Amaretti Fini

♥ healthy

These were VERY DELICIOUS the picture above is quite horrible and doesn't do them justice!
Basically followed Chef Mary Anne's recipe with some small variations.
I used half ground almonds and half fresh ground hazelnuts.
Used 1/3 cup less sugar and added an extra tablespoon of orange rind and did not use the almond extract at all.

Posting the original recipe from her website here:

Ingredients

3/4 cup blanched almonds
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
Pinch salt
2 large egg whites at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line two or more baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Grind the almonds in a food processor until they are almost the consistency of flour. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the sugar, orange zest and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl beat the whites and almond extract together until soft peaks form. Do not over beat or the egg whites will be too dry. They should look soft and shiny and be able to hang off a rubber spatula without falling off.
With a rubber spatula, fold the whites into the almond mixture; do this gently so as not to deflate the batter.
Use a teaspoon to spoon the batter onto the baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. Remove from the oven and transfer the parchment sheet with the cookies to a cooling rack. Do not attempt to remove them immediately or they will crumble. When they are cool, use a butter knife to remove them from the parchment and cool completely on a wire rack

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Soft German Pretzels

(serves 3-6)
(prep time 20 mins - bake time 15 mins - dough rise time 3 hours)
Ingredients

All purpose flour 1 cup
Cake flour 1 cup
Active dry yeast 1/2 Tbs
Salt 1 tsp
Sugar 1/2 tsp
Butter 1-2 Tbs - Melted
Luke warm water
Coarse salt for sprinkling on top (I used Hiwa Kai - Black Hawaiian sea salt for asthetic reasons)
Food grade lye water 1 cup
Used to dip the pretzel in just before baking.
I was able to purchase a bottle for about a dollar from Uwajimaya.
This can harm the eyes and skin so please use gloves while handling this and keep away from children!

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Pour in the butter and slowly incorporate enough water to make a sticky dough.
Transfer  the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with some plastic wrap.
Place the dough in a warm place and allow to rise for abour 2-3 hours.
After the dough has risen take it out on a lightly floured work surface and form 6 equal size balls.
I rolled out three balls into an 18" snake with tapered egdes and formed a pretzel shape.
I rolled the other three balls into sticks.
Make a few cuts on the pretzels and freeze them for about 15 mins so they are easier to handle for the next step.
Dip each pretzel into the lye bath for 15-20 seconds and place them on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
I sprinkled some salt on the pretezel sticks.
Bake for 18-20 mins in a 400 degree pre-heated oven or until they are a nice brown color.

*my inspiration:
http://germanfood.about.com/od/bread/r/laugenbrezeln.htm

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Boston Cream Pie Cake

Something quick I made from boxed white cake mix, instant vanilla pudding mixed in with some whipped cream, and chocolate ganache spread on top.

I love the concept I think it will be great for birthdays and such. For sure I am going to try making it from scratch someday :-) And maybe someday I'll be able to make cake look all even and pretty :-)

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Lite Carrot Cake

♥ healthy

 

This was aweome!

Happy birthday mom, love you very much.

Posting the recipe here just in case:

From http://www.food.com/recipe/heart-healthy-carrot-cake-161215

 

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
6 egg whites (best if room temp)
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple , undrained
2 cups shredded carrots
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 13" X 9" baking pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves, set aside.
In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.

Slowly beat in the sugar.

Then slowly beat in the applesauce, buttermilk and vanilla.
Using a spoon, stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
Then stir in, one ingredient at a time, the crushed pineapple, carrots, walnuts and raisins.
Spread mixture in prepared pan.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool completely.

Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

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Salmon With Grilled Fruit And Acerola Vinaigrette

♥ healthy

(serves 1)
(prep time 30 mins)
How it's done

Alaskan king salmon fillet slightly less than a pound
Rub some olive oil on all sides.
Season with some salt, coarse pepper, thyme and some chili flakes.
Cook on a medium grill for about 5-6 mins each side.

Grilled fruit salad

Nectarine 1 - cut into quarters
Plum 1 - cut into quarters
Fresh pineapple 2 wedges

Rub some olive oil on the fruits and grill on high heat for about 3-4 mins each side.
Allow to cool and chop them into smaller pieces.

I also added these veggies to the salad

Celery 1 Tbs - very finely diced
Red onions 1 Tbs - very finely diced
Green bell pepper 1 Tbs - very finely diced
Red bell Pepper 1 Tbs - very finely diced
Raw beet root 1 Tbs - very finely diced
Radicchio 3 Tbs - cut into strips
Romaine lettuce 1/4 cup - cut into strips
Fresh parsley 1/2 Tbs - chopped finely

Toss the fruits and the veggies together in a bowl with about 1 Tbs of acerola vinaigrette.
Serve along side the salmon. I used about 1/2 the amount of salad that was made.

Acerola Vinaigrette

Olive oil 4 Tbs
White wine vinegar 1 1/2 Tbs
Acerola jam 1 Tbs
Fresh ginger 1/4 tsp *optional
Garlic clove 1/2 tsp
Salt
Pepper

Emulsify all the ingredients with a hand blender.
The result will be a rich creamy white dressing.

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Mofongo Relleno De Pollo

(serves 2-3)
(prep time 45 mins - quicker if you decide not to make the molds)
Ingredients

Chicken breast 2 - cut into 1" pieces
Yellow onions 2/3 cups - chopped
Green pepper 1 - chopped
Canned tomatoes
Salt
Cilantro 1/2 cup - for garnish
Fresh lime wedges - for garnish
Achiote paste 1 Tbs (see recipe below)
Oil for cooking 2-3 Tbs

Plantains 4 large - cut into 1" pieces
Sea salt 1/2 tsp
Green onions 1/2 a bunch which is about 4-5 stalks - Chopped very fine
Garlic 2-3 cloves - minced
Olive Oil 1/4 cup
Oil for deep frying

Method
Making the chicken:

Start by heating up some oil in a wide skillet.
Add the chopped up onions and let them cook for 4-5 mins on med hig heat until they are translucent.
You can now add the achiote paste and stir it around for a min, I should mention here that I used half the amount of paste for this recipe, which was roughly 3 Tbs.
Add the chicken to the skillet and after about 2 mins add the tomatoes.
Season with some salt.
Add the bell peppers during the last 3 mins of cooking.
Let it cook uncovered on med high heat for  12- 15 mins or until the chicken is done.
Set aside.

Making the mofongo:

While the chicken is cooking you can start working on the plantains.
Deep fry the plantain pieces until they are light golden brown for about 3-4 mins.
You don't want to make them very crunchy the inside should remain mushy.
Alternatively you could also steam the plantains for a lighter variation.
Mash the plantains like  you would potatoes.
And then add garlic, green onions and some olive oil to the mashed plantains.
Season with some salt.
Form molds on a plate with your hands and fill it up with the chicken filling.
Sprinkle some fresh cilantro on top and serve with a wedge of lime.

Achiote paste*

Ingredients

*Achiote paste can be purchased pre-made

Annatto seeds 2 Tbs - I got these from Penzeys they have great little store in Seattle

Cumin 1 tsp

Allspice 3-4 berries

Whole peppercorns 1/2 tsp

Mexican oregano 1 1/2 tsp

Dried habanero chili 1 large

Garlic 1 large clove

Cloves 2-3 pieces

Enough liquid to make a paste, your options are:

• Bitter orange juice
• Lime juice
• Tequila
• White wine vinegar
• Water
• Some kind of broth

I used white wine vinegar.

Grind all the dry ingredients and garlic in a coffee grinder.

Add the liquid of your choice and mix well with a spoon.

I used half of the paste and froze the rest.

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Cornish Pasties

Decided to make these on a whim while watching "Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Cornish mystery"
They turned out quite nice :-)
I had them with some ketchup and whole grain dijon mustard.

(makes 6 servings)
(prep time 15 mins + 30 mins for the dough to rest)
(bake time 45 mins)
For the filling

Lean ground beef 1 lbs
Green onions 4-5 stalks - chopped fine (about 1/4")
Red bell pepper 1/4 cup - chopped fine (about 1/4")
Celery 1/4 cup - chopped fine (about 1/4")
Zucchini - 1/4 cup - chopped fine (about 1/4") I left the peel on
Green chilies 1 Tbs - chopped *optional
Hard boiled eggs 2 large - cut into small pieces *optional
Coarse ground black pepper 1/2 tsp
Cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp
Salt
I did not have any mushroom at hand but I think some chopped shiitake would go great with this!

Combine everything together in a large bowl and make 6 sections.

For the dough*

All purpose flour 3 cups
Vegetable shortening 8 Tbs - refrigerate the shortening so that it is cold
Ice cold water 3/4  cups (you might not need all of it)
Baking soda 1/2 tsp
Salt 2/3 tsp
Honey 2/3 tsp

*you can also use store bought pie crust as instead

You will also need one large egg for eggwash. Lightly beat the egg with about a tablespoon of water and keep aside.

The dough is very much like pie crust.

Combine all the dry ingredients and the honey in a large bowl.

Cut the shortening into the flour mixture with two forks.

You will see large crumbs beginning to form, that's good we want to keep those crumbs they will make the dough flaky.

Pour ice water to this little by little and keep mixing with the fork.

Add enough water to make the dough barely come together, it should resemble coarse wet sand.

Use your hands briefly just to gently knead and form a tight ball from the dough.

The dough will still feel very crumbly.

Wrap the dough in some plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 mins.

After the dough has rested 30 mins take it out on a flat work surface which has been lightly dusted with flour.
Cut the dough into 6 sections and roll out each into a 7-8" diameter circular disc.
Place the meat in middle of each disc, brush the sides with some eggwash. Bring the sides up and pinch the two ends together to form a seal.
Brush the top of each pasty generously with some more egg wash.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 mins and bake further on 400 degrees for another 25 mins.
Allow to cool down for 15-20 mins before eating.

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Grilled Halibut Steak

♥ healthy

(prep time less than 10 mins)
(cook time 20 mins)
(serves 3-4)
Ingredients

Halibut steak 2 pieces ( a little over 1 lbs each)
Juice of 1 large lime
Olive oil 2 Tbs
Sweet paprika 1/2 tsp
Oregano 1/2 tsp
Thyme 1/2 tsp
Pepper
Salt

I lighted up my hibachi stlye gas grill on high and let it heat up while I prepared the steaks.
Rub some olive oil on the fish steaks and then sprinkle salt, pepper, paprika and the herbs on one side.
Reduce the heat to low and place the steak on the grill herbed side down and then season the other side.
Cook covered for about 8-10 mins per side.
Squeeze lime juice on top.
I served this along side some oven roasted veggies.
Enjoy.

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Steamed Sea Bass

♥ healthy

Steamed Sea bass
(prep and cook time less than 15 mins)
(serves 6)
Ingredients

I had 6 pieces from 2 fillets of seabass.
Dried chipotle powder
Himalayan pink salt

Sprinkle a little chipotle and salt over the pieces of fish.
I steamed it, covered, over the kale wild rice I was cooking so none of the good fish oils were lost.
You could simply steam it over boiling water.
After 7 mins they will be fork tender, juicy and delicious :-)

Wild rice with Kale
(prep and cook time less than 60 mins)
(serves 6)
Ingredients

Wild rice 1 1/2 cups
Yellow onions 1/4 cup (chopped finely)
Celery 2-3 stalks (chopped finely)
Garlic 1 tsp (minced finely)
Kale 1 bunch about 3 cups chopped (stems removed and leaves chopped coarsely)
Salt 1/2 tsp
Pepper 2-3 grinds
Olive oil 2-3 Tbs

In a large pot heat up some olive oil and add to it the chopped onions and celery.
Cook for 8 mins on medium heat or until the onions are tranlusent, stirring once or twice.
Add the garlic and cook for another 45 seconds.
Season with salt and add about 2 3/4 cups of hot water.
Bring the water to a full boil and then add the rice.
Cook covered on reduced heat for about 30 mins or until the rice is cooked through.
Turn off heat.
Fold in the kale, cover with a lid, and let the kale take in the heat from the rice for about 10 mins.
Serve.

I served this alongside some salsa and guacamole.

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Chunky Salsa

(Serves 6-8)
(Prep time 15 mins)

Ingredients

Tomatillos 3 (cut up into med sized pieces)
Red tomato on the vine 4 (remove seeds and cut up into pieces)
Yellow tomato on the vine 4  (remove seed and cut up into pieces)
Jalapenos 1 med (minced very fine)
Red onions 1/4 cup (chopped finely)
Garlic 1/4 tsp (minced very fine)
Cilantro 1/2 bunch (chopped coarsely)
Juice of 2 large limes
Salt 1/4 tsp
Pepper 1/8 tsp

Place all the cut up tomatoes in a sieve and season with salt.
Put the sieve in the fridge and allow the water to drain from the tomatoes for about 15 mins.
Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
Mix well.
Serve chilled.

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Italian Meatballs

(serves 2-3 ppl)
(prep and cook time 45 mins)
Ingredients

Ground beef 1 1/2 lbs
Bread crumbs I used a food processor to grind 1 1/2 slices of Dave's-Good Seed-killer bread!
Whole milk 3 Tbs
Egg 1 large (lightly beaten)
Crimini mushrooms 1/4 cup (chopped fine)
Onions 1/3 cup (chopped fine)
Parmesan reggiano 1/4 cup (shredded fine)
Parsley 1 whole bunch (stems removed and chopped fine)
Oregano 1 tsp
Chili flakes 1 tsp *optional
Salt 1/2 tsp
Pepper 5-6 grinds
Olive oil 4 Tbs for pan frying the meatballs

Method

Soak the bread crumbs in milk.
Combine all the ingredients (minus the olive oil) in a large mixing bowl.

Mix gently.

Form tennis ball size meatballs.

Heat up some oil in frying pan and lightly sear all sides of the meatballs.

Drop the meatballs in warm marinara sauce and let them simmer for 25 mins or until done.

I served this on some whole wheat spaghetti.

Hope you like :-)

Marinara Sauce

Tomato sauce 1 1/2 cup
Tomato paste 1/3 cup
Canned whole tomatoes 1/2 cup

Crush the tomatoes or chop them into smaller pieces and combine them with the other ingredients in a large bowl.

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Oven Roasted Chicken

(Prep time 20 mins)

(Marinade time 1 1/2 days)
(Bake time 1 1/2 hours)
(Serves 4-6)
Ingredients

Brine:
Habanero peppers 3 (whole)
Allspice berries 10
Cloves 10
Peppercorns 1 Tsp
Bay leaves 3
White vinegar 1 cup
Kosher salt 1 cup
Ice cold water 1 gallon

Blend the habanero peppers and some of the water, say maybe a cup, in a blender. The idea is to juice the chilies so that the chicken can absorb the flavor better.
Add this to the rest of the water.
Mix in salt, vinegar and the remaining spices.
Keep refrigerated.

TIP: Nice info on brining.

Compound butter:
Unsalted butter 4 Tbs (softened at room temp)
Juice of 2 limes
Dried rubbed sage 1 tsp
Dried rosemary 1 tsp
Dried thyme 1 tsp

Combine all the above ingredients really well and refrigerate for 15 mins to firm up a little bit but don't let it become rock solid.

TIP: Most of the butter melts and falls out, but for an even lighter version skip the butter all together and use just the herbs and sprinkle the lime juice on top of the skin.

Spice rub:
Cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp
Coarse ground pepper 1/2 tsp
Paprika 1/2 tsp

Combine all the spices in a bowl and keep aside.

Method

You will need lots of room in your refrigerator and a very BIG pot.
Soak whole bird in brine for 24 hours, it should be fully submerged in water. Keep refrigerated.
After 24 hours place the chicken on top of a wire rack and drain for 6 hours in the fridge.
The skin will become very dry.
Place the chicken breast side up, use your index finger to get beneath the skin and loosen it, try to reach and loosen the skin on the legs too. Be gentle so you don't puncture the skin. Take some compound butter and try to push it in as much as you can beneath the skin. Once the butter is under the skin you can massage the top of the skin and help it reach nooks and crannies.
This is great video to understand the process better.
Sprinkle cayenne, pepper and paprika on all sides of the chicken.
Wrap the chicken in saran wrap.
Marinade in fridge for 6-8 hours.
Remove the saran wrap and let the bird rest uncovered on the countertop for 20 mins before baking.
Stuff the chicken with a small hand full of whole garlic cloves and a small handful of onion quarters.
Then truss the chicken with some cooking twine.

IMPORTANT: Don't stuff the chicken while it's marinading because bacteria will accumulate in the cavity. And don't stuff it too much because the chicken won't cook completely, the cavity should only be filled one thirds.

You will need to adjust the rack in your oven to make sure that the top of the chicken is atleast 6-8 inches away from the heating element.
Rub some olive oil, about 2 Tbs, all over the chicken.
Place the chicken on top of a wire rack and inside a baking dish to catch all fluids and fat.
Bake for 30 mins 400 degrees breast side up.
Use a large towel to protect your hands and flip the chicken breast side down and bake for another 30 mins.
Turn it breast side up again and continue baking for the last 30 mins.
(Overall cook time is 1 1/2 hours at 400 degrees)
To preserve juiciness it is very important to let the chicken rest for 20 mins on the countertop before you cut it.
I served this on top of some roasted root vegetables but I am sure it could work well with some thick cut french fries, grilled veggies, a nice rice pilaf or a leafy salad if you prefer.
The roses were edible and made out of potatoes and yams, I will post a video about that soon sometime.
Hope you like this and give it a try.
Peace.
:-)

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Baked Trout in Banana Leaves

♥ healthy

(prep time 15 mins)
(cook time 40 mins)
(serves 6 ppl)
Ingredients

Fresh whole rainbow trout 6 med sized (scales, heads and tails removed)
Stewed tomatoes 1 16oz can
Garlic 4 cloves chopped fine (about 2 Tbs)
Yellow onion sliced thin 1/2 cup
Green chilies 2 med (sliced thin) *optional
Pepper 1/2 tsp
Roasted cumin powder 2/3 tsp
(Dry roast some cumin in a single layer in a frying pan on med high heat., stir occasionally to ensure even browning. Remove from the heat when the cumin turns a very dark almost blackish color. Allow this to cool and then grind)
Salt
Banana leaves 6 pieces each roughly a 10 inch square * use aluminum foil instead
(I was able to get frozen leaves from Uwajimaya however you can get them fresh from Viet Wah sometimes)

Method

Combine the salt, pepper and cumin in a small bowl.
Sprinkle the fish on both sides with this blend, also season inside the belly cavity.
Stuff the cavity of the fish with slices of onions. garlic and chilies.
Close the fish and spoon some tomatoes along with the juice over the fish.
Wrap in banana leaves.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Bake the wrapped fish for about 40-50 mins or until done.

Corn Salsa

Corn kernels sliced off from 3 cobs
(Each cob was wrapped in a moist towel and then microwaved  on high for 4 mins , you could of course grill it for a better flavor)
Black olives chopped 4-5 Tbs (I used black cerignola olives)
Red onions chopped fine 3-4 Tbs
Red bell pepper chopped 2/3 cups
Pear 1/2 chopped fine
Flat leaf Italian parsley 4 Tbs (chopped fine)

Toss all the chopped vegetables in a large bowl and drizzle with the dressing.
Refrigerate for a few hours for the flavors to develop.

Dressing

Olive oil 2 Tbs
Pineapple juice 3 Tbs
Apple cider or white wine vinegar 3 Tbs
Garlic clove 1 whole
Sugar 3/4 Tbs
Pepper 1/4 tsp
Salt 1/3 tsp

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend for about 30 seconds.

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Chocolate Walnut Banana Bread

(prep time 15 mins)
(bake time 1 hour)
Ingredients

All purpose flour 2 cups
Baking soda 1 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Butter 1/2 cup (melted)
Light brown sugar 3/4 cup
Eggs 2 large (lightly beaten)
Really really ripe bananas 4 large (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)
Cinnamon 1/2 tsp *optional
Heavy cream 2 Tbs
Walnuts 1/4 cup (coarsely chopped)
Dark chocolate bits 1/4 cups ( I  used moonstruck dark chocolate 68% cacao)

Directions

Lightly grease a loaf pan with butter and dust with some flour.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Whip together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl.
Add and mix the eggs and the heavy cream.
Now gently stir in mashed bananas, walnuts and chocolate bits.
Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. 
Tap the pan on the counter top a few times to release air bubbles.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 60 to 65 min.
Or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack.

The above recipe is a modified version of this recipe.

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Manaqish bi'l Za'tar

A very popular and delicious flatbread from the mideast.

Wonderful for lunch or something to snack on. I was able to find all the herbs I needed to make this from Penzeys Spices in Seattle. I absolutely love the selection of spices that they have!

(prep time 2 hours)

(bake time 3 mins per flatbread)

(serves 6-8)

Topping

Za'tar 4 Tbs 
(this spice blend usually contains sesame seeds, marjoram, thyme and sumac)
Olive oil 6-8 Tbs  
Sumac 1 tsp *optional - Za'tar contains sumac but I like to add a little extra 

Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

Dough

All purpose flour 2 cups + some for dusting
Olive oil 2 Tbs
Whole milk 3 Tbs
Sugar 1 Tbs
Salt 1/2 Tbs
Active dry yeast 1 tsp
Warm water 2/3 cup

Combine all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well.
Add the oil and rub it in.
Now pour in the water and knead to make a dough.
I use my hands so it take me about 8-10 mins, I am sure in a food processor it will be quicker.
Transfer the dough in a lightly greased bowl and lightly cover it with saran wrap.
Let this sit in a warm dry place.
In about 2-3 hours the dough will be double in size.
Punch it down and sprinkle some extra flour, 2-3 tablespoons, and knead for another 2-3 mins.
Divide the dough into 8 parts.
Roll them into 7" round.
Spread some Za'tar on each round and bake until cooked.

How to bake

I have a pizza stone that I love to bake on.
Both the stone and the oven needs to be super hot to be effective.
So I start by setting the stone on the second shelf of the oven and then I pre-heat the oven to the highest setting, 550 degrees in my case.
I turn the oven off and turn on the broiler on high and let the stone sit under it for 10 mins.
Now I am ready to bake on it.
Before you start, turn the broiler to the low setting.
Slide out the shelf and place the bread on top of it, I like to use a paddle for this.
The bread will be cooked in 3 mins but keep an eye on it.
Use tongs or the paddle to remove the cooked bread from the stone.

Hope you like.

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