8 Aug 2014

Corn Bread

Hi!

Last weekend I made a typical bread of my country: Corn Bread.

Ingredients:

350 g wheat flour 
150 g corn flour 
125 ml warm milk 
1 package dry yeast 
2 teaspoons salt 
175 ml warm water 
2 tablespoons olive oil 

Add all dry ingredients in a container and mix well. Make a hole in the middle and add the milk, the olive oil, and the water. Knead well by hand until a smooth dough. Form into a ball and leave in the container, covered with a cloth in a place away from drafts, for about 1 hour. At this time, the dough should have doubled its size. 

After one hour, knead again, making a ball and put into a tray sprinkled with flour or use baking paper. Cover with a cloth and let rise for 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 220° C. Make a cross in the dough with a knife, and bake for about 45 minutes. 

It looks good!



I must say it is delicious!



You can watch the video.



I hope you liked it.

Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC

4 Aug 2014

Summer salad

Hi!

Last night for dinner I made an easy, quick and tasty Salad! Just the way I like!

I put it in layers:

carrots 
peas 
hard-boiled eggs 
sliced ​​mushrooms 
Tuna (canned) 
cherry tomatoes 
green olives




My husband used vinaigrette and for a change I used a bit of mayonnaise. Really tasty!



I hope you like it.

Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC


28 Jul 2014

Gilt head sea bream with fava beans and couscous salad

Hi!

Here is another recipe. This time with grilled fish and a tasty salad.

To prepare the fish

Ingredients:

Gilt head sea bream
1 lemon (juice and sliced) 
salt 
thyme 
olive oil

Rub this mixture on the outside and inside the fish. Leave the thyme sprigs and lemon slices inside. Leave in the refrigerator for an hour.

For the salad

Ingredients (for 2 persons):

200 g fava beans
couscous
2 cloves of garlic
cherry tomatoes
thyme
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt

Put the couscous in a bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir well. Add boiling water up to the height of the couscous. Cover and let stand until the water is completely absorbed. Then stir with a fork.

In a frying pan, pour the remaining olive oil and two cloves of crushed garlic. Add the thyme and, when the oil is hot, add the fava beans. Add salt and cook over a low heat. Stir from time to time.



When beans are tender, add to the couscous and mix well. 

Place in a deep container and decorate with cherry tomatoes.



While I prepared the salad, my husband was grilling golden. 

And the end result is here:



Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC


27 Jul 2014

Penne with Meat and Red Peppers

Hi!

It's been a long time since my last recipe. In the last few weeks I didn't have time, but today I managed to update my blog.

Yesterday my son was invited to a birthday party of a friend. Saturday at 1 pm. And it was not for lunch, so I had to prepare lunch very early. As usual, it must be fast, easy and tasty.

Penne with meat and red peppers. Delicious!



Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

400 g beef diced
1 big onion
1 big red pepper
150 ml red wine
150 ml broth or water
Chili powder
salt
1 handful of basil leaves
200 g peeled tomatoes crushed
penne pasta

In a large frying pan, heat a little olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the meat. When crispy, remove to another container.
In the meat sauce left, pour the chopped onion. Then, add the peppers and cook for 5 minutes over low heat.
Add the wine, broth (or water), chili powder, chopped basil, salt and crushed tomatoes. Stir and cook.

Add the meat to the sauce and cook  for a couple of minutes.

Separately, cook the pasta in water and salt. When ready, drain and add a little olive oil. Stir.

Serve and garnish with basil leaves.

Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC



13 Jul 2014

Fladen Bread or Flatbread

Hi!

Today I have another bread recipe: Fladen Bread, or Flatbread.

In Germany there are people of all races and colors and, therefore, several types of bread everywhere. One of the most wanted is the Flatbread.

Because I know the preparation is hard to explain, here's a video with the whole process.



Ingredients:

350 g all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
100g margarine
200 ml water

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix/beat.
Transfer the dough to a floured flat surface and knead well. Form a roll and cut it in 2 cm wide slices. Form a ball with each of these slices. Extend each ball very well. Roll like a straw and then take the two ends and stretch/wrap until long. Roll each end into a "snail", one for each side. Join the 2 "snails" and put in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
After then2 hours, extend each snail as thin as possible.
Put a little of olive oil into a large frying pan and when hot, place the dough. When golden brown, brush the top of the dough with olive oil and then turn to toast the other side.

We like to eat with a little olive oil, salt and oregano.



Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC


11 Jul 2014

Spinach Croquettes

Hi!

For some time I had been thinking about making vegetable croquettes. One of these days I decided to put my hands on it, and made spinach croquettes.

They are so good! I made a small amount, because I didn't know if they were worth it.... Of the 11 croquettes, there were no leftovers. A great snack. I think it is a great choice for kids. Except for my kid, he didn't even smell them! But my kid is a special case.

I added the ingredients and measured the quantities at the same time. For this reason, it took a bit to get them done, but next time, I already know how to do it!

Ingredients:

150 g spinach
100 g wheat flour
½ onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons grated cheese (I used Emmental cheese)
1 whole egg
a pinch of salt

Cook spinach in water without salt. Once ready, the drain the water very well (squeezing the spinach).
Put it in a bowl and add the other ingredients. I kneaded it all by hand (with a spoon is not very easy).



I used 2 tablespoons to form the croquettes and then I fried them in olive oil.



Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC


10 Jul 2014

Waffles

Hi!

Typically german, these are the best Waffles we ever ate! It was my son who asked for the recipe to one of the ladies who works in the cafeteria of the hospital where I work.... We got lucky, she passed the recipe. Maybe because it was a very cute little boy to make the request. My son loves these Waffles!

Here's the recipe:

200 g butter
175 g sugar
6 whole eggs
350 g flour
350 ml milk
3 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
Option: a bit of rum (I do not use because of my son and because I do not like it)

Start to add the sugar to the butter and beat well. Add half the flour (with the baking powder) and mix well. Add the rest of the flour and beat. Then add all the other ingredients, with no defined order. Mix all well and it's done.



What do you think?



You can also watch the video.



Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC



7 Jul 2014

Grilled Octopus on the Barbecue

Hi!

Last Saturday I grilled an octopus on the barbecue.

It looks good, doesn't it?

I cooked the octopus in a little water and no salt. It takes about 1 hour until the octopus is cooked and tender.
Then, I drain the water and put the octopus on the grill. Be careful not to burn the finer tips of tentacles.

Separately, I cooked some potatoes (I prefer unpeeled potatoes, but the potatoes here are not always pretty ...). Once ready, I wrapped them in aluminum foil and put them on the grill too.

I made a hot sauce with olive oil, chopped garlic and parsley.



It looks good, doesn't it?

You can also see this on youtube.



Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC


6 Jul 2014

Olive Bread

Hi!

Here at home we all enjoy olive bread. In Germany, in every bakery there is a huge variety of bread, but just with olives, it is a bit difficult to find. Many bakeries mixed peppers or tomatoes (also very tasteful), but if so, my son does not eat it! It's the very old story: he only eats what he knows and likes, and the rest does not even try. In other words, there are delicious things that, apparently, he will never eat. By not trying, he does not know. By not knowing, he does not eat! Anyway, I thought that this would change with age, but so far... everything remains the same.

The last time I bought olive bread, I was a bit disappointed. It was so bad that I decided to bake my own olive bread. I had never done it before but the result was spectacular. In my opinion it is the best olive bread I ever ate. The only drawback is the time of yeast. We have to wait at least 2 hours ... until dough double the size. 

Well, let's get into it: 

500 g all-purpose flour, 
1 packet instant dried yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon of sugar or honey 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
300 ml warm water 
120 g olives (I put half black and half green) 

Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. 
Add the olive oil, salt and sugar (or honey). Mix well. 
Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to the mixture. Mix and knead to a smooth dough. 
Add the olives. Knead again until combined.

Place in a baking tray (dusted with flour). Cover with a cloth and let rise until dough double its size (ca. 2 hours).


Pre-heat oven to 200 ° C, and bake the bread for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown.




With cheese, pate or chorizo ... it's an addiction!

Enjoy!


Until next time!
CC


29 Jun 2014

Fried Banana

Hi!

When bananas start to get too ripe, they do not taste very well. What to do with them? Fry them!

Fried banana with sugar and cinnamon.

It has a lot of calories, but from time to time ... it's delicious!

We just need:

Butter (for frying)
1ripe banana
Sugar and cinnamon

Peel the banana and cut in half lengthwise.
Put the butter in a frying pan and when it is melted, place carefully, the two halves of the banana. Allow to fry until golden brown. Very carefully, turn the banana and let it gold brown on the other side. When ready, place on a plate and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.



Yummy!

I hope you like it. We loved it!


Until next time!
CC

Delicious Crepes

Hi!

Rain. A weekend with rain is not very nice. So we have to do everything to make the day enjoyable.

In those days I make often Crepes, just because my son loves Crepes. And to please him...is not easy. They are a delight. And best of all, they are super easy to make.

250 g all-purpose flour
500 ml milk
salt
4 whole eggs
50 g butter
2 tablespoons stevia (or sugar)

Whisk until well combined. Then spray a frying pan with oil and heat over medium heat. Pour 3 tablespoons butter into the pan, swirling to cover the base. Just cook until they are light gold. Turn over and cook again until light gold. 


We usually sprinkle with powdered sugar, but you can use jam, chocolate, honey...whatever you like.



Enjoy!

Until next time!
CC

26 Jun 2014

Easy Roast Chicken

Hi!

I love Saturdays! And if the sun shines, even better.

The city of Göttingen on a sunny day is very beautiful. Everybody goes out, which does not always happen (the Germans are a bit weird in that field), and the terraces are crowded. Yes, and no umbrellas! I do not know how they manage, but sitting hours in the sun.... 

But first we have lunch at home. I tend to do it as quickly as I can. This time: roasted chicken with thyme. When my husband says: "It was the tastiest chicken I ever ate", and my son says "pretty good" is because it has to be good! It is a meal for those who have too much to do and not want to spend much time in the kitchen. It takes 5 minutes to prepare and while the chicken rests (ca. 1 hour) you can do anything else. Then put the chicken on a tray and put it in the oven. The waiting time until the chicken is ready can be used to do other things.

100 ml olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
thyme
4 crushed garlics.

Put everything on a tray and let it rest for about 1 hour. Bake it in the oven at 220 °C for 40 minutes.

Look at this! Isn't it beautiful!


I have served the chicken with a salad with tomato and mozzarella with olive oil, salt, balsamic vinegar and chopped basil leaves. A delight!


Until next time!
CC


25 Jun 2014

Spanish Omelette

Hi!

I love Tortilla (Spanish omelette)! 

My sister-in-law makes the best Tortilla I have ever eaten! But takes time to make it, and time is something I don't have a lot. So I present you here a quick and easy Tortilla recipe.

This is my very first recipe on my other blog. It's a portuguese channel but you can take a look anyway. Maybe you can learn portuguese with me.

For this recipe I use a special pot for microwave, the Lékué Spanish Omelette. It is easier and faster. But one day I will show you my sister-in-law's Tortilla. I promise!

300 g potatoes

100 g onion
3 teaspoons milk
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons water
3 whole eggs
sal (as much as you like)

Chop the onion and put it in the Lékué Pan together with the water, a little bit of salt and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Cook for 4 minutes in the microwave (750 W). Then chop the potatoes and put them in the pan. Add the rest of the olive oil and a bit of salt. Cook for 5 minutes in the microwave (750 W). Meanwhile beat the eggs with the milk and a bit of salt. Pour the eggs in to the pan and cook it for 4 minutes in the microwave (750 W). Then flip over the pan and cook for 1more minute in the microwave (750 W).




Watch the video and then enjoy your Tortilla!


Did you like it? I hope so.


Until next time!
CC