Czech Foods Recipes

Another stir fry recipe, this time it's a sauce made from scratch!  As I mentioned in the last stir fry post, stir frys are so great for picky eaters, as they can be built up with whatever ingredients suit your tastes. 100 ml dark soy sauce 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil 1 Tbsp peanut oil 2 Tbsp peanut butter 1 Tbsp fresh crushed ginger 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar 1 1/2 Tbsp honey 1 Tbsp corn flour/starch dissolved in 4 Tbsp water (to be kept separate) 2 servings of udon noodles (recommended) 2 large chicken breasts, cubed (recommended) NOTE: If frying any vegetables/meat for your stir fry, use the oil amounts listed above, and omit oil from recipe below. 1. In a small pan, combine soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and peanut oil (if not already used in frying), peanut butter, crushed ginger, dark brown sugar, and honey. 2. Bring to a simmer.  Once all ingredients have combined into a smooth sauce, add the water/corn flour mixture and bring to a low boil.  Stir constantly until desired thicknes

We were the lucky recipient of some surplus ripe pears courtesy of our neighbor. Their fruit trees have had an excellent yield which really surprises me given the drought hitting our state this summer. For the past few weeks I have noticed how their fruit trees have been very productive without much rain. They even inspired me to plant a Cortland apple tree a week ago. I am just depressed I have to wait a few years to get apples! Anyhow we were gifted six pears of which I decided to make a dessert crisp this past Saturday. The crisp recipe is pretty standard but I decided to “pair” the pears up with some blueberries. Pears do not really stand out on their own when it comes to flavor as the fruit usually picks up whatever else is added. So I decided to mix in some berries to give the crisp a little more fruit filling and some definite flavor. The recipe is super easy to follow and yields enough crisp for about five people. The photo above is obviously a “before” shot as this dish was be

So this past Sunday for dinner, I decided to prepare the usual grilled burgers, but this time with a twist. I decided to make   hamburger buns from scratch. A lot of time is spent making the perfect patty and having the right condiments, it made sense to develop a really tasty bun. I don’t have a family recipe for homemade sandwich buns, so I proceeded to search the web and found a recipe here . The ingredients list are short and simple. The recipe yields eight decent sized buns which is perfect since that is the typical count in a store bought package of buns. The recipe was fairly easy to follow using nothing more than yeast, sugar, all purpose flour, and some liquid (milk, oil, egg). The dough was easy to mix and knead with prep time taking a few hours. I productively use the time (between kneading and rising) to do some overdue backyard work and play with the kids. After the dough had risen, and was separated into balls to rise again, I baked them with a little brushing of butter.

Taking inspiration from last week's quinoa cookie , a leisurely hot breakfast quinoa was made on an uncommonly chilly summer morning: apples, cinnamon, star anise, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries were all tossed in, and set to simmer. The result: honey-sweetened and milky-creamy, only a bit of maple syrup was added in the end to balance out a very tasty and wholesome breakkie. Continue to Recipe... Recipe: Apple-Cranberry Breakfast Quinoa Adapted from Leite's Culinaria Serves : 4-6 Time : 30 mins 1 1/2 cups quinoa 3 cups water 3 cups milk 6 small apples - peeled and chopped (2 1/2 cups) 2 whole star anise 1 tsp cinnamon  2 - 3 tsp vanilla extract 100g dried cranberries 2 large tablespoons honey 50g pumpkin seeds - chopped maple syrup 1) Rinse quinoa well. Combine a med pot, quinoa and water. Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer. Add milk, apples, anise, cinnamon, vanilla, cranberries and honey. Let simmer 20 - 25 minutes, until thickened. 2) Remove the start anise, top with pu

I made truffles as a birthday gift last week for the lovely Renu.  These truffles would also make an excellent addition to a holiday party. They turned out really well, but the leftovers took a bit of a dodgy turn in the fridge a few days later.  However, this is my own fault for putting them in the fridge and allowing them to soak up fridge flavors, including (but not limited to) leftover birthday Pizza Hut!  I would advise against this.  Here's my recipe for dark chocolate mint truffles.... Basic truffle recipe: 12 oz (335g) dark chocolate 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream 2 tsp peppermint extract --- 12 oz (335g) chocolate(s) of choice Food coloring if desired 1. Place a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water. 2. Add dark chocolate to the bowl, and melt.  Add peppermint extract as you stir. 3. Once melted, add the cream and stir until glossy. 4. Refrigerate until cooled. 5. Scoop out rounded balls of desired size (or use your hands to shape into balls) OR press truffle mix into choco

A lot of the new dishes that are tried out in kitchens are the result of a lack of imagination by the cook. Not a lack of culinary imagination, no, not that. Rather, the inability to imagine a flavour combination that is described in a new recipe. This is the case for me, and some friends as well. When I hear a new recipe, and simply cannot imagine how the various flavors work together, but I know I adore all the dish's components (although, there are few tastes that I don't adore), it must be made. Late one night, watching an Italian cooking show (my preferred method of learning the language) there was a segment on Linguine con ceci e calamaretti. The title seemed reasonable, but then I saw rosemary on the chef's counter. Really? Rosemary and calamari? Hmmmm...intrigue was set. A friend made it for me later that week, and I was amazed. The chickpeas are blended together with lemon juice to create a creamy base in which to coat the linguine, and no cream! And the rosemary d

One of my favorite treats in the summer is a DQ moolatte. This after dinner treat is pure bliss. Nothing beats the rich combined flavors of coffee, ice cream, chocolate, and whatever additional flavors whether caramel, hazelnut, vanilla or cappuccino. I am a big fan of the mocha flavor as nothing compares to the combination of chocolate and coffee. The early evening trip to DQ for a moolatte is certain to put a smile on my face, but can also prove to be a dent in the wallet, especially when ordering for others in the group. I have my own recipe that I came up with for making a homemade moolatte that tastes as good as the real thing and is much cheaper considering our local DQ charges about $3.50 per serving. Preparing a moolatte does not take a huge amount of effort. There is no need for any major ice cream shop appliances such as soft serve machines, etc. All you need is a good hearty blender and some other common ingredients that aren’t too costly. The recipe typically calls for a cu

Bananas may not be the summeriest of all fruit, but dipped in chocolate, rolled in crunchy bits, and frozen, they beat any icy treat on a hot summer afternoon. A brief 40 minutes of slicing, melting, and rolling, a bit of freeze time, and a sweet kid-friendly treat awaits. I like it thawed out a bit, so the banana is soft, but others seem to prefer that cool banana center straight from the freezer.    In the past, I've whipped these up even faster by leaving the banana whole, dunking it in the chocolate, a quick roll through nuts, and to the freezy bin. Yet when sharing, the bites are soooo much easier to pass around. A great summer sweet-n-salty treat, and a very tasty way to reap some of those seed benefits: Vitimin E is abundant in sunflower seeds , and pumpkin seeds are little green packets of minerals - and great for men's health . It's no wonder banana bites have been dominating the blogosphere this year! Continue to Recipe... Recipe: Chocolatey Banana Bites Serves 3 

Quinoa, oats, nuts, and dried cranberries in a cookie makes them breakfast appropriate, post-workout ready, and diet friendly. And they are sweet enough that kids like them too! Whatever type of people are in your family, this is a cookie that works for all.   Sneaking protein-rich quinoa into baked treats boarders on genius, in my book anyways. I like a little bit of 'healthy' wherever I can get it. Dark chocolate chunks and plump dried cranberries give them a definite sweetness. Almonds are toasted before used, to intensify their crunch and flavor. They bake up nice and chewy, and make about two dozen very substantially sized cookies. I had two after a long run, which satisfied both a sweet tooth, and a need for a bit of carbs with staying power. They should keep well for a few days, but I doubt they will last that long. Quinoa, what else can we sneak you in? Continue to Recipe... Recipe: Choco-Cran Quinoa Cookies Adapted from Bon Apetit Jan 2012 Serves 2 dozen large cookie

Simple simple meatballs! You will need: 1 lb (450g) beef, pork, or turkey mince 2 cups spaghetti sauce 1 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp salt dash pepper 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1 tsp parsley 1 egg Combine turkey mince, onion powder, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, parsley, and beaten egg. Roll into 1 inch balls. Fry in olive oil until thoroughly cooked. Serve with heated spaghetti sauce (or whatever strikes your fancy really).  

A storm was making it's way through the southern villages of Czech Republic last Tuesday night. Luckily, we had soup. Not just any soup, but Laksa: a softly spicy, fragrant, Malaysian noodle soup. I hadn't thought of this soup since I was last in New Zealand, where it's made with some frequency, and most kiwis will tell you it's Indonesia's most appreciated contribution to their islands. Sources cite Malaysia as the country of origin , but also Indonesia and Singapore. Whatever the case, the influences are clear on the palate - a bit South-East Asian, a bit Chinese, and appreciated by all. It reminds me of an incredibly tasty soup made last year, with shrimp and zucchini , but was much more involved due to the long infusion the spices had in the broth. This version, adapted from an 'express' cookbook makes a very tasty broth with less time by NOT chopping the lemongrass and straining it out, but simply giving it a few good whacks to bruise the stalks, and le

HUZZAH!!! 

Despite the drought conditions hitting us hard in the Midwest, we have still managed to get a great crop of herbs (mostly basil and oregano) and a ton of cherry tomatoes. I love fresh herbs more than anything. It makes sense to always plant your own herbs as the markets will charge you an arm and a leg to buy these items. With the surplus of tomatoes and basil, I decided to make a batch of cherry tomato bruschetta. I usually use roma tomatoes, but those are not ready yet and I thought the sweetness of a cherry tomato would give this appetizer dish a nice twist. Bruschetta is one of my favorite basil based dishes as I really enjoy the combined flavors of sweet tomato, pungent garlic and fresh herbs offset by slight saltiness of the cheese and bread. Due to its lightness, bruschetta is also the perfect appetizer or snack when enduring an extremely hot summer like this one. Add a glass of wine or your favorite cool beverage and you’re in business. I am not going to profess to make my brus

Turkey burger, fried gravy patty, turkey burger I did not invent a fried gravy burger .  I did, however, attempt to recreate it at home.  For the record, I do not actually eat quite as terribly as this blog may indicate... it's just sometimes my taste buds have a rather creative mind of their own.  And I must obey. Steps I took: 1. Make the gravy of your choice and pour it 1/2 inch thick in a wide freezer-safe container. 2. Allow to cool, and place in freezer until partially frozen and congealed. 3. Use a cookie cutter/anything else round to cut out the desired size disc. 4. Place back in freezer til frozen. 5. To batter them, I dipped them first in egg and then in flour, then egg again, and back into the flour.  HOWEVER I feel creating a regular frying batter (or a tempura batter?!) and dipping the gravy disc in that would have been a better way to go. 6. I shallow-fried the gravy, which became a bit messy.  I'd suggest deep-frying it in just over 1/2 inch of oil.  7. Be simul