Oat Bran & Berries Squares

The good thing about this blog is that it motivates me to cook more, to try new recipes, and to empty my food pantry. For example here, I was happy to use a bigger amount of oat bran than I usually do (like a few pinches in yogurts or soups). The result is surprisingly good. At least for my taste. I'm not sure that Alberto would like these bites as much as I do. Too healthy for him, I guess.

Asparagus-Potatoes Quinoa Bowl

I discovered the existence of the quinoa during my honeymoon in Peru, 12 years ago (oh my!)... I don't cook quinoa that often because my kids still don't like it, despite all my hard work to make them like it. So from time to time, I eat it for lunch when they are at school. Today I've done this recipe from the blog 101cookbook. It's not really a recipe. It's more about an interesting ingredients' combination. I've skipped the toasted nuts, used the red quinoa (instead of the regular one), and tossed everything together in the pan at the end with a splash of lemon. Good for the body... Good for the mind... 

Full Moon Feast

I really enjoyed reading Full Moon Feast. Food ad the Hunger for Connection, by Jessica Prentice. It tells the origin/evolution of food and food processing/cooking/eating/storing. I found it very useful to look at the food from a different standpoint. This book makes me feel good and pushes me even more towards buying local&seasonal and cooking "from scratch" as much as possible. It also reconciles me with eating some kind of good fat (whole milk for example), which I strongly attempted to avoid in the past. It is funny to think that I have discovered the pleasure of healthy and savory food here in the United States!

Cranberry-Pecan Scones

Another american classic that we crave for. So addicting! 

Rice Balls Bento Box

With yesterday leftovers...

Chicken-Tofu Rice

Three years ago my little daughter gave me a cookbook for my birthday: "Japanese Meals on the Go. Bento Boxes.", by Naomi Kijima. I did only one recipe so far, but I did it several times. The girls love it. And so do we. 

Coconut Lemon Macaroons

When I read this post (recipe in English and in French) published a few days ago by La Tartine Gourmande, 2 egg whites were waiting for me in the fridge... These coconut macaroons are quick&easy to make and they are delicious. I've made 1/2 of the recipe (just to make sure not ending up with 2 egg yolks, forcing me to bake so more desserts...). NB: Next time, I'll put more coconut or add some flour because the dough was a bit too runny.

Carrot Soup & Orange Creme Fraiche

I couldn't resist to post this photo. I love the shape of the creme fraiche's splash that reminds the flowers on the bowl...The recipe is a traditional carrot soup without anything special, except maybe for the orange creme fraiche on the top* (whisk 1/4 cup creme fraiche + 1/4 ts orange zest + 1 tb fresh orange juice). 

* from the Everyday Greens Cookbook, p. 98

Meyer Lemon - 4. Tart

I've tried several recipes since I'm here in the US. But for me, the best one so far, is the one that I used to do in Belgium: "The" tarte au citron meringuee from the web site Marmiton. I like it without the meringue though. Since I use the Meyer lemons that are sweeter than the regular lemons, I put less sugar in the curd (110 gr instead of 150 gr). Another reason to bake and eat this Meyer lemon tart without feeling (too) guilty!

Meyer Lemon - 3. Marmalade (part II)

I've managed to save my too-liquid-Meyer-lemon-marmalade. I put again everything in a big pan, added 1 ts of powdered agar-agar and then brought to a boil for 3'. And it worked! My "new" marmalade (photo on the left) is less jelly-like and more dense than the first one (photo on the right). But it tastes as good and, at least, it's spreadable! The idea of using the agar-agar powder comes from Clea's blog. In summertime, I made several times her strawberry jam. Very good.

Focaccia and Pizza Focaccia

An Italian classic. When you'll try it, you won't buy any pizza anymore.

Matcha Creme Brulee (in French)

Vu le grand interet porte' a' la Matcha Creme Brulee, voici la recette en francais.

Meyer Lemon - 3. Marmalade

I've never made Meyer lemon marmalade before. I've chosen this recipe without worrying too much. I should have worried a little more! My marmalade ended up being too liquid. Maybe because I've tried to use less sugar... The spoonful that you see on the picture above is basically the only good looking one I've gotten from the whole batch! So much work for nothing! Next time, I'll try that recipe instead. It is almost the same process but there are more pictures and explanations. Perfect for a beginner like me!

Chickpea Noodle Soup

I soaked some chickpeas overnight, not knowing exactly what I would do with them. I also happened to have some pasta leftovers. So I've made a chickpea noodle soup freely inspired by this recipe from the 101 cookbook blog. In mine: more broth, whole wheat linguine (not fried) instead of tagliatelle, and some parsly added. Exactly the kind of soup I love.

Meyer Lemon - 2. Lemonade

Matcha Creme Brulee

Saturday night we went to a Japanese restaurant. There were no sushi, but a great choice of yakitori and donburi. Really yummy. At Japanese restaurants we usually don't order any desserts. But on the menu there was an inspiring green tea brulee... We couldn't resist. Unfortunately we didn't have the chance to taste it. They had run out of it. So I had no choice other than to make it by myself! 

After a disappointing first try with a Japanese recipe - approximately translated in English! -, I decided to trust once again my favorite blog Il cavoletto di Bruxelles. It was a wise decision. The recipe was way better. It's in Italian though. If you need help, just ask me.

Meyer Lemon - 1. Dressing

There are plenty of Meyer lemons in my backyard. Here are some recipes that I've tried to get the most out of them.Today: the dressing.

Homemade Ferrero Rochers

Some more Ferrero inspired stuff. The recipe comes from the book  Mon Cours de Cuisine: Les Basiques Chocolat, p. 61. But you can find a similar one here, by Christophe Felder.

Nutella: Take II

I didn't give up. My second batch of homemade nutella is getting closer to the original than the first try. According to Alberto it is not quite there yet, but this does not stop him  from taking a spoonful whenever he passes by... The girls love it. They especially love the "crunchy-nutty" part of it. And me? I'm usually not a big Nutella  fan, but I prefer my version with only natural ingredients to the industrially processed original. You can find the recipe here (from the blog: Italy in San Francisco).

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

I especially love the streusel topping of these blueberry muffins. The recipe comes from the blog Cakes in the City.

Linguine with Pan-fried Corona Beans and Kale

Yesterday night for dinner we had  pan-fried corona beans and kale  (from: http://www.101cookbooks.com) and mashed potatoes. The beans were too dry... But it was my fault: I overcooked them and put only one tbs of olive oil instead of two. For lunch today I've had some linguine with the beans/kale leftovers. But this time I've learned from my mistake. I put together the linguine and the beans in a pan with additional olive oil and some cooking water. And it was delicious. 

Butternut Squash/Kale Risotto Griddle Cakes

Everyday Greens Cookbook, p. 179. Mix the roasted butternut squash/kale risotto leftovers (2cups) + egg yolks (2) + flour (3tbs) + thyme (1ts) + grated fontina cheese (1/2cup) + grated parmesan cheese (2tbs). Beat the egg whites (2) with a pinch of salt until soft peaks are formed. Then gently fold the whites into the mixture and taste for salt and pepper. Heat a well-oiled skillet or griddle over medium heat, and spoon the batter on (1/4cup per cake). Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until the cakes are golden and puffed. Make about 12 cakes.

Roasted Spring Onions

The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook, p.42. In a preheated oven at 350 F for about 30-35' with 1 tbs oil + 1/2 cup chicken broth + salt/pepper. 

Apple Sauce

Initially I made this apple sauce to fill in the "tarte aux pommes". It is really good also by itself. Just in case   you need a recipe, try this one. The apples are cooked with sugar, apple cider, and a cinnamon stick.

Tarte aux pommes

The "tarte aux pommes" is quite different from the american "apple pie". I love both. Today I really wanted the one that seems more traditional - to me!-. Recipe in French + in English.

Yam/Sweet Potato Pie

In my C.S.A. ("community supported agriculture") box from next week, there were - among other veggies - 2 sweet potatoes and 2 yams. I wasn't quite sure what to do with them. So when I read the recipe of this yam and sweet potato pie in The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook (p. 146), I immediately wanted to try. It is very simple : 1 layer of sweet potatoes soaked in a mixture of egg yolks/heavy cream + some shredded cheddar + 1 layer of yams soaked in the same mixture; in an oven safe dish, covered with aluminum foil; bake at 350 F for about 1 hour; remove the aluminum foil and continue to bake for about 15'. Let stand at least 15' before eating. 

Warm Frothed Milk (with Saffron/Cardamom)

I love starting my day with a frothed warm milk with saffron and cardamom. Heat 1/4 cup of water + saffron (about 10 strands) + ground cardamom (about 1/8 ts) until the water begins to simmer. Simmer for a few minutes. Add the milk (1 cup) and heat the mixture until the milk is hot and frothy. I have an espresso machine so it's easy to do. It's even easier for me because my husband usually does it! If you like, put a little honey into the bottom of a glass, then stir in the milk, and garnish with slivered pistachio nuts (like in India) or a little cardamom. Recipe from Full Moon Feast: Food and the Hunger for Connection, by Jessica Prentice - p.90.

Banana Bread Pudding

No, it is not a banana bread. No, it is not a bread pudding. Yes, it is a banana bread pudding. A very good and easy recipe here. Tips: better the day after; warmed a little bit; with maple syrup. 

Roasted Butternut Squash/Kale Risotto

I know. I put butternut squash everywhere. But I love them. And the season is almost over. This risotto with roasted butternut squash and kale is really delicious. The recipe comes once again from the Everyday Greens Cookbook (p. 253 + p. 110 for the vegetable stock). I didn't find the recipe on the web and I do not have the courage to write it down. If you are interested, just let me know. I will do it for you. 

Chocolate Tartlet

I still had some leftovers of the marmalade tart's dough waiting in my fridge... So I made 2 mini chocolate tarts with candied orange zests on top. The filling is a ganache au chocolat from the book Mon cours de cuisine: Les basiques Chocolat (p.8). You can obtain it putting 15 cl of warm heavy cream over 150 gr of chocolate, wait about 2' and mix. Now the problem is that I have some ganache au chocolat's leftovers!!! I have to figure out what to do with it. It will never end...

Winter Vegetable Minestrone

I really felt like eating a good minestrone these days. And I've found a winter version of the traditional minestrone I usually do. This version is made of butternut squash, parsnips, and collard greens in addition to the usual carrots/celery/onions/tomatoes. The recipe comes from the book Full Moon Feast: Food and Hunger for Connection by Jessica Prentice. I will talk about this book later. You can also find the recipe on Jessica Prentice's web site here.

Banana Bread

An american classic again: the banana bread. A friend of mine - who is american - gave me the recipe about 2 years ago. I made it so many times since then. Always successful. The recipe is adapted from the magazine Bon Appetit. You can find it here. 

Leek/Ricotta Quiche

I'm pretty happy with  the dough of this quiche. Light and airy. Again the recipe is adapted from the Everyday Greens Cookbook (yeasted tart dough; p.150). You can also find it here. I made up the filling with the leftovers of the ricotta mixture from the vegetable lasagne + 2 leeks + 1 egg and it turned out very well. (Quantities for 1 7 inch quiche + 2 minis).

Roasted Winter Vegetable Lasagne

... or layers of pasta + homemade tomato sauce + roasted butternut squash/turnip/celery root + ricotta/parmesan/gruyere. From the Everyday Greens Cookbook (p.299). I precisely followed the recipe except for the quantity of ricotta mixture that I reduced by half. It took me the afternoon to make the lasagne but it was worth it. 

Bread + Eggs + Milk + Sugar = Bread Pudding

We've discovered the existence of the bread pudding only a few months ago. Alberto immediately felt in love with it. It is very similar to our pain perdu. But WAY better. The basic ingredients are the same: bread + eggs + milk + sugar. But the bread pudding is baked in the oven instead of fried in the pan. It is thicker. And it tastes  different every time you bake it depending on what you put inside (different kinds of bread, fruit, chocolate, caramel, alcohol, ...) The recipe I've tried today is a variation of the "traditional" bread pudding: a panettone bread pudding. Yummy. Since we love the bread pudding so much, I bet there will be some more posts about it. Be ready.

Honey Toasted Muesli

The girls were never happy with the granola I bought whatever kind it was. This time I made it by myself and they didn't complain. There are tons of recipes on the net. Just choose the one that best suits your taste. I chose this one (with rolled oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, sesame seeds, and honey).

Marmalade Tart

Here is the tart I was preparing yesterday. For those who know me, it is needless to say that I made this tart because it looks beautiful! I couldn't resist. And I needed to find some inspiring recipes to use all the oranges from the tree in my backyard. The pie ended up to be not only pretty but also delicious. 

This marmalade tart recipe comes from the Big Sur Bakery Cookbook (p.211). To make it easier for you, I've surfed on the internet and found the recipe here  (in English).

Easy Orange Marmalade

I needed some orange marmalade to put in a pie I was preparing and I did not have any. The solution to my problem was as simple as that (in English). Even easier and faster than going to my neighborhood grocery store to buy some...