Recently, I posted on Instagram during the holiday Mladenci and showed this bread in braided and roll forms. I got so many messages asking for the recipe so I decided I’d post it too. My mom made Mladenci this year and used her recipe that she’s had for years. I […]
My favorite cakes are those that incorporate some kind of fruit. Even better if there’s Plazma Keks involved. This recipe is not only no-bake (ok, you’ll have to make the raspberry sauce), but it’s delicious and light which makes it the ideal finish to any rich and filling Balkan meal. […]
Everyone is familiar with the many variations of stuffed peppers, Balkan or not. In fact, you can even find them at Costco these days as the dish is very well known. We from the Balkans enjoy our fair share of vegetables stuffed with meat and rice. Did someone say Sarma? […]
If you’ve grown up in a Balkan home or even been around many Balkan people at meal time, you’ll know there always needs to be two things present: meat and some kind of soup or stew, lovingly referred to as “nesto na kasiku” or “something on the spoon” referring to […]
Every lazy weekend morning can benefit from a warm piece of Presnac or Prijesnac, and a cup of kiselo mleko or yogurt. Feta cheese, kajmak, and fresh eggs make this souffle-like pastry a nostalgic experience. Did I mention this is child-friendly? No fuss, a few ingredients, and you’ve got yourself […]
While it may not look like early spring outside my window yet, I can almost smell the strawberry fields basking in the sun. Every year I pick strawberries and then for weeks after make various strawberry recipes. And even though it may still be early for strawberry picking, I couldn’t […]
One of our favorite desserts and one we buy often is Tres Leches, or Three-Milk Cake, a Mexican delicacy that can be found in basically any store in our area. Growing up in Chicago, I was exposed to lots of different cuisines and over the years find myself gravitating and […]
If you came over on any given weekend when we were growing up on the Northwest side of Chicago, you’d encounter a couple of staple things. The smell of Windex in the air as weekends were for cleaning, the sound of cartoons playing on our old-school box tv, and the […]
Balkan winter food is something else let me tell you. Between the smoked meats, pickled veggies, heaps of sarma, and all the warm fluffy homemade breads it’s unlike anything else. The weather may be crumby outside, but the nostalgic memories of childhood these signature “winter foods” evoke the warmest, most […]
When I think of special occasions and what that looked like growing up, I always remember the cakes being the best part. Everyone eagerly awaited to see “The Cake”. Tall, short, fancy, or very simple, someone was always either bringing a cake to an event or there were so many […]
