Potato Pancakes (Draniki)

One of my husband’s favorite food is draniki. Russian style potato pancakes. Perfect for breakfast or branch. I’ve seen draniki  recipes that use mashed potato also, but I personally prefer my potato to be coarsely  grated, because then you have more crispy ends. Traditionally draniki are served with sour cream, but you can also serve them with ketchup or cottage cheese.

Potato Pancakes (Draniki)

Irina
You will need some extra olive oil, draniki absorb oil very fast.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 6 medium potatoes washed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 50 ml buttermilk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 50 g all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup olive oil (plus extra)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
  • fresh herbs (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Peel and grate potatoes. Squeeze grated potatoes with hands, extracting as much liquid as possible.
  • In a large bowl beet eggs, baking soda and buttermilk, add grated potatoes, salt, pepper and flour, mix well.
  • In a large iron skillet heat the olive oil until hot. Place the tablespoons of batter in the pan and flatten with spoon.
  • Reduce heat to medium and cook until the bottom is golden brown.Turn over and cook on the other side.
  • Garnish with fresh herbs and serve them hot with sour cream.
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Almond Flour Banana Bread

This banana bread gets its amber color and caramelized taste from brown sugar and the taste is amplified by the almond flour. This is not gluten-free recipe, you need to add a little of all purpose flour too.

If you don’t have almond flour or brown sugar, you can try our famous Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread.

If you are looking for gluten-free recipe, try our Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Muffins.

Almond Flour Banana Bread

Natalija
Although the chocolate chips and walnuts are not mandatory, they add a whole new level of taste and texture to this cake.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 very ripe bananas
  • 200 g brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 200 g almond flour
  • 100 g unsalted butter melted
  • 80 g all purpose flour
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 100 g chopped walnuts
  • 60 g chocolate chips (60%)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180C). Grease a large bread pan and set aside.
  • Mash bananas with a fork and mix them with brown sugar.
  • Add eggs and mix well.
  • Add melted butter,
  • and almond flour.
  • Then add all purpose flour, salt and baking powder. Mix well.
  • Add walnuts
  • and chocolate chips.
  • Pour the batter into bread pan and bake for about 55 minutes.
  • Banana bread is ready when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely.
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Chocolate Chip and Nut Cookies

Excellent Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies. I’ve tried a lot of different chocolate chip cookie recipes, and this one is the best one by far. They have the right balance of flavor and texture. My kids remove them from the oven as soon as the edges turn gold. They don’t look done when they are, so be carefully not to burn the bottoms.

Chocolate Chip and Nut Cookies

Natalija
Dough balls may be frozen, which is very convenient when you have someone coming over. Don’t forget to add some extra time to the baking.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings 26 pieces

Ingredients
  

  • 225 g butter softened
  • 100 g brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla sugar (optional)
  • 100 g sugar
  • 330 g all purpose flour sifted
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 350 g chocolate chips
  • 50 g walnuts
  • 50 g hazelnuts
  • 50 g almonds
  • 50 g pumpkin seeds

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat together butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla sugar.
  • Add eggs.
  • Little by little add sifted flour ,mixed with salt and baking soda.
  • Add chocolate chips and mix well.
  • Spoon out the cookie dough using a cookie scoop(use your hand if you don’t have cookie spoon) and place on the parchment lined baking sheet. Divide the nuts and seeds on top of the each cookie and gently press down on the dough ball to flatten slightly.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are set but the middle is still soft.
  • Let cool cookies for few minutes then transfer them with a spatula to a rack to cool completely.
  • Enjoy it with glass of milk or your favorite tea.
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Pork Schnitzel

Schnitzel is the German word for “cutlet”, which is usually made with veal and is thinly pounded, breaded and fried in oil. I make my Schnitzel with pork and it tastes just amazing, soft inside and crispy outside.

Pork Schnitzel

Irina
The trick to a tender, juicy schnitzel is not cutting the meat super thin, but rather using a meat tenderizer to pound the meat down to a 1/4 inch thickness.
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb pork tenderloin
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lemon thinly sliced

Instructions
 

  • Cut the meat into 6 equal pieces. Place each piece between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with the flat side of meat tenderizer, until about 1/4 inch thick.
  • You will need four large dinner plates: In the first plate, combine together flour, salt and pepper. Whisk eggs and milk in the second plate. In your third plate stir together paprika with bread crumbs. And one empty plate.
  • Dip each piece of meat one by one into the egg mixture.
  • Then dip into flour.
  • And again into egg mixture.
  • Then into bread crumbs.
  • Place your coated schnitzel on the plate number four.
  • Pour oil into a large skillet about 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat.
  • Once the oil is hot, carefully lay in each prepared schnitzel, cooking one at a time. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes. Turn it over to brown the other side.
  • Transfer to paper towel. Repeat with remaining pork slices.
  • Garnish with lemon slices and parsley.
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Walnut and Almond Cake

If you like almonds and walnuts, you will love this savory cake. Crush up walnuts and use almond flour to make this easy, quick, and delicious dessert.

Gâteau aux noix et aux amandes

Walnut and Almond Cake

Natalija
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 125 g walnuts
  • 5 eggs
  • 230 g sugar
  • 125 g melted butter
  • 125 g almond flour
  • 80 g all purpose flour
  • Some walnuts halves
  • Some powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
  • Grind the walnuts in a blender. (Keep few walnuts halves to decorate the cake.)
  • Using a mixer beat the eggs with sugar.
  • Add the butter. Mix.
  • Add the walnuts and almond powder. Mix.
  • Add the flour and mix last time.
  • Pour the batter in the pan. Lay slices the walnuts halves on top of the cake.
  • Bake for about 40 minutes or until а toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Once the cake cools off, then transfer to plate.
  • Dust it with powdered sugar before serving.
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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

Irina
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.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings

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.
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French Chocolate Cake

French chocolate cake with dark chocolate. Very elegant and light, incredibly simple to make. It became our family signature cake. I make it for breakfast, for unexpected guests, and even as a birthday cake.

If you are looking for gluten-free recipe, try our Flourless Chocolate Cake.

French Chocolate Cake

Natalija
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g dark chocolate chips
  • 150 g unsalted butter
  • 6 eggs
  • 200 g sugar
  • 2 Tbsp all purpose flour sifted
  • 1/4 tsp powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter a baking pan, then dust with little flour and tap out the excess.
  • Meanwhile melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave. Mix well.
  • Whisk eggs with sugar until frothy and blended.
  • Add eggs to the chocolate batter and whisk.
  • Add sifted flour and whisk again.
  • Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for 25- 30 minutes.
  • Run the knife along to check if it is ready. Cake should be moist and not dry.
  • Let it completely cool, remove the cake from the pan. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve.
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Turkey Broccoli Lasagna with White Sauce

My family always looks forward to have Turkey Lasagna after Thanksgiving. If you don’t have leftover turkey, you can use chicken instead.

Turkey Broccoli Lasagna with White Sauce

Irina
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 9 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 9 lasagna noodles uncooked
  • 3 cups broccoli florets
  • 1 cup cottage cheese divided
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 3 cups fully cooked turkey sliced extra thin

White sauce

  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 1 shallot chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
  • 2 cup milk 2%
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 3 cup mozzarella cheese grated
  • 1/2 tsp pepper ground black
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Prepare pasta according to package direction. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Melt butter in a large saucepan, add onion and garlic, cook until tender, stirring frequently.
  • Stir in the salt, pepper and flour, simmer until you see bubbles. Mix in the milk and cream and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 1 minute.
  • Stir in mozzarella cheese, black pepper and white wine.
  • Remove saucepan from the heat and set aside.
  • Spread a generous 2 spoonful of cheese sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan and cover with 3 cooked lasagna noodles.
  • Follow with a layer of sliced turkey, broccoli, cottage cheese and more sauce and repeat to make another layer.
  • On top of the last noodle layer, cover with remaining of the sauce.
  • Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
  • Bake covered for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes.
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