Krofne (Bosnian Doughnuts)

    I enjoy a doughnut every now and then, but nothing I've ever tried has compared to krofne. My mom made them growing up, and I could never get enough of them. I'm sure after trying this recipe, your taste buds will fall in love as well!

Ingredients for the yeast mixture:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup warm milk
• 1/4 cup warm water

Ingredients for the dough:

• 4 cups flour (you will need more for kneading)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 3 eggs

    Combine the ingredients for the yeast mixture in a small bowl, mix, and set aside for 10 minutes.

Next, combine the ingredients for the dough and knead, gradually adding more flour until the dough is not sticky anymore. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and allow to rise in a warm area for 1 hour.

    Punch the dough and knead one more time. Set aside to rise for 30 more minutes.

    Place the dough onto a floured surface, and roll out with a rolling pin until the dough is about 1 cm thick. Use a circular cookie cutter or the top of a glass to cut out the doughnuts. Repeat this process with the leftover pieces of dough until you cannot roll out anymore. Allow these to also rise one last time for about 15 minutes.

    Next, add some oil into a pot and fill it up about an inch and a half. Fry the doughnuts for 2-3 minutes on each side on medium heat. Place them onto paper napkins, transfer them into a dish with sugar, and roll around in the sugar until the doughnut is evenly coated.

Enjoy!

Croissant Bread Pudding

    This is the easiest and best bread pudding recipe I have ever made! 

Ingredients:

• 3 whole eggs
• 8 egg yolks
• 5 cups half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 large croissants, preferably stale
• 1 cup raisins

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, and begin adding in the half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk well until all ingredients are well incorporated and set aside.

    

    Slice the croissants in half horizontally and place the bottom halves in a 10 x 15 x 2.5 inch baking dish. Add the raisins on top of the croissants, and then place the top halves over that. This ensures that the raisins are not exposed and will not burn while baking. 

    Pour the custard over the croissants and press down on them, ensuring that the croissants soak up the custard. Allow this to set for 10 minutes while gently pressing down every so often.

    Place this pan in a larger pan filled with 1 inch of hot water, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Take the aluminum foil off and bake for an additional 45 minutes until the croissants being to puff up. 

    Remove from the oven, and allow to cool. Serve with a white chocolate or caramel sauce.

Enjoy!

Naan

    This naan recipe is sure to delight everyone you make it for, and I guarantee they will keep asking for more! It pairs perfectly with the previous recipe, red lentil curry.

Ingredients:

• 1 (0.25oz) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature

    In a large bowl, dissolve the package of yeast in warm water. Allow this to stand for about 10 minutes. Add in the milk, egg, salt, sugar, and flour. 

    Begin kneading and adding a little flour at a time in order to knead a soft dough. Once the dough has formed, coat the outside of it with a little olive oil. 

    Place a kitchen towel over the top, and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size. 

    Next, pinch off golf ball-sized pieces and roll into balls. Set aside on a cooking tray, place a kitchen towel over them, and allow to rise once again for 30 minutes.

    Heat a cooking pan on medium heat. Take a dough ball and begin rolling it out on a floured surface. Take the room temperature butter and spread it on one side. Place the buttered side down into the pan, and cook for about 1 minute. Butter the other side and flip.

Enjoy!

Red Lentil Curry

    I discovered this recipe when I bought red lentils for the first time, and didn't know what to make out of them. Ever since then, I have been making this at least once a week. It is delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
• Half of a red onion
• 1 tbsp curry
• 4 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 large russet potato, chopped
• 1 cup red lentils
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• Naan bread and lime wedge for serving

    Chop the red onion, garlic, carrots, and potato as you heat the oil in a medium sized pot on medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots to the pot and saute until softened, about 2-3 minutes. 

    

    Stir in the curry powder. Then, add the potato, red lentils, vegetable broth, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer on low heat for 20 minutes while stirring occasionally.

    The best way to serve this dish is with naan and a lime wedge. Enjoy!

Bruschetta

8 roma tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 baguette, sliced and toasted

In a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, basil,

parmesan, and garlic.

Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil,

salt, and pepper and incorporate well.

Burek (Ground Beef Pie)

     Burek is a pie (pita) stuffed with ground beef found in cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire. Pita is a popular dish in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it can be stuffed with a variety of ingredients such as potatoes (krompirusa), cheese (sirnica), and spinach (zeljanica). Although all of these versions of pita are great, burek is my favorite. 

As the saying goes, sve su pite pitice, samo je burek pitac...

Ingredients for the dough (or you can choose to layer phyllo dough):

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups water

Combine all the ingredients and knead until dough begins to form. 

Ingredients for ground beef mixture:

• 1 pound of ground beef
• 2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine all these ingredients and mix well until uniform.

To begin, place the dough onto a floured surface, and begin rolling out with a rolling pin. 

Continue to gradually roll out the dough, adding flour over the top to prevent it from sticking.

Once the dough is rolled out as thinly as possibly, without breaking, begin filling it with the ground beef mixture.

Roll the side of the dough over the beef mixture and continue to roll until the beef can't be seen through the dough.

Cut the dough and begin coiling around itself.

Continue repeating this process, and placing the dough coils into an oiled cooking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour. 

Serve warm with some yogurt (kajmak) and sparking water (kisela voda) on the side.

Ricotta Lemon Pancakes

3 tbsp melted butter

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp grated lemon rind

2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Melt the butter in the microwave and allow to cool. 

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients including the melted butter.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix thoroughly.

Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan on low to medium heat.

Scoop the batter into the saucepan and flip once bubbles begin to form on top.

These are best served with a dusting of powdered sugar!

Guacamole

• 3 avocados, mashed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

In a bowl, first mash the avocados. Then, add the rest of the ingredients, and mix well. Serve immediately, or place plastic wrap over it and refrigerate. 

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal

     I love eating oatmeal for breakfast, especially with a banana. I discovered this recipe over the weekend, and I think I will be eating this for breakfast for a while.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

     Begin by bringing the water and milk to a boil. Add the oatmeal, reduce the heat to medium, and stir often until the oatmeal begins to thicken (~5-7 min). 

     Take the banana and break into pieces and add to the oatmeal. Mix this together along with the raisins. By now the oatmeal should be ready to remove from the heat and plate.

     Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and top with some more raisins, and you're ready to enjoy!

Recipe from popsugargirlsguide

Baked Stuffed Peppers (Punjene Paprike)

Ingredients:

• 3-4 tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 yellow onions
• 8-10 oz. ground beef
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 8-9 small bell peppers (gypsy peppers are best)
• 4 oz. tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• Oil

Preheat the oven to 440 F.

Chop one onion, mince one garlic clove, and peel the tomatoes. 

Add the onion, garlic, and tomatoes into a baking pan with 2 tablespoons of oil,

stir, and place in the oven for 15 minutes.

Mince the remaining garlic and onion, and heat up a pot with a little bit of oil.

Add ground beef, and simmer until the meat is halfway done. 

Add seasonings, stir, and remove from heat.

Add rice in a smaller pot with one cup of water. Cook on medium heat until 

rice is halfway done. Combine rice and meat and stir well.

Cut tops of peppers, de-seed, and wash them. 

Stuff peppers with the filling and place in the baking plan.

Separately, mix 2 cups water, tomato sauce and salt. 

Pour over the peppers, add parsley, and place back in the oven. 

Bake about 1 hour, frequently turning the baking pan and the peppers around.

Serve peppers on their own or with mashed potatoes. 

Chocolate Calzone

This decadent pastry is simple, and will satisfy a sweet tooth in no time!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and take the other half of the pizza dough.

Place the dough onto a cutting board and roll it out.

Next, section the dough into sizes you would like your calzones to be.

Add chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, nutella, or basically anything you would like.

Seal the chocolate into the dough by rolling and pinching the side so that the chocolate doesn't ooze out.

Place in the oven for about 17 minutes.

Cut the calzones and serve while still warm!

Recipe from CookWithApril

Homemade Pizza

Dough Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 packet of yeast
• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To begin, place the yeast in a bowl with the warm water. Let the yeast dissolve for about 5 minutes. Use a spoon to submerge any yeast that hasn't dissolved.

In a separate bowl combine the flour and salt, and add the dissolved yeast. Use a mixer with a dough hook to mix the ingredients together. Add the water and olive oil and mix until the dough begins to form.

Once the dough has formed a sprinkle some flour down on a cutting board, and lightly form the dough into a ball. Place a bowl over the dough and allow to rise for about an hour and a half.

After the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 500 degrees, and divide the dough in half. Take one half and roll it out with a rolling pin. Save the other half for another pizza or for a delicious chocolate calzone recipe. You can also use your fingers to spread the dough as evenly as possible onto a cooking tray.

Cook the dough for about 5 minutes, or until it is nice and golden brown on the bottom.

Remove it from the oven, turn it over, and spread some olive oil on the top.

Add the marinara, a mixture of cheeses, or anything you would like on your pizza.

Return the pizza back to the oven and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the color is a little more golden brown. 

Enjoy!

Recipe from CookWithApril

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

     I have finally discovered a recipe for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. It is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. The recipe makes 4 dozen cookies, but since that is way too much for my husband and I to eat, I split the ingredients into fourths and made a dozen cookies. This was just the ideal amount to satisfy our sweet tooths tonight!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda mixed with 1/2 teaspoon hot water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

To begin, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together the white sugar, unsalted butter, and brown sugar. 

Then add the egg and vanilla extract, and mix again. 

Combine the baking soda with hot water in a separate dish and add to the mixture. 

Next, incorporate the salt and flour.

Finally, add the chocolate chips!

Use a tablespoon to spoon the dough onto a greased cookie sheet.

Place in the oven for 10 minutes, and that should be enough to perfectly bake the cookies.

Recipe from CookWithApril