2010 Top Posts: A Year in Review

I have always liked how the authors from various blogs pull together their favorites at the year end.  So I thought I would pull some lists together for you.  The first list is by hits.  The second list is my favorite, most tastiest meals that I would most certainly make again.  There were others but I narrowed it down.  I don't want to seem boastful. You know, let me take this moment to say that when I feel good about a recipe I don't take credit for it really, it's the author of the recipe.  When I develop a recipe that I post, it's not bragging its more sharing.  I think everyone, yes everyone, is capable of delicious food.  I always want to come across as your food cheer leader because I think if you take the time and learn and begin to trust your judgment, some amazing food can be made.  Trust yourself.  You can become your own chef extraordinaire.

Your favorites from 2010 by hits:

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Garlic Sauce

Cake Lollies

Conchas

The Chutneys: Cilantro

The Chutneys: Tamarind

Croquettes

Olive Straws

Mini Pigs in a Blanket

Gingersnaps

Lentil Sauce with Poached Egg

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Pineapple Vinagre

Rum Balls

Here are my 10 favorites from the year:

Apricot Almond Torte

Garlic Studded Chana Saag

Chick Pea Tikka Masala

Two Tone Decadent Ice Cream Cake

Cheesy Lentil Burgers

Turkey Mole Pizza

Stuffed Grape Leaves with Apricots

Pretzel Rolls

Hoppin' John

Kickin' Queso

Carrot and Potato Indian Stir Fry

Sun Dried Tomato Spread

This is really good stuff.  It disappeared very quickly.  We spread it on Rosemary Olive Spelt bread but really it would be fabulous on any bread.  Or by itself on a spoon.  It's real simple to whip up for an appetizer.

Sun Dried Tomato Spread

8 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
6 sun dried tomatoes
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

In a food processor whirl garlic and sun dried tomato until it forms a paste.  Add in cream cheese. Remove from processor and fold in walnuts.

Swedish Meatballs

Here is a really nice appetizer that you could prepare ahead.  I love to have appetizers for New Year's.  To be honest I really am not looking forward to New Years as that would mean that my brother has left and gone back home.  I hate for him and my Sister in Law to leave.  I wish they lived close by. 

I hope all of you are enjoying your Holidays!

Swedish Meatballs

1.5  pound beef
1.5 pound ground pork
1 cup minced onion
1 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs
2 tablespoons parsley
1 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Gravy

1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black
4 cups boiling water
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 whole bay leaves

Combine milk and bread crumbs.  Let sit while you gather the ingredients for the meatballs. In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs except the vegetable oil.  Mix together and add in milk/bread crumbs.  Mix thoroughly.  Form into balls.

In a nice sized skillet or a soup pot, brown the meat balls in batches unbtil they are all browned nicely.  TO that skillet with the oil add the flour and stir until it browns lightly.  Add boiling water and stir well. Add bay leaves and remaining ingredients.  Then add the meatballs back to the pot.  At this point you could transfer it all to a slow cooker. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Great recipe for sugar cookies from Mimi's Kitchen

Compliments of the Graphics Fairy (she is the bombe!)

I heard the bells, on Christmas Day
-By Henry Longfellow

I heard the bells, on Christmas Day,
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Pierogi and Christmas Eve Polish Traditions

We decided to form the pierogie in advance. This way on Christmas Eve we would not be hurrying to get it done. We could relax and enjoy the day a little more.

It was perfect. The kids were at school for their last day before Winter break. Just my Mother and I, I call her Mamushka (a term of endearment for me). We talked about Christmas past. Memories of loved ones who have passed on. We talked about pierogi failures and pierogi triumphs. We talked about the kids, the relatives and anything that passed through our minds. I really enjoyed this time with my Mom and will lock this nice memory safely away in my head and my blog.

I have been very fortunate in my life to be blessed by loving family, on both sides, my Italian side and my Polish side. I have come to know that other people do not have it so good. While it may have its own dysfunction as most families do, it is my family and I see it in gratitude. I have seen it shrinking as the years go past. People passing on. They live on in our memories, still and bringing tears to our eyes as we miss them especially around the Holidays. I will keep them in my mind as I create more memories with my new family. My husband, my children, my parents, my brother and his family. We will create more memories this season to last for years to come. For me and my children.

We will celebrate our Polish holiday tradition of the 12 dishes.  We have mushrooms, barley, boiled prunes, sauer kraut, pierogi (usually two kinds potato variety shown here and deep fried sauer kraut filled), herring, fried white fish, a vegetable, boiled potatoes and mushrooms with onions and butter.

We break Holy bread before the feast begins.  And after the feast we eat sweets, talk and play games.

We will pass both Polish traditions and Italian traditions on to our children as best as we can. So they can keep them dear to their hearts with memories of all of their Christmases.

Pierogi
We used a different recipe this year for the dough.  We added a bit more egg to keep the dough lighter. Rolling it thin before stuffing is also key to lighter pierogi. As you can see my Mother is quite good at stuffing them to the gills with potato filling.


This recipe makes about 90, depending on how big your pierogi are.

dough

6 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2 cups (more or less, I really don't measure) water to form dough

Make a pile for flour and the salt.  Make a well.  Place eggs inside the well and add water pulling flour from sides.  Add water and mix until you have a smooth dough that just sticks a little to your hands.

Let dough rest for thirty minutes.  Break off small pieces and form small balls, about half the size of a ping pong ball.  Roll out into thin rounds and fill with potato mixture. Make sure none of the filling touches the edges as they will not stay closed when boiled.

After pierogi are formed, drop into salted boiling water to cook.

filling

8 cups mashed potatoes
24 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
1 cup cottage cheese

Cook potatoes and mash thoroughly smoothing out lumps. Add in cheddar while it is still hot, combine.  Add in cottage cheese and salt and pepper.  Cool completely.

Wesolych swiat (veh-SOH-wik SHVYOHNT)! Merry Christmas!

Sweet Potato Casserole

This shot will never win a photo award but this recipe could.  It stole the show on Thanksgiving Day.  I would totally make it again.  We thoroughly enjoyed it.  I wanted to share it with you despite its terrible photo.  We were in a hurry to eat and there was no time for snapping pictures.  Unless I wanted an angry mob.  I highly recommend this creamy and delicious side!

Sweet Potato Casserole

adapted from this recipe at My Recipes/Cooking Light.

4 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Bake sweet potatoes at 400° for about 1 hour or until tender. Let cool to touch; peel and mash sweet potatoes. I did this ahead of time which made it much easier.

Beat mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, and next 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a greased casserole dish or an 11- x 7-inch baking dish.

Combine cornflakes cereal and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle diagonally over casserole in rows 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle alternate rows with marshmallows; bake 10 additional minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Passionfruit Melting Moments

Passionfruit- if you have not tried it- is a bit like a lemon and a apricot mixed together.  If you eat it fresh when perfectly ripe its sweet and luscious and you will say to yourself I have a passion for this fruit.  Thats why they named it passionfruit.  No, not really.  Seriously though I HAVE a passion for this fruit.  My freezer has passionfruit pulp and passionfruit curd in it.  My jam stash has passion fruit jam in it.  I have made passion fruit cheesecake which I have to say is one of the best cheesecakes I have ever had.  That tartness completely balanced out the sweetness of the cheesecake. If you are wondering where to get the stuff, the best place is the frozen food aisle at your supermarket.  Goya makes it.

Completely captivated by this recipe, I just had to make it! I am glad I did. Paired with passionfruit buttercream, you just can't go wrong.

Passionfruit Melting Moments

Adapted from this recipe at About

125g butter, at room temperature ( smidge over a 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup (115g) plain flour, sifted
1/4 cup (45g) pure icing sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (50g) cornstarch
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
6 tablespoons passionfruit pulp

Filling
60g butter, softened
1 cup (150g) pure icing sugar
2 tablespoons passionfruit pulp


Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Line baking tray with parchment paper or silpat.

In a mixer or a large bowl beat butter until pale and creamy, about four minutes. Add passionfruit juice. Mix well. In a seperate bowl combine sifted flour, icing sugar, cornstarch and lemon zest.  Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Place on lined baking tray, about 1 inch apart. Dust back of a fork with cornstarch to gently flatten. Repeat process with remaining dough. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden and cooked through.

Set aside on the tray to cool for 3 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool.

To make the filling, use an electric mixer to beat the butter until pale and creamy. Add the icing sugar, passionfruit pulp and beat until combined.

Use a small knife to spread a small amount of icing onto one side of a biscuit. Sandwich with a second biscuit. Repeat with remaining biscuits and filling.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.