Olio? Crossword word...means hodgepodge, or everything else not covered elsewhere. That's what this page is for.
What do I look like? Who cares?
Some people don't read. Statistics say about 25-30% of adults haven't read an entire book in the last year. I'm aghast. WHY READ? Because recent research shows that readers are more empathetic in life, due to exposure to different ways of thinking, and imagining themselves to be the characters while they read. Because reading exercises your brain muscle. Reading is calisthenics for the brain. Because a flabby brain is even LESS attractive than a flabby belly. And that's no way to go through life!
I have a favor to ask of you. If you've gotten this far on my blog, I hope you're excited to read some or all of my books! If you do, even if you get the free downloads, I hope you will consider leaving a review somewhere. Every review gets my name out onto the internet again. I've been published since 2009, but there are thousands of books published every day. It's hard to get noticed as an author. And if you come to love my characters as much as I do, I'd appreciate if you share that feeling with other readers. Goodreads is a good place to leave reviews, as is the site you bought the book from. Even just a sentence or two helps. Thanks for being a reader, and for choosing one of my books. Much appreciation.
I have a favor to ask of you. If you've gotten this far on my blog, I hope you're excited to read some or all of my books! If you do, even if you get the free downloads, I hope you will consider leaving a review somewhere. Every review gets my name out onto the internet again. I've been published since 2009, but there are thousands of books published every day. It's hard to get noticed as an author. And if you come to love my characters as much as I do, I'd appreciate if you share that feeling with other readers. Goodreads is a good place to leave reviews, as is the site you bought the book from. Even just a sentence or two helps. Thanks for being a reader, and for choosing one of my books. Much appreciation.
Polish Recipes from my Busia (Mom's mom) who lived in Chicago for 50 years and never learned English
Golabki (pronounced gwump-ki) AKA, Cabbage Rolls
--Boil one large cabbage, or 2 smaller ones, in water for about 1/2 hour. Remove and let cool.
--Chop 2 large onions and 4-6 stalks of celery, then sauté them in 1/4 cup canola oil. Let cool.
--1 cup rice--cooked to make 3 cups. Let cool.
--Meat mixture: 1# ground pork, 1#ground beef (or use 2# ground beef.) Add 2 eggs, the rice, and the veggies to this mixture. Using your hands, mix it all up until it's well blended.
--Separate the cabbage leaves into piles--big enough to use one, needs 2, pot liner.
Line the bottom of a huge pot with the leaves you can't use to form the cabbage rolls.
Put 1 big spoonful of meat mixture into a leaf, then roll up like an envelope, rolling the sides in and rolling all the way--put seam-side down into the pot on the liner leaves. Keep doing this until you've used up all of the meat. Toss any extra cabbage. (Note: I always cook 2 cabbages, so as not to run out of usable leaves.)
--Cover the cabbage rolls with 3 small cans, or 1 large, 1 small can of Campbells tomato soup. Then fill the cans about half with water, shake around, and pour over the cabbage rolls.
--Bring to a boil, then cook over low heat for 2 hours.
--Serve with mashed potatoes. (For authenticity, play polka music and wear a babushka while you eat. LOL)
Capoosta (Busia's sauerkraut)
--3 large cans saurkraut--rinse in a colander with lots of cold water, squeezing it under the water, to wash most of the sour off the kraut. Let it drain.
--Chop 1# bacon into small pieces, then fry in a large pot. When done, remove the bacon, and add enough flour to the bacon grease to make a roue.
--Put the rinsed kraut into the pot, and add the cooked bacon.
--Also add:
1# smoked Polish sausage, chopped into small slices
1 onion, chopped
3 small cans of tiny peas--do not drain, add the liquid also
3 jars sliced mushrooms--do not drain, add the liquid also
--Fill all 3 cans from the kraut with water and add them all to the pot.
--Bring to a boil and lower heat, to simmer for at least 1 hour, preferably 2--peek to be sure it's liquid enough to not burn.
Freezes well. Makes a great low-carb lunch or dinner.
Golabki (pronounced gwump-ki) AKA, Cabbage Rolls
--Boil one large cabbage, or 2 smaller ones, in water for about 1/2 hour. Remove and let cool.
--Chop 2 large onions and 4-6 stalks of celery, then sauté them in 1/4 cup canola oil. Let cool.
--1 cup rice--cooked to make 3 cups. Let cool.
--Meat mixture: 1# ground pork, 1#ground beef (or use 2# ground beef.) Add 2 eggs, the rice, and the veggies to this mixture. Using your hands, mix it all up until it's well blended.
--Separate the cabbage leaves into piles--big enough to use one, needs 2, pot liner.
Line the bottom of a huge pot with the leaves you can't use to form the cabbage rolls.
Put 1 big spoonful of meat mixture into a leaf, then roll up like an envelope, rolling the sides in and rolling all the way--put seam-side down into the pot on the liner leaves. Keep doing this until you've used up all of the meat. Toss any extra cabbage. (Note: I always cook 2 cabbages, so as not to run out of usable leaves.)
--Cover the cabbage rolls with 3 small cans, or 1 large, 1 small can of Campbells tomato soup. Then fill the cans about half with water, shake around, and pour over the cabbage rolls.
--Bring to a boil, then cook over low heat for 2 hours.
--Serve with mashed potatoes. (For authenticity, play polka music and wear a babushka while you eat. LOL)
Capoosta (Busia's sauerkraut)
--3 large cans saurkraut--rinse in a colander with lots of cold water, squeezing it under the water, to wash most of the sour off the kraut. Let it drain.
--Chop 1# bacon into small pieces, then fry in a large pot. When done, remove the bacon, and add enough flour to the bacon grease to make a roue.
--Put the rinsed kraut into the pot, and add the cooked bacon.
--Also add:
1# smoked Polish sausage, chopped into small slices
1 onion, chopped
3 small cans of tiny peas--do not drain, add the liquid also
3 jars sliced mushrooms--do not drain, add the liquid also
--Fill all 3 cans from the kraut with water and add them all to the pot.
--Bring to a boil and lower heat, to simmer for at least 1 hour, preferably 2--peek to be sure it's liquid enough to not burn.
Freezes well. Makes a great low-carb lunch or dinner.