Serves 3-4 people.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 8 ounces (227grams) sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 can (28 ounces/800mL) tomatoes
• dash of salt
• dash of fresh black pepper
• dash of oregano
• dash of basil

Preparation:

If you purchased whole tomatoes blend them around not more then few seconds.
In a medium size skillet pour olive oil and heat it over medium heat, then add garlic. When garlic turns yellow (around 1 minute) add mushrooms. Cook on medium heat 4-5 minutes or until mushrooms juice partially evaporates, stirring occasionally, then add tomatoes and all of the seasoning. Continue cooking on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, for around 15-20 minutes.

Serve it warm poured over cooked spaghetti and seasoned with spoon or two of grated Parmesan cheese.

Tip: If you find tomato sauce too acidic, next time add spoon or two of sugar at the same time as other seasonings.

Bon Appétit!

Prior to 20th century and WWI, for centuries Ottoman empire (discover Turkey) was stretching from Middle East (map) to, at the times, all the way to outskirts of Vienna – Austria (discover), and obviously had left behind cultural, traditional and religious stamp, and of course culinary dishes. Ćevapčići is specialty similar to the world over know kebab and as kebab itself ćevapčići are prepared in many different ways that could change from country to country, region to region, city to city.

Ćevapčići, close relative of Kebab, great BBQ meal

Let’s introduce you to a basic meat mix for ćevapčići who grilled on BBQ will make your family and friends ask for more.

Ingredients:

• 1kg (2 lb) of ground beef
• 1 Tablespoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon of red paprika
• few cloves of chopped garlic
• 1-2 Tablespoons of oil

• (optional) 2 Tablespoons of chopped onions
• (optional) add an egg
• (optional) add to the meat mix ground lamb

Preparation:

1. Into a large mixing bowl add the meat and all of the ingredients.
2. Mix well all together.
3. Make thumb size sausage shaped ćevapčići.
4. Place them on a hot surface on your BBQ, turn once when one side is done.

White bread

Instead of bread, flat-bread or pita is often served, in Croatian (travel notes) language known as lepinja or somun.

Related: White bread recipe

Bon Appétit!

Well, we’ll jump over the Adriatic sea into Croatia, on its Dalmatian coast (travel notes) to expand the meaning of word. Historically word was inherited by Croats in Dalmatia from Venetians who for centuries also ruled with Istria, parts of Dalmatian coastline including some of the islands in Adriatic.

Once you end up on Croatian side of Adriatic bevanda is no longer any drink but wine mixed with water.

Bukara or Bokun may be used to bring wine from konoba. Then, wine is poured into a glass and mixed with water.

Since summer along the coast and hinterland in background can get very dry and hot locals started to mix wine with water to keep “happiness” part under control, while in the same time replacing liquids and minerals lost trough the sweat. That tradition did not die with old generations of Dalmatians and still lives on in word bevanda.

Today wine making in Croatia (map), once again, is in a full swing. Variety of Dalmatian wines will accompany Mediterranean dishes but bevanda will make a great refreshment, second to non, at any time of the day. That becomes the truth especially in the afternoon, right after siesta, when it’s the perfect time to head to a nearest konoba (tavern), to cool down with refreshing bevanda.

Unwritten rule to mix wine and water for bevanda:

• 2/3 wine + 1/3 water, or
• 1/2 wine + 1/2 water

So, feel free, once in Dalmatia (travel notes), to order bevanda.

More Food and Drinks…

Archive photo featuring coffee

So, from the Ireland comes this Irish coffee cocktail… Do we have to say more?

If you just heard about it and your taste buds had no opportunity to explore that avenue here are the secret ingredients for the 200mL (6-7 ounces) cup of Irish coffee:

• hot coffee
• 30mL (1 ounce) of Irish whiskey
• usual amount of sugar
• thick cream

You make yourself a cup of favorite coffee, add Irish whiskey, sugar, stir it and top it with a thick cream. Cream should be thick enough so it floats on the coffee, you drink it through the cream. If you drink your everyday coffee without sugar you should use it in this cocktail since sugar will help the cream to stay on the top. Amount of sugar, just as whiskey itself you can change until you find that perfect personal balance of aroma.

Cheers!

Photo: Crepes placed in the baking pan just before being covered with tin layer of cottage cheese mixture leftovers

First, of course, you’ll have to make crepes – Simple crepe batter recipe…

Ingredients – cheese filling for 16-17 crepes:

• 500g or 1.1lb of cottage cheese
• 100mL or 1/2cup of sour cream
• 2-3 tablespoons of butter or margarine
• 2 eggs
• 6-8 tablespoons of sugar
• dash of salt
• few drops of squeezed lemon

Preparation:

1. Melt butter.
2. Whisk cheese, sour cream, eggs, butter, sugar, salt and lemon.
3. Spread mix on already prepared crepes, roll them and place in to greased baking pan.
4. Whatever is left of mixture spread it tin over the crepes. If non left use some butter or sour cream.
5. Bake around 25 minutes in the oven on 180° C or 360° Fahrenheit.

Bon Appétit!

When cold winter blanket covers northern hemisphere we do head south to recharge, discover new, enjoy and relax, whenever we can. When down there, we also introduce our taste buds to new flavors. Some we do bring with us and enjoy afterwords while remembering sun and a beach but they do not last forever. In today’s world there is always a product or two from south just around the corner, in the local store, and who knows, that little effort of getting up and preparing a southern meal or drink could easily recharge batteries just as a trip itself.

Let’s start today with the introduction to a main ingredient of drink known as Cuba Libre. As you may know, or you guessed rum is the key and what’s better way to explain what kind of rum you should use then by our host at rum factory in Havana (photos), Cuba (map). See it for yourself in our short video clip from Havana…

Cuba Libre ingredients:

• 60mL or 2oz of rum
• Cola
• Lime or lemon wedge
• Ice cubes

Preparation:

Pour rum over ice cubes, top the glass with cola and garnish it with lime or lemon wedge.

Cheers!

With time some other cooks have shared their recipes that also, from time to time, find a place on this page. Hope you’ll try them!

Roasted chestnuts

What’s cooking today?

If you are looking to prepare that perfect seasonal or holiday meal, traditional grandma’s dish, simple pizza dough recipe or favorite drink mix, in our Family Food Recipe Book, with time you’ll find something for everyone’s taste buds.

In the same time you may discover or rediscover part of your or someones else heritage and family tradition from far away corner of the Planet.

Bon Appétit!

Cabbage rolls (Sarma)

Cabbage

Maple syrup

Maple

Happy Hour…

Few How’s, What’s and Why’s surrounding drinks in your favorite bar, vacation destination, restaurant…

Two loaves of white bread as shown on photo require minimal number of ingredients...

Ingredients:

• 750g or 6 cups of white flour
• 6g of instant yeast
• 1 tea-spoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 500-750mL (2-3 cups) of WARM water

Optional ingredients:

• 1-2 large eggs (beaten)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Preparation:

1. Mix together flour, yeast, salt and sugar.
2. Mix in optional ingredients.
3. Start to add warm water (slowly) and simultaneously stir with wooden spoon till it becomes to hard to mix. Place a bit of flour onto the counter and knead dough for 10 minutes till smooth (if sticky keep dusting it with the flour).
4. Place dough into a bowl, cover it and let it sit in warm place for 45-60 minutes.
5. Then, take the raised dough out and knead it for another 10 minutes.
6. Cut the dough on half and shape it in to two loaves.
7. Place two loaves on baking pan or in to two separate loaf pans. Optional – brush the tops of the loaves with olive oil.
8. Cover it again and leave in the warm place to raise another 30-45 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 180 Celsius (370 Fahrenheit) and bake around 45-55 minutes – CHECK first time often so it does not burn.
10. Once done, wait few minutes and then take the bread loaves out of pan and let it cool around 10-15 minutes.

Bon Appétit!

Crepe topped with a chocolate sauce

Preparation

Crepe batter

• Serves: 4 – 6 people
• Preparation time: 5min.
• Fraying time: for all 16 crepes around 30min.
• Heat: medium high
• Serving: filled or topped with a jam, chocolate, maple syrup, fruits, ice cream, etc.

Ingredients

• 750ml or 3 cups of milk
• 2 tea spoons of sugar
• little bit of salt
• 1 egg
• 500g or 2 cups of white flour

• Total: 16 crepes (8″ in diameter)

Looking for ideas? Make crepes with Cottage Cheese filling…

Crepe, ready to be served

Bon Appétit!

Pizza dough for two

About an hour of your time should be enough to prepare thin crust pizza dough, all the toppings and by the end of 1 hour to enjoy a great meal.

Two(2) thin crust pizzas dough:
• 500ml or 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 4g of instant yeast
• little bit of salt
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 250ml or 1 cup of warm water

One(1) thin crust pizza dough:
• 250ml or 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2g of instant yeast
• little bit of salt
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 125ml or 1/2 cup of warm water

• Pizza size: 30cm or 12″ pizza(s)

Preparation:
1. In a bowl, mix the flour, salt and yeast. Then add olive oil and wile steering with a wooden spoon keep adding slowly warm water.
2. Mix well until dough becomes a soft ball. If dough is sticking to a bowl or wooden spoon keep flouring it to avoid sticking.
3. Now, remove the dough from the bowl and knead for about five minutes. If still sticky you can keep flouring.
4. If you are making more then one pizza now is time to split the dough in equal parts and make separate balls. Let the finished pizza dough rest and rise for about 30min. on the warm place wile you are preparing toppings for your pizza.
5. When ready you spreed the dough on pizza sheet and add your favorite toppings, starting with tomato sauce.

TIP: Individual pizza dough can be placed in to a plastic freezer bag and kept frozen until need it.

Bon Appétit!