Christmas Medivnyk Food

UKRAINIAN CHRISTMAS HONEY COOKIES MEDIANYKY

Steps:

• Sift together flour, spices, powdered sugar, and baking powder. Note: powdered sugar sometimes called icing sugar, confectioners' sugar or XXX sugar, all the same thing.
• Add eggs, honey, and orange peel to make a stiff dough.
• On a floured work surface, roll out dough about 1/2 inch thick.
• Cut shapes with cookie cutter, place on nonstick baking sheet, and brush with glaze.
• Place 1/2 almond in the middle of each, sprinkle with coarse sugar, and bake in preheated 350 degrees oven until done, about 15 minutes.
• Cool on racks.
• Store in tightly covered tins.

CHRISTMAS MEDIVNYK

Steps:

• Mix the honey and spices in a saucepan and bring up to a boil, then remove from heat and let cool. Meanwhile combine the fruit & nuts with a small amount of the sifted flour. Combine the remaining sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and sift again. Cream the softened butter with the sugar, then add the egg yolks one at a time and beat well. Alternatively add the sifted dry ingredients with the cooled honey and mix together well. Add the fruit & nuts and stir in well. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff then fold them into the batter. Pour the batter into a greased bundt pan and bake in a preheated 300 degree F oven for 1 1/2 hours.

HONEY BREAD (MEDIVNYK) - POLISH

Steps:

• Heat honey in a pot over moderate heat until it boils. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
• Beat egg yolks with the butter until light and fluffy.
• Add sugar and honey and beat.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and add to honey mixture.
• Add the orange zest, juice, coffee and sour cream and beat just until no dry flour can be seen.
• Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Fold into flour mixture.
• Stir in chopped nuts.
• Pour into 2 or 3 buttered and floured loaf pans.
• Bake in a preheated 325F (165C) oven for one hour.
• Cool on wire racks and wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil when cool.
• Will keep refrigerated for several weeks.

BITKY (RUSSIAN MINCED MEAT PATTIES)

Steps:

• Soak the bread in the milk for 30 minutes and then squeeze out the excess milk: Mix the bread with the ground beef, finely chopped onion, egg, salt & pepper until all is well blended together. Form the mixture into small balls. Push a bit of butter into the center of each ball and press each into round, flat cakes. Roll each small cake in bread crumbs and fry in butter over low heat in a covered pan for 5 minutes on each side. When the Bitky are all fried, remove them from the pan and pour the sour cream into the pan, mixing it in well. Heat this up for 5 minutes or so, pour over the Bitky and serve.