Fake Perogies

Every Christmas Eve we attend a celebration with our friends the Barabash's.  We love them and this is a tradition that was before me and has continued after me.  I am so excited to go there every year and enjoy the yummy Ukrainian food.  My favorite dish by far is the perogies.

The reason this is called the fake perogies is because I do not make them the right way.  Instead I make them with wonton wrappers.  This is a big no-no because it is not from the dough.  I have made these multiple times with wonton wrappers and it is just faster than having to make the dough, cut the dough out. 

As a full-time teacher, I tend to be more lazy and go with what is easy.

Fake Perogies

Ingredients:

Wonton wrappers (found in the tofu section)
Potatoes
Cheddar Cheese (shredded)-- 1 package
Onions
Butter
Sour Cream

Directions:
1. Cube potatoes and boil until they are fork tender.
2. Saute the onions (chopped) in butter and reserve for later.
3. Drain the potatoes and add the sauteed onions, and cheese.
4. Mix together with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Open the wonton wrappers and keep them under a wet towel to keep them moist.
6. Put about a tablespoon of the potato mixture in the wonton.  Wet the edges and seal.
7. Store on a tray until you are ready to boil them.
8. Boil them in water and then saute in butter and more onions. (I love mine crispy!)
9. Eat with sour cream and enjoy!


You can also freeze after you make them and flash freeze them individually and then put them in baggies for later use.

We actually used these from our freezer for dinner last night! Love them and it was so yummy.  I have been in a potato mood and these fit the bill!

Out of commission

Sorry friends who have been looking for recipes.  Brian and I have had a crazy past month working on other projects that haven't included cooking.  I am hoping to get a new recipe up here by the end of the long three day weekend and then hopefully get some more that are ready to be posted in the future.

School just started back for me which always makes things worse in the tired arena and less cooking due to summer and just life in general!

Here is to more cooking and loving life!

Pina Colada Cookies

We had some leftover coconut frosting leftover from another baking day and I figure I needed to find another recipe to finish using up this frosting.  I decided to make pina colada cookies.  Brian took these to work and they were well loved.

Pina Colada Cookies

Ingredients

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineaple (I only had rings, so I just chopped them myself)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teasppon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1.Drain pineapple, reserving all juice. Set pineapple aside; set juice aside for frosting. In a large bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Add pineapple and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Add 3 tablespoons fo juice to the batter for a more pineapple flavor.

2.Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

3. I don't have a written recipe of the frosting, so I found this one online that was also a great substitute. 

**For frosting, in a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar with enough of the reserved pineapple juice to achieve a smooth spreading consistency. Frost cooled cookies. 

This will give you about 3 dozen cookies. 

Zucchini Bread

Zucchini was on sale at the store a few weeks ago and I decided to try and my first ever bread recipe.  What is better than Zucchini bread.  I made this right before I left for CIY, and just now getting to this recipe.  That is how busy my summer has been.  This was an easy recipe to follow and tasted really good as well!  Even Brian liked it!  This recipe was found in a Knoxville, IL cookbook from the 1970's that I got from my mother-in-law when she was cleaning out cookbooks.  I just love old cookbooks and the great recipes to be found!

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil (or use applesauce)
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts (didn't add since I didn't have any on hand)

Directions
1. Grease and flour two 8x4 inch pans and preheat oven to 325 degrees. (I didn't have any of these pans so I just did a 9x13 baking dish and made more of a cake then cut into squares)
2.Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl.  Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat well.  Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined.
4. Pour batter into baking dishes.
5. Bake for 40-60 minutes, or until center is fully cooked.  Cool in pan for 20 minutes and then remove from pan to completely cool. 

Mami's Fideo Con Puerco

This is a recipe that I actually had at a job, and then found the recipe since I liked it so much.  It originally came from the Dallas Morning News, but that is all that I know since I copied it from the clipping that the family had. 

I think that this would be just a great with chicken (might need to change the name then :)).  It says it need Fideo, but all this is is Mexican Spaghetti, so if you only have the normal stuff on hand, feel free to use that as well. 

Mami's Fideo con Puerco

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
1lb. Lean pork, cubed
1 package Fideo pasta or 7oz. Vermicelli/Spaghetti/etc.
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2cup Sweet onion, chopped
1 Large tomato, diced
21/2 cups hot chicken broth
1/2tbsp Cilantro, chopped (left this out, because Brian doesn't like it)
2 tsp cumin
1/2tbsp lime juice (didn't have any on hand this time)
Salt to taste

1) Heat the oil in a large skillet. When hot, sauté the pork cubes until lightly browned. Remove the pork and reserve for later.
2) Add the pasta to the skillet and sauté to a golden brown, stir frequently to prevent burning.
3) Stir in the garlic, onion, and tomatoes and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the broth and lower the heat to medium add the cilantro, and cumin.
4) Add the pork cubes, lower the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and lime juice .remove from heat and serve.

Make 4 servings
Enjoy.

Home-Made Nacho's--Mom Style

I (Angela) grew up in a house, where there wasn't a lot of home made dish's and if it came from a box or a can then we probably ate it.  This is probably why some of my favorite recipes growing up are simple to do and easy to use. 

This is how my Mom use to make nachos all the time.  It is a great and easy way to have some comfort food.

Home Made Nachos-Mom Style

Ingredients:
1 can of refried beans (any type that you like)
1 bag of Cheddar cheese (or any cheese that you like)
1 bag of Tortilla chips (again, any type that you like-round, triangle, lime flavored, etc.)
Sour Cream to garnish

**You could also add in, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, cilantro, etc. at this point

Directions:

1. Open the bag of chips and lay out on a baking sheet.
2. Open the can of beans and spread onto the chips one at a time.
3. Top with Cheddar cheese (and any other toppings that you want)
4. Bake in an oven at 350 degrees until heated through and cheese is melted.
5. Top with sour cream (and any toppings not put in the oven).

Enjoy this easy, care-free, and fun set of nachos.

Back from vacation

Beemer in Europe for two weeks and finishing school the two weeks before that. Hoping to cook this week and add some new recipes!