Nutella and Coconut Pralines

You won't believe how quick and easy is to prepare this no-bake dessert. 

Deliciously nutty and chocolaty. And look at the list, only 4 ingredients!!

Last night I made the fettuccine with mascarpone and prosciutto for dinner. If you haven't tried it yet, it's really fast, easy and delicious! For that recipe I only used half of the mascarpone cheese I bought, so today I wanted to finish the rest of the container before it spoils. And here is what I did:  I mixed the mascarpone with some crumbled cookies, a bit of shredded coconut and some delicious nutella, and voila': dessert for tonight is ready!!
You will see that this recipe is similar to the other coconut pralines I've already posted. At least the finished product looks the same. But today's recipe uses mascarpone cheese and nutella. While the other pralines are made with ricotta cheese and cocoa. Both deliciously good. These are probably my favorite though, a little sweeter, nutty and chocolaty. And you can really taste the nutella. As you might know: I adore nutella! I can eat it with anything: spread on bread or crackers, on top of crepes or pancakes, sprinkled over ice-cream or yogurt... or just plain nutella. All by itself! Sure, why not?!?
My only mistake today: I have not made enough of these pralines. So I will have to run out to the store and buy some more mascarpone and prepare another batch :-)
Ingredients: to make about 16 pralines                Printable Recipe

• 3 oz (85 gr) of cookies (10 petit beurre cookies or similar)
• 8 oz (113 gr) of mascarpone cheese
• 2 tablespoons of nutella
• 3/4 cup shredded coconut

Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour to chill

Directions:
Step 1: Crumble the cookies, using a food processor or, like I did, by placing the cookies in a ziplock bag and crushing them, using a cup, a rolling pin... anything works really!

Step 2: In a large bowl, mix together the crumbled cookies, the mascarpone cheese, the nutella and 1/4 cup of shredded coconut. We will use the rest of the coconut in the next step.

Step 3: Roll small balls (about 1 tablespoon each) with your hand and roll them around in the shredded coconut.

Let chill for one hour or more. I doubt it, but if there are any leftovers, remember to store them in the refrigerator.

Enjoy :-)

Lasagne with Duck Ragu'

A delicious combination of exquisite, braised duck ragu', and delicate and rich besciamella sauce.

Make your dinner special with this delicious lasagne with duck ragu'. This is the perfect recipe, whether you want to wow your guests at a fancy dinner party, or you want to show your loved ones how special your family dinner is. Everyone will love this lasagna!
The ragu' in this recipe is not your standard bolognese sauce. It's a white sauce (no tomatoes) made with delicious, dark duck meat, braised in white wine, and shredded in pieces, not grounded. This gives a distinctive and exquisite taste to the lasagna, and it perfectly combines with the delicate flavor of the cheese and the besciamella sauce.
This is not one of my usual 30 minutes-or-less recipe. But this dish is worth every minute of your time! Trust me :-)
Just turn on some music and make it fun! I'm listening to The Neighbourhood. I absolutely LOVE their Sweater Weather song! If you like, check out their video here.
LA friends: do you recognize any of those places in this video? How about the bridge over PCH and my beach? :-)


Ingredients: oven pan measuring 8 x 11 in. Serving about 6 people

• two duck breasts, about 1.25 lb                                 Printable Recipe
• 2 garlic cloves
• one rosemary sprig
• 5 or so fresh sage leaves
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• one cup of white wine
• 10 oz of fontina or other mild cheese like mozzarella or Swiss cheese, shredded or cut in small pieces
• 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 box of oven-ready lasagna pasta - you won't use it all! I like the Barilla
• salt and pepper

For the besciamella (white) sauce:

• 2.5 cups of whole milk
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
• half cup of all-purpose flour
• about 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of grated nutmeg

Preparation time: About 30 minutes to prepare, 1.5 hours to cook

Directions:
Step 1: In a large enough pan with two tablespoons of olive oil, over medium heat saute' the rosemary, the sage and the garlic cloves crushed (by pressing down with the flat blade of a large knife).

Step 2: Add the duck breast with skin and the white wine. We will remove the skin only at the end, this way it keeps the meat nice and tender while cooking! The wine should about cover the meat, unless the pot is too large, in which case you can add a bit of water (maybe half a cup!). Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and let simmer over medium-low heat until ready, about 45-60 minutes based on the size of the duck breasts. Remember to check and turn the meat every 15 minutes or so. Add water if it gets too dry... but it shouldn't!

Step 3: Prepare the besciamella sauce as described here.

Step 4: Remove the skin from the duck breast, and shred the meat by cutting and pulling the meat apart with a fork, helping yourself with a knife if necessary. Place the meat back in the same pan with its sauce (after removing the garlic and some of the rosemary and sage if you like).

Step 5: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Now we are ready to start with the lasagna. In an oven pan, start with a couple of tablespoons of besciamella for the bottom, add a layer of pasta, topped with a third of the meat, one third of the fontina cheese, one quarter of the besciamella (you will need an extra layer of besciamella for the top!).

Step 6: Repeat the same layers two more times: pasta, meat, cheese and besciamella.
Then on top: only pasta, and last  the besciamella and all the Parmesan cheese.

Step 7: Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes covered. Uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Step 8: Let cool down for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving. This will allow the besciamella sauce to set a little, and not run off the plate making the lasagne too soft. You can also prepare the lasagna ahead of time, and only warming it up (really hot!!) before serving. In this case you don't need to wait before cutting and serving.

Buon Appetito!

BEST EVER STRAWBERRY TOPPING

This topping rates 5 out of 5 stars for an ice cream topping, but it is also DELICIOUS over pancakes, pound cake, cheesecake and right out of the jar with a big spoon!! It is nice and thick and bright red (not a hint of watery-ness........is that a word?) 

It is economic to make for a large crowd and it keeps well in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

Only TWO ingredients!!

 

 

2 pounds of frozen strawberries

1 cup of sugar

 

I buy large bags of bulk frozen strawberries from our local discount store. I let them thaw for about 1/2 hour or so, then I pulse them in the food processor several times until you get a fairly small dice.

 

Add 1 cup of sugar, stir and put it in a heavy bottom kettle (heavy bottom kettles help it cook but not scorch). Cook on medium high heat until you get a good boil going, then turn down the heat to a medium low boil and cook for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

 

After 20 minutes, remove from heat and skim off any pink foam. That's it!!  Chill in the fridge before using. Makes 4 cups of topping.

 

 

ENJOY !!



Oven-Baked Pasta with Eggplants and Mozzarella

This pasta is the perfect combination of Mediterranean ingredients: the spicy flavor of eggplants, together with the delicate taste of the mozzarella and the bold aroma of the oregano.

Here is the perfect recipe for your meatless Monday dinner. An healthy, tasty, nutritious, all-in-one pasta dish that is quick and simple.
This recipe can be prepared in advance, if you like. Just bake it in the oven before serving. It also makes great leftovers! Just make some extra and your kids' lunch is all ready for tomorrow.
This pasta will surprise you with its delicious Mediterranean ingredients: the spicy flavor of the eggplants, the delicate taste of the mozzarella, and the bold, pizza-like aroma of the oregano... and yes, cannot miss the garlic!
And here is something new that I'm trying out: a nutrition label for this recipe!


Great huh?! Please note: the actual calories and specific nutritional values can vary based on the brand or specific ingredient you use. For example, I was looking at the Trader Joe's fresh mozzarella I used: the sodium level on this is very low. But many other brands or non-fresh mozzarella is much higher. This label should anyways give you a good idea of calories and nutrients in this pasta.
So, what do you think?!? This is something I could possible add to all my recipes. Any feedback is greatly appreciate it.
And here is the recipe for you:
Ingredients: serving 4 people

• one medium eggplant
• 2 cups of crushed tomatoes (I used the San Marzano canned crushed tomatoes)
• 6 oz (170 gr) of fresh mozzarella
• extra virgin olive oil
• one garlic clove
• 4 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• salt to taste
• oregano... as much as you like!
• 12 oz of short pasta, like cellentani (the one I used), penne, fusilli...

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Directions:
Step 1: Cut the eggplant in small cubes. In a large skillet, with 4 tablespoons of olive oil cook the eggplant cubes over medium-high heat, until soft and golden. It should take no more than 10 minutes. Season with salt.

Step 2: While the eggplants are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta when the water boils. To avoid overcooking it, please remove it at least 1 or 2 minutes before the time indicated on the box.
Step 3: In a separate saucepan, saute' the garlic crushed or minced, with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper if you like. Simmer for at least 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 3: Drain the pasta and quickly mix it with the tomato sauce, the eggplants, the mozzarella cut in small cubes, and the oregano.

Step 4: Place the pasta in an oven pan. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Step 5: Bake for about 10 minutes, so that the mozzarella will melt, and the top will get slightly golden and crunchy.

Buon Appetito!

Blueberry and Ricotta Cheese Bars

A delicious combination of soft cake, sweet blueberries, delicate ricotta cheese, with a lemony twist. 

I'd like to start this weekend with something sweet, fresh and summery!
These blueberry and ricotta bars are perfect! An easy, quick and wholesome dessert. Colorful and fun for the kids. A delicious combination of soft cake, sweet blueberries, delicate ricotta cheese, with a lemony twist.
I baked these bars for a barbecue/pool party at a friend's house. But they are also perfect for any occasion, from breakfast, to kids' morning snack or afternoon tea dessert. A huge crowd-pleaser!

Note: I have been asked about the design of this website. First of all, thank you all for the nice comments and positive feedbacks. And yes, I built it all by myself! I'm quite proud of it :-)
It is a free blogger account that, if interested, you can easily set up on blogger.com. Very user friendly! The template is Awesome Inc. with the blue/grey color scheme. Awesome, right?!?
I did customize many things though, including the font, some colors, template spacing and gadgets, including my new "connect with me" social media buttons. Please let me know if you have any other specific questions. I'm really happy to help you out!

Have a delicious weekend!

Ingredients: to make a 9 x 12 inches cake, cut in about 24 squares
For the bottom cake:                                                  Printable Recipe

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 3/4 stick of butter (soften)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of one lemon
• 1/8 teaspoon (pinch) of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon of baking powder

For the filling:

• 1 lb of ricotta cheese 
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of flour 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• juice of one lemon 
• 2 cups of organic fresh blueberries 

Preparation time: 20 minutes to prepare, 50 minutes to bake and a few hours to chill

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix the sugar with the eggs until well blended. Blend in the butter (soften - at room temperature).

Step 2: Blend in the rest of the ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.

Step 3: Grease a  9 x 12 in baking pan with butter and flour. Pour the mixture in the pan, and flatten it as well as you can with a spoon.

                                             

                                             

Step 4: In another bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the filling with the exception of the blueberries, which we'll add at the end.

Step 5: Pour the mixture on top of the first layer of the cake. Flatten it. Sprinkle with the blueberries, and with your hand press them slightly into the mixture, so they won't roll around :-)

Step 6: Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. Cool and then refrigerate covered for a few hours or overnight.

                                              

Slice into bars and enjoy!

SUPER EASY FLOUR TORTILLAS

I throw away a lot of tortillas, do you? I use 5 or 6 out of a package and freeze the rest with good intentions of using them later, but I never do. Before long they are covered with ice crystals and hiding in a dark corner in the freezer.

So I recently decided to teach myself how to make flour tortillas.
I was pleased to discover that they are very easy to make in the food processor and very inexpensive as well. They also taste worlds better than the ones from the store, I promise!! It is like the difference between store bread and bread out of the oven.

This recipe makes (8) 8" tortillas

1+3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil (see note below)
1/2 cup of hot tap water

In a food processor, place the flour, baking powder, salt and vegetable oil.  Pulse several times until it looks like coarse corn meal.

While the food process is still running, stream in the hot water (it doesn't have to be super hot, just hot right from the sink). When dough starts to form a ball, stop the food processor and dump the mixture out on the counter.

Knead it together with your hands a few times until it makes a  nice smooth ball (only takes a minute or so). Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes.

Cut the dough into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a ball (cover them and only roll out and cook one at a time).

Using a rolling pin, roll each ball (I don't use extra flour, but some people do) out into a large circle. Roll it as thin as you can, then roll it even more. My rule of thumb is to roll them thin enough so you can see the color of your counter just a little........well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but not by much (wink) the thinner the better

DO NOT WORRY IF THEY ARE NOT PERFECTLY ROUND,

THAT WILL COME WITH EXPERIENCE

One at a time, cook on hot UNGREASED pan (I use my electric griddle at 375F, for about one minute a side or until bubbles start to appear like this

 

 

 

As the bubbles appear, very gently press them down a little with a spatula. After it has cooked for about a minute (peak under and make sure that there are little golden brown spots on the underside), then flip it over and cook the other side for another minute. Keep them warm inside of a clean dish towel until you get them all cooked.

These tortillas are truly delicious.  Now, if you want to live really dangerously, you can replace the heart healthy canola oil with un-healthy but over-the-top delicious bacon fat.  Talk about WOW!!  I don't recommend this very often, but on a special occasion, you just have to try it with the bacon fat, it is excellent. (Note: on the days I fry bacon, I put the bacon fat into a clean jam jar and keep it in the fridge or freezer).

ENJOY !!