Coconut Almond Snowballs — No-Bake in 15 Minutes

A snow-white, no-bake treat with just three ingredients. 15 minutes, a little coconut “magic,” and you’ve got bite-size sweets that feel festive any day.

Ingredients

• 200 g sweetened condensed milk

• 150 g desiccated coconut, plus extra for rolling

• 20 whole almonds

Instructions

1. Mix. Combine condensed milk and coconut until a scoopable paste forms. Rest 15 minutes.

2. Shape. Scoop a portion, press an almond into the center, and roll into a ball.

3. Coat. Roll in extra coconut.

4. Chill. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to set.
   Serve in mini paper cups as tiny edible gifts.

Note: Coconut often symbolizes abundance and protection—perfect for celebrations.

Beef Salad Bowl

A protein-packed salad bowl with tender marinated beef, fresh vegetables, and a tangy homemade dressing.

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 400 g young beef (steak)

• 150 ml olive oil

• 1 sprig rosemary

• 2 bay leaves

• Few peppercorns

• ½ head lettuce

• 1 tomato

• ½ red onion

• 100 g feta cheese

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

• Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 50 ml white wine

• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp honey

• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Slice the beef into strips. Place in a bowl, add rosemary, bay leaves, peppercorns, and olive oil. Mix well, transfer to a storage container, seal, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

2. Tear lettuce into pieces, wash in cold water, and drain well. Slice the red onion and tomato.

3. Place lettuce in a bowl, arrange onion and tomato on top.

4. Remove beef from marinade and cook in a hot pan for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper near the end.

5. Place the beef strips on the salad, sprinkle with sesame seeds and feta cheese, and drizzle with dressing (combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well).

Homemade Ketchup So Good You'll Never Go Back to the Store-Bought Stuff

Once you try this, the store-bought versions won't tempt you anymore.

When tomato season is at its peak, it’s a shame not to take full advantage. One of the most delicious ways to do this is by making homemade ketchup. This isn’t just any ketchup—it’s full of fresh ingredients, free of artificial additives, and perfectly spiced to be absolutely addictive.

Homemade ketchup has a completely different character from what you find on store shelves. It's fuller, fruitier, and boasts a rich aroma that you can customize to your liking. It's the perfect companion for fries, burgers, roasted meats, or even as a secret ingredient in your sauces and marinades. Once you try it, it will become a staple in your pantry, and you'll love the rewarding feeling of knowing you made it yourself.

Ingredients (Yields about 600 ml of ketchup)

• 2 kg ripe tomatoes (the riper, the better)

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

• 100 ml apple cider vinegar

• 90 g brown sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp ground allspice

• ½ tsp ground paprika

• ½ tsp ground cloves

• 1 bay leaf

• A few whole peppercorns

• A pinch of ground cayenne pepper

Ingredients

1. Prep the Tomatoes: Wash the tomatoes and cut them into quarters. There's no need to peel them, as you'll be straining everything later.

2. Combine Everything: In a large pot, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt, sugar, spices, vinegar, and bay leaf.

3. Cook: Simmer the mixture over medium heat for about 55 to 60 minutes, or until the tomatoes are completely broken down and the liquid has reduced slightly.

4. Strain: Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove skins, seeds, and whole spices. You'll be left with a smooth, rich tomato purée.

5. Thicken: Return the purée to the pot and continue to cook for another 30 minutes, or until it reaches your desired ketchup consistency. Stir frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

6. Bottle It: Pour the hot ketchup into sterilized jars and seal them immediately. If you plan on using it soon, you can store it in a bottle in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. For longer preservation, I recommend pasteurizing the jars.

Tips for Perfect Ketchup

• For a smoother texture, blend the ketchup with an immersion blender before the final thickening step.

• For a "BBQ" flavor, add a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the spice blend.

• Have a lot of tomatoes? Double the recipe! This homemade ketchup disappears fast.

How many grams in 1tablespoon?

In baking, exact quantities matter. When you don’t have a scale, cups, tablespoons and teaspoons can save the day—if you know their gram equivalents.

How many grams are in cups? (metric)

Use this metric cup chart for quick kitchen conversions. All values assume level measures with common pantry ingredients. Cup sizes here: ¼ cup = 60 ml, ⅓ cup = 80 ml, ½ cup = 120 ml, 1 cup = 240 ml.

Ingredient	¼ cup 60 ml	⅓ cup 80 ml	½ cup 120 ml	1 cup 240 ml
Flour	44 g	59 g	83 g	165 g
Granulated sugar	53 g	80 g	120 g	223 g
Powdered sugar, cocoa, chocolate powder	34 g	43 g	67 g	106 g
Cornmeal / Semolina	48 g	65 g	96 g	180 g

How many grams in 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon?

For spoons we use 1 tsp = 5 ml and 1 tbsp = 15 ml. The table below lists level measures.

Ingredient	1 tsp 5 ml	1 tbsp 15 ml
Flour	10 g	30 g
Granulated sugar or salt	6 g	20 g
Cornstarch	9 g	20 g
Ground nuts	6 g	17 g
Powdered sugar	3 g	10 g
Baking powder	4 g	8 g
Breadcrumbs	6 g	18 g
Semolina (wheat)	6 g	16 g
Butter or margarine	16 g	36 g
Sour cream	11 g	22 g
Rice	8 g	22 g
Mayonnaise	15 g	40 g
Tomato paste or mustard	8 g	16 g
Fresh chopped herbs	3 g	6 g
Oil / water / milk / cream	4 ml	12 ml

Note: A tablespoon measures volume (15 ml) while grams measure weight. Treat these as quick references—brand, packing and humidity can shift real-world results by a few percent.

FAQ

Is a tablespoon 15 grams?
No—tablespoon is 15 ml. Only water-like liquids are ~15 g per tablespoon.

Which tablespoon is this?
Metric tablespoon (15 ml). US tablespoon is 14.79 ml—close enough for everyday cooking.

Do these replace a kitchen scale?
For casual cooking, yes. For precision baking (macarons, meringue), use a scale.

💡 Save this chart for your next cooking or baking session. For Slovenian readers, you can find the original version here.

Quick Cottage Cheese Squares – Homemade Dessert Without Crust

Cottage cheese squares – a quick and easy homemade dessert.
When you have cottage cheese at home and don’t know what to make – here’s a quick solution that always works!

Ingredients

• 500 g cottage cheese

• 2 eggs

• 100 g sugar

• 1 packet vanilla sugar

• 3 tbsp semolina

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 185°C (365°F).

2. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

3. Pour into a 20x20 cm baking pan lined with parchment paper.

4. Bake for 30 minutes.

5. Let cool, cut into squares, and dust with powdered sugar.

Serving tip: Serve with fruit purée or a spoonful of jam.

Old recipes often feature cottage cheese because it’s both affordable and nutritious.

Tarragon Potica – A Classic Slovenian Holiday Roll

In Slovenia, potica is more than just a dessert – it’s a centerpiece of the holiday table and a symbol of tradition. While walnut potica is the most famous, tarragon potica (pehtranova potica) holds a special place in the hearts of many Slovenians.

Its unique herbal aroma, combined with a creamy filling, creates an unforgettable flavor that feels both festive and comforting. This recipe follows the classic preparation, passed down through generations.

Ingredients

Dough

• 350 g (2 ¾ cups) all-purpose flour (type 500)

• 50 g (3 ½ tbsp) butter

• 100 ml (½ cup less 1 tbsp) lukewarm water

• 60 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar

• 2 eggs

• 5 g (1 ½ tsp) dry yeast

• 1 tbsp rum

• 1 pinch of salt

• ⅓ tsp grated lemon zest

Filling

• 140 g (10 tbsp) butter, softened

• 85 g (scant ½ cup) granulated sugar

• 70 g (about 2 ½ cups loosely packed) fresh tarragon leaves

• 1 egg

• 200 g (7 oz) mascarpone cheese

• 40 g (⅓ cup) powdered sugar

For assembling

• 1 egg (for brushing)

• Margarine (for greasing the pan)

• Wheat semolina (for dusting)

Instructions

1. Prepare the yeast dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and lemon zest. Stir to combine.

2. Add the eggs, lukewarm water, rum, and melted butter.

3. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 6 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball. (Tip: Proper kneading develops gluten for a light yet structured dough.)

5. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise for 30 minutes.

6. Roll out the risen dough into a rectangle about 0.5 cm (¼ inch) thick.

2. Prepare the tarragon

1. Rinse the tarragon leaves under running water, pat dry thoroughly, and remove the leaves from the stems.

3. Prepare the butter filling

1. In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar at high speed until light and fluffy.

2. Beat in the egg and mascarpone until smooth.

4. Assemble and bake the potica

1. Spread the butter filling evenly over the rolled dough.

2. Sprinkle with tarragon leaves and powdered sugar.

3. Roll the dough into a log and place it into a greased loaf tin or potica mold dusted with wheat semolina.

4. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

5. Poke the roll several times with a wooden skewer to prevent air pockets. Brush with beaten egg.

6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (350 °F) for about 50 minutes.

7. Remove from the pan, cover with a kitchen towel, and let cool completely before slicing.

Serving suggestion

Slice into 1–2 cm thick pieces. Tarragon potica pairs beautifully with coffee, tea, or a glass of dessert wine.

Gluten-Free Potato Spiral Pie (Krompiruša) — Rice Paper Version

A decade after my original 2015 potato strudel became one of the most-read recipes on Blaž kuha, here’s its gluten-free twin. The dough is replaced with rice paper sheets, but you still get that golden, crisp outside and soft, juicy potato filling. Simple, budget-friendly, and seriously addictive.

Ingredients (makes 4 spirals)

Filling

• 350 g potatoes (about 3 small), peeled and coarsely grated

• 80 g onion (1 small), finely chopped

• 150 g sour cream

• 1 tsp fine salt

• Ground black pepper, to taste

For assembling

• 2 eggs

• 12 rice paper sheets (22 cm / 8¾ in)

• 30 ml olive oil

• ½ tsp black sesame seeds

• Pinch of salt

• Pinch of pepper

Instructions

1. Make the filling. Rinse, peel and coarsely grate potatoes. Squeeze out excess liquid very well. Mix with chopped onion, sour cream, salt and pepper until evenly combined.

2. Egg mixture. In a wide, deep plate whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. 

   

3. Lay the rice papers. Dip one side of a rice paper in the egg mixture. Place it sticky-side up on the work surface. Repeat with a second sheet, overlapping the first by about ¼. Add a third in the same way to make a long strip.

   

4. Shape a log. Spread a thin line of filling along the long edge, covering roughly half the strip. Roll up tightly into a log. Coil into a snail/spiral and place on a parchment-lined tray. Repeat to make 4 spirals. 

   

5. Glaze & bake. Mix olive oil with 30 ml cold water and brush the spirals. Sprinkle with black sesame. Bake at 200 °C / 392 °F for ≈38 min. Brush with the oil-water mix at least three times during baking (last time 5 min before the end).

6. Serve. Rest a few minutes, then serve warm. Great with a simple yogurt dip or tomato sauce, and fresh basil.

Variations

• Swap the potato filling for minced meat, cottage cheese, spinach & cheese, or chickpea hummus.

• Sweet version: apple & cinnamon (or my next one: Nutella & banana).