Haluski vs. Halupki

Today I will share with you how to make my version of Polish Haluski. Most people tend to mix up the difference between Haluski and Halupki. I will not be posting how to make Halupki today, but maybe later!

What is Halupki?

A Slovak stuffed cabbage roll. It is usually stuffed with a meat and rice mixture, almost similar to stuffed peppers. 

What is Haluski?

Pan fried cabbage and noodles. WITH TONS OF BUTTER. Get ready to clog some arteries!

I love this dish. It reminds me of an enhanced version of buttered noodles that I used to eat as a child. I make Haluski probably every other week, and it lasts me for 2-4 days. Since I am only cooking for 2, I always make enough for leftovers. This makes a HUGE amount of food so feel free to adjust the recipe. 

I don't always serve Haluski with a protein. When I do, I like to buy a Wegman's $5 Rotisserie Chicken (lemon pepper or plain); which is the best deal ever! I also sometimes pan fry Kielbasa (polish sausage) and cut it up into bite size pieces to mix in. 

*This recipe is not really exact. You can adjust it based on if you feel it needs more butter, more pepper, other seasonings, different noodles, etc. 

Photo: Haluski with Kielbasa

Ingredients: 

-1 stick of salted butter

-2 Tbsp. Olive oil

-1 Medium/Large Head of Cabbage

-2 bags of No Yolks Brand Egg noodles- I use "Dumplings" but "Extra Broad" work as well. 

-1-2 Vidalia onions (depends how much you like onion)

-Salt, pepper, garlic powder 

Get out your largest skillet. Mine is about 14 inches wide. Turn to medium heat and melt butter.

Chop cabbage into pieces about 1 inch wide. I slice it into 1 inch circles first, then cut into squares. The cabbage will fall apart into pieces naturally. Dice whole onion. Once butter is melted, add the olive oil with the cabbage and onion. Stir. 

Cook on med-high heat for a good 20 minutes while stirring every 3-5 minutes. Slightly brown the cabbage, but do not burn it! The cabbage should be translucent when it is done. Make sure you do not undercook it, because it can be bitter and hard to chew. 

Meanwhile, boil egg noodles. Once immersed in the boiling water, they cook way faster than regular pasta, so be sure not to overcook. (Follow directions on bag.)

Once the cabbage mixture is done, add it to the egg noodles in a large pot or bowl. Add your spices. I use lots of black pepper, and no salt (because the butter is salted.) I also like to add a little garlic powder. Stir together. Add your protein of choice and serve! 

That was easy! 

Mexican Fish Tacos

CAJUN FISH TACOS

-Served with Rice and Beans

This is a very time consuming dinner to make. It is best to have a few cooks in the kitchen for all of the prep work!

The easiest part about this recipe is the fish itself. It takes a lot of other ingredients to make the tacos come together. Everyone likes different toppings on their fish tacos. Today I will be using corn tortillas, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, salsa verde, and cilantro lime crema. I serve it with Ozzie’s cilantro, jalapeno rice and my refried black beans. You can use salmon, cod, tilapia, mahi mahi, or any fish you like. I use Wegmans Wild Caught Mahi Mahi frozen individual pieces. They are easy to defrost and to control the portion. Below I have each part of the dinner listed separately my recipe with the directions below. Oz usually makes the Salsa Verde ahead of time because it can be stored for weeks in the fridge if canned. You can also use Wegmans Roasted Salsa Verde, because it is delicious. I make the cilantro lime dressing the day of, but store it for leftovers.

*Prep your sides first. I like to shred my cheese, dice my tomato (Roma or Grape), and shred my lettuce first then put in the fridge for later.

Cajun Mahi (Photo shows 2 pieces cut into 3 yields 6 tacos)

- 1-2 Tbsp. coconut oil

-McCormick Cajun Seasoning

Once defrosted, heavily coat the Mahi in Cajun seasoning.  Heat coconut oil in saucepan on med-high heat. Pan fry Mahi 4 minutes each side. Remove from heat. Once cooled, cut in half or in 3 depending on size for tacos.

Cilantro-Lime Crema

-1/2 c. sour cream (I use Daisy Light)

-1 Tbsp. lime juice (fresh squeezed)

-2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

-1/2 tsp. minced garlic or you can use garlic powder (use to taste)

-Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together very well, except cilantro. Add cilantro last and mix lightly. I like to put this in a squirt bottle for storage.

                                        

 Ozzie's Rice (4 servings)

-1 c. Goya Brand Canilla Enriched White Rice (long grain)

-1 Tbsp. Olive oil

-2 c. water

-1 tsp. coarse salt

-3/4 c. packed fresh chopped cilantro

-2 Tbsp. Fresh squeezed lime juice

- 1 Jalapeno, seeded and minced

-1/2 c. minced Spanish onion

-2 scallions, thinly sliced

-2 diced tomatoes (preferably grape tomatoes)

Heat olive oil in saucepan over med-high heat. Add onion and jalapeño and stir until soft and translucent (about 2 mins.) Add rice and lightly toast for about 1 minute. Add water and bring to a boil for one minute. Reduce to simmer and cover.                                                                   Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cilantro, lime                                                                   juice, and scallions and stir. Top with tomatoes.

 

Anna’s Refried Beans (yields 4 servings)

-2 cans Goya Black Beans (or store brand)

- 1/2 c. chopped red bell pepper

-1/2 c. chopped Vidalia or Spanish onion

-1 Tbsp. Olive oil

-Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder to taste

*Add a dash of cayenne for spice

Heat olive oil in skillet on med-high heat. Add red pepper and onion. Sweat the peppers and onions a little and then add black beans (with juice). Add spices and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes until the juice from the beans gets a little thicker, more like a refried bean.