Hi Myrna,

I'm not a big fan of grease either, and that's the reason I always bake my Pierogis. As I said, they may either be Boiled, Baked or Fried. This is a quick method for making baked pierogis. I have a long version where you make the dough but, believe me, it doesn't seem to make a big difference, at least not in the taste.

Baked Pierogis

Frozen dinner rolls (store brand are just fine), thawed about 2 hours, so the dough is pliable but not risen. If I use 24 rolls I use about 3 cups of potatoes...they do not go to waste.

Mashed potatoes should be cooled, then add into them whatever you think your family will enjoy such as sauteed onions, caraway seeds, garlic, along with salt and pepper. I personally use drained sauerkraut and a bit of pepper and, if I have it, I slice kielbasi really thin.

Take one roll and slightly flatten it in your palm. Add a scoop of the potato mixture and then pinch shut like a draw string purse. If you are using the kielbasi, I put it in first and pile some potatoes on top. (You are not using a lot of potatoes as you do not want them to ooze out while baking). Place seam side down on a baking pan. I use parchment paper or a silpat pad for baking everything to avoid sticking but do not delay trying these if you do not have such items. Use a non stick baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until brown, depending on the temperature of your oven. Check often the last few minutes!

Enjoy a retro experience. We cannot get enough of them. Sometimes we eat then dipped into sour cream or we may just eat as is, either hot or at room temperature.

Have A Great Night My Friend,

Phil

Yes, that is it Phil, Pierogies. I first heard of them when I was reading Lillian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who series". It is a tale of a place 100 miles north of everything. The main character is always testing out different kinds of pierogies at the restaurants he visits.

The kind served to me in PA where from the factory where Gus was working and were potato ones. They made packaged foods and it was a local processing company. He hated the job by the way! I think it is a waste of time and energy to make a pasta and stuff it with potatoes!! Now Phil you have some good ideas there with the veggies and cheese.

Okay go to different subject. I love Spring Rolls (Thai kind). There was a restaurant in Auburn, AL that served the best I have ever had. They would be as big as a grapefruit and just as round, made fresh from the rice wrappers and stuffed with lots of oriental vegetables and seafood. I ordered the ingredients some years ago and tried my hand at them - they were okay. My daughter-in-law is a wonderful Japanese cook but she does not do spring rolls that I know of.

Here is a picture of one that is in shape of egg roll type. Could not find the round ones.

Sara

Sara,

Those Spring Rolls sound delicious. I can almost smell them way down here in NC, and if I close my eyes real tight, I can almost taste them. Unfortunately, this is one instance where I don't have the Recipe handy.

You see, I absolutely love Asian Food, especially Thai. I have been known to travel all the way to Charlotte, NC, for some really terrific Thai Fried Bananas. However, just as much as I love to cook good old American food, that's how much I despise preparing Asian food. It's just plain HARD! Not really, but I can never get the spices exactly right, so therefore it never tastes quite like what I expected.

You see, I've been spoiled. I've been blessed over the years to have enjoyed the company of a number of Asian Ladies, some Thai, one or two Vietnamese and one Cambodian, as well as several Japanese/American, and of course, a couple of Chinese. Therefore, I have naturaly developed a taste for authentic Asian food over the years as well.

So, these days, whenever I have a taste of Asian Food, I simply head out I-85 towards Greensboro, NC, to eitherThai Garden or Taste of Thai , or to my favorite Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar, Asahi Sushi & Steakhouse. And of course, if my taste inludes both styles, I usually go to Sakura Ichiban Japanese & Thai Cuisine. Finally, there's even a wonderful place that I've discovered called A Taste Of Vietnam, which actually serves one of my favorite styles of Asian Food, authentic Vietnamese.

Therefore, since Greensboro is less than 30 minutes from Thomasville via the Highway, and since these restaurants all require Reservations ahead of time, within 45 minutes to an hour, I am enjoying my favorite Asian food, hopefully along with the company of one of my favorite Asians, and I avoid all of the hassle of trying to prepare it myself.

I hope that you'll forgive me. I'll keep doing the American, Greek, Italian, Middle Eastern, and even the occasional Hungarian styles, but I'm afraid there's two things I don't do, I don't do Windows, and I don't cook Asian Food.

Have A Blessed Evening My Friend,

Phil

Hi Everyone,

Lest everyone think from my last post that I was talking about cooking up only Meat & Potatoes from now on, here's a little something special to tempt your Tastebuds.

Featuring a quick and easy White Cheese Sauce which makes the Gnocchi melt in your mouth! Very rich and decadent. At 624 Calories, 51.3 g. of Fat, and 163 mg. of Cholesterol per serving, this one's definitely not for the faint hearted. Best served with a light salad to balance out the richness.

Gnocchi in Fontina Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pound refrigerated gnocchi
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
• 8 ounces Italian fontina cheese, cubed
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the gnocci, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
2. Once the gnocci goes into the pot, start the sauce, as you want the gnocci to be done first. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots, and cook for a few minutes, until tender. Stir in the cream, and heat to almost a boil. Gradually mix in the fontina and parmesan cheeses, being careful not to boil. Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat immediately, or the sauce may clump.
3. Place gnocci into serving dishes, and spoon the sauce over them. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.

Note: Gnocchi are widely available dried, frozen, or fresh in vacuum sealed packages in supermarkets and specialty stores.

Have A Delightful Evening,

Phil