The thing to keep in mind is that you have to be willing to experiment a bit to get the perfect combination for your ingredients and taste.

Happy baking

Things you will need for 2 loaves or one bread loaf and 6 small bread muffins:

• 1 organic egg
• 2 tbsp organic butter (or 2 tbsp olive oil)
• 525 ml warm organic milk
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp maple syrup (or organic sugar – don’t use honey since it turns toxic when heated above 40 degrees C)
• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 1/2 cup ground chia seeds ( the new “supergrain” that contains even more omega-3 fatty acids than flax seeds; can help with the weight management)
• 1/2 cup quinoa flour
• 2 tsp yeast
• optional (2 tbsp flax seeds, 1 tbsp sunflower seeds, 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds)

Note 1: If you would prefer not to use white flour, it can be replaced with the same quantity of whole wheat flour, ground chia seeds or quinoa flour). Expect to get a denser bread, but richer and tastier.
Note 2: You can play a bit with the maple syrup and salt quantities to find out your perfect combination for the dough rise (salt kills yeast while the sweet ingredient feeds it).

I use the bread machine only to make the dough and then I bake the bread and/or muffins in the oven. I put the ingredients in this order:

1. the egg
2. warm milk
3. butter
4. salt
5. maple syrup
6. flour
7. chia seeds
8. yeast

At the machine signal, I add more flax seeds, sunflower seeds and sometimes pumpkin seeds.
Also, at this time, you might want to add a bit of more flour (if the dough seems too soft or a bit more milk).
When the dough is ready, grease two loaf pans and put the dough in them. Cover and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size.

You might want to make bread or/and muffins. Usually I make a loaf of bread and a dozen of bread muffins. The kids enjoy them very much.

Set up the oven at 280 F (~140 C). Don’t preheat the oven, just put the loaf pans in right away. When the temperature reaches 280 F (~140 F), let the bread stand in the oven for 1 hour and the muffins for 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Note: If you wand a tasty vegetarian recipe just replace the meat with only rice and crank up the spices

What you will need:

1. 1/2 kg ground beef/pork/chicken.
2. 4 onions medium size
3. 150 ml olive oil
4. 200 grams white or brown rice
5. 1 bunch of parsley or dill – you can use both.
6. 1 small can of tomato paste (156ml)
7. 1 tsp salt
8. 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
9. 2 jars of grape leaves in brine. I use Krinos (500 ml each) and you can find them in Canada in stores like Food Basics/Nicastros/European Delicatessen. I am sure you can find them in any plac in the world where a Eastern European community is established (hint – look for the Greeks )
10. 2 tomatoes
11. Slow cooker or oven

The steps:

1. Take the grape leaves out of the jar, rinse them in cold water and keep them for a few minutes immersed in water to wash the salt out.
2. Keep a part of the leaves for the bottom of the pan and for covering the stufed leaves during cooking.
3. Wash the rice.
4. Chop the onions and sauté them in the 150 ml olive oil for 3-5 minutes.
5. Add the tomato paste and mix them well together. Leave the pan on the oven for two more minutes and then take it off.
6. Chop the parsley and/or dill.
7. Use a big pan and combine the onion mixture, parsley/dill with the ground meat, rice, salt, pepper and mix them well together. This is the stuffing you will use for the rolls.



8. Lay the grape leaves on a plate and cut each leaf in two. You can use the whole leaf in case you would like to make bigger rolls.
9. Now it is time to show your dexterity by making really small and cute rolls….the smallest they are, the cutter and easier to impress the guests. You will need 10 thin fingers, but in case you don’t have them, just use regular size ones
10. Take a good leaf (without holes in it), lay it in your palm and place approximately one or 2 teaspoons of the stuffing mixture, with a teaspoon, on the leaf (the amount of stuffing depends on the size of the leave).



11. Compact the mix in the leaf and roll it like a cigar. Close it at the ends by pressing the leaf ends inside with your fingers.





12. Repeat with the remaining grape leaves and filling.



13. If you like combine multiple types of leaves like horseradish and cabbage



14. Line the bottom of the slow cooker’s pan with the half of reserved leaves. Over them place layers of stuffed grapevine leaves.



15. Cut the tomatoes in small pieces in put it over the last layer for enriched taste and color. The last layer is the other half of the reserved leaves.



16. Use the slow cooker at slow temperature for about 7 hours.

They last about a week in the refrigerator. Enjoy them served warm with a bit of sour cream and maybe polenta and with beer or red wine.

Ingredients:

Pie filling:

• about 300 grams ground chicken breast meat
• 150 grams cheddar cheese
• 1 onion (medium size)
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp thyme (fresh or dry)
• 3 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Dough:

• 250 grams pressed dry cottage cheese (I like the “Western” brand)
• 7 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato pasta sauce
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• about 200 grams all purpose flour

Preparation

The pie filling:

1. In a nonstick pot or frying pan, place chopped onion and 3 tbsp oil.
2. Sauté over low – medium heat for 3 – 5 minutes.
3. Cut the cheddar cheese in small pieces and then mix it with the ground chicken breast in a large bowl

4. Then add the onion, tomato pasta sauce, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and a mixed egg.
5. Use a wood spatula and make sure that they are all mixed well.

The pie dough:

1. Mix the pressed dry cottage cheese with two tbsp olive oil, milk, one egg and the baking soda.
2. Add the flour and make it a dough.

3. Use a rolling pin and flatten the dough

The pie:

1. Spread the pie filling evenly over the layer of dough.

2. Roll it over

3. Cut it in 7-8 pieces.

4. Spread olive oil inside of a circular pan. You can use non stick cooking paper if you want.

5. Arrange the pie pieces inside like a flower.

6. Mix an egg and pour it evenly on the pie.

7. Put it in the oven (300 C) and leave it for one hour.

8. Try a slice

I hope you will have fun cooking and eating this pie

Ingredients:

• 2 medium size eggplants with skin.
• 15-20 cloves garlic
• a bunch of fresh parsley

• 1 cup of cider vinegar (white would work as well)
• 2 tbsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3-4 bay leaves
• 9-10 fl oz olive oil

• an empty glass jar (about 800 grams) with a lid

Preparation:

1. Take the eggplants (with the skin) and slice them. Each slice should be about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick.

2. In a big pot, bring 20 cups of water (about 5 l) to a boil, add a tbsp of sea salt and boil the eggplants for about 5 minutes.

3. Strain to get rid of the hot water.

4. Add 7-8 floz (200 ml) of olive oil to a pan and fry the eggplants slices on both sides for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Depending on the size of the frying pan, you will need to repeat this a few times. Put the slices on a big plate once you remove them from the pan.

5. In another small pot, combine:

• 1 cup vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3-4 bay-leaves
• 1 tbsp sugar or honey
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Bring it to boil and let it boil for about 3 minutes.

6. In a glass jar (~800 grams) lay 2-3 eggplants slices, a few pieces of garlic, parsley, then another layer of eggplants, garlic, parsley, till you reach the top of the jar, while pushing down the content to make sure that you fit as much as possible. Leave about one inch at the top.

7. Pour in the hot combination of vinegar and water and make sure that the liquid will find a way to the bottom of the jar.

8. Tighten the lid while the jar content is still hot.

9. Cover the jar with a warm blanket to accelerate the process.

10. The pickled eggplants are ready to serve in about 2 days and they can last for long time (even one year) if you keep them in a cool place. Refrigerate the jar once opened.