Shrimp Summer Pasta Salad

This is a quick and easy pasta salad that is great for the summer because it is served cold! Pack it up for a picnic, camping trip or serve it at a BBQ! It is definitely loaded with deliciousness and is very nutritious :) 

Get ready to WOW those taste buds!

Ingredients: 
1 cup of penne pasta (I like whole wheat because of the nuttiness)
8 cooked frozen shrimp (defrosted)
1 cup of shredded lettuce
1/2 cup of chopped beet greens
1 chopped scallion
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup of goat cheese
1/2 cup of corn 
1/2 cup of chopped green olives
1 Tbs agave nectar
1/2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs dried Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste 

Assembly: 

1.) Set a pot filled with 2 cups of water over high heat on the stove top. Add 1 Tbs of salt and 1 Tbs of oil. Bring to boil, drop in pasta and cook for 8 minutes, constantly stirring until pasta is aldente. 

2.) Drain pasta and let it cool. While pasta is cooling, take cooked shrimp (I bought the ones that came already cooked frozen in the package), add balsamic vinegar, agave nectar, salt, pepper and dried 1/2 Tbs of Italian seasoning. Mix and set aside so that the flavors can grasp onto the shrimp.

3.) In a large mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Add cooled pasta. Take the shrimp and cube them into bite sized pieces and add them as well. 

4.) Mix, and serve! Best served immediately because the ingredients are fresh :) 

** If you dont have beet greens on hand (I did because my mom and I were making beet soup the previous day and have the greens left over), you can use another green--for example kale or collard greens. If you use something else, make sure you cook it accordingly before adding it to the salad! This might mean you have to boil them in water or stock so that they're not tough. 

- Note: my pasta and shrimp turned a pretty purple color. That is because of the beet greens! 

ENJOY MY FRIENDS!

<3 Babushka

My omelets bring all the boys to the yard

Ladies, 

this is your basic omelet recipe that will have any man you make it for, praising you for skills. 

"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach" is exactly right :) 

Even though I didn't make it for my significant other, I made it for my dad, if daddy approves...of course other men will also! 

Boys--you can also make this omelet for yourselves, this recipe is just exclusively for the ladies!

Ingredients:  

5 eggs

Splash of milk, or 1 Tbs if you are precise

1 tsp of dried Italian herbs (basil, parsley and thyme)

1 tsp of salt and pepper

Olive oil 

Assembly: 

1.) Crack eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk together, add the rest of the ingredients and whisk. 

2.) Heat a medium frying pan, coating the surface of the pan with olive oil.

3.) When the pan is hot, pour the mixture into the center and tilt the pan, making sure it covers the entire surface. 

4.) Slowly using a spatula, stir vigorously for 5 seconds. As soon as a semi-solid mass begins to form, tilt the pan and move it around until the the rest of the uncooked egg covers it. 

5.) Let the mixture cook for 20 seconds. This is the time you would add any extra ingredients and deliciousness to your omelet. I added mozzarella cheese and ham for my dad. 

What you put inside your omelet is completely up to you. I like goat cheese, arugula, corn and avocado! 

6.) Once you've added your ingredients, or until about 20 seconds have passed, fold over half of the omelet using your spatula, slide the omelet off the pan and onto a plate! Add any remainder ingredients that you might like (extra cheese, herbs, etc..) and serve right away!! 

**By the way-- this is a pretty huge omelet! Just a caution so that youre not shocked when you end up with a omelet that wont fit on your plate :) 

Don't be discouraged if your omelet doesn't turn out perfectly at first! It takes a while to master the art of making a pretty looking omelet...it took me several Sunday breakfasts to really get the hang of it.

It's worth the practice and patience! 

ENJOY MY FRIENDS!

<3 Babushka

Green Machine Smoothie

 

I have caved into the green smoothie craziness that has been going on this year.

 I didnt think I could do it...drinking a glass full of green glob did not look delicious. But being in a rush this morning, I knew the only thing I could have for breakfast and not be late was a smoothie. So I decided I was going to start my morning by being adventurous and I went for it. These are fruits and ingredients I had laying around in my fridge, that were screaming at me to give them a home in my tummy. So not only was I adventurous, I was also doing the fruit a huge favor ;)

Dont let the green color stop you from making and trying this smoothie! The kale does not over power, but adds deliciousness and loads of vitamins! Great way to start a morning!

Ingredients:

1/2 banana

1 mango 

4 1/2 slices of frozen peaches, or 1 whole fresh peach  

1/2 cup of kale 

1/2 cup of coconut water 

Assembly:
Chop all the fruit up, add coconut water and blend it up!

                                   

                                   

ENJOY, MY FRIENDS

<3 Babushka



Enchiladas Babushka Style

(Killer, Bomb.com Enchiladas)

These are enchiladas I made for my family once night after my internship. It took me about 45 minutes--so its a pretty quick dinner! This is a vegetarian dish, but please don't let that throw you off! My dad, who is a full on meatatarian and pork lover, absolutely loved these and ate 3 of them! These are filled with layers of deliciousness and will satisfy after a long days work! 

Yield: 6 Enchiladas 

Ingredients: 

6 tortillas (your choice of whole wheat, corn or flour; I prefer corn for authenticity)
1 cup of mozzarella cheese

 Tomato Sauce:

2 tomatoes (roughly chopped)

1/2 of an onion (diced)

1 Tbs of tomato paste

1 Tbs of olive oil

1/4 cup of orange juice

1/2 cup of water

1/2 Tbs of tequila 
2 Tsb of agave nectar 

1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
1/2 tsp of dried oregano
1/2 tsp of dried mint 
1 tsp salt & pepper, or to taste!

Filling:

1 can of beans (I use Kidney beans, but Pinto or Black beans are tasty also!)
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar

1 cup of cooked spinach
1 corn on the cob
1 cup of mushrooms 
1/2 cup of scallions

1/4 of a cup of goat cheese
1 Tbs of sour cream 
1 tsp salt & pepper, or to taste! 

Preparation: 

 Preheat oven at 380 degrees 

Tomato Sauce:

1.) Heat 1 Tbs of oil in a sauce pan, add chopped onions.
2.) Allow onions to caramelize (turn light brown), then add chopped tomatoes and stir, stir, stir so everything doesn't stick to the pan!
3.) Cook for 3 minutes on medium heat, then add tequila. Allow the alcohol to burn off for about 1 minute, and add orange juice. 
4.) Allow to cook for 2 minutes, add agave nectar, pepper flakes, oregano, mint, salt and pepper.
5.) Add water to tomato mixture and bring to boil. Then turn on low heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. 
6.) Turn off heat, let the sauce cool down then pour into a blender and blend the sauce until nice and smooth! 

Filling: Once the tomato sauce is ready to go--proceed to make the filling (the sauce needs to cool anyway)!

1.) Place corn into the oven on a baking sheet, and let bake at 380 degrees for 25 minutes. 

2.) In a saucepan, heat a 1 Tbs of oil and heat the beans (or sort of "toast" them) until you can smell their yumminess coming out--about 3 minutes! 

3.) Add mushrooms the the beans and cook until almost translucent--3 minutes. 

4..) Add spinach to the beans, 1 Tbs of water, stir and allow to cook until spinach reduces and wilts. 

5.) In a large bowl-- mix sour cream, goat cheese, salt, pepper and scallions.

6.) To the cheese mixture, add the bean and spinach mixture. 

7.) Once corn on the cob is cooked and cooled, cut the corn from the cob and add to the bean mixture, and stir all the contents together!

Assembling: 

1.) Coat a baking dish with oil

2.) One tortilla at a time, coat the tortilla on both sides with tomato sauce-- simply drop the tortilla in the sauce pan with sauce and use tongs to make sure the entire tortilla is coated.

3.) Place tortilla on a flat surface, like a cutting board, and add about 2 Tbs (or more ;] ) to the edge of the tortilla. Carefully, roll the tortilla, tucking in the sides like you would a burrito. Place the enchilada in pan. 

4.) Repeat for the next 5 tortillas and place them next to each other in the baking dish. 

5.) Once all enchiladas are in baking dish, pour 1/2 of remainder sauce over the top of the enchiladas.

6.) Bake at 380 degrees. After 10 minutes, take out enchiladas, add mozzarella cheese and bake for 10 more minutes.  

7.) The remainder of the sauce, you can pour over the enchiladas before eating! 

ENJOY MY FRIENDS and HAPPY EATING!! 

<3 Babushka 

HEALTHY Mint Hot Chocolate

After my first year of college, I realized two things:

1.) I am a chocoholic 

and

2.) I am damn proud to be one 

I ALSO REALIZED, that you can be a chocoholic, and be very healthy as well! 

Whattttt!!! Oh my gosh, Claudia, how?! Tell me your secrets! ............

NO! 

And why won't I tell you my secrets? Because this is not a place to be worrying about dieting and stupid crap like that. This is a blog to read about the yummy food I am making. And besides, most of the food I cook is healthy anyway, so there is NO NEED to worry my friends :) 

Anyway.. this recipe I came up with to fulfill my chocolate desires on a rainy day when all I need is a good book (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at the time), and some hot cocoa. 

MINT HOT CHOCOLATE

Yield: 1 Delicious cup of Hot Cocoa, just for you :) 

Ingredients: 

1 cup of Coconut Milk (I used Silk Vanilla Coconut Milk)

1/2 cup of Dark Chocolate (either chocolate chips or chopped chocolate from a bar of chocolate) 

2 stems of fresh mint (about 10 mint leaves)

1.) Pour milk into a saucepan, place on medium heat.

2.) Add whole mint leaves to the milk right away, that way the leaves can be cooked with the milk and release all of their deliciousness (do not chop them)!

3.) Allow the milk and mint leaves cook for a minute.

4.) Slowly add chocolate to the milk. Be sure to stir constantly so that you end up with hot chocolate and not milk with a big clump of chocolate at the bottom of the pan! ;)

5.) Cook until it comes up to a boil. 

6.) Take off the heat and pour over a strainer into glass or mug! 

7 .)And lastly... ENJOY! 

p.s. I have no idea how many calories this hot cocoa has. It is definitely much healthier than store bought hot chocolate, and way yummier!  Also keep in mind that this will not be as sweet as your traditional hot cocoa, but it still hits the sweet tooth spot very nicely! 

Cheers!

<3 Babushka 

I've decided to grow some cohones!

Please, don't take the title seriously! What I mean by it is that I've finally decided to get up and start blogging about my passion, FOOOOOD, that for me took some courage (I'm not used to blogging or writing about my personal things on the Internet!) That being said.... 

                                             HELLO!

My name is Claudia and I'm not your average college kid. I'm overly ambitious, loud and can not wait to settle down and have kids...seriously. Well..I mean I CAN wait, and I am waiting, but I'm just excited for that day that I get to be called "mommy" and show my children how my I adore them like my mama has shown me.  But besides being excited about being a mama someday... I go to Marquette University and study Speech-Language Pathology, and I currently have a summer internship with Autism Speaks (which is absolutely AMAZING)! My dream would be to work with people with Down syndrome and families who have children with the disorders. I admire and adore kids with Down Syndrome, and I truly believe that they are the most precious people in the world. 

That's my background info for ya! :) As for my blog...you might be wondering why it's named "My Mini Babushka". 

Well, I am 100% Polish...my parents immigrated to America when my mama was 7 months pregnant with me! I grew up speaking Polish (English is my second language in fact), was of course raised the "Polish" way, visited my family in Poland over the summers and have to endure 12 painful years on Polish school every Saturday. 

SO "My Mini Babushka" is my blog name because...I AM YOUR MINI BABUSHKA :) 

Babushka in many Slovakian languages means grandma. In Polish actually, the proper name for grandma is Babcia however, most people are more familiar with the term Babushka, so I decided to go with that! 

But...you might ask, " Claudia, why are you calling yourself a grandma!? You're just in college!" 

My dear friends, I am calling myself a Babushka because I love to cook and my passion to to cook for my loved ones and see their faces light up when they put that heaping spoon of deliciousness into their mouths!

AND also because the amount of time I spend in the kitchen my mama says I remind her of my grandma in Poland, and she calls me Babushka all the time ;) I gotta own the nickname my mama gave me, don't I? 

So, there is my introductory story for you guys! 

I will be blogging about FOOD and my COOKING! 

The yummy delicious food I will be posting are my very own recipes :)  I would like them to be Polish Inspired, but I made KILLER, BOMB.COM enchiladas the other day that I will be posting...and enchiladas aren't too Polish haha! 

ENJOY, MY FRIENDS!