Fat on Tuesday... I mean Happy Fat Tuesday!

   In Poland, we actually celebrate Fat Thursday (a week before Ash Wednesday), rather than Fat Tuesday and let me tell you... it is a big deal! Everybody eats paczki (jam filled doughnuts) that day, all the bakeries have a mile long line in front of them and every household has a huge pile of paczki on the table! They are probably one of the worst thing you can eat when you are on a diet, but it does not matter on that day... no matter what, you just can't resist! Oh, and try to eat just one... I dare you!
   In the US, we celebrate the Fat Tuesday and it works out pretty good since paczki really need some time to prepare, so weekend is a perfect opportunity for such project. They are not that hard to make, but they do require time and patience. You need to let the dough rest and raise few times and you do not want to rush... but it's all worth it in the end, I promise!

Ingredients:

*  3.5 cups all purpose flour, sifted
*  2 tsp instant yeast
*  1 cup milk, warmed
*  4 tbsp sugar
*  4 egg yolks
*  4 tbsp butter melted and cooled
*  2 tbsp vodka
*  fruit jam (I chose raspberry)

*  vegetable oil fro frying

*  powdered sugar for decoration

Directions:

1. Combine warm milk with 1 tbsp of sugar, 1 tbsp of flour and yeast. Mix together, cover and let stand in a warm place for 30 minutes.

2. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat eggs with sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Change attachment to a hook (for kneading), add remaining flour, milk/yeast mixture, vodka and cooled butter. Knead until the dough is smooth and not sticking to a bowl (10 minutes). Add a little bit of flour if needed.

4. Transfer the dough into a greased bowl, cover with a cloth and let stand in a warm place (like a turned off oven) for 1 - 1.5 hour.

5. Transfer the dough onto floured counter, make a long roll and divide equally into 12 pieces.

6. Flatten each piece in your hand, add a little bit of jam, pinch the dough around the jam, sealing any cracks and put onto a floured surface seam side down.

7. Cover them with a cloth and let stand in a warm place for 30 minutes.

8. In the Dutch oven heat the oil (around 3 inch deep) until it reaches around 350-375 F and fry doughnuts few at a time (so they don't touch each other), for about 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

9. Transfer onto a paper towel to drain the remaining oil and sprinkle with powdered sugar (or with a glaze).

   So, they were supposed to be for Fat Tuesday celebration... the problem is, I made them on Saturday... needless to say, there are none left for today! Really, there were none left for Monday either! We shared some with our friends, we "sampled" some, we ate some and ... somehow they were all gone! Well anyways, Happy Fat Tuesday!

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.

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

Polish soup at its finest!

   Have you ever had a meal so good that you wanted to cry eating it? I know you think that I probably exaggerate, but I'm telling you, Polish cucumber soup is that good. Not only is it one of my favorite soups, but also it tastes like my home and childhood. My Mom cooks it pretty frequently and we all love it. It's not easy to make it here, because you need to find a right type of cucumbers in brine... I'm sorry, but it has to be Polish... no other type will taste the same. I'm lucky that we have a European store close by that carries some of the Polish items so that I could make this amazing soup. I do have to warn you though... it does have a very "specific", sour flavor, which might take some getting used to. I'm sure all my Polish friends out there will agree that it's the best, but Justin's reaction was quite interesting: "...oh, it's good... tastes very Polish...". Recipe makes a huge pot of it, but you know I love soup.

Ingredients:

*  1 30oz jar cucumbers in brine
*  2 large potatoes, cubed
*  2 carrots, shredded
*  1 onion, chopped
*  1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
*  1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
*  2 vegetable bullion cubes
*  2 tbsp sour cream
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a large pot, add water (I used about 3 litters), cubed potatoes, onions, shredded carrots, bouillon cubes, parsley and dill, bring to boil, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.
2. In the meantime, using a hand grater shred cucumbers capturing all the juices.
3. Add shredded cucumbers and all the juice from the jar to the soup and cook for 5-10 more minutes until potatoes are soft. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
4. When the soup is ready, add a little bit of hot liquid to the sour cream and mix. Turn off the stove, add sour cream to soup and mix to combine.

   Sour and delicious! You can also substitute potatoes with rice, but I am a potato girl and definitely prefer this version! With the amount I just made I will eat it for next few days... and that's the best part of making soups!

Enjoy,
Magda

Polish Spring!

   It's cold outside, people all around are getting sick and everybody wants Spring to already be here! I have no influence on the weather or the flu, but I can definitely bring some spring into the kitchen! There is nothing more "Springy" that a sandwich with fresh farmer's cheese, radishes, and chives... and it's so Polish too! And I'm not talking about any farmer's cheese, but a home made one. You can't really get it here and even if you do, it just doesn't taste the same. Ever since I can remember, my grandmas always made a delicious and fresh cheese using sour milk (absolutely amazing), but since I don't have sour milk here, I took a shortcut and made my own version of farmer's cheese using lemon juice. Put it on a piece of fresh rustic bread with some chives and radishes and I you've got yourself Spring time on a plate... a Polish Spring.

Ingredients:

*  1 gallon 1% milk
*  1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

*  2 tbsp chopped chives
*  2 tbsp plain yogurt
*  sliced radishes
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the milk until almost boiling (don't let it boil), add lemon juice, turn off the heat and let is stand for 5 minutes, mixing gently. You should see cheese curds forming.
2. Pour it through a small mesh strainer, put it over a deep bowl (so that the liquid doesn't touch the bottom of the strainer) and let it stand in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to drain.
3. When the cheese is drained and cooled, transfer it to the bowl and mix it with yogurt, chives, salt and pepper.
4. It's the best when served on a rustic bread with radishes (or any other veggie you like).

   If that doesn't scream Polish Spring, I don't know what does! You can substitute radishes with tomatoes and it will be equally delicious. I think Justin was impressed that such a simple dish could be so amazing... and he agreed that it does scream Polish Spring!

Enjoy,
Magda.

Fat Tuesday specials.

   Fat Tuesday Polish specials I should say... no, wait... Fat Thursday Polish specials! In Poland we celebrate Fat Thursday rather than Fat Tuesday (like in the US) and that day is filled with paczki (fried, yeast doughnuts filled with rose jam), and faworki, also know as "chrust" (also fried). You know they are bad for you, you know you will have a sugar/fat coma as soon as you finish your 5th piece, but because it's one of the biggest traditions, you'll do it anyways! As a real Polish gal, I would never break such a great (and delicious) tradition, so I made whole bunch of faworki and enjoyed them the entire day (to avoid diabetes I gave away most of them!). Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

*  2 cups all purpose flour
*  3 yolks
*  1 egg
*  1 tbsp sugar
*  pinch of salt
*  2 tsp vinegar
*  2 tbsp sour cream

*  oil for frying
*  powdered sugar for decoration

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients (without oil and powdered sugar) into a bowl and knead the dough until smooth and not sticky. If it is too dry add a little bit of sour cream.
2. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes.
3. Split the dough into smaller parts and roll it very thin.
4.  Cut the rolled dough into rectangles 2-inches long and 1-cm wide.
5. Cut a slit in the middle of every rectangle and pull one end through the slit.
6. Heat the oil to a high temperature and fry them on each side until golden (about 1-2 minutes per side).
7. Drain the oil on a kitchen towel, dust generously with powdered sugar and enjoy.

   You don't even know how happy they made me... and I'm not talking about eating, but making them. It took me right back to my grandma's kitchen, where I used to watch her make them every year... such a great memory!

Enjoy,
Magda. 

As Polish as it gets!

   I can't believe that Christmas is over, where did it go? All that's left is lots of gifts and a fridge full of leftover food... actually it doesn't sound that bad when I think about it! For me (and probably lots of other Polish people) Christmas Eve is a huge part of the Christmas celebration... we have a special supper, with lots of different vegetarian dishes and we get to open our gifts! Yes, we get to see them earlier than most people, but lets focus on the food, because it's just special and finger-licking-good! We serve so many different dishes, each one better than the last, but one of my favorites (among 10 others) is a sauerkraut with porcini mushrooms. Creamy, luscious and delicious, here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

*  2 lb sauerkraut, lightly washed and drained
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  1 large apple, peeled and shredded
*  1/2 cup dry porcini mushroom 
*  2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
*  1/2 tsp caraway seeds
*  2 tbsp olive oil
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cover mushrooms with 3 cups of warm water and let them soak for at least 2-3 hours. Boil the mushrooms (in the same water), reduce the heat and cook for about 30-40 minutes.
2. Drain the mushrooms (reserving a cooking water), roughly chop them and set aside.
3. In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and saute onions for 5-6 minutes. Add drained sauerkraut, shredded apple, chopped mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, caraway seeds, salt and pepper. Cook everything on low heat for 30-40 minutes, constantly stirring and slowly adding mushroom cooking water. Let the water cook out completely and create a soft and moist dish. 

   You will probably notice that the recipe makes a lot, but trust me, it's nothing and it will be gone in couple of days! There is nothing more Polish than that dish, and Justin agrees with me one hundred percent. I can't wait to have another portion!

Enjoy,
Magda

Stew without stewing!

   I love stews...any kind, any flavor, meat-less or meat-full. Justin's favorite are kielbasa-full, so I decided to make one of those for him. I kind of took the inspiration from a Polish dish, changed it a little bit to make it less soupy (Justin is not a big fan of soups) and I got delicious and satisfying dish. Why did I call it a stew without stewing? Because it takes only a few minutes to make and it has the "stew" flavor and heartiness without hours of cooking, simmering, reducing, and concentrating. Here is the recipe (serves 4):

Ingredients:

*  1 lb turkey kielbasa, chopped
*  2 cans (15 oz each) white beans
*  1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  2 tbsp ketchup
*  2 tbsp dry marjoram
*  1 tbsp olive oil
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a deep pot or a Dutch oven heat the olive oil and saute onions with salt and pepper for 5-6 minutes.
2. Add kielbasa and cook everything for 8-10 minutes until nicely browned
3. Add white beans, tomatoes, ketchup and marjoram. Mix everything together and cook for about 10 minutes to marry the flavors.

   It's a very simple, but hearty dish. Ready in minutes, doesn't involve much work or ingredients... prefect for a busy night. You might find adding ketchup a little bit odd, but trust me it's a perfect addition. It adds a little bit of sweetness and tang at the same time. I actually use ketchup in lots of dishes (people who know me well, know that I might have a small ketchup addiction!).

Enjoy,
Magda.

Polish or Greek?

   Why not both? Actually it's two in one, it's a traditional Polish dish called "Fish a la Greek". No, it has nothing to do with Greece, it doesn't originate from Greece, and I'm not sure Greek people ever heard of it, but that's how it's called and don't ask me why! All I know is that it's delicious, rich, and healthy, and to be honest that's all I need to know. I almost forgot about this dish, and how much I love it, so I decided to make up for lost time and made a huge batch of it. Here is the recipe (serves 4):

Fish:
*  4 filets white fish (anything you like)
*  1 tbsp olive oil
*  salt and pepper

Sauce/hash:
*  5-6 large carrots, shredded
*  3 parsnips, shredded
*  1 small celery root
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  4-5 tbsp tomato paste
*  3-4 bay leaves
*  3-4 allspice berries
*  salt and pepper
*  2 tbsp olive oil
*  fresh parsley

Directions:
1. In a deep pot, heat olive oil and saute onions for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add carrots, parsnip, and celery root, and cook everything for about 5 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste, bay leaves, allspice, and salt and pepper. Add a little bit of water and cook everything for about 20 minutes until veggies are soft. You can keep adding water if needed, you want the sauce to be rather thick, but you don't want it to burn or stick to the bottom.
4. In a meantime, layer the fish on a baking dish, brush with some olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake at 380F for 10-15 minutes, depending on the filet thickness.
5. To serve, top the fish with the veggie hash and sprinkle with fresh, chopped parsley.

   It takes me right back to Poland, I love this dish. Justin was a little bit intimidated by all these veggies, but the second he tasted it, all intimidation went away and he really enjoyed it. The fish is flaky and delicate and the hash is sweet, tangy and a little bit salty, too. I'm sure you will like it.

Smacznego,
Magda.

Do you have cold feet?

   OK, are you ready for this? It's only for people with strong nerves, and even though I took the "fear factor" out of this dish, it still can be intimidating (especially for my husband!). The Polish name of the dish is "Zimne Nogi", which translates as "cold feet", and traditionally it's made with pigs' feet and is nothing else but jellied meat and veggies!!! Are you still with me? Don't worry, I am not using pigs' feet (mostly because it's too much work and too hard to find) and I substituted them with chicken legs (much healthier and less scary). I made a huge mistake and introduced it to my husband as "chicken jelly" ... he looked at me with disgust and said "...you mean like a strawberry jelly chicken?" and from now on he can not overcome this mental barrier and eat it (good, more for me!). So every time ho goes out of town for work... I make myself a huge batch of zimne nogi and I usually share it with my good friend, who is also a big fan of them (yes, he is Polish, too!). Here is the recipe:

*  8 chicken legs
*  1 cup frozen pea (thawed)
*  1 cup canned corn (drained)
*  1 cup baby carrots
*  4 dry bay leaves
*  5-6 dried whole allspice berries
*  8-10 tbsp gelatin powder (depends on the brand)
*  salt and pepper

1. In a large pot, cover chicken legs with water, add carrots, salt, pepper, bay leaves and allspice. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 45-60 minutes until meat is tender and separates from bones easily. 15 minutes into cooking, fish out all the carrots, slice them and set aside.
2. When chicken is tender, remove it from the water, debone it and cut it into chunks.
3. Strain the broth to remove big spices and "debris". Bring to boil, turn off the heat, add gelatine and mix until dissolved.
4. Into small bowls, divide equally peas, corn, carrots and meat. Pour the broth to completely cover the meat and refrigerate over night until the gelatin sets. Serve it with lemon juice or vinegar.

   You have to admit that it looks really pretty. And it's delicious too... if you are willing to try. Some are afraid of the name...some are afraid of the texture, but remember, it's all about being open minded and trying new things in life!

Good luck.
Magda.

Ultimate Polish sidekick!

   It might not be as famous as pierogi or kielbasa, but it's probably one of the most popular Polish side dishes ever (if not the most popular)! I remember Justin's first visit to Poland and his impression that we eat a lot of pickled stuff. He wasn't wrong at all... pickled cucumbers, mushroom, shallots, bell peppers... you name it we will pickle it! But my absolutely favorite is sauerkraut, which is nothing but pickled cabbage. Well, now when I think about it, I don't think I can decide on one favorite pickled vegetable, I love them all. This sauerkraut salad (called surowka) is not only super easy and refreshing, but it also keeps for days in your fridge without losing any flavor (if not getting better). It's perfect for a heavy dinner to lighten it up a little and make it less "guilty". Here is the recipe

*  1 lb sauerkraut
*  1 large carrot
*  1 apple 
*  1/2 onion
*  2-3 tbsp dried cranberries
*  2 tbsp fresh parsley
*  1-2 tbsp white sugar
*  1 tbsp lemon juice
*  salt and pepper

1. Squeeze out the liquid from the sauerkraut. Add shreded carrot and apple, finely chopped onion, cranberries and parsley.
2. Mix everything together and season with lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix well and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

   Very Polish, very tasty and very healthy! Loaded with vitamins, with almost no calories, so if you want double portion of meat go for it! Cranberries are probably not the most conservative ingredient in here, but you know I like to put my own spin on things. I think it's one of the most popular dishes among my friends. Forget fancy meats and deserts, everybody always seems to get seconds of this salad... and honestly, I can't blame them!

Smacznego.
Magda

Hungry Hungarian!

   Yep, you guessed it, we are going Hungarian today. I am making "Leczo" (Lesco/Lecho), a traditional Hungarian dish with tomato, peppers and kielbasa. I could not believe that it wasn't a Polish dish when I first found out the origin of it. What??? It's not Polish??? But... but...we always make it, since I was a child as typical Polish dish! Oh well, I have to give it to the Hungarian people for coming up with a pretty delicious dish! You can make it two ways, original with only peppers, tomatoes and kielbasa or "Polish style" with the addition of zucchini! I personally like our version better and not because I'm Polish, just because it's "fuller", more satisfying and you can make much more of it (lunches for few days!). So without any further ado, here is the recipe:

*  2 red bell peppers (roughly chopped)
*  1 yellow bell peppers (roughly chopped)
*  4-5 ripe tomatoes (chopped)
*  4 zucchinis (chopped)
*  2 cups of chopped smoked kielbasa
*  1 medium onion (chopped)
*  2 tbsp olive oil
*  1 tbsp smoked paprika powder
*  salt and pepper

1. Heat the olive oil and saute chopped onions and kielbasa until lightly browned.
2. Add peppers, tomatoes and zucchini and cook everything for 5 minutes.
3. Add paprika powder, salt and pepper, mix well, bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes until veggies are tender and the dish resembles a stew.

   So good. It's light, but filling and as I mentioned before it makes the perfect lunches for a busy week. Just portion it, put it in the fridge and "to-go" lunch is ready to grab on the way to work!

Enjoy.
Magda.

Stroganoff Polish style.

   Stroganoff is a Russian dish, but my fellow Polish citizens wouldn't be themselves if they didn't change the dish a little bit and make it "thier own". You probably think that I am being biased, but I definitely prefer the Polish version of it, and that's what I always make. I don't even think I ever had the original version, I just always thought that this is how it's supposed to be until I did some research and found out that all this time I was living a lie. Well, it's too late now, our version of a Stroganoff will always be the original for me and that's how I am going to present it to you.

*  2 lbs cubed beef
*  1 large onion
*  2 red bell peppers
*  2 cups white mushroom
*  4-5 dill pickles
*  2 tbsp tomato paste
*  2 tbsp sour cream
*  1 tbsp olive oil
*  1 tbsp sweet paprika powder
*  salt and pepper

1. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and brown beef on each side.
2. Coarsely chop all the vegetables, add them to the beef and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of water, tomato paste, paprika, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer everything for at least an hour, until the meat is soft and tender. You can adjust the amount of liquid to your liking. I like mine nice and dense.
4. Add the sour cream, bring to boil, turn off and it's ready!

   It's one of those dishes that brings me right back home to my Mom's kitchen. It's a taste of my childhood. I think I have to make it more often. Serve it with a fresh French baguette so that you can dunk it in the broth and you have yourself a delicious "fake" Stroganoff Polish style!

Enjoy.
Magda.

I'm back!

   I can't get my act together after this wonderful vacation. It's so hard to believe that it's over and that we have to return to our "normal" life, but we have lots of pictures and amazing memories to keep us going. It's high time to get back into a kitchen and whip up some low calories goodies (vacation food is not figure friendly!!!). Today I did my own spin on a very traditional dish and made it completely different, but with similar flavors. I'm talking about "fasolka po bretonsku", which I guess can be literally translated to: bean and meat stew from Brittany (go figure). My Mom used to make it a lot and I hated beans, but loved the flavor of the soup at the same time, so I had to come up with my own "edible" version. So I substituted regular beans with green beans that I love, and kept all the other ingredients the same. And even though my tastes changed, and I now like white or kidney beans, I still make this dish with green beans and it's just perfect (and much lighter). Here is the recipe:

*  4-5 cups cut green beans
*  1 large onion (chopped)
*  1 cup chopped Polish kielbasa
*  1/2 cup tomato sauce
*  2 tbsp dry marjoram
*  2 cups chicken broth (or two cubs of bullion)
*  pinch of red paprica
*  1 tbsp olive oil
*  salt and pepper

1. In a deep pan saute onions and kielbasa with olive oil until browned.
2. Add water and chicken broth, cut green beans, tomato sauce, and all the remaining ingredients. Bring to boil and cook everything for about 10 minutes until beans are cooked but still a little bit crunchy.

   It's much easier and quicker than the "original" version. You can make it as dense as you want and as spicy or mild as you desire. I like mine dense and mild and that's how I make it... and I'm loving every bite of it.

Good luck.
Magda.

This is how we do it!

   For those of you who think that there is nothing more boring and unattractive than potatoes and that you can't serve them at a fancy dinner, you couldn't be more mistaken. I love to experiment and try new things as a side dish, especially when I have a company over, but lets be honest, there is nothing better than a bowl of hot buttery potatoes sprinkled with fresh dill. Justin can tell you that it doesn't get any more Polish than that. Everywhere you go there are potatoes, you just can't escape them in Poland. So if you want to impress your friends with transforming such an ordinary ingredient into an extraordinary side dish, follow me. There is nothing cooler than a combination of small, colorful potatoes that look like a piece of art on the plate. You couldn't need fewer ingredients than that:

*  2 pounds of small colorful potatoes (yellow, red, and purple)
*  1 tbsp butter (melted)
*  2 tbsp fresh chopped dill
*  salt

1. Wash and gently scrub the potatoes, don't peel.
2. Boil potatoes in salty water for about 15-20 minutes, until they are fork tender.
3. Drain them, add butter and fresh dill, toss everything together and look how cute they are:

   OK! For all of you that see what I see... this was not my intention! By the time I realized how my "neat" presentation looks like, we already ate all the potatoes and there was no way I could retake the picture... so just look past that, if that's possible. I personally can't stop laughing. BUT, despite the unfortunate layout, the potatoes are super delicious. The touch of butter makes everything taste much better and the dill adds this incredible "Polish" aroma.

 Enjoy.
Magda.

More Polish goodness!

   If you started to wonder where are all those recipes from the old country, here you go! I present you with another delicious and very traditional Polish dish called "lazanki". Actually it was a request from my friend, who is going to be a proud Mama soon, who was craving lazanki the other day (sorry Agatka for a delay)! You know you can never say no to a pregnant woman, especially if she is your close/far friend (she is my close friend who lives far, far away). Besides Justin is a huge fan of lazanki too, so it worked out for everybody. Here is my version of the recipe, and I'm sure everybody has their own spin on it. What you need is:

*  pasta (seashells or bow ties)
*  1 small cabbage head (chopped)
*  2 cups sauerkraut
*  1 cup chopped Canadian bacon  (bacon or kielbasa, whatever you like)
*  1 chopped onion
*  2 tsp chopped fresh dill
*  soy sauce
*  olive oil
*  salt and pepper

   Cook chopped cabbage and sauerkraut in salty water until it's soft (depending on how soft you like it). Saute onions and Canadian bacon with a little bit of olive oil until the meat is nicely seared and a little bit browned. You can substitute Canadian bacon with regular bacon, turkey bacon, or kielbasa, but I like to use Canadian bacon because it's delicious, and much leaner then other things. Combine sauteed meat and onions with cooked cabbage and pasta, and then season it with salt, pepper, soy sauce, and dill. That's it, the dish is ready.

   You can adjust the ratio of cabbage to pasta however you like. I'm not sure if you can see it in the picture, but we like ours to have a lot of cabbage (hey, I'm Polish and I love my cabbage!). Agata, I know it's late, but this post is a special dedication to you Mama (hopefully your wonderful man will make it for you next time you crave it!).

Enjoy.
Magda.

Racuchy, racuchy!

   Well, I could translate the name of this dish and call it "Polish apple pancakes", but there is not as much charm and homeyness to it as it is in "Racuchy". Besides wouldn't you rather tell your friends that you just made a huge batch of racuchy (well, if you can pronounce it)? Everybody would be so jealous hearing that, thinking that you probably just had a super sophisticated and cosmopolitan dish (hey, they don't have to know it's "just" pancakes!). I remember my Mom making tons of them for our meatless dinners and they would disappear right away. If you wanted it fresh and hot you would have to stand next to her and just snatch them from her hand when she was taking them out of the pan! Otherwise they were GONE! Traditional racuchy have apples in them, but I mix it up a little bit and also add pears. So what you need is:

*  1 apple (very thinly sliced)
*  1 pear (thinly sliced as well)
*  1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
*  2 cups fat-free milk
*  2 eggs
*  1/4 cup sugar
*  2 tsp vanilla extract
*  1/2 tsp baking powder
*  oil

   Beat eggs, milk, and vanilla extract together. Stir in flour, baking powder, orange zest, and sugar and mix everything together adding apples and pears at the very end. You can add more flour or milk to adjust the density of the batter so it's not too runny or too dense. Heat the oil in a pan, then using a big spoon form small pancakes and fry them for about 1-2 minutes on each side. Transfer them onto a paper towel for a couple of minutes (to drain the excess oil) and serve immediately with a glass of cold milk!

   You can make them as thin or thick as you like. We like ours not to thick so they get a little bit crunchy on the edges, while still super soft in the middle. It might be the simple dish for all of you, but for me it's a childhood memory. Every time I eat them I feel like I'm back at my Mom's kitchen waiting for her to finish another batch!

Smacznego.
Magda