Recipe: Pierogi

These delicious boiled then fried pillowy dumplings are delicious and pretty easy to eat. They’re especially good because they can be made in large batches ahead of time and frozen. I filled them with the usual onions and mashed potatoes but you can put anything in them, even sweet things.

Pierogi

Adapted from Fermenting for Foodies

Recipe: Honey and Apple Challah

A twist on classic challah for Rosh Hashanah or if you just want to impress your friends with what amounts to a very fluffy apple cake, this honey and apple challah is really good with a big cup of hot tea or coffee on a cold day. The honey gives it a nice sweetness without being overwhelming. I only used a single apple but I kind of wanted more apples in it, I might try using apple butter instead of regular butter for extra apple goodness next time.

Honey and Apple Challah

Adapted from Living Sweet Moments

Recipe: Crab Cream Croquettes

I absolutely adore these. They’re pretty simple to make and you can use real lump crab, canned crab or surimi (krabstick) to make them. Personally I usually use surimi because it’s cheap and easy. These can be eaten plain but they also go well with a variety of dipping sauces and you can make them ahead of time and freeze them for an easy lunch or dinner.

Crab Cream Croquettes

Adapted from Japan Centre

 

Recipe: Mushroom Tortellini

I found making tortellini much easier than ravioli so if you have given up on stuffed pasta due to ravioli I’d urge you to give it a second try with this recipe. I don’t have a pasta sheeter OR cutters OR even a pastry bag and I still found this recipe actually not too bad and I’ve made it a few times over. I made way too much filling the first time so I had to make multiple batches of pasta dough and it does get easier but tortellini does also take a good amount of time. I’ve found it takes me about 30 minutes to fill and fold about a pound and a half worth of pasta but your mileage may vary.

Mushroom Tortellini

 

 

Recipe: Homemade Ravioli (Cheese, Pea, and Mint)

I’ve had “make ravioli” on my to do list for about 8 years and I finally did it and guess what: it was great! It probably would have been a lot easier with a pasta sheeter but doing the whole process by hand was actually not hard or that time consuming. It’s the type of recipe that you struggle with the first time but I feel like you’d get exceptionally better after 3-4 times. This is a recipe you can use to impress EVERYONE but also it was just very fresh tasting, cheap, delicious, and worth a try.

Homemade Ravioli

Adapted from Thyme and Envy

Recipe: Arancini

So these little balls of goodness are absolutely delicious. The recipe makes enough that you could easily make them for a party where they’d be a crazy center piece and probably everyone would be impressed by them but I have to say they’re a ton of work. While most recipes call for already made risotto, the part where you make the risotto is the least work by far. Even with ready-made risotto you’re looking at a battering and breading process and then frying. To me that always produces delicious results, a ton of dishes, and exhaustion. So make these if you like getting at least 4 bowls and 2 pans dirty and you have the energy of a 6 year old at a birthday party.

Arancini

Adapted from The Guardian

Recipe: Gluten Free Twinkies

I bought a Twinkie pan just to make these for my friend who is sensitive to gluten. I’m a big believer in eating foods that are GF naturally instead of trying to make fake versions of the foods you love with gluten that will always be a little disappointing when compared with their gluten packed cousins but on the other hand, everyone has a birthday and he requested these. They do fluff up and are similar enough to the original that they may give you some nostalgia vibes.

IMAG3541

Gluten Free Twinkies

Makes about 10-12 twinkies (my pan only holds 8 though so it was 8 + a mini cake)

3 cups gluten-free multi-purpose flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 tablespoons soft butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup milk

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease your twinkie pan.
  2. Using an electric mixer, beat together the sugar, butter, salt, baking powder, and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Now beat in the eggs one at a time then the milk and the dry ingredients, adding about 1/3 of each at a time.
  4. Scoop the batter into the prepared pans. Bake the cake for about 25 to 30 minutes, about 3 to 4 minutes past the point where the cake springs back when touched lightly in the center, and a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Source: King Arthur Flour

Recipe: Japanese Chicken Curry

This dish takes time. It’s a labor of love and it’s worth making in bulk due to the large scale process. It can be frozen and it can also be halved if you’d just prefer to make less. Japanese curry is not hot like Indian or Thai curries and instead is made with a roux and has a thick, stew-like texture to it.

Japanese Chicken Curry