Chocolate-Drizzled Coconut Macaroons

A perfect summer treat: crunchy and chocolaty on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside. 

It's been a super busy week! Back from a perfectly amazing vacation, and right into the craziness of the first week of school for my boys. That's why you haven't seen any new recipes lately!
It's really hard to get back into the swing of things after spending more than a week relaxing and having fun in paradise. Yes. I was in paradise!

Take a look at this breathtaking sunset in Ke'e' beach, Kauai.

See what I'm talking about?!? Just... It's hard to find one word to describe it. Perfection!
I posted a few more pictures of our vacation on Instagram, if you want to check it out!

After coming back this week, I was in the mood for something tropical.  Something tempting and sweet. And easy to make, of course! I am still in a slow moving rhythm of vacation.
These coconut macaroons are the perfect match: crunchy and chocolaty on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside. Every bite filled with the sweet and nutty flavor of the coconut, mixed with the bitter-sweet taste of the chocolate.

These macaroons make me think of an Almond Joy bar. Well, not quite. There are really no almonds in these cookies. Just coconut and chocolate and ... lots of joy :)

And here is my video recipe. All for you!

Ingredients: to make about 20 macaroons (1.5 tablespoons each)            PRINTABLE RECIPE

• 2 egg whites
• 1/3 cup (65 gr) of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2.5 cups (200 gr) of sweetened flake coconut
• half cup of semi sweet or milk chocolate
• 2 tablespoons of whipping cream

Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus 30 minutes to cool down

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325° F (160° C). In  a large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy.

Step 2: Add the sugar, the vanilla extract, and the pinch of salt. Beat some more.

Step 3: Add the coconut and fold with a spoon until just combined.

Step 4: Scoop the batter onto your baking sheet, covered with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. I used a  1.5 tablespoon scoop. Make sure your scoops are nice and compact. You should be able to make about 20 macaroons.

                                                 

Step 5: Bake at 325° F (160° C) for 17-20 minutes until lightly golden, turning the baking sheet around after about 10 minutes. Let the macaroons cool down before removing from the parchment paper.

                                      

                                                 

Step 6: Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, mixing the chocolate with a spoon, and stirring in the whipping cream.

Step 7: Drizzle the chocolate on top of the macaroon (and dip in the bottom if you like!). Let the chocolate cool and harden before serving.

Enjoy :)

LEMON SUGAR COOKIES

School is right around the corner and whether you need to pack a school lunch or just have the cookie jar full when the kids hit the kitchen in the afternoon, this is the perfect cookie. Super simple and very flavorful, this recipe is a keeper.

LEMON SUGAR COOKIES

3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter flavored Crisco
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1  1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt together. Cut in the butter flavored Crisco (like you would a pie crust).

Add the eggs, , milk and extracts and beat until smooth. This will be very thick, so a stand mixer works best.

Roll into three log shapes (about 2" in diameter) and chill for at least an hour or overnight. Slice into 1/3" disks and roll the disks in sugar.

Place on lightly greased baking sheet (about 2" apart) and bake in pre-heated 375° oven for 9-11 minute. My electric oven takes 10 minutes exactly. Cool on a baking rack.

ENJOY !!! 

 

NOTE: I know there will be questions/comments about butter flavored Crisco vs. butter. I have not tried this recipe with butter.

SOAP SLIVERS

Do you always have a container of bar soap remnants like this in your bathroom? I know we did!!

I have NO IDEA why we feel compelled to save bits of soap, but we  do. We keep adding to the jar (in case of a soap emergency I guess?). Well, recently there were so many soap skeletons in the jar that I just had to throw them away I couldn't just throw them out, so I decided to do something with them.

I broke them up into small pieces about this size:

 

Then, because I thought it might melt easier, I pulsed them a few times in my food processor:

 

I put the "soap crumbs" in a heavy pot and added JUST ENOUGH water to BARELY cover the soap (use as little as possible). Turn the burner on to medium and heat just until the soap melts a little (it happens fast) and GENTLY stir (if you stir fast, you will get bubbles). It will look like this when it gets warm, then remove from the heat. NOTE: Not ALL of the soap chips will melt, but that's OK.

Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and fill each one with this "soap mush" (I used an ice cream scoop).

Let them sit at room temperature for 24 hours and then peel off the paper liners and put the "soap cakes" on a rack:

Now here is where you need patience. You CAN use these little soaps right away, but they will dissolve VERY quickly. If you want them to last as long a regular bar of soap, you'll need to air dry (cure) them on the rack for two weeks or even longer.

They smell wonderful, so I've had no problem aging them (they smell like a wonderful air freshener).

They do shrink quite a bit as they dry out, so keep that in mind when you are filling up the cupcake papers.

Soap isn't expensive, so this is more of a FUN project rather than a money saver project.  It would also be a fun project for kids to do.

HAVE FUN !!!

Traditional Italian Panna Cotta with Fresh Berry Sauce

Panna cotta is a creamy, delicate and lusciously smooth pure goodness. 

Chilled to perfection and served with a sweet and summery berry sauce.

Let's face it. It's summer and nobody wants to spend too much time in the kitchen baking and sweating next to a hot oven. But there is no reason to give up making amazing desserts just because of the weather. I am NOT going to ... no matter what the thermometer reads!
So this summer, when your sweet tooth is calling you, here is a great recipe to try.
Panna cotta is super easy and fast to whip up. It's a traditional, classic Italian dessert. And as the name suggests ("cooked cream") it just involves bringing to a slow boil a mixture of heavy cream, milk and a couple of other ingredients. No baking in the oven! But you will need to be a bit patient before tasting this dessert. It needs at least five hour (or overnight) in the refrigerator to set and chill.
Today's recipe is the most traditional panna cotta, with a delicate vanilla flavor. You can serve it like I did with berry sauce. Or with chocolate or caramel sauce. Also very delicious!

I just picked up some super sweet, organic strawberries at the market, and so, voila' ... strawberry sauce. A simple puree' of strawberries with a sprinkle of sugar and a splash of lemon juice. And to decorate, more berries! Different color, of course. To make it prittyer and fruity-er.... The eye always wants its part!
You can change it up and make it fun. Use blueberries or raspberries. Or any combination of these. You will love it!

Ingredients: serving 4                   PRINTABLE RECIPE

• 1/4 cup ( 60 ml ) of milk
• 1 envelope (0.25 oz = 6 gr) of powder gelatin - unflavored (6 gr)
• 2 cups (475 ml) of heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup (100 gr) of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

For the sauce:

• 8 oz (225 gr) of (organic) strawberries
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• other berries (blueberries, blackberries) for decoration

Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 5 hours inactive
Directions:

1. In a small bowl, add the milk and sprinkle with the gelatin powder. Stir and let stand for about 5 minutes while you do the next steps.

2. In a large pan add the heavy cream, half cup of sugar and the vanilla extract. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Don't let the cream boil.As soon as the first bubble appears on the side, and it looks like it starts to boil, remove from the heat.

3. Stir in the gelatin mixture in the cream mixture, and whisk until blended.

4. Divide the cream evenly into 4 ramekins or cups. Cool to room temperature . Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate  for at least 5 hours or overnight.

5. Before serving prepare the strawberry sauce: puree the strawberries with the sugar and lemon juice in a blender. You can eliminate the seeds, but passing the puree through a sieve. Or use it as is, like I did.

6. You can serve the panna cotta in the cups, or inverted into a plate.To do so,  place the cups into hot water (one at a time) for a few seconds. Run a knife around the edges and invert onto a serving plate.

Decorate with strawberry sauce and fresh berries.

Enjoy :)

Italian Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes

A light and healthy vegetarian dish filled with Mediterranean flavors

These rice-stuffed tomatoes are just perfect for these hot summer days

This dish is just perfect for the summer. You can buy fresh tomatoes all year long (at least around here). But most of the times, I'm sorry to say, they have very little, or no flavor at all. You can easily figure out if a tomato is any good: just pick one up and give it a sniff, right by the stem... Don't be shy! I say, you have the right to smell your tomatoes before buying them. I always do :)
You will see, most of the year - no smell at all! But now, in the middle of summer, it's the exception and you can get delicious tomatoes. Go to the farmers' market and find some ripe (but not mushy), deep red, big tomatoes. If they have an earthy, fresh aroma, maybe like the smell of dry grass and sunshine ... then, you have a winner!

Once you find some great tomatoes, here is what you do. Very simple: cut the top off and empty the inside. Crush the pulp and use it to make a delicious risotto. In the risotto, mix some shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan cheese and some chopped fresh parsley. Don't leave these out! The stuffing would be nothing without the cheese and the parsley.
Before baking, fill each tomato with some risotto and surprise, surpriiiise! Add one small, fresh mozzarella (ciliegine) right in the middle. It's a soft, moist and cheesy addition that will make this not just your average stuffed tomatoes, but a deliciously fun, fresh and light dinner that everyone will love.

Enjoy :) 

Ingredients: 4 servings as main dish, 8 as side dish                     PRINTABLE RECIPE

• 8 large tomatoes 
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (divided)
• half onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 8 oz (225 gr) of rice 
• about 2 tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley
• 1/3 cup (30 gr) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup (100 gr) shredded mozzarella
• 8 "ciliegine" (small) fresh mozzarella cheese or one large ball cut in eight cubes
• salt

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 45 minutes in the oven
Directions:

1. Cut the top off the tomatoes (save this part), and remove the pulp and seeds (save them in a bowl) using a small pointy knife and a spoon. Let the tomatoes rest on a plate upside down to drain while you prepare the rest.

2. Puree' the tomato pulp with a blender.

3. Chop half  onion, and crush a garlic clove (or chop it if you like a stronger garlicky taste). In a large pan, saute' the onion, the crushed garlic clove with two tablespoon of olive oil.

4. Add the rice, stir and cook for one minute. Add some of the pureed tomatoes (about half). And save the rest if necessary. Salt to taste. Cook the rice over medium flame for about 12-14 minutes (based on the rice), stirring occasionally and adding more of the pureed tomatoes when dry.
 Note, we don't want to cook the rice fully. It will cook in the oven  with the tomatoes. It should be cooked about 5 minutes less that the time to fully cook it.

5.  Preheat the oven to 375º F (190º C ).
Add the chopped parsley and mix. Remove from the stove, and mix in the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese.

6. Place the tomatoes in an oven safe dish. Sprinkle the inside of the tomatoes with a bit of salt. Stuff the tomatoes half way with the rice mixture.

7. Add one mozzarellina, and stuff with the rest of the rice.

8. Drizzle with olive oil, cover with the top of the tomato.

9.Bake at 375º F (190º C ) for 45-50 minutes, or until the tomatoes are cooked through and the tops are golden brown and the rice fully cooked. Check the rice before removing from the oven. If by chance the rice is still not fully cooked or you like it softer, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and leave in the oven for an extra 5 minutes or so.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

Buon appetito!