Vegetarian Eggplants Parmesan Rolls

Delicious grilled eggplant rolls filled with melted mozzarella cheese, 

served hot and bubbly with garlicky tomato sauce

Today I prepared another variation of the traditional Italian Melanzane alla Parmigiana. These eggplant Parmesan rolls are perfect for a special and inviting appetizer, or also for a light vegetarian dinner, maybe next to a few slices of toasted bread. The deliciously Mediterranean flavor of this dish is similar to the eggplant Parmesan, but the look is different. The eggplants are thinly sliced and grilled (not fried!), and rolled around lots of melted mozzarella cheese. The rolls are served hot and bubbly with a garlicky tomato sauce, and complemented with the bold aroma of the oregano. Here is the recipe!

Ingredients: to make about 15 rolls (based on the size of the eggplant) - appetizer for about 4 people

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
• 1.5 cups of crushed tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• some fresh basil leaves
• oregano
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Directions:
Step 1: Cut the eggplant in thin slices lengthwise - to obtain the largest  possible slices. I got 15 slices. In one (or two to make it faster) large grilling pan, grill the eggplants over medium-high heat. I like to brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Step 2: In a saucepan, saute' the crushed garlic cloves with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt to taste and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the basil in the last couple of minutes.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Over each eggplant slice place about 1 tablespoon of shredded mozzarella. Roll the slice and place in an oven pan, seam side down.

Step 4: Sprinkle with oregano, the Parmesan cheese and a little bit of olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese are melted and bubbly.

Serve warm with the tomato sauce. Buon Appetito!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Mousse Frosting

Make from scratch these super easy and soft vanilla cupcakes, topped with light and creamy chocolate mousse. 

Today is my younger boy's birthday! I can't believe he's already 6. Birthdays are so exciting, especially at this age. To make this day super special for him, I baked some cute vanilla cupcakes topped with chocolate mousse, to share with his friends at school.
The recipe is quite basic and simple. You will see that it's really not a lot of work to make them from scratch. I'm sure you will be pleased with the result: deliciously soft and light vanilla cake, with a not-too-sweet, creamy and rich chocolate topping. The kids absolutely loved them!
I also had one (ahem... or two), and I'm really not a big fan of cupcakes. I generally don't like the butter nor cream cheese based frosting. And even less the store bought icing, way to sugary!
But the chocolate mousse that I prepared was phenomenal. So simple to make, with whipped cream, powder sugar and unsweetened cocoa.
The final touch of chocolate sprinkles made these cupcakes look amazing. Perfect for a room full of 6 years old!


Ingredients: to make 24 cupcakes
For the cupcakes:

• 8 oz (2 sticks, 230 gr) of unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups (400 gr) of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup (235 ml) of milk (I used whole milk)
• 2 cups (300 gr) of all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder

For the chocolate mousse:

• 2.5 cups (600 ml) of heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cups (70 gr) of powder sugar
• 1/2 cup  (40 gr) of unsweetened cocoa powder
• a pinch of salt

Preparation time:  45 minutes, plus 30 minutes to cool down, and about 15 minutes to decorate

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter, by cutting in pieces, and placing it in the microwave at medium-low power for maybe 20 seconds. Check and add a few seconds if needed. In a large bowl, blend the butter with the sugar until fluffy.

2. Add the vanilla extract, salt and the eggs, one at a time.

3. Blend in one cup of flour and the baking powder. Add the milk, and mix again. Now you can blend in the last cup of flour.

4. Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake papers. Spoon the batter into the liners evenly, about 3/4 full.

5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Test with a toothpick if ready. Wait until completely cooled before frosting.

6. While the cupcakes are in the oven, let's work on the chocolate mousse. Very simple: In a bowl, whip the cream until foamy and it holds a peak. Gradually add the sugar and a pinch of salt, whip some more. Sift in the cocoa powder and fold with a spoon. Refrigerate until ready to decorate the cupcakes.

7. When the cup cakes are completely cool, pipe the chocolate whipped cream using a piping bag.

 Enjoy!!!

Butter-free Yogurt Cake with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

Soft, fluffy, chocolaty, and nutty. So good that it's hard to believe it doesn't have butter. 

And it will only take 45 minutes of your time. 

This is the easiest cake ever. Really!!! One of those recipes where you can just combine all the ingredients, pour them in an oven pan, and bake. The clean up is also super fast too. All the measurements in the recipe are made using the empty yogurt cup. In only 45 minutes you will have a delicious cake, soft and fluffy, filled with chocolate chips and walnuts. Great for a wholesome breakfast, or a fun mid-morning snack or afternoon tea.
And did I mention that there is no butter in this recipe?!? Simply perfect!
Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:  to make a 9 in cake - serving 8-10

• 1 vanilla yogurt cup (mine was 6 oz)
• 3 cups* of all purpose flour
• 1 cup* of sugar
• 1/2 cup * of vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup* of walnuts, chopped
• 1 cup* of semi-sweet chocolate chips

cup*= Use the empty yogurt cup!!

Preparation time:10 minutes plus 35 minutes for baking

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, flour, sugar, oil, eggs, baking powder, almond extract and salt.  Mix well.

Step 2: Stir in the walnuts chopped in small pieces and the chocolate chip.

Step 3: Pour the batter in a 9 in oven pan with removable sides if you have it. I covered the bottom with parchment paper. Or you can also grease with butter and flour.

Step 4: Bake for about 35 minutes until golden on top. Test with a toothpick in the middle to see if the cake is completely cooked.

  

PEANUT BUTTER WHIPPED CREAM

I came up with this idea one afternoon and (right out of the chute) it was a keeper.  Whipped cream that has a mellow peanut butter taste... the perfect addition to ANY dessert!!

Make this part a few minutes ahead of time, so it can cool just a little:

1 cup Reece's Peanut Butter Chips
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Microwave the above just until the cream gets steamy hot, but not boiling. In my microwave this takes about a minute. Remove from the microwave and whisk until the melted mixture is smooth.

Add
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk until smooth and set aside to cool a little.

With electric mixer, start whipping 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream.
When it gets about "half way" to being whipped cream, slowly drizzle in the peanut butter chip mixture.

Continue whipping until it gets to the consistency you like.

ENJOY !!

Homemade Traditional Potato Gnocchi - Italian Dumplings

Homemade gnocchi made with potatoes: smooth and soft, and so incredibly delicious!

Today I'm ready to share the recipe for one of my favorite Italian dishes: traditional potato gnocchi, also known as Italian dumplings.
When I was little this was probably the one food I asked my mom to cook most often. And my kids absolutely love them too. You can serve them topped with a simple melted butter, sage and Parmesan cheese. Or they are also perfect with  Bolognese or tomato/basil sauce for a more savory taste. No matter what I choose, gnocchi are always welcomed at my table,
And would you like to know the secret to the perfect potato gnocchi? Do I hear a YES?!?
Here we go: to keep the gnocchi soft and smooth, not hard and too chewy, you need to use the least amount of flour that you can, without the gnocchi falling apart when you boil them. And it's simple: do not overcook the potatoes or they will absorb too much water. More water in the potatoes, more flour is needed when making the dumplings. What I generally do, is peel the potatoes before boiling to make my job easier and quicker later. If you do so, you have to pay close attention, and remove the potatoes from the water as soon as they are ready. The alternative is to boil the potatoes with their skin on. But you will need to peel and mash them when they are still hot.... Not as easy!
So the second part of my secret: don't wait to mash the potatoes when they cool down. This might be no secret to you if have made mashed potatoes before and decided to wait a bit before mashing. You end up with a grainy and coarse-y texture. Not so yummy!
Now that you know my secrets, you are ready to make the most amazing gnocchi you have ever tasted. Believe me :-)


Ingredients: makes 3 servings.

• 3 russet potatoes, around 1.5 lb
• 3/4 cup of all purpose flour, plus about 1/4 of a cup 
• 1 egg
• salt

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Directions:
Step 1: Peel the potatoes and cut in half. Place the potatoes in a large enough pot, and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, lower the flame to medium-low, and cook in a slow boil for about 15-18 minutes based on the size of the potatoes. Test with a fork. When ready, you should be able to stick the fork all the way in.

Step 2: Remove the potatoes promptly from the water, and pass them through  a ricer. In a large bowl, mix the 3/4 cup of flour (some at the time!) and the egg with the mashed potatoes. Don't overdo with the mixing, just combine until it holds together. Add more flour if needed.

Step 3: Move the potato mixture to a clean, lightly floured counter. Take some of the dough at a time, and roll it into a rope about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the gnocchi, about 3/4 inch length. Place the gnocchi over parchment paper, lightly floured. Don't overlap the gnocchi or they will stick together.

Step 4: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the gnocchi - some at the time if necessary. And let cook for about 2 - 3 minutes. You can remove them as soon as they rise to the surface. Drain well and serve with your favorite sauce.

Here are my gnocchi with melted butter, sage and lots of Parmesan cheese! Buon Appetito!