Slovenian Recipes

It has been cold in Lisbon for the last month or so. I get cranky when skies are gray and temperatures get to one digit, and student papers seem to grow from my desk! Although I like wintertime, I'm not happy with rain every other day, cold feet and a running nose. There's just one way to get my mood right when that happens: hot spicy soup ! For the record, I'm yet to make it to Morocco. No idea why I haven't really since it's just around the corner... The smells and flavours of ras-el-hanout couldn't be more perfect to cheer me up! Moroccan Chickpea Soup Adapted from Rachel's Food for Friends Serves 4-6 3 tbsp olive oil 1 onion (125g), chopped 2 stalks celery (100g) chopped salt and pepper 2 ½ tsp freshly ground cumin 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes a pinch of sugar (for the tomatoes) 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 600ml vegetable stock juice of half a lemon 2 tbsp coriander leaves and stalks, chopped Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add ...

I have a thing for cookbooks. You too? Good. I hate to be alone with my addictions. In my kitchen there are dozens of cookbooks with thousands of recipes (mainly in Portuguese, English and French) that I'm yet to read, not to mention try. Sometimes I grab one and pass my hand on the cover as if I could feel all the vibes... The shelves on top of my sink hold my Marabout collection of small books like this Trish Deseine ode to chocolate . The book features Nanaimo Bars on the cover . I couldn't tell how many times I've grabbed it, and felt compelled to look at those bars. Thanks Lauren for the challenge! The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen . Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca . Gluten-Free Graham Wafers 1 cup (138 g) Sweet rice flour (also known as glutinous rice flour) 3/4 cup (100 g) Tapioca Starch/Flour ...

That I love French Cuisine is no secret... Is there a better way to start the new year than to cook Coq au vin for the first meal of 2010? I thought so! We had a family meeting to celebrate and welcome a brand new year, and share our best wishes and resolutions. It was a slightly french meal -- the perfect theme to use the new Le Creuset pan I got for Christmas. For dessert, there was Pumpkin Pudding with Almonds... moist, sweet, and nutty. What else could I have asked for? Happy 2010! Coq au vin Serves 4 1,2 Kg free-range chicken, cut into large pieces (or 8 thighs + legs) 2 tbsp flour 2 tbsp butter, separated 1 onion, chopped 1 glove garlic, chopped 150 ml dry white wine* 1 bay leaf ½ tsp dried thyme 200 gr wild mushrooms parsley, to serve Wash each piece and dry with paper towels. Place flour in a plate and rub the chicken, until covered. In a heavy pan, heat 1 tbsp butter. Working in batches, sauté the chicken for 3-4 minutes, each side. Set aside. Pour a little chicken stock (or...

House building has been on my plans since I was a little kid -- I wanted to be an architect whilst growing up! It didn't turn out that way, and although I made the arts my professional area, I've never went into the building business. Until this Christmas, that is! Thank you, Anna and Y! The December 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to you by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes. Scandinavian Gingerbread (Pepparkakstuga) from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas 1 cup butter, room temperature [226g] 1 cup brown sugar, well packed [220g] 2 tablespoons cinnamon 4 teaspoons ground ginger 3 teaspoons ground cloves 2 teaspoons baking soda ½ cup boiling water 5 cups all-purpose flour [875g] 1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar ...

♬ pretty in pink isn't she pretty in pink isn't she ♬♬ It took me a quarter of century to finally get all the fuss about pink... Both my childhood and teenage years went by without fluffy pink dresses or girly bedrooms, to my mom's disappointment! Perhaps because red was my favourite colour, I always felt that any attempt to match the palette left a sense of betrayal. No pink . No news if I tell you this song by Psychedelic Furs "Pretty in Pink", that I've been singing since I baked these cookies, couldn't really change my mind and the movie, that one , completely missed me. Pretty in pink isn't she / pretty in pink / isn't she Cranberry Orange Cookies Lightly adapted from "Australian Women's Weekly" Cookies & Biscuits Makes 30-45 2 cups (300 grs) plain (all-purpose) flour 200 gr unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup (165 grs) golden caster sugar 1 large egg 1 Tbsp orange zest 1/2 cup (80 gr) dried cranberries, chopped Cream butter, e...

What makes something 'comfort food'? Perhaps finding comfort in food is not the same to everyone and may be achieved differently -- it can come from memories of foods of our childhood or our most loved flavours, the ones that warm both heart and soul. Me, I love persimmons. For nowadays, a ripe persimmon with a dash of cinnamon, eaten by the spoon, is what I call comfort food! Many of you will probably disagree, as many people seem to *really* dislike persimmons... For those, I'm sharing my Chestnut Risotto with Red Beans. Now don't say chestnuts aren't your thing... ;) Chestnut Risotto with Red Beans (serves 4) 1 tbsp olive oil 100 gr smoked bacon, chopped 1 tbsp thyme (leaves only) + extra to serve 200 gr chestnuts (shelled and peeled), chopped coarsely* 100 gr risotto rice 750 ml vegetable stock, warm 400 gr red beans, cooked 2 tbsp single cream + 50 ml whole milk Parmesan (1/4 cup), freshly grated, to serve *Bake chestnuts for 15 minutes at 200ºC with salt. Don...

I'm probably not the only one singing Alabama 3 today. I'm a lousy singer. For once I'm happy there's no way you can listen to me singing I woke up this morning / Got myself a gun, Mama always said I'd be / The Chosen One. Over and over. It's The Sopranos theme song , of course. My favourite version is actually sang by Leonard Cohen. The perfect soundtrack for this month DB challenge! The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives . She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book. Lidisano’s Cannoli Makes 22-24 cannoli CANNOLI SHELLS 2 cups (250 grams/8.82 ounces) all-purpose flour 2 table...