Eat and be happy

aicuisine: Inspiration Tipp: Um Huhn schmackhafter zu machen,...

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 01:00:49 -0400

Inspiration

Tipp: Um Huhn schmackhafter zu machen, einfach Marmelade in die Marinade mit einrühren, Orange oder Aprikose und dann noch etwas Thai Curry und Olivenöl oder Butter, schmeckt gut und macht eine super schmackhafte Kruste!

Tip: To get chicken more tasty, mix jam into the marinade. Orange or apricot together with some thai curry and olive oil or butter, tastes awesome and makes a super tasty crust!

tango-mango: Loving every bite After I gained a decent number...

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 21:14:54 -0400

tango-mango:

Loving every bite

After I gained a decent number of followers I began to feel a sense of responsibility regarding what I posted. For instance, I don’t often blog about a luscious, high-fat recipe one day and then blog about a sinfully rich dish the next. Whether you realize it or not, there’s a harmony that I try to maintain. Indulge in something naughty and then take a bike ride! Or have a salad! Of course I’m over-thinking this because I know you all manage your own lifestyles regardless of what shows up here, but it sort of nags at me never-the-less.

This basically was a long, wordy lead-in to this blog post, which is showing off a couple of sexy, cheese-covered potatoes. Nothing was spared in the making of these potatoes, and I enjoyed every bite. Of course it was followed by a longer than usual walk, because it’s all about balance.

Sue’s twice baked potatoes (4 servings)

2 nicely-shaped baking potatoes (no green spots)

2-3 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream (approximate)

Milk

2 green onions, thinly sliced (including green part)

1/2 of a jalapeno, finely diced (optional)

Grated cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

Scrub potatoes clean under cold water and pat dry. Using a cooking fork, pierce deeply in several places to allow steam to escape while baking. Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for about 60 minutes, or until soft when pinched. Remove potatoes from oven and let cool until you can comfortably handle them.

Cut each potato in half, length-wise. Using a spoon, remove most of the potato from each potato half, leaving only enough potato attached so the skin maintains its shape.

In a mixing bowl, lightly mash the potatoes. (I like them somewhat lumpy.) Stir in the butter and the sour cream. Add enough milk to create a creamy consistency, without making them too soupy. Stir in the onions and optional jalapeno, and season with salt and pepper. You can add some cheese to the mix if you would like, or just top them with cheese.

Spoon the yummy potato mixture back into the potato skins and sprinkle with grated cheese. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and return to the oven for 30 minutes.

chroniclebooks: Fresh Heirloom Tomato Sauce with Burrata, from...

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 23:03:13 -0400

chroniclebooks:

Fresh Heirloom Tomato Sauce with Burrata, from Aida Mollenkamp’s debut cookbook, Keys to the Kitchen.

Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total prep time: 15 minutes, plus marinating time
Hands-on time: 15 minutes

So simple, but so delicious. The tomatoes, garlic, oil, and red pepper flakes create a brag-worthy sauce made sublime by the addition of creamy burrata cheese.

Takeaway
How to make a no-cook pasta sauce.

Good to Know
Top-quality tomatoes take this this dish from good or great so buy ones that are fresh, ripe, and in season.
Burrata is a part cream, part mozzarella cheese that’s pure indulgence. If you can’t find it, buffalo mozzarella will work well.
This dish also works well with any pasta that clings to the little puddles of sauce, like shell-shaped conchiglie or cup-shaped orrecchiette.

Recipe Within a Recipe
The tomato mixture doubles as a bruschetta topping—just spoon over toasted country bread, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and serve.

Riffs
Use tangy cheeses like goat cheese or feta in place of the burrata.
Add chopped capers, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted bell peppers, or anchovies to the tomato mixture.
Mix with homemade pesto (see book for recipe) for a chunky crossover sauce.

(Read the full recipe on the Chronicle Books Blog)

gourmet: Spicy Summer Rolls With Peanut Sauce We like to think...

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:37:57 -0400

gourmet:

Spicy Summer Rolls With Peanut Sauce

We like to think of the summer roll as an elegant example of fast food: a salad packed into an edible container—in this case, paper-thin rice sheets—which results in something as beautiful to behold as it is practical to eat by hand. Better yet, the summer roll is a big win for the health-conscious because the roll is almost fat-free, and the sauce, while sporting a little peanut butter, is not highly caloric. One dipped bite yields an explosion of flavors and textures that’s guaranteed to excite any palate.

This recipe is part of our Gourmet Modern Menu: Fiery Fare. Click here to view the full menu.

full recipe here

wehavethemunchies: Healthy Baking Substitutions

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 02:54:54 -0400

wehavethemunchies:

Healthy Baking Substitutions

thatsmegmade: Greek Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomato...

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 03:00:22 -0400

thatsmegmade:

Greek Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Ingredients
For the dressing
1 garlic clove
7 sun-dried or slow-roasted tomato halves, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp plain nonfat yogurt
1 tsp Greek seasoning
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 tsp agave nectar (or honey, or sugar substitute)
5-6 tsp water

For the salad
8 oz rotini or other twisty pasta
1-1/2 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 medium green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup pitted large black olives, sliced in half
3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, or more to taste

Directions

In a blender, combine all dressing ingredients, and blend on high speed until smooth. If you’d like the dressing thinner, add a bit more water. Set aside.

Bring 4 quarts of water to the boil in a large pot. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and add to a large mixing bowl.

Combine all remaining ingredients in the mixing bowl along with as much of the dressing as you like. Garnish with some extra dill fronds, and serve at room temperature.

Source: The Perfect Pantry

screw-it-and-eat-everything: Perfect Party Cakefrom Baking:...

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 02:44:25 -0400

screw-it-and-eat-everything:

Perfect Party Cake
from Baking: From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk or buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Center a rack in the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-x-2-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.

Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.

Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the tough – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.

Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

While still warm, poke each layer all over with a fork, and pour over lemon glaze (recipe follows). When cool, frost cake with black tea frosting & garnish with candied lemon slices.

Lemon Glaze

1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and lemon juice, stir with a fork.

Black Tea Frosting

2 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup strongly brewed black tea
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup strongly brewed black tea

Beat egg whites in a mixing bowl until foamy & thick, they should mound, but not peak.

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cream of tartar, black tea & salt. Bring to a boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes, or until a candy thermometer reads 242 degrees F and all sugar is dissolved.
Begin beating the egg whites again and slowly pour in boiling sugar syrup in a slow steam. Continue to beat on high for 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form.

Add 1/4 black tea by the tablespoon, beating after each addition.

Continue beating until frosting reaches desired consistency, about 2 minutes. Use immediately.

Candied Lemon Slices
From Martha Stewart

1 large lemon

1 cup sugar

    Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut lemon into 12 paper-thin slices; discard seeds and ends of rind.

    Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, and add lemon slices; stir until softened, about 1 minute. Drain, and immediately plunge slices into ice-water bath. Drain.

    Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium skillet, swirling to dissolve sugar. When liquid is clear and bubbling, reduce heat to medium-low. Add lemon slices, arranging them in one layer with tongs. Simmer (do not let boil) until rinds are translucent, about 1 hour.

Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Let stand until ready to serve.

forksnknives: Pick Yin: Roast Onion Shallot Tart

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 19:05:22 -0400

forksnknives:

Pick Yin: Roast Onion Shallot Tart

mysecretrecipebook: Cinnamon Coconut Macaroons Learned this...

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 14:14:36 -0400

mysecretrecipebook:

Cinnamon Coconut Macaroons

Learned this from work as well! Added some other ingredients just to adjust to my own taste.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup coconut shreds

1 egg white

1/2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 cups flour

2 tbsp light cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare a pan and lay out a layer or parchment paper.

2. Whisk together egg white, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract together.

3. Pour mixture into the coconut shreds and mix thoroughly.

4. Mix completely with the flour and gradually add light cream.

5. Spoon onto pan in small scoops. Bake at 300’C for 20-30 minutes until the tops turn golden brown.

goddessofscrumptiousness: Pork Steak, Caramelized Onions...

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 05:12:26 -0400

goddessofscrumptiousness:

Pork Steak, Caramelized Onions and Gruyère Sandwich

I am not that crazy about those kinds of sandwiches piled up high with insane and gluttonous amount of meats that make the bread look like an after-thought, it’s just too extreme and too much for me, or for anyone I believe.

To me, a sandwich should always have a good balance of protein, carbs and cheese… yes, always with cheese!

Two from this stack I had as late lunch today. I originally intended to just make a grilled cheese and black pepper sandwich but the plate with slices of pork steak and caramelized onions beckoned me and begged me to embrace them with bread, and obviously I obliged.

Photo

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 18:54:40 -0400

katcakes: Mixed Berry and Apple Crumble Tart For this recipe, I...

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 22:08:29 -0400

katcakes:

Mixed Berry and Apple Crumble Tart

For this recipe, I drew inspiration from Masterchef contestant, Kylie, who made a Strawberry and Apple Crumble Tart for the magazine cover challenge. I loved the look of her tart, and being winter, this was the type of dessert you could serve on a cold day, straight out of the oven with a dollop of cream and a drizzle of some sauce. You could experience a moist, sweet filling, crunchy topping and crumbly base.

I used a vanilla bean cream and berry sauce in place of the custard Kylie had made. I didn’t want to completely replicate what she did; after all, I was only inspired by the overall structure of the dessert. I didn’t want the juices from the cooked fruit filling to go to waste, so this is what I used as the base of my berry sauce. And of course, I can’t eat a crumble or tart without cream on the side… or ice cream for the kids! As for my fruits, I used frozen mixed berries because I was looking particularly for the juices and syrup and Royal Gala apples. Most apples are ideal for cooking, so depending on how soft you want your apples will depend on what type of apple you use for this tart.

My tart uses a round tart pan, but you could use a rectangular tart pan, or individual ones. I think I might need to invest in buying a rectangular tart pan because I think slicing them up is much easier and neater.

Mixed Berry and Apple Crumble Tart

Ingredients

Base

160g plain flour

3 tbsp icing sugar

80g unsalted butter

2-3 tbsp water

Filling

250g frozen mixed berries

2 royal gala apples, peeled and cored

100g caster sugar

50ml water

2 strips lemon rind

Crumble

50g plain flour

25g rolled oats

25g shredded coconut

25g brown sugar

20g flaked almonds

30g melted unsalted butter

Berry sauce

strained syrup from cooked filling

60ml thickened cream

Method

To make the base: place flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor and process in short bursts until it forms fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add enough water, continuously pulsing until pastry starts to comes together. Turn pastry out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a ball. Flatten to form a disc and wrap in plastic to refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Lightly grease a round tart pan with a removable base. Roll out pastry until large enough to fit into pan, then gently ease pastry into the pan. Trim excess pastry, then refrigerate for 10 minutes. Prick the base of the tart, line with baking paper and fill with pastry weights. Blind-bake pastry for 10 minutes, then remove paper and weights and bake for a further 5 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

To make the filling: place berries, apple, sugar, water and lemon rind into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes, lifting the lid and stirring occasionally to prevent from burning. Remove lid, put heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes to allow fruit to soften and syrup to thicken. Strain mixture to remove juice (don’t discard it! You’ll need it!) and allow filling to cool.

To make the crumble: Preheat oven to 160 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine. Add the melted butter and stir until mixture forms crumble. Scatter over baking tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until evenly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

To make the sauce: place excess juice from filling into a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until juice becomes thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and add thickened cream. Stir to combine, then set aside.

To assemble: place filling inside the tart base, then top with crumble. Slice, and serve warm with cream and berry sauce.

ENJOY! :D

oohhhbaby: roasted chicken thighs with cherry jalapeno sauce

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 21:45:40 -0400

oohhhbaby:

roasted chicken thighs with cherry jalapeno sauce

delishytown: Delicious Potato Lasagna This is so delicious!...

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 16:58:44 -0400

delishytown:

Delicious Potato Lasagna

This is so delicious! Sorry my pictures aren’t so great here, I like to wait until nighttime to turn the oven on. If you’re growing zucchini (or any kind of summer squash) and tomatoes, I highly recommend this easy dish. My husband and I ate seconds and thirds.

This isn’t actually lasagna, there are no noodles, no tomato sauce or béchamel. This is so much easier than making a lasagna! It’s just sliced fresh vegetables, cheese and aromatics, including red potatoes, plum tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, garlic, shallots and fresh basil, parmesan and cheddar cheeses, and drizzled at the end with olive oil and white wine. The delicious “sauce” comes from the bubbling wine and aromatic ingredients.

To prevent the cheese from burning before all the veggies are cooked, cover the dish with parchment before baking. Twist the corners to get it to stay on, and cut a slit in the center to let the steam escape. I cook this until there’s no longer any bubbling liquid in the bottom of the dish.

Here is a word diagram of the layers in the casserole dish, I season with a little salt and pepper between layers. Butter the pan generously before adding vegetable slices:

Top layer: chopped shallots and grated cheeses

drizzle of olive oil and 3/4 cup white wine

sliced potatoes

sliced mushrooms (I used mini portabellas)

chopped garlic, basil, grated parmesan, & olive oil, salt and pepper (I call this the pesto layer)

sliced plum tomatoes

sliced zucchini

Bottom layer: peeled and sliced red potatoes, salt and pepper

buttered casserole dish

Once you have the layers assembled, before you put the cheese on top, press down on the whole thing gently with your hands. Add the rest of the chopped shallots and cheese. Cover with parchment with a vent cut into it. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350 and bake an additional 15 minutes until most of the the liquid is absorbed. Yum!

bourbonncake: Visual Recipe: Bacon Wonton Bites with Mustard...

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 05:32:07 -0400

bourbonncake:

Visual Recipe: Bacon Wonton Bites with Mustard Sauce

Confession: We at Bourbon N’ Cake are visual learners. We actually feel like lots of culinarily minded people might be, which is why we’ve prepared this series of visual recipes for your aid and education. This simple, fun recipe for Bacon Wanton Bites is simple enough for a roof deck party and addictive enough that you’ll plan parties just to make them! Just don’t forget to invite us!

Ingredients:
20 Wonton skins (found in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets)
1 8oz package cream cheese
6 Slices of bacon (any kind will do, but we like to use Black Forest bacon)
1/2 Cup diced red onion
Salt and pepper to taste (we prefer roughly ¼tsp of each)
2 Tbl vegetable oil
2 Tbl water

Images by John Stoffer, Recipe by David Fingerman

bellyofecuador: MINI BAKED POTATOES WITH CRUMBLED BLUE...

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 05:32:03 -0400

bellyofecuador:

MINI BAKED POTATOES WITH CRUMBLED BLUE CHEESE

These are delicious, easy, and great to serve as an appetizer. They can be served hot or cold, though I personally favor them right out of the oven. If they are hot though, the blue cheese mixture will melt off pretty quickly, so they should be eaten right after preparation.

Ingredients:

20 small potatoes (the grocery store usually has different varieties, and I think they all work)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
coarse salt
1/2 cup sour cream|
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, to garnish (make sure you use fresh chives)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Wash and dry potatoes. Throw in bowl and toss with vegetable oil.
3. Dip the potatoes into the salt to coat lightly, then spread potatoes out on a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
5. In another bowl, combine the sour cream and blue cheese and mix together.
6. Cut a cross into the top of each potatoes. Press your finger in the cross so that the potatoes open slightly. Be gentle or the potatoes will split too far. If this happens, don’t worry, they still taste delicious.
7. Top each potato with a spoonful of the blue cheese sour cream mixture. Garnish with chives.

13ites: Remember I told you guys I won a photography contest?...

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 05:28:07 -0400

13ites:

Remember I told you guys I won a photography contest? This is the winning piece!

Braised Lamb Shank - Fullhouse Singapore

realityphotography: Roost 1972 Fairview Street Houston, TX...

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:23:21 -0400

realityphotography:

Roost

1972 Fairview Street Houston, TX 77019

713.523.7667

Food Descriptions:

Southern Fried Quail from Bandera, Texas, house biscuit, cream gravy, cane syrup & jalapenos.

Roasted Cauliflower, bonito shavings, miso dressing, pine nuts & scallion.

Beth holds: Lump Crab Cakes, jalapeno coulis, chayote squash & cabbage slaw.

Salted Chocolate Tart, ancho creme fraiche & cocoa nibs.

photography © 2012 debora smail / 832.495.8284

taste-the-rainbow-1995: Omggg! I always wondered what the...

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 22:58:44 -0400

taste-the-rainbow-1995:

Omggg! I always wondered what the different colors meant! ;D
did-you-kno:

Source

tango-mango: Trottole pasta with creamy pesto sauce Sometimes I...

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 02:29:26 -0400

tango-mango:

Trottole pasta with creamy pesto sauce

Sometimes I crave pasta. Or I should say, pasta with some sort of creamy sauce mixed with it. I gave into the crave, and this was lunch today. I cooked 1/2 pound of Trottole pasta in salted water until al dente. After draining it, I immediately stirred in my creamy pesto sauce. Then, just to make things pretty, I spooned it into a glass serving bowl and garnished it with fresh basil leaves and tomato wedges.

Creamy pesto sauce

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons pesto sauce

Make a béchamel sauce by melting the butter in a large sauce pan and whisk in the flour. Cook over medium high heat until flour cooks, approximately 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the milk all at once and continue to cook until it thickens, whisking all the while. Reduce heat and add salt and pesto sauce. Continue to stir until hot.

Note: “trottole” in Italian means top, as in the toy you spin on the floor.