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Spinach and Arugula Salad

January 30, 2013 · by · Leave a Comment
Spinach and Arugula Salad
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I love dark green leafy salads because, they are healthy,light,and so delicious.
This salad is really easy and fast to make. Chopped or teared  spinach and arugula,halved grape tomatoes,sliced fennel tossed with balsamic vinaigrette and topped with feta cheese, caramelized walnuts or pecans, and fried crispy onion pieces.Yum… that just makes me hungry!

Ingredients:
Caramelized walnuts or pecans-
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts/pecans
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Direction:
Add brown sugar,maple syrup and butter to the skillet.
And cook on medium heat until sugar dissolves and bubbly.
Throw in the nuts and stir to coat.
continue cooking for 5-7 minutes then transfer to foil,wax or parchment paper.
Let cool completely.

Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing –
3 tablespoons good quality Balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup good quality olive oil (you can add more if needed)
1/2 teaspoon honey or sugar
salt(dash or two)
fresh ground pepper

Directions-
Whisk vinegars with honey,salt and pepper.
Slowly add olive oil.
Whisk until well blended.

Salad-
6-7 ozs.spinach or baby spinach
6-7 ozs. arugula or baby arugula
1 cup grape tomatoes halved
1 medium size fennel halved and sliced
Feta or blue cheese
Caramelized walnuts/pecans
fried onion pieces

Combine spinach,arugula,fennel, and tomatoes with balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
Sprinkle some feta or blue cheese,fried onions,and nuts.

Filed Under: dressings, easy recipes, healthy, lunch, Salad, simple recipes, vegetarian ·

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

January 17, 2013 · by · 2 Comments
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What can be more satisfying on a cold winter day then a comforting creamy bowl of soup.
This soup is very delicious and calorific at the same time. One of my families favorite soups. I like to add kale to this soup, a little something nutritious,but its totally optional.For vegetarians you can substitute chicken broth for vegetable broth and omit bacon.
Ingredients:
7 potatoes or 3-4 baking potatoes (baked,peeled and cubed)
3 apple wood smoked bacon
1/2 onion chopped
1 carrot peeled,and cut into rounds
1 celery stalk chopped
7 cups chicken broth( for homemade recipe below)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 sour cream
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
4-5 green onions sliced plus more for garnish
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
salt & pepperOther optional ingredients:
Hot sauce
Chopped kale, broccoli(steamed), or cauliflower (steamed.

For garnish:
sliced green onions
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
bacon
crispy potato skins

Chicken broth:
Fill a big cooking pot with water.Bring water to a boil.Rinse the chicken and place it in the boiling water.Add onion,carrots,bay leaves and about 1 tablespoon of salt (I use Himalayan pink salt, you might need more or less with other types).
Bring it to boil again and reduce to low. Cover with lid but not all the way.Let it cook for about 2 hours.Check for salt and add more if needed.

Directions:
In a dutch oven or other pot,heat oil and butter on medium heat.
Add onions and garlic.Saute onions for 4-5 minutes and add carrots and celery.
while that’s cooking….

In a frying pan, cook bacon until brown and crisp.
Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towel.
Crumble the bacon into pieces.

Add flour to the pot with vegetables and stir well.
Gradually,add broth by drips at first and stir until smooth.
Take a little amount of broth (about 1/2 cup) from the pot and carefully add to sour cream.
Throw in the potatoes,bacon and green onions.
Add cream.
Cook for about 8-10 minutes.
Carefully add sour cream and cheese.
Season with salt and pepper as needed.
Throw in any other optional ingredients listed above and remove from heat.
Serve in a soup bowl with optional ingredients listed above.

Print
Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

  • 7 potatoes or 3-4 baking potatoes (baked,peeled and cubed)
  • 3 apple wood smoked bacon
  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 1 carrot peeled,and cut into rounds
  • 1 celery stalk chopped
  • 7 cups chicken broth( for homemade recipe below)
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2/3 sour cream
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoon flour
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 4-5 green onions sliced plus more for garnish
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • salt & pepper
  • Other optional ingredients:
  • Hot sauce
  • Chopped kale, broccoli(steamed), or cauliflower (steamed.
  • For garnish:
  • sliced green onions
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • sour cream
  • bacon
  • crispy potato skins
  • Chicken broth:
  • Fill a big cooking pot with water.Bring water to a boil.Rinse the chicken and place it in the boiling water.Add onion,carrots,bay leaves and about 1 tablespoon of salt (I use Himalayan pink salt, you might need more or less with other types).
  • Bring it to boil again and reduce to low. Cover with lid but not all the way.Let it cook for about 2 hours.Check for salt and add more if needed.

Instructions

  1. In a dutch oven or other pot,heat oil and butter on medium heat.
  2. Add onions and garlic.Saute onions for 4-5 minutes and add carrots and celery.
  3. while that's cooking....
  4. In a frying pan, cook bacon until brown and crisp.
  5. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towel.
  6. Crumble the bacon into pieces.
  7. Add flour to the pot with vegetables and stir well.
  8. Gradually,add broth by drips at first and stir until smooth.
  9. Take a little amount of broth (about 1/2 cup) from the pot and carefully add to sour cream.
  10. Throw in the potatoes,bacon and green onions.
  11. Add cream.
  12. Cook for about 8-10 minutes.
  13. Carefully add sour cream and cheese.
  14. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
  15. Throw in any other optional ingredients listed above and remove from heat.
  16. Serve in a soup bowl with optional ingredients listed above.
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Filed Under: Dinner, easy recipes, lunch, simple, simple recipes, Soup, vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Prune Cake “Chernosliv”-Торт Чернослив

January 8, 2013 · by · 8 Comments
Prune Cake "Chernosliv"-Торт Чернослив
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Prune Cake "Chernosliv"-Торт Чернослив

This cake is one of the Russian classics.Slightly spongy cake layers are soaked in a sweet syrup,then the layers are spread with delicious sweet buttery sour cream and prune cream filling with a little crunch from walnuts.Then the top and sides of the cake are topped with a light and creamy whipped cream and sour cream topping.I added shredded chocolate to the sides and made a chocolate grid from melted truffles and mini meringues drops from left over egg whites.

Ingredients:
Batter-
1 stick butter (118 grams)room temperature.
4 egg yolks(reserve egg whites for meringues)
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
11/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
+ 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Cream-
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 stick butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup crushed walnuts
225 grams(8 oz.) prunes soaked in boiling water and drained.

Topping:
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Syrup:
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy(optional)

Directions:
Total of 3 sheets (2 white and 1 chocolate)
Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Line bottom of  2 (9 inch round) spring foam pans with parchment paper.
Spray with non stick cooking spray or use oil.
In a mixing bowl using stand or hand mixer beat together butter and sugar.
When the butter becomes light and fluffy and egg yolks one at a time.
Add salt.
Combine sour cream with baking soda and vanilla and add to the bowl.
Gradually add flour.

The batter should be thick.
Spread the batter in the 2 baking pans.(reserve some batter for the third  cake)
Bake 2 cakes for about 15 minutes.
Add cocoa powder to the rest of the left over batter and mix well to combine.
Bake it when the other two cakes are done.
Let it cool.

Now you can bake the meringue drops.
Whip egg whites with 1 cup sugar until stiff peeks form.
Bake at 250 degrees for about 1 1/2.

Syrup:
Boil water with sugar.Add cognac or brandy(optional). Let it cool.

Cream:
Crush walnuts and prunes using a blender.
Beat together butter and sugar.
Add walnuts,prunes,sour cream, and vanilla to whipped butter with sugar.

Cream Topping:
Beat heavy whipping cream,sour cream,vanilla and powdered sugar together.

Assembling:
Spray or pour syrup using a spoon on the first white layer.

Spread a generous amount of prune cream filling.
Place chocolate layer on top .
Spray or pour syrup.
Spread prune cream filling.
Place white layer on top.
Spray or pour syrup.

Spread the rest of the prune cream filling on the sides of the cake.
Spread whipped cream and sour cream topping on the sides and top of the cake.
Decorate as desired.
I used shredded chocolate on the sides,melted truffles for the grid, and meringue drops for the top edges.

 

Filed Under: baking, Cakes, Christmas, Dessert, gourmet, holiday, russian, russian food, tea time · Tagged: , , , ,

Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce

January 6, 2013 · by · Leave a Comment
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Ingredients:
3-4 Wild Salmon fillets
salt & pepper

Sauce:
1 shallot minced
1/3 cup white wine
2 tbsp.Neufchatel cheese ( or cream cheese)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
zest of 1 lemon
4 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. fresh chopped dill
salt to taste.

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Place fillet on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and fresh cracked pepper.Bake for approx. 15-17 minutes.

Sauce:
On medium heat melt 1 tablespoon butter and add shallots.Saute shallots until caramelized.
Add wine.Let it evaporate and add cream cheese and heavy cream.Using a wooden spoon, stir carefully as cream cheese melts and the sauce is thickens.
Add dill and a little salt.
Turn off the heat and stir/whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time.

Arrange 1 fillet on a serving plate and pour sauce over fish. Serve with your favorite rice.

Filed Under: healthy, lunch, Main course, salmon, seafood, simple recipes ·