Growing up in my parents’ household, skipping down the garden path and returning with a fistful of herbs was a daily ritual for me. I still buy herbs almost every week and you’ll find some kind of herbs in my refrigerator at all times. Whenever I smell basil, I close my eyes and am transported to those sunny, summer days, and I half expect to turn around and see my Mom working on the tomato plants and handing me a ripe beauty to munch on. Herbs elevate any any ordinary dish to exceptional with just a sprinkling on top of a finished meal.

Basil pesto is very robust and bursting with flavor. Any dish you add it to will start up a whole choir in your mouth. You can make up huge batches of pesto when you have bunches and bunches of basil, freeze the basil in portions and then add them to many different dishes, and remind yourself of those beautiful summer months.

This is my favorite way to serve Pesto, in a creamy sauce with pasta. Rich, pungent and fresh, it coats the pasta and every bite will satisfy you.  Add some chicken, and you’ll have yourself a whole meal.

The pesto recipe is based on several that I combined, Cook’s Illustrated, Martha Stewart and Food Network.

Ingredients:

1 lb. pasta (fusilli, penne,rigatoni, fettucine, etc.)

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

3 garlic cloves

2 cups packed basil

1/4 cup parsley

1/2 cup Parmesan, divided

salt, pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2-3/4 cup heavy cream

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. This entire recipe will take as much time as it takes the pasta to cook. Awesome, right? While you are waiting for the water to boil, start preparing the pesto sauce.

Toast the pine nuts and garlic cloves in a skillet on medium heat.

You can also use other nuts, instead of pine nuts, such as walnuts. I prefer to use pine nuts. They give pesto a very specific taste that just can’t be replicated by other nuts. The flavor of pine nuts in pesto is incredible.

The pine nuts will toast up much more quickly, take them out of the skillet but continue to roast the garlic cloves until the garlic is golden brown and tender. Cool slightly, peel and chop coarsely.

You can use fresh garlic and omit roasting it, but the garlic will be much more pungent and strong. Roasting it will mellow out the flavor of the garlic, which I definitely prefer. 

Place the basil, parsley, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor.

Basil tends to bruise and darken very quickly. Adding parsley will help give the pesto a bright green color. You can also use spinach, instead of parsley.  You can actually substitute a large amount of the basil for spinach, and you won’t need to use as much basil. This is a big help in the winter months, when basil is so hard to find and is sold in teeny little bags that are like $3 each. You’ll need to spend about $20 to make a portion of pesto. No way. Basil has a very strong flavor, so if you use a small amount, you’ll still be able to taste it.

Process until finely chopped. Add the olive oil gradually until smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

At this point, you can freeze the pesto in portions. You can omit the cheese until you serve it.

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Add the pesto to the cream and mix to combine. Add the remaining Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add the basil pesto sauce. Toss to combine.

Note: If you prefer a more mild pesto sauce, add only half of it to the cream and freeze the other half. I like a strong pesto flavor. My husband, on the other hand, likes the milder pesto cream sauce version. It’s up to you.

Garnish with more Parmesan cheese and minced basil or parsley.

Creamy Pesto Pasta

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Olga’s Flavor Factory

Recipe type: Sides

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb. pasta (fusilli, penne,rigatoni, fettucine, etc.)
• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 cups packed basil
• ¼ cup parsley
• ½ cup Parmesan, divided
• salt, pepper
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ½-3/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, start preparing the pesto sauce.
2. Toast the pine nuts and garlic cloves in a skillet on medium heat.
3. You can also use other nuts, instead of pine nuts, such as walnuts. I prefer to use pine nuts. They give pesto a very specific taste that just can’t be replicated by other nuts. The flavor of pine nuts in pesto is incredible.
4. The pine nuts will toast up much more quickly, take them out of the skillet but continue to roast the garlic cloves until the garlic is golden brown and tender. Cool slightly, peel and chop coarsely.
5. Place the basil, parsley, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor. Process until finely chopped.
6. Add the olive oil gradually until smooth. Stir in ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
7. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Add the pesto to the cream and mix to combine.
8. Add the remaining Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add the basil pesto sauce. Toss to combine.
10. Note: If you prefer a more mild pesto sauce, add only half of it to the cream and freeze the other half. I like a strong pesto flavor. My husband, on the other hand, likes the milder pesto cream sauce version. It’s up to you.
11. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese and minced basil or parsley.

3.1.09

• At the top, you’ll notice all the social media buttons.

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest. You’ll see behind the scene pictures, daily life and food, sneak peaks, links to great recipes, tips and fun videos that catch my eye on other great websites.

• You can also share your favorite recipes and tips with your friends using the handy social media buttons at the bottom of each post.

• Also, if you’d like to Pin any of the pictures to your Pinterest, just hover your mouse over the picture and a “Pin it” button will pop up in the right upper corner of the picture.

Just click on it, and it will automatically fill in the title for you and you just have to pick the board where you want the picture to be be saved.

Thank you so much for everyone who shares my recipes or pins them to your boards. I feel so honored whenever I see this. You guys are awesome!

• There’s also Bloglovin.

This is such a great tool. I use it all the time to catch up on all my favorite blogs. It’s a website where you add all the blogs that you read and you can stay up to date with them in one convenient place. The new posts are all added in sequential order, and show up like in a feed, kind of like a Facebook page.

• There’s a handy dandy search box right at the top. I don’t think I have to explain that. You want to find something, type it in, click enter, results come up.

• Don’t miss any new recipes and tips, by signing up for the free e-mail updates. You’ll get an e-mail every time I publish anything new. 
• I have also joined Ziplist, which will help all of you save all your favorite recipes.

All the recipes have a Save option in the printable recipe. If you want to save a recipe, simply click the Save button and it will be saved into your personal Recipe Box.

At the top of the page, you’ll see a tab called Recipe Box. That’s where you would go if you quickly want to find recipe that you had saved. There is also a very convenient Shopping List, which will include all the ingredients that you’ll need for that particular dish in a shopping list for you.

I saved the Ziplist app into my iphone, and I am so impressed with it. I add the things that I need to buy to my list and it organizes it for me. I can also conveniently look up my favorite recipes right on my phone, because many, many websites and blogs use Ziplist too, and you can save recipes from all these different sources in one convenient place. I love that.

• Next up, my new Amazon Shop.

I get asked quite often about the tools in my kitchen, so I decided to share the things that are in my kitchen and that I love. I recommend only the things that I use and love, or someone in my family owns and I’ve used. Sometimes the specific item that I own is not on Amazon, so I found the most similar item to it.

If I own an item and don’t like it 100%, I won’t recommend it until I find one that I love. That’s why you don’t see an electric griddle in the Shop, because I don’t like the one I have now. Whenever I buy one that works great, I’ll add it in.

I also included some of my favorite books. Yes, I read them all. Since I read A LOT, many people ask me for book recommendations.

Disclosure: I do get a small commission from Amazon if you buy the item from my link. However, the prices are the exact same ones on Amazon, so you won’t be paying extra by buying through my site. If you find the item at a garage sale or just want to get the book in the library, that’s wonderful! Take advantage of that. I simply want to share the items that are great quality and I use on a regular basis. If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them.

• Last but not least, are you wondering what the Newsletter is all about?

It’s an additional fun and educational email Newsletter that I’ll be sending out every week or two. It will include all the latest recipes and tips from the blog, plus cooking tips, short blurbs about my favorite tools and showcasing some of the ingredients in my pantry. There will also be a spot that will feature seasonal ingredients and post links to recipes that use those ingredients. I’ll also post links to a few recipes and videos that caught my eye, so you can try them/watch them too. I might include random pics and updates about my personal life. If you want to receive this newsletter, sign up right there.

Thank you so much for reading my recipes and articles and for sharing them with your family and friends. Thanks for taking the time to write comments and to send me e-mails. I love reading everything from all you wonderful folks. I try to answer all of them, so if I didn’t I’m sorry, it wasn’t intentional. I appreciate you following me in the social media. You guys are an awesome group of people!

I will do my best to come up with great content and hope that it’s useful and enjoyable for all of you.

It’s a great option for entertaining. Chicken is a very safe option for serving guests, and the filling is tasty but not too crazy, so it’s a dish that most people will like. It looks really pretty too. Chicken Spinocolli is a great make ahead dish. Do most of the prep ahead of time, keep it refrigerated and on busy days, you can pull off a gorgeous, fancy dinner with minimal work. 

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt, pepper

Stuffing:

1 Tablespoon butter

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups spinach

2 cups broccoli, chopped

2 Tablespoons white wine

salt, pepper to taste

Cheese Filling:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup feta cheese, softened

1 cup finely shredded Mozzarella

4 Tablespoons sun dried tomatoes, minced

salt, pepper to taste

Breading:

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs, plus 2 Tablespoons water

1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs

3/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola)

Prep:

Pound the chicken to an even thickness. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Prep the rest of the ingredients.

Prepare the Stuffing:

Heat the butter in a skillet on medium high heat until melted. Add the onion, cook for about 5 minutes, add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so. Add the spinach and white wine. Cook for about a minute until the spinach wilts.

You can also use thawed, frozen spinach instead of fresh, but you will only need a small amount, since the spinach is already wilted. Make sure to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the spinach first, before adding it to the onions. 

Add the broccoli, season with salt and pepper, cook for about 2 minutes, until the broccoli is slightly softened, but still crunchy. Set aside to cool.

Prepare the Cheese Filling:

Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix up the cream cheese. It should be really easy to do because the cream cheese needs to be softened. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix to combine.

Assembling  and Cooking the Chicken:

Spread 1/4 of the cheese filling on one of the flattened chicken breasts. Spread it out evenly, leaving a border free around the edges. Top with part of the stuffing.

Roll up the chicken breast tucking in the sides into the center of the rolled chicken.

Fill and stuff the rest of the chicken breasts. Roll up the stuffed chicken breasts tightly inside aluminum foil. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

You can prep the chicken up to this point and keep it refrigerated for a day or so before you plan to serve it.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prep the breading station. Place the flour and breadcrumbs into separate plates. Whisk up the eggs and water in another plate.

Dredge the chicken in the flour, then in the egg wash and then in the breadcrumbs.

Heat up 3/4 cup oil in a 10 inch skillet on medium high heat, until the oil is hot and shimmering. Add the chicken to the oil and cook for about 1-2 minutes on all 4 sides, until the chicken is golden brown on all sides.

The oil needs to be really hot. You can check it by dropping in a breadcrumb into the oil and it will sizzle if it’s ready. If the oil is not hot enough, the chicken will soak in the oil and be really greasy. If you heat the oil up correctly, the chicken will be crisp and not greasy at all.

Place the chicken on top of a rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the chicken reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant read thermometer.

Why do you have to fry the chicken and then finish cooking it in the oven?

If you cook the chicken completely on the stovetop, the outside will be burnt by the time the inside of the chicken is cooked through. Frying it on the stove top first gives the chicken a perfect golden, crispy crust. You can bake the chicken completely in the oven, without frying it first. Spritz it a bit with some oil before putting it in the oven. However, you won’t get the same beautiful crisp crust in the oven.

Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes, then slice into pieces.

Chicken Spinocolli – Breaded Stuffed Chicken Breast With Spinach, Broccoli and Cheese

 

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Author: Olga’s Flavor Factory

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt, pepper

Stuffing:

• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups spinach
• 2 cups broccoli, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons white wine
• salt, pepper to taste

Cheese Filling:

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup feta cheese, softened
• 1 cup finely shredded Mozzarella
• 4 Tablespoons sun dried tomatoes, minced
• salt, pepper to taste

Breading:

• ½ cup flour
• 2 eggs, plus 2 Tablespoons water
• 1¼ cups panko bread crumbs
• ¾ cup oil (vegetable or canola) for frying

Instructions

Prep:

1. Pound the chicken to an even thickness. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Prep the rest of the ingredients.

Stuffing:

1. Heat the butter in a skillet on medium high heat until melted. Add the onion, cook for about 5 minutes, add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so.
2. Add the spinach and white wine. Cook for about a minute until the spinach wilts.
3. You can also use thawed, frozen spinach instead of fresh, but you will only need a small amount, since the spinach is already wilted. Make sure to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the spinach first, before adding it to the onions.
4. Add the broccoli, season with salt and pepper, cook for about 2 minutes, until the broccoli is slightly softened, but still crunchy. Set aside to cool.

Cheese Filling:

1. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix up the cream cheese. It should be really easy to do because the cream cheese needs to be softened.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix to combine.

Assembling and Cooking the Chicken:

1. Spread ¼ of the cheese filling on one of the flattened chicken breasts. Spread it out evenly, leaving a border free around the edges. Top with part of the stuffing.
2. Roll up the chicken breast tucking in the sides into the center of the rolled chicken.
3. Roll up the chicken breast tucking in the sides into the center of the rolled chicken.
4. Fill and stuff the rest of the chicken breasts. Roll up the stuffed chicken breasts tightly inside aluminum foil. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Prep the breading station. Place the flour and breadcrumbs into separate plates. Whisk up the eggs and water in another plate.
7. Dredge the chicken in the flour, then in the egg wash and then in the breadcrumbs.
8. Heat up ¾ cup oil in a 10 inch skillet on medium high heat, until the oil is hot ans shimmering. Add the chicken to the oil and cook for about 1-2 minutes on all 4 sides, until the chicken is golden brown on all sides.
9. Place the chicken on top of a rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the chicken reaches 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
10. Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes, then slice into pieces.

3.1.09

They also have lots of great tips. Here’s one I saw on their show a few years ago and have been using since.

Whenever you need to apply some baking spray to a baking dish, hold the baking dish pointed toward an empty dishwasher or a dishwasher full of dirty dishes and spray away.

You can coat your baking dish liberally without having to worry about getting baking spray on your counters or floors. You don’t want to fall on a slippery floor!

What a genius idea. It works great.

By the way, what kind of baking spray do you like? I usually use Baker’s Joy. It has a mixture of oil and flour, and works really well. Plus it doesn’t leave a sticky residue on the baking spray after baking. (This is my opinion completely. Baker’s Joy doesn’t even know who I am. Or America’s Test Kitchen, come to think of it. Nobody paid me to write this.)

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