help to sweat the veggies) and cook for 6-7 minutes until veggies are tender but not overcooked.
3. Add thyme, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, pepper and salt (to taste) and cook everything for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add chia seeds and parsley, mix to combine and set aside.
5. Drain cooked potatoes, add milk, Parmesan cheese, and eggs - mash everything together until smooth.
6. On the bottom of the baking dish layer all the vegetables, top with potato layer, and bake at 360F for 30 minutes.

   The top of the potatoes is super crispy, while the middle is creamy and smooth. The deeper you dig the more flavor and texture you can find... chunks of delicious veggies mixed with creamy potatoes is just a perfect combination.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Cheers!

   So here it is, as I promised... our sweet, girly, fruity drink that is perfect for ladies night. I just thought it would be nice to have a mixed drink rather than a wine... we always do wine, so it was high time to change it up a little bit. Just think about pineapple, rum and limes put together to create a dense and delicious Hawaii-inspired cocktail. Sounds good, doesn't it? As always, you can adjust the amount of ingredients... you can make it as strong, as sweet, and as limey as you like, but here is the general recipe:

Ingredients:

*  1 fresh pineapple, cored and cubed
*  3-4 cups Ginger Ale
*  3 limes
*  3 cups of rum
*  2 cups water
*  1 cup sugar
*  small bundle of mint
*  2 cups of ice

Directions:

1. To make simple syrup: in a skillet, combine 2 cups of water with 1 cup of sugar. Bring to boil, add mint bundle, turn off the heat and let it cool completely. When cold remove the mint and set aside.
2. In a blender, combine cubed pineapple with  simple syrup and blend until smooth.
3. Combine blended pineapple with rum, lime juice and Ginger Ale. Taste everything as you are adding ingredients so you make is exactly as you like it (you may want to adjust the amount of some ingredients).
4. Add ice and serve.

   Delicious! I think it would be really good also with other types of fruit ... I can't wait for watermelon season to begin! That sounds like a perfect fruit to make a drink with.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Another one bites a dust!

   Yep... we are losing another member of our "get-together-eat-drink-and-gossip" club. She got an awesome job and she is moving to a far far away land with a slick chance of ever coming back (unless she can't deal with the separation from us). I think we should start some kind of recruitment program to try to fill the opening... so if you are funny, a little bit sarcastic, love to eat, drink, and gossip... send us your application! Last weekend we had one of our final get-togethers and we started it with a super healthy and super delicious edamame dip as an appetizer! Well, we started it with a great drink... but for that you will have to come back next time. Here is the recipe for a dip:

Ingredients:

*  1 12oz bag frozen shelled edamame, thawed
*  1 cup plain yogurt
*  1 tbsp lemon juice
*  2 tbsp fresh chopped basil
*  1 tsp garlic powder
*  1 tbsp olive oil
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and well combined.
2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve with pita chips.

   Fresh, creamy and nutritious. I don't think you can find an appetizer that is better for you than this one. There are only healthy ingredients in it... yogurt, edamame, lemon juice and olive oil - pure health on a plate... and it tastes fantastic too! If you are curious about our girly fruity drink that goes great with the dip... come back in a few days!

Enjoy,
Magda.

No skimpy shirmp!

   What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Chinese food? Shrimp fried rice - that's my choice! So simple, but so delicious! I love to make my own at home because I can pack it with whatever ingredients I want and with as much ingredients as I want (no skimpy restaurant shrimp portions). I load mine with lots of veggies (especially snow peas - love, love, love), scallions, and pile it with a mountain of freshly cooked shrimp. I know your mouth is watering right about now... I know mine is! Here it is (serves 4):

Ingredients:

*  1 lb raw shrimp
*  2 cups brown rice
*  1 cup snow peas
*  1 cup froze carrot/peas mixture
*  1 red bell pepper, chopped
*  6 scallions, chopped
*  2 eggs
*  2 tbsp butter
*  2 tbsp olive oil
*  1 tsp garlic powder
*  salt

Sauce:
*  1/4 cup soy sauce
*  1 tbsp hoisin sauce
*  1 tbsp agave nectar
*  1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Cook brown rice in salted water for 30 minutes, drain and set aside.
2. In a deep skillet melt butter, add shrimp season with garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes until pink and cooked. Remove the shrimp from a skillet and set aside.
3. Into the same skillet add olive oil and when it's hot add bell peppers, snow peas, carrots/peas, and scallions. Saute for 4-5 minutes on high heat. Add prepared sauce and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
4. Add eggs and cook for 2 minutes constantly mixing.
5. Add cooked rice and shrimp and mix everything to combine.

   Oh that juicy, juicy shrimp! Crispy veggies, juicy shrimp, super flavorful sauce... how can you not like it? You add what you like, as much as you like, and no need to pay for a second helping... perfect (homemade) takeout!

Enjoy,
Magda

Aromatherapy!

   Basil, lemon, and cardamon... how does that smell to you? If you don't know, let me tell you - it smells fantastic!!! Smells great and tastes even better. Check out my baked pasta with lemon/cardamon/basil sauce and delicious edamame for some protein. I don't know why I didn't create this dish earlier, it's definitely our new comfort food and I'm planning on making it very often... yes, it's that good! Recipe serves 2-6 and I mean it's big enough for six portions, but so good that two people could eat it at one sitting (looong sitting).

Ingredients:

*  1 lb large rigatoni pasta
*  1 cup shelled edamame
*  1 cup fresh chopped basil
*  2 lemons (zest and juice)
*  1 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
*  3 tbsp butter
*  3 tbsp flour
*  3 cups milk
*  1/2 tsp ground cardamon
*  salt

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente.
2. In a deep skillet melt butter, add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes constantly whisking.
3. Add milk, cardamon and a little bit of salt. cook (whisking) for 3-4 minutes until it thickens.
4. Add edamame and 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, mix to combine, and transfer into a deep bowl.
5. Add basil, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add pasta, mix to combine, and transfer into a baking dish.
6. Top with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and bake at 360F for 25 minutes.

   Oh, that fantastic smell... I think they should bottle it and sell it as an aromatherapy scent! The pasta on the top is crispy and browned and the deeper you dig the more it becomes creamy and cheesy.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Spring in the oven!

   When I think about a "Springy" dish I think about something green, light, and with lots of veggies! Eggs aren't bad either and since we buying our eggs from farmers nowadays...we tend to eat much more of them (not like I didn't have my fair share of them before!). Imagine asparagus, potatoes, feta cheese and eggs... doesn't is sound delicious? Check out this Spring-inspired quiche, serves 4-6:

Ingredients:

*  1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie dough
*  2 medium potatoes
*  2 cups chopped fresh asparagus
*  1 cup fresh chopped parsley
*  5 eggs
*  1 1/2 cups milk
*  2 tbsp flour
*  1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
*  2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
*  1 tbsp turmeric powder
*  1 tsp olive oil
*  salt

Directions:

1. Peel and dice potatoes and boil them in salted water for 10-15 minutes until soften, but not completely cooked. Drain and set aside to cool down.
2. Cut asparagus into 1.5 inch pieces, put into boiling water for 3-4 minutes and transfer into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
3. Place pie crust in a large pie baking dish, brush with olive oil and prick it with a fork so it wont puff up. Pre-bake at 350F for 6-7 minutes.
4. In a bowl whisk eggs together with milk, flour, turmeric, and some salt (to your liking). Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese and most of the feta cheese, mix to combine.
5. Fill pie crust with cooked potatoes and asparagus, cover with egg mixture, and sprinkle with remaining feta and Parmesan. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.

   I think feta cheese is one of my favorite things about this quiche. I mean asparagus is great too... but cheese always beats everything. You can enjoy it warm or cold, it's good both ways.

Bon appetit,
Magda

Baked and beautiful!

   Another dish which proves that you don't need meat and that you won't even notice it's not there. The secret is simple... you need to make the dish delicious, satisfying and loaded with proteins. I took two of the most common vegetarian ingredients: brown rice and black beans, and transformed them into this rich and flavorful Mexican-style rice casserole. Lots of beans, lots of cheese, and lots of cilantro... and I have to admit, it's pretty good! Recipe serves 8:

Ingredients:

*  4 cups brown rice
*  1 tsp ground cumin
*  1 tsp five spice
*  1 tsp salt
*  2 15oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
*  1 15oz can tomato sauce
*  2 cups frozen corn, thawed
*  1 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
*  2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
*  4 eggs
*  1 cup milk
*  2 McCormick packets of Original Taco Seasoning
*  1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. In a large pot boil rice with salt, cumin and five spice. Cook for 30 minutes, drain and set aside to cool down.
2. In a large bowl whisk eggs with milk, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. Add corn, drained beans, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, and cilantro.
3. Add cooled rice, mix everything to combine and transfer into a deep baking dish.
4. Top with remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese and panko bread crumbs. Bake at 375F for 30-40 minutes. Let is stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.

   Smells awesome! Cheese and bread crumbs on the top create a nice gooey crust (yes, crust can be gooey!), cilantro and taco seasoning give it this distinguish flavor that just makes you want to eat more and more. If you want to convince your carnivore partner to eat some vegetarian dishes... this is the way to go!

Enjoy,
Magda.

Grandma's Proziaki!

   I know it's way past St. Patrick's Day and everybody already forgot about Irish soda bread, but not me. I was going through some recipes and I saw one for this bread. I heard about it, but I never had one... at least that's what I thought until I read the recipe. I could not believe my eyes... Irish soda bread is nothing other than my grandma's "proziaki"! Seriously, how could I not know about that? Every time (and I mean every single time) we would go to visit my grandma, we would always request them. She would form disks of dough and bake them directly on her old-fashion firewood cooking stove...man it was the best thing in the world!!! And they call it Irish soda bread? No way... it's Grandma's Proziaki, period! So here is the recipe, that couldn't be any simpler ... I did stick to the "bread" shape and I added something extra to make it my own!

Ingredients:

*  4 cups all purpose flour
*  1 3/4 cups buttermilk
*  2 tsp baking soda
*  1 tsp salt
*  3/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
*  3/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
*  1 tsp olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine flower, baking soda, salt, and seeds. Mix to combine.
2. Slowly add buttermilk mixing until incorporated into a flour.
3. Place dough onto a floured surface and knead until it forms a ball.
4. Transfer dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper, shape it into a round loaf, brush the top with the olive oil, and cut a X on the top.
5. Cover it with aluminum foil and bake at 425F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for additional 15 minutes until golden brown.

   The outside is crispy while the inside is dense and moist. Oh yeah, put a little bit of butter or cream cheese on a hot slice of bread and it's like you are in my grandma's kitchen! Brings me right back to when I was a little kid. I really like it with the pumpkin and sunflower seeds, I think it's a great addition.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Still loving our veggies!

   Even though our vegetarian experiment ended few days ago, we decided to reduce our "meat intake" from now on anyways. We liked being vegetarians, we saved some money, we lost few pounds, it was a win-win situation. From now on we will use meat as a "treat" from time to time. If we feel like having a burger - we will definitely have one, if we want a piece of chicken - we will have one as well, no questions about it, but most of the time we will eat meat-free. So I predict that you will see many more vegetarian recipes here than meaty ones. Here is one of them - garbanzo curry in coconut milk:

Ingredients:

*  2 15oz cans garbanzo beans, washed and drained
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
*  1 13oz can coconut milk
*  1 small (8oz) can tomato sauce
*  1 tbsp cumin seeds
*  1 tbsp mustard seeds
*  1 tbsp white dal
*  1 tbsp ground coriander
*  1 tbsp garam masala powder
*  1 tbsp curry powder
*  1 tbsp light brown sugar
*  2 tbsp olive oil
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a deep skillet heat the olive oil to high temperature and drop in cumin seeds, mustard seeds and white dal. Stand back and immediately cover the pot with the lid - it will splatter. Cook in oil for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add chopped onions, reduce the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften.
3. Add tomato sauce, coconut milk, cilantro, scrape the bottom of  pot and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add garbanzo beans, season with brown sugar and salt, and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes until sauce thickens.
5. Serve with cooked rice or quinoa.

   Creamy, tangy, a little bit spicy, and very satisfying! I just love coconut milk, not only is it smooth and silky, but also it's delicious and comforting. With a dish like that, you won't even notice that there is no meat at the table!

Enjoy,
Magda

Happy Easter!

   How is everybody spending this Easter? I wish I could be in Poland and spend it with my family because there is nothing better than Polish Easter. Lots of traditions, lots of eggs, and lots of kielbasa... it doesn't get any better than that! But just because I can't be it in Poland doesn't mean that we won't have traditional holidays with lots of eggs and kielbasa (vegetarian experiment is OVER!) and great friends. Oh, and Babka too! It's a traditional Easter yeast cake that can be made hundreds of different ways. This time I decided to make a lemon version of it... delicious! Here is the recipe:

Leaven:

*  2/4 cup warm 2% milk
*  3/4 oz dry yeast
*  2 tbsp sugar
*  1 cup all-purpose flour

Dough:

*  3 cups all-purpose flour
*  3/4 cup sugar
*  2 eggs
*  3 egg yolks
*  1 stick butter, melted
*  pinch of salt
*  zest from 2 lemons

Icing:

*  1 cup powdered sugar
*  juice from one lemon

Directions:

1. Make leaven: in a bowl combine yeast with warm milk and let it stand for 2-3 minutes. Add sugar and flour, mix to combine, cover with kitchen towel and let it stand in warm place for 1 hour.
2. When leaven rises add remaining flour and sugar, eggs and egg yolks, salt and lemon zest. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes.
3. Add melted and cooled butter and knead the dough until all butter is absorbed and dough is shiny and elastic.
4. Transfer into greased bunt cake pan, cover with kitchen towel and let it stand for 1 hour.
5. Bake at 345F for 30 minutes, remove from the pan and let it cool down.
6. To make icing combine powdered sugar with lemon juice, mix until smooth and runny and pour over the cake. Let it set.

   There is no better smell than a yeast cake! Yeast and lemons...even better. There are few staples on the Easter table in my house... previously mentioned eggs and kielbasa, zurek (sour rye soup), dessert and... tulips! I can't imagine Easter without these beautiful flowers! They just scream Spring to me!

Happy Easter,
Magda.