Somewhere in the Middle

Cooking with the Sicilians.

Our 2nd cooking course was hosted by Ice Cream Grrrl (on the right). I love this girl! She always makes me laugh and she's a non-coffee drinker like me. Quite honestly, I've never met an Italian who didn't love a shot of espresso but Ice Cream Grrrl is in a league of her own. Instead of drinking coffee, she has a cup of ice cream every morning. lol! Love it! She says it helps her wake up... "so cold & refreshing". About a week ago, I dragged myself out of bed at 4am to do a flea market and guess who was at the market? Ice Cream Grrrl. And she was eating a bowl of ice cream at 5:30am despite the weather being in the 50's. Franchi, her other Sicilian girlfriend brought it for her. How sweet is that? When I see these Italian women together it reminds me of a big group of loving sisters. I once asked Ice Cream Grrrl how much Ice Cream she goes through... her answer, a few containers of ice cream per week! 

Not only can Ice Cream Grrrl polish off ice cream without gaining an ounce but she can cook too! For our cooking class she showed us how to make Polpotte di Melenzane and Franchi showed us how to make Croccante. The food was amazing!

While Ice Cream Grrrl was cooking, Sardegna Grrrl explained to me that eggplant is a very common ingredient in Sicilian dishes.  

To make Polpotte di Melenzane you need eggplant, parmesean cheese, bread crumbs, fresh parsley, and an egg or two. And of course some garlic from Italy.

When I asked about the measurements for the various ingredients I received some sketchy answers so I believe it depends on how much you're making. I suppose it's a bit like your grandmother's cooking. You eventually learn how much to put in based on taste & experience.

Once all the ingredients were mixed, everyone shaped the dough into little patties that were later fried. 

Don't these look amazing!

Franchi made the Croccante using sesame seeds, almonds, honey, and sugar. She toasted the sesame seeds and almonds until they were a deep rich brown color.

While the nuts cooled off, she carmelize the sugar. As she mixed the sugar in the pan, she poured the honey into the middle of the pan & gradually mixed the two ingredients together.

Once the sugar carmelized, she added the nuts. Working quickly she covered the nuts with the sugar mixture.

Then she poured the mixture between two sheets of wax paper and with a rolling pin flatten the mixture. This step requires some muscle as the mixture hardens quickly.

Once flattened to about 1/2 inch, Franchi cut the mixture into little rectangles.

For lunch, Ice Cream Grrrl served penne with tomato sauce and some melenzane she fried earlier.

The pasta was really delicious and yet it was a simple & healthy dish to make. Perfect combo in my book. I loved it so much I made it for dinner except I baked the eggplant. 

The conversation at lunch was lively and fun! Sex was the main topic which always makes for an interesting conversation! About 70% of the conversation was in Italian but I had a good idea what they were talking about. But the Turkish woman in our group was a bit lost. So when she asked what they were talking about Sardegna Grrrl said.... "we are talking about sex and how we have it". lol!

Thank you Ice Cream Grrrl for an amazing lunch!

An oldie but goodie.

This recipe is my go to recipe during the Fall season. It's super easy and despite my love/hate oven relationship this bread comes out perfect ever single time. I usually make two loaves... one without nuts for Lil' C and one with coarsely chopped walnuts. Bon appetit!

Pumpkin Bread

• 1 ½ c sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ c oil
• 1 c pumpkin puree
• 1/3 c water
• 1 ¾ c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp all spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Mix sugar with eggs. Gradually add oil until blended. Add pumpkin and water.  Combine flour with baking soda, salt, baking powder and spices.  Add to the pumpkin mixture. Mix well. Bake for 45 mins at 350 degrees. Makes 2 small loaves or 1 large loaf.

Crazy for Cornmeal.

I'm definitely in a baking mood. Yesterday, I made this delicious Blueberry Cornmeal cake. Love, love, love the texture cornmeal adds to cakes. A couple of years ago, I tasted an amazing cornmeal cake at a B&B in Tuscany and I've been trying to recreate that cake forever. But the minute I took a bite of this cake, I wasn't transported back to Italy... no, this cake took me back to those early years in New York when my grandmother & Mom would heat up an Entenmann's corn meal muffins. How I used to love those muffins!

Many of the reviews on Bon Appetit commented about it being too salty but I didn't find that to be the case. It was light, slightly sweet and extremely moist! Perfect combo. Would be a great dessert for those finicky Europeans that think all of our desserts are too sweet. lol! 

Blueberry Cornmeal Cake (courtesy of Bon Appetit)

Ingredients

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 3 cups fresh blueberries (I used frozen blueberries that I drained really well)

special equipment

• 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Whisk flour and next 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Whisk oil, eggs, vanilla, and honey in another medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter, 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl until creamy. With mixer running on medium speed, gradually add egg mixture; beat to blend. Beat in flour mixture just to blend. Add ricotta and yogurt; beat on low speed just to blend. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Scatter 1 1/2 cups blueberries over. Spoon remaining batter over in dollops, then spread to cover blueberries. Scatter remaining blueberries over. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over. I omitted this step and instead sprinkled powdered sugar on the cake once it cooled.
• Bake cake until top is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.

 

Forget French, I need to learn Italian!

Today was the best day ever. And it all started last week....

Sardegna Grrrl sent me an invitation to participate in a group called "Laboratorio di Cucina". Oh, now THAT sounds fun! I love cooking classes but when I looked at the list of members I realized I was the only non-Italian. Did Sardegna Grrrl make a mistake? Won't everyone be speaking Italian? I understand some Italian since some words are similar to Spanish but I really can't speak Italian. So I quickly sent Sardegna Grrrl an e-mail asking if she really wanted me in the group and I assured her I wouldn't be offended if she had made a mistake in sending me the invite. Her response, "I am sure. And I called you on the phone to tell you and left a message. We want you as the international side are you coming?" Unfortunately, I never received the message since the new IOS update to my iphone has completely caused havoc with my voice mail.

Being included in this group was just the thing I needed! Ever since I've come back from our summer vaca in the US, I've been a little down with the whole friends issue... It's a little lonely when your good friends move away... Especially with Backgammon Grrrl gone, things just aren't the same.

I wanted to express to Sardegna Grrrl how much I appreciated her welcoming me into this wondeful group so I gave her an adorable apron. I saw it on Anthropologie and loved it! So I bought a few not knowing who I would give them to. But I have to say this was the perfect opportunity. And since Sardegna Grrrl is super stylish we had to start the class out right by being fashionable in the kitchen!

I love this photo of Sardegna Grrrl. It is so her! Kneading dough and talking... she's a multitasker all right! She loves her iPhone as much as I do!

The cooking class was so much fun!! Imagine 10 Italian woman + one American and one Spanish woman gathered around a table learning to make Seadas.

Home-made dough and everything. It was fabulous!! And to think I used to pay for Italian cooking classes. lol! But this was much more authentic and a lot more fun.

We also received a lesson in fancy napkin folding.

I love how even though all the women in the group are Italian they're all from different regions so their food is very different.

I was the designated photographer so I got a lot of good shots. In addition to the delicious Seadas, Sardegna Grrrl also made Spaghetti with Bottarga (cured fish roe). I've never tasted Bottarga so it was a treat for me. And apparently it's a delicacy in many Medittaranean countries.

Sardegna Grrrl placed thin slices of Bottarga on top of a traditional Sardinian flat bread. She also had Bottarga powder which she poured on top of the spaghetti along with fresh garlic and olive oil. It was really delicious! I'm always amazed how every Italian who has ever cooked for me makes pasta perfect. How do they do that? It's never overcooked.

Sardegna Grrrl also served a fantastic Sardinian wine along with a special sparkling water that can only be found on the island. It was a real treat! By the time the food was served there were 12 of us at the table... eating, talking, laughing, and drinking. I couldn't have asked for a better day!

After lunch, Sardegna Grrrl fried up the Seadas which were absolutely delicious with a little honey drizzeled on top.

We also received three Seadas to take home and cook for our family.

The first Laboratoria di Cucina was amazing! With such talented, funny, and wonderful women as these it's impossible not to have fun. Here's to the next cooking lesson!

Pumpkin Treat

Last week I was browsing through various pumpkin recipes & I came across one for Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese. I immediately had a craving for bagels. And it just so happen S was in the US. So I quickly shot him an e-mail, "Ok, so here's a crazy question. Do you think you'd be able to bring home a few bagels from Einsteins?"  He never answered my question but when I picked him up at the train station he was holding a big bag of Einstein Bagels! He's definitely a keeper!

Immediately, I whipped up a batch of Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese. And we had it with the pumpkin walnut bagels. Yum!

Every day this week I've been treating myself to half a bagel in the morning. Tomorrow my English conversation group is meeting at my place and I'll be sharing my bagels. Sure, they're not New York bagels but they're still really good. And with pumpkin spice cream cheese you really can't go wrong. It'll be interesting what the international ladies will think. When I was telling Canada Grrrl about how I'm experiementing with pumpkin recipes she make a remark about how Americans love their pumpkins. And it's true! Come the end of Sept. and we're already starting our obsession with pumpkin.

Recipe for Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese courtesty of "Pinch My Salt"

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, and syrup til creamy. Add pumpkin, spices and vanilla and beat til smooth. Refrigerate for at least an hour. (I couldn't wait an hour so I ate it right away but it really is best if you wait.)

Hello Fall

There is no doubt about it... I'm an autumn girl. I absolutely adore this time of the year from the weather to the colors and the holidays we celebrate during the next couple of months. It's a beautiful time of the year here in Europe. For me, fall represents a new beginning. I suppose it has a lot to do with the beginning of a new school year which brings all sorts of changes. Plus it's an opportunity to meet new people and take advantage of different opportunities.

My schedule is a bit more laid back this year so I'm hoping to take advantage of the time and do some things I've missed like blogging and cooking. I also have a long, long, list of art/craft and sewing projects I want to complete.

This past weekend, I celebrated the beginnning of the fall season with pumpkin pancakes. The recipe was super easy and the pancakes were delicious! Almost as good as the Williams Sonoma Spiced Pumpkin Pecan mix & I saved myself $15! Had I added some sugared pecans to my batter I think my mix would have been just as good but Lil'C doesn't like nuts so I skipped that step. I did drizzle my pancakes with maple pecan syrup. Delish! 

So in honor of the Autumn season I'm dedicating the next month to cooking with pumpkin! Bon Appetit!

Note: Right now Lil' C is obsessed with all things Moshling. So last month I sewed Little Jeepers, his favorite moshling. Even Jeepers helped us celebrate by sharing our pumpkin pancakes! lol!

I love how Lil' C posed him... Fork & knife in each hand, ready to eat! lol! I suggested we take another photo with a plate of pancake crumbs and Jeepers wearing a little syrup but C wasn't having any of it! lol!

Cooking at Mmmmmh.

Cooking is so much more fun when you're doing it in a group!

I cook, you cook, we cook! Love it!

This past week, I took a cooking class in Brussels at Mmmmh with Brocante Grrrl. I love this section of Brussels... The architecture is just amazing. 

It was my first time going to Mmmmmh and I absolutely loved it. The venue is very modern yet cozy. The minute I walked in I was greeted with wonderful smells from the kitchen.

They had two beautiful state of the art kitchens. The one downstairs is used for demonstrations and open cooking classes where as the kitchen upstairs is reserved for private groups. 

Our chef, Filip was charming and funny. Everyone in our group loved him! If I were to organize a cooking class I'd definitely request him as the chef. He was extremely passionate about cooking and enjoyed traveling the world to learn about other cuisines.

The menu for the day was: 

1st Course: Crème de potiron au lait de coco et au curry vert  (Cream of pumpkin soup with coconut milk & green curry)

2nd Course: Saumon écossais mi-fumé, raifort et grenades (Smoked salmon with horseradish)   

3rd Course: Poulet fermier, duxelle et risotto aux herbes (Chicken with the mushroom duxelle)    

4th Course: Sphère de menthe et mousse au chocolat express (Chocolate Mint Mousse)  

 

At the beginning of the course, Filip put us all to work. My job was to grate the horseradish. Not my favorite task! Had I had a cold or stuffed nose this job would have been great! lol!

The food was absolutely delicious. By far my favorite two dishes were the pumpkin soup & the smoked salmon. I'm usually not a big fan of mixing savory & sweet flavors in soups or main dishes so I had my reservations about this 1st course. But after the first bite I was a changed woman. The curry complimented the pumpkin and coconut milk so beautifully. I loved it so much I bought some of the curry to make my own soup. It'll be a perfect soup to make once the weather gets cold.

Now, the salmon was out of this world!! Incredibly moist and flavorful.

I left Mmmmh wanting my own little smoker! That is how much I loved the salmon. But here we are 8 months later & I still haven't purchased one. I think a smoker might be one of those items I put on my Christmas wish list this year. 

The Sphère de menthe et mousse au chocolat we made that day incorporated a bit of gastronomy cooking. Chef Filip had us drop these little green balls into water and as they formed into tear drops we took them out and let them dry on a paper towel. When you chewed one of the little tear drops it was as if a burst of mint popped in your mouth. 

These tiny bite size pieces of mint were a nice addition to the chocolat mousse although I'm not sure I'd go through the extra step.

Mmmmh not only offers cooking classes but also has a nice selection of cooking supplies which include items for Gastronomy cuisine. This type of cuisine is a bit foreign to me but I find the ingredients fascinating nevertheless.

You'll also find a section of wines, cheese, and other foods. If you're a foodie and looking to spice up your pantry, I would definitely recommend this place.

La Cucina Italiana :: Panzanella & Truffles

Half of the ladies in my cooking class today couldn't wait to taste this simple bread & tomato salad. The other ladies cringed when they saw the soggy bread. I love bread and that includes the soggy bits as well. Sure, it isn't as pretty as those crunchy croutons but it's still good. As a little girl I used to love to take the soft part of my bread and form it into a little ball and toss it into my mouth just like C does with his bread. And even though I've expanded my horizons and enjoy the flaky crust of a beautiful french baguette I still love the soft doughy part of the bread.

As Chef R tossed the ingredients together I couldn't help think how this salad would be even more delicious with some fresh mozzarella balls thrown in with a bit of aged balsamic vinegar. Yum. I must have had about 3 servings of this salad today. It's a perfect summer salad.

We also made Spaghetti Alla Melanzane e Tomate Ciliege Arrosti (Spaghetti with Roasted Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes) that was fantastic. Chef R also made a Asparagus soup with Ricotta Balls. I wasn't in love with the soup but the little Ricotta Balls were a wonderful addition. I'll definitely have to add these to the next soup I make.

For dessert we made Tartufi Neri (Black Truffles). At first I thought this recipe called for black truffles but no it gets its name because the dessert looks like a plate full of truffles. This recipe was quick, super easy and incredibly delish!! I'm definitely making it again. Believe me, you have to try this recipe!! It's that good!!

Tartufi Neri (Black Truffles)

• 1 c (250g) mascarpone cheese
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 15 Amaretti Cookies
• 1 oz semi sweet chocolate (grated fine)
• 1 tsp + 3 Tbsp Dutch cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp Amaretto or Frangelico

Cream butter & cheese together. Finely crumble Amaretti cookies and add to cheese mixture along with grated chocolate and 1 tsp chocolate powder. Mix well. Add liquor and combine until completely amalgamated. Chill 30 mins. Meanwhile, add 3 Tbsp of cocoa powder in a small bowl. With wet hands, scoop enough cheese mixture to make a 1" ball. Roll in cocoa powder until coated. Set on a plate & refrigerate for at least 2 hrs. before serving. Makes about 12 to 14 truffles.

Panzanella (Panmolle) :: Bread & Tomato Salad

• 10 oz (300g) coarse country bread
• 3 lg. tomatoes, cut into small bite size pieces
• 1 sm. yellow onion, cut into very thin half rings
• 1 c loosely packed basil leaves, torn into pieces
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1/3 c cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Coarse salt to taste

Slice bread and then break slices into 2" pieces. Place the pieces in a bowl, add enough water to cover completely and let it soak for 5 mins. Drain bowl and squeeze out all excess moisture. Crumble bread into salad bowl. Add tomatoes, onion, basil, and toss with bread pieces. Whisk salt, vinegar, olive oil, and pepper together. Dress salad, toss well and taste for balance of seasonings. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Making Granola

While in Germany, Numeracy Grrrl served me this amazing cashew, honey museli for breakfast. It was delicious! Reminded me a bit of the pecan praline and pumpkin spice granola I adore from Trader Joes. So when we returned home I had a serious craving for some yummy granola. I've read it's super easy to make so I decided to give it a go. Most of the recipes I found online called for quite a bit of sugar but then I found this one on Chocolate & Zucchini.

What I like most about this recipe is how general it is. You have the freedom to use all sorts of ingrediants. Plus it calls for very little sugar.

So far I've made the recipe twice, each time varing the type of sugar, spices and nuts. Both times it has come out deliciou and as C says, "it's easy, peasy" to make. Here's the recipe if you'd like to give it a go.

Basic Granola Formula (courtesy of Chocolate & Zucchini)

- 280 grams (10 ounces, about 3 cups) rolled grains (oat, spelt, wheat, rye, quinoa, rice, barley... or a mix thereof)

- 170 grams (6 ounces, about 1 1/2 cups) nuts and seeds, roughly chopped (a mix of almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, cashews, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds...)

- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil, coconut oil...)

- 6 tablespoons liquid sweetener (honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, rice syrup... or a mix thereof; you can also use a fruit jam or unsweetened fruit purée, but use a little more then because they're not 100% sugar)

- 1 to 2 teaspoons ground spices (a mix of warm spices such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, a spice mix for pain d'épices, roasted citrus zest...)

- 5 tablespoons ground flaxseeds, soaked in 5 tablespoons water for 15 minutes (optional)

- 1 teaspoon salt flakes

- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Optional:
- 30 grams (1 ounce, about 1/2 cup) unsweetened dried coconut (I like chips better than flakes or shreds)

- 30 grams (1 ounce, about 1/4 cup) oat or wheat bran

- 60 grams (2 ounces) chocolate, roughly chopped

- 120 grams (4 ounces, about 3/4 cup) dried fruit, roughly chopped if in large pieces (raisins, cranberries, prunes, dates, figs, blueberries, cherries, bananas, mangoes, apples... or a mix thereof)

The recipe may be doubled, using two baking sheets.

Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet, about 30 by 38 cm (12 by 15 inches). Place all the ingredients (except the optional dried fruits or chocolate) in a medium mixing bowl, and stir vigorously with a fork until evenly combined. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and place in the middle of the oven.

Set the oven on 150°C (300°F) and bake the granola, checking and stirring religiously every 10 minutes, until the mixture is browned to your liking -- it won't get crisp at this stage. In my oven, it takes about 30 minutes total, starting from a cold oven.

(If you've doubled the recipe, switch the two baking sheets halfway through to ensure even baking.)

Let the granola cool on the baking sheet -- it will crisp up as it cools -- and stir in the optional dried fruits or chocolate once cooled. Transfer to an airtight container and keep at cool room temperature for up to a month or so.

Valentine Kisses

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentines day filled with an extra dose of love!

With all the decluttering I've been doing these past few weeks, I had little time to decorate for Valentines except for these cute little peg dolls I painted last year. 

S & I have just finished watching the 1st season of "Hoarders" and I think the show has scared us straight! lol! We're not hoarders by any means but this show will definitely make you want to get organized. So right now I'm all about putting things AWAY not take new things out! lol!

Now just because I didn't decorate doesn't mean we didn't celebrate the day. In fact, I told Little C that we should celebrate the whole month of February with Valentine projects.

Little C made these adorable little bags that we filled with love notes and treats.

C came up with the idea of attaching a little brown piece of paper that said "Presents" to the paper clip and then he'd sneak up behind you and attach the clothes pin to your clothing.

Last night I cooked a nice meal for my two special boys... grilled chicken with penne topped with a delicious tomato sauce.

This year S & I decided not to exchange gifts. After the huge organizing + purging we just did neither one of us really wanted anything. Normally I give Little C a toy or book but this year I decided to give him some Valentine coupons.

I downloaded the coupons from this great blog. Lots of other cool templates to encourage children to write. I was a bit worried that he'd be disappointed since the night before Valentines he told me that he couldn't sleep because he was so excited to get a new Playmobil. But I just couldn't do it. He already has about 100 playmobils. I just can't bare to see another itty, bitty flower or wig careless thrown on the floor. Plus I want to teach Little C that holidays aren't always about gifts. We don't have to show our love by buying things. I think experiences are so much more memorable. So before S came home from work, I gave C four coupons and explained the whole coupon concept and asked him to come up with his own gift for me & S.

While we ate dinner we opened our coupon envelopes. C's initially expression was priceless. I knew right away that he loved his coupons or as Little C kept calling them "croutons". lol! Here are the coupons I wrote for him:

Coupons Good For:

~ Skipping a bath for one night (C's in this phase right now where he doesn't want to take baths - so I knew he'd like this one.)

~ One breakfast in bed

~ A dinner and dessert of your own choice

~ One slumber party in Mommy & Daddy's bed

~ Movie night any day of the week

~ Playing a game of  your own choice with Mommy & Daddy

~ A special treat made by Mommy or Daddy

We also told Little C that we had a really big surprise for him this Valentines.... a trip to Germany to see Little J, his best friend. He was absolutely thrilled and is already counting down the days until he can see her.

These are the croutons coupons Little C gave to us. I especially loved the drawings C created on our envelopes. Too cute.

Daddy coupons - Good For:

~ A foot musash (massage)

~ A big dinner

And my coupons - Good For:

~ A picture

~ 2$

Since Little C loves tart flavors I made this yummy Lemon Icebox Pie with lots of home-made whipped cream.

C is crazy and I mean crazy about whipped cream. I think he'd add whipped cream to everything if he could. lol!

And because I just couldn't resist... I got S a little something too - gourmet marshmallows from Whimsy & Spice - Cardamom, Maple, and Caramel flavor.

S loved them and best of all it's a consumable gift. lol!