Russian/Ukrainian recipes

Lamb Shurpa Soup

Hearty and comforting Lamb Shurpa Soup takes me back to my Eastern European roots. Nothing better on a cold winters day! You can use beef if you prefer. This soup is easy to make and tastes even better the next day.

Lamb Shurpa Soup

sofiyababinov
Hearty and comforting Lamb Shurpa Soup takes me back to my Eastern European roots. Nothing better on a cold winters day! You can use beef if you prefer. This soup is easy to make and tastes even better the next day.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine European
Servings 12 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2.5-3 LB Lamb Chops washed, patted dry
  • 3 Carrots chopped into circles
  • 2 Green Bell Peppers cubed
  • 1 Onion finely chopped
  • 1 Large Tomato finely chopped
  • 2 LB Potatoes cubed
  • 1 6 oz. Can Tomato Paste
  • 1 TBS Salt
  • 1 tsp Onion & Garlic Seasoning
  • 1 tsp Mrs.Dash Seasoning or any salt-free seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp Cumin
  • 3 Garlic Cloves minced
  • Parsley optional, to taste
  • Dill optional, to taste
  • 8 oz. Pasta of choice optional

For frying lamb chops and vegetables:

  • Montreal Chicken Seasoning to taste
  • Onion & Garlic Seasoning to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • 3-4 TBS Olive Oil

Instructions
 

  • Wash lamb chops and pat them dry. Set a large skillet with 2 TBS olive oil on medium heat. Add the lamb chops. Season lamb chops on both sides. I seasoned with salt and onion & garlic seasoning on one side and Montreal chicken seasoning on the other side.
  • Fry lamb chops until they are completely cooked through and seared.
  • Set a large pot with 17 cups water on high heat. Bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, lower to medium heat. Add in the lamb chops and let lamb chops cook for 30 minutes. Skim off impurities (foam) that rises to the top.
  • After 30 minutes add the salt, spices of choice and potatoes. Meanwhile move on to the next step.
  • Set a pan with 2 TBS olive oil on medium heat. Add in the carrots and bell peppers. Cook for a few minutes, then add in the onion and tomato. Season with salt and any seasoning of choice. Cook until veggies are a tender, about 10 minutes (they'll finish cooking in the soup).
  • Add 1 can of tomato paste to the skillet with veggies and let it cook a few minutes to thin out the tomato paste.
  • Add the cooked veggies/tomato paste into the pot of soup and cook until potatoes are cooked through.
  • If you want some pasta in the soup you can cook 8 oz. pasta of your choice in a small pot, according to package instructions and set it aside.
  • Once potatoes have cooked through and soup is done, turn off the burner and add 3 minced garlic cloves and optionally dill and parsley to taste. Add more salt or seasoning if needed!
  • To serve put pasta into bowls, ladle soup over pasta.

Notes

We cook the pasta for this soup in a separate pot so the pasta doesn’t get soggy and absorb all the soup broth.
Keyword easy, lamb, main course, soup

Layered Smoked Salmon Salad (Shuba)

This Layered Smoked Salmon Salad is our family Holiday must have! Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be the same without this dish! This tradition Russian salad is usually made with herring fish but we prefer to use smoked salmon (just a taste preference). I love how simple this salad is and that it is made in advance which saves so much time, especially when I have a lot of other things to cook for the Holiday menu.

Layered Smoked Salmon Salad (Shuba)

This Layered Smoked Salmon Salad is a traditional Russian salad side dish. It's usually made with herring fish but we prefer to use smoked salmon (taste preference). I love how simple this salad is and that it's made in advance which saves so much time, especially when cooking for Holidays.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Russian
Servings 12

Equipment

  • Grater

Ingredients
  

  • 12-16 oz. Smoked Salmon cut into small pieces
  • 3-4 Medium Gold Potatoes cooked, peeled, grated
  • 1 Small Sweet Onion finely chopped
  • 3-4 Beets cooked, peeled, grated
  • 2-3 Carrots cooked, peeled, grated
  • 5 Eggs cooked, peeled, finely grated
  • 1-1.5 Cups Hellman's Mayonnaise divided
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the potatoes (whole, unpeeled), carrots (whole or cut in half, unpeeled) and cook on med-high heat until potatoes and carrots are cooked through, about 45 minutes. You can poke the potatoes/carrots with a fork to see if they're soft and cooked through. Once cooked drain out water from the pot and set potatoes/carrots aside to cool. Meanwhile move on to steps 2 and 3.
  • Bring a medium pot of water to boil, add the beets (Whole or cut in half if they're large, unpeeled) and cook on med-high heat until cooked through and soft, about 45-55 minutes. Once cooked, drain out water from the pot and set beets aside to cool.
  • Put eggs into a small pot, cover eggs with water and bring to a boil. Cook until eggs are hard boiled, about 10-15 minutes, then drain water out of the pot. Peel the eggs once cooled down and set aside. (I've found that the longer you wait to peel the eggs, the harder they will be to peel).
  • Cut the smoked salmon into small pieces. In a (16×3) casserole dish (or any dish you prefer) layer the smoked salmon in a single layer around the bottom of the casserole dish.
  • Once your potatoes have cooled down, peel the skin off, then grate them with a grater and sprinkle over the smoked salmon pieces. Sprinkle a little bit of salt on the grated potato layer. If using herring instead of smoked salmon then no salt is needed as herring is usually already very salty.
  • Sprinkle the finely chopped sweet onion over the layer of potatoes. Then add about 3/4 cup mayonnaise over the potato/onion layer and carefully spread it around to cover the entire layer evenly.
  • Peel and grate the beets (some people prefer to use kitchen gloves for this step because beets will stain your hands bright red for a few hours). Gently sprinkle the grated beets over the layer of mayonnaise.
  • Peel and grate the carrots. Gently sprinkle the carrots over the layer of grated beets. Add another about 3/4 cup mayonnaise over the beet/carrot layer and carefully spread it around to cover the entire layer evenly.
  • Grate the peeled eggs and gently sprinkle them over the top of the last mayonnaise layer to completely cover the entire salad. Cover the Layered Salad tightly with foil or a lid and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours. Best served cold, right out of the fridge!

Notes

This salad tastes best if you let it stand overnight (or for at least 8 hours) in the refrigerator before eating, so the flavors blend.
Keep the finished salad tightly covered when you store it in the refrigerator so it doesn’t dry out.
This salad can stay fresh for several days, tightly covered and refrigerated.
Keyword Russian, salad, Salmon, Shuba

Chicken Potato Salad (Olivier Salad)

4FBC6F99-638D-4262-B795-EA5D7B5615FCThis is the classic Russian Olivier salad recipe, but with chicken instead of bologna as traditionally made. I got this Chicken Olivier salad recipe from my friend Inna. We tried it at her house once, it was the first time we tried it with chicken and we absolutely loved it this way! This is basically a fancy potato salad with chicken and it is served cold so it’s a great make ahead dish or potluck dish to bring. I also enjoy it served in a croissant for quick lunch/dinner sandwich!

Chicken Potato Salad (Olivier Salad)

This is the classic Russian Olivier salad recipe, but with chicken instead of bologna. This is basically a fancy potato salad with chicken in it and it is served cold so it’s a great make ahead dish or potluck dish. I also enjoy it served in a croissant for a quick lunch/dinner sandwich.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Side Dish
Cuisine European
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 2-2.5 LB Chicken Breasts (4 large breasts) cooked, diced
  • 3 Potatoes cooked, peeled, diced
  • 4 Carrots cooked, peeled, diced
  • 8 Eggs hardboiled. peeled, diced
  • 1 710 mL Can kosher dill pickles
  • 1 Bunch Scallions
  • 1 Bunch Dill
  • 1 15 oz. Can Peas
  • 1 Small Onion peeled
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 6 Whole Peppercorns
  • 1.5 Cups Mayonnaise
  • Salt/Pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Wash and pat dry the chicken breasts. Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil. When the water comes to a boil, throw in 1 whole peeled onion, 6 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves and chicken breasts. Cook on medium-high for 30 minutes. Then turn the burner off and let the pot stand on the burner for 10 minutes, afterwards take out the chicken breasts and put them on a plate to cool. Meanwhile move on to steps 2 and 3.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the washed carrots and potatoes. Cook until the carrots and potatoes are both tender when poked with a fork (about 25-30 minutes) but do not over cook. In another small pot, bring water to a boil and hard-boil the eggs.
  • When the chicken breasts have cooled down, cut them into small cubes. When the carrots and potatoes have cooled down, peel them and also cut them into small cubes. When the hard boiled eggs have cooled down, peel them thoroughly and cut them into small cubes.
  • Add the cut chicken, carrots, potatoes, and hard boiled eggs to a big mixing bowl. Drain out and discard liquid from the pickles and dice the pickles into cubes then add them to the bowl. Wash and finely chop the scallions (both green and white part) and add to the bowl.
  • Add the mayonnaise to the bowl according to taste and texture preferences. I added 1.5 cups mayonnaise. Add salt and pepper to taste, I added about 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix well to incorporate mayo.
  • Lastly add the (drained) can of peas and finely chopped dill to the bowl. Gently mix again. *I add the peas in last because they are very delicate, I don’t want to squash them by overmixing. You can add a can of (drained) corn instead if you don’t like peas.
  • Refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours and enjoy! Great as a side dish, potluck dish and makes a great croissant sandwich too! Can be made the day before and tastes best if refrigerated overnight.

Notes

You can substitute cubed chicken breasts with cubed Bologna. You can substitute the can of peas with a can of corn if you don’t like peas. This dish tastes best if refrigerated overnight to let the flavors blend!
Keyword appetizers, European, salad, side dish

Tomato, Cheese, Black Olive Appetizer Salad/Spread

93670225-FD1C-4A14-8DCD-8C2291CF7917This tomato, cheese, and black olive salad is so delicious! It can be eaten as a traditional European side salad or a spread on some baked baguette bread. No cooking required and can be made a day in advance or right before you eat it, however I prefer to make it at least a few hours in advance to give the flavors time to blend.

Tomato, Cheese, Black Olive Appetizer Salad/Spread

sofiyababinov
This tomato, cheese, and black olive salad is so delicious! It can be eaten as a traditional European side salad or as a spread on some baked baguette bread. No cooking required and can be made a day in advance or right before you eat it, however I prefer to make it at least a few hours in advance to give the flavors time to blend.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine European

Ingredients
  

  • 1 8 oz. Block Mozzarella Cheese shredded
  • 1 10 oz. Pack Baby Tomatoes
  • 1 6 oz. Can Large Pitted Black Olives
  • 4-6 TBS Mayonnaise to taste
  • 1-2 Garlic Cloves minced

Instructions
 

  • Wash tomatoes and add them to a big bowl. Add (drained) can of olives, shredded mozzarella cheese, minced garlic, mayonnaise and mix gently together. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight or until ready to serve.
  • Serve as a side dish salad, or on some baked baguette bread as side sandwiches. Delicious either way!
Keyword appetizers, European, side dish

Potato & Squash Steamed Dumplings (Monti)

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These vegan steamed dumplings (or Monti, European) are super delicious! Easy and fast to make and very simple ingredients. I was happy to come up with a good, meat-less recipe for steamed dumplings for my vegan friends. I made a big batch of the potato, onion, and squash filling so that I can steam another fresh batch of these the next day as they do taste best steamed fresh! You can even make the filling a day in advance if you season it, add the olive oil to it, cover and refrigerate to use the next day. I made a big batch of the filling so we had these for dinner yesterday, and I have enough filling to make the other half for dinner today.

Potato & Squash Steamed Dumplings (Monti)

sofiyababinov
These vegan steamed dumplings (or Monti, European) are super delicious! Easy and fast to make and very simple ingredients. I was happy to come up with a good, meat-less recipe for steamed dumplings for my vegan friends. I made a big batch of the potato, onion, and squash filling so that I can steam another fresh batch of these the next day as they do taste best steamed fresh! You can even make the filling a day in advance if you season it, add the olive oil to it, cover and refrigerate to use the next day.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine European
Servings 40 dumplings (8 servings)

Equipment

  • Dumpling Steamer Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 3.5 LB Gold Potatoes finely cubed
  • 2.5 LB Squash about half a large squash, finely cubed
  • 2 Onions finely chopped
  • 2 Packs "Nasoya" Brand Egg Roll Dough Sheets
  • 3 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper
  • 1 tsp Mrs.Dash Seasoning or any salt-free seasoning
  • 3 TBS Olive Oil for filling
  • 1/2 Cup Olive Oil to spread on each steam pot layer & to dip each dumpling into

Instructions
 

  • Do the prep work first. Peel the potatoes, cut them into small cubes, put into a bowl of cold water. Then rinse and change the water. When ready to use, drain out all the water. This is just to keep your potatoes from turning brown. Cut the squash in half. Wash and peel that half. Then cut it also into small cubes (same size as the diced potatoes) and set aside in separate bowl. Peel and finely dice the onions and set aside in separate bowl.
  • Put all the filling ingredients in a big bowl (drained potatoes, squash, and onions). Add 3 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. 1 tsp Mrs. Dash or any salt-free seasoning. Add 3 TBS olive oil and mix thoroughly.
  • Set up a dumpling making station. I do this by setting up a sheet of foil, the egg roll dough sheets, a small cup with water and a cooking brush.
  • Lay out an egg roll dough sheet. Add 2 heaping TBS of filling to each egg roll sheet. Using the brush, wet around the edges of each egg roll dough sheet with water.
  • Bring the opposite corners together and stick them together in the middle. Repeat with the other opposite corners. Seal together tightly so the dumplings don't fall apart while they steam.
  • Using another brush, brush olive oil onto each steam pot layer. I used 2 steam pot layers and fit 10 dumplings on each steam pot layer. (If I was making all 40 dumplings and using all the filling, I would use 4 steam pot layers, 10 dumplings on each steam pot layer).
  • Dip the bottom of each dumpling into a plate of olive oil and put them into the steam pot layers. Don't put the dumplings too close to each other or the dough will stick together. You should be able to fit 10 dumplings per steam pot layer in a standard sized steam pot.
  • Fill the bottom of the steam pot 1/2 way with water and bring it to a boil on high heat. When it comes to a boil, put the steam pot layers with dumplings onto the pot. Reduce heat to medium-high, cover with the lid on top, and cook for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, turn heat off, and let the dumplings steam for another 5 minutes. These are best served hot and fresh off the steam pot! However leftovers can be microwaved.

Notes

If you are making half the batch like I did, cover the rest of the filling with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to make a fresh batch the next day for dinner. However if you have a bigger crowd, make all of the steamed dumplings. Trust me!
Keyword dumplings, easy, European, vegetarian

Chicken, Veggie, and Buckwheat Soup

IMG_0352This chicken, veggie, and buckwheat soup is a new favorite recipe in our home. I have been making it every week for the past few weeks. It is a nice twist on the traditional chicken soup recipe. The sautéed blend of veggies give it a wonderful flavor and substituting buckwheat for the noodles makes it so different and refreshing, yet so filling and satisfying! I make a big pot to last us 2 days and we enjoy every spoon full. I think this is the only soup that I could never get tired of eating lol. I originally got the recipe idea for this soup from my sister in law, Liliya. However I adapted it and created my own version of her recipe. My picky 5 1/2 year old says this is his new favorite soup, so that says a lot. The best part about this soup is how super easy it is to make, probably the easiest soup recipe ever! I hope you guys enjoy it as much as my family does!

Chicken, Veggie, and Buckwheat Soup {Yields 1 big pot, Serves 12-14}

Ingredients:

  • 4 Chicken Thighs (Bone in, Skin off before cooking) Organic is best
  • 1 1/4 Cups Buckwheat (Washed)
  • 5 Celery Ribs (diced small)
  • 4-5 Carrots (1 big carrot shredded, 3-4 carrots diced into thin circles)
  • 1 Large onion (diced small)
  • 1 pack Mushrooms (sliced thin)
  • 1 bunch Dill (chopped small)
  • 3 Garlic Cloves (minced or through garlic)
  • 1 TBS Salt
  • 2 TBS “Better then Bouillon Chicken” paste
  • 1 tsp Mrs.Dash or other Salt Free seasoning
  • 18 Cups Water
  • 2 TBS Olive Oil (for sauté)
  • 1 cube chicken bouillon

*I use all ORGANIC veggies for this soup, tastes so great!!!*

IMG_0347Directions:

1) Do the prep work first. Take the skin off ( discard it) wash the chicken thighs, and set aside. Wash all the veggies and cut them, set them all aside into a bowl or plate.

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2) Set a large pot with 18 Cups water on High heat. When it comes to a boil, turn down to Medium heat, add 1 TBS Salt and 2 TBS of the “Better Then Bouillon Chicken” paste. Add the 4 chicken thighs to the pot. Cover and cook for 30 Minutes. *Meanwhile move on to step 3.

3) Set a pan with Olive Oil on Medium heat. Add the diced veggies; the diced onion, diced celery, carrots both shredded and diced, and sliced mushrooms. Sauté, mixing for about 8-10 minutes until veggies are soft and cooked through. Wash the buckwheat.

4) When the chicken thighs have cooked through (after 30 minutes) Take them out of the pot and set aside in a plate to cool down. Add the washed buckwheat to the soup pot. 5 minutes later, add the sautéed veggies into the pot. Add the 1 tsp Mrs.Dash or other salt free seasoning, and add 1 chicken bouillon cube. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, until the buckwheat is soft. *When buckwheat is soft and ready, that means the soup is done!

5) When soup is done, add 1 bunch chopped dill (no stems) and add 3 minced or pressed garlic cloves. Cover the soup with lid, turn burner off, and let soup stand for at least 10 minutes for the flavors to blend.

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6) To reheat, pour soup into smaller pots, as much as you will eat, and heat up on medium heat. This soup tastes just as great on the 2nd or 3rd day!

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Braised Potatoes with Chicken

IMG_0266These braised potatoes are a classic European dish that I grew up eating. It can be compared to a stew because it is hearty with the tender potatoes, carrots and onion, and chicken and has a very tasty gravy. It’s a simple, one pot meal that can feed a big crowd. I like to make a big batch and eat the leftovers for lunch for a few days afterwards, but you can definitely make half the recipe. I do have this recipe posted as one of my very first recipes on the blog but I recreated that same recipe with chicken thighs, as my husband and I do not like to eat much pork meat. You can really use whatever meat you prefer, however keep in mind that beef needs much more cook time to get tender for this recipe. I came up with this recipe myself in an attempt to replicate a classic childhood favorite dish. Enjoy! 🙂

Braised Potatoes with Chicken {Yields a big pot, Serves 10-14}

Ingredients:

  • 5 LB Gold Potatoes
  • 2.5 LB Chicken Thighs (Skinless/Boneless) or Beef (Chuck Roast/Stew Meat)
  • 3 Carrots
  • 1 Onion
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter (Unsalted)
  • 1 Bunch Parsley
  • 2 Tablespoons Dill
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 4 Cloves Garlic
  • 5 Tablespoons Tomato Sauce
  • Salt/Pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Mrs.Dash (or 21 Seasonings)

Directions:

1) Do the prep work first. Wash and peel the potatoes, cut them into about 1 inch cubes and put ina a big bowl of water. Wash and peel the carrots and shredd them, set aside in container. Finely dice the onion. Wash the chicken thighs and cut into about 1 inch pieces.

2) On Medium-High heat ( I did 7) heat 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil in a big pot or Dutch oven. I used a big Dutch oven that my dad gifted me from his recent trip to Europe! Throw in the cut chicken thighs or beef, add salt/pepper and cook, stir every few minutes until meat is cooked through.

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3) Add 2 Tablespoons butter to the pot with chicken. Fill a tea kettle with water and bring to a boil, It should be about 2 Litters water, or you can use another pot.

4) Add the carrots and onion to the pot. Add the paprika, garlic powder, and Mrs. Dash seasonings. Add some more salt and pepper to the pot. Mix very well.

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5) When the carrots and onion become soft and cooked through, add the 4 Tablespoons ketchup. Mix very thoroughly.

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6) Add the potatoes into the pan but keep them on top! Do not mix with the meat mixture! This is important because you want to keep your potatoes steam cooking on top afterwards, not mushy and all mashed up. Add the 2 Litter boiled hot water to the pot. Just enough water to cover the potatoes. Add more water if needed. Cover the pot with a lid.

IMG_0271

IMG_02687) When the water in the pot comes to a boil, lower the heat to a low setting. ( I did 3). Keep covered with lid and cook for 25 to 35 minutes. Until the potatoes have cooked through and are tender. Meanwhile wash and finely chop the dill and parsley.

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8) In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the chopped parsley and minced garlic cloves into the pot. Then in the last few minutes of cooking, add the chopped dill. When potatoes have cooked through and are tender, turn the heat off. Gently mix the potatoes and meat mixture, and enjoy! *Refrigerate leftovers in the pot (once the pot has cooled down) and to eat, heat up necessary portions in a small pot on the stovetop.*

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Vegetable Ukrainian Borsht Soup

unnamed-1Borscht is a popular Ukrainian soup that I grew up eating. It seems that every family has adapted their own favorite recipes of this soup. I have the classic Borscht soup (with meat) recipe posted earlier but this vegetable version is a new recipe I got from my friend Lidiya. This is our new favorite recipe for this soup just because it’s so much lighter tasting with no meat and the veggies are finely chopped not shredded so they provide so much more flavor! I made a pig pot of this soup to last us a few days and it was so delicious and perfect healthy comfort food for this cold weather. Feel free to adapt this recipe to your preferences and add or omit anything you like. I enjoy hearing your feedback and ideas!

Vegetarian Ukrainian Borscht Soup {Yields big pot serves 12-14}:

Ingredients: 

  • 3-4 Beets
  • 4 Potatoes
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper
  • 2-3 Carrots
  • 1 Onion
  • 1/2 Head of Cabbage
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • Dill 1/2 bunch
  • 1 teaspoon Mrs.Dash Seasoning
  • Salt/Pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons Dry Parsley
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 5 Tablespoons Ketchup
  • 2 Tablespoons Oil (For Saute)
  • 11 Cups Water
  • 6 cups Chicken Broth or Beef Broth (Reduced Sodium) or 2 TBS Better then Bullion paste (Chicken or Beef paste. I use both but preffer Beef paste) with 6 additional Cups water *That’s what I used
  • Sour Cream (to top each individual bowl) *Optional but recommended
  • Bread, especially Rye bread *Optional but recommended

dscn4344Directions:

1) Do all the prep work first. Peel and cut the carrots thin. Peel and cut the beets into thin matchstick size. Cut the bell pepper into thin matchstick size. Finely dice the onion. Cut the cabbage into thin strips. Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Set all cut veggies aside. I put everything in one plate/container except the potatoes ( I set those aside in a bowl of water until ready to drain and use).

2) Boil the water in a big pot on High heat, and add the bullion paste (or broth). Then add the diced potatoes, turn heat down to Medium (5) and cook 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are tender. *Meanwhile start step 3.

3) In a large frying pan, heat 2 TBS oil. Add all the cut veggies except the cabbage. The carrots, onion, beets, red bell pepper. Mix and cook on Med-High heat (8) mixing, until veggies are cooked through and soft. Then add 5 TBS of ketchup. Mix and let it simmer for a few minutes.

4) Add the cooked veggies to the pot of soup. Mix well. Add the cut cabbage. Add 2 bay leaves, lemon juice, dry parsley, Mrs.Dash Spice, 1 teaspoon salt, sprinkle pepper. In 5 minutes add the finely chopped dill and garlic through garlic press. Turn heat off and cover the soup, for about 10 minutes and let the flavors blend. Enjoy!

Borscht is great with a dollop of sour cream and that’s how most Ukrainians eat it… Oh and a side of Rye bread! Another interesting thing about Borscht is it tastes better on the 2nd or even 3rd day because all the flavors blend together well! For leftover Borscht, I just heat up as much as needed in a small pot on medium heat.

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Pan Fried Potatoes And Bacon (One Pan Meal)

DSCN3931

These Pan Fried Potatoes And Bacon are a yummy, one pan meal. I make this dish on super busy week nights because it is fast, easy, and super delicious. It is actually one of my husband’s most favorite dinners. It pairs well with a fresh salad, or canned tomatoes or dill pickles. I had the awesome idea of adding bacon to this already great dish, and it takes the flavor to a whole notha’ level. As I am typing this recipe and uploading the pictures, I am practically drooling over the keyboard. Lol, jk. But seriously, this stuff is delicious and you absolutely have to try this recipe!

Pan Fried Potatoes And Bacon {Serves 4-5}

Ingredients:

  • 4 LB Russet Potatoes
  • 1 Pack, 1 LB Bacon (Of your choice. I used thick cut.)
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Tablespoon Canola or Vegetable Oil (For frying.)
  • Garlic, 1 clove, minced (Optional)
  • Fresh Dill (To top, optional.)
  • Salt/Pepper

Directions: 

1) Peel the potatoes and place them in a big bowl with enough water to cover the top of potatoes. Then cut the potatoes in half and into thin pieces (about 1/4 in. thick), putting the cut pieces back into the water. Once you cut all the potatoes, drain the water from the bowl and fill with new water, repeat again. I do this to get all the extra starch out of the potatoes. Then set aside in a colander to drain out all the water.

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2) Cut the bacon into about 1 inch pieces. Set a big pan on Med.- High heat, I did 7.0 and add the cut pieces of bacon. Cook until the bacon is well done.

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3) Add the potatoes to the pan. Using a slotted spatula, mix about every 5 minutes. Meanwhile cut the onion into half rings. If there is not enough oil from the bacon, add about 1 Tablespoon of Canola oil to the potatoes and mix. After 15 minutes, add the cut onion to the pan. Don’t forget to keep mixing the potatoes about every 5 minutes, but mix gently, so the potatoes do not all fall apart. Meanwhile wash and chop some dill.

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4) The potatoes usually take about 20-30 minutes to cook. When the potatoes are all done, add some salt/pepper, the minced garlic clove (optional) and mix again, very gently. Sprinkle each plate individually with fresh dill (optional).

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DSCN3931        DSCN3924

Ukrainian Borscht Soup (Red Beet Soup)

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This is my recipe for the Ukrainian Borscht Soup. When I just got married, I was very intimidated to try this recipe. It looked so complicated that it scared me. But looking back now it sounds silly because it is so simple to prepare. Borscht is a very classic soup that most Russian and Ukrainian people grew up eating. I remember in my childhood my mother made it like every other week, it was a staple at our house. There are many great recipes for this soup, and I have tried a lot, but this is the best Borscht recipe, tried and tested by my family. Feel free to play around with it, add or change anything that you would like, and make it your signature family recipe. I’d love to hear anything different that you do with this recipe. My husband and son love to eat it with a dab of Sour Cream although I prefer it plain. Enjoy!

Ukrainian Borscht Recipe {Makes a big pot, 10-12 Serving}

Ingredients: 

  • 1.5 to 2 LB Beef (With a little bit of bone and fat)
  • 3 Medium Beets
  • 3 Medium Russet Potatoes
  • 2-3 Carrots
  • 1 Medium Onion
  • 1 (6 oz.) Can Tomato Paste
  • 1 Cup Water
  • 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
  • 1/2-3/4 Small head Cabbage
  • 1 (8 oz.) Can Diced Tomatoes
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 teaspoon White Sugar
  • Salt/Pepper to taste
  • Mrs.Dash Seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon
  • Vegeta Seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon (or seasonings of choice)
  • 1/2 Bunch Parsley
  • 1/4 to 1/4 Bunch Dill (Optional but recommended)
  • Sour Cream (For topping)

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Directions:

1) Do the prep work first. That way, you get all the hard work out of the way. Wash the Beef and set aside in a plate. Wash, Peel, and Shred the beets. Wash peel, and dice the potatoes into 1/2 inch. cubes. Wash, peel and shred the carrots. Wash and cut the cabbage into very thin, long, strips. Set everything aside in separate plates.

2) Put the Beef into a big pot, fill a little over half way with water. Bring to a boil on High heat. Lower the heat setting to an 8. Add some salt to the water. Skim off any foam and impurities that rise to the top, into a bowl nearby.

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3) When the beef cooks through, about 15 to 20 minutes, take it out and set it aside to cool down in a plate. Add the shredded beets. Cook until beats loose their color, about 5 minutes. Then add shredded carrots. In about 10 minutes add the diced potatoes. DSCN3858      DSCN3861

4) In 15 minutes add the cabbage. Then drain out the water from the can of diced tomatoes, and add the diced tomatoes into the pot. Once the beef has cooled off, cut it into 1/2 in. cubes, cutting out and getting rid of fat or bones. Then add the pieces of beef back into the soup pot.

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5) Heat a skillet on Med. heat (I did 5) with 1 Tablespoon of Canola Oil. Add the diced onion to the skillet and mix often so it does not burn. When the onion gets tender, add the can of tomato paste and mix. Then add 1 Cup of water to the skillet and mix everything again well. It should now look like a tomato sauce. Add 1 teaspoon of white sugar and mix to incorporate it.

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6) Turn the Soup down to a lower heat setting, I did 4. Add the tomato paste and onion mixture from the skillet into the pot. Add 3 garlic cloves, pressed. Then add some more salt, pepper, and spices of choice. I added 1/2 teaspoon of Vegeta Seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon of Mrs.Dash Seasoning. Lastly, add the chopped parsley and dill into the soup pot. Mix the soup very well, turn off the stove, close the lid and let the soup stand for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy plain or with a dab of Sour Cream on top.

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