tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28487608780084235652024-03-08T07:43:02.049-08:00Veronika EatsConversations about cooking, baking, and enjoying memorable meals. A platform for sharing recipes, cooking experiences, restaurant reviews, and colorful travel tidbits.Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-38324356314451418622012-06-20T17:53:00.000-07:002012-06-20T17:54:05.388-07:00Gluten Free Chocolate Coconut Cake with Garbanzo Beans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8H8lD5PCY8c/T8gvi0g9zCI/AAAAAAAAA40/8OFfgPCLLhE/s1600/GF+CHoc+Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8H8lD5PCY8c/T8gvi0g9zCI/AAAAAAAAA40/8OFfgPCLLhE/s640/GF+CHoc+Cake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Yes, this luscious, perfectly textured chocolate cake is a gluten free, dairy free, high protein, healthy treat. The secret ingredient and star of this recipe is a 19 ounce can of humble garbanzo beans. Chickpeas work great in gluten free desserts as a stand in for all purpose flour. I previously posted recipes for</span><a href="http://veronika-eats.blogspot.com/2012/03/gluten-free-banana-oat-bread.html" style="background-color: white;"> Gluten Free Banana Oat Bread</a><span style="background-color: white;"> and </span><a href="http://veronika-eats.blogspot.com/2012/03/gluten-free-garbanzo-bean-pear-bars.html" style="background-color: white;">Gluten Free Garbanzo Bean Pear Bars with Dried Cranberries</a><span style="background-color: white;">, both made with garbanzo beans. Beans are an excellent alternative to sometimes hard to find gluten free flour mixes. Not only are they inexpensive, but they are a healthy high protein substitute for flour and produce a great crumb texture in your baked goods. I recently made this cake for a friend who took it to the office. None of the taste testers could tell that they were eating garbanzo bean cake. No lingering bean taste at all, just moist, delicious, chocolaty goodness! A tasty finishing touch for this cake is dairy free, gluten free ganache. I used coconut milk instead of heavy cream, but you could also substitute soy milk.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 19 ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 eggs, beaten</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup coconut water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon gluten free coconut flavoring</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons coconut oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 unsweetened coconut, shredded</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup cocoa powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon baking powder</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat an 8 inch cake pan with cooking spray. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Using a food processor or blender grind garbanzo beans with coconut water and coconut oil until smooth and creamy. This may take a while and you'll have to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times. It's important that the bean mixture is as smooth as possible. Transfer to a large bowl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add beaten eggs, coconut flavoring, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to the bean mixture. Stir until well combined.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a small bowl mix together shredded coconut, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to the bean and egg mixture and gently stir to combine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cool in pan for 5 minutes and turn out onto wire rack.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Frost cooled cake with gluten free, dairy free coconut chocolate ganache. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gluten Free, Dairy Free Ganache with Coconut Milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3/4 cup coconut milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 cups chocolate chips</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons corn syrup</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a small sauce pan bring coconut milk and syrup to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips. Let stand for a few minutes and then mix until smooth. Let ganache cool slightly before using. Pour over cooled cake and use a spatula or knife to spread evenly. Let the ganache set before serving the cake.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WBE-TWUVGA8/T-JwMziFLoI/AAAAAAAAA5A/BIpKZHU_HhQ/s1600/GF+CHoc+Cake+Slice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="558" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WBE-TWUVGA8/T-JwMziFLoI/AAAAAAAAA5A/BIpKZHU_HhQ/s640/GF+CHoc+Cake+Slice.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-70418815616068370742012-05-23T19:28:00.000-07:002012-05-23T07:15:55.345-07:00Scalloped Potatoes with Leeks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJxOyTRQkls/T7sKqCrs0GI/AAAAAAAAA4o/wFpZI6hEzuw/s1600/Gratin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="528" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJxOyTRQkls/T7sKqCrs0GI/AAAAAAAAA4o/wFpZI6hEzuw/s640/Gratin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I recently came across this recipe when I was searching for a potato side dish to go with roasted chicken. I wanted to recreate the creamy, comforting, and homey taste of childhood Sunday dinners. Scalloped potatoes with leeks, tested by Martha Stewart sounded just right. The original recipe was first published in the March 2008 issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine. I picked up young fresh leeks and couple of large russet potatoes on my usual Sunday morning trip to the farmers market and couldn't wait to get started. Imagine thinly sliced leeks sauteed in butter until soft and fragrant, layered with hearty rounds of potatoes, creating an almost perfect culinary marriage. Add Gruyere cheese and cream to the mix and you'll have a combination of textures and flavors that can't be topped. Your gratin will be buttery, soft, and creamy on the inside and deliciously crusty and golden brown on top.<br />
The original recipe states that this is a "do-ahead" dish and can be assembled the day before. I tried it several times, and noticed that if prepared in advance the potatoes inevitably change color. Even though I made sure the potatoes were completely submerged in liquid and covered with parchment paper to avoid oxidation, the top layers turned grey. Take my advice and don't start preparing the gratin the night before. It takes very little time to put this dish together and you won't end up with unpleasant surprises on the day of your party. Make sure to keep the peeled and sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water until you are ready to assemble the casserole. Drain and dry the potatoes with paper towels before using.</div>
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Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing your baking dish</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 leeks, white and light green parts only, trimmed, washed, and sliced thinly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon kosher salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 cups Gruyere or Swiss cheese, shredded</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup heavy cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup low-sodium chicken stock</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12 cup baking dish (12 x 9 inches).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and saute until softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mix together cream and chicken stock in a small bowl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a large bowl combine sliced potatoes with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Using your hands mix well until spices are evenly distributed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Arrange 1/3 of the seasoned potato slices on the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with 1/2 of the leeks and 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat two times and finish with a layer of potatoes. Pour cream and stock mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover dish and increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Continue cooking until top is bubbly and golden brown and potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. Let rest for about 20 minutes before serving.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-8157402701088285052012-05-22T21:13:00.000-07:002012-05-22T11:31:22.459-07:00Gluten Free Polenta Cakes with Dried Cranberries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r51Sw5w--Og/T208CQ493bI/AAAAAAAAAkw/yRumC2i-l2w/s1600/DSC02455GF+Cookies+on+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r51Sw5w--Og/T208CQ493bI/AAAAAAAAAkw/yRumC2i-l2w/s640/DSC02455GF+Cookies+on+book.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AjuWeuEKx24/T21GJNEDSPI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/uBQk89B3pfA/s1600/GF+Polenta+cookies+half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AjuWeuEKx24/T21GJNEDSPI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/uBQk89B3pfA/s640/GF+Polenta+cookies+half.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You can see that this is not really a cake recipe, but a recipe for delicious, light and puffy cookies, very much reminiscent of tea cakes. On my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-free_diet" target="_blank">gluten free</a> quest I came across a recipe from Elizabeth Minett's blog Haute Appetit. I slightly modified her cookies and added brown sugar, cranberries, rum, and candied orange peel to the batter. I also kept the cookies light and airy by sifting the dry ingredients, beating the butter only lightly, and gently mixing the dry and wet ingredients until the dough is just barely holding together. Remember not to overwork the dough when forming small walnut size balls, and keep baking time to 8-10 minutes.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup butter, at room temperature</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3/4 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 egg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons pure rum (do not use flavored rum as it may contain gluten)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup dried cranberries</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup candied orange peel, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/2 cup brown rice flour, sifted</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/8 teaspoon salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/3 cup polenta</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tablespoon cornstarch</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 teaspoon baking soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">confectioners' sugar for dusting</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CH6-2nplMoM/T21FLe7A06I/AAAAAAAAAlY/z5HsE_U1rV4/s1600/GF+Cookie+Sheet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CH6-2nplMoM/T21FLe7A06I/AAAAAAAAAlY/z5HsE_U1rV4/s640/GF+Cookie+Sheet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r7ea039DOBg/T21FtfvbVaI/AAAAAAAAAmI/d0sm9Ro-SeY/s1600/GF+Polenta+cookies+on+rack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r7ea039DOBg/T21FtfvbVaI/AAAAAAAAAmI/d0sm9Ro-SeY/s640/GF+Polenta+cookies+on+rack.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until combined, but not fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and rum and mix until smooth. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a separate bowl stir together sifted rice flour, cornstarch, polenta, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add dry ingredients to butter mixture on low speed until just combined. Stir in cranberries and candied orange peel by hand.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Form walnut size balls and place on prepared sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes and let cool on wire racks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dust with confectioners' sugar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-14409395022383018662012-05-06T21:27:00.000-07:002012-05-05T19:08:53.209-07:00Melted Ice Cream Cake with Espresso Butter Cream<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are times when I have to restrain myself from baking more than once a day. A new cookbook, a new website, a new recipe from a friend, or a new issue of my favorite cooking magazine, there are always plenty of reasons to bring out my mixing bowl and measuring cups. I have to remind myself that I'm only one person, and how much cake can one person possibly eat? With my kids out of the house, I'm no longer baking trays and trays of cookies to feed entire soccer teams. Friends are usually more than willing to help out and enjoy being taste testers. What's left over normally ends up in my freezer, cut up into small portions and stored in plastic containers. Just imagine my freezer, there isn't much room for anything else, except maybe a few sticks of butter for some more baking.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B7E1xf-uBuw/T5DNi8A9I3I/AAAAAAAAA18/SEDACiAZb_k/s1600/ice+cream+cake7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="496" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B7E1xf-uBuw/T5DNi8A9I3I/AAAAAAAAA18/SEDACiAZb_k/s640/ice+cream+cake7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Everybody seemed to love the recipe for <a href="http://veronika-eats.blogspot.com/2012/04/melted-ice-cream-cupcakes.html">melted ice cream cupcakes</a>, probably because they're so easy to make and require only a few ingredients. This variation makes a light and delicate layer cake. It is filled with luscious espresso flavored butter cream and dusted with cocoa powder. I added finely chopped dark chocolate to the batter, which reminds me of Italian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stracciatella">Stracciatella </a>ice cream. The chocolate pieces create a nice balance and add a little bite to the smooth and soft texture of the cake.<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients for Cake</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 box of white cake mix </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 eggs, at room temperature </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 cups melted premium French vanilla ice cream</span></div>
1 cup dark chocolate, chopped<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Espresso Butter Cream</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup butter (2 sticks), at room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder, dissolved in 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">cocoa powder for dusting</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PWCs87VdyHk/T5DXojfHGxI/AAAAAAAAA2U/0qLRbZ3Iyzc/s1600/ice+cream+cake3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PWCs87VdyHk/T5DXojfHGxI/AAAAAAAAA2U/0qLRbZ3Iyzc/s400/ice+cream+cake3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tb3klNC7Uw4/T5DXtxelisI/AAAAAAAAA2k/4aIM7nptNwY/s1600/ice+cream+cake5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="516" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tb3klNC7Uw4/T5DXtxelisI/AAAAAAAAA2k/4aIM7nptNwY/s640/ice+cream+cake5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span></div>
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper with butter or cooking spray.<br />
Combine cake mix, eggs, and melted ice cream in mixing bowl and beat with mixer for one minute on low speed. Scrape down the sides of your bowl and increase speed to medium and continue mixing for another 2 minutes. Add chopped chocolate and mix in by hand.<br />
Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until golden and cake springs back when touched lightly. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack. Let cool completely and cut into three sections.<br />
To make frosting beat butter with electric mixer for 5 minutes until light an fluffy. Add sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time and beat for 5 minutes after each addition. Mix in espresso and liqueur mixture.<br />
When making this cake for adults only, I suggest brushing the cake layers with additional coffee liqueur. Divide butter cream into three portions. Using a spatula, spread frosting evenly on cake layers, ending with a final layer of filling on top. Keep the sides unfrosted and trim the edges with a sharp knife if they don't line up evenly. Dust the top layer with cocoa powder.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kkkrcA_De7Y/T5DgqHrBJJI/AAAAAAAAA20/qonKQ4B-qgc/s1600/ice+cream+cake8jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kkkrcA_De7Y/T5DgqHrBJJI/AAAAAAAAA20/qonKQ4B-qgc/s640/ice+cream+cake8jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-29219506639002683292012-05-06T07:39:00.000-07:002012-05-06T11:34:51.718-07:00Sugar Snap Peas with Lemon Zest and Fresh Mint<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Fresh sugar snap peas are available only for a limited time in late spring. Even though you can find them frozen year-round, there's absolutely no comparison to the sweet and flavorful crunchiness of a fresh snap pea. Check out your local farmers market and look for young and tender snap peas when they're in season. Snap peas are less fibrous than regular English peas and are entirely edible, "pod and all". They are excellent raw as part of a crudites platter with your favorite dip or quickly blanched or stir-fried. Sauteing the peas for only a few minutes will help maintain their crunchy and crisp texture, yet fully release their subtle sweet flavor. Best of all, you'll have this delicious spring dish on the table in less than ten minutes.<br />
Biting into a crunchy sugar snap pea laced with tangy lemon zest and fragrant mint leaves makes you taste and smell spring like nothing else. I like to serve this simple dish as a side with stuffed chicken breasts and a rich and creamy potato and leek gratin.<br />
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Serves 4<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 pound sugar snap peas, washed and trimmed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons shallots, finely minced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a large heavy skillet heat oil. Add shallots and saute for about 2 minutes or until translucent, stirring constantly. Add sugar snap peas and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes or until crisp tender. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stir in mint and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.</span><br />
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<br />Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-75154365582228139472012-05-05T21:57:00.000-07:002012-05-05T19:50:43.491-07:00Apricot Sour Cream CakeI haven't been able to post for couple of weeks. You could say that I experienced "technical difficulties", which prevented me from blogging. As the clock is ticking for my antiquated laptop, I have to deal with the occasional break-downs. Thanks to a good friend though, I'm back up and running. I used the down-time wisely and cooked, baked, and gathered more recipes. I'll soon be adding a gluten free section to the blog, and have been experimenting with different baking ingredients. Quite a challenge! I learned from my mishaps and perfected several great cookie recipes. So, stay tuned, if you are interested in gluten free baking (GFB). I have to admit that some of my time was spent on the Pinterest site, which can become somewhat addictive. Believe me, once you get started, its very hard to stop. Check out my boards, when you get a chance . . . I've been busy pinning. Thank God for my iPad to get get me through the last two weeks.<br />
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I've been thinking of making apricot cake for a while now. It's something that reminds me of summertime, carefree childhood, and outdoor activities. Apricot trees in my parent's garden come to mind, with branches bent from the heavy load of ripe fruits. My friends and I trying to get the unblemished and most perfect ones from way up in the trees, but usually having to settle for the slightly bruised and blotched fruits on the ground. They all tended to ripen at the same time and had a very short shelf life. So, to spread the abundance, my mother had us kids deliver baskets full of fruits to everybody in the neighborhood. For those few weeks of summer, apricots appeared on the daily menu in the shape of cakes, dumplings, cold fruit soup, strudel, and cobblers. The rest was transformed into countless jars of delicious homemade jam. The preserves came in handy during the holiday baking season, to fill tender butter cookies or spread between the rich layers of chocolate cake. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fresh fragrant apricots, rich buttery batter, and a velvety sour cream topping make a delicious spring time cake. Add it to your brunch buffet, serve it with afternoon tea, or treat your family to a sweet surprise on Easter morning. If fresh apricots are not in season don't hesitate to substitute with canned fruit. Drain and pat dry before using.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/3 cup granulated sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 stick + 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 large eggs, at room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon, lemon rind, finely grated</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/2 cups all purpose flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 tablespoons milk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 pound apricots</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Topping</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/3 cup sour cream</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 large egg</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/3 cup granulated sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon almond extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 teaspoons cornstarch </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Butter a 9" x 2" round baking dish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cream butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon rind until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mix creamed butter with dry ingredients and milk on low speed, until well combined. Do not over-mix, as you want the end product to have a tender crumb texture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spread batter into prepared dish and top with apricots. Bake for 20 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the meantime prepare topping. Mix sour cream, egg, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Remove cake from oven and pour topping over the apricots. Return to oven and bake for another 20 minutes or until just set.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cool on wire rack and dust with confectioners' sugar. Best served slightly warm or at room temperature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Enjoy your apricot cake!</span></div>
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</div>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-19943080547175639302012-05-05T18:34:00.000-07:002012-05-05T19:50:13.968-07:00Spicy Mango Tomato Salsa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As promised here's another savory recipe. This one is for a delicious mango salsa. It's quick and easy to make and perfect as an appetizer with blue corn chips and cold beer. It also makes a great accompaniment for grilled fish, chicken or tacos. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have to admit that Mexican food is probably one of my favorites and that I could eat chips and salsa any time. To love spicy, flavorful Mexican food comes with the territory when you live in Los Angeles. We're lucky to have some of the best restaurants that serve food from south of the border. <a href="http://montealbanrestaurante.com/" target="_blank">Monte Alban</a>, located in a small strip mall in Santa Monica serves authentic <a href="http://www.aboutoaxaca.com/oaxaca/food.asp" target="_blank">Oaxacan</a> food and some of the best <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(sauce)" target="_blank">Mole Negro</a>. Try <a href="http://www.lares-restaurant.com/" target="_blank">Lares </a>on Pico Boulevard for their fantastic Margaritas, fresh warm chips, and spicy salsa. The original location of <a href="http://www.laserenataonline.com/" target="_blank">La Serenata De Garibaldi</a> in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles has been there for more than thirty years. The restaurant serves gourmet style Mexican cuisine, fresh, healthy and on the lighter side with an emphasis on seafood. Though it is a bit out of the way, the fresh hand-made tortillas are well worth the drive. <a href="http://www.elcholo.com/" target="_blank">El Cholo</a>, another Los Angeles institution with five different locations has been around since 1922. Stop by for Happy Hour and enjoy one of their famous El Cholo Margaritas, followed by a generous plate of authentic, traditional Mexican food. Don't miss their excellent fresh green corn tamales, which are only served from May though October. This is only a small sampling of the many outstanding restaurants in town. You'll find truly authentic food in many Downtown and East LA neighborhoods, not to mention the numerous food trucks and fast food places. One of the most popular ones is <a href="http://titostacos.com/" target="_blank">Tito's Taco</a> stand in Culver City. Tito's serves freshly made mouthwatering tacos, burritos, and tamales based on secret family recipes. Be prepared to wait patiently for your food, because the lines in front of this LA institution can be very long.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 ripe Mango, peeled and diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup fresh cilantro</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons fresh lime juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 teaspoons olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon salt</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_udVMV25-6o/T3OciTky3OI/AAAAAAAAAro/XTFuECfOJjA/s1600/Mango+Salsa1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_udVMV25-6o/T3OciTky3OI/AAAAAAAAAro/XTFuECfOJjA/s640/Mango+Salsa1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Allow flavors to blend for at least 30 minutes before serving.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-48687247828522086862012-04-25T18:57:00.000-07:002012-05-07T11:57:05.832-07:00Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I previously posted a recipe for <a href="http://veronika-eats.blogspot.com/2012/03/gluten-free-banana-oat-bread.html" target="_blank">gluten free banana oat bread</a> for those of you who are gluten intolerant. Even though it did not contain flour or added fat, it was a pretty good stand-in for the real thing. I really enjoyed having a slice, or two for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack, especially knowing that it was actually good for me. Now, this is a more decadent version with butter, flour, sugar, and chocolate chips! The original recipe for this delicious treat comes from "The Cook's Illustrated How-To-Cook Library", a book I can highly recommend. If you're a passionate self taught cook and baker like me, this cook book will become your bible. No pictures, but the best techniques for your basic cooking repertoire. All recipes have been kitchen tested and as they say in the introduction of the book, "don't have to be second-guessed". This is the kind of book I like to read in bed before I go to sleep. I'll take it over a bestselling novel anytime.<br />
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I did modify the recipe just a bit and replaced half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour and added 1 cup of chocolate chips instead of walnuts. The success of your end product depends on how gently you incorporate the wet and the dry ingredients. Over-mixing will result in a smaller loaf that will be tough and dense. Fold ingredients together until just barely combined and moistened and you'll end up with a wonderfully delicate texture and crumb. This may very well become your go-to recipe when you want to treat someone with something homemade. Wrapped nicely, this whole wheat banana bread makes a thoughtful gift not just on holidays, but throughout the year.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients for Whole Wheat Banana Bread</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup all-purpose four</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup whole wheat flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3/4 cups granulated sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3/4 teaspoon baking soda</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 very ripe, soft bananas, mashed well (1 1/2 cups)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup plain yogurt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 large eggs, lightly beaten</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a large bowl whisk together whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gently fold banana mixture into dry ingredients until just combined and batter looks thick and chunky. Fold in chocolate chips and scrape batter into prepared loaf pan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes and tun out onto a wire rack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cooled bread can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for couple of days.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FcKdJStESqw/T49dKAwZ2DI/AAAAAAAAA1k/3ck2jCO5Sm8/s1600/bananabread2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="548" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FcKdJStESqw/T49dKAwZ2DI/AAAAAAAAA1k/3ck2jCO5Sm8/s640/bananabread2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-18827404161322208642012-04-19T22:57:00.000-07:002012-04-19T23:05:01.768-07:00Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iDFB_3kSZh0/T5DtjpToeqI/AAAAAAAAA3E/pGezE_taQYI/s1600/cookies3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iDFB_3kSZh0/T5DtjpToeqI/AAAAAAAAA3E/pGezE_taQYI/s640/cookies3.jpg" width="539" /></a></div>
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Originally a "three ingredient cookie" that's quite popular on numerous baking blogs and food websites. The flourless peanut butter cookie is at home on the food network, allrecipes, epicurious, and food.com, just to name a few. Woman's Day magazine features the humble cookie covered in rich chocolate ganache and dipped in chopped peanuts. An all American classic that's not only easy to make, but only requires peanut butter, eggs, and sugar. Well, a pinch of baking soda too, to give your cookies some lift during baking and lighten the texture. There's really no need to improve the delicious simplicity of these chewy cookies, but if you feel like mixing things up a bit, try adding chopped peanuts, chocolate chips or cocoa powder. <br />
I modified the original recipe and used 1/4 cup cocoa powder, brown sugar, and increased the peanut butter by 1/4 of a cup.<br />
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Makes 24 cookies<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 egg, lightly beaten</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup cocoa powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon baking soda</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z_ZzjBF6IZY/T5D2QuA4r9I/AAAAAAAAA3M/vKm2gqMaRb4/s1600/dough+on+sheet+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z_ZzjBF6IZY/T5D2QuA4r9I/AAAAAAAAA3M/vKm2gqMaRb4/s400/dough+on+sheet+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mix together peanut butter and brown and granulated sugar, and egg until well combined. Stir in cocoa powder and baking soda. Form 24 balls and place on prepared cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes or until cookies are puffed, but still soft to touch in center.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cool on sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to wire rack. Cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container for several days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-2190681057241571022012-04-17T19:52:00.000-07:002012-04-19T21:52:56.803-07:00Pineapple Lemon Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A recent issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine featured a recipe for pineapple buckle. What really got me interested was the classic yellow cake batter, called "can-do cake batter". The basic batter can be modified and transformed into elegant layer cakes, muffins, cupcakes, loaf cakes, or the pineapple buckle you see here. I wouldn't really call it a buckle, since I always think of an old-fashioned dessert with berries and a much more rustic, crumpled, or "buckled" appearance. This recipe uses cake flour and pineapple, which definitely makes for a much more delicate and sophisticated presentation.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The recipe below makes just about enough cake batter to fill a 2-quart baking dish. I used a ceramic tart pan, but any casserole or deep pie dish will work. Double the recipe and you'll have enough batter for two 9-inch cake pans, twenty-four muffins, or four 2 x 6 inch miniature loaf pans. The original recipe calls for lime zest and lime juice, which I replaced with lemon zest and lemon juice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, a room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup and 6 tablespoons granulated sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 large eggs, a room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 large egg yolk, at room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/2 cups cake flour, spooned and leveled</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 tablespoon baking powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 teaspoon fine salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3/4 cups buttermilk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 recipe basic yellow cake batter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">unsalted butter for baking dish</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup diced pineapple</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4-6 thin pineapple rings for top</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tablespoon grated lemon zest</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tablespoon lemon juice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 2-quart baking dish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a large bowl with a electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on high for about 6 minutes or until light and fluffy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beat in eggs and yolk, one at a time, until combined. Beat in vanilla.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a separate bowl , whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With mixer on low, add 1/3 of the flour mixture to creamed butter and beat to combine. Beat in buttermilk alternating with remaining flour in two more additions,ending with flour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stir lemon zest, lemon juice, and diced pineapple into batter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spread batter into prepared dish and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and quickly arrange pineapple rings on top. Bake for about 25 minutes more or until golden brown.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let cool in dish for 20 minutes before serving.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dust with confectioners' sugar.</span><br />
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<br />Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-48926904805487894642012-04-16T20:45:00.000-07:002012-04-17T17:45:25.189-07:00Gluten Free Chocolate Coconut Bites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The response to some of my previously posted gluten free cookie recipes has been absolutely overwhelming. It's eye-opening how many of you are searching for wheat-free, sugar-free, fat-free, vegan, or just generally healthier versions of old favorites. The number of commercially available gluten free flour varieties and cake mixes has dramatically grown over the last few years. You'll probably find a section dedicated to gluten free products in the aisles of your local supermarkets. Specialty markets like <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/">Whole Foods</a>, <a href="http://freshandeasy.com/">Fresh and Easy</a>, <a href="http://aderjoes.com/">Trader Joe's</a>, <a href="http://sprouts.com/">Sprouts</a> (most of them in Southern California) and health food stores are usually very well assorted and carry not only gluten free ingredients, but also prepared foods. You'll find hamburger buns, waffles, cakes, a variety of different breads, and other baked goods in the frozen section; cookies, crackers, pasta, soup, and plenty more in the gluten free aisle. Some tastier than others, but all pretty expensive. A box of Betty Crocker gluten free cake mix is priced anywhere from $5.00 - $7.00. Online sources such as <a href="http://vitacost.cost.com/">vitacost.cost.com</a>, <a href="http://udisglutenfree.com/">udisglutenfree.com</a>, <a href="http://bobsredmill.com/">bobsredmill.com</a>, and <a href="http://amazon.com/">amazon.com</a> tend to be much more competitive and most offer coupons and free shipping.<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
You may be better off experimenting with ingredients you already have in your pantry or searching for dessert recipes that are naturally wheat free. Cocoa powder, almond meal, polenta, shredded coconut, and beans all make great substitutions for flour. Yes, you heard right, beans! Garbanzo beans work really well, but as I found out this weekend, so do kidney beans. Puree a can of drained beans in the food processor and you'll end up with a smooth paste, which not only replaces flour, but also any added fat in your cake batter. The use of beaten egg whites results in a fluffy, light, almost sponge cake like texture.<br />
I wanted to make lemon cake, but then the dark red color of the beans threw me off and I had to change plans. Can't make a red lemon cake, I thought and turned the recipe into chocolate coconut bites. Gluten free baking is very much about trial and error. Some recipes will turn out fantastic, while others will barely be edible. Even though it can be frustrating at times, don't give up and keep experimenting.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 14 ounce can kidney beans, drained</span>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup granulated sugar or Splenda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 egg yolks, at room temperature</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup almond meal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup coconut, shredded, sweetened</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 egg whites. at room temperature </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 12 inch baking pan. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Using a food processor or immersion blender puree beans until very smooth. Keep scraping down the sides of your mixing bowl. Make sure the texture of the bean paste is fine and that there are no lumps. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With mixer beat 1/2 cup of sugar and egg yolks for about 3-4 minutes or until light and creamy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add bean mixture, baking powder, cocoa powder, coconut, and almond meal to egg mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beat egg whites with remaining 1/2 cup sugar until stiff. By hand gently fold beaten egg whites into batter. Do not overmix, as you want the tiny air bubbles in the egg whites to expand during baking and create a light texture and delicate crumb.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spread into prepared pan and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and turn out onto wire rack. When cooled completely, cut into small squares and dust with confectioners' sugar.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FkQtGYFtXyw/T4zlH-66UcI/AAAAAAAAA0s/Vbjnamr5O7w/s1600/redbean1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FkQtGYFtXyw/T4zlH-66UcI/AAAAAAAAA0s/Vbjnamr5O7w/s640/redbean1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-29015815095804019512012-04-11T22:54:00.000-07:002012-05-13T19:16:09.694-07:00Gluten Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6uuAehF_svk/T4ZPR6_3-LI/AAAAAAAAAzA/0Dtg982LGw4/s1600/GF+OATMEAL+PEANUT+COOKIES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6uuAehF_svk/T4ZPR6_3-LI/AAAAAAAAAzA/0Dtg982LGw4/s640/GF+OATMEAL+PEANUT+COOKIES.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">During my search for a dense and chewy flourless peanut butter cookie I came across a recipe from LeeLovesToCook on </span><a href="http://betterrecipes.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">BetterRecipes.com</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. I'd tried several different versions before, but after baking a batch of this one, I have to say that it is the best I've found so far. Bake them for about 7-8 minutes if you like soft and chewy cookies, or leave them in the oven for a few minutes longer to satisfy the crunchy cookie aficionado.Not only are the cookies great tasting, but best of all, they're also gluten free. Make sure to use gluten free oats if you're making the cookies for someone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Even though pure oats are generally considered gluten free, they can be contaminated in the field or in facilities that also process wheat, barley, and rye. </span><a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Bob's Red Mill</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> makes different varieties of gluten free oat products (rolled, quick-rolled, steel cut, and oat flour), which are available in most supermarkets and health food stores. </span><a href="http://www.traderjoes.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Trader Joe's </a> and <a href="http://www.freshandeasy.com/" target="_blank">Fresh and Easy </a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">carry their own brands of gluten free oats and are always a great source for your baking needs.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.traderjoes.com/images/fearless-flyer/uploads/article-251/oct11-rolledoats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.traderjoes.com/images/fearless-flyer/uploads/article-251/oct11-rolledoats.jpg" width="157" /></a> <img alt="Gluten Free Rolled Oats" height="200" src="http://www.bobsredmill.com/images/P/1982C32_s_hr.jpg" width="200" /><br />
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I tweaked the recipe just a bit and substituted <a href="http://www.splenda.com/" target="_blank">Splenda </a>for the granulated sugar and used chunky peanut butter instead of creamy.<br />
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Makes 48 cookies<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 12 ounce jar chunky peanut butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup <a href="http://www.splenda.com/" target="_blank">Splenda </a>or granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 eggs, at room temperature</span>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, glutenfree</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tablespoon honey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 teaspoons baking soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup chocolate chips</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 1/2 cups gluten free oats (<a href="http://astore.amazon.com/veroeats-20/detail/B003LPM9XM" target="_blank">Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combine peanut butter, butter, sugar, and Splenda in large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract, honey, and baking soda.With mixer on low speed blend in oats, peanuts, and chocolate chips.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shape into walnut size balls and place on prepared sheets. Fatten slightly with the back of a spoon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake for 7-10 minutes depending on desired crispness. Let cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute and transfer to a wire rack.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Store cookies in air tight container. If you like your cookies to stay moist and soft, add half an apple to the cookie tin. Remove apple the next day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-37392068422294759942012-04-10T17:15:00.002-07:002012-04-19T21:55:11.056-07:00Strawberry Custard Mary Ann Cake with Whipped Cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FsQNJ8rbVNs/T4TKwdG8gKI/AAAAAAAAAxY/1JkPOJjnBeU/s1600/berrycake1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FsQNJ8rbVNs/T4TKwdG8gKI/AAAAAAAAAxY/1JkPOJjnBeU/s640/berrycake1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I made this delicious light and airy strawberry cake on Easter Sunday. It's really a cross between a cake and a tart. The base has the look and texture of a soft and golden spongecake, yet you spoon the filling on top as you would with a tart. I used a nostalgic and old-fashioned fluted 10 inch "Mary Ann" pan (sometimes called flan pan), which has an indentation in the center. When inverted it allows you to fill the cake with fruits, ganache, lemon curd, custard, or whipped cream.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bkfe_K4w1BA/T4S6t0h3JII/AAAAAAAAAxI/mVkT0I3Hrqc/s1600/strawberrybase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bkfe_K4w1BA/T4S6t0h3JII/AAAAAAAAAxI/mVkT0I3Hrqc/s400/strawberrybase.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop-img/1236615859466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop-img/1236615859466.jpg" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DiZhwqmzf58/T4S6prn3C7I/AAAAAAAAAxA/BeIzyFTxU_g/s1600/berrycakecustard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DiZhwqmzf58/T4S6prn3C7I/AAAAAAAAAxA/BeIzyFTxU_g/s400/berrycakecustard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The following recipe for the lemon cake base is from the <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand%20Exact&utm_content=King%20Arthur%20Flour%20-%20Exact&utm_term=King%20Arthur%20Flour&gclid=CKC33YfCq68CFWc0Qgod7goqmw" target="_blank">King Arthur Flour</a> recipe collection.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/2 cups <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand%20Exact&utm_content=King%20Arthur%20Flour%20-%20Exact&utm_term=King%20Arthur%20Flour&gclid=CKC33YfCq68CFWc0Qgod7goqmw" target="_blank">King Arthur</a> unbleached all-purpose flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon baking powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup butter, at room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3/4 cup granulated sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup fresh lemon juice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 large eggs, at room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/3 cup milk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup strawberry preserves</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 box vanilla pie filling, prepared according to package directions or home made pastry cream</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup strawberries, washed and sliced plus additional berries for decoration</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup whipped heavy cream, slightly sweetened</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly butter and flour an 8 1/2 or 10 inch Mary Ann pan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With mixer cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add lemon juice and eggs, one at a time. Scrape down sides of the bowl and continue beating until well combined. Mixture may look curdled, because of the lemon juice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add dry ingredients, alternating with milk in 3 additions and gently combine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pour into prepared pan and bake for 34 to 38 minutes or until cake springs bake when lightly pressed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Brush cooled cake with strawberry preserves and top with custard. Arrange strawberries in a circular pattern and cover with whipped cream. Decorate with additional berries and mint leaves. Dust edges of cake with confectioners' sugar.</span></div>
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If you're in a hurry or don't have all the ingredients on hand to make the cake base from scratch, you can use store bought cake mix instead. You'll need 1/2 a box of white cake mix, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 whole egg, and 1 egg white. Beat with mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden. Just as delicious and no one will ever know. . .<br />
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</div>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-22939636982604012572012-04-09T18:48:00.000-07:002012-04-10T17:16:19.711-07:00Gluten Free Baked Rice Pudding with Apples<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2nTR9MpZH5o/T34_VK2RIHI/AAAAAAAAAuY/paK8TbdFKVQ/s1600/puddingplated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2nTR9MpZH5o/T34_VK2RIHI/AAAAAAAAAuY/paK8TbdFKVQ/s640/puddingplated.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Ever since I was a little kid, rice pudding has been one of my favorite desserts. There is definitively a comforting quality about rich and smooth cinnamon scented pudding. Rice grains cooked to perfection in milk or cream, slightly sweetened with honey, and served with dark chocolate shavings on top. I preferred mine warm and used to watch with fascination how the chocolate was slowly melting and oozing into the rice. In the limited culinary world of a six year old, there was only one thing that could top that experience, which was baked rice pudding with layers of apples in between and served with warm vanilla sauce. Over the years I came to realize that this was one of my mom's go-to recipes. It could easily be prepared ahead of time, fruits could be swapped depending on what she had available in her garden, and despite its simple ingredients it made quite an elegant presentation. Separating the eggs and folding in the beaten egg whites makes for an airy souffle like texture. <br />
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Those of you with any background in Austrian cooking might recognize this excellent dessert as the humble "Reisauflauf". Culinary Austria has a rich and diverse history when it comes to desserts or "Mehlspeisen" (which literally means food made from flour) as we call it. There's a myriad of recipes out there, from delicious fruit dumplings, souffles, sweet noodle dishes, to baked puddings to name just a few. Vienna, the cultural melting pot during the Austro-Hungarian Empire became the birthplace of dishes that had their origins in Germany, Bohemia, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, Poland, and other areas of the Balkans. As cooks from every corner of the country moved to the capital city, new and unusual ingredients and cooking methods made their way into the kitchens of Austrian households. Many of the elaborate hot desserts originated as main dishes and were considered poor man's food. Heavier and much simpler versions, lacking the sophistication of beaten egg whites, vanilla extract, and confectioners' sugar were served. Potatoes, cornmeal, and stale bread often took the place of white flour. Typically, a pot of vegetable soup and a baked sweet dish were prepared on meatless Fridays, but depending on the economic status of the household, maybe several times a week. As costly and refined ingredients, which were previously considered a luxury, became more widely available to the general public, the recipes evolved.<br />
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Today, you'll enjoy the delicious "Mehlspeisen" for dessert or with afternoon coffee in the charming coffeehouses of Vienna. My all time favorite is "Cafe Central", which first opened its doors in 1876. It's been called "the home away from home" for the Viennese intellectual establishment during the late 19th century. The regulars included Adolf Loos, Sigmund Freud, Arthur Schnitzler, Vladimir Lenin, and Leon Trotsky. Still today a popular spot to enjoy "Kaffee mit Schlag" (coffee with whipped cream) and a slice of flaky home-made Apfelstrudel while listening to live piano music, the cafe caters to a variety of guests. You'll find elderly Viennese couples quietly reading the daily newspapers, groups of chatty young students working on their laptops, business people and bankers from the near-by offices, and your share of tourists from all over the world.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JdVRwIxjNY8/T4NnSBWUJII/AAAAAAAAAvI/J1AgG_7_xqM/s1600/Central2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="578" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JdVRwIxjNY8/T4NnSBWUJII/AAAAAAAAAvI/J1AgG_7_xqM/s640/Central2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As you walk through the streets of the city you'll find coffeehouses on every block. Not all are grand and legendary, but they do offer the same relaxed atmosphere, inviting hospitality, great tasting coffee, and spectacular sweets.</span><br />
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I hope you didn't think I forgot about the rice pudding recipe. Going through my image files was a bit of a sentimental journey for me and I got completely sidetracked. I took those pictures on my last trip to Austria when I was visiting my mom and my sister. Hopefully, you enjoyed the sights of the city and the quick glance into the culinary history of the country.<br />
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Anyway, here is the recipe:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons short grain rice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">pinch of salt</span>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 3/4 cups whole milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 tablespoons butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cinnamon stick</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/8 teaspoon lemon peel, finely grated</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/3 cup confectioners' sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 egg yolks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup raisins</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 egg whites</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup granulated sugar</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tablespoon lemon juice</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bring rice and salt to a boil with 3 cups of water. Let cook for a bout 2 - 3 minutes and drain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Return to pot and add cold milk, butter, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove cinnamon stick. Set aside and let cool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a bowl combine apples with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and lemon juice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With a mixer at medium speed beat egg yolks, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon rind until light and creamy. Using clean beaters and a different bowl, beat egg whites with 1/4 cup granulated sugar until stiff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a large bowl combine cooked rice, egg yolk mixture, and raisins. Gently fold in egg whites.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spoon 2/3 of the rice mixture into prepared dish and top with apple slices. Cover with remaining rice mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until rice pudding is golden brown and puffy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let cool slightly and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve with vanilla sauce.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-79139971611610965492012-04-07T22:00:00.000-07:002012-04-19T20:24:37.215-07:00Melted Ice Cream Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You could also call this treat "Last Minute Easter Cupcakes". I woke up this morning and realized that I hadn't baked anything holiday-ish. Not having little kids in the house anymore doesn't mean I shouldn't have fun making yummy Easter cupcakes decorated with sprinkles and jelly bean eggs. Most adults will admit that they love them just as much as kids do.</span><br />
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Melted ice cream cupcakes (or cake) are perfect when you don't get a chance to plan ahead. This recipe requires only three ingredients and you'll probably have all of them in your pantry and freezer. A box of cake mix ( I prefer white cake), 3 eggs, and 2 cups of melted ice cream of your favorite flavor. Butter and confectioners' sugar for the frosting and you're all set. Yes, the ice cream goes in the batter and not the frosting. Ice cream has a milk fat content of at least 10%, some premium brands contain even 16% fat, which makes it a perfect substitution for butter or oil in the cake batter. Just take a walk down the freezer aisle of your local grocery store and you'll realize that the flavor combinations for this recipe are endless.<br />
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You could try chocolate cake mix and add peanut butter ice cream or pair yellow cake with peach ice cream. Anne Byrn features a melted ice cream cake recipe with <a href="http://www.benjerry.com/flavors/our-flavors/">Ben & Jerry's</a> Cherry Garcia super-premium ice cream in her book "The Cake Mix Doctor".<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Makes 24 cupcakes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 box of white cake mix</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 eggs, at room temperature </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 cups melted French vanilla ice cream</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Frosting</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 cups confectioners' sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup butter (2 sticks), at room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sprinkles and Easter candies for decoration</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combine cake mix, eggs, and melted ice cream in mixing bowl and beat with mixer for one minute on low speed. Scrape down the sides of your bowl and increase speed to medium and continue mixing for another 2 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Divide batter evenly among liners and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool completely on wire rack before frosting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beat butter for 5 minutes until light an fluffy. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time and beat for 5 minutes after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract. Frost cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles and egg candies.</span></div>
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<br />Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-14123813106274427842012-04-01T23:43:00.000-07:002012-04-01T11:22:57.899-07:00A Day in San Francisco<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I may have told you in one of my previous posts that my daughter Stephanie lives in San Francisco. She was born there, but grew up in Los Angeles. When she decided to move back after finishing college, it didn't come as a big surprise, since she always loved the city by the bay. And who wouldn't? On crisp and clear days the city is picture perfect like a postcard image. Pristine views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands, diverse little neighborhoods, a bustling financial center, and an exciting and revitalized arts district South of Market. Stephanie has always been passionate about food, and her love for cooking clearly shows in every delicious meal she prepares. Hopefully, she'll share some of her recipes with us in future posts. On Saturday mornings she's a regular at the Ferry Building farmers market. She texted me earlier today and sent this picture of her outing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apparently, it was pouring, but for San Franciscans that's no excuse to stay home. The market was as busy as usual. I thought about myself, warm and comfortable, sitting in my cozy chair. As strange as it sounds, but here in Los Angeles people don't leave the house when it starts drizzling. On rainy days we only plan indoor activities. Cooking, baking, eating, blogging . . . When we do go out in bad weather though, we seem to have forgotten how to drive and traffic turns into an absolute nightmare. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm not quite sure how I got to this point in our conversation, but when I saw the picture of San Francisco, I remembered my last visit and the fantastic meal I had at <a href="http://www.zunicafe.com/" target="_blank">Zuni Cafe</a> on Market Street. I enjoyed their signature roast chicken with bread salad so much, that I recreated it in my own kitchen. As I started typing and searching for my picture files I came across so much interesting material that I want to share with you. I figured that maybe we won't do the chicken recipe today, but just take a stroll through one of the most beautiful cities in the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, that's what a Saturday morning at the </span><a href="http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Ferry Building</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> looks like on a beautiful day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Vendors set up their stands loaded with locally grown fruits and vegetables alongside the historic building. Several years ago, the inside of the ferry building was transformed into a culinary marketplace that offers just about anything a food lover's heart could possibly desire. You'll find decadent chocolates (<a href="http://www.recchiuti.com/index.html?gclid=CPWq9dvQg68CFWcHRQodMkts4g" target="_blank">Recchiuti Confections</a>), artisan dairy products (<a href="http://www.cowgirlcreamery.com/" target="_blank">Cowgirl Creamery</a>), exotic mushrooms (<a href="http://www.farwestfungi.com/" target="_blank">Far West Fungi</a>), crusty loaves of bread and other baked goods (<a href="http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/acme_bread_company.php" target="_blank">Acme Bread Company</a>), micro roasted coffee (<a href="http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net/" target="_blank">Blue Bottle Coffee Co</a>), fresh oysters (<a href="http://www.hogislandoysters.com/" target="_blank">Hog Island Oyster Company</a>), organic preserves (<a href="http://happygirlkitchen.com/" target="_blank">Happy Girl Kitchen Company</a>, gourmet cookware (<a href="http://www.surlatable.com/" target="_blank">Sur La Table</a>), and so much more. Stop at one of the eateries for a bite, grab a table outside, and enjoy the views of the bay. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tofu and Chicken Patty with Hijiki Seaweed from <a href="http://www.delicasf.com/" target="_blank">Delica</a> in the Ferry Building.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After spending the morning at the farmers market head out to the Outer Richmond District for lunch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You'll have plenty of choices as the streets are lined with Cantonese, Russian, Mexican, and Italian restaurants. A place not to be missed is the <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=shanghai+dumpling+king&fb=1&gl=us&hq=shanghai+dumpling+king&hnear=shanghai+dumpling+king&cid=16342274677353409571" target="_blank">Shanghai Dumpling King</a>. It's on Zagat's list of top "Hole-In-The Wall" eateries. Make sure to order the Lion's Head Meatballs, steamed Shanghai dumplings, and scallion pancakes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spend the afternoon strolling through North Beach, San Francisco's Italian neighborhood. Stop at <a href="http://www.molinarisalame.com/" target="_blank">Molinari's </a>Delicatessen on Columbus for fresh Italian sausages, dried cured salami, or Prosciutto. Try their Italian sandwiches, they're some of the best in town. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just down the street from Molinari's you'll find the <a href="http://www.comstocksaloon.com/" target="_blank">Comstock Saloon</a>. It's a San Francisco institution that has been in this location for more than 100 years. After touring the city all day, rest your tired feet and enjoy a classic Negroni or a Manhattan in a truly historic setting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Return down to Market Street for dinner at the <a href="http://www.zunicafe.com/" target="_blank">Zuni Cafe</a>. The beautiful restaurant is warm and inviting, and their service is incredible. You won't regret ordering their wood fire-roasted chicken, but be prepared to wait for an hour. Enjoy the lovely atmosphere, start with appetizers, a bottle of wine from their excellent wine list, or share an entree as a first course until the the famed chicken dish arrives.</span></div>
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Selection of East and West Coast Oysters</div>
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Hog Island Manila Clams </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Creamy Polenta with Parmigiano-Reggiano</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">End your memorable day in San Francisco with a nightcap at the <a href="http://michaelmina.net/restaurants/locations/cbsf.php" target="_blank">Clock Bar</a> in the <a href="http://www.westinstfrancis.com/" target="_blank">St. Francis Hotel</a> on Union Square.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hope you enjoyed this post, even though it didn't include any recipes. You'll be seeing more travel tidbits, lots of pictures, and restaurant reviews in the near future.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-46579497507280312852012-04-01T12:01:00.000-07:002012-04-01T19:27:42.436-07:00Baked Saffron Rice with Parmesan and Green Peas<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is a great dish that can be served as an appetizer, a side, or as a meal by itself. Best of all, it can be prepared ahead of time up to the point of baking. My family and I like green peas with the flavor of saffron rice, which is a classic Italian combination, but you can also use asparagus or mushrooms. To make this into a main course, try adding diced ham, prosciutto, or even leftover cubed chicken to the rice. Serve it with a green salad on the side and you've just treated your family or friends to an elegant and delicious meal without breaking the bank.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wine Pairing:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A crisp and refreshing white wine perfectly complements the creaminess of the saffron scented rice. A food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or California offers a lovely range of herbal and tropical fruit flavors while its acidity balances the richness of the Parmesan cheese. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tablespoon olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup onions, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 clove garlic, finely minced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 cups low sodium chicken stock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup white wine</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/8 teaspoons saffron threads, crushed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup uncooked short or medium grain rice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons parsley, minced
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup fresh or frozen green peas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 teaspoon salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 teaspoon black pepper</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Heat olive oil and butter in a large heavy pan. Saute onions until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for another half a minute on low. Add crushed saffron and rice and continue cooking for another minute, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer for about 25-30 minutes over low heat until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir occasionally and add more chicken stock if needed. Remove from heat when rice is tender to the bite, but consistency of mixture is creamy.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add green peas, parsley, and 3/4 cup cheese and mix until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a buttered casserole or baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If preparing ahead of time, cover dish tightly with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Enjoy!</span></li>
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<br />Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-38708005702245553642012-03-30T20:30:00.000-07:002012-04-10T15:17:45.250-07:00Gluten Free Garbanzo Bean Pear Bars with Dried Cranberries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is really a continuation of the gluten free banana bread post. Same basic recipe, but different delicious flavor combinations. These gluten free pear bars are made with garbanzo beans instead of wheat flour. Garbanzo beans or chick peas produce an excellent crumb and a lovely moist texture. I used pureed pears in the batter, but applesauce, crushed pineapple, or pumpkin work equally well. Just as with the banana bread, there is no noticeable garbanzo bean flavor in this healthy treat. I added 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, but you could leave it out and prepare a fat free version. The recipe is just enough to make 9 large bars, since not everyone in your family might be on a gluten free diet. Be prepared though, to double it next time, because these bars are just as mouthwatering as their high calorie cousins. <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup canned or cooked garbanzo beans</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 pears, peeled and cubed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tablespoon coconut oil (liquid form)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 eggs, beaten</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/8 teaspoon ground ginger</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 tablespoon cornstarch</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon baking soda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup quick cooking gluten free oats</span>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup cranberries</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup almonds, chopped </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cinnamon and ginger complement the flavor of pears really well, but you can experiment with other spices, such as nutmeg, cloves, or cardamom. Their earthy flavors are quite strong though, so a pinch goes a long way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat an 8x8 inch pan with cooking spray.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Using a food processor or blender puree the beans, one pear, and coconut oil until smooth and creamy. This may take a while and you'll have to scrape down the sides of your bowl several times. It's important for the mixture to be as smooth as possible. Transfer to a large bowl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add eggs and brown sugar and stir until well combined.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a small bowl mix together cinnamon, ginger, cornstarch, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cranberries, and almonds. Add dry ingredients to bean mixture and gently stir to combine. Fold in remaining chopped pear.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack. When completely cool, cut into squares.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-82856082353726748782012-03-30T17:42:00.000-07:002012-04-10T15:18:10.591-07:00Gluten Free Banana Oat Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--6XkiMQ2SCo/T3ZBFW-leQI/AAAAAAAAAtY/1pq4DX9JNLE/s1600/Bread1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--6XkiMQ2SCo/T3ZBFW-leQI/AAAAAAAAAtY/1pq4DX9JNLE/s640/Bread1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Delicious gluten free orange scented banana bread made with garbanzo beans? You heard right! I've been experimenting with the humble chickpea as a wheat substitute and have to admit that this is my favorite flour replacement so far. Besides banana bread, I made pear bars and an excellent chocolate cake. They all had great crumb texture and came out deliciously moist. Best of all, none of my "test subjects" could tell that I had used garbanzo beans in the batter. You'll see, that there is absolutely no noticeable chickpea taste. If anything, the beans will add a sweet nutty flavor to your baked goods. I used 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in my versions, but you could very well make them fat free. They're also great for vegans, since they don't contain animal products. Depending on your taste you could add nuts, raisins, cranberries or chocolate chunks to the banana bread. The one I made is simple and plain, because I really wanted to get the full taste and make sure there was no lingering garbanzo bean flavor.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 1/4 cups canned or cooked garbanzo beans</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons coconut oil (liquid form)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup orange juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon orange rind, finely grated</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup mashed bananas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 eggs, lightly beaten</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon cinnamon </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">cornstarch</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup quick cooking gluten free oats</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 teaspoons baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon baking soda</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a loaf pan with cooking spray.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Using a food processor or blender grind garbanzo beans with orange juice and oil until smooth and creamy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This may take a while and you'll have to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times. It's essential that the bean mixture is as smooth as possible. Transfer to a large bowl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add mashed bananas, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, orange rind, and brown sugar to bean mixture. Stir until well combined.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a small bowl mix together cinnamon, cornstarch, oats, baking powder, and baking soda.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add dry ingredients to bean mixture and gently stir to combine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pour into loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cool in pan for 5 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack.</span><br />
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<br /></div>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-34978967035541919592012-03-28T14:50:00.000-07:002012-03-30T17:44:37.744-07:00Grilled Eggplant Stacks with Greek Kasseri Cheese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm realizing that my blog posts are becoming deliciously sweet, as in "dessert sweet" that is. So, I want to shift gears for a little and share some savory recipes with you. Let's see how long that'll last, before I have a relapse and fall back into my favorite activity, which is truly baking. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Serve these eggplants stacks as an elegant appetizer, for lunch, or even as a light dinner. There are many variations out there, most of them Italian inspired. They usually include tomato sauce, basil, and Provolone or Mozzarella cheese. The Greek flavors in this version got great reviews from my family. The simple and healthy dish is a combination of classic Mediterranean ingredients such as eggplant, ripe tomatoes, oregano, mint, and Greek Kasseri cheese. Serve it with olives, hot pita bread, and maybe some Greek yogurt on the side.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 eggplants, sliced into 1 inch slices</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 tomatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch slices</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon fresh mint, finely chopped </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 cloves garlic, crushed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup olive oil</span>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">black pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup Kasseri cheese, grated</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lightly salt eggplant slices and place into a colander. Let sit for about 30 minutes. The salt will draw out excess moisture and remove some of the bitterness of the eggplant. Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat grill or panini press according to manufacturer's instructions and coat with cooking spray.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combine olive oil, garlic, oregano, mint, and black pepper in small bowl. Brush eggplant and tomato slices with olive oil mixture. Place on grill and cook for about 2-4 minutes over medium heat until eggplant is soft and has nice scorch marks. Cook tomatoes for only 1-2 minutes. Remove from grill and set aside.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 370 degrees. Assemble stacks on a lined baking sheet. Start with a slice of eggplant, then a tomato slice, and top with grated cheese. Repeat three times. Your last layer should be a generous amount of cheese. Except for salting the eggplants in the beginning there is no additional salt in this recipe, since the cheese has a slightly salty flavor already.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let eggplant stacks heat through in the oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.</span><br />
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<br />Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-69949240706203514172012-03-22T16:29:00.000-07:002012-03-22T16:52:54.502-07:00Cream Cheese Double Chocolate Cookies<div style="text-align: left;">
Are you looking for a soft and "cakey" chocolate cookie recipe? Well, this might just be the one! Cream cheese and brown sugar keep the cookies moist and soft. It's important to remember to beat the butter only lightly, which results in a puffy and cakey texture. Any time butter is beaten until light and fluffy, you'll end up with a crispy cookie. Refrigerating the dough prevents the cookies from spreading out too much during baking and they'll stay nice and thick. Using sifted flour is another great tip to keep the texture of your cookies soft. It incorporates air and makes any baked product lighter and fluffier. Lastly, baking time has to be very short, usually about 8 - 10 minutes. I've noticed that theses cookies are best eaten the same day as they do harden a little bit overnight, which is normally not a problem in my house. Cookies tend to disappear before they even get a chance to cool off . . . </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup chocolate chips</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup brown sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 egg</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/3 cup all purpose flour, sifted</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon baking powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup chocolate chips</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a small saucepan melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat, add 1/2 cup chocolate chips and stir until melted. Set chocolate mixture aside and let cool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combine sifted flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in small bowl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cream together brown sugar and cream cheese with mixer. Add chocolate mixture and lightly beat on medium speed until well combined, but nor fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. With mixer on low speed slowly add flour mixture until just combined. Gently stir in chocolate chips by hand. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shape refrigerated dough into walnut-sized balls and place on prepared sheets. Flatten slightly and bake for about 8 minutes or until just set. Cool on wire racks.</span><br />
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<br /></div>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-34377108633870000572012-03-20T19:39:00.000-07:002012-03-21T10:17:53.098-07:00Gluten Free Almond Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Not only are these deliciously crunchy almond cookies gluten free, but they're "almost" fat free too. Best of all, you need less than five different ingredients to bake these little treats. Don't be alarmed by the fact that they're quite hard and crisp. Their firm texture makes them great "dunking" cookies and they are best enjoyed dipped in a cup of hot coffee or better yet, a glass of dessert wine.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3/4 cup confectioners' sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 large egg white, at room temperature, lightly beaten</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup almonds, blanched and finely ground + additional whole almonds to decorate</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">pinch of salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">couple of drops of pure almond extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">confectioners' sugar fur dusting</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 250 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combine ground almonds, confectioners' sugar and salt in a bowl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mix lightly beaten egg white with almond extract and add to the almond/sugar mixture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combine into a smooth dough and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Shape chilled dough into walnut size balls and place on prepared cookie sheet, spaced apart about 2 inches. Top each cookie with a whole almond and flatten slightly with your fingers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet half way through . Let cookies cool on wire rack and dust with confectioners' sugar. Store cookies in an air tight container.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-36220814841669559922012-03-20T16:41:00.000-07:002012-03-20T20:21:31.529-07:00Gluten Free Coconut Rice Pudding with Chocolate Chunks and Caramelized BananasThis easy rice pudding recipe is the first in a series of gluten free desserts. I compiled recipes that are "naturally" gluten free, which means they don't require flour or other wheat, rye, and barley products in the first place. Eventually, I started experimenting with traditional recipes, worked with substitutions and tweaked them until they came out just right. Gluten free baking is definitely a work in progress and there's much trial and error. The most important thing is not to get discouraged, when your baked goods don't come out as expected. Don't be afraid of the occasional mishap and keep experimenting.<br />
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The GF section of my blog will have recipes for cookies, cakes, hot desserts, ice cream, and puddings, all of them so delicious that you'd never guess they're gluten free. So, if you are gluten intolerant or have been put on a gluten free diet for other reasons, rest assured that you can still enjoy a variety of delicious and flavorful desserts.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Ingredients for Rice Pudding</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup short grain rice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/8 teaspoon salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup milk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup coconut milk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 tablespoons butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup granulated sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cinnamon stick</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 egg yolk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup flaked coconut </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 ounces good quality dark chocolate, chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Caramelized Bananas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 bananas, cut into diagonal slices about 2 inch thick</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup of sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/2 tablespoons butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon water</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon pure rum (do not use flavored rum as the flavoring may contain gluten) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bring rice and salt to a boil with 3 cups of water. Let cook for a bout 2 - 3 minutes and drain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Return to pot and add cold milk, coconut milk, butter, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove cinnamon stick. Whisk together egg yolk, granulated sugar and coconut. Add to rice mixture, stirring briskly. Do not allow the pudding to boil. Cover pot and remove from heat. Stir chocolate chunks into cooled mixture. The pudding can be refrigerated at this point for later use. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Melt butter in small skillet over low heat. Add sugar, water, and rum and continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly, until a light colored caramel has formed. Add sliced bananas and gently coat with caramel. Cook for about 2 minutes until heated through and slightly softened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Serve pudding in small bowls or glasses, top with caramelized bananas and sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes. Makes 4 - 6 servings.</span></div>
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</div>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-82809090826584045622012-03-05T20:36:00.000-08:002012-03-27T10:31:49.647-07:00Prosciutto, Fontina Cheese, and Fried Egg Paninis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OD1Hs6SjZhY/T3H5Rljg_uI/AAAAAAAAArQ/Idl9ew3q9GM/s1600/Panini4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="462" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OD1Hs6SjZhY/T3H5Rljg_uI/AAAAAAAAArQ/Idl9ew3q9GM/s640/Panini4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dust off your panini press or bring out your cast iron skillet and whip up a couple of these fantastic sandwiches. They are really grilled cheese sandwiches at heart, but for tonight's dinner they're all gussied up Italian style. What's better than buttery and golden brown sourdough bread grilled to perfection with melted cheese and fried eggs oozing out from between? The flavor combinations for this kind of sandwich are limitless, so try experimenting with different ingredients. When I'm really feeling Austrian, I bring out smoked Black Forest ham, Emmentaler cheese, good grainy mustard, and a little bit of sauerkraut. Piled high between two slices of hearty rye bread and grilled until crispy on the outside, it brings back memories.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients for 2 sandwiches</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 slices of sourdough bread</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 tablespoons butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons mustard ( I used <i>Trader Joe's Aioli Garlic Mustard</i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup Fontina cheese, grated</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 ounces Prosciutto </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 slices roasted red peppers (either homemade or <i>Mezzetta's Roasted Bell Peppers</i> in a jar)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 thick round slices sweet onion, grilled</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup arugula</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 eggs</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preparation</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oUskR1GuUDg/T1WGA1lcYvI/AAAAAAAAAeI/cqtFhfGqnv8/s1600/onions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oUskR1GuUDg/T1WGA1lcYvI/AAAAAAAAAeI/cqtFhfGqnv8/s200/onions.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat panini press according to manufacturer's instructions and lightly grease with cooking spray. Grill onions until nicely browned and set aside.</span><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-texE8BMugVY/T1WF-VqaOwI/AAAAAAAAAeA/8uEoxdZrJ0Q/s1600/Panini5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-texE8BMugVY/T1WF-VqaOwI/AAAAAAAAAeA/8uEoxdZrJ0Q/s320/Panini5.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Arrange bread slices on work surface and spread inside with half of the butter and mustard. Divide remaining ingredients, except for eggs in half. Put prosciutto, grilled onions, red peppers, and arugula on one slice and cheese on the other. Close sandwiches and spread tops and bottoms with remaining butter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Place on panini grill and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the meantime cook eggs on both sides in a large frying pan. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Remove sandwiches from grill, open them and top each one with a fried egg. Close the sandwiches and serve immediately.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YHGmc-IvPhY/T3H5PDtw1LI/AAAAAAAAArI/TJeaYoCMSCY/s1600/Panini1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YHGmc-IvPhY/T3H5PDtw1LI/AAAAAAAAArI/TJeaYoCMSCY/s640/Panini1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2848760878008423565.post-6730560312456869372012-03-03T21:36:00.000-08:002012-03-30T17:45:21.371-07:00Tahini Dip with Zahtar Pita Chips and Marinated Olives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fn0BBE6OOzw/T1Lu1eWNhYI/AAAAAAAAAbw/rkZharEvMvM/s1600/Tahini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fn0BBE6OOzw/T1Lu1eWNhYI/AAAAAAAAAbw/rkZharEvMvM/s320/Tahini.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Many of you may know tahini sauce as the creamy, slightly garlicky condiment that's often served with falafel and other Middle Eastern sandwiches. It also makes a great stand in for hummus. So, if you like the taste and texture of hummus, but don't care much for garbanzo beans, try this delicious dip. Served with spiced pita chips and marinated olives it makes a quick and easy appetizer.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Net3G3nofG0/T1LuPzWySwI/AAAAAAAAAbA/ueN5XONumJw/s1600/Dip2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Net3G3nofG0/T1LuPzWySwI/AAAAAAAAAbA/ueN5XONumJw/s640/Dip2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tahini Dip</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tahini is a paste of ground, hulled, and toasted sesame seeds. It is commonly used in Middle Eastern, North African, Greek, and Turkish cooking. Sesame paste of unhulled, black, toasted seeds is a typical ingredient in China, Korea, and Japan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup of tahini (sesame paste found in specialty stores and Middle Eastern markets), stirred well</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup of water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon sea salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/8 teaspoon cumin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 garlic clove, mashed into a paste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">chopped parsley for garnish</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mix the first 7 ingredients together until well combined. Consistency should be creamy and not too thin. Add more water if used as a salad dressing or as a sauce for sandwiches.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Drizzle lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with chopped parsley and pine nuts before serving.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Zahtar Spiced Pita Chips</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kTnbFAEw8t0/T1LuoRJzAuI/AAAAAAAAAbg/uFzkm8_LgPo/s1600/Pita+Chips+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kTnbFAEw8t0/T1LuoRJzAuI/AAAAAAAAAbg/uFzkm8_LgPo/s400/Pita+Chips+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Zahtar is a popular herb and spice mix that is being used throughout the Middle East. The most common combinations consist of sesame seeds, salt, sumac, and dried herbs such as thyme, oregano, and </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">marjoram</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In addition to being used as a seasoning for meat and vegetable dishes, it also adds great flavor to salads like the Arabic bread salad fattoush. The most popular use of the spice mixture is probably as a topping for pita bread or yogurt cheese.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3-4 loaves of pita bread</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">zahtar (found in specialty stores and Middle Eastern markets)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Brush pita bread with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with zahtar. Cut each loaf into 8 wedges and place on prepared sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marinated Olives </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup green </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">olives</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup Kalamata olives</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons lemon juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons balsamic red wine vinegar </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Veronikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05701673116869383982noreply@blogger.com1