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July
4
1
10 oz box flavored couscous (garlic or parmesan) cooked according
to package instructions
2 cups fresh sorrel leaves Wash
and remove the stems from the sorrel leaves. Heat the olive oil
in a large stockpot, add the sorrel leaves and potato. Stir until
the leaves are wilted. Add water and simmer until the potatoes are
soft. Puree the soup with a hand-held mixer or in a food processor
until smooth. Add the cream, salt and pepper to taste and bring
back to simmer. July
18
For
the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. Add sausage and vegetables and toss to coat. Thread the sausage and vegetables on metal or pre-soaked bamboo skewers, alternating sausage with vegetables. Makes 4-6 skewers. Barbeque over hot grill, turning to cook evenly on all four sides. Baste with leftover marinade. Total cooking time: 10-15 minutes. July
25
1/2
cup butter In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, baking soda, and salt. Add sifted ingredients alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Toss rhubarb with 1 tablespoon flour, and stir into batter. Spoon batter into buttered 9 x 13 inch pan, and smooth the surface. For the topping, blend together 1/4 cup butter or margarine, cinnamon, and brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.
August
1
1
medium potato Boil potato in salted water until tender, 15 to 30 minutes; drain, peel and chop. Cut a 1/4-inch slice from the stem end of the tomatoes and scoop out the insides. Chop the tomato pulp and the top slices and mix them with the chopped potato, canned tuna, chopped black olives, onions, capers, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Stuff the tomatoes and serve raw. Garnish with chopped chives and a whole black olive. Serve on lettuce leaf accompanied by quartered hard-boiled eggs, French bread, and a chilled white wine for a perfect summer luncheon.
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until almost smooth, or until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to a large saucepan and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Chill for at least 4 hours if serving cold. Makes four servings.
For
the marinade: For
the tzatziki: For
the skewers:
Place the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a glass bowl. Add chicken pieces and toss until coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. Light the grill or heat the broiler. Place chicken, peppers, and onion chunks on skewers. Grill over medium-high heat turning them, until done, about 8 minutes in all. Brush with marinade during cooking, if desired. Transfer to a plate when done and keep warm. Spread both sides of the pitas with the butter and grill, turning once, until golden, about 4 minutes in all. Cut into quarters. To serve, put the pitas on plates and top with the onion, tomatoes, and chicken skewers. Serve with the tzatziki and olives. August
22
Fruit:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat peaches evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
August 29
12
roma tomatoes, seeded and diced Mix all of the ingredients together and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
September
5
1
cup vegetable oil Prepare a grill. When it is hot, place the steak on the grill, shaking off excess marinade first. Cook roughly 4 minutes on each side for medium rare. Flank steak tastes best when cooked medium rare. Let the steak rest for a few minutes, then slice it thinly, on the diagonal. Transfer slices to warm platter and serve.
September
12
4
large red bell peppers Roast the red bell peppers by placing them over or under an open flame until they blacken on all sides. You can use a grill, gas stove burner, or broiler. Place the blackened peppers in a paper bag or cover with a dishcloth until the peppers cool and the skin can be easily peeled off. Remove seeds and membranes and chop peppers roughly. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add the chopped onion and saute for few minutes until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and cook for 2 minutes more, then add the garlic and roasted peppers, stir well, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat until potatoes are soft. Purée the soup in batches in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Return to clean saucepan, add cream and spices to taste, and simmer over low heat until desired temperature is reached. Garnish with chopped chives, cilantro, or basil before serving. September
19
Wash and peel the potatoes. Cook in salted water, cool, and mash. Add sour cream, butter, egg, salt, and enough flour to the cooled, mashed potatoes to knead the dough so it does not stick to your fingers. Wash the plums, pat dry and take out the pits with a small paring knife. Mix powdered sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and stuff each plum with a little of the mixture.
September
26
Butter a 13"x9" pan or lightly coat with cooking spray.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder,
salt, and 3/4 cup sugar. Add 1/2 cup softened butter, milk, and
eggs. Beat at medium speed 4 minutes. Pour batter into prepared
pan. Place plums on top, cut side up, pushing down slightly into
batter.
October
3
Simmer cauliflower, carrots, and potatoes in chicken stock for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. In a small bowl, combine the cream, flour, and egg yolk and mix with a whisk. Add 1 cup hot chicken stock from the pot to the cream mixture, then gradually pour the cream mixture into the remaining soup, stirring constantly. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more but do not bring to boil. Garnish with dill or parsley and serve.
October
10
October
17
8
thin sandwich steaks, trimmed and pounded 1/8-inch thick Spread a thin layer of mustard on each steak and divide the pickles, ham, and onion among the steaks. Fold in the sides and roll as for stuffed cabbage. Secure with a toothpick, if necessary. Heat oil in large Dutch oven and brown beef rolls on all sides. Remove meat and add flour to the pan, and cook to a light brown to make a roux. Stir in the stock, wine, tomato paste, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer 1 minute. Return beef rolls to the pan and spoon over some of the sauce. Cover and cook over low 45 minutes to 1 hour, adding more liquid as necessary during cooking. When the rolls are cooked, transfer to a serving dish and remove the toothpicks, if used, and ladle over the sauce. Top each roll with a tablespoon of sour cream and chopped parsley. Serves 4.
October
24
2
1/3 cups all-purpose flour Lightly coat a 13"x9" pan with cooking spray. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and 3/4 cup sugar. Add 1/2 cup softened butter, milk, and eggs. Beat at medium speed for 4 minutes. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan, then layer on half the apples. Spoon all but 1/2 cup of the remaining batter over the apples, covering completely. Place the remaining apples on top and dot the reserved 1/2 cup batter over the apples. Cut remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cloves into 3 tablespoons cold butter and sprinkle over the unbaked cake. Bake about 40 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean.
October
31
2
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in small pan over medium heat. Add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in milk and water. Cook sauce, whisking, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and chopped sage. Season with salt and pepper. whisk a few drops of hot milk if needed to achieve the proper consistency. Pour 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 x 13 oven-proof casserole dish. Arrange 1/3 of the potato and cauliflower slices along the bottom of dish. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat twice with remaining sauce and vegetables. Cover dish with foil and bake about 1 hour, until vegetables are tender. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese. Bake uncovered for another 20 minutes until golden brown. Let stand 20 minutes before serving. Optional:
Crispy Sage Leaves Note:
If you will be serving the dish with the crisped sage leaves, you
can reduce the amount of chopped sage added to the sauce from 2
tablespoons to 1 tablespoon.
November
14
1
cup onion, chopped
November
21
When
mixture is completely cool, remove from fridge. In a mixing bowl,
blend 1/2 cup heavy cream with brown sugar. Beat with mixer or by
hand until whipped cream is very light and fluffy. Fold gently into
pumpkin cream mixture until combined. Pour into cooled crust. Cover
and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight. Serve with graham
crackers crumbled on top. Serves 8 - 12. The pie is very rich, so
smaller slices should be adequate to serve more people at your Thanksgiving
table.
November
28
1/2
pound spaghetti Put the spaghetti in a large pot of well-salted rapidly boiling water and cook only until firmly al dente. (Depending on the brand of pasta, this will be 8 to 10 minutes, but check frequently to see.) While the pasta is cooking, warm the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, without letting it brown. Stir in the anchovies, capers, and red pepper and cook for a half-minute more, then turn off the heat. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Pour in the garlic mixture, add the parsley, if using, and toss well to coat. Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.
3
1/4 cups crushed vanilla wafers Combine crushed vanilla wafers, 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and nuts. Blend in corn syrup and rum. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in additional confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container several days to develop flavor. Roll again in confectioners' sugar before serving.
December
12
2/3
cup packed light-brown sugar
In a medium saucepan, heat sugar, butter, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt over medium, stirring, until sugar has dissolved, about 7 minutes. Remove pan from heat; stir in orange zest, pecans, and flour. Transfer to a bowl; cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until dough is firm, about 2 hours.
2
large egg whites, at room temperature Preheat
the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment
paper. Set aside.
December
26
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees. Oil a one-quart souffle dish. Mix all the ingredients
in a medium bowl. Turn them into a prepared dish. Bake until bubbly,
about 30 minutes. Serve crab dip hot with raw vegetables or crackers.
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A
nutritious and colorful salad that is easy to prepare and will make
a perfect addition to your Fourth of July menu. Couscous, a light
and fluffy wheat semolina product, cooks in five minutes and is
a delicious and healthy alternative to potato or pasta salad.
Sorrel
is easy to grow in your garden, or you can buy it at a farmer's
market. It is an herb with green, dandelion-like leaves. It's tart
and tangy taste makes it a perfect summer soup that can be served
hot or cold. It is a very popular dish in Poland and you will find
sorrel (szczaw) growing in every Polish garden. 
This
is a quick and easy summer meal to prepare on the grill. The vegetables
and sausage are tossed in a marinade for a few minutes while you
fire up the grill, and then the marinade is used to baste the kabobs
during cooking. You can also use barbeque sauce, Italian dressing,
or your own favorite marinade or glaze. And you can add or substitute
other vegetables as well: cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, squash, and
green or yellow peppers. Serve kabobs with rice, salad, and rye
bread.
Rhubarb
is one of the first plants to be harvested in the spring, but the
tart red or green stalks are available all summer long and make
great desserts, often paired with strawberries. This recipe calls
for buttermilk to be added to the batter, resulting in a delicious
and moist cake. Serve warm out of the oven with vanilla ice cream.
Summer
is tomato season and while there is no better way to eat garden-fresh
tomatoes than to simply slice them and drizzle with olive oil, with
this recipe you can prepare a tasty luncheon dish or appetizer using
large, ripe tomatoes, preferably heirloom, stuffed with tuna fish,
potato, and olives.
Tomatoes
and basil are a classic combination that bring out the best taste
in both. This quick and easy tomato soup is delicious hot or cold.
Serve it with croutons or toasted pita wedges.
Grilled
chicken on pita with tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki, a yogurt and
cucumber sauce, makes a cool yet satisfying warm-weather supper.
The chicken is first marinaded in a lemon and olive oil mixture
and then grilled on skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak them
in water for at least ten minutes before grilling, or they'll smoke
during cooking.
Late
August is peach season and the sweetest and best-tasting ones will
come from your local farmer's market, since they have ripened on
the tree and did not have to travel long distances from farm to
market. Eat peaches fresh, with yogurt or ice cream, or prepare
this traditional cobbler for a delicious dessert that your family
will love.
This
refreshing dip, made with fresh tomatoes and mangos, is the perfect
start to a Labor Day picnic, barbeque party, or dinner. Serve with
restaurant-style tortilla chips.
Perfect
for late-summer grilling -- a tender flank steak, marinated overnight
in a teriyaki and soy sauce marinade with a touch of ginger. The
marinade makes the steak melt-in-your-mouth tender and lends a sweet
tangy taste to the meat that is unforgettable -- the taste of summer.
Serve the steak with a green salad garnished with tomato and avocado
slices, and warm white bread.
This
red pepper soup is delicious any time of the year, but using freshly
picked peppers from your garden or the farmer's market will lend
it a deeper and more distinctive flavor. You can also use a combination
of yellow and red peppers in this recipe. Green peppers, with their
more tangy and bitter taste, do not work as well in soups.
A
beloved Polish classic -- and a perfect recipe for late summer or
early fall when plums are plentiful. The best plums to use for knedle
are the small, dark blue Damson plums, but you can use other varieties
as well. Larger plums can be cut in half.
This
Polish recipe for plum cake is delicious and your family is sure
to love it! It's easy to make and now is the perfect time to buy
fresh plums. Any variety will work in this recipe, but Damson plums
are recommended if you want to bake a classic Polish plum cake--just
like grandma's.
In
October, which is Polish American Heritage Month, we will offer
you four Polish recipes that your family is sure to love. We start
off with a Polish classic -- a light and frothy cream of cauliflower
soup. It's easy to make and super delicious. And it tastes better
the next day, after all the flavors have had time to blend. Enjoy!
This
sweet-and-sour braised red cabbage recipe is delicious -- and it's
quick and easy to make -- cooking time is only 20 minutes. The side
dish is very popular in Poland, where cabbage in all its forms is
an important part of the national cuisine. Goes well with ham, pork,
sausage, and roast poultry.
This
is a popular dish in Poland that can be made with economical cuts
of beef. The meat is pounded very thin, then rolled around a filling
and braised in a sauce until tender. The filling can be made from
a combination of any of these ingredients: bacon, ham, mushrooms,
onions, pickles. breadcrumbs, mustard, or horseradish. Serve zrazy
with mashed potatoes, kopytka or paluszki (potato dumplings), or
kasza (buckwheat groats). 
This
apple cake is one of the most popular baked desserts in Poland.
Along with cheesecake (sernik), you will find it served at family
brunches and dinners, tea parties, holiday gatherings, weddings,
and banquets. Other fruit like plums or peaches can be substituted
for the apples.
Looking
for a fun treat for your family on Halloween? You can bake and decorate
these spider cupcakes with your children. Use black string licorice
for the legs and red M&Ms or Red Hots for the eyes. 
In
November, we will feature three recipes for Thanksgiving, starting
off with this new take on potatoes gratin. This dish uses a lighter
sauce than the traditional bechamel sauce used in potatoes gratin,
with no butter. The added flavors of cauliflower and sage leaves
make this gratin as unforgettable as it is healthy. You can substitute
white potatoes in this recipe, or use half white potatoes, half
sweet sweet potatoes.
Most
cooks have a favorite stuffing recipe they use year after year and
that has become a family tradition. But if you are looking to try
something new, this stuffing has it all -- it combines the sweetness
of apples with the crunchiness of walnuts with just the right amount
of zest from the pastrami. 
This
pie is sure to please everyone -- even those who are not huge fans
of traditional pumpkin pie. In this recipe the pumpkin is combined
with cream and vanilla pudding for a lighter, less intense pumpkin
flavor. Prepare the pie early on Thanksgiving morning so both the
crust and the filling have time to cool and the entire pie has time
to set. Or you can prepare it the day before and store covered in
the refrigerator.
If
you have had enough turkey leftovers to last you until next Thanksgiving,
you might want to try this easy dish for a quick late supper or
light lunch to end the Thanksgiving weekend. The recipe below is
for two servings. Double the ingredients to serve four.
During
December, we will share three recipes for Christmas cookies with
you. Advent is the perfect time to bake cookies with your children.
Freeze the cookies or store them in parchment-lined tins to serve
at Christmas, or use them as gifts for family, teachers, and friends.
You can wrap them in brightly colored dishcloths, put them in ribbon-decorated
jars, or simply place them on a paper plate covered in plastic wrap
and decorated with a Christmas ornament.
These
tasty and crunchy cookies taste delicious on their own or paired
with ice-cream for a holiday dessert. The dough needs to chill for
a couple of hours before baking, but you can also leave it in the
fridge for up to 2 weeks and bake when you like.
Everyone
loves these light and tasty meringue cookies, also called "kisses."
They are completely fat-free. The meringues can be stored for a
few days in parchment-lined tins, but they taste best freshly baked.
For
a spectacular (and easy-to-make) New Year's Eve appetizer, try this
hot crab dip made with cream cheese, fresh or canned crab meat,
horseradish, and scallions. Happy New Year's to all of our readers!
