Paris, France

Paris, France
Paris, Je T'Aime

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Complete and Utter Deliciousness.



I love all recipes that include chicken thighs, as the thighs are probably my favourite meat on a chicken. When made right, they're incredibly tender and go well with any meal. I made this recipe using one I found online on someone's blog, however I just cannot find their website to cite it. Whoever you are, thank you so much for the recipe. All rights go to you! Anyway, I made this for a sort of late brunch, however this can definitely be served for dinner. It is very filling and visually appetizing. And I served it with a bed of baby spinach and my capri salad tomatoes (which the recipe can be found here: http://cookshmook.blogspot.com/2010/01/little-taste-of-italy.html) For those of you who haven't cooked with brown rice before, it will have a different texture than white rice. So don't be fooled into thinking it's not ready, it will be ready after approximately 45 minutes.

Ingredients:
1 tsbp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup brown rice
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp of each: salt, cumin, dried basil and dried oregano
1/4 tsp of paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
chicken thighs (about 2 per person)

Directions:
-heat olive oil in a large skillet, or deep pan, on medium heat
-add onions and cook until soft
-add garlic and rice, then stir for about 1 minute
-add seasoning, tomatoes and chicken broth
-place the chicken thighs on top
-bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat
-simmer until rice is tender and chicken is done (about 45-60 minutes)
-enjoy!

January 2010 Bakers' Challenge



I've only had nanaimo bars once before, when we had a party in our French class. I can barely say their name for goodness sakes! But as I was browsing on a website for inspiration, I saw that everyone was making and posting them on their blogs. I then found out that the nanaimo bars were part of the January Bakers' Challenge, and I figured I'd take a shot at it. They weren't that difficult to make, although they may look like they are. I didn't even know, but apparently it's a Canadian recipe. That's my fact of the day for you.

Cappucino Nanaimo Bars

Ingredients and Directions:

Base:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
5 tbsp cocoa powder
1 egg, beaten
1 and 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped
1 cup shredded coconut

-melt the butter, sugar and cocoa powder using a double broiler or in a heat proof bowl sitting over the saucepan with simmering water (if you do the latter, make sure the boiling water does NOT touch the bowl; it will burn the ingredients)
-add the egg and stir
-remove from heat and stir in graham cracker crumbs, almonds and coconut
-stir well and press into a pan lined with tinfoil

Filling:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 tbsp and 2 ts of heavy cream
2 tbsp custard powder (most grocery stores will have this, don't fret)
2 tsp instant coffee powder
2 cups icing sugar

-beat everything with mixer until well combined and smooth
-spread over base evenly

Topping:
8 tbsp of chocolate
2 tbsp unsalted butter

-melt (i used my microwave; just put on medium high power for about a minute, it should do the job)
-stir and allow to cool slightly
-spread on top and place in fridge overnight
-enjoy!

I'm on An Italiano Roll...



Pizza. Nothing more can be said. It can be simple, sophisticated, rich; I can go on and on. Pizza just might be on of the most versatile dishes we have on planet Earth. This is my first time actually making a pizza (there was one time a long, long time ago when my dad and I made one, but it kind of failed, so I'm not counting that). Now this can very easily be a vegetarian pizza; just leave out the meat obviously. It was surprisingly easy to make, and it tasted fantastic! I don't mean to toot my own horn but... Okay, and I found a video on YouTube that demonstrates how to toss pizza dough. I only found this after I made it, so I struggled a little with the dough, but next time, I am definitely trying it.


Fancy Pizza

Ingredients:
pizza dough (you can go ahead and make your own, but I just head down to the grocery store and saved a whole lot of time).
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup shredded mozzarella
6 tbsp goat cheese
Sliced pepperoni (or ham or whichever meat you prefer)
Carmelized onions
1/2 bulb roasted garlic

Directions:
-pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
-sprinkle your work surface with flour
-roll out/toss your pizza dough until your desired size, then transfer onto pizza stone/pan
-drizzle the olive oil onto the dough and spread it around evenly
-sprinkle the dried herbs on
-evenly distribute the spinach
-then layer the ingredients on in the order they are written: mozzarella, goat cheese, pepperoni, carmelized onions and roasted garlic
-bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes; until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted
-enjoy!

Back to Work



As the hell-raising week of exams is finally over, my kitchen is in full working order again. I didn't have enough time to create the dinners that I have been, but fear not; everything is back normal! I actually made this before exams started, I just hadn't been able to update the blog with this. Now spaghetti and meatballs are about as Italian as you can get, and I can guarantee everyone has had the meal at least once in their lives. But, I have a new found respect for it, because it takes an incredibly long time to make. Well, not that it took half my day to make, but I just wasn't expecting it. Nonetheless, it turned out deliciously.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients:
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp of milk
3/4 cup of grated romano (Parmesan is fine if you don't have it)
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
1 lb of ground beef

Directions:
-combine all the ingredients, except the ground beef, and mix well
-add in ground beef, and season with salt and pepper, about 1/2 tsp of each
-mix well
-shape into meatballs, however large you want them (just remember that the bigger they are, the longer they will take to cook through)
-put flour into a shallow plate or dish, and roll each meatball in it, then shake off any excess
-in a large skillet, heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil under medium-high heat, then add the meatballs
-allow them to brown on each side (the timing for this may vary; it took about 10 minutes for mine, however, you need to constantly check them)
-meanwhile, cook your favourite pasta according to the directions
-serve pasta and meatballs with any pasta sauce, grate romano on top, along with some chopped basil
-Enjoy! Belissimo!

An Untraditional Take on a Very Traditional Meal





When I decided to make shepherd's pie, I was in dire need of comfort food. However, I knew it would take forever to make and I didn't feel like making it the traditional way. I found a recipe for it in the monthly Chatelaine magazine we get, and it fit my needs quite well. It has a lot of neat textures, and as you can see, it's very colourful. And since we eat with our eyes first...

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 pepper (red, green, yellow, orange, whatever)
1 onion, chopped
1 pouch of instant mashed potatoes (or homemade, whichever you like)
1 lb of ground beef
1 tbsp of dijon mustard
Salt, pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, to season

Directions:
-heat large frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat
-finely chop the carrot, celery, pepper and onion
-add the vegetables, leave uncovered and stir often until tender
-meanwhile, chop the tomatoes and prepare the mashed potatoes
-preheat oven broiler
-once the vegetables are soft, crumble in the ground beef
-add tomatoes, dijon mustard and spices
-break up the meat and stir often until no longer pink
-add into some form of a deep baking pan
-layer the mashed potatoes on top and spread evenly
-broil for about 10 minutes
-enjoy!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

My Supposedly International Adventure




This was supposed to be our dinner meal for the night, however, we were planning to go out, so I figured I'd make this for a late-brunch, early-dinner type thing. It tasted delicious, although it took some patience and time. I had some spinach left over, so I just laid some on each plate, and made a quick honey dijon-vinaigrette. If you have the time, this is sure to get everyone running to the dinner table faster than you can say "Mamma mia!"

Spanish Chicken with Garlic

Ingredients:
-2-3 tbsp all-purpose flour
-A boneless, skinless chicken breast for each person
-4 tbsp olive oil
-8 garlic cloves, halved and green core removed
-1 bay leaf
-2 cups chicken broth
-4 tbsp dry, white wine
-chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
-salt and pepper

Directions:
-put 2 tbsp of flour in a bad, along with salt and pepper
-add a chicken piece in the bag and shake until lightly coated
-shake off any excess, and repeat with the other pieces (you may need to add seasoning)
-heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet, and add garlic
-fry for about 2 minutes while stirring, in order to flavour the oil, and then remove the garlic (don't throw it away!!)
-add chicken to skillet and fry for 5 minutes
-flip to the other side, and fry for another 5 minutes
-return the garlic to the skillet, and add the bay leaf, chicken broth, wine and bring the mixture to a boil
-lower heat, cover and simmer for about 1 hour
-take out the chicken and arrange on plates
-bring the remaining liquid to a boil until it's reduced to just 1 cup
-spoon that sauce over the chicken, along with the garlic
-garnish with fresh parsley
-serve!

A Little Taste of Italy


This morning, I woke up and decided to watch TV. I go downstairs and see "Under the Tuscan Sun" playing, so I watched some of it while searching through my 50 pound "Low Fat Cookbook". I found this recipe and it just called out to me. By the time I finished writing it down in my notebook of recipes, I was drooling and could already smell it. It's a rather easy low-fat, Italian appetizer, but sadly, it doesn't come with a Vespa, a coffee and a nice Italian man to complete the picture.

Capri Salad

Ingredients:
-a large tomato for each person
-mozzarella cheese
-fresh basil leaves
-salt and pepper

Directions:
-pre-heat the oven to the broiler setting, and allow 5 minutes or so to heat
-slice the tomatoes so they are medium-thin thickness (you'll end up with about 5 slices)
-once you get to the bottom, make the last slice thin, because you'll end up just throwing it away
-you need to keep the tomato stable once it'll be in the oven, so you'll want a flat bottom
-cut the mozzarella in rather thin slices
-layer a tomato slice, mozzarella, basil in a stack, ending with cheese on top
-place the tomatoes in some sort of baking dish
-place the baking dish in the oven for about 7-9 minutes, until the cheese melts and has a slight golden brown covering
-once finished, season the tomatoes with salt and pepper, and if desired, drizzle with olive oil and more basil
-serve and enjoy immediately!


Friday, January 15, 2010

Dinner for Three.




This may be one of the last nights I have as much time as I had tonight to work on dinner, since I'm going to be studying for exams soon. So, tonight I wanted to spend my time and create a 3 course masterpiece; lo and behold, it worked! The salad was an extremely simple. I let the oven do the work for the appetizers.The appetizer were over-roasted potatoes. Finally, for the main course, I took my time and the hard work paid off. Hopefully you'll have the same luck!

Spinach, Pepper and Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients:
-4 cups fresh spinach
-1 pepper (I used red) sliced into thin slices
-Goat cheese
-Walnuts
-A salad dressing of your choice

Directions:
-Mix all the ingredients together, and serve!


Oven-Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
-about 5 potatoes, cut into quarters
-olive oil
-salt and pepper
-parsley

Directions:
-wash the potatoes well, since you're leaving the skin on
-cut them into quarters, making sure they're more or less of the same size (so they can have even cooking times)
-boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes, when they're cooked, but not completely finished
-pre-heat the oven for 400 degrees Fahrenheit
-mix together all the ingredients and put into baking dish
-bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown

Pan- fried Chicken Rolls with Prosciutto and Havarti Cheese

There are only two changes to the recipe found on that website that I made.

1. I used havarti cheese instead of emmental.
2. I wanted to pan fry the chicken, instead of grilling it. So I heat up a pan with some olive oil, and let it cook for a good 40 minutes. Every 5-10 minutes, I would flip the chicken onto the other side to ensure an even cooking.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Dessert has two S's because it's twice as nice!

So, although I would consider myself to be better at cooking than baking at the moment, I am definitely working on the sweet side of the deal! Baking does require a lot more precision and patience than cooking, and sometimes I just cannot handle that. But the desserts that I've been making are simple enough, and don't require much of my time. And this was modified from a website on www.foodgawker.com, however I am having difficulty finding it. So, whoever you are, I give you credit! So without further ado...

Warm Mocha Truffle Cake

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup of chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks
-4 tbsp room temperature butter
-2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
-1/3 cup granulated white sugar
-2 tbsp of all-purpose flour
-1 tbsp of coffee liquer (this is completely optional; leave this out if you don't feel comfortable baking with alcohol)
-ice cream (preferably vanilla, but whatever floats your boat!)

Directions:
-pre-heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
-grease, with Pam or butter, the ramekins
-melt the chocolate and butter, while stirring often, in the microwave until the chocolate is melted (you may the stove, but that requires so much extra work and leaves a greater mess, so just take the easy way out)
-in a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, egg yolks and sugar with a mixer until the mixture is thick and has a pale yellow colour to it
-add 1 tbsp of flour, mix, then add in the other tbsp, and mix
-add the liquer and chocolate concoction
-beat that for a few minutes, until all combined properly
-put the mixture in the ramekins and bake for 18 minutes
-once they are finished, take them out and let them sit and cool for a few minutes
-run a knife along the edge to loosen them from the ramekin, and then flip them over onto a serving plate
-add as much ice cream you want on top, and you are fini!

Off we go!

So here is my chicken and peppers put together rather nicely on my plate. Please disregard the garlic lying in the upper left hand corner; I didn't have time to clean up the counter yet. I followed the recipe found on this blog: http://cook-eat-love.com/2010/01/sticky-lemon-chicken/. I modified it a little bit, and don't judge me as my picture won't look nearly as good as hers.

Ingredients:

- Chicken thighs (I used 5, as I was cooking for my parents and myself. Usually you would want two thighs per person, maybe more.)
- Salt and pepper
- 3 and a half tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
- 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- A few drops of soy sauce (the one I own is the strong flavored kind that it meant for cooking, so I only need a very small amount)
- 3 tbsp honey
- Half a lemon, cut in fine slices

Directions:
-heat a saucepan with the olive oil and garlic, medium heat
-season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper (other spices if you feel the need, just remember, less is more)
- brown about 4 chicken thighs at a time, depending on how big your pan is
-this will take about 20 minutes to cook the chicken properly (the chicken will be about 85% ready by now)
-add in the soy sauce and honey, and stir
-wait about a minute, and then add in 1/2 cup of hot water, along with the lemon
-let it simmer until it thickens into a syrupy consistency
- take out the chicken thighs, and serve!


Oven Roasted Peppers
*as seen in above picture*
This recipe is one that I had seen a long time ago on various cooking shows and from my parents' knowledge, therefore there is no site I can refer you to.

Ingredients:
-2 peppers (whichever colour you choose!)
-1 tbsp of olive oil
-Onion (optional; however much you like)
- salt and pepper to season

Directions:
-pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit
-cut the peppers into medium-thin strips
-if you choose to make it with the onion, slice the onion into rings
-mix together the ingredients
-spray baking pan with Pam or brush with olive oil to prevent sticking
-put the peppers on, and leave in oven for about one hour
-you may stir the peppers a few times
-remove from oven, leave it to cool for a bit (although this is near impossible as it smells delicious!)
-SERVE!

A New Beginning...

So, however you may have stumbled upon this blog, I'm glad that you did and hopefully you'll enjoy it. One of my closest friends had gotten the bright idea of me starting a cooking blog, as for the past week, she's been hearing about my cooking adventures.
My name is Pauline, and I am the newest member to the not-so-exclusive world of cooking. You can say that I have had a love for the culinary arts for as long as I can remember. My most watched TV channel is The Food Network, and I find it pleasantly nurturing to have playing either with me watching attentively or in the background while I'm doing something else. Although I mentioned I've had a passion for cooking since forever, I've never really considered to actually stand in the kitchen and create a full meal. However, after watching countless cooking shows, and then "Julie and Julia" (which by the way is a fantastic movie!), it has led me to taking the initiative upon myself.

My main source of inspiration lately? www.foodgawker.com

Tonight, I made sweet lemon chicken with oven roasted red and yellow peppers. For dessert; personal molten chocolate cakes. Sounds pretty good for an amateur, right?

I will post the recipes and pictures of my finished products later on, for those of you who are interested.

I'll wrap up my first post, and hope that someone cares enough to actually read this.

Thanks for your time and hope to see you soon.