Soljanka - original GDR soup

When growing up I spent quite a bit of time in the GDR (former East Germany). One of the foods that I ate there as a starter many a times was a soup called Soljanka, which created as a way of using up left overs - what a frugal thing to have :)

The recipe here is actually an original from the GDR. I cannot remember where I have it from but I found it in one of my recipe folders and decided to actually make it this week...

This is enough for a family of two adults and two smallish kids as a main meal

500 g meat - anything really goes, fillet, cheap cuts, even sausages or deli meat.
1 large onion
1 tbs oil
1 small jar of pickled cucumbers, 400 g - the ones in vinegar not salt!!!!
1 can of crushed tomatoes, 425 ml
a little chopped garlic (optional)
3/4 liters broth
1 dash of dry white wine
3 tablespoons sour cream or creme fraiche (parve)

Cut the meat into small cubes. Peel the onion and chop.
Heat the oil in a pot and fry the meat and the onion.

In the meantime, cut the pickles into small pieces.

Add the pickles, tomato, tomatoe sauce, garlic (if using), broth and white wine. Bring everything to a boil and cook over medium heat for about 40 min, stiring occasionally.

Serve the soup garnish each with a dolop of sour cream or creme fraiche.

Serve it with slices of bread.

Tip: I remember it being a mix of meat and deli meat. I actually make it with about 300gr of a cheap cut and 200gr of deli meat that I buy as one piece and not sliced.

Baked Zucchini sticks

When I was a little girl (about 9 I think) my parents took us to Italy. You may think that from all the food I ate there I would tell you how great the pasta and pizza were - and I am sure they were, but I seriously don't remember.
And although I remember the ice cream being yummy, there is only one dish that I still remember the taste - deep fried zucchini sticks.

Now, deep fried zucchini sticks are not something that is really that health concious, so I tried to experiement with it a bit and came up with a baked version (similar to how I prepare schnitzel) that is totally yummi too (it actually comes close to what I remember).

Here it goes:

2 small or 1 large zucchini, cut into sticks

5 tbs flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black peppper
2 large eggs
1.5  c  panko or bread crumbs
Preheat oven to about 200C and prepare a baking sheet.

Pat the zucchini pieces dry with a paper towel first.
Put the flour, salt and pepper into a blastic bag. Add the zucchini, close the bag and shake until the sticks are well coated with flour. (You could use the drenge it on a plate technique, but I find it easier this way).

One a plate whisk the eggs well, while on a seperate plate put the panko or bread crumbs.

Dip the floury sticks into the eggs, making sure that it is well covered and then covering it with the bread crumbs/ panko. Just like preparing schnitzel, it is quite messy...

Arrange zucchini sticks on a baking sheet without crowding and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden.

Curried lentil and chicken soup

This is a quick, healthy, low carb (depending if you count lentils as protine or carbs - and that depends on the diet you are following), high fiber and high protine soup.

This soup was inspired by a (German) Weight Watcher soup that I once made years ago.

It is enough for 4 people as a main meal. If you really want to you can serve it with a hearty bread.

200gr green or brown lentils
1 whole chicken breast - boned, skinned and cut into small cubes
1 large onion - diced
1 tbs oil
1-2 tsp curry powder
1 litter stock
1/4 cup cooking cream (parve for those of us who don't mix dairy with meat)
1 small tin crushed pineapple (preferably in juice, but that is just to keep the sugar content low)
Salt and pepper

Cook the lentils in plenty of water for 30-45 minutes (brown need less time to cook). Do not salt the water as it will prolong the cooking time). Drain.

Heat oil in a large pot, add the curry and fry for about 20-30 sec (make sure not to burn it, it will get bitter). Add the onion and chicken making sure to fry the chicken from all sides.

Add the stock, bring to a boil and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

Finally, add the lentils, cooking cream and pineapple. Cook for another 1 or two minutes.

Season to taste

If you use lentils that you had stored away as you had cooked to much at a different time, add it with the stock to make sure that they are heated through.

What to do with a whole chicken and how to maximise what you get out of it.

Chickens are a staple in my family. However, buying chicken parts can be VERY expensive over here, so I usually try to buy chicken parts (chicken breast, wings etc) only when there is a good deal out there.

I usually buy whole chickens. Two whole chickens make at least 5 to 6 meals in my family.

Trying to take a chicken appart is... well... sort of an adventure at first. A few years ago I tried it and it took me something between 30 to 45 minutes for a chicken. Definately not worth the hassle and I just bought pre-cut chicken pieces.

However, since I love watching the butcher at work I realized that some use just a knife and it takes them less then a minute to take a chicken appart. Now, that is what I call effective.

I got talking to one of them and he told me that he uses a special knife.... I bought myself a very sharp knife (not the one he told me to get cause I didn't get to that shop yet), but what a difference. I think that I need something like 10 minutes now per chicken to take it appart and get it all packed away....

The good thing is, that some of the things are already automized:

The thighs are usually packed all in one bag - sometimes I already put in the marinade - and makes up 1 full meal for the four of us and left overs for a meal for me to take to work (and sometimes I have enough to serve the kids the next day too).

The wings I either throw in with the thighs or collect in a seperate bag (in the freezer) so that I have enough for a meal.

The breast I usually play around with - sometimes I mince the meat, or I make chicken nugets, I cut it up into cubes or stripes for all kind of recipes. But from two chickens I get easily 2 to 4 meals out - depending on what I cook.

And then, last but not least, I always, always dump the bones (sometimes the skin... depending how clean (from feathers) it is) into a pot. I add water and boil it for quite some time, adding water as neccessary. When the "stock" is cooked, I strain it. If I really can be bothered I pull off any meat I can to be used in the soup. You will be surprised about the amount of meat you get out of it.
This stock is the basis for many a soup.... if I really cannot be bothered to make a soup right there and then (or the next day), I just freeze it. The soup usually lasts for 2 meals.

Soooo, today, I took care of the chickens I bought. And while I am writing this, the stock is boiling, the chicken thighs, wings, and half a chicken breast is in the freezer for future uses. The other half of the chicken breast is to be used for a curried lentil and chicken soup. One chicken breast was used to make chicken with cashew nuts

Chicken with Cashew

This recipe was inspired by... well... really my pantry. For some time I have been wanting to make something sort of chinese inspired which uses chicken and cashew nuts. So today I came up with this really quick and healthy dish that you can make while the rice is cooking. This made enough for 4 adults.

You can serve it with rice, egg-fried-rice, noodles (or a noodle dish).

1 chicken breast - skinned, deboned and cut into cubes
1 large onion - diced
3-4 garlic teeth - sliced
1 tsp minced ingwer
3 handfull cashew nuts - I buy it loose and shook it out of the bag, so this is an aproximation
3-4 handfull frozen green beans - again, just shook it out of a bag and eyeballed it
1 tbs oil
3 tbs soy sauce (I use sodium reduced)
1 tbs rice vinegar
1-2 tbs mirin (sweet japanese cooking sauce)
1 tsp potato starch
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Fry the onions and ingwer, stirring constantly, until the onion is golden. Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds (be carefull not to burn the garlic as it turnes bitter)

Add the cashew nuts and fry for about 1 or 2 minutes. Add the chicken and fry for about 5 minutes, making sure all are cooked from all sides. Add the green beans and fry for another few minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile; mix the soya sauce, vinegar, mirin and starch together. Once the chicken and green beans are cooked through add this mixture and mix well. Season to taste with salt, pepper and soy sauce.

Serve

Dealing with leftovers

Leftovers ... Just the mere sound makes most people cringe. Re-heated food isn't the most favourable thing to eat for most people. A really simple trick to make reheated food taste good is: Adjust the seasoning. Most food goes bland when reheated, so by seasoning it you revive it.

To be honest, I am one of those people who doesn't like eating the same food over and over again (with the rare exception here and there). And yes, a minimum of 5 out of 7 times a week I cook and most of the time it is not what we had the day before. I guess it is no wonder my kids eat a lot of varied foods, they just don't know it any other way.

First, let's think what usually gets cooked too much of?

In my family it is rice, potatoes, vegetables (side dish), beans and lentils. Very often we also have a little bit of meat or chicken that for some reason did not find their way into our stomachs.

So, what can you do when you have cooked too much?

Potatoes
Whether they're baked, cooked or mashed, potatoes can be easely turned into a new meal with ease. In fact, they're just as versatile the second time around as they are the first: Baked potatoes can find new life in a soup, potatoes can be mashed (or mashed potatoes)and form the savory crust in a traditional shepherd's pie or you can turn them into potatoe croquettes. You can also fry left over potatoes, either with onions and garlic, and/or with spices to turn it into a new side dish. And let's not forget that you can always turn it with the addition of a few eggs into a Spanish omlet. I have been known to use left over potatoes and veggies for burgers.

Rice
Rice makes a great left over. When it comes to rice, the sky is the limit with salads, fried rice, croquettes and even desserts like rice pudding. Of course, you can add rice to soup or make a main dish (either with it or use rice as a side dish). Really easy is it if you just freeze it and use it another time.

Pasta
Now, left over pasta is actually the hardest for me when it comes to side dish leftovers. Freezing doesn't work well (not to my experience anyway). Of course, you can always whisk together some kind of sauce, but how many days in a row can you eat a pasta-and-sauce dish? Why don't you try making pies, casseroles, fittatas or pasta salads? Of course, you can always throw them into a soup  (I think you are getting the hang of it... yes, soup is a great way to deal with leftovers). All of those ideas are not just easy on your budget since you are using things up that you would throw out, but they are quick to make too.

Chicken and Meat
Don't just heat your main dish up over and over again. For me that is just such a big no-no. Take your left overs and turn them into (yep) soups and stews, salads, use them as sandwich fillings. Or how about shredding them up to use in tacos, buritos and Co? You can always mix them up with pasta or rice for some stir fry or pasta dish.

Beans
If you've got a cup or two of beans left over, you can always freeze them. You can always use them for casseroles, spreads, burgers, soups, Indian or other ethnic food. No matter what, beans can always be used up.

Veggies
Leftover vegetables work wonders in the kitchen. You can turn them into soups, and pies. Or maybe some burgers, put them into casserols or pasta sauce.

Bread
With all good intentions of making bread, I buy my bread. I pay a bit more per loaf, but buy bread that does not have any stabalizers or preservatives. That means that my bread goes stale VERY quickly. However, we hardly ever throw stale bread out. First of all, we simply toast it.

On Friday night we always do the traditional Shabath meal, which involve 2 loafs of Hallot (traditional braided bread). On Saturday morning I make French toast. Any left over is frozen and is reheated as needed/wanted in our toaster - it actually comes out fresh.

Other ideas that use up stale bread are croutons, bread puddings or making bread crumbs. If you have baguette or ciabatta left over you can make stuffed breads, or bruscetta, or a "student style pizza".

Left over pitta bread can be turned into something totally yummi by drizzeling some olive oil over it, add some garlic and herbs (in Israel we use Satar) and grill it for a few moments. Devine....

Fruits
Ok, this, as bread, is not something that you actually make, but sometimes you just have fruits kicking around that you just have no idea what to do with. The easiest is to just turn it into a smoothy. Add some water, milk or yoghurt and you have a good breakfast.
Another one is to just turn it into a muffins or cakes (here a simple fruit cake recipe )

Using left overs does not have to be borring. It is a very economical way of using up what you have anyway. And with a little bit of imagination and practice, you can turn your "blah" into "mmmm"


 

Easy red lentil soup

This recipe is one I got from my mom. I made this soup as a light starter yesterday. If you want to make it as a main dish, use more lentils and add cut up sausages.

1 large carrot - grated
1 large potatoe - grated
1 cup red lentils
1 small pack tomatoe puree
1 tsp vegetable bulion
A little bit of fresh lemon juice (optional)
Salt and pepper

Put everything into a large pot with water and cook for about 20 minutes. Season and enjoy :)

Glazed carrots in honey

This is a very easy (actually foold proof) way of making glazed carrots. I made it yesterday as the other vegetable side dish.

500gr carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tbs potatoe starch
1.5 tsp honey
1.5 tsp sugar
1 tbs oil

Cook the carrots in boiling, salted water until partially tender. This takes about 7 minutes.
Drain the carrots, reserving 1/2 cup of the water

Mix the starch, honey and sugar with the reserved water. Mix really quickly so that the starch will not clump together.
Heat the oil in a skillet, add the carrots and stir the honey-starch mixture in. Stir until the carrots are well coated. Cook over a low flame until carrots are glazed and tender, about 5 minutes. Serve it hot.

This will serve 6 people.

Rotkohl (Red cabbage German Style)

I grew up on Rothkohl. In Germany, you get it pre-made and it is totally yummi. It is also very healthy. The Germans eat it with Kloesse (potatoe dumplings) and a meat entree
Since I don't live in Germany any more I never get to eat it. I have looked for a decent recipe, however, most recipes I found call for the pre-made one that is then seasoned differently... A few days ago I found a recipe that I could addapt to my taste in one of the books I had for ages (erm... yeah....)So, I made it yesterday for guests that we had over - and they all loved it.

So, here it goes

2 tbs oil
1 large onion, finally chopped
1 large red cabbage, shredded (I cut it finely)
2 apples (or 1 large cooking apple), peeled and finely chopped (or coarsely grated)
1 handfull of raisins
1 cup dry red whine
1/2 -1 cup cider vinegar
4-6 tbs sugar
1-2 tsp salt

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the onions until golden.
Add the rest of the ingredients (start with 1/2 cup of vinegar, 4 tbs sugar and 1tsp salt), bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Adjust the seasoning with the rest of the vinegar, sugar and salt.

You can eat it hot or cold, although I prefer it hot.

This is something that is even better reheated. Adjust the seasoning again when you reheat it.

No added sugar granola bar

Yesterday I had a "make loads of different granola-bars" attack. One recipe I had floating around uses prunes and date puree. Where I live, date puree is something of a staple. Prune puree is something that I usually make.

These are supper sweet and very filling, but have no added sugar (except what is in the chocolate chips). My kids loved them.

• 1 cup each dried pitted prunes and dates (with pits removed)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup each old-fashion and quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Line a ca. 23cm by 23cm baking pan with baking paper (I use a standard sized pyrex form).

In a large food processor, combine the prunes and dates. Pulse until roughly chopped. Add the water and peanut butter and blend on medium to high speed until well pureed.

Depending on what food processor you have, take out the "knife" and, using a spoon, mix in the chocolate chips and oats. Mix until well combined.

Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking pan and bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
TIP: If you use ready made fruit puree, use about 3/4 cup. Don't use baby food, it is too watery. If you want to reduce the sweetness, don't use chocolate chips but baking coco powder

Pumpkin spice mix

In the States, many recipes, especially towards Thanksgiving, use a spice mix they call "Pumpkin spice mix". It is used in pumpkin pie (obviously), but also to season cakes and cookies. Just by the way, the Germans have a similar mix that is used during Christmas times.

Where I live, you can't find it and anyway, most store bought spice mixes are, for some (for me) mysterious reason, bland.

This spice mix takes literally 1 minute to put together and makes 8 teaspoons – enough for a few batches of cakes and cookies.

4 tsp of cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground allspice (in Hebrew it is called "English Pepper")

1 tsp nutmeg

Mix all together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container (e.g. an old jam glass or something alike)

My first picture!!!!! And Glycerin

Dear all,

today I made the granola bars using the recipe of the Basic Granola Bars (told you I make them all the time). Today I added half a cup of "some sour berries" (not joking, that's what I have written on my container... but I think it is cherries), half a cup of sunflower seeds, 1 cup of choco chips and 2 medium sized eggs (instead of one XL egg - which has become the standard size in this country).

I decided to make pictures of it. They came out really bad :(  Here are the two that I think came out ok - but you'll be the judge of it.

Actually, my hubbi and I had a discussion earlier on about granola bars. He had checked at work some and saw that they were full of unwanted ingredients.
By chance I had bought some (yeah, I know) for convenience purposes (they are about 100cal each... takes the thinking process out). I had checked them and didn't see anything that was totally obvious. So, I gave DH the package and told him that theose are fine. There was however, one ingredients that I didn't know what it was "Glycerol". I thought it was some kind of sugar (it was right next to sorbitol). Well, we checked it out and turns out that it is Glycerin.

Now, before you jump the gun, glycerin is not dangerous for you (well, are we not relieved) but it is just something that is totally beyond me why people would choose to eat it. Here are just some foods you find it in: Mentos (sadly enough for me as I LOVE them), tortiallas (don't ask me why) and now, as I had to find out, granola bars... Oh, and usually you find it in soaps and medicines next to being used to make nitroglycerin...
Again, glycerin is something very usefull, but not something I wish to digest.

Mix-in-the-Pan Chocolate Cake

This is a standard cake that I make when I am running low on eggs as it doesn't need any. Quick to make  

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1c. granular sugar

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa

1/2 tsp. salt

1 T. white or cider vinegar (something that doesn't have a strong flavour)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/3 c. oil

1 c. water

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Prepare cake mold.

Combine all ingredients and mix together; the batter will be almost smooth, a few small lumps are ok and will disappear in baking.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a rack. 

Tip: You can add chopped nuts, fruits or chocolate chips

Turkish Bulgur Salad

I originally come from Berlin which has a large Turkish population. I love Turkish salads. They are quick to make and usually quite healthy.

Bulgur salds are just one example of it. In fact, Bulgur is used quite a bit in Turkish cooking. Since it is Ramadan at the moment, I thought it would be nice to add something from around the globe that is quick to make, taste great, is lean on the waist line and my bank account.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes  Cook Time: 15 Minutes            Ready In: 1 Hour

Servings: 6

3 tbs olive oil

1 onion, cut very, very fine

1 ripe tomato, cut into small cubes

3 cups broth

2 cups bulgur, rinsed

1/2 cup cooked green lentils

1/3 cup cooked chickpeas

1 bunch fresh mint, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for an addition minute or two. Add the broth and bring the whole mixture to a boil.

Stir in the bulgur and season. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer until the bulgur begins to soften (takes about 5 minutes). Add the lentils and chickpeas and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes – the bulgur needs to be tender and the liquid should have evaporates.

Remove from heat and cool for about 30 minutes. Fold in the mint just before serving.

Angelic pudding

I am preparing for Master Chef. Yes, my dream is to actually get in J I know that this season is already closed (I was too busy with other things) but hopefully next season I will make it.

One of the things that you need for Master Chef are quick but tasty dishes. The judges always throw a surprise challenge your way. You just HAVE to be prepared.

This one is a pudding that, unlike rice pudding, is made with Angle Hair pasta (Vermicelli) and cardamom. Cardamon in Arabic and Hebrew is called הל (Hel – pronounced like Hell just with a long E). It can also mean halo or aurora …. Thus the name

I personally use a light cardamom infusion as I am not the biggest fan of cardamom…

You can eat it both warm or chilled – which makes it great to take with you to work or a pot luck.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes            Ready In: 40 Minutes

Servings: 4

  

1  l milk

5 tbs white sugar

5 cardamom seeds

1 (500gr ) package Angel Hair/vermicelli pasta, broken into small pieces

1 handful of raisins

Mix the milk together with the sugar and the cardamom seeds (slightly crack them if you want a stronger taste) in a saucepan. Bring to a near boil (careful that the milk will not over boil) then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes (make sure that the milk will not burn at the bottom). Stir the pasta and raisins and continue to simmer until pasta is tender and the cream sauce has thickened, about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until warm, about 15 minutes. If the pudding is too thick you can stir in a little bit more milk

Please tell me what you think of it.

All out onion pie

I have started on a 1200-cal diet and finding recipes that fit the bill is sometimes a bit of a struggle. The diet I follow has 3 meals and 3 snacks, where dinner is made up of about 300 cal (give or take…)

This is an onion pie that, including a salad, has about 300 cal. I adapted to meet my dietary requirements and with whatever is available in this country.

My kids LOVED it (they asked for seconds) and so did my husband.

2  large onions – 1 normal and 1 red, cubed or sliced

  2 leeks - white part only, sliced

 8 green onions, chopped

 1 bunch of chopped chives (either the normal one or the garlic ones)

4 tsp. oil

 250 gr 5% white cheese (or cottage)

 2 tablespoons of natural yogurt

 4 eggs

 4 tbs all purpose flour

 1 tsp baking powder

   1 tbs mustard

 3tbs soup granulates

Salt and black pepper to taste (I don't use any salt as I think the soup bouillon is salty enough)

 Preheat the oven to 180 degrees medium heat.

 In a large frying pan, sauté all the onions and the leek in the hot oil for about 10 minutes – stir frequently. Don't put the heat up too high so that it won't burn. Add a little bit of water as needed.

Add the green onions and chives and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add the flour, the soup mix, the baking powder and the flour. Turn down the heat completely and gently fry for another 4 minutes.

In a bowl, mix the eggs and cheese together and season to taste.

 Mix the cheese-egg mixture into the onion mix and mix well. Put everything into a baking or pie form and bake for about 45 minutes until golden.

For a 300 cal meal you need a fifth of a pie and a side salad.

Viccyssoise - French Potato and Leek Soup

I love Viccyssoise and my husband, first totally unsure about this one cause of the leek, always wants seconds when I make it. I have several ways of making this one, and all of the recipes I have are really easy to throw together, light on your budget and yummy in your tummy J

Prep time: 10 minutes    Cooking time: 30min                 Serves: 4

• 6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 8 leeks, green trimmed off, washed, and chopped into largish chunks
• 3 stalks celery, cleaned and again chopped into large chunks
• 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 quarts stock – can be chicken or vegetable
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (equals to about 125 gr butter) at room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, put the vegetables with the bay leaf and chicken stock over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a gentle boil and cook about 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. (Don’t boil too hard or you will end with yuky potatoes.)

Mix the flour and butter in a small bowl until they form a dough like mixture.

When the potatoes are fork tender, put the flour-butter mixture into the soup and mix, don't worry if you get big blobs of that stuff in your soup, we'll take care of it later on. Add the creamand season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the bay leaf (I always call it happy hunting) and puree the soup with a stick blender until smooth. If you don't have one, just ladle the food into your food processor in batches. Just be careful that you won't get any hot soup spritzing on you.

Once your soup is as smooth as you want it, you need to continue to cook it over low heat stirring frequently for another 15 minutes – the soup needs to thicken up. Be careful that the soup doesn't burn

Serve it with some hearty bread.

Basic Granola Bars

I love granola bars – they are quick to grab when you are on the run (in the morning or when I am going out to the playground with my kids), brilliant for that "I need something right now" snack in the afternoon (I work 10 hours a day, so I really do need something small). My kids love them as well, as they are sweet and come in great varieties.

I usually make my own rather then purchase them. They are quick to make, have no preservatives and unknown ingredients (you know what I say: If you cannot pronounce it, it is most likely not natural and should not go into our boddies)– oh, and you will find that they are not too heavy on your budget too.

I have a few basic granola bar recipes. Here is one that I like to make which has peanut butter, oats and honey, and whatever the kitchen holds.

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 15 min. Yield: 20

1/2cup natural peanut butter

 1/3 cup honey

 1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 3-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

 3/4 teaspoon salt

1   cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl mix the first 4 ingredients together. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well (the batter will be rather sticky).

Transfer to a 25 by 30 cm (or there off… honestly, I have no idea what the size is, I have one dish that I can adjust to my needs) that has been laid out with baking paper. Bake at 175C for 12-15 minutes or until set and edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

You will enjoy these, and make them again, and again and again... you get the point :)

Variations:

Exchange the half cup of oats with wheat germs.

Exchange the peanut butter with Nutella (or something like that)

Exchange the chocolate chips with nuts and fruits (or just reduce the quantity used)

You can dunk the finished bars in melted chocolate to make them look like the stuff you get in shops

In place of the chocolate chips and 1/3 cup of oats, I used 1 cup of dry crushed, crispy cereal.

If you want them crunchier, just cut them into bar size, put them on a cookie sheet and back them again at 175C for another 15 minutes

Varieties are seriously endless.

My Safta raba's Knish Kabak

This is a recipe from my grate grandma who originally came from Moldavia. I don't have many recipes from her, but remember her food was always totally delicious - she passed away when I was 8 or 9 years old and I still remember (says something about her cooking :) )

Serves: 16

puff pastry or phyllo sheets for 2 portions
500-750 gr fresh pumpkin, grated
1 cup raisins
2 tbsp. each sugar and flour
1/8 tsp. salt
ca. 2 tbsp. oil

Preheat the oven to about 175C (moderate hot).

Prepare a baking pan by covering it with baking paper.

In big bowl mix the pumpkin, raisins, sugar, flour and salt.

Take one phyllo sheet and brush it with some oil. Arrange half of the pumpkin on the dough (on the lower end). Sprinkle some oil on pumpkin.
Start rolling the phyllo sheeet up (i.e. away from you). Fold in the sides continue to roll, try to keep the roll as tight as possible. Put the finished roulada on a baking pan. Repeat with the second leaf.

Brush some oil on top of the rouladas.

Bake at 175C for about 35 or until nicely browned.

In my grandma's family Kabak is eaten either hot with our main meal, or, as my grate grand dad prefered it after dinner (but before desert).

Berry much of a breakfast bar

The consistency of this is more of a cake then a bar but still very yummy and quick to throw together. You can change the fruits to whatever is on sale

Servings: 16

1.5 tablespoons oil

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 till 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon (depending on how strong it is)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 tablespoons vinegar (anything that is not too strong flavoured)

1/3 cup juice – apple, berry or cranberry.

1 1/4 cups fresh blackberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 165 C. Line a 20x20 cm baking pan with baking paper, letting some of it hang out on the sides so that you can pull the cake out easily afterwards

2. In large bowl mix the wet ingredients together.

3. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the blackberries.

4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake at 165 C for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool in pan, lift out and cut into squares.

Square meets lemon again - Lemon Bar 2

Really lemony, really easy and totally delicious!!! And again, not for those of you who watch your waist line J

Prep Time: 20 mins  baking time: 50 minutes  Yield: 8-12 bars

For Base

2  cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

150 g. butter (1 American sized stick of butter)

For filling/top

4  large beaten eggs

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

fresh lemon rind from one lemon

Prepare a 30*25cm backing tin by lining it with baking paper (let some of it hang out so that you can pull out the lemon squares more easily).

Preheat oven to 175C

For the base mix the flour and sugar together. Work the butter into this mixture until it all sticks together (will resemble crumbs). Press into the  backing pan. Bake at 175C for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

For the filling, beat together the eggs, sugar and lemon juice. Add the flour and baking powder into egg mixture and pour over crust. Bake for another 25 minutes at 175C.

Cool and cut into bars.

No-wait Pizza base

Although Pizza is not something that we eat often as I don't perticular like it, however, my family does so I do have a few recipes kicking around.

Here is a recipe that is real quick, requires no waiting (except for the starter to go foamy and then another 5 minutes rest time) and tastes way better then any pizza base you get in this country - take out or freezer.

Trust me, this recipe is faster start to finish then any take out you can get (over here from the moment I place the call till delivery is 45 minutes and it is usually slightly cold when it gets here).

1 pack yeast (fresh or active dry)
1 tsp sugar
1 cup look warm water (make sure it is not too hot as it will kill the yeast)
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour (plain works fine, I usually use bread flour)
2 tbs good quality olive oil
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to very high (about 230C).
In a bowl disolve the yeast with the sugar in the water. Let in stand until foamy. Depending on the water temperature it can take up to 10 minutes - this step is called "proving the yeast"

Add the flour (start with 2 1/2 cups), oil and salt.

Mix with your hands, adding flour as neccessary, until you get a smooth dough. Let the dough rise for 5 minutes

Put the dough onto a slightly floured surface and roll it into a circle. I often put it on a floured baking sheet, pat and roll it to the desired shape.
Transfer the dough onto a baking tray (or pizza pan if you have one). Spread the toping of your choice.
Bake at 230C for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Enjoy!!

Creamy Tomato-Salmon Gnocci

Went pantry shopping yesterday :) I had smoked salmon in the fridge that I originally wanted to use for Sushi but knew in the deepest of hearts that there is no way I will be making any this week. I also had Gnoccies lying around that I had not used as I wanted (frying them with onions and serving them with a salad and steaks).
The other thing I had was spring onions - I bought some to plant it. I still had some left over after I potted them. And last but not least, there was some cooking cream that needed to be used up or binned soon... Soooo this is what I came up with. It was quick, totally yummi (my kids loved it!!! My DD actually asked for seconds) and will feed four adults.


You will need:

6-8 springs onions, green and white part cut into fine rings
1 tbsp olive oil
2 handfull cherry tomatoes, halfed
200gr smoked salmon, cut into stripes
1 pack cooking cream (15%) - it is about 1 cup. (you can of course use 10% or 35%, I just used what I had at home).
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt to taste
2 packages gnocci

Cook Gnocci according to instructions. When ready drain.

While the Gnoccis are getting readdy, heat the olive oil in a pot. Add spring onions and fry gently for about 2 minutes.
Add the tomoates and fry until they get a little bit wrinkled (about 3 min). Stir frequently.
Add the salmon and fry for another minute.
Add the cream and bring the mixture to a boil. Season with nutmeg and salt. I personally don't need the salt as I find that the salmon is salty enough as it is.
Mix in the Gnocci and serve.

Tip: If you have any leftover, you can heat the whole thing up by adding just a little bit of milk.

Basic Picante Sauce

Quick, easy and way better than any store bought stuff. And you can easily adjust the level of spicyness of the sauce

1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper
6 medium tomatoes
6 tablespoons vegetable oil (I usually use canola/rapeseed)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh, finelly chopped cilantro

Remove the stems from and tomatoes and chop into 1/4-inch pieces.

Preheat the oil to medium temperature in a large frying pan. Add the onions and saute for about 10 minutes or until tender but not brown. Add the remaining ingredients. Turn heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the jalapeno pepper after simmering the mixture.

If you want it spicier, cut the jalapeno open, remove the seeds and cook it (then remore) or cut it finely with/without seeds (with seeds is going to be much spicier)

How to Make Deli Style Chicken

 Many people love the convenience of deli style chickens. They are already cooked, ready to eat or to put in your favorite chicken dish. You can use the meat for salads and soups or any other recipe that calls for pre-cooked or left over chicken. Making it at home is really easy and doesn't cost that much - especially if you can find chicken on sales. You also get the added advantage of deciding what goes into your spice rub.

1 whole chicken weighing about 2kg – cleaned inside and out, pat dry (with a paper towel that you throw away right after!!!)

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. each onion powder, garlic powder and pepper

1 onion, quartered

Mix all spices together in a small bowl. Rub the entire chicken, inside and outside, with the spice mixture. Place the quartered onion inside the chicken cavity.

Although there are several methods, I always just do it on a roasting pan. Place the prepared chicken on a rack in the roasting pan and cook in the oven at 120 C. Bake for 5 hours.

If you are using a crock pot, then place the chicken breast side up in the crock pot. If you don't want the chicken to swim in the juices, place some potatoes at the bottom of the crock pot and place the chicken on top of it. Close the slow cooker tightly and cook on low for 8 hours. Let chicken set for a few minutes before carving.

Note: I use kosher chickens which are already salted and never mind how much you wash them, they do taste salty for some reason (I think the meat sort of absorbs some of the salt). I anyway don't like using a lot of salt, so I never put additional salt on my roasted chicken. But feel free to add it to your preferred taste.

Not your typical BBQ sauce

I don't know about you, but I LOVE BBQ... well, I am a canibal really lol

Ok, this is not your typical BBQ sauce, but still nice and not overpowering. Takes about 20 minutes to prepare (if you work slowly)

• 4 Tbs. salad Oil
• 1 Tbs. chili powder
• 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. mustard
• 2 tsp. finely minced garlic
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cumin

1. In a medium sauce pan, combine all ingredients and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Let it set for at least one hour for the flavors to blend together.

You can either marinade your meat in it or just put it on top in the last minutes of grilling....

Cheesy Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate cream cheese cupcakes, rich and gooey. Takes no time to prepare and is a big hit everytime I make it. Oh, and you can turn it into a cake

Prep Time: 10 Min (maximum)         Yield 24 cupcakes or one large round cake

1 200gr package cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/3 cup white sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon cider vinegar (or any other mild vinegar)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 175C. Line muffin tins with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray (or prepare a 26-28 cm backing tin)
2. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients. Stir together until well blended. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter and top with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture. If you make a cake, slightly swirl in the cheese mixture
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes (or 35-40 minutes if you make a cake) 

Tip: You can use a wooden spoon for mixing

Squares meet lemon

I have been making these for some time now. I cannot even remember where I got the recipe from...  The lemon taste with the crunchines of the crust is just pure yum. Ok, granted, it is not the best recipe for the those watching their cal intake

2 cups flour

½ cup powdered sugar

200gr softened butter

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

Juice and zest of 2 lemons

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1.      Preheat the oven to 350 F

2.      For the crust, combine the first three ingredients in a bowl. Mix together with a fork until you get fine crumbs. Press into a 9x13” pan and bake for 20 minutes.

3.      For the filling, combine the rest of the ingredients and beat well.

4.      Pour into the warm crust and bake an additional 20 minutes, until the top looks like the moon surface (you know, craters and all)

5.      Cool and cut into squares.

6.      If you want to you can dust with more powdered sugar.

Dahl with Spinach and Coconut

Beetroots and Apple Salad

Here is a quick and easy salad that is perfect for the winter - although in my family we eat it all year round. This recipe has been passed down from generation to generation. I remember my great-grandma serving it when I was a small child.

3 medium beet roots, cooked and peeled
3 medium apples (granny smith) peeled & cored
Juice from 1 lemon or a little more.....
2 tbsp. full good mayonnaise (you can use low calorie)
3 tbsp. sugar or more to your own taste (you can use sugar substitute)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup walnuts chopped (optional)

In food processor shred coarsely the beet roots and apples. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Season to taste.

The salad keeps for about a week (well, in theory anyway). It is better after it has sat in the fridge for a few hours, but tastes good when you just made it.

Note: I was out of lemon juice so I just added a spoon of orange juice. Made the salad a touch sweeter.