It seems like yesterday that we were welcoming Ariella Tatyana into this world and she is already 1 year old. Time sure flies, as I’m sure most of you can agree with.

It was so clever of Elina to decorate the place with balloons and tissue paper pom poms. It looks so festive and bright, but the decorations aren’t taking up any precious space.

Limited space and an abundance of guests? Use your ceiling for decorations. 

Menu:

• Mashed potatoes
• Porcupine Meatballs (Elina made them in a crockpot)

• BBQ Chicken Cutlets

• Tender Chicken Patties

• Russian Salad “Olivie”

• Cauliflower-Tomato Salad

• Snowy Tomato Slices

Not pictured:

• Corn on the Cob
• Crab Salad

Desserts and Drinks:

• Kvas (Russian beverage)
• Watermelon
• Mint Lemonade
• Birthday Cake (Marble Cake with Cream Cheese frosting and fresh raspberries)

The star of the show. Isn’t it beautiful? Look at all the details, the smooth fondant, the pretty colors. You can definitely tell that Mommy was pouring her whole heart into creating a masterpiece for her daughter.

Elina also made these pretty cookies as party favors, but alas, with all the commotion, the food, and the fun, the cookies were forgotten. If you were at the party, Stop by for your cookie. Just kidding.

• Eclair Cake – My little sister, Karina, made this new cake. It was loved by all.
• Lemon Cupcakes

• Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting

• Raspberry Pretzel Jello – Karina also made this jello. You can find a similar recipe on Natasha’s Kitchen.
• Peach Mousse Jello. Isn’t it cute served individually like that? The cups are plastic, so they look pretty, but at the same time, kid-friendly too.

The most amazing thing to consider is that there wasn’t an army of people preparing all this deliciousness and decorating the place. It was 2 incredible superwomen, Elina and Mom, with Karina giving a hand with some of the desserts.

Isn’t it funny how the girls aren’t interested in looking at the camera in both the family pictures?

What a fun, satisfying but exhausting day!

Every once in a while, my husband and I have what we call a “Surprise Date”. Both of us prepare a surprise for the other person, and we have a special date on an ordinary day. It’s fun to do something spontaneous and surprises are always nice.

For some reason there is an expectation that a romantic dinner is elaborate, exotic and most definitely gourmet. When I decide to have a special dinner at home, I like to prepare a meal that has a romantic feel to it. You know what makes me feel romantic more than a candlelit dinner? Having the time to relax before that dinner, put on a nice outfit, put on some makeup and do my hair.

After all, we take time to make ourselves look good for other people. Isn’t it important to pretty myself up for my sweetheart? My husband is the one person that I want to look the best for.

When I make a special dinner for just the two of us, I choose simple, elegant meals. There are many meals you can make that take very little effort and you have spectacular results.

These brownies are the perfect choice for a romantic dinner, don’t you think? Chocolate is a natural choice. The luscious, creamy chocolate brownie is amazing served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, raspberry sauce and a sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts. It is so easy to make, you can mix it up in almost 15 minutes and put it in the oven to bake while you finish getting ready. You can also make it ahead of time and then heat up the slices of brownies in the microwave for a minute.

Go on a date. It’ll be fun. It’s awesome when a smile from your spouse still gives your goosebumps and makes your heart race.

Brownies:

16 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips, (or chopped chocolate bar)

2 sticks (1 cup) butter

8 eggs, room temperature

2 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 Tablespoons flour

Garnish:

Hazelnuts, toasted (as many as you want)

Vanilla ice cream

Fresh raspberries and mint, optional

Raspberry Sauce:

1 package (12 oz) frozen raspberries, thawed

3-5 Tablespoons sugar

dash of salt

Brownies:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with baking spray brush with melted butter or oil.

Add the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, your homemade double boiler. Add the butter to the chocolate and mix every once in a while until both are melted.

Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Mix the eggs, yolks, sugar, salt and vanilla for about 8 minutes, until the eggs are pale yellow and fluffy. Add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture. Sift the flour over the batter. Mix with a spatula to combine.

Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Don’t over bake the brownies. As soon as the top is hardened and the brownies don’t jiggle when you shake the pan, take them out of the oven. 

Raspberry Sauce:

While the brownies are baking, make the Raspberry Sauce.

Combine the raspberries, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh metal sieve. Push the sauce through, so that only the raspberry seeds are left. Throw out the seeds, of course. Add more sugar at this point, if you think it needs it. It depends on how sweet your berries are in the first place.

You can also make the sauce ahead of time, store it in the refrigerator and just reheat before serving.

To serve:

Serve the brownies with a scoop of ice cream, toasted hazelnuts and raspberry sauce. You can also use any other kind of sauce that you like, instead of the raspberry sauce, like Caramel Sauce, for example. Use any types of nuts that you like – walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc.

Do you see how gorgeous the texture of these brownies is? It’s more like a chocolate cake than a brownie, really. It’s absolutely divine. It just melts in your mouth. With the slightly tart Raspberry Sauce, the cold ice cream that starts to melt as soon as it meets with the warm brownie and the toasted hazelnuts,  the combination of flavors, textures and temperatures is so complex. This dessert is so easy to make but is intriguing and definitely romantic.

Luscious Chocolate Brownies With Ice Cream and Raspberry Sauce

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Author: Olga’s Flavor Factory

Recipe type: Sweets

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

Brownies:

• 16 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips, (or chopped chocolate bar)
• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter
• 8 eggs, room temperature
• 2 egg yolks
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 Tablespoons flour

Garnish:

• Hazelnuts, toasted
• Vanilla ice cream
• Fresh raspberries and mint, optional

Raspberry Sauce:

• 1 package (12 oz) frozen raspberries, thawed
• 3-5 Tablespoons sugar
• dash of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with baking spray brush with melted butter or oil.
2. Add the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Add the butter to the chocolate and mix every once in a while until both are melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. Mix the eggs, yolks, sugar, salt and vanilla for about 8 minutes, until the eggs are pale yellow and fluffy.
4. Add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture. Sift the flour over the batter. Mix with a spatula to combine.
5. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Don’t over bake the brownies. As soon as the top is hardened and the brownies don’t jiggle when you shake the pan, take them out of the oven.
7. While the brownies are baking, make the Raspberry Sauce.
8. Combine the raspberries, sugar and salt in a small saucepan.
9. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes.
10. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh metal sieve. Push the sauce through, so that only the raspberry seeds are left.
11. You can also make the sauce ahead of time, store it in the refrigerator and just reheat before serving.
12. Serve the brownies with a scoop of ice cream, toasted hazelnuts and raspberry sauce. You can also use any other kind of sauce that you like, instead of the raspberry sauce, like Caramel Sauce, for example. Use any types of nuts that you like – walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc.

3.1.09

When would you need to use a double boiler? Is it even necessary?

Double boilers are used when you need to cook something over a gentle heat. It is a great way to cook food that has a tendency to burn, curdle or separate.

If you cook it right on the stove top, you could ruin the consistency of whatever it is that you’re making.
Melting chocolate is what I use a double boiler for most often. Other uses for a double boiler – custards, lemon curd, sauces such as Hollandaise, beurre blanc.

All you need is a saucepan or pot and a heatproof bowl, preferably glass or metal. Pour in about an inch of water into the saucepan. Place the bowl with the ingredients in it on top of the saucepan. Bring the water to a boil and cook your ingredients with the water simmering. 

A few other things to keep in  mind:

• Make sure that the boiling water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl and also make sure the water doesn’t boil out. If the water level is really low, just add more water.
• The bowl will become really hot. Don’t touch! Keep a small kitchen towel nearby and use it to steady the bowl while you’re whisking, mixing, or lifting the bowl.
• If you’re melting chocolate, make sure the steam that will come up from underneath the bowl and form small beads of condensation, doesn’t actually run into the bowl, or your chocolate will seize. Keep the water at a simmer, turn down the heat if there’s too much steam, or take the saucepan off the heat for a minute or two while the temperature decreases.
• For the above reason, don’t use a lid to cover the bowl, or the condensation from the lid will drip down into the bowl and make your chocolate seize up also.

I really, really like this variation of Coleslaw.  The dressing is a really great balance of sweet, salty and tart flavors. I also like adding some celery seeds and fresh herbs to it as well. The ingredients are really basic. You can find them any time of year and most likely have them in your house most of the time. It’s also very, very CHEAP. It really tastes great. The cabbage is nice and crunchy and I make sure not to drench it in dressing, just because I don’t like it that way.

This salad is a favorite of my brother, Mark. Years ago when he was visiting me in Florida and tried it for the first time, he liked it so much, that when he went back home to NY, he learned how to make it himself. Fun Fact! This was one of the recipes that I had included in a small homemade cookbook that I made for my sisters for Christmas one year. That’s the recipe Mark used, and my sister Karina texted me to tell me all about it. (Our brothers didn’t really cook too much. Too many available sisters. Two older and two younger. Ha ha.) That was a walk down memory lane. Mark is now married and lives in Florida with his lovely wife, Marina. I wonder if he still likes this coleslaw?

Ingredients:

1 head of cabbage, shredded

1 carrot, shredded

2 – 4 Tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced

1 – 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

dill, optional

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 – 1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar (or honey)

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon celery seeds

salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Shred the cabbage thinly, using a box grater, a mandoline, your knife, food processor, etc. Shred the carrot on a box grater. Add the scallions and the parsley. You can also add some dill, if you’d like.Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a separate bowl. I use my liquid measuring cup.

I just realized that I forgot to show the lemon in the picture. Oh, well, don’t forget to add it.

Whisk to combine. Adjust the flavor to your taste.

For example, many people like their coleslaw on the sweeter side,  but you may not like your salads to be sweet. You can also use honey instead of sugar. Use as much sugar and acidity as you like. You can also use all kinds of vinegars, it doesn’t have to be cider vinegar. You can just as easily use plain white vinegar.

Add part of the dressing to the salad and mix. Keep adding more dressing until the salad is the consistency that you like.You may not need to use all the dressing. It depends on how big your cabbage is and also how creamy you like your salad. I rarely ever use it all.

The awesome thing about this recipe is that you can make the dressing, keep it in the refrigerator and make more coleslaw a few days later. Or share half of the dressing with your sister. It’s really convenient. (Or simply halve the recipe.)

Keep the salad refrigerated. You can make this salad well in advance and just store it chilled. 

Coleslaw

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Olga’s Flavor Factory

Recipe type: Sides

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 head of cabbage, shredded
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 2 – 4 Tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 – 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• dill, optional

Dressing:

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• ½ – 1½ Tablespoons sugar (or honey)
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon celery seeds
• salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Shred the cabbage thinly, using a box grater, a mandoline, your knife, food processor, etc.
2. Shred the carrot on a box grater.
3. Add the scallions and the parsley.
4. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a separate bowl. Whisk to combine. Adjust the flavors to your taste.
5. For example, many people like their coleslaw on the sweeter side, but you may not like your salads to be sweet. Use as much sugar and acidity as you like. You can also use all kinds of vinegars, it doesn’t have to be cider vinegar. You can just as easily use plain white vinegar.
6. Add part of the dressing to the salad and mix. You may not need to use all the dressing. It depends on how big your cabbage is and also how creamy you like your salad. Keep the salad refrigerated. You can make this salad well in advance and just store it chilled.

3.1.09

I am a huge fan of seafood and it’s a very common dish on our dinner table. This is a winner on many counts. I will always appreciate how quickly you can have an impressive seafood dinner completed. You can almost always count on seafood looking elegant and beautiful and absolutely, lip smackingly delicious.

It seems that most people are intimidated by seafood and it’s one of the things that they rarely make at home. In my opinion, fish is the easiest protein to prepare, as long as you don’t overcook it. It tastes amazing when you keep it simple.

Yes, I am the girl that makes homemade croissants, puff pastry dough, and complicated roulettes and dishes that take hours and days to make. I’m weird like that. My family has many stories to tell of all my experiments in the kitchen. What can I say? Cooking excites me. Everybody has their “thing”. Cooking happens to be mine.

However, dinners that are this simple are my specialty and my preference. I am so thrilled when something that takes so little effort produces such outstanding results. As you take a bite of the juicy, flaky salmon with the tender onions and creamy and crisp crust, don’t be surprised if you find yourself closing your eyes with pleasure. Seriously delicious. Add a layer of sweet and juicy tomatoes and a smattering of fresh herbs to elevate the salmon to an even higher level of perfection. 

Ingredients:

2 lbs salmon fillet

1 large onion, thinly sliced

salt, ground black pepper, to taste

1/4-1/3 cup mayonnaise (Homemade Mayo Recipe)

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/2-1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded

1/3-1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, finely shredded

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Place the salmon fillet on the prepared baking sheet.

It’s best to use one whole side of salmon. However, if your grocery store doesn’t have a whole fillet, get two smaller pieces and put them together. Since we are topping the fish with onions, it will need enough time for the onions to cook through and become tender. Try to choose a thicker fillet, if possible. All of this is to make sure that the salmon will be juicy on the inside and still have a golden crust.  

Season with salt and pepper. Season liberally, since the fish is very thick and the salt need to penetrate all the way through to the center. Layer the thinly sliced onion on top of the fish, so it covers the surface of the fish completely.

You can also thinly slice or chop some tomatoes and place them on top of the onions and sprinkle with some fresh herbs. Now that would be delicious too. 

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard and garlic. The mixture should be thin enough to easily spread over the onions. Cover the surface of the onions with the creamy mayo mixture and spread it out evenly.

Top with the finely grated cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes,then  broil for  2-5 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown.

Can you see how juicy and moist the fish is on the inside? Let me tell you, this dinner was AMAZING. 

Cheesy, Onion Crusted Baked Salmon

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

18 mins

Total time

33 mins

 

Author: Olga’s Flavor Factory

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 lb salmon fillet
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• salt, ground black pepper, to taste
• ¼-1/3 cup mayonnaise (Homemade Mayo Recipe)
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• ½-1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
• ⅓-1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, finely shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Place the salmon fillet on the prepared baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Layer the thinly sliced onion on top of the fish, so it covers the surface of the fish completely.
3. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard and garlic. The mixture should be thin enough to easily spread over the onions. Cover the surface of the onions with the creamy mayo mixture and spread it out evenly. Top with the finely grated cheese.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes,then broil for 2-5 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown.

3.1.09

You shouldn’t be surprised to find out that I first saw this recipe on America’s Test Kitchen and I’ve used the concept to come up with many variations. The cooking method is perfect to have a delicious pasta dish. Even though cooking the pasta in such a small amount of water produces lots of starch, that’s actually a good thing in this case, since it creates the base for a beautiful, light sauce.

You can use many different types of pasta and a variety of vegetables. You’ll have only one skillet to wash and if you do the prep ahead of time, it’s a 3o minute meal, and you don’t have to be Rachel Ray to appreciate it. 

Ingredients:

2 chicken breast halves

salt, pepper

2 Tablespoons oil (canola, vegetable, olive, etc.)

1 onion, minced

1 bell pepper, julienned

3 cloves garlic , minced

8 oz pasta (capanelle, ziti, fusili, etc.) (approximately 2 1/2 cups)

1 2/3 cups chicken broth, preferrably homemade

2 3/4 cups water

4 cups broccoli florets

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, minced

2 Tablespoons lemon juice or white wine

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus a little extra for garnishing

fresh parsely, minced, for garnishing

Trim the chicken. Blot dry with a paper towel. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.

Prep the rest of the ingredients. Chop the onion, julienne the bell pepper, cut the broccoli into florets, mince the sun dried tomatoes and the garlic.

As I already mentioned, do your prep ahead of time and cooking it up will be a breeze. Take care of it in the morning and you won’t be scrambling when dinnertime rolls around.

In a 12 inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add the chicken to the skillet, and cook until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Take it out of the skillet and set is aside. The chicken should still be raw in the center.

Add 1 more Tablespoon of oil to the same skillet.

Add the chopped onion, season with salt and pepper and cook for 3-5 minutes, on medium heat,  until the onion is softened. Add the pepper, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic to the center of the skillet, cook for about 30 seconds longer.

Add the pasta, Chicken Broth and water to the skillet. Bring it to a boil. Season with salt, since the water will dilute the chicken broth significantly.  Nestle the chicken in the center of the skillet. Cook, covered, until the chicken reaches 160-165 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

Using this method to cook the chicken breast infuses it with the chicken broth and all the other flavors of the dish, while gently cooking it. The chicken will be perfectly cooked and full of flavor all the way through. 

Take the chicken out of the skillet, and keep it covered to stay warm.

Keep cooking the pasta for a total of about 15 minutes, until the liquid has become absorbed up to the level of the pasta. Add the broccoli and the sun dried tomatoes to the skillet, cover and cook for about 5 minutes, until the broccoli is almost ready.  

Turn the heat to high, uncover the skillet, and cook approximately 3 more minutes. Add the lemon juice or white wine.

The liquid should be mostly absorbed, with only a bit on the bottom of the skillet.If you use a smaller skillet, or don’t use a high enough heat, the liquid may not reduce enough. That’s not a big deal. Just drain off some of the liquid. Leave enough to make a sauce. (You don’t want to cook it too long, since you don’t want the pasta or the broccoli to become mushy and overcooked. )

Add the heavy cream and the Parmesan cheese.  Keep cooking for another 2 minutes or so, until it’s all warmed through. Slice the chicken and add to the rest of the dish.

Garnish with fresh minced parsley and more cheese.

Skillet Pasta, Chicken, Broccoli and Peppers in a Light Cream Sauce

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Author: adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breast halves
• salt, pepper
• 2 Tablespoons oil (canola, vegetable, olive, etc.)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 bell pepper, julienned
• 3 cloves garlic , minced
• 8 oz pasta (capanelle, ziti, fusili, etc.) (approximately 2½ cups)
• 1⅔ cups chicken broth
• 2¾ cups water
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, minced
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice or white wine
• ¼ cup heavy cream,
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, plus a little extra for garnishing
• fresh parsley, minced, for garnishing

Instructions

1. Trim the chicken. Blot dry with a paper towel. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Prep the rest of the ingredients. Chop the onion, julienne the bell pepper, cut the broccoli into florets, mince the sun dried tomatoes and the garlic.
3. In a 12 inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add the chicken to the skillet, and cook until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Take it out of the skillet and set is aside. The chicken should still be raw in the center.
4. Add 1 more Tablespoon of oil to the same skillet. Add the chopped onion, season with salt and pepper and cook for 3-5 minutes, on medium heat, until the onion is softened.
5. Add the pepper, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes.
6. Add the garlic to the center of the skillet, cook for about 30 seconds longer.
7. Add the pasta, chicken broth and water to the skillet. Bring it to a boil. Season with salt, since the water will dilute the chicken broth significantly.
8. Nestle the chicken in the center of the skillet. Cook, covered, until the chicken reaches 160-165 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Take the chicken out of the skillet, and keep it covered to stay warm.
9. Keep cooking the pasta for a total of about 15 minutes, until the liquid has become absorbed up to the level of the pasta.
10. Add the broccoli and sun dried tomatoes to the skillet, cover and cook for about 5 minutes, until the broccoli is almost ready.
11. Turn the heat to high, uncover the skillet and cook for approximately 3 more minutes. Add the lemon juice or white wine. The liquid should be mostly absorbed, with only a bit on the bottom of the skillet.
12. Add the heavy cream and the Parmesan cheese. Keep cooking for another 2 minutes or so, until it’s all warmed through.
13. Slice the chicken and add to the rest of the dish. Garnish with fresh minced parsley and more cheese.

3.1.09

How do I know? I don’t. Ha ha. I have a good imagination though:).

I did grow up as the oldest of six and have nieces and nephews. This definitely doesn’t make me an expert. In fact, I will be the first to admit that I don’t know the first thing about raising children. Reading books, occasionally baby sitting, and listening to stories of other parents is so far from actually living through it myself.

I know that many of you would be very skeptical if I shared any thoughts about this subject. I’m well aware of the quote: “You know the only people who are always sure about the proper way to raise children? Those who’ve never had any.”

This is why all the advice in this post is from my sister, Elina. She has two beautiful little girls and I am in awe of her skills as a parent. She is such a wonderful Mother. 

I am just a bit smitten by these two little princesses, so please indulge me all the cute pictures in this post. Aren’t they adorable?

One thing I do know, is that Moms and Dads are super busy. There are so many things that need to get done, and the little ones need so much attention. As parents, I’m sure it’s even more important to you guys to feed your family a balanced meal and spend quality time as a family at the dinner table. I’m sure I would want my children to get proper nourishment and family interaction.

How do you get dinner on the table if you have little tykes hanging around your ankles?

1. If you aren’t pressed for time, include the children in the kitchen tasks.

Don’t attempt this is you have half an hour to produce a meal. This is not the time to engage your children in the culinary arts. However, when you have a little bit more available time, let them help you out. If you start teaching them early on, they will be more likely to help you more as they get older.

My Mom let me help her since I was a toddler and I was always intrigued by cooking. By the time I was ten, I could prepare a simple meal for the family.

At first, they will be more of a hindrance than a help, but with time, they will learn. Before you know it, you can put your feet up and relax with a good book while your offspring are busily cooking.

Make cooking fun.

As I already mentioned, you can’t do this if you’re stressed or in a bad mood.

Give them simple tasks and lots of encouraging words. Make them feel important that they are helping out.

My parents used to tell me all the time that I was such a good helper and they just didn’t know how they could handle things without me. Now, I know that was far from the truth. I’m sure I was more in the way than actually productive and helpful. However, I believed them with all my heart. I felt so appreciated and important.

Give them simple tasks that they can easily do.

Set the table, sweep the floor, mix the ingredients in a bowl. Of course, it depends on the age of the child. Give them a task that is appropriate for their age.

2. If you’re pressed for time, but your “littles” can’t bear to be separated from you, and need to be in the same room with you, give them something to occupy themselves with, right in your sight.

Sit them in a high chair and give them something to play with.
Elina gives Ariella some measuring cups that she likes to play with right on the kitchen floor.
Adalia will stand for hours next to the sink and “wash dishes”. She is completely soaked, but she’s absolutely happy.

Let them load the dishwasher.

As long as it isn’t dangerous, there’s no harm for them to play with the pantry ingredients. 

You may turn around to find your 1 year old devouring a container of Cool Whip that the 3 year old took out of the freezer while you had your back turned. That’s ok. Nobody died from eating some Cool Whip. 

3. Do simple meals that don’t take too much time.

I may not be a Mom, but even childless people are busy sometimes:), so I can somewhat relate.

Especially when you have toddlers, it’s perfectly fine not to prepare gourmet meals that take hours and hours. I’ll bet most kids like simple food anyway. Here are some ideas of Easy Weeknight Meals.

Include a lot of leftovers. Many meals taste great as leftovers. Take advantage of it. This way, you can cut down on kitchen duty quite significantly.

Freezer Cooking is especially helpful when you’re a busy parent. You can’t beat having a homemade meal that requires only 2 things – defrost and reheat. Not bad, right?

It can be a bit challenging to find the time to cook the meals in the first place. They don’t magically appear in your freezer, do they?

Many times you can cook a double batch of whatever you’re making and freeze half of it. It doesn’t take too much extra time to make an extra Lasagna if you’re already making one for dinner.

Get the help of your spouse. They can watch the children while you cook for a day or two. This will save you so much time! Besides, your children probably love spending time with Daddy. Or Mommy, whatever the case may be. Grandmas and Grandpas are enthusiastic babysitters too. 

Partner up with other parents. Cook several batches of your favorites meals and exchange them with the other parents’ favorite meals.

4. Prep dinner in the mornings or evenings when the children are asleep.

This will also help cut down on the time that you need to spend cooking dinner. Many meals will take less than half an hour if you can do most of the prep work ahead of time.

You’ll be able to do the prep work much faster too, if you don’t have to worry about your cute little “distractions”.

I do this one myself all the time. I work nights, so on the days that I work, I don’t have much time to be cooking. I like to prep the day before, or in the mornings when I come home from work. Then I get some sleep and when I get up, I can get dinner ready really quickly and still get to work on time.

4. Occupy them with things that keep them entertained for awhile.

You know your children better than anyone. What do they like to do that will keep their attention for a while?

Elina’s girls love to color and draw. Many times that means that Elina will come back to find them with green hands, but the secret is to buy washable markers.

The girls also love to play together. It’s a great advantage to have multiple children, since they will entertain each other.

They also love books.

If all else fails turn on their favorite cartoons. Or let them play with your iPad. We all know that children are captivated by electronics.

Bring out the “special toys” that they can only play with while you are cooking dinner. This will make it so much more interesting for them. 

5. Don’t stress yourself out.

Yes, it’s nice to have a homemade dinner on the table. Women especially have an inner drive to be “SuperMom”.

More than anything, your kids want a happy Mom and Dad. They don’t care if they’re having takeout food for dinner. That luxurious meal isn’t important to them if that means that  their parents are stressed out and frustrated.

Your kids care more that their smiling Mom is sharing brownies and milk with them. They don’t care if those brownies were made from scratch, with chocolate from an exotic island, or that the brownies were made from a box or store-bought.

Now it’s your turn. 

Someday, when my dreams of being a mother will finally come true, I’d love to be somewhat prepared with the advice of the experts – you. Please share what works for your family. I’m so eager to hear how you guys do it. In my opinion, you are superheroes. 

Happy Mother’s Day to all you wonderful Mothers! Cherish your roles as mothers and remember that it is truly a gift to be treasured. 

This recipe was handed down to my Mom by a friend and our family has been enjoying them for years. In the fall, when we would have an over abundance of apples, we would make these cookies all the time. The dough is tender and flaky and the sweet, tart and gooey apple filling satisfies my sweet tooth and my love for simple treats that aren’t too sweet or complicated.

One of the huge advantages of these cookies is that you can make the cookie dough and the apple filling ahead of time. It’s a great option for the days when your craving for something sweet hits. The dough can be refrigerated for a few days or kept in the freezer for up to a month. You can also make the apple filling ahead of time and keep it refrigerated or even can it for longer storage. Then it’s as simple as rolling out the dough, adding the filling, and baking. 

Cookie Dough:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened (approximately 150 gm)

1 egg yolk

2 Tablespoons water

2 cups flour

1 egg white and sugar for the tops of the cookies

Apple Filling:

6 large Granny Smith apples

1/2 – 3/4 cup sugar

juice from 1 lemon

2 teaspoons vanilla

Cookie Dough:

Mix the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or use a large bowl and a hand mixer.

It’s very important to use softened cream cheese and butter.

Separate the egg and add the egg yolk to the batter.

Set aside the egg white. You will use it later to brush the tops of the cookies before baking them.

Add 2 Tablespoons of water to the batter also and mix to combine.

Add the flour and mix until all the flour is incorporated. Place the cookie dough on some parchment paper and form it into the shape of a disc. Wrap it up in the parchment paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 2  hours.

Yes, the dough does have to be completely chilled and stiff. Don’t even bother working with it if it isn’t or you will get really frustrated, it will take you 10 times longer and the cookies will be a mess.

The good thing is that this dough is SUPER EASY to make and you can make it ahead of time. You can keep it in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Apple Filling:

Meanwhile, make the apple filling. Peel and chop the apples.

You can use many kinds of apples. I prefer Granny Smith apples because they are tart and have the perfect texture. They won’t turn to mush when you cook them.

Add the apples and the sugar to a skillet.

You don’t need to add any butter or water. The apples will exude a lot of moisture as they cook and the sugar will melt, so the’re no need to add anything to the apples.

Bring to a boil on medium high heat. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes, until the apples are soft.

Take off the heat and add the lemon juice and vanilla.

You can also add some cinnamon. I do it whenever I’m in the mood for cinnamon. This time I wasn’t.

Cool. Store the apple filling in the refrigerator. If you want to make a large batch to have on hand, sterilize the glass jar and lid, add the filling to the jar, seal with the lids and place the jar with the apple filling in a pot with boiling water, covering the jars by at least 1 inch. Cook for 10 minutes. Lift out of the pot and cool. I don’t usually do this, since I don’t have a lot of storage space available and it’s really easy to make a batch at a time.

Making the Cookies:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

When the cookie dough is stiff, roll out half of it on a well floured surface. Use a cookie or biscuit cutter or even an inverted cup/glass and press out as many circles as you can.

My biscuit cutter was 3 inches, but you can make the circles even bigger, if you want.

Take all the extra dough, scrunch it up and place in the refrigerator to chill while you are making the cookies. I usually place it in the freezer, so it chills faster. Just don’t forget about it:). You can use every last scrap of dough for cookies, and that’s a good thing.

Place about a heaping teaspoon or so of filling in the center of the circles. Fold the circle over the filling, pinch the seams closed with your fingers and then use a fork to make sure the cookies are sealed well.  Make sure there are no air pockets in the cookies, or they might burst as they bake.

Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet.

Use a fork to whisk up the egg white that you set aside earlier when making the dough.

If you made the dough ahead of time and didn’t save the egg white, just use a whole egg, whisk it up with a fork. No big deal.

Use a pastry brush to brush the egg white on top of the cookies. Sprinkle sugar on top of the cookies. Bake in the preheated oven for 22-30 minutes, depending on how thin you rolled out the dough and how big you made your cookies. The cookies should be lightly golden. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough and the cookie scraps. You will have approximately 60 cookies.

Apple Pie Cookies

 

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Prep time

3 hours

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

3 hours 30 mins

 

Author: Olga’s Flavor Factory

Recipe type: Sweets

Serves: 60 cookies

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1½ sticks of butter, softened (approximately 150 gm)
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 2 cups flour
• 1 egg white and sugar for the tops of the cookies

Apple Filling:

• 6 large Granny Smith apples
• ½ – ¾ cup sugar
• juice from 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

1. Mix the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or use a large bowl and a hand mixer.
2. Separate the egg and add the egg yolk to the batter.
3. Set aside the egg white. You will use it later to brush the tops of the cookies before baking them.
4. Add 2 Tablespoons of water to the batter also and mix to combine.
5. Add the flour and mix until all the flour is incorporated.
6. Place the cookie dough on some parchment paper and form it into the shape of a disc. Wrap it up in the parchment paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. You can keep it in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for up to a month.
7. Meanwhile, make the apple filling. Peel and chop the apples. Add the apples and the sugar to a skillet. Bring to a boil on medium high heat.
8. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes, until the apples are soft.
9. Take off the heat and add the lemon juice and vanilla. You can also add some cinnamon. Cool.
10. Store the apple filling in the refrigerator. If you want to make a large batch to have on hand, sterilize the glass jar and lid, add the filling to the jar, seal with the lids and place the jar with the apple filling in a pot with boiling water, covering the jars by at least 1 inch. Cook for 10 minutes. Lift the jars out of the pot and cool.
11. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
12. When the cookie dough is stiff, roll out half of it on a well floured surface. Use a cookie or biscuit cutter or even an inverted cup/glass and press out as many circles as you can. My biscuit cutter was 3 inches, but you can make the circles even bigger, if you want.
13. Take all the extra dough, scrunch it up and place in the refrigerator to chill while you are making the cookies. I usually place it in the freezer, so it chills faster. Just don’t forget about it:). You can use every last scrap of dough for cookies, and that’s a good thing.
14. Place about a heaping teaspoon or so of filling in the center of the circles. Fold the circle over the filling, pinch the seams closed with your fingers and then use a fork to make sure the cookies are sealed well. Make sure there are no air pockets in the cookies, or they might burst as they bake.
15. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet.
16. Use a fork to whisk up the egg white that you set aside earlier when making the dough. If you made the dough ahead of time and didn’t save the egg white, just use a whole egg, whisk it up with a fork. No big deal. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg white on top of the cookies. Sprinkle sugar on top of the cookies.
17. Bake in the preheated oven for 22-30 minutes, depending on how thin you rolled out the dough and how big you made your cookies. The cookies should be lightly golden.
18. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough and the cookie dough scraps.

3.1.09

I was talking to my Mom the other day and she mentioned that she will be starting to plant the garden soon. Talks about the garden gives me a longing deep inside and sparks up visions of my future dream home, including a large garden in the backyard. I always enjoyed having a garden as I was growing up. It was so rewarding to sit down to dinner with plate of new potatoes and a bright and crunchy salad. I didn’t even mind the weeding. Our trick was to garden in the mornings or evenings, when it wasn’t too hot. I have so many great memories of talking to my Mom or my siblings as we kneeled next to the beets, tomatoes, peppers, dill, weeding, pruning or watering the plants.

We ate variations of this salad all summer long, pretty much every day. For me, it symbolized the arrival of spring and was always such a happy occasion. If you ever had a garden of your own, you know what I mean when I say that home-grown, organic vegetables can’t even mildly compare to store bought. Enjoy this salad while I reminisce and get a little bit homesick for my childhood home.

Ingredients:

1 pint grape tomatoes, approximately 2 cups

3 small cucumbers, sliced

4-6 radishes, sliced

2 cups shredded lettuce, such as green leaf lettuce

1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper

green onion, dill, minced

Cut the tomatoes in half.

You can use regular tomatoes, if you’d like, just seed the tomato and chop it into 1/2 inch cubes. Slice the cucumbers. The radishes and the lettuce would be some of the first vegetables to grow.

My mom always had this baby lettuce that was absolutely amazing. I can never find it in the grocery stores, but that’s probably because she ate it while it still wasn’t fully grown. I really wish I could find some here. I use green leaf lettuce and it works well too.

Thinly slice the radishes. Cut the lettuce finely.

Add the fresh minced herbs.  Add the sour cream or Greek yogurt and toss gently.

At first it will seem as though the sour cream won’t get incorporated into the salad, but have patience, it eventually will. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Creamy Spring Garden Salad

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Olga’s Flavor Factory

Recipe type: Sides

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 pint grape tomatoes, approximately 2 cups
• 3 small cucumbers, sliced
• 4-6 radishes, sliced
• 2 cups shredded lettuce, such as green leaf lettuce
• ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
• ½ teaspoon salt, black pepper
• green onion, dill

Instructions

1. Cut the tomatoes in half. You can use regular tomatoes, if you’d like, just seed the tomato and chop it into ½ inch cubes.
2. Slice the cucumbers.
3. Thinly slice the radishes.
4. Cut the lettuce finely. Add the fresh minced herbs.
5. Add the sour cream or Greek yogurt and toss gently. At first it will seem as though the sour cream won’t get incorporated into the salad, but have patience, it eventually will. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

3.1.09

If I had to use a dish to describe my personality, this would probably be it.

• It’s simple  and requires very little effort. You can also do most of the prep ahead of time if you wanted.
• Chicken and potatoes are a classic combination of flavors.
• I can use my multitasking skills:).

Since I was already utilizing the oven, I thought it would be a great idea to roast the potatoes at the same time. I really like roasting chicken on a rack in the oven, since it helps the chicken to become extra crispy on all sides. As the chicken roasts, those lovely juices drip over the potatoes and saturate it with great flavor. Since I used chicken breast, there’s no danger of the potatoes becoming greasy and pooling in layers of drippings, since the breast is the leanest part of the chicken.

• It’s elegant enough to serve for company but easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner at home.
• Not only does this dish taste phenomenal, but it’s also healthy too.

My favorite part about eating healthy foods is how great I feel after dinner. Roasted chicken breast is at the top of the list of healthy dinner options and it’s definitely not boring when paired with roasted potatoes with peppers, shallots and garlic.

• And last but not least, I think this dinner proves that if you take the time to learn the essentials of cooking, you can make even regular ingredients burst with flavor and achieve the perfect texture – crisp skin, juicy meat and caramelized and golden potatoes.

Ingredients:

Chicken:

4 bone-in, skin on chicken breasts

salt, pepper

1 – 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Potatoes:

3 lbs small baby red potatoes, cut in half

2 shallots, quartered

1 bell pepper, cut into 1 – 1 1/2 inch pieces

4-6 garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 cup olive oil

salt, pepper

3/4- 1 teaspoon Montreal Chicken seasoning, optional

fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, green onions, dill, for garnishing

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside.

Cut the baby potatoes in half. You can use regular sized red potatoes or even Yukon Gold potatoes. Cut the potatoes into approximately 1 1/2 inch pieces. Place them in a medium pot. Pour cold water over the water, just so it barely covers the potatoes. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 7-10 minutes, just until the potatoes are somewhat cooked through.

Drain the potatoes. Don’t over cook the potatoes or they will become too mushy.

Quarter the shallots and cut the pepper into small chunks, about 1 -1 1/2 inches, and place them into a large bowl with the slightly crushed garlic cloves. Add the cooked potatoes to the bowl.  Pour in the 1/4 cup of olive oil and add about 3/4-1 teaspoon of salt, some freshly ground black pepper and 1 1/2-2 teaspoons Montreal Chicken seasoning, (if you like it). You can also add dry herbs such as thyme, oregano, parsley, etc. Toss it all together. Place the potato mixture into a 9×13 inch baking pan. Place a rack on top of the baking pan. Brush or drizzle the chicken breasts with a bit of olive oil. You’ll need only about 1-2 Tablespoons total. Roast it in the preheated oven for 35-50 minutes, until the chicken breast reaches 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Take the chicken out of the oven, and set aside to rest while the potatoes finish roasting.

As the chicken rests and the juices redistribute throughout the meat, it gives us just the perfect amount of time to reach the golden crispness that is so awesome for potatoes to have. 

Meanwhile, broil the potatoes for 3-5 minutes, turn them over and broil for another 3-5 minutes, until the potatoes are roasted and golden brown. I usually toss them at least 3-5 times, since I like the roasted brown bits on the potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes with fresh herbs. To slice the chicken meat, cut it off the bone and then slice it across. It helps if you use a really sharp knife.

You can serve it with a Homemade Barbecue sauce, sauce/gravy, glaze, etc, but I prefer it just the way it is. If you want to fancy it up a bit, you can mix up some really easy glazes, using mustard, honey, balsamic vinegar, lemon, orange, maple syrup, marmalade or jelly. There are so many possibilities.

If you have any chicken left over, use it in Chicken Quesadillas, Chicken Salad, Creamy Chicken Salad Bites on crackers  or in Savory Crepes With a Meat Filling. In fact, I usually make extra chicken and use the leftovers the next day for another meal.

Roasted Chicken Breast and Potato Dinner

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Author: Olga’s Flavor Factory

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 4 bone-in, skin on chicken breasts
• salt, pepper
• 1 – 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Potatoes:

• 3 lbs small baby red potatoes, cut in half
• 2 shallots, quartered
• 1 bell pepper, chopped into 1 -1½ inch pieces
• 4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
• ¼ cup olive oil
• salt, pepper
• ¾- 1 teaspoon Montreal Chicken seasoning, optional
• fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, green onions, dill, for garnishing

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside.
3. Cut the baby potatoes in half. You can use regular sized red potatoes or even Yukon Gold potatoes. Cut the potatoes into approximately 1½ inch pieces.
4. Place them in a medium pot. Pour cold water over the water, just so it barely covers them.
5. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 7-10 minutes, just until the potatoes are somewhat cooked through.
6. Drain the potatoes. Don’t over cook the potatoes or they will become too mushy.
7. Quarter the shallots and cut the pepper into small chunks, about 1 -1½ inches, and place them into a large bowl with the slightly crushed garlic cloves.
8. Add the cooked potatoes to the bowl. Pour in the ¼ cup of olive oil and add about ¾-1 teaspoon of salt, some freshly ground black pepper and 1½-2 teaspoons Montreal Chicken seasoning, (if you like it). You can also add dry herbs such as thyme, oregano, parsley, etc. Toss it all together.
9. Place the potato mixture into a 9×13 inch baking pan.
10. Place a rack on top of the baking pan. Brush or drizzle the chicken breasts with a bit of olive oil. You’ll need only about 1-2 Tablespoons total.
11. Roast it in the preheated oven for 35-50 minutes, until the chicken breast reaches 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Take the chicken out of the oven, and set aside to rest while the potatoes finish roasting.
12. Meanwhile, broil the potatoes for 3-5 minutes, turn them over and broil for another 3-5 minutes, until the potatoes are roasted and golden brown. I usually toss them at least 3-5 times, since I like the roasted brown bits on the potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes with fresh herbs.

3.1.09