Everybody knows that moving to a new place is always stressful. But for me it was not just a stressful event, it was almost a tragedy (fortunately only for the first two days). Our landlords, nice and sweet people, by the way, decided to sell the condo we were renting, and we had two months to find a new home for us. I freaked out and decided to find a new place before the Thanksgiving and all the holiday season madness. The thing is I loved my old apartment so much that I thought we would never find a place as good as that one. Everything was perfect there: the pool, the price, the location, not to mention that our neighbors became our best friends. So I wanted to take my time and choose the best market could offer. I was so busy with all the searching and packing, and moving that I had no time for cooking and blogging. Actually, I think the nearby restaurants made a decent money on our everyday takeouts. Long story short, one month and 25 boxes later we are finally settled in a wonderful 2 bedroom condo in the heart of lovely Menlo Park. And I am peaceful, happy and ready to start blogging again.

After almost three weeks of takeouts and junk food my husband and I decided to watch our diet and eat healthy. That is not easy I need to say, you know old habits die hard. But anyway, we are doing pretty good. MyFitnessPal app helps a lot. Now my motto is – New healthy habits in a new sunny apartment!

From December 1st Sasha and I try to eat healthy, cut alcohol and count our daily calories. So, today I came up with this Sweet Potato Fries snack idea, which he loved very much. The best part is this avocado sauce, which in my opinion is absolutely delicious. Just try it folks and tell me what you think!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Avocado Dip

By voloshyna, December 2, 2014

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

• sweet potatoes - 3 medium, washed
• olive oil - 1/2 tablespoon
• sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
• paprika - 1 teaspoon
• chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• lemon zest - 1 teaspoon
• sea salt - 1 teaspoon
• dry garlic - 1/2 teaspoon
• For the Avocado Dip: -
• ripe avocado - 1, peeled and cut into wedges
• lemon juice - 1 teaspoon or to taste
• grape seed oil - 1/6 cup
• parsley - 3 table spoon, chopped
• grated parmesan - 1/4 cup
• chili powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
• salt - to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Cut the potatoes into slim french fry shaped pieces. Try to cut them into even In a small bowl mix all the dry ingredients. Lay the fries in a single layer on a baking sheet, drizzle olive oil all over. Season with the spice mix. Bake for 10 minutes then gently flip with a spatula to cook evenly and bake for another 10 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and cook for 2 more minutes until crisp and golden brown. Be careful your fries might burn very fast. Arrange the fries on a platter. Meanwhile make the Avocado Dip. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl.

That’s what I call The Perfect Autumn Dinner. This recipe I’ve created special for the Chinet Baking Series, using Chinet Bakeware® Small Oval Pan 7.25 x 9.25 x 2 . I love this dish because it’s creamy, crunchy and very easy to customize. There are also no strict list of ingredients, you can use any mushrooms you like, add pancetta, vegetables or herbs to your taste. Don’t limit yourself and be creative.

By the way, I need to test three more Chinet Bakeware Pans, so expect three more delicious and simple recipes from me!

Mac & Cheese with mushrooms and truffle butter

By voloshyna, September 10, 2013

• Total Time: 60 minutes
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• mix of mushrooms - 12 oz (any mushrooms you like), roughly chopped
• medium shallot - 1, finely chopped
• butter - 2 tablespoons
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• For the topping: -
• bread crumbs, lightly toasted - 1 1/2 cups, I used the whole wheat crumbs
• dry garlic - 1 teaspoon
• chili powder - 1teaspoon
• grated Parmigiano-Reggiano - 2 tablespoons
• unsalted butter - 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons, melted
• truffle butter - 1-2 teaspoons, melted
• For the cheese sauce: -
• unsalted butter - 3 tablespoons
• all-purpose flour - 3 tablespoons
• whole milk - 2 cups
• mascarpone - 1/4 cup
• gouda, finally grated - 3 cups
• salt - to taste
• To cook the pasta: -
• elbows - 3/4 lb
• water -
• salt - to taste

Instructions:

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in butter until tender about 7-9 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cook 1 minute longer and set aside. For the topping, put the breadcrumbs into a medium bowl, mix with dry garlic, chili powder and grated Parmegiano. Drizzle with melted butter and toss well to combine. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente (according to package direction). Meanwhile make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a heavy-duty saucepan. Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk over medium-low heat, until the the butter and flour become golden-brown. Slowly add the milk, while whisking constantly. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and has consistency of heavy cream, about 5-6 min. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat. Cook for another 8-10 minutes, whisking occasionally. Gently whisk in the cheese, season to taste with salt. Add the sauce and sautéed mushrooms to the drained pasta and gently stir to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to a baking dish and evenly scatter the breadcrumbs topping. Bake at 350 F about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Here comes my favorite Indian dish of all times. I’m crazy about Chicken Tikka Masala, no wonder I order it every time I’m at the Indian restaurant! Unfortunately my husband isn’t an Indian food fan, so I cook it at home not so often.

Chicken Tikka Masala

By voloshyna, June 4, 2013

• Total Time: 01h 10min
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients:

• boneless and skinless chicken - 1 lb, cut into large bite-sized chunks, and poked with a fork
• Marinade: -
• plain yogurt - 1 cup
• fresh lemon juice - 2 tbsp
• salt - 1 tsp
• garlic - 3 cloves, minced
• freshly grated ginger - 1 tbsp
• cumin - 1 tsp
• black pepper - 2 tsp
• ground red pepper - 1 tsp
• chili powder - 1 tsp
• Sauce: -
• ghee - 1 tbsp
• garlic - 3 cloves minced
• serrano peppers - 1-2, chopped
• ground coriander - 2 tsp
• ground cumin - 1 tsp
• paprika - 2 tsp
• garam masala - 1 tsp
• canned diced tomatoes - 1 can, 15 oz
• tomato sauce - 1/2 can, 8 oz
• heavy cream - 1/2 cup
• salt - to taste
• sugar - 1 tsp, or to taste
• cooked quinoa - for serving

Instructions:

In a large bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator up to overnight. Place a large skillet or sauce pan over medium heat and add the olive ghee. Add garlic and serrano pepper, cook for 1 minute. Stir in coriander, cumin, paprika and garam masala. Then stir in diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. Add salt and sugar to taste. Meanwhile fire up your grill. Coat it with some oil. Place the chicken on the grill. Cook until lightly brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Add the chicken to the sauce and cook for another 10 minute. Add the cream and stir through. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, and serve over quinoa or rice.

Hi guys! I’m back. Sorry I’ve been missed a long time, I had a serious problems with my laptop, actually I still have. One of my culinary experiment ended pretty bad and my precious laptop, with all my recipes and food pictures, was filled with kompot. Hope my husband can save him. Anyway I’m glad to be back with new delicious and vivid dishes.

Pea and leek cream soup

By voloshyna, May 29, 2013

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• avocado or olive oil - 2 tbsp
• leek - 2 cup, chopped with a light green parts
• scallion - 1 cup, finely chopped
• freshly shelled or frozen peas - 4 cups
• dry white wine - 1/2 cup
• heavy cream or coconut milk - 1 cup
• chicken broth - 3 cups
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• chili powder - 1 tsp
• pita chips - for serving

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, add the leek and scallion, cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the leek is tender. Add the white wine, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the peas and the chicken broth, again bring to a boil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the peas are tender. (Frozen peas will take only 3 minutes.) Off the heat, add the chili powder, salt, and pepper. Puree the soup in a blender and pour back in the sauce pan. Add heavy cream or coconut milk, and warm up, do not bring to a boil. Serve hot with pita chips.

Good lasagna recipe it’s a real treasure, cause almost everyone loves this dish. I tried to make it healthier and came up with this wonderful recipe. You can use you own variety of vegetables, don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations!

Bon appetite!

Vegetable and spinach lasagna

By voloshyna, May 8, 2013

• Total Time: 01h 15min
• Prep Time: 25-30 minutes
• Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• medium zucchinis - 2, pilled and chopped
• medium bell peppers - 2, seeded and chopped
• uncooked oven ready lasagna noodles - 1 package
• mozzarella, provolone and Parmesan cheese mix - 2 cups
• medium onion - 1, finely chopped
• garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped
• canned diced tomatoes - 1 can, 14 oz
• light ricotta cheese - 15 oz
• fresh spinach - 2 cups, packed
• egg - 1
• extra virgin olive oil -
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• For the tomato sauce: -
• tomato sauce - 26 oz
• dry Italian herbs (oregano, thyme, basil) - 2 tbsp
• paprika - 1 tsp
• chili powder - 1 tsp
• salt - to taste
• garlic - 2 cloves, minced
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Instructions:

In a heavy skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sauté zucchinis, bell pepper , onion and garlic until tender. Add diced tomatoes and cook another 7-10 minutes. Season to taste. In a food processor combine ricotta cheese, spinach, 1/2 cup of cheese mixture and egg, process untill smooth. In a medium bowl mix all the ingredients for a tomatoe sauce. Season to taste. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with the tomato sauce, place the lasagna noodles on top of the sauce until the dish is covered, spread a thin layer of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, sprinkle the cheese mixture, and cover with a layer of the lasagna noodles. Then add a layer of the vegetable mix, coat with tomato sauce, sprinkle the cheese mixture over top, and cover with a layer of the lasagna noodles. Repeat until the baking dish is full and your ingredients used up. The last layer should be the tomato sauce with some cheese sprinkled over top. Drizzle with an extra virgin olive oil and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove foil and broil high (2-5 minutes) until the cheese on top becomes a golden brown. Let it sit for 8-10 minutes before serving.

Great vegetarian appetizer, good for a summer party with your friends! This is also my first step by step recipe.

Cut zucchinis into 1/2-inch rounds.  In a small bowl mix together flour, Parmesan, bread crumbs, chili powder and pinch of salt. In another bowl, lightly beat eggs with 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Dip zucchinis in the flour mixture, followed by the egg, do the same manipulations one more time.

 In a big skillet preheat the oil. Place zucchini slices in the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Transfer them into a paper towel to drain.

Chop basil leaves and garlic. Cut tomatoes into a thin slices.

Combine together mayonnaise, garlic and finely chopped basil, season with a black pepper.

 Top each zucchini slice with a teaspoon of basil mayo, tomato slice, shaved Parmesan and small basil leaf. 

Breaded zucchini with basil mayonnaise

By voloshyna, April 23, 2013

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

• zucchinis - 2, pilled
• all purpose flour - 1 cup
• ground Parmesan - 4 tbsp
• bread crumbs - 4 tbsp
• chili powder - 1/2 ts
• salt - 1 ts
• vegetable or sunflower oil - for frying
• Campari tomatoes - 4-5, thinly sliced
• shaved Parmesan - for serving
• For the sauce: -
• homemade or store-bought mayonnaise - 1/2 cup
• fresh basil leaves - 8
• garlic - 2 cloves, minced
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Instructions:

Cut zucchinis into 1/2-inch rounds. In a small bowl mix together flour, Parmesan, bread crumbs, chili powder and pinch of salt. In another bowl, lightly beat eggs with 1/4 tsp. of salt. Dip zucchinis in the flour mixture, followed by the egg, do the same manipulations one more time. In a big skillet preheat the oil. Place zucchini slices in the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Transfer them into a paper towel to drain. Combine together mayonnaise, garlic and finely chopped basil, season with a black pepper. Top each zucchini slice with a teaspoon of basil mayo, tomato slice, shaved Parmesan and small basil leaf.

Worth to try! Only 25 minutes to cook. I recommend to serve this breakfast with a green salad garnish.

Fried eggs with balsamic glazed mushrooms

By voloshyna, April 22, 2013

Ingredients:

• eggs - 2
• extra virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp
• small shallot - 1, finely chopped
• cremini mushrooms - 1/4 lb, thinly sliced
• salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• balsamic vinegar - 1-2 tbsp
• wheat buns or any other - 2
• swiss cheese - 4 slices
• chili powder - 1/4 tsp

Instructions:

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add chopped shallot; cook 3 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.Add balsamic vinegar, black pepper, and salt; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove mushroom mixture from pan; keep warm. Return pan to medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Crack eggs into pan, and cook 4 minutes or until whites are set.  Top each bun with a 2 cheese slices.  Divide mushroom mixture evenly among buns, and top each serving with 1 egg. Sprinckle with chili powder

This could be your ideal beginning of the day. Healthy and light breakfast with a glass of orange juice, exactly what you need in the morning!

Fried eggs with tofu, spinach and shiitake mushrooms

By voloshyna, April 10, 2013

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Prep Time: 30-35 minutes
• Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

• tofu - 1/2 block
• butter - 1 tbsp
• shiitake mushrooms - 1 cup, thinly sliced
• blanched spinach - 2 cups
• porcini salt or kosher salt - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• eggs - 4
• chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Instructions:

At first you need to press the tofu to remove excess water. After this procedure tofu becomes firmer, holds its shape, and browns better when cooked. Lay cut tofu flat on a baking sheet lined with a double layer of paper towel. Place couple more paper towels on top and add another baking sheet or a cutting board. Weight with something heavy; let sit 20 to 30 minutes. Then cut tofu on a 1 inch cubes. Combine butter and garlic in a medium skillet. Heat until butter is melted and garlic starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Do not let garlic brown. Add mushrooms and saute 3 to 4 minutes, turning until lightly browned.  Season to taste. Transfer tofu into a skillet with a mushrooms and cook all together for about 4 more minutes. Add blanched spinach and cook another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make 4 wells in greens. Crack 1 egg into each well. Season with salt and chilli powder. Cook undisturbed  4 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes.

This is the first homemade frittata in my life! Now I have one more super nice vegetarian breakfast recipe in my collection!

Ready in a half an hour.

Cheesy tomato frittata

By voloshyna, February 23, 2013

• Total Time: 23 minutes
• Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
• Cook time: 13-15 minutes

Ingredients:

• medium boiled potato - 1, roughly chopped
• olive oil - 2 tbsp
• small shallot - 1, finely chopped
• eggs - 4
• freshly grated Parmesan - 1/4 cup + more for serving
• graded Provolone - 1/4 cup
• grated Cheddar - 1/4 cup
• medium plum tomatoes - 2
• salt - to taste
• chili powder - to taste
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste
• chopped fresh dill - 2 tbsp

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Fry potato and onion until golden brown. Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in cheeses and season with salt, chili powder and pepper. pour egg mixture into pan; arrange tomato slices on top of egg mixture. Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes, until frittata is puffy and golden. Remove from oven and let cool for several minutes. Sprinkle with fresh dill and grated Parmesan.

Zucchini is never really inspired me. All the dishes cooked with them, seemed incredibly boring to me. Fried zucchinis, stews, squash blinis -I used to eat them without much enthusiasm. Big changes occurred when I began to cook by myself. My kitchen become a place for experiments, where I can come up with a new recipes and find the most incredible combinations. So, one day, I decided to give a chance to zucchinis. I fried them in a batter with parmesan and bread crumbs, dressed with homemade spicy sauce, and cherry tomatoes slices on top. They came out crispy and golden on the outside and very tender inside. I can no longer say that zucchini is boring!

Crispy zucchini sandwiches

By voloshyna, August 9, 2012

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• small zucchinis - 2
• all-purpose flour - 1 cup
• ground Parmesan - 3-4 tbs.
• bread crumbs - 3-4 tbs.
• chili powder - 1/4 tsp.
• eggs - 2
• salt - to taste
• cherry tomatoes - 8-10
• vegetable oil - for frying
• For the sauce: -
• homemade mayo - 1/2 cup
• minced garlic - 2 cloves
• finely chopped dill and parsley - 2-3 tbs.
• freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Instructions:

Cut zucchinis into 1/2-inch rounds. In a small bowl mix together flour, Parmesan, bread crumbs, chili powder and pinch of salt. In another bowl, lightly beat eggs with 1/4 tsp. of salt. Dip zucchinis in the flour mixture, followed by the egg, do the same manipulations one more time. Preheat oil on the frying pan. Place the zucchini slices in the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Transfer them into a paper towel sheets to drain. Combine together mayonnaise, garlic and herbs, season with a black pepper. Put one teaspoon of sauce and slice of tomato on top of the each zucchini.

This dish is not complicated and very budget. Usually chili cooked with beef, but if you like pork – go ahead. The main thing  is to add the four basic ingredients: ground meat, red kidney beans, tomato sauce, chili pepper, the rest may very. Nothing complicated, but so delicious!

Chili con carne

By voloshyna, July 19, 2012

• Total Time: 01h 30min
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• ground pork - 1 lb.
• bell pepper - 2 (red and yellow)
• chili pepper - 1-2
• diced tomatoes - 1 can (undrained)
• tomato sauce - 1 cup
• applewood smoked bacon - 3 slices
• red sweet onion - 2
• olive oil - 2 tbs.
• lower-sodium chicken broth - 1 cup
• no-salt added kidney beans - 1 can (rinsed and drained)
• garlic - 4-5 cloves (minced)
• chili powder - 1 ts
• salt - 3/4 tsp
• worcestershire sauce - 3 tbs.
• For serving: -
• sour cream - 3-4 tbs.
• sharp cheddar - 3/4 cup (shredded)
• fresh cilantro leaves - 1/4 cup
• finely chopped red onion - 1/2 cup

Instructions:

Heat a big pan and fry chopped bacon for a couple minutes then add the ground meat. Fry stirring, until lightly browned. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil. Fry the diced onion, bell pepper and chili until onion is soft. Add the chopped garlic and fry for about 1 minute. Mix the fried beef and vegetables in a saucepan or deep skillet. Add canned tomatoes, broth and tomato sauce. Season with salt, chili powder and worcestershire sauce. Cook, uncovered, over low heat, for a 45 minutes. Then add the drained beans, simmer for another 15 min. Serve hot chili with chopped sweet onion, cheese and cilantro, and don't forget the sour cream.