Treat yourself with this mini dessert that is perfect for any occasion. It takes minimum time to make and looks fabulous. Fruits can be fresh or frozen, don’t worry : it will taste the same. This fresh whipped cream with blackberries will be perfect with a cafe gourmand!
Fresh whipped cream with blackberries
The proportion for this recipe is for the mini glasses. If you are using regular wine glasses you’ll get 2-3 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream very cold
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp cocoa powder
Instructions
- Whip heavy cream fluffy, until soft peaks form, but not too firm.
- Equally divide washed fruits into prepared glasses. Using the piping bag or small spoon, equally spread the cream into the glasses. Refrigerate if not serving it immediately.
- Before serving, dust it with cacao powder.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup has always been one of my favorite soups, for fall and winter. Every time I make this soup it makes the house smell deliciously welcoming. What make this soup special, is that I use Homemade noodles. You can add store bough ones, but it just wouldn’t taste the same.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken throughly washed
- 5 quarts cold water
- 1/2 onion
- 1 bay leaf `
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 cup homemade noodles
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 large carrots peeled and sliced
- Fresh dill
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large soup pot. Add water, onion, bay leaf, dried rosemary, black peppercorn and salt. Cover with lid, bring the water to boil and simmer over medium low heat.
- If you see the scum on your broth, remove it with slotted spoon.
- Cook for 90 minutes, until chicken is tender and easily comes off the bone.
- Transfer chicken to a large dish.
- Strain the broth into a large bowl.
- Wash your soup pot and pour broth back to a pot.
- Add carrots. Bring to a boil.
- Add the homemade noodles to the pot, turn the heat up to high and boil noodles until tender (about 7 minutes).
- Using two forks, pull the meat from the bone and shred it slightly.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot when there is about 2 minutes left for the noodles to cook.
- Add fresh dill, salt and pepper to taste.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
This post was posted in Soups
Homemade Egg Noodles
Absolutely love these Homemade Egg Noodles! My sisters and I used to make them together when we were growing up. They are fabulous with chicken stock, or homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.
Homemade Egg Noodles
If it’s anyone’s first time for making egg noodles, add the extra water or flour bits at a time until you get a dough that you can knee very easy and it will smooth out nice, when rolling on the floured surface.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp buttermilk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour (more flour for rolling)
Instructions
- Use a fork to beat the eggs, until smooth. Add salt and buttermilk and whisk. Stir in flour, one spoon at a time, until the dough come together in a ball.
- Flour a flat surface and roll the dough out.
- Once the dough reaches 1/4 inches thickness, use a sharp knife or pizza cutting wheel to cut the dough. You can cut them as wide or narrow as you like, but cut them as evenly as possible ensure uniform cooking time.
- Dust with a little flour and spread to dry.
- Let the noodles dry for 2-3 hours.
- Cook in 3 quarts boiling salted water for 5 minutes or until tender.
- Drain and serve with butter.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
This post was posted in Main Dish
French Chocolate Macarons
French Chocolate Мacarons (Macarons au chocolat) – elegant french cookie made with almond flour. There are hundreds of different fillings, but the chocolate ganache is the most popular. This recipe is simple enough to make, but they sometimes crack or have imperfect “feet”. Don’t worry they’re still delicious, and don’t give up, only practice will make them flawless.
Perfect for a cafe gourmand!
French Chocolate Macarons
Please don’t eat your macarons right away, wait until they reach ambient temperature. Macarons can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 days. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
Ingredients
Almond cookies
- 75 g almond flour
- 110 g powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp cacao powder
- 2 large egg whites (about 70 g)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 50 g sugar
Chocolate ganache
- 100 ml heavy whipping cream ( 35%)
- 90 g chocolate chips (60%)
- 1 tsp sour cream
Instructions
Almond cookies
- Mix almond flour and powdered sugar in food processor (20-30 seconds).
- Add cacao powder to almond mixture and pass through a fine sieve.
- Add a pinch of salt to egg whites and beat until foamy.
- Slowly add sugar and beat until firm peaks form.
- Fold the dry mixture into the meringue, keep folding the batter until it reaches a honey-like consistency.
- Transfer the batter to the pastry bag.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. To make all macarons look the same size, print out a 2.5 cm macaron template, place under parchment paper and trace the outlines. You can also use a silicone mat.
- Holding the bag vertically and close to the baking sheet, pipe circles. Tap the baking sheet a few times on the counter to release any air bubbles, and to make them look round. Let them sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes, until skin forms on the shells.
- Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F. Bake for 15 minutes (one sheet at a time). Each oven temperature is different so keep an eye on them. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. Pair the cookies up according to size.
Chocolate ganache
- Add heavy cream to a small saucepan and heat on high heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips. Allow to stand for 1 minute to soften the chocolate.
- Stir briskly until smooth.
- Add the sour cream and stir again.
- Transfer ganache to the pastry bag or small ziplock bag. Allow to cool for about 2 hours at room temperature or 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Pipe the ganache filling in the middle of one shell (about 1 tsp).
- Sandwich it with empty shell. Store them in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before serving. They’ll taste even better next day. 😉
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Beets and beef borscht
Borscht is a traditional Russian and Ukrainian hot soup that is made with beef, beets and cabbage. It is popular in many Eastern European countries, and each country has its own recipe. This recipe is how my grandma used to cook.
Check my other soups on this website!
Beets and beef borscht
Traditionally, Russian borscht is prepared with beef, but you can make it with any meat you like.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound slice of bone-in beef shank (with a lot of meat)
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste
- 15 cups water cold
- 3 medium potatoes peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 medium carrots peeled and shredded
- 3 medium beets peeled and shredded
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 300 gr cabbage (about 1/2 small cabbage) shredded
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- In the large pot, add the beef, one bay leaf, 2 teaspoons of salt and cold water. Bring to a boil.
- Carefully remove the scum with a slotted spoon, or you can strain it and then start fresh with clean meat and clean water. Bring it to a boil one more time, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 50 minutes.
- While your meat is cooking, get your veggies ready.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add grated carrots along with onion and sauté until nice and golden.
- Add beets and cook for 4 minutes stirring. Then stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Once the meat is ready, add potatoes. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add sliced cabbage into the stock and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the sautéed vegetables and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Stir in parsley and sugar.
- Taste the borscht for flavor. Feel free to add more salt and pepper.
- Serve hot, with sour cream and bread.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
This post was posted in Soups
Meatballs Soup
This meatballs soup is one of the first soups I made right after I moved out from my parents house. I got this recipe from my mom over the phone. This meatball soup is very easy to make and will take no more than 30 minutes.
Meatballs Soup
I like to make meatballs and cut all the vegetables before boiling the water for soup.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1/2 lbs ground turkey
- 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 1/2 onion finely diced
- salt to taste
Soup
- 10 cups water
- 3 Tbsp chicken bouillon paste (optional)
- 5 medium potatoes cubed
- 1/2 medium onion finely diced
- 3 Tbsp rice (any)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large carrot shredded
- 1/2 cup fresh dill and parsley chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place ground turkey and beef into a bowl. Add 1/2 chopped onion and salt. Mix well. Form a ball from the meat by rolling it in your hands.
- Add 10 cups of water to a medium pot over high heat. Add chopped potatoes (and chicken bouillon paste) to the soup pot.
- Bring to a boil. Toss the 1/2 onion and rice into the soup.
- Add one by one meatballs into the pot. Cook for 15 minutes or until meatballs are floating at the top.
- Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil and shredded carrot. Saute for about 2 minutes and add it to the pot.
- Boil for 3 more minutes. Add fresh dill or parsley at the end.
- Serve it with sour cream if desire.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
This post was posted in Soups
Coconut Cookies with Hazelnuts
Very light, melting in your mouth, make these coconut cookies with shredded coconut and crushed hazelnuts. Works perfectly for gluten free diet. You may want to double the recipe as one batch never seems to be enough. You can freeze the leftovers in a plastic container.
Coconut cookies with hazelnuts
You can use walnuts or pecans.
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- 1 pinch of salt
- 120 g sugar
- 150 g shredded coconut, unsweetened
- 50 g crushed hazelnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 340 degrees F.
- Combine egg whites and salt in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold in coconut and hazelnut.
- Drop by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto 2 baking sheets covered with parchment paper. Garnish each cookie with half hazelnut. I bake one baking sheet at a time, for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and try if the cookie is ready. Cool for about 3 minutes and transfer them onto the serving plate.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Turkey and Cheese Quiche
Turkey and Cheese Quiche, this french recipe originally comes with tuna. Since my kids don’t like tuna, I substituted it with turkey; but if you don’t have either of those, you can make it with chicken. Combination of cheese, eggs and sour cream always turns out tasty.
Turkey and Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 sheet all butter puff pastry
- 350 g Natural white turkey breast in water (drain)
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tsp mustard
- 100 ml sour cream
- 200 g cheddar cheese shredded
- Salt and pepper to taste to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lay the puff pastry out on a baking sheet. Prick all over with fork.
- Pop in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove the pastry from the oven, pressing the center down with a fork, as it will have puffed up a bit.
- Meanwhile, using a fork mix turkey meat with mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread the mustard across center.
- Spoon the turkey mix on top.
- Combine eggs with sour cream and mix together. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour over turkey.
- Sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until quiche is golden brown.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
This post was posted in Main Dish, Puff Pastry
Delicious Tomato & Avocado Crostini
This Delicious Tomato & Avocado Crostini almost didn’t make it to the dinner table. I could eat them all day. Everyday.
Delicious Tomato & Avocado Crostini
You can use french baguette or any brad that you like or have in your pantry.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
- 8 large baguette slices diagonally cut
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp cream cheese soft
- 2 large avocados fully ripe
- 1 avocado sliced
- 8 Cherry tomatoes sliced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Position a rack in the upper third of an oven and preheat the broiler.
- Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
- Broil turning the slices over once, until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Halve two avocados lengthwise and remove pit; scoop the flesh into a small bowl, add cream cheese, garlic, salt and pepper to taste.
- Gently mash with a fork until spreadable.
- Spread the avocado mixture on the crostini, dividing evenly.
- Top each crostini with avocado slices and cherry tomatoes slices. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
This post was posted in Appetizers
Fried Cabbage With Sausage
Fried cabbage with sausage is so simple but tasty, and the leftovers are tastier than it was the first day. When it comes to sausage, you can’t go wrong with this one. You can use any sausage you like: it can be Italian sausage, Polska kielbasa, smoked sausage, turkey or chicken sausages. Any of them will give a great taste to cabbage. My favorite is Frankfurter sausage.
Fried cabbage with sausage
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 head cabbage
- 2 carrots large
- 1 onion large
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 5-6 sausages
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf optional
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Cut the cabbage into thick slices.
- Dice onion into the small squares, shred the carrots.
- Slice the sausages.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until lightly brown.
- Add shredded carrots and continue cooking for couple more minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add cabbage and stir well.
- In a few minutes add sausage. Bury the sausages under the cabbage, to get the brown color.
- When the sausages are lightly brown, add salt and pepper, bay leaf, and some water (about 100 ml), mix well. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet with lid and simmer for about 10 minutes. Mix every 2-3 minutes.
- Once cooked, add fresh herbs and serve.
This post was posted in Main Dish