Been to Poland Recently?

The best restaurants to eat are found by either friends or travelers. I’ve visited many family and friends from different states even countries, but the first thing they mention is, “Oh! You have to go with us to this restaurant we love in town. They got the best…” And if I am not hearing that, then I am the one saying it to everyone else. To me, nothing is much better than heart-warming food, friends and experiences.

The first weekend I landed in Germany I took a trip to Boleslawiec, Poland. I know a random place to visit than the normal “Paris O La La.” Still, I don’t want to spend all my time seeing what most people see and experience what most visitors do. If that were the case, over some time all the stories would be the same. Don’t you think? And if you think about it, some places are going to be wonderful while a few miles away not so much. I don’t think it would matter where. Being in Boleslawiec was great though.

My boyfriend and I spent most of our time tracking down the locals for pottery, but we got to enjoy what they too enjoyed.

There weren’t many places to go out and eat, on account that no one else travels as much as the U.S. hence Mc. Donald’s and Del Taco. Hmm…Del Taco…

While on our way back to the Hotel, I spotted this outrageous yet cute little house. It looked like a replica of a Lincoln Log home, except real-life size. Not only that but there was this beetle, bug, out front that was painted to look like it too was made out of logs. The sight of them both was oddly funny and inviting. My boyfriend didn’t know if it was a business or someone’s home. I asked only because there was a huge parking space, or rather lot, which seemed to be used daily.

When we got back to the hotel, which at this time it was lunch and we were starving, the dining room was still closed for another hour or two. We couldn’t wait. I asked the desk what recommendations they had for local restaurants; sure enough they showed us a picture of the Lincoln Log Home. It was actually called Opalkowa Chata.

The inside of the Opalkowa Chata was just the same as it was on the outside, made of logs. In fact, even the tables were probably parts of the house.

On a quick note though, you will not believe how hard it is in Germany, let alone Poland, to find restaurants that serve fresh ice tea, with no added sugar or flavoring. Thankfully, this place did!  I was excited.

Coming to that restaurant had been one of the big highlights of the trip. I still remember sitting eating the spinach and beef pierogies off of my boyfriend’s plate, as he dug into mine. All the while, we were talking to one another and listening to the group of people laughing and chatting at the next table. Although we couldn’t understand a single word of Polish, it was quite nice to feel and experience something out of our box. The food was fantastic and that day had been perfect.

We did pick up some pottery on our way out of town. In fact, to this day my boyfriend and I are still all “potted out.”

 If you are ever in Poland you should check it out. I would definitely recommend it!

How Hot Can You Handle?

     
These dark green peppers don’t look like much but take a bite and they are a powerful punch in the mouth. So, be advised.
 
         So I came across this great recipe on food.com called Jalapeno-Lime Chicken a few years back that I would definitely recommend trying. For beginner cooks, this delectable bite is simple, very appetizing, and healthy –Shhh, for the whole family. As for you nutty kitchen enthusiast’s, this one reminds us why we love to cook with chicken so much and the amazing jalapeno pepper at one of its best moments…I mean tastes.

http://www.food.com/recipe/jalapeno-lime-chicken-89834

I would definitely recommend marinating it for at least 30 minutes. Also, if you are on short time like I was to conjure a meal, I’d poke a few holes in the chicken as it is trying to soak up the juices.

There was no need for the olives though they were a fantastic idea. However, I tried to make the spice mixture into more of a sauce. I squeezed more lime into the bowl than required and even thought about blending in some cream cheese. However, without any changes to this recipe it is fantastic all the same.

If after this meal, there are leftover whole green peppers you may also want to try making a quick…Stuffed Jalapeno...and if your looking for some new ingrediants to add in them put some cooked italian sausage and chopped onions into the peppers then top with cream cheese and wrapped with bacon.

Stuffed Jalapeno Wrapped in a Blanket:

-5 to ? Jalapenos cut in half and seeded (the questions mark is for depending  on how hungry you are or how many servings but you can decide as you cut each one)

-bacon cut into smaller slices by half

-cream cheese (you can get low fat or something to make healthy, same as the meat)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit. After cutting and seeding the peppers place them onto a cookie sheet. Next, stuff each one of those fiery little guys with the sweet and soft cream cheese. Then once stuffed grab the bacon and wrap them around each of the stuffed jalapenos.

Bake the peppers for 10 to 15 minutes or until they has been cooked thoroughly.

Serve separately as an appetizer or snack or with a sandwich with lettuce and tomato.

The Meal's Other Half

Sometimes the perfect meal just isn’t complete without complimenting side dishes.

My boyfriend had made his own homemade chili two days ago. He cooked beans, fresh chopped tomatoes, chili peppers, and spices in a Dutch oven pan. It was delicious with the juices from the tomatoes and beans coming together to the tongue-flaming hot chopped peppers. We had so much that it was a meal in itself so I skipped on adding anything of my own.

The chili was so flaming-hot for me I didn’t have that much of it even though it was probably the best homemade chili I have ever had.

Oddly enough though I didn’t think of it until the next day how important cornbread is with chili! Well to me it is…

Just the Thing, Cornbread

Ingredients:

              1 cup flour

              1 cup yellow cornmeal

              2/3 cup sugar

              1 teaspoon salt

              1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

              1 egg

1/3 cup vegetable oil (or olive oil that’s what I used and just as delicious, plus healthier substitute)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray or lightly grease a baking pan, about 9 inches if using a round cake pot. In a bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder then add the egg, milk and oil. Stir ingredients until mixture is smooth about 2-3 minutes. Pour the batter into your greased pan and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Check with a toothpick or butter knife pocked into the center of the loaf and if it comes out clean pull it out of the oven.  

Every time it seems I remember some of the greatest and most scrumptious meals I have had I recall two things about them.

1.       What ingredients were used?

2.       What kind of flavors or tastes did the ingredients bring: zesty, crispy smooth, bitter?

Combining something spicy with something sweet like chili and cornbread tends to balance a meal out. Have you ever had something so extremely salty like French Fries that you just can’t eat it, even though they are really yummy? However, then you smother each of the fries into fresh ketchup and suddenly it seems like two okay items become one amazing snack.

Think of any strong single flavored meal. I always remember rich, sweet chocolate desserts that restaurants sometimes serve. Take one bite and it is creamy and sweet that captures all the reasons why people love chocolate so much. After the second and third mouthful, it almost feels like you might drown in chocolate. Suddenly, the savory chocolate cake described in the menu became too much of a fulfilling dessert that you can’t even finish.

Imagine if only the restaurant had added slightly salted and almost sweet crackers or something…or cornbread.

Okay, not cornbread but that would be the perfect complimenting dish for chili. Next time, I will have to think ahead and realize if the main dish is missing “its other half”.

Don’t have all the ingredients?

Doesn’t it make you wonder where all the food and money went when you just went grocery shopping two days ago? I can’t stand it when I am sitting down at my desk or watching a movie when all of a sudden I get a craving. Not just any craving though I am wanting something specific also delicious, savory and sweet. So I get up and head to the kitchen, or to my phone, looking in the pantry and trying to find a recipe.  

A sweet craving isn't even the main problem. At first, cookies comes to mind but I'm convinced I have had enough to last for another week. Then brownies and cake are an idea except it doesn't sound like a special treat. Next thing I know I am looking on my phone for pie recipes...not just the filling but making the crust too.

Okay. There is cherry, coconut, blueberry and even mini lemon pies. I can tell I wasn't prepared for this idea at all because I don't even have half of what these recipes are calling for.

Why don’t I start out with what I have in the fridge first?

I got strawberries and flour…sugar, vanilla extract, lemon…one banana. Hmm…. A mixed pie?

My Strawberry Banana Pie

Ingredients: Buy a pre-made crust or… make a homemade one! J Come on, be brave! And if you need a lesson in rolling dough, watch this video first!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9zpCe_7_-c

Note: Make sure you don’t start cutting out holes in the dough like you are going to make cookies…we just need the dough rolled out to use as a crust in the pie dish and another for on top of the pie!

              Crust

                            2 ½  cup flour plus extra for rolling

                            1 cup (or 2 sticks) butter very cold

                            1 teaspoon salt

                            1 teaspoon sugar

                            6-8 tablespoons of very cold water

Combine flour salt and sugar in bowl then mix. Add butter and continue to mix (you can use a spoon…I used my hands) until the butter sticks to flour forming a ball. If you need extra help add some of the water while mixing. The finished dough should still have little pieces of butter throughout.

Remove dough from bowl and separate into two pieces. Do not knead yet. Place both discs into separate plastic wraps and let chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Then remove one dough ball from the fridge and let sit for 10 minutes. This will make it easier when we roll out the dough. Sprinkle the rolling area with flour then using a rolling pin, or if you can your hands, roll out the dough. Make sure you try to roll/push the dough from the center out towards the edges but stop before hitting the counter (I forgot that part and the edges of mine came out all deformed and flaking apart). Yep, this was my first time too. Now you all can watch and learn from my pie mistakes.

Next, you can flip the dough over and add more flour below and on top if the butter is starting to warm up and stick to the counter. The finished and hopefully somewhat round-looking disc should be about 1/8 inch thick.

Then delicately place the rolled out dough onto a pie dish and press the dough all the way around the bottom to fill the spaces.  Cut any excess dough that is falling off the edges of the dish.

             
 Place dish into the fridge to chill, or until ready to use that day.

Filling

                            3 cups fresh strawberries halved (or cut in quarters depending on how big)

                            2 to 3 bananas cut

                            1 tablespoon flour

    1 cup sugar

                            ½ teaspoon lemon zest

                            ½ teaspoon lemon juice

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

                            ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

                            1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water

                            Cool Whip or vanilla ice-cream (optional)

Mix first the strawberries and sugar in a large bowl. Then add the flour, zest, juice, cinnamon and vanilla and stir for a few minutes. You should notice the mixture getting juicy from the strawberries and how good it smells! Delicious! You can even put a finger in to taste just to get an idea of what the pie will come out like.

Next, add the bananas and mix in bowl as well then pour the filling into the chilled pie crust.

Let rest the second cooled dough ball and then roll it out then delicately place on top of the pie dish and filling. Cut any excess dough around the pie and then pinch together the edges (or as I did press the edges with a fork for a nice design).Bake for 375 degrees F for 40 minutes. Make sure to check the top of the pie as to not burn it. If it is already browning put foil over the top of the pie. Let cool and serve with Cool Whip (as I did) or as my boyfriend suggested vanilla icecream.

If you need any other help or have suggestions let me know. And keep in mind that any recipe you find or get, you can adjust to make your own! Say you don’t want that many strawberries or just don’t have enough, don’t add it or add something else.

Cook with what you got!