Potato Perogies - January 24, 2011

As many of you, I am a mutt. Meaning I have so many heritages in my family that it's difficult to just say I'm this or that. But I do know that with each of these countries that my family has come from they brought along some yummy meals! A good percentage of me is Polish. And one of the dishes I ADORE is potato perogies. Many cultures have a similar dish, example: the Italians have raviolis.
Now we have had these at Christmas time and special occasions and I have never been a part of the prep process. And boy was I in for a shock! This had to be the most time consuming process EVER! I had left over mashed potatoes from the other evening and lucked out in saving that part of the process. Still, even with that, it took me about 3 hours prep time. But they were SOOOO good!


Ingredients:
(I was able to make about 60)
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes (about 1 1/2 - 2 lbs)
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups sour cream
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
(allrecipes.com)

Directions:
Step 1: On level 2 whisk together the butter, sour cream, eggs, egg yolk and oil for approx 3 minutes
Step 2: Add in salt and flour, one cup at a time, mixing on level 2 for approx 4 minutes
Step 3: Cover the bowl with a towel, and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 4: Separate the perogie dough into two balls. Roll out one piece at a time on a lightly floured surface until it is thin enough to work with, but not too thin so that it tears
Step 5: Cut into circles using a cookie cutter, perogie cutter, or a glass
Step 6: Brush a little water around the edges of the circles, and spoon some filling into the center
Step 7: Fold the circles over into half-circles, and press to seal the edges, set on cookie sheets
Step 8: Refrigerate for about 2 hours
Step 9: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop perogies in one at a time. They are done when they float to the top
Step 10: Add some butter to a frying pan and fry each perogie for approx 1 min each side
Step 11: Serve with sour cream

Tips:
* With this recipe you should have plenty to freeze. And because this is such a LOOOONNNGG process you will want to freeze some so you don't have to do it all over again too soon!
* I used leftover mashed potatoes. I also threw threw them back in the mixer and added some sauteed onions, then let them cool. You want to make sure you use cooled potatoes.

Mac & Cheese - January 15, 2011

So I decided to branch out once again and make something else from scratch ... cue the spotlight and wonder woman costume! I decided to make a classic feel good meal - Macaroni and Cheese.
Again I must say that after all the chopping and boiling and mixing and CLEANING just buying a box of Kraft Mac and Cheese is so much easier. And I use to consider that cooking. I mean you have to boil, drain, add milk, butter and cheese right!?!? Maybe we can agree to call it cooking, just novice cooking. Because I would hate to feel like a failure when I opt for the box!


Ingredients:
(6- 8 servings)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk (*I used 2 cups milk and 1 cup heavy cream)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
pinch cayenne
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (* I added an extra cup of Colby Jack Cheese)
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Essence (*I did not use this)
1 teaspoon crushed garlic (*not in the original recipe)
1/2 onion very finely chopped (*not in the original recipe)
(foodnetwork.com emril's mac and cheese - *changes I made)

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside
Step 2: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain well
Step 3: Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. add garlic and onion
Step 4: In mixer on level 2 with whisk attachment mix together flour and milk for approx 2 min
Step 5: Add the salt, pepper and cayenne into mixer and blend well
Step 6: Pour mixed ingredients into the saucepan and use a whisk while on med heat continually stirring for 3 -4 min, then remove from heat.
Step 7: Add the 3 cups of cheese (2 cheddar and one colby) stirring well. Add the noodles and stir well. Pour into the prepared dish
Step 8: In a small mixing bowl combine the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese with the bread crumbs then sprinkle it evenly over macaroni
Step 9: Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, then allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving

Tips:
* I doubled this recipe because 1/2 a pound of macaroni didn't sound like enough. Believe me it was enough! I will be eating this for leftovers for days to come!!!
* The original recipe didn't seem to have enough zing to it. My good friend offered up some additional ingredients which made it even that much better! Lessons: 1) when a friend gives you a suggestion give it a shot. 2) garlic and onions make everything better.

Basic Pizza Dough - January 14, 2011

If your kids (and husband) are like mine then there is very little they like more in this world than a hot slice of pizza. And lucky for them my purpose in life is to make them the happiest humans on the planet (you can't see it but I have a sarcastic, delirious and exhausted glazed over smile). I decided to have a Family Make Your Own Pizza Night. And the reaction was something like... 'This is delicious. You are the best mom ever!'. That's right the BEST. Now I know that title will quickly lose it's gusto as soon as I mention bath time, but for one moment in time I was the BEST!
Now I prepared some homemade pizza sauce earlier, so as soon as my dough was ready to roll all we had to do was 'decorate' our pizza's, bake and enjoy!



Ingredients:
(says it makes enough for 3 12inch - but I felt it was only enough for 2)
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups of warm water
3 1/2 cups of flour
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of salt
(www.annamariavolpi.com)

Directions:
Step 1: Pour yeast and warm water into mixer and let dissolve for about 5 minutes
Step 2: Add flour, oil and salt using bread attachment set on level 2 for 3 minutes (or until all ingredients are well mixed)
Step 3: Sprinkle flour on counter work space and knead dough briefly covering ball in flour
Step 4: Use some oil to coat a large bowl and place balled dough in there, make 2 incisions with knife in 'x' shape, and cover with kitchen towel for 1 1/2 - 2 hours
Step 5: When dough has doubled it's size punch hole in center to relieve air bubbles
Step 6: On a lightly floured work space cut dough into 3 equal pieces ( I cut into 2)
Step 7: Back on work space use roller and hands to shape pizza into shape (about 12inches in diameter)
Step 8: Sprinkle cornmeal on pizza pans and place shaped dough on them
Step 9: Add sauce, cheese and toppings
Step 10: Bake at 500 for about 20 - 25 minutes (you will know it's done by looking under one side of dough and it is light brown)

Tips:
* I used Bread flour rather than all purpose. I has recently used it for another recipe and had it in the pantry. I figure either is fine. But since it was bread that I was making...
* As with making most breads it takes a while for the dough to rise. Be sure to plan your meal ahead of time. Nothing is worse than a overly hungry belly and the smell of pizza cooking!

Tomato Cream Pasta Sauce - January 10, 2011

So I just got off the phone with my best friend, the one who laughed about me never making a cookie from scratch. She had her moment to laugh again. I told her I was making pasta sauce FROM SCRATCH!!! She informs me that she always does this and has never used a jarred/canned sauce. Is everyone out there just making EVERYTHING from scratch while I use packaged products?!?!?! I always thought if I poured the sauce into the pan and cooked it - well then I had... cooked it! Apparently I may as well have been ordering in!
Either way I made a delicious sauce tonight and even my picky eater husband loved it! He kept saying 'you should remember this one' and 'we should add sausage next time'. We found ourselves a winner!



Ingredients:
(serves 5)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
3/4 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
(allrecipes.com)

Directions:
Step 1: Dice up onion and mince up garlic
Step 2: In a saucepan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat
Step 3: In mixer, using whisk attachment, mix together tomatoes, basil, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper on level 2 for about 3 minutes
Step 4: Pour mixed blend into saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Step 5: In mixer stir cream and butter together on stir setting for 1 minute then removing saucepan from heat add the mix
Step 6: Return to burner, reduce heat and simmer 5 more minutes
Step 7: Serve over pasta
(now this site's recipe did not call for a mixer. However, when I blended the ingredients together I think it made the sauce more smooth and less chunky - which my family prefers)

Tips:
* Mincing garlic is another tedious act I have found. I felt like I was Paul Sorvino in that Goodfellas scene, carefully using a razor blade to mince the garlic 'just so'. After I made this meal and was putting away the leftovers I found a jar of pre-minced garlic. perfect...
* Before making anything I can not express more the importance of checking your cupboards for all ingredients! Before starting this project the only spices/seasonings I had in my house were salt, pepper and some sort of seasoned salt. (Oh and cinnamon! Apparently at some point in my life I purchased about 5 different cinnamon shakers.) Now I am the proud owner of approximately a dozen spices. Dream big!