Potatoes and Mushrooms

Fried Potatoes and Mushrooms is one of the favorite Russian dishes. It is customary to pick up fresh mushrooms in the forest and bring them home to fry. Unheard of in the US tradition is very much alive in Russia. Fresh mushrooms always smell foresty. Clean them well.
You can take

•  4 Potatoes,
• 1 Medium Onion,
• 1/2 Lb of Mushrooms.

Cut potatoes

Cut mushrooms

Add Onions

Cut all the ingredients into small cubes and using 3 spoons of Olive Oil cook them in the frying pan until Potatoes are soft. Bon Apetit!

White Russian- My favorite drink

I would like to talk about White Russian. It is very easy to make.
For 2 people take:

• 4Oz Vodka
• 2 Oz Coffee Liquer
• A splash of Light Cream

It is a perfect drink with sweetness for your sweet tooth and it is just bitter enough to be "bittersweet". I love it .Enjoy!!!

Russian Apple Pie-Sharlotka

Today, we will make "Sharlotka". It is a very easy recipe. Preparation time is mere 10 minutes.
You''ll need:
4 Eggs
1 Cup of Sugar
1 Cup of Flour
2 Apples
1Tbs of Butter

Cut Apples into small pieces. Put on the bottom of the baking form that you covered with small amount of butter. In a separate container beat the Eggs. Now slowly add Sugar and keep beating the Eggs using the mixer. Now add Flour. Then, pour the dough over the Apples. Preheat oven to 355F. Keep in the oven for 15 minutes.Warning:  Do not open the oven too much or it will not rise. Check with a wooden poke to see if the pie is ready. Bon Appetit!

Mushed Potatoes: Ukranian Style

I'm going to share with you today, my dear readers, how to prepare Mushed Potatoes like my grandmothers used to make in Ukraine.
You will need:
5 Medium Potatoes
1 Medium Onion
5 Tbs of Olive Oil

Simmer Onion like that

Mixing the Onion into Potatoes

Creamy yet Light Mushed Potaotes

 Take  Potatoes and peel them. Now put them in a medium pot and add water to cover the potatoes. Boil the Potatoes and add Salt to taste. Separately take 1 Onion. Slice it and let it simmer in the Oil until the Onion becomes golden. Take Potatoes. Mush it well, add Pepper and now add Olive Oil and Onion that have been simmering together. Mix it very well and voila less fattening version of Mushed Potatoes.

Grilled Salmon with Sweet Peas

Today, I had Grilled Salmon. For this you need to go to your local grocery store and ask for a Salmon Steak. Wash it. Put it on the grill. Salt and Pepper to your taste. After 15 minutes (depending on the size of the steak you might increase/decrease this time) and voila --great meal. I added Sweet Peas to my plate. Delicious. Bon Appetit!

My radio debut

View from my seat at the radio station

I just got back from my radio debut  and  I would like to thank Olga Cheryakova for inviting me to be a guest on her show. It was a very exciting opportunity for me to talk about keeping Russian traditions alive here in US. Her show is broadcasted in Bay Area and across the globe. It was a great opportunity to see a behind the scene's action of live broadcast.

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Dear readers, today I have no recipes for you since after work  I walked 3.5 miles to benefit Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. My daughter's school had a fundraiser and dedicated this run/walk to their classmate Misha who is fighting Leukemia right now. Please give generously to this worthy cause.
Their website: http://www.lls.org/

I'm going to be on the radio tomorrow!

Dear readers, catch me tomorrow June 16th, 2012 on a  local radio station talking about Russian cooking.I was asked to talk about Borsch in particular. 
They have a website:www.u923FM.com
 It will be live at 6pm. Pacific Time.

Olivie Salad

Traditionally, Russian people eat Salad Olivie for national holidays and whenever they entertain a company. For this salad you will need:

• 4 Large Potatoes
• 6 Eggs
• 1/2 Lb of Bologna

• Several pickles

• 1 Can of Peas
• 1 Small Can of Light Mayo
• 3 Carrots

Peel off Carrots. Cook Potatoes with skin with Eggs and Carrots in one large pan. Turn off the heat when Potatoes become soft. Cool Potatoes, Carrots and Eggs.  Take off the peel from potatoes.  On a board or a special slicer slice Potatoes, Eggs, Bologna, Pickles and Carrots. Mix the ingredients with Peas and add Mayo. Add pickles , mix salad and taste. Stop adding pickles when you reach the taste that is most pleasing to your taste buds.  Salt  and use pepper to taste.

P.S. While making this salad it is important to have all of the ingredients. Note: If you are doing a blog like this it is important to actually get peas and add them to the salad. Oh well. Next time...

Slice potatoes

Add sliced carrots

Add Eggs

Well I forgot the peas ...

Compote

Compote is a type of punch. Russian Style. You can make Compote utilizing whatever fruit you have at home. I like to take fresh fruit of good quality. It doesn't have to be of fine food quality but do not try to make your Compote out of fruit that has gone bad. Boiling it will not bring it back to life.
Take:

• 4 Pears
• 2 Apples
• 1Lbs Strawberry
• 4Tbs of Sugar 

Cut fruit into small pieces. Boil water in a large pan add Sugar. Let it boil for 2 minutes.  Add fruit to water and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Second Variation:
You might want to add Sugar after adding Fruit in order to determine what degree of sweetness you want to achieve. Stop adding Sugar when you feel Compote is sweet enough.

Fresh Fruit

Cut like this

Cut Pears and Apples like this

Chill and drink cold.

Compote-Soviet Union Style (tastes just like from Stolovaia)

Today I will do Compote Russian "kulinaria" style. If you ever wish you could return more simple days this drink will definitely take you back. Compote as a drink originated in Eastern Europe in 1300s. In Western Europe Compote is a desert made with whole fruit and syrup. In Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova Compote is a drink made of fruit and sugar. It is sometimes spiced up with Cinnamon, Nutmeg and other spices. If you want to recreate Compote Soviet Union style like I will attempt tonight you'll need several different fruit like apples, pears, strawberries and raisins as well as sugar and a large pan. More to come in the evening Pacific Time.

Chicken Cutlets-very light

Good quality ground chicken will lead to good results

Beat the egg

Fry on each side at first on high temperature

Not too hot to look at but pretty tasty

Ready to eat

This is my favorite healthy recipe. Cutlets are easy to make and they are very light. My daughter  asked me whether they were vegetarian after she tried one. Low-fat? Low calorie?  You bet ya! For this recipe you''ll need:

• 1Lb Ground Chicken
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Cup of Breadcrumbs
• 4 Slices of White Bread
• 1/2 Fat Free Milk
• Salt, Pepper
• 2Tbs Olive Oil

Take Ground Chicken and beat 1 egg into the meat. Mix it well. In a separate container tear White Bread and add Milk. Let stand for few minutes. Pour out extra milk and squeeze the Bread so it is moist but not dripping with Milk. Add Bread to the meat mixture. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. In a separate container beat 2nd Egg pretty well. Form the Cutlets using the palms of your hands ( you have to be pretty dextrous for that. My cutlets don't look too perfect) Next, dip each Cutlet into the eggs and then into the Breadcrumbs. Finally, repeat this step: dip Cutlets into the egg and then into the Breadcrumbs. Preheat frying pan on high temperature. Fry the Cutlets using high temperature but for a short time like 3-4 minutes on each side, then add 1 cup of water to the frying pan and let simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

Men in Black 3

We went to see Men in Black 3. Agents J and K are fighting intergalactic evil forces yet again. The villain in this sequel is quite unconventional. I thought it was a good movie, yet it did not have the humor of the original. One thumb up for me! Will Smith is a real hero in this one and we learn how the two agents originally met.
For show times around Bay Area click here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/movies/listings/detail?mid=MV003695340000

Happy Monday, My Dear Readers!

I want to wish a Very Happy Monday to all of my Readers! Have a Very Nice Day at Work. Later on I will be sharing my secrets of how to make your day more productive and less stressful at work. For now: Take it easy and your day at work will fly by fast!

I welcome your recipes!

Do you have a favorite recipe? Share it here with others!

To My Precious Readers

Dear Readers, I know from statistics that you are out there. Please I urge you to leave comments. I'm interested in what you have to say. Let's start our conversation!

 My inspiration for this blog comes from Julie Powell's story. Remember the movie "Julie and Julia" I watched that one too many times and here I go with my own blog and culinary creations.
 Outlook for Success--Wonderful!!!


http://juliepowell.blogspot.com/

Russian Apple Pie- Rulet

Let the dough rise in the oven

This dough has 3 bricks. You'll need 2 to make 2 Rulets

Peel the Apples

Slice like that

Form the Rulet by rolling the sheet like that

2 Rulets are Ready

Today, I will show you how you can make Russian Apple Pie easily and fast. Preparation time is 10 minutes and cooking time is 30 minutes and here you go you have a very tasty and light desert.

I prepare it with the dough I get from my local grocery store. At some point I'll show you how to make it from scratch, but in today's busy times it is really nice when you can whip up a delicious desert in minutes instead of slaving in the kitchen for hours like in the olden times.
For this recipe you'll need:

• 1 pack of Ready Dough
• 4 Apples of a sweet variety
• 1/2 cup of Sugar
• Cinnamon if you are so inclined. 
• Some flour
• 1 Tbs Butter or few sprays of Pam

Caution: Traditional Russian recipe does not include Cinnamon.

Take two rolls of the dough and place it in the warm place like inside the oven. (Put extra dough back in the freezer for later use). Let stand for few hours. When the dough has risen, kneed it well with Some flour. Roll the dough into the sheet of 1/2 of inch thickness.
Slice the apples into small cubes. Place the apples on the dough sheet and roll the Rulet like it is shown on the picture. Place Rulet on the baking sheet that you cover with a little bit of butter or Pam.
Preheat the oven to 375F. Bake this desert for 30 minutes.
This desert is low fat and is very enjoyable with hot Russian tea prepared with a little bit of sugar or honey and a slice of lemon. You can also enjoy it  Mode with some of your favorite Ice Cream. Enjoy!

My Advantures with Kettlebells

Lately my boyfriend has been encouraging me to pick up weightlifting. He feels very strongly about kettlebells' ability to strengthen all the muscles in your body as opposed to free weights that work only on certain muscles. Anyway, I have been working out somewhat steadily with a 15lbs kettlebell and a 26lbs kettelebell.  I have not lost much weight but it seems I gained some muscles as I became much stronger and can do Julian Michaels kettlebell workout more easily then before. Kettlebells come from Russia and they are a representation  of the oldest way men work outed since forever. Stay tuned for more info on kettelebells...

Lighter More Healthy Borsch

This recipe will let you enjoy your Borsch knowing that all the ingredients are fat free. Surprisingly, it reminds me   of traditional Borsch without sacrificing the taste. It is truly a  lighter, easier version of the famous dish. Preparation and cooking time is around 1 hour. For people on the go this recipe is quite doable. Soups that are prepared without meat are called "Postnie" in Russia. Such soups are becoming  ever so popular with younger generation that is trying to  stay healthy  and eat low fat, low calorie foods.
For this recipe you'll need:

• 2 Beets
• 1 Onion
• 3 Carrots
• 1 Small head of Cabbage
• 2 Medium Potatoes
• 3 Sticks of Celery
• 2 Tbs of Olive Oil
• 2 Cups of Fat free, Sodium Free Chicken Broth (you can buy it at your local grocery store)
• 2 Tbs of Thick Balsamic Vinegar

Locally Grown Vegetables. What Colors!!!

I cut Carrots like that. Very tasty to eat this way!

Carrots and Onion and Only 2 Tbs of Oil for the whole dish.

I add Cabbage at the end. California Cabbage is very fresh and doesn't need to be boiled long.

Borsch -The Healthy Way

Place Beets into a medium pot and boil, then reduce heat and let them simmer for 30 minutes or until they become quite soft so that you can cut them later. Cut Potatoes into small cubes, take large pan and fill it with cold water almost 3/4 full. Place Potatoes into this pot, let them boil, then reduce heat. Once Beets are soft, take them off heat and let stand to cool. Once they are cool, slice them into thin pieces. Place them in the pot with Potatoes and keep the heat on medium. Add 2 cups of Chicken Broth to the pot. Boil the soup , add salt at this point. Slice Celery and add to the pot. Reduce to medium heat.Pour Olive Oil onto the frying pan. In the frying pan mix minced Onion and Carrots cut into little circles like shown in the picture. After Onion becomes golden , pour that mixture into the large pan. Add Vinegar. Stir. Next slice the Cabbage thinly and add it to the pot. Keep the heat on for 5 additional minutes and your Borsch is ready to eat.
P.S. You might want to hold the Sour Cream if you are trying to have a healthy meal. Bon Appetite!

Borsch: Healthier Version

Today, I will attempt to bring you another idea for Borsch which is more healthier alternative to the one I introduced in my first post. It is a popular trend in Bay Area to prepare this old recipe with a new twist. To prepare this dish you will need to get the freshest vegetables from your local grocery store or Farmers Market. When shopping for that recipe I feel very good about myself when I look in my basket. I'm picking locally grown and whenever possible organic vegetables and everything in my grocery basket is full of sun energy and good for my family. I need to  make sure I have 3 beets, a small head of cabbage, 2 medium young potatoes,1 onion, and a couple of celery sticks as well as 2 carrots. Stay tuned for the photos and explanation how to prepare that sunny delightful dish.

Vodka and Other Russian Drinks

Do Russian people drink Vodka? You bet they do. Do Russian people invented Vodka? This question is open for heated debates. Some people think that Vodka originated in 9th Century Poland, yet other people believe that Russians came up with this invigorating drink. It is  a traditional drink of Russia and when people learn that I came from Russia they often ask me, "Do you like Vodka?"  I'm often finding myself explaining to others that not all Russian people like Vodka; however, I don't dislike it. I will drink Vodka if I'm pushed enough by the host. Unlike American hosts, Russians often will insist on you drinking whatever they have to offer. Some would not take "No" for an answer. It is traditional that during festivities of any kind there is alcohol at the table. It is not necessarily Vodka, it can be Georgian or Armenian or Moldavian wine, Armenian Cognac (brandy) or a homemade wine or "Nalivka". I will talk about "Nalivka" in my next section on drinks. I'm thinking on having Friday night dedicated to drinks. Pardon the pun.:) Stay tuned to learn more about Russian drinks. As we say in Russia "Za Vashe Sdorovie!!!" or "To Your Health". Well, sometimes people would say, "Nu Poexali", which loosely translates to "Let's Drink":) Or "Vsdrognem "which loses everything in translation so let's not attempt that. Well, Do you like Vodka?
Will you drink it
a) willingly
b) only if pressed by hosts
 c) under no circumstances will I drink Vodka.

Ingredients Substitutions

My paternal grandmother was known for her great culinary skills. So some of her neighbors had asked her for her most famous recipes. But after they tried to recreate them they could not get the same scrumptious results. They came to my grandma."Did you use the ingredients I listed?" my grandma asked and it turned out they substitute Mayo for Sour Cream, Milk for Kefir and so forth. Important lesson from that story is that if you want to recreate a recipe you are interested in --Do not substitute. Otherwise the taste might suffer and you might end up with completely different dish that  the one you have envisioned.

My Grandmothers-Best Cooks in the World

I grew up on Russian Food and even though I emigrated to USA 16 years ago and since then was able to learn a lot about many many different types of international cuisines, I have a special place in my heart for Russian Food and Food from Former Soviet Republics. For Russian people food is not only nourishment but also very much a social glue that have people come around the table and enjoy each others company. I'm dedicating this blog to my late Grandmothers who were the best cooks in the World. Their cooking  creations were influenced by Ukrainian, Jewish and Russian  traditions.

Interesting Blog that I've found

I was surfing the Internet and came upon a very lovely blog about Russian food which I think you guys might enjoy. Please feel free to leave any comments for me as I'm very interested in what you guys are thinking about my blog and whether or not you have tried my recepies.
Check out  Elina's blog here: http://www.russianbites.com/

Grenki (Гренки) and the Importance of Flowers

Today, I would like to bring to your attention one of my favorite dishes-- Grenki. Grenki traditionally are eaten in the morning. The history of their appearance is ancient. In the olden times people used to take stale bread and try to liven it up a bit. Grenki can be sweet or savory. I'm partial to savory; although, sweet Grenki is a great treat for breakfast or whenever. I shall say more about "whenever". If you are just staring to familiarize yourself with Russian traditions you will be surprised to learn that Russian people and people form some other Former Soviet Republics do not always keep order in which they eat their food. Some Russian people eat soup upon awakening,  yet some other Russian people would eat a sweet treat and later would  follow it up with a pickle. Everything goes as long as it pleases your palate. Many variations of Grenki exist. I will show you somewhat unusual version that doesn't require eggs. Traditionally Grenki are prepared with bread,eggs, and milk. Some cooks use different syrups, fruit, sour cream, whipped cream. My recipe is savory and can be consumed at any point during the day. I recommend it for breakfast as a main dish and for other times of day as an appetizer.

Turn them over like this

You'll need for 2 people:
White bread-4 pieces
Cheese --4 slices
1 Large tomato
2Tbs Olive Oil
Salt, pepper

Slice tomato thinly

Cover with cheese

Slice bread thinly. Warm up the frying pan. Pour Olive Oil. Fry bread on medium heat. Turn over, decrease the heat to very low point. Place sliced tomato on top of the bread pieces. Add salt and pepper (just a little bit). Place cheese slices on top of tomato and keep the heat very low. Grenki are ready when you see the  cheese melt to your liking. I purposely did not post the picture of this  dish as different people prefer different level of melted cheese. It is up to you how much to let the cheese melt, just please watch for the  lower part of the bread not to burn. That should not happen if you keep your heat low. Enjoy!!!

I can't say enough about importance of using  flowers at your table. They make every meal much more appetizing and bring joy to otherwise everyday dishes. Especially in the summer try to get some locally grown flowers for  your table. To save money Farmers markets are famous for low prices for really simple flowers. They don't have to be fancy, sometimes you can find something for $3 and you'll see what a difference it will make for the whole atmosphere of your house. Ta-ta for now!!!

Sauteed Cabbage (Tушёная Капуста) and Georgian Cuisine

In Georgia people add more species to this dish as well as tomatoes so the dish is of somewhat different color- more brownish. There is another Georgian dish that resembles this but the cooks add nuts and garlic. What difference this makes. You would not believe that Vegetable Saccivi is a different variation of Sauteed Cabbage. The difference is as huge as a difference between Russian and Georgian cuisines.

More on Borsch

 This picture illustrates Russian version of this unique soup. Depending on the region of Former Soviet Union Borsch differs in number of ingredients used. In some areas cooks put beans in Borsch. Use of garlic greatly differs with geographical location of the kitchens. More Northern regions use less salt, less pepper, less garlic. In the South you'll find more flavorful compositions. Ukraine is known for very bold tasting Borsch, while people in Saint-Petersburg, Russia enjoy more bland variety with less vegetables.

Russian Cooking and Borsch recipe

Russian Cooking is as complicated as Borsch. Very. Some people think Borsch is a Ukrainian dish. Well, every Ukrainian person you'll meet will attest to that. On the other hand,  Russian people proudly serve Borsch in many establishments in Russia as well as US and other countries . It will bring you fame  among your friends and relatives if you prepare it well.

 Stay tuned for my variation of Borsch. I hope you'll enjoy it!!!
I take :
4 medium beets
1 red pepper
2 potatoes
3 medium tomatoes
1 medium onion
1/2 cabbage
1lbs of pork ribs
2 Carrots
2-3 Tbs of Olive Oil
1-2 Tbs Vinegar
Garlic
Take a large pan. Fill it with water and add ribs cut into smallish pieces. Add sliced cubes of potatoes. Bring to boil. Then decrease heat to medium. Remember to take off the brown substance that comes up when you boil meat. Meanwhile.  In the frying pan add olive oil and sliced cubes of red pepper. When pepper is sauteed add it to the large pan.Then, slice beets thinly and saute them in the frying pan. Then, add the beets to Borsch. What a great color we have now!!! Next, saute sliced tomatoes until they become more or less a homogeneous mass. Add them to the big pan and stir. In the frying pan saute onion and then add it to the big pan. Next, in the frying pan saute carrots sliced in little circles. Finally, add them to the big pan. At the end, cut cabbage thinly, add it to the large pan. Add Vinegar, stir.  After 5 minutes turn the heat off. It is important for the cabbage to be in the Borsh only for a short period of time then it will be more tasteful. Salt to taste. You might want to add minced garlic at the end or some people only add garlic to individual plates depending on each person's preference. Goes well with Sour Cream. Good Appetite!!!