Roast Potatoes and Sundays

Ingredients:

• 4 large potatoes, washed and peeled
• rosemary
• 3 cloves of garlic
• paprika
• caraway
• salt, pepper
• 50ml olive oil

Fluffy within, crisp without and flavoured with rosemary and garlic, these potatoes are a perfect sidekick to any roast. Simply cut the potatoes into quarters and mix them with all the spices using a plastic bag. Pour in the oil then make sure they're all covered in these delicious flavours. Transfer to a baking tray and cook in the pre-heated oven at 180C for around 35-45 minutes. Enjoy with chicken or on their own with some cream, grated cheese or even ketchup. 

Bon Appetit!

Giant Brownie & Marzipan Cake

This exciting new recipe goes to my sister as she recently celebrated her 19th anniversary and her first birthday party without me :( So to make up for not being there, I'm creating this cake using what you might call a brownie recipe for the cake base and vanilla filling, all covered in delicious marzipan. The quantities used are approximated due to the fact that this time I just left my imagination do the work. Hope you'll also love it!

Ingredients:

• 250g self-raising flour
• 250g brown sugar
• 100g cocoa powder
• 200g chocolate chips
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 100ml milk/water
• 150ml vegetable oil
• 2 eggs (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp coffee
• marzipan ( 400g ground almonds + 2 eggs + 200g caster sugar)
• vanilla filling ( 80g butter + 100g sugar + 50ml milk + 2 tsp vanilla extract)

Gently mix the sifted flour with cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, sugar, chocolate chips and coffee in a large bowl. In another one mix the beaten eggs with the oil, vanilla extract and milk ( if you're looking for a vegan alternative, skip the eggs and add water instead of milk). Pour the liquid ingredients on top of the flour and mix until the batter looks consistent, usually for 2-3 minutes. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and transfer the mix into it. Cook in the pre-heated oven for around 25-30 minutes. When it's done, leave to cool for another 40 minutes then section in two parts. Cover the bottom half with the vanilla mix then set the top half. Cover in marzipan and sprinkle grated dark chocolate on top. Let to cool in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours. Enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Baking made easy - Bread

Here's one of the simplest recipes for making your very own bread according to your taste and flavour preferences by adding raisins, seeds, multiple types of flour and many more spices. The end result is a crunchy crust bread that takes only a couple of hours to make and grants your taste buds the memory of your childhood's top bakery. The basic ingredients are very simple but you can always add more to make it even better.

Ingredients: 

• 500g flour - all purpose/self-raising/whole wheat flour
• 200ml of lukewarm water
• 1 sachet of dried yeast
• 1 tbsp sugar/honey
• 1 tsp salt

Start by mixing the flour with salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Put your dried yeast into the well and cover with the sugar/honey and add 5 tbsp of lukewarm water over, allowing the yeast to come to life. Slowly, but confidently, bring in the flour from the inside of the well. Add the rest of the water and using a wooden spoon start mixing the batter until it is less sticky. Transfer on to a clean surface powdered with flour  and start kneading for around 20-30 minutes, continuing to add flour until the batter feels elastic and non-sticky. 

Transfer the batter to a clean oiled bowl and leave to rise for at least one hour. Never knead after it has risen or you'll end up with a flat 'rocky' bread with absolutely no way of eating it. Place into a floured baking tray and cut the top to allow it to rise even more. Leave for another 30 minutes and cook in the oven until golden at 180C. Enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Italian Pasta - Make your own recipe!

Use 100g of pasta per person/serving, so if you want to have 2 guests over, boil cca 300-400g of any type of pasta you like. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add the pasta and plenty of salt - Nigella says the water should be as salty as the Mediterranean Sea. Give it a stir and cook for 10 min, whilst uncovered. When the pasta is cooked, drain quickly (keep about a cup of water to add to the sauce) and rinse with cold water.

Meanwhile, heat about 50g butter or spread in a deep frying pan (you can use 2 tablespoons of olive oil as well) and add one clove of garlic, gently cooking for 1 minute. Add a quarter of a very fine chopped onion and anything you like from the following: bacon, prawns, salami, sausages, salmon, mushrooms, all chopped. After frying for another 2 minutes on a medium heat, add around 200g of a good quality tomato sauce, your pasta water (additional sun dried tomatoes are great if you like them) and some spices (I usually use rosemary, pepper, oregano and dried parsley). Boil until the sauce is somewhat more consistent, you can add a tablespoon of white flour if it's too thin.


You can serve either simple pasta and the sauce on top or mix the pasta with the sauce, I add some double cream on top to make it even better (If you count calories, I'd leave that aside :D) And that's it! Let me know if it turned out great!


Bon Appetit!

Chocolate and Vanilla Marbled Loaf

This marbled loaf is a traditional Romanian dessert usually served in the afternoon along a cup of hot chocolate. It is both easy to prepare and fast, making it a complete success when your sweet tooth asks for something delicious!

Ingredients: 

• 50g dark chocolate/milk chocolate
• 50ml milk
• 70g butter
• 85g caster sugar
• 1 egg 
• 75g sour cream
• 115g flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Into a small heatproof bowl add small pieces of chocolate and the milk. Set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow a few minutes until all the chocolate has melted and remove from the heat. Cream the butter with the sugar as explained in the previous recipe and add the beaten egg and sour cream. Sift the flour with the baking powder over the mixture and fold in gently with a metal spoon. Mix the chocolate with half of the batter and the vanilla extract with the remaining half. Pour both mixtures in a greased loaf tin and with a fork swirl lightly to obtain the marbled effect. Bake at 160C for about 40-45 minutes or until it has risen to almost double its size. Let it cool for an extra 30 minutes and serve with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee. Enjoy!


Bon Appetit!

Italian Crostata - Aunt Angela's Recipe

I can guarantee that you'll fall in love with this one as it's one of my favourite dessert recipes and it's a true tasty delight in any season. The traditional French batter mixes wonderfully with plenty of fruit jam and makes it very hard to stop at just one serve. 

Ingredients:

• 140g butter
• 120g sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 400g flour
• 350g strawberry jam/ 300g sliced fresh fruit 

Start by cutting the butter into small chunks of 1cm and make sure all your ingredients have stayed at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Gently mix the butter with sugar using a wooden spoon or a mixer until it has the consistency of thick cream. Add one egg yolk at a time and mix until it has blended in with your batter. Once you've added the 4th egg yolk, pour your sifted flour into the large bowl and mix for another minute. Transfer onto a clean surface and shape it into a round ball. Cover in cling film, allowing it to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. 

Cover a 23cm round baking tin with parchment paper and roll out 3/4 of the pastry to line the tart tin. Add the jam or sliced fruit with some sprinkled sugar on top and press the margins of the pastry down with a fork. The remaining 1/4 of pastry is rolled out and cut into long strips of 1cm: lay 4 strips across the top of the filing in the same direction and the remaining 3 strips crossways in order to create a lattice. Seal with water and brush the top with beaten egg. Bake for 25-30 minutes in a 180C oven or until golden. Enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Diet food can be Delicious!

As some of you expressed that you'd rather save the sweets for some healthy food, here's a quick and low calorie recipe that will not only make you full but also wondering why you haven't tried this before. Cauliflower soufle is something you wouldn't think of cooking yourself but I'm positive that once you try it, you'll love it for good!

Ingredients:

• one large cauliflower - you can also use 500g frozen florets
• 200g emmentaler/cheddar cheese grated
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 egg beaten
• 100ml milk

Start by separating the small florets of your cauliflower - broccoli will do just fine if you like it - and boil it for about 20 minutes on a medium heat in 1litre of salted water. Make sure you don't boil it over the top, as we're looking for that slight crunchiness of a soufle. In a large bowl, beat an egg then add the milk and grated cheese and mix until you have a consistent batter and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Slice the tomatoes into rounds and set aside with a sprinkle of salt and rosemary on top. 

Transfer your boiled florets in an oven proof dish and pour your cheese mixture on top. Decorate with your marinated tomato slices and leave in an 180C oven for about 10-15 minutes or until the tomatoes have dried and the cheese looks golden. Serve with white wine. A big serve (200g) will only take you back around 120 calories making it the perfect recommendation for a light and consistent lunch. Enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Risalamande with a twist - Perfect Sunday Dessert

A traditional Christmas Danish recipe, risalamande is a delicious alternative to rice pudding by mixing in more flavour and taste. It's quick to prepare and you'll enjoy it for a couple of days at least. Here's what you need:


Ingredients:

• 100g rice
• 700ml milk
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 50g ground almonds
• 200ml double cream
• 1 vanilla pod or 1tsp vanilla extract
• caramelised fruit 

It all starts very simple and you'll be done by no time: gently bring the milk to a boil then add the rice and let it continue boiling for about 40-45 minutes on a medium heat. Frequently stir the mixture for it not to get burned and once it's done, allow to cool for at least half an hour. Mix the rice with the almonds and then add the sugar and vanilla extract/vanilla pod seeds. Whisk the cream and gently mix it with the rice. Serve with caramelised fruit on top: simply chop the fruits of your choice - apples, pears, peaches etc - throw in a pan with 1tbsp of butter + 4 tbsp of sugar. Allow to caramelise for a few minutes then add 30ml of orange juice and let it simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top and you're all done. Enjoy!


Bon Appetit!

Vanilla Ice Cream - A light Dessert

Ingredients:

• 2 vanilla pods or 2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 500ml double cream
• 60g caster sugar
• 3 egg yolks

This very simple and light recipe is sure to cool you down when hot summer temperatures seem to be never-ending. Simply add the vanilla seeds to the cream and bring to a boil. Add the sugar and mix until it has dissolved. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and carefully add the hot creamy vanilla mixture. Pour the contents into a freezer-proof container and let it cool for 3-4 hours. Serve with summery fruits or add your favourite topping. For a chocolate version, simply add 2 tbsp cocoa powder and switch from vanilla extract to rum for extra taste. One cup will only add 60 calories to your diet and this makes it the perfect summer alternative!

Bon Appetit!

Chocolate Chip Cookies - An afternoon delight

Ingredients:

• 250g flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 150g brown sugar
• 100g caster sugar
• 150g melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 200g chocolate chips

Start by sifting the flour with the baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Melt the butter in a saucepan then leave to cool for 5 minutes. Mix the butter with the sugar and eggs. Pour mixture over flour and using a mixer, stir until the batter becomes consistent. Add the chocolate chips - you can also experiment with other nuts or raisins if you like. Grease a large tray with butter or margarine and place one tablespoon of the mix for each cookie. Make sure you leave around 5cm in between every row as they will become a lot bigger once cooked. You should end up with 15-20 cookies depending on their size. Cook at 150C for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. A good piece of advice is using a wooden toothpick to see if they're ready: simply insert into the batter and check if anything is stuck to it - if this is the case, allow a few more minutes to make sure your cookies are done. 

Allow to cool on a wire rack and enjoy with a cup of hot chocolate! They're simply wonderful and easy to cheer you up on a rainy British day! Just 50 calories in each large cookie!

Bon Appetit!

American Pancakes - Easy and Delicious

Ingredients:  

• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 150ml milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil/melted butter

Start by sifting the flour with the salt, baking powder and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the milk in small quantities and make sure to continuously mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon to avoid any lumps. Once you're done, add the 2 eggs and melted butter/vegetable oil and mix for another 2 minutes until it has a consistency of thick double cream. Let the batter stand for a few minutes.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of butter or simply grease your pan with oil using a brush. Add a ladle of batter and wait until the top of the pancake starts to bubble and has risen up to 1cm. Turn it over  with the help of a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown. Serve with maple syrup, honey or jam. Sprinkle icing sugar on top and some blueberries/strawberries and enjoy this 100 calorie delight!  


Bon Appetit!

Cooking Made Easy

I have to start with a brief introduction about myself because I'm convinced many of you are in the same shoes and can easily relate to my lifetime "cooking experience". Up until the year I turned 17, I was never to be seen in the kitchen or close to anything involving the preparation of food as my dear grandmother has always taken the responsibility to delight us with her recipes and delicious desserts. Both my parents work so we (I have a sister) either had to go out for lunch or stop by my grandparents house to discover what Rodi (my grandma) had been up to that day...I must say we were never disappointed by any of her fabulous feel-good food and still recall the wonderful lunches we had there for almost 19 years. 

The trigger that made me start cooking was teenage love as I heard/knew that love does go through one's stomach so the ideal girlfriend had to cook. Ready to embark on a new adventure but still afraid to use the gas cooker, my grandma was there to help. We started with simple recipes involving just boiling/frying and then turned to baking and more complicated processes. What seemed to be a hassle at first became a pleasurable hobby and I would have never guessed that cooking would become my number one relaxing method. 

As I now could surprise my family and friends, I then started buying cook books and inventing my own recipes  by experimenting with ingredients and spices, especially cinnamon. After moving to university, I had the chance and confidence to cook for many amazing people and I do feel very proud of my newly acquired skills. Feeling that I should share my journey with others, the decision of starting a blog was supported by many enthusiasts and then I knew it was time to put it into practice. Cooking is what makes me happy and the recipes I follow are sure to make your life less complicated and more pleasurable as they are easy and quick to prepare. 

My goal is to publish a new recipe almost every day and they will vary from appetisers to desserts from an international countries selection: I am a Romanian student currently living in the United Kingdom who is in love with French and Scandinavian cuisine so do expect innovative healthy recipes and tasty results. Feel free to comment and make requests as I thrive when feedback shows up in my inbox. 


Until next time, take care and Bon Appetit!