Authentic Hungarian Chicken Paprika

Authentic Hungarian Chicken Paprika

When people often think of Hungarian food they often think of either Hungarian Goulash or Chicken Paprika This recipe for Chicken Paprika, is my daughter’s favorite dish.  Now that she is a young lady living on her own, she will always ask for this chicken when she visits. (How did she get old enough to live on her own?) Here’s a tip:  Do not mistake the tins of HOT and SWEET paprika in your spice rack. Having made that mistake of not really reading the labels for the hot and sweet paprika when my daughter visited once, I quite careful now! The chicken was bit spicier than usual but it was still wonderful to eat.  (She doesn’t like spicy foods.)  This is NOT smoked paprika in this recipe.  Smoked is yet another kind of paprika. My preference is to mix of Hot and Sweet Hungarian paprika in this dish. The small amount of Hot just gives it a bit more kick.  Always cook to your taste preferences!  It’s your dinner, adjust it. Mom only used the sweet paprika in hers and I love it that way also.  Sweet or kicked up heat this dish a full of flavor and comforting. Grandmother

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My Favorite Cranberry Orange Pecan Compote

My Favorite Cranberry Orange Pecan Compote

Cranberry orange pecan compote homemade is super simple and quick to make. Cooking cranberries is really quite quick and easy.  Cooking is what you love to do if your flavor wheel house loves to expand. There is no right or wrong way to make a cranberry compote as far as flavor profiles. Occasionally I have read that people will add some jalapeño even for a change. The techniques will get you where you need to for the finished food but flavors?  That is really up to your tastebuds. For more cranberry compote recipes click here.  My Favorite Cranberry Orange Pecan Compote peel orange with vegetable peeler for strips (but just the colorful part, no white) My Favorite Cranberry Orange Pecan Compote 6 servings + Ingredients 1 cup orange juice 1 cup sugar, white or light brown 3 – 1″ wide strips of orange peel 2/3 cup chopped toasted pecans 14 oz fresh whole cranberries   shelled pecans   Preparation Into a saucepan bring orange juice and sugar to a boil. Add the cranberries, orange peel, and simmer till the berries start popping and liquid thickens. When ready to cool, thoroughly stir in the toasted pecans to spread evenly. Leave the peel in or remove

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Apple Lovin’ Cranberry Compote

Apple Lovin’ Cranberry Compote

Love the autumn and the newly harvested apples, cranberries, pumpkins and other fall-harvested ingredients. One of my favorite recipes combines apple, cranberries, and cinnamon with either apple juice or cider.  Lovely combination of flavors! Think fall you not only think back to school, Halloween and football but new crop of apples, pumpkins and cranberries.  Three of of my favorite foods. ? A lovely condiment to serve with chops, chicken, turkey or other poultry. Don’t be afraid to experiment when you cook, that’s how new recipes have always been created! For more cranberry compote recipes click here.  whole cranberries ready to cook     Granny Smith Apples Apple Lovin’ Cranberry Compote 6 servings Ingredients 1 cup apple juice or cider 1 cup sugar 1 medium to large granny smith apple Cinnamon sticks 14 oz fresh whole cranberries (or frozen not defrosted) 1 cinnamon stick Preparation Peel and chop the apple into roughly chopped chunks. These chunks will break down during cooking but smaller chop works best. It is fine to have some pieces larger so they show in the finished product. Into a saucepan bring the juice or cider, cinnamon stick and sugar to a boil.  Add the cranberries, apples to pot and stir.

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The Uncanny Smooth Style Jellied Cranberry Jelly

The Uncanny Smooth Style Jellied Cranberry Jelly

Prefer Smooth Jelly Style Cranberry Sauce? This is nicer than the usual canned cranberry jelly styled sauce from the can.  Will you miss the ridges from the can?  I know we don’t!   It’s really about flavor, flavor, flavor for my family!  This is so simple to make! It really is just my basic Very Berry Basic Whole Cranberry Compote that is strained to remove the pulp.   The Uncanny Smooth  Style Jellied Cranberry Jelly strained and decorated for giving The Uncanny Smooth Style Jellied Cranberry Jelly 6 servings + Ingredients 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 14 oz fresh whole cranberries Whole Cranberries Preparation Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan . Add the cranberries and simmer till the berries start popping and the liquid thickens.  Before allowing to cool down, strain the sauce using a wire strainer set over a bowl. Work carefully because those hot sugary syrups really can give quite a nasty burn. Once most of the liquid is strained out, then use a sturdy spoon to mash down the berries and get the remaining juices. wire mesh strainer Don’t forget to scrape the outside of the strainer to get all the fine pulp into the liquid in

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4 Ways to Make Cranberry Lovin’ Sauces

4 Ways to Make Cranberry Lovin’ Sauces

Thoughts of fall start coming to me every August. Come October I’m ready to see the leaves turning their glorious splendor.  I’m fortunate to live overlooking the New Jersey Palisades which turn brilliant across the Hudson River and often the contrast of the warm yellows, oranges, and reds against the grayish but still sunny skies is incredible! But no doubt about it, my favorite season is autumn because of the foods, warm fires and sitting with friends enjoying each other’s company which is some of the best things in life! I always look forward to the change of seasons even though I’m sad to see summer leave so soon but I will miss those luscious fully vine ripened tomatoes sadly! I have a life long time love affair with cranberries, pumpkin, and the winter squashes. Yes, I’ll be posting more seasonal dishes using these favorite ingredients soon too. Getting ready for the holiday season is always fun for me! Here are just a few of my many recipes for that help with my addiction to cranberry compotes.   Don’t just think of them as a side to pork, turkey, chicken or even duck, but rather a tasty addition to some plain or

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Super Simple Modern Style Homemade Chicken Soup

Super Simple Modern Style Homemade Chicken Soup

Super Simple Modern Style Homemade Chicken Soup One of my favorites things on a cool rainy day is a nice big steaming hot comforting bowl of homemade chicken soup. The aroma of chicken soup simmering takes me back to childhood.  Mom made the best soups! There is always so much more flavor and nutrition in soups you make at home! Controlling the sodium is one of the important healthy improvements that can be done at home.  That is important for everyone’s health. Soup is one of the easiest foods to prepare. This super simple modern style chicken soup doesn’t start out with a whole chicken.  Yes, I can break a whole chicken down to make it, but it’s not my favorite thing to do.  I love using chicken thighs with the bone in and skin on because there is a lot more flavor in those parts. Thigh meat doesn’t dry out as easily as white meat. Homemade is still the best flavored soup Once you prepare homemade soup,  your palate will tell you there is no going back to canned soups. You get a ton more nutrition in homemade soups and other foods and it is made to your taste and health requirements too.

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Hungarian Székely Gulyás

Hungarian Székely Gulyás

Hungarian Székely Gulyás is the hearty Hungarian pork and sauerkraut stew, This popular Hungarian Székely Gulyás dish is said to have been originally created in the town of Szeged which is the third largest city in Hungary, others believe that this dish was named after the famous Hungarian writer, and screen writer János Székely. The name may sound unusual or complicated but it’s a very simple to make pork and sauerkraut stew. This recipe version is one that Mom used to make on occasion during the winter.   My brother and I both loved this stew when she served it and later on my family, even my picky kids, loved it. One of the best things about this recipe is the pure simplicity of a few ingredients left to simmer and mellow into an extraordinary blend of aromas and flavors. These ingredients really do work well even if at the outset you don’t think it would. (Like me!)  I was very surprised that Mom added the sour cream to this dish the first time, but it works!  This dish is also fine without the sour cream but it does enhance the dish with a richer broth.  The sauerkraut from the

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