Natasha's Kitchen

Russian Piroshki (pirojki) with apples

Natasha Kravchuk — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:13:15 +0000

Piroshki are a classic Russian/ Ukrainian specialty. You can make them with fruit, mashed potatoes, meat or cheese. These have apples in them. Make these on a warm day when you can open your windows and air out the house; unless you like the “fried” aroma. These fluffy goodies are delicious and get devoured quickly.

Cost to make: $3 to $4
Servings: makes 15 to 20 piroshki

Ingredients for the Dough:
1 1/2 tablespoons oil
15 oz luke warm water
5 1/4 cups flour (divided)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Active Dry Yeast
1 tablespoon sugar (omit sugar if doing meat or potato filling)

Ingredients for Filling:
2 to 3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped finely (I use a food processor and pulse several times)
1/4 cup sugar (1/4 teaspoon per piroshok)

Other Ingredients:
Enough canola oil to go half-way up the side of the piroshky when frying.
Extra flour to dust the cutting board.

How to make the Dough:

1. The easiest way to do this is in a bread maker. If you have one, set it to the dough setting and add the ingredients in the following order: Oil, water, 2 1/4 cups flour, salt, sugar, 3 cups flour, yeast.
A bread maker will do the following: mix, let dough rise, mix again and let the dough rise (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours)

You can also make this dough using a stand mixer with a dough hook and then letting it rise in a warm place (like the oven).

2. Put the finished dough onto a well floured cutting board and with well-floured hands, shape it into a large log. It will rise more as it sits on the board.

3. Cut off pieces one at a time about 3/4″ thick.

4. Place the piece of dough over your well-floured hand (dough will be sticky) and shape it into a 3″ to 4″ circle using your hands. Do not put flour on the side where you are going to put the apples, otherwise the sides won’t seal.

5. Put 1/4 teaspoon sugar in the center of the dough and put 1 heaping tablespoon of apple over the sugar. cover the apple with the sides of the dough and pinch the ends together with your fingers to seal the dough together.

6. Flatten the pirojki slightly to make them a more uniform size.

6. Heat oil in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan. There should be enough oil to cover the pirojki half-way up the side.

7. Place them in the hot oil and fry until deep golden brown on each side. Sometimes they puff up a lot on one side so you may end up with a third side that needs to be fried.

8. Place on paper towels to cool and enjoy!

David’s Post

Natasha Kravchuk — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 02:47:26 +0000

This is David’s handiwork. He saw Mama blogging and wanted to have at it.

He is a proficient typer:

“dfz b b v v fc

xkojyyimjm j n b s v”

He knows all kinds of shortcuts, like how to turn off all of your programs and log off the computer in one “swoop!”

Terah’s Delicious Lettuce Wraps

Natasha Kravchuk — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:59:10 +0000

This was my favorite menu item at Chilis until they discontinued it. The peanut dipping sauce tastes just like I remember it. Lettuce wraps are a healthy option for lunch or dinner. Vadim’s co-worker, Terah Iglesias, shared this recipe with him about a month ago and its allready a family favorite. We’ve made it several times; lunch for two, and even dinner for 8. Everyone loved it. It’s simple to prepare, especially if you have a mandoline to do the veggie slicing. The only thing that needs cooking is the chicken. Thank you Terah!

Cost to Make: $12-$13
Servings: 4

Ingredients: All ingredients can be found at FredMeyer (see notes)
3 boneless chicken breasts
Teriyaki marinade (Yoshibas or Lawry’s teriyaki w/ pinneaple are good options)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 head of Bib/Boston/Butter lettuce (it has many names)
2 carrots
1 bunch radishes
1 small jicama (optional)
1 cup Newman’s Own lowfat ginger sesame dressing
2 heaping tablespoons creamy peanut butter

How to Make Lettuce Wraps:
1. Marinate the chicken breasts for 20 min in about 1 cup of the marinade and red pepper fakes.
2. Grill the chicken or Saute in oil until cooked through.
3. While chicken is grilling,cut the carrots, jicama and radishes julienne-style (matchstick strips)
4. Cut off the bottom of the lettuce and separate the leaves; rinse and dry the lettuce (I use a salad spinner).
5. Pour 1 cup of Newman’s Own dressing into a container with lid and add 2 heaping tablespoons of peanut butter. Cover and shake well until the consistency is smooth.
6. When the chicken is done, slice it into strips.
7. We load everything onto a large platter and make it self-serve.
8. Place some chicken and vegetables on a lettuce leaf and add desired amount of peanut sauce.

Enjoy!

Notes:
Jicama is a root vegetable that is a cross between an apple and a water chestnut. To me, it tastes like the skins of fresh garden peas.
The Newmans Own dressing, bib lettuce and jicama are not available at Winco, but all are available at FredMeyer.

A Celebration of Love

Natasha Kravchuk — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:01:40 +0000

We celebrated Valentines Day at Alla and Slavik’s this year.
The menu was excellent; everything went so well together. Everyone brought a dish and it was a great sit-down dinner. Lots of good laughs, Alla – I thought the game where we guessed the eyes and lips was a hit. At least everyone guessed their spouses!

It was the best Valentines dinner I’ve been to; ever! So much nicer than going out. We sat around the table for several hours it seemed like; just laughing up a storm.

I made my Chicken with Mushrooms and cream for the event. It turned out quite good if I do say so myself . I did update the recipe this time. I think its now perfect. I’ve fully converted to Julia Childs Recipe. If you printed it earlier, please try the updated version instead. Click here for the NEW AND IMPROVED Chicken with white wine mushroom cream sauce recipe.

PS. Alla, the table looked lovely. Reminded me of Pearl. I always thought she had good taste . Can’t beleive you are so talented to make the table cloth and runner yourself, not to mention painting those chairs; did you make the seat cushions too? Wowweee, you have mad skills!

Aunt Tanya’s Breaded Chicken Skewers

Natasha Kravchuk — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 03:38:40 +0000

This recipe comes from my Aunt Tanya in Washington. Seems like everyone in our family has adopted these chicken skewers. It’s perfect for parties or your next family meal. Marinating the chicken in mayo and breading makes it tender and juicy. I give it two thumbs up.

Cost to Make: $5 to $6
Servings: 4 to 6 for lunch or dinner (makes 10 skewers) Note: Buying smaller skewers is ideal for a party and they will fit in your pan easier.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds Chicken breast or thigh, trimmed of fat
1 Cups Bread Crumbs (Progresso-Italian Style)
3/4 cup real mayonnaise
Mrs Dash
Salt & Pepper
Canola Oil or Olive Oil to sauté
10 Bamboo skewers

How to Make Aunt Tanya’s Chicken Skewers:
1. Cut the chicken into 3/4″ wide pieces.
2. Place in a bowl and season with salt, pepper and mrs dash (or whatever your favorite seasoning is.
3. Mix in 3/4 cup mayo and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
4. Put chicken on skewers (don’t pack them too tightly). Try to have the flat sides face in one direction for even cooking.

5. Pour bread crumbs on a large plate or platter. Roll the chicken skewers in bread crumbs until evenly coated.
6. In a large pan, add enough oil to generously cover the bottom (over medium/high heat).
7. Saute the chicken skewers (3 to 4 at a time) until well browned on all sides.
8. Place on paper towels when done frying. You can make them earlier in the day and warm them up in the oven in a baking dish before your party or dinner.

I’ve met my match.

Natasha Kravchuk — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 03:23:00 +0000

Pathobiology,…. Pathophysiology, whatever. Its been my most difficult class so far (content wise). I took Anatomy and Physiology in a 5 week session during the summer and that was the most intense class because there was sooo much to cram in with so little time. But Patho….ugh. This photo is how I feel when I’m taking the quizes (no, that’s not David, just a picture I found on google – it was either this or a picture of Bush – the baby was cuter). Patho is a combination of Chemistry and A&P and biology. I have to be able to draw on everything I learned from those classes. This one class has kept me really tied up; hence the blog neglect – my apologies. Well, I’m posting my aunts fabulous chicken skewers today. Hope you try them. They are well worth the time and they are fairly straightforward (unlike my Patho class). It’s so much nicer to think about food….(sigh)

Russian Katleti Recipe (Turkey and Pork Patties)

Natasha Kravchuk — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:33:24 +0000

My hubby came up with these after gathering ideas from his mom. They are truly the best katleti I’ve ever had. He bakes them after sautéing and they come out juicy and tender. You aren’t really Russian or Ukrainian if you haven’t had katlety; end of discussion.

Cost to Make: $8 to $10
Servings: 8 to 10

1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground turkey
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup white bread crumbs (We use panko bread crumbs)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon your favorite seasoning (Mrs. Dash/ Natures Seasons)
Olive Oil

How to Make Katleti:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
1. Fry the onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil until lightly browned and soft (7 to 8 minutes). Set aside.
2. Fry the carrots in 2 tablespoons olive oil for about 5 minutes until lightly browned and soft.
3. Mix all of the ingredients together until evenly combined.
4. Form patties with your hands about 1/4″ thick (don’t try to flatten them once they are on the skillet or juices will seep out).
5. Heat about 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium/high heat.
5. Saute the patties (adding more oil if necessary) until browned on both sides, flipping twice so they don’t burn.

Place the patties on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 10 minutes.

“Priyatnoho Apetita” (Enjoy)!

Aunt Anna’s Canapes Recipe

Natasha Kravchuk — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:23:14 +0000

We call these “canapky.” A canapé is a small, decorative finger food you eat in one bite; an hors d’oeuvre (zakuska). My aunt Anna is a great cook. She attended culinary school with my mom. Her spread for these canapes is the best I’ve tried. It’s flavorful and much healthier than my old recipe. There is NO butter! It’s replaced with laughing cow cheese. These are wildly delicious and super easy.

Cost to make: $4 to $5
Servings: Makes 20 to 30 canapes (depends on how much you slather on and the thickness of your slices)

Ingredients:
6 oz package “The Laughing Cow” Original Creamy Swiss flavor cheeses (8 wedges in a package)
2 to 4 garlic cloves (add more or less depending on preference)
1 tablespoon real mayo
1 long baguette, sliced about 1/4″ to 1/3″ thick 2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 english cucumber, sliced (optional)
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped (optional – for garnish)

How to Make Aunt Anna’s Canapes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Lightly brush both sides of the sliced baguette with melted butter. Place them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven about 5 minutes, or until they are just starting to golden. Do the ”poke” test with your finger to make sure they are still soft in the center. Let these cool to room temperature. It’s ok if they are still a little warm when spreading.
2.Peel and press the garlic cloves. To make them super-fine, Mince them with a knife after pressing.
3. Mash together laughing cow cheese, garlic and mayo.
4. Spread desired amount on each baguette slice and top with a sliced cucumber (optional).

Notes: I used an artesian flat bread for the picture since I served these with dinner. Yeah- I can’t imagine eating those in one bite!!! These are great as-is, but I like cucumber because it adds an element of freshness.

Do you have any suggestions on other toppings?

Where’s David’s snooze button?

Natasha Kravchuk — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:43:47 +0000

If only babies had snooze buttons right? David usually sleeps soo well (and I’m thankful for sure); 7:30pm to 7:30am, or 7am. Today he started chatting over the monitor at 6, having friendly conversations with the pooh bears dancing on his crib bumper. I peered over (one eye open) to find him bright-eyed and bushy-diapered; ready to start his day. He stayed up till 8-ish when I put him down for a nice nap. I guess he woke up just as soon as I left for my class; ready for round 2 with Dad. I came home to my two babes snoozing away in our bed.

Now I’m off to work on making a scrumptious late breakfast, my cheese crepes with raisins (nalesniki).

Brie with Walnuts and Honey

Natasha Kravchuk — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 05:33:30 +0000

I have to admit, the first time I tasted brie cheese (BY ITSELF), I thought it resembled stale laundry. I don’t believe its meant to be eaten alone. I picked up this idea from my friend Natalia K. She is a wonderful home cook who always comes up with something new and fancy. At our annual church camping trip, her camp site always smells best!
The combination of brie with walnuts, dripping with honey is addictive. It always goes fast when served at parties. (It was torture not to be able to indulge in this soft cheese dish while I was pregnant!) I split this recipe in half and enjoy it in the evening with my hubby. Of course that means we get to have it twice!

Cost to Make: $8 to $9
Servings: 4 to ….. well, sometimes 14!

1 (8oz) package of Brie soft ripened cheese (round or log shaped)
1 (4 1/2 oz) package Table Water Crackers
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup honey

How to Assemble Brie with walnuts and honey:
1. Unwrap the brie and place it on a platter (it is supposed to have rubbery white stuff on the surface; its edible)
2. Cut the brie in half or into triangles if you like.
3. Pile on the chopped walnuts
4. Drizzle generously with honey

Serve with water crackers.