Milk Jam in the Kitchen

Buttermilk Banana Bread

2011-05-07T18:00:00.002+02:00

Buttermilk Banana Bread

Buttermilk Banana Bread Recipe - from Snack Girl.com

(Makes 1 loaf)

2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar (I put 1/4c brown sugar)
3 mashed ripe bananas
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (I used whole spelt flour for all of it)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 °F. Lightly grease a loaf pan (I lined mine with parchment paper). Using a whisk or a fork beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until thick and light. Mix in mashed bananas, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until just blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake bread until golden brown on top and butter knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Turn bread out onto rack and cool.

coconut oatmeal cookies

2010-05-21T21:39:00.002+02:00

Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

1/4c butter

1/2c brown sugar

2 eggs

1tsp vanilla

1tbsp baking powder

1c shredded coconut

1c oats

1c flour

In a large bowl blend until light the softened butter and brown sugar. Add each egg and the vanilla. Blend until smooth.

Add the coconut, baking powder and oatmeal. Slowly add the flour until well mixed. The mixture should be fairly thick. Chill for 10 minutes in the fridge and bake at 350F (150C) for 8 minutes. Pull out when only slightly golden brown along the top not to overcook them.

blackberry cake

2009-09-20T12:54:00.004+02:00

Blackberry Cake

Serves 8
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 1 hour

140g butter softened (I put 85g)
140g sugar (I put 85g)
140g ground almonds
140g self-raising flour (I used normal flour + baking soda)
1 egg
1 tsp ground cinnamon (I left this out cause I'm not sure the Frenchies would like it, they always say its too strong)
2 tsp vanilla extract
225g blackberries (I put in 300g cause I luuuuurve blackberries)

Heat oven to 180C. Grease & line the base of a 23cm springform tin. Put the butter, sugar, almonds, flour, egg, cinnamon and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat well. Spread half the mixture into the prepared tin.
Sprinkle the blackberries and dot over the remaining cake mixture so it covers the fruit.
Bake for about an hour until golden and springy. Leave to cool in the tin. To serve sprinkle some cinnamon and powdered sugar over the top. Serve with coffee and/or marscapone.

I think this recipie is from this book: La Dolce Vita. My colleague brought in this cake and I loved it so much I got her to photocopy the recipe for me.

Peach Pie

2009-08-02T12:28:00.002+02:00

Peach Pie
Taken from The New Best Recipe

2 pie crusts
6-7 medium sized peaches (about 7 cups sliced)
1 tbsp juice from 1 lemon
1 cup sugar (I put 1/2 cup)
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
pinch salt
3-5 tbsp potato starch (depending on how juicy the peaches are)

Place the bottom crust in the pie pan and refrigerate until ready to bake. Cut the second pie crust into strips and prepare the lattice on a flat surface. Freeze for 15 minutes or refrigerate until ready.
Preheat the oven to about 250C - which is how high my mini-oven goes - or 500F
In a bowl combine the sliced peaches (pealed of course) with the other ingredients. Pour into chilled pie crust and lay the lattice work on top. Pinch to close off the edges of the pie. Reduce oven temperature a bit (to 450F) and bake for 25-30min until crust is golden brown. Rotate in the oven and reduce the temperature again to 375F or about 200C and bake until dark brown and the juices bubble through the lattice, about 25-30min. Take out and cool at least 2 hours on a wire rack.
Serve a la mode ;-) with vanilla ice cream.

chocolate & sweet potato cake

2009-03-13T10:01:00.003+01:00

Chocolate & Sweet Potato Cake

(on the left is the original recipe from Bushveld Banquets, on the right is my heavily modified recipe)

180g butter at room temperature (100g)
360g brown sugar (50g)
4 eggs
450g cake flour (120g rice flour, 30g corn starch)
100g cocoa powder (50g)
15ml baking powder
180g dark chocolate
400g sweet potato, cooked, peeled and grated/mashed
400ml buttermilk (25ml normal milk)

Ganache (I didn't make)
20ml instant coffee powder
400ml cream
300g dark chocolate
120g butter

Cream butter & brown sugar together in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the eggs one by one. Sift together the flour, cocoa & baking powder and fold into the creamed mixture. Fold in the melted chocolate, sweet potato and then buttermilk and mix well. Pour batter into a greased tin (or 2 if you're making a layer cake) and bake at 180C for 30 min until tester comes out clean (mine was a loaf pan and much thicker, I baked it for about an hour with aluminum foil on the top to keep it from getting too dark). Cool on a wire rack.

Ganache
Combine coffee powder, cream, chocolate and butter in the top half of a double broiler. Heat over simmering water until the ingredients have melted to a smooth mixture, stirring occasionally. Cool and then cover the sides and top of the cake.

mac & cheese

2009-02-15T14:23:00.002+01:00

Homemade Mac & Cheese
(2 servings)

* Cook and drain pasta for 2 people
* Saute 1/2 an onion in 1 tbsp butter
* Grate 2 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese (mine was white cheddar but either one works)

Set all the different components to the side.
* In a saucepan:

Mix 1/2 liter of milk
2 tablespoons of corn starch (maizena)
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of pepper
pinch of nutmeg

Over low heat continuously stir until the white sauce (bechamel) thickens and if you run your finger over the back of the spoon the sauce is thick enough to stay off to the sides.
Quickly mix in the cheddar and the onions. Stir until the cheddar is melted and smooth then pour onto the pasta and mix all together. Serve with a pinch of paprika on top.

galettes de sarrasin

2009-02-02T21:51:00.001+01:00

Galettes de Sarrasin

Here is the recipe I used for my batter for 2 people (2.5 galettes each)

* 125g farine de sarrasin (buckwheat flour)
* 1 egg
* salt
* about 50cl water

I started with a little less water and then kept adding some until the batter was the right consistency (should run a thin ribbon when poured with a spoon or ladle and swirl around easily inthe hot pan.)
Then we flipped them once and then filled them with ham, cheese and a cracked egg on top, (or anything else you want!) YUM!

chicken stock

2009-01-30T13:50:00.003+01:00

Chicken Stock

1 chicken carcass (or 4 or 5 big legs, several wings etc) with the leftover meat and skin on
1 onion
1 carrot
1 stick of celery
parsley/thyme etc
salt/pepper

Put the chicken in a big pot, fill with enough water to cover the bird. Add all the veggies roughly chopped and skins/leaves included. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Let cook for several hours until the chicken has basically fallen apart, meat off the bones etc and all the veggies are very soft. Drain through a colander or cheesecloth saving the water and discarding the veggies. Use as is or bring to a simmer and reduce even further. As it cools it will gel and the fat will rise to the top, you can skim it off (my chicken seems to be very lean and there isn't much to skim off) or leave it in for flavor.

Freezes very well, in mini Tupperwares or ice cube trays. You can use any veggies you want or have lying around, I've also added bell peppers, garlic, potato skins etc Just make sure they're washed.

This is a great way to use up chicken that you normally would be throwing away for future soups, risottos and anything else that calls for chicken stock. It has FAR less sodium than bouillon cubes or prepackaged stock and tastes delishous! ;-)

risotto

2008-11-22T17:59:00.002+01:00

Risotto

1 onion
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups risotto rice (the round kind)
veggies
1 liter chicken stock
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Dice the onion and saute until clear in the olive oil and butter. Add the rice and mix well. Add the white wine and lower the heat to a simmer. As the rice absorbs the liquid start ladling in the chicken stock letting it absorb between each ladle full. When you're about 2/3 through the stock add diced veggies (zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers etc) and any meat (turkey, chicken, seafood) and continue to simmer and add half the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let sit 5 minutes.

Serve with more Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top!

When the rice is just cooked through remove from heat and add 1/2 package of

pecan pie

2008-11-22T11:24:00.004+01:00

Maple Syrup Pecan Pie

1 prepared unbaked pastry shell, 9-inch (try a gluten free crust)
3 eggs
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups pecan pieces or halves

Preheat oven to 350° and place rack at lowest position. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add maple syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Blend well and stir in pecans. Pour into prepared pie shell. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and the filling is set.

(there is no Karo (corn) syrup in France but this recipe is just as yummy!!)

apple pie take 2

2008-09-19T20:50:00.003+02:00

Gluten Free Apple Pie

3/4 c brown rice flour
3/4 c ground almonds
25g butter chilled
1 egg beaten
2 medium apples
1/4 c applesauce

For the crust:

mix the brown rice flour and ground almonds together. Add the egg and butter and mix together. The dough remains very sticky!
(I spread it into the piepan with the back of a spoon dipped in water to smooth it out. I guess you could add more flour but I was so happy with the end result I wouldn't change anything!)
Put pie weights or dried beans/rice and prebake the crust for 10 minutes at 180C.
While baking peel and thinly slice the apples.

Finishing the pie:

When the crust is done spread the applesauce over the bottom and arrange the apple slices on top - bake for another 15-20 minutes until the apples are cooked and just starting to turn brown. the crust was very yummy, had just a slightly nutty taste and was almost like a "pate brisee" like a big cookie :-) yum!

spaghetti sauce

2008-08-30T09:11:00.002+02:00

Spaghetti Sauce

2.5 kilos fresh ripe tomatoes (chopped)
2 small onions (minced)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 steak hachee
1 small green pepper (minced)
mushrooms (sliced
olive oil
basil
thyme
oregano

In a large pot sautee onions, garlic and green pepper in olive oil until soft. Add the crumbled pieces of steak hachee (or hamburger meat) and mushrooms (and any other veggies, I threw in some leftover zucchini. Cook until the hamburger is browned.

Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Salt, pepper and other spices to taste.

Cook down until the tomato has broken down and the consistency looks good.

tomates farcies

2008-08-21T12:03:00.003+02:00

Tomates Farcies

4 large and firm tomatoes (slightly under ripe, you don't want them to get mushy) *you can also use round zucchinis!
250g ground beef (or 2 steak hachees)
1/2 cup cooked rice, cold if possible
1 small onion finely chopped
1 clove of garlic finely chopped (or garlic powder if you don't have any fresh on hand)
salt and pepper
butter

Cut the tops off of the tomatoes and scoop out the insides so you get as much room as possible. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix the rest of the ingredients (I use my hands to make sure they're well mixed). Split the mixture into 4 equal parts and stuff it inside the tomatoes. Put the "hat" back on and put a small nob of butter over the stem of each tomato to prevent them from burning (you can also add some bread crumbs but as I didn't have any gluten free on hand I left that out.)

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Coconut chicken

2008-08-01T12:23:00.003+02:00

Coconut Chicken

* 2 skinned chicken breasts (I used escalopes de dinde)
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup unsweetened dried coconut

Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. In a shallow bowl beat the 2 eggs and on an extra plate pour about 1/2 of the coconut.

Dip the chicken in the egg, making sure to cover all of the chicken with egg.

Then transfer the chicken onto the coconut plate and "bread" it with coconut, repeat with the second breast.

Then cook over medium heat until cooked through.

I served it with fresh squeezed limes but I bet a nice chutney would be delicious too!

Tapioca Pudding

2008-07-16T10:18:00.002+02:00

Tapioca Pudding

2 3/4c milk
1 egg (well beaten)
1/3c sugar
3 tbsp tapioca pearls
1 tsp vanilla (or 1 sachet sucre vanille)

In a medium saucepan mix the first 4 ingredients and let sit for 5 minutes.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. As soon as it comes to a full boil remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Let the pudding sit for at least 20 minutes (it will thicken as it cools). Serve warm or chilled and for an extra treat add some fresh fruit or jam.

gluten free pancakes

2008-07-06T18:40:00.005+02:00

Gluten Free Pancakes

1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup chestnut flour
1/4 cup corn flour (not corn starch!)
salt
1 tsp sugar
1 pack of gluten free baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Beat the egg and milk together in the mixing cup (saves dishwashing ;-) ) and then add to the dry ingredients. Stir until most of the lumps are out.

On a hot skillet ladle out the pancakes. This is the step that differs from other flour pancakes, normally they form little bubbles that stay open when the pancake is ready to be flipped, these guys you have to check not to scorch the bottom because they don't do the same thing.

Serve on Sunday morning maple syrup and a side of bacon. Yum :-)

summer veggies

2008-06-20T17:54:00.003+02:00

Summer Veggie Dish

3 medium tomatoes
1 zucchini
1 small/medium eggplant
2 bell peppers
1 fresh mozzarella
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil to sprinkle on top after baked

I made this veggie "lasagna" last night and added a few extra steps that could probably be left out if you're in a hurry. I wanted to make something that my vegetarian friend and Mystery Guest on his gluten free experiment could enjoy.

First I roasted the bell peppers in the oven until they were black all over (or you can do this over a gas stove but alas I run on electric...). Then peel off the skin and take out the seeds.

Second I peeled and sliced the eggplant and sprinkled salt over the slices to let them sweat out some of that extra water.

Finally I layered all the ingredients in a small dish topping the whole thing with the Parmesan cheese. I baked it for about 30 minutes until the veggies were bubbling and the cheese was golden brown.

I thought it might turn out to be too dry with no extra sauce but the veggies actually had a lot of juice when backed and the whole thing was quite delicious! I should have made some rice to go with it but I had run out :-( Next time!

scones

2008-03-21T15:55:00.004+01:00

Scones

(I stole this picture from the internet... forgot my camera at home, and I just have to say mine turned out prettier!)

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
1/4 cup white sugar (50g
5 teaspoons baking powder (2 sachets)
1/2 teaspoon salt (1/2 c. a soupe)
3/4 cup cold butter (150g)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk (24 cl)
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut (100g or a bit less)

DIRECTIONS:1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter. Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl, and stir into flour mixture until moistened.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll dough out into a 1/2 inch thick round. Cut into 8 wedges, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

You can anything you like in them, I love banana & nuts with a dash of cinnamon, or blueberry, white chocolate with cranberries, or split it in half and add fresh strawberries and cream for a strawberry shortcake etc... The possiblities are endless! Yum!!

apple pie

2008-02-07T08:40:00.001+01:00

Apple Pie

- 1 pie crust (yes, I cheat and buy the pre-made ones but they're good!)

- 3/4 cup apple sauce

- 3 or 4 medium size apples thinly sized

- 2 tbsp apricot jam mixed with 2 tbsp water

Applesauce:

Peel and quarter as many apples as you can, throw 'em in a big pot and add a little bit of water just so they don't stick to the bottom (they'll make their own juice as soon as they start cooking). Turn down the heat and slowly let them cook until most of them break up and the rest are soft. Remove from heat and blend until smooth using an electric mixer. Add brown sugar to taste.

Pie:

Spread applesauce on the pie crust and then layer the apples in a spiral shape across the top. Finish with a light glaze of the apricot jam and bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until the apples are golden brown.

fondants au chocolat

2008-02-02T18:43:00.002+01:00

Fondants au Chocolat

Prep time: 10 min

Baking time: 12 min

120g dark chocolate + 4 squares (10g each)

3 eggs

80g sugar

35g butter

1 tbsp. flour (can be optional and therefore gluten free)

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler until smooth and creamy.

In a large bowl mix the eggs, sugar and flour. Add the chocolate and stir until smooth.

Fill each ramequin 1/2 way full, then add 1 square of chocolate and cover it with the rest of the batter.

Bake at 350F for only 12 min, no more! Let them sit for a few minutes but make sure they are served room temperature so the inside is nice and gooey. YUM! This is my favorite chocolate cake recipe ever, I'm sure you'll love it!

broccoli and potato soup

2008-01-10T07:28:00.001+01:00

Broccoli and Potato Soup

I made this soup for the first time over a month ago and I just love it! So easy to make and delish! All the credit goes to Kari thanks for letting me steal your recipe.. ;-)

3-4 large potatoes, washed and cubed
2 cups broccoli florets, cooked until bright green
1/2 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp butter
1/4 cup light cream
2 tsp chicken bouillon
pepper/nutmeg (opt)
1 cup shredded Gouda or cheddar cheese

Place cubed potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook until fragrant and soft, stirring often.
Once potatoes are cooked, drain off the water - but keep it! Add 1 tsp chicken bouillon, garlic and onions, cream and a pinch of pepper and nutmeg.
Using a stick blender, puree the mixture. Add the potato water as needed to thin the soup to the consistency you like. Taste, and add another tsp of bouillon if desired.
Stir in the cheese and ladle it up!

cheesecake

2007-09-27T19:33:00.002+02:00

New York Cheesecake

Crust:
2 cups (190 grams) of graham wafer crumbs or finely crushed vanilla wafers or gingersnaps
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 cup (114 grams) unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
32 ounces (1 kg) (4 - 8 ounces packages) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) white sugar
3 tablespoons (40 grams) all purpose flour
5 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping:
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons (30 grams) white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) springform pan. Place the springform pan on a larger baking pan to catch any leakage while the cheesecake is baking. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) with rack in center of oven.
For Crust:
In a medium sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and about 1 inch (2.54 cm) up the sides of the springform pan. Cover and refrigerate while you make the filling.
For Filling:
In bowl of your electric mixer place the cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Beat on medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes), scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 30 seconds) after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the whipping cream, lemon zest, vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and pour in the filling. Place the cheesecake pan on a larger baking pan and place in the oven.
Bake for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) and continue to bake for about another 1 1/2 hours or until firm and only the center of the cheesecake looks a little wet and wobbly. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Spread the topping over the warm cheesecake and return to oven to bake for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven and carefully run a knife or spatula around the inside edge of pan to loosen the cheesecake (helps prevent the surface from cracking as it cools).
Let cool before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating. This cheesecake tastes best after being refrigerated for at least a day.
Serve with fresh fruit or fruit sauces.
Makes one - 9 inch (23 cm) cheesecake.

Tips: Sometimes the surface of the cheesecake cracks. To help prevent this from happening do not overbeat the batter, especially when creaming the cheese and sugar.
Another reason for cracking is overbaking the cheesecake. Your cheesecake is done when it is firm but the middle may still look a little wet.

Wish I could take credit for this recipe but I found it on the Joy of Baking website :-)

puree de carottes

2007-08-25T11:27:00.001+02:00

Puree de Carottes

5 or 6 medium size carrots

1 clove garlic, peeled

1/4 cup milk

1 tbsp butter

salt/pepper

Boil the carrots and garlic until very tender. Drain. Then either in a mixer or with a potato masher mash the carrots with the butter until fairly smooth, add a little bit of milk at a time to get a creamy texture. Salt and pepper to taste.

I love this, the first time I ate with a French family we had mashed carrots and it was delish! I had never heard of mashing them before but I love it. Yesterday I found a great deal on carrots at the market and stocked up. Since I had so many I thought I'd try out this recipe for the first time, turned out great!

apple crumble/crisp/cobbler

2007-07-20T20:50:00.002+02:00

Apple Crumble

4 or 5 apples (just over 1 apple per person)

1 cup brown sugar (sucre vergoise)

1 cup oats (apparently oats in themselves are gluten free but can easily be contaminated by other grains)

80 g butter

Slice and peel the apples and lay them in a large baking dish. In a medium bowl mix the sugar and oats together then roughly slice the butter and mix it all together. I like to use my hands to get the butter really mixed in. It should resemble wet sand in consistancy when all mixed.*

Crumble the topping over the apples and bake at 350F (180C) for about 30 minutes. It will be done when the top is golden brown and you can see the apples bubbling underneath.

*You can also sprinkle in some cinnamon!

In the summer I like to vary it with peaches and blueberries :-)

stovetop popcorn

2007-01-27T21:13:00.001+01:00

Stovetop Popcorn

*popcorn kernels

*vegetable oil

With this easy way to make popcorn its all about proportions. Take any size pot and pour in 1 layer of popcorn kernels, making sure they just cover the bottom of the pot.

Add vegetable oil until it just barely covers the kernels. The put the lid (or if you're like me and don't have any lids - crip aluminum foil around the top of the pot) and place over the burner. When the first few kernels start to pop start moving the pot over the burner so it doesn't stay in one spot and burn the popcorn. When the popping becomes less frequent take it off the heat and eat away!

I started making popcorn this way when I realized how expensive microwave popcorn is in France. You can find the kernels in most big grocery stores in the spice area for a much better price.

breakfast potatoes

2006-12-17T21:22:00.001+01:00

Breakfast potatoes

'Taters

butter

salt/pepper/paprika to taste

*optional cheddar cheese

I just made this up for my brunch but all I did was boil whole potatoes and then dice them up into small cubes. (For time reasons I did this the night before) Then I heated the frying pan with some butter and sauteed them until golden brown with said spices :-) When all was done I set my oven on the lowest heat and sprinkled a generous amount of cheddar cheese. While the rest of brunch was cooking I let that sit warming in the oven and the cheddar was all melted over the potatoes. Yum.

blueberry pancakes

2006-12-17T21:04:00.002+01:00

Blueberry Pancakes

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons baking powder (1 sachet leveur chimique)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 pinch of salt

1 tablespoon oil

1 egg

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Add the beaten egg, milk and oil and slowly mix to get rid of most of lumps (the key is not to over mix it, the pancakes turn out rubbery - if there are a few lumps don't worry, they'll cook out).

Pour onto a hot greased pan and then add the blueberries (fresh or frozen) on top. Cover with a little bit of batter (so they don't burn when you flip the pancakes over). When bubbles burst and stay open flip the pancakes just once.

I try to make my batter ahead of time, I think they turn out fluffier that way, time for the baking powder to act? I'm not sure but whether you let it sit or start cooking 2 minutes after they're still yum yum!

rolled biscuits

2006-11-24T15:21:00.001+01:00

Biscuits*

Preheat oven to 450F (230C)

In a large bowl combine:

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

3 tsp. baking powder

Cut in:

4-6 tbsp. (75g) chilled butter

Make a well in the center and add:

3/4 cup milk

Kneed 8-10 folds on a floured surface then cut into shape and bake 12-15 minutes.

Option: Can make them bigger and used for strawberry shortcake

*I heard comes from bis - cuit which means twice cooked in French, like an Italian biscotti in origin.

pumpkin pie

2006-11-24T15:16:00.001+01:00

Pumpkin Pie

(makes 8)

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin - or bake a whole pumpkin or potimarron

1 can (12 fl oz./ 340 ml) evaporated milk

1 unbaked pie shell

Mix:

Sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and evaporated milk with sugar/spice mixture.

Pour:

In unbaked pie shell.

Bake: Preheated oven 425F for 15 minutes, reduce to 350F; bake 30-40 minutes. Cool 2 hours.

cornbread

2006-11-21T23:04:00.002+01:00

Cornbread

Preheat oven to 425F (220C)

Grease pan.

Mix in a large bowl:

-1 1/4 cup stone ground cornmeal

-3/4 cup flour (need to try some gluten free flour substitutes, think it could turn out ok)

-1-4 tbsp sugar

-2 tsp baking powder

-1/2 tsp baking soda

-1/2 tsp salt

and in a small bowl:

-2 large eggs

-2/3 cup milk

-2/3 cup buttermilk (lait ribot)

Add wet ingredients to the dry, stir and fold in:

-2-3 tbsp warm melted butter (or veggie oil)

Bake 10-12 minutes for muffins

or 10-25 minutes for bread

cranberry sauce

2006-11-21T22:59:00.001+01:00

Cranberry Sauce

1 cup (200 g) sugar

1 cup (255 mL) water

4 cups (1 12-oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries

In a saucepan bring to a boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.

Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

For those of you ex-pats who don't want to fork over an arm and a leg for a teeny-weenie jar of cranberry sauce I found that fresh cranberries are reasonably cheap at my local Monoprix so I just make the sauce from scratch. Easy-peasy!

stuffin'

2006-11-21T22:53:00.001+01:00

Apple and Onion Stuffing

Place in boiling water for 5 minutes

-1 cup raisins

Drain well.

Add to them 7 cups bread crumbs (soft, not dry)

Melt 3/4 cup butter and saute for 3-5 minutes:

-1 cup chopped onion

-1 chopped garlic clove

-1 cup chopped celery

Cook until clear but not brown.

Add all this to the bread. Then add:

-3 cups diced tart apples

-1/4 cup chopped parsely

-1 1/2 tsp salt

-1 tsp paprika

Stuff turkey loosely, or put into a dish, cover and bake at 350F.

This is the recipe my mom always used and yum yum! + its veggie so unless someone is opposed to something cooked in the turkey (you could always bake some extra in a dish) its great for everyone :-) Even those who don't like stuffing get converted!!!

fondant chocolat noix de coco

2006-11-03T13:25:00.002+01:00

Fondant Chocolat Noix de Coco

150 grams (2 cups) unsweetened dried grated coconut
170 grams (6 ounces) bittersweet chocolate (the best quality you can afford), chopped
125 milliliters (1/2 cup) light whipping cream (crème fleurette légère)
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
125 grams (1 1/4 cups) sugar

Serves 8 to 10.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 24-centimeter (9-inch) round cake pan with parchment paper or use a springform or silicon pan. (Alternatively, you can bake the cake in a loaf pan, in muffin tins, or in ramekins.)

Spread the coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and fragrant. Remove from the oven (leave the heat on) and let cool.

Heat the chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring from time to time, until melted and smooth. Transfer to a large mixing-bowl and let cool for three minutes.

Crack the eggs one by one, separating the egg whites from the yolks: set the egg whites aside in a medium mixing-bowl or in the bowl of a food processor with a whisk attachment, and add the yolks to the chocolate mixture, stirring well with a wooden spoon after each addition.

Add the coconut to the chocolate mixture, and stir to combine. The batter will be thick.

Using a handheld electric whisk, a manual whisk and strong forearms, or the whisk attachment of your trusty food processor, start beating the egg whites with the salt -- slowly at first, then at medium speed. When the egg whites get frothy, up the speed, add the sugar little by little, and keep whisking until the mixture is shiny and smooth. Lift the whisk from the bowl: if the eggs form an elegant swan-neck shape that doesn't collapse, you're all done.

Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in three additions, working gently with a soft spatula to lift the chocolate mixture up and over the egg whites in a circular motion.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes, until the top is dry and the blade of a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. (Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes if you're using a loaf pan, and for 10 to 15 minutes less if you're using muffin tins or ramekins. Either way, keep a close eye on the baking and use the blade test to be sure.)

Transfer to a rack to cool completely and unmold carefully -- the cake will be quite fragile.

I can't take credit for this recipe which I found on Chocolate & Zucchini and made it yesterday. It turned out very well if I do say so myself! There were a few things that I did differently... First of all I don't have a mixer and so I was beating the egg whites by hand... As you can imagine my arm was very tired so I didn't get them to the stage that the recipe called for, but more of a a soft peak. I also hadn't noticed that it was at that point that the sugar should be added so I added the sugar with the coconut before the chocolate mixture was added. It turned out pretty well even with the changes. A lot more dense then it should have been but I love a rich chocolate cake! Plus it was really different to try and make a cake sans flour :-)

madeleines

2006-10-31T18:31:00.001+01:00

Madeleines

100 g beurre (butter)
2 oeufs (eggs)
1/2 cuillere de levure chimique ( teaspoon baking powder)
80 g sucre (sugar)
115 g farine (flour)

Battre 2 oeufs entiers avec le sucre jusqu'a ce que le melange blanchisse.
Beat 2 whole eggs and sugar until the mix whitens.

Continuer a battre et incorporer la farine avec la levure. Ajouter le beurre fondu et melanger avec soin.
While mixing blend in the flour and baking powder. Gently fold in the melted butter.

La pate ainsi faite doit remplir a moitie les moules a madeleines.
Put a teaspoon of batter into the madeleine pan, it should fill each spot about half full.

Mettre au four 210C pendant 10 a 15 min.
Bake at about 375F for about 10 to 15 min.

Too bad with my first two batches I forgot that they were in the oven and they are a bit... well... "cajun style madeleines..."

eggplant parmesan

2006-10-14T14:40:00.002+02:00

Eggplant Parmesan

1 large eggplant
2 tomatoes
3 balls of fresh mozzerella
spaghetti sauce
1 egg
parmesan cheese

Slice eggplant into fairly thin round disks. Dip into beaten egg. Fry in olive oil until golden brown.

Slice tomatoes and cheese.

In a large pan pour 1/4 of the pasta sauce and layer eggplant/tomatoes/cheese alternating with the sauce until the pan is full or until the ingredients are used up. Sprinkle parmesan over the top and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes until brown and the sauce is bubbly.

I didn't like eggplant until I tried this recipe but now I'm a convert! :)

sweet potato pie

2006-10-14T12:23:00.001+02:00

Sweet Potato Pie

1 lb sweet potatoes (des patates douces)
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 unbaked pie crust

Boil sweet potatoes until soft, peel off the skin*

Mash the potatoes in a large bowl and add butter, mix well. Add sugar, milk, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Beat until mixture is smooth. Pour into pie crust.

Bake at 350F (175C) for 55 to 60 minutes.

*I found a great tip for peeling any sort of potatoes if using them after boiling... After you clean the potatoes (with the skin on) slice a ring around the middle of the potato before placing it in boiling water. After it is cooked and cool to the touch rince with cool water and simply slide the skin off! It is a great way not to spend hours peeling potatoes...!

butternut squash soup

2006-10-12T12:24:00.001+02:00

Butternut Squash Soup
6 to 8 servings.

1 med. butternut squash (approximately 1 lb.)
3 tart green apples, peeled & coarsely chopped
1 med. onion, peeled & chopped
1/4 tsp. rosemary OR marjoram
1 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. pepper
3 (10 1/2 oz.) cans chicken broth
2 soup cans water
1/4 c. heavy cream, half & half or milk
Chopped fresh parsley (garnish)

Peel squash and seed. Cut into chunks. Combine squash with apples, onions, rosemary, salt and pepper, broth and water in large heavy saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.
Puree soup in blender or food processor. Return mixture to saucepan and bring just to boiling point, then reduce heat. Before serving add cream. Serve hot with chopped fresh parsley sprinkled on top. Can be made 2 days in advance and reheated.

Fall is here and in France different pumpkins and squashes are getting more and more popular. On Sunday I bought a "booternoot squash" at the market and decided to give this soup a try. I modified a few things (I baked the squash with onions and a bit of butter) beforehand insead of cooking it all together, but I think in the end the result is the same. I hadn't planned on making a butternut squash-apple soup but when I did a search on the web it seemed to be a popular mix so I decided to give it a try. Yum. i really like the two flavors together and it is a creamy warm soup to have on a fall day. Especially today when accompanied by a slice of camembert and a glass of cranberry juice :-) How Franco-American am I??

banana bread

2006-10-07T14:00:00.001+02:00

Banana Bread

I make this alllll the time! It is a wonderful way to use up bananas that have gone a bit brown, in fact its better with old bananas! If you have some but don't have time to make the bread peel the bananas and freeze them in a zip lock for future use!

The frenchies I've made this for have gone, well, bananas! Although I would suggest translating it as a "gateau aux bananes" otherwise they get confused thinking its a savory bread...

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter (room temp)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/3 cups bananas (ripe & mashed)

Preheat oven to 350F (175C).

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl cream butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and banana.

Add the banana mix to the flour**, do not over mix. Pour batter into a greased pan.

Bake for 60-65 minutes, let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack.

**For a fun treat you can add 1 or more of the following: fresh or frozen blueberries (my favorite!!!), chocolate chips or nuts.

salsa couscous chicken

2006-10-07T13:54:00.001+02:00

Salsa Couscous Chicken

While preparing couscous ahead of time brown slice almonds in an oven/frying pan.

Combine:

2-3 tbs white raisins
2 cups salsa (I prefer medium or hot as the other flavors reduce the spicyness)
2 tbs hot water
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tb honey

and set aside to plump raisins. Slice chicken (about 1.5 lbs) and saute in olive oil and crushed garlic, brown on all sides.

Add salsa mixture, cover and reduce heat. Cook for about 20 minutes until chicken is done. Serve over couscous and garnish with almonds or pine nuts.

tarte tatin

2006-10-06T16:23:00.001+02:00

Tarte Tatin

1kg de pommes
50g de beurre
100g de sucre
50g de cassonade
1 rouleau de pâte feuilletée
le jus d'un citron
1 cuil à café de cannelle en poudre

Rincez, pelez et épépinez les pommes. Coupez-les en gros quartiers. Arrosez-les avec le jus du citron.

Faire fondre le beurre dans une poêle à fond épais puis déposez-y les quartiers de pommes bien serrés les uns contres les autres. Saupoudrez le tout de cassonade et de cannelle. Faites-les cuire sur feu doux en couvrant à moitié pendant 15 minutes.

Préchauffez votre four à th 6 (180°C). Mettez le sucre semoule dans une casserole, ajoutez 2 cuil à soupe d'eau et faites chauffer à feu doux. Ne remuez pas. Dès qu'il colore, versez-le sur le fond d'un moule à tarte préablement beurré.

Répartissez les pommes sur le caramel. Couvrez avec la pâte en rentrant bien les bords sur les côtés. Enfournez 25 min, jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit bien dorée.

Servez tiède avec une boule de glace à la vanille ou une cuillère de crème fraîche!

teriyaki sauce

2006-10-06T16:15:00.001+02:00

My Mom's favorite teriyaki sauce

Korean Barbecue Sauce:

1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 garlic cloves minced
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

Combine in a sauce pan and bring to a boil to dissolve sugar and blend the flavors. Then cool and pour over chicken pieces in a glass or ceramic container (I use zip lock baggies). Marinate at room temp for 2 hours or in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours/or overnight. Grill the chicken or bake in a pan in the oven. Depending on the size of the pieces (wings vs thighs vs breasts) I bake them for 30 minutes or so at 350 degrees. The chicken turns out so tender, just falls off the bones...

*not my picture, when I can I'll use pictures I take, otherwise its google image all the way...

a new blog is born!

2006-10-06T16:03:00.001+02:00

Following other bloggers I decided to share some of my favorite tried and true recipes with you as well as my experimentations with new ideas! As I'm an American living in France my recipes are now a real mix of metric and American mesurements. I'll post them as I have them written down, if you need conversions just ask!

To start off the blog I'll share my absolute favorite cookie recipe:

Chocolate-chocolate-craisin cookies

-Melt 8oz (1 1/4 cups) chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double broiler

While melting combine:
-3/4 cup brown sugar
-3/4 cup butter

Blend in:
-2 eggs
-1 tsp. vanilla

Combine and add the melted chocolate.
Then mix in:
-1 3/4 cups flour
-1/4 tsp. baking powder

Add:
10 oz chocolate chips
-1 1/4 cups dried cranberries (have found them at the Comptoir Irlandais, Monoprix and Carrefour in France)

Bake at 350F for 8 minutes. Better undercooked and fudgy in the middle ;-)