Perfect for Summer! ♥
Ingredients ♥
(1lb) cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt and pepper
(5oz) burrata
1 cup fresh basil
Directions ♥
Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and balsamic.
Grill over high heat for 10-15 minutes until charred and blistered.
Season with salt and pepper then drizzle with more olive oil and Balsamic.
Serve with burrata and fresh basil. enjoy! ♥
Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Here are pics from last years Thanksgiving, I love this Southern Style Menu! ( Ode to my southern relatives in Texas and Tennessee! ) Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving! even though it will be a little different this year!♥
Maple Whiskey Brined Turkey and Gravy
Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
Cranberry Chutney
Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients ♥
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (3 cups )
1 large yellow onion, diced (3 cups, )
1 red bell peppers, diced (1 ½ cups )
1 green bell pepper, diced (1 cup )
1 carrot, diced (3/4 cups )
1 celery stalk, diced (1/2 - 3/4 cups )
1 and 1/2 large jalapeños, thinly sliced or diced seeds removed
1/2 cup coarse kosher salt*
water
Dressing ♥
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chopped marinated green olives
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp celery seeds
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions ♥
In a large mixing bowl combine the diced cauliflower, onion, bell peppers, carrot, celery, jalapeño, and 1/2 cup of coarse kosher salt. Add enough cold water to cover the vegetables, then put a lid over the container and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
After soaking, drain and rinse the vegetables and set aside in the large mixing bowl.
In a medium mixing bowl mix together all the ingredients for the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables, toss, and cover the bowl or transfer to clean glass jars. If the vegetables aren't fully submerged, top off with one cup of water then if more liquid is needed top with additional vinegar until the vegetables are covered. Use distilled water, filtered water, or boiled and cooled water for longer storage.
Refrigerate for at least 48 hours before enjoying. The vegetables will get more flavorful the longer it marinates. Homemade giardiniera will last for at least several weeks in the fridge.
It's the Fourth of July and here are some healthy ideas for your menus! ♥
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It's almost the Fourth of July and here are some healthy ideas for your menus! ♥
Today is the Russian Orthodox Easter, here is a collaboration of traditional Russian Easter dishes that I ate growing up, Easter or Paskha is the most important religious observance of the year in the Russian Orthodox Church. Easter in Russia is a lot more than just a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In Russia Easter is usually celebrated later than in the West. This happens because Easter dates are determined by different calendars. When the Catholic and Orthodox churches separated in the 11th century, they both calculated the date of Easter in the same way. However, the Catholic church adopted the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, and the Orthodox church continued to use the old Julian calendar. Because the two calendars had a difference of 13 days by the 21st century, and because both churches use March 21 for the date of the vernal equinox instead of the observed equinox, the date of Easter is different in both churches. Preceding Easter is a 40-day long Lenten fast during which no meat and dairy products, fish, eggs, or alcohol are allowed. The fasting begins with Maslenitsa or Pancake week which is celebrated during the last week before the Great Lent. Though meat is already forbidden, Maslenitsa represents the last chance to partake of dairy products (russian pancakes, blini) and those social activities that are not appropriate during the more prayerful and introspective Lenten season. Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday is a busy time in Russian families, when houses are cleaned and Easter food is prepared. On Holy Thursday, Russians paint Easter eggs using their traditional method of boiling them in onion peels or other natural dyes. Painted eggs are a universal symbol of Easter, but in Russia they take on even greater significance.
On Holy Saturday, a strict day of fasting in which no food at all is allowed, families are nonetheless busy preparing for the Easter feast. The feast served to break the fast after the midnight mass, includes the Paskha cake and Easter eggs which are blessed by the priest on Holy Saturday. Sunrise services in Russia are not common on Easter morning, instead, Orthodox churches hold a midnight mass, with a procession around the church. When the clock strikes 12, church bells announce the resurrection of Christ.
Here is a medley of Russian dishes and recipes I hope everyone has a blessed, safe, and Happy Easter!♥
Russian Easter Ham "Buzhenina"
Russian Easter "Pascha" Dessert
Russian Easter "Kulich" Dessert
And here is a little flashback of me as a child at Easter! ♥
