Golumpkis (Stuffed Cabbage)

This traditional polish dish is easy to make and was a lot of fun for my son to help me with. It can be made with tomato sauce or sauerkraut, we used tomato sauce as the young'un doesn't like sauerkraut.

Golumpkis



-6 cabbage leaves

-1 cup rice uncooked (makes 2 cups cooked)

-1/2 lb ground hamburger

-1 can crushed tomatoes (can use sauerkraut)

-salt and pepper to taste

 

Carefully peel 6 cabbage leaves off head and save remainder for use in other dishes (cole slaw, corned beef and cabbage, fried cabbage, egg rolls...). Wash the leaves then boil for 3-5 minutes until soft then remove from boiling water and cool. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Put the rice on to cook following package directions. While rice is cooking fry hamburger. When the rice and hamburger are done, combine them in a bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Pour a little of the crushed tomatoes on the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Split rice mixture between 6 cabbage leaves then roll and place seam down in baking dish.  Pour the remainder of the crushed tomatoesover the top of the cabbage rolls and bake for 30-45 minutes until cabbage starts to be see through and contents are heated through. Serve hot and enjoy!

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Another of my personal favorites, biscuits and gravy are good anytime time of day, whether it be a meal or a large snack. Many people don't make this as they believe it to be difficult to make a quality sausage gravy.  As can be seen here, if you're willing to take the time to prepare it properly, it is fairly easy to make.

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

 

- 1 dozen of your favorite biscuits

- 1 lb fatty pork sausage, this is good with either spicy or mild sausage

- 4-6 Tbsp all purpose flour

- 3-4 cups milk

- 1 tsp cayenne pepper

- 1-2 tsp sage

 

In a large, deep skillet, cook the sausage until fully cooked. Add the flour one Tbsp at a time, making sure to brown each Tbsp before adding the next to avoid having a starchy flavor/feel to the gravy. Slowly add the milk, it will look very soupy once the milk has been added. Add the cayenne and sage and simmer, stirring constantly, until gravy thickens to desired consistency. Serve hot over, preferably fresh, biscuits.

 

Enjoy!

Cupid's Pillows

For the same women's breakfast we made the Blueberry Stuffed French Toast and Apple Tarts for, we made this delectable treat. I mentioned that the ladies considered the french toast to be the best dish served, but personally these pastries exceed even this favorite dish in flavor.

Cupid's Pillows

 



- Danish dough, we used home made but store bought will work too.

- Fresh Raspberries

- Chopped Dark Chocolate

 

Preheat oven to 425F. Spread Danish dough 1/8 inch thin then cut into 3 inch squares. In the center of each square place 1-2 fresh raspberries and a large pinch of dark chocolate. Fold the squares in half diagonally and seal/score with the tines of a fork. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and bake cupid's pillows at 425F for 8-15 minutes, until golden brown.

 

Enjoy!

 

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

This is something I first saw made by my parents for a women's breakfast at their church.  Out of the 6 dishes served that morning, this was by far the favorite among the ladies, and resulted in several catering requests. I proceeded to make this same recipe for the Easter brunch at my church, and once more it was a major hit.

 

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

 

- 1 loaf portuguese sweet bread

- 1 8 oz bar cream cheese

- 3 cups blueberries (or other fruit of choice)

- 1 dozen eggs

- 2 cups heavy cream

- 1/3 cup maple syrup

 

Prepare the night before:

Cut or break the bread into bite size pieces.  Layer half the bread in a foil half pan. Spread the cream cheese over the bread, my mother rolls it out while chilled between two sheets of plastic wrap, I cut it up and spread chunks evenly over bread. Spread 2 cups of blueberries over cream cheese. Place remainder of bread in pan on top, you may need to press it down firmly to fit it all, then spread remaining berries on top.

 

In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, heavy cream and maple syrup. Slowly pour egg mixture over bread mixture in pan, be very careful as it takes a long time to seep in and is easy to spill over the edges. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

 

Morning of:

Preheat oven to 350F. Leave covered with foil for first half hour in oven, then uncover and bake for another half hour.

 

Enjoy!

 

Easy Fruit Tarts

 

 

 You can take the time to make your own puff pastry dough like my mom did for the first time I made these tarts for a church breakfast, but for these easy tarts, I used frozen puff pastry dough from the grocery store, and they went over just as well at the Easter brunch I served them at.

Easy Fruit Tarts

 

1 box frozen puff pastry dough, thawed



Fruit of choice (I used diced apples with cinnamon and granulated sugar and frozen mixed berries, thawed, drained and chopped with a little added granulated sugar.

Preheat oven to 350F. Roll puff pastry dough to 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut each sheet of dough into 12 squares. Use the squares to line muffin tins and fill with desired fruit mixtures. Bake at 350F for 10-20 minutes, until crust has puffed and turned golden brown.

Enjoy!