Lime Chicken Soup

Adapted from Sea Salt with Food

This soup was so light and fresh tasting. An amazing soup if you are on a diet but want something special and filling. This will be a soup I'm going to make again and again!

Serves 6

For the Broth

2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

8 cups chicken broth

2 limes, juiced

salt

1/2 cup rice

For the Garnish

2-3 tomatoes, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 small cucumber, diced

2 jalepeno chilies, minced

4 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp salt

2-3 limes, cut into wedges

Bring the chicken broth to a boil, add rice, chicken, salt and lime juice and reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

In the meantime, chop up your garnish ingredients and mix together in a bowl.

Once the broth is done, ladle it into serving bowls and spoon a generous 1/2 cup of garnish on top. Season with lime wedges and top with cilantro.

Honey Gingerbread

adapted from Allrecipes

Well I looked and looked. Four different stores, many different people and no one could help me find molasses for gingerbread. The funny thing is, I see gingerbread everywhere here so I KNOW it's got to be around here somewhere in some form. This is the frustrating part of living in a foreign country, not being able to communicate what you want.

Anyway, after a long search I finally gave up and substituted the molasses with honey and it was a surprisingly nice little cookie. A little lighter perhaps, a slightly different flavor, but tasty nonetheless.

Makes approximately 24 cookies

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 egg yolk

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in honey and egg yolk. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder and all spices. Stir in the flour mixture with the wet butter mixture, cover and chill for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 C) and roll the dough out onto a flat floured surface. Cut out desired shapes and place the cookies about 2 inches (about 5 cm) on the cookie sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes if you want soft cookies, and around 10 if you want harder cookies. Let cool completely before frosting.

I used the Royal Icing recipe for a pretty sweet finish.

Royal Icing

From Joy of Baking

Royal icing is wonderful. It dries quickly. It is smooth and matte and very hard. It can be used to decorate cookies or to stick walls of a gingerbread house together.

In the olden days, royal icing was made simply with raw egg whites and powdered sugar, with a little flavoring mixed in. But now, due to the risks of salmonella meringue powder is often substituted with very similar results.

Both recipes make about 3 cups of icing

Royal Icing using Egg Whites:

2 large egg whites (60 grams)

2 tsp lemon juice

3 cups (330 grams) confectioners sugar

This is perfect for items you will not be eating, like gingerbread houses. In a bowl, beat the egg whites for several minutes with the lemon juice mixed in. Then add the powdered sugar slowly, mixing until the icing is completely combined and smooth. Use immediately.

Royal Icing using Meringue powder:

4 cups confectioners sugar

3 Tbsp meringue powder

1/2 tsp flavor extract (lemon, vanilla, almond, etc...)

1/2 to 3/4 cup of warm water

Mix the confectioners sugar and meringue powder well. Add the water and beat until the mixture is very glossy and stiff peaks begin to form (about 5-7 minutes). You will know that your icing is the right consistency when you lift the beater, the ribbon of icing that falls back into the bowl remains on the surface of the icing for several seconds before disappearing.

It is important to keep this icing covered as much as possible, because it dries out very quickly. Feel free to add flavors and food coloring to your liking.

Ricotta Pancakes

From Sparkling Ink

Whenever Ben goes out of town, I have breakfast for dinner. He hates breakfast food and it happens to be my favorite meal of the day. So I indulge myself whenever he isn't around. This time I tried out a recipe I spotted on one of my most favorite food blogs: Sparkling Ink. Her pictures there are always inspiring me to cook more!

Anyway, it was a nice twist to the classic pancake and one I hope to make again soon.

9 oz (250 g) ricotta cheese

2/3 cup milk

2 eggs, separated

3 1/2 ounces (100 g) flour

1 tsp baking powder

oil or butter for the pan

Separate egg yolks and whites. Mix together ricotta, milk and egg yolks. Whisk flour and baking powder together and combine with wet cheese mixture. Then gently fold in the egg whites until just combine. Spoon a dollop of batter onto a large skillet and cook both sides of the pancake until golden.

Serve warm with syrup, jam, fruit or whipped cream. For breakfast or dinner :)

Pesto Omelette

Adding pesto to your omelette adds a huge boost of flavor and a little variety to an easy breakfast (or dinner).

Serves 2

1 tsp butter or oil

3 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 Tbsp pesto

1 handful spinach leaves

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup gouda or other cheese, grated

1/4 tsp salt and pepper

Heat a small (about 7 inches or 18 cm) frying pan on the stove on medium, melt butter. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Mix in milk, pesto and salt and pepper. Once the frying pan is hot, pour the egg mixture, sprinkle on the spinach leaves and cheese and let it cook. Once the center of the omelette is starting to set, lift the corner of the omelette and gently fold it in half. Let it rest for about 30 seconds or so and then slip it off the pan and onto a plate. Serve immediately.

White Bean Hummus

adapted from Cooking for Mr. Picky

I love hummus, but it is difficult to find here in Austria. So when I saw this recipe on my sister's site, I knew I had to try it. First of all, it was ridiculously easy. You literally just blend it all together and it's ready to go. It has great flavor and is a really healthy and filling snack. Hummus is traditionally made with garbanzo beans (chickpeas) but those are also difficult to find here, so I used white beans and it turned out great. So feel free to experiment.

Serves 4

1 clove garlic

1 can white beans

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbsp tahini

3/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

olive oil

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend away. Garnish with olive oil and serve with pita bread, carrot sticks or other vegetables.

Calories: 1/2 cup = 225 calories

Orange Cake with Mascarpone

I love having people over because it gives me an excuse to make a big fancy dessert. This cake was lovely, it had a nice citrus flavor and the mascarpone frosting really made it sweet and creamy and delicious.

Cake:
3/4 cup orange juice + zest from 2 oranges

113 g butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup orange marmalade (to put in between the layers)

Frosting:

1 1/2 cup mascarpone

1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup mandarin oranges

Preheat oven to 350 (176 C)

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then blend in orange juice and orange zest. In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients (baking powder, salt, and flour). Combine flour mixture with orange mixture and fold in coconut. Pour into a prepared 9 inch (22 cm) round cake pan and bake for about half an hour or until the center of the cake springs back when touched. Let it sit until cooled completely.

Once cool, use a sharp serrated knife and gently cut the cake in half. Spread a generous 1/2 cup of marmalade on the top of the bottom half of the cake, and gently replace the top of the cake, sandwiching the jam in between the two layers. Then mix the mascarpone with powdered sugar and spread it generously on the cake until it is completely covered. Garnish with mandarine oranges and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

P.S. This cake is even better the next day!

Spinach Artichoke Pasta

adapted from Dianasaur Dishes

This dish is anything but healthy. But it is oh so good. Creamy, rich flavors that are hearty and so pleasing. It's easy to make and a real crowd pleaser. So ignore your waistline, invite people over as an excuse to make it, and give it a try.

Serves 4-6

4-6 servings Penne pasta

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup bacon, crumbled

1 small red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup mushrooms, diced

1 cup sliced artichoke hearts

3/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup cream

1 cup spinach

salt and pepper to taste

parmesan

Boil your pasta according to the directions on the package. In a large skillet, saute garlic and onion in butter until softened, then add bacon, mushrooms and artichokes. After about two minutes add the wine. Cover and let simmer 5 minutes until it has reduced. Then add cream and seasonings and mix well. When you drain the pasta, add spinach while pasta is still very hot so it will wilt in the steam. Finally, pour sauce over noodles and garnish with parmesan. Serve warm.

Chicken Véronique

Ben made this for dinner the other night and it was AMAZING. So good I wanted to lick my plate clean! These pictures really don't do it justice. It's basically chicken in a white wine sauce, cooked with grapes and eaten over rice. The chicken is tangy and the grapes are sweet and juicy. It's an incredible combination.

serves 4

2 Tbsp butter

4 chicken breasts

1-2 cups green seedless grapes

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder

2 tsp parsley

1 Tbsp dried rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and pepper and sear both sides until they are slightly browned. Then transfer the chicken to another plate.

2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the second tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Saute the shallots until they are translucent. Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any bits off of the bottom, add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer until the volume of the liquid is reduced by half.

3. Add the cream, cornstarch (mix with a Tbsp wine so it will be smooth), and spices and let it remain on low heat until it has begun to thicken up, then return the chicken to the sauce. Poach the chicken until it is cooked through. (about 5-10 minutes)

4. Finally, add the grapes for just a few minutes before taking the pan off of the stove. Leave them in just long enough to become hot. Serve over rice.

Creamy Leek Soup

Adapted from Sister's Cafe

As a rule, I try to buy what is on sale (ie: in season) at the grocery store. It's generally cheaper and tastes better too so it's a win-win situation. And last week these long, green leeks were calling my name. I've never really cooked with leeks before, but when I saw this recipe on the blogs everything fell into place. This soup was warm and creamy and the flavor was wonderful.

Serves 4

1 Tbsp butter

6 potatoes, diced

2 leeks, washed and sliced, including the white and green parts

1 large onion, chopped

1 carrot, sliced

1 stalk of celery, sliced

2-3 garlic cloves

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

1 Tbsp parsley

1/2 cup cream

bacon

salt and pepper to taste

Cook leeks, onion, celery, salt and pepper in 1 tbsp butter over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until soft. Add potatoes along with wine, stock and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley and simmer 5 additional minutes. Add cream and stir until smooth. Top with cheese or chives as a garnish.

Snickerdoodle Blondies

adapted from Fake Ginger

I make snickerdoodles often because they are distinctly American and I always seem to have all of the ingredients in my fridge. I made these for a church party and they were snapped up right away. They aren't too different from the cookie version, except they can be baked all at once in a pan like a sheet of brownies, so it is a little bit quicker to make. I ended up cutting them out with cookie cutters after they had cooled to make them look a little more interesting.

2 2/3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter (250 grams)

2 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

cinnamon and sugar mixture for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 (176 C). In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth, then add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Then add in the vanilla and set aside. Sift dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then slowly add the dry mixture to the wet one, stirring until batter is smooth and consistent. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish and sprinkles cinnamon sugar on the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is turning golden brown and you can stick a toothpick in it and it comes out clean. Wait for them to cool before cutting into them.

Greek Burgers

adapted from Food-o del Mundo

I love Greek food. The flavors manage to balance sharp and creamy, salty and sweet in a way that is marvelous. So when I saw this recipe for Greek style hamburgers, I just had to try it. They were wonderful, needing very little garnish except for a slice of tomato and Tzatziki sauce.

Hamburger patties

17 oz ground pork (500 mg)

1 egg

1/2 cup of bread crumbs (or oats)

1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup minced Kalamata olives

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp dried parsley

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Tzatziki sauce

1 cup plain yogurt

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 finely chopped cucumber

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1-2 tsp dill

Hamburger buns

Tomato slices (for garnish)

Mix hamburger ingredients together well. Gently form 1/2 inch thick patties (1.25 cm), trying not to overwork the meat. Using a grill is optimal, but if that isn't available, just use a frying pan on the stove. Heat the stove very hot. Place the patty on the pan and let it sit. Do not push down on the burger, it lets all of the juices out. Fry on a hot stove, 7-9 minutes each side. Take off the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Prepare the Tzatziki sauce by mixing all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Put the patty on a bun, with a layer of sauce and a tomato and enjoy!