Showing posts with label easy recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label easy recipes. Show all posts

Spanish Pork

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Spanish PorkI haven't had a lot of time to blog this week, I was dog sitting for my friend at the start of the week and have been too tired the rest of the week. But thought I'd better show face here with some kind of offering.

I made this pork dish with pork loin steaks, onions, tinned tomatoes and olives (stuffed with garlic), served with couscous cooked in chicken stock and seasonal savoy cabbage.

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Title: Chefin with DrLove Pork Chops & Spanish Rice 2

Title: Spanish Pork & Rice (Paella style)

http://wp.me/pH5px-1L
Today Elora and Ciara were cooking a simple but delicious meal: Spanish Pork & Rice in a Paella style. Simple ingredients and easy to follow... it might take a bit of time (around 50 minutes) as you need to follow the different steps in sequence, but easy... very easy :-)

The Magick touch... a little bit of chorizo to bring that authentic spanish flavor ;-)

Que aproveche!

John
The Devils Chef

See more here! http://wp.me/pH5px-1L



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Fresh from the Oven Round Up

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The Fresh from the Oven Round Up of all the lovely Stollen can be seen on the blog HERE

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Title: Shrek 2 Soundtrack 14. Jennifer Saunders - Holding Out For a Hero

I do not own any copyright on this song
Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where's the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night i toss and i turn and i dream of what I need

(Chorus)
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life(larger than life)

Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet

Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I could swear that there's someone somewhere
Watching me

Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach
Like the fire in my blood(like a fire in my blood x4)

hero

i need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
and he's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life

hero

oh I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
i need a hero

Title: Bonnie Tyler - I Need a Hero (Lyrics)

Where have all the good men gone
and where are all the gods?
Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss
and I turn
and I dream of what I need.
I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night.
He's gotta be strong
and he's gotta be fast

And he's gotta be fresh from the fight.
I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light.
He's gotta be sure
and it's gotta be soon

And he's gotta be larger than life!
larger than life.
Somewhere after midnight
in my wildest fantasy

Somewhere just beyond my reach
there's someone reaching back for me.
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat

It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet.
I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night.
He's gotta be strong
and he's gotta be fast

And he's gotta be fresh from the fight.
I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light.
He's gotta be sure
and it's gotta be soon

And he's gotta be larger than life.
I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night.
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above

Out where the lightning splits the sea

I could swear there is someone
somewhere
watching me.
Through the wind
and the chill
and the rain

And the storm
and the flood

I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood.
I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night.
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast

And he's gotta be fresh from the fight.
I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light.
He's gotta be sure
and it's gotta be soon

And he's gotta be larger than life.
I need a hero. I'm hoXding out for a hero 'til the end of the night.


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Title: Negima!? S2 - 1 - What? 31 students right off the bat!

Fresh from the Academy of Magic, Negi continues his training as an instructor at Mahora Academy where the 31 sexy schoolgirls of Class 3-A are gonna keep him up all night cramming for a final exam in willpower.

Title: Shrek 2 Soundtrack 14. Jennifer Saunders - Holding Out For a Hero

I do not own any copyright on this song
Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where's the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night i toss and i turn and i dream of what I need

(Chorus)
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life(larger than life)

Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet

Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I could swear that there's someone somewhere
Watching me

Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach
Like the fire in my blood(like a fire in my blood x4)

hero

i need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
and he's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life

hero

oh I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
i need a hero



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Diet Update

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Only lost 1lb this week, but that is better than nothing. Also when I got the tape measure out I had lost 1/2 inch off my waist and 1/2 inch of my hips, so that is great. I have got a terrible sore neck though (nothing to do with the diet at all) it started yesterday and despite DH giving me a neck massage last night, it is still pretty sore.

We are going out to visit my friend for tea tonight, she knows I am on a diet so will be kind to me.

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Title: Healthy Foods Update: Best New Healthy Snacks

Healthy snack foods are our passion.

http://diet.com/videos

Try our best new snacks and you'll never know they are good for you too!

Sarah shares her favorite new healthy snacks you must give a try.

Find out where you can buy these products by visiting their websites:
Sensible Portions: http://www.sensibleportions.com/wheretobuy.html
Cedars: http://www.goestores.com/home.aspx?Merchant=cedarsmediterraneanfoodsinc
Call your local grocer and request them to carry the RED PEPPER flavor!
Chobani - http://www.chobani.com/OurProducts/Wheretobuy/


Check Out Diet.com Video!
Diet.com: http://www.diet.com/videos
Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel - http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=diethealth
Go behind the scenes w/ Sarah's Blog- http://www.diet.com/dietblogs/read_blog_expert.php?uid=557164
Twitter http://twitter.com/DietHealth
Facebook: http://www.new.facebook.com/pages/Diet-Health-on-YouTube/19705800487
iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/6kcuag
Sarah's Fitness Blog - http://www.examiner.com/x-1841-Boston-Fitness-Examiner

Title: Why I Took A Break From Making Videos & MAJOR DIET UPDATE

Check out Alicia's channel to learn more about a Low Fat Raw Vegan Diet:
http://www.youtube.com/user/rawsynergytv

PLEASE show your support by SUBSCRIBING to this channel, it really means a lot to me! (:

As always, feel free to tell me your video requests in the comment section. I always love to hear from you!

SUBSCRIBE to my other channel for FASHION & MY LIFE, LIVING ABROAD videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/CharmedElegance

FOLLOW my blog:
http://lizyartur.blogspot.com/

QUESTION FOR ME? ASK HERE:
http://www.formspring.me/LizYArtur

FOLLOW me on TWITTER for constant updates:
http://twitter.com/LizYArtur


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Title: Cat Diet Update

To be clear, all humans in my household are vegetarian - this is because we have a choice. It is not necessary for us to kill/eat animals for our health/survival, and so, we don't.

Regardless, honesty is pretty darn important, and because our cats have a situation significantly different than our own - necessity, for them, exists.

If there are other available options, I'd like to hear them... Skye says this is the only way to keep them healthy (while doing the least damage to others).

The Onision site: http://onision.net

Facebook: http://facebook.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/onision

Title: HCg diet update



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Nigella's Guiness Cake

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Nigella's Guiness Cake Here is my son's 21st birthday cake. He requested Nigella's Guiness Chocolate Cake, which is a firm favourite with both of my sons. It is in her book 'Feast' and uses a whole pack of butter, a tub of sour cream and about 400g of sugar - yep, heart attack on a plate. The icing is cream cheese and double cream, oh boy is it good.


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Foccacia con Olive and Coronation Chicken

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I made this Foccacia with Olives on Sunday.  It comes from a lovely bread book  by Eric Treuille and Ursula Ferrigno, that I've had for a while.

As it is a Dorling Kindersley book, it has fabulous photographs.  The recipe is really a fairly simple white bread recipe with olive oil instead of butter, I made mine on the dough cycle in the bread machine and then added the chopped olives before proving the dough again  before baking.  

 


It was delicous served with my own version of Coronation Chicken inspired by The Hairy Biker's, Mums know best cookbook. I made mine with left over turkey, Tikka curry paste, a chopped yellow pepper and a mix of mayonnaise with a little double cream.  I also had some coriander left over so added that too.  There are many more ingredients in the Biker's version but I just used the general idea and what was in my fridge.  Also in my fridge was some smoked salmon so we had some of that as well!



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Title: CookwithTom.com: Rosemary Focaccia - Part Two

This masters class on bread making results in a simple way to create a delicious bread with great big pockets of air, a delicious crust, and a chewy crumb.

Be sure to make extra, because it doesn't last long. (I made two loaves for a family function and they were gone in 10 minutes).


The recipe:
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cups American style lager
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Kosher or Sea Salt
6" long fresh rosemary sprig, washed and diced

1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar, and yeast, in water.

2. Wait 10 minutes until all yeast is dissolved/proofed

3. Add flour, lager and salt

4. Mix on low speed, stopping as necessary to scrape the sides of the bowl until all dry ingredients are incorporated.

5. Mix on high for 6 - 10 minutes, until gloss forms on dough, and dough starts "grabbing" the dough hook.

6. Pour one tablespoon of olive oil into a separate bowl, spread around with a rubber spatula, coating both the bowl and the spatula.

7. Move dough from mixing bowl to oiled bowl, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top of dough.

8. After oiling your hands, gently turn the dough ball over in the oil, making sure all sides of the dough are coated.

9. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm, draft free location for 2-3 hours. (until has grown 2 1/2 times it's original size).

10. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

11. Cover baking stone with parchment paper

12. Pour 1 tablespoon of oil over parchment paper and spread until paper is covered.

13. Dump dough on to parchment paper, carefully forming the dough into a circle.

14. Let rise for 15-30 minutes

15. Using a fork, poke 30-40 holes in the dough to relieve surface bubbles

16. Sprinkle sea salt over the top of the dough

17. Place in 450 degree oven and set timer for 20 minutes.

18. With 5 minutes left on the timer, sprinkle diced rosemary liberally over the top of the bread.

19. If you're feeling brave, remove the parchment paper from underneath the bottom of the dough.

20. Bake for at least 5 more minutes, or until top of the loaf is golden brown.

Notes:
This dough can also be used as a base for a pizza. Instead of placing on a stone, bake on a greased 10" X 15" cookie sheet. After the dough has risen, dump it onto the cookie sheet, and spread the dough with your hands. Add pizza toppings of your choice. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bottom of the dough is dark brown.

If you choose to omit the lager, increase water by 2/3 cups.

Title: How to Make Focaccia with the help of Your Bread Machine

Visit my blog at www.overthekitchencounter.com for more ideas on cooking and crafts.

Focaccia: an Italian flatbread brushed with olive oil and flavoured with grated Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and rosemary - and so easy to make the dough in a bread maker!

1 cup + 1 Tbsp water
3 cups flour
2 Tbsp dry milk
3-1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter
1-1/2 tsp fast-rise yeast

toppings:
olive oil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, onion, rosemary leaves, salt & pepper



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Patate in padella

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Patate in padella
These pan-fried potatoes make for a wonderful accompaniment to lamb and other meat dishes, and they are incredibly simple and easy to make: peel and cut waxy, yellow-fleshed potatoes into wedges, put them in a non-stick frying pan with olive oil, a sprig of rosemary and a slightly crushed but unpeeled clove of garlic (or two). Saute the potatoes for a few minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper, to allow them to insaporire (see glossary) and to brown ever so slightly. Then add a splash of white wine and water to cover them about halfway. Cover and lower the heat to medium. Allow them to simmer until the water has evaporated (this should only take a few minutes). Test for doneness: stick a paring knife into a potato wedge; if you cannot lift the wedge with your knife, it is done. (NB: Thanks to Rouxbe for this tip!) Then raise the flame to high and brown the potatoes a bit (they should not be overly brown, just spottled here and there). Now for a little trick: do not serve the potatoes right away. The have much better flavor and texture if you let them 'rest' for a while with the cover on. If you like your potatoes hot, then gently re-heat them. I am not sure of the chemistry here, but the rest makes a world of difference.
NOTES: This is a simple dish, obviously, and not really very tricky. But there are one or two points to keep in mind. Most importantly, you need to use waxy, yellow-fleshed potatoes—the kind you would use for potato salad. If you use mealy potatoes such as Russets (and, I suspect, even so-called 'all purpose' potatoes) you will wind up with something close to lumpy mashed potatoes. The other point is not to brown the potatoes too much; these are not meant to taste or feel like French fries in the mouth. You want just a little caramelization, mostly for some extra depth of flavor and a little color.
Pan-roasted potatoes can also be (and, in fact, are usually) made with entirely 'dry' heat (i.e., without adding wine or water) but I find that combining dry and wet heat speeds the cooking process and also provides a finer texture.
Pan Roasted New Potatoes With Fresh Herbs on Foodista






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Title: Polpette e patate in padella

Piatto semplice e veloce da cucinare . Un modo in più per preparare le polpette.

Title: La mano fasciata di Mara Venier, ustionata mentre cucinava le patate

Piccolo incidente domestico per Mara Venier che ha confessato di avere trascorso la notte al pronto soccorso per un'ustione. 'Ieri sera sono tornata a casa - ha raccontato la Venier -, ho cucinato le patate al rosmarino in padella e mi sono ustionata. A mezzanotte ero al pronto soccorso che mi curavano perche' ho la mano sinistra ustionata. Ho passato la notte davvero con un dolore pazzesco'.
CELEBRITY, LA WEB TV CHE VI SVELA I SEGRETI DELLE STAR!
http://www.rai.tv/dl/portale/html/palinsesti/celebrity.html
BLOG CELEBRITY:
http://www.community.rai.it/posts/index/4addcafa-7d4c-4e39-a60f-6a1ad4a2449f



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Clothes that fit your lifestyle…it just makes SENSE

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Sense Clothing – Active Spa Travel designed and shipped from Santa Fe, New Mexico, all clothing manufactured in the USA. sENSE COLORS

Sense is a complete lifestyle clothing company – styles that unite elements of every woman’s active day, spa and travel experiences and evening events.  Sense styles are sexy, fit beautifully and wear well.  Sense styles are designed to perform anywhere your busy day takes you. SENSE SKIRT

Sense clothes are addicting – once you feel the quality fabric (the finest knitted luxe modal, an environmentally sustainable fabric derived from beechwood) you will be hooked. 

SENSE TIEFor an immediate fix: Sense Clothing is available at O2Living, Cross River, NY or online at www.wearsense.com.  Visit the website to learn more about the people and story behind Sense www.senseclothing.com. 




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Hanna Montana Rocks...

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Hanna Montana Rocks...



Little Miss Hansen showed off her inherited cake decorating skills by helping work on this amazing creation for the Hannah Montana Movie, filming at the Santa Monica Pier...

We just adore the design. We're fortunate to have a great relationship with all of the major studios!

Hanna Montana Rocks...

With a little help from one of the guys...










Hanna Montana Rocks... Smile big....















Hanna Montana Rocks...

Voila...Perfection!
(Yes, we can make one just for you too!)









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Title: Hannah Montana - He Could Be The One (Full Music Video)

http://www.teenscore.blogspot.com/
This is the full music video of He Could Be The One by Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana.
From Hannah Montana 3 soundtrack.
if used must credit as http://www.teensource1.blogspot.com/
copyright to Disney
go to http://www.teensource1.blogspot.com/for the download.

Title: Hannah Montana - True Friend Music Video

This is the music video for Hannah Montana's song "True Friend" as seen on Disney Channel.

Lyrics:

(INSTRUMENTAL)
That's Right
We sign our cards and letters B.F.F
You've got a million ways to make me laugh(yeah)
Your looking out for me you've got
my back
It's so good to have you around
You know the secrets i could never tell
And when I'm quiet you break through my shell
Don't feel the need to do a rebel
yell
Cause you keep my feet on the ground

Your a True Friend
Your here till the end
You pull me aside when something ain't right
You talk with me now and into the
night
Till it's alright again your a
True Friend

You don't get angry when i change
the plans
Somehow your never out of second
chances
Won't say '' I told you'' when I'm
wrong again
I'm so lucky(yeah)that i found

A True Friend
Your here till the end
You pull me aside when something
[True Friend lyrics on http://www.metrolyrics.com]

ain't right
You talk with me now and into the
night
Till it's alright again

(BRIDGE)
True Friends will go to the ends of
the earth
To find the things you need
Friends hang on through the ups and
the downs
Cause they've got someone to believe in

A True Friend your here till the end
You pull me aside when something
ain't right
You talk with me now and into the
night
No need to pretend
(your a true friend)
Oh a True Friend
Your here till the end
You pull me aside when something
ain't right
You talk with me now and into the
night
Till it's alright again

Your a True Friend
Your a True Friend
Your a True Friend



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A White Wedding Window...

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A White Wedding Window... A view of our in-progress remodel of the Hansen's Cakes Beverly Hills location.
.
Event designer Michael Willms has created a White Wedding in our window, complete with individual sized wedding cakes at each place setting. Talk about elegant!
.
Here you can see the reflection from an outside shot. You can get a sense of the neighborhood from the charming brick buildings mirrored in the glass.
A White Wedding Window...

Now from the inside looking out, a clearer view.




A White Wedding Window...


Just wait 'til the gorgeous wall decor goes up, featuring our fabulous cakes, of course!A White Wedding Window...

A White Wedding Window...


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Title: Funny Father / Daughter Dance "A Wonderful White Wedding"

This started off to be a traditional Father / Daughter Dance but it took a White Wedding spin! The crowd LOVED it! Shot and Edit by Amos Productions in Livermore, CA. www.amospro.com

Title: Doro Pesch - White Wedding

Music Video



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Crock Pot Week - Lasagna

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Today's recipe is very easy and delicious. I prefer to use my larger oval shaped crock pot for this recipe as there is less cutting or breaking of the noodles necessary.  You don't even need to purchase special noodles (those no-boil kind) I have made this recipe for years and always have used standard lasagna noodles.  This is a great recipe for large gatherings.


Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1 large jar spaghetti sauce (such as Ragu in the 1 lb. 10 ounce jar)
1/4 cup water
1 package (8 ounces) lasagna noodles
16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb. ricotta cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan/Romano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Brown the beef, onion, and garlic in a little oil in a frying pan. Drain off any grease.

Add the spaghetti sauce and water into the browned meat mixture. Mix well (note: you want the sauce to be a bit thin as the noodles will soak up the water during the cooking process).

In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, milk, and egg. Beat until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Then mix in the mozzarella cheese and the grated cheese, so that all the cheeses are combined.

Spray the sides of the crock pot lightly with Pam© or similar cooking spray.

Put about 1/4 of the meat and sauce mixture in the bottom of the Crock Pot. Place a layer of noodles on top of that (break or cut them if needed). Put about 1/3 of the cheese mixture on top of that. Then repeat with sauce, noodles, cheese for another 2 layers. Top with meat sauce. Cook on low for 6 hours or until noodles are tender.

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Title: Climate Denial Crock of the Week - "The Medieval Warming Crock"

The so called Medieval Warming Period is an article of faith among deniers.
But what does the "Supreme Court of Science" say?
(this is just like the previous "Medieval vid" but corrected for spelling)

Title: Climate Denial Crock of the Week: "The Earth is Carbon Starved."

Help Support Crock of the Week:
http://www.climatecrocks.com

The history of the earth is immense, and diverse - and its easy to get confused and mangle history, -- to mix things that never belonged together in the real world.

What was natural in the distant past might not be a good fit alongside man's creations.
Human beings and the climate of the ancient world, could find themselves on a collision course.

Richard Alley, Bjerknes Lecture, American Geophysical Union,
December 2009
http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm09/lectures/lecture_videos/A23A.shtml

Paleocene/Eocene Thermal Maximum sediments
http://www.ecord.org/pi/core-replicas.html
http://www.gns.cri.nz/research/gct/obj3.html

Hydrogen sulfide blooms off Namibia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=44340&src=eorss-iotd
http://io9.com/5566772/the-hydrogen-sulfide-plumes-of-namibias-diamond-coast

snowball earth - dropstones and carbon cap
http://www.earlham.edu/~reedal/snowball.htm

"The Day Earth Died" BBC
part 1
http://www.veoh.com/collection/LostCivilizations/watch/v1140140YtSAYJ9H#watch%3Dv1140513bdt2cbfw
part 2
http://www.veoh.com/collection/LostCivilizations/watch/v1140140YtSAYJ9H#watch%3Dv1140581fnq4nbgt

A major drop in seawater 87Sr/86Sr during the Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian): Links to volcanism and climate?
http://www.geology.ohio-state.edu/~saltzman/young_et_al_2009.pdf

Tripati et al, Miocene sea levels and CO2
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/last-time-carbon-dioxide-levels-111074.aspx
http://www.seas.harvard.edu/climate/seminars/pdfs/tripati.etal.sci.2009.pdf

University of York, Greenhouse/Extinction connection
http://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2007/mass-extinction/

US Geological Survey, Volcanic gases
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hazards/gas/climate.php

Earth: A Biography
http://www.bbcearth.com/earth-explorer/earth-the-biography/
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/earth-the-biography
http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/Earth-The-Biography/70099811?strackid=143848c093609109_0_srl&strkid=1629905190_0_0&trkid=438381



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[Cookie 027] Rosemary Butter Cookies

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Rosemary Butter Cookies

I like to think that summer in sunny California is pretty swell. It doesn't get humid, it doesn't rain, and it's perfect beach weather all the time. However, by the time mid-July rolls around, something happens to the weather that can make everything come to a halt. That pleasantly dry summer heat seems more like a burning, oppressive blanket eager to suck every ounce of sweat and productivity out of any individual stupid enough to step foot outside.

Rosemary

So I lock myself in the house for the majority of the day during this time of the year. I crank up the air-con, close all the curtains, and try not to move. Year after year this method of hibernation works out pretty well, and I end up watching a handful of movies that I would never have gotten around to viewing at any other time of the year. This year, however, with this whole epic cookie project underway, baking seems completely and utterly unfeasible, despite my intense desires to press on onto new recipes. The mere thought of heating up my kitchen one degree hotter than it already is makes me begin to perspire already.

But I had to. I had to bake--no choice! It was my friend's birthday party last night and I promised to bring these Rosemary Butter Cookies to the party! What could I do? Baking them outside on the concrete was a possibility, but altogether too unsanitary (hello spiders!). I thought long and hard and decided to assemble the dough late at night and try to bake the cookies early in the morning. It was the best I could do.

Rosemary Butter Cookies 5

Now, on to the recipe itself. Everything is very standard for a slice-n-cut butter cookie: meaning, 2 sticks of butter, some sugar, flour, vanilla, you know the drill. Then you add a whole tablespoon of fresh rosemary for the flavor. I strongly advise you to use fresh rosemary, because it's far, far better and you can't simply substitute the dried stuff. Dried rosemary is much more potent and powerful, so if you insist on using it, only use 3/4 teaspoon!! Not a whole tablespoon. It should still taste the same, but still, I'd go with the real stuff--but maybe that's just because we have a rosemary bush in my backyard that the size of an elephant.

I did run into a minor issue, mind you. Martha has you add 2 1/2 cups sifted flour, meaning you sift the flour and then measure the correct amount. Sift, then measure, remember! I sifted it a few too many times though, and therefore didn't add enough flour and the dough was way too wet, so I continued to add a little bit of sifted flour here and there until the dough was workable (it baked up fine in the end). Then you divide the dough into 2, roll into logs, freeze.

Rosemary Butter Cookies 6

The next morning, I only had to brush the logs with egg whites and roll them in the fine sanding sugar before slicing and baking them. I, for some reason, chose to use baker's sugar instead of sanding sugar--BIG MISTAKE! Well, nothing epic, but baker's sugar is too fine and melts when you bake it. Thus, the sugar on the edges wasn't adhered to the cookie very well, and would fall off very easily when handled. Oh well, tasted great anyways! A very delicious cookie no doubt, and my friends loved it. A "garden cookie" as they put it; one that would be perfect for tea parties on the terrace, if that's your style.
This:
Cheese and Utensils
Plus this:
Fresh Summer Drink
Plus this:
Rosemary Butter Cookies 3
= Perfect summer evening

Now, if you are up for heating up your kitchen, or you live in the southern hemisphere, bake these! They are so fun and unusual and fancy! Crunchy and subtle! Pretty and dainty! Not too sweet, not too bland! Go! Do it! To stay cool, you could always stay in the freezer with the cookie logs for an hour or so...

Rosemary Butter Cookies 1

Rosemary Butter Cookies
Makes about 5 dozen

Ingredients
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg white, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 cup fine sanding sugar
Directions
  1. Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in whole egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, rosemary, and salt, and mix until combined.
  2. Halve dough; shape each half into a log. Place each log on a 12-by-16-inch sheet of parchment. Roll in parchment to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log. Transfer to paper-towel tubes to hold shape, and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 375. Brush each log with egg white; roll in sanding sugar. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Bake until edges are golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.
****
{End Results}
Baking Difficultly: 3/5
Ingredient Accessibility: 3/5 (Just the fresh rosemary)
Tastiness: 4/5
Attractiveness: 4/5 (Woulda been prettier if I used the right sanding sugar...)
Is it worth it?: Yeah!

{Pairings}
Drink: Earl Grey Tea, over ice and/or a Mint Julep
Song: Scarborough Fair -- Simon and Garfunkel
Activity: Garden cocktail party


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Title: cookie gone wild part 3

Title: VLOG #027 Jello, Tea and COOKIES

Today was such a bizarre today. I don't even know where to begin. hmm well I guess you will just have to watch. and learn. I'm so weird and so totally rambling here.



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Totally Brilliant!

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The nice people of Total Greek Yogurt have sent me a lovely consignment of their delicious thick greek yogurt to play with. As I've been away for a few days, I haven't had a lot of time to make anything, but her is a quick little dessert I made on Saturday.



Instant Apple 'Cheesecake' 

Melt about 100g of butter in a pan.  Put half a dozen digestive biscuits (graham crackers) in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.  

Add the crumbs to the butter and mix well.

I made my little cheesecakes in ramekins but you could make a larger one in a small flan dish.

Divide the butter and crumb mixture between the ramekins and press down.
Add the Greek Yogurt and top with some fruit compote.  I stewed some apples with sugar,  raisins and cinnamon, once cool it made a lovely topping for the dessert.  The combination worked well, it was not too sweet and the different textures worked well together.


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Title: Super Model Goes and Falls down
this one is so damn funny.... xD
LoLzzz....
Title: Ode to Joy - Beethoven - the lost 6 1/2 minutes
The Ode to Joy is quite long so [apart from snippets from the Choral part itself] it seems that the first
casualty is the 6 1/2 minute "introduction to the Singers" in the 4th movement. It seems, as a consequence,
that this introduction gets discarded as "unimportant". For example the version at the Nagano Olympics
being sung at 5 places around the world at the same time did not include this introduction.

Well here is my slant on this. To me, this introduction has great meaning [as explained below] and is vital
to the whole structure of the 9th.

In saying this, I am unaware of any composer who has done this "reversion" to earlier movements [and as
such perhaps to earlier symphonies]. In this introduction Beethoven performs multiple "interlaces" between
the first three movements of the 9th and the emerging [sometimes furtive, sometimes forte] Ode to Joy.

And in my humble opinion this is totally brilliant, but it seems to have escaped everyone's radar. We know
Beethoven decided after Symphony #2 that he was not pleased with his "career path", and after writing a
more powerful #3 and about to name it after Napoleon, he then screwed the Title Page up in disgust when
Napoleon became "just another dictator".

He then delved in death [it is said] with #5, nature in #6 etc but it seems to be agreed that the 9th was to be
the culmination of his works, and to some extent "putting down" his other Symphonies in favour of a
childlike [see Bernstein interview] reversion to "all things bright and beautiful", both in nature AND
mankind, even if mankind had not been kind to Beethoven.

To me the first three movements of the 9th are sort of "look alikes" to the other Symphonies, as if to say
"this is the path I have been travelling, but in lots of ways it was all just red herrings to distract me, and now
I am back on mission".

But in the 4th movement [please see my video] he starts with exactly the same "Fanfare" which he repeats 6
1/2 minutes later, at the start of the Choral section [which is where most videos of the 9th start]. However
to me there is great importance in this "prelude" 6 1/2 minutes.

In the first 2 minutes all of the earlier movements seem to try to put him off his Ode to Joy ideas, but
"fragments" of Ode to Joy keep driving the demons back. Then he fully tests the water with first continuous
Ode to Joy but almost inaudible. At 5 minutes he seems to say the coast is clear and the orchestra goes full
throttle, a sort of GO sign for the singers to do the same, once the fanfare fires the starting gun as it were.

And here's the catch. I first heard the 9th in 1974, after being a fan of 5th 6th and 7th, and at first I was not
impressed. But it grew on me every time I played it, albeit I never detected what I report hereabove. But in
March 1977, two great "Joys to My World" coincided with the birth of my first child and the Royal Albert
Hall concert series over that full week to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Beethoven's death, and I
was dead lucky on 13th March to arrive at the Albert Hall, after a joyous day at the hospital at Euston, just
in time for the 9th [after missing the 8th, before interval], managing to "snag" a prime seat by just milling
around the crowd at interval [tickets had been sold out weeks before].

Anyway, it was as if I was listening to the 9th for the first time. I am not sure if the conductor emphasised
this aspect or it was my heightened euphoria of getting both a son and Beethoven in the one day, but this
aspect was clear as a bell to me [as if struck by a diamond bullet, to use Col Kurtz terminology].

So from that time forth I have always valued the "lost 6 1/2 minutes" as an integral part of the Symphony,
and in fact the glue that ties the latter to the former. And I should also mention [please see my video with
the words of Ode to Joy] that while Ode to Joy was written by Schiller, Beethoven provides the first 4 lines
as if to verify the casting out of the old demons and getting back to a simplistic view of what is really
important, per:

Oh friends, not these tunes!
Rather let us sing more
cheerful and more joyful ones.
Joy! Joy!

I don't think there can much doubt as to what Beethoven had in mind.
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[Cookie 065] Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies (And PARTY TIME!)

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It's time to celebrate! Unleash the balloons! Start the party! Get the piano out, round up all my horse, pig, mouse, and other bizarre unnatural animal friends and get this party going. If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch that video--it's worth it, the best part's at the end.

Aaaaanyways....Hurrah! One year DONE! I've been on this project for a year now, and I'm still goin strong. I feel like now is a good time to reflect, and while most recipes from The Book are pretty simple and delicious, occasionally a recipe might go something like this:


Okay truth be told, that was just an excuse for me to post that video, which just cracks me up every time. Look, the point is, some recipes suck, most don't, and I like baking. Hurray for this blog's first birthday--now let's move on.

DSC_0015

Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies! Yeah, so I didn't go off and make something spectacularly exciting to celebrate the monumentous event. Big deal. These cookies were just fine, so I'm happy. They weren't anything shockingly amazing, but they tasted nice and could be easily modified in a bunch of different ways. Don't like hazelnuts? Try walnuts, or pecans, or maybe even pine nuts. And you can choose whatever filling you want: jams, preserves, even Nutella could work (when could Nutella not work, is the real question). You could even fill the centers with home made whipped cream and top the cookies with macerated bits of strawberries if you're really feeling ambitious. Or you could make your own preserves--fig, perhaps?

DSC_0375

DSC_0365

I only had one main bug with these guys, besides the fact that my food processor totally didn't evenly chop up my hazelnuts. The dough breaks easily, so you have to make the thumbprints very gingerly. I used the back of a wooden spoon to make the indentations both times and that worked well. I filled the thumbprints with a currant jam which was really tasty!

DSC_0384

All in all, these taste just like you expect them to. No hidden surprises, and though that can be a good thing, I thought it made these a little on the boring side. I think it's because the actually cookie part just wasn't very interestingly flavored. Maybe you could use the flavorings from the Sweet Cardamom Crackers instead--that was such a great flavored dough, and would taste amazing with the hazelnuts! I can't believe I just thought of that now. That's a million dollar idea there, that is.

DSC_0020

So yeah, a little bit anticlimactic for a milestone like this one, but who cares! I've got some more recipes coming up that are...interesting. And delicious. And I'll try to post them sooner rather than later! Au revoir, mes amis, and I'll leave you with this last entirely unrelated, yet hilarious, video (ignore the weird gibberish part in the beginning):



DSC_0007

Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 large egg, separated, each part lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 cup toasted skinned hazelnuts, ground
  • Strawberry jam, for filling

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put butter and 1/2 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and mix well. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and salt, and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.
  2. Stir together toasted hazelnuts and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; dip balls in egg white, then in hazelnut-sugar mixture. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press down center of each ball with your thumb. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven; press down centers again with the end of a wooden spoon. Return to oven. Bake cookies until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Let cool slightly on sheets on wire racks. Fill each center with jam. Cookies can be stored in a single layer in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

****

{End Results}
Baking Difficultly: 3/5
Ingredient Accessibility: 3/5
Tastiness: 3.5/5
Attractiveness: 4/5
Is it worth it?: If these sound tasty to you, bake them. If you're not a hazelnut fan, don't bother.

{Pairings}
Drink: Almond Milk might be nice, yes?
Song: I Can't Give You Anything But Love -- Cliff Edwards
Activity: Rent Duck Soup or A Night at the Opera! Embrace the old! Paint on a Groucho Marx mustache!



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