Can chak-chak be made with condensed milk? Why not, especially since many people prefer this variant even more than the classic one made with honey syrup. It seems to us that condensed milk is very appropriate for chak-chak: thanks to it, in addition to the obvious sweetness, pleasant milky notes appear in the dessert's flavor. Moreover, it causes allergies less often than honey! Just try to purchase natural condensed milk for making chak-chak, without added vegetable fats: this kind will better bind the "sticks" and adhere to them.

Chak-chak with condensed milk

Steamed pork and beef cutlets are a dish worth including in your diet at least occasionally. If you are making the mince yourself, it is best to take pork neck with some fat and lean beef in a 1:1 ratio. In butcher shops, this mixture is called "home-style." If you use leaner cuts instead of the neck, such as ham or shoulder, it's advisable to add a bit of fat to the mince. Otherwise, the cutlets may turn out dry. Suitable additions include: butter, grated cheese, or a piece of lard. Steamed cutlets don't necessarily have to be prepared in a steamer; a regular multicooker or even a pan with an insert will do just fine.

Steamed pork and beef cutlets

How to make cottage cheese from frozen kefir at home? It's easy and fairly quick, not counting the cooling and pressing time. You just need to buy good kefir, preferably quite fatty: it will taste better, and follow our recipe strictly. By the way, there are no complicated steps in it, and even if your culinary skills cannot be called advanced, everything will definitely work out. Just imagine how nice it will be to take the most delicate cottage cheese with fresh greens out of the refrigerator, which you can spread on sandwiches or enjoy on its own!

Cream cheese made from frozen kefir

"Like sunflower seeds" — this expression is often used to highlight how quickly something tasty and appetizing is eaten, such as fried capelin. There can never be too many small fish prepared in a large amount of sizzling oil and covered with a delicious crust. You don't need to prepare anything else for a get-together with friends; you can simply serve a heap of golden capelin — crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Perfect with beer. We offer the simplest recipe with minimal ingredients. No spices are needed. Why overshadow the pleasant taste of this healthy fish! Maybe just a slice of lemon to squeeze juice on the aromatic fried capelin.

Fried capelin

Pork steak in honey-mustard sauce is a dish that is perfect for both festive feasts and quick dinners. Thanks to the very successful sauce, the meat turns out juicy, tender, sweet and spicy, and does not require prior marinating. By the way, the amount of ingredients in the sauce can be adjusted to your taste—add, for example, more garlic and less honey, or vice versa. Pork steak can only be fully cooked, so be sure to strictly monitor the cooking time.

Pork steak in honey-mustard sauce

Juicy pork cutlets in a frying pan are a meal you'll fall in love with from the first bite. It's impossible to stay indifferent to a fluffy, aromatic cutlet paired with tender mashed potatoes as a side! And it's not hard to prepare this dish, especially if you have a large and moderately fatty piece of pork on hand. Simply grind it in a meat grinder using the finest grid, add soaked bread, salt, spices, onion, then knead it thoroughly and beat the mince well. After that, all that's left is to shape the cutlets to the desired size and fry them in a well-heated pan with oil.

Juicy pork patties in a frying pan

This easy-to-make orange poppy seed cake will be enjoyed by both adults and children. Lots of poppy seeds, a refreshing orange aroma, and a delicate texture—what could be better? Kefir and sunflower oil in the batter make the cake moist and porous. If desired, you can add finely chopped walnuts and soaked raisins to the poppy seed filling. A little tip: be sure to taste the oranges before adding them to the batter. If they are a bit sour, increase the sugar in the recipe to 150 grams. The finished cake can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for about 5 days.

Orange poppy seed cake

Rabbit fricassee is a traditional dish of French cuisine, consisting of stewed meat in a white sauce. In the most classic version, the rabbit's carcass, with bones included, is cut into medium-sized pieces, lightly browned in butter until golden, sprinkled with flour, and stewed until done in broth or cream (sometimes both). The dish can be enhanced with the addition of fresh or frozen green peas, capers, and finely chopped mushrooms. Before serving, the fricassee is sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.

Rabbit fricassee

Cottage cheese Easter cake without yeast is a real find for those who do not have the opportunity to spend the whole day in the kitchen working on a traditional Easter cake. Unlike the classic rich yeast dough, cottage cheese dough does not require time for rising and proofing, which means you can easily bake this cake right before the holiday. The undeniable merits of the recipe include the taste and texture of the finished dessert - it rises well, turns out soft, and stays fresh for a long time. You can decorate the cake with white, colored, or chocolate glaze, candied fruits, small marshmallows, meringue, or berries.

Cottage cheese Easter cake without yeast

Cottage cheese balls fried in oil are good both inside and out. That is, they look so appetizing that it's impossible not to try these donuts. And it will be very difficult to stop because the balls are fantastically tasty and aromatic. Is it difficult to make them with your own hands? Not at all! But let's clarify that in this case, we are talking not about baking in the oven, but about frying the balls in a deep fryer. The dough made from cottage cheese is very simple and quick to prepare: you will easily see this when you read our recipe.

Cottage cheese balls fried in oil

Sandwiches for children with cream cheese and ham are great entertainment for the whole family. Cat-face shaped sandwiches are not only delicious but also look funny. They provide a space for creativity, and for little ones, they also serve as a developmental game: different ingredients can be chosen for the face parts, not just sweet peppers, olives, and green onions, but also pieces of other vegetables, slices of sausage, or boiled eggs. Moreover, such sandwiches are a good way to encourage a child to try new foods they haven't eaten before.

Sandwich for children with cottage cheese and ham

Kolobki with sour cream are often prepared in the Russian North, where they are called "Arkhangelsk" or "Belomorsk" balls. The essence of the recipe is simple, with very few ingredients, so local housewives often make these mini-buns at home. The dough is made with sour cream, cold butter, and flour: it turns out crumbly and even slightly flaky. However, they don't add sugar, so the kolobki are often stuffed with jam, marmalade, or dried fruits. Some people prefer the unsweetened version: in that case, a bit of paprika or grated cheese is added to the dough.

Buns on sour cream

Kulich "Craffin" made from puff pastry is a real find for the modern housewife who doesn't have time to spend hours at the stove. Moreover, this is one of those cases where "simple" doesn't mean "bad." Especially if you find really delicious puff pastry dough, which will serve as the base for the kulich. But what exactly is "craffin"? It's a hybrid of a croissant and a muffin - a cupcake made from puff pastry dough. Recently, our housewives have started to regularly serve it on the Easter table because this kulich looks very impressive. Try the craffin recipe in practice, especially since our version is as simple as possible.

Craffin Easter Bread made from puff pastry

Grilled sausage is awesome, but if you make a delicious hot dog with it in lavash—not in a bun, but in thin, well-browned tandoor lavash—then a picnic in nature will turn into a wonderful meal with minimal hassle. Sausages and the hot dogs made from them are more convenient and much faster than kebabs: no fuss with meat, no "manly" debates about how to properly marinate and grill it. We suggest relaxing and enjoying the connection with nature and the special hot dogs prepared according to our recipe. It is important that the sausages are made from quality minced meat in a natural casing. Pork, beef, or turkey—it doesn't matter. The sausages should be moderately fatty and, of course, very fresh. And we'll dip them not in regular ketchup, but in a spicy fragrant sauce based on it.

Hot dog in pita bread

Cheesecakes with sour cream topping, which are often prepared in the southern regions of Russia, can be considered our answer to the famous cinnamon rolls. There are differences, of course, particularly in the filling, as in our case we wrap a curd mixture with raisins and eggs in the dough. Essentially, these are still our traditional cheesecakes. However, the preparation method is reminiscent of the one used for cinnamon rolls: the dough is rolled into a log and then cut into large slices. In the end, the finished cheesecakes are covered with sour cream topping, which vaguely resembles the final stage of making cinnamon rolls, where they are liberally coated with cream cheese icing. Prepare them and see for yourself that our version is just as good as the foreign one. They will be delicious and aromatic! You can find the dough recipe for our version at the following link: https://www.gastronom.ru/recipe/19223/drozhzhevoe-sdobnoe-oparnoe-testo

Cheesecakes with sour cream filling

Interestingly, beef bourguignon in red wine has never officially been considered a specialty of Burgundy cuisine. No one knows exactly when the recipe for this world-famous dish first appeared, but it was first mentioned in 1878 in the "Sentimental Guide for Foreigners in Paris." So where did the term "bourguignon" in the name come from? The answer is simple: Burgundy has long been renowned for both cattle breeding and winemaking. Therefore, the combination of beef and red wine was automatically associated with this region of France, despite the dish being more popular in Paris. Over many decades, the recipe for beef bourguignon has developed numerous variations. Traditionally, the dish is not made from prime cuts of beef but from tougher parts of the carcass that require long braising—about 3 hours. However, few people today have the patience for such a process, but good meat is readily available. For those who want a tasty, quick, yet still "bourguignon" dish, we offer a recipe based on beef tenderloin. This will save time threefold, and the taste will be delightful.

Beef Bourguignon in red wine

Strawberry-banana smoothie is not just a drink, but truly the food of the gods! Its aroma is mesmerizing, its texture calming, and its taste makes you fall in love with it once and for all. But that's not all, as this smoothie has a beneficial effect on the body. Judge for yourself! Banana puree envelops and protects the walls of the stomach much like sunscreen does for the skin. Additionally, these fruits have the property of removing excess fluid from the body, thereby preventing swelling. Fresh strawberry puree, in turn, prevents the formation of gallbladder stones and regulates blood sugar levels. In general, our smoothie is a case where something delicious is also very healthy.

Strawberry-banana smoothie

Making simple homemade lemon jam for the winter is not only an original gesture but also a prudent one. Despite the fact that lemons, unlike raspberries or apricots, are available all year round, sealing a few jars of fragrant jam from these tart citrus fruits means gifting yourself cozy winter evenings. And not for any special benefit - after all, not much vitamin C will be preserved in the jam, but to treat yourself to a wonderful taste. Choose thin-skinned and small lemons without defects for the jam. The more beautiful the lemons, the more beautiful and tastier the jam will be according to our recipe.

Simple homemade lemon jam for the winter

You can serve an apricot cocktail to children as an afternoon snack instead of plain milk or kefir. Just wait and see: they will be delighted with such a fruity drink! The cocktail, designed for two portions, is prepared very quickly and easily, so anyone can recreate our recipe—of course, provided you have good apricots. What do we mean by that? Very ripe, sweet, and soft (but not bruised) fruits. You can easily grate such apricots into a puree, which will become a wonderful base for the cocktail. The only things left to add are yogurt, milk, lemon, and apricot juices, and then blend it all together. It will be delicious!

Apricot cocktail

Cherry jam with walnuts is capable of surprising even the most discerning gourmets with the very idea and, of course, the exquisite taste. It should be noted that these fruits are not used as often for winter preparations compared to cherries. And quite unjustly so! There is clearly more flesh in cherries than in cherries, and the taste is quite rich. And if you remove the stones from the fruits and place nuts inside, you get not just jam, but a sophisticated dessert. We tried this idea in practice and found that it worked wonderfully. To be honest, we didn’t have to store the trial jar of cherry jam with walnuts for long!

Cherry jam with walnuts

This apricot cheesecake recipe convincingly proves that making such a dessert at home doesn't require supernatural culinary skills. In other words, even a not-so-experienced cook can handle the task. The key is to follow the preparation method, baking time, and also (very importantly!) not to rush it and allow the apricot cheesecake to cool thoroughly. It's not just about "tasting better": the consistency of the creamy part needs to stabilize and firm up.

Cheesecake with apricots

Marinated capelin is an appetizing side dish to freshly boiled potatoes. Just the thought of it can make your mouth water. However, buying delicious marinated fish is quite a task. Sometimes there are preservatives in the mix, or it's too salty or too sweet, or the vinegar is overwhelming. To forever forget about such a dilemma, it’s worth learning to marinate fish at home, especially since it’s a quick and easy process. We offer a recipe for marinated capelin - a tasty, fatty fish rich in nutrients. Small capelin, like sprats, does not need to be cleaned before marinating. Whole fish with heads not only look beautiful but also marinate evenly, absorbing just the right amount of salt and spices.

Pickled smelt

Salmon with potatoes and zucchini in a pan is a hot dish suitable for both a regular lunch and a small home celebration or weekend. Salmon is a very tasty and healthy fish, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have a beneficial effect on everything. Cooking salmon in a pan is simple: just marinate it in spices while the potatoes are frying, then add it to the vegetables. The fish will be ready faster than the potatoes and even the tender zucchini. By the way, instead of zucchini, you can use squash. Preferably young—such squash have a thinner skin and less dense flesh compared to large, mature vegetables.

Salmon with potatoes and zucchini in a pan

White and fluffy, tender and airy mashed potatoes with milk and butter are simply impossible not to love. Yes, it's caloric, yes, it's a bit fatty, but it's incredibly delicious! But there's a caveat: it's not always magically tasty for everyone. Gray, lumpy, gooey—that's also mashed potatoes if they are made with clumsy hands and the "wrong" potatoes. Yes, quality butter and milk are important, but they are powerless if the potatoes are subpar. So, for mashed potatoes, you need to use only crumbly, starchy varieties of potatoes, the ones labeled as "for boiling" by sellers. Young potatoes are categorically unsuitable for mashed potatoes—they have little starch, and the mash will turn out lumpy. So don't give in to temptation and choose the "old" potatoes—good quality old potatoes. And follow our recipe!

Mashed potatoes with milk and butter

For many, pork aspic is an essential part of the New Year's or Christmas menu. This tradition is long-standing: it was followed by our grandmothers and great-grandmothers. However, many recall childhood memories of the aspic preparation process as somewhat complicated and lengthy. The latter, of course, is undeniable, but we would argue with the former statement. There is nothing particularly difficult about it, as, essentially, aspic mostly cooks itself: your task is simply to handle the meat at different stages. First, it needs to be washed (perhaps, chop some bones), then, once cooked, cut it up, arrange it in molds, and pour over the strained broth. Need a more detailed instruction? Please! Rest assured, your aspic will turn out delicious and appetizing.

Pork aspic

Chuck-chuck with vodka is one variation of the famous Tatar dessert. There's nothing particularly revolutionary about this recipe, except that a little bit of strong alcohol is added to the dough. Why do they do this? Some chefs claim that vodka contributes to the dough's elasticity, making it possible to roll it out very thin. Others say that this beverage gives the chuck-chuck a special "crunchiness." What's true and what's not can only be verified in one way: by preparing chuck-chuck according to our detailed recipe!

Chak-chak with vodka

Idaho potatoes, fried in a pan, are a great alternative to the classic baked version. This recipe is suitable for those who, for example, don’t have an oven. The overall cooking technique is the same here: the potatoes are cut into neat wedges and seasoned with oil. The only difference is that they are placed not on a baking sheet, but in a pan. And to make the wedges seem like they were baked, a small secret is used: the pan is covered with a lid. This allows the potatoes to cook from the inside first. Then the lid is removed, the wedges are fried, and voila—the dish is ready! Follow our step-by-step recipe, and you're sure to succeed.

Idaho potatoes, fried in a pan

Celery is a splendid vegetable, and celery gratin is perhaps the best thing you can make with it. In ancient Greece and Rome, celery was considered merely a medicinal plant. "Merely" is an understatement. It was so respected that the beautiful carved leaves of the plant were depicted on the capitals of Corinthian columns. It is known that celery began to be actively consumed in Europe in the 18th century. The vegetable came to Russia during the reign of Catherine II, but for a long time, no one knew what to do with it, just like with potatoes. Even now, celery root is more often used as an ingredient in soups and stews, along with other root vegetables, while various purees, sauces, and gratins made from celery are more commonly found in restaurants than at home. At home, celery root, unlike ubiquitous stalks, is not found in everyone's refrigerator. Well, essentially, why should it be there if it is incredibly tasty, satisfying, and aromatic? Celery gratin according to our recipe is a true delicacy. Aromatic, generously soaked in clarified butter and garlic-wine vapors, it can become your favorite festive dish and a splendid side dish to noble fish like sea bass, dorado, and salmon, or a good steak.

Celery Gratin

Alcoholic mojito with rum can, without exaggeration, be called the favorite summer cocktail of many people. Some consider it to be a "ladies' drink" for its lightness, freshness, and beauty, while others see it as truly "masculine," significantly aided by legends about the favorite drink of Ernest Hemingway and Francis Drake. Moreover, rum is so rugged and manly! The key word here is rum. If you see a mojito somewhere with gin or tequila—run away. A real alcoholic mojito should only have rum. And specifically white, light rum—not dark. Yes, white rum is not as rugged, but it has a neutral taste, not as rich as brown rum, and it doesn't distort the pure flavors of mint and lime. Most importantly, it doesn't spoil the drink's color: it should be perfectly transparent. For the same reason, do not use brown sugar. It's better to choose a special white cane sugar. And finally, always say "no" to any sprites and tonics in your mojito. The classic cocktail should exclusively have soda, that is, carbonated mineral water. If someone says otherwise, it means they have only ever drunk mojito in a bar of a cheap all-inclusive hotel.

Alcoholic Mojito with rum

When the heat arrives and sweet, juicy watermelons fill the stalls, a watermelon mojito – non-alcoholic! – becomes a lifesaving idea for a friendly gathering. It quenches thirst wonderfully, refreshes, and lifts the mood. If you want to turn it into an alcoholic mojito, you can simply add rum without changing anything else in our recipe. The limes should be zesty, the mint freshest, and the watermelon – sweet and juicy. If it turns out to be insufficiently sweet, don't despair: just add sugar to the cocktail.

Non-alcoholic watermelon mojito

Poppy seed cake with lemon curd will undoubtedly become the highlight of your festive table. You will be delighted by the combination of the original sponge cake with two types of cream — buttery and lemony. The result is an interesting, delicate taste, sweet but with a pleasant tartness. Overall, this dessert exudes a certain light spring mood. It's important to bake the sponge cakes in advance, wrap them in cling film after they cool down, and refrigerate them overnight. During this time, the sponge cake will stabilize and hold the cream better when assembling the cake.

Poppy seed cake with lemon curd

The recipe for kvass "like in the USSR" from a barrel has already become truly legendary. The older generation, who still remember how delicious draft kvass was, have described this truly magical beverage of their youth so vividly to their children that it seems everyone wants to try it, from young to old. This desire becomes especially strong in the summer, in the heat, when you so want to feel the sweet and sour refreshing taste of that very kvass. And that's when you can take our recipe, prepare the drink at home, and enjoy it immensely. Because the kvass turns out really "like in the USSR," just as fragrant, light, and tasty.

Recipe for kvass "like in the USSR" from a barrel

Boeuf Bourguignon, the classic recipe for which we will try to recreate for you, is perhaps one of the most famous dishes of France. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the best dishes of French cuisine were born on the peasants' table. What to do with tough beef to make it tender? Naturally, cook it longer. And if you add root vegetables and aromatic herbs from the peasant garden, the dish will become appetizing and hearty. But if you stew this entire set of ingredients in wine instead of water, it turns into the most aromatic and exquisite dish. In Burgundy, there has never been a problem with red wine. Of course, for Boeuf Bourguignon, we should ideally take a bottle of Burgundy wine, but we will make an allowance and use any trusted red dry wine — inexpensive but of good quality. The kind you would enjoy drinking on its own, and not the kind that somehow didn't quite suit your taste.

Beef Bourguignon

Red lentil soup with chicken is just made for the cold season. If you complement this first course with slices of crispy white bread, you might not even need a second course at all. The soup is made without broth, using water, but with pieces of chicken fillet, which, together with the lentils, make the dish especially hearty. It also includes vegetables: onion, carrot, bell pepper, tomatoes, and potatoes. The process of making chicken soup is not complicated but requires at least an hour of time to chop the ingredients, sauté some of them in oil, and then cook everything together over medium heat until fully done. Note: you'll need a fairly large pot because a small one might simply not suffice.

Red lentil soup with chicken

Have you tried fried strawberries? If not, we will teach you how to make this unusual but incredibly delicious dessert. It's not difficult at all, and the result is quite impressive. Just slice the strawberries, quickly fry them in butter, and instantly caramelize with powdered sugar and brandy. And, of course, the presentation of the dish should not fall short! Therefore, we complement the fried strawberries with freshly ground pink pepper, pine nuts, and ice cream, drizzle with sauce, and enjoy an exquisite dessert worthy of the best restaurant menus.

Fried strawberries

There are several versions of the origin of fortune cookies. The most popular one is the "Chinese-American" version. It is said that in the early 20th century, the inhabitants of Chinatown in San Francisco did everything possible to attract tourists with Eastern exoticism, primarily culinary attractions. It was then that restaurateurs were offered to introduce an unusual dessert into their menus — cookies with a piece of paper inside bearing a wise Eastern saying. The idea was so well-received that today several major companies professionally produce these cookies. Of course, fortune cookies can be bought, but it is much more interesting to make them yourself for a family celebration. Moreover, in this case, you can also choose the most appropriate words and write them on the cherished strips of paper.

Fortune cookie

Candied fruits

Ghee is obtained by melting butter – during this process, water and milk components are removed. Ghee has an intense yellow color and a nutty aroma. It is very convenient to always have it in the refrigerator and it can be used like refined vegetable oil – during frying, ghee does not burn. It has a long shelf life. In the refrigerator, you can store it for 15-18 months. For those who love baking, ghee can become an indispensable assistant.

How to make ghee

This is a very moist, almost non-airy, yet incredibly tender sponge cake - moelleux. It is very rich, aromatic, and perfect as a base for a mousse cake. But moelleux is especially good when covered with a thin layer of chocolate or chocolate glaze.

Moist sponge cake

This exquisite dessert can be made with any fruits and berries. Try layering marzipan with apples, pears, or oranges. Don't forget to sprinkle the fruits with 1-2 tablespoons of starch, otherwise they will release juice and the dessert will be "wet."

Marzipan log

How to bake a cake so that the chocolate inside remains liquid? Now I'll tell you my secret.

Chocolate fondant

The recipe for puff-pastry khachapuri a la Adjarian style is a great opportunity to enjoy a favorite flavor without spending much effort and time on preparation. Traditionalists might be outraged by such a liberal take on the classic dish, but we certainly know that sometimes it's okay to deviate from the rules. Especially since the appearance of Adjarian-style khachapuri made from yeast-free puff pastry closely resembles the "original": the same "boats" with an egg. Try our recipe when you get a chance and be amazed at how easy they are to make and how quickly they disappear from the table!

Puff pastry khachapuri à la Adjarian

Macaroni

Making sliced chocolate candies is quite easy if you already have experience making such candies at home. Espresso candies will be the perfect complement to a cup of aromatic morning or afternoon coffee and will not only give you a good mood but also a boost of energy.

Espresso Candies

Truffles are perhaps the most popular type of candy that can be made without much experience. Caramelized chocolate truffles with salt can be easily made by novice confectioners and chocolatiers. However, a good amount of effort will be required for tempering the chocolate.

Truffle Caramelized Chocolate with Salt

Mors is one of the traditional Russian beverages, good both for the festive table and for the everyday menu.

Berry juice

You can add some variety to the family dessert by baking one part of the pumpkin with sugar and the other part with honey.

Baked pumpkin with sugar in the oven

Chips in the microwave in 10 minutes!

Apple and cranberry pie is an excellent option for a weekday tea time when there is neither time nor energy for grand culinary projects, but something tasty is desired. There are no hassles with the dough, as we suggest using frozen puff pastry with yeast. It couldn't be easier: buy it, let it thaw, fill it with the filling, and put it in the oven. What is especially nice is that this apple and cranberry pie is liked by literally everyone and disappears from the table in a matter of minutes, leaving the hostess with genuine admiration from the household and well-deserved compliments!

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