one of my favorite foods

TABBOULEH 

yum yum yummmmm

This lemony fresh middle eastern salad is so crisp and delicious! I could literally eat this for days. It's a great accompaniment or alone as a meal. Traditionally made with bulgar, I substituted for couscous because that's what I usually have on hand. There's lots of chopping involved but the end product is worth the work. The citrus dressing gets a chance to coat every morsel. Enjoy!

Recipe:

1 bunch flat leaf parsley

1 medium tomato

2 tbs fresh chopped mint

3/4 cups couscous (cooked in lightly salted water) 

1 lemon + zest

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1. Mince all the produce, add the cooked couscous, lemon zest into a large bowl

2. Add salt and pepper to taste then combine until the mixture is homogeneous

3. Juice the lemon and whisk with equal parts olive oil and a healthy pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper for the dressing

4. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until everything is coated

5. Best if left to refrigerate for a few hours until all the flavor have had a chance mingle together

*shout out to my room mate Gabby who is a pro chopper :)

<3 Jo

valentine's dinner

So last week I went all out for a wonderful Valentine's dinner with my boyfriend. The semi-ambitious menu included parmesan dirty mashed potatoes, oven roasted vegetables, seared lamb combs finished off with poached pears. At one point there was smoke pouring out of the oven, and the fire alarm went off, but thank God that was from some left over oil burning off; I opened all the windows, turned on the fan and the rest of the night went off without a hitch :)

 Here are the recipes : everything is from memory so the measurements are a rough estimate. just remember to taste as you go!

Parmesan Dirty Mashed Potatoes
*serves 3-4*
 6 red potatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
salt and pepper

1. quarter the red potatoes (make sure they are roughly the same size, so cut larger spuds into 6ths or 8ths so that everything cooks evenly)
2. salt and bring a large pot of water to boil, toss in potatoes, boil for about 15 mins or fork tender
3. drain the potatoes, add butter, cream and parmesan
4. mash the potatoes ( I like mine a little chunky)
5. add salt and pepper to taste

Seared lamb chops
*serves 2-3*
6 lamb chops
olive oil
rosemary
thyme
salt & pepper

1. bring lamb chops to room temp. marinate in 2 tbsp olive oil, liberally sprinkled with the herbs and salt and pepper for 30 mins - 1 hr.
2. coat the the bottom of an oven proof skillet with olive oil and bring med-high heat. Sear the lamb about 2-3 minutes each side.
3. transfer pan to oven to finish cooking, about 7 mins, for a medium rare cooked chop
4. remove lamb from oven and let rest 5 mins before serving

Oven roasted vegetables
1/2 onion
2 leeks
1/2 sweet potato
1/2 red pepper
2 carrots
olive oil
salt pepper
rosemary
thyme

1. preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. cut the vegetables so that they are uniform in size. I did mine in long strips
3. lay in a single layer on a cookie sheet, drizzle ample amount of olive oil and sprinkle generously with the herbs, salt and pepper. Toss until everything is coated.
4. roast for 20 minutes, turn the vegetables every 7-8 minutes so they don't burn.

red wine, pellegrino, candles to set the mood.











Dessert: poached pear and his favorite ice cream, graeter's black raspberry chip

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Poached Pear
*serving 2* adapted from Alton Brown
1/2 bottle Riesling wine
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
2 Bosc pears (peeled with stems in tact)

1. place everything but the pear into a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil over medium high heat
2. core the pears from the bottom, decrease the heat to medium low heat, place pears in the liquid, cover and simmer for 30 mins or until tender
3. remove pears from liquid, place in serving dish to chill in the refrigerator
4. increase the heat to high and reduce liquid to about 1 cup of syrup, about 30 mins, transfer to heat proof container and chill for 1 hour.
5. Serve pear with a scoop of ice cream. You can spoon the sauce over the pear and ice cream but I didn't because the ice cream was already flavored but just save it for later. I've been eating it over my greek yogurt in the morning.

Hope you guys all had a wonderful Valentine's :)

<3 jo

Fresh & Clean

Ok, first new post of 2012. A bit overdue but college students do have a lot to juggle. I've always been one to keep an active eye out for healthy recipes. And now that I've finally lost all my Germany weight, I'm not going back. One of my favorite ways to make a filling but light meal is making salads with a simple lemon or lime dressing.  The tang of these citruses brings enough flavor to satisfy and leaves me feeling really refreshed. Also I finally brought a microplane and it's amazing. I add zest to most recipes that call for citrus juice because its so much fun to use, plus extra flavor! Another new obsession of 2012 is pinnnnterest. Seems like everyone's on it these days, but that's where I picked up the inspiration for this southwestern salad; I made some minor adjustments based on what I had in my pantry.


Here's the recipe:
1 can red beans1 can sweet corn
1 tomato
1/4 red onion
1/2 red bell pepper
1/4 cup cilantro
1 avocado
2 lemons + zest
salt & pepper
cumin



1. open and rinse both cans. pour into medium mixing bowl.
2. chop the tomato, red onion, bell pepper and cilantro to roughly the same size of the beans ( you want everything to be uniform). add to bowl.
3. open, score and scoop of avocado. add to bowl. ( do this last so when you add the lemon juice it really gets a chance to cover the avocado and help stop the oxidation)
4. zest the lemons and add the juice.
5. add salt & pepper to taste as well as a dash of cumin.
6. gently combine all the ingredients so that everything is uniformly mixed.

Notes: The original recipe called for black beans, and lime instead of lemon. I'm sure that would taste delicious too. Also, I usually omit or drastically cut down on the the oil in dressings but you can always add some olive oil, if you feel like you need the extra body.

Verdict: freaking delicious. I popped a whole wheat tortilla in the toaster over with some cheddar inside to make a quick quesodilla to go with the salad. For next time, I'd imagined a tortilla spritzed with some oil and dusted with some salt, pepper, cumin or paprika and toasted up for home made tortilla chips would also be a very good accompaniment :)

<3 Jo

Nectarine Shortcake with a homemade Vanilla whipped cream

how good does that look?

Yesterday, I was watching food network. Typical. and Anne Burrell happened to be on and she was making this: an Apricot Nectarine Shortcake with whipped cream. After seeing how delicious it looked on camera..I instantly decided to give it a try. It was surprisingly easy to make and very very delicious! The epitome of summer is what it tastes like. I added a few things here and there just to add my personal touch but otherwise I keep the recipe pretty much the same.

The shortcake came out beautifully and although I ran out of flour, I threw in some self-rising flour and it turned out fine. The recipe says to sprinkle a little of granulated sugar on top, but since I love love brown sugar and dusted the tops with brown sugar and touch of cinnamon instead and it had the effect I wanted indeed.

Now, I didn't have apricots so I made do with some peaches and nectarines in the fridge and used both yellow and white to add color. Here too, I add brown sugar instead of regular white table sugar and a couple shakes of cinnamon. Mmmm..just the way I like it.

And lastly, the whipped cream. Pretty generic. Simple whipped cream with dashes of cinnamon and sugar.

The result? a pure bite of heaven...enjoy!

Apricot Nectarine Shortcake with Vanilla Whipped Cream

Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell

Prep Time:

20 min

Inactive Prep Time:

5 min

Cook Time:

20 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

8 servings

Ingredients

Shortcakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled, cut into pea-size pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Fruit:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 5 apricots, pitted, cut into sixths
• 5 nectarines, pitted, cut into sixths
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Whipped cream:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

Shortcakes:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In the food processor combine the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter andpulse until the mixture looks like grated Parmesan cheese. Add the cream and pulse until the mixture looks very crumbly but sticks together.

Remove the blade from the processor and form craggy looking dough balls about the size of a small tennis ball. Put the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Sprinkle each ball with a little sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for about 11 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Fruit:

Add the butter to a saute pan and melt it over medium heat. Add the fruit and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the sugar and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Whipped cream:

In a mixing bowl combine the cream and vanilla. Using a whisk or hand beater, beat the cream until it starts to thicken. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat until the cream is very light and fluffy and it holds soft peaks.

To assemble:

Cut the shortcakes in half. Spoon a generous amount of the warm fruit filling on the bottoms of the shortcakes. Replace the top and garnish with the vanilla whipped cream.

Baumkuchen

Ok, so recipe is from a long time ago, but Berlin has been on my mind a lot lately...

I baked this traditional German Christmas cake with a friend in Berlin. The name literally means Tree Cake because of the thin layers that look like tree rings when you cut into it. It’s kind of a bitch to make because you have to keep a careful eye on the cake the whole time it is baking.

Traditionally, it is roasted on a spit and rotated so that it creates a log shape. Layer by layer of the batter is poured on to create the ring like interior! I love the rustic feel of this cake, it really does look like a tree, especially with the chocolate bark on the outside.

Unfortunately, I did not have a spit so we just baked it into a normal cake round but it turned out just as yummy!

Here's how you do:

Ingredients:

• 7/8 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 7/8 cup cornstarch
• 5 1/2 ounces almond paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 6 egg whites
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 9 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• optional: Fruit Jam

Directions

1.  Place a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Butter the parchment, and flour the whole pan. Position the rack of the oven to the lowest level, and preheat the broiler.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter or margarine until light and fluffy. Add in the almond paste in small chunks; beat until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Beat in the yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth.
3. In another bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Add in the sugar slowly while continuing to beat the meringue to stiff, glossy peaks. Fold the meringue into the yolk mixture. Sift the flour over this, and fold in.
4. Spoon a small amount of batter onto the parchment in the baking pan. Spread the batter to the edges. You want to cover the paper completely, but have a thin layer. Place under the broiler, and cook until light brown; about 1 to 2 minutes. Brush another layer of the batter over the cake, and place under the broiler. Continue on in this way until all of the batter is used. If desired, spread a layer of Jam after every 3 or 4 layers. Cool completely. Turn the cake out of the pan, and trim the edges clean.
5. In a double boiler, combine the chocolate and the oil. Heat until the chocolate is smooth. Allow the cake to set. Cut the cake into 6 equal pieces.  With a pastry brush, completely covered a piece with the glaze.  Store in the refrigerator, but serve at room temperature. 

Here are all the beautiful layers of the cake when we cut into it!

It turned out really great, and the time passed really fast because we had sparkling conversation while we were baking ;)

Adding the glaze for each piece.

<3 Jo

It tastes as good as it looks:

Cinnamon Churro Cupcakes with Mexican Chocolate filling and Cinnamon Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

Wow. That was  a mouthful. but it's a mouthful of delicious-ness, believe me. When you first bite into it, its like eating a churro cake and you pick up the cinnamon, but also there is the chocolate filling which is divine. Try this recipe if you get a chance. I found it on one of my inspirational food blogs: love and olive oil

Cinnamon Chocolate Churro Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes.

INGREDIENTS:

Cinnamon Cupcakes:
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mexican Chocolate Pudding Filling:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 ounces good quality semisweet or dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon meringue powder
Pinch of cream of tartar
Pinch of cinnamon
1 cup chilled whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Combine almond milk and vinegar and stir to combine. Whisk in sugar, oil, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until relatively smooth. Fill cupcake liners with a scant 3 Tablespoons of batter (cups should be just under 2/3 of the way full). Bake for 20-22 minutes or until set, and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Cupcake Batter (before picture)

                     Cupcake batter (after baked picture) 

To prepare filling, combine the cornstarch, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a larger pot filled with 1 inch of water. Slowly whisk in the milk, scraping the bottom and sides with a heatproof spatula to incorporate the dry ingredients. Place over gently simmering water and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. Use a whisk as necessary should lumps begin to form. After 15 to 20 minutes, when the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon, add the chocolate. Continue stirring for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a small bowl and cover, gently pressing a layer of plastic wrap against the surface before refrigerating (this will prevent a skin from forming). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days (ahem, good luck with that).

This is the Chocolate Pudding Center. (This is what the end result should look like)
It's actually pretty delicious too, so if you have leftovers like I did, sneak some couple bites in. :)

With a small pairing knife cut out cones from the tops of cupcakes approximately 1 inch in diameter. Set aside but do not discard. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of filling into each cupcake (you'll have extra pudding, so grab a spoon). Replace top and press into place (it helps to remove a bit off the base of the cone piece to help it sit more level on the filling - tasties for you). Pipe on whipped cream frosting, taking care to cover up all seams. If desired, sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon sugar prior to serving.

Just punch holes in the center of the cupcake so there's a well for you to put your pudding. And what I figured is..that you just want to wait for the pudding to cool to just chilled so its still kind of liquid-y, that way its easier to scoop and pour into the cupcake.

For frosting, whisk powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, meringue powder, cream of tartar, and cinnamon in large bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled and ready to use, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Using electric mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, gradually beat chilled cream into chocolate mixture. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

                           The frosting is pretty straight forward. I didn't have the meringue powder so I basically just substituted meringue (which is just beaten egg white) and It worked fine, so you have that option. 

And..heres the lovely end result! 

looks delicious, no?

Feedback and Questions are greatly appreciated! 

-sam

It's summer!

...and that means fresh, light and refreshing food for the hot sticky days to come. Here some easy summer dishes that I've made over the past few weeks. I just wanted to share with you all. Let me know if you're interested in any recipes!

Freshly Baked Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Oxtail Stew

One of my most popular deserts: Tiramisu (and it was super easy to make, but a little on the pricey side!)

More food to come!