Feb 7, 2025 | Entree, European, Main, Vegetarian
Palacsinta
Ann Szipszky, United States
This is Hungary's answer to the crepe. I have loved these since I was a kid. My mom would make them a lot, especially during Lent when you cannot have meat on Fridays.
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes minutes
Course Main Course, Vegetarian
Cuisine European
Palacsinta
- 3 eggs
- 1-1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Crisco to cook them in
Filling
- Cottage Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Cinnamon
- Sugar
- Raisins
For the Palacsinta
Mix all wet ingredients together, then add the flour and salt. Batter should be smooth and lump free, consistency of really thin pancake batter. I use an immersion blender which works perfectly.
I have a crepe pan I use (my dedicated palacsinta pan that I use for nothing else) but a non-stick frying pan will work well too. Put some Crisco in the pan, make sure it’s hot. I have a small ladle I use and it’s about two ladleful's of the batter. If I had to guess, maybe about a quarter cup or so. Just swish around in the pan and make sure you have a thin layer covering the surface.
Flip after the first side is cooked (if any of the area is wet it is not ready for flipping). I have this wooden paddle/stick thing (almost looks like a paint stick) I use to flip them but a spatula works fine. Just be careful if you are using a nonstick pan because a metal spatula will do not nice things to your pan. Sometimes the first one will come out a little wonky but after that you’ll be good to go.
When done put on a plate, add your favorite filling (directions for my favorite filling is below), roll and enjoy. Jam is also a great filling. You can also use things like Nutella and fresh sliced strawberries and/or bananas and then sprinkle some powdered sugar or even some lemon zest.
For the filling
- This is my favorite, but you can use jam or whatever else you might like. This is not exact as I eyeball everything:
- 3:1 ratio cottage cheese to sour cream. Cinnamon, sugar and raisins to taste.
Keyword crepe, entree, Hungarian, main course, vegetarian
Feb 7, 2025 | Americas, Dessert, North American
Perfectly Chocolate Cake
Erica Russomanno, United States
This chocolate cake has won me blue ribbons in baking contests. I make this cake for all occasions, especially birthdays.
Prep Time 1 hour hour
Cook Time 35 minutes minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
- 2 cups sugar
- 1-3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3⁄4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
- 1-1⁄2 tsps baking powder
- 1-1⁄2 tsps baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cup eggs
- 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Heat oven to 350°F.
Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
Stir together 2 cups of sugar, 1 3/4 cups of flour, 3/4 cup of HERSHEY’S Cocoa, 1 1/2 tsps baking powder, 1 1/2 tsps baking soda and 1 tsp salt in large bowl.
Add 2 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil and 2 tsps vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.
Stir in 1 cup of boiling water (batter will be thin).
Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting
- Melt 1/2 cup of butter.
- Stir in 2/3 cup of HERSHEY’S Cocoa. Alternately, add 3 cups of powdered sugar and 1/3 cup of milk, beating to spreading consistency.
Keyword America, cake, chocolate, dessert
Feb 6, 2025 | European, Pasta, Side, Vegetarian
Grandma's Spaetzle
Christopher A. Kaiser, United States
Growing up, I spent a tremendous amount of time with my Father's Mother (Grandma Kaiser). When she made a Goulash, Chicken Soup, Creamed Chicken, among other main dishes, she inevitably would whip up a bowl of spaetzle. Warm, drizzled with butter or added to the main, a deliciously comforting treat.
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Course Pasta, Side Dish, Vegetarian
Cuisine European
- 1 cup Flour Your choice of brand
- 1 Egg
- 1 dash Salt
- 1 dash Pepper
- 1 pot Boiling salted water To a rolling boil
- Water Depending on how smooth you want the batter
Sift 1 cup of flour in a bowl.
Add egg in bowl.
Whisk in water until smooth consistently (like cake batter).
Use a cutting board and place a little on the board.
Cut (using a knife) a bit at a time and let fall into boiling water.
When that board is done stir Spaetzle in the water.
When they rise and float, take out and put in a bowl.
Begin next batch.
Spaetzle is very forgiving. You can eat in soups, like noodles, or as a side dish with butter or plain. Many cultures call these dumplings, noodles, pasta. Try many times and have fun. Even your mistakes will be good.
