Tomato jam

I love experimenting and making something new. This time is tomato jam. While ago I made quite  tasty cookies and now decide to repeat with fresh tomato jam. They are really good.

Tomato jam
    3 pounds best quality tomatoes, cored and chopped
    2 cups granulated sugar
    1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
    1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
    2 teaspoons red pepper flakes ( I took 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper)
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    1/4 teaspoon cumin
    2 tablespoons liquid pectin (optional)

If you are going to preserve the jam, prepare the jars and lids: place three half-pint jars on a rack in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the jars, and bring to boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn off heat and allow the jars to rest in the hot water. Meanwhile, put bands and lids in a small saucepan and cover with water. Heat over medium heat until the water is simmering, then remove the pan from heat and allow the bands and lids to rest in hot water until ready to use.

Combine tomatoes, sugar, lemon juice, ginger, red pepper flakes, salt, cinnamon, and cumin in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture reaches a thick, jam like consistency, about two and a half hours. Stir in the pectin (if using) and simmer for one minute more.

Ladle the hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims of the jars, cover with lids, and screw bands on until just barely tight. Place jars on rack in pot and cover completely with water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, uncover pot, and allow jars to rest in water for five minutes. Remove jars from pot and allow them to rest undisturbed on countertop for six hours or overnight.

Recipe from Serious Eats

Banana Cream Cheese Bread with Streusel Walnut Topping

I don't know why, but  we are in America addicted to banana breads. Every time I have bananas I have to try a new recipe. Here is one more recipe for my collection of banana breads.

Banana Cream Cheese Bread with Streusel Walnut Topping

2-1/4 cups  flour
1-1/2 tsp.  Baking Powder
1/2 tsp.  baking soda
1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup  butter, softened
1 cup  sugar
1 cup  mashed fully ripe bananas (about 3)
2 eggs
1 cup  chopped Walnuts
HEAT oven to 350°F.
Mix flour, baking powder and baking soda. Beat cream cheese, butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add bananas and eggs; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in nuts.
POUR into greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pan.
BAKE 1 hour 10 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 min.; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.

Streusel Topping
Ingredients
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons butter (1 & 1/4 tablespoons butter)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
In a small bowl combine brown sugar and flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts.

Basic recipe you will find on Kraft site.

My collection of banana breads

1. Banana bread from Martha Stewart
2. Peanut butter banana bread
3. Banana Bread from Gold Medal
4. Zabar's Banana bread
5. Black and white banana loaf
6. Banana bread with Amish Friendship batter
7. Simple banana bread
8. Banana Honey cake with Vodka glaze
9. Classic Banana bundt cake from Dorie Greenspan

3 Day Sun Pickles

3 Day Sun Pickles 

 Serves: a lot
Ingredients

    1 large onion, cut up
    1-3 garlic cloves, peeled
    3 quarts of water
    ¾ cup of pickling salt
    ¾ cup of vinegar
    1 bunch of fresh dill
    about 20 pickle cucumbers, this depends on how large the cucumbers are that you get. You'll need enough to fill your jar.
   Mix water, pickling salt and vinegar in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and boil for five minutes.
    Set to the side and cool for about 5 minutes, or until lukewarm.
    In a large gallon sized jar, place dill, cut onion, peeled garlic and cucumbers. Place cucumber last, and fill the jar.
    Pour warm mixture into the jar and put the lid on.
    Set jar outside in the sun for 3 days.
    After three days, open the jar and test a pickle. If it is to your liking, place the jar in the fridge. This will keep the pickles crunchy.

Малосольные огурцы за 3 дня

Эта доза достaточна для большого количества гостей.

1 большая луковица, очистить и порезать на большие куски
1-3 зубца чеснока, очистить
12 чашек воды (3 литра)
3/4 чашки соли для соления
3/4 чашки уксуса
1 небольшой пучок свежего укропа
20 среднего размера огурцов.

Перемешать воду, соль и уксус в кастрюле. Довести до кипения и китятить 5 минут. Снать с огня и дать остыть. В большую банку положить нарезанный лук, укроп, чеснок и огурцы. Залить приготовленным теплым раствором и прикрыть крышкой. Поставить банку на солнце и держать 3 дня. После, открыть банку, попробывать. Если все в порядке, то поставить банку в холодильник.

Recipe from 3 days sun pickles recipe

Favorite Cookbooks

Many of you want to know how I learn, where I'm getting the recipes for my blog, and how I enhance my menu. Ok, it's not easy, but quite challenging process. As many of you know, I came from former Soviet Union, where I lived in quite, compare to America, small city of Zhitomir.

I brought a lot of recipes with me, and I learn in America all the time. It's not just words, it's THE actions. I already have favorite chefs, cuisines and, of course, cookbooks. I'm learning from great chefs by making their recipes and their favorite cookbooks. I'm buying their books, follow their blogs, sites and other social media presentations.

Today, I would like to present quite interesting site, which gives me a lot of good information. I hope, each of you will become a fan of such site, where we can find the excellent source of information about the latest and the greatest people and ideas in cooking.

For some of you, this site is familiar, for other- it will be first and the most important step, and first one must be a right one. So, I present one of the best bakers Dorie Greenspan. It's not just a name, it's how she became the greatest one. Please, read and learn!

Sardine spread

Quite easy, healthy and exceptionally tasty for people, who likes fish. By the way, I choose several recipes from David Lebovitz last cooking book and intend to make some of them. Here's a fist one.
Between us, I really like a nice schpil given by author with recipe in a book. It's quite unusual for many of us. Take the book and read!


Sardine spread

1/4 cup (110 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 (115g each) cans sardines
2 scallions, white and tender greens parts, minced (I used 1/4 medium size onion)
1 tablespoons capers, rinsed, squeezed dry, and chopped
1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoons sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Crackers, baguette, thinly-sliced toasted county or rye bread to serve

Mash together the cream cheese and butter with fork until smooth. Drain sardines. Run your thumb lengthwise down the bottom of each and pluck out the bones. Add the filleted sardines to the cream cheese mixture, mashing them to combine.

Add the scallions to the sardine mixture along with capers, lemon juice, salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and the cayenne pepper. Taste and add more salt, if desired.

The rilettes can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. let come to room temperature before serving with crackers, a baguette or thin slices of toasted country bread.


Паштет из сардин

1/4 чашки (110 грамм) сливочного сыра комнатной температуры
3 столовых ложки сливочного масла, комнатной температуры
2 (115 грамм каждая) коробки сардин
2 веточки зеленого лука, очень мелко порезанного (Я взяла 1/4 средней луковицы)
1 столовая ложка каперсов, промытых и отжатых от воды, мелко порезанных
1 столовая ложка свежего лимонного сока
1/4  чайной ложки морской соли
черный перец по вкусу
1/8 чайной ложки карсного жгучего перца

 Крекеры, тонко нарезанный хлеб

Смешать вместе сливочный сыр и масло вилкой. Отцедить сардины и вынуть косточки. Добавить филе сардин к cливочному сыру и маслу. Еще раз перемешать. Добавить лук, каперсы, лимонный сок, соль и перец. Добавить жгучий перец. Все перемешать, попробывать и добавить соль если нужно.

Паштет может быть в холодильнике до 4 дней. Вынуть паштет заранее и подавать с крекерами или поджaренным хлебом.

Recipe comes from David Lebovitz "My Paris kitchen".

5-Minute Strawberry Sherbet in the Food Processor

5-Minute Strawberry Sherbet in the Food Processor

Serves 4.

1 pound frozen strawberries
1 (4- or 6-ounce) container strawberry yogurt (can use plain or vanilla yogurt)
2 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar (more if needed)
Water (if you need, I did not)

If using fresh strawberries, wash, dry, hull, slice them in half and place on a plate in the freezer, until frozen. When frozen, transfer berries to a zipper-top bag for freezer storage until you are ready to use.
To make sherbet, place frozen strawberries (I kept frozen strawberries for 4-5 hours just on refrigerator shelf. They should be unfrozen a little bit), yogurt, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water in bowl of food processor. Whirl until thick and creamy, a minute or two, stopping to scrape down the bowl. Don’t walk away or it may overprocess and liquefy. It will look like thick frosting. While processing, add another tablespoon or so of water if it needs help achieving the right consistency.
Taste and add another tablespoon or more of sugar if needed, to suit your palate.

Serve immediately (I place into freezer for 30-45 minutes before serving), or store in a tightly sealed container in the freezer.

Сорбет из клубники за 5 минут в кухонном комбайне

На 4 порции.

1/2 кг свежей клубники
1 (180грамм) баночка йогурта
2 столовые ложки сахара (если хотите послаще, добавьте больше сахара)
вода (если нужно, мне не понадобилось)

Почистить и помыть свежую клубнику, полижхить в пластиковый пакет и заморозить, Держать в морозилке до того момента, пока Вам не понадобится.
Вынуть клубнику из морозилка и подержать в холодильнике 4-5 часов. Клубника будет немного размороженная. Положить клубнику, йогурт, 2 столовые ложки сахара и 2 столовые ложки воды в чашку кухонного комбайна. Провернуть до образования кремоподобной пасты. Вынуть из комбайна в пластиковый контейнер и поставить в морозилка на 30-45 минут. Сорбет готов к подаче на стол.

Recipe came from http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/5-minute-strawberry-sherbet-in-the-food-processor\

Holidays are coming!... Cooking event

I want to come in, I want to taste, and I want to invite my friends.

Chocolate Cinnamon Babka

I can not miss the recipe I found in Star tribune. Of course, it's a chocolate babka. I don't promise to make today, but it's on my "to-do" list for fall Holidays. I hope, I will make it.

Don't make this recipe! It's not delicious.

Lemon-Cream Cheese Strudel

2 sheets (17-oz. package) frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese
1 large egg
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1. Unfold pastry on a lightly floured board. With a floured rolling pin, roll pastry into a neat 10- by 14-inch rectangle.
2. In a bowl, with a mixer, beat cream cheese, egg, powdered sugar, lemon peel, and lemon juice until well blended.

3. Spoon half of cream cheese mixture down center of longest dimension of pastry to within 1 inch of each end; spread evenly. Roll dough with filling like for roll cake. Pinch pastry ends to seal. With 2 wide spatulas, gently lift the roll and lay, seam down, on a lightly buttered 14- by 17-inch baking sheet. Repeat with second sheet of pastry dough.

4. Place baking sheet with pastries in refrigerator for 30-45 minutes (Alton brown's advice. It works.) Preheat ovent to 400F.

5.  With a sharp knife, make shallow slashes at 1-inch intervals across the pastry. Sprinkle pastry evenly with granulated sugar.

6. Bake in a 400° regular or convection oven until strudel is deep golden brown, 20-25 minutes.  Let cool on pan at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Cut each strudel into 6 to 8 equal slices and transfer to plates.

Лимонный струдель с сливочным сыром.

2 листа (1 пакет весом в 500грам) замороженного слоеного теста
2 пакета (240 грамм каждый) сливочного сыра (cream cheese)
1 яйцо
1/2 чашка сахарной пудры
1 чайная лозхла свежей лимонной цедры
1 столоцая ложка лимонного сока
1 столовая ложка сахара

1. Разморозить тесто. Раскатать каждый лист в прямоугольник со сторонами 25 см и 40 см.

2. В большой посуде миксером смешать сливочный сыр, яйцо, сахарную пудру, лимонную цедру и лимонный сок.

3. Выложить половины начинки на первый лист теста, Равномерно распределить начинку. Закатать тесто с начинкой, защипить концы. Осторожно положить на приготовленную дечку. Тоже повторить со вторуым листом теста и второй половиной теста.

4. Поставить дечку с струделем в холодильник на 30-45 минут. Нагреть духовку до 400Ф.

5. Вынуть дечку из холодильника, сделать надрезы на тесте и посыпать сахаром. Поставить в нагретую духовку на 20-25 минут. Вынуть из духовки, остудить, разрезать каждый струдель на 6-8 частей и подавать теплым.

Idea for recipe came from Yummly

I love experimenting with puff pastry. It's not a first recipe. Here's a list of my goodies using puff pastry dough. They're delicious.

1. Quick Apple Turnovers

2. Puff pastry pockets with fish filling

3. Puff pastry sticks

4. Sweet twists

5. Roasted Tomato and Garlic Tart

6. Sugar palmier

Today one more.

Simple cold crab meat salad

I love salads with imitation crab meat, and every time make something different. My readers have already enjoyed a couple of my recipes. Here they are:

1. Imitation Crabmeat Green Tomato salad
2. Crab, Avocado and Corn Salad with Cilantro and Lime

Today is a simple and very full-filling salad, which everyone can make any time.

Simple cold crab meat salad

Make 2 generous portions

    2 cups greens
    ½ yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
    1 small red onion, finely chopped
    1 Tablespoons lemon juice
    4 ounces crab meat or imitation crab meat, flaked
    2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
    1/4 cup celery, finely sliced
 
Salt and pepper to taste

    In a large bowl, combine bell pepper, onion, celery, lemon juice, and mayonnaise. Mix well.
    Add imitation crab. Toss gently. Place greens on a bottom of salad bowl. Add salad.
    Chill the salad for at least an hour before serving.

Холодный салат с крабовыми палочками

На 2 порции

2 чашки зеленого салата
1/2 желтого сладкого перца, мелко порезанного
1 маленькая головка красного лука, мелко порезанного
1 столовая ложка лимонного сока
120 грамм крабовых палочек
2-3 столовые ложки майонеза
1/2 чашка селдерея, мелко нарезанного

Соль и перец по вкусу.

В большой посуде перемешать перец, лук, сельдерей, лимонный сок и майонез. Добавить крабовые палочки. Перемешаьт. Посолить и поперчить. Положить зелень на дно салатницы и добавить салат. Поставить в холодильник как минимум на час до подачи на стол.


The idea for recipe came from Amazing seafood recipes

Goat cheese and lemon white bean dip.

I found the recipe in last issue of Cook's Country magazine and immediately decided to make it.

Goat cheese and lemon white bean dip.

1 (15-ounce) can canellini beans, rinsed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil ( I added 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoon water (if you want pate consistency dip, don't add water)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (I used dill, because I like it)
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 cup crumbled goar cheese
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Salt and pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper

Process beans in food processor. Add 2 tablespoons oil, water, lemon juice, rosemary, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, goat cheese and lemon zest. Process until smooth about 45 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add pinch of cayenne pepper.

Transfer to serving bowl, cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with oil and serve.

Recipe from  Cook's Country magazine.

Mushroom Gnocchi

Mushroom Gnocchi

1 (16-oz.) package gnocchi
2 tablespoons butter
1 (20-oz.) package fresh button mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons sliced fresh shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add button mushrooms; sauté 8-10 minutes or until browned and liquid evaporates. Add shallots and garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until shallots are tender. Add wine to skillet; cook 2 minutes. Add gnocchi; gently toss. Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper.

Итальянские картофельные клецки (Ньокки) с грибами

1 (почти 480 грамм) пакет с картофельными клецками
2 столовх ложки сливочного масла
1 (почти 600 грамм) пакет белых грибов, нарезанных
3 столовые ложки мелко порезанного лука шалот
2 зибца чеснока, очень мелко нарезанного
1/4 чашки белого вина
1/4 чашки мелко нарезанной петрушки
1/2 чайной ложки соли
1/2 чайной ложки черного молотого перца.

Приготовить картофельные клецки согласно инструкции на пакете. Растопить 2 столовые ложки сливочного масла в большой сковороде на среднем огне. Добавить грибы и тушить 8-10 минут. Грибы станут коричневыми, и вся вода испарится. Добавить чеснок и лук. Потушить 2 минуты и добавить вино. Тушить еще 2 минуты. Не снимая с огня, добавить клецки, хорошо перемешать, посолить, поперчить. Выложить на блюдо и посыпать петрушкой.
Recipe slightly adopted from Yummly

Beet-Lettuce salad

It's one of the best salads I made recently. Marinated beets, avocado and red onion goes together very well. Definetely, I will do such good salad more and more again. Plus this recipe goes from exceptionally delicious book

Beet-Lettuce salad

Yield 6-8 servings

Beets

3 large unpeeled beets
1 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Salad

1 (8-ounce) bag lettuce (I used regular greens)
1 red onion, sliced into thing rings
1 avocado, diced

Dressing

1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Prepare the beets: Preheat the oven to 350F. Scrub unpeeled beets with a vegetable brush. Wrap in foil and bake for 1 hour, until soft. Combine vinegar, sugar, and water in a large container or ziplock bag. Peel whole beets (I cut up into big chunks) and add to bag. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Prepare the salad. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, onion, and avocado. Remove beets from marinade and cut into cubes. Add to salad (Toss just before serving)

Prepare the dressing. In a small container, combine dressing ingredients. Pour over salad.

Салат из красной свеклы и зеленого летуса

Не знаю или мои читатели знакомы с летусом. Потому беру на себя обязанность познакомить читателей с этим зеленым овощем.  О нем можно почитать на этой страничке. Почитайте и начните использовать в Вашем меню. Летус всегда можно заменить на другие съедобные листики салата. Но салат нужно кушать.

На 6-8 порций

Свекла

3 больших красных свеклы
1 чашка уксуса
1/2 чашки сахара
1/2 чашки  воды

Салат

250 грамм салата-летус
1 небольшая луковица красного лука, порезанного на тонкие ольца
1 авокадо, мелко нарезанное

Соус
1/2 чашки уксиса
1/2 чашки оливкового масла
1/2 чайной ложки соли

Приготовить свеклу: Нагреть духовку до 350Ф. Очистить свеклу от лишней грязи. Завернуть в фольгу и запечь в духовку в течении 1 часа. Смешать уксус, сахар и воду в контейнере. Очистить свеклу от кожуры, порезать на большие куски и положить в приготовленный маринад. Поставить в холодильнук мариноваться на ночь.

Утром приготовить салат. В большой посуде смешать летус, красный лук и авокадо. Вынуть свеклу из маринада и нарезать на мелкие кубики. Добавить в салат (Перемешать только перед подачей).

Приготовить соус: Все составляющие перемешать и вылить на салат.

The Kitchn's Guide to Storing Fruits and Vegetables

I just found a very good article how to store fruits and vegetables. I would like to present such good information for my readers. Plus such good article comes from absolutely delicious site. Read and use!

The Kitchn's Guide to Storing Fruits and Vegetables

Vegetable Hummus Tortills Wraps

Vegetable Hummus Tortillas Wraps

Makes 2  wraps

1 teaspoon sugar
1 & 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 cup carrots, julliennned
1/3 cup seedless cucumber, julliennned
2/3 cup red onion, julienned
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
2 10-inch tortillas
1/3 cup roasted red pepper hummus, homemade or store-bought
1/2 cup spinach leaves (original recipe calls for bean sprouts and alfaalfa sprouts)

 Dissolve sugar in vinegar. Mix into carrots, cucumber and onion. Season with salt, pepper and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Drain veggies
Spread 1/4 sup of the hummus across each tortillas. On bottom third, add half the marinated vegetables, top with spinach and roll up. Square ends and cut in half.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 can (14oz) garbanzo beans
1 roasted red pepper
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon tahini paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/8 cup water
1 teaspoon chili flakes


Place all ingredients in blender. Whirl until smooth. Make sure to scrape down sides of blender pitcher to get any lumps.

Recipe comes from "Family circle" magazine.

Guess.... what is it?

It's quite interesting and useful gadget. I think, many of us will want to buy .