Buckwheat Waffles Sweet and Savory

My kids love waffles - making them in a cast iron waffle-maker on the stove is very unique experience. Waffles come out very crispy outside and nice and soft inside with the earthy aroma of home ground flour.

4 Exciting Ways to Use Coffee in Recipe

Think coffee is just a beverage? If so, you are missing out on the wide array of unique dishes you can create using coffee. From breakfast all the way to dessert, this much-loved drink can add extraordinary flavor to many of your favorite foods. Coffee is also highly versatile, making it an exceptional pairing with a range of other flavors.

If you’ve been looking to add a bit of excitement to mealtime, check out several of the unique ways you can use coffee in recipes.

Irish Barm Brack Bread with Dried Apricots Perfect for St.Patrick's Day

Barm Brack is a yeast bread with added raisins (I added dried apricots)  - it is sweeter that standard bread but not as rich as cake. Although, it is traditionally eaten around Halloween, when charms are baked into the dough as part of an ancient fortune-telling ritual, I think it is perfect for those who celebrate St.Patrick’s day.

Russian Monday: "Blini" - Vanilla Crepes with Berries

“Maslenitsa” is a Russian carnival week originating from pre-Christian times. It was celebrated around spring solstice and was dedicated to the boy-Sun named Xors becoming a man-Sun named Yarilo. The main dish of the holiday week are pancakes (or “blini” in Russian) in all their varieties. Their round shape symbolizes the Sun.

Flourless Honey-Orange Chocolate Muffins - Perfect Breakfast for your Valentine

How could you go wrong with muffins that marry the best flavors: orange, honey and chocolate? These are divine with a delicate cup of Café au lait and freshly whipped cream cheese.

Pumpkin Bread with Raisins, Dried Cherries & Pumpkin Seeds

Old-fashioned hospitality is at its best when you combine good food with your friends. And what could be more neighborly than to welcome your quests with a special fresh baked pumpkin bread full of flavors and fall's vibrant color.

Russian Monday: "Zavarnoe Koltso" - Choux Pastry Rings with Sweet Farmer Cheese Butter Cream

I will always remember from time to time, when coming from school, in cold and rainy autumn and winter days, opening the door and immediately smell the baking sweets being made. My fondest memories are of my mother baking “Zavarnie Kolechki” (Choux Pastry Rings). I hope you'll enjoy this delicate dessert from my childhood.

I wonder what foods and recipes do you remember fondly from childhood, and where are you from?

Garlic Bread with Fresh Herbs Baked in Flower Pots

There are few things more pleasurable than the aroma and taste of freshly cooked home-made bread. These flower pot loaves are flavored with fresh chives, sage, parsley and garlic. You can use any selection of your favorite herbs. These are the most visually stunning breads and the are perfect for entertaining.

Strawberries in Syrup With Cardamom & Rose Water

Sweet and fragrant, a strawberry in syrup nourishes the soul as well as body. Ideal for relaxed weekend mornings when the family wanders in for breakfast, just serve over crispy waffles or fluffy pancakes with rich cream and your favorite coffee.

Russian Monday; "Lenivie Vareniki" - "Lazy" Vanilla Ricotta Dumplings with Whole Wheat Flour

“Lazy” dumplings (or “le-nee-vye va-re-nee-kee” in Russian) are gnocchi-shaped dumplings made by mixing ricotta cheese or farmer cheese with egg and white/wheat flour into quick dough. It is an easier version for people who don't have time to make stuffed dumplings. These are great for breakfast and my mom used to make them for me many times. They can be served in many ways, for example - with sweet sauce, berries and cream. If you like to have a savory version, add shredded cheese, fresh green peas and serve them with melted butter or even tomato sauce. I used whole wheat flour for my recipe, but you are welcome to use all-purpose flour, that way your dumplings will come out whiter and lighter.

Russian Monday: Omelet " po Leningradski" - Omelet with Onion, Tomato, Veal & Fresh Herbs

As you know, I was born and grew up in St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad). From my childhood memories I remember most popular breakfast of the time - omelet with onions, tomatoes, any cooked meat and fresh herbs. It was something known to everyone and cooked in great variety of ways. This omelet does not have any “official” name, but I have nicknamed it “po Leningradsky” (“Leningrad omelet”), in honor of my old city. The omelet is fresh, colorful and fulfilling, you can use any leftover cooked meat or cold cuts and it can be done in 15 minutes. It is great breakfast dish in one pan for the whole family. For fresh herbs you can use parsley, dill, cilantro or scallions. Serve it with dark bread toast.

Eggs en Cocotte with Mushrooms & Green Peas

A cocotte is a small round or oval dish in which food is cooked and served - a ramekin or individual casserole. It may be made of fireproof china, tempered glass, earthenware, porcelain, cast iron, copper, or stainless steel. The food cooked and served in such dishes is usually called "en cocotte".

Strawberry Scones with Blood Orange Icing

Scones resemble biscuits, and indeed might be considered their British cousins. They are common-place on the tea table but being inherently rebellious, people from other countries find them inviting on the breakfast table as well. Scones are simple to put together. They are generally heavier than biscuits, and often are studded with fresh and dried fruits, ginger or made from nutritious oats. A hot scone eaten as the British do, with a dollop of crème fraîche or Devonshire cream and some chunky berry preserves, is a taste treat not to be missed on either side of the Atlantic.

Kale, Avocado, Flaxseed Oil Pesto (Dairy free, Vegan, Gluten free)

My kale pesto made with an avocado and flaxseed oil. It took me only 5 minutes to prepare this tasty sauce. If you don't have pine nuts, you may use walnuts. Also, feel free to substitute olive oil for the flaxseed oil. This pesto recipe is vegan, dairy free and gluten free.

Brown Soda Bread with Buckwheat Flour & Molasses

Soda bread has long been a staple in Ireland. It is a bread made without yeast, because baking soda mixed with buttermilk is used as a leavening agent. A cross is cut into the top of the bread to help it rise and, according to Irish folklore, to either ward off evil or let the fairies out.

Russian Monday on Saturday: "Oladushky" - Honey Yeast Blini ( Pancakes, Blintzes )

Winter farewell is a time of awakening; the beginning of new life. Since ancient times, people have enjoyed this time of the year. Festivals and carnivals are held all over the world: Chinese New Year, Venice Carnival, a holiday of the trees - Tu B’Shvat in Israel, Mardi Gras, even Groundhog Day, which was brought to America from Germany, and one of the oldest Russian holidays - Maslenitsa.

Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cake with Almonds (no flour)

When I hear about mix of ricotta cheese with lemon, I start drooling-))  This cake has everything and more: it is flour-less with almond meal, so you don't have to feel guilty after a few slices. It is very moist and not too sweet. It is also lemony and has crunchy top. You can not ask for anything else, it is a perfection itself! I love to have slice of this cake for breakfast with cup of fresh brewed coffee. Bake it the night before so in the morning you have a great treat to start your day.

Carrot-Orange Muffins for a Winter Morning

Hearty and robust or delicate and cake-like, all muffins have a place on the morning table. Homemade jams and preserves go well with full-flavored muffins, while the more subtle ones need only sweet butter, a little crème fraîche, or perhaps a spoonful of jelly. Some muffins filled with berries, need no accompaniment at all.

Russian Monday: "Shaneshky" - Baked Potato Buns with Sour Cream & Cheese

These tasty pastries are especially dear to me because they carry the taste of my childhood. When I was a schoolgirl during summer holidays my parents used to send me to spend some time with grandma in the countryside. My grandma used to live in the village, in house made of real logs with giant brick-made oven. She had large garden, veggie patch, chickens, sheep and even cows. These were unforgettable days of my childhood.

Spicy Orange Honey Quick Bread

Whenever the holiday season comes around, I'm always in a yearning mood for a Spicy Orange Honey Quick Bread.

There is something about the aroma that fills the house on a cold night, and the combined savory and delicate sweetness of the buckwheat honey, cinnamon, star anise and the nutmeg that compliments just about every hot drink -  from a cup of tea or coffee, to a cup of cocoa or even a steaming glass of sangria - to be enjoyed alone or better yet, with your friends and loved ones by the crackling fire.