Born 2 Impress GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Born 2 Impress GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Cinnamon Sticks GUEST GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

Cinnamon Sticks GUEST GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

Posna Sarma

Posna Sarma (Serbian recipe)

This recipe is similar to the recipe for Greek dolmas, though it's made with cabbage instead of grape leaves. The usual sarma is made with ground pork and chuck, resulting in a combination of meat, oil and cabbage, however this is a vegetarian version. If you prefer to us ground pork or chuck simply leave out the oil and fry the meat, then add remaining ingredients.

Ingredients

1 cabbage (or sweet cabbage)

5 onions (diced)

2 stalks celery

olive oil

1 green pepper (diced)

3.5 oz rice (cooked)

3.5 oz walnuts (ground)

1 can whole tomatoes

salt

Cut out the hard core of the cabbage and boil the cabbage and then separate each leaf. Heat oil in a skillet and add onions, celery and green pepper. Fry until soft. Add the cooked rice and stir fry the mixture for about two minutes. Remove the mixture from heat and add walnuts and salt. Mix well. Take a cabbage leaf and scoop approx. one tablespoon of the mixture on it. Roll up the leaf, the sides should be folded inside to prevent the mixture from falling out. Place the rolls in a large pan, add the tomatoes and enough water to cover them up. Cook over a medium heat for about one hour.Switch of the heat and keep the sarma's covered until it's time to eat.

Pelmini

Pelmeni (Eastern Europe Ravioli) is a dish that we had while in Kazakhstan. It is widely served in many Eastern European countries.

This recipe makes about 100 pelmeni which serves 10 people.

Ingredients for the dough

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

1/3 cup water

Combine flour and salt and mound on a clean surface. Make a well in the centre and add eggs and water. Incorporate flour mixture with egg mixture by working around the walls of the well until the dough is mixed. Knead on a floured surface until soft and pliable. Form into 100 balls, cover with a moist towel and let rest at room temperature for one hour.

Ingredients for the filling

1 pound ground beef

1 onion (minced)

1 teaspoon dried dill

Salt and pepper to taste

White of one small egg (beaten)

Water, chicken or beef broth

4 oz butter

Mix ground beef, onion, dill, salt and pepper to taste and enough water to make a soft mixture. When the dough is ready, flatten the dough balls into circles with a diameter of 7.5 cm. Place one tablespoon filling on each dough round. Brush the edges with water and fold the dough to form half moons. Pinch opposite ends to one another to seal. Repeat this with the rest of the dough balls. Brush the pelmeni with beaten egg white. Bring a large pot full of salted water to boil, you also can use chicken or beef broth. Without crowding, drop the pelmeni into the boiling water (or broth), stirring to prevent sticking, until the pelmeni comes to surface (about 4 minutes). Remove the pelmeni and put them on a large plate. Melt butter over medium heat and drizzle it over the pelmeni. You can also serve pelmeni with sour cream or a white sauce.

Boiled Cabbage

For Christmas dinner we always have ham and cabbage. I don't cook them together like some people do. I don't like the cabbage taste in my ham or the ham taste in my cabbage. I make a really quick and simple boiled cabbage that tastes really good.

Growing up my family always did turkey and homemade noodles at Chirstmas. My husband's family did ham and cabbage. Since we have turkey and noodles at Thanksgiving I decided to go with the ham and cabbage for Christmas. My mother-in-law did cook her ham and cabbage together, so I did make a change from what my husband had grown up with, but he enjoys the way I make it.

1 Head of cabbage
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 beef bouillon cube

Cut or shred cabbage to desired size pieces. Place in large pan and cover halfway with water. Add bouillon cube, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir occaisonally over medium heat. I generally only cook this for about 5 minutes on medium heat, then lower heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. This gives the seasonings time to infuse the cabbage with their flavors, but not get the too mushy. I like mine with just a bit of the crispness left to the cabbage. Cooking time will vary for everyone depending on how you like your cabbage (crisp or mushy).

Sugar Cookies and Icing

With the holidays coming up, it's time to think about all the yummy snacks that come with this time of year. One of my faves is iced sugar cookies. Here is a simple, but tasty recipe for sugar cookies and icing.

Sugar cookies:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mix until just combined. Add flour and baking powder in intervals. Dough will seem as if doesn't have enough moisture but continue to mix with mixer until combined (it will come together when chilled). Divide the dough into four equal parts, shape into four disks, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate about an hour or until firm. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper, about 1/4 inch thick for crispier cookies and 1/3 inch thick for softer cookies. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until edges just start to turn a golden color. For softer cookies, do not allow the cookies to take on color. Remove from oven, let cool for one minute and then transfer to wire rack. Allow cookie sheet to cool thoroughly before placing uncooked dough on it.

Cookie Icing

1 cup confectioner's sugar

2 teaspoons milk

2 teaspoons corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Stir sugar and milk together in a bowl until icing mixture is smooth; beat in corn syrup and vanilla until icing mixture is smooth and glossy in appearance. Add food coloring to desired shade. Ice cookie and set aside for the icing to harden.

Crockpot Chicken Supper

This is a really hardy dish that makes the most of flavor and fills you up. You can change they type of cheese to alter the flavor of this dish a bit if you like. Unlike a typical crockpot meal this is not a dish that you leave and let cook all day. Some of the steps require different cooking methods.

Ingredients:
3 slices bacon
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
10 oz. jar four cheese Alfredo sauce
4 oz. jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced Swiss cheese

Preparation:
In large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon and set aside in refrigerator.
In bacon drippings in skillet, cook chicken over medium heat 3-5 minutes or until light brown, turning once. Place in 4-6 quart slow cooker. Top with mushrooms. Pour alfredo sauce over mushrooms and chicken. Cover and cook on low setting for 4-5 hours, or until chicken registers 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
Top chicken with cheese slices and sprinkle with bacon. Cover and cook on high for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. 6 servings