Polish Vegetable Salad ("Sałatka Jarzynowa" in Polish)

Polish Vegetable Salad ("Sałatka Jarzynowa" in Polish) accented with sliced beets sprinkled with goat cheese and honey roasted pecans.

I had the in-laws over for Easter dinner this year (2024). I wanted to have a touch of Polish flavor so I made ham and kielbasa, along with potato and cheese and sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi. I also made, for the first time, a Polish vegetable salad called Sałatka Jarzynowa in Polish. I don’t remember any of my Polish relatives making this dish, but I reached out to folks on the I Love My Polish Heritage Group on Facebook and so many folks recommended it. It was absolutely delicious and everyone enjoyed it! There are many variations, but I experimented and made my own combination. The only odd items were the apple and the parsnip. I highly recommend including both.

Polish Vegetable Salad ("Sałatka Jarzynowa" in Polish)

INGREDIENTS

5 medium red skin potatoes

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2” dice

1 medium to large parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2" dice

2 cups frozen baby green peas

1/2 cup celery, chopped finely

1 medium dill pickle, chopped finely

1 apple, peeled, cored, and cut into1/2"dice (I used Fuji)

3 green onions, white part and a little green, chopped finely (optional)

DRESSING

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

4 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced

DIRECTIONS

In a medium pot, boil potatoes in their skins in salted water until fork tender. Drain potatoes. While the potatoes are cooking, in a separate medium pot, gently boil carrots and parsnips in salted water until fork tender. Cook peas in salted water for about 4-5 minutes. Drain vegetables and then put into an ice bath. Drain and let sit for about 1/2 hour or until most of the water has drained away.

When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2" cubes.

Transfer chopped cooked vegetables, chopped pickles, chopped apple, and chopped green onion in a large mixing bowl and carefully mix vegetables.

In a small bowl, blend mayonnaise with lemon juice, sugar and vinegar. Pour over mixed vegetables. Add chopped egg and mix dressing and egg into the vegetable/apple mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in minced parsley. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Cover, chill in refrigerator 2 hours before serving.

Creamy Chicken with Spinach, Garlic and Shallots with Pesto Pasta

Creamy Chicken with Spinach, Garlic and Shallots with Pesto Pasta

Creamy Chicken with Spinach

Ingredients

1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into halves and gently pounded to even thickness

1 teaspoon McCormick® Grill Mates® Montreal Chicken Seasoning (if unavailable use 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper plus a 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, divided

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, finely minced or run through a garlic press

1 shallot, halved, then thinly sliced

2/3 cup chicken bouillon

2 teaspoons corn starch

1 bag baby spinach (about 4 cups)

1 tablespoon butter

2/3 cup half and half

Ingredients for Pesto Pasta

3 cups extra wide egg noodles

1 and 1/2 teaspoons pesto sauce

1 teaspoon butter

Directions

Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each chicken seasoning or salt and pepper and bouillon powder. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Poke hole in bag of spinach, then cook spinach in microwave for about 1 minute 30 seconds. Check to see that spinach is wilted after 1 minute as microwave oven temperatures vary.

Melt butter in frying pan and add shallots and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.

Mix cornstarch with chicken stock. Increase heat to medium-high and add chicken stock. Cook until slightly reduced and thickened, about 2 minutes.

Return heat to medium and stir in spinach, cream and the remaining chicken seasoning or 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper plus 1/4 teaspoon powdered chicken bouillon. Simmer for 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce. Serve with egg noodles.

Pasta Pesto

Cook egg noodles as directed. Drain. Return to pan. Mix in pesto sauce and butter. Serve along side or under chicken.

Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Roasted Vegetables

I've tried my share of sheet pan dinners and some are good and some not so good. It's often difficult to get all of the ingredients to cook appropriately when they are all on the sheet pan. I made one today that was very simple to make, and very delicious!

Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Roasted Vegetables

INGREDIENTS

4-6 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided

2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided

1 teaspoon McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning, divided

1 teaspoon McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Chicken Seasoning, divided

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided

10-15 brussels sprouts, trimmed

8-9 small potatoes, halved

1/2 red onion sliced into 8=10 wedges, not rings

6 cloves garlic, sliced, optional

Olive oil spray

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil. Spray foil with olive oil baking spray.

To marinate the chicken, put the chicken thighs into a large bowl. Then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon chicken seasoning, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. If desired add sliced garlic cloves.

Stir the chicken so that every piece is coated evenly, then cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.

Place marinated chicken thighs skin-side up on the rimmed sheet pan.

In the bowl that had contained the chicken add trimmed brussels sprouts (if small, leave whole, if large, cut in half, red onion, potatoes, and garlic clove. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon chicken seasoning, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Stir so that vegetables are well coated.

Place vegetables around chicken pieces on the sheet pan.

Bake uncovered at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes or until the juices run clear. If you have a meat thermometer, check to see that the internal temperature of a chicken thigh has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Then crisp the skin up and brown it under the broiler for a few minutes. Watch carefully as it is quick to burn.

Polish Duck Soup (Czarnina) with Raw Potato Dumplings

Polish Duck Soup with raw potato dumplings. So good!

Polish Duck Soup (Czarnina) with
Raw Potato Dumplings (Kartoflane Kluski)  

Since it is almost impossible today to get duck’s blood and it is a turn off for most people (even though it just adds flavor and richness), this recipe does not include duck’s blood.

1 duck, cut up

1 pound pork loin back ribs

3 quarts water

2 teaspoons salt

1 stalk celery

1/2 onion

1 sprig parsley

8 whole allspice

4 whole cloves

2 Tablespoons vinegar

1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet Gravy Maker

1 tablespoon condensed veal stock if you can find it (Optional). I make my own by browning veal neck bones in some oil. Add ½ cup water and simmer until water is reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Use a gravy separator to pour off fat, or chill overnight and remove fat.

12 dried prunes

4 carrots

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup sour cream

Cover duck and pork ribs in a large sauce pan. Add salt and bring to a boil. Skim off foam. Add celery, onion, parsley, allspice, cloves, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet Gravy Maker. Cover and cook over low heat until meat is tender, about 1 and 1/2 hours.

Strain, discard vegetables and reserve pork for another use.

Remove duck meat from bones. Reserve meat. 

Allow soup to chill overnight. The next day remove fat. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and add veal stock if available. 

Add prunes and carrots. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until carrots are tender. 

Blend flour, sugar and sour cream until smooth. Add about 1/2 cup hot soup to flour mixture. Pour mixture into soup and bring soup just to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add reserved duck meat. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes, again stirring until meat is heated through. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with raw potato dumplings.

Raw Potato Dumplings (Kartoflane Kluski)

These are not really "raw". Raw potatoes are used as the basis for this recipe, but are cooked. These dumplings are meant to go with my recipe for Polish Duck Soup You can also use the dumplings in chicken soup, or fry them up with butter and onions to create a side dish.

INGREDIENTS

 8-12 servings

2 cups raw potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 and 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cups bread crumbs (preferably Japanese panko which have been rolled smooth)

DIRECTIONS

Process potatoes in food processor until smooth. If lots of water, drain excess water.

In a bowl, combine potatoes with beaten eggs, salt, crumbs and flour to make dough.

Drop about a good teaspoonful of dough into boiling, salted water.

Cook until dumplings float. Allow to cook for a couple of minutes, then remove to colander. Rinse lightly with cool water. Drain.

Aunt Mil's Apple Cake

A few years ago, my friend, Jack, from church gave me this recipe for Apple Cake that his Aunt Mil always made. As soon the weather turns to fall, I have a yearning to make this cake. It always tastes delicious and is very easy to make. Thank you, Jack, for sharing your aunt’s recipe with me. It has brought joy to me and to all those who have tasted this Fall treat!

Aunt Mil's Apple Cake

Aunt Mil’s Apple Cake

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup vegetable oil

1 and 3/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 medium apples, peeled and coarsely chopped (I like Golden Delicious)

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon Apple Pie spice (I add this to the apples. It is not in Aunt Mil’s recipe).

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

DIRECTIONS

Set oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with baking spray.

Sift together flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Stir to be sure that it is thoroughly mixed. Set aside.

Combine vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture.

Add optional Apple Pie Spice to apples. Stir gently.

Gently add apples and walnuts to the batter. Stir to combine. Don’t over mix.

Pour into baking pan and spread so that batter is evenly dispersed.

Bake for 50 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake.

(Note: This is a good snacking cake as is, but you could up it a notch by topping it with a cream cheese icing and sprinkling some toasted chopped walnuts on top).