This recipe has been in our family since at least the late 18oos.  My great-grandmother was making these sauerkraut filled pyrizhky, she called “Kapusnyachky”, and my grandmother continued making them for her family as well.

My maternal grandmother always made these for me, as a special treat, on our visits with my mom.  I was a very finicky eater, as a child, but these were my favorite snack.

Sweet treats were not as popular then, maybe because of high cost of many of the ingredients, as well as their unavailability.   However, yeast raised baked goods were made fresh on regular basis.

One of my readers inquired about a recipe for these pyrizhky, so I promised to make them, and to prepare a post with pictures.

These pastries may also be filled with fruits, jams, buckwheat, sautéed onions, spinach, cheese, poppy seed, or even ground cooked meat.  They may be eaten as a snack, an appetizer, or as an accompaniment to soups, or salads.

There is a similar pastry called “Pyrih”, or “Pyrohy” (plural), same recipe and fillings, but in a form of a sheet cake.

Some folks use the word “Pyrohy”, to describe Varenyky, which is totally incorrect.  The word “Varenyky” derives from the base word “varyty”, which means to cook, hence these filled dumplings are cooked.

Pyrohy,or Pyrizhky, as you see in this recipe, are not cooked dumplings, but rather a baked pastry.

Next time you hear someone asking for “Pyrohy”, but expecting to receive “Varenyky”, please correct them politely, by explaining the difference between these two dishes.

My favorite filling is the sauerkraut filling, which I am using in this post.

This recipe yields at least 24 pieces.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (3/4 oz = 21g) Fleishmann’s Rapid Rise dry granular yeast
• 1 tsp. white sugar
• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1 cup whole milk, scalded
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp white sugar
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 egg (to use as egg wash for the final step)

Filling:

• 2 lbs sauerkraut
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 Tbs butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Filling Directions:

1. Filling needs to be prepared ahead of time, and cooled off, or it can be done during the time the dough is rising.
2. Place the sauerkraut in a colander, and rinse for about a minute, under running cold water.
3. Fill a 4 quarts pot with 5 cups of cold water.
4. Add sauerkraut and bay leaf.
5. Bring to boil, partially over, and cook for at least 20 minutes.
6. Remove bay leaf, drain onto colander.
7. Mix with a spoon, to cool it off faster.
8. Using your cupped hands, squeeze out the water from the sauerkraut, over colander, until fairly dry.
9. Place the butter in a saucepan, warm up, add chopped onions, and saute until golden.
10. Mix in sauerkraut, salt and pepper, and saute few more minutes, to blend the flavors.
11. Set aside to cool off.

Dough Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the warm water with 1 tsp. sugar, and sprinkle the yeast over the top.
2. Keep it in a warm place, free of draft, for about 10 minutes, so the yeast becomes bubbly.
3. Scald the milk, add butter, and cool to lukewarm.
4. Mix the flour with the salt and sugar, and set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs .
6. Add the yeast to mixture to the lukewarm milk, pour into the egg mixture.
7. Add the flour, and mix about 10 minutes to form a soft bread dough. You can use a mixer with a hook, but I mix it by hand, just like my Paska dough.
8. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, keep it in a warm place, free of draft, until the dough doubles in bulk.
9. Punch down, and knead it a few times, cover it up again, and let it double in bulk, once again.
10. Divide the dough in half, for easier handling.
11. Place one half of the dough onto a floured work area, and knead it for a minute.  I love working withe the doughon a Silicone Silpat.
12. Roll out into a rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick.
13. Using a pizza cutter, or a knife, cut into  2 x 3 inch rectangular pieces.
14. Spread a teaspoon of filling, in the center of each rectangular piece.
15. To close up the filling into the pyrizhky, fold over one side of the longer end of the dough piece, pushing the filling under, and keep on rolling to the other end, overlapping it.  Before final overlapping, moisten the other edge of dough with a drop of water, to form a better seal.
16. This is how they should look, once rolled and sealed.  While you are working with the rest of the dough, turn them over on the seam, so they do not open up during rising and baking.
17. Grease a cookie sheet ( I use vegetable Crisco shortening, since butter burns too quickly), and place the rolled pyrizhky, seams down, spaced enough to allow for growth, so they don’t stick together during baking.
18. Beat one egg with 1 tsp of water, to prepare an egg wash.  Using a pastry brush, dip it in egg wash, and brush tops and sides of the pyrizhky set up on a cookie sheet.
19. Place them in a warm place, until they rise again, about 20 minutes.
20. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, place the cookie sheet on a middle oven rack, and bake for 25 minutes.
21. Remove onto a wire rack to cool.
22. I quickly brush some butter on the warm tops and sides, to retain the softness of the crust.

These are absolutely delicious while still warm, but they are just as great at room temperature.

Once fully cooled, they freeze very well.  Actually, if you do not plan to use them within a day or two, it is better to freeze them in a ziplock bag, to preserve their freshness.

Enjoy.

Coleslaw makes a very refreshing accompaniment to any main course planned for a picnic, or a barbecue.

I like my coleslaw with mayonnaise dressing, but for those who do not like mayo, I created my own recipe with a Light Ranch Buttermilk Salad Dressing.

I enjoyed the taste of my creation, and decided to share the recipe with all of you.

The idea for this coleslaw sprouted  from my leftover shredded cabbage, which I used for the Quick Ukrainian Borscht, posted earlier.

Makes 3 1/2 cups of salad.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups coleslaw mix (8 oz).  To make your own, check out my TIP below.
• 1/3 cup carrots, shredded (use a large eye shredder)
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1 Tbs. fresh dill, chopped
• 1/3 cup chives, chopped
• 1/2 cup Light Ranch Buttermilk Salad Dressing
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar, or White Vinegar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine coleslaw mix, shredded carrots, onions, dill, chives, salt, pepper, and vinegar.
2. Toss together, to mix it all in.
3. Fold  in the salad dressing.
4. Serve immediately, or keep it refrigerated until ready to use.

Enjoy this light version of a very refreshing veggie salad.

TIP: To make your own coleslaw mix, shred 1/2 head of medium size regular cabbage to make 3 cups.  The ready made coleslaw mix consists of mainly regular cabbage, with some shredded red cabbage and carrots. You can add some shredded red cabbage for color variation, but it’s not necessary.

Chickpeas, also known as Garbanzo Beans, is very high in protein, thus an excellent food choice for vegetarians, vegans, and great for Fat Smashing Diet folks.

I prefer vinaigrette salads over the ones with mayo, and would easily choose many vegetables over some meats.  This Chickpeas Vinaigrette salad is just the perfect combination for me, and you might like it as well.

It is very easy and quick to assemble, and holds well for several days, refrigerated.  It is perfect for any occasion, such a party food, light lunch, or a healthful snack.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Chickpeas (I used 1 can of Progresso)
• ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I used my “best on earth” garlic chopper)
• ½ cup of celery, finely chopped
• ½ cup red pepper, finely chopped
• ¼ cup yellow pepper, finely chopped
• 2Tbs fresh Italian Parsley leaves, chopped
• ¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
• ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine  the chickpeas, onions, garlic, celery, red and yellow pepper, and Italian Parsley.
2. Fold with a spoon to mix evenly.
3. Prepare the vinaigrette dressing by combining the Red Wine Vinegar and olive oil in a shaker, and mix well.
4. Pour over the vegetables.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Refrigerate for an hour, or overnight, for the flavors to marry.

Some people love to entertain and try new recipes.  My daughter is one of those people.  She and her family are surrounded by the best neighbors in the world….really, I am not kidding.  They all get along so well, and there is always some sort of a party going on.  They all have such great ideas for parties, which brings up all sorts of new recipes to taste and to experiment with.  I also benefit from these events, as I volunteer to babysit my granddaughter,  and sample these wonderful foods.

Today I will share a recipe for a really scrumptious Jalapeno Corn Dip, which I love just as much as the popular Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip,  I posted previously.  I bet you will love it as well, and everyone will ask you for the recipe!!!.  All you have to do is to tell them to visit my site, and spare yourself the trouble of writing it out…..thanks.

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. frozen white shoe peg corn, thawed
• 4 oz. sweet butter (1 stick)
• 16 oz. low fat cream cheese (2, 8 oz. packages)
• 6 oz. Jalapeno Pepper slices, chopped (or more for extra spicy)
• Salt and Cayenne Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a pan on a stove top.
2. Add corn, and mix well.
3. Add cream cheese to mixture, and stir until melted and creamy.
4. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper.
5. Serve with Tortilla chips, or corn scoops.

TIP: This dip is best served warm, and a small, 1-2 qt.  crock pot,  is very handy to keep it warm.

This cute, compact  crock pot is also a great gift idea for the party lover on your list.

Green Peppers are one of those vegetables that taste great raw, or cooked.  I like all color peppers, green, red, orange, yellow, as a raw vegetable used in salads, or with dips.   I also would like to share this recipe for peppers served hot, as a main meal, or a side dish.  Peppers, like cabbage rolls, may be stuffed with meat, or vegetable stuffing, so I selected the vegetable stuffing for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 green peppers
• 3 Tbs. onions, chopped
• 2 Tbs. canola oil, or vegetable oil
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 8 oz fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• ¼ tsp. Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Rinse the peppers under warm running water.
2. Cut a slice from a stem end of each pepper (about ½ inch thick).
3. Remove the core, white veins, and seeds.
4. Fill a medium size pot with water and bring to boil.
5. Place the peppers, and the tops, into the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Remove peppers and cool.
7. Arrange peppers in a shallow baking dish.
8. Sauté chopped onions in canola oil to a golden color.
9. Add mushrooms and garlic, and sauté for 3 minutes.
10. Mix the rice and mushrooms, and season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, to taste.
11. Fill the peppers with the rice filling.
12. Place the pepper top slices over the filling.
13. Pour ¼ cup of vegetable broth into each pepper, and pour the remaining broth into the pan.
14. Bake uncovered, at 350 degrees F, for 30 minutes.

TIP: If you prefer to stuff peppers with other vegetables, rather than mushrooms, then you might want to use tomato juice in place of the vegetable broth, to
enhance the flavor. I personally do not like the combination of tomato juice and mushrooms/rice filling.

This is a very simple, light, refreshing, and colorful party salad.
I received many compliments from my guests, especially the ladies, at our Super Bowl Party last year.   This vinaigrette also makes a great dish for office parties, barbecues, baby showers, and it is admired by my vegetarian friends.

Ingredients:

• 1 can black eyed peas – drained
• 1 can shoepeg corn – drained
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbs. diced cilantro
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 red pepper- diced
• 1/2 green pepper – diced
• 1 stalk celery – diced
• Salt and pepper
• Chives or scallions

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a medium size bowl , and mix together.
2. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, or overnight, so the flavors blend well.

This recipe makes 5 cups of  refreshing vinaigrette salad, to complement other party foods on the menu.

Tip.  I prefer to rinse the beans and corn, in a colander under running cold water (for a fresher look), instead of just draining them.