This recipe came about because I had purchased some green apples and promptly failed to utilize them. A week went by and I realized I still had them and if I didn't do something, they'd go bad. I do loathe wasting perfectly useful produce. After a very brief search online, I came up with this recipe. I applied a few minor yet crucial adjustments, made the cake and fed it to anybody who was willing. Apparently, that meant everybody I know.
Ingredients:
- 4 green apples, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil of choice
- 1 cup sugar (even less if using sweeter apples)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
You will need: a large bowl, 9x13 pan, hand mixer, cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a bowl, mix eggs and the oil until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, vanilla, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and flour. Fold in the apples. Coat your pan with cooking spray and evenly lay out the cake batter. Bake for 50 minutes. Once cooled, cut into pieces and serve with coffee. Or serve warm with a side of vanilla ice cream.
Warning: This cake will vanish immediately if not supervised.
Enjoy!
When I was a child, I used to hate this dish with a passion of thousand burning suns. Something about a boiled root that always vaguely smelled of dirt didn't really sound appetizing to me. Recently, though, I got involved in a challenge that forced me to utilize beets. This recipe seemed the easiest and I didn't have to like it, right? Fortunately for me I fell in love and I can't wait to make it again.
Ingredients:
- 1lbs beets, boiled
- 1/2 small onion, chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp of cooking oil
- (optional) 1 tsp flour
You will need a large frying pan or even a large pot, and a grater.
Grate the beets on the medium side and set aside. In the frying pan, heat up the oil and throw on the onion. Cook until it starts browning. Add the beets and all the spices. Keep stirring until everything heats up and the flavors meld together. If you desire to thicken it, add flour and continue mixing.
Serve with dinner. It goes best with pork schnitzel and potatoes.
Enjoy!
This is one of those crime of opportunity recipes and I regret nothing. I saw it whoosh by on my Facebook wall and it piqued my interest. After I saw how ridiculously easy it was, I bought the ingredients and got to work. I think it was meant to be, because all of the fruit involved was on a very steep discount. Yay me! If you want to see the original recipe, it is here.
Ingredients:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup (6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- zest of one orange
- 2 cups flour
- 12 oz fresh cranberries (1 bag)
You will need a large bowl, hand mixer, 9x13 pan, and cooking spray.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a bowl, combine eggs and sugar, and mix it until nice and smooth, and really fluffy (up to 5 minutes). Add butter and continue mixing until uniform. Add vanilla, salt, orange zest, and flour. For extra citrus flavor, add a teaspoon of fresh squeezed orange juice. Once you have smooth batter, carefully fold in the cranberries. Coat the baking pan and evenly lay out the batter. Bake for 45 minutes.
Enjoy!
When you ask a Pole about Polish cuisine and its signature dishes there will always be a number of commonalities. Pork schnitzel, kotlet schabowy as we know it, is one of those dishes and has been a staple in all Polish homes. When I desire a taste of nostalgia, this is what I make.
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless pork chops
- 2 large eggs
- salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika
- breading of choice (I use coconut flour, regular breading will do)
- frying oil (I use coconut oil)
You will need a tenderizing mallet, a gallon ziplock bag, and a frying pan.
Tenderize the pork chops on both sides and put in the baggie. In a small bowl, mix together the eggs and spices and add to the pork. Leave it marinating in the fridge for at least 3 hours. When ready to eat, bread both sides of each pork chop and pan-fry it until each side is a nice golden color.
Traditionally, it is served with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut, but the sky is the limit here.
Enjoy!
It's been multiple years since the first time I've made this dish and I seem to recall it being an enormous hit. Back then Food Network was a part of basic cable and I could watch all the shows for no extra charge. I saw this recipe, it looked easy to make, I went for it, and it was delicious. Granted, I removed the 'easy' part from it when I chose to make my own pizza dough. I will address that at a later day, though.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced (leftovers are fantastic for this)
- 1 lbs. pizza dough (hand-made or purchased at the store)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2/3 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 tsp buffalo/hot sauce
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp Parmesan, grated (packaged one will do)
Note: This dish comes with a dipping sauce. You will need 1 cup sour cream, chopped green onions, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Optionally, you can add some blue cheese for extra zing.
You will need a rolling pin, mixing bowls and a cookie sheet, preferably covered in aluminum foil (for easy clean up) and coated in cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, mozzarella, tomato sauce, liquid smoke and hot sauce. Stir thoroughly and set aside.
Quarter the dough. Roll out the dough into a circle, add a quarter of the stuffing onto half of it and fold over the un-topped side so it forms a half-circle. Make sure to pinch the side with slightly wet fingers so they hold together. With a knife, make a couple slits in the top and set out on the cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest. Once all is ready, brush some olive oil over the top and sprinkle the Parmesan.
Bake approx. 15 minutes until golden-brown and puffed. Make sure to let it cool down a little before serving or the sauce will burn your mouth. I speak from experience.
Note: I strongly suggest experimenting with sizes, so you could always make these more bite-size if you want it as dippers.
Dipping sauce: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve with calzone.
I no longer remember how I came across this recipe, but I know I fell in love when I saw it. Pecan pie is my favorite pie and as a woman I am genetically predisposed to love cheesecake. Combining those two together seemed like a marriage of awesomeness. It was.
Ingredients:
- Deep dish pie crust of choice
- 8oz cream cheese (1 package)
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup dark corn syrup
- 1 1/2 tbs unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup pecan, chopped
Note: When I first made it, I used a gluten-free cannoli recipe as crust. It was heavenly. I will have to post the recipe in a separate post.
Preheat oven to 350F. You'll need your hand mixer and mixing bowls.
Cheesecake layer: Blend the cream cheese with a hand mixer for about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 egg, and continue blending until uniform. Once done, pour into the pie crust.
Pecan layer: Combine corn syrup, 2 eggs, 2/3 cup sugar, butter and vanilla in a bowl and use hand mixer until it's all blended. Stir in the pecans and pour over the cheesecake layer.
Bake for approx. 50 minutes. Cheesecake layer will "magically" move to the top and turn golden brown. I promise this cake will not last long once set on the table.
Enjoy!
I don't know if I've mentioned this recently, but Stephanie O'Dea is my Cooking Goddess of Crockpot and I use her recipes on regular basis. Her recipe for this soup is one of my favorite. When I first cooked it years back, my boyfriend looked at it skeptically and then devoured two large bowlfuls of it. It's delicious and incredibly easy to cook.
Ingredients:
- 1 lbs chicken breast, sliced (more, if you like a lot of protein)
- 1 lbs black beans (2 cans)
- 4 cups chicken broth (2 cans)
- 1 cup corn (1/2 can)
- 16oz medium salsa
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- (optional) 1 cup mushrooms
- Garnish options: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, tortilla chips
Note: If you do not want to use canned beans, purchase a 1-pound bag of black beans, put them in a bowl, pour hot water until submerged with an inch of extra space and soak for 2 hours. Beans will expand. Rinse thoroughly and multiple times; you want the water to become clear as it rinses the beans. Once done, repeat the hot bath for 2 hours and rinsing. The more you soak the beans, the less flatulence you will experience after eating the food. The more you know!
You will need a 6.5qt Crockpot.
Starting with the black beans, add all ingredients to your Crockpot. Cook on HIGH for 9 hours (set it up before going to work, you'll have dinner when you get home). Serve in bowls and garnish to taste.
Enjoy!
A friend of mine was doing a cooking challenge and was looking for something that's easy to cook, that will reheat quickly, and that tastes great. When she showed me this dish I fell in love and cooked it as soon as possible. It's easy, delicious, and I can't stop eating it when I make it.
Ingredients:
- 1 lbs raw sausage of choice (I buy Sprouts' green chile chicken sausage)
- 1 bag of Cole slaw mix (at least 16oz or more)
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbs grated ginger
- 1/2 cup soy sauce of choice
- green onion, chopped
You will need a large frying pan or a wok.
-
Brown the sausage in the pan while making sure it's nice and separated.
- Add garlic and ginger, and stir until it all crystallizes.
- Add the Cole slaw mix and saute until the cabbage has softened to your liking.
- Add soy sauce, toss it around to cover everything, and remove from heat.
- When serving, sprinkle a whole bunch of chopped green onion as garnish.
Enjoy!
Recently I had the pleasure of tasting some of the best fajitas I have ever had; they were delicious. What's really great is that fajitas are easy to make!
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, sliced into pieces
- 1/8 cup oil (canola or an alternative)
- 1/4 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp chopped cilantro
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- (optional) sliced onion and green pepper
You will need a gallon-sized ziplock bag and a large skillet/frying pan.
Combine everything in a baggie and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Once sufficiently marinated, fry up on a skillet until the outside of chicken strips is crispy and slightly blackened. Add onions half-way through cooking and add green peppers towards the end (so they only saute).
Serve on a tortilla and top with a choice of guacamole, cheese, sour cream, salsa, etc.
Back when I first made my Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars, I didn't want to use a caramel sauce on that dessert. First, I am extremely picky about the caramel I eat, and two, it's super messy to work with. Out of the depths of my brain came a memory of a very simple chocolate sauce my grandma used to use all the time. After consulting the Internet for support, I had the recipe. It's incredibly easy and super delicious.
Ingredients:
- 4 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
- 120g unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 3 tbs milk
- 90g powdered sugar (1/2 cup)
You will need a medium pot.
On medium heat, melt the butter in the pot. Add milk and sugar; mix. Add cocoa powder and mix until the sauce looks like a glaze. Remove from heat once done.
This can be used as ice cream topping, on cakes, pancakes, etc. Sky is the limit.
Enjoy!
A while ago I was browsing Youtube when I accidentally stumbled across OnePotChef and his super easy recipe for a Nutella Cheesecake. It looked so delicious I absolutely had to get my hands on it. It was amazing. I think I should make it again soon.
Ingredients:
- 2 blocks cream cheese (16oz)
- 13oz Nutella (a jar)
- 1 stick of butter
- 8oz of graham crackers, ground up
You will need a round 9in pan and a mixer.
Melt the butter and mix it with ground up graham crackers. Set them out in the pan and flatten into a crust. Put it in the fridge until the filling is ready. In a bowl, blend the cream cheese for about 5 minutes. Gradually add Nutella and continue blending. Once done, pour it into the the crust and leave in the fridge overnight.
Enjoy!
Tomato soup was a staple in my house growing up; I think everybody had that experience. The only difference is that Polish tomato soup isn't served with grilled cheese sandwiches. A shame, really.
Ingredients:
- beef soup bone (ask a butcher at your grocery store)
- water (at least a gallon?)
- 2 carrots
- 1 parsnip
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 tsp Vegeta seasoning
- 1 tsp parsley flakes (optional)
- 1 box of pasta of your choice, boiled according to instructions
You will need a large pot.
Boil the bone and Vegeta in a large pot filled 3/4 with water for roughly 30 minutes; the meat on the bone needs to be cooked through. Add veggies and boil until tender. Take out the bone and veggies, add half a can of tomato paste and stir until blended completely. Keep adding more until the soup is fragrant and flavorful.
Serve it in a bowl with pasta and thin out the soup with a little of sour cream.
Enjoy!
I think the origin of this dish comes from a Polish woman who had a whole lot of weird leftovers and decided to stick them together then cover them in mayonnaise. Because in Poland, we cover everything in mayo or sour cream. True story.
Ingredients:
- 1 big potato
- 1 can of sweet peas
- 3 eggs, hard-boiled
- 3-4 medium carrots
- 1 big apple
- 3-4 medium pickles (cannot be sweet, pickles in brine are best)
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
Boil carrots and the potato without peeling first. Cool completely and peel the vegetables. Cube everything, add peas and mayo, and mix until it's all fairly uniform. Add salt and pepper to taste. Eat with bread of choice or as a side with a main dish.
Options: You can add chopped up cold hot dogs or ham, substitute cucumbers for pickles, or add corn.
Enjoy!
Generally, I am not all that great with dishes that come from the South of the US border; that's what I have my boyfriend for (thanks, babe!). Every so often, though, I bring out this recipe because it's delicious and amazing. Also, super cheesy. You have been warned.
Ingredients:
- 6-8 tortillas (I prefer flour, corn will work)
- 1 large chicken breast
- 2 cups (16oz) shredded cheese (sharp cheddar is best)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (1 can)
- 1 cup (8oz) sour cream
- 1 can (4oz) diced green chilies
You will need a large frying pan or a pot and a 9x13 baking pan. Preheat oven to 425F.
Chicken breast: Spice it with garlic salt, garlic powder, cumin and pepper. Put into aluminum pouch and bake it for roughly 20 minutes. Shred it with fork and set aside to cool.
Sauce: Melt butter in the frying pan. Add flour and brown it while stirring it constantly - about a minute or so. Make sure it's not too dark (aka burnt). Add broth, chilies and sour cream. Stir until uniform and set aside.
Warm up the tortillas (I sprinkle them with water and microwave for about 30 minutes). Roll up the chicken and cheese into tortillas and set into an oil sprayed baking pan. Cover in sauce and in any leftover cheese you might have. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Enjoy!
A long time ago I went to Stir Crazy and had the best chicken lettuce wraps I've ever tasted. Nothing really topped that flavor since. I've been trying to duplicate the dish - with limited success - and this is the recipe I came up with. Personally, I really like it.
Ingredients:
- 1 lbs. ground chicken
- 1 tbsp of frying oil
- stir fry sauce (half a bottle of Kikkoman brand will do)
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- up to 2 cups of unsalted peanuts, chopped to small pieces
- green onions, chopped
- romaine lettuce (hearts are best)
- black pepper and paprika (if you like it spicy)
- (optional) mushrooms
- suggested garnish: grated carrots, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, sriracha, crispy noodles/wantons, green onions, chopped peanuts
Note: This recipe is gluten-free as long as you read the label on the sauce. You can also make one yourself.
You will need a large frying pan or a wok that can hold all of the mean you will be preparing.
Brown the chicken in the pan while adding pepper and paprika to taste. DO NOT ADD SALT! Add the sauce - add a portion at a time because the chicken releases juices and too much sauce will make the dish too runny. Add garlic, green onion and however many peanuts you feel necessary. Stir until uniform. Serve on lettuce leaves.
Enjoy!
I don't particularly care for pasta dishes - I know, sacrilege - but I do know how to cook some of them really well. I picked up a ziti recipe from Stephanie O'Dea at A Year of Slow Cooking who does hers in a crockpot. I've tried it and it's amazing, but my boyfriend likes the crispiness of baked cheese so I usually go for the oven to cook it. Also, it might be just a smidgen quicker.
Ingredients:
- 1 lbs. cheese of your choice (mozzarella, Parmesan, etc.)
- 1 box of pasta (penne, rigatoni, ziti, etc.)
- 1 jar of pre-made red spaghetti sauce (unless you want to make your own from scratch)
- 1 can of tomato paste (6oz)
- 1/2 lbs. of ground beef
- medium onion, chopped
- 1-3 cloves of chopped garlic (to taste)
- spices (salt, pepper, paprika, oregano)
- (optional) mushrooms
You will need a large pot and 9x13 baking pan. Preheat the oven to 425F
Start cooking pasta according to instructions prior to starting the sauce. Shred all of the cheese and have handy for later.
In a large pot (unless you have a giant frying pan), brown the beef while making sure it doesn't clump together. Add spices, garlic, and onion, and cook until everything is browned. Add sauce and the paste, mix until uniform and set aside, simmering. It's not necessary to cool the sauce.
Coat the pan with a non-stick spray (lining it with aluminum foil might help as well). Layer the ingredients as follows: a third of the pasta, a third of the sauce, a third of the cheese, repeat. Sprinkle the top cheese layer with a little paprika for extra spiciness. Bake for approx. 45 minutes, or until the top is a delicious golden brown.
You can serve it as a side to chicken Parmesan or by itself.
Enjoy!
This is one of those amazingly easy recipes that you can toss together and feel good about; it will turn out delicious no matter what. Quiche is a French breakfast equivalent of 'empty your fridge' with eggs kind of dish, so while I chose to use these ingredients they don't have to be copied 100%
Ingredients:
- deep pie shell
- 4-5 large eggs
- 1/2 pint of half and half (anything with less fat content won't taste as delicious)
- 2oz. goat cheese
- 2oz. Gruyere or smoked Gouda
- 2-4 white mushrooms, sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
- (optional) ground rosemary
Note: Cheeses can be changed out as long as one soft and one hard cheese is used. Also, the amount of cheese can be increased to your liking.
Preheat oven to 400F. You might need a cookie sheet to set the pie shell on so it doesn't overflow into the oven proper.
Roughly mix half and half with the eggs, add all spices, and set aside. In the pie shell set out the sliced up mushrooms, crumbled goat cheese and shredded Gruyere. Pour the mixture over it, stick the whole thing in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes.
Quiche should be ready when the top is a lovely golden brown color. You may try sticking a toothpick in there as a test of readiness, though the cheese will most likely keep it gooey.
Enjoy!
The traditional Polish apple cake was one of the first cakes I have ever learned how to make. My grandma was downright ecstatic when I displayed interest in learning how to cook and bake. That being said, this is a relatively labor intensive cake. It will take you a couple of hours to put together, that's for sure.
Ingredients:
- 4 eggs (whites and yolks separated)
- 4 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2.5 cups of sugar (3.5 cups if you like super sweet things)
- approx. 1lbs of flour
- 3 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of sour cream (if necessary)
- 6 large Granny Smith apples
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
You will need a 9x13 baking pan, a variety of mixing bowls, a pot, and cooking spray.
Preparing the dough: Combine all the flour, 2 tsp of baking powder, salt, and a cup of sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and 4 egg yolks, and knead the dough with your hands until it becomes uniform (I'm sure this could be done in a mixer, but I do not possess one). If the dough comes out too dry, add some sour cream until the dough no longer crumbles. Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it for an hour.
Preparing the apple layer: Peel the apples and grate them; you can either do it by hand or run the apples through a juicer and put everything back together. The choice is yours. Put the grated apples into a pot, add a cup of sugar, and simmer until the apples have completely softened. Optionally, you can add a tbsp of cinnamon to apples. Set aside and let it cool completely.
Preparing the whipped layer: Put 4 egg whites into a sturdy bowl and whip them into foam with hand mixer until you have soft peaks. Add 1 tsp of baking powder, 1 tbsp of flour and 1/2 cup of sugar while stirring carefully with a spoon.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Assembling the cake: Grate 3/4 of the frozen dough onto the baking pan and stick the rest back into the freezer. Bake that for about 25 minutes, or until the top is just barely baked (it will start showing golden edges). Take out the pan. Pour the apple layer onto the cake layer and smooth out. Pour out the whipped layer onto the apples and also smooth out evenly. Grab the remaining frozen dough and grate it on top of the whipped egg whites. Try to cover as evenly as possible, even if the grated dough will try to splatter everywhere. Put the pan back in the oven and bake for another 20 minutes. Let it cool before serving.
Enjoy!
It's insane how easy is this dessert, but so delicious! I've made it multiple times and it's always been a hit. The original recipe can be found here.
Ingredients:
- 12oz cookie dough of choice
- 8oz of cream cheese
- 1/3 cup of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 1 egg
Note: You will need an 8x8in pan and wax paper for easier pan clean up. Also, you can use gluten-free dough if that is your dietary requirement.
Preheat your oven to 350F.
- Line the pan with the paper and spread out the cookie dough, evenly.
- Blend the cream cheese in a food processor for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add sugar and blend more.
- Add the egg and the extract, and continue mixing.
- Once it's all uniform, pour on top of the cookie "crust" and bake for about 25-30 minutes.
- When done, drizzle with a sauce of choice (caramel or chocolate seem to be popular) and leave in the fridge overnight. Cut into 16 pieces.
Enjoy!
In October a friend from work brought in these amazing caramel candies she had made herself. I was extremely impressed and delighted at the flavor, so I decided I would replicate it. At first I used apples that were given to me by that friend, but they were meant for direct consumption and I found them to be a little too sweet for my caramel. Then I purchased some Granny Smith apples, juiced them, and ramped up my caramel game. Beware, this recipe is a little time-consuming.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of apple cider (or fresh juice from approx. 5 Granny Smith apples)
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1/2 cup of light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup of heavy cream
You will need a 8x8in pan and parchment paper.
Note: Line the pan with parchment paper while the juice is reducing. Once you add sugar and butter you will have minutes to be ready to pour.You don't want to be stuck with a pot-full of hardened caramel.
- Boil the juice in a medium pot on medium-high until it reduces to a thick syrup (molasses-like). It should take about 30 minutes to do so. Turn down the heat to simmer.
- Add sugar, butter & cream, then simmer until the temperature reaches 165F (If you don't have a candy thermometer, I suggest pouring some cold water into a bowl and occasionally drop a little of caramel in there. If it turns solid(ish), the caramel is ready).
- Pour the caramel into the pan and set it aside for approx. 2 hours. I suggest setting a timer.
- Cut into pieces and store in the fridge so it doesn't melt. As an extra step, I wrap mine in cut up pieces of parchment paper. It looks fancy!
Enjoy!
Racuchy are essentially Polish pancakes. They are extremely straight-forward and will most definitely delight for an autumn breakfast. I suggest a complement of nice glass of milk and maybe some powdered sugar to top the pancakes.
Ingredients:
- 2 large apples; peeled, cored and sliced into relatively small pieces
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups of flour
- 16oz of milk
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon (optional)
- frying oil of your choice.
- In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients and make sure the batter is uniform. Flour pockets are unpleasant when eating pancakes.
- Add apples and stir.
- Heat up the frying pan and fry up all the batter. You can make the pancakes any size you want, though they're best if they're almost palm-sized.
Even though the ingredient list is very short, this is a labor intensive recipe. It will turn out just fine as long as you're patient and follow the recipe.
Ingredients:
- 9 eggs
- 400g of dark chocolate (it's roughly 0.85lbs) - 72% is best
- 250g of powdered sugar (about 7oz)
- a pinch of salt
- 200g of unsalted butter (2 sticks)
You will also need wax paper and a square pan (8x8in). Preheat your oven to 350F.
- Stick the butter and chocolate in a glass bowl and set over steaming water in a pot (make sure water doesn't get inside). Mix until it's uniform and set aside to chill completely.
- Separate egg whites and yolks.
- Put yolks in a large bowl, add sugar and mix until uniform.
- Whip the egg whites until they have soft peaks.
- Gradually stir in the chocolate sauce into yolk and sugar mixture. Afterwards, fold in the whipped egg whites. The mixture should be really fluffy now.
- Line the pan on all sides with the wax paper. Pour in the mixture and bake it for approx. 35 min. If the middle still looks runny, bake it for about 10 more minutes.
- Once it's done, let it cool. IT WILL COLLAPSE!
- Cut it into pieces and serve with whipped cream, and/or fresh fruit, or preserves.
Enjoy!
Let's talk kitchen equipment. There's a few things you will need that will help you get along when cooking. While it's possible to have one pot and one pan for everything, variety helps. Here's the things I use a lot.
- Crockpot.
For anybody who claims to have no talent in the kitchen and can't cook,
please stop now. Go to your local retailer, spend about $20, and get
yourself a basic model of a Crockpot. There are lots of fancy versions,
but that's if you have spare income and/or you want to be fancy.
Crockpot is one of those fantastic contraptions that will allow you to
toss all your favorite ingredients into one place, turn it on and LEAVE.
Since half the battle with cooking is patience and paying attention,
this gives you a chance to make something delicious while being
completely lazy about it. It's how I got hooked on cooking, I swear.
- Pots and pans.
I strongly suggest having at least three different sizes of each, so
you can regulate how much you make of any given dish. Getting one of
those boxed deals at a retail store is probably your best bet, but do
expect to invest at least $50. Just remember, it's for the greater good.
- Mixing bowls.
Personally, I prefer having glass mixing bowls, because they have more
heft to them. More importantly, if I need to soak meat in an acidic
marinade for three hours, I won't have to worry that the marinade
permeated the plastic bowl and my next cake will smell/taste of
Chipotle. Also, it's kind of gross when you think about it. That being said,
it's your personal preference. I do suggest getting at least 3 different
sizes, for the same reason as pots and pans.
- Spatulas/mixing spoons.
This is kind of a 'duh' bullet point, but I'm making it anyway.
Frankly, you can just use regular silverware to cook with, but it's
always nice to have options.
- Whisk/electric mixer.
Electric mixer can be rather cheap - I have seen one sold new for $7.
It's a great investment for anytime you want to bake a dessert of some
sort. I think I use it most often when I have to whip up egg whites or whipping cream. So good!
- Food processor. This is where things get expensive.
It is not necessary to own a food processor, but having it does make
things a LOT easier when you're trying to blend things quickly and
efficiently. I have a really old and beat up one, but whenever I need to
blend that cheesecake, it's there for me.
- Juicer.
This one is quite the extravagant possession but I don't regret having
it. There are a multitude of recipes, esp. Polish recipes, that ask for
grated vegetables or fruit. Getting that done by hand is a true test of
patience and I don't have that much of it. A juicer makes things that
much easier for me. Also, fresh apple juice. You haven't lived until you
tried freshly juiced apple juice. Just sayin'.
Growing up in Europe, I didn't have access to peanut butter - I didn't even know it existed - but I did have access to Nutella. I can wax poetic for hours in regards to Nutella, but let's stick to the topic at hand. When a friend suggested this particular recipe, I pounced on it immediately. The original recipe can be found here, though I did adjust it a bit to fit my needs (read: higher elevation and my love of strawberries).
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups of all-purpose flour
- 0.5 teaspoon of salt
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 0.5 cup sugar
- 0.25 cup oil (canola or equivalent of your choice)
- 0.33 cup of buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8oz of strawberries, chopped into small pieces
- Nutella
- Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
You will need to preheat the oven to 350F.
- In a large bowl combine all the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Add the oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Mix everything together until the batter resembles uncooked biscuits.
- Add strawberries and mix thoroughly. If the batter is too dry, add a little more buttermilk or water. Be careful, you don't want it too runny or it will bake wrong.
- Line the cupcake pan with paper cups (I usually use 12)
- Put about a full teaspoon into each cup and make sure it covers the entire bottom. Don't put in too much - we will need more for the top.
- Put just under a half of teaspoon of Nutella into each cup - you don't need much to get the flavor.
- Cover up the Nutella with the remaining batter - about a half of teaspoon each. After all is said and done, you should have filled about 2/3 of each cup.
- Sprinkle a little bit of Turbinado sugar over the muffins.
- Bake for about 18-21 minutes. They are ready when the tops are golden.
Do let them cool a little, though they are best when served a little warm - to make sure the center is nice and gooey.
Enjoy!
When cooking, you always need to know what the plan of action is ahead of time. Whether you have a detailed list of ingredients and utensils or a vague idea in your head, you need to know what will happen in the kitchen. Since I get distracted very easily (you could even say I am, wait for it, spazzy), I usually require a list of things I'll need for the day or I will always end up missing a key ingredient. It's happened before and it will happen again. That being said, I do keep a variety of spices on hand that make my life incredibly easy when I need to add flavor to a dish.
Here's a list of spices I use most frequently:
- Salt. This should go without saying, really. It's one of those standards that every kitchen should have and use. There are different types of salt and it should be up to your personal preference which one you go with: plain table salt, kosher salt, iodized salt, sea salt, Himalayan pink salt, etc. I even own a small jar of salt smoked with wine barrel wood. It's lovely on red meat.
- Black pepper. Whether you buy it in a jar or have a pepper mill is up to you, but this is one of those unassuming spices that will give a fantastic pop to your dish and bring it a bit of spice.
- Garlic powder. This is the money spice. Every time I am cooking something and I feel like it's missing flavor, I just add garlic powder and suddenly it becomes delicious. Of course it's always better to use garlic cloves instead, but let's be realistic about time constraints and general desire to be lazy - it's just not going to happen. Also, garlic powder is very cheap and available everywhere. And since you're already at the store, pick up garlic salt as well. You're welcome.
- BBQ rub. Some people prefer to use liquid BBQ sauces and there is nothing wrong with that. Personally, I prefer to use dry rubs because they give me more control over what kind of spices go into my food; I do read the label whenever I pick up a new jar. It's one of those things that you can just throw on a piece of meat, stick it in the oven for a half hour and suddenly you have a delicious meal. It's magic.
- Ground chile/ground Chipotle chile. This spice is fantastic with BBQ foods, Mexican dishes, or just about anything involving meat. It has a little bit of kick, but the flavor is divine. The smokiness of Chipotle chile is fantastic. This tends to be my go-to spice when I'm making eggs and bacon.
- Paprika. I know, this one is weird. Paprika doesn't necessarily have a lot of flavor, but I use it whenever I need to add some heat to my food without altering its flavor.
- Vanilla extract. It always feels like at least 75% of baking recipes ask for vanilla extract. Even when you think they don't, you should probably add it anyway. A teaspoon here, a teaspoon there and suddenly you went through the entire bottle. If you love baking, you must have this. A nice substitute is an almond extract. It's more expensive, but quite delightful - add it to pancake batter sometime.
- Honorable mentions: allspice, bay leaves, basil, cinnamon, cumin, curry, dill, oregano, rosemary, thyme. They are all fantastic spices, but perhaps not necessary for a beginner spice rack. You'll want to get them eventually, though.
I feel like this list is a good beginning, but shouldn't be the end. Experiment with new things and see where it takes you.
Enjoy!
Welcome!
My name is Shan and I like to cook. A lot. I consider it a way to relax and de-stress myself as well as make something productive out of my negative emotions, if there happen to be any at the time. It works really well, I might add. I make anything from simple dishes to something that takes 2 days to accomplish (I'll get to that on another day), but most days I just want to make food that I can pack in Tupperware and take to work as lunch. Since I am Polish, a lot of the food I make has Polish flare to it, or are outright Polish dishes. I swear, it's not hard!
I am not an experienced blogger and I am uncertain how well I'll be able to stay consistent with my posts - I would like to start with one a week. I do know that I would like to have a place online where I keep my recipes and share them with my friends and family. I am open to suggestions and feedback, if anybody tries my recipes. I will try to have pictures, too, but those will have to be updated as I make the dishes at home.
Enjoy!
