Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Sometimes I think casseroles get a bad rap. Sure, they don't always make the healthiest meal, but when you think about it, you can basically fit your carb, meat, and vegetable all in the same dish. Not a bad deal for a busy weeknight. It's also pretty great when it's a casserole full of your favorite Mexican flavors. Salsa verde, corn tortillas, chicken thighs and lots of cilantro, so good! And while these don't quite qualify as enchiladas, this might be the best flavored enchilada dish I've ever had! And as far as health is concerned, this is a Cooking Light casserole, so I've got you covered there too!



Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Cooking Light March 2011

Ingredients

Cooking spray
4 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups chopped onion, divided
6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup salsa verde
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeño pepper
9 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes on each side. Place skillet in oven; bake at 425° for 10 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 15 minutes. Remove meat from bones; shred. Discard bones. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, corn, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) to chicken; toss to combine.

3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup onion; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 garlic cloves; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to chicken mixture; stir to combine.

4. Combine remaining 1 1/2 cups onion, remaining 3 garlic cloves, broth, salsa, 1/4 cup water, and jalapeño in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Carefully pour mixture into a blender; add 2 tablespoons cilantro. Process until smooth (if you have an immersion blender, it comes in very handy for this part).

5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tortillas; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove tortillas from pan; repeat procedure with remaining tortillas. Cut tortillas into quarters.

6. Spread 1/2 cup salsa mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 12 tortilla quarters over salsa mixture. Spoon half of chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers, ending with tortillas. Pour remaining salsa mixture over tortillas; sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Top with remaining cilantro.

Serves 4

Per Serving: 371 cal, 12g fat, 23g prot, 45g carb, 5g fiber,

Mocha 'spresso On-The-Go Jello

forget those 5 hour energy drinks that cost a fortune.  make yourself some Espresso jello cups for those inconvenient times you need a pick-me-up.

i love these things...my friends love these things...you will love these things.  i think i've already made about 5 batches and i'll make more tomorrow.

i got this idea from Nicole at The Galley Gourmet.  in the post titled "Sunday Dinner" she had this fabulous photo of Chocolate-layered Espresso Jellies.  her recipe sounds absolutely delicious and a perfect end to a fabulous Sunday Dinner.

i, on the other hand, don't throw too many lavish dinner parties...none, if truth be known, so i came up with this easy Mocha 'spresso On-The-Go idea.  how much fun would it be to whip an espresso shot out of your brown bag lunch?...or pass these out at your next tailgate party?  try this for an afternoon pick-me-up or an after dinner guilt-free treat.  these are pretty guilt-free...just a little shaved dark chocolate never hurt anyone.

MOCHA'SPRESSO JELLO TO GO

idea adapted from Nicole at Galley Gourmet

below are the instructions for the way i have been making it, but of course, there are many many variations.  have fun with it...

makes 4 1/2 cup servings

1 packet of plain gelatin (7g per packet)

1/4 cup cool water

3-4 shots of espresso (equal to 3/4 cup)...HOT-reheat if you have to

1 cup vanilla protein drink (milk would probably work, but the protein drink is creamier, extra flavor, less calorie and low carb...Muscle Milk or Pure Protein are good)

sweetener to taste

(a splash of no sugar Hazelnut or Irish Cream sweetener is great.  i use Davinci's)

dark chocolate bar for shavings

NOTE...whatever espresso/protein drink/milk/water combo you use your goal is to end up with 2 cups of liquid. this can be like a straight up espresso shot or a flavored latte.  you want the liquid to taste as you would a favorite coffee/espresso drink, but a little more rich.  most friends liked the one with a little more latte flavor, but the straight up espresso was brilliant, if ya ask me...

pour 1/4 cup cool liquid (milk, protein drink, water) into a 2 cup pyrex measure.  add the gelatin packet and let the gelatin bloom for about 5-10 minutes.  stir it so that it doesn't clump up.  if it clumps, use a fork or spoon to mash clumps...a few little clumps are okay.  

pour your hot espresso into this gelatin mixture and stir until the gelatin has completely dissolved.  do a taste test...is it sweet enough?...remember this is a treat.

shave a little chocolate into the vessel of choice.  i got these little toss aways at Smart and Final.  reusable tupperware would be more green of me, but i never get them back and people tend to throw those away. i reuse these as much as possible.

pour the mixture in the cups and refrigerate until firm...takes a few hours

shave some more chocolate on top and you're ready to go...ANYWHERE

A POWERFUL LITTLE PICK-ME-UP TREAT !

Happy Easter

Annamaria's chocolate cake

Happy Easter everyone! I'm happy to be back home, after an awesome vacation. My parents have a house in Spain, near Torrevieja, and that's where we went. (My parents joined us, too, for most of the time - it was great to get to spend some time with them.) It's lovely down there - very still and peaceful, and of course warm and sunny. Foodwise... a bit good, a bit not so good. (For example, the whole debate about organic food and additives must have not made it to Spain.) Anyway - we cooked a lot, since Titus was with us and that meant it wouldn't be so easy to eat dinner at restaurants all the time. I made an awesome paella, and dad made mussles in a creamy wine sauce with cilantro. More on the food when I've downloaded the photos from my camera!

We came home to find that winter has finally gone away, and spring is here. That means, among other things, that I have to get rid of my backlog of wintery posts really, really fast, in order to get to all the nice, spring-y food! Will make that my mission in the next few weeks.

Today, a chocolate cake originally from a Swedish food blog that's sadly not updated anymore. This cake was the runner-up to "best chocolate cake in Sweden" a few years ago, and I can well believe that!

However, believe me, this is rich. And I don't use that term lightly. Despite that, serve it with some whipped cream - it goes so well with the creamy chocolate truffle, and the crispy peanut butter cake layer.

Annamaria's chocolate cake

Bottom:
6-700 ml (about 2 1/2 cups) cornflakes
140 g golden syrup (try to find this, don't substitute corn syrup. If you must, substitute honey or agave syrup, but you might have to change the quantity.)
250 g peanut butter

Truffle:
175 g milk chocolate
275 g dark chocolate
100 ml full-fat cream
100 ml milk
50 ml pistachios, unsalted

To decorate:
Some extra pistachios

Start with the bottom. Use a springform pan with a loose bottom, and place a baking sheet in it. Crush the cornflakes slightly. Melt syrup and peanut butter in a saucepan, and add the cornflakes. Stir. Press an even layer into the pan and place in the fridge.

When the bottom is completely cool, make the filling. Coarsely chop both chocolates, and melt in the microwave. Heat the milk and cream and pour over the chocolate. Stir until completely mixed and smooth. (Use a stick blender if you'd like - I used a simple spoon and that was fine.)

Chop the pistachios and add to the truffle.

Pour the chocolate mixture over the bottom and sprinkle with the extra pistachios. Place in the fridge for at least five hours or overnight. Keep in the fridge until right before serving.

Recipe in Swedish:
Annamarias kladdkaka

Vanilla Bean Herb Homemade Farmer's Cheese

yes, more cheese...this one is FARMER'S CHEESE.  

i love making cheeses and yogurts... continuously trying out different methods, milks and flavors.  am i becoming a cheese head?...should i get a goat in the back yard?   funny thing is...i really don't eat THAT much cheese...it's just so rewarding and i seem to be fascinated with the science behind it.

 Farmer's Cheese is a basic fresh cheese with a slight tang.  it's a great cheese to start with.  when making it at home you can choose the flavors and regulate how hard or soft you prefer.  i don't care for the crumbly type, i prefer it a little moist like a Neufchatel or a very thick cream cheese...easy to slice or wedge but still spreadable...

farmer's cheese is quite delicious and well worth the few hours it takes to create...BUT it was this flavor combo that made it fabulous...

VANILLA BEAN, ROSEMARY, THYME

with a little honey and a pinch of sea salt and fresh pepper

the vanilla bean along with fresh rosemary and thyme from the garden was a hit.  of course, i thought it was something new, but low and behold...i was at the market to peruse the cheese station like i always do and isn't there just a big fat log of goat cheese with the flavor printed right on the front...Vanilla Honey !!!...well, to my credit...i had never heard of vanilla bean in savory cheese before...so there!

do you think i could go as far as...

VANILLA IS THE NEW BLACK...?

VANILLA IS THE NEW BACON...?

i've been obsessed with vanilla beans lately, trying to sneak them into everything i can...  please do try this combo out in something...i've made some thick Greek yogurt and some "Goat-Yo" (goat-yogurt) with these flavors and i love it...i posted about Skyr (Icelandic Yogurt/Cheese) just a few days ago and used the vanilla herb mix in that for a tasty breakfast treat...along with some fresh berries and you're set. 

FARMER'S CHEESE

1/2 gallon whole milk...NOT ultra pasteurized

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 tsp salt

flavor option...1 vanilla bean scraped

1 tsp fresh minced rosemary

1 tsp fresh minced thyme

fresh ground pepper

and maybe a little more salt to taste when cheese is nearly ready...don't over salt in the beginning because it will get more concentrated as the whey drains

make sure your utensils are clean...i read that you should use all stainless steal

heat milk in a large stock pot SLOWLY to 190 F degrees

take off the heat and stir in the vinegar.  the milk should immediately start to curdle

let the milk/vinegar sit for 15-20 minutes

place a large colander over a large bowl or pot.  drape a few layers of cheesecloth or fine muslin over the colander.  pour the cheese curds into the cheesecloth.  the whey will drain and the solid curds will remain in the cloth.  i let this sit on the counter for about an hour so that most of it drains.  when the dripping slows, pick up the 4 corners and squeeze more whey out...or what i  like to do is tie up  the corners and hang from a wooden spoon or something...keeping something under to catch the dripping whey.  when you feel the cheese is hard enough to shape and the dripping has stopped, unwrap it and take a peek.  i like to taste it at this point...add salt if necessary.  if it looks too "curdy and crumbly" put it in a bowl and stir (or mash it together with a fork)  to bring it together...more spreadable.  take the ball of cheese and pack it into a mold...i find that a ramekin works well.  cover and refrigerate.  you might want to line your mold with plastic wrap for easy removal if you are looking for a cheese that will stand alone (as shown in photos).  sometimes i will just use it straight out of the ramekin if there's no need for presentation.

your fresh Farmer's Cheese should be ready in a few hours.  enjoy

this is a fersh cheese so it should be eaten within a week to 10 days.

Daniel Boulud's Bistro Moderne @ Marina Bay Sands

The well travelled who scorned Singapore's lack of Michelin star restaurants certainly welcomes the string of celebrity chef restaurants to spice up our food arena. Still there isn't Michelin starred restaurants here but the introduction of integrated resorts in Singapore did bring with it several that's opened and owned by Michelin starred chefs. 

It's my first visit to one of the celebrity chef restaurants in the Marina Bay Sands and we decided to drop in on Daniel Boulud's Bistro Moderne. Daniel Boulud is one of the celebrity chef names that echoes around the bay when Marina Bay Sands was opened. Chef Boulud is famous for his Michelin starred NYC's French Fine Diner, Daniel. For Singapore, he decided to have a bistro for his more casual American French creation.

For appetizers, we had the Lobster Salad that comes with refreshing arugula,  capsicum, tomatoes and avocado. The sourish salad dressing accentuates the sweetness of the chunks of lobster. The addition touch of avocado (guacamole) in this appetizer hints of an American Bistro dish.

The Charcuterie Platter includes salami, chorizo, parma ham, duck pate and duck terrine. Chris thought that this was most worth while. I guess she's already missing the chorizo and Iberico that she had in Spain. The Dijon mustard was provided as a dip and I thought the terrine goes well with it.

The Original DB Burger is the brain child and specialty of Chef Daniel Boulud and the original recipe from the DB Bistro Moderne in New York as well. Just look at the huge patty. We'll see what goes in there ...........

...... The patty is sirloin filled with short ribs and foie gras making it really rich, hearty and juicy. All these richness were sandwiched between soft parmesan buns. I think this is a must try dish for beef and burger lovers. A definite signature at the bistro.

Fried Eggs Lyonnaises is a casserole dish with duck confit, potatoes, mushrooms tucked under the egg. This dish comes with some arugula salad as sides. MIL liked this dish. The duck confit was super tender.

Artisanal Orecchiette was venison ragout, smoked bacon, squash, brussel sprouts and homemade pasta. The venison was tender and this pasta was quite a generous portion.

This basket of Warm Madeleines got us all crowded over it. When the basket was placed over on the table, the sweet smelling fragrance coupled with lemon citrus filled the air. It's no wonder that the basket was emptied in a jiffy.

Inside DB Bistro Moderne : It's Bistro Moderne indeed. The bistro had the casual lighting but had modern touches that put it closer to a fine dining setting than a casual bistro.

2 Bayfront Avenue

The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands #B1-48

Singapore

Tel : 65 6688 8525

DB Bistro Moderne Website

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis

Isn't it funny how your tastes change as you get older? When I was younger, the worst words ever uttered from my mom were "we're having meat loaf for dinner." NOOOOOOOO! And the food wars began.

Now I think meat loaf is great, I've made several different kinds, and I make them often. I think that's what I like so much about it, it's so versatile!

The first thing I thought after I made these was how fun they would be for entertaining. I love the idea of everyone getting their own little meat loaf, it feels so welcoming and personalized. Plus, you can't go wrong with a meat loaf that is gushing with cheesy pockets, and full of great flavor. Give these a try, you'll love them!

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis
Cooking Light January 2011

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (about 1 ounce)
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup, divided
3 ounces white cheddar cheese, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.

3. While breadcrumbs cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and remaining ingredients. Shape into 6 (4 x 2-inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until done.

Serves 6

Per Serving: 256 cal, 11g fat, 28g prot, 11g carb, 0.9g fiber

Have your tastes changed? What kinds of things do you like more/less now that you're older?

Habas con fuet

To keep up with the Spanish food: fresh broad beans (habas) with onion, garlic, olive oil, sherry vinegar and fuet sausage. Delicious!!

Paella!

I'll post the recipe when I get home. For now, enjoy the photo!

Finally, The Successful Souffle

ahhhh....now this is what i'm talkin' about.

HOUSTON, WE HAVE LIFT OFF...

A DELICIOUSLY SIMPLE CHEESE SOUFFLE...

well, i can cross this off my "Bucket List"

success with the "CLASSIC CHEESE SOUFFLE"

light, soft, airy, smooth, dissolve in the mouth cheesy egg goodness.  like a little cloud of heaven has finally arrived on the plate.

if you're interested in making a savory souffle and it's your first attempt, i suggest you try this recipe by Alton Brown...really, no kidding.  who would have thought Alton Brown vs our beloved Julia Child in a recipe match?...i choose Alton?...yikes!  well that's just crazy talk...but true for this novice souffle cook.

as you might already know this is not my first attempt at "The Elegant Souffle".  i posted about my failure with Julia Child's Souffle a few days ago.  i was so dismayed and upset with my failure that it took a while for me to try again.  i was up late one night and caught an Alton Brown rerun...he seemed to demystify "The Souffle".  in this episode he just showed the basics of souffle making...nothing crazy, no contraptions, just straight up souffle talk.  i had to try again...even though it was an Alton Brown recipe.  not to diss Alton by any means, but he does get carried away sometimes with his complex instructions and odd contraptions.

photo above is right out of the oven...
the other photos of the full souffle were taken anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour after taking it out.  it held up VERY well.
the little photo below of the single serving is the only picture i could get before i finally HAD to dig in.    sorry it's not the beauty shot i had hoped for, but you can see how well it held up on the plate.  i was just so excited that it turned out...so fabulous, light and fluffy all on it's own.  i think it would also be delicious with a sauce of some sort.  can't wait to try it again and give it some more thought.

NOTE to first time souffle cooks....have everything ready.
get your mise en place in place!
be ready with all the separate bowls and utensils...that said, be ready for a big mess, or just a lot of dirty bowls and such.  i'm sure the second time around it won't be so bad, but it's all worth the trouble...

trust me, a successful souffle can make your day !

CHEESE SOUFFLE

recipe from Alton Brown...no adaptations

i have copied the recipe exactly for your convenience, but please check link for printable recipe, others comments, ratings and reviews.

ingredients

butter, room temperature, for greasing souffle dish

2 Tbsp FINE grated Parmesan

1 1/2 oz. butter...3 Tbsp

3 Tbsp flour

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp kosher salt

1 1/3 cups milk, hot

4 large egg yolks

6 oz sharp cheddar cheese

5 egg whites plus 1 Tbsp water

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

directions

use room temp. butter to grease an 8 inch souffle mold.  add the grated Parmesan and roll around the mold to cover the sides.  cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 5 minutes.

preheat oven to 375 F

in a small sauce pan, heat the butter.  allow the water to cook out.

in a separate bowl combine the flour, dry mustard, garlic powder, and kosher salt.  whisk the mixture into the melted butter.  cook for 2 minutes

whisk in the hot milk and turn the heat to high.  once the mixture reaches a boil, remove from heat.

in a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks to a creamy consistency.  temper the yolks into the milk mixture, constantly whisking.  remove from the heat and add the cheese.  whisk until well incorporated.

in a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until glossy and firm.  add 1/4 of the mixture to the base.  continue to add the whites by thirds, folding VERY gently.

pour the mixture into the souffle dish.  fill the souffle 1/2 inch from the top.  place on an aluminum pie pan.  bake in the oven for 35 minutes.  do not open the oven during cooking...you don't want any of the heat to escape...even cooking temp. is important.

serve immediately...or at least call everyone or ANYone into the kitchen to marvel at your success.

The Birdcage

Yes. I know. I know.  It has been too long. But I am back now. Things have been very lively in my world. Paz was in town for ten (10) days and she only just left. Don’t worry, you’ll be hearing all about that soon enough as there is much to share. But first I would be remiss if I didn’t share a story with you of an evening that took place right before Paz’s arrival.

As long as I’ve lived in my canyon, when I go on hikes and walks and such, I’ve noticed this enormous, old, antique birdcage next to some trashcans behind a house. I’ve always coveted this birdcage. I told Maggie as much.

And so we debated.

I figured if it was literally sitting next to a trash can, untouched for years, no one would really miss it. Right? It wasn’t officially wrong or steal-y. It was perfectly fine. Right?

And so we plotted.

Well, I guess we didn’t really plot – we decided to bust up there one night after dinner when it was dark. That was the long and short of it.

So one particular night, after an especially delicious dinner at home with Maggie and Michael Motorcycle during clean-up, MM and I heard a definitive, “Alright, let’s do this” from behind. We whirled around to see Maggie in full-on burgle gear: all black with black paint under her eyes. She was rocking her “menacing” pose. At that moment I think I peed my pants a little bit.

So Maggie, Michael Motorcycle and I all piled into my car and headed up the hill. Laughing hysterically. In the world’s loudest car. In the world’s quietest canyon. At about midnight.

Did I mention we neglected to plot?

We drive up past the house. We make a u-turn and go back down to idle in front of the house. Michael was on getaway driver duty, Maggie was going to hold up the back gate of my car (it doesn’t stay up by itself) and I was to be the birdcage grabber. It was my mission so, of course, I was to take the biggest risk. Why we didn’t park farther away from the house and walk up, stealth-like, I don’t know. Perhaps the lack of plotting?

Anyway, I jump out and after nearly wiping out en route to the trash can area in my Crocs (stupid choice, but I had just been cooking) and arrive face to face with The Birdcage. Now I am a tall woman and this thing was taller than me. The birdcage is massive and cumbersome and worst of all, heavy. And right when I get almost to the car I realize that the base of it had rotted away and that the top and bottom were not attached. The reason I noticed this is that the top fell, with a bang-crash-extreme cacophony, to the street. I'm talking loud. This is also right about when I notice a person a dozen or so yards away, standing in the street. But, I was unyielding. We had come this far, right?

So, while laughing even harder, next to the world’s loudest car, in the world’s quietest canyon, with a neighbor standing right up the street, I started to cram the birdcage into the back of my car. It’s so big it doesn’t fit. “Just ram it in and leave the back open! It’ll be fine! Let’s just GO!”

At this point I should, perhaps, add that wine may have been involved.

And so, while laughing even harder, in the world’s loudest car, in the world’s quietest canyon, after about five years of coveting, I have my birdcage. It really brings the garden together. Michael Motorcycle is going to put an upside down tomato plant inside – or so he says.

Oh, and that night’s dinner was a beauty: we went to Lindy Grundy on their opening day and bought a Frenched rack of lamb and some of Erika’s special pork kimchi sausage. We grilled. We served the lamb over mint-infused jasmine rice with a minted English pea puree and roasted brussels sprouts. I have actually shared this particular recipe before but with much less ado. It’s a beautiful, fresh and simple recipe and one that really showcases a truly gorgeous piece of meat.

What, you thought I'd show you a picture of the birdcage? No way! You might could send me up the river!

 *P.S. Picture of Maggie in "full-on burgle gear" may be provided upon request.

 (I hope I don’t have to go on The Lam)

 Lamb Chops with Cumin, Cardamom and Lime

Ingredients:

12-16 cloves of garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp fresh cardamom
1/3 cup FRESH lime juice
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
16 rib or Frenched lamb chops

 

Directions:

In the food processor, drop garlic, add cumin, cardamom, lime juice, salt, pepper and oil.  Pour into a large bag or container to marinate (a coupla hours or up to 2 days). 

On the grill is a must, and with a medium flame they'll be done in about 4 minutes per side.  Perhaps a bit more but rarer is better.

Intermission

Last Supper by Caroline Ierodiaconou (used with permission)

I am taking a break over Easter and will be back shortly.  Thank you so much for reading; as any blogger will tell you, the payment is in the comments, emails and other feedback you give me and I appreciate every time you drop me a line.

Keep your eyes out around Footscray and West Footscray (and the city!) for beautifully haunting street art by local artist Caroline Ierodiaconou, whose piece is featured above.  I love her work - it adds another dimension to the suburb I love, beyond the $2 shops and the hairdressers.  My last count is five - can you find them?

Melbourne revolutionary craft circle action (used with permission)

In other arts news, local artist Rayna Fahey has just started a three-month residency at the EcoLiving Centre in Wyndham Vale.  Rayna's work involves "traditional" embroidery with a subversive spin or larger-scale outdoor installations.  She will be running workshops and other goodies so keep track via her blog to get involved.

The official From Cup to Crop campaign ended on April 14 but Plan International's work with vulnerable communities is far from done.  My own personal challenge for the month has been to donate $3 for every meal I have out.  $3 can feed one child for a staggering 10 days with Plan International's partnerships with various humanitarian agencies - the agencies source the food while Plan is responsible for storing and distributing that food to communities they work with in countries such as Southern Sudan, Ethiopian and Zimbabwe.

Lastly, I had wanted to do a hot cross bun roundup but tummy says yes, jeans say no!  The cakey beauties above are from the Pie and Pastry House at 166 Churchill Ave, Braybrook.  Also try Sourdough Kitchen (sourdough hot cross buns!) at 172 Victoria St, Seddon and Hausfrau, 32a Ballarat St, Yarraville.  If you want a Easter egg tip, Cheaper Buy Miles in Nicholson Street Mall have bargain gourmet eggs, especially getting this close to Easter.

Have a very happy Melbourne Easter and see you soon.

-- Lauren aka Ms Baklover

Cookbook Watch - Food, Love, and cooking for the whole family

Familjens Hälsokokbok, at Bonnier Fakta
This is the second book from Jacob Wismar (I've reviewed his first one here) and I like this one much better. The title translates to "the Family's Healthy Cookbook" and that's exactly what it's about - family food, and if not necessarily super-healthy, it's at least not unhealthy. I'm mostly interested in his homemade fish-fingers, and - very excitingly - his homemade falu-style sausage! Will definitely try those, and report back as I get around to it.



Om Mat och Kärlek (Ica bokförlag)
I had no idea who Tareq Taylor was when I picked up this book, which title means "About Food and Love". I know now that he's a cross-over cook (with Arabic-Swedish-British roots) and he's done quite a bit of cooking on Swedish TV. And he's run several successful restaurants, in Malmö. The book is, unusually, divided into decades. As we all know, food has evolved quite a bit, and it's interesting to think back to what was popular in the 70's, 80's, 90's and the 2000's. I like this way of presenting food, especially since it's followed by plenty of personal anecdotes. In short, I like this book quite a lot, and I'll definitely try out some of the recipes. The lamb marinated in marsala served with pickled pears is calling out to me...



Barnens första kokbok is a translation of Children's First Cookbook by Annabel Karmel, and just came out in Swedish at B Wahlströms Förlag. Since I can't wait to get Titus cooking, I'm collecting all sorts of cookbooks for him. (Yes, yes, I realise it might take a while... but he's definitely showing interest!) This one is very approachable and has good instructions, with lots of pictures. The food is pretty good - perhaps not haute cuisine, but not too boring either. And although it's a bit cutesy (lots of kids with a smudge of jam on their nose, and big red exclamation marks for all the steps that include using a knife), I think I'll give it a go. Or rather, I'll pass it on to Titus, and hope he'll enjoy cooking from it.

Mini Quiches

I always think about quiche this time of year. Maybe it's the eggs, representing Easter. Maybe it's the bright yellow color representing spring. Either way, I'm not complaining because quiche is awesome!

I made these sweeties for a baby shower. I have a thing about turning food mini and these little quiches are much easier to make then you think. A store bought pie crust helps a lot, just line your mini muffin tins with a cut out piece of pastry, fill and bake! They're the best warm, but also taste great at room temp, making them perfect for say an upcoming Easter Egg hunt, or brunch you have coming up!



Mini Quiches
Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients

2 sheets store-bought pie crust
6 slices bacon, diced
1 onions, finely diced
6 eggs
1 cup cream
1 cup grated cheese, I used sharp cheddar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (I used fresh)
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cook the onion and bacon over a low heat until the onion is softened.

2. Allow to cool a little.

3. Mix together with the eggs, cream, cheese, parsley and salt and pepper.

4. Unroll pie pastry, dish with flour and roll with rolling pin until it's increased in size by about a third. Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut 12 circles from each pastry sheet.

5. Use these to line a greased mini muffin pan.

6. Place about 2 teaspoons of the egg and bacon mix in each pastry base.

7. Bake in a moderate oven for about 12 minutes per tray (or until puffed, golden and set).

8. repeat with remaining pastry sheets and mix.

My kids made paper crowns for their little bunnies, they're so dang cute!

Teatulia

With more tea companies popping up everyday, it can be a bit of a blur trying to distinguish one from another, but earlier this year I got a chance to try tea from Teatulia and noted the brightness and freshness of the product. Not long after I met Linda Appel Lipsius, a co-founder and CEO of the company and was even more impressed by the lofty goals of the company. The reason the tea tastes so fresh? With tea there are generally lots of middlemen, but with Teatulia because it's all estate grown, there are none so you can be assured of the quality. The company is equally committed to environmental sustainability and the economic well being of their workers, in particular to the women who are growing the tea and managing the estate.

Teatulia tea comes from a single estate in Northern Bangladesh, which was founded in 2000. They sell black, green, white and herbal teas, all produced and certified organic. Teatulia is a tea garden, but with the goal of being an enterprise that gives the people working it, primarily women, a living wage. It's also a place to experiment with new cooperatives, like the one that allows members to receive a milking cow and pay for it with milk and cow dung, instead of cash. All the tea ingredients are grown on the estate, as well as fresh produce including rice, mangoes and hibiscus for the workers to use and to sell.

A lovely video about the company and their tea estate:



When it comes to environmental issues, Teatulia really goes the extra mile. Their tea is available loose leaf and also in bags and they use compostable corn for the tea bags and compostable eucalyptus for the tea bag wrappers. The inks used are water based, and the labels made from recycled paper.

The Teatulia tea I am most excited about is a blend with tulsi, an antioxidant rich ayurvedic herb that has a rich cinnamon like flavor. It's good hot or cold and is sometimes compared to Indian chai. It's a nice variety to literally spice things up now and again. Their white tea is a top seller, and has a very fresh, clean finish. It's never musty or bland. Other varieties include their version of Earl Grey (which uses bergamot from the estate), a breakfast tea, their signature black tea, a version with neem, green tea, white tea, lemongrass and ginger herbal infusions. I recommend the medley, so you can try them all.