Welcoming Spring Russian Style

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Miss A is our tour guide for the next two weeks and she’s taking us to the largest country in the world (and the largest pink country on her globe) – Russia. While there are Russian recipes a-plenty from which to choose,  today we picked a traditional dish to commemorate the start of spring (and one that was sure to please Mr. N and Miss A) – Blini.

Blini is a yeast-leavened, buckwheat pancake traditionally eaten during Shrovetide, an ancient Russian festival celebrating the beginning of spring and the god Volos. Today Blini is served anytime of the year, but is especially common at holiday celebrations. Continue reading →

Dishin’ Up Some Good Ole Southern Comfort

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After our first weekend of amazing summer-like weather we found our schedule full-up with activities (and an unforeseen event – get better quickly Nana!). Given our wacky schedule we opted to cook-up our weekly stateside meal today, and start sampling new recipes from our next international destination later in the week. The unseasonably humid and warm temperatures reminded us of the South, so today we sampled some traditional cuisine from Mississippi – Buttermilk Biscuits and Crispy Fried Catfish.

We began with the biscuits. It’s a quick and easy recipe. The dry ingredients are combined first, then the shortening and butter are cut in, followed by the buttermilk. Once the dough was formed, we transferred it to a floured surface and began to press it out. Continue reading →

More Deliciousness from New Zealand

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As promised, we have one more delicious recipe from New Zealand. I think that to-date this has been my favorite cooking destination on this adventure and I know that many of these recipes will become part of our regular rotation. Earlier this week, Mr. N and I baked up these little gems – ANZAC Biscuits.

They are a traditional treat from both Australia and New Zealand and were often sent to soldiers in the Great War; thus the name Australian and New Zealand Army Corp or ANZAC biscuits. The traditional recipe is easy to make and the biscuits last for weeks without perishing. Continue reading →

Taste of the Green Mountain State

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Maple syrup, apples, cheese and Ben & Jerry’s all come to mind when we think of Vermont. We had the pleasure of vacationing in the Green Mountain State several years back and it was one of the highlights of our New England and Canadian road trip. One of the many things we learned about Vermont was that not only is it known for the yummy foods listed above, but it’s also a great dining destination for foodies. Vermont is fairly well-advanced when it comes to sustainable, organic and local farm to restaurant cooperatives. One of our favorites was the Three Tomatoes Trattoria in Burlington – delicious!

Tonight, however, we opted to stick with some down-home, traditional recipes from the Dakin Farm including Apple Cheddar Muffins and (mom if you’re reading this, sit down) an Upside Down Ham Loaf. I am not a fan of meatloaf, to which my mom can attest, but this recipe sounded more appealing than most – especially after we adapted it a bit. Continue reading →

A Contradictory Day

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Today didn’t quite bring the same joyful bliss that we had yesterday. It was a Monday. It was cold again. I had (have)  four extensive work assignments all due by the end of the week. And we had to replace the brakes on the car, buy a new printer after it stopped working mid-day, deal with a messy plumbing issue, sooth a cut on Mr. N’s ear courtesy of the hair stylist, and still run through our daily routines. Thankfully, tonight’s recipe was super easy. Yesterday we made far more lamb than our family of four could consume which gave us the opportunity to try a leftover lamb recipe. Tonight’s recipe, Lamb Curry, will work with leftover shanks or roasts of lamb.  Continue reading →

Making Ourselves at Home

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We’ve been in our new house and new neighborhood for a few months, but today was the first day that it truly gave me the feeling of being at home. A warm front came through and the windows went up for the first time since we moved in, bringing in the smell of spring and the laughter of the several six to eight year old boys that were running through, in and out of, and around our house. It was a moment that brought a little tear to my eye, watching Mr. N run outside to play at the ball field with his new neighborhood friends. I tell ya these little ones are growing up too much this week!

It also felt like a “home” as the aroma of a big Sunday dinner mixed with the scent of on-coming rain in the air. And for that big Sunday dinner, one more trip back to New Zealand. New Zealand is world-famous for its lamb dishes, so the choice for tonight was an easy one – Rosemary and Honey Lamb Shanks.  Continue reading →