Ukrainian Beet Nicks

If you're looking for a healthy recipe I suggest you keep on clickin'.  If you're looking for a delicious meal or side that everyone in the family will enjoy, keep reading!  These delicious little dough logs are smothered in an equally delicious cream sauce and are perfect for a chilly fall day!  This is an old Ukrainian recipe, and just like the Pierogie recipe, it will include all the ingredients and the measurements! Woohoo!

Ukrainian Beet Nicks
Beet leaves, stems removed
1 batch frozen bread dough (home made or store bought)
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
3T fresh dill
2 cups cream
1t cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350°.  After your beet leaves are washed and dried, take one leaf and lay it out flat.  Pull off a good size chunk of dough from the ball and roll it into a log shape.  Lay the log along the edge of the base of the leaf.  Roll the leaf around the dough and lay on a parchment lined baking sheet with the tip of the leaf against the baking sheet.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until dough is cooked through.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add in onions and dill and sauté until the onions are translucent.  Stir in cream and cook until thickens, about 10 minutes.  If it doesn't thicken, like it never does for me, add 1t of cornstarch to a bit of water then whisk into the sauce.  Spoon sauce over warm beet nicks and serve!

These tasty little devils also freeze extremely well.  Flash freeze them on baking sheets then transfer them into freezer bags.  I prefer to make my sauce when I serve them but you could absolutely make it ahead and freeze it in a separate container.  To serve the frozen beet nicks, allow them to thaw at room temp, warm them in the microwave.  OR you can simply spoon the warm sauce over them and that is usually enough to warm them through, this is how my momma serves them!