For Valentine´s Day, am making my favourite homemade ravioli:
ravioli pasta sheets filled with ricotta, sage, walnut or pecan. Served in a warm cream sauce with more sage and either walnuts or pecans.
Recipe and photos after Valentines.
Monday, February 11, 2013
MD Supper 4: Ricotta chocolate cake w frosting
Actual recipe added when time.
1. Make cake. I made this recipe from looking at a banana bread recipe, as I was running late, and the banana bread was throwing everything together and cooking quickly. And I also needed to use up some ricotta.The chocolate cake I will post soon but did not use, was much more time consuming. This recipe was AMAZING! Will def make it again!!
The general ingredients were cocoa, Tate and Lyle superfine sugar, flour, a container of ricotta, 4 TBS olive oil, semolina/corn meal, 2 eggs, dash flaked salt, 2tsp baking soda...
Will post the exact recipe I made when time, plus the photos, when I have time to make the video of it.
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Dinner was served with iced tea, iced water for all of us. And prosecco for me and T.
Dessert was served with cafe au lait, then espressos for T and me.
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The frosting recipe too! (melted the choc, butter, Tate and Lyles sugar all together til it was melted and not grainy). Then added the cream.
Whipped up fresh cream. When cool, added the whipped cream to the cooled melted chocolate frosting mixture. Spread this on the cake.
The cake itself was light, airy, filled with tiny holes like a beautiful delicate moist sponge cake, without all the work! The ricotta and cocoa was delicious!
Used a basic banana bread recipe for the main amounts of ingredients, changing the banana to the ricotta, and changing the amount of sugar to be about a third cocoa, and changing the flour to be partially semolina/corn meal.
Fantastik cake! would make a delicious 6 layered cake next time I make it. This time only used one of the layers, dividing it into thirds. Wasn´t pretty, as I was rushed, but certainly tasted wonderful! would add more butter to the frosting and less cream if I wanted a thicker butterfrosting consistency. The amounts I used was perfect for a quick frosting to almost pour on.
1. Make cake. I made this recipe from looking at a banana bread recipe, as I was running late, and the banana bread was throwing everything together and cooking quickly. And I also needed to use up some ricotta.The chocolate cake I will post soon but did not use, was much more time consuming. This recipe was AMAZING! Will def make it again!!
The general ingredients were cocoa, Tate and Lyle superfine sugar, flour, a container of ricotta, 4 TBS olive oil, semolina/corn meal, 2 eggs, dash flaked salt, 2tsp baking soda...
Will post the exact recipe I made when time, plus the photos, when I have time to make the video of it.
----------
Dinner was served with iced tea, iced water for all of us. And prosecco for me and T.
Dessert was served with cafe au lait, then espressos for T and me.
-------
The frosting recipe too! (melted the choc, butter, Tate and Lyles sugar all together til it was melted and not grainy). Then added the cream.
Whipped up fresh cream. When cool, added the whipped cream to the cooled melted chocolate frosting mixture. Spread this on the cake.
The cake itself was light, airy, filled with tiny holes like a beautiful delicate moist sponge cake, without all the work! The ricotta and cocoa was delicious!
Used a basic banana bread recipe for the main amounts of ingredients, changing the banana to the ricotta, and changing the amount of sugar to be about a third cocoa, and changing the flour to be partially semolina/corn meal.
Fantastik cake! would make a delicious 6 layered cake next time I make it. This time only used one of the layers, dividing it into thirds. Wasn´t pretty, as I was rushed, but certainly tasted wonderful! would add more butter to the frosting and less cream if I wanted a thicker butterfrosting consistency. The amounts I used was perfect for a quick frosting to almost pour on.
MD Supper 3: Meatballs w leeks, artichokes
Normally, I´d planned on serving this course, separately from the pasta, but being rushed, and to make sure the kids actually ate it, I served the meatballs with the pasta and added a red sauce.
The main course of meat, was the meatballs in sauteed leeks with artichokes. To this I added crushed tomatoes, herbs. Then poured all of that over the cooked pasta, 12" long ziti.
1. Make the meatballs.
In a bowl, add fresh and dried herbs, 1 egg, minced onion (about a quarter of a small onion), semolina/course corn meal, 1 package ground beef, salt, pepper. Mix together with hands, then form into small rounds, placing them on a floured and seasoned baking tray. To flour the try, sprinkle the baking tray with sifted flour, then sprinkle over herbs. Roll the tray back and forth to cover the round meatballs with the herbed flour. Then bake in a hot oven til done.
2. Make the leeks and artichokes.
Wash and cut up a leek, place in a saute pan with a little butter and olive oil. Open a jar of artichokes, and add the liquid. Saute the leek. When done, turn off the heat, keep on the warm burner. Add the artichokes, and pour over crushed tomotoes and juice. Add fresh and dried herbs. I had basil, lemon mint, chervil, thyme, oregano, so used that. Gently simmer.
3. Boil the pasta.
4. Assemble. Place the boiled pasta in a large baking dish. Pour over the sauce and meatballs, gently mix together. Serve.
Photos and videos when time.
The main course of meat, was the meatballs in sauteed leeks with artichokes. To this I added crushed tomatoes, herbs. Then poured all of that over the cooked pasta, 12" long ziti.
1. Make the meatballs.
In a bowl, add fresh and dried herbs, 1 egg, minced onion (about a quarter of a small onion), semolina/course corn meal, 1 package ground beef, salt, pepper. Mix together with hands, then form into small rounds, placing them on a floured and seasoned baking tray. To flour the try, sprinkle the baking tray with sifted flour, then sprinkle over herbs. Roll the tray back and forth to cover the round meatballs with the herbed flour. Then bake in a hot oven til done.
2. Make the leeks and artichokes.
Wash and cut up a leek, place in a saute pan with a little butter and olive oil. Open a jar of artichokes, and add the liquid. Saute the leek. When done, turn off the heat, keep on the warm burner. Add the artichokes, and pour over crushed tomotoes and juice. Add fresh and dried herbs. I had basil, lemon mint, chervil, thyme, oregano, so used that. Gently simmer.
3. Boil the pasta.
4. Assemble. Place the boiled pasta in a large baking dish. Pour over the sauce and meatballs, gently mix together. Serve.
Photos and videos when time.
Mother´s Day Supper 2: Salad
Though, I had planned on serving this meal in courses, switching the salad course first, to make sure the kids actually ate all their salad, it was served second.
Whatever salad is fine. Tonight was simply greens:
Arugula, red lettuce, chard, baby spinach.
Whatever salad is fine. Tonight was simply greens:
Arugula, red lettuce, chard, baby spinach.
Mother´s Day Supper 1: ribollito (using cous cous)
Photos added when time
Ribollito, is leftover minestrone served over bread. Tonight was rushed, so instead served it over couscous.
The general recipe for ribollito is seasonal veggies on hand for a minestrone. Tonight´s was made the other day with what I had to hand:
I soaked pink and red beans overnight in 3 times as much water as beans. The, next day boiled the beans with minced onions, fresh and dried herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, chervil, lemon mint), flaked salt and black pepper, a few slices of bacon, a slice of ham, 3 carrots which I roughly minced, a few potatoes first roughly cut into pieces, and more water. About an hour before serving tonight, I added arugula, chard, and kale, then simmered that down.
Again, as I was rushed, instead of adding pasta, such as tiny star pasta or small ziti pasta, as usual, I kept the soup as was, brought it to the boil.
As it´s easier for kids to eat soup out of a mug rather than a bowl, right before serving, I added about a TBS of cous cous to their mugs, then poured the boiling soup over that. By the time they were ready to eat their soup, the cous cous was cooked, and the soup was cooled enough to not burn them.
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Normally, I´d add pasta when making the minestrone the first day. Then when making the ribolitto---would just tear up homemade bread into each mug or bowl, then pour over the boiling soup.
The cous cous is an easy, tasty alternative when rushed!
Ribollito, is leftover minestrone served over bread. Tonight was rushed, so instead served it over couscous.
The general recipe for ribollito is seasonal veggies on hand for a minestrone. Tonight´s was made the other day with what I had to hand:
I soaked pink and red beans overnight in 3 times as much water as beans. The, next day boiled the beans with minced onions, fresh and dried herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, chervil, lemon mint), flaked salt and black pepper, a few slices of bacon, a slice of ham, 3 carrots which I roughly minced, a few potatoes first roughly cut into pieces, and more water. About an hour before serving tonight, I added arugula, chard, and kale, then simmered that down.
Again, as I was rushed, instead of adding pasta, such as tiny star pasta or small ziti pasta, as usual, I kept the soup as was, brought it to the boil.
As it´s easier for kids to eat soup out of a mug rather than a bowl, right before serving, I added about a TBS of cous cous to their mugs, then poured the boiling soup over that. By the time they were ready to eat their soup, the cous cous was cooked, and the soup was cooled enough to not burn them.
------
Normally, I´d add pasta when making the minestrone the first day. Then when making the ribolitto---would just tear up homemade bread into each mug or bowl, then pour over the boiling soup.
The cous cous is an easy, tasty alternative when rushed!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
New Orleans King Cake inspired Italian Carnevale dolce
Usually for mardi gras, I make a, what´s called in New Orleans, a King Cake. It´s traditionally a large loop of cinnamon bun type yeast bread, which nowadays has gotten a more modern twist with various fillings and decoration on top such as both colored powdered sugar glaze icing and colored sugar in mardi gras colors: gold, green, purple.
Usually I make ours more basic, a big loop or large bun of the usual cinnamon bun type yeast bread, maybe decorated a tiny tiny bit with a little sprinkling of colored sugar, or a little tiny bit of colored icing sugar glaze. Some years, I´ll make the cake into a shape, such as a large Blue Crab with claws.
This year I thought I´d make one for Italian Carnevale. Will post when I decide what:). And will post a basic recipe for the King Cake also.
Usually I make ours more basic, a big loop or large bun of the usual cinnamon bun type yeast bread, maybe decorated a tiny tiny bit with a little sprinkling of colored sugar, or a little tiny bit of colored icing sugar glaze. Some years, I´ll make the cake into a shape, such as a large Blue Crab with claws.
This year I thought I´d make one for Italian Carnevale. Will post when I decide what:). And will post a basic recipe for the King Cake also.
Monday, January 28, 2013
misc pastas to make when back in Norway
Right, suppose I need to change the title of this blog, now that I´m past Christmas, adding Italian pastas...
Tomorrow am buying some pasta cutters and pasta machine etc, and want to try making more homemade gnudi, gnocchi, ravioli, pappardelle, tortellini, strozzapreti, trofie, fillings, sauces etc. And tamales.
Quickly a few things I want to make, and write out recipes for.
Thai saffron egg dish
Ribollita
Italian bread salad
Tuscan bean stew
aloo jherra/ aloo gobi matar, naan, chicken tikka/butter chicken. pilau/biryani, kulfi...
spinach and eggplant lasagna
ratatouille and kale/greens lasagna
buckwheat/rye corn meal gnocchi, brown butter sage cream sauce
SW tabasco kale fried eggs
those savory salty doughnut like breads we got at that trat the other day
ham hocks and greens, with strozzapeti or trofie, or over pappadelle
Reindeer ragout/ carnitas
pappadelle with a sage cream sauce and walnuts, a few whole sage leaves
ribs, kraut
broccoli soup (or other veggie, or wild mushroom soup thick creamy seasoned herb)
artichoke, spinach: pizza, stuffed lumanconi
eggs benedict, with or without spinach and/or artichokes; English crumpets or toast
pumpkin and herb savory ravioli/tortellini
that ravioli A likes at S&Cs
soft pretzel bread/bagel pretzels...kraut, Voss bifgrill, mustard, sour dill garlic pickle, dumplings
Napa chicken tacos verde ( seasoned roast chicken as for enchiladas, salad mix, chopped tomato/pico de gallo/salsa, sour cream, black olives, cheddar cheese, slightly melted buffalo motz, a verde sauce, black beans in a corn taco shell, baked lightly in the oven inside a flour tortilla). Have a cooked cold salsa for additional sauce, and a queso.
bistecca
beef/reindeer hunters stew with corn meal gnocchi
fresh fish/seafood caught in Bergen, ravioli. The very large ones like Marios does:) delish! in a similar sauce, with more of the seafood/fish, cream, herb.
pea and mint soup, tomato soup
Tomorrow am buying some pasta cutters and pasta machine etc, and want to try making more homemade gnudi, gnocchi, ravioli, pappardelle, tortellini, strozzapreti, trofie, fillings, sauces etc. And tamales.
Quickly a few things I want to make, and write out recipes for.
Thai saffron egg dish
Ribollita
Italian bread salad
Tuscan bean stew
aloo jherra/ aloo gobi matar, naan, chicken tikka/butter chicken. pilau/biryani, kulfi...
spinach and eggplant lasagna
ratatouille and kale/greens lasagna
buckwheat/rye corn meal gnocchi, brown butter sage cream sauce
SW tabasco kale fried eggs
those savory salty doughnut like breads we got at that trat the other day
ham hocks and greens, with strozzapeti or trofie, or over pappadelle
Reindeer ragout/ carnitas
pappadelle with a sage cream sauce and walnuts, a few whole sage leaves
ribs, kraut
broccoli soup (or other veggie, or wild mushroom soup thick creamy seasoned herb)
artichoke, spinach: pizza, stuffed lumanconi
eggs benedict, with or without spinach and/or artichokes; English crumpets or toast
pumpkin and herb savory ravioli/tortellini
that ravioli A likes at S&Cs
soft pretzel bread/bagel pretzels...kraut, Voss bifgrill, mustard, sour dill garlic pickle, dumplings
Napa chicken tacos verde ( seasoned roast chicken as for enchiladas, salad mix, chopped tomato/pico de gallo/salsa, sour cream, black olives, cheddar cheese, slightly melted buffalo motz, a verde sauce, black beans in a corn taco shell, baked lightly in the oven inside a flour tortilla). Have a cooked cold salsa for additional sauce, and a queso.
bistecca
beef/reindeer hunters stew with corn meal gnocchi
fresh fish/seafood caught in Bergen, ravioli. The very large ones like Marios does:) delish! in a similar sauce, with more of the seafood/fish, cream, herb.
pea and mint soup, tomato soup
Friday, January 25, 2013
3 hour lunch, ice skating, gelato
Walked endlessly today, very walked out, fantastic day. Among other things, had an amazing 3 hour lunch. Lots of acqua naturale, white wine, large ravioli with a seafood and spinach/arugula filling in a cream sauce with more seafood and spinach/arugula. Roast poultry, patate fritte, bistecca, more wine, more water, more wine, lots of conversation, laughter, more of this a little of that...and finally, almond biscotti/cantuccini with a deep rich vin santo, similar to a really fine cognac. More chatting away, til the place was closed, and then some.
Visited the Central Market, did some walks, sightseeing, found some interesting resale shoppes with very modern and innovative, and vintage clothing, shoes, designs of various things, along Strozzi sp. and another shoppe selling endless types of pulses and beans out of large rounded squares of straw baskets without handles--a bit like bags made from woven straw. Ice skating and ciocolata caldas, deep rich chocolately dark chocolate, no sugar, just a touch of fresh whipped cream on top. 4 Euros for the ciocolata calda. Gorgeous views, blue skies, lovely mountains, pretty river flowing thru a long park with those swooopy rounded cloud-shaped topped pine trees they have everywhere here. Ice skating, heat lamps near the ice where it was a bit chilly. Outside was mostly warm, sunny. But 14 and a few other triple digit buses go to Obihall. Ice skating is gone this weekend, til next year. Was absolutely lovely out, would have loved to wander along the river, watching the sunset, continuing along the river, past about 9 bridges, til back to sentrum, but I was just too exhausted, my feet hurt, my hip bones hurt, my head hurt from the cold near the ice. Had a short stroll along the river....and a short walk a few or so blocks then found a bus stop to catch a bus back to the station. Family went home, but I lazily got on another bus, up to Fiesole to enjoy the relaxing ride and views along the way.
Nearly 10pm, have had a long (literally an hour or so soak) hot bath, and was debating on whether to get a gelato before they close at midnight....then will finally go to sleep.
Another long enjoyable hopefully day tomorrow too. Though the main thing planned is lunch, beginning at 1...and then the rest of the day as it goes. Maybe ice skating again, before it closes.
will upload and add photos of today, tomorrow. Am off to get a gelato and sorbet before they close
Visited the Central Market, did some walks, sightseeing, found some interesting resale shoppes with very modern and innovative, and vintage clothing, shoes, designs of various things, along Strozzi sp. and another shoppe selling endless types of pulses and beans out of large rounded squares of straw baskets without handles--a bit like bags made from woven straw. Ice skating and ciocolata caldas, deep rich chocolately dark chocolate, no sugar, just a touch of fresh whipped cream on top. 4 Euros for the ciocolata calda. Gorgeous views, blue skies, lovely mountains, pretty river flowing thru a long park with those swooopy rounded cloud-shaped topped pine trees they have everywhere here. Ice skating, heat lamps near the ice where it was a bit chilly. Outside was mostly warm, sunny. But 14 and a few other triple digit buses go to Obihall. Ice skating is gone this weekend, til next year. Was absolutely lovely out, would have loved to wander along the river, watching the sunset, continuing along the river, past about 9 bridges, til back to sentrum, but I was just too exhausted, my feet hurt, my hip bones hurt, my head hurt from the cold near the ice. Had a short stroll along the river....and a short walk a few or so blocks then found a bus stop to catch a bus back to the station. Family went home, but I lazily got on another bus, up to Fiesole to enjoy the relaxing ride and views along the way.
Nearly 10pm, have had a long (literally an hour or so soak) hot bath, and was debating on whether to get a gelato before they close at midnight....then will finally go to sleep.
Another long enjoyable hopefully day tomorrow too. Though the main thing planned is lunch, beginning at 1...and then the rest of the day as it goes. Maybe ice skating again, before it closes.
will upload and add photos of today, tomorrow. Am off to get a gelato and sorbet before they close
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Marzipan Peter Rabbit birthday cake
Finished cake....almost finished. Details added where needed, bottom marzipan trimmed, etc.
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