His Mom's Perogys

When my husband who is of Ukrainian decent was growing up he always looked forward to his mother's home style cooking. What man doesn't!  His mom made all the traditional Ukrainan meals including varenyky (small little pastries filled with fruit) head cheese, holubtsi/holubchi (cabbage rolls), lazy cabbage, halushki (sugared donut holes) and his favourite Sauerkraut Perogy. In fact everyone in the family was head over heels in love with her perogys.  Although his mother was English she learned the secret of making these and other traditional meals from her mother-in law, and she would lovingly make them for his father and siblings.  My husband loved these little fried dumplings served with sour cream, lots of fresh white onions and a big hunk of fried Ukrainian or kubasa sausage.  I never learned to make Ada's perogys when I first married my husband, and unfortunately she passed away in 1982.  I searched her cook book and bits and scraps of recipes she had but she never recorded her treasured recipes, she knew them by heart.

Some time after she passed away, I was reading a celebrity interview in the TV weekly with hockey great #99, Wayne Gretsky and he had given them his mom's recipe for perogys.  It sounded so similar to what my husband's mother made that I just had to try out this recipe, and lo and behold the family agreed with great glee that they were just like Ada's!  I've done some tweaking over the years and here is my recipe.  Hope you enjoy it:

1 ½ cups warm water
5 cups all purpose flour plus ¼ cup
1 tsp salt
4 tbsps oil
2 eggs well beaten
1 large can or jar of sauerkraut
1 large white onion chopped
Package of Crisco lard
Tin foil for freezing perogies
Butter and sour cream

1. Mix 5 cups flour and salt in a large bowl

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2. Add the oil and eggs to 1 ½ cups of warm water, and mix well.



3. Stir the liquid into the flour and mix until smooth.

 

4. Cover and let stand for two hours.

5. Drain sauerkraut and put in frying pan. Add 1 cup of chopped onion and heat in frying pan until onions are transparent. Turn off heat.

6. Fill a large deep pot with water and bring to a boil.

7. Sprinkle dough with flour and roll out until about ¼ inch thick and cut into 3-inch circles.

8. Place a spoonful of sauerkraut and onion filling on one half of each round. Moisten the inside edge and fold over and seal edge securely all around.

 

9. Drop six perogies into boiling water. Stir occasionally to prevent from sticking. Cook for 3-4 minutes. They will float to the surface when they are done. Remove with a slotted spoon.

10. If serving immediately, fry in butter in a frying pan. Serve with sautéed onions and sour cream.

11. If freezing for future use, place boiled perogies on a sheet of tin foil. Coat with 1 tablespoon of the Crisco lard and sprinkle with fresh cut white onion. Fold the tin foil into packets and freeze for up to 3 months.

Potato Cheese filling:

Mix sautéed onions, dry curd cottage cheese, shredded cheddar cheese and bacon bits into mashed potatoes. Add a mashed clove of garlic if you fancy that flavour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Hope you enjoy this recipe. As Easter approaches I plan on making this recipe for our big meal. 

Masculine Birthday Card

It was my brother-in-law Ken's birthday at the end of February and I made him a tri-fold card.  Both the stamp set an DSP that I used are retired but work well for a masculine card.  The stamp set which is from 2004 is called "Bareback". The cardstock that I've used is So Saffron, Dusty Durango and Early Espresso.

This card design is one of my favourites and is so easy to make.  You simply:

*Cut a piece of card stock 5 1/2" x 12 inches for your base.
*Score on the 12 inch length at 2,4,8, and 10 inches
*on the 5 1/2 side, measure in 1 1/2" and cut from the 2" scoreline to the 10" scoreline, flip cardstock and repeat on the other side. 
*Fold card on score lines.  When folded you will have a T-shaped piece for the front of the card and when looking down at the card you will see zig zag boxes.  See picture below. 
* To decorate sections cut dsp as follows:  4 pieces of dsp 1 3/8/ x 1 3/8,  2 pieces of dsp 1 3/8 x 3 7/8, 2 pieces of patterned paper 2 3/8 x 3 7/8.  Adhere all pieces to the card base. Decorate front T shape with large stamped image.  I've mounted mine using a scallop circle. 

Here are some views of the finished card:

Here's a side view of the card showing the zig zag shape of the cuts.

I love this sentiment, it's so beautiful!

Canada Workbox Giveaway

While visiting Andrea Walford's awesome blog today, I read about a contest called the “Canada Workbox Giveaway ” which is open to Canadian crafters interested in winning one of their fabulous workboxes.  These are self-contained storage centers that fold up to look like cupboards, but in fact open up to reveal the most awesovery clever storage/work centers.  If you're a Canadian stamper and interested in finding out how to enter this contest please visit Andrea's site by clicking "here for the complete rules. 
There are actually 9 preliminary draws being held, and if you are the lucky winner of the preliminary giveaway hosted by the Original Scrapbox you will win a Ribbon Box (Retail $19.95) and one entry into the Grand Prize Drawing for a Raised Panel Vanilla Workbox which is one of their most popular and sought-after items. Giveaway open from March 1st to March 8th, 2011 at 11:59pm.

If you are selected as a preliminary winner of the Ribbon Box, you will then be entered into the grand prize drawing held on The Original Scrapbox Website on March 11, 2011. On that date, a random drawing will select a winner from all of the finalists to receive one Raised Panel Vanilla Workbox (value $1295.00 U.S. dollars).  *The contest is open to addresses in Canada only*

Projects from February Stamp Club - La Quinta



Feb Stamp Club Projects and Gifts

 Last week, I was lucky enough to be invited to join Cheryl Lefore for her monthly Stamp Club in LaQuinta.  Cheryl is a great demo, talented designer and wonderful cook and I simply love visiting her home and joining her groups whenever  I can.

Although I didn't catch the hostess' name for the evening, I must say she was also one talented cook!  This gal brought home made chicken enchiladas served with red and green chile sauces, beans and other fresh toppings.  They were just excellent.  And, as always, Cheryl served up some scrumptuous cupcakes for dessert.  This was so fitting for the evening as you will see from the "cupcake" card we made below.  Here are some closeup pictures of the evening's projects and gifts.Enjoy!

This was a gift from Cheryl for Valentines Day!  Love it!

Another Gift - These were candy tubes and the heart is made from Glimmer Paper

Isn't this gift card cute!  The shape of course is "lips".  I remade this card and gave to my honey for Valentines Day!  He loved it. 

Project # 1 - Cup Cake Birthday Card  complete with Cherry on top!

Project #2 - Beautiful Faux texture card highlighting DSP from the Sale-a-bration cattie.

Hope you enjoyed this peak at some of the great projects I made.  Cheryl is always so generous and I love the projects she designs for us to make.  Hope you've enjoyed this post!

Happy Valentines Day!!!



Happy Valentines Day Everyone!  Hope you had a wonderful day filled with Love!


I spent some wonderful creative time with my friend Margo this week and introduced her to my world of card making and Stampin' Up!  Margo was on a mission to make her man Harvey a beautiful "something", for Valentine's Day, and I want to share her accomplishment. 


Margo had written a very special poem for her husband that reflected not only on her Valentine's Day wishes, but also was a celebration of their recent wedding anniversary and some of her husband's personal and work related milestones. 

Let me tell you, working with Margo on this project was fantastic.  The creative process involved in first deciding what to make and then running with her concept and ideas was a real rush and something I truly enjoyed.  Margo is one of those self-assured, dynamic, "think on your feet women" who came in knowing where she wanted to go with this project but wanting me to show her the way to make it a super "WOW!  I think we both accomplished those goals.

The hardest part of the creative process for me, is deciding what you want to make, and let me tell you, this project was certainly no exception.  

Once I'd shown Margo samples of various card styles she decided to create a Top Note Flip Album.  This was an ideal style for her project because the accordian pages would better show-case her four paragraph poem and love messages. She wanted a very clean masculine look so we chose to use Riding Hood Red, Basic Black and Very Vanilla cardstocks.  To accent the pages and compliment the cardstock we added Stampin' Up!s beautiful Love Letter designer series paper (page 173 of the Idea Book and Catalogue).  Most of the sentiments and the poem were computer generated.

Here is the cover of the Top Note Flip Album.  The Heart is from the Hostess Set Punch Potpourri (page 10 IB&C).  Basic Rhinestones were used to add bling to the heart. 



This is the interior view of her Top Note album showcasing personal messages and her poem.



Here is a view of the back of her album.  The XO symbols were generated on the computer.

This is a view of the back of the album when it's closed.  Riding Hood Red Seam binding was used instead of ribbon  to close the album. 

Okay, so I hope you enjoyed looking at this project.  As a side note Margo's husband was "WOWED" and very appreciative of the work she had put into making their celebration so special. 

I Got Mail - Ribbon Share

How exciting!  Look what came in the mail today........my portion of a ribbon share, that I ordered through Ashley Townsend! 

Ashley offered a ribbon share on her blog which featured the Stampin' Up Seam Binding that is in the Occasions Mini Catalogue. If you're only needing a yard or so of ribbon, sometimes ribbon sharing is a great way to go.

I am totally delighted with what I received.  This soft and flowing 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon drapes like silk and will add a distinguished and delicate look to my creations. The great thing about this seam binding is that it can be used like ribbon on paper crafts too for a similar, gorgeous look.  Here's what you get when you order a spool of this very special ribbon accessory:

■ Each spool of Seam binding ribbon is 1/2" wide, and is approximately 10 yards - this is a great value!

■ The Seam binding ribbon comes in these most fabulous colours:  Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake, Pear Pizzazz, and Rose Red - you can't get these in any store!

■ And, the part I like most is it coordinates beautifully with Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper, Springtime Vintage Designer Fabric, and Springtime Vintage Big Designer Buttons. 
 
What more could you ask for. If you are interested in ordering some or all of these ribbons check them out in the Occasions Mini Catalogue.  Or if you want more informtion about joining a ribbon share let me know (Canadian orders only). 

Stationary Gifts

Close up of the detail in the Birthday Card.  I just love it!

When I went to the mailbox today I reached in to find a very unexpected package from my sister.  I love surprises so I hurried home to open the envelope and find out what was inside. 

The first thing I pulled out of the envelope was this beautiful card.  It's made with Rich Razzleberry, Basic Black, Pink Pirouette and Whisper White card stocks.  She's made good use of her Top Note die, Finial Press textured embossing folder, and the Beautiful Wings Embosslit for the butterflies.  The image from the Pocket Silhouettes stamp set on page 111 of the IB&C is one of my favourites and she's stamped it in Pirouette Pink and Old Olive.  Love this card! 

Knowing how much I love "all things" paper, my sister also sent me two little note pads that have beautiful designs imprinted on the outside. The covers are just stunning.  These notebooks have small magnets inside the top and bottom folds so they close and hold shut, and inside each is a small note pad.  Well, you can bet your bottom dollar I'm going to be designing some of these in Stampin' Up DSP to hold post it notes.  I love them!  She also included a larger pad that has an elastic that holds the cover shut and it's filled with blank pages.  Love that one too!  Just the right size for my purse.  So without further ado, here's a view of what she sent.  Enjoy!

3 Beautiful Notepads

Love the butterflies and flowers .......so pretty!

These peacocks are stunning.  Wish you could see the colors in real life!

Full view of my beautiful birthday card........ loved the verse inside.  It said:
My heart is filled with thanks
For the wonderful friend and sister you are
And how much you mean in my life.....
And with wishes for all the happiness
That someone as special as you deserves

Thanks sis for the wonderful gift and card.  You are so special and mean so much to me too!