Pierogis

Pierogi Dough

Recipe for about 60 pierogis         (make some caramelized onions ahead of time for the sautéing step)

6 cups flour   (added a lot more flour when kneading the dough)

2 egg yolks

1 egg

8 oz. butter (2 sticks)

1 ½ cup water

½ tsp salt

-Sift flour to the bowl and add salt as you go.  Make a little hole in the center and add all other ingredients. 

-Knead until smooth (this takes quite a bit of flour on the surface) and let it stand for about 20 minutes.

- Using 1/8 of the dough at a time, roll out to 1/16 inch thickness: add flour to the rolling pin and surface

-Cut circles with a biscuit cutter or floured glass (we used a 4” circle bowl to cut)

-Fill the circles with a full spoon of filling (golf ball size), pinch to seal (you can use a little water on the edges, it will make it easier to get the dough to stick together.

-Boil 6-8 minutes (2 minutes after they start floating).   If you plan to make ahead and freeze them, remove when they float and put the pierogis in a zip lock gallon bag with a little bit of olive oil to keep them from sticking together)

-Sauté in caramelized onions adding butter or oil to the pan if necessary. The oil from the frozen ones was enough to sauté the pierogis.

Potato and Cheese Filling

6 cups of mashed potatoes (cold)

2 Tablespoons grated onion

4 Tbsp butter

4 Cups of cheddar cheese (grated)   I used Murray cheese which had lots of good flavor)

Salt and pepper for taste

-Cook the onion in butter until tender.  Combine it with potatoes and cheese, add salt and pepper.

Peanut Butter Kisses

**Bake at 375 for 8 minutes/add kiss/bake 2-5 minutes more

Sift together:    1-3/4 cups flour; 1 tsp baking soda; ½ tsp salt

Cream together:    ½ cup butter; 1/3 cup peanut butter;  ½ cup sugar 

Add 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla.

    Blend in dry ingredients, mix thoroughly. Shape dough into balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar then put on parchment paper on a cookie sheet or ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8 minutes or less then remove and top each with chocolate kiss (dough cracks).  Bake 2-5 minutes longer.

Serbian Pogacha Bread

1 pkg dry yeast  (equivalent to 2 1/4 tsp.)
1 1/2 c. warm water
3 T sugar
2 T oil
2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 c. flour
1 c. flour


Dissolve yeast in warm water.
Stir in sugar until dissolved.
Add oil, salt and flour.
Knead together then add 1 more c. flour
Knead again.
Let rise (approximately 3 hrs)
Knead again
Make a circle shape and bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet
Bake at 325 degrees for 30 min.

*Optional: Hide a clean coin in the dough on the pan before baking and pull apart to serve.

Harvest Corn Chowder with Bacon and Cheddar

This soup is delicious!  A big chunk of crusty bread is the perfect compliment.

Serves 8-10

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 medium potatoes, chopped

4 c.  corn kernels

4 c. chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 can evaporated milk or 1 1/2 c. whipping cream

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

fresh parsley, optional

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon, onions and celery for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.*  Transfer to a slow cooker

Add potatoes, corn, stock, bay leaf, salt and pepper to slow cooker; stir to combine.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours, until vegetables are tender and soup is bubbling.  Remove bay leaf.

In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, melt butter.  Add flour and stir to make a smooth paste.  Slowly add milk, whisking constantly to combine.  Bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly until thickened.  

Remove from heat and stir in cheese until completely melted.  Gradually stir milk sauce mixture into slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high for 20-30 minutes.  

Optional: Serve garnished with additional cheddar cheese and chopped fresh parsley.

*to make the bacon a little crispier, I would cook it separately for a couple minutes before adding the onions and celery.

Hearty Minestrone Soup

Serves 6 to 8

1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
t tsp crushed garlic
6 cups vegetable broth (I just chicken broth)
1/2 cup chopped green beans
1-1/2 cups chunked potatoes
1-1/2 cups shredded cabbage
One 14-1/2 ounce can chopped tomatoes
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons basil
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat or brown rice pasta  *** (Use elbow or bow tie or a small pasta of some kind. Also, don't add any more then directed as the pasta really expands)

1.  Put the onion, celery, carrots and garlic in a large pot with 1/4 cup of the broth.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, until vegetables soften slightly.
2.  Add the remaining 5-3/4 cups broth and the green beans, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chickpeas, cannellini beans, parsley, basil and pepper to the pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.
3.  Add the pasta, stir well and continue to cook for about 15 minutes or until the pasta is tender.

Zucchini Lasagna with Spicy Turkey Meat Sauce

Ingredients:  (serves about 8)
4 large zucchini, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 pound extra lean ground turkey
1 - 14 oz can tomato sauce
1 - 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp dried oregano
handful of basil, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
handful of parsley, finely chopped (about 1.4 cup)
red pepper flakes, if desired
salt and pepper to taste
15 oz part skim ricotta
1 egg white
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz reduced fat or part skim shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2.  Place sliced zucchini on large baking sheet coated with non stick cooking spray.  Sprinkle with            salt and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes to help dry out the zucchini a bit.  This is a critical           step.
3.  While the zucchini noodles are roasting, you can make the turkey meat sauce.  Heat olive oil in a        large skillet over medium high heat.  Add garlic, onions, and peppers and cook a few minutes until      onions become translucent and garlic is fragrant; stir occasionally so that you don't bun it.  Add          in ground turkey and cook until no longer pink.  Add in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, oregano,      basil, parsley, and a few dashes of red pepper flakes.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and        simmer 25-30 minutes or until sauce REALY thickens up.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.          Remove from heat to cool.
4.  In a medium bowl, combine egg white, ricotta and Parmesan.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper.      Add in 1/2 cup of the slightly cooled meat sauce and stir to combine.
5.  To assemble lasagna, spread 1/2 of the turkey meat sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan          coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Place zucchini slices evenly over meat sauce, spread on 1/2        of the ricotta mixture, then sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella on.  Repeat layers again starting with the      meat sauce, zucchini slices and ricotta mixture and finishing with mozzarella.  cover with foil and      bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes longer uncovered.  Serve with a side          salad.  Makes 8 generous servings.

Apple, Cheddar and Pastrami Grilled Cheese

3 Tbs. apple butter
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp honey
Kosher salt
4  1/2 inch thick slices sourdough bread
8 oz aged white Cheddar, thinly sliced or coarsely grated (about 2 cups)
2 oz. thinly sliced pastrami
6 to 10 very thin slices of apple, preferable honey crisp
1-1/2 oz (3 Tbs) unsalted butter

Combine the apple butter, mustard, honey and a good pinch of kosher salt in a small bowl. Spread evenly on two slices of bread and top with half of the cheese and the pastrami.  Top that with a layer of sliced apple, overlapping with slices slightly and the remaining cheese.  Top with the other slices of bread to make two sandwiches.

Melt 2 Tbs of the butter in a heavy-duty 12 inch skillet over medium-low heat until lightly browned.  Add the sandwiches and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary, until golden brown on the one side.  Flip, add the remaining 1 Tbs butter, and cook, lifting the edges of the bread to allow the butter to run under and adjusting the heat as necessary, until the cheese has melted and the other side is golden brown.  Slice in half and serve.

Note: I had this without the meat and it was very good.  You can also just butter the bread if you prefer to make the sandwich that way.