Russian Vareniki - Strawberry Dumplings

If you have a wonderful Russian in your life like I have one in mine, then you may have experienced the heaven that is Vareniki yourself. If not - tune in and give it a whirl yourself!

Ingredients

• 2 C flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp veggie oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 lb strawberries

Instructions

1. Mix flour, salt and egg into a dough.
2. Add water and knead away.
3. Egg oil and continue kneading.
4. Cover bowl of dough with a towel and move on to strawberries.
5. Chop strawberries into small pieces and place into bowl
6. Add sugar to berries
7. Mix and set aside.
8. Go back to dough and break into manageable sections
9. Roll out the dough, and use a cookie cutter to pull out circles
10. Place a small amount of strawberries (you will figure amount more as you work) on one side
11. Fold half of the circle over into a moon dumpling shape.
12. Use water to seal the edge.
13. Use a fork to seal the edge.
14. Complete this process until the dough is gone.
15. Place dumplings into boiling water.
16. Once dumplings float, remove.
17. Serve warm. You can drizzle remaining strawberries and juice over the dumplings. We added vanilla bean greek yogurt as well and it was to die for!

Ugandan Chapati

Chapati is something that we learned about a little too late when we were in Uganda. One of our last nights, friends came over with it and were like "what you haven't tried it yet?". We actually had tried it when we ate Rolex - just didn't know it alone. It is somewhere between a flatbread, naan, or tortilla bread. It is not the easiest thing to cook right - but worth it when you do.

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• warm water
• cooking oil
• finely chopped purple onions
• finely chopped garlic

1. Mix flour, onion, and salt in a bowl
2. Mix water in slowly until you get a thick dough
3. Knead slowly adding in flour as need be
4. Cover bowl of dough with a cloth and let it sit for a t least a half hour
5. Preheat skillet and coat with oil
6. Divide dough into small balls
7. Flatten balls into rounds
8. Dust chapati rounds with flour
9. Fry on each side until both sides have brown marks
10. Enjoy!

How to Make Quick Pickles - Quickles

This past week I journeyed with my dashing groom, my snuggly prince, and my mother-in-law on a road trip through the South. We visited family in North Carolina, stayed at a cabin in the Mountains, hiked waterfalls, climbed through caves, braved mile high swinging bridges, visited a winery, visited fort sumter, savannah riverfront, and even stayed a night in Charleston with BT's cousins. While there I got to taste some quickles cousin Michelle made that she found a recipe from TheShiksa. I couldn't quite get them off of my mind and bugged her until she sent me a link to the recipe before I even arrived home. Well - after a whole day home I ran to Publix and bought what I needed - or what I could find that I needed. Here is my slightly tweaked version of the recipe.

• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 fist full of fresh dill
• 1 bay leaf or a shake of dried
• 1/2 tsp of whole peppercorn
• 1/2 tsp of coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp of dill seeds (not dill weeds - i ended up finding it at walmart after a couple stores I checked didnt)
• a couple shakes of red crushed pepper
• a shake of celery salt
• 1/4 tsp of fennel seed
• 8 small cucumbers (without the wax coating)
• 2 cups of water
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1.5 tbsp course salt
• 1 mason jar

1. Put slices of garlic into a pan with water and let it boil for one minute to blanch the garlic (this keeps the garlic from turning blue in the soaking. After boiling for one minute drain the garlic.
    
2. Add garlic, all spices (except salt), and cucumbers into the mason jar. The cukes will likely have to be squished to fit but after the soaking they will shrink so should be easier to get out.
   
   
3. Boil the vinegar and water and salt in a saucepan until salt is gone and about one minute after
4. Use a funnel if you have one - and pour the solution over the cucumbers until they are covered.
   
5. Let the jar cool off before closing with the jar top and sticking it into the fridge.
   
6. After about two days of soaking you can take them out to eat, but the longer you wait - the tastier they will turn out to be.
7. Enjoy!

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

So... I was making the boys pork chops last night and thought it would go well with mashed potatoes. Unfortunately the only potatoes I had were tiny little potatoes and guess what! I didn't feel like spending hours peeling tiny little potatoes. And when I pondered making mashed potatoes with the skins I recalled a recipe I had seen for smashing potatoes instead of mashing them. So I looked up some recipes and combined my favorite parts of them. And since they were insanely yummy - I figured I would share what I did with you.

• small potatoes
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• garlic

1. boil the potatoes in a pot of water
2. once they are soft remove them from the water
3. take two dish towels and place a tater in between
4. smoosh the potato with your fist until it is quasi flat
5. place a parchment paper on a baking sheet
6. move your potatoes one by one to the baking sheet - if any of them crumble just smoosh it back in
7. drizzle evoo over and under all the taters
8. shake salt and pepper over the taters
9. drizzle chopped garlic over the taters
10. Roast them in the oven for about 40 minutes
11. 
12. If they aren't brown yet broil under a watchful eye to make them crispy
13. Serve and ENJOY!

Spinach Pesto Tofu

I had this for the second time today and combined it with the balsamic roasted brussel sprouts for a yummy and very filling dinner for the family. Last time, Josiah and I were licking our bowls. This time I put a tad too much evoo so we weren't licking anything, but noone left a drop on their plate... that is for sure. So I share with you to enjoy. :)

• extra firm tofu
• 2 cups spinach
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• a handful of pine nuts
• 2 cups parmesan cheese
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1.5 cups of evoo

1. drizzle tofu with evoo and broil for 15-20 minutes or until its the crunch that you prefer 
   
   
2. dry tofu on towels
3. mix the remaining ingredients in the blender until smooth
4. drizzle the pesto over the tofu until properly saturated (you should have enough pesto to store for two or three more tofu blocks in freezer or fridge depending on how long until you use it again)
5. Enjoy!

Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts

I made this again tonight and realized that I never posted it on the blog. It is way too good not to share and super super easy. I have been growing brussel sprouts in my vegetable garden in the back yard so have been able to have plenty of roasted brussel sprouts lately and my hubby and lil boy love them too!

• brussel sprouts
• evoo
• balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper (and any additional seasonings you enjoy)
• shredded parmesan cheese

1. lightly oil a glass dish
2. spread out brussel sprouts so none of them are touching
3. drizzle evoo, plenty of balsamic vinegar, spices, and parmesan cheese over the sprouts
4. broil for 10 minutes or until browned and soft
5. Enjoy!

Meatless Lettuce Wraps (In the order of P.F. Changs or Chilis)

So. I can't tell you how many times I have been to Chilis and watched a friend eat those lettuce wraps while I silently drool over the concept. As a big fan of flavorful food and one who yearns to like lettuce more it was something I wish I could enjoy. When I found a couple copycat recipes for the chilis lettuce wraps and the lettuce wraps that they make at P.F. Changs I knew that I could make a version without meat that my family would enjoy. Not to toot my own horn... but toot. It was fantastic. My son ate his two huge wraps in the blink of an eye and then was stealing lettuce off of our plates before we could eat ours. My husband asked for more despite being stuffed. And I couldn't wait until everyone was gone today and I could sneak the leftovers for lunch. Bwahahaha - yeah its all gone now. So steal my recipe and fill your bellies. Of course if you want to, you can always substitute my fake chicken with chicken or any other meat.

• big outer lettuce leaves (we used iceburg but anything is usable)
• boca fake chicken strips, defrosted and chopped
• 1/2 of a sweet vidalia onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 Tablespoons of chopped fresh ginger
• chopped peanuts
• green onions
• 1 can of corn
• 1 can of black beans
• hoison sauce
• 2 T teriaki sauce
• 1 T rice vinegar
• 1 T evoo
• 1 T peanut butter
• 1/2 T water
• 1/2 T honey
• 1/2 T chili sauce

1. Cook fake chicken and onions over light evoo in pan until browned
2. add garlic and ginger
3. add corn and black beans
4. add teriaki, vinegar, evoo, peanut butter, honey, water, and chili sauce
5. cook until well blended and browned
6. add green onions to the top and cook until they soften
7. scoop mixture into lettuce, top with peanuts, wrap tightly
8. Serve hot with hoison sauce and ENJOY!

Kale Chips (Potato Chip Replacement)

My husband (the one with the sweet tooth) also has a salty tooth. He can take down a full bag of potato chips in a sitting. You know the bag that most people buy, have some, clip, save for later. Yeah. One sitting. So when I heard of kale chips my first thought was - could you imagine if he would eat kale chips like he does potato chips. He would have some amazing vitamins and nutrients running through his body. Anyhow I mentioned to him and he was open to trying. Above is the final result. I think I should have cooked them a bit longer because some of them were a bit soggy. Though we had enough good ones to decide that we liked it. There were a few that we ate that we thought - ok thats the consistency of a potato chip. And the taste is definitely pretty good. So anyhow here is how you can make kale chips in your house.

• kale chips
• evoo
• seasoning of your choice (salt / pepper / garlic / red pepper / sugar / ?)

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Clip your kale into bite sized pieces
3. Oil your baking dish
4. Spread out your washed and dried kale on the baking dish
5.  Drizzle with evoo and seasoning
6. Bake until chips are browned but not burnt
7. Enjoy!

Make your Own Strawberry Jam

This past weekend we took Josiah strawberry picking and when we came home with buckets of strawberries, I knew jam would need to be produced. After some google searching I found the recipe to use, modified it for my own purpose and got cooking. I share it here with you, so that you can make your own jam for your family.

• 6 cups of chopped strawberries
• 1.5 boxes of low sugar needed pectin (this is what thickens and jels the jam)
• Sweetener (we used 2 cups of agave nectar but you can also 4 cups sugar or your sweetener of prefernce)
• 6 bell jars including tops
• funnel

1. Sanitize your jars and lids in your dishwasher or in boiling water. Keep them in the heated dry until they are ready to use (or boiling water) so they are the right temperature and dont go to hot too fast and possibly crack.
2. Pick or buy your strawberries. Wash them. Chop off the tops. Chop or food process them to your preferred consistency. The more they are crushed, the more natural pectin comes out in its own consistency. You want 6 cups of it after it is crushed so you will need 8-10 whole.
3. Measure a quarter cup of sweetener with your pectin until it is blended well.
4. Mix this sweetener/pectin blend in with your strawberries.
5. Put the strawberry blend in a pot and bring slowly to a boil under medium/high heat.
   (If you do not use pectin you will need to take a much longer time over heat to get it to the right consistency, and double the sweetener. Pectin is a natural chemical extracted from apples - so nothing to worry about there)
6. Once they have come to a complete boil, remove them from heat and add the remaining sugar.
7. Bring to a boil again and let it boil for 1 minute. The slower you bring it to boiling the less foaming you will experience.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Skim the excessive foam and place in a bowl. You can microwave it for 60 seconds and throw it in the fridge for fresh jam.
10. Here is where you get to test the JEL factor. Keep a cup of ice water with a spoon in it. Pull the cold spoon out and spoon out some jam. Let it cool to room temperature. Then see if it is the right JEL factor for you - if its not jelly enough add more pectin and reboil for one minute. Otherwise you are good to go.
11. Let it stand for 5 minutes
12. Stir completely
13. Remove your jars from the dishwasher/hotwater and start funneling in the jam. Immediately place the tightly closed jar with jam in a pot of boiling water where the water covers the lid a couple inches.
14. When the jars are all in the boiling water they should boil for about 10 minutes depending on your elevation.
15. Remove carefully from the boiling water with tongs and place to set.
16. After 24 hours they should be processed and set. You should be able to tell that the tops will no longer pop in or out. If they pop then store it in the fridge since it won't last as long before spoiling.
17. Processing the jars like this ought to keep them in a cabinet for 6-12 months.
18. Serve, share, and enjoy :)

Eggplant Rollitini

A traditional food in my family for Christmas Eve has always been Eggplant Rollitini. My grandma used to make them with prosciutto and everyone would line up and eat them just as fast as she could serve them. Everyone would feign calm but was really waiting until the next plate of rollitini would come out and to make sure they were in good position to grab one before they disappeared.

My grandmother passed a couple years ago and this year when we had Christmas Eve (since I have been typecast as the Eggplant Chef) it was requested that I make rollitini. I believe it was a success, at least I think thats what it means when there were lies and thievery involved in the snatching and hiding of rolls and people were guarding them with their lives. While these were meatfree, noone complained about the absence of the italian sausage. So here is the recipe to share:

• 2 large eggplants
• eggs
• panko breadcrumbs
• evoo
• ricotta
• marinara sauce
• mozarella cheese
• parmesan cheese
• italian spices (basil, parsley, pepper, etc)
• garlic

1. preheat oven to 350
2. mix 1 large container of ricotta, 1 egg,  and 2 cups of mozarella in a bowl with spices and at least 3 cloves of garlic, a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese
3. mix a few tablespoons of parmesan with the panko and some pepper and spread in a plate for coating the eggplant
4. mix egg and water into a wide tray to soak the eggplant in
5. peel the eggplant and then slice it into long thin strips
6. soak eggplant in egg solution and then coat each one with the panko and parm
7. allow the coated eggplant to dry a bit before frying
8. fry the coated eggplant in evoo
9. dry on paper towels
10. coat the bottom of a baking dish with marinara sauce
11. smooth the ricotta mixture along the length of the eggplant strip. if you were to add meat you would put it in the center here
12. roll each strip up tightley, place seam side down, place a toothpick in it if need be to hold it together
13. line them up in the baking dish
14. bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese bubbles
15. serve and ENJOY!

Oven Roasted Tater Crunch

While I was excited about trying this vegetarian version of a bacon potato recipe I didn't really know what we were in for. My son will not eat anything on his plate once he catches a sight of this. Everything else goes by the wayside as he downs this and asks for more and more and more. My husband ignored the other items I had cooked and ate as many potatoes as he could without getting eyes from me to slow down. They both ate them for lunch the next day and the day after. I think we can call this a success since both my son and husband are big bacon fans and normally turn their nose up at veggie bacon.

• evoo
• veggie bacon
• yukon gold small potatoes
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup parmigiana-romana cheese
• salt
• pepper

1. Peel  potatoes
2. Boil in water until fork tender (8-13 mins)
3. Slice veggie bacon into small pieces
4. Preheat oven to 425
5. Cook bacon in pan in evoo until color changes but not crunchy yet (will cook more in oven)
6. Prepare glass baking dish with evoo
7. Once taters are cooled off cube and place on baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper
8. Bake for 35 minutes (turning halfway through to evenly brown
9. Reduce temp to 375 and sprinkle with parm, garlic, and bacon
10. Bake an additional 10-20 minutes until parm is melted and bacon is crunchy
11. Serve and ENJOY!

Crunchy Bean Tacos

Looking for a healthier version of mexican for my husband I came across this recipe and figured I would give it a try. Not only did the man and the boy scarf these down but they scarfed down any leftovers immediately for the next lunch both days I made them this week.

• corn tortillas
• 1 can black beans
• 1/2 red onion chopped
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp paprika
• a handful of chopped fresh cilantro
• shredded mexican cheese
• 1 avocado
• hot sauce
• salsa
• sour cream

1. Mix beans, onions, spices, cilantro a dash of evoo and any other seasoning you would like in a bowl
2. Heat some evoo in pan
3. Place 1 or 2 tortillas at a time in the pan to heat for a moment then put mixture, and cheese on half the tortilla, use a spatula to fold
4. Heat on each side until browned
5. Remove from heat and serve with avocado, hot sauce, salsa and sour cream

Vegetarian Mexican Stuffed Shells

I found this recipe for a meat version on Pinterest a long time ago and finally got around to cooking it tonight. With the taste still in my mouth and trying to keep up the willpower to leave the leftovers in the fridge... I will hereby record this amazing mouthwatering, cheese flowing, flavor popping recipe below... as my husband said "you made both your boys happy tonight".

• 1 package veggie crumbles (can be replaced with ground beef)
• 1 T taco seasoning
• 1 cup water
• 4 oz creamcheese
• 16 jumpo pasta shells
• 1 jar salsa
• taco sauce
• 2 cups mexican cheese
• 2 green onions
• sour cream
• black olives

1. preheat to 350
2. cook crumbles in a pan with taco seasoning and water
3. once it is cooked well, add creamcheese and simmer until it melts
4. set meat aside to cool
5. cook pasta and drain
6. coat bottom of glass baking dish with salsa
7. take each shell in your hand, fill with meat mixture and line up in baking dish
8. pour taco sauce over shells
9. cover dish with aluminum foil
10. bake for 30 minutes
11. remove from oven
12. fill shells with cheese
13. return to oven uncovered and bake for 10-15 more minutes
14. remove from oven and cover with green onions and black olives
15. place a few on a plate with some sour cream and shredded cheese
16. enjoy and try not to eat the whole pan

Coconut Crusted Tofu in Thai Mango Sauce

I have seen a couple versions of this around the net lately and my sister made an attempt at this last week with chicken and said it was great. Here is my go - around.


Marinade

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 t sliced fresh ginger
• 1 t sliced fresh garlic
• 1 dash of salt

Tofu

• 1 package extra firm tofu
• 1/2 cup soy flour
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup shredded coconut
• vegetable oil for frying

Sauce

• 1 cup frozen mango
• 1/4 cup frozen pineapple
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 4 T thai chili sauce
• 1 dash of salt

1. Dice tofu into cubes and pat dry
2. Soak in marinade for at least 1 hour
3. Combine items for sauce in blender until well mixed
4. Prepare first bowl with 1/4 cup flour
5. Prepare second bowl with 1/4 cup flour and enough water to make a thin paste
6. Prepare third bowl with coconut and breadcrumbs
7. Dip tofu piece from one bowl to the next until it is crumbed and set on plate to dry
8. When all pieces have been coated fill the bottom of a pan with oil and heat
9. Once water sparks out of it you can start frying the tofu
10. Turn over until all sides are browned and then place on paper towels to dry
11. Serve with a side of sauce (we served it over couscous and it was fantastic)