Oh Perogies!

As a Menno bachelor of sorts, I’ve really come to appreciate the Perogi. When you get home at 7:45PM and have the energy of a lump of carbon a 0deg Kelvin there are few things better: nutritious, simple to cook and filling. However, there is a limit to the palatability of these Ukrainian potato pockets so over the past year or so I have developed a collection of Perogi dishes. Here I present them to you for your experimental pleasure.

Old Fashion Bachelor Perogies:
Mike Ranking: Blah!
All aboard the grease train! Gets old and too the bottom of your intestine track in a hurry.

Ingredients:
Perogies – the fatty cheese bacon ones are the best for this glutton fest
Onions – Enough to make you unkissable (In my case a whole lot; I’m hard to resist)
Fatty Farmer Sausage – You know the kind
Bacon – Kind of optional but if you are look for that hit the bottom feeling this is a must.
Seasoning Salt – This is where the “bachelor” part of the recipe name comes from
A spill of canola Oil
Sour Cream if you like it maybe even a squeeze of ketchup
For the extra fancy bachelor gourmet how about some ‘No Name’ peppercorn ranch dressing

Comments:
I don’t think I’ve made this one since I was in high school living with my parents and they were away from the house for a week. Seasoning salt was the only spice I knew tasted good so I used that. It didn’t take too many repeats of this one before I needed a stomach pump. Even with the No MSG seasoning salt your bound to come down with some strange cancer if you make a habit of this dish.


New School Bachelor Perogies:
Mike Ranking: Last Resort
If you are tight-up these are passable.

Ingredients:
Perogies – Hopefully you didn’t buy those bacon and cheese ones.
Onions—A half white Spanish onion is best
Farmer Sausage or ham – Ham really works well and it is a little lighter, easier to take in quantity
Fresh Tomato
Grated Cheddar Cheese
Pepper
Salt
Fresh Garlic
Parsley
Goes well with a side of diced carrot sticks
Sour Cream again if you like it.
The squeeze of ketchup thing is really gross if you haven’t already discover it
The Ranch is at least usable as a dipping sauce.

Comments:
Won’t leave your stomach to rot but not a dish to have night after night.


Mexican Perogies:
Mike’s Ranking: Vote for Pedro (worth a second term in the kitchen)

Perogies -- If you haven’t learned not too buy the bacon cheese ones tough luck.
Onions – one or two depending on if plan to be approachable
Ukrainian Farmer sausage – nothing could be more Mexican
Salsa – Mild for bed wetters; medium for the indecisive; hot if you want a date with the can.
Corn – optional but really adds a new dimension
Jalapenos – to help increase the Jalopi factor
Monterey Jack cheese
Green Pepper
Mesquite spices
Fresh Garlic
Parsley – helps with the approachable part
Goes well with a side of diced carrot sticks or a corn dog
Sour Cream even if you don’t like it.
Ketchup will sub for salsa if you are still trying to make the transition from the bachelor thing.
Ranch if you have an addiction to it.

Comments:
Discovered this one while trying to figure out what to do with the four open Jars of salsa that were going bad in our fridge.


Hawaiian Perogies:
Mike’s Ranking: Jack Johnson’s will soon be writing a catchy chick song about it.

Perogies – I know it seems obvious but I’m not willing to be responsible for a messed up meal.
Onions – one or two depending on if plan to be approachable
Maple or smoked ham steaks – Wild boar would also be good if you have a spit.
Pizza sauce – not too much just enough to fill in the mix
Pineapple – can if you must but the fresh stuff is so much better
Mozzarella cheese
Green Pepper
Sage
Fresh Garlic
Thyme
Goes well with an orange and mango smoothie

Comments:
Had it tonight. Quite nice.


Swedish Maple Perogies:
Mike’s Ranking: I was surprised that it turned out. Worth a shot.

Perogies
Alfredo sauce
Red Pepper
Pepper

Swedish Meatballs made with the following
Ground beef
A package of instant maple brown sugar
A splash of Worchester Sauce – shaky, shaky, wake-y, wake-y
Fresh garlic – a little more than you are comfortable with
A whole Egg
Goes well with a trip to a sauna or a trip to Ikea.

Comment:
There was something about the maple brown sugar oatmeal that made it taste good together. Don’t go to heavy on the Alfredo sauce you will regret the over powering creamy nature.


Lebanese Perogies:
Mike’s Ranking: Might just be my favorite to date

Perogies
Red Onions
Red Pepper
Pineapple
Parmesan cheese
Broccoli – strange but good, don’t over cook it
Chawarma Spice (basically Nutmeg, fennel and cloves)
Pepper
Sour Cream or a light Alfredo sauce

Comments:
It is too bad the Mennos didn’t travel through Lebanon before moving to Winnipeg.



Italian Perogies:
Mike’s Ranking: If you are tired of pasta…

Perogies
Onions
Chicken Breast
A Tomato Pasta sauce – preferably a good thick one
Spinach –
Parmesan cheese
Basil – lots of it
Fresh Garlic
Thyme
Goes well with an argument or mobster movie

Comments:
You go to make it yourself because they sure ain’t going to offer it at the bread garden anytime soon.


Greek Perogies
Mike Ranking: Of Olympic Quailty

Perogies
Red Onions
Chicken Breast/shrimp and/or some kind of fish
A Greek salad dressing– preferably a good thick one; runny = soggy
Fresh diced tomatos
Spinach –
Feta cheese
Olives
Fresh Garlic
Pepper
Use olive oil in the pan

Goes well with a cruise on your Mediterranean Yacht.

Comments:
Ya, this one is stretching it... I could have just had a greek salad but that just isn't filling.



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Bonne appetite!

And let me know if you discover any new ones I should try.