Browsed by
Author: John Kalotai

Flan

Flan

It’s quick and easy and I’ll bet you already have what you need in your pantry and fridge. My wife and I went to a Mexican restaurant. After a great meal we decided to share a dessert and chose the flan. We were disappointed. I told my wife I could make better and I was right. I hunted around and after looking a number of recipes, I took the best of suggestions and came up with this recipe. You can…

Read More Read More

Beef Belly, Its a Thing!

Beef Belly, Its a Thing!

It happened. I got sucked in by the slick, low-key video on Facebook and the tasty looking meat. Damn you Agridime.com This link will take you to their page. Beef Belly (Beef Navel) is a primal cut and it’s much like pork belly. You can cure and smoke it to cut up as bacon or cook it low and slow. And then there are burnt ends which is how I decided to prepare it. It is a bit of chore…

Read More Read More

Turkeys on Parade

Turkeys on Parade

There is a harem of turkeys (look it up, it’s real) of 2 adult hens and numerous poults has taken up residence in our neighborhood. They browse the many yards and woods in the area and on occasion, hold up traffic.

Kovászos Uborka

Kovászos Uborka

Kovászos Uborka (Hungarian Fermented Pickles)   I was introduced to these pickles when I was a kid. Katicaneni (my great aunt) used to make them from the bounty of cucumbers that came from Igancbaci’s garden. Jars would be sitting on a table in the front of the porch with tea saucers covering the top. You could see the cloves of garlic and fronds of dill in the brine. It seemed like magic when cucumbers went in and a few days…

Read More Read More

Ignacbácsi’s Hungarian Onion Soup

Ignacbácsi’s Hungarian Onion Soup

This is a quick and easy recipe for onion soup with a Hungarian twist. The soup evokes memories of snowy winter days when I would go over to my great uncle’s house (Ignacbácsi) and shovel out his driveway. As you would expect of any proper Hungarian, he insisted on feeding me. This soup and some rye bread would be waiting for me to thaw me out. The recipe below makes two hardy servings and can easily be scaled up.  …

Read More Read More

JK’s  Scampi

JK’s  Scampi

JK’s  Scampi This is  a quick and easy recipe that can be made as your pasta cooks. The important thing is to use a wine you enjoy drinking to make it. We picked up a case of wine when we visited Winery on the Gruene in Gruene, Texas some time back. The German style Gewürztraminer is not traditionally what you think of when you make Scampi. On the other hand, I’m a Hungarian cooking Italian cuisine. What the heck, it…

Read More Read More

Rainy Day Ribs

Rainy Day Ribs

Rainy Day Ribs I don’t own a smoker. I probably won’t own a smoker. I do make ribs that get devoured. So why are they rainy day ribs? It’s simple,  you can make them in the oven in your house on a rainy day. It’s Labor Day Weekend and typically in Connecticut it rains at least one day. I make sacrifices for my family. Nursing a grill in a downpour isn’t one of them. St Louis Style Ribs at my…

Read More Read More

Easy Chicken and Mushroom Bake

Easy Chicken and Mushroom Bake

    If you are looking for a low salt, low calorie, gluten and dairy free recipe, look elsewhere. This is classic comfort food and a great way to use leftover or canned chicken.  Best of all it uses staples that you should already have in your fridge, freezer, and pantry. And like any good casserole it features fried onions as a topping.   Chicken Bake Ingredients 1lb box dry pasta (Elbows, penne, or rottinni) 2 Cans condensed mushroom soup…

Read More Read More

Maggie’s Breakfast Casserole

Maggie’s Breakfast Casserole

Maggie’s Breakfast Casserole       This is an idea I got from my daughter while we were invading,,,, um, I mean visiting their home. Maggie got the idea from somewhere on the net and tweaked it. I took it home and tweaked it a bit more. Its like Poppin Fresh and a quiche had a baby. It’s easy to throw together (she’s got 3 kids to chase) and it feeds a crowd. Best of all it uses stuff you…

Read More Read More

Körözött – Brienza – Liptauer

Körözött – Brienza – Liptauer

Körözött – Brienza – Liptauer This is for my wife’s best friend, Wendy….   It goes by many names including Hungarian Cheese Spread. It is a very versatile and simple dish to prepare. It is a staple for our Easter meal as a side dish. It can also be used as a dip with vegetables or a spread for bread. Like every Hungarian dish it has generous amounts of paprika. Be sure to make it using a full fat cottage…

Read More Read More