Smetana Sauce (sour cream)

• ½ c sour cream (smetana)
• 2 T butter
• 1 T flour
• ½ c beef or veg stock
• salt

Method:
Make a roux of the butter, flour and salt. Add the stock gradually. Add the sour cream and mix well. Cook for about 5-10 minutes.

Sauce may be served with meats, vegetables or fish.

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• sour cream
• 1c flour
• butter
• 1 t salt

Method:
Mix cream cheese with a tablespoon of butter. Add flour, beaten eggs and ½ t of salt. Combine all ingredients until smooth and put mixture on a floured board.

Form into a flat strip about an inch thick. Cut into narrow slices and drop into boiling salted water.

Simmer until dumplings rise to the top. Do not cook too quickly or they may fall apart. Remove from water with slotted spoon. Serve with melted butter poured over them.

Traditional Russian Orthodox Easter Cake

• 2 ½ lbs ricotta
• 1 c butter
• 1 c whipping cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ c fine sugar
• 1 c glazed fruit
• 1 c golden raisins
• ½ c blanched almonds
• 1 ½ t vanilla

Method:
Have all ingredients room temperature. Break ricotta into small pieces. Add alternately butter and heavy cream to cheese and beat with a wooden spoon until soft and smooth.

Beat together eggs and sugar until very light. Add to cheese mixture gradually and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add all but ¼ c glazed fruit and ¼ c raisins which will be used for decoration later.

• 1 c buckwheat
• 2 c milk
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 c sour cream
• 2 T butter
• 1 T bread crumbs
• salt

Method:
Heat milk, stir in buckwheat and cook until it thickens. Add cream cheese, eggs and salt. Put in a greased baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Brush top with sour cream and melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees until brown crust has formed on top (about 45 minutes). Slice and serve with melted butter and sour cream.

• 12 eggs, separated- use eggs from chickens you know personally if possible
• 3/4 c honey
• 1 pt whiskey
• ¼ pt rum
• 1 pt thin cream
• 1 pt heavy cream, whipped
• nutmeg, grated

Method:
Beat yolks until light. Gradually add honey (warm in ban marie if it is too solid). Continue to beat until thick and lemon colored. Add whiskey, rum and thin cream. Fold in the whipped cream and the stiffly beaten egg whites. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with a sprinkling of nutmeg.

The use of raw honey and homemade cream cheese will make this icing the most health-full topping you could add to your cakes. The raw honey and cultured cream cheese will provide digestive enzymes to assist in digesting the cake’s carbohydrates.

Makes about 1 cup

• 1/3 c raw honey, softened
• 1/2 c cream cheese
• lemon juice to taste

Method:
Blend until smooth; be sparing with the lemon juice, to prevent the mixture becoming too liquid. Spread on any type of cake: if you like, sprinkle chopped or shredded nuts over the icing.

I was taught this recipe by Bo Htein, who was taught how to cook by his paralyzed mother when he was a kid growing up in Myanmar.

serves 4

• 1/2 c yogurt
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 chicken legs
• salt and pepper

Method:
Mix together the yogurt, honey, garlic and chicken. Allow to marinate overnight. Bake or grill, sprinkling with salt and pepper as they cook.

This is a great way to start your day. It is quick, nourishing and delectable. Most importantly is has a lot of easily absorbed calcium and potassium.

Serves 2-3

• 1 banana, the riper the sweeter
• 1 T tahini, or you can use freshly ground toasted sesame seeds
• 2 T almond butter
• 1 t vanilla essence
• 1 T honey (or you can use a sweet apple)
• ½ c herbal iced tea (or water)
• 1 c yogurt or keffir or both
• 1 t cinnamon, ground

Method:
Blend ingredients together. It is also nice to add ice at the end to make it into more of a thicker colder smoothie.

Lightly steamed homegrown green beans are delicious with cream cheese and balachaung

Serves 2-4

• 500g (1 lb) green beans
• ¼ c homemade cream cheese
• ¼ c peanut balachaung
• ½ lime’s juice
• salt to taste

Method:
Blanch green beans and drain. While hot add the cream cheese and toss until it has melted and coated the beans. Add balachaung, lime juice and salt to taste.