Malle ("Mall's") Ounakook ("Apple Cake")

3 C. flour (gluten-free works fine as well)

3 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 stick butter

1 C. sugar (we use a little more)

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 C. milk

1/2 C. sour cream (opt. but we do)

3-5 cooking apples, thinly sliced

1) Mix together dry ingredients.

2) Cream sugar and butter together. Add eggs one at a time.

3) Add vanilla, then slowly add flour mix and milk (and sour cream, if using), alternately.

4) Spread batter into greased cookie sheet. (I use my Pampered Chef bar pan.)

5) Stand apple slices upright into batter in cookie sheet.

TIP: Mark out three rows, and put the slices a little bit apart, then fill in the openings later.

6) Bake at 375 degrees until baked through and golden brown (30-40 minutes).

Kohupiima Korp (Estonian Cream Cheese Sheet Cake)

Traditional Estonian recipes for this cake vary wildly, but this is the version the Muursepp family has made over the years. Dear Helde (my husband's grandmother) and Emi (his mother) made this lightly sweetened cake for our family at most holidays, and our kids love it!

FOR THE DOUGH:

1 box cream cheese

2 sticks butter

4 cups flour

Knead well and refrigerate until ready to use.

When ready to use, let it stand out to become room temperature, then roll out to 1/4 inch and place on a large cookie sheet.

FOR THE FILLING:

3 Tbsp sour cream

1 lb cottage cheese

3 eggs

3/4 C. sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp vanilla

lemon zest

Mix filling by hand. Pour over dough and flip edges over toward the center of the cake. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

Rosolje, Muursepp Style—Estonian Pink Potato Salad (Can Be Vegan)

Traditional Estonian recipes for this potato salad vary wildly. The dressing often has Dijon or hot English mustard, prepared horseradish, or sugar in it—though the Muursepp family variety never has. Use a one-to-one ratio between potatoes and beets. (In other words, it's half potatoes and half beets.)

cooked beets (canned is fine), finely diced

cooked potatoes, chilled and finely diced

sweet onion, finely diced

dill pickles, finely diced (lots!)

hard-boiled eggs, finely diced and crumbled on top (omit for vegan)

ham, finely diced (opt., omit for vegan)

pickled herring, finely diced (opt., omit for vegan)

golden delicious apples, finely diced (opt. and common, but never part of the Muursepp family traditional rosolje)

Dice all ingredients into very small, evenly sized squares. Stir into dressing.

Dressing:

Half mayonnaise and half sour cream (or can use 1/3 each of mayo, sour cream, and greek yogurt)—I use vegan mayo and cashew yogurt

Salt and pepper

Dill pickle juice (opt., but definitely part of the Muursepp family recipe)