Pierogi

 

I posted this originally a few years ago.  I'm now updating the post, cause I can and also because I've got a lot of pierogi in the freezer.  

A few years back (20 + years ago) , we were living full-time in an RV,  a fifth wheel to be exact.   We were staying in a campground and had made quite a few friends there.  

One of those friends was of Slavic descent, and one day she offered to show us how to make pierogi, but we needed room to do it in.  So I offered her my kitchen to play in. 

I don't remember how many of us there were that day, but I think we had 4 or 5 women in there, in rapt attention as Marge made the dough.   

I had my Kitchenaid stand mixer out on the counter, and we made use of it. 

I'm not too sure how many potatoes we ended up peeling and cooking, but it was a few, and as I seem to recall, one of the group had to run over to her RV and grab some more potatoes for the filling and the dough.

I made some more pierogi the other day, but only made a small batch this time, but a small batch is still a lot.

Especially when you are the only one who eats pierogi.   But they do freeze, amazingly well.  

I personally love filling them with mashed potatoes, cheese, and onions, but feel free to play with the fillings, adding or deleting any part of them.  

Be aware, though, they do tend to shrink a little after being cut.   I used a new-to-me cutter, and it worked well.  I also used my new pasta machine to roll out the sheets of pierogi dough. I cannot tell you how happy I am with it.  

However you do it, having one of these little presses does make it a little easier.  I would cut them out a little bit larger than the diameter of the press.  They do tend to shrink a little, but they still work.   

I also discovered that you can take them straight out of the freezer and stick them into an air fryer. I used my combo air fryer toaster oven for this.  They came out beautifully.  The edges were lovely and crisp, and tasted so good with some sour cream and butter.  I mean, everything is better with butter, I think. 

Fill them with whatever you like. I've mostly done the classic Ruskie style, which is potatoes and twarog cheese, though I use Colby Jack.    I'm going to experiment a little.  I've never had sauerkraut inside, but I may give that a whirl, and Mushrooms sauteed with a little seasoning is also mentioned.  You can even fill them with some fruit, if you like.  I have lots of shells from my latest foray into Pierogi making, and will utilize them in future endeavors, ok, so they'll be cooking adventures.  

 

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Pierogi

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yield: Makes about 4 doz.

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking - adapted from several recipes

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 10 Mininactive time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

You can make a quick and hearty meal when you keep a few dozen in the freezer.

Ingredients

Dough

• 3 1/2 cups flour mixture of AP flour and Bread Flour (add more if needed) + more flour for rolling out.
• 1 large potato- cooked and riced
• 3/4-1 cup potato water (from the boiled potatoes)
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt

Filling

• 1 Cup Cooked mashed potatoes, with no added butter or milk
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 1 small onion, finely chopped and sauteed in 1 teaspoon butter (optional)

Instructions

Dough

1. Cook the potatoes in salted water until done. Drain the potatoes, but keep the potato water. Set aside til cool. Rice up one potato, and place it into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the flour and 3/4 cups of the cooled, reserved potato water, salt, and the egg. Mix together for a few minutes. If it looks too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, or if it looks too sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough will be sticky. Let mix for a couple of minutes and turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap well to keep from drying out and let rest for a few minutes while you prepare the filling.
2. Take a small portion of the dough and roll it out on a well-floured surface. The dough will be sticky to handle. Keep the remaining dough covered. Cut out circles with a floured glass or cookie cutter, whichever size you like. I used a 3-inch wide cutter. Add a teaspoon of the prepared filling to the center of the circle of dough and fold over to make a pocket, squeezing out the excess air, and making sure that the edges are pressed down firmly to seal. Use a fork here if you like, or if you have a dumpling press, use that. I did. It was easier. Do not overfill. You will probably only use a teaspoon of filling per pierogi. I used a melon baller to dip out the correct amount.
3. When rolling out the dough, you need to get it thin, about 1/8th thick. If you tear it, just moosh it back up and re-roll the dough.
4. When you've used up all the dough or filling, place the filled pierogi in a single layer on a freezer-safe cookie sheet or stiff cutting board and freeze. When frozen, place the pierogi into a plastic bag and put them back into the freezer until ready to use.
5. You can cook some up fresh, or wait til later.
6. When cooking perogies, fresh or frozen. Add to gently simmering water and cook them just until the pierogi float to the top. Serve with some fresh butter and sour cream.
7. You can also brown them in a pan after cooking, and serve with more butter, sauteed onions and of course sour cream or Créme Fräiche.. I like using my own homemade Créme Fräiche. and some homemade butter.

Filling

1. Sauté onions, grate cheddar cheese, and add to the cooled, riced mashed potatoes. Mix well and set aside.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Sour Cream Noodles

Did you know it's National Noodle Month?  Well, neither did I until Wendy of A Day In the Life of the Farm told us, and this week, the Sunday Funday bloggers are celebrating that fact, with all kinds of delicious noodle recipes.  And I had to get in on the fun.   

I love noodles, well, pretty much any kind of pasta.  I'm good with it all.   Fresh, dried, artisan...  

I've been making my own noodles for years, from the basic egg noodle recipe, one egg, one cup of flour, salt, and cook.    I made some for a blogging event a few years ago, and they ended up in this dish, Rakott Teszta, a Hungarian noodle dish.   It was so good, I brought it to a potluck, and it disappeared quickly.  I've made Gyoza wrappers, aka wonton wrappers.   And used them in some Wonton Soup.  And they were amazing.   

I was complaining to a friend that I was missing my pasta machine, which is in storage, and she said she had one and gifted it to me, so I'm all set to make pasta this week.  Although I did use it for my Pierogi dough the other day.   My back didn't like all that rolling-out business, so I made the machine do the work.  And life is good.  

I decided to make some egg noodles again, but did a little twist on them.   These were cut using the fettuccine setting.    I sprinkled some semolina over the top to keep them from sticking to each other. 

I added some semolina to the basic dough.  I let them dry for a bit, then cooked some up, well, I par-cooked them.  BTW, if using freshly-made noodles, they need hardly any cooking at all.  Just enough to 'set' the egg and flour.   I layered them in a small casserole dish and made what I'm calling sour cream noodles.   

I blitzed the sour cream and cottage cheese in the blender along with some grated parmesan cheese.  Tossed the par-cooked noodles in the 'sauce' and then put them into a casserole dish and baked them, just long enough for the noodles to finish cooking and the sour cream/cottage cheese/parmesan to envelop the noodles and make the sauce. 

 Perfect for a Meatless Monday, if needed.  There's lots of protein from the cottage cheese, the parmesan, and the other cheeses as well.   I'm also thinking it would be nice with some lovely shrimp in there, or maybe even some cooked chicken... if you need meat.   I'm also thinking you could add all kinds of veggies to it as well. And I may just do so in the future.  Some asparagus, mushrooms maybe, along with some sliced cooked chicken...  So many delicious possibilities...  

Check out what my fellow Sunday Funday bloggers made: 

• Culinary Cam: Chamomile Soba Noodles 
• A Messy Kitchen: Garlic Lover's Pasta
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Kung Pao Noodles
• Mayuri's Jikoni: Manchow Soup 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Protein Packed Noodle Bowl 
• Food Lust People Love: Savory Garlic Rice Noodles 
• Sid's Sea Palm Cooking: Sour Cream Noodles 
• Sneha's Recipe: Vegan Thai Peanut Butter Noodles 
• Our Good Life: Winter Comfort Food: Butter Noodles 

And for those who would like my recipe: 

Sour Cream Noodles

Yield: 3-4

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking - Adapted from many recipes

These noodles are bathed in a sour cream sauce and baked to perfection.

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh noodles or 1 1/2 cups parcooked Egg Noodles.  Cook the fresh noodles for about 1 minute or the commercial egg noodles for 5 minutes. 
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup Cottage Cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 cup finely shredded Italian cheese mix, divided

Instructions

1. Place the sour cream, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, spices, and 1/2 of the shredded cheese mixture in a blender or food processor to break up the cottage cheese curds and process to a smooth sauce.
2. In a bowl, mix the sauce with the noodles and place them into an oven-safe dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle the reserved cheese evenly over the top of the noodles.
3. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese melts over the top of the dish and it has been warmed through. I like it to get some color on top.
4. Remove from oven and serve while hot.

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Spicy Avocado Deviled Eggs

This week on Sunday Funday we're celebrating Avocados since it's National Avocado Month, starting today.  I had to participate since avocados are one of my favorite green veggies.  BTW, it's also Banana Month as well, and I'll be sharing my Banana Bread recipe later on this week. 

Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm suggested we have fun with Avocados this week.   She's also our hostess for this event.  

I made some Spicy Avocado Deviled Eggs with some Guacamole and Sambal Oelek.   

I got hooked on Guacamole the first time I tried it, and I'll buy avocados and make Guacamole just cause.   Why am I talking about Guacamole?  

Well, it just so happens that this week on Sunday Funday, it's Avocado Month and 

I'm sharing my recipe for Spicy Avocado Deviled Eggs, along with a shortcut.    I'm sure we've all been there: picked the perfect avocado, taken it home, cut it open, and found it all brown inside. Or we've gotten some unripe ones, taken them home, let them ripen, cut them open, and YUCK.   Big old brown spots, showing where they were bumped or ? during transportation.    

Awhile ago,  ok, so it was several years ago, I bought some premade, or rather processed, avocado in little tubs.  These are by Wholly Avocado; some are guacamole, and some are just plain processed avocado.  I like keeping them in my fridge for those avocado emergencies, cause I'm tired of chucking avocados, cause they have a habit of ripening and needing to be used TODAY by 2PM at the latest.   You know what I mean.    And now that you've suffered through my avocado lecture, let me bore you with my hints, or rather, my hard and fast rule when it comes to making hard-cooked eggs. 

I'm quite frankly shite at figuring out how long to cook eggs to get them to the perfect doneness, so many years ago, I bought an Eggsact Egg Timer.  You can get it here.  I love my Timer and use it often because I love a soft-boiled egg, and this way I can cook it to my taste. 

If I can plan ahead, when I make Deviled Eggs, I like to take the eggs out the day before and let them sit on the counter for at least 24 hours.   Mainly because I buy super-fresh eggs, and they are notoriously hard to peel once they're hard-cooked.  

I then cook them with my timer, the timer changes color and lets you know how cooked they are by where the color changes,  and as soon as they're hard-cooked, I take the pot, drain the hot water, and shake the eggs inside, fracturing the shells. 

I then fill the pot with cold water, let them sit for just a minute or so, pick off a little piece of shell, puncturing the membrane a little,

Place the egg back in the pot, and continue until I've done all the eggs.  Then I peel them.  The eggs will still be warm, but you can handle them easily.   The cold water gets in under the membrane, and the shells peel away easily. 

And if you should happen to find a stubborn egg, well, gosh, if you're making deviled eggs, just smoosh that egg white in with the rest of the yolks.  You just get more filling that way.   Or if making egg salad or potato salad, no one will know but you.    I've been making my hard-cooked eggs this way most of my life, and it works.  I buy very fresh eggs, which are notoriously hard to peel, so I let them sit on the counter for at least 24 hours before cooking them. 

Now that we have those two things out of the way, let me show you how to make my spicy avocado deviled eggs.    I made only 4 eggs this way, because while I love eggs, I can only eat so many per day.  OK, so two is my usual limit.  

I also want to say, that if you do my little trick of setting the eggs on the counter overnight, make sure they're sitting upright, as the yolk will migrate to the side of the egg, and that means a thinner side wall, as you can see here, getting the yolk out made me 'break' or tear that thin side wall.  

I also have fun with my eggs. I don't just cut them lengthwise; I'll cut them in half, then cut a very thin slice off the bottom, so they sit nicely, before I cut them in half.   Variety is the spice, they say.  

You will also end up with way more filling than you need.  I personally like piping them into the egg whites with a star tip,

but you do you.   However, you get the filling in there, it's good.    I like the leftover filling on crackers or tortilla chips as a nice little treat/snack.  

Here goes the recipe, such as it is.  I only made 4 eggs this time, but if you make more eggs, just increase the amounts as needed.  I would suggest a dozen eggs, 2 avocado mini's, or a half cup of mashed avocado.   

Check out the fun my fellow Sunday Funday bloggers had with Avocados. 

• A Messy Kitchen: Avocado Chicken Salad
• Mildlyindian: Avocado chutney 
• Mayuri's Jikoni: Avocado Strawberry Salad 
• Amy's Cooking Adventures: Avocado Toast with Crispy Chickpeas 
• Making Miracles: Chocolate Avocado Pudding 
• Food Lust People Love: Chunky Avocado Egg Salad 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Crab and Avocado Salad 
• Sneha's Recipe: Creamy Avocado & Egg Salad- Keto 
• Cook with Renu: Grilled Tofu Avocado Sandwich 
• Sizzling Tastebuds: No cook Avocado Spread 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Pineapple Avocado Salsa 
• Sid's Sea Palm Cooking: Spicy Avocado Deviled Eggs 
• Our Good Life: Winter Citrus & Avocado Salad with Olive Oil and Sea Salt

Recipe for the Spicy Avocado Deviled Eggs follows:  

Spicy Avocado Deviled Eggs

Yield: 2

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking -

Deviled Eggs are so much fun to play with. You can add all kinds of deliciousness to them. I added Guacamole and Sambal Oelek to these eggs. Just double, triple, or quadruple the ingredients for your deviled egg extravaganza. I cooked 4 eggs for this recipe, but you can do more

Ingredients

• 4 hard-cooked eggs, cut lengthwise or in half.
• 1/4 cup prepared guacamole
• 1 heaping teaspoon Sambal Oelek, more or less to taste.
• 1 teaspoon mayonnaise if desired

Instructions

1. Mash up the egg yolks on a plate with a fork and, if need be, add any whites you massacred, breaking them up as well.
2. Place the mashed egg yolks and any whites into a small bowl.
3. Add the guacamole and the mayonnaise if needed, stir together.
4. Place the mixture into a piping bag, equipped with a star tip.
5. Pipe the mixture into the prepared egg whites. You can enjoy the leftover egg yolk mixture on crackers or tortilla chips, or make a fancy egg sandwich. Cause there will be leftovers, depending on how high you pipe the filling onto and into the egg whites.

 

 

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Layered Carrot Mousse

Camila of Culinary Cam is our hostess this week, and she told us that November 30th is National Mousse Day, and added this:

November 30th is National Mousse Day! Share your favorite mousse. Think banana mousse or chocolate mousse.

Well, not me, I had to think outside the box, way outside the box. 😉

I don't know about you, but I find it intriguing that there are things like National Mousse Day. And at first, I wasn't going to participate, mainly because the only mousse I make is Citron Fromage, a Danish dish that my mom made every year for Christmas Eve. In fact, I'm going to be making it soon for myself, and I might even share it. And since it's a Sunday Funday, I put on my thinking cap, ok, so I brushed my hair while thinking of a mousse I could make.

I knew I could make a chocolate mousse, but I wanted something different. Also, since it's not just Thanksgiving this week but also Black Friday, and I do not go anywhere on Black Friday, I thought I'd try my hand at a carrot mousse. I have lots of carrots in the fridge, along with some ripe avocados. I got my inspiration from La Cucina Italiana, but I modified it a bit, mainly because, as I said, I'm not doing any kind of shopping on Black Friday. And ummm, the picture on there might be AI. Mine isn't.

I also discovered the joy of steaming a vegetable, and I think I'll be doing that a lot in the future. I had a steamer basket that came with a set of pots and pans, but I had never used it until today. Can anyone say "GAME CHANGER"? The carrots came out perfectly cooked, and I don't think I'll be cooking them any other way in the future, well, apart from roasting them.

To start, peel your carrots and steam them until tender. Then puree them, however you like. I used my little Cuisinart blender attachment. Process them until light and fluffy, adding a couple of tablespoons of cream to them, as well as some finely grated ginger (I used my Microplane). I added just under a half teaspoon. And tasted it and added more, mainly cause I love ginger and it dances so nicely with carrots.

After I processed the carrots, I got the avocado out of the fridge and found it had decided it was RIPE and needed to have been used a couple of hours earlier. I used it anyway. I smooshed it with a fork and added a little lemon juice. And layered some of the carrot mousse in a small bowl, then added a layer of avocado, then more carrot mousse on top.

The original recipe called for rye crumbs and black sesame seeds on top, along with some fresh sprouts.

I didn't have any good rye bread, so I used some Gardetto's Rye chips and topped them with some sprouts.

The next time I make this, I'll pipe it into the bowl instead of using a spoon to layer it. I think it would make a much nicer presentation.

Serve this with some good, hearty crackers or some crostini. I ate it at room temperature, but I think it might also taste good if it's been chilled for a little while. The combo of carrot and avocado is actually pretty good, at least my taste buds liked it, and I tend to trust them when it comes to taste.

Layered Carrot Mousse

Yield: 2-4

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking adapted from many recipes

This is a surprising taste combo, and would be great served to any vegetarians you know, along with certified meat eaters. Easy to put together and even easier to eat.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. carrots, peeled and steamed til tender
• 2-4 tablespoons fresh heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly microplaned ginger
• 2 avocados blended with the juice of a lemon and a pinch of salt (just the meat)
• Gardetto's Rye Chips ( a good handful)
• Fresh sprouts to taste

Instructions

1. Get your serving dishes ready. Small, clear bowls work well here.
2. Process the steamed carrots and heavy cream with an immersion blender, and add in the microplaned ginger to taste. Set aside while you process the avocados.
3. Peel the avocados, removing the seed, and mash the meat with some lemon juice and a touch of salt.
4. Layer the Carrot mousse in a small clear bowl, then add the mashed avocados.
5. Top with more Carrot Mousse and as a finishing touch, add the Gardetto's and top with a small handful, or pinch of sprouts. Serve

 

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Check out some of the fun Mousses my fellow Sunday Funday people made.

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Cranberry Mousse 
• Amy's Cooking Adventures: Dark Chocolate Mousse 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Easy Gingersnap Cookie Mousse 
• Sid's Sea Palm Cooking: Layered Carrot Mousse 
• Sneha's Recipe: Masala Chai Mousse Bundt 
• Culinary Cam: Olallie Chocolate Mousse 
•  Mayuri’s Jikoni: Pomegranate Mousse

Date and Walnut Bites

 I'm so glad I've finally... got some cooking mojo back.   This week on Sunday Funday, we're sharing appetizer ideas for Thanksgiving.  As per Amy at Amy's Cooking Adventures she suggested we do some Thanksgiving Appetizers.  And here is my offering,  Date and Walnut Bites. Best of all, not only are they easy to make and not too filling, but they also do not require any oven time. Just assemble and eat.   😜  

When I first saw our subject for this week, my mind went to the Thanksgivings I attended at my in-laws.    My mother-in-law used to make a cheese dip consisting of Velveeta, a can of green chiles, and some milk.  Serving it with a bowl of tortilla chips, and my husband and his brothers would basically inhale it before the main meal.   After moving away, I decided to make the same cheese dip for my husband and found out he really didn't want it; he said he didn't really care for it, even though I had watched him enjoy it just as much as his brothers did.   In other words, scarfing it down, uninhibitedly.  It wasn't until years later (OK, this year) that I realized she probably made the cheese dip so the boys (4 of them) would stay out of her hair while she finished the prep for the main meal.   And it didn't hurt that it took the edge off their appetites either. 

So, now that you've been totally bored — maybe with a family story, cause let's face it, Thanksgiving isn't just food, it's also time for family stories.   

I've been having a lot of fun with these Sunday Funday themes. I get to try to make new foods and exercise my brain again.   I tried these Date and Walnut bites a long time ago, somewhere, and I thought they were good, and I think they are a perfect light starter. 

I wanted to share this recipe. I can't remember the first time I had it, but it stuck with me.  And I think it's a perfect Thanksgiving appetizer, too.  Cause let's face it, you just want a bit of tease, enough to take the edge off before eating a nap-inducing meal like turkey.   

I like to set the cream cheese out for a little while, to soften enough so I can mix it up before I pipe it into the dates.  This is also a fun thing for the kiddos to do, if you're up to it.  No sharp knives, no cooking, just fill and eat.  Serve on a pretty plate and sprinkle with a little rosemary before serving. 

  

 

Walnut and Date Bites

Yield: 8-10

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking adapted from many recipes

These are a perfect little bite to start off the Thanksgiving meal. Light and moresome.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
• zest from 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary + 1/4 teaspoon for sprinkling
• pitted dates
• Walnuts

Instructions

1. Beat the cream cheese, cream, lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary together until smooth. Place in a piping bag with a star tip.
2. Pipe a small amount of cream cheese into half a pitted date, then top with a piece of walnut. Place into the fridge to firm up for an hour or so.
3. Serve on a pretty plate, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of rosemary.

 

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                Take a look at the fun stuff the other Sunday Funday Bloggers came up with.

This week’s Sunday Funday is hosted by Amy by Amy’s Cooking Adventures

Sunday Funday

Thanksgiving Appetizers

• Baby Corn Rumaki by Palatable Pastime
• Baked Brie with Dried Cranberries, Apples, and Walnuts by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Charcuterie Bites Pumpkin Centerpiece by Our Good Life
• Cranberry-Chevre Twice Baked Potato Skins by Culinary Cam
• Creamy Duck Liver Mousse by Food Lust People Love
• Date and Walnut Bites by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Membrillo - Quince Paste with Manchego Cheese by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Mini Bread Cornucopia by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls by Mayuri's Jikoni
• Mixed Vegetable Sliders by Sneha's Recipe