Meatball & Sauce - Ilona Borodics Medina

For Sauce:

• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 2 small cans of tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp or so Corn oil
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ tsp. Salt & ¼ tsp. pepper
• Large non-stick pot with lid

For Meatballs

• 1 lb. beef only chop meat
• 1 egg
• ½ cup or so Plain bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. Grated Romano cheese
• Parsley flakes
• ¼ tsp. Salt & ¼ tsp. pepper
• Large bowl for mixing

Combine all ingredients for meatballs in bowl and shape into meatballs. Brown the meatballs either in the microwave or in a frying pan (no oil). 

For sauce………line bottom of non-stick pot with oil and heat. While oil is heating chop up onion and garlic until fine. Put it in pot and sauté. Garlic should only be browned slightly. 

Put in 2 cans of tomato sauce and 1 can of tomato paste, stir. Now fill the tomato sauce can with water and pour into tomato paste can, stir. I do this so I can get all the sauce and paste out. Repeat with other tomato sauce can. Fill tomato paste can again with water. You should have a total of 3 cans of water from the tomato past cans. The sauce should be a saucy consistency, not watery. Drop in the meatballs, lower heat immediately and stir. Add salt and pepper. Cover with lid and stir every 15 minutes or so, making sure it doesn’t stick to bottom. 

Tomato sauce cooks very hot and burns easily, heat should be as low as possible – you should only see a slight bubble when cooking. Cook for about 1-1/2 – 2 hrs. The oil will rise to the top of the sauce when finished, you can scoop it off if you like. Because you cook it for a long amount of time, the sauce will lose it’s tomato taste and taste more beefy.

LEKVAR COOKIES - Ilona Borodics Medina

• Sugar,
•  4 sticks butter, 
• 4 cups flour, 
• small amount of flour to coat work surface, 
• med. jar of Lekvar and 
• apricots, 
• 2 bars cream cheese, 
• 1 egg, 
• powdered sugar

Blend softened butter and cream cheese together (a food processor can be used), 

add 2 cups flour, mix, gradually add the rest of the four. 

In the meantime spread sugar, small amount of flour on table/work surface .
Beat egg in a small bowl- set aside .Roll dough in a large ball, put remainder in refrigerator. Roll out dough with rolling pin, till thin,( not too thin – you have to be able to roll and put filling into it, without it falling apart). If dough is too sticky add more flour to dough and working surface.
Cut into small squares and fill. 

Place on cookie sheet. Brush cookies with egg. When completely cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly golden brown at 375.

CHICKEN PAPRIKAS WITH NYOKODLI (dumplings) - Ilona Borodics Medina

CHICKEN PAPRIKAS WITH NYOKODLI (dumplings)

For Paprikas……..

• 4 Boneless chicken breasts
• Corn oil
• 1 small green pepper (chopped)
• 1 small onion (chopped fine)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)
• 1 tbsp red paprika (not hot paprika)
• ½ cup water (approx.)
• ½ cup sour cream (optional)
• To cook use a non-stick stock pot with lid

For Nyokodli (Dumplings)

• 2 cups flour (not self rising)
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp garlic
• 1 cup water (approximate)
• Large bowl
• Large Colander
• Cutting board & small knife

To cook use a large pot of boiling water

To cook Parikas….Line pot with oil, heat on medium, and add pepper, onion, and tomato – sauté – stir several times. Add chicken in pot and brown on both sides. Lower heat and add only ½ a can of tomato sauce, stir, then add ½ cup of water or enough to cover chicken. Add salt, pepper, garlic and put paprika on top. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 1-1/2 hrs., till chicken is fork tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking, sauce will thicken. You can add sour cream about 5 minutes before Paprikas is done. Just stir it in and heat a bit. Set aside and make the nyokodlis….

To cook Nyokodli(dumplings)…..Fill large pot with water ¾ full. While waiting for the water to boil…..put flour into bowl, then egg, salt and garlic. Pour some water in and start mixing the flour mixture. Keep adding water in until the mixture is a thin paste, not runny. When water boils in pot……spoon out a glob of the flour mixture on the cutting board (about the size of a fist). Keep the water heat on high – it will stop boiling as you start adding the nyokodlis. Slice off little pieces of the flour mixture with a knife and push into the boiling water (about ½” to 3/4” or in size). Repeat this again until all the flour mixture is in the pot. The nyokodlis rise to the top immediately, this means they are done, they cook instantly. Drain immediately. The starch will stick to them when you drain – stir them to get starch off – rinse off the starch with warm water.

To serve……….Spoon a portion of the Nyokodli onto a plate, then spoon the Paprikas sauce over it, then add a piece of chicken. I usually serve it with a Hungarian cucumber salad - just sliced cucumbers, with vinegar, sugar, garlic, paprika and water, served ice cold (tastes sweet & sour). Enjoy!!!!