voloshyna – DivineCuisine Recipes

Amazing Fresh Basil Pesto

voloshyna — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 17:00:57 +0000

This pesto is very conservative and classic. It’s made with fresh basil, olive oil, pine nuts, some lime juice, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. To make an amazing fresh basil pesto you just need the right proportions, and simply follow the recipe and your taste. And then the only thing you’ll have to do is to combine all the ingredients in a food processor and push the button. Voila, in a few minutes, you’ve got an incredible homemade sauce. Yes, it’s that easy.

You can add pesto to your pasta, spread it on sandwiches, or use it in salads. Once you get comfortable cooking the basil pesto, you can start to experiment with the whole bunch of other herbs, and nuts. I love parsley cashew pesto, it’s very good. Please send me your recipes, I would love to hear about your experiments!

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Safe Homemade Mayonnaise

voloshyna — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 18:11:30 +0000

With this version of mayo you don’t need to worry about the raw eggs like in the most homemade mayonnaise recipes. I always prefer to use soft boiled eggs, the taste is the same, but there is no risk of getting salmonella infection, even though the chances are pretty slim. I also love using a combination of refined sunflower and extra virgin olive oil for my mayo; these oils give it nice smooth flavor, and not overpower one another.

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Flourless Raspberry Cake with Homemade Cheese

voloshyna — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 19:09:57 +0000

This Flourless Raspberry Cake with Homemade Cheese is a tribute to my mother, who is my favorite cook in the whole world! I don’t usually cook a lot of Ukrainian dishes, probably because they are too familiar to me, and because I’m in a constant search of something completely new and challenging.

However, this cake is as Ukrainian as it can get, because it requires one particular ingredient – tvorog. Tvorog is a type of fresh farmers cheese, common in Eastern Europe; it’s extremely popular in Ukraine. You can easily make it at home, it requires only two ingredients and not a lot of efforts, or just buy it in any Russian store.

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Shakshuka

voloshyna — Sun, 10 Jan 2016 19:06:46 +0000

There are thousands of amazing dishes you can cook with eggs. Poached eggs, omelette, baked eggs, and many more, – I admire them all. But there is one particular dish that have a very special place in my heart – delicious hearty Shakshuka, – eggs poached in rich tomato sauce along with some veggies and spices. Sound delicious, isn’t it? And it’s good for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Shakshuka is originally from North Africa and has hundreds of variations, depend on the country and the taste preferences. You can cook it with different veggies, as long as you add tomato sauce, and cumin, which are must have. Just follow your cooking instinct and go with your taste. You can’t be wrong! I love mine Shakshuka with red kidney beans, some smoked paprika, and fresh chili pepper. Think you might like it as well. Just finish your Shakshuka with some fresh cilantro to make it absolutely delicious!

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10 Instagram Accounts You Want to Follow in 2016

voloshyna — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 00:52:01 +0000

It’s not a secret that Instagram became one of the most (if not the most) powerful platforms for foodies. It allows us to follow our favorite chefs, food photographers, etc., who give us a new portion of creativity every day. Admit it, you also post pictures of your Friday dinner or homemade cookies from time to time. Yeah, me too! It’s because we are crazy about food and need to share our passion with the world. So if you want to still your hunger for the good stuff, these Instagram accounts are exactly what you’re looking for. Food porn at its best, they will show you what to eat, when, and where. Be prepared for an insane dose of inspiration!

@jamieoliver

No introduction needed, as well as no need to tell that I adore Jamie, and think he is awesome! He taught me how to cook, and remains my biggest source of inspiration. His Instagram is must follow for every home cook!

2. @fatandfuriousburger

The name speaks for itself. This account is about absolutely crazy burgers. Thomas and Quentin, the creative French design duo behind Fat and Furious Burger, will surprise you and most definitely will make you laugh. The good portion of weirdness guaranteed!

3. @pana_chocolate

A real proof that desserts can be healthy, and delicious at the same time. They have the whole package: raw, organic, handmade, plus dairy, refined sugar, soy & gluten free sweets. And the best part is that you can order these goodies online from their shop!

4. @chefjasonhoward

Jason’s dishes are simply out of this world. This guy takes the food to a whole new level; he treats it as a piece of art, and the final result is stunning.

5. @hol_fox

This graphic designer from LA has filled her Instagram with sugar cookies of all the shapes and colors. She is very talented and clearly color obsessed, which makes her account so irresistible for people like me.

6. @eatdrinksf

All the best food of Bay Area is here. If you want to eat delicious food in San Francisco or somewhere around, now you know who you need to follow.

7. @foodfixup

What could be better than delicious, healthy food + a good dose of exercise? Not much! Stefani invites you to join the healthy side of life, and her Instagram makes you want to eat better and run to the gum right away.

8. @theartofplating

It’s always good to know that there are people in this world who could create such marvelous dishes. The Art of Plating has a dangerous concentration of deliciousness.

9. @sweetpaulmagazine

First of all Sweet Paul is an excellent magazine. Secondly, it’s a great source of inspiration. Their Instagram has not only food photos but also lots of funny pictures and motivational quotes.

10. @eat.wear.travel

If you want to learn what happens when food meets fashion, Eat Wear Travel is perfect for you. And if I had only one word to describe this Instagram account that would be «elegant» by all means.

Surprise!

11. @divinecuisone_recipes

I didn’t have the guts to include my Instagram profile in top-10, that’s why I made it 11th as a bonus =) You knew this had to be coming, and if you didn’t — you don’t know me at all and it’s the right time to check out my Instagram account.

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Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe

voloshyna — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 00:35:15 +0000

Happy Monday everyone! I need to admit that sometimes Mondays could be pretty brutal, especially when you have to work knowing that your weekend is so far away. However, this Monday is not like that. It’s actually happy. The secret is very simple – good food + good friend = wonderful day. Today I’ve had one of the most amazing pizzas I’ve ever tried. No kidding. If you’re in Bay Area, go to Terún and try yourself. The chef is a wizard; he found a secret for a perfect pizza dough. It’s so thin, soft, and delicious I could eat it without any toppings. I begged him to give me the recipe, but no luck. Maybe one day he’ll change his mind =) Anyway, his delicious pizza made my day, and inspired to share my Basic Tomato Sauce recipe. Just because today I’m in the mood for pizza =)

This tomato sauce will be excellent on pizza, and pasta, or whatever you want. Very simple and straight forward, a great addition to your recipe box. The only thing you need to remember is that tomatoes play the main part in this sauce, and the better tomatoes you find, the richer the taste will be. You can’t fake it in this recipe.

I used our homemade tomatoes, they are soooo good I can’t even describe! But if you don’t have such luxury, just go to your local farmer’s market, I’m sure you’ll find something decent there. Also, use fresh, aromatic basil, not the dried one. You’ll taste the difference!

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Holiday Gingersnap Cookies

voloshyna — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 17:33:22 +0000

Gingersnaps are very traditional Christmas cookies here in the US, very unusual for Ukraine though. Unfortunately, I didn’t grow up eating these cookies, but I’ve tried them recently for the first time and immediately felt in love with these ginger goodies. No wonder I baked them the next day, using my Christmas cookie blog post as an excuse. In fact, I just wanted to eat delicious cookies with a cup of my favorite mulled wine. I admit it’s pretty selfish, but what can I do? =) On the bright side, it’s still a win-win situation both for my followers and myself. I’ve got a batch of my favorite dessert, and you – one more wonderful recipe to use during you holiday cookie marathon. So no complaints =)

While searching for an idea for this recipe, I’ve noticed that most of the bakers use powdered ginger and grounded spices vs whole spices. That incredibly affects the taste. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against using pre-grounded spices, but trust me, whole spices would make the taste of your cookies soooo much better. You can grind whole spices in a spice or coffee grinder, or you can use a good old mortar and pestle. It won’t take a lot of time, but those spices will fill your house with a divine aroma, you’ll never get from the spice jar. Bottom line, if you have a few extra minutes, just give whole spices a chance. I’m extremely curious about your experience! I also want to know, do you cook with whole spices? Do you think it makes a difference in your cooking?

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Sex and the City Flirtini Cocktail

voloshyna — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 19:56:38 +0000

If you love good old Sex and the City as I do, you probably watched the Season 3 finale “Cock a Doodle Do!”(one of my favorite episodes by the way). Remember they had an amazing rooftop party at the end of the episode? That was the time they’ve introduced us to this incredible Flirting cocktail – Vodka + Champagne + Pineapple juice.

Very elegant and simple, just perfect for my taste. Personally I think this cocktail was terribly underestimated. Honestly, I don’t know why Carrie and the girls didn’t switch from drinking Cosmopolitan to this refreshing drink. I would trade for sure! I think you should give it a shot as well. Especially with the holiday season coming. I’m planning to serve it on my New Year party. Also, I’ve decided to use Citrus vodka to make the taste crispier, but you can use any vodka you have.

Little tip: Make this cocktail with fresh pineapple juice if you can, the taste will be unforgettable!

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One and Only Shortbread Cookie Recipe You’ll Ever Need

voloshyna — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 17:30:07 +0000

It’s only 21 days before Christmas, and that means the cookie season is officially started. Every year I post a few cookie recipe so that you could treat your loved ones. I’ve decided that this year we’ll begin with the classic shortbread cookies.

Cookies are made of butter and love. – Norwegian Proverb

Classic shortbread cookies are famous for their buttery taste and velvety texture, they practically melt in your mouth. In my humble opinion, every home cook should master this cookies recipe to perfection. They are the basic It’s very easy and rewarding. The only secret is to use high-quality ingredients, especially butter. Trust me, it will make a huge difference. Because his cookies are incredibly simple, they are all about the right ingredients. Also, use real vanilla pods, they will add that magical, unmistakable flavor of an excellent dessert.

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Decadent Brownie Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches

voloshyna — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 03:17:48 +0000

If somebody asked me what is the most Christmasy taste of all, my answer would be peppermint. I think you’re not surprised. When the winter holiday season comes peppermint flavor, just take over our desserts. We drink peppermint mocha, eat candy canes, and all kinds of mint desserts. That’s why, this year I’ve decided to go with a trend and present to you my variation of Brownie Mint Ice Cream Sandwich flavored with cool Brancamenta liquor. Wait for it, there are also pistachios inside and chocolate sauce on top! Yep, I know it’s a bit too much, but damn, it’s so delicious! That’s why we have holidays to eat what actually makes us happy =) No excuses needed to treat yourself!

Fresh mint ice cream perfectly complements the richness of chocolate brownies, and pistachios definitely brighten the flavor. Make this dessert for your next holiday party and let me know how that turned out! By the way, here is one more brownie recipe with homemade caramel sauce, just in case you want one more option.

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