If you ever get a chance to take a trip to Prague, do not turn it down! It is not only a great place to visit for fun, but the visit itself is also a learning experience. One of the sightseeing activities we offer is a guided walking tour called Discovering Prague.  During this tour, you can visit  the oldest and most interesting monuments and buildings of the city and learn about the most important sites in the historical city center.

This week’s recipe is for Beef and Pepper Goulash and it comes from the heart of the Czech Republic.

Beef and Pepper Goulash

1 ½ lbs beef cuts for stew
3 large diced potatoes
1 large chopped onion
2 large sliced bell peppers (red or green)
14 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
2 mashed garlic cloves
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp crushed caraway seeds
½ tsp marjoram
1 tbsp paprika
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp flour
5 c. water

Heat oil over medium high flame in a large pot. Once hot, put beef in the pot and brown completely.  Add in garlic and onion, fry until golden.  Add paprika and wait a few minutes before adding green peppers.  Let cook for about 3 minutes the pour in water, tomatoes, marjoram and caraway seeds.  Boil, cover and reduce heat to a gentle simmer.  Allow simmering for approximately an hour and a half, or until the meat is tender. Add potatoes and cook until soft.

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Whether you’re feeling the urge to do some city sightseeing in London, go skiing in the Swiss Alps or perhaps take a gastronomic tour of Naples, we can help you plan the perfect weekend vacation.

Remember, 1-800 Fly Europe offers discounted rates on all our travel services, from airfare and hotel reservations to car rentals and GPS units.  Package your airfare with one or more of these components and receive additional savings. Call now and speak with one of our reservation agents for a free quote on your weekend trip to Europe!

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In most cities, we offer hotels in every area imaginable. Whether you prefer to be near the city center, the rail station, the airport or the suburbs we can find the perfect property for your needs.

When booking hotel reservations, a common request we have here at 1-800 Fly Europe is for queen or king beds.  Such bedding is not as common in Europe’s hotels as it may be in the United States.  Most of the time, when one books a double room (meaning double occupancy, with one bed) the size of the bed will be a standard double bed. If one books a twin room, this is also double occupancy, but two beds, and most of the time the beds will be two twin sized beds, not two full sized beds.  Of course, there are hotels that do provide the  larger beds and no matter what, we can always put the request in for you.  However, the request will only be confirmed or declined upon check-in.

Also, just because our name is 1-800 Fly Europe, that does not mean we only book hotels in Europe.  We can get you a great discounted rate on hotel reservations  worldwide! Going to Dubai next week? No problem, we can set you up. Need a cheap hotel in Las Vegas this summer? We have what you’re looking for! Ice fishing expedition in Canada, eh?  Give us a call or check out our deals here on the website and save!

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Norwegian Cabbage Rolls

Boiling water for boiling cabbage leaves
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp pepper
4 tsp potato starch
1 ¼  tsp salt
1 ½ c. milk
2 cups boiling water, salted with ½ tsp salt for baking
16 cabbage leaves
1 lb ground beef

Preheat oven to 325°.

Boil the cabbage leaves in the salted water for about 2 minutes, or until soft.  Drain.  Mix potato starch, beef and salt. Add milk and spices.

Spoon mixture into each cabbage leaf, and wrap the leaf securely around the meat.  Seam side down, place the rolls in a greased deep dish, and pour boiling salt water over.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Can be served with boiled potatoes, carrots and gravy.

And, as always, if you wish to try this dish in a genuine Norwegian setting, call us now for your free quote on a cheap flight to Oslo.

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The festivities commence about two weeks after Holy Week at midnight (on Monday) with the official Lighting of the Lanterns.  Half a million tiny lights are illuminated at the same time, the majority of them at the main city gate.

During the festival, many events take place.  Local girls dress in traditional flamenco dresses and every day at noon, there is a procession through the city, in which these girls are pulled through the city by horse and carriage. It is quite possibly the most colorful parade there is!

Each afternoon at 5:30 p.m. an event that people from the world over come to Spain to witness – Bullfighting! Top bullfighters from all over the country come to participate in this event which takes place at the Plaza de Toros de Maestranza .

The streets are full of colorful, lantern adorned tents (called casetas). Some of these casetas are private and guests are only allowed in by invitation. These are set up by anyone from local businesses to societies or families and serve the purpose of making sure the invitee is kept happy with entertainment, food and drink.  There are public casetas as well, where anyone can enter and join the merriment inside.

The event ends the following Sunday at midnight by way of a fantastic fireworks display.  If you have ever wanted to take a trip to Spain, this is the time to go. The Fair of Seville will be an excellent opportunity to see traditional Spanish customs, attire and events at their best.  Call us for a free quote on a cheap flight to Spain and make sure to ask about additional discounts when booking your car rental and hotel reservations with us.

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Pisto Manchego

4 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 medium sized onions, diced
2 zucchini, cubed
3 minced garlic cloves
¼ c olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Sauté onion until translucent, then add zucchini, garlic and peppers.  When all ingredients have softened, stir in tomatoes.

Cover and cook about 12 – 15 minutes, stirring often.  Set heat on low and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add small amounts of water as needed to avoid food sticking to the pan.

Add vinegar and salt/pepper to taste.

This is  a fairly versatile dish and can be served hot or cold with toasted bread, in a Spanish omelet or as a filling for a sandwich. Use your imagination.  If you wish to serve it as a main dish, you can add ham, chorizo or hard boiled eggs.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?  And hey, if you’re not a cook, just book a flight to Spain and have someone else make it for you

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