Harvest Honey Challah

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Harvest Honey Challah
Dough: 1/2 cup lukewarm water, 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1/4 cup honey, 2 large eggs, 3 - 4 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast.
Filling: 2 cups dry cherries (cranberries or dark raisins), 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, fresh zest from 1/2 of lemon, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Glaze: 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, coarse white sugar, optional

To make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with a dash of flour and sugar. Combine all ingridients except flour in a food processor. Add yeast mixture, turn on the motor and slowly add flour. Immediately stop adding a flour, when a soft and smooth dough is being formed.

Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 2 hours, or until it's puffy and nearly doubled in bulk. Punch dough down. Lightly grease a 9" round cake pan that's at least 2" deep. Or grease a 9" or 10" spring form pan.
Preparing filling, thoroughly mix sugar and zest, add cinnamon.
Gently deflate the dough, transfer it to a lightly greased work surface, and flatten it into a rough rectangle, about 8" x 10". Spread cinammon mixture and dry cherries all over the dough. Roll the dough, using the dish towel to help. Take a bench knife or a knife, or even a pair of scissors, and cut the cherries-filled dough into 16 pieces. To achieve this, cut the rolled log horizontally into 2 parts, then cut each part into 8 pieces.Lay the dough chunks into the pan; crowd them so that they all fit in a single layer

Cover the challah gently with lightly greased plastic wrap or a proof cover, and allow it to rise for about 1 hour, until it's a generous 2" high. It should just crest the rim of a 9" round cake pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 325°F. Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush the dough with the egg mixture, and sprinkle heavily with the coarse sugar, if desired. If you're going to drizzle with honey before serving, omit the sugar.

Place the bread in the lower third of the oven. Bake it for 55 minutes, or until the top is at least light brown all over, with no white spots. Remove the challah from the oven, and after 5 minutes loosen the edges and carefully transfer it to a rack.

Serve the bread hot, warm, or at room temperature. Drizzle with honey just before serving, if desired; or serve with honey for dipping.

Idea for the recipe from King Arthur Harvest Apple Challah

Shrimp Scampi with Pasta

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Shrimp Scampi with Pasta
- serves 2 -
Adapted from Tyler Florence.

1/2 pound pasta, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons extra virigin olive oil, 1/2 large shallot, finely diced,3 cloves garlic, sliced, 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, Salt and pepper, 1/4 cup dry white wine, Juice of half a lemon, Handful of parsley, chopped

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. And a couple tablespoons of salt, then add the pasta. Cook according to the instructions on the pasta box. Drain when done.

2. Meanwhile, drop one tablespoon of the oil and one tablespoon of the butter into a large skillet. Melt the butter of medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic.
Cook until the shallots are translucent, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the shrimp and cook for about 3 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove the shrimp when pink, and set aside. Add the wine and lemon juice to the skillet, and bring to a boil. Add the rest of the butter and oil. Stir the sauce and let cook for 30 seconds to combine.

4. Return the shrimp to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, then add the drained pasta. Toss to combine everything. Add a little pasta water if the mixture is too dry. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley.

Chocolate cupcakes and cream cheese frosting

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Makes 12
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan, 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan , 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a standard 12-cup muffin pan, or use paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla, and mix until combined. On low speed, beat in half the flour mixture, followed by milk; end with remaining flour mixture. Mix just until incorporated (do not overmix).

Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan, 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature, 1/2 pound (2 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted, 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth. Frosting can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; before using, bring to room temperature, and beat until smooth.

Real Fresh Pumpkin Bread

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Real Fresh Pumpkin Bread
Serves: 1 loaf

2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 cups shredded fresh pumpkin.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine both mixtures and fold in the shredded pumpkin and pumpkin seeds. Once the ingredients are all incorporated pour into a non- stick 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan. If your pan is not non- stick coat it with butter and flour.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. At this point a knife inserted into the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. For muffins temperature should also be 325 degrees F., but bake for 30 minutes.

Recipe from Alton Brown on Food Network

Frosted Apple Squares

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Frosted Apple Squares
Dough
1/2 cup (4 ounces) lukewarm milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons instant yeast
4 cups (17 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter

Filling
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (1 ounce) cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
8 cups (about 3 pounds before peeling) apples, peeled, cored, and very thinly sliced

Glaze
1 cup (4 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the dough: Beat the eggs and milk together, and set aside. Combine the yeast, flour, and salt in a medium bowl, and cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg/milk mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough in half and chill for about 30 minutes.

Lightly grease a half-sheet pan (13" x 18"). On a piece of parchment paper, or on a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough into a 12" x 17" rectangle; the dough will be quite thin. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. If you used parchment, this is easily done by flipping it over into the pan and gently peeling the parchment off, then smoothing the dough where it needs it. If you didn’t use parchment, transfer the dough by rolling it onto the rolling pin, then lifting the pin above the pan, centering it and unrolling the dough. Smooth out the corners. You may find a giant spatula helpful to transfer the dough.

For the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon. Spread the apples over the dough, and sprinkle with the sugar mixture. Roll out the remaining dough and place it over the apples. Pinch the edges together. Cut steam vents in the top. Cover with greased plastic wrap or a proof cover, and let rise in a cool place for about 1 hour. After 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the pastry for 25 to 30 minutes, until it’s golden brown. Remove it from the oven and cool on a rack for 20 minutes.

For the glaze: Mix the sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle it over the bars. Cool completely. Cut into 3 ½" squares if you want to serve it as dessert (topped with ice cream, of course!), or 2" x 3" bars. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Yield: 3 dozen bars.

Variation: For added color and flavor, spread a layer of dried cranberries atop the apples before adding the top crust.
Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Cheddar Soda Bread

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Cheddar Soda Bread
2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (Cabot preferred), cut into pats
8 ounces Cabot sharp or extra-sharp cheddar, grated; about 2 cups, lightly packed
1 1/4 cups buttermilk*
1 large egg
*Don't have buttermilk? Substitute 3/4 cup plain yogurt + 1/2 cup milk
Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8" square or 9" round pan.
2) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3) Add the butter, working it into the flour until the mixture is crumbly. Toss in the grated cheese.
4) Mix the buttermilk and egg, and add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until everything is moistened.
5) Scoop the sticky dough into the pan, using your wet fingers to spread it to the edges of the pan.
6) Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Its internal temperature at the center will be close to 200°F.
7) Remove the bread from the oven, and loosen the edges with a table knife. Wait 5 minutes, then gently turn it out onto a rack to cool. It's tempting, but wait about 20 minutes before cutting the bread, if you can; it's a bit crumbly when hot.
Yield: 1 loaf, about 12 servings.

My personal notes: Bread became a hot item among coworkers. I have to make again. It's really delicious and easy to make it. I highly recommend for everybody to make this recipe at home.

Recipe from Cheddar Soda Bread

Banana Bread

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Best-Ever Banana Bread

Male 2 small loaves or 1 big one

1 1/4 cups sugar, 1/2 cup butter or margarine melted, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (4 medium size), 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350F. Grease bottoms only of 2 (8x4 inch) loaf pans or 1 (9x5 inch) loaf pan.
In large bowl, mix sugar and butter. Add eggs, bananas, buttermilk and vanilla; beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt and nuts just until moistened. If desired, fold in walnuts. Pour batter into pans.

Bake 8-inch loaves for 1 hour, 9-inch loaf for 1 1/4 hours; or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool about 1 hour before slicing.

Buttermilk rugelach

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Buttermilk rugelach

Makes 32 large rugelach
2 & 1/2 cups all puspose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup margarine (8 tablespoons), melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raspberry jam
1 cup raisins
4 tablespoon fine dry bread crumbs.

Egg wash
1 egg
2 tablespoon milk

For dough: mix in a medium ball flour and baking soda. In another ball mix margarine, buttermilk, egg, sugar and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to a wet margarine mixture. Mix to obtain an homogeneous dough. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth. After dough is smooth and elastic, wrap dough in plastic wrap. Put the dough into the fridge for 8-10 hours (better overnight).

Preheat the oven to 350F. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each portion into a 9-inch round, about 1/8" thick, on a floured board. Use a pastry brush to layer raspberry jam (1/4 cup) on a round dough. Sprinkle with raisins (1/4 cup) and 1 tablespoon bread crumbs. With chefs knife or pizza cutter, cut each round into 8 wedges. Roll wedges from wide to narrow, you will end up with point on outside of cookie. Place on ungreased baking sheets and brush with an egg wash. For egg wash, mix very well egg with milk

Bake rugelach in the center rack of your oven for 20 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight containers
Filling might be different. I think, these pastries will be particularly good with poppy seed filling from Solo.

Apple & Honey Strudel

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Apple and Honey Strudel.

Dough: 2 1/2 cups flour, 8oz (2 sticks) margarine, 1/2 cup cold water, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1/3 teaspoon salt.

Apple filling: 4 tart medium sized apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, 4 tablespoons bread crumbs

For assembling: 1 small egg, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons oil.

1. Measure the flour into a big bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut margarine into the flour until mixture resembles small peas.Mow work with your fingertips crumbling the margarine in the flour until it resembles cornmeal.

2. Combine in a measuring cup the water, vinegar and salt, and drizzle it over the flour.Blend with a fork then knead with your and 40 kneads. The dough is quite soft and elastic. Shape the dough into 2 balls.
Wrap them with waved paper and let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 375F and begin to prepare filling. Peel the apples and thinly sliced. Add all ingredients and mix well.

4. Dust working surface with flour and roll out a rectangle, out of each ball, of about 12" x 15".Brush each rectangle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle all over with bread crumbs. Divide filling into 2 equal parts, using 1 part for each. Put filling on the dough. Roll up lengthwise, starting by folding 1" edge over the filling, then rolling like a jelly roll. Repeat the same with the second ball.

5. Transfer the strudels to a cookie sheet. Beat the egg and water together well then brush on tops of the strudels. To prevent strudels bursting while baking make 1" diagonal buts in the tops with sharp knife. Bake in oven for 1 hour, or until the strudels are nicely browned. Cool completely before serving.

Old-fashioned Beef Stew

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Old-fashioned Beef Stew ("Zharkoye")

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds beef chuck, cut into chunks
Salt
3 cups chopped onions
1 pound button or cremini mushrooms, quartered if small or 1/4-inch sliced (optional)
1 quart beef broth
1 cup carrot, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
3 cups potato, peeled and chopped into 3/4-inch to 1-inch chunks
Black pepper
Dill for garnish
Water (if you need)

1 In a Dutch oven or other large, lidded pot, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add enough pieces of the beef to sear in the pot without crowding. You will need to brown the meat in several batches. Salt the beef as it cooks, and set aside browned pieces in a bowl.
2 When all the beef has browned, add the onions. As the onions release some of their water, use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle a little salt over the onions as they cook. Lower the heat to medium and cook the onions until they begin to brown, 5-6 minutes.
3 When the onions have lightly browned, mix in the mushrooms and increase the heat to high. Cook the mushrooms until they release their water, about 2-3 minutes.
4 Add the beef back to the pot. Add 1 cup of the stock and use the wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the rest of the stock and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot, lower the heat to low and simmer very gently for 1 hour. Add water in you need to.
5 Add the potatoes and carrots, stir well and recover the pot. Simmer gently until the carrots and potatoes are tender, between 20-30 minutes.
Yield: Serves 4-6.

Pink Herring salad

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Pink herring salad
It's a traditional and very homy salad.

4 small beets, cooked, peeled and diced
1 cup jar pickled herring, drained and cut up
4 medium size potatoes, cooked, peeled and diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 medium size carrots, cooked, peeled and diced
2 hard boiled eggs, diced
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt, pepper to taste
In a large bowl mix all ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Marinate overnight.

Blueberry bread

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Blueberry bread.

2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup milk. 1 tablespoon honey, 1 cup large blueberries

1) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9" x 5" loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2) Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low for 1 minute to aerate and blend dry ingredients.

3) Mix in the butter and sugar until only small lumps remain.

4) Beat in the egg, sour cream, and milk. Add the honey and Fiori. Beat on medium speed about 1 minute, until fairly well incorporated. A few streaks of flour left is fine.

5) Fold in the blueberries by hand. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

6) Bake the loaf for 55 to 65 minutes, until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Store airtight at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Yield: 9" x 5" loaf.

Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Challah Collection

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Russian
1.

Potato soup with smoked salmon

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Potato soup with smoked salmon
4 servings

2 cups water, 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 finely chopped onion, 750 gramm fresh chopped potato, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 chopped celery rib, 250 gramm smoked salmon, finely chopped italian parsley, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt and pepper.

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, melt a little bit of butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add stock, potatoes, water and celery and simmer until potatoes are tender, 20 minutes. Add lemon juice and heavy cream.

Puree 2 cups of the soup in a blender until smooth, and return to pan. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook more 8-10 minutes. Add smoked salmon and parsley before palcing on a table.

I'm sure, this soup will become one of the favorites at your table. It goes well with home-made bread.

Summer Borscht

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Summer Borscht

2 medium size fresh beet roots, 4-5 cups of cold water.

6 cups of cold water, 2 tablespoons vegerable oil, 1 medium size thinly sliced onion, 1 large carrot, diced, 2 medium size potato peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, 1 1/2 cups finely sliced cabbage, salt, pepper and sour salt by taste.

1. Pour water into pan and boil. Put beet roots into boiling water and continue to boil until beets are soft. It will take approximately 1 hour. Take beets out of water, peel and thinly shredd.

2. Bring 6 cups of water to boil. Add carrots; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile saute on a frying pan onion with vegetable oil for 5 minutes, add shredded beets and saute for next 10 minutes.

3. Add onion with beets to a pot with carrots and add potatoes chunks. Simmer for next 5-8 minutes. Add cabbage and cook about 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and sour salt. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with yogurt or sour cream.

Cranberry-Walnut Sweet Potatoes

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4 large sweet potatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons minced chives
Directions
Scrub and pierce sweet potatoes. Bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender.
In a small saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Add the cranberries, syrup, water, cranberry juice and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until berries pop, stirring occasionally. Stir in walnuts and mustard; heat through.
Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; sprinkle with pepper and remaining salt. Top each with 2 tablespoons cranberry mixture; sprinkle with chives. Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe from Taste of Home

Roasted Beet Salad with Barley Pickles and Red Onion

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Roasted Beet Salad with Barley, Pickles, and Red Onion

Makes about 5 cups1 cup dry pearl barley, 4 medium beets, tops removed, 1/2 medium red onion (about 1/2 cup),3-4 pickles, cut into small squares or crumbled, 4-5 scallions, sliced into fine rounds, 1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, salt and pepper to tasteextra sliced scallions for garnish

Heat the oven to 400-degrees.Loosely wrap the beets in tin foil and roast in the oven until they are just fork tender--30 - 45 minutes. Peel and dice the beets into small cubes.Meanwhile, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the barley and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the barley is al dente, about 30 minutes. If there is extra liquid in the pot, drain the barley and return it to the pan. Cover with a clean dishtowel until ready to use.Combine barley, beets, red onion, pickles, and scallions in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the lemon juice and olive oil over the top and toss to coat.Taste the mixture. As needed, add salt 1/4 teaspoon at a time. Pepper to taste. Serve family-style in a large bowl or in individual bowls.Garnish with extra scallions.

Ricotta cheese mini pastries

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First of all, wanting my own cooking book, I'm learning how to write recipes for the book. It's quite interesting task to be my the own editor.

Ricotta cheese mini pastries
It's quite traditional pastries using farmer's cheese. In Russian these pastries were made with farmer's cheese (tvorog). I decided to tweak the recipe and make them with ricotta cheese, because ricotta cheese is available everywhere in US and Canada. Unfortunately, farmer's cheese is not that popular as ricotta and, truly speaking, many Russian immigrants still used to make farmer's cheese (tvorog) at home. Every woman has her own way to make tvorog and results are different. If you're good in making farmer's cheese you can use it for this recipe.
For those who want to try making farmer's cheese at home, I recommend some site with recipes to follow.

Here they are:
http://yulinkacooks.blogspot.com/2006/04/how-to-make-tvorog-farmers-cheese.html
http://cuceesprouts.com/2011/04/homemade-farmers-cheese/

Actually I found a nice recipe to make ricotta cheese at home on a blog of German Jew. Here's it is:
http://eatartword.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/milky-white-ricotta/

Make 5 dozens mini pastries
1 cup margarine, melted
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons milk or water

Prepare 2 bowls: one - big one, one - medium one. In a large bowl, mix the melted margarine with the ricotta cheese and 1 egg. In a medium bowl, mix baking powder, salt and flour. Slowly add flour mixture to a big bowl. Mix to obtain an homogeneous dough. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth. After dough is smooth and elastic, wrap dough in plastic wrap. Put the dough into the fridge for 4-5 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Roll out the portion of dough to about 1/8" thick on a floured board. Using a cutter or a drinking glass, cut out approximately 3 inch circles. Each circle sprinkle with sugar and fold into quarters (fold in a half and fold in a half again). After removing the lacy bits of dough in between the circles, put it back in a bowl and use it up later. Re-roll your scraps until it is ALL used up! Repeat with rest of the dough.

Prepare the egg wash beating the 1 egg and mixing with water or milk. Brush with egg wash the surface of a pastry and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Kung Pao Shrimp

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1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, divided, 1 1/2 teaspoons dry sherry, divided,2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, 1 tablespoon peanut oil, 1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts, 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery, 1 cup chopped red bell pepper, 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation
1. Combine 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sherry, cornstarch, and shrimp.
2. Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add peanuts and next 3 ingredients; stir-fry 30 seconds. Stir in celery and bell pepper; stir-fry 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add shrimp mixture; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sherry, and broth. Bring to a simmer; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar and salt. Top with onions.

Recipe from Cooking Light DECEMBER 2009

Red Borscht

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Red Sweet-and-Sour Cabbage Borscht

It's absolutely clear, it's a 5-star dish from my mom's kitchen.

Makes 8 cups (Server 4-5)

3 medium size beets
8 cups cold water, divided
1 teaspoon salt, may be more. Depends on taste
1 medium size carrot, peeled and medium sliced
3 medium size potatoes, peeled and medium cubed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 small size head green cabbage
1/4-1/2 teaspoon sour salt
pepper by taste

1. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and roast on a baking sheet until they are tender, about 1 hour. It can be done one day before.

2. Pour 4 cups of water in 3-quart pot and bring to boil. Add salt, carrots and potatoes. Bring to simmer over the high heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, grate the beets. Heat up vegetable oil on a frying pan, add red pepper, onion, beets, and ketchup. Fry for 5-7 minutes. Mix everything very well. Pour the beets mixture from frying pan to the pot with carrots and potatoes. Add more 4 cups of water and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer on a medium heat for 5-7 minutes.

4. Halve the cabbage through the core, cut out the core in half, and shred the cabbage as finely as you can. Add cabbage to the pot. Bring to a boil, add sour salt (citric acid), pepper, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, about 7-10 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt.

5. Let borscht rest for several hours at room temperature before reheating and serving. Serve with sour cream. The borscht can be kept in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for a week.

Jicama and dry cranberries salad

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Jicama and dry cranberries salad
Serves 2.

2 cups fresh greens; 1/2 large jicama, peeled, then julienned or cubed; 1/2 cup dry cranberries, 1/4 cup walnuts.

Dressing: 2 teaspoons of honey, 1 teaspoon mustard, 1 teaspoon apple vinegar, 3 tablespoons olive oil. Salt and pepper by taste. Mix all ingridients together.

Toss together the jicama, greens, cranberries, and walnuts. Pour dressing over and mix well again. Let sit a half an hour before serving.

If you don't know anything about jicama, please read Wikipedia

Apple Cake with Lemon Glaze

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Apple Cake with Lemon Glaze
Makes one 9-inch cake
It makes a very elegant treat for tea party. Initially I found the recipe on Food and wine magazine website. I decided to tweak the recipe and come up with new apple cake. It was delicious and very good. Please, try it.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 2 large eggs, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup milk, 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, finely grated zest of 1 lemon, 2 large size coarsely chopped apples
Universal Lemon glaze: 1 tbsp melted butter or margarine, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 c icing(powered) sugar

Directions
Core and chopped fresh apples. Drizzle with some lemon juice. Put aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the salt and baking powder. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the granulated sugar until pale yellow. Whisk in the milk, olive oil, melted butter, lemon zest. Fold in the flour mixture. Scrape the half of batter into the prepared pan. Place apples over the batter and scrape the another half of batter

Bake the cake for about 50-55 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack, carefully remove the ring and let cool to room temperature.
Remove the cake from the base and transfer to a serving platter. Prepare the lemon glaze: mix together all ingredients until smooth and well blended. Pour over the cake. Let stand on a plate for couple hours. Cut the cake into wedges and serve with tea.

Wild rice pancakes

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Wild rice pancakes

1/2 cup milk, 1/3 cup cornmeal, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup butter, melted, 1-1/2 cups cooked wild rice, drained and cooled, 2 egg yolks, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2tsp. ground black pepper, 2 egg whites Clarified butter or canola oil
1/2 cup creme fraiche or dairy sour cream

In a large bowl whisk together milk, cornmeal, flour, and melted butter. Stir in wild rice. Lightly beat egg yolks with a fork and stir into wild rice mixture. Stir in salt, pepper, and parsley. In a small mixing bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight); fold egg whites into rice mixture.

Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a little clarified butter. Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter onto heated surface and cook about 1 minute or until bubbles appear uniformly on upper side and bottom is browned. Turn pancake over and cook about 1 minute more or until bottom is browned. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in a warm oven while cooking remaining pancakes.

Place pancakes on a serving platter. Top each with a little creme fraiche. Makes 10 servings.

Make-Ahead Tip: Pancakes may be prepared ahead and refrigerated several hours or overnight. Warm on a cookie sheet in a 300 degree F oven for 10 minutes.
Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Beets salad

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Beets salad

2 medium size beet root, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup mayo, salt, 1/4 chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup chopped prunes.

If using fresh beets: Remove leaves, leaving about an inch of stem, and don't cut the taproot. Wash gently (don't break the skin), and place in a pot of cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until done (firm but cooked, about 40-50 minutes). Drain the beets, cool under running cold water, and remove skin with fingers.
Finely Shred. Combine all ingridients and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste, and refrigerate covered for several hours before serving.

Peas and cheese salad

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Peas and cheese salad
6 portions.

I adopted this recipe from one of Betty crocker cooking books. I did some minor changes for the recipe.

Dressing: 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Mix all dressing ingridients together in large bowl.

1 package (10 ounces) frozen green peas, thawed and drained, 1 medium stalk celery, thinly sliced, 3 sweet pickles, chopped, 2 tablespoons finely chopped red opinon, 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped. Add all salad ingridients to dressing.

Thinly shred 3/4 cup white american cheese and pour over the salad. Cover and regrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled. Serve on lettuce leaves if desired.

Avocado Dip

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Avocado Dip
For 2 medium bowls
2 avocado, 4 Tbls mayonnaise, 2 Tbls. finely shopped onion, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 Tbls lemon juice.

Peel avocados. Mash the flesh and mix in all other ingredients. Pour into bowl.

My note: I used food processor to mix all ingredients.

Mozarella Deviled eggs

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Black Caviar Mozzarella Deviled eggs

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/3 cup thinly grated mozzarella cheese
2 gloves garlic, minced
Few drops of lemon juice
Sale & pepper to taste
Black Caviar, for your garnish

Pop out (remove) the egg yolks to a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mozzarella cheese, garlic, lemon juice salt and pepper and mix well. Fill the empty egg white shells with the mixture (piping recommended!) and garnish the tops with a small bit of caviar on a tiny coffee spoon. Excellent dish for the fish buffet. Serve chilled or store covered in refrigerator for up to one day before serving

Mexican Plum-Tomato Cups

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Mexican Plum-Tomato Cups
Makes 20 appetizers
Tomato Cups
10 medium plum (Roma) tomatoes
1 ripe large avocado, pitted, peeled and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber
1 medium jalape?o chile, seeded, finely chopped
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons whipping cream or milk
1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cut each tomato in half crosswise. Using teaspoon, scoop out seeds and pulp from each tomato half, leaving enough tomato for a firm shell. If necessary, cut small slice from bottom so tomato half stands upright.
In medium bowl, mix remaining tomato cup ingredients. In small bowl, mix topping ingredients. Spoon about 1 tablespoon avocado mixture into each tomato shell. Top each with about 1 teaspoon topping.

Mixed Fruit Compote

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Mixed Fruit Compote

2 navel (seedless) oranges
2 & 1/2 cups mixed dried fruits, such as apricots, apple rings, peaches, pears, figs, raisins, and prunes
1 cup dried cherries (I took 1 & 1/2 cup fresh cherries)
1/2 cup dry cranberries
1 & 1/2 cups medium-dry sherry
3 cups apple cider or orange juice
1 cinnamon stick

Use a small, sharp knife to remove the peel of each orange in a continuous spiral or make several long pieces. Turn the peel over and use the knife to cut or scrape out and discard as much of the white pitch as possible. Trim any pitch from the oranges as well, then cut them into 1/4-inch slices. Place the oranges and all the remaining ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high beat. Reduce the heat so that the mixture barely bubbles, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes ( I did 15 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat and let the fruit cool in a pan. The orange peel and cinnamon stick remain in the juice just to give it flavor; do not serve them. Store the fruit and its juice in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

I'm sure, you don't need 1 month to store such delicious dish. It's goes very well with most of all of the baking goods you have in your home.

Recipe from Lora Brody's cookbook.

Honey Yogurt Loaf Cake

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Honey Yogurt Loaf Cake

Preparing for Holidays, I researched for new and, hopefully, healthy recipes. I like baking with Dorie Greenspan's recipes. They are always turn good and many of them  are truly healthy.  Sometimes I strictly follow the recipe, sometimes I want to play around and come up with something new.  This time I played with her recipe and created something new.  Here's my recipe.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
Fresh juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1/4 cup honey
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry cherries or raisins

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter an 8 1/2-x-4 1/2-inch loaf pan, place the pan on a lined baking sheet and set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and keep near by.
Put the sugar and zest in a medium bowl and rub the ingredients together until the sugar is fragrant. Whisk in the yogurt, honey, lime juice, eggs and vanilla. When the mixture is well blended, gently whisk in the dry ingredients. Switch to a spatula and fold in the oil. The batter will be thick and shiny. Gently fold into dry cherries. Scrape it into the pan and smooth the top.
Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until it is golden and starts to come away from the sides of the pan; a knife inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then run a knife between the cake and the sides of the pan. Unmold and cool to room temperature right-side up.
You can keep the cake at room temperature for at least 4 days or freeze it for up to 2 months

German Apple cake

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It's one of the easiest and delicious cakes I have made. You can use any fruits you have on hand. I think, it should be just delicious with plums, apricots and pears. I hope I will try. I got the recipe from the lady on Russian social site www.odnoklassniki.ru She claimed that cake is good and easy to make. I think, she is right. It's really good for casual gathering.  It does not require a special skills or equipment. It's just good apple cake.

German Apple cake

Yield 8 servings

 1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
10 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon  vanilla extract
3 - 4 apples
2 tablespoons apricot jam ( I used pepper jelly)
1 tablespoon wine.

Preheat the oven to 350F (standard)

Combine the first three ingredients; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar with electrical mixer until pale and foamy. Add butter and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add dry ingriedients to egg mixture. Mix everything very well. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8 or 9-inch round pan lined with a parchment paper.

Peel the apples, cut them lengthwise in half, and remove stems and cores. Set each half cut side down on the work surface and slice across into 1/8-inch-thick slices, keeping slices half together.  Place halfs on a top of the dough pushing down a little bit.

Bake 40-45 minutes until cake is done (a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean).
Combine apricot jam and wine in a small saucepan and bring almost to boil. Carefully brush the top of the cake with jam-wine mixture.Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle top with confectioners' sugar if desired.