Fried Meatballs

You need:

• 2 lb. ground beef
• 1 onion, grounded
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 eggs

Instructions:

• Mix all the ingredients together well.
• Form the mix into small burger or meatballs and fry them.

*If you ground the onion, there is no need to add a couple tsp. of water.

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

You need:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1 onion
• 2 eggs
• salt to taste
• spice of your choice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large tomatoes, or 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2-3 garlic cloves

Instructions:

Mix well all the ingredients besides the tomatoes and garlic. Form the meatballs with wet hands. Fry the meatballs into a frying pan. Add the diced tomatoes, garlic, and some salt. Keep cooking for 10 more minutes. Serve with pasta.

Chicken with Orange Sauce

You need:

• ½ chicken
• 2 med oranges
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. honey

Instructions:

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Squeeze both oranges and add the juice to the melted butter. Mix the flour into ½ cup chicken broth. Add it into the butter and cook until thickened and bubbly. You will need to stir constantly. Pour the orange sauce over the half chicken. Cover with foil. Place it in a preheated oven and bake for about 40 minutes. You can reduce the baking time and use the chicken broth, if the chicken is boiled first.

Potatoes with Bacon and Mushrooms

You need:

• 1 pound potatoes
• 8 oz mushrooms
• 6 oz of bacon
• salt to taste

Instructions:

Wash and cut the bacon. Fry it until crispy. Put the pieces on a plate. Wash the mushrooms well and fry them in the fat from the bacon. Put on a separate plate. Peel and slice the potatoes into circles. In a pan add the potatoes and fry in a vegetable oil  until almost ready. Mix with the mushrooms and bacon.Add the onion and fry for another 5 minutes on low heat. Salt to taste.

Goulash (Гулаш)

You need:

·       1 pound  turkey breast

·       2 large onions, chopped

·       1 carrot

·       4 oz mushrooms

·       3 cups water

·       1 can diced tomatoes

·       3 cloves garlic

·       3 bay leaves

·       2 cups dried macaroni

·       salt to taste

Instructions:

Wash, chop and fry the turkey breast over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, onions and the carrot to the skillet and sauté until they are tender about 5-6 minutes. Add 3 cups water, along with the diced tomato, garlic, bay leaves, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot/skillet and allow this to cook for another 20 to 25 minutes on medium heat. In the mean time, boil the macaroni following the instructions on the package. Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaves. Top the macaroni with the turkey and the veggies. Serve warm!

BBQ Chicken Sandwich

You need:

• 1-2 pounds chicken breasts with rib meat
• 5-6 tablespoons barbecue sauce
• 1 medium onion
• 4 -6 gourmet white hamburger buns 

Instructions:

Wash the chicken and toss it in the crock pot. Place the onion slices on top of it. Pour over the BBQ sauce. Cook on low for about 3 hours, or until the chicken is nice and tender. Shred the chicken with a fork and knife to make it a“pulled” chicken breast. Scoop the mix onto the bottom buns and top it with  the top part.  The sandwiches get that sweet and smoky bbq flavor! The same recipe can be done with pork or beef.

 

Pork Tenderloin with Paprika Sauce

You need:

• 1 pound of pork tenderloin
• 1 medium onion
• 1 bunch of fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 2 tablespoons of red wine
• salt to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tomato
• 1 pound boiled potatoes

Instructions:

Wash and cut the pork into small pieces. In a large skillet, fry it for 4-5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the chopped onion and fry it for a minute. When you get the golden color, it is time to add the rest of the ingredients that will make the sauce: the diced tomato, the paprika and the red wine. It is better if the tomato is peeled. Simmer and add about 3 cups of water. Cook for about 30 minutes at medium heat or until cooked through. The liquid should be almost evaporated when it’s done. In the mean time, boil and peel the potatoes. Serve and garnish the pork with  the  boiled potatoes. Chop and top with fresh parsley the last minute. This serves 4.

Pirojki (Пирожки)

You need:

4 cups of flour
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
¼ oz dry yeast

¾ cup of warm water
6 tablespoons vegetable oil to fry the ground beef

1 pound ground beef

½ chopped onion

Instructions:

First, make the dough. Cover it and set aside in a warm place for an hour to rise. In the mean time, prepare the stuffing. For meat stuffing use ground beef, ½ chopped onion and salt. You may add any spices you like. Fry together until well done. Once done, take out the dough and roll it into a large pancake (thickness of 3-4 mm). Cut out circles of the dough and put stuffing in the middle. Press the sides together and form a cylinder. Repeat for each Pirojka. Deep fry them until they get a nice golden-brown crust, or bake them for about 40 min.

Fried Pork Chops

You need:

• 4-6 pork chops
• 2 red peppers
• 1 onion
• 1 cup oil for frying
• salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons flour

Instructions:

Wash 4-6 pork chops. Spice them up. Roll them in the flour. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Place the pork chops in the skillet. They need to be completely covered with oil. Fry each side for 7-8 minutes, or until golden brown. I love simple food and this is one of the simplest recipes. You may fry some veggies after the pork chops are done. This is optional. You can serve fry pork chops with any other side dish. This serves 4.

Honey Glazed Chicken (Po selski)

You need:

• 1 chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• a few springs of thyme
• 1/3 cup of warm honey

Instructions:

Marinate the chicken pieces in the lemon juice. Do not remove the skin. Refrigerate for several hours. Dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes in the oven with the thyme bunches. If you decide to do the whole chicken and not pieces, you need longer time (30-35 minutes). Remove the chicken from the oven and brush with warm honey. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with steamed veggies, or other side dish of your choice. This serves 4.

Skinless sausages (Kebapcheta)

You need:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons water

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients together. Set aside for a few hours. Some prefer to refrigerate for 24 hours. Make 12 cylinder-like shaped forms, but longer, like sausages. Grill them and serve with a side dish of your choice. This serves 4.

Chicken Fricassee

You need:

• 4-5 chicken or turkey breasts
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups of milk
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• ½ cup flour
• 1 egg white
• the lemon zest of 1 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons of butter

Instructions:

Place the chicken breasts in a deep saucepan and boil for 30-40 minutes. Make sure to remove the foam when boiling the chicken. Save the chicken broth. Cut the boiled chicken or turkey into very small pieces. In a skillet, melt the butter and add ½ cup of flour. Stir it well. It will have a golden color. Add the milk and 4 cups of the chicken broth and cook it for 4-5 minutes on a medium heat. Add the salt, lemon zest, and the egg white to it. Stir very well. The lemon zest will infuse the dish with a lot of citrus flavor. Serve on a plate with pita bread. You can top it with some olives.

Sour Cream Chicken

You need:

• 12 chicken breast tenderloins
• 2 lb sour cream
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dry parsley
• ½ teaspoon dry oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup flour
• a  pinch of sharena sal  (see in secret ingredient)

Instructions:

In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs along with other spices. Do not include the sharena sol in that mixture. Cover each one of the chicken breasts with that mix of bread crumbs and spices. In a low pot, place each one of the chicken breasts right next to each other without leaving an empty spot. In the bowl, mix the 2 lb sour cream with the ½ cup flour. Pour over the chicken. Cook uncovered for 1 hour on a medium heat. Sprinkle with sharena sol at the very end. Sour cream chicken is a very unique dish and it is absolutely flavorful!

Chicken and Rice Casserole

You need:

• 2 cups of Basmati rice
• 6 chicken breasts
• 1 medium onion
• 1 large carrot
• 2-3 small tomatoes
• salt to taste
• 1/3 tsp. summer savory
• 4 cups of water
• 1/3 cup of vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

Cut the chicken breasts into pieces. Fry them for about 7-8 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the chopped carrot and onion to it. Fry for another 3-4 minutes on high heat.

Wash and pour the rice in a casserole pan. Dice the tomatoes on top of it. Pour over 4 cups of boiling water. Add some salt and top it with the fried chicken, carrot, and onion. Sprinkle with summer savory. Bake for 1 hour at 375 F. What a scrumptious casserole! This serves 6.

Shnitzel

You need:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large egg
• ½ ground onion
• ½ bunch of fresh parsley
• 1/3 teaspoon of summer savory
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 cups of bread crumbs
• salt to taste

 Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Form large size patties. Make sure they are very thin. Cover them with bread crumbs. Fry each side for about 4-5 minutes in a medium heat, or until crisp. Garnish with vegetables of your choice. This serves 4.

Pork Chops

You need:

· 4-6 pork chops, bone-in

· 1/3 cup olive oil

· 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

· 5 large garlic gloves, crashed

· 1 medium onion

· salt

· 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

Marinate each pork chop with the ingredients above. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. Grill or barbecue them, until the outside is golden brown. Garnish with your favorite vegetables.

Chicken with Peppers

You need:

• 6 chicken breasts
• 1 Red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 8 oz. of mushrooms
• 1 medium onion
• 4-5 large garlic cloves
• 2 cups of rice
• salt to taste
• black pepper
• oil for frying

Instructions:

Cut the chicken into small pieces. In a large skillet, fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes. Stir, occasionally. Add 2 cups of water and simmer for 15 minutes at medium heat, or until cooked through. The liquid should be completely evaporated, when it’s done. Wash and cut up the vegetables. Fry in the same skillet for about 4-5 minutes along with the chicken to get a golden color. Add additional oil if needed for frying. Serve and garnish with steamed or boiled rice. Sprinkle with black pepper. This serves 4.

Pork Shish Kebabs

You need:

2 lb lean pork

1-2 red peppers

1 medium onion

1 cup mushrooms

1 tbs  black pepper

salt to taste

Instructions:

• Soak wooden skewers (available at most grocery stores) in water for at least 15 minutes before cooking. This is so that they don’t burn. Or you can use metal skewers.
• Cut Shish Kebab ingredients into cubes.
• To give the meat more flavor, marinate it for at least a half an hour. Seasoning the meat just prior to cooking is another option.
• Wash and cut vegetables or fruit into cubes.
• Thread ingredients on to the skewers, alternating between meat and vegetables.
• Grill, or barbecue them.

Bulgarian hamburgers (Kufteta)

You need:

• 2 lb. ground beef
• 1 onion, grounded
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. salt

Instructions:

• Mix the ground beef with the black pepper, salt and cumin.
• Ground the onion, or chop it into very small pieces. Add a couple tsp. of water.*
• Mix all the ingredients together well.
• Form the mix into burger shapes and barbecue them.

*If you ground the onion, there is no need to add a couple tsp. of water.