Sunday, November 18, 2007

Cooking With G-Man..........




Hi Everybody, I hope you all had a better week-end than I did... Grrrrrrrrr
Being that this is Thanksgiving week, and I am hosting a little family get together Thursday, I thought that I would deviate a bit from the regular 'Themed' days. My daughter, as many of you know, spent last year in Prague studying. She made a request for one of her favorite dishes, since she missed last years feast. And that is Pierogies!..Ahhhh, those tasty little Polish treats that we usually get from the local Dom Polski, but I just found out that they only make them now on Christmas and Easter!! Whats a father to do?..Buy some Mrs. T's ? Well I could, I have done it before, and they aren't bad for store-bought, but please...It ain't Rocket Surgery!!!
Pierogies are a filled ravioli-like dumpling that is filled with numerous items.. They could have a Kraut filling...A cottage cheese-like filling..A Prune filling..But the favorite filling is Cheese and Potato!!! ...When you buy the frozen ones you boil a pot of water, then you boil them for about 5-10 minutes...Drain them..Then fry them quickly in a pan that has fried onions and melted butter in the pan...Toss them till each one is coated with Butter and Onions...and enjoy with a dollop of sour cream..
The Home-Made ones are served the same, but they are much much better!!!
Here's the recipe'..The filling...
Peel, boil, and mash, 5#'s of potatoes
While mashing, add one finely chopped bunch of green onions (scallions). Tops and all!
Add one package of cream cheese.
One stick of butter
8-10 ounces of shredded Cheddar Cheese
Add NO liquid and when finished mashing..let cool!!
The dough...
2 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Add gradually one beaten Lg Egg, and a 1/2 cup of sour cream.
When dough is "not so sticky" gradually knead in one cut- up stick of soft butter..
On a floured surface roll the dough until about 1/8 inch thick..
With a round 'cutter' or a 3 inch glass, cut out as many circles as you can..
In theory, you should get about 3-4 dozen, I used this method and got exactly 2 Dozen!!
I had lots of left-over filling, and it will keep until She comes home from College on Tuesday night. I will then have her help me really make about 4 Dozen for Turkey Day!!..
The Pictures above are the stages of preparation but the order seems to have come out backwards...hehehehe..Low-Tech, remember?
1) Put a spoon-full of filling on the center of the cut-out, fold over, then hand-crimp the edges tight..
2) Drop the Pierogies into a pot of boiling water till they start to float..
3) When they have been drained for a while, fry with Butter and Onions!!!
This week..If you would like to share a recipe' with us all, feel free to comment here, or direct us to your Blog.. I think I will post a recipe' for a yummy oatmeal cake tomorrow..We'll see!
Peace!!!!

22 comments:

Serena said...

Dang, those Pierogies sound good! You know about my cooking impairment, which means I'm sure I'd screw that recipe up beyond hopeless. But dang, it sounds good. Sorry about your weekend, babe. Dang Blue.:)

lime said...

mmmmmmmm, yummy.

i'm also a fan of seep frying them in peanut oil or grilling them. either way they get yummy crunchy.

lime said...

*deep frying

javajazz said...

it is so turning me on
that you can cook...
funny, i had the rolling pin
out this evening too...
(its not what you think!)
i was making rugelach...
TBC...
pierogies...
man, could you come here
and cook those?
i promise you'll be
handsomely rewarded...
mmmmm, hungry...
men cooking.
yummy.

Manny said...

Now I'm hungry.

Good job G.

xo

Charles said...

You're definitely a better cook than I am.

G-Man said...

Hi Serena..
You know, thats why I told how to make the frozen ones Sherry. That was for your benefit!
I don't think they make a 'Lean Cuisine' Pierogie!..xoxox

Limey, I love them crunchy as well!
Thanks..xoxoxox

Lisa..
This should inspire you to post a pic of all your baked delights!
Rugelah..YES!
xoxox

Thanks Manny..
I'm sorry I'm not being overly playful..
You know why!!
G....xoxox

Charles..
Don't sell yourself short brother..It's easy!

barman said...

I love Pirogies. We had a neighbor that would always make a ton of Polish food and it was always to die for.

Lets see if this fits in here or not... This recipe always goes over wonderfully. It is not the healthiest but here we go.

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
Source: Detroit News - Sunday Magazine - 11/12/2000

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups granulated sugar
15 ounces Libby's Pumpkin
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup cranberries -- Sweetened, dried, fresh or frozen

1.PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.

2.COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil and orange juice in a large mixer bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.

3.BAKE for 60 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

4.FOR THREE 8 x 4-INCH LOAF PANS:

5.PREPARE as above. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

6.FOR FIVE OR SIX 5 x 3-INCH MINI-LOAF PANS:

7.PREPARE as above. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.

Comments: I use fresh cranberries and 8 x 4-inch pans. It took 1 hour and 15 minutes to cook but stoves vary greatly. Make sure you check with the toothpick.

SignGurl said...

Mmmm...Perogies....I'm on my way right now. Save me some.

I never boil mine. I just fry them in onions and butter till nice and golden.

Mona said...

That is pierogies?
The sound like our three recipes : Samosa, Gujia and Momos

For samosa we have the spiced potato filling although they are three dimensional conical and can sit on their ass. The Gujias are shaped like your pierogies that is rolled out, filled and folded and their edges hand crimped . But now we get gujia makers which seal the corners in zig zag. The filling is sweet, mainly consisting of condensed milk into which lot of pistachios and almonds and coconut powder and castor sugar is added. They are fried directly, not put in boiling water. We roll them out very thin, about 1/15 of an inch.
The momos are on the other hand, filled with chicken and cottage cheese and put in boiling water, but they re not fried.

barman said...

Yo, low-tech. Load the pictures in revers. The first one loaded will be the bottom most picture, the last one loaded will be the top most picture. It makes your life easier. Thanks for getting me all hungry again reading the post once again. This is going to be a bad week.

Evalinn said...

Looks good! Nice post G-man.

I hope u will be available for my 1st anniversary party on December the 1st, over at my blog? Will u be our PartyChef? That would be lovely!

Queenie said...

Is there nothing you can't do? I love pasta so I'm going to give them ago.

Anonymous said...

I love Pierogies but that looks like sooo much work. We just had some this weekend but they were Mrs T's..lol
tc

Manny said...

G Man, will you come cook for me? And bring Barman too. I see him down there cooking.






I've been known to make my own ravioli. The fillings are endless.

Falco said...

Think I missed out by not having a Polish grandma. Around here it's Cajun, a/k/a Coon Ass, food for special occasions. This recovering redneck (who does not cook) copied the pirogi recipe for my wife, the cook.

Also sounds like something I once had at the Broadway Deli in NYC.

PS: I've become a lurking truant blogger.

ann said...

... and the man can cook!

wowowowowow!

GAB said...

oh dang g-man what to do what to do? I'll tell you I'll make them after Thanksgiving as a special treat! Thanks. They sure sound good and I bet they are!

S said...

Gman! Gman! I finally have fun food moments to discuss!
As we speak, Little Rita and I are making homemade vanilla ice cream!
And then on Wednesday we will make pumpkin pies AND blackberry pies!

I am salivating already!
Those perougies look delicious now that I have my glasses on, but at first I thought you said Pigs feet and they sorta looked like it too....
I know, I need to wear my glasses.....sigh.

Lets hear it for food, fabulous food!
(Gotta fatten up before India!)

S said...

Monaaaaaaa!
I want a samosa AND a gujia and a momo NOW!!!

G-Man said...

Bryan..
Thanks for contributing.
I love all things Cranberry...

Jenn..
I think Lime does the same thing..
I'll cook some for you anytime..xox

OMG Mona!!!
Those sound terrific!!!
Pistacios and Almonds And Coconut????
Yeah Baby!!!
Thanks..xomrxox

Barman..
NOW you tell me!!

Evalinn...?
Are you inviting me to Sweden? Is this a paying gig?..xoxox

Hi Queenie..
I'm so very glad you liked this..Just wait till you taste them..
Thaks...Galen..xox

Missy..
Thanks sweetie..
I feel the same way about Catfish!!!
xoxoxox

TC...
I said Mrs. T's are good!
Thats a lotta food for 2.00 ..Thanks Brother!

Manny..
You can cook Ravioli?
I love cold Chef Boy Ar Dee Ravioli, right out of the can!
xoxox

Ann..
You are so very gracious.
You always make me smile!
Thanks..xoxoxo

Falco...?
Long time no see Brother.
We all lurk from time to time!! Thanks for stopping by!

Gale...?
Can I come stay with you?
xoxox

Suzay-Cue!!!
I love Vanilla..It is by far my favorite!
Did you pick your own Black-berries?
Yummy!!!
xoxoxoxox

Evalinn said...

G-man - will u be there or will u not? (I never make my friends pay for coming over. Not IRL and not in the Blogosphere.)