Homemade Pierogies

Homemade Polish pierogies.

My dear friend, Marta Boguska from Poland, is a great cook, and she frequently brings us "goodies" that she has made from authentic Polish recipes.  We are so fond of pierogies that the other day she came to the house and made a batch for us.  I watched in hopes that I could learn to make them, but there is definitely an art to it and I didn't do too well.

Here she is mixing the dough, rolling it, and then cutting out little pastries that will be filled with good things.

Mixing the dough from flour, eggs, water and salt. 

Rolling out the dough.

Cutting out the pastries and filling them with the potato mixture.

She filled these pierogies with a potato, cheese, onion mix---one of our favorites.   

Adding Farmer's cheese to the potatoes and onions. 

The potato, cheese, onion filling.

The mixture goes into the pastry and the pastry edges are pinched together. 

Pierogies ready to cook.

The little dumplings are dropped into boiling water for just a few minutes until done. 

Simmering the dumplings.

After simmering, the pierogies are placed in cold water to stop the cooking and then drained.

Pierogies placed in cold water to stop cooking.

Drain pierogies. 

They are often served with fresh dill garnishes.

Ready to eat with pepper and dill and a side of cole slaw.

Left overs ready to freeze.

The leftovers can be frozen, and cooked in a bit of olive oil until brown on each side.

Marta's homemade pierogies are so much better than the frozen ones available at the grocery, and if you live in the Raleigh area and are honing for some homemade pierogies, she would be happy to make some for you.  Just let me know and I can put you in touch with her. 

How I've Become a Kansas Jayhawks Basketball Fan

One of Broughton High School's star basketball players in the 2013 graduating class, Devonte' Graham, has committed to play college basketball at Kansas where he will be a freshman this fall.  I've followed Devonte' since middle school where he and my grandson Zach have been on the same school basketball teams through senior high school at Broughton in Raleigh, NC.

When I first saw Devonte' play he must have been in the seventh grade, and I commented, "Who is that kid?" A lady in back of me replied, "That's my grandson,"  Her grandson was a terrific player then and now he's heading to Kansas to play college basketball. 

Devonte' playing for Raleigh Caps in State Finals. (Photo by Ava Barlow)

Devonte' playing in the State Finals for Broughton High School in 2013. (Photo by Ava Barlow)

 Devonte' led the Broughton Basketball Team to the State Championship in 2013.

This past year Devonte' attended prep school at Brewster in New Hampshire.  He had a sterling basketball season there.  After being recruited by a number of colleges including NC State, Virginia, Providence and Kansas among others, he chose Kansas.

 Now I have become a Jayhawks fan, and you bet I'll be watching every Kansas game that is televised when possible.  Devonte' is not only a great point guard, but he is a very nice young man, and I predict great things for him. Check out the following link to learn more about Devonte' choosing Kansas.
Devonte' picks Kansas.

Lunch at Side Street Cafe--Times Two

Side Street Cafe in Oakwood.

I've been lucky to have had lunch at Side Street Cafe twice this week.  Last Saturday, friend Mary Todd, introduced me to this little restaurant over in Oakwood.  And Tuesday when Michael took me out for a belated Mother's Day Lunch, I chose Side Street.  You can see that I really like this restaurant.

On Saturday I had the pimento cheese sandwich, and Tuesday I had the egg salad sandwich.  Both were very good.

The "side kick" of corn, bean, pea salad complemented this sandwich very nicely.

The staff is very friendly and service was good.

Friendly staff.

Saturday, I resisted having dessert, but on Tuesday I just had to have a serving of their bread pudding with whiskey sauce.  It was "intoxicating"--pun intended.

Thank you Mary for introducing me to this restaurant and thank you Michael for a nice belated Mother's Day lunch.

Walk Along Davis Street, May 12, 2012

The original first house on Davis Street.

Yesterday morning I took my camera along as I went up the street for a walk and took some random shots of the beautiful day and our beautiful neighborhood.  At the top of the street is the little rock house that belonged to Mr. Davis for whom the street is named. It has recently been completely renovated and has a new owner.  Some day I'm going to post a blog just about the little rock house. It is my favorite house on the street (except for ours of course).

Kim's steps and Bruce's.

Slow down around the curve in the street.

J.A.'s house across from us with lovely Boston ivy..

The Judge's new gate.

New kid in the neighborhood.  Welcome!

Pete and Carolyn's giant thistle ready to bloom.

Ferns in the cool, shady area around the creek.

Neighbors leaving food for the postal carrier for the Food Bank.

Oak-leaf hydrangea.

Art's home from Clemson and he's a rising senior.

We have a wonderful neighborhood!

The Sidewalk "People" in Cameron Village

Cameron Village Sidewalk "People"

At the corner of Oberlin Road and Clark Avenue, where the old Ballentine Cafeteria Building has been razed, there is a lot of construction activity going on.  There's about a block where demolition occurred and where there are signs of grading, digging and construction.  The whole area has been fenced to hide the unsightly scar in the earth and the activity going on within.

The fencing is quite attractive with silhouettes of  people in various poses.  Interestingly they have provided flaps in the fencing to allow folks walking by to peep into the construction site. 

I think these sidewalk "people" are an improvement over a plain unadorned chain link fence.

Gallucci Sculptures on Fayetteville Street

Gallucci tower lit for Christmas in downtown Raleigh.

On Christmas evening Dan and I along with friend Virginia Tucker drove down Fayetteville Street in Raleigh to view the Christmas decorations.  Jim Gallucci, renowned sculptor from Greensboro, designed the four 55 foot brushed stainless steel, LED powered light columns that are the centerpiece for the City Plaza at the south end of Fayetteville Street. Virginia’s late husband, James Tucker was a colleague of Gallucci’s at UNC Greensboro, and she was particularly pleased to see the sculptures lit for Christmas.  

Oak leaf motif of tower.

The towers have the oak and acorn motif, as do the vertical posts that act as traffic barriers along the street.  Raleigh is known as the City of Oaks.  

Oak leaf motif on top of vertical traffic barrier.

Lunch at Pullen Park

Enclosed carrousel in Pullen Park.

After being closed for two years during its renovation, Pullen Park opened this past weekend. I went over Sunday, but the crowd was so large I couldn't find a parking place.  So I waited  and went for my morning walk over there on Monday.  It was not so crowded then.

The carrousel.

The carrousel has been beautifully restored and is now enclosed so it will be protected  from the weather and will stay open year round.

The little train has been refurbished too.

It's very nostalgic going to the Park because we took our children and grandchildren many times to ride the carrousel or the train or to just have a picnic in the park.  Now my children are grown, and all but two of my grandchildren are too old to take to the park--well the grown children and grandchildren might enjoy a picnic there.

The red caboose provides fun for the children.

 

Extensive playground for the children.

The lake with the paddle boats.

The cafe that features locally produced food.

One new feature is the Pullen Place Cafe.  The Cafe features seasonal and locally grown foods.

The Cafe.

By the time I finished my walk and my wandering around the park it was lunch time so I had lunch at the Pullen Place.  I chose a baked sweet potato topped with butter, brown sugar and pecans.  The potato and the pecans were grown locally.  The cold apple cider that I chose was also produced locally.

Sweet potato and apple cider.

We in Raleigh are fortunate to have such a wonderful park.  The renovations are beautiful.  I think I am going to plan a picnic in Pullen Park for all the family, and the young or young at heart can ride the carrousel too.

By the way HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE !!!