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.