I had such a fun day of baking and cooking. You can find the dinner meal I made tonight HERE, Filipino Bistek. Now time for the dessert or afternoon tea. These were originally cupcakes with frosting but to make them a little healthier I cut out the frosting and called them muffins. They are adapted from one of my all time favorite cookies/cupcake/muffins cookbook that I share with you bellow. I HIGHLY recommend it if you enjoy baking :) Anyhow! Here we go...
Ingredients
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 ripe bananas
8 tablespoons of butter, softened
heaping 1/2 cup of superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
4 tablespoons yogurt
3 oz/85 g of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375F/190C.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda. ALWAYS SIFT, don't skip sifting EVER. It makes your cakes SO much more light and fluffy, especially if you don't have an electric mixer.
3. In a separate bowl, use a fork to mash up the bananas into a pulp.
4. In a large bowl (I used the electric mixer bowl at this point), cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in eggs to that mixture one at a time. Be sure to beat thoroughly.
6. Stir in mashed bananas and yogurt.
7. Fold (this would be the slowest setting on a KitchenAid mixer or the 'Stir' setting) in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips.
Distribute into 12 lined cupcake liners.
Bake for 25 minutes or until risen and golden. Know your oven, they are all different.
Enjoy!
Adapted from 1001 Cupcakes, Cookies and Other Tempting Treats edited by Susanna Tee.
xoxo
~M
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Bistek
I love this dish, it has to be one of my all time favorite Filipino dishes. Although this didn't turn out to be as good as the one my boyfriend's mom makes, it still had that same simple but Delicious flavor. Plus it is amazingly easy to make! Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 pound sirloin steak, cut into thin pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Sprinkle of salt
1 red onion, cut into rings
cooking oil
Directions
1. Marinate meat in lime juice, soy sauce, pepper and salt.
2. Using a generous amount of oil, cook onion rings until transparent and soft. Transfer to a serving dish.
3. Cook meat in the same skillet, on high heat, stirring often, until browned and tender.
4. Add lime juice or salt to taste if desired.
5. Add onions back into the skillet, cook for another two minutes.
Serve with rice or baked potato wedges.
Adapted from The Philippine Cookbook by Reynaldo Alejandro.
~Muni
Ingredients
1 pound sirloin steak, cut into thin pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Sprinkle of salt
1 red onion, cut into rings
cooking oil
Directions
1. Marinate meat in lime juice, soy sauce, pepper and salt.
2. Using a generous amount of oil, cook onion rings until transparent and soft. Transfer to a serving dish.
3. Cook meat in the same skillet, on high heat, stirring often, until browned and tender.
4. Add lime juice or salt to taste if desired.
5. Add onions back into the skillet, cook for another two minutes.
Serve with rice or baked potato wedges.
Adapted from The Philippine Cookbook by Reynaldo Alejandro.
~Muni
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Jell-O Shots
1. Cut an orange or lemon in half and gut it.
2. Mix the jello shot (1 cup hot water, box jello, 1 cup various liquors)
3. Stir till disolved.
3. Add the jello mix to the shells
4. Place in the fridge for 3 hours or more.
5 Once solid, slice and serve.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Vanilla Lemon Bundt Cake with Glaze
This is such a simple delicious light cake that it SO easy to make!
Ingredients:
Cake:
3 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/8 cup salted butter, softened (if you are using unsalted butter go ahead and add a teaspoon of salt..I always use salted so I NEVER add salt by itself)
1 3/4 granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1 cup yogurt
Glaze:
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 3 cups powdered sugar
Oven & Special Equipment:
Bundt pan
Set to 350F, rack in the middle.
Instructions:
Pre: butter Bundt pan thoroughly and toss flour into it making sure it is coated. Tap the rest of the flour out of the pan so you have a thin coating.
1. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
2. Cream together granulated sugar and butter in an electric mixer until light and cream colored. Lots of "air" inside. I beat it on a high speed for a couple minutes.
3. Add vanilla extract for the cake into wet mixture and mix thoroughly.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix thoroughly.
5. Add lemon extract and mix thoroughly.
6. Now grab that dry ingredient mixture you set aside and alternate with the yogurt mixing into the wet ingredients.
7. Spoon into the Bundt pan and spread evenly. Cook for about 50 minutes. You have to know your oven. I cooked mine for 30 minutes at 350 and the last 20 at 250 and it came out PERFECTLY.
8. While it's cooking, pour milk and vanilla extract for the glaze into your electric mixer's bowl. Let sit while caking is cooking.
9. While cake is cooling, add in the powdered sugar to the glaze mix until you get you desired consistency. It wants to be runny enough to dribble over the cake but not too runny that it runs right off.
Enjoy!!
Adapted from Sweetapolita.
Xoxo
~M
Ingredients:
Cake:
3 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/8 cup salted butter, softened (if you are using unsalted butter go ahead and add a teaspoon of salt..I always use salted so I NEVER add salt by itself)
1 3/4 granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1 cup yogurt
Glaze:
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 3 cups powdered sugar
Oven & Special Equipment:
Bundt pan
Set to 350F, rack in the middle.
Instructions:
Pre: butter Bundt pan thoroughly and toss flour into it making sure it is coated. Tap the rest of the flour out of the pan so you have a thin coating.
1. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
2. Cream together granulated sugar and butter in an electric mixer until light and cream colored. Lots of "air" inside. I beat it on a high speed for a couple minutes.
3. Add vanilla extract for the cake into wet mixture and mix thoroughly.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix thoroughly.
5. Add lemon extract and mix thoroughly.
6. Now grab that dry ingredient mixture you set aside and alternate with the yogurt mixing into the wet ingredients.
7. Spoon into the Bundt pan and spread evenly. Cook for about 50 minutes. You have to know your oven. I cooked mine for 30 minutes at 350 and the last 20 at 250 and it came out PERFECTLY.
8. While it's cooking, pour milk and vanilla extract for the glaze into your electric mixer's bowl. Let sit while caking is cooking.
9. While cake is cooling, add in the powdered sugar to the glaze mix until you get you desired consistency. It wants to be runny enough to dribble over the cake but not too runny that it runs right off.
Enjoy!!
Adapted from Sweetapolita.
Xoxo
~M
This Week's Menu
Hey everyone! So another goal for my spring break is getting some more cooking experience! Particularly a couple of my favorite Filipino dishes! I will be uploading the recipes as I go, but first I though I'd share something to make your meal planning easier.
As I said before, I use Pepperplate.com (read my post about this great tool HERE) and I still do. But there is something missing. I like to be able to flip through my recipe books and drool at all the goodies, have something tangible in front of me, and something I can jot down my plans on without having to sit in front of a screen also.
Since I don't live by myself I am not always the one cooking, but even so, I'm a big fan of planning and organization so I like to think out my cooking best I don't have to rush out and get some groceries.
I am going to share with you a super simple way to take a little stress and hassle out of your life to enjoy cooking more! HERE is free printable for you that you can put to use (or not) if you would like.
Also a glimpse of my planned cooking for this week:
Vanilla Bean Lemon Bundt Cake
Filipino Sirloin Steak (Bistek)
Pancit Miki (Noodles with Bean Sprouts)
Twice Baked Bacon Deviled Potatoes
I will link each recipe to its post as soon as it's up!!
Have a delicious week! Xoxo
~M
As I said before, I use Pepperplate.com (read my post about this great tool HERE) and I still do. But there is something missing. I like to be able to flip through my recipe books and drool at all the goodies, have something tangible in front of me, and something I can jot down my plans on without having to sit in front of a screen also.
Since I don't live by myself I am not always the one cooking, but even so, I'm a big fan of planning and organization so I like to think out my cooking best I don't have to rush out and get some groceries.
I am going to share with you a super simple way to take a little stress and hassle out of your life to enjoy cooking more! HERE is free printable for you that you can put to use (or not) if you would like.
Also a glimpse of my planned cooking for this week:
Vanilla Bean Lemon Bundt Cake
Filipino Sirloin Steak (Bistek)
Pancit Miki (Noodles with Bean Sprouts)
Twice Baked Bacon Deviled Potatoes
I will link each recipe to its post as soon as it's up!!
Have a delicious week! Xoxo
~M
Friday, March 9, 2012
Healthy Snacks I Love
Hi everyone! With the upcoming spring (here in the northern hemisphere at least) I thought I should share some of my favorite healthy and yummy snacks for a new spring cleanse. I tried to chose a variety of types of snacks so that all of you would find a couple you would like to taste!
1. Homemade fruit granola yogurt parfait: Easy and well known. Your favorite PLAIN yogurt, not sweetened with dried apricots, frozen berries or fresh strawberries (my favorites) and a simple granola mix.
I used THIS granola bar recipe the other day and broke the bars up after cooking them and put it with yogurt. Everyone loved it, the yogurt takes away from the sweetness.
2. German whole wheat farm bread with melted Jarlsberg cheese and pastrami: very "earthy" solid bread with the mild cheese goes perfectly with the subtle taste of roasted smoked beef. Also works well with canadian bacon which is not fatty at all, more like ham. I like to fry it first (no oil) and then add it to the sandwich.
3. Frozen fruit smoothie: I always grab a bag of mixed frozen berries from Costco. They are perfect for desert toppings as well as a summer smoothie. Blend the berries, yogurt, milk, banana and I like to add some vanilla ice cream and vanilla extract (only a drop or two of extract--it's strong!). You will love this after a long sweaty days work or walking around your school campus on those sunny days.
4. Fruit fruit fruit: the simplest snack and probably one of my favorite. I LOVE fruit! And if you do too (even if you don't) there are a couple things you can add to your daily fruit diet to spice it up a bit. Every morning I have grapefruit with a sprinkle of sugar, peeled pomellos are also delish with a touch of sugar. If you're more of a spice girl, sliced banana and apple with a slight sprinkle of cinnamon is also great (not too much though, just a very very light dusting-especially for those of you that are acne prone like me). I find that clementines (aka Cuties for my US readers-I know we all love their stickers, and the fruit is tasty too!) and oranges go great with shredded unsweetened coconut. Mangos are amazing too and they don't need anything added! Though some of my friends love mango thats a little unripe with salt and pepper...umm not sure about it but try if you want.
5. Cottage cheese with tinned lite peaches: simple light snack and very healthy. I like to drain the syrup that the canned peaches are preserved in and make sure you get the "Lite syrup" version too!
6. Omelets: a couple eggs with some veggies and cheese is always a good breakfast or light lunch. Hard boiled eggs are good too, on salad!
7. Summer salad: my favorite simple summer salad is super easy to toss together. The basic greens including lots of baby spinach leaves. Add a dried fruit (I usually use dried cranberries, but sour apricots and blueberries work great too). Last but not least, slivered almonds. Almonds are super good for you and great in any salad.
8. Greek yogurt: this has been "in" for a while now and I finally picked some up at our local Trader Joe's, of course being me I got the whole fat one, I know, but there is also 2% and 0% available which I might try next. I've already finished one container and just got a second! Super yummy and creamy, the most creamy yogurt I've ever had! I just have a small bowl each day.
9. Toast with fruit butters: another amazing thing from Trader Joe's are their fruit butters. They have fig, honey apple, apple cranberry (my favorite and I can't find it anymore!! :( ), mango, pumpkin and I'm sure there a a few more I don't know about. But anyway, why butters? So I read that butters have more fruit than they do sugar unlike jams and Kelly's which are least much all sugar. I know the Trader Joe's ones have twice as much fruit as sugar which I love and it makes it so much more flavorful.
10. Frozen veggies: this is a great way to get in veggies to your diet. I like getting the mixes with broccoli, peas, corn etc just the usual, then I usually choose a more "exotic" (not really) like grilled asparagus. Frozen spinach is always in freezer, great to add into so many good recipes.
Yay! So that is all..hope you got some ideas from this list. Have fun and eat well!!
Xoxo
~M
PS: I will add pictures as I make the above this spring!
1. Homemade fruit granola yogurt parfait: Easy and well known. Your favorite PLAIN yogurt, not sweetened with dried apricots, frozen berries or fresh strawberries (my favorites) and a simple granola mix.
I used THIS granola bar recipe the other day and broke the bars up after cooking them and put it with yogurt. Everyone loved it, the yogurt takes away from the sweetness.
2. German whole wheat farm bread with melted Jarlsberg cheese and pastrami: very "earthy" solid bread with the mild cheese goes perfectly with the subtle taste of roasted smoked beef. Also works well with canadian bacon which is not fatty at all, more like ham. I like to fry it first (no oil) and then add it to the sandwich.
3. Frozen fruit smoothie: I always grab a bag of mixed frozen berries from Costco. They are perfect for desert toppings as well as a summer smoothie. Blend the berries, yogurt, milk, banana and I like to add some vanilla ice cream and vanilla extract (only a drop or two of extract--it's strong!). You will love this after a long sweaty days work or walking around your school campus on those sunny days.
4. Fruit fruit fruit: the simplest snack and probably one of my favorite. I LOVE fruit! And if you do too (even if you don't) there are a couple things you can add to your daily fruit diet to spice it up a bit. Every morning I have grapefruit with a sprinkle of sugar, peeled pomellos are also delish with a touch of sugar. If you're more of a spice girl, sliced banana and apple with a slight sprinkle of cinnamon is also great (not too much though, just a very very light dusting-especially for those of you that are acne prone like me). I find that clementines (aka Cuties for my US readers-I know we all love their stickers, and the fruit is tasty too!) and oranges go great with shredded unsweetened coconut. Mangos are amazing too and they don't need anything added! Though some of my friends love mango thats a little unripe with salt and pepper...umm not sure about it but try if you want.
5. Cottage cheese with tinned lite peaches: simple light snack and very healthy. I like to drain the syrup that the canned peaches are preserved in and make sure you get the "Lite syrup" version too!
6. Omelets: a couple eggs with some veggies and cheese is always a good breakfast or light lunch. Hard boiled eggs are good too, on salad!
7. Summer salad: my favorite simple summer salad is super easy to toss together. The basic greens including lots of baby spinach leaves. Add a dried fruit (I usually use dried cranberries, but sour apricots and blueberries work great too). Last but not least, slivered almonds. Almonds are super good for you and great in any salad.
8. Greek yogurt: this has been "in" for a while now and I finally picked some up at our local Trader Joe's, of course being me I got the whole fat one, I know, but there is also 2% and 0% available which I might try next. I've already finished one container and just got a second! Super yummy and creamy, the most creamy yogurt I've ever had! I just have a small bowl each day.
9. Toast with fruit butters: another amazing thing from Trader Joe's are their fruit butters. They have fig, honey apple, apple cranberry (my favorite and I can't find it anymore!! :( ), mango, pumpkin and I'm sure there a a few more I don't know about. But anyway, why butters? So I read that butters have more fruit than they do sugar unlike jams and Kelly's which are least much all sugar. I know the Trader Joe's ones have twice as much fruit as sugar which I love and it makes it so much more flavorful.
10. Frozen veggies: this is a great way to get in veggies to your diet. I like getting the mixes with broccoli, peas, corn etc just the usual, then I usually choose a more "exotic" (not really) like grilled asparagus. Frozen spinach is always in freezer, great to add into so many good recipes.
Yay! So that is all..hope you got some ideas from this list. Have fun and eat well!!
Xoxo
~M
PS: I will add pictures as I make the above this spring!
Apricot Granola
Really taste recipe I tried out the other day. It was too sweet to eat on it's own but with yogurt was delish!
Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups rolled oats (I used granola because I didn't have rolled oats, I think the oats would actually work better and I have bought some so I'll update this post and let you know! :)
3/4 cup dried chopped apricots
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350F
Directions:
1. In a small sauce pan mix butter with brown sugar and honey until combined and melted.
2. Add apricots and granola and mix.
3. Spoon into a lightly greased 8in by 8in baking pan. I also like cutting a piece of parchment paper to fit into the bottom of the pan so your cake or granola doesn't stick.
4. Cook in oven for 20-25 minutes.
5. Cool in pan cut and serve.
Yum!
I'll have pictures soon!
~M
Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups rolled oats (I used granola because I didn't have rolled oats, I think the oats would actually work better and I have bought some so I'll update this post and let you know! :)
3/4 cup dried chopped apricots
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350F
Directions:
1. In a small sauce pan mix butter with brown sugar and honey until combined and melted.
2. Add apricots and granola and mix.
3. Spoon into a lightly greased 8in by 8in baking pan. I also like cutting a piece of parchment paper to fit into the bottom of the pan so your cake or granola doesn't stick.
4. Cook in oven for 20-25 minutes.
5. Cool in pan cut and serve.
Yum!
I'll have pictures soon!
~M
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Valentine's Day
Hello lovely readers, it has been too long. Sometimes in life we have those weeks that as hard as you might try you just can not squeeze anymore into them even if you wanted too. Yes. That is my excuse for not blogging. Inadequate I know.
How was everyone's Valentine's Day? I'd love to hear about what fun times you all had! Comment below! I found out this year that it is the favorite "holiday" of a bunch of people I know! It kind of surprised me, but I got to thinking...why not? Showing your love and appreciate to those you care for whether your boyfriend/fiancé/husband, family or friends is important! Although, I hope we can all work to do that on every day oftener, not just one day out of 365.
I myself had a little surprise or two..or three. Although my live couldn't be with me he sent a sweet letter and waiting for me after getting home from work were a dozen red roses in a vase! :) how lucky I am. My dad got me an iPad! Out of the blue right? I am loving it, just like V is loving her Mac I know :). That means I can blog to all of you from anywhere!
I wish I could say all these cookies I have made with all of you. But unfortunately I can only virtually give them to you all :) Enjoy!
~M
How was everyone's Valentine's Day? I'd love to hear about what fun times you all had! Comment below! I found out this year that it is the favorite "holiday" of a bunch of people I know! It kind of surprised me, but I got to thinking...why not? Showing your love and appreciate to those you care for whether your boyfriend/fiancé/husband, family or friends is important! Although, I hope we can all work to do that on every day oftener, not just one day out of 365.
I myself had a little surprise or two..or three. Although my live couldn't be with me he sent a sweet letter and waiting for me after getting home from work were a dozen red roses in a vase! :) how lucky I am. My dad got me an iPad! Out of the blue right? I am loving it, just like V is loving her Mac I know :). That means I can blog to all of you from anywhere!
I wish I could say all these cookies I have made with all of you. But unfortunately I can only virtually give them to you all :) Enjoy!
~M
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Golden Buttermilk Cupcakes
Delish! I made these two nights in a row now, and the disappear faster than you can say "CUPCAKES!" Everyone in the family loved them and couldn't but have two ;) What I like about these is that they are so amazingly simple but still satisfy that spot, especially when they are fresh out of the oven and warm. It's been so rainy and gloomy outside that warm soft cakes and treats are a necessity for the evenings inside. So here we go. Hope you enjoy them as much as my family did! (Unfortunately they went to fast to take pictures ;p)
Ingredients
1 stick of butter (or 4 ounces) (I used salted and just don't add extra salt to the recipe, if you have unsalted, go ahead and add a pinch of salt into the flour mixture)
1 cup of sugar
1/8 teaspoon of vanilla extract (just estimate, we love vanilla over here so I probably put in more like 1/4 teaspoon)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350F. Makes 12 cupcakes.
Preparation
1. I used my KitchenAid mixer with the paddle, it definitely makes it so much more light and fluffy. I recommend getting one if you think it is a worthy investment :)
2. Mix the butter and sugar together until creamy, add the vanilla extract and mix.
3. SIFT (don't skip sifting) the flour and baking powder together (and salt if you used unsalted butter). I just dump all of that into the sifter and sift it all at once...it will mix as it sifts! Give it a little stir after to make sure the baking powder is distributed evenly.
4. Add half the flour to the wet mixture, mix, add half the buttermilk and mix. Repeat for the rest, alternate flour and buttermilk.
5. Spoon into the cupcake cups and Ta Da! Into the oven it goes! How much easier could it possibly be!?
6. Bake for about 20 minutes. All ovens are different so as soon as the edges of the cupcake turns golden they're ready!
You can do anything with these cupcakes, add frosting, dust with icing sugar, fill the center with jam....There are endless possibilities.
Recipe adapted from Celebrating Cupcakes and Muffins.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Cookie Decorating
Yup! My new stress relieving hobby... Decorating sugar cookies (well technically you could decorate any kind of cookie but traditionally it's a delicious buttery cookie full of sugar). Over the past month or so I have collected over 150 cookie cutters and supplies such as piping icing tips, special icing coloring, sprinkles, and shimmer dusts. I love decorating the cookies. I never realized how much practice and skill it took.
Take a look at these amazing sunflower cookies by The Sweet Sugar Belle...
Check out her blog, it's absolutely amazing, and she's one of my favorite cookie bloggers!
I hope I can decorate like her someday! It has been amazing how stress relieving this art is...and the tastiest form of art ever! I recommend you all to try it, start from the basics. The snowmen and snowflakes above were my second go at it and I've already learnt so much. I love the snowmen! Here are a couple of my favorite...
Cuties :) and definitely not perfect yet.
If any of interested HERE is the recipe I use for the sugar cookie again by the Sweet Sugar Belle.
And HERE is the recipe I use for the Royal Icing from Bake at 350 another amazing blog to visit! (There are lots of different kinds of icing...I like Royal Icing because it doesn't take away taste from the cookie...the focus is on the cookie not on the icing. If you wanted a more flavorful icing you might use Buttercream Icing.)
Enjoy the cookies, sometimes too pretty to eat! And perfect for homemade gifts for whatever occasion.
 |
| Don't like the lighting...ugh haha (first pics are much more realistic ;) |
XoXo
~M
Individual Cheesecakes & Strawberries
This recipe was adapted from "Foods for Friends - Deserts"
- 100 grams sweet biscuit crumbs
- 90 grams toasted flaked almonds
- 90 grams white chocolate
- 60 grams unsalted butter
Lightly grease a 12-hole standard muffin tin. Line each hole with two long strips of baking paper in the shape of a cross to help remove the cheesecakes.
Put biscuit crumbs, almonds, white chocolate and butter in a bowl and stir until just combined, adding more butter if the mixture is too dry. Divide mixture among the muffin holes and use your fingers to press it over the bases and up the sides, smoothing with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate crusts while preparing the filling.
Filling:
- 2 teaspoons powdered gelatine
- 250 grams softened cream cheese
- 90 grams superfine castor sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 125ml whipping cream
- 1 egg white
To make filling, put 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl and sprinkle with gelatine. Leave the gelatine to sponge and swell.
Beat cream cheese, sugar and orange zest in a small bowl and sprinkle with gelatine. Leave the gelatine to sponge and swell.
Beat cream cheese, sugar and orange zest in a small bowl with electric beaters until light and creamy. Beat in the orange juice until combined. Stir in the gelatine mixture.
Whip cream until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white with a clean whisk until soft peaks form. Fold cream and egg white into cream cheese mixture. Spoon into prepared crusts and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, or until set.
Macerated Strawberries:
- 500 grams strawberries
- 1 tablespoon of superfine castor sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
To make macerated strawberries, cut strawberries into small pieces. Combing the strawberries with the sugar, orange zest, and orange juice and refrigerate for several hours.
I have attached a photo of my outcome. :)
Friday, December 16, 2011
French Toast
Super tasty and easy and quick to make!
6 slices of bread
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon brown sugar (add less if you like it more savory-if you want a really savory french toast add 1/4 cup grated cheese instead, I would use Monterrey Jack cheese, something simple and mild)
Sprinkling of salt
Beat eggs. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Soak bread, just enough to moisten and soak the surface, do the same on both sides. I don't like to soak the bread completely because after it cooks the middle of the slice will still be moist and mushy (I don't like that-if you do just soak for longer).
Cook in fry pan with butter until both sides are golden brown.
Serve with confectioners sugar or maple syrup, berries, bacon, strawberries especially tasty. Be creative!
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from The Galley Gourmet
6 slices of bread
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon brown sugar (add less if you like it more savory-if you want a really savory french toast add 1/4 cup grated cheese instead, I would use Monterrey Jack cheese, something simple and mild)
Sprinkling of salt
Beat eggs. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Soak bread, just enough to moisten and soak the surface, do the same on both sides. I don't like to soak the bread completely because after it cooks the middle of the slice will still be moist and mushy (I don't like that-if you do just soak for longer).
Cook in fry pan with butter until both sides are golden brown.
Serve with confectioners sugar or maple syrup, berries, bacon, strawberries especially tasty. Be creative!
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from The Galley Gourmet
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Dessert to follow...White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Cranberries carry the taste of the holidays, perfectly paired with gourmet white chocolate.
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 bar of Lindt white chocolate
6 oz sweetened dried cranberries
1 tablespoon milk
Set oven to 350F or 175C. Makes about 2 dozen.
1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
2. Beat butter in separate bowl until creamy. Add one egg, beat. Add the second egg, beat until smooth. Add sugar.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry. Add milk. Slowly fold and mix together.
4. Scoop out heaped table spoons. Press with palm of hand and spoon to pack and slightly round.
5. Lay on baking tray on cooking parchment paper.
Recipe adapted from The Peach Kitchen.
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 bar of Lindt white chocolate
6 oz sweetened dried cranberries
1 tablespoon milk
Set oven to 350F or 175C. Makes about 2 dozen.
1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
2. Beat butter in separate bowl until creamy. Add one egg, beat. Add the second egg, beat until smooth. Add sugar.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry. Add milk. Slowly fold and mix together.
4. Scoop out heaped table spoons. Press with palm of hand and spoon to pack and slightly round.
5. Lay on baking tray on cooking parchment paper.
Recipe adapted from The Peach Kitchen.
Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
This recipe is perfect for the upcoming winter. Warm soup with good French baguette. I made this the other day and everyone absolutely loved it, all gone in an instant! Enjoy!
3 tablespoons of butter
1/2 small sweet onion
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk (I just happened to have 2% reduced fat milk)
1 cup heavy cream (feel free to use a reduced fat for this, since I had reduced fat milk I decided to go all the way ;) )
4 cups of low sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
2 bay leaves
1 large carrot, grated
2 crowns of broccoli (add more if you just love broccoli)
8 ounces of medium Cheddar (going to make it again this week with sharp Cheddar, I'll update if it's better!) cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of sugar
1. Melt butter over medium heat and add onion cooking until tender.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, whisk flour, milk, and cream until smooth and silky.
3. Add chicken stock. Continue whisking until smooth.
4. Add nutmeg and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.
5. Add onions, broccoli and carrot. Let simmer about 20 minutes.
6. Add cheese and whisk until melted.
7. Serve with fresh sweet baguette.
Recipe adapted from Blog is the New Black.
3 tablespoons of butter
1/2 small sweet onion
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk (I just happened to have 2% reduced fat milk)
1 cup heavy cream (feel free to use a reduced fat for this, since I had reduced fat milk I decided to go all the way ;) )
4 cups of low sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
2 bay leaves
1 large carrot, grated
2 crowns of broccoli (add more if you just love broccoli)
8 ounces of medium Cheddar (going to make it again this week with sharp Cheddar, I'll update if it's better!) cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of sugar
1. Melt butter over medium heat and add onion cooking until tender.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, whisk flour, milk, and cream until smooth and silky.
3. Add chicken stock. Continue whisking until smooth.
4. Add nutmeg and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.
5. Add onions, broccoli and carrot. Let simmer about 20 minutes.
6. Add cheese and whisk until melted.
7. Serve with fresh sweet baguette.
Recipe adapted from Blog is the New Black.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Easy Meal Planning and Recipe Organization
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| Home page of Pepperplate.com |
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| Recipe list/collection |
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| Week planner for morning, noon and evening |
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| Shopping list |
~~M
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Beouf Bourguignon
I watched the movie Julia and Julie and it contrasts the life of the chef known as Julia Child in the early years of her career with Julie Powell who aspires to cook all 524 of Julia Child's recipes in 365 days.
After watching this movie I was intrigued to try some of her recipes and also to bring myself up against a challenge. The first recipe I tried was her famous "Beouf Bourguignon". It took literally hours to make but the end product was worth it! I used a nice red wine and used boiled potatoes and buttered peas. I learned how to saute mushrooms in which I actually ate mushrooms for once and braised onions. I served this on rice. The dish was so rich in flavour it was amazing! Something that would be perfect for serving while guests are over for dinner. Here is the recipe below:
Beouf Bourguignon (aka Beef Stew in Red wine with Bacon Onions and Mushrooms)
Boiled potatoes are traditionally served with this dish I found it perfectly complemented the dish because it was so rich in flavour therefore buttered peas and buttered potato is a must! Also if you are serving the dish with a wine, use the same wine as you used in the stew or something similar to complement the food. This dish makes 6 large servings.
Ingredients:
Boiled potatoes are traditionally served with this dish I found it perfectly complemented the dish because it was so rich in flavour therefore buttered peas and buttered potato is a must! Also if you are serving the dish with a wine, use the same wine as you used in the stew or something similar to complement the food. This dish makes 6 large servings.
Ingredients:
- A 6 ounce chunk of bacon
- A 9 to 10 inch fireproof casserole 3 inches deep
- 1 Tb olive oil or cooking oil
- A slotted spoon
- 3lbs lean stewing beef cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 sliced carrot
- 1 sliced onion
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1/4 tsp of pepper
- 2 Tb flour
- 3 cups of full-bodied young red wine such as those suggested for serving or a Chianti
- 2 to 3 cups of brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
- 1 Tb tomato paste
- 2 cloves mashed garlic
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- A crumbled bay leaf
- The blanched bacon rind
- 18 to 24 small white onions brown braised in stock
- 1 lb quartered fresh mushrooms sauteed in butter
Method:
- Remove rind and cut bacon into small piecces. Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes with water just covering the bacon, drain and dry (you must simmer the bacon in water if you don't do this the flavor of the bacon will overpower the entire dish). Also keep the bacon rind aside.
- Preheat over to 450 degrees.
- Saute the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you saute the beef.
- Dry the beef in paper towels (it wont brown properly if the meat is damp). Saute a few pieces of meat at a time in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.
- In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sauteing fat.
- Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set aside the casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to over for 4 minutes more (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust). Remove the casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees.
- Stir in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon so the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate the heat so liquid simmers slowly for 2 and half to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
- When the beef is cooking prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set aside until needed. See these two recipes below.
- When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.
- Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 and half cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix it in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over meat and vegetables.
- For immediate serving, serve with boiled buttered potatoes and peas with rice if preferred. If serving later when cold, cover and refrigerate and simmer later. I found it even tasted better when reheated again!
brown braised onions:
Ingredients:
- 18 to 24 peeled white onions
- 1 1/2 Tb butter
- 1 1/2 Tb oil
- A 9 to 10 inch enameled skillet
- 1/2 cup of brown stock, canned beef bouillon, dry white wine, or water.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf, and a 1/4 tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth.
Method:
- When the butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet add the onions (just peel them and keep them whole) and saute over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful and try to let the onions stay intact.
- Pour in the liquid, season to taste and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove the herb bouquet. Serve them as they are, the liquid should have formed a type of gravy that will taste amazing!
Sauteed Mushrooms
Ingredients:
- A 10 inch enameled skillet
- 2 Tb butter
- 1 Tb oil
- 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms washed, well dried, left whole if small or sliced or quartered if large.
- Optional: 1 to 2 Tb minced shallots or green onions
- salt and pepper
Method:
- Place the skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, indicating that is hot enough, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. During their saute the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove the heat.
- Toss the shallots of the green onions with mushrooms. Saute over moderate heat for 2 minutes.
The recipe is difficult and a long process. Though so worth it! Enjoy!
~ V
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