It seems our outside world has been wearing a white blanket for over a month now, though some rain came down yesterday, we are seeing a new fresh layer, and even lower temps. The lack of sunlight and warmth cause me to spend an in-ordinate amount of time in the kitchen and sewing room, after work hours of course! I did alot of cooking from scratch over the holiday break, and I will share with you a few of my favorite comfort recipes below. My sewing projects have been more craft than skill lately, I showed how to redo simple totes last post. Here is an idea to recycle those purse calendar holders. I carry a sizeable purse/tote and always have on hand lfe's necessities, so check out my version.
I cut a piece wide enough to cover and double back on each side to create a sort of book cover.
Took the glue gun and laid down a few stripes.
Note I folded the two edges, just like a book cover, and no sewing was needed when glued down.
Glue down outside first, then wrap the folded edges into the inside, glue.
Finishing touches included glueing my little cameo, a little loop and tiny vintage lace on the edges. I hand sewed the button, A quick recycling and satisfying project!Winter Comfort Food, Cleveland Style!
Homemade Pierogies with Sour Cream (copied from About.com)
Sour cream in the dough is a favorite secret of many Pittsburgh pierogi makers, but I suspect they stole it from our polish community here in Cleveland! We made use of leftover mashed potatoes and sauerkraut from New Years Day. Mmmmm good!
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
•2 cups flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling dough
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1 large egg
•1/2 cup sour cream, plus extra to serve with the pierogi
•1/4 cup butter, softened and cut into small pieces
•butter and onions for sauteing
•ingredients for filling of your choice (potato & cheese filling recipe below)
Preparation:
Pierogi Dough
To prepare the pierogi dough, mix together the flour and salt. Beat the egg, then add all at once to the flour mixture. Add the 1/2 cup sour cream and the softened butter pieces and work until the dough loses most of its stickiness (about 5-7 minutes). You can use a food processor with a dough hook for this, but be careful not to overbeat. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or overnight; the dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Each batch of dough makes about 12-15 pierogies, depending on size.
Prepare the Pierogies
Roll the pierogi dough on a floured board or countertop until 1/8" thick. Cut circles of dough (2" for small pierogies and 3-3 1/2" for large pierogies) with a cookie cutter or drinking glass. Place a small ball of filling (about a tablespoon) on each dough round and fold the dough over, forming a semi-circle. Press the edges together with the tines of a fork.
Boil the pierogies a few at a time in a large pot of water. They are done when they float to the top (about 8-10 minutes). Rinse in cool water and let dry.
Saute chopped onions in butter in a large pan until onions are soft. Then add pierogies and pan fry until lightly crispy. Serve with a side of sour cream for a true Cleveland style meal!
Homemade Pierogi Tips:
1.If you are having a hard time getting the edges to stick together, you may have too much flour in the dough. Add a little water to help get a good seal. 2.If you don't want to cook all of the pierogies right away, you can refrigerate them (uncooked) for several days or freeze them for up to several months.
3.You can fill pierogies with pretty much anything you want, though potato and cheese is the most common (recipe below). We had leftover mashed potatoes and sauerkraut from New Years Day. We put them to good use!Give it a try, way better than the frozen kind, and a fun project for kids to help with in the kitchen!
Next issue are my favorite homemade Cinnamon Yeast Rolls, and we revisit some of my craft fair favorites!
