Green-on-Green Salad

Green-on-Green Salad

Finally, I'm reading "the Bonne Femme Cookbook: by Wini Moranville, Finally, I can try some of the recipes. First recipe I tried is Green-on-Green Salad. I really like and will make again especially the dressing. I will try some salads with dressing I used for this salad. Definitely, it's a good salad for incoming Pesach seder.

1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and black peppers to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 or 2 drops red pepper sauce
4 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup halved, thinly sliced cucumber
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 avocado, peeled and sliced

In a small bowl, use the back spoon to mash the garlic clove with salt and pepper. Add the lime juice and whisk until the salt is dissolved. Add the olive oil, whisking until incorporated. Whisk in honey and red pepper sauce.

In a large bowl, toss the arugula with enough dressing to make the leaves appetizingly slick. Arrange the arugula on a platter. Toss the cucumber and scallions with a bit of the avocado slices atop the salad. Drizzle just a little more of the dressing atop the avocado and serve.

Зеленый французский салат.

1 зубчик чеснока, мелко нарезанный
соль и перец по вкусу
2 столовых ложки свежего сока лайма
4 столовых ложки оливкового масла
2 чайные ложки меда
1 или 2 капли "red pepper sauce"
4 чашки арагулы
1/2 чашки свежего огурца, тонко нарезанного
1/2 чашки мелко нарезанного зеленого лука
1 авокадо, очищенного и нарезанного на тонкие кусочки

Приготовить соус. В небольшой мисочке растереть чеснок с солью и перцем. Добавить сок лайма и все хорошо перемешать до растворения соли. Добавить оливковое масло и опять все хорошо перемешать. Добавить мед, "red pepper sauce" и перемешать.

В большой посуде перемешать арaгулу с небольшим количеством соуса. Добавить огурцы и лук. еще добавить соус и перемешать. На верх выложить авокадо и полить оставшимся соусом.

Apple turnovers

Apple turnovers Russian way

Finding a wright recipe for apple turnovers became a historic experience for me. For years I used to make an yeast dough for turnovers. I made myself, I bought a various types of dough from the store. Today, I decided to make a very simple recipe recommended by one of the cooking groups on Russian social web site. I love to bake with farmer's cheese or ricotta cheese. I always have a fun testing new recipes with ricotta cheese. Here's one more successful recipe for apple turnovers, which we used to called "pirozhki".

Make 35 medium size turnovers ("pirozhki")


Dough
1 & 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup sugar
9 tablespoons milk
9 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 or 3 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling
5-6 large apples, cored, peeled, and diced
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 cup raisins or dry cherries (optional)

Egg wash
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons milk

Place ricotta cheese and sugar in a big bowl. Stir together, add milk and vegetable oil. In a separate bowl mix flour with baking powder. Mix in flour mixture: 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and does not stick to your hands.

Prepare filling. Mix together apples, sugar, lemon juice, bread crumbs and raisins.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C).

Place the dough onto floured surface and divide into 30 equal balls. Flatten the balls by hand until they are 3 to 4 inches across. Place a spoonful of the apple filling in the center and fold in half to enclose. Pinch the edges together to seal in the filling.
Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil, lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place the pirozhki onto the baking sheet, leaving a little bit of room between them for them to grow.
Mix together egg and milk and brush each turnover.
Bake for 20-30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.


I keep the Russian version as it is:

Творожные пирожки с яблоками и изюмом
Ингредиенты:
Тесто:
пастообразный нежирный творог - 150 г.
мука - 300 г.
1 пакетик разрыхлителя (15 г. )
6 ст. ложек яичного ликёра (можно заменить на молоко, сливки, "Бейлис"," Амаретто"...)
6 ст. ложек растительного масла без запаха
1 пакетик ванильного сахара ( 8 г. )
60-70 г. сахара

Начинка:
яблоки - 700 г.
сахар - 75 г.
изюм - 50 г.
лимонный сок -2 ст. ложки
(В качестве начинки очень хорошо подходят так же замороженные ягоды + сахар. Ягоды не нужно предварительно размораживать!)

Приготовление:
Для начинки яблоки очистить от семян, порезать кубиками и вместе с сахаром, изюмом и лимонным соком уварить на среднем огне в течении 10-15 минут до загустения, иногда помешивая. Оставить остывать.
Духовку включите греться на 180 °C. Для теста перемешать миксером творог, сахар, ликёр, ванильный сахар и масло. Всыпать просеянную муку и разрыхлитель и замесить гладкое, мягкое тесто. Возможно, оно будет немного липнуть к рукам...

Рабочую поверхность слегка! присыпать мукой. Тесто нужно разделить на 12 равных кусочков. Каждый кусочек раскатывать в круг толщиной примерно 0,5 см . На каждую половинку круга выкладываем примерно 2 полные чайные ложки начинки. Края теста смазываем слегка водой и закрываем начинку второй половинкой круга, несильно прижимая края. Выпекать пирожки в течении 15 минут до зарумянивания. Готовые пирожки после остывания можно покрыть глазурью из сахарной пудры и лимонного или яблочного сока, посыпать миндальными пластинками или фисташками или украсить как пожелаете.
Recipe from http://vk.com/wall-4806561_79938?hash=c841e3a73dfe23526f

Crispy hamantashen

Crispy Hamantashen

This year I decided to add one more interesting recipe to my hamantachen collection. Previously I did 2 different type of dough for hamantachen. Both of the are good, but this time I tried something new.


Couple weeks ago I baked Raspberry fan cookies. My cookies were a hit among my coworkers, and one the coworkers mentioned that dough is quite good for hamantashens. So, I tried this type of dough for my hamantashen.

here's a recipe:

Make 40 hamantashen

Prep: 1 hour
Chill: 1 to 2 hours
Bake: 8 -10 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 can of "solo" poppy-seed filling
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
Finely shredded lemon peel (optional)

Directions
1. In a very large bowl, combine butter and cream cheese. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in the 1 teaspoon lemon peel, the vanilla, and lemon extract until combined. Beat in cornstarch. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle.

2. Preheat oven to 375 F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the dough portions to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a round 2-1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out dough. Place dough rounds 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Mix poppyseed filling with bread crumbs and mix well. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of the poppyseed mixture onto the center of each round and shape the hamantashen

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Repeat with the remaining dough portions. If desired, sprinkle cookies with additional lemon peel before serving.

5. To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Dough recipe from Better Homes and Gardens magazine