There are many Baking soda videos and essays out there…. I wanted to share this one from Chef Marcus Guiliano because I thought it was very informative
Important Note: Please consult your Dr. if you have high blood pressure or simply avoid it taking baking soda!
Halloween is finally over and my kids managed to collect way too much candy as usual! So I thought that I would turn some of that leftover candy into something a little more special!
I found this recipe on the net and am planning to try it out next week but thought that I’d share it with you just in case one of you out there would like to try it out too!
Doesn’t it look Yummy?
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup assorted Halloween candy, roughly chopped
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to hang over the sides. Coat the paper with cooking spray.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the melted butter with the sugar and light brown sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and stir in the flour and salt just until incorporated. Stir in 1/2 cup of the assorted Halloween candy.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of Halloween candy over the top of the batter.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let the pan cool completely then remove the blondies using the parchment paper overhang, cut into 16 squares and serve.
Note: This is the exact recipe that I got from the site, however, I think that I am going to only put 1/2 or 3/4 cup of sugar instead of the 1/2 cup of white sugar plus 1 cup of brown! I would also add 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and only 1/4 teaspoon salt instead of the 1 1/2 tsp!… Finally, I think with my oven I might have to put it a bit longer… maybe an hour? let’s see!!
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
Large pinch of saffron threads
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup orzo
½ cup heavy cream
Grilled Cheese Croutons (recipe follows)
In a large pot or Dutch oven such as Le Creuset, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, saffron, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with water, add 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 7 minutes. (It will finish cooking in the soup.) Drain the orzo and add it to the soup. Stir in the cream, return the soup to a simmer, and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.
Serve hot with Grilled Cheese Croutons scattered top.
GRILLED CHEESE CROUTONS
Serves 4 to 6
4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices country white bread
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
Heat a panini grill. Place the four slices of bread on a cutting board and brush lightly with the melted butter, being sure to butter the corners. Turn the slices over and pile Gruyere on two of the slices. Place the remaining two slices of bread on top of the Gruyere, buttered sides up.
Grill the sandwiches on the panini grill for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Place on a cutting board, allow to rest for 1 minute, and cut into 1-inch cubes.
I’ve tried these Parmigiano cheese straws. Not only they’re super easy to make… but they make wonderful hors d’oevres because they are the first thing guests go for 😉
Here is the recipe:
Homemade Cheese Straws {Makes about 3 Dozen}
Ingredients
* All-purpose flour, for work surface
* Puff Pastry
* 12 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated medium-fine (about 4 cups)
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* Coarse salt
Directions
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry dough to a 9-by-20-inch rectangle.
2. Sprinkle 3/4 cup cheese over center of dough. Starting at the near short end, fold dough into thirds, enclosing cheese.
3. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour. Repeat. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 4 hours or you can even leave it overnight.
4. Cut dough in half; wrap half in plastic, and refrigerate. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough to a 12-by-15-inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. (Do not press too hard on edges.)
5. Using a pastry brush, dust off excess flour; brush beaten egg over dough until well moistened. Sprinkle 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cheese and a pinch of salt over the lower half of dough. Fold top half over cheese-covered half. Gently press to seal. Brush top of dough with beaten egg; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cheese and a pinch of salt.
6. Trim dough to 12 by 6 1/2 inches with a pastry wheel or knife. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough, cheese, and salt.
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a pastry wheel, cut dough into 3/8-by-12-inch strips; twist into spirals. Space 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets. Press ends onto sheets to prevent straws from straightening. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.
8. Bake until golden and cooked through, about 18 minutes. Loosen straws from sheets with a thin spatula; transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 day.
The recipe makes it looks more complicating than it actually is. I promise once you start it is super easy.
I have been craving those Parmesan Fennel Shortbreads for a while!…They have a quite complex taste: mildly cheesy, slightly sweet and savoury from the crunch of salt and fennel seeds… It’s my favorite thing to have at tea time!
PARMESAN SHORTBREAD WITH FENNEL AND SEA SALT
Makes: 20 mini shortbreads
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch of salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
1/4 tablespoon crushed fennel seeds
1/2 tablespoon Maldon sea salt
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 F
Cream the butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Add the salt and pepper and continue to cream until light and fluffy. Add the flour and parmesan and mix just until dough comes together.
Shape the dough into a rectangle and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill until firm. When firm, remove from the fridge and let stand for 30 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4″ thickness. Cut out with cookie cutters or slice into rectangles. Arrange cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush cookies generously with oil and sprinkle with crushed fennel and sea salt.
Bake, rotating halfway through until cookies are golden brown, about 20-24 minutes. Let cool on sheet for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Pictures and Recipe via i am a food blog.
Serves 8
9 oz / 280 g graham crackers or Marie or digestive biscuits
1 stick / 150 g butter, melted
½ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 14-oz / 395 g can sweetened condensed milk
1 stick / 125 g butter
Let me know if you try this recipe out! 😉
Recipe and picture via Curtis Stone
Ramadan is just around the corner for us … So I have cooking books in mind!!!…. and am trying new recipes from various books…. This is a book I know I can never go wrong with!!!… Love his recipes and love his logic behind them!!!… Some of his recipes are beyond perfection!!!…
Via Amazon.com
The GLOW is one of my favorite sites!!!… It gives a glimpse into the world of chic and fashionable moms….. I am always inspired by those women. I love some of their styling, multitasking, and decor ideas!
I always talk about interiors and fashion here! But today I thought that I would share a few recipes that I’ve tried from them just for a change!
My kids love those salmon fish cakes but I add lemon juice, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and some seasoning to the potato mix!… I also have a no frying rule in my house so we just put the fish cakes in the oven!!!
I always use this recipe during Halloween! After we carve our pumpkins I purée the pumpkin and use it for this recipe…. (and I freeze the extra purée)
Whenever bananas get ripe I make this bread… the kids love it and so does their dad! 😉
I’ve ordered some red velvet cupcakes from My CupCake as a treat for my kids and my parents for Valentines Day tomorrow!….. They are by far the tastiest ones I have had so far!….To be honest I wish that they weren’t this yummy!!!
I just love Colin!….. I mean he doesn’t just throw fabulous parties for celebrities…he lives fabulously too!!! I have been living by his rules or Tips on how to entertain ever since he was on Oprah a few years ago!
Colin believes that there’s no better way to share in life than to invite people into your home. “I think you will agree that some of the most memorable moments in life are spent around the dinner table.” he says.
Here are 3 main tips that I think would be key to successful entertaining!!!
Be Organised:
You won’t find any junk drawers in Colin’s kitchen. Every cupboard and drawer is meticulously organized. “I can find anything I’m looking for at a moment’s notice,” he says. “It allows me to be able to entertain whenever I need. I get really turned on by keeping everything in the right place.”
Always Be Ready:
Thanks to a huge stock of dinnerware and supplies in his organised kitchen, Colin says he can throw together a dinner for 100 with an hour’s notice. He keeps 24 chickens, a dozen racks of lamb, duck breasts, frozen soups, chicken stocks and veal stocks in the freezer…and a huge variety of chilled beverages are always ready in the refrigerator….. just in case!!!… ( Now you obviously don’t have to stock up the same amount of food or drinks in your fridge… but you get the idea!!!)
Be Creative:
Colin obviously sets the most beautiful tables and I think its because he practices all the time… I mean he sets a proper table even when he dines alone at home!!!!…By arranging your table settings everyday even when you are dinning alone you get to experiment and try different table settings and that helps with coming up with some sort of creative ideas for settings!!!
Via Oprah.com.
Running In Heelz 