~* Recipe of the Week *~

~* Homemade Pierogies *~

This is truly one of those recipes "made from scratch", passed down to me from my grandmother, and from her mother before her, and so on. This delicious recipe makes about 11 pierogies with a potato, cheese and onion filling.  Make sure to read the entire recipe before you get started that way you can manage your cooking tasks efficiently and effectively! (My grandmother wrote the recipe herself -- it's one of those recipes that were passed down to her and learned by watching and doing, it wasn't written down.) I always admired my grandmother for how she could have countless pots and pans cooking at once while prepping other parts of the recipe. I think it's an art that's slowly being lost in our fast-paced world. So, tie on an apron, and as you make this delicious homemade pierogi recipe "the way Grandma used to", take the time to remember some of the "traditional" and "old-fashioned" things your mom or grandmother used to do. Enjoy!

Part 1: Dough

Ingredients--
1 cup flour
1 egg
4 tbsp margarine
1/4 tsp salt

Preparation:
1.) Put egg in a liquid measuring cup and add water to make it a little over 1/4 of a cup. Beat with a whisk.
2.) In a mixing bowl, add salt to flour, "cut in" margarine and work it with fingers to look like cornmeal.
3.) Add egg mixture, mix together. Add a little more flour if needed and, using fingers, make it into dough.
4.) Let dough rest for 5 minutes. Then knead it with hands until it's smooth and elastic.

5.) Roll out dough.

6.) Cut out circles. (She uses a 1 lb. empty coffee can.)
7.) Roll out circles to make bigger and fill with filling in center of dough. Wet edges of dough, then fold in half and press close (makes a half circle shape). Take fork dipped in flour and press fork all around edge of peirogi to make a better seal.


Part 2: Potato, Onion and Cheese Filling
Ingredients:
2-3 slices each of Cooper, Sharp and American Cheese
4 potatoes, or as much as you'd like depending on how much filling you'd like to have
Pinch of salt
1 small onion
1 stick of margarine or butter
Pinch of white pepper

Preparation:
1.) Cut potatoes in quarters.
2.) Cook in a pot of water until done, with a little salt.
3.) Mash potatoes when done. Then put in a few slices of the cheeses over top of potatoes.
4.) Put lid back on pot and let cheese melt a little.
5.) Mash again with a small chopped onion that has been sauteed in margarine or butter.
6.) Mash smooth. Add a little white pepper to it for added flavor.

*You can also use instant potatoes. Make potatoes as directed on box. Put diced dried onions from jar (ex. McCormick Minced Onions) in the milk and water mixture. Put potatoes in as directed. After the 5 minutes, add cheese to it. Put lid on an dlet melt and then mix altogether. Add a little white pepper.

Part 3: Cooking the Pierogies

Preparation:
1.) Have a roasting pan on stove filled with water. Sprinkle salt in water and a little olive oil in it.
2.) Bring to boil, then put about 11-12 pierogies in.
3.) When it boils again, turn down heat to a slow rolling boil.
4.) Cook about 15 minutes on low boil.
5.) Keep turning the pierogies over with a wooden spoon.
6.) When pierogies are done, put in a colander. Run cold water over them slowly and hard. Let drain, then put on a cookie sheet.
7.) Pour melted butter over top. Let cool.
8.) Then pan fry the pierogies in butter and onions if desired.

And there you have it. A delicious, old-fashioned pierogi recipe "the way Grandma used to make it". I know I enjoy teaching my son how to make them so that our family recipe may be passed on to another generation and hopefully many more to come! Enjoy this wonderful Polish recipe!!

~* Garden Gumption *~ Post #1

~*Friday's "Garden Gumption" Post!!*~

 Post #1: Let the Gardening Begin!!

Well, Everyone...Here it is! The first of several "Garden Gumption" posts!! Every Friday, I plan on blogging about gardening -- whether it be about gardening tips and tricks, or about how my own indoor/outdoor gardens are progressing.  If you're following these posts, I encourage you to comment and share your own thoughts, tips, or how you're own garden is doing! We can learn from each other and have fun doing it!

Last year I decided to finally create my own gardening area in our backyard. My husband and I dug out/ carved out a small section of our little yard -- a space that would not have been used for anything otherwise due to its location.  We were actually excited and impressed on how well it turned out!

While the garden area was being created outside, I started planting a select bunch of seeds inside. After the seedlings grew, I planted them in square foot sections in my outdoor garden space. After some work and care over the course of last spring and summer, I was able to come out with a small harvest at the end of the season --- small, but pretty impressive for a 1st year, inexperienced gardener like myself.

This year, I'm starting my garden in much the same way, with a few more additions to my variety of vegetables!  My 2-year-old son and I have already planted our selection of seeds. This year I purchased 4 Burpee "green houses" (2 green houses came in each set, along with peat pellets, seed markers, and a sheet for keeping track of you seeds -- found them at the Home Depot).  My son enjoyed helping me set everything up and plant the little seeds in their individual spots.  Here is a list of what we will be growing this year: sweet corn, cucumbers (for slicing and pickling), zucchinni, long red & green peppers, a mix of bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, beef steak tomatoes, garlic, white onions, scallions, yellow onions, red onions, potatoes, short carrots, cabbage, a salad mix, lettuce, peas, and green beans. We'll be planting the onions, garlic, and potatoes in the ground outside as soon as we're done prepping our garden areas (my husband was so impressed by how well we grew things last year, he's decided to add another small garden area to our yard!) We're also attempting to grow strawberries in a pot this year.

Within the first week of planting the seeds, we already had some cabbage and salad mix sprouts coming up out of their little patches of dirt. We're now in our second week, most of the cabbage, lettuce, and salad mix plants have their sprouts growing very well. I can't wait to see how many more sprouts we have by this time next week!

If you are looking for a book about gardening, or are interested in finding creative ways to start your own garden no matter how little or large your gardening area might be, I recommend reading All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space! by: Mel Bartholomew.  I found his book at my local library and rented it from their last year. I believe this year I will be purchasing it!

Well, I believe that is all I will be posting today. Enjoy your Friday, and don't forget to leave a comment below about any gardening tips, tricks or stories to share! Happy Gardening!!