Cooking with herbs: Sage shortbread cookies

I sowed some herbs seeds in my garden last spring and we are getting a really great harvest this year. Sage, oregano, thyme, dill, basil and parsley are growing and seems to be happy. We are using some of them fresh and the rest we are drying or freezing.

I am also looking for some new ways to use them.

I found this savory sage shortbread cookie recipe in my magazine clipping and baked them. They are delicious and very rich, just as any shortbread cookie would be. I think they taste best when served chilled. Great to pair with a glass of wine!

 I made some changes to the original recipe in the process and I would like to share how to make them:

The ingredients:

1 cup flour

1 stick unsalted butter (113 gr), at room temperature

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 1/2 table spoon chopped sage leaves

1/4 tea spoon salt.

Mix together softened butter, cheese, salt and flour, add the chopped sage leaves. If the dough is too soft place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to harden. Roll your dough into small balls and flatten them with your palm to about 1/4" thickness. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet, about 1" apart. Bake at 350' for about 20 minutes or until lightly golden.

They are not diet friendly but we all allow ourselves things like these from time to time, don't we? On a positive note, they are not sweet and made without sugar :) 

Baked eggplant with Parmesan

One more great recipe from National Cuisine Week, baked eggplant with cheese. Originally it was published on Svetlana's blog. I printed it, made some adjustments suitable for our family and I have to say, this recipe is a keeper.

I sliced the eggplant to about 3/8" thick, add some salt and let it sit for about 20 minutes. I brushed the both sides of the eggplant with olive oil and arranged it on a baking sheet lined with foil also brushed with olive oil. I made a mayonnaise spread using a light variety of mayonnaise and some granulated dry garlic powder. Then I spread a thin layer of the mix on top of each slice.

I baked the eggplant slices at 425"F for 15 minutes until they became slightly golden. Then I add some shredded parmesan cheese on top and returned it to oven for additional 5 minutes.

It's delicious like it is, just let it cool a little :) or you can add fresh sliced tomatoes to make it even better.

You can either make an eggplant tomato sandwich  or just top each piece of eggplant with a tomato slice. I also added some freshly ground cracked black pepper on top.

An absolutely great dish, healthy and very easy to make. It will probably become one of my favorites!

Apple and tomato relish

Canning fruits and vegetables is very common in Ukraine. People often living in small city apartments but pretty often they have a little summer house outside of the city with the little garden. Gardening for many becomes a great way to relieve stress of daily routine and of course, this is an opportunity to make some food preserves for winter. Many using their  family recipes which are often kept as a secret and being passed from generation to generation. Many however are sharing their recipes with others.

This one I got from my mother many years ago. This type of relish is often served as a side dish, with cooked meat or like a snack between meals. It can also be canned.

You will need:

1lbs tomatoes

2 medium carrots

2 medium bell peppers

2 apples

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 chili pepper

3/4 cup of olive oil

Salt and pepper

Thoroughly wash the fruits and vegetables. Remove the steam and seeds from the peppers, core and stem from the apples. Peel the garlic and carrots. Dip the tomatoes in boiling water for several seconds, remove them and peel off the skin.

 Roughly chop all vegetables except the garlic. Add the chopped vegetables to a blender or large vegetable chopper and mince until almost a paste but you can still see a pieces in it. Transfer all the ingredients except the garlic into a large pot and bring it to a boil. 

Reduce heat and cook on a low setting for about 2 hours, stirring as needed. Mince garlic and add it to your pot. Bring to boil, add salt and pepper to taste, stir and reduce the heat to medium and let it cook for additional 15 minutes.

Let it cool and serve it chilled with fresh baked bread.

Enjoy!