Meatballs with fried peppers

Here is what I made and it turned out to be delish!
easy and tasty!

So,
For 5 meatballs
200 gr ground beef
1 egg
1 table spoon bread crumbs
1 t spoon garlic powder
1/4 t spoon salt
1/4 t spoon black pepper
Mix everything together, shape balls and fry in a frying pan 3 minutes on each side on a medium heat.

For pepper dish:
2 bell peppers, sliced
1 onion, sliced
4 mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tea spoon crushed chili pepper
 1 t spoon ground black pepper
In a large skillet add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, add all the ingredients and cover. Cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes.
Stir every 3 minutes.
Done! :-)

Russian meat soup - Solyanka

As you all know Russians love their soups and Solyanka is one of their favorites!
All I can say is ...You have got to try this soup!

1 lb stewing beef, sliced thin
2 small sausages , sliced thin
1/2 lb ham, sliced thin
2 carrots, cubed small
1 onion, sliced small
3-4 big mushrooms, cut thin
1 pickled cucumber (I used dill pickles)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1/2-1 cup water
5 mushrooms, sliced (or to taste)
1 tablespoon flour
11 pitted black olives, chopped
1 tablespoon capers
salt & pepper
1 tablespoon sour cream, for topping
1 lemon slice, for garnish

Preheat a pan with oil or butter.
Cut onion in thin semi rings and stir until transparent, but not browned.
Cut pickled cucumbers in strips and add to onions.
Add tomato paste and stir until mixed - 2-3 minutes.
Add meat cut in strips (you can actually use any variety of meat you prefer, but above is what I chose to use).
Put everything in a large pot
Add can of stewed tomatoes and water to just the top of mixture.
Cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 2 hours
About 1 hour before serving add olives, mushrooms and capers.
Add flour to thicken.
Serve with a spoonful of sour cream and lemon slice for garnish.

Cod fish recipe

Yummy summer recipe.

1 lb (454 g) cod fillets, thawed
3 tbsp (45 mL) all purpose flour, (approx)
2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
1 cup (250 mL) crumbled blue cheese
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tomato, (chopped)
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried oregano
1 pinch hot pepper flakes
2 tbsp (25 mL) minced fresh parsley
Salt and pepper
Preparation:

Cut cod into serving-size portions. Pat dry. Dredge lightly in flour. In large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; brown cod lightly on both sides and arrange in 8-inch (2 L) square baking dish. Sprinkle with blue cheese.


 Pour remaining oil into skillet; cook onion, garlic and red pepper, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add tomato, oregano, pepper flakes, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 10 minutes.

Add parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste; spoon over fish. Bake uncovered in 375°F (190°C) oven for about 15 minutes.

Russian Crab salad

Hi! Here is some more russian food...
We usually eat it with a slice of bread as a simple salad, you guys can use it instead of potato salad as a side dish for BBQ.

Ingredients:
1 pack crab meat, chopped
10 big shrimps, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped and marinaded (read below)
1 cup of cooked rice
1 small can corn
1 table spoon fresh dill
4 table spoons mayo
1 table spoon Dijon mustard
salt, pepper to taste

Prep -
Marinading onion is very easy. Chop it first, put it in a small bowl, add 1/2 cup of boiling water, leave it for 1 minute, drain. Add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, 1/4 t spoon salt, 1/4 t spoon sugar and let it sit for 2 minutes, don't drain.

So, just mix all the ingredients together in a big bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour. Then stir well and serve! :-)

Sausage goodness

LOL I just didn't know how to name this dish :-)
SO, here it is! My creation... :-)

2 or 3 Hot Italian sausages, cut in slices
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 big mushrooms, chopped
1 big carrot, chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t spoon crushed red pepper
1 t spoon salt
1 t spoon black pepper

Cook the rice.
Preheat a big skillet, add 2 tbl spoons olive oil, place your sausages on it, fry on each side until golden brown, add onion, reduce the heat and start adding vegetables in this order - celery, carrots, mushrooms, bell pepper, garlic and finish with salt, red and black pepper. Cover it and sautee for 5-6 minutes, add the tomato paste, stir well. Then cook it covered for another 20-25 minutes.
Done!!!! Yummm!!!!

Goulash

As I know Goulash is pretty popular in many countries, so this is my version of a beautiful goulash with rigatoni pasta (you can actually use any type of pasta or rice).

Ingredients:
300 gr ground beef
1 cup of frozen vegetables (corn, peas, carrots)
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup tomato paste
1 t spoon garlic powder
1/2 t spoon salt
 1 t spoon black pepper
1 t spoon cayenne pepper
1 t spoon crushed red pepper

Just mix all the ingredients, except for tomato paste in a big skillet at medium heat, cover it and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stir very well, cover and let it simmer for another 15 minutes over  low heat. Done!  :-) Is that simple or what?

Beef pitas with yogurt sauce (my husband's creation)

Easy, takes 30 minutes max and so delicious!! As a side dish you can use a salad (caesar, spinach, greek or garden salads)

For the sauce:
1 cup fat free plain yogurt
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
1/2 t spoon minced garlic
1/8 t spoon salt
For Pitas
1 t spoon dried oregano
1 t spoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 t spoon salt
1/4 t spoon pepper
1 pound sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
 1 large sweet onion. sliced
4 t spoons olive oil, divided
4 pitas, warmed

For sauce, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate until serving.
For meat  -in a large bag combine meat, rosemary, oregano, salt, pepper, seal the bag and shake it until all the ingredients are married together.
In a large non-stick skillet, sauté onion in 2 t spoons olive oil until golden brown, add your meat mixture until no longer pink. Serve beef and onion on pitas with yogurt sauce.

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 :-)