Tag Archives: Blogging

Penne with basil and parmigiano

Hi guys
Long time didn’t post anything. I had short and unplanned trip to Russia, then had been moving into a new apartment (bigger, lighter, lucky me). But one Russian saying says “moving is worse than a fire”, and I can’t agree. It really drains me. Thank God, almost all stuff already in place.

Since my small basil has been grown I’m trying to use it, it gives wonderful aroma:)

The simplest dish- penne with basil and parmigiano. Serve 1-for yourself πŸ˜‰

-You can use any ready basil pesto or do it the quickest version: basil, some parmesan and olive oil mix in a blender until smoothly combine orΒ  fresh basil leaves with olive oil.

-Cook 100-200 g of the penne in plenty of boiling salted water around 9 minutes. Drain it, reserve few spoons of cooking water or use cream.

-Toss and stir the hot pasta with pesto, fresh basil leaves and reserving water or cream.

-Spinkle with pistachios and parmesan.

 

Serve and Enjoy:)

 

Have a lovely weekend!

Mila

 

Special tea

The cold is going around here this days. Unfortunately,Β  few days back I woke up with a tickle in my throat and blocked nose.Β  The good tea to drink to fightΒ  a cold is very easy to make.

You need around 3-5 cm of ginger root (peeled and sliced). Put it in 1 litre of water and let simmer for 10 minutes, then add pinch of cinnamon, 2 cloves, several mint lives, 2 tsps of green tea (optional), juice of one lemon. Strain the tea into a cup and add the honey to taste.

The ginger brings relief from cough and cold and strengthens your immune system!

Enjoy and stay healthy! πŸ˜€

Lip-smacking lamb ribs

Happy belated Easter, dear friends! Hope everyone had a wonderful family dinner! πŸ™‚

Lamb ribs. You can find it across the world and gonna fall in love with! πŸ˜‰

The wonderful combination of marinade ingredients and you end up with lip-smacking dish.

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My marinade recipe call for using brandy, but you can skip it or replace with lemon juice (or add a little vinegar).

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

0.5 kg lamb ribs

1 to 3 small red chillies, depends on your taste

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 tbsp brandy (or rum or 3 tbsp of lemon juice)

1 tbsp of lemon juice

1-1.5 tbsp mustard (Dijon or plain is ok too)

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp soy sauce (or Westchester sauce)

1/2 tbsp sugar

dash of black pepper

Let’s start!

Mix all ingredients together, stir to combine.

How to dice chillies you can have a look here, I do exactly the same.

Pour the marinate over lamb ribs, rub to coat and leave for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Fry on preheated pan for 4-5 minutes each side.

Serve with fresh lettuce and tomatoes and/or baked carrots.

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I should to mention how delicious baked carrots are and fast-cooking (what’s more healthy).

Cut 300 gr of carrots (cleaned and peeled) into sticks. Put them on a baking tray, pour over 2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp honey and season with white pepper, paprika and cumin. You can drizzle with 1-2 tsp of soy sauce (optionally). Bake until softy around 20 minutes (190C/400F).

Bon appetite! πŸ™‚

Red Peppers

Forgiveness Sunday

Β Today is the last day of Butterweek, which is called Forgiveness Sunday, when people ask each other for forgiveness.

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Farewell to Butterweek is aΒ traditional folkΒ gathering, along with theatricalΒ performances, sleighs’ sliding, games and amusements.

Β A culmination of the festival isΒ burning of an Idol made from strawΒ and dressed as a woman, which is called Winter scarecrow andΒ symbolizedΒ farewell to the winter and greeting the spring.Β 

маслСница2Β  A straw-woman was burned in a field,Β beyondΒ villages. Old stuff, clothes were burned also in fires, besides straw and firewoods. Nowadays it takes place in city/town squares, where all citizens are able to come.

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Have a lovely weekend, guys! πŸ˜€

 

*painted pics I took from the net

 

 

Butterweek and Russian Pancakes!

Β  Β  What can be special in pancakes, you think? In this case, you haveΒ never tried real RussianΒ pancakesΒ with their special aroma and taste! πŸ™‚

Β Β Β Β  Russian author Alexander Kuprin gave good characterization to pancakes:

“AΒ pancakeΒ is round-shaped as the generous sun. A pancake is red and warm as the hot sun. AΒ pancakeΒ greased with butter is a recollection of sacrifices, which were made for aΒ mightyΒ stone idols. A pancake is a symbol of the sun, nice days, good harvests, happy marriages andΒ healthyΒ children.”

Some ages ago, a man wasΒ accompaniedΒ by a pancake all their life. From birth, when pregnant woman was eaten pancakes, and until death, when pancakes were servedΒ during funeral repastΒ (we still follow thisΒ tradition).

Nowadays, pancakes are essential treats forΒ ButterweekΒ (Rus.-Maslenica). It’s the spring festival, the week before Lent (The Great Fast)Β for Christians in Russia. During this week women bake pancakesΒ every day(!), invite relatives and friends, and celebrate the spring.

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Lots of Russian authorsΒ mentioned pancakes in their work. A good example, “Eugene Onegin” by Alexander Pushkin:

Β  “Throughout their life, so calm, so peaceful,

Β  Sweet old tradition was preserved:

Β  For them, in Butterweek the greaseful,

Β  Russian pancakes were always served..”

Every day of Butterweek has a name and meaning.

Monday is “meeting”. The daughter-in-law visited her parents, then father and mother-in-law visited their house and their decided together how to celebrate. First-cooked pancakes were given to poor people in commemoration of deceased. In the evening, children went to slide from snow hills.

Today is “flirting” Β πŸ™‚ Usually it was day for weddings. Just married couples and their guests went to slide from snow hills. In every house baked “hills” of pancakes. πŸ™‚

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Β  Have a nice week! πŸ˜€

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