Madeleines

Madeleines cookies are usually on the 'pale side'...as in color; they are also dusted with powdered sugar most of the time. I purposely chose mine with light brown sugar to give it a golden color, and wanted to show of the beautiful 'groove' lines from this awesome nonstick Madeleines baking pan which I ordered from Amazon.com...seems like this online order store has become a very favorite store of mine....that's where I ordered my Nikon COOLPIX L810 camera from, as well.
Would you believe this camera even has a 'food app?'...I mean, seriously! How cool is that?! It automatically sets itself for you for great close-ups on the food, but most of the time you have to do the adjusting, how close you want it. 16.1 MP, and 26X Zoom is great!

Getting back to the Madeleines...they are so buttery, light, delicious, and so easy to make. I found the recipe on...Joy of Baking.com

Here are some series of photos I took this weekend from my condo complex... between 7:00-7:45PM

















 


 


Love my new Nikon COOLPIX camera

It may seem that I'm giving up blogging...which in actual reality sure looks like it; but the 'truth of the matter' is, I'm going through so much issues with all the new technical stuff I acquired all at once...is a bit 'overwhelming'!

Not only am I dealing with technical issues, but planning a nice little trip to Como, Italy on the first week of June for 2 weeks.

I had to return my new Canon Power Shot to exchange for Nikon Cool Pix (love both)...but can only afford one...one, that you can easily install the software and upload your photos for Windows 8.

Hope all of you moms had a wonderful day on Sunday...as my daughter and I had, as well! xo

 
No...this is not laundry hanging on an indoor drying rack...its really pasta sheets... oh, the doggies' food dish on the floor in the background; Way to go, Elisabeth...you're doing a 'bang up' job with your new camera...LOL

my homemade pasta...made with the old fashioned 'cranker' kind of machine! 


Easy recipe for homemade pasta...for each 1 cup of  all purpose flour, add 1 egg. For a generous portion to serve 4, I used 3 cups=2 1/2 lbs of flour, 3 extra large eggs, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, and 1 Tblsp. olive oil. You can add all these ingredients in your food processor, or mix by hand to make your dough. Divide in 3 or more portions and feed them through the machine to a desired thinness, and attach the cutter for spaghetti, or fettucine. Let the sheets dry for about 20 minutes before you start cutting the pasta. Cook in rapid boiling water, and drain pasta as soon as it comes to the surface.

Just to let you know...I did a little editing, cropping, and retouching in the original photos!
Can you tell what's been edited, and fixed?



 
 

 





Blueberry recipes

Still having plenty of issues with my new Windows 8...new camera, and now I purchased a new HP printer/scanner to be compatible with the new PC. Will just have to have patience in getting all the equipment together and will create a harmonious effect...as soon as it is all completed.

In the meantime, I will be posting a couple of old favorites from my blog, and a new one that I just discovered through Pinterest!

Click on the title to find this gorgeous Blueberry Mini Tart with  ... mascarpone cream filling!

I've been buying so much blueberries lately, just enjoying them sprinkled on my shredded wheat cereal in the morning, but will be making some nice desserts soon. I saved this gorgeous mini tart on my Pinterest board...the photos are amazing; professional photography...no doubt!
Always curious to find the actual source it came from, and I found it! Gladly sharing it with you!






Photo and recipe from a previous post of mine

LEMON BLUEBERRY BREAD
adapted  from The New Basic Cookbook

TOPPING (Streusel)
 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup un-bleached all purpose flour
4 Tbsp=1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1  teaspoon ground cinnamon

Stir the topping ingredients together in a small bowl, and set aside.

For the Bread/Tea Cake:

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup sour cream
4 Tbsp=1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberris
Zest of 1 lemon
after zesting lemon, use the juice from it

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9x5inch loaf pan with cooking spray
In a medium bowl, stir the sugar, sugar, milk, sour cream, butter, and eggs together, until smooth.
In a larger bowl, toss together,. the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the wet ingredients into it, and add the juice of the 1 lemon.
Carefully, fold in the blueberries, and the lemon zest, to combine.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, and sprinkle with the topping, carefully patting it down a little.
Bake on 375 degrees for the first 30 minutes...lower the temperature to 325 degree F. and bake for an addition 25 minutes until topping is deep golden, and has formed a nice crunchy and thick crust.
Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes on a wire rack and transfer the loaf pan to continue cooling. Makes 1 loaf

 I would like to show off my new thrift find...a "fire king" oven proof blue glass loaf pan that I purchased at Goodwill, for $1.99. It's not as deep as your "pyrex" glass loafpans, but it really is pretty, and has a nice design on it. Besides the fact that it's such a bargain, this seems to be an antique from the sixties, or seventies. Have not seen one like that at all.







Sicilian Puttanesca Sauce 
my own recipe (recipe by Elisabeth)

(photo and recipe from a previous post of mine)



4 large ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup of white, or red wine ( I used white)
8 oil cured olives, or other black olives, pitted
4 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
also, extra for drizzling on top
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 anchovies, rolled in capers (optional)
a handful of white mushrooms, sliced (optional)
12 fresh basil leaves
a handful of Italian fresh parsley (optional)
1 lb. fusili lunghi, or spaghetti
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese

First thing you must do, is to drop whole tomatoes in boiling water, to blanch them, just enough to see the skin loosening, and taking them out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon. Add more water to the large pot that the tomatoes were blanching in, to boil the pasta. Run tomatoes under cold water to remove the skin, easier. Chop the tomatoes into small chunks, removing the hard core.

Heat the garlic an the crushed red pepper in a large skillet, adding the olive oil, over medium-high heat. Add the wine, let it cook down a little, and add the mushrooms, and cook until it sweats, and liquids released. Add the  chopped tomatoes, and cook for a few minutes. Do not let the tomatoes get soft, leave them in chunks. Add the olives, and anchovies with the capers, stir and heat though until it comes to a boil. Turn off heat, and cover, until you are ready to incorporate with the pasta. Drain pasta, reserving a small amount of pasta water, to add to the sauce if needed. Serve pasta in a large pasta bowl, adding the sauce on top, and drizzle with additional olive oil, and snipped basil, and parsley. Pass the Parmesan cheese. Serves 4. Absolutely divine pasta, you will ever taste!



Sour Cream-Blueberry Muffins

Hi everyone!...this may be my last post for a while, as far as uploading photos from my computer; which is a total disaster!

I made these muffins a couple months ago, and had no intention of posting it because these are just so ordinary, cute little yummy muffins that really do not require to POST, or BOAST about...but now, I'm desperate for another post from my own files.
Not only did I end up buying a new Canon camera, but I I have the same 'communication error' blinking on this one as well, when I try to upload my new photos. After all this complication, I strongly believe that it's my computer that has the problem. the USB port plug-in is not connecting to the camera...so tomorrow, I will have to disconnect everything from my PC and physically take the computer to the 'Geek Squad' at our local BEST BUY to have them check it it and hopefully correct the problem!
Oh, and my old camera...which is just barely over one year old...well, that one is totally broken down now from all the stress of trying to fix the problem; but I still insisted on Canon again, since I've used Canon 35mm in the past over for over several years and that one is still working, but who wants to bother with getting film developed, when it's so convenient to just pop out the little memory card when it's filled and you can decide if you want to develop photos and choose how many you want.

Also, now I removed my old picture file from my previous camera which also was able to correct the photos the way you want them...now, I downloaded the Windows Live program which also has the photo gallery. Not sure if I like it.I have been trying to be this 'self-taught' computer technician...finding new and improved things, but cannot fix the actual problem. So bare with me and enjoy this simple muffin filled with fresh ripe blueberries,  topped with a comforting sugar topping...or streusel if you prefer. The recipe is so simple, I even found my old recipe online from Food and Wine.
Ingredients
U.S. Metric Conversion chart
  • 1/2 cup(s) light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon(s) baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup(s) sugar
    localoffersIcon
  • 1 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup(s) (rounded) sour cream
  • you can substitute Greek yoghurt  
  • 1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon(s) finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 cup(s) (rounded) frozen blueberries 

    Directions:
  • Make the topping: Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon. Rub with your fingers to form coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Make the muffins: Butter a 12-cup muffin pan. In a medium bowl, whisk the 1 1/2 cups of flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the egg at medium speed until frothy. Add the sugar and melted butter and beat until pale yellow, 1 minute. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest until blended. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until almost blended. In a bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour. Using a rubber spatula, fold the blueberries into the batter.
  • Fill the muffin cups three-fourths full of batter and sprinkle with the topping. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the pan and let cool on a rack. Yields: 1 dozen


“If your eyes are blinded with your worries, you cannot see the beauty of the sunset.” ~Jiddu Krishnamurti

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Paula Deen's Old Fashioned Baked Ham

Like I said...I don't have any way of uploading photos now, until I resolve this issue with my camera; which happens to take awesome pictures...just do not have the capability any longer to upload the photos to my file. I have to rely on my daughter to use my memory card to insert into her camera to upload...and she does not have the time, to bother with my photos...as you can see, I'm just catching up with some Easter food photos. Well, not so bad, a little behind...by this summer I will have caught up with all.

Old-Fashioned Holiday Glazed Ham

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 spiral-sliced half ham (Paula prefers Smithfield)

(I used a whole regular ham, about 10 lbs.)
1 20-ounce can pineapple slices, juice
reserved
15 to 20 whole cloves (optional)
1 small jar maraschino cherries
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
Directions

Preheat the oven as directed on the ham package and follow the instructions for baking the ham. Remove the ham from the oven about 30 minutes before the end of the warming time.

Decoratively arrange the pineapple slices on top of the ham, securing them with whole cloves, if using, or toothpicks. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple ring and secure with a clove or toothpick.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard and just enough of the reserved pineapple juice to make a thick glaze. Spoon the glaze over the ham and bake for the remaining 30 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven, transfer to a cutting board and carve.


By next Easter, I will be way ahead of the game, and will include these photos and recipes for the Easter Menu Suggestions. These Deviled eggs are so, utterly simple...just wish I could have piped the filling with my @home basic piping bag and decorating tube, but unfortunately for this type of thicker filling a professional piping bag would be more suitable, which is on my list of things I need.

New Potato Salad With Dill

TOTAL TIME
2 hours (including cooling)

Ingredients

Preparation

1.
Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and quarter the potatoes, taking care to keep the skins on.
2.
Place the potatoes in a bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper and gently toss with two tablespoons of the vinegar and one tablespoon of the oil. Set aside until cool.
3.
Mix the remaining vinegar with the mustard until well blended. Beat in the oil. Pour over the cooled potatoes and gently mix. Add the scallions and dill, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
YIELD
4 to 6 servings 
source: NEW YORK TIMES
I would like to share with you both recipes, the simple Deviled Eggs, and the Potato Salad, which does not use mayo, but a light vinaigrette with the yellow new potatoes.

Deviled Eggs Recipe 

  • Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 dozen eggs
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp minced onion or shallot
  • 1/4 teaspoon tabasco
  • Salt and pepper
  • Paprika

Method

1 First hard boil the eggs. (See how to make hard boiled eggs.) Fill up a large saucepan half-way with water and gently add the eggs. Cover the eggs with at least an inch of water. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water (this will help contain egg whites from leaking out if any of the shells crack while cooking). Add a pinch of salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil. Cover, and remove from heat. Let sit covered for 12-15 minutes. Drain hot water from pan and run cold water over the eggs. (At this point if you crack the egg shells while the eggs are cooling, it will make it easier to peel the shells.) Let sit in the cool water a few minutes, changing the water if necessary to keep it cool.
2 Peel the eggs. Using a sharp knife, slice each egg in half, lengthwise. Gently remove the yolk halves and place in a small mixing bowl. Arrange the egg white halves on a serving platter.
deviled-eggs-1.jpgdeviled-eggs-2.jpg
3 Using a fork, mash up the yolks and add mustard, mayonnaise, onion, tabasco, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Spoon egg yolk mixture into the egg white halves. Sprinkle with paprika.
Yield: Makes 2 dozen deviled eggs
source: Simply Recipes
On my last post, I shared with you the beautiful sunrise...this post I will share with you the most awesome sunset, which is on the Intracoastal Waterway side, facing west. A beautiful water view, and a picturesque side-walk...not in photo, just across my condo apartment. Both sunrise, and sunset photos are on the water...my place is literally on the island of Palm Beach, divided by two bodies of waters, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the Atlantic Ocean.
You have to be ready to catch the sunset at the perfect time...otherwise you are going to miss out on the magical moment, just as it is setting!
Have a wonderful  weekend, my dear friends! xoxo
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Irish Soda Bread

St. Patrick's Day, and Easter has already came and went, and I'm still trying to catch up with posts that have been waiting in my draft file. As I mentioned, Lora made this same exact bread, and she has my recipe for it from a 1994 Gourmet magazine, which I found at Goodwill for 49cents, just recently. I do miss Gourmet so much...it has been around for at least 40yrs and now, I just treasure each and every recipe, issue and of course books as well.

Click here for the recipe: Irish Soda Bread
 
I am unable to upload photos to my picture gallery, as I have mentioned before. I ordered a new cable adapter, and also a battery charger, but it is not helping, so obviously it's a problem with my camera. It take awesome photos, but cannot upload them to the computer. Not an easy choice to have to take the memory card out of the camera to have to upload photos from another camera, so now I'm stuck for a while until I get another camera. Oh, well...such as life!

I must admit that this is the BEST Irish soda bread recipe that I have tried, and will keep on making it, and not just on St. Patrick's Day. Even with the raisins...especially with the raisins, we love this easy bread so much.

I do hope you all had a wonderful Easter holiday! Thank you for all your kind and sweet comments and will try to catch up with all the replies and good wishes. xo


In the meantime...I was able to catch the sunrise at 7:15 AM in its glorious, and luminous beauty the other day, just by taking a quick look outside my terrace. An hour later, I decided to take a short walk on the beach with a brisk 58 degrees F. temperature. Just perfect for S. Florida at this time of the year, when everywhere else is still freezing.
Take care, and have a beautiful Sunday!





Easter Menu Suggestions...Husvéti Menü Ajánlat

Today is Yesterday was... St. Patrick's Day...celebrated mostly in Ireland, but here in the United States as well...and all over the world. You don't have to be Irish to celebrate this special day, just have the love of 'green' as I do...have the 'luck of the Irish'...and mostly love of the traditional Irish food, bread...as in Soda Bread, which I also made, just not posting it today since my daughter Lora, @ Cake Duchess, made the same exact recipe and posted hers, for today.

I spend way too much time on Pinterest, and not enough time on my blog these last few months. I cannot download photos from my camera for the last couple weeks...and of course, to upload. I ordered the needed accessories to replace the old ones for my Canon Power Shot SX130, from Amazon; (cable cord, and adapter)...and if that doesn't work, then I will upgrade to a Canon Rebel camera!




 
"Green is the color of nature, fertility, life. Grass green is the most restful color. Green symbolizes self-respect and well being. Green is the color of balance. It also means learning, growth and harmony. Green is a safe color, if you don't know what color to use anywhere use green.

Green is favored by well balanced people. Green symbolizes the master healer and the life force. It often symbolizes money. It was believed green was healing for the eyes. Egyptians wore green eyeliner. Green eye shades are still used. You should eat raw green foods for good health. Friday is the day of green. Green jade is a sacred stone of Asia." 

HAPPY(belated) ST. PATRICK'S DAY!
                                             Vegan Avocado-Tomato Toasts for #greenslove
Moving on to the next project:

I have been graciously invited once again...this year by a special Hungarian food blogger friend, from Katalin @Konyhája to participate in this Easter Menu Suggestion...Husvéti Ajánlat Játék originally initiated by Éva, from Takarékos Konyha...literally meaning, Éva's Thrifty Kitchen, in English. What a coincidence. My blog is Food and Thrift, in Hungarian...Étel és Takarékosság, very similar. 

Katalin, köszönöm szépen a kedves meghivást...Éva, köszönöm a kedves Husvéti Játékot!

This year, I will be featuring light, and Springtime suggestions...Easter is coming rather early this year, so is Passover, which always coincides with Easter...not a coincidence! For this year, I am featuring some International dishes...will be staying...have been staying away from heavy, and fatty meats, and red meats, although I do crave an occasional nice portion of steak, or homemade hamburger, grilled outdoors, with all the fixings!...never mind that, just lets concentrate on light, colorful, and tasty dishes that I have prepared in the past for spring, and summer, and stay with that!

Thanking Katalin, and Éva, and I will be paying forward the invite to 2 other food bloggers, as requested!
Köszönöm Katalin, és Köszönöm Éva...már is tovább adom a meghivót...Kriszti, az Illéskrisz Konyhája...  extending the invitation to Zsuzsa, from Zsuzsa is in the Kitchen
 Just click on the link for the original post, and recipe!
                                                              Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup
                                                               Wild Mushroom Risotto
                                          Fabrizio's Easter Lamb Shanks ...served over basic risotto, but can be served over Wild Mushroom risotto, as well! ...and I also recommend a nice spring pasta dish which you can pair with fresh salmon, if you wish not to eat lamb. (this year I'm omitting heavy meats)
                           Farfalle with Salmon, and Peas...in a light cream sauce
                                         Flourless Chocolate Mousse Cake
                                                Coconut Macaroons
                                             Perfect 'brownie pan' Brownies

                                                               



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Eggplant Caviar

Continuing with my usual blogging has not been the easiest and smoothest thing on my list of things to do...just like my daily tasks these days, but I'm trying my best to catch up. I know I owe you, my dear friends comments, and replies on your blogs. It's not enough to be replying back on  my comment section, it should be done directly by visiting your blogs.

So, I will try harder...you've been all so sweet and kind with all your comments. I thank you for that!
I seldom make eggplant dishes, although I do love eggplant...as do all my family. So many ways of preparing it, for appetizers, side dishes, and main dishes. It is so versatile and can be prepared so deliciously, just like I made it for a wonderful appetizer.
 Eggplant Caviar is another favorite Sicilian dish which I have been making for a long time. It is quite similar to the famous Caponata, but with less ingredients, and is simplified, using only a few additions. Also, traditionally it is peeled and mashed up into a paste-like concoction which is not so attractive...so I prefer to leave the skins on which as you can see is soft and edible, and also leave most of it in chunks. All you need is some crusty bread, and enjoy!

Eggplant Caviar
recipe by; Elisabeth

1 large eggplant
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic minced fine
1/4 cup small capers
juice of 1 lemon
a handful of fresh chopped Italian parsley
sea salt, or Kosher salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, about 1 teaspoon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with dull side of the aluminum foil side up; spray with cooking spray. Cut eggplant in half, lengthwise then cut into thirds, and into segments as shown on photo. You can spray some more spray on the eggplant slices, or drizzle oil. (I sprayed mine with cooking spray)

Bake for about 20 minutes, and check to see if it needs liquid; just don't add any more oil...add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of plain water to the pan...it will soak into the eggplant. Continue baking for another 25 minutes.(45 minutes total)

When eggplant has a brownish color and soft, carefully take the hot baking pan out and remove the eggplant pieces with a flat spatula onto a cutting board to cool for a few minutes then, cut into bite size pieces.

Have a medium size bowl ready to add the 1/2 cup oil, the chopped garlic, pepper flakes, capers, parsley, the vinegar, and the lemon juice. Add the salt and pepper. Carefully add the eggplant, you can mash some of them up. Stir carefully, and serve it on small plates for first course, or just appetizer. Drizzle extra oil on top, and garnish with extra parsley.  Serves 4
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Cleveland Winter 2017

Hello my friends, I hope you all had a great holiday. I just got back from Ohio and I thought it would be nice to put together a post to s...