Aunt Frans Polish Kolaezki Recipes

SOPHIE'S KOLACKY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets.
• Using a pastry blender or food processor, cut butter into cream cheese.
• In a small bowl, sift dry ingredients together except for confectioners' sugar.
• Work dry ingredients into butter/cream cheese mixture until you have an even, mealy texture.
• Knead to form a stiff dough. If the dough gets too soft, refrigerate for about five minutes before continuing.
• Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
• Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut into about 3 inch diameter cookies. Keep re-rolling dough until you have used it all. Use your thumb to make a depression in each cookie. Place a 1/2 teaspoon of filling in the depression.
• Bake for about 20 minutes (until lightly golden). Let cool on a cookie rack. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container

AUNT FRAN'S GOULASH

Steps:

• In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. , In a large saucepan, combine the beans, soup, tomato sauce, beans, bouillon, water and pepper. Add cooked noodles and beef; heat through. If desired, garnish with Parmesan cheese.

GRANDMA OLGA'S KOLACKY

Steps:

• In a bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm water, and stir in the yeast. Let stand until the yeast forms a creamy layer, about 5 minutes. In another bowl, mix the flour and margarine until well blended, and stir in the egg yolks, one at a time. Mix in the yeast mixture until incorporated, then stir in the sour cream to make a soft but not sticky dough. Cut the dough into 6 equal-sized pieces, cover with a cloth, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper.
• Working on a floured work surface, roll out one of the dough balls into a square about 6x8 inches, about 1/8-inch thick. Keep the other pieces of dough refrigerated. With a pastry cutter or pizza roller, cut the square into 12 smaller squares about 2 inches on a side. Place about 2 teaspoons of fruit filling in the middle of each square, and fold two opposite corners of dough together to meet in the center. Pinch the corners together to partially enclose the filling. Place the filled kolacky on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies begin to turn golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for about 2 minutes before removing them to wire racks to finish cooling. Sprinkle the kolacky with confectioners' sugar.

AUNT FRAN'S POLISH KOLAEZKI

Steps:

• Mix cream cheese and butter.
• Add flour until well combined.
• Roll into balls about the size of walnuts; flatten with bottom of floured drinking glass.
• Make depression in center with floured shot glass.
• Fill indentation with desired filling.
• Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar when cooled.