tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45286150376341693472024-03-12T22:25:17.747-07:00Tatiana's TableUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-40262400198632181262012-07-22T17:19:00.000-07:002012-07-22T17:20:47.996-07:00Pumpkin Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJUgLYPxqRMuhXlPOPQEz9rUuApIA3NvdLXFNmI1oLOrFEAJ5MNsB-kycSNuQr-tyHw2uEppfFthKoq7ueHcCToEYmJBTetsVUQQhOfJ0Roy04MnWyD1tKG_9MyJd65KryLEZyzucHJ8/s1600/pumpkin_pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJUgLYPxqRMuhXlPOPQEz9rUuApIA3NvdLXFNmI1oLOrFEAJ5MNsB-kycSNuQr-tyHw2uEppfFthKoq7ueHcCToEYmJBTetsVUQQhOfJ0Roy04MnWyD1tKG_9MyJd65KryLEZyzucHJ8/s400/pumpkin_pie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have tried pumpkin pie once many years ago when I was in America. I don't remember whether I liked it or not so decided to try Tatiana's recipe. I also looked forward to trying the popular American graham crust. As we don't have graham crackers in Australia, Google suggested I substitute Shredded Wheatmeal so that's what I did. (I also made my own butternut pumpkin puree.)<br />
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The crust was easy enough to make, although (for once) the quantity seemed just a tad small to line my pie dish. I also had to add just a bit more butter to make the crumbs stick better. Nothing drastic though. <br />
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Thirty-five minutes was enough in my fan-forced oven because after that it started to burn slightly around the edges. (I wished the recipe specified whether the temperature was for a conventional or fan-forced oven. I was getting slightly annoyed by the small details that have been left out of many recipes and for an amateur cook were important.)<br />
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The pie came out beautifully from the oven and I couldn't wait to taste it. I'm sorry to say but I was majorly disappointed yet again. The crust was fine but the filling didn't impress me. For the recipe's defence, it could be because I'm not a fan of cream mixed with eggs which gave it a bit of a flan flavour. My husband liked it and thought it was fine. (He is a big fan of the flan.) His family gobbled it up as well so maybe the pie was good, just not to my taste.<br />
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<strong>Ratings</strong><br />
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Husband: 3/5</div>
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Wife: 2/5</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-66948784463918136632012-05-05T03:55:00.001-07:002012-05-05T03:57:01.645-07:00Cardamom Shortbread Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvDmB9-N_tfnMZhVB9iG8oS4n4E_gH_9bBgQ9Uv2eH6F6nh_RQDibGfMRLzvhUQ2qaO71zwSi63DzZ8gBGQEzzl1xWdlt8Clx8x9Qob4K_o0rXtzDnnZIZpfH9FdB2pcouUc7s4d5Rhc/s1600/Cardamom+shortbread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvDmB9-N_tfnMZhVB9iG8oS4n4E_gH_9bBgQ9Uv2eH6F6nh_RQDibGfMRLzvhUQ2qaO71zwSi63DzZ8gBGQEzzl1xWdlt8Clx8x9Qob4K_o0rXtzDnnZIZpfH9FdB2pcouUc7s4d5Rhc/s400/Cardamom+shortbread.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_1411567134"></span><span id="goog_1411567135"></span> <br />
So I have finally made another recipe from Tatiana's Table. Being low on time and energy, I picked these cookies as they seemed quick and easy to make (and I couldn't predict how long my baby boy would lie quietly in his rocker). I started with a bit of trepidation, having been disappointed by my last few attempts. I was pleasantly surprised that the directions were very straight forward and the cookies themselves were very easy to make (the only minor challenge was pressing the dough evenly into the pan with my fingers - it might've been better if I rolled it out with a pin and then pressed it).<br />
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The house smelled absolutely delicious while the cookies were baking in the oven. Even my three-year-old daughter inquired as soon as she entered the house, "Have you made cookies?"<br />
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Everything was going too well until I started making the glaze. I have always used a different glaze recipe for shortbread cookies that I have made in the past and never had a problem. I think there might've been something not quite right with the quantities because I had to keep adding icing sugar to make it less liquid. The recipe specified for 2-3 tablespoons of milk. In a hurry, I added almost three tablespoons which was way too much. Even after adding numerous spoons of icing sugar, the glaze was watery and frothy and took forever to set.<br />
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The end result? My first batch (which turned out thicker) tasted more like shortbread rather than the crispier second batch which my husband preferred. I didn't mind either although I much prefer the other shortbread recipe that I have used and always got good reviews. These cookies were not as sweet by themselves but were sweetened by the glaze which made them taste not quite right. Of course, some people might prefer them that way. I think I'll stick to my original recipe.<br />
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<strong>Ratings</strong></div>
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Husband: 3/5</div>
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Wife: 3/5</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-5811241766560059172011-11-09T22:15:00.000-08:002011-11-09T22:31:57.567-08:00Fudgy Chewy Brownies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfaL2RSX1mDM5Zy2pZM3VLtLvcFKnH-J-uSgUjAZ6RSkI_ZhRyMGe4A_BlBAuVFW8_Go_qy-QOg3D6WI9gx9gaFfUcHtqCiqL2v-hSXMfcUEE2nf96njQX2p_THILxVicoHmwLjr9uk4/s1600/IMG_3352_crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfaL2RSX1mDM5Zy2pZM3VLtLvcFKnH-J-uSgUjAZ6RSkI_ZhRyMGe4A_BlBAuVFW8_Go_qy-QOg3D6WI9gx9gaFfUcHtqCiqL2v-hSXMfcUEE2nf96njQX2p_THILxVicoHmwLjr9uk4/s400/IMG_3352_crop.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Chocolate brownies with cheese cream icing</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have decided to make the brownies as they looked quite easy to make (and being 39 weeks pregnant, I didn't have a lot of energy to stand around in the kitchen. I also feel quite nauseated making anything that is not sweet).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I probably should mention that I have never made brownies of any sort before so probably never realised how much butter, chocolate and sugar went into them (or maybe I happily blocked out that information from my mind). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had Lindt 70% cooking chocolate at home so decided to use that instead of the cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate. I also got a bit annoyed that the editor of the book did not check each recipe properly and it was not mentioned anywhere where to add the cocoa powder (if you decided to use it). It also missed basic instructions such as oven temperate and baking tin size.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I used an approximately 20 x 20cm square tin and put the oven at 180°C. The brownies took about 40 minutes to bake with the toothpick coming out almost dry at the center (double the time it suggested in the book).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Impatience is my weakness so after they cooled enough to be cut, I tried the edges (while they were still quite warm). The brownie crumbled in my mouth and I could feel the super richness of the dark chocolate, butter and sugar. I was hesitant to add more butter by icing them but since that was part of the recipe, I had to be true to it and give it a go (especially since I bought the cream cheese specifically for that purpose).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After trying to mix the icing by hand, I got tired and pulsed it in the food processor. The quantities ended up being way too much for the size of the brownies. (I was actually quite surprised how few brownies turned out from this recipe since all the previous recipes had humongous portions.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When my husband walked home, he could straight away smell them (who doesn't love a house smelling of freshly baked sweets?) Although he's not a fan of dark chocolate (the way I am), he liked them more than me. He did agree though that they were <em>very</em> rich and one little one was enough to fill you up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For me, they were just a bit too rich, although after putting them in the fridge, in the next few days they became harder and I found them easier to eat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Ratings</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Husband: 3½ /5</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wife: 3/5</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-14284152213967679212011-10-27T02:21:00.000-07:002011-10-27T16:20:43.997-07:00Challah Rolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoT9pOUac97V1P5tDeKgMhicN0dbnQbp8m4HswiL_-cbSCvRYCD457pPUUmazAzCtE2qRvRu6VbMy-qabS-2S8lRPfE1hD0x1ldfR8KxS4e6nrrivEqlSNBZn9dQIG3a5z2HfS9zdyHrs/s1600/challah+rolls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoT9pOUac97V1P5tDeKgMhicN0dbnQbp8m4HswiL_-cbSCvRYCD457pPUUmazAzCtE2qRvRu6VbMy-qabS-2S8lRPfE1hD0x1ldfR8KxS4e6nrrivEqlSNBZn9dQIG3a5z2HfS9zdyHrs/s400/challah+rolls.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I can't believe that after giving up on my blog, I have 7 followers! I feel encouraged to start again. It's much more fun writing when other people read it.<br />
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I have made the challah rolls over a year ago and never blogged about them. Maybe they were the reason I gave up with the recipes. Having tried challah before, I was expecting some chewy soft and sweet addictively delicious bread. <br />
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They looked promising when they came out of the oven (if I ignored some slightly burnt edges). What I got was oily weird taste dry bread. There were so many of them, I didn't quite know what to do with them. I decided to take some to my grandma (who loves all things bread and doesn't like all things sweet). She kept asking me to make them months later because she loved them. I had to tell her I probably wouldn't be doing a second run ever again as the effort and time it took to make them was just not worth it.<br />
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My husband didn't mind them too much. I disliked them more than anyone.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Ratings</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Husband: 3½ /5</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wife: 2 /5</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-38059974610384630732010-02-06T01:24:00.000-08:002010-02-06T01:29:50.668-08:00Banana Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HSujo30yHQxXp_gAINkkPsczwPq3nzhThGdYX5rJbFKooNIG9y-mKY9S5wg_I9r9pWpkqXRLe_jiYc2EAsAFYRqP00mHhmbnoBvto9GACv5usK-3FlI6fBC4TNrWG3erTXpr0Wtq_bk/s1600-h/banana_bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HSujo30yHQxXp_gAINkkPsczwPq3nzhThGdYX5rJbFKooNIG9y-mKY9S5wg_I9r9pWpkqXRLe_jiYc2EAsAFYRqP00mHhmbnoBvto9GACv5usK-3FlI6fBC4TNrWG3erTXpr0Wtq_bk/s400/banana_bread.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Banana bread with chocolate chips and walnuts</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first time I made this has been a few months ago. I have made it several times since then (but without walnuts, the way my husband preferred).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first time, the outside started to brown too soon while the centre was still uncooked. I ended up taking it out with the inside still wet. This did not make a big difference to my husband who devoured it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Every time my bananas started to overripe, I would make this banana bread, putting the oven temperature a little lower than recommended. This let the centre cook properly without burning the outside.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What came out was a perfectly moist cake with mouth-melting chocolate chips. I have since looked through other recipes of banana cakes and have noted that none use lemon juice and orange rind. In my opinion, that's what gives this recipe that extra subtle flavour. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After trying several more recipes from the book, my husband still says that this is the only recipe that was really successful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Ratings</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Husband: 4½ /5</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wife: 4½ /5</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-35896430798606820612009-12-20T01:37:00.000-08:002009-12-20T01:39:10.045-08:00Meatball Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPP0YCSIUG8wFQkd3rZABnTgfpXnSIN_4BJB0OB94CNZ37X0x9vyao3MlEQopjIA9LCgqrImdUrbohHKW3rajwZGG-StqLSLyg8gZgADJpsJVxtN1ZkbrtVvHdN27M97xra3oI0O3sqs/s1600-h/meatball_soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPP0YCSIUG8wFQkd3rZABnTgfpXnSIN_4BJB0OB94CNZ37X0x9vyao3MlEQopjIA9LCgqrImdUrbohHKW3rajwZGG-StqLSLyg8gZgADJpsJVxtN1ZkbrtVvHdN27M97xra3oI0O3sqs/s400/meatball_soup.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Soup with meatballs, rice, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and coriander</em><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In Russia, soup is a staple dinner dish. It is always something you have before the main course. My 80 year old grandparents still have it every day.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm not a fan of soup. This is probably because I've had it every day of my childhood and never questioned it until we left Russia and I discovered that in other countries, people didn't have soup every day. Not being a fan of vegetables, I quickly decided I didn't want to eat it anymore. Only in the last few years, I have started to enjoy it occasionally. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I saw this recipe, I thought I wouldn't mind trying it. I should've learnt from my other cooking experiences out of this book and halved the ingredients. After I finished rolling the meatballs, I realised there was no way they were all going to fit into my pot, not to mention adding potatoes and carrots later. I had to separate the soup into two pots.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you can see from the photo above, there was not much liquid. Some of the meatballs ended up falling apart. I was very frustrated with the whole process because it was taking so much time and not turning out the way I expected. When my husband and I tried it, we were not impressed. Not to say it was bad, just not something I would cook again.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Ratings</strong><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">husband: 3/5<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">wife: 3/5<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-36918931297952387042009-11-26T02:25:00.000-08:002009-11-26T02:32:44.488-08:00Curry Chicken with Chang Hao's Basmati Rice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Sdf-xM3CRL-7aIe1_kTk76EZBPDuT2icI9VP1eiD7MVw_X4rXpsAB2uoEjsEpoFTpJKxvDqO_vm0HCE2phQdQU-Lo5DNfkL6Cfn4VulPzyHIKXoOIalUWLWJqUCjk-rhq_0PJl8xN4M/s1600/chicken_curry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Sdf-xM3CRL-7aIe1_kTk76EZBPDuT2icI9VP1eiD7MVw_X4rXpsAB2uoEjsEpoFTpJKxvDqO_vm0HCE2phQdQU-Lo5DNfkL6Cfn4VulPzyHIKXoOIalUWLWJqUCjk-rhq_0PJl8xN4M/s400/chicken_curry.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br />
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This recipe took ages to make but was worth it in the end. Finally, a yummy dish that we both enjoyed.<br />
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I did find there was a lot of sauce but it tasted delicious mixed with the basmati rice. It tasted just like something out of a (good) Indian takeaway shop. I never heard of green apples being added to curries but it added a nice tarty flavour. Mmm...<br />
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<strong>Ratings - Curry Chicken</strong><br />
husband: 4/5<br />
wife: 4/5<br />
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<strong>Ratings - Chang Hao's Basmati Rice</strong><br />
husband: 4/5<br />
wife: 4/5Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-70828775560762236382009-11-17T15:25:00.000-08:002009-11-17T15:27:24.428-08:00Chocolate Chip Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5ng6MXcrwd_PvYw8ea3nXDHD6IfL0bpnn0yHbmBQ9rva85LwqSUi6xsFD7ZcUBTAtVumeWojNJz8lcy9r7VrhLxE_hASs41gaROoADaAd0Z9Yc_WfQarmTUoS8IYL6SjBB2NYn4SSr0/s1600/chocolate_chip_cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5ng6MXcrwd_PvYw8ea3nXDHD6IfL0bpnn0yHbmBQ9rva85LwqSUi6xsFD7ZcUBTAtVumeWojNJz8lcy9r7VrhLxE_hASs41gaROoADaAd0Z9Yc_WfQarmTUoS8IYL6SjBB2NYn4SSr0/s400/chocolate_chip_cookies.jpg" yr="true" /></a><br />
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After my last recipe problems, I have decided to make something fun. The simplicity of the chocolate chip recipe seemed just what I needed to cheer me up and get me back into this project.<br />
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Everything was going fine, until five seconds after I tasted the first cookie. The chewiness and crusty edges with the melted chocolate chips tasted divine at first bite. However, after it has been swallowed, I could taste salt in my mouth.<br />
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The recipe calls for a teaspoon of salt. I am not sure what the reason for it is but I wish I didn't put any. Maybe my problem was that I used cooking salt and not table salt (which is not as strong). I don't know. All I know is that the salty aftertaste ruined what could've been very delicious cookies.<br />
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My husband (who's been quite critical of the previous dishes) loved them. He said he could be biased because of his affinity to all things sweet. However, my sweet tooth felt the salt. He said he could only taste the sweetness.<br />
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It wasn't just the salt in my mouth that wrecked them for me but also their very oily texture. I really had more hope for them. I'm starting to realise that Paullina Simons manages to make all Tatiana's dishes sound much more amazing than they really are.<br />
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<strong>Results</strong><br />
husband: 4/5<br />
wife: 2/5Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-90336885878822915922009-11-14T15:08:00.000-08:002009-11-17T15:29:00.705-08:00Pelmeni<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgGXUN0hlLRcZQkP62nYF1O3pHemqVSLN42n6CTyUv84jC0YuC8E1XDtR1L_aa47bFfPM54XwQCLAjp5-gARRc6QsPwtSOKKnXAYS1raXFm3J6cJRnH5s3Jr8ieLtCHtIfESXHH2-SIM/s1600-h/pelmeni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgGXUN0hlLRcZQkP62nYF1O3pHemqVSLN42n6CTyUv84jC0YuC8E1XDtR1L_aa47bFfPM54XwQCLAjp5-gARRc6QsPwtSOKKnXAYS1raXFm3J6cJRnH5s3Jr8ieLtCHtIfESXHH2-SIM/s400/pelmeni.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Meat dumplings</em><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This dish was a total cooking disaster for me. It put me off making anything else. Tatiana's grandmother was right, it was "too much effort". Especially for a pelmeni novice like me.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First of all, the dough was too hard too roll. My arms were sore from rolling it to 1.5cm (at most). It was definitely a lot thicker in the middle. Then, my grandparents gave me a special thing that put the pelmeni together. Rather than making it easier for me, I ended up wasting a lot of the ingredients because I couldn't use this tool properly and having to fix the edges myself.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since I rolled the dough too thick, I had a lot of filling left over with which I didn't know what to do. I ended up making a couple of <em>kotlety</em> (Russian meatballs) at my husband's suggestion.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we finally tried the end result, my husband (having never tried pelmeni before) knew immediately the dough was too thick. It still had the real pelmeni taste so I wasn't too disappointed after all the trouble I had with the recipe.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I later told my grandma about my cooking episode and she said, "Don't you know, we always buy pelmeni. Making them is too much effort".<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Ratings</strong><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">husband: 2½ / 5<br />
</div>wife: 3/5Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-60609219746269119092009-10-27T15:30:00.000-07:002009-11-17T15:28:16.517-08:00Meat Cutlets with Onions and Esther's Mashed Potatoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxVSXOxslbKJ6MIBOSyolzHvrYxxITnZYrWl7xeXD2El0qI_dBKY1FMGFTk_u5EvJMAJSv4nmZjlhQ2jGhgjk__19zkGGAu28tuRD0NFgEJbyUt6EqIIbaoksM-qGMesCaG-uQu4SLT8/s1600-h/meat_cutlets_mashed_potato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxVSXOxslbKJ6MIBOSyolzHvrYxxITnZYrWl7xeXD2El0qI_dBKY1FMGFTk_u5EvJMAJSv4nmZjlhQ2jGhgjk__19zkGGAu28tuRD0NFgEJbyUt6EqIIbaoksM-qGMesCaG-uQu4SLT8/s400/meat_cutlets_mashed_potato.jpg" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not the healthiest option to have for dinner but so comforting, especially when it's cold and rainy outside. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I didn't have a shallow frypan so used one with deep edges. The meat cutlets did not need to be fried for 7 minutes on each side. After about 4-5 minutes, they were close to burning. I made them a little smaller than tennis balls (as instructed) and flattened them only slightly which produced a crunchy crust and very soft and juicy insides.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since the recipe said that Tatiana served them with mashed potatoes, I decided to use the recipe from the middle of the book. It even said that she served Esther's mashed potatoes with her meat cutlets. Perfect combination. I have to confess this was the first time in my life I made mashed potatoes. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had no idea what a ricer was so when I googled it, I was happy to realise that we had it! My husband always talked how he couldn't find it in Australia so his Mum brought one for us from South America when she was there earlier this year.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I only made half the recipe portion because I didn't have a pot large enough to fit over 2kg (5lb) of potatoes, plus all the other ingredients that had to go in it. I used light cream (18% milk solids) as there is no half-and-half (12.5% milk solids) in Australia. I was worried the mashed potatoes would be too rich but even with the added butter, they were still a little bit dry.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I tasted the final product, I even had seconds. My husband said he preferred my version of the meat cutlets (I bake them in the oven, rather than fry them and also add potatoes into the mince). For me, this was the best dish so far.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Ratings - Meat Cutlets with Onions</strong><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">husband: 3½ / 5<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">wife: 4/5<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Ratings - Esther's Mashed Potatoes</strong><br />
</div>husband: 3/5<br />
wife: 4/5Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-30013323976924200142009-10-18T17:15:00.000-07:002009-10-27T15:39:16.956-07:00Beef Stroganoff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVh-F6cmxs3XXZRduYKck9eSvjptKsTV5ttey74Xu-WuZhXnU_j5-XVBTZ9QSyLO9lVBuS0-GJn5Q8fFblRoJTVrBDXNQLG-SfxIVxKtpipNvJRovFac_ZSSwvp1JsSQXdlmnRy3gR_Hs/s1600-h/beef_stroganoff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVh-F6cmxs3XXZRduYKck9eSvjptKsTV5ttey74Xu-WuZhXnU_j5-XVBTZ9QSyLO9lVBuS0-GJn5Q8fFblRoJTVrBDXNQLG-SfxIVxKtpipNvJRovFac_ZSSwvp1JsSQXdlmnRy3gR_Hs/s400/beef_stroganoff.jpg" vr="true" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Beef fried with button mushrooms and onions, mixed in with sour cream and served on buttered fettuccine</em><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was a quicker and easier dish to prepare than Lazy Cabbage. It tasted a bit better too. However, with more than four table spoons of butter, it was a bit too rich for me, although that's what my husband liked. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I did not use sirloin beef as was specified but I would suggest to use the best sort to get the meat as soft as possible. I also used light sour cream which probably made the dish a bit lighter but with all the butter, it was still a little heavy for my liking.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Ratings</strong><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">husband: 3½ / 5<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">wife: 3½ /5<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(It was better than Lazy Cabbage but not quite "Yum!")<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-63133746339893735952009-10-05T03:00:00.000-07:002009-10-05T04:10:34.601-07:00Lazy Cabbage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihzBo1fn5Zha2MmC3CSZhK3qXnojiisy7gkwdb0GI-sWBjBTUw_h7gElP2TPNejdJTDXyKSYNaL46RnwzEAo6wohZ1x0mJoZ9TpY_qqas6rXRWA3mAhuwipcGcJEAedf3cBmM5cFIor58/s1600-h/lazy-cabbage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 5px;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihzBo1fn5Zha2MmC3CSZhK3qXnojiisy7gkwdb0GI-sWBjBTUw_h7gElP2TPNejdJTDXyKSYNaL46RnwzEAo6wohZ1x0mJoZ9TpY_qqas6rXRWA3mAhuwipcGcJEAedf3cBmM5cFIor58/s400/lazy-cabbage.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Cabbage with minced beef, crispy bacon and rice in tomato sauce with garlic in a soup-like consistency, with sour cream on top</em></span><br />
</div><br />
I have decided to make the recipes in book order so Lazy Cabbage was first. I asked my Mum about it because I have never heard of the dish before and she explained that it was the same as stuffed peppers but without the peppers, hence being called "lazy". <br />
<br />
I halved the ingredients because using a whole cabbage seemed too much and I was right. The mixture wouldn't have fit into my largest pan. I was also disappointed by a publishing mistake which listed garlic in the ingredients but was not mentioned in the directions. I ended up putting it into the tomato sauce but later my Mum informed me that it usually was cooked with the mince.<br />
<br />
It took me around two hours to prepare and even though I didn't have high expectations of the result because I'm not a fan of cabbage cooked with tomato sauce, I was pleasantly surprised. The sour cream was listed as optional but for me, that's what gave the dish that extra complementing flavour. <br />
<br />
Overall, I don't think I will be making this any time soon due to the length of cooking time not being worth the final product. Having said that, it did bring back memories of my grandma's stuffed peppers and a variety of Russian cabbage soups.<br />
<br />
<strong>Ratings<br />
</strong>husband: 3/5<br />
wife: 3/5Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4528615037634169347.post-7528270346707678562009-10-04T03:44:00.001-07:002009-10-05T04:13:13.680-07:00IntroductionHaving finished Paullina Simons's <em>Bronze Horseman</em> trilogy and not being able to get my favourite love story out of my thoughts, I have decided to cook the dishes that Tatiana made throughout her life as detailed in <em>Tatiana's Table</em>.<br />
<br />
These recipes cover many origins from Russia to America. Being from a Russian background myself, I have a special interest in making them and can't wait to try them out on my South American husband. We will rate them from 1 to 5 as follows:<br />
<br />
5 - heavenly<br />
4 - yum!<br />
3 - it's ok<br />
2 - no, thanks<br />
1 - disgusting<br />
<br />
I'm looking forward to creating over 60 recipes mentioned in the book so I can have the taste of this delicious fictional world linger just a little longer.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2