Stuffed Sweet Peppers

Ingredients:

• 2 lb beef (~60% of all meat)
• 1.5 lb pork (~40% of all meat)
• ~1/3 cup (uncooked) white rice
• 1 medium onion
• 1-2 lb sweet peppers (green or red)
• 4-5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Grind beef and pork (in a meat grinder) together twice.
2. Chop onion very finely and cook in a skillet in vegetable oil, stirring, until golden; then add the onion to the ground meat.
3. Cook the rice according to package directions and add to the ground meat.
4. Add salt and pepper and mix everything.
5. Cut the top of each pepper, remove the seeds, and put in a pot of salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
6. Put the pepper in a colander to strain the water.
7. Take a piece of the ground meat mixture with a tablespoon, and stuff each pepper.
8. Dip the open side of the stuffed pepper in flour and fry in large skillet in vegetable oil about 30-40 minutes, turning to all sides throughout cooking.
9. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add a teaspoon of sour cream on the open side of each pepper. ENJOY!!

Spaghetti and Cheesy Meatballs

These meatballs have a yummy surprise in the center!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb spaghetti (use whole wheat to make the meal more nutritious)
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs (or 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1.5 lbs ground beef (use 80/20 ground chuck or sirloin)
• 2-3 oz smoked Gouda cheese
• Pasta sauce
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Nonstick cooking spray

 Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions and keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the eggs, onion, bread crumbs, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add the ground beef to the bowl and mix with one hand (use only one hand to avoid overworking the meat).
4. Coarsely grate the smoked Gouda cheese.
5. Take a few tablespoons of the ground beef mixture into your palm, spread it flat, and sprinkle with some of the cheese. Shape into a meatball and place on the baking sheet.
6. Bake the meatballs at 350 F for 25-30 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink and the cheese is melted.
7. Heat a desired amount of pasta sauce in a small saucepan. Add ~ 1 ladle of the sauce to the cooked pasta (additional sauce can be added when serving). When serving, also add pasta sauce on top of the meatballs. If desired, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. ENJOY!!

Meat Dumplings ("Pelmeni")

Ingredients (for 4-5 servings):

• 0.6 lb beef (~60% of all meat)
• 0.4 lb pork (~40% of all meat)
• 1/2 medium onion
• Salt, pepper to taste

Dough:

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• Salt
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:
First, prepare the ground meat for filling:

1. Grind beef and pork (in a meat grinder) together, 2 times.
2. Finely chop the onion and sauté in a skillet in vegetable oil, stirring, until golden, then add the onion to the ground meat.
3. Add salt and pepper and mix everything.

Then, prepare the dough:

• Mix flour, eggs, salt, and water until the mixture is the consistency of dough. (Dough should be stiff.)

Now you are ready to prepare the dumplings:

1. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough and cut into round-shaped pieces (this makes about 35 pieces - for 4-5 servings).
2. Take some ground meat with a teaspoon and put in the center of each piece of dough.
3. Fold the edges of the dough and press with your fingers to seal it. (The shape will remind you UFO :).
4. Put the dumplings in salted boiling water.
5. Bring the water to a boil again and cook the dumplings about 10-12 minutes.
6. Take the dumplings out with a slotted spoon.
7. Serve with sour cream, mayonnaise, or bleu cheese dressing; sprinkle with fresh parsley.

"Belyashi" (Meat Pastries)

Ingredients:
Dough:

• 2 lb flour
• 1 package dry yeast
• 1/2 liter (1/2 quart) milk
• 1/4 lb (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, melted
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 eggs

Filling:

• 2 lb beef (~60% of all meat)
• 1.5 lb pork (~40% of all meat)
• 1 medium onion
• Salt, pepper to taste

Directions:
First, prepare the dough:

1. In a mixing bowl combine 2/3 of the flour and the dry yeast.
2. In a big pan mix 3-4 eggs, salt, and sugar. Whisk and add the flour to the yeast gradually.
3. Then, slowly add warm milk and the rest of the flour, at the same time mixing.
4. When it is difficult to mix the dough, pour in the melted butter or margarine, and mix with your hands.
5. Cover the pan with a towel and leave in a warm place to rise.
6. When the dough rises for the first time (can take a couple hours), push it down with your hands.
7. When the dough rises the second time, it’s ready.

While waiting for dough to rise, prepare the filling:

1. Grind beef and pork (in a meat grinder) together, 2 times.
2. Finely chop the onion and sauté in a skillet in vegetable oil, stirring, until golden, then add the onion to the ground meat.
3. Add salt and pepper and mix everything.

Now you are ready to prepare the Belyashi:

1. Take a piece of dough and roll into a small pancake (~3-4 inches in diameter), using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface.
2. Take a piece of ground meat with a tablespoon (you can brown each portion of ground meat for several seconds for better taste), and put it in the middle of the pancake.
3. Wrap the edges of the dough, forming an open pie.
4. Cook the belyashi in a large skillet (first from the exposed meat side, then flipping to the other side) in vegetable oil until meat is ready (no longer pink inside) and the dough is golden-brown.

"Tefteli" (meatballs with rice)

Ingredients:

• 2 lb beef (~60% of all meat)
• 1.5 lb pork (~40% of all meat)
• 1/3 cup uncooked white rice
• 1 medium onion
• Flour
• Salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Grind beef and pork (in a meat grinder) together twice. (You can use purchased ground beef and pork if you don't have a meat grinder. However, the taste is much better if you grind it yourself).
2. Chop onion very finely and cook in a skillet in vegetable oil, stirring, until golden, then add the onion to the ground meat.
3. Cook the rice according to package directions and add it to the ground meat.
4. Add salt and pepper and mix everything.
5. Take a piece of ground meat with a tablespoon, form a round cutlet, roll in some flour, and cook in a large skillet in vegetable oil about 15-20 minutes (until no longer pink inside), turning over a few times while cooking.

"Golubtsy" ("Golubtsi") or Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef (~60% of all meat)
• 1.5 lbs pork (~40% of all meat)
• 1/3 cup uncooked white rice
• 1 medium onion
• 1-2 medium cabbages
• Salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Grind beef and pork (in a meat grinder) together twice. (You can use purchased ground beef and pork if you don't have a meat grinder. However, the taste is much better if you grind it yourself).
2. Chop onion very finely and cook in a skillet in vegetable oil, stirring, until golden; then add the onion to the ground meat.
3. Cook the rice according to package directions and add it to the ground meat.
4. Add salt and pepper and mix everything.
5. Cut the cabbage stump out and discard; boil the cabbage(s) in salted water for about 10 minutes.
6. Separate the cabbage leaves, cut the hard stem out from each leaf, and use a meat mallet to tenderize any hard leaves.
7. Take a piece of the ground meat with a tablespoon, wrap it in a cabbage leaf, and cook in a large skillet in vegetable oil about 15-20 minutes (until no longer pink inside and the cabbage is golden-brown), turning once half-way through cooking. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add a teaspoon of sour cream on each "golubets".

Meat Cutlets ("Kotleti")

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef (~60% of all meat)
• 1.5 lbs pork (~40% of all meat)
• 1 medium onion
• Flour
• Salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Grind beef and pork (in a meat grinder) together twice. (You can use bought ground beef and pork if you don't have a meat grinder. However, the taste is much better if you grind it yourself).
2. Cut onion very finely and cook in a skillet in vegetable oil, stirring, until golden, then add the onion to the ground meat.
3. Put a piece of white bread in a bowl and pour some hot boiled water; mash it to make a paste. Add the paste to the ground meat.
4. Add salt and pepper and mix everything.
5. Take a piece of ground meat with a tablespoon, form an oval cutlet, roll in some flour, and cook in a large skillet in vegetable oil about 15-20 minutes (until no longer pink inside), turning over a few times while cooking.