Apple Pancakes

 
This is one of my best recepies of pancakes. They are so soft, moist and lightly sweet. You will feel apples in every bite. These apple pancakes are great to be served with sour cream, honey, syrop, condensed milk, or simply with a cup of milk.

Ingredients:

2 eggs
3 Tbsp sugar
4 - 5 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup buttermilk (you can always substitute it with whole milk, or sour cream mixed with water)
1 tsp baking powder
2 apples

Process:
1. Whisk together the following ingredients: eggs, sugar, buttermilk.
2. Stir in baking powder to the flour and add to the wet ingredients.
3. Peel apples. Grate apples. Add to the batter.

4. Add oil on nonstick pan over medium heat. Saute each pancake from each side until golden brown.

ENJOY!!!

Tres Leches Cake

Strawberry season!… I searched strawberry cake recepies, and came up with this such a beautiful cake on Natashaskitchen.com. This cake is so easy to make. It's moist and the frosting is so puffy-fluffy. Just loved it. My husband approved it and even asked for the additional piece. I shared a half of the cake with my parents. My mom said, "oh, tastes so good! Another good cake recepie that could be used for our parties."
I changed this recepie slightly by substituting Heavy Cream with Whipping Cream. I just wanted to decrease calories a little bit.

Ingredients for biskvit layers:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 whole eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided into 3/4 and 1/4 cups
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup 2% or whole milk

Syrop:
2/3 of a 12 oz can evaporated milk
2/3 of a 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup whipping cream

Frosting and Decor:
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 lb fresh strawberries

Process:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Prepare two 9" round cake pans. Make two parchment paper circles and put on the bottom of each pan. Spray sides of the pans with oil.
3. In the bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
4. On high spead, bit together egg yolks and sugar until yolks are pale yellow (approx 2 min). Stir in milk and vanilla extract.
5. Pour flour mixture over egg yolks mixture and mix on low spead until well combined.
6. In a separate bowl, mix egg whites for about one minute. Then add remaining sugar. Beat for another 1 minute. Make sure eggs are not dry.
7. Gently fold egg whites mixture with the other yolk/flour mixture. Separate equally between two pans. Bake for 30 minutes. Check with thectoothpick if it's ready. It's ready when the toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool to the room temperature.
9. Mix all syrop ingredients.
10. Using the fork, poke the top of the cake layers. Pour half of the syrop and let it absorb.
11. When you prepare frosting, for best results, put mixing bowl and whisk attachment into freezer for 15 minutes. (That's very good tip that Natashaskitchen.com shared). Make sure that your whipping cream is very cold.
12. Beat whipping cream and sugar for about 5 minutes until it thick and spreadable. Do not overbeat it.
13. Frost the top of your first layer, arrange cut strawberries. Place the next layer.
14. Pour syrop over the top layer and let it absorb for another 10 minutes.
15. Finish the top and the sides of the cake with frosting.
16. Decorate with strawberries. I really like how it was decorated at Natashaskitchen.com. So elegant and gorgeous.

ENJOY!!!

Cabbage Rolls baked in the oven (Golybtsi)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 large cabbage
2 carrots
1 large onion
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup of any rice
4.5 cups Campbell's Tomato Juice
1 cup Half and Half whiping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
You can also use any of your favorite seasoning (I prefer Vegeta)

Process:

1. Put a large cabbage into a freezer for 3 days.
2. After 3 days, take it out of the freezer and let it defrost at room temperature over night (I suggest not less then 12 hrs)
3. Cook 1/2 cup of rice with 1 cup of water. Salt to taste.
4. Chop onion and grate carrots.

5. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion and carrots with 1 Tbsp of oil until soft.
6. Mix ground beef, ground pork, cooked rice and sauted vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Peel and discard the top two leaves from the cabbage. Pull off the leaves from the cabbage.
Large leaves cut in half removing the tough steam portion. You will end up with two leaves.
                                     
Put some meat mixture on each leaf and roll it.

Arrange in a glass baking dish. I ended up having one large and one small baking dishes full of nicely rolled cabbage rolls.

6. Mix 4.5 cups of Campbell's Tomato Juice with 1 cup of Half and Half Whipping Cream. Salt to taste.

7. Pour over your cabbage rolls.

8. Preheat oven to 375 F.
9. Cover glass baking dish with Aluminium Foil.

10. Cook in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes until cabbage is soft.

ENJOY!!!

Fettuccine in Tomato-Creamy Sauce

My sister Natasha shared with me this wonderful easy recepie. I love recepies that are delicious and at the same time don't take much effort to make. 

 Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

1 medium Onion

4 cloves of Garlic

3 1/2 cups of Campbell's Tomato Juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

Pinch of sugar

1 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream

Fresh basil

16 oz Fettuccine

Parmesan cheese to taste

Process: 

1. Cook Fettuccine according to the package instructions adding 1 Tbsp of salt to the pot with water. Keep 1 cup of water after fettuccine is cooked. You'll need it later.

2. In a large skillet heat 2 Tbsp of Olive oil and 2 Tbsp of Unsalted  Butter. Chop onion and garlic cloves and saute over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes.

3. Add 3 1/2 cups of tomato juice,with parsley, dill, pomegranate seeds, olives, etc. salt and pepper to taste. Add a pinch of sugar. Cook on low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring from time to time.

4.  Remove from heat and add 1 cup of heavy whipping cream. Add Parmesan cheese to taste

5. Add finished sauce to the pot with fettuccine. Stir well. 

6. Add chopped fresh basil to taste.

ENJOY!!!

Keks with raisins

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp Sour Cream (or Buttermilk)
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 cup raisins
2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together 4 eggs and 1 1/2 cup of sugar.
3. Whisk in 2 Tbsp of Sour Cream, 1 cup of Mayonnaise, 1 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder until all are well blended.
4. Mix in 2 cups of flour until everything is well blended.
5. Finally fold in the raisins.
6. Spray your baking pan with oil.
7. Transfer the batter into your prepared baking pan.
8. Bake at 350 F for about 50-60 min.
9. Check the center with a wooden toothpick to see if it's baked through. It's done if the toothpick comes out clean.
10. Take out of the oven and let it cool to the room temperature.
11. Dust with the powder sugar.

ENJOY!!!

Mimoza Salad

This is a great salad for any party, and takes only few ingredients. In Russia, it became almost a tradition to see this kind of salad on any special occasion. If you enjoy smoky taste, you can always substitute Pink Salmon for Smoked Sprats. Using your creativity, you can decorate this salad with parsley, dill, pomegranate seeds, olives, etc. 

Ingredients:o

3 potatoes

6-7 eggs

15 oz canned Pink Salmon (you can use Smoked Sprats, it will add that nice smoking taste if you like it)

1/3 onion

Mayonnaise

3-4 carrots (optional)

Can of Large Olives for decoration

Process:

1. In a pot, boil whole potatoes and carrots until smooth when pierced with a knife. Don't overcook. Let those cool to the room temp.

2. In a separate pot of salted cold water, place 6-7 eggs and bring them to boil. Let the eggs boil for 15 minutes. Cool to the room temperature. Peel the eggs. 

3. Shred the potato evenly to the bottom of a large dish. 

4. Spread Mayonnaise evenly over the potato layer.

5. Sprinkle chopped onion. 

6. If you chose to do Salad with carrots, shred them evenly over the top layer.

6. Open the can with Salmon, and break evenly over the onion (or carrots).

7. Separate whites and yolks. Shred whites first, and spread them over the Salmon layer. Spread this layer with the Mayo.

8. Shred yolks using the small holes on the cheese grater and sprinkle over the top layer. 

9. Cut canned Large Olives onto small circles, and decorate the way you want. 

For best results, put the salad in the refrigerator  for 1 hr before serving 

ENJOY!!!

Baked Cheesy Potato with Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

This is very cheesy and delicious baked potato. Plus it's easy to make, and doesn't take much effort. All you do is prep all ingredients, combine them in a glass baking dish and put in the oven for about 50-60 min. The right recepie for busy mamas. 
I use this recepie if I have unexpected guests at our house. I always have these ingredients at home (by the way, it's ok to cook it without broccoli if you don't have it). I end up receiving compliments. Try this :)

Ingredients:
9-10 potatoes
1 chicken breast
1 medium broccoli
1 onion
3 Tbsp butter
1Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp Vegeta seasoning
1Tbsp Dash Seasoning (no salt)
1  Tbsp salt
2 cups any kind of cheese you like

Process:
1. Peel off potatoes (keep peeled potatoes in water so it won't get dark)
2. Cut chicken breast into small pieces
3. Heat a large non-stick pan over a medium heat with 1 Tbsp of oil. Saute chicken for about 3-4 min.

4. Chop onion, add to the pan with chicken. Saute for another 3-4 min.

5. Cut broccoli into small florets. Add to the pan with chicken and onion. Saute for another 3 min.

6. Add 1 Tbsp Vegeta Seasoning to the pan with chicken and vegetables.

7. Cut potatoes into thin pieces so it will cook faster. Place potatoes right into the large glass baking dish.

8. Add 1 Tbsp Vegeta Seasoning, 1 Tbsp Dash (no-salt) Seasoning, 1 Tbsp Salt. Mix.

 9. Preheat oven to 375 F.
10. Add chicken and vegetables to the potatoes. Combine everything together. Slice 3 Tbsp of butter on the top.

11. Cover baking dish with a Wrap Aluminium Foil. Put into the oven for about 50-60 min or until it done. You can check if it's done by piercing potato with a fork.

13. Shred 2 cups of Cheese

14. If potatoes is easily piercing, turn off the oven and sprinkle cheese over the top. Cover with Foil, and let it stay in the oven for about 4-5 min until cheese is melted.

ENJOY!!!

"Sunshine" Vitamin

"I'd suggest buying some Vitamin D for your kid," says my baby's pediatrician on my regular baby check up. "Is something wrong with my child?" I started to worry. "No, don't worry. The problem is kids don't get enough Vitamin D through the sun in the US North West area, so it needs to be supplemented…"
This made me think to do a research about this essential for our living Vitamin. Why is Vitamin D so important? And what are the natural ways of getting it? Let's talk about this now.
Vitamin D plays such an important role in building our healthy bones and teeth as it helps to absorb calcium.  And it's not just about the bones. It keeps up the immune system. If you will have healthy immune system, your body will fight off many infections.
Now guess what is the main natural source of Vitamin D? It's a sun shine :) The more you are out with your child, the better chance to get in some Vitamin D. However, the body is not able to produce it when the skin is covered with the clothing or sunscreen lotion.  Even though it still not enough of sun exposure for the body to make all needed amount of Vitamin D, it is a great and natural way to get it.
I found a great article on this web site BabyCenter. It talks about Vitamin D in the child's diet. There is some interesting information that I wanted to share from it.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants, children, and teens take Vitamin D supplements of 400 IU each day. Kids who are too young for chewable vitamins can take liquid supplements.
Some of the best food sources of Vitamin D:

• 1 ounce salmon: 102 IU
• 6 ounces fortified yogurt: 80 IU
• 1 ounce canned tuna, drained and packed in oil: 66 IU
• 1/2 cup orange juce, fortified with 25% daily value for vitamin D: 50 IU
• 1/2 cup fortified milk (whole, low-fat, or skim): 49 IU
• one slice fortified American cheese: 40 IU
• 1/2 cup fortified, ready-to-eat cereal: 19 IU
• 1 ounce mackerel: 11.6 IU
• 1/2 large egg yolk: 10IU
• 1/2 teaspoon fortified margarine: 10 IU
• 1/2 ounce Swiss cheese: 6 IU

The other interesting fact is that getting more Vitamin D than recommended by health experts might be harmful, because excess of Vitamin D is not going out with urine as some other vitamins. Vitamin D is stored in the body tissue. So to be safe, stick to the recommended amount of 400 IU; and get to enjoy every single sunny day to fulfill  your child's Vitamin D needs. There is nothing as much enjoyable than to see your children happy and full of energy. 

Russian Borsch with Beans

This kind of Borsch is our favorite in my family. My husband and my 3 year old son just love it. The good thing is that I can always adjust ingredients and it will always taste so special each time. 
I do it usually with chicken broth, but it tastes slightly differently with with beef broth. Also you can always skip the beans if you are not a favor of it. I do love them, and add them each time I cook Borsch. Adjust potato and cabbage depending on your preferences. I prefer cabbage, that's why I only use 3 medium potatos for 6 quarts pot. Basically adjusting a little bit ingredients according to your taste, will create a new special Borsch. The only thing Borsch cannot exist without beets and tomato pasta. But again you can always manipulate the amounts of it. Would you ever want more sweet taste - put more beets. If you prefer a little sourish - use more tomato paste.

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken tights for cooking broth
3 potatoes
2 medium carrots
1 medium onion
2 medium beets
6 oz tomato paste
 Can of Kidney Beans (that's the ones that I prefer but you can use any kind)
1 Tbsp of Vegeta Seasoning (oh that's my favourite seasoning)
2 Tbsp of parsley or dill
 Salt
2 Tbsp of any oil (canola, vegetable, etc.)
1 small cabbage

Process:

1. Cook chicken tights in 6 quarts of water and 2 Tbsp of salt for 40 mins after the water boiled.

2. While the broth is cooking, peel vegetables. Slice potatoes (leave it in a water so it won't get dark), chop cabbage.

3. Saute diced onions, carrots and beets in 2 Tbsp of oil.

4. Mix 1 cup of hot water with 6 oz of tomato paste. Add it to the sauteed vegetables. Saute additional 1-2 mins.

5. When the broth is ready, add sliced potatoes to it.
6. Boil 3 mins, then add chopped cabbage to it.
7. After adding cabbage, add sauteed vegetables with tomato paste.

8. Add 1 Tbsp of Vegeta Seasoning. (it adds special wonderful taste to any soup) And taste if it needs any more salt.

9. Check if the the potato is ready. It's ready when it easily can be pierced with the fork.
10. Add can of Kidney beans (you can either drain it or add with the liquid).
11. At the end add 2 Tbsp of chopped parsley or dill.

ENJOY!!!