Romanian Amandina Cake...

Romanian Amandine Cakes... rum/caramel soaked chocolate nut sponge cakes. It has literally taken me 5+ years(and 500! recipes) to finally post a popular Romanian dessert ... the Amandina. Throughout my years of blogging, I've had many requests to post an Amandina recipe. Always being reluctant to make desserts that are laden with too much sugar and butter, I've postponed it for quite some time. And I know I've said this many, many times... but it's true, the sugar and butter amounts in a recipe will affect my decision in attempting it or not. Most times I skip over a recipe if I find it a bit heavy. However every once in a blue moon, I end up attempting such a recipe:)... 

Somehow, I can't leave well enough alone... so I try to tweak recipes. I find myself lowering the butter, sugar and egg amounts, if at all possible. And if it's possible, then I certainly will:). You know, I think most desserts really don't need all that butter and sugar. It's unnecessary really. And I truly believe that... a true baker might not agree with me though:). 

So when I embarked on making the traditional Romanian Amandine, well, I knew I'd want the recipe to be delicious... but without the "extra" butter and sugar. Of course, it wouldn't be delicious, without some butter and sugar:)... because butter + sugar = flavor. However, I thought I could get away with lowering some of the eggs normally found in sponge cakes by adding some leavening. It took a bit of research, adjusting and finally starting the Amandine recipe. 

While researching all sorts of European dessert recipes, I found that cakes, such as the Opera, Dobos, and other layer cakes relied heavily on sponge cakes. I loved how techniques varied when making a typical "sponge" cake...  from  the joconde(with nuts), to the genoise(beaten whole eggs), to the regular sponge cake(with or without leavening), they all had their own role. So I researched some more and found an amandina recipe that used a "joconde"-like sponge cake, but with added leavening. While most amandine recipes online are based on a chocolate sponge cake, I felt the amandina cake layers should be a bit different, more special than just a chocolate cake .... and so I went with a nut based sponge cake with leavening. The nuts would add a ton of flavor as well as texture.

The buttercream  was my worst fear... all that butter:)! However, I knew I couldn't get away without it, so I settled on a buttercream that's not so popular... the German buttercream. I loved it because it relied mostly on a custard and not so much butter as other buttercreams. I suppose I could have eliminated the eggs entirely from the custard(making a cooked flour frosting)...  it would make the cream even lighter. But I chose to add the eggs, just because this recipe won't be made that often:)... and I felt I had cut enough of the butter and sugar in the overall recipe.

German buttercream can be a bit finicky... the buttercream can separate(look curdled) if the custard and butter are not close in temperature(if custard/butter is too cold). There's a little tip that usually fixes it, and that's to warm up a bit of the buttercream and then whip it again... that extra heat normally brings the buttercream back together. As for the glaze, well, I thought it would work best with a thinned out ganache...

Now the Romanian amandine are quite moist, the sponge cake is usually moistened with a rum flavored syrup. If you didn't know, Romanians love their rum. You'll find the rum flavor in a ton of Romanian desserts, I suppose as you would find vanilla in American desserts. It's that popular. And even though the amandine, as the name implies, should have a predominant almond flavor, it's been changed to other flavors over time... coffee can be added, rum as I mentioned, or even just vanilla. 

While I posted the amandine recipe as I made it, you can certainly adapt it  and make it your own. Make a simple sponge cake, moisten it with a syrup, layer it with your buttercream of choice, even a whipped ganache would work, and glaze it as simply as you like. Add flavors that you prefer... you don't need to use rum, if you don't care for it. But this is my version... a combination of flavors we like, not overly sweet, though sweet enough... and not overly buttery, so it falls heavy. And although I've used a few teaspoons of rum, I don't think it's too overpowering... at least not for us:). 

This is a recipe my husband totally approved of, so I'm finally posting an amandina recipe I'm happy with. And so... here is my 500th recipe. It's hard to believe I've posted so many recipes! Who knows, maybe I'll make this dessert again... in a couple of years:). However, I'm still planning on baking a few other classical cakes. Actually, there's a particular cake that's been on my mind for some time now... hoping to one day cross it off my bucket list:). Hope you enjoy...  

        

Note: This took 2 days... By the end of the second day, I had had it in the kitchen.... I guess I'm not much of a baker:). But on the 3rd day, after my very first bite, I fell in love with the recipe... it was so totally worth it. Not too sweet, nor overly buttery. Just right.

My piped buttercream looks a bit soft... I ended up refrigerating the amount I reserved for piping, so when I needed to pipe it, well, it had hardened. I warmed it up again... maybe a bit too much:). 

Tip: Serve the amandine, the day after making  them, as the flavors are at their best... and serve close to room temperature.

You will need: Cake and soaking syrup adapted from Prajituria... German Buttercream idea inspired in part by BraveTart and chocolate custard portion of buttercream by Food and Wine. Glaze was mine... typical thinned out ganache:). I'd recommend using the scale amounts for better accuracy.

Nut Sponge Cake:

Caramel water

50 grams (1/4 cup) sugar

250 ml (1 cup) water

4 ex-large eggs( room temp.)

250 grams (1 cup+3 TBS) sugar

2 tsps vanilla extract

1/4 cup oil

200 grams finely ground walnuts/pecans (I used 50 grams pecans, I'm sure almonds would work)

250 grams (1 2/3 cups+1 TBS) all purpose flour (I accidentally used bread flour)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Caramel/Rum Soaking Syrup:

50 grams (1/4 cup sugar)

250 ml (1 cup water)

2 tsps rum extract

German Chocolate Buttercream

1 ex-large egg

1 egg yolk

3/4 cup whole milk

2 tsps cornstarch

2 tsps rum extract

1 tsp instant coffee

 240 grams (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

250 ml heavy whipping cream

250 grams chopped chocolate( I used 50% milk +50% semi sweet chips)

Directions: 

Make Sponge Cake Layers: 

• Line and butter a 12 x 17 inch sheet pan with parchment paper
• Preheat oven to 375 deg F

1. Using a food processor, grind nuts till fine. Set aside.

2. In a sauce pan, add sugar, heat on medium heat and melt sugar till amber in color and all sugar is dissolved... swirl the pan to evenly melt the sugar, being extra careful to not burn sugar. Take pan away from heat and add water ... it can splatter, so be careful. Use a whisk to combine... you might get some hard caramel, but it will dissolve as it sits. Set aside to cool.   

3. In a bowl, combine flour and baking soda, whisk mixture to aerate. Set aside

4. Using a whisk attachment, beat eggs and sugar on high till light and fluffy... about 2 minutes.  

5. Add vanilla extract, oil and nuts. Fold gently to combine.

6. Add cooled caramel water and combine until just mixed. Don't overmix.

7. Sift flour mix 1/3 at a time over egg mixture and using a whisk(or a spatula) gently fold in  the flour, being careful not to deflate the mixture too much.

8. Pour batter in prepared pan, lever batter with a spatula, and give the pan a gentle tap on the counter to release any large bubbles.

9. Place pan on center rack in preheated oven and bake 13- 15 minutes or until golden and toothpick comes out clean.

10. Remove sponge cake from pan and allow to cool, cut cake vertically, in 2 equal parts. 

Note:You can at this point freeze cake for assembling Amandine another day if you like.... which is what I ended up doing. Just wrap well.

Make Caramel/ Rum Soaking Syrup:

1. In a sauce pan, add sugar, heat on medium heat and melt sugar till amber in color and all sugar is dissolved... swirl the pan to evenly melt the sugar, being extra careful to not burn sugar. Take pan away from heat and add water ... it can splatter, so be careful. Use a whisk to combine... you might get some hard caramel, but it will dissolve as it sits. Stir in rum extract. Set aside to cool.   

Make German Buttercream:

1. In a bowl, whisk, egg , yolk,  sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.

2. Heat milk in a sauce pan until small bubbles around the edge of the pan are evident... scalding the milk.  

3. Remove scaled milk from heat and slowly add to egg mixture, whisking to combine to temper the eggs.

4. Place tempered egg/milk mixture back in sauce pan.

5. Heat egg custard mix on medium heat, whisking all the time, until  it thickens and starts to bubble slowly... and then heat for another 30 seconds or so after that to cook out the cornstarch.    

6. Remove from heat and stir in chopped chocolate, whisk to combine and then add the rum and instant coffee. 

7. Allow custard to cool completely, covering with a plastic wrap on the surface so it won't form a skin. Place in  refrigerator to cool thoroughly if needed. 

Note: You will need to bring the refrigerated custard back to room temperature when mixing it with the butter, as you want the custard and butter to be at about the same temperature, otherwise the buttercream can separate. 

8. Line the inside of a 13x9 pan with plastic wrap leaving some overhang enough to eventually cover the cake layer. Place one cake layer in pan and using a pastry brush soak cake layer using only half of the caramel/ rum syrup. Set aside while you finish buttercream.  

9. Using a whisk attachment, beat butter until light and fluffy.

10. Add custard in small amounts to the butter while mixing to fully incorporate the custard... continute adding custard and mixing till all of the custard is used up and buttercream is light and fluffy. If at any time the buttercream looks a bit curdled, or separated, this may be because the butter and custard were not at the same temperature... one was probably too cold. As a fix, you may want to remove the mixer bowl and place the bottom of the bowl in some hot water( bain marie style) for a bit to warm the cream gently... and then whip it again... it should get rid of any separation. 

11. Remove about 3/4 cup of the buttercream and set aside... that is, if you want to make the buttercream swirls on top of each amandina.  

12. Using an offset spatula, spread the rest of the buttercream evenly over soaked cake layer. 

13. Place second cake layer on top of the buttercream and repeat soaking cake layer with the second half of the caramel/rum syrup. 

14. Bring the plastic wrap over the entire cake and refrigerate(or freeze) until cream is hardened. It is easier to slice cake neatly when mostly frozen.

15. Remove cake layers from fridge and trim edges. Cut in small squares... about  2x2 inch squares.

Make Chocolate Ganache Glaze:

1. Heat whipping cream to a boil, remove from heat and add chocolate. Whisk until fully combined and smooth. 

2. Allow ganache to cool and thicken, to thick pourable consistency. I placed  mine in the freezer and whisked the ganache every 10 minutes or so... until the ganache was the proper pourable consistency(it took some time in the freezer). Use 1 cake to test the consistency of the ganache before covering all of the amandine. You don't want the ganache to be too thin or it will run all over  the cakelets.  If at any point the ganache is too thick to pour evenly, then heat it gently a bit, and whisk to thin it out a bit more...

3. Spread about 1 1/2 TBS ganache over cake square using the back of the spoon to cover the whole surface and allowing some of the ganache to fall slowly over the edges. Repeat with all squares. 

4. Drizzle lines of any reserved ganache over each square, if desired... or add a bit more melted dark chocolate  to a bit of the ganache(or even use some whipped cream) to drizzle a darker chocolate lined variation. 

5.  Place the reserved buttercream in a piping bag with favorite tip and pipe small mounds in the center of each glazed amandine. 

6. Refrigerate amandine so glaze hardens a bit. 

7. Remove amandine from fridge and allow to get to room temperature before serving.

NOTE: Amandine are best the following day as the flavors improve overall. Just bring to room temperature before serving.  They also freeze amazingly well... freeze amandine on a sheet pan until hard(best if each is placed in a cupcake liner) then place in container of choice, covered. 

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Homemade Deli-Style Marinated Mushrooms

Homemade Deli-Style Marinated Mushrooms... Over the holidays, I had family visiting. So prior to their visit, I ended up making a few dishes that I could pull out when needed. Because I like to spend time with family, I try to plan meals ahead of time... it really helps with minimizing my time in the kitchen. This simple deli-style marinated mushrooms was one of those dishes that came in rather handy. The mushrooms served as an easy appetizer one day... and later on as a simple side. 

While winter has me using less fresh herbs, I find that I can still fall back on dried herbs... especially herbs I've dried from my summer garden. And even though the original recipe uses fresh herbs, I ended up using dried herbs and just adjusted the herbs to taste... rosemary can be powerful, so I used small sprigs. But if you are using fresh herbs, you may use a bit more if you like. But really, you can adjust herbs to your own personal taste. In any case, these mushrooms were delicious and quite flavorful... it's a great make-ahead dish as well as a wonderful addition to any antipasti platter. Hope you enjoy...    

You will need: inspired by a recipe from America's Test Kitchen Feed

Sear and saute:

24 oz button mushrooms, halved or quartered

4 TBS olive oil  

1/2 an onion, sliced and slices cut in half

4 garlic cloves, cut in half

Sprinkle: my herbs were fresh from the garden this past summer, which I dried myself... so adjust amounts to taste and use fresh herbs if you have them.

1/4 tsp dried chile flakes, or to taste (optional)

1 tsp fresh-dried thyme leaves+ extra sprig*

1 tsp fresh-dried rosemary, minced + extra sprig*

salt and pepper to taste* 

you can add herbs to taste... add more if you like herbs and are using fresh.  

Finish off with:

4 TBS apple cider vinegar

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

2 TBS olive oil, or as needed

Directions:

1. Clean mushrooms with paper towel, cut in half and if you have really large mushrooms, you may want to cut in quarters.

2. Heat skillet on medium high, add oil and when oil is hot, add the mushrooms(cut side down). 

You may want to add only half of the mushrooms and half the oil at a time.... and cook the mushrooms in 2 batches. The idea is to get a nice sear and caramelization on the mushrooms. So don't overcrowd the pan, otherwise your mushrooms will steam. 

3. Cook mushrooms, cut side down, undisturbed, until starting to brown around edges, about 3-5 minutes. Turn over and cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until the second side browns a little as well. Remove mushrooms, and set aside in a bowl. If cooking mushrooms in 2 batches, add remaining half of the oil and the rest of the mushrooms and repeat process of searing the mushrooms. Remove all mushrooms from skillet and set aside.    

4. Reduce heat to low and add the onion and garlic to the skillet(you may add 1 teaspoon oil, if needed) and continue to cook until onion is translucent, about 2-4 minutes or so. 

5. Stir in the reserved mushrooms, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. 

6. Stir in vinegar, thyme, rosemary, lemon juice and remove skillet from heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble:

1. Place a 1-2 thyme and rosemary sprigs in empty Mason jar (or other container with tightly sealing lid). Transfer contents of pan into jar; add a bit of oil, seal jar, and shake to combine. Cool to room temperature before serving. 

Marinated mushrooms can be refrigerated in jar for up to 7 days.... 

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Amadeus Cookies... with pistachio/almond filling.

Amadeus Cookies... with pistachio/almond filling. 

Sept 2008. 4 years ago. 400 recipes later. My culinary journey continues. This year I stopped to reflect a little bit on my path to improve my skills in the kitchen. It wasn't intentional, this "improving" part... I mean, I always considered myself a "pretty good cook". I could throw ingredients together and make a pretty decent meal, even be creative with leftovers. Didn't realize that I had so, so much to learn...

Ten years ago, I moved to Montana... and my life in the kitchen changed. I started focusing on eating healthier, while cooking and baking from scratch. I slowly began to "toss" out the box mixes, the loads of cans, the bought breads, switching them for homemade goods and breads... and then, by default, we stopped going out to eat(for the most part). I challenged myself to open my horizons and try different recipes from all over the world. I slowly realized that over  the years I had limited myself to recipes that "came to me on the spur of the moment".... wasn't necessarily bad, but I wasn't really branching out to cook anything unique or different. Sure, I may have tried a new dessert recipe from time to time, or a different recipe for a lasagna or baked dish, but for the most part I didn't deviate from the normal meal that consisted of some type of meat, starch, and a salad or soup. I was stuck in a mold, working with the same basic ingredients/recipes over and over.... and there were a myriad of recipes that were waiting to be tried.

Four years ago, I opened by own blog... mainly to keep a record of the recipes I was trying and loved. I haven't stopped since. I've had my share of failures in the kitchen... and with the blog itself. By trying to make my blog more user-friendly, I "learned" to tweak my own site... by blindly adding/changing the HTML format,  placing drop down menus, scrolling bars, a recipe index, a sitemap with labels, etc. All this was done with absolutely NO experience in the world of computer knowledge. At times, I thought for sure, I would lose all my recipes! I've even had my computer hard drive crash... and in the process lost many of my photos. At the time I thought, "maybe it's just time I close the shop down". Somehow I was able to get up and continue... 

Now years later, after my very first post, I can only look back with a content feeling of accomplishment because of God's grace. I've tried many recipes, have definitely been humbled in quite a few failures, yet at the same time,  I have learned so, so  much. Lots of techniques I've implemented, improvements in my baking skills, and learning to bake bread... loads of breads. In the process, I've also opened myself to gluten-free recipes, and using natural good-for-you ingredients. It's been ever so much fun to experience various flavors from all over the world... not to mention that our meals were/are hardly boring:). And in my culinary journey, I have shared with you the recipes I've been privileged to try. I've learned so much from my readers, and  have been extremely blessed with God's faithfulness to me throughout these years. So thank you for being a reader!

I had wanted to post a wonderful cake recipe(I still plan on it:)) for this milestone in my life... but somehow thought it best to share this recipe for Amadeus cookies. I stumbled upon this recipe one day... and was simply mesmerized by its uniqueness. And since I absolutely LOVE sandwich cookies, I knew I had to try it. In my quest to cook and bake healthier, I normally shy away from using too much sugar, butter, cream, and the likes. But on occasions, I truly miss baking "normal" recipes. So from time to time, I will let myself be unhindered, though I will normally still try to bake from scratch as much as possible. In any case, these cookies stuck with me... and I needed to try them:). 

I chose to make my own homemade almond paste for this recipe(recipe coming soon), and followed the cookie recipe as close as I could. But I didn't have any Kirsch around, so I ended up looking for a substitute. I read that you could sometimes get away with using a cherry/berry flavored syrup instead. Yet,  I didn't have any such syrup on hand either. ... or so I thought. It took me a couple of days to think about the recipe and how I could substitute the Kirsch... I knew that I wanted that flavor to be in the filling (it was the filling that originally caught my eye). But, wait, it finally struck me... the pomegranate molasses I had sitting in my fridge, couldn't that work? I poured a little bit of the molasses in a teaspoon and tasted it. Wow, a revelation... it tasted like a cherry/berry concentrated syrup(of course:)). It would work! So, that's when I knew I could finally take out my butter and sugar to make these Amadeus cookies.... 

My version of this cookie: A classic British shortbread cookie that meets Middle Eastern flavors. The buttery shortbread cookie melts in your mouth, while the pistachio/almond filling laced with the tang of the pomegranate syrup makes this cookie worthy to be posted. The cookie dipped in melted chocolate brings about an elegance that's fit for the queen:). The cookie has easily become a favorite. Hope you enjoy...     

Note: I chose to make these cookies in a 2 day process. I made the filling and cookie dough the day before. Baked and assembled the cookies the following day.... this way the cookies didn't  feel so laborious:)... They are a rich sort of cookie, but the tang of the pomegranate-nut filling sort of balances the richness out. 

Tip: After dipping the cookie in chocolate, you can then dip the chocolate part in some finely chopped pistachios, if you like.  

You will need: adapted from Saveur

FOR THE SHORTBREAD/BUTTER COOKIES:

1 3⁄4 cups flour

12 TBS unsalted butter, softened

3⁄4 cup confectioners' sugar

2 egg yolks

1⁄2 scant tsp fine salt

1 tsp vanilla extract, optional(I added)

FOR THE PISTACHIO/ALMOND FILLING: 

Note: The dark color of the pomegranate syrup can turn the filling into a somewhat  army-green color, as will the pistachios that still have that outer brownish skin on them. Having clean, skinless pistachios will help preserve the bright green color.... and feel free to use the clear Kirsch. 

1⁄2 cup shelled and unsalted pistachios

1 TBS sugar

3 1⁄2 oz. almond paste, at room temperature, chopped

2 TBS cherry liqueur, preferably kirsch*

1 tsp. vanilla extract

*I substituted with pomegranate molasses(2TBS), which gives the filling a slight sour element.... almost like a fruit jelly flavor. You can of course use a cherry syrup, if you don't have the kirsch. 

GLAZE: I chose to use melted chocolate but if you want, you can see the original chocolate glaze recipe HERE... I just didn't want to add any extra sugar for mine.

Melted dark chocolate

Directions:

Make the Cookie Dough: 

1. In the bowl of a mixer bowl add 1⁄2 cup flour, softened butter, and confectioners' sugar. Using the paddle attachment beat on medium speed until very light and fluffy( almost the consistecy of frosting)... about 5 minutes or so.... I might have left mine for a bit longer:). Original recipe has you beat it for only 1-2 minutes. I like the longer beating time, felt it makes the cookies be extra light and tender.   

2. Add yolks... one at a time. Beat until smooth after each addition. Add vanilla, if using. Mix to combine.

3. Add salt and remaining flour; beat to make a dough. Halve the dough, then flatten into 2 disks. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.... or overnight, which is what I ended up doing.

Preheat oven to 325 deg. F

1. Transfer 1 dough disk to a lightly floured surface and roll with a floured rolling pin to a 1⁄8-1/4" thickness. If you've left the dough in the fridge longer than 1 hour, then you might let it soften slightly on the countertop...  but you still want the dough to be cold and firm. The warmer the dough is the harder it is to roll... it will stick too much.

optional: to make the lines on each cookie, I used the back of fork to "drag" it across the rolled out cookie dough, making sure you  just slightly score it... don't make the scoring too deep or the cookies can break later on after they've been baked. 

2.  Using a 1 3⁄4" round cookie cutter, cut out  about 24 cookies. Repeat with remaining dough disk. You will need to combine and reroll scraps so that you have about 48 cookies total. The number really depends on the size of your cookie cutter.... so if you are using a smaller/bigger cutter you just want to make sure you have an even pair of cookies.  

3. Place cookies 1" apart on 2 parchment paper–lined baking sheets and bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cookies are pale golden, about 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness of the cookie. Do check on them as they can burn quickly towards the end. Let cool.

TIP: You can roll the filling in a log(size a little less in circumference than the cookie), and then when you assemble the cookies, you can just slice the filling into rounds and place between two cookies.

Make the Filling:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, process the pistachios with the sugar until finely ground. Add the almond paste and process until fully combined. 

2. Add the kirsch( or pomegranate molasses, as in my case)... and the vanilla.  Process until combined; set filling aside. I made this the day before, wrapped it well, and refrigerated it. 

Assemble the Cookies:

1. Spoon about 1 tsp. of the filling onto 24 cookies and top with remaining cookies. Very gently press cookies together to sandwich them. The cookies are fragile so they can break quickly.

2. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate. Transfer to a parchment paper/plastic wrapped plater. Let set...  I placed mine in the refrigerator after they sat out a bit. Even froze some, after the chocolate hardened. Defrosted them the next day and they were delicious! 

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Insalata di Rinforzo(Reinforcement Salad)... or pickled vegetable salad.

Insalata di Rinforzo(Reinforcement Salad)... marinated vegetables with olives. Originally from Naples, this salad is commonly served around Christmastime when cauliflower is used as a main ingredient in a typical winter salad. The steamed cauliflower is usually mixed with olives, capers, some herbs, oil and vinegar.... and maybe a few other ingredients. It's called reinforcement salad only because it's "reinforced" throughout the days with other leftovers... such as pickled vegetables(Giardiniera), tuna, anchovies, egg, etc. By adding additional ingredients to the original dish, the salad could last into January, when the festivities end.

The insalata di rinforzo can be a great substitution for regular pickled vegetables, as it saves you the pickling time that's normally required... and as an added bonus, it allows you to eat it right after it has been made. Just a bit easier I find... and just as tasty. Granted you may not get all the health benefits from the pickling fermentation, but when strapped for time and you want a salad that mimics the pickled version, I find it a great substitution.

Because the vegetables are somewhat cooked a bit, their fresh flavor changes and becomes more mellow ... the peppers and carrots become sweeter, the fennel loses some of its anise flavor, and the onions lose their"bite". The salad has a nice crunchy texture, with a tinge of natural sweetness from the vegetables, and just the right amount of "pickle". It pairs exceptionally well with the briny olives and capers. Love it... and I could eat loads of it.

You can easily play around with the ingredients in the salad, use whatever vegetables you like more of, omit others... make it spicy, or not. And even though I followed Nigella's version for the most part, I ended up using some carrots in mine, used jalapenos and extra chile flakes(jalapenos weren't spicy at all), used some shallots instead of the pickling onions, and added dill instead of parsley... ingredients I had and wanted to use up. So don't feel you need to have the "exact" ingredients to make the salad work.

Nigella Lawson's version makes a pretty large batch, so it's ideal for entertaining or for gatherings of all sorts. It's a nice salad to serve because it can please vegetarian and gluten-free folks alike... and it's also great for no-carb/grain-free diets. The salad stays quite well in the fridge for days, so if you have any leftovers, you can munch on the salad throughout the week... or pickle it to last even longer. But my salad didn't last very long:).

Will be making this salad again...as it has become a favorite. Hope you enjoy...

Note:~ This pickled vegetable salad serves 8 generous portions.... If you are not planning on eating it all, the salad will last a few days in the fridge... or you can stuff some of the vegetables into sterilized canning jars. Just pour a mixture of half vinegar and half olive oil over the vegetables.

Tip: Try not to cook the vegetables too long, or you will loose much of the crunchiness you are looking for... really a great idea to plunge the vegetables in cold water to stop them from cooking further.

You will need: adapted from Nigella Lawson

3-4 TBS kosher salt

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

16 cups water

2 2/3 cups white wine vinegar

1 tsp fennel seeds, optional

2 tsp peppercorns, optional

4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in quarters

2-3 large stalks celery, sliced on a diagonal

3-4 shallots, sliced thickly or 1 small onion*

2 large carrots, julienned

1 yellow pepper, cut in thick strips

2 red peppers, and cut in thick strips

1 fennel bulb, sliced

2-3 jalapeno peppers, sliced

1 -1 1/2 cups ounces pitted kalamata olives ( or a mixture of black and green olives)

2-3 TBS capers

chile flakes, to taste, optional

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley or 2 TBS fresh dill, chopped

* or 10 ounces pickling onions, that have been peeled after soaking in hot water...or even a small onion, cut into thick strips/wedges

For dressing:

3 TBS white wine vinegar

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

For preserving as a pickle:

equal amounts of: white wine vinegar and olive oil (not extra-virgin)

Directions

1. Get vegetables ready and boil water in a very large soup pot.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of the salt to the boiling water... along with the cauliflower florets. Cook until tender-crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes. In the meantime, prepare an ice water bath.

3. Remove the cauliflower florets from the boiled water and quickly place them into the bowl of iced water.

4. Pour out half of the boiling water( you can eyeball this...doesn't need to be that precise) and add the white wine vinegar, 1 -2 TBS salt( I used 1 TBS, but Nigella uses 2 TBS), fennel seeds, if using, and garlic cloves. I added 2 tsps peppercorns as well.

5. Bring the water back to a boil...and then add the remaining cut up vegetables (celery, onions, carrots, peppers, fennel, and chiles).

6. Cook vegetables for about 8-10 minutes...or until tender. In the meantime, remove the cauliflower that has cooled and place into a large bowl. Add more ice to the water bath, to make it ice cold for the next vegetables.

7. Remove the rest of the vegetables from the boiling liquid and plunge them into the iced water; when cold, drain and add to the bowl with the cauliflower florets.

8. Mix the cauliflower and other vegetables with the garlic. Add the olives and capers.

9. Make dressing and pour over the salad. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle the chopped parsley.... or in my case about 2 TBS fresh/frozen chopped dill and some of the fennel greens.

10. Combine everything really well, using your hands....best method. Taste and adjust seasoning... add more oil, vinegar, salt or pepper, if you feel it needs it.

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Italian Almond Butter Cookies... Baci Di Dama(Ladies' Kisses)

Italian Almond Butter Cookies... Baci Di Dama(Ladies' Kisses). I've been wanting to make theses cookies for a few weeks now. I instantly bookmarked the recipe when I first saw it posted on Marija's blog. I simply love her recipes. I also knew I would eventually travel to Rome and so decided to wait a bit to make the cookies. Thought it best to try the cookies in Italy before I made them... While in Rome, I noticed some pastry shops also sold a chocolate version of the baci di dama cookies. So I'm thinking you can substitute some cocoa for the flour. I finally made the cookies, and they are very similar to the ones I had in Italy. If you love almonds, you might like these cookies.

The cookies are very tender and basically "melt" in your mouth. It's really a delicate butter cookie... with ground almonds. Interestingly enough, it is an easy recipe to remember, as the cookie ingredients( aside from the extracts) have a 1:1 ratio.... in the grams measurement, that is. Same amount of flour, ground almonds, sugar, and butter. And they are super-easy to make...

The cookies would be a fun project... actually if you have kids, they can get involved as well. It would also make a wonderful gift package... even great for Christmas parties or cookie exchanges.

Though probably not traditional, I would love to add some orange peel to the cookies as well as to the chocolate...it would make them especially Christmas-y. Love these cookies with coffee. Hope you enjoy...

Note: You probably won't need all of the ground almonds...as you start with 200 grams and only need 150 grams for the recipe. You will probably have about 2 TBS extra. Also, I put the cups amount as I measured ( Flour was measured by fluffing up the flour and then scooping it out...ground almonds were lightly packed( whisked and fluffed up and then "poured" in a measuring cup...or use a spoon to scoop the almonds in the measuring cup) ... This is only for those who don't have a scale.... but the scale is the BEST option.

~I am thinking you can probably get away with using some store-bought almond flour.

~While the original recipe contains no extracts, I felt the need to add a bit of vanilla as well as some almond extract. Feel free to omit... or use one or the other....or both, like I did:)

Tip: I've seen versions of these cookies where you can substitute the blanched almonds with roasted hazelnuts....

I didn't refrigerate the cookie dough...and hence the crackly tops. But it is best if you refrigerate the cookie dough before forming. And it wouldn't hurt to refrigerate the formed balls before baking.

You will need: adapted from Palachinka

150 grams(1 cup+2 TBS) all purpose flour

150 grams(1 1/2 cups) blanched and toasted ground almonds*

150 grams(scant 3/4 cup) granulated sugar**

150 grams(11 TBS) butter, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla, optional

1/4-1/2 tsp almond extract( or to taste), optional

40 grams( or as needed) dark chocolate, melted

*you will need about 200 grams(1 3/4 cups) raw slivered almonds(without skin)....

** the cookies can be a bit on the sweeter side, so use a bit less sugar, if you like.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 Deg F.

1. Place slivered almonds on a baking sheet.. and toast them in a preheated oven until they begin to brown... about 5-7 minutes. But do watch them as they can burn quickly. You can mix them halfway to evenly toast. Allow to cool.

2. Place toasted slivered almonds in a blender or coffee grinder( I used my vita-mix).... process till you get a fine powder. Be careful so that it doesn't turn into almond butter. Do it in several batches, if need be.

3. Mix flour, finely ground almonds, and sugar. Set aside.

4. Place softened butter in a mixer bowl, beat till smooth. Add vanilla and/or almond extract, if you like.

5. Add flour mixture to butter and knead/mix until thoroughly combined. Original recipe doesn't say to refrigerate the dough, but I would next time I make them.

6. Shape small balls of dough...the size of marbles. I use a rounded 1/2 tsp measurement spoon.

7. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place dough balls on it....leaving 1-2 inches of space between them. I would refrigerate the balls for a bit just to ensure the cookie tops don't crack or have the cookies flatten too much.

8. Bake in a preheated 325 deg F oven for about 13-15 minutes... or until lightly browned on the bottom. Depending how small or big the cookies are formed, the time will need to be adjusted.

9. Melt chocolate in a double boiler.

10 Spread melted chocolate on the bottom of one cookie and attach second cookie to make a sandwich.

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Cookies and Cream Cheesecake "Cupcakes"... #7 in a series of desserts.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake "Cupcakes" ...When I first saw these Oreo cheesecake bites, I thought they were really neat... bookmarked them immediately, just to make them for special occasions. I loved the idea of not making a crust, making individual small pieces, and not using a fork or spoon to eat them. These cheesecake "cupcakes" are pretty easy to make... a simple mix of cheesecake batter that is poured over a sandwich cookie, and baked at a low temperature to allow for a creamy cheesecake. So here is #7 in a series of desserts. Hope you enjoy...

Note: The bottom chocolate sandwich cookie does soften a bit and isn't as crispy... at least that's what I noticed with mine.

Tip: To make them even more decadent opt for frosting them with a chocolate ganache or whipped chocolate frosting. Or simply make a chocolate cheesecake batter...

You will need: adapted from Handle the Heat and originally from Martha Stewart Cupcakes

42 cream-filled sandwich cookies, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped*

2 pounds [4( 8oz packs)] cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1-2 tsps vanilla extract

1-2 tsps grated orange/lemon zest, optional

4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

1 cup sour cream

Pinch of salt

* you can use Oreos or any other brand you like.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F... and line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each liner. Set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer beat cream cheese on medium speed... until smooth of any lumps... and fluffy. You will need to scrape down the sides of bowl as needed.

4. Add sugar gradually and continue to beat until combined. Beat in the vanilla and orange/lemon zest, if using.

5. Add beaten eggs, slowly and beat until combined... don't over beat. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

6. Add sour cream and salt. Beat on low just until combined.

7. Stir in the chopped cookies by hand.

8. Divide the batter evenly among cookie-lined cups. You will fill them almost to the top.

9. Bake until filling is set, about 22 minutes.... this may take a bit longer depending on your oven and how much you filled them. You may need to rotate pans halfway through baking. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

10. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (best overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

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Pecan Blondies( with maple syrup sauce)...#6 in a series of desserts.

Pecan Blondies(with maple syrup sauce)... I love brownies. I like them chewy and chocolate-y, with or without nuts, and with all sorts of flavors...mint, orange, raspberry, etc. But somehow, I tend to forget about its cousin the blondie. The blondies are equally delicious... they can be chewy, nutty, and have all sorts of flavors. While the blondies don't have a chocolate flavor(especially if you don't use any chocolate chips), they do make up for the chocolate flavor in that they have a delightful caramel-y taste. If you really want some chocolate flavor, the blondies can adapt....simply by adding some chocolate chips/chunks to the batter:).

I've been holding on to an older Taste of Home magazine that I've had for some time... the issue featured all sorts of brownies. But it was the grand prize winner that caught my attention... a pecan blondie a la mode with a maple syrup sauce. It looked so good that I had wanted to try it... but eventually other recipes had priority, and the magazine sort of got forgotten. But since I had the perfect opportunity to make them for the youth retreat, I dusted the magazine and finally got the chance to make the blondies. And they were so delicious! Nutty. Caramel-y. A cookie... in bar form... and simple to whip up.

I can easily see how it won the grand prize. So here is #6 in a series of desserts. Hope you enjoy...

Note: I skipped the sauce and ice cream... but posted the maple syrup sauce below, for those of you who would like to try the a la mode version. And you don't have to add chocolate chips... that was simply my addition. Oh, and I divided the pecans so that I could sprinkle some on top... but you can simply add all the pecans to the batter, if you wish.

Tip: The brownies can be chewy or cake-y depending on how long they are baked. So check the blondie at the 22-25 minute mark( or so) for a chewy blondie and 30 minutes for a cake-like brownie...

You will need: adapted from Taste of Home

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups packed brown sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract*

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, optional

* I usually add a bit more... love vanilla

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt

4. Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter. Stir in 1 cup pecans.

5. Spread the thick batter unto a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. You may need to use the back of a spoon to level the batter out. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup pecans and chocolate chips(if using)...over the entire batter.

6. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Do check it at the 25 minute mark for a chewy blondie... a few more minutes in the oven will make the blondies more cake-like. Cool on a wire rack.

In case you would like to make an a la mode brownie, here is the recipe for the sauce.

MAPLE CREAM SAUCE: I skipped this

1 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup evaporated milk

Vanilla ice cream and chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Combine syrup and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in milk. Cut brownies into squares.

2. Place brownie square on dessert plates and top with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle some of the sauce; sprinkle with pecans.

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Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies with White Chocolate Chips...#5 in a series of desserts.

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies with White Chocolate Chips... This cookie was probably one of my favorite cookies. Very similar to a chewy chocolate chip cookie... yet different in taste.

I LOVED this cookie. Chewy. Peanut-y. Delicious. Loved the cinnamon flavor, an interesting ingredient that goes extremely well.

It would be safe to say that the peanut butter in the cookie is actually quite mild.... it's there, but not overly. And the white chocolate complements the peanut-butter cookie, with a buttery-vanilla flavor. Great combination. Best of all, the cookies are easy to do, and great for cookie exchanges. So here is#5 in a series of desserts. Hope you enjoy...

Note: I ended up adding a bit more peanut butter to the dough than what the original recipe asks for... and substituted chopped roasted peanuts instead of the peanut butter chips. Feel free to check out the original recipe.

Tip: If you don't care for cinnamon, opt to leave it out or even decrease amount... though it was the cinnamon that made these peanut butter cookies stand apart.

You will need: adapted from Espresso and Cream with a few changes.

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/3 cup peanut butter*

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 TBS. molasses

1 tsp. baking soda

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

* I used natural peanut butter...just ground peanuts, with a touch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper...or you can grease them. Set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy... 4-5 minutes. If your butter isn't too soft, you can beat the butter until fluffy(2 minutes) then add the sugar and beat an additional 2-3 minutes. The butter mixture should look fluffy and lighter in color.

3. Add in the eggs, one at a time and beat until combined.

4. Beat in the peanut butter, cinnamon, and molasses.

5. Mix together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients... beating just until flour is combined.

6. Mix in the chopped peanuts and white chocolate chips by hand. You can reserve a few to top the cookies with, if you like.

7. Scoop the dough using a 1 1/2 TBS cookie scooper unto the parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 7-9 minutes.

8. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Place on wire racks and cool completely.

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Chocolate Almond Butter( or Nutella) Cookies with Chocolate Glaze...# 4 in a series of desserts.

Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies with Chocolate Glaze. This cookie has a milder chocolate flavor... than say, the brownie cookie I posted earlier. But it still has plenty of chocolate flavor coming from all the chocolate- almond spread, chocolate chips, and chocolate glaze. It's a nice soft cookie....

While the original recipe uses Nutella, I chose to use a chocolate almond butter/spread...just because I had a jar in the house. I can only imagine the hazelnut flavor would be quite delicious. So feel free to use Nutella instead. Yet another cookie that can be made quickly...and varies the cookie platter up a bit:). So here is #4 in a series of desserts. Hope you enjoy...

You will need: adapted from Espresso and Cream

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup chocolate-almond butter/spread (or Nutella as per original)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1-2 tsps. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped almonds/hazelnuts, optional(I didn't use)

Additional melted chocolate, for glaze, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy 4-5 minutes.

3. Add in the egg and beat until combined.

4. Beat in the chocolate-almond butter/spread or Nutella ... and the vanilla.

5. Whisk the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour.

6. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate butter mixture and mix just until combined.

7. Stir in the chocolate chips and chopped almonds/hazelnuts( if using) by hand. You can reserve some chocolate chips to place on top of the formed cookie dough...not necessary, though.

8. Scoop dough by large tablespoons(or use a 1 1/2 TBS cookie scoop)and form into balls.

9. Place cookie balls about 2 inches apart, on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 8 -10 minutes, until edges are crispy and center is still slightly soft.

10. Remove from oven and cool about 5 minutes on baking sheet. Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired.

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Cappuccino- Coconut Cookies.... #2 in a series of desserts.

Cappuccino- Coconut Cookies.... I thought the idea of making cappuccino cookies was brilliant... at least for those of us who like coffee:). The recipe contains 3 TBS of instant coffee...so there's lots of coffee flavor. If you want, you can definitely cut the coffee amount down... just use a bit less. But I think the idea behind these cookies is the cappuccino flavor. When the cookies come out of the oven, the coffee flavor is more pronounced... and then it mellows down a bit after a day or two, at least that's what I noticed. But if you are using instant coffee, with bigger flakes, you will taste the coffee bits in each bite. If the instant coffee is more of a powder, it will blend in more with the dough.

I chose to add some unsweetened dried coconut and substituted the white chocolate chips with regular chips. I ended up processing the chips with the coconut... so that I would get chocolate flakes/bits throughout the dough. If you don't like coconut, opt for skipping it altogether. A different cookie that's worth making, as the coffee flavor makes the cookies taste fancy:). So, here is #2 in a series of desserts. Hope you enjoy...

Note: The original recipe uses 3/4 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cup white sugar... I chose to increase the brown sugar and used less of the white sugar... just to have a bit more caramel-y flavor. Feel free to check out the original recipe.

Tip: You can use any add-ins you like... white chocolate, mini chips, pecans, cacao nibs, etc.

To make them even more spectacular, drizzle some white/ dark chocolate...or dip half of the cookie in a melted chocolate and then in chopped nuts/coconut.

Cookies always freeze well.

You will need: adapted from Joy the Baker with a few changes. Makes about 36 ( 1 1/2 TBS) cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 tsps pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

salt to taste( I used about 1/4 tsp)

3 TBS instant coffee/espresso*

1/3 cup coconut, unsweetened, optional

1 cup chocolate chips

* you can easily decrease this amount, if you don't like them too espresso-ish

Directions:

1. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and instant espresso powder. Set aside.

3. Using a stand mixer, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes...scraping down mixture as necessary.

4. Add the egg and egg yolk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until just combined.

6. Mix in chocolate and coconut, if using... until well combined.

Note: I ended up processing the coconut and chocolate chips in a food processor for about a minute or so...until the chocolate chips were in smaller pieces. You don't have to do this, but I like the speckles....

7. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 45 minutes....while you clean up.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. before you form cookies

8. Scoop cookie dough by the heaping tablespoonful (or using a 1 1/2 TBS cookie scooper) onto the prepared baking pans. I like to slightly flatten the cookie dough a bit.

9. Bake for about 7-10 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven, allow to cool on the baking sheet. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Phyllo Dough Crackers with Seeds... a new favorite!

Phyllo Dough "Crackers" with Seeds... I really get excited when I stumble upon a recipe, end up trying it, and really like it... even better when it becomes a favorite recipe. This one is a favorite, and it's so easy to do... not to mention, so tasty! Who would have thought that such a simple recipe could make such a sophisticated appetizer/snack?

I love using phyllo dough, and many times I may have some leftover sheets. Sometimes I end up re-freezing the sheets, but then they can sort of dry up and break. It's nice to have found a way to use up those extra phyllo dough sheets... just turn them into seeded crackers. Love, love...absolutely love this recipe!

When I first stumbled on this recipe, I was in a bit of a hurry...didn't have too much time to pay close attention to the written version. But while quickly glancing at it, I remembered a few details... something about using 3 buttered phyllo sheets, sunflower seeds, and an egg wash.... and then turning it into simple, yet elegant crackers. That's basically what I remembered...but I forgot a few things... didn't exactly remember the sugar in the recipe:). Even so, the idea was so neat, that the majority of the details stuck...

Recently I decided to make some apple turnovers... noticed I had a few extra phyllo sheets to work with.. then I remembered the phyllo crackers. I took out all the seeds I had in the freezer, and quickly made my own version of the crackers I originally saw... recipe posted below. But after I made the crackers, I started looking for the original recipe again.... just to compare. Found it. And that's when I realized the original recipe was a bit different than the one I made. While my crackers were a savory cracker, the original was a sweet/savory cracker... called Tejas...or "roof tiles" in Spanish. So I'm posting the link to the original, in case you want to see the fabulous photos, as well as the original recipe that inspired me to make them.

These "crackers" are so light and crispy...they shatter in your mouth. It's the perfect entertaining appetizer. ...a great little treat to munch on before a dinner gathering. Or make them for special occasions.... or simply as a snack. Hope you enjoy...

Note: You can make as many crackers you want...I only used 3 (13x9) sheets, and had seeds and egg white left over. Ideally, for an egg white to be used up, you will need to make more crackers(maybe using 6 or 9 sheets).

Tip: You can butter and layer the phyllo sheets directly on a parchment lined baking sheet, sprinkle seeds and then cut... this way you won't need to transfer the crackers.

Feel free to use other seeds...caraway, fennel, etc.

I am thinking some Parmesan cheese would work well as a topping.... haven't tried it, yet.

If you want a thicker cracker, try using a few extra phyllo sheets when layering.

You will need: inspired by The Galley Gourmet

phyllo dough sheets

melted butter

egg white, beaten

seeds....sunflower seeds, flax(brown and golden), poppy seeds, sesame seeds,etc

kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 deg F

1. Mix seeds in a bowl...I use a bit more sunflower seeds and then use the same amount of the other seeds. Example 3 TBS sunflower seeds , 1 TBS flax, 1 TBS poppy seeds, 1 TBS sesame...you can add other seeds of choice.

2. Brush 1 phyllo dough sheet with melted butter, add second phyllo sheet on top and brush with melted butter, making sure the whole surface is brushed well.

3. Place a third sheet on top of the 2 buttered phyllo sheets and brush with beaten egg white, making sure the whole sheet is brushed well.

4. Sprinkle with seed mixture, making sure the phyllo sheet gets covered with the seeds.

5. Sprinkle the top lightly with a bit of kosher salt and cut in tho strips.

6. Place strips onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 375 deg F oven for 5 minutes... or until golden brown. Keep on eye on them as every oven is different.

7. Allow to cool and enjoy!... You can keep them in an airtight container...just pack them gently.

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