POLISH BIGOS (HUNTER'S STEW) - Bill Szemcsak

POLISH BIGOS (HUNTER'S STEW)

• 3 lg. cans sauerkraut
• 1 c. cooked barley
• 3 cans mushrooms
• 1 tbsp. dill weed
• 1 tbsp. caraway seed
• 1 tsp. Accent
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 lb. butter
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 lbs. cooked fresh Polish sausage

Pour boiling water over sauerkraut; squeeze out and put in roaster. Fry onion in butter until tender. Mix with sauerkraut; add remaining ingredients. Put in oven; cover and bake for 30 minutes at 300 degrees

Cherry Coconut Peanut Butter Cookies - Kim Spera Bamburak

Cherry Coconut Peanut Butter Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups of flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter 
• 1 cup creamy or super chunk peanut butter 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 cup packed brown sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 6 1/2 ounces of flaked coconut 
• red or green candied cherries, halved 

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in sugars until blended. Beat in eggs and vanilaa. Add flour mixture; beat until well blended.
If necessary, refrigerate dough for easier handling.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls.
Spread coconut on waxed paper; roll balls in coconut.
Place red or green cherry half in center of each cookie.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely on wire racks.
Store in tightly covered container.

Thumbprint Treasures - Kim Spera Bamburak

Thumbprint Treasures

• 1/2 cup (1 Stick) butter or margarine 
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 1 egg 
• 1 1/2 cups flour 
• 1 egg white, slightly beaten 
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts 
• 3/4 to 1 cup strawberry, black raspberry, cherry, apricot or peach preserves 

Grease cookie sheets in a large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg. Stir in flour and blend thoroughly. Wrap dough and refrigerate about 1 hour, to chill slightly.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
With floured hands, roll pieces of dough into 1 inche balls.
Dip balls into egg white, then roll in chopped nuts.
Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
With your thumb make an indentation in center of each cookie.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool on wire racks.. (If centers have risen during baking, press down again while cookies are hot.)
When cool, fill each center with about 1 level tablespoon preserves.

Machado Empanada Filling - Ana E. Machado

Machado Empanada Filling

First Set of Ingredients:

• 1 oz salt pork, rinsed off and diced
• 2 oz lean cured ham, rinsed off and diced

Second Set of Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 green pepper, seeded & chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 – 3 garlic cloves, chopped

Third Set of Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 T Adobo
• ¼ t white vinegar
• 1 lb ground beef

Fourth Set of Ingredients: 

• 6 pimiento stuffed olives, sliced
• 2 t drained capers
• 2 T raisins
• 2 T (give or take) tomato sauce (the final mix should be somewhat dry)

In a caldero (heavy kettle with lid), rapidly brown the salt pork and ham over medium high heat. 


Reduce heat to low and add the 2nd set of ingredients. Sauté for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the 3rd set of ingredients, mix and stir over high heat until the beef loses its red color. Turn heat to low, 
add the last set of ingredients, mix and cover. Cook for 30 minutes.

Disclaimer: my mother has never written her recipes down, and measures out amounts with her favorite wooden spoon or her hand. I did the best I could with the measurements while watching her make this batch of filling several years ago.

NUT ROLL - by Mary Haelsen's Little Sister

Blogger's note: There are a number of Poppy Seed and Nut Roll Recipes here, I felt we should post them all due to the fact they are "Perth Amboy's Family Recipes".

My little sister makes the best nut rolls. She modifed my mom's and grandfather's recipes, combining the best of each,which is probably why they are so delicious. Here is her recipe. 

NUT ROLL

(dough)

• 1 envelope (or square) yeast
• 1/4 cup warm milk
• 1/2 pound butter (2 sticks)
• 4 egg yolks, beaten
• 1/2 pint of half & half
• 4 cups flour
• 1tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt

Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Melt butter & mix with beaten egg yolks.
In separate bowl sift flour, sugar & salt. Mix yeast with butter, egg yolks & half & half. Add flour. Mix until smooth. Shape into 3 balls & refrigerate overnight.

(Nut filling)

• 1 pound walnuts, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 egg whites, beaten stiff

Mix nuts, sugar vanilla. Fold in Beaten egg whites. Use 1 to 1 1/4 cups per roll. (Usually I make this and refrigerate overnight with the dough but you can just keep the egg whites in and make the mixture the next day..up to you.)

Roll out each ball into a 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Spread with filling to within 1/2 inch of sides. Roll up & place loaves on baking (ungreased) sheet and place in warm spot for 3 hours. ( I usually cover loaves with clean dish towel while they rest). 

Brush top with beaten egg & Bake @ 325 for 1 hour.

Nut & Poppy SEED ROLLS - Mrs. Rose Tarrantino, 1960's Ukrainian Cookbook

Blogger's note: There are a number of Poppy Seed and Nut Roll Recipes here, I felt we should post them all due to the fact they are "Perth Amboy's Family Recipes".

Nut & Poppy SEED ROLLS - Mrs. Rose Tarrantino, 1960's Ukrainian Cookbook

NOTE: An Eastern European dessert table would invariably include something sweet made with poppyseeds, either ground or whole. This poppyseed roll or strudel is made with a yeast dough and is known as makowiec (mah-KOH-vyets) in Polish. Canned poppyseed paste, available in the ethnic aisle of most supermarkets, can be used, but directions are also given if you choose to make your own filling.

• 4 1/2  c. flour
• 1 tsp, salt
• 1 c of lukewarm water
• 1/2 c of butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 4 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 fresh yeast cakes

Crumble yeast into cup, add water and sugar, let stand until
you mix butter and flour as for pie crust. Make a well and add
egg yolks, salt and yeast mixture. Mix until smooth and dough
leaves the side of the bowl. Divide into 4 pieces. Roll each
piece out as thin as possible and spread with (cooled) filling
Place greased pan and brush with egg white. Let stand in warm place
for about 1hour. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 - 45 minutes ~
or until brown. Cover with damp cloth as soon as you take it out
of oven, keep covered for about 10 minutes for a nice crust.

Nut Filling

Heat milk, add walnuts and stir. Add sugar, butter and
lemon juice. Cool before spreading on dough.

• 1 lb. ground walnuts
• 1/2 co sugar
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1tsp, lemon juice

Poinsettia Cocktail - Bill Parker Sr.

• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1/4 cup Champagne
• 1/2 cup cranberry juice
• Crushed ice
• 2 strips orange zest, each about 1/4-inch wide and 2 inches long

Directions

Combine the vodka, Champagne and juice in a large-stemmed red wine glass. Add crushed ice and stir until the mixture is well chilled. Twist the orange strips over the glass, drop them in, and serve.