My Favorite Bulgarian Dish: Chicken and Cabbage

One of my favorite things about traveling is discovering new recipes that are easy and delicious. This dish is my favorite Bulgarian recipe, and I know you will love it too! It feeds a family of four easily, and can be made in a jiffy. This dish is served everywhere in Bulgaria, and is a go-to dish for the cold winter months. You can also add a few extra ingredients, like onion and parsley as well. If you like okra, (I'm lookin' at you Southerners), I think that would also make a nice complimentary vegetable to throw into the mix. If you add okra make sure it is fresh, not frozen, and sliced. I made the traditional dish, and kicked it up with some red pepper flakes. Serve this dish hot in shallow bowls, with a yeast roll or sliced fresh bread.

Ingredients:
1-Medium to Large Cabbage
2-Large Tomatoes
1-fresh family pack chicken (drums,wings and thighs)
3 Tablespoons-Paprika
1 Tablespoons-Red Pepper Flakes
2 Tablespoons-Black Pepper
2  Tablespoons-Salt
3/4 cup oil

3/4 cup vinegar

Preparation:

Chop cabbage into medium pieces and place in a large casserole dish

Chop tomatoes and mix in with cabbage

Add all spices to the cabbage and tomatoes, and mix well with hands

Add vinegar and oil to the cabbage and tomato mixture

Place chicken parts in casserole on top of the cabbage and tomatoes

Bake in 400 degree oven for one hour and half, and make sure to continue to stir throughout the cooking time 

This is an amazing dish! I hope you  enjoy it as much as I do!

Biscuits not Бисквити! Biscuits не Бисквити!

Any southern Peace Corps volunteer in Bulgaria has inevitably made this statement, " Biscuits не Бисквити!" Trying to explain that American biscuits are not actually sweet and nothing like cookies in Bulgarian, can be a daunting task. This task is especially hard when it is your first month in country, and you re trying to tell your new counterparts you miss your mama's cooking. Now my language is better, and things can be explained much easier, but there is still no good translation for the word biscuit. It is too close to the Bulgarian word for cookies. Whatever the language barrier, having fun talking about your country's food can be some of the best bonding moments you first experience while in the Peace Corps. Everyone no matter where you come from in the world can relate to missing home; loving your mama and wanting to taste some good home cooking. So I dedicate this recipe to my mom, the best biscuit maker I know.

Biscuits are a breakfast staple in Southern homes. Whether served with sawmill gravy or with brown sugar and butter, biscuits are the quintessential breakfast bread. Biscuits are also perfect with fried eggs, bacon and cheese, in America McDonalds made a fortune out of perfecting that very combination. I will include a list of recommended toppings at the bottom of the recipe for you. For now, let's start with the basics.

They are not called cat head biscuits for nothing! Fudge my little helper looks on, praying he gets some!

Всеки южната доброволец в Корпуса на мира България неизбежно е направил това изявление, "Бисквити не Бисквити!" Опитвайки се да обясни,че американските бисквити, всъщност не са сладки и нищо подобно на"бисквитки" на български може да бъде трудна задача. Тази задача е особено трудно, когато това е първият ви месец в страната, а вие се опитвате да кажете на вашите нови колеги, сте пропуснали готвене на майка си. Сега език ми е по-добре, и нещата може да се обясни много по-лесно, новсе още няма добър превод на думата бисквити.Какъвто и да е езиковата бариера, като забавно да говорим за храната на вашата страна може да санякои от най-добрите моменти за свързване ви първи опит, докато в Корпуса на мира.Всеки без значение откъде идваш в света може да се отнася да липсва у дома, обича майка си и искат да опитат нещо добро за готвене у дома. Посвещавам тази рецепта на майка ми, най-добрияпроизводител на бисквити, което знам.

Бисквити закуска щапелни, в южните домове. Независимо дали се сервира сдъскорезница сос или с кафява захар и масло, бисквити са квинтесенциятахляб за закуска. Бисквити също са съвършени с пържени яйца, бекон и сирене, в McDonalds Америка, направи цяло състояние, наусъвършенстване че много комбинации. Аз ще включва списък с препоръчителни гарнитурата в долната част на рецептата за вас. За сега, нека да започнем с основите.

Ingredients:
 2  cups self-rising flour (if you don't have self rising for each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.)
3 tablespoons lard 
1 cup milk

Състав:
 2 чаша самостоятелно нарастващите брашно (ако не разполагатесамонабъбваща за всяка чаша от всички предназначение брашно, добавете1 1/4 ч.л. бакпулвер и 1/4 чаена лъжичка сол.)
3 с.л. свинска мас
1 чаша мляко

Start by mixing all of the ingredients together, and forming them into a ball

Започнете с миксиране на всички от съставки, както и формата на топка тестото.

Уверете се, че използвате много на излишната брашно върху работната повърхност,

така че теста няма да е лепкава и трудно да се работи.

Pat the dough onto a floured surface and fold over.
Using a cutter or glass cut the dough into circles, and place
the biscuits in a greased baking pan or on a sheet.

Пат тестото върху набрашнена повърхност и пъти в течение. Cъс помощта на нож или чаша намали тестото на кръгчета, и мястобисквитите в намазана тава за печене лист.

Bake on a cookie sheet at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 20-25 minutes.

Печете на бисквитка лист при 425 градуса по Фаренхайт (220 градуса по Целзий) за 20-25 минути.


Сервирайте топли с:
конфитюр
масло
Кафява захар и масло
мед масло
бекон, пържени яйца и кашкавал или чедър
свинско месо наденица
сос от свински мазнини, брашно и мляко и сол (рецепта, за да дойде по-късно)
Като десерт с ягоди и ванилов сладолед

Serve warm with:

Jam

Butter

Brown Sugar and Butter

honey butter

bacon, fried egg and cheese

pork sausage

sawmill gravy (recipe to follow soon)

with strawberries and vanilla ice cream

Traditional Mish-Mash

Fall is here, and for me that means it is time to start cooking. In the fall I always love to try new recipes, and always have something new on the table for guests. Today I am prepared a traditional Bulgarian dish called Mish-Mash. Mish-Mash is easy, and a perfect lunch or dinner on a cold day. It is best served with warm bread on the side.

Ingredients Needed:

3 Medium Sized Tomatoes

3 Red Peppers

1 Large Onion

3 Tablespoons Oil

7oz Feta/Cirene Cheese

3 Eggs

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Parsley

Instructions:

Begin by washing all of the vegetables, and patting them dry.

Make sure you keep the eggs and cheese cold while you prepare the vegetables. Begin by chopping the tomatoes, red pepper, and onion and set them aside.

Heat the 3 Tbs. oil in a frying pan, follow by adding the onions to the pan.

Sautee onions for about one min, and follow by adding the red pepper to the oil and onion.

Sautee the red pepper and onions for about 1 min, and follow by adding the tomatoes a little at a time.

After all of the tomatoes are added continue sauteeing the onion, red pepper, and tomato mixture for about 5 mins.
As the liquid is cooking down in the pan, prepare your eggs and cheese.

Whisk the eggs before adding them to the tomato, red pepper, and onion.

Continue stirring the vegetable mixture as you add the egg a little at a time.

Once you have added all of the egg, begin to add the cheese a little at a time. Make sure you continue to stir the mixture as you add all of the ingredients.

Continue to cook the Mish-Mash about 5 more mins. Remove from heat and allow the sit for about 1min.

Serve warm with a slice of fresh bread.

This is such a yummy dish, and so great as a substitute for chili or soup.