Feb
2017

Authentic Baked Potato Recipe

categories: Recipes

Who doesn’t love baked potato. Especially this cold winter times in North America. For some recipes, it is very hard to write ingredients and measurements. This is one of that recipes. Up to your tastes and your imagination!

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Baked potatoes in oven for 2 hours in 400 F (250 C)

Cut in half, add some butter and grated mozzarella cheese (You can add any favorite grated cheese which can melt : Mozzarella,Havarti, Cheddar ) and with a fork mash them all, keeping in the skin.

Hot dog, bacon, beef, chicken, sausages: Add one or two kind of meat. If you are vegetarian, you can skip that part which is perfectly fine.

Corn,peas, carrots (all cooked or steamed)

Pickles (cucumber or any other kind)

Mayo and or ketchup 

Eat it when it is hot/warm.

Bon Appétit

My daughter used to love this when she was 2 year old. She still likes it but not as much as she used to be….

Oz Confession: I made one more adding to this dish as you can see. Made Kisir which is another recipe to add. Basically: fine bulgur, tomato/red pepper paste with parsley/cooked onion and fresh onion. I think it fits amazing to this dish.

 

 


Feb
2017

Ready for February?

categories: Recipes

January means New Year, hopes and resolutions. Hoping to have snowy days and enjoying some hot chocolate with friends and family.

I absolutely don’t remember where I read it but according to numerous studies, February is the most depressing time of a year. After all Christmas spirit is over, I look forward to see New Year’s Eve. We have couple birthday celebrations on the way but then?

The best way to cheer me up is to spend some time in the kitchen. Who doesn’t love the smell of fresh dough?
These are the stuffed buns (pogaca). You can fill them with anything (cooked ground beef, meat,cheese, cooked veggies)

3 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp dry yeast
2/3 cup (around 150 gr) soft butter
1/3 cup cold milk

I always prepare the dough in my bread maker. First cold milk, eggs. Then flour,sugar, salt and soft butter. Finally dry yeast.

It takes 1.30 hour to make a dough. If you enjoy to make a dough, that’s a plus. You can use the same recipe and make the dough on your own. Flour, salt, sugar: Mix them all. Add yeast, eggs, milk and butter. Knead them all. The dough will be soft but not sticky (That’s why it is much easier for me to make in bread maker)

Let them rest for a bit (approx 1 hour) Don’t forget to close it up tight.

Now it is all set to fill it up. Use your imagination 😉 You can fill it up with meat cooked with onions and other veggies, cheese, feta and parsley(my favorite) or mashed/boiled potato which is another recipe.

Egg wash all over the buns and cook in oven for 20 min in 350 F (approx 175 C )

Will keep adding the pictures 😉

Bon Appétit

Oz Confession: It is really hard not to finish them all. I even can’t wait to have them all when they are super hot. Don’t burn yourselves.

You can freeze this dough and can make mini pizzas for kids or your lunch bags and snacks too. Will keep posting the pictures!


Jan
2017

Brussels Sprouts in Actifry / In oven

categories: Recipes

As a mom of two kids (one is a toddler), cooking can be challenging when kids are around. Everyone needs something from Mom; water, cookie, playtime, diaper change… It really, REALLY never ends. Grateful to have my kids and hubby in my life but still…I know, I know, life would be pretty boring without them, but as a MOM, I have right to complain. Right 😉 🙂 ???

When I find an easy way to cook a meal, it is always hit in my house. I know not many people are not fond of brussel sprouts. It is very healthy and easy.

Do you have Actifry? It is much easier for you! If not, don’t worry, I used to make this as yummy as it is for years in my oven too!



In Actifry

Wash, cut in half and dry brussel spouts
1-2 minced garlic
1/2 actifry spoon extravirgin olive oil ( or any oil you use regularly)
Salt, pepper, crushed pepper flakes (optional)

Mix them all and cook in Actifry.

That’s it. It was all ready in 10-15 minutes.

In oven
In a bowl mix brussel spouts (cut in half) with minced garlic, extravirgin olive oil ( just a drizzle) and salt, pepper and crushed pepper flakes(optional)
Pour them one by one to baking sheet in oven tray. Cook/Roast them in preheated oven (400 F -204 C) till they get the brown crispy color in their skin.

Enjoy!
Bon Appétit!

Oz Confession: Yep,I am the ONLY one who is HAPPILY eating brussel sprouts in my house 🙂


Jan
2017

How did my kitchen journey began ? & Oz’s Kitchen Essentials

categories: myself and I

When I was a kid, my grand mom’s kitchen was my favorite place. Always so many people were trying to cook something. I grew up in a big family where all the family come together to prepare a special dish together.
I did not show any interest as there were so many people around to help but I always enjoyed to eat and seize the food.

When I was at high school, I remember using my mother’s mixer to make some french crepes. In the end, some how I broke the mixer.

When I was on my own at university years, I did not cook, but still enjoyed the good food and try new cuisines. Then I got married. I was (and still I am) super lucky to have a hubby who knew how to cook and very brave about new recipes. T. (hubby) is my mentor in kitchen. First I watched him, then all my memories about kitchen came back. I still was not a great cook until my daughter was born. First child means, more perfection. Homemade yogurts, baby crackers and weekly baby menus. I am still very picky about weekly meal planning but my son eats healthy but not so much baby food. Whatever we make for us, he tries.

When I started to cook, kitchen essentials which I never used, became more interesting for me.

Victorinox knives are my favorite knives in the kitchen. I heard someone was buying those knives and telling how comfortable they are to use. That’s how I got them. Now I can’t do anything without them.

Veggie peeler is another must. It is hard to find a good one. I have 10 year old Ikea a veggie peeler and victorinox one. Both of them are valuable like a diamond ring in my kitchen.

Blendtec Total Blender is a recommendation of a friend. I was trying to eat healthy and consume more smoothies. That’s how we met. I grind my coffee beans, make amazing smoothies and tomato sauce and many other stuff.

Kitchenaid mixer is super easy to bake when you have two kids. It makes easier to involve your kids in the kitchen.

T-fal Actifry is amazing solution if you love fries and try not to consume that much oil. I am a newbie but very happy how the fries turns out with a little bit of oil. No more smell or waste of oil. Can’t wait to cook more stuff in my Actifry.


Jan
2017

Journey of an Authentic Foodie…

categories: myself and I

Today is my lucky day. My daughter’s birthday. What an amazing day to start a new journey!

My name is Oz, mom of two (8 year old girl and 1 year old boy),wife of T., passionate of food, new cultures, dining out and every tiny details of this beautiful life which brings me joy and inspiration.

I have been blogger since 2005. First I started to write the restaurants I went and amazing yummy food and then kept writing about my daughter and life. Now since my son is 1 year old, ready for another adventure…

Hello from Ontario!!!!!!!!!