My Shepherd's pie

Did you know that - Cottage pie refers to a British or Irish meat pie made with beef mince and with a crust made from mashed potato. A variation on this dish is known as Shepherd's pie.

The term cottage pie is known to have been in use in 1791, when the potato was being introduced as an edible crop affordable for the poor (cf. "cottage" meaning a modest dwelling for rural workers).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cottage_pie
 So, here it is, my variation of this yummy dish -

Ingredients:
 500 gr burger or loose sausage
 1/2 onion, minced
5-6 potatoes, mashed
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 cup of tomato sauce (any sauce will do, even marinara)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon red hot sauce
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

 Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a large frying pan combine and cook the burger , and onion and fry until burger is brown.

3. Mash potatoes(thicker and creamier the better).

4. Combine the meat, mixed veggies, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and red hot sauce in large baking dish or 2- 9x13 dishes. Mix it all together well and spread out evenly. Spread mashed potatoes over the top. Sprinkle cheese on top.

5. Bake in the preheated oven covered for 30 minutes; uncover and bake for 5 minutes.

Authentic Russian BORSCH recipe

Luki, you asked me to post this...so here it is!!! Russian borsch!
There are tons of recipes and every family in Russia makes this soup in their own way. So, here is my grandmother's recipe, which I find the most incredible. Many people use fresh cabbage to make this soup, my grandmother uses sauerkraut and I think it gives the soup its beautiful taste. And here is something else - We usually make a full pot of this soup and eat it for 3-4 days... honesty? With every day this soup becomes better and better, it's like wine, the longer you keep it, the better it tastes. But! Keep it only in the fridge and not longer than 4 days.
And don't even get me started on how good for your health this soup is!!! It cleanses your body so good! You'll see :-)
What else?
Serve it with a table spoon of sour cream, dash of black pepper and a tea spoon of dill.
There is an interesting fact - Russians like to eat this soup when they are hungover :-) Also if we are having this soup for dinner, before having the first spoon of borsch, have a shot of cold vodka.....Russian tradition :-)
Shall we begin?

Ingredients:
2 lbs. beef tenderloin or sirloin steak, cut up
  Also you can add 1 or 2 italian or polish hot sausage cut in slices
5 to 6 cups water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. salt
1 1/2 cup shredded beets
3/4 c. shredded carrots
2 medium size potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 med. onion
2 tbsp. tomato puree
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. butter
2 cups sauerkraut
Ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 c. sour cream

Simmer the beef in salted water until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, in large saucepan, simmer the beets, carrots, turnips, onion, tomato puree, vinegar, sugar and butter for 15 minutes. Stir frequently and cover when not stirring. Add sauerkraut and cook 10 minutes longer. Add the vegetable mixture, sausages (if desired), potatoes, pepper and bay leaves to the meat and the broth. Adjust seasonings, cook until the potatoes are tender (another 25-30 mins). Add more vinegar if desired.
Again, serve with a table spoon of sour cream and dill! Oh and it will never hurt to serve it with garlic flavored croûtons. Yummers!!! 

Loaded Spinach salad

Hi ! Just decided to share this recipe...and we actually eat this salad instead of dinner, just because it has everything in it and it tastes amazing!

So...Dressing -
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 lb. fresh spinach (about 6 cups packed leaves), well washed, coarse stems discarded
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
3 slices of lean bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 medium size tomato, sliced
1 small cucumber, sliced
10 frozen cooked jumbo shrimps (thawed)

In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, the mustard, and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified.
 In a bowl combine the spinach, all the other ingredients and the dressing and toss the salad until it is combined well.
That's all :-)

Arugula salad with raspberry dressing

Salad -
handful arugula leaves
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tb spoons pumpkin seeds
Dressing -
1/2 c. fresh raspberries
3/4 c. cooking oil
1/2 c. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3-4 c. mixed green

Blend all ingredients except green in blender. Chill until serving time.

Pork tenderloin with mushrooms and caramelized onions

1 large or 2 small pork tenderloins, about 1 1/2 pounds
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup red wine

Preparation:
Slice the pork crosswise, about 3/4 to 1-inch in thickness. With the heel of your hand or a meat tenderizer, gently pound to make the medallions about 1/2-inch thick.

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the sugar and flour - continue cooking, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the onion mixture and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and golden brown. Remove the onions and mushrooms to a plate and set aside.


Sprinkle the pork with the salt and pepper; dredge in the flour. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Cook the pork medallions over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned. Add the wine to the skillet along with salt, pepper and the onion and mushroom mixture. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Cover and reduce heat to low; cook for about 10 minutes longer.

Serve the pork tenderloin with hot cooked rice, potatoes, or pasta.

Spanish Sangria

Just a couple of days ago my beautiful Maid of Honor made this delicious Sangria and I remembered that time, 2004 and 2006 when I was in Spain and had that refreshing, delicious drink. And decided to make it myself. I made it just the way as I tried it in Spain. It's pretty simple to make.

Ingredients
1 bottle of red wine, preferably Spanish
1 lemon, sliced
1 orange, sliced
1 peach, sliced
1 pear, sliced
1 cup pine apple chunks
1/2 cup rum
2 cups Coca Cola

Preparation
In a large pitcher or jug, combine all ingredients except for Coca Cola.
Refrigerate overnight.
Just before serving, add club soda (and ice, if desired).

Mila's recipes: Spanish mixed paella

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