Ingredients:

-1 slices whole wheat or whole rye bread ( I use  Fitness bread) cut in half
-basil pesto spread
-mixed greens,arugula,spinach,or lettuce (your choice)
-slice of Havarti,Gouda,or Swiss cheese
-sliced avocado
-1-2 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
-Sliced tomato
- slice of grilled or fried eggplant
-salt & pepper
-balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Spread basil pesto spread on the both pieces of bread.
Layer sandwich in this order:
-lettuce or greens
-cheese
-mozzarella cheese
-balsamic vinegar
-eggplant
-tomatoes
-avocado
-salt & pepper
- other half of bread

This is a colorful and healthy bowl of chili with satisfying flavor even for meat eaters. You can add meat to this recipe if you like, just brown ground beef first then proceed with the rest of the recipe.It’s our meatless week so I will be posting some meatless or vegetarian recipes.There are different variations on how to serve chili. I like it just like that in a bowl even without sour cream , but I also served it with brown basmanti rice or you can make it as a burrito with cheese and sour cream which is my kids favorite.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion chopped
5 cloves garlic minced
2 celery stalks(sticks)chopped
1 green bell pepper seeded and chopped
1 squash diced
1 zucchini diced
1 red chili pepper diced
4 cups assorted cooked beans or canned.
7 0z. can green chiles
1can 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon cocoa ( I used dutch cocoa)
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon salt +/-( I used pink Himalayan )

* You can also add corn and mushroom to this recipe depending on your preference.

Directions:
Heat a oil in a large heavy pot on med-high heat.
Add onions, garlic.Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add bell pepper, red chili pepper,zucchini,squash and celery.
Cook for about 6-7 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add all the spices and green chiles. Stir and cook for a minute or two.
Add beans,tomatoes and broth.
Cook for 25-30 minutes.

Oreshki- means small walnut shaped cookie. This traditional Russian dessert pieces are always favorite at parties and weddings. They are a combination of crunchy and soft cookies filled with dulce de leche ( cooked condensed milk) and walnuts pieces. You will need a walnut cookie mold “oreshnitsa” to make them. you can find it here :
http://www.amazon.com/Oreshnitsa-International-Company-OIC-120AV-Electric/dp/B0053WJ556/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1347860868&sr=1-1&keywords=Oreshnitsa 
or
http://www.amazon.com/Metal-Mold-Russian-Oreshki-Nutlets/dp/B007Z5NPJQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1347860868&sr=1-2&keywords=Oreshnitsa

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 stick butter at room temperature
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon vinegar
3 1/2 cups flour

Directions:

Using hand mixer  whisk egg with sugar until pale in color.
Combine flour with butter using your hands to make it into crumbs.
Mix vinegar with baking soda.Add mayo and baking soda mixture to the egg mixture and whisk.
Add the mixture to the crumble and mix it together.

Divide the dough into small balls and bake them using the “Oreshnitsa”

Filling:
1 can dulce de leche
crushed or chopped walnuts

Combine all ingredients.Fill the cookies with filling and take two pieces and stick them together to make one whole oreshka cookie.

This is a great alternative to regular all time favorite buffalo wings  appetizer. The wings are baked instead of fried which is already cutting off on that extra fat and calories. Want even less calories and fat take of the skin and dip it in the sauce, that’s why I make extra sauce, for that extra dip. If you like them extra hot you can add cayenne pepper to the marinade.

Ingredients:
20 chicken wings, split at joints,tips removed ( total of 40 pieces all together)
12 oz. Franks hot sauce
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup flour
Seasoning salt (optional)
celery

Preheat oven on 400 degrees.
Directions for marinade:
Combine buttermilk, flour, onion powder,garlic powder, salt,pepper,paprika and seasoning salt (optional).
Add and mix it well with the wings.
Arrange wings on the baking/cooling rack and add some water to the bottom of the baking pan.

Place in the oven for 30 minutes.
Turn the wings over and transfer back in to the oven for another 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and hot sauce on medium heat in small sauce pan until the butter is melted. Stir to combine the ingredients.

Remove the wings from the rack. Add the sauce and toss well to cover the wings with sauce.
Serve with celery and blue cheese or ranch dressing.

……and EXTRA sauce!!!!
Enjoy!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:87]

Ingredients for cake batter – 2 sheets:
(  I doubled to make 4 sheets total)
3 extra large eggs
1 can condensed milk
1 1/4 stick butter,melted
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder combined with 1 tablespoon vinegar.

Cake cream #1:
Prepared pastry cream http://delightsofculinaria.blogspot.com/2012/09/pastry-cream.html#links
1 stick butter softened at room temperature.

Cake cream #2:
2 pints heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar

Fruits:
Raspberries
bananas- sliced
kiwi -sliced
Syrup (optional) -boil water with sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Using a stand or hand mixer, beat eggs until pale yellow.
add condensed milk and butter.Mix on medium speed.
Add baking soda with vinegar.
Mix on med-low gradually adding flour.

Line and spray a 9” round baking pan.Transfer half of the batter and bake for about 20 minutes.
Repeat for the second half.Let cool completely.
If you want 3 or 4 layer cake then you will need bake 2 more cake sheets.

Cream:
Using a hand mixer,whip butter until white and fluffy.
First 1 tablespoon at a time, add pastry cream and whip it together.
Continue the process with the rest of the cream.

In another mixing bowl whip together heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form.

Assembling:
Moist first cake. Spread some pastry cream on the first layer. Arrange bananas and kiwis on top of the cream.
Place second cake on top of the fruits and repeat the steps.(If you are making 3 layers,if not go to the next step)
Place the third cake on top of fruits and spread whipped cream on the sides and top of the cake.

You will have one cake left, you can cut it to pieces and make cake crumbs by using a blender or you can crush Maries type cookies or any other tea cookies.
Add crumbs to the side of the cake.
Top the cake with fresh raspberries.
Place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Pastry cream is a custard type filling for pies,tarts,cakes and all kinds of desserts and pastries.It can be used as prepared or can be added to other creams which you can use as cake filling or frosting.It is cooked on the stove and must be stirred constantly  so it won’t curdle and have lumps.

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup  sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/3 cup hot milk or half and half
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Whisk eggs in a saucepan gradually adding sugar and salt.
Continue until the eggs are thick and pale yellow.

Whisk in flour and gradually by dribbles at first, add  hot milk or half/half.

Whisking slowly, then vigorously bring to a boil on medium/low heat.
Simmer slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming..
Let it cool.
You can keep it in the fridge up to 3 days.

Ingredients:
Tomatoes
 -use equal amount
European bologna diced (smoked doktorskaya or vetchina)*
canned corn
shredded cheese ( I used mozzarella)
mayonnaise
salt if needed
chopped fresh dill

Directions:
Slice off the stem part of tomato and scoop out pulp and seeds.
Slice off a little of the bottom part of tomato so it will sit flat on the plate.
In a mixing bowl mix together all the ingredients except dill.
Stuff the tomatoes and sprinkle with dill.

Ingredients:
1 eggplant peeled,and cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 red,orange or yellow bell pepper cut into thick strips
5 tomatoes blanched and sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
1/2 cup adjika ( store bought or homemade http://delightsofculinaria.blogspot.com/2011/07/adjika-georgean-style-salsa.html)
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro or parsley
salt

Directions:
Heat oven  to 400 degrees

Drizzle plenty of olive oil on the bottom of deep baking pan( I used glass deep dish).
Arrange in vegetables in layers:
- Bell pepper
- eggplant
- using a spoon add adjika
- tomatoes

 Place in the oven for 20 minutes.
Let it cool completely.
Add salt, garlic and cilantro or parsley.
Mix well.

This is the best mushroom sauce that I ever tried. My friend Marina shared this recipe with me and I want to share it with you.It goes great with Filet Mignon but you can have it with any other type of steak or even chicken.
Ingredients:

Serves 6-8 people
6-8 Filets
10-12 ozs button mushrooms sliced
1 onion chopped
1/3 cup white wine
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon demi glace *
salt and fresh crushed pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

* You can make it yourself (which takes like over 20 hours to cook) or you can buy it online or in the store. I bought mine at William & Sonoma for $29.99, It’s pricy but really worth it.

Directions:
Heat a saute pan med-high heat and add olive oil.
Add mushrooms and onions, and saute until onions are soft and liquid is gone.
Remove about 4 tablespoons of mushroom and onion and reserve it for later.
Add white wine and let it evaporate. 2-3 minutes.
Add cream and simmer for about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in demi glace.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Using a hand or mini blender, pulse the sauce.
Add the reserved cooked mushrooms, mix and serve over grilled filets.

If the sauce is to thick, add more cream and reheat it.

This recipe is for 2 pizzas. You can make it both the same or do another of your favorite. I usually make 2 different ones. To find more recipes, visit brooklyncraftpizza.

Ingredients for Pizza crust:
Dough recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman.
 
2  14-inch pizzas

1 teaspoon Instant or Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 cup warm water ( not lukewarm)
4 cups All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cups olive oil

Directions:
Add yeast to warm water.Let stand for few minutes.
In a stand mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed ( with paddle or hook attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour.
Pour water/yeast mixture and mix until combined.
Coat a separate mixing bowl with olive oil.
Form the dough into a ball, and toss to coat in olive oil.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1-2 hours, or store in the fridge until you need it(up to 4 days).

Sauce and Toppings for 2 pizzas:
1/2 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
1/2 cup your favorite ranch dressing or http://delightsofculinaria.blogspot.com/search?q=buttermilk+ranch for homemade.
1 cooked chicken breast pulled apart or diced. ( you may use rotisserie chicken if desired)
3/4 cup sliced green onions green parts
1 red onion sliced
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or more if you like extra cheesy.
16 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese thinly sliced.
1 cup fresh chopped cilantro
olive oil

Directions:

Heat oven on 415 degrees.

Combine BBQ sauce with ranch dressing.

Apply olive oil to your hands and take half of the pizza dough.
Slightly coat a pizza pan, a pizza stone or regular baking pan with olive oil.
Pull and stretch and spread the dough until crust is nice and thin ( you can use a rolling pin also, but this way its much easier).
Add about 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce and a little salt and black pepper to the chicken and mix together.
Spread some sauce evenly on the crust.

Top with fresh mozzarella, mozzarella,green onions, red onions, and chicken.
Drizzle a little bit of sauce on the pizza.
Bake the pizza for 13-15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.

Sprinkle cilantro before serving.

This recipe was adapted from my sister-in-law. It’s fairly sweet and moist with a little crunch.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:18]

Enjoy with hot or cold cup of tea.

Pelmeni is very well known popular Russian dish that originated in Siberia. It’s made from unleavened dough that is rolled in to thin circles and filled with minced meat ( chicken,beef,pork or lamb.combination of meats is also popular), spices,onions and/or garlic.Then they are cooked in water,drained and served with lots of butter and some sour cream.You can eat them as soup as well without draining them and sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper and some chopped green onions.
I like to make them in large quantity, then freeze them for later. They will stay good for long period of time with out loss of quality or flavor.Best kept in a heavy duty ziplock bag.”

Ingredients for dough:
about 230-250 pieces
 
5 eggs
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups flour

Filling:

2 lbs. ground meat ( I used chicken-thigh meat if making homemade ground meat )
1 onion shredded or minced
salt -about 1 1/2 teaspoon +/-
1 heaping teaspoon fresh ground black pepper.

Direction for dough:

whisk together water,milk,eggs and salt.

Mix using a dough hook adding flour.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 40 min.

I wasn’t able to take step by step photos but here is a link where you can see -http://tasterussian.com/russian-pelmeni-recipe.html.

This is one of the variations that I make stuffed peppers.I like to use mini peppers for couple of reasons; # 1. It’s great for parties or potlucks,#2. You get to taste more pepper. Of course if you prefer to use regular bell pepper then go ahead.I personally like to eat them with the liquid, because that’s how my mother would serve it to us as kids.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chicken or beef
1 cup rice cooked aldente
1 onion finely chopped
1 carrot shredded
1 can (8oz.) tomato sauce
1 package mini sweet peppers (from Costco)
Salt and pepper to taste.
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream.
6 cups water or chicken stock
* optional ingredients
cumin powder
sour cream ( Instead of cream)
1/4 cup oil
1-2 bay leafs

Directions:

Wash and remove the stems and seeds from peppers.
Combine ground chicken or beef,rice, half of the onion, salt and pepper. Mix well.(*cumin )
Stuff peppers with ground chicken filling.
Arrange it in a pot.

Heat a  deep saute pan on medium heat and add onions and carrots.
Saute for about 5 minutes or until onions are soft.
Add tomato sauce and bay leafs.

Cook for another 5 minutes and add water.
Season with salt and pepper and pour over peppers.
Cover lid and bring to boil over high heat.
When starts to boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes.
Pour heavy cream over peppers.
Serve in a bowl with liquid or on a plate with sour cream.

Julienne is a European-russian dish. It has some Russian and some French.I found out  from my Russian friends that all restaurants in Russia have this dish on their menu and serve it  as first course(never been there don’t know).So its very popular and very well  known dish. Their Classic Julienne is with chicken and mushrooms which  I will post later some time, but it is still versatile that can be made using different ingredients as in this recipe. It is very rich and creamy dish, that’s why it is served in small ramekins.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Wild Salmon 1/2 inch cubed (+/-)
1 onion diced
2 tablespoons butter.
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
1 full tablespoon flour
1 cup shredded mozzarella Cheese (+/-)
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Olive oil for coating ramekins

Directions:  
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Add butter to a saute pan.
On medium heat, saute onions until soft and slightly browned.

Add cubed salmon to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Gently combine with onions and saute for about 2-3 minutes.Set aside.

In another small frying pan or saute pan, on med-low heat saute flour until slightly yellow/tan in color.

                                 Whisk heavy cream and creme fraiche or sour cream together.

Add  to t flour and mix with a whisk vigorously until sauce thickens.Add a little salt.

Divide salmon with onions equally into ramekins (about six ramekins)

Pour the sauce into ramekins and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-13 minutes.
Sprinkle with fresh chives.
Serve hot with fresh  toasted rustic bread and eat using a spoon.
I also like to spread it on bread.
Enjoy!!!

Ingredients for 2 rolls:
7 eggs

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour

Cream ingredients:
1 cup nuttela
4 oz.(1/2 )package cream cheese
4 oz. whipped topping
Cocoa for dusting
Directions-
 
 Batter:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat eggs with sugar on high speed in a stand or hand mixer until pale in color and fluffy in texture.
Add flour and mix gently on low speed.
Line a large baking/cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Pour the batter on cookie sheet and spread it.
Bake for about 12-15 min.
As soon as you take it out from the oven, roll it up with towel and  parchment paper and let it cool.

Cream:
Using a hand or stand mixer, mix cream cheese and nuttela.
Add  whipped topping (cool whip)and  mix again until well combined.


Assembling:
Carefully unroll the roll removing parchment paper.
Spread cream evenly.
Roll it up.
Dust it with generous amount of cocoa or remaining cream.
Refrigerate for atleast 1 hour.
Slice and serve with tea or coffee.

you can add any berries if desired.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:38]

Greek salad is a very refreshing summer salad that has many variations. This is one of the recipes that I like using mostly tomatoes.Of course you can add chopped romaine, sliced bell peppers,cucumbers,red onions and parsley.

Ingredients:
Cherry tomatoes sliced in half
sliced pepper-cine
kalamata  olives sliced in half
Feta cheese cubed
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and fresh ground pepper

Mix to combine all the ingredients.

Summer days are perfect to get outdoors and cook something on the grill. These grilled chicken kebabs are very juicy and tasty and great for parties, camping or just for your next family lunch or dinner.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:24]