I started by watching my Mom and Grandmother cook when I was eight or nine. On the kitchen counter I sat and watched them make tomato sauce, pasta, soups, veal, pork and so on. I remember finding it interesting and fun. A little bit of this and that. I started cooking when I was 18 years old. Since the age of 20, I've traveled annually to the USA and abroad and have always been intrigued by the recipes discovered.
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Homemade French Baguettes
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Orzo with, Chicken, Cherry Tomatoes and Artichokes
Ingredients:
5 oz. Orzo
1 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tbsp olive oil, plus drizzling for the top
1 cup artichoke hearts
3 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
grilled chicken, diced
salt and black pepper to taste
asiago cheese
1. In a large pot, sweat onions with garlic and olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add artichokes, saute for three minutes.
3. Stir in tomatoes.
4. stir in the diced chicken.
5. salt and pepper.
6. mix in the asiago cheese.
serve hot.
Croquettes de Fromage
Whole milk
Roux
Chicken stock
Emmental cheese
salt
egg and flour
canola oil
make the roux. add the milk, cheese, and chicken stock. mix really good with a whisk. cool in the refrigerator. make individual balls, about the size of ping pong balls and deep fry in canola oil.
http://bxlrestaurants.com/bxl-zoute.html
i urge you to go to this restaurant.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Boursin Roasted Chicken
1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) whole chicken
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (5.2-ounce) packages garlic and fines herbs flavor cheese spread (recommended: Boursin)
Cold Weather Potato Chowder With Caraway Cheese
"In 'Sunday Soup' by Betty Rosbottom"
Ingredients
4 slices (4 ounces) bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 pound red-skin potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup (4 ounces) Havarti cheese with caraway seeds, coarsely grated
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives for garnish
Sauté bacon in a large, heavy pot set over medium heat until browned and crisp, for 3 to 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour out and discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon drippings.
Add onion and celery to the bacon drippings in the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, for 4 to 5 minutes. Add diced potatoes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add chicken stock and milk to pot and bring mixture to a simmer. Cook soup at a simmer until the potatoes are tender, for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not let soup come to a boil. (Soup can be prepared to this point 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat over low heat and proceed with recipe.)
When ready to serve, add the cheese, a little at a time, to the hot soup, stirring until melted after each addition. In a small bowl, mix the butter and flour with a fork to make a paste. Whisk this mixture into the soup, a little at a time, and cook until completely blended, for 1 to 2 minutes. Taste soup and season with salt, as needed, and with freshly ground pepper.
To serve, ladle soup into 4 bowls and sprinkle each serving with chopped bacon and chives.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Blueberry Cheese Danish
1/3 cup sugar
2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Roasted Eggpplant
1 eggplant cut in circles ½ inch wide
Bake at 350°F for 10 – 15 min.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Pie
7 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups evaporated milk
Puerto Rican Coconut Rum: Coquito
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk
2 egg yolks
2 cups fresh coconut milk or 1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk
Pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon true Ceylon cinnamon (sold as Mexican cinnamon or canela in Hispanic markets)
1 cup Puerto Rican white rum
Ground cinnamon
Directions
Place all ingredients in a blender and process for 3 minutes at high speed until frothy. Store in a glass container in the refrigerator and serve chilled, dusted with a little cinnamon.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/puerto-rican-coconut-milk-rum-christmas-drink-coquito-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Friday, October 24, 2014
Blueberry Turnovers
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 lemon juiced
2 tsp xanthan gum (use cornstarch as an alternative about 2 tbsp?)
2 sheets puff pastry
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Spicy Lentil Soup
1 serrano chile pepper, chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
1 large tomato, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced an inch
1 onion diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1 1/2 -inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
Kosher salt
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley, plus more for topping
1 pint sour cream
Baked Apple Roll Ups
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 lemon juiced
2 tsp xanthan gum (use cornstarch as an alternative about 2 tbsp?)
2 sheets puff pastry
Friday, October 17, 2014
Cream of Asparagus and Carrot Soup with Orzo
1/2 onion, chopped, (about 1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 pounds asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large carrots
6 cups chicken stock
1 pint sour cream, room temperature
2 teaspoons Hungarian hot paprika, for garnish
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Vietnamese Steak Banh Mi
This week I went to lunch with a friend to a vietnamese restaraunt. This is what I had.
Vietnamese Steak Banh Mi
Ingredients
1/3 cup fish sauce
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons finely minced shallot
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tbsp soy sauce
Hot sauce
Sesame oil
2 pounds beef sirloin tip, sliced into 1/8-inch strips
Procedure
In a small bowl whisk together fish sauce, sugar, shallot, garlic, hot sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper. Place beef slices in a large resealable plastic bag, pour in marinade, seal bag and toss to coat well. Place in refrigerator and marinate at least 1 hour, or up to 24.
Grill beef over high heat until browned on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Serve hot.
Mashed Sweet Potato with Nutmeg and Sour Cream
Mike made this delicious dish!
Ingredients
4 large sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 tablespoons sour cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Rub the sweet potatoes with the oil and place in an ovenproof baking dish and roast potatoes until tender, about 1 hour, turning once after 30 minutes. When potatoes are cooked, set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Cut the potatoes in half and squeeze the potato pulp into a 3 quart saucepan. Set the flame to medium-low and mash gently until smooth with a potato masher. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, sour cream, and butter and fold together until thoroughly combined. Remove from the heat and serve immediately, or keep warm, covered, until ready to serve.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Quinoa Rotini with Goat Cheese and Chicken
1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
6 oz fresh goat cheese
Red pepper flakes
Basil
Parsley
1 tbsp butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Paleo Pie Crust with Apples, Blueberries, and Raspberries
6 oz. Raspberries
12 oz. Blueberries
2 tbsp. xanthan gum
2 tbsp. Stevia®
Make the pie crust.
The finished product.
Paleo Pie Crust
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
Add oil and pulse until mixture forms a ball.
Bake at 350° for 8-12 minutes
Friday, September 12, 2014
Pumpkin Spice-Rubbed Pork Loin
1/2 tsp mustard powder (I used Dijon mustard)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (freshly)
2 lbs pork loin end roast (boneless)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 pears quartered and cored
1 cup chicken broth
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Pear Clafouti
recipe courtesy of Ina Garten
Ingredients:
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (I used Stevia®)
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I used almond flour)
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons pear brandy, such as Poire William
2 to 3 firm but ripe Bartlett pears
Beat the eggs and the 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, mix in the flour, cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and pear brandy. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel, quarter, core, and slice the pears. Arrange the slices in a single layer, slightly fanned out, in the baking dish. Pour the batter over the pears and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is firm, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.