Broccoli Summer Salad

 Okay so that broccoli could taste so good has been a big surprise today when I made this salad. But yes it can! this salad was so good. I made it ONLY because I wanted to make something crazy healthy cause I have been eating sooooooooo bad lately, so much crap. Anyway, wow, it was so good. Sweet, sour, with a kick, crunchy....marvelous salad and not hard, the only hard part would be toasting the almonds in the grill for 5 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:
-2 heads of broccoli.
-100 grams of toasted almonds.
-125 grams of cranberries.
-1 small red onion.

For the dressing:

-1/2 cup of buttermilk,

-1/3 cup of mayonnaise.

-2 tablespoon of cider vinager.

-1 tablespoon of sugar.

-3 tablespoon of shallots.

-1 pinch of salt.

-some pepper.

STEPS:

1. Slice up the broccoli in small bits, really watch the video of Deb because it is a great explanation. Add the chopped broccoli to a bowl.

2. Now chop the onion in small bits and add half to the bowl.

3. Toast the almonds for 5 minutes in the grill, they are so good if you do this, really.

4. Now chop up the cranberries, so much better if you chop them.

5. Now add all the ingredients for the dressing and add the rest of that red onion and the finely chopped shallot and stir well.

So so good. I had no idea you could get so much pleasure out of eating broccoli you all.

Rustic Easy Chocolate Cake

I think everyone should be able to make an easy chocolate cake. And I needed one,  so this one of Deb Perelman seemed pretty easy and not like some of those 3 hours chocolate cakes out there....like come on, 3 hours????  Deb just always makes cooking seem like a walk in the park.

So this cake was good although not "ball knocked out of the park", nope. But decently good. So I though I would write it here just in case I would make it again.

INGREDIENTS:

For the cake:

-85 grams of butter (room temperature)
-145 grams/ 3/4 cup  of light brown sugar.
-2 tablespoon/25 grams of white sugar.
-1 large egg and a yolk.
-3/4 cup/175 ml  of buttermilk.
-1 tsp/5 ml of vanilla extract.
-1/2 cup/41grams of cocoa powder.

-1 cup/125 grams of flour

-1/4 tsp of baking soda.

-1/2 tsp  baking powder.

-1/2 tsp of salt.

For the frosting:

-55 grams of dark chocolate, melted and cooled.

-1&1/2 cup of powdered sugar.

-1/2 cup/115 grams of butter softened.

-pinch of salt.

-1 tablespoon of whole milk.

-1/2 tsp of vanilla.

STEPS:

1. Before you start this recipe make the buttermilk and remember to take out the butter of the fridge.

2. Beat with a hand mixer the butter and sugar until it is combined well. 

3. Now add the egg, and the egg yolk, and beat at high.

4. Now add the buttermilk and beat.

5. Now add the baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt and beat.

6. Now add the flour and cocoa powder and beat.

7. Now bake at 175 degrees for 30 minutes. The dish can be 20x20.

Now for the frosting.

1. Melt the chocolate and let it cool off or it will ruin the texture of the frosting.

2. Now mix the softened butter with the powdered sugar and beat with the hand mixer.

3. Now add the chocolate, vanilla, salt and beat high.

4. Now add the milk and beat high.

Spread the frosting onto the cake! it is a generous amount of frosting, maybe too much. 

Verdict: not bad at all. Sprinkle it for a happy look and enjoy. I mean: who does not like a piece of chocolate cake even if it isn't the best??? 

"Grilled" Kebabs

Kebabs are such a wonderful thing to eat in summer. They are tasty, soft...and not hard to make. I found this recipe in Kitchn and wow, I was impressed. So friends the key is yoghurt. Yep, this is the ingredient that will soften your chicken and give it that juicy kebaby tender taste. And guess what, you do NOT need a grill. Nope, just a normal frying pan.

INGREDIENTS:
-600 grams of chicken or turkey (I prefer thighs)

-3 peppers of different colors.

-200 grams of mushrooms.

-1 big white onion.

-wooden kebab sticks.

For the marinate sauce:

-2 cloves of garlic crushed.

-1 medium lemon.

-1/4 cup parsley.

-1 cup of yoghurt.

-2 tsp of salt.

-1 tsp paprika.

-1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes.

-a splash of oil.

STEPS:

1. Prepare the youghurt marinate, basically dump everything together and whisk well.

2. Now cut up your chicken in kebab pices and add the chicken to the bag and leave it in the fridge for a day or at least 1 hour.

3. Now cut up the vegetable in bits and now start creating the kebabs! this is the hard part really because you need to assemble them.

4. Once you finish just fry them! turn them slowly in medium fire. Char them a little without burning them.

These are really good. This recipe is great fantastic basic recipe. I will come to this again and again. 

Caesar Pasta Salad

 I have loved this salad this summer! It is so filling, tasty and refreshing. I would like to say that it is dead easy too, but it is not dead easy, perhaps easy but not dead easy. Still I think it is worth making it. The original website called it the greatest matrimony of pasta and caesar salad and I think it is well put.

INGREDIENTS:

For the salad:
-400 grams of pasta.
-4 lettuche hearts.
-2 cups of cubed chicken.

-1 cup of croutons.

For the dressing:

-2 tsp dijon mustard.

-2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

-2 tsp of worcester sauce

-3/4 cup of mayonnaise.

-2 tsp of minced garlic.

-1/3 cup of parmesan cheese.

-50 grams of anchovies cut up in bits (optional)

STEPS:

1. Boil the pasta, cut up the lettuce, the chicken in cubes.

2. While the pasta is boiling prepare the cruttons, season them with salt, garlic powder and rosemary (this is optional).

3. Now prepare the sauce. A no brainer mix everything together. I added anchovies but Kenton hates them so I made two dressings.

It's so good you all! the lettuce is a gread addition that adds so much crunch, it is awesome this salad, super refreshing. Pretty happy to have made this because I wanted to learn to make this salad but seemed like a waste of time without the heavy carbohydrates.

 

Yoghurt Popsicles

Summer!  Like the 38 degrees type! wohooo!

These popsicles are so good and easy, perfect for summer. Every week I try a different combination but so far these are the best. Some recipes call for cream but I think with greek yoghurt it is more than enough creaminess. This recipe makes 6 decent popsicles.

INGREDIENTS:

For the berries type:
-1 and 1/2 cup of greek yoghurt.
-1 and 1/2 cup of frozen berries.
-5-6 tablespoons of honey.

For the banana type:

-2 bananas mashed

-1 banana cut up in small bits.

-1 and 1/2 cup of greel yoghurt.

-2 tablespoons of honey.

-2 tsp vanilla.

STEPS:
1. Mix yoghurt and honey in a bowl.
2. Now add the berries and stir.
3. Place in the popsicle molds and freeze for  24h.

That's it. More pictures coming cause this one is pretty bad. But the ones from Boston Commons pretty great.

Amish Pea Salad

 This recipe's charm is more the name than the flavour let's be honest,,, a dream recipe. The key to this recipe is to have ingredients that actually taste like something, so get a nice strong cheese, a nice ham and peas that taste like peas! This is real key. Oh and bacon, let's be honest, everything is better with bacon in life. It is an easy salad, perfect for summer.

INGREDIENTS:
-500 grams of peas.
-125 grams of strong cheese in cubes.
-4 slices of bacon.
-1/4 cup of mayonnaise.
-1/2 cup of ranch dressing
-1 tablespoon of chives.
-1/4 tsp of black pepper.

-250 grams of turkey in cubes.

There are no steps to this salad other than cube everything up, fry the bacon add dressing and toss around, and decorate with pretty parsley. The peas can be even added frozen. 

         

Mint Greek Meatballs

 My goal this summer is to not turn the oven on. So I have needed some ideas. This recipe is not too hard and pretty tasty and it gives you ideas about what to do with mince, my eternal dilemma, how to cook mince. The star of the show is the mint, so good! 

INGREDIENTS:
-700 grams of mince.
-3/4 cup of breadcrumbs.
-1 egg
-1/2 red onion diced.
-3 garlic minced cloves.
-some parsley.
-15 leaves of fresh mint chopped.
-1 teaspoon of dried oregano.

-1/2 tspoon of salt.

-1/2 cup milk.

-1/4 cup of flour.

-2 tablespoons of olive oil.

STEPS:

1. What can I say? no steps, just mix everything together. Add breacrumbs if you need more until they become sturdy.

2. Fry them for 10 minutes. Turn them around every few minutes in medium fire.

That's it. Serve with yoghurt sauce, tomatoes, cucumber, rice. Very good for summer.

        

My Blueberry Muffin Variations (Raspberry and Banana)

I have been a much happier person in the last few weeks thanks to Smitten Kitchen's blueberry muffin recipe. It is so good I have tried some variations that I want to write down so that I don't forget.  

INGREDIENTS for Raspberry Variation:

-70 grams of butter.
-1/2 cup of sugar (100 grams)
-The grated zest of a lemon.
-3/4 cup of yoghurt or kefir.
-1 egg
-1+1/2 tsp of baking powder.
-1/4 tsp of baking soda.
-1/4 tsp of salt.

-1+1/2 cup of flour.
-1+1/2 cup of frozen raspberries  (25o0 grams)

INGREDIENTS for Banana Variation:

-70 grams of butter.
-70 grams of white sugar (a lot less sugar!)
-3/4 cup of yoghurt or kefir.
-1 egg.
-1+1/2 tsp of baking powder.
-1/4 tsp of baking soda.
-1/4 tsp of salt.

-1+1/2 cup of flour.
-4 bananas as old as you can  (25o0 grams)

    

Southern Oven Fried Chicken

 

One of my cooking goals this year was to make oven fried chicken. I mean a woman is not a full woman if she does not know how to cook this dish in my view. 

Soooooo, I have achieved full womanhood status this week! and this recipe was soooo good from the first bite we took. I think it is going to be a classic in our lives. It does take some work, but I think once you master it you can really make it much faster.

INGREDIENTS:

-1 whole chicken cut up in pieces.

For the marinate:
-1 cup of buttermilk.
-1 tablespoon of cajun spices.

-some salt and pepper.

-3 garlic cloves crushed.

For the crispy coating:

-2 cup of japanese/tempura crumbs.

-1 cup of cornstarch.

-2 tsp baking powder. 

-1 tsp of salt.

-1 tablespoon of paprika.

-1 tablespoon of garlic powder.

-1 tablespoon of onion powder.

-1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

-1 teaspoon of dried herbs.

-1 teaspoon of white pepper.

STEPS:

1. Dry your chicken with paper towells and now add the cajun spices, salt and pepper and garlic cloves. Coat it well with your hands. 

2. Now put all the chicken in ziploc and add the buttermilk and let it all coat in the fridge overnight or for a few hours. 

3. Now prepare the mix. Add everything in a bowl and mix together well. 

4. Coat the chicken well and place in oven at 200 degrees for 1 hour.

Delicious! so so good. This recipe  is a keeper. Pictures of final product  coming up soon. 

Cheesy Potatoes with Bacon and Broccoli

 This recipe was some serious work. Salads and casseroles kinda fool people...you think you throw everything together and that's it, but involves soooooooooo much chopping and cooking beforehand that before you know it you have been in the kitchen for 1,5 hours. Anyway! it tasted pretty pretty good so I thought I would keep the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

-800 grams of potatoes.

-500 grams of broccoli.

-200 grams of bacon.

-400 grams of chicken.

-some green onions.

For the white sauce:

-200 grams of shredded cheese.

-2 tablespoons of butter.

-50 grams of flour approx.

-2 cups of milk.

-1 teaspoon of onion powder.

-1 teaspoon of garlic powder.

-salt and pepper.

STEPS:

1. Cut up the potatoes in dices and boil them. Together in the same pot, for the sake of time, throw in the chicken and steam the broccoli in the microwave so that it is softer.

2. Dice up the chicken, brocolli, green onions and once the potatoes are soft, assemble in the same tray.

3. Cut up the green onions and sprinkle.

4. Now make the white cheesy sauce: start melting the butter in a pot, and after it is melted add the flour, it will create a paste. Now add the milk and stir stir and stir. Add the onion powder, garlic powder and the salt and peper.

5. Now let it come to a boil it will thicken. Now add the cheese.

6. Pour over the potatoes and mix well. 

7. Stick in oven for 30 minutes.

So good. That's all I am going to say. In a way this is a version of hashed browns.

Classic Russian Potato Salad

 This is a good salad for summer that will make your basal temperature drop like crazy. I had to put on a sweater after it, I was so cold! I found this recipe in this website, hoping the lady is Russian! It was pretty good and I think pretty Russian too.

The key magic ingredient of this salad that takes it to another level is fresh dill or eneldo. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is the ingredient that will make this dish like something else and not like the billions of russian potato salad that taste like nothing, or a bunch of white cardboard at best. Finally this salad take about 2 hours to make, because you need to chop, let veggies cool and let it sit in fridge.

INGREDIENTS:
-4 chicken thighs.
-1 and 1/2 cup of peas.

-3 carrots.

-100 grams of  turnip (nabo in Spanish).

-3 big potatoes.

-4-5 big sweet pickles.

-1 cup of mayonnaise approx.

-Fresh dill, lots.

-salt and pepper.

-1/2 beetroot for decoration.

STEPS:

1. In a big pot of water boil the chicken, the potatoes, and the carrots and the turnip until it is all soft for 30 minutes. Get the meat out before once it is cooked. Let is all cool off for 1 hour.

2. Now chop everything into small pieces with a knife: the chicken, potatoes, carrots, turnip, and pickles etc. The reason why you chop it now and not before it's because if you do it before boiling the veggies and everything lose its shape. 

3. Now add everything together in a bowl and add the peas. 

4. Now beging to add the mayonnaise spoon by spoon, and add a lot of dill that you have chopped up. This ingredient is a MUST: fresh dill. Add also salt and pepper and mix well.

5. Now place in some type of oven tray or plate and place a layer of mayonnaise on top and decorate with beetroot. Beetroot is another protagonist of Russian cooking.

6. Stick in fridge for at least 30 minutes and it will solidify and flavors come together.

I tell you this salad will make you cold! Perfect for summer.

How to make Streusel (topping for desserts)

Germany is basically covered in Streusel. 

All bakeries have that in common....drooling mouth watering desserts covered in crunchy buttery Streusel like in the photo of Berlin.

 Well it turns out it is not such a big deal at all. I made it the other day for a coffee cake (and the cake ended up in its entirity in the trash), but the saving grace of the cake was that I learned to make Streusel and I made so much that I froze it and now I am putting it on all muffins. It is awesome.

 In Germany they make it with only butter, flour and sugar, but I like this american twist and brings cakes and muffins to another level, like Pro-level.

INGREDIENTS:
-1 cup of brown sugar (170 grams).

-1+3/4 cups of flour.

-3/4 cup of cold butter (170 grams).

-1+1/2 cups of pecans or walnuts (optional).

-1+1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon.

-1/2 tsp of salt.

STEPS:

1. Cut the cold butter into little cubes and add to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients (except for the nuts). 

2. With your hands mix it all together until it all becomes this brown mix. The butter will be a little dissolved but still will have chunks. 

3. Now add the nuts that you have chopped up before to make them smaller.

That's it! Now freeze it! and you will always have it ready to top up desserts. It is great. I use brown cane sugar cause it is not too sweet, or coconut or any brown sugar that is not crazy sweet like white.

 

Blueberry Muffins

 This recipe is so good I cannot describe it. It is not heavy, not hard, tastes amazing and yields 12 perfect muffins. Well done to Deb from Smitten Kitchen. I made this last night at 11:30pm after a crappy day and it kinda fixed the whole thing. Give it a try this summer, seriously.

INGREDIENTS:
-70 grams of butter.
-1/2 cup of sugar (100 grams)
-The grated zest of a lemon.
-3/4 cup of yoghurt
-1 egg
-1+1/2 tsp of baking powder.
-1/4 tsp of baking soda.
-1/4 tsp of salt.

-1+1/2 cup of flour.
-1+1/2 cup of frozen bluberries  (25o grams)

STEPS:

1. Super easy recipe. Melt the butter in a bowl in a microwave. 

2. Now add to that the lemon zest and the sugar and whisk.

3. Now add the yoghurt and the egg and whisk.

4. Now add the salt, baking soda and baking powder and whisk well.

5. Now add the flour and whisk, it will be pretty thick batter but it's fine, make sure there are no pockets of flour.

6. Now add all the blueberries, give it 2 or 3 stirs and THAT'S IT, otherwise the blueberries will bleed to death and the whole batter will be blue.

7. Place in the paper cups and fill them with some brown crystal sugar on top or some streusel (I had some frozen). This makes the muffins look super professional. But if you don't have it, or don't want to make it just sprinkle some white crystal sugar and it will make the top hard and crunchy.

8. Stick in oven for approx. 30 mins. First bake them for 10 minutes in 210 degrees so that they rise, and then lower heat to 175 and let them cook for 20 minutes.

9. Stick knife and if it comes clean they are done. Let them cool off.

You guys this recipe is so awesome. Cannot get over it. I've had 4 in 12 hours.