Easter Recipe!

Pan Seared Salmon

INGREDIENTS
4 (6 ounce) fillets salmon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons capers
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 slices lemon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat a large heavy skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Coat salmon with olive oil. Place in skillet, and increase heat to high. Cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with capers, and salt and pepper. Turn salmon over, and cook for 5 minutes, or until browned. Salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Transfer salmon to individual plates, and garnish with lemon slices.

Pesach recipe!

Sephardic Charoset Recipe

(Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour chilling)
(Makes 2 cups)

1/2 cup dates, pitted and cut in half
1/2 cup dried apricots, cut in half
1 apple, unpeeled, cored and diced
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions for the Sephardic Charoset recipe:
Blend dates, apricots, apple and allspice in bowl of food processor until very finely minced.
Add walnuts and pulse on and off until mixture is blended. Do not purée. Transfer to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

Carnaval!

Enjoy Carnaval this month with this awesome drink! Read more about this holiday (party yes!) in this link...(image taken from http://www.lykkensportal.no/editor/bildegalleri/bilder/742.jpg )

CAIPIRINHA

1 lime, quartered

1 tablespoon sugar

1 shot cachaca (see note)

½ cup ice cubes

Place the lime and sugar in the bottom of a glass. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, crush and mash the limes. Pour in the liqueur and ice. Stir well. Garnish with lime. Makes 1 drink.

Note: Cachaca is a Brazilian alcoholic drink available at specialty liquor stores.

Alternately, use vodka or rum. ENJOY!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND WELCOME 2007!

May this year bring us all the best specially health, peace, good opportunities of job, happiness and love!!!

"Best Lasagna"

I have my lasagna recipe that will be sharing with you all later. Meantime Im sharing this one taken from internet...check out the link!

"This recipe is called 'Best Lasagna' because it is rated best by my family and friends. May be served with a light garden salad with Italian dressing": By Kristen. The photo is from Thom McCarthey published in the following website. Original recipe yield: 10 servings. Preparation time: 30 mins/ Cook time: 1 hour/ Ready in 1 hour 30 mins.



INGREDIENTS

1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
4 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Romano cheese
2 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 medium zucchini, sliced
1 cup fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Boil lasagna noodles 6 to 8 minutes until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Lay noodles flat and remove excess water with a paper towel.
In a skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Add onion, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook until there is no remaining pink color in beef. Drain any liquids and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, Romano cheese, 2 cups of the spaghetti sauce and the seasoned ground beef. Mix until well blended. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Add a thin layer of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Add a layer of noodles lengthwise and a few noodles in the opposite direction. Pour in a generous layer of ricotta mixture on top of noodles. Top ricotta layer with several basil leaves. Add another layer of noodles lengthwise. Spread on 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Line up the zucchini slices on top of the mozzarella cheese. Add another thin layer of ricotta cheese. Add the last layer of noodles lengthwise. Top the noodles with the remaining spaghetti sauce, several more basil leaves in an eye catching arrangement and top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes. If Mozzarella cheese becomes too browned, loosely cover with a piece of foil.

About bread

In making bread, as in any other culinary endeavor, it is wise to be certain that the proper ingredients are gathered.

There are several basic ingredients to bread, but one is common to all. Yeast is required. It is a living organism that is added to the dough to raise the bread. There are many types of yeast available. We recommend the packaged yeast that can be bought in any grocery store. You will likely also need flour (made from wheat - because wheat glutten is a vital element), sugar, salt, butter (or oil) and milk (or water). Recipes call for varying amounts of each ingredient. As you explore bread-making you will find a whole host of other additives.

In making bread by hand there is a definite technique which must be followed to ensure a good product. Even the process of mixing the ingredients requires a degree of care. For once the ingredients are brought together at an appropriate temperature the resulting dough must be kneaded.

Kneading is a technique of folding over the dough and pushing it down over and over. This is necessary because the glutten in the flour, when rubbed together becomes elastic and helps the bread both rise and set. The dough should be kneaded on a floured surface. If the dough is soft or sticky , add more flour and knead until it shines and has an elastic feel. Be careful not to OVER-knead the dough.

After kneading the bread is placed in a large oiled or buttered bowl. Oil the dough ball. Cover with a towel or plastic sheet and place in a warm draft-free place. Generally, you will want to let the dough rise (the action of the yeast allowed by the glutten) until it doubles in size. This usually takes about an hour.

At this point the dough should be "punched down" and perhaps kneaded a few more times. Place it back into the bowl to rise again or shape your bread into loaves or buns and put it into greased pans - depending on the recipe. The dough should rise for another half an hour or so.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to the appropriate temperature. When the bread has risen place it in the oven to bake until it reaches the desired color. When done, loaves should feel hollow when you tap them with your finger.

The bread can be eaten hot or put on a rack to cool. If it is wrapped too early, it will get soggy. Bread lasts 4 days to a week in the bread box. It may also be frozen, but should be eaten quickly after it has thawed.

Making bread is a fair amount of work, but done properly it can reward the baker in treasures far surpassing the time, effort and materials expended. Try making a batch today! Or if you want to take an easier road to delicious wealth try using a bread machine.

This article taken from the following link, click on the title.

Sushi Mushi!

All about shushi.....
Interesting info.....
Click on the title!

Muesli

Im reading a huge amazing book named "Organic & Wholefoods" Naturally delicious cuisine by Culinaria KONEMANN. I highly recommend it! I was reading about one of the pioneers of organic farmers and muesli suject took my attention so I want to share it with you (this part taken from wikipedia though):

Muesli originally (Bircher) müesli in Swiss German, Müsli in German is a popular breakfast dish (breakfast cereal) based on uncooked rolled oats and fruit. In Switzerland, it is also eaten as a light evening dish; there Birchermüesli complet is muesli with butterbrot and milk coffee.

There are two main variants of muesli, fresh and dry. The first type of muesli is a loose mixture of mainly rolled oats and often also wheat flakes, together with various pieces of dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. Today, dry muesli is widely available in the form of pre-packaged mixes. Many people also enjoy mixing their own. There are many varieties, some of which also contain honey powder, spices, or chocolate. Dry muesli can be stored conveniently for many months. It is served quickly after mixing it with milk, yoghurt, or fruit juice and (if available) pieces of fresh fruit. Fresh muesli, made using rolled oats, orange juice, blended apple and banana, redcurrants, raisins, cottage cheese, topped with raspberries.

The second type of muesli is a freshly prepared mixture that includes rolled oats that have been soaked in water or fruit juice, as well as finely grated or blended apple. Other popular ingredients include additional grated or chopped fresh fruit (e.g., bananas, berries, grapes, mango), dried fruit, milk products (e.g., yogurt, cream, condensed milk, fromage frais, quark, cottage cheese), lemon juice, ground nuts, seeds, spices (especially cinnamon), honey, and muesli mix. People who use an electric blender to prepare apples for fresh muesli find that adding a piece of banana eases the process. Fresh muesli is not suitable to be mixed with fresh milk, which easily coagulates when in the presence of the acids in apple or lemon juice.

History

Muesli was invented in 1900 by Swiss doctor Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital. The term is a diminutive of the Swiss German noun "Mues" (German: "Mus"), a cooking term for a semi-liquid made from raw or cooked fruit that lacks an exact English equivalent, but that is related to mush, paste, compote or the French purée.


Original Bircher-Benner muesli recipe

The original Bircher-Benner recipe is still a prototype for most fresh muesli today (serves 1):

1 tablespoon rolled oats, soaked in 2–3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sweet cream (condensed milk may be substituted)
200 grams apple (about one large, preferably a sour variety), finely grated and mixed with the above directly before serving
optionally top with 1 tablespoon ground hazelnuts or almonds


Health benefits

All the main ingredients of muesli are considered important elements of a healthy diet:

A diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of cancer and other age-related diseases, and fresh muesli is a tasty way to start the day with one or two portions of fresh fruit.

Oat products have been shown to help lower high blood cholesterol concentration (hypercholesterolemia) and thereby reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis.

Products made from whole oat and wheat grains are rich in fibre and essential trace elements.

Some types of nuts (especially walnuts) are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are associated with many health benefits, including the development of the nervous system.

Milk products, often served with muesli, are a rich source of calcium and protein.

This formula it quickly became popular everywhere. Soon companies began to manufacture and market it in a dried version. It is very interesting! You see is healthy so start to eat muesli!!!:-)