Seafood Lasagna

·         1  8 ounce package frozen crab-flavored fish pieces (I use a 6 ounce can of crab, drained)

·         2  14 ½ ounce can stewed tomatoes, cut up and do not drain

·         ½ cup fresh mushrooms or 1 small can of mushroom pieces, drained

·         ½ teaspoon oregano

·         ½  teaspoon onion powder

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         ¼  teaspoon pepper

·         ½ cup small cooked shrimp or one 4-1/2-ounce can shrimp, drained

·         3 tablespoons butter

·         3 tablespoons flour

·         1 ¾ cups milk

·         1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (4 ounces) or 6-8 slices

·         ¼ cup dry white wine

·         8 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

·         ¼ cup fresh grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Thaw crab-flavored fish and shrimp, if frozen. If using canned crab and shrimp, drain them both. Cut or flake fish into bite-size pieces; set fish and shrimp aside.

For tomato/shrimp sauce, in a medium saucepan combine tomatoes, mushrooms, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until mixture is thickened and tomato pieces soften. Remove from heat. Stir in shrimp. Set aside.   

For cheese/crab sauce, in a medium saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour. Add milk and cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for an additional minute or more. Add Swiss cheese; stir until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in crab and wine. 

In a 2-quart rectangular baking dish (11x7x2 inch) layer half of the shrimp sauce, half of the lasagna noodles, and half of the cheese sauce. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with Romano or Parmesan Cheese. 

Bake, uncovered, in a 350° F oven for 25 minutes or until heated through.

***Important: Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

MAKES: 6-8 SERVINGS

PREP: 30 MINS

BAKE: 25 MINS 350°F

STAND: 15 MINS

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Six Week Bran Muffins

5 cups all-purpose flour
5 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 (15 oz.) box Raisin Bran (If you have an 18.7 oz. box, remove 2 cups)
3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 quart buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and then add the oil, buttermilk and vanilla and blend.Next using a very large bowl or pot, combine the first four ingredients. Add the bran flakes, and sugar and mix.  Pour the egg mixture over the flour mixture and stir well. Transfer the batter to a large plastic container that has a cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. This batter will keep for six weeks, if your lucky! (We use it quite often and it last... maybe, three in our home.)

When ready to bake--DO NOT STIR BATTER-- just dip out to fill the muffin pans. Preheat oven to 375°. Using about half a cup of batter for each, fill paper lined muffin tins. Bake muffins for 20 minutes or until it springs back when touched with your finger. 

*** Let the batter set at least 24 hours before baking the first batch--they taste better. Makes 42-48 muffins.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Bobalky

Pre-baked Bobalky Balls

Bobalky is a favorite for a Slovak Family. Traditionally served on Christmas Eve or even during Lent for a meatless dish. Really these light and airy balls of dough are delicious any time of year. We traditionally serve them at New Years with our pork and sauerkraut "Good Fortune" dish.

Make homemade Bun Recipe.
After rising, cut of pieces of dough and roll into a snake-like tube.
Cut off one inch lengths and roll into small balls.
Place on a greased cookie sheet and cover with a tea towel.
Let rest about 20 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 375° oven until browned (about 8-9 minutes) this depends on your oven.

Baked Bobalky Balls

  Remove from oven   and place on cooling rack. Completely cool them.
Now they can be bagged and stored for a day or two until ready to prepare Bobalky and Sauerkraut.

Finished Bobalky and Sauerkraut

Now it is time to prepare the final product.
I usually make a quart size freezer bag full of Bobalky Balls.
I take a quarter cup of butter and melt that over medium heat in a large skillet. Now it is up to you...I add 1/2 of a small onion that is diced to the butter and cook for about 3 minutes. (If you don't like the texture of onion, you can substitute a few sprinkles of onion powder over the sauerkraut.) I use 1/2 can of sauerkraut. Add this to the hot butter and onions. Cook over medium heat until the sauerkraut picks up a tad of color. Here's the strange part...while cooking the sauerkraut, boil about a quart of water to have ready for the next step. After the sauerkraut looks like the way you want it, take the Bobalky Balls and place them in a large colander.
Take the boiling water and pour over the Balls. Immediately after they are drained, place in the skillet and toss with the sauerkraut mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 5 minutes...and then serve them up.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Slovak Bean Soup (Original and Easy Versions)

1 package of a-12 oz. bag of egg flakes (you will use 6 oz. of the egg flakes for this recipe)

Boil the ½ bag of noodles according to the directions on the bag, drain, and set aside.

In a Dutch Oven Pot:

9 C water

1/2 pound dried cranberry beans (roman or red can be substituted, but Mom used cranberry beans)

4 beef bouillon cubes

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp pepper (plus extra for me)

1/4 Cup butter

1/4 Cup flour

Bring water, beans and bouillon cubes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover pot with a lid and maintain a slow bubble.

Cook approximately 2 hours or until beans are tender. Add salt, pepper, and onion powder, turn off the heat. Let the beans and broth rest while you make the roux.

Roux:

Melt butter in small saucepan. Add flour and cook over medium low heat until medium brown, whisking constantly. Add 4 or 5 ladles of broth to the roux and return to medium heat to cook until all the roux is incorporated into the broth. (You can add a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master at this point if you like a darker broth.)

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

***Now for the EASY RECIPE! (This one's for you Lynn.)

Slovak Bean Soup...Easy Version

1/3 package of a-12 oz bag of egg flakes (little square noodles.) measures 2/3 cup

Boil the 2/3 cup of noodles according to the directions on the bag, drain, and set aside.

In a medium size pot:

1 15.5 oz. can of GOYA Roman Beans (Do NOT drain!!!)

2 1/2 GOYA cans of water

1 or 2 beef bouillon cubes (you decide)

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp pepper 

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. flour

Put the can of beans in the pot and add the 2 1/2 cans water. Bring to a slow boil. Add the bouillon cubes, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Keep over low heat at this point while you make the roux.

Roux:

Melt butter in small saucepan. Add flour and cook

over medium low heat until medium brown, whisking constantly. Add 3 or 4

ladles of broth to the roux and return to medium heat to cook until all the roux is incorporated into the broth. (You can add a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master at this point if you like a darker broth.) Add your cooked and drained noodles. I let the soup rest, at this point, for an hour with the heat off and lid on. This gives it time for the flavors to meld. 

Once again...

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Penne Sausage Alfredo

Ingredients:
1 roll (16 oz) of Jimmy Dean's Regular Sausage
8 oz. penne pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground pepper
3/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
dash ground thyme
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare penne according to directions on box. Drain and set aside.
Cook sausage over medium heat, breaking sausage up into small pieces until thoroughly cooked through. (approximately 10 minutes)
After sausage is no longer pink and has browned, reduce heat to medium and slowly add the cream and the 8 spices.Bring to an easy boil then reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until slightly thickened. Stir in Parmesan cheese. After incorporated, toss in the penne and mix well.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!