WATERMELON SALAD

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Years ago I thought that watermelon salads and watermelon skewers with feta cheese, and all things watermelon savory would fade away. But it did not, and I am glad it didn’t. Because putting it simply, watermelon works in many savory concoctions. It is refreshing, has a delicate texture, soaks dressings well, and it does not clash with other ingredients. Give it a try if you have resisted it so far.

WATERMELON SALAD WITH PECANS AND FETA CHEESE
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

Seeded and cubed watermelon, any amount you like
Mixed color baby lettuce leaves
¾ cup chopped toasted pecans
1 cup crumbled feta cheese, keep in large chunks

For the vinaigrette:
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbs agave nectar
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ cup grapeseed oil

Make the vinaigrette by whisking all the ingredients except the oil together. Still whisking, pour the oil to emulsify it well. Reserve.

Make the salad. Combine watermelon and greens in a large bowl; add the vinaigrette, tossing gently to coat. Top with the toasted pecans and feta cheese. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: You can vary this salad in countless ways… different greens, different cheese, different nuts. I love the acidity of the vinaigrette, and I believe some ginger could go well with it also. Try to exercise self-control and don’t pick all the watermelon before your guests or family members had a chance to serve themselves…

ONE YEAR AGO: Kashmiri Chicken Thighs

TWO YEARS AGO: A Vegan Trilogy

THREE YEARS AGO: The Mystifying Hurricane Roll

FOUR YEARS AGO: Pop-Tarts with Strawberry Balsamic Jam

FIVE YEARS AGO: Ptichye Moloko, a Russian Dessert

SIX YEARS AGO: Cheesy Low-Carb Zucchini Tarts

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Blogging Hiatus

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Apricots, Three Ways

NINE YEARS AGO: Up Close and Personal with Kale

TEN YEARS AGO: Black Berry Cherry Sorbet

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Asparagus Pesto

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Chocolate and Chestnut Terrine

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Under the spell of lemongrass

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Greens + Grapefruit + Shrimp = Great Salad!

18Aug2023

KAREN’S SAUTEED SHRIMP WITH CAPERS AND OLIVES

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

If you need a great dinner that will be ready in less than 30 minutes, look no further… I have actually made this recipe several times after Karen published it in her blog, and I bet it will become a favorite with your family too. Something about capers and black olives together makes my mouth water.

SAUTEED SHRIMP WITH CAPERS AND OLIVES
(slightly modified from Karen Kitchen Stories)

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped, pitted black olives
2 tablespoons capers
1 + 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined extra large or jumbo shrimp
1 (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium low heat. Add the olives and capers, and cook for another minute or two.Add the shrimp and tomatoes to the pan, and sauté until the shrimp turns pink, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I really think the best way to serve this seafood preparation is over pasta, in this case just a simple spaghetti with fresh lemon and olive oil. Normally I brine the shrimp before sautéing but this time I skipped that step and just made sure not to cook it for too long. It is ready super fast, and all flavors go wonderfully together. Give it a try and then go thank Karen for it!

ONE YEAR AGO: Kashmiri Chicken Thighs

TWO YEARS AGO: A Vegan Trilogy

THREE YEARS AGO: The Mystifying Hurricane Roll

FOUR YEARS AGO: Pop-Tarts with Strawberry Balsamic Jam

FIVE YEARS AGO: Ptichye Moloko, a Russian Dessert

SIX YEARS AGO: Cheesy Low-Carb Zucchini Tarts

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Blogging Hiatus

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Apricots, Three Ways

NINE YEARS AGO: Up Close and Personal with Kale

TEN YEARS AGO: Black Berry Cherry Sorbet

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Asparagus Pesto

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Chocolate and Chestnut Terrine

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Under the spell of lemongrass

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Greens + Grapefruit + Shrimp = Great Salad!

15Aug2023

MINI-CAKES, TWO WAYS

Posted in Cake by sallybr

This is a wonderful, simple recipe that works well even in very small silicone molds, as you can see further down in my article. For the mini cakes below, I used the pan featured in this post from my past.

MINI-RASPBERRY CAKES WITH RUBY RED GANACHE FILLING
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

250g butter, soft, at room temperature
200 grams of sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste
pinch of salt
5 large eggs, at room temperature
250g all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 tablespoons milk at room temperature
25g freeze-dried raspberries – finely crushed

for ruby red ganache:
100 g ruby red chocolate (from Godiva)
110 g whipping cream

Make the ganache. Heat the whipping cream in the microwave until very hot, and pour over the pellets of ruby chocolate. Allow to sit 5 minutes at room temperature, then stir gently until fully dissolved. Reserve at room temperature.

Heat the oven to 350F.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved and the butter turns lighter and fluffy, about five minutes in a Kitchen Aid type mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the eggs one by one, mixing for about 30 seconds before you add each egg. Gently fold the flour mixture and then the milk. Once that is incorporated, add the freeze-dried raspberry powder.

Fill the mold of choice to 3/4 of their capacity. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of your mold. Let the cakes cool completely before removing them, at least 45 minutes. Fill the center with ruby red ganache. Wait until it sets before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

MINI-HEARTS RASPBERRY CAKES

Use the same recipe for the cake, distribute the batter into the cavities of this mold. Use store-bought or home-made raspberry jam to fill the center of the cakes.

These are soft, moist and delicious little cakes. The hear-shaped ones are tiny, as you can see in this close-up picture.

Two bites, and you are done! They were a huge success with colleagues from our department. The cakes filled with ganache are richer (and considerably bigger, although still small). I do love ganache so maybe my heart moves more in the direction of those, but if you prefer the sharp taste of raspberry jam to pair with the sweet cake, consider making a batch of the tiny hearts.

ONE YEAR AGO: Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

TWO YEARS AGO: Summertime Macaron Duet

THREE YEARS AGO: Pain de Mie Dressed up for Party

FOUR YEARS AGO: Five-Stranded Bread

FIVE YEARS AGO: Green Olive Salad

SIX YEARS AGO: Coffee Macarons Dressed up to Party

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Blogging Hiatus

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Tomato Tatin

NINE YEARS AGO: Headed to Colorado!

TEN YEARS AGO: Farofa Brasileira

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Thai-Inspired Pork Tenderloin

TWELVE YEARS AGO: A yummy Brazilian cake: Bolo de Fuba’

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Summer’s Tomatoes

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Leaving on a jet plane…

12Aug2023

SLOW-COOKER PINEAPPLE CARNITAS

Posted in Pork by sallybr

Pineapple is a great ingredient to add to pulled pork, as it offers acidity and a bright flavor. For the past couple of years I’ve been using country style ribs to make an approximation of pulled pork that is lower in fat, but feel free to use the real deal (pork shoulder) if you prefer. The whole preparation will be the same, but if using pork shoulder it is better to brown the meat a bit first on all sides, get rid of some of the fat before slow-cooking it.

SLOW-COOKER PINEAPPLE CARNITAS
(inspired by The Well Plated Cookbook)

3 pounds country style pork ribs
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in 100% juice, left undrained
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Lightly coat a 6-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick spray. Season the pork with the salt and black pepper and add to the slow-cooker. stir together the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and red pepper flakes. In a separate bowl, stir together the pineapple with its juice, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle the dry spice mixture over the pork, rubbing to try and coat evenly. Pour the pineapple mixture over the top. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until the meat is tender.

Place a rack in the upper third of your oven and heat the oven to broil. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat the foil with nonstick spray. Shred the pork while it is still inside the slow cooker, stir the pieces to coat with the sauce, then place over the prepared baking sheet. Broil until the edges of the meat begin to crisp up and turn brown.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: You can enjoy carnitas in many ways, with tortillas and all sorts of tasty toppings, over white rice, mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower… Phil loves it with bolillos, one of his favorite bread these days. I served them with quickly pickled cucumbers and white rice. Leftovers seem to get better for the next couple of days, and you know we adore our leftovers.

ONE YEAR AGO: Three Little Cakes

TWO YEARS AGO: From our Garden to You

THREE YEARS AGO: Lady Bug Macarons

FOUR YEARS AGO: Five-Stranded Braided Bread

FIVE YEARS AGO: Green Olive Salad

SIX YEARS AGO: Coffee Macarons Dressed up to Party

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Blogging Hiatus

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Tomato Tatin

NINE YEARS AGO: Headed to Colorado!

TEN YEARS AGO: Farofa Brasileira

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Thai-Inspired Pork Tenderloin

TWELVE YEARS AGO: A yummy Brazilian cake: Bolo de Fuba’

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Summer’s Tomatoes

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Leaving on a jet plane…

8Aug2023

ALMOND-CRANBERRY SANDWICH COOKIES

Posted in Cookies by sallybr

I am deeply enamored with these cookies. Think Linzer wearing a different outfit… You will need a special ingredient, that can be found here.

ALMOND-CRANBERRY SANDWICH COOKIES
(adapted from Selefina website)

FOR THE COOKIE
226g butter, room temperature
50g sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon (cassia), ground
1 tablespoon cranberry juice powder (from Selefina)
250g all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
50g almond flour
¼ tsp salt

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM FILLING
60g butter, softened
160g powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp cranberry juice powder

Make the cookie:
Using an electric mixer, cream the room temperature butter with the sugar. Once combined and smooth, add in the egg and vanilla. Stir again.

In a separate bowl whisk together the remainder of the ingredients. Once mixed, add the dry into the creamed butter mixture. Mix only until combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, then chill for about 20 minutes. After the dough has had time to chill, remove it from the plastic wrap and roll it over parchment paper in the thickness you prefer for sandwich cookies, I like to go reasonably thin. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out your circles and transfer them onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Then go back and cut out a smaller whole in the center of just half your cookies. Freeze the unbaked cookies for 10 minutes before baking at 350F for 8-12 minutes.

Make the buttercream: In an electric mixer, whip the butter and then slowly add the powdered sugar at a low speed. Add in the vanilla, then some milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Whip on high speed to add air into the buttercream for just a minute or so. Then slowly add the cranberry powder until you get your desired pink color.

Assemble the cookies: To assemble, add the buttercream into a pastry bag with a 1M tip and pipe it onto the bottom cookie pieces. Before you add the tops on, make a 50/50 mix of powdered sugar and cranberry power to dust over the top cookies. Once they’re dusted pink gently press them onto the buttercream/cookie.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I never thought of showcasing a filling for sandwich cookies using a star icing tip to pipe a rose, but now I think it is one great way to do it. Of course, you cannot make it with jam, but it is pretty straightforward to whip up a little buttercream, and I believe totally worth it. Selefina has many interesting powders for sale. I have cranberry, butterfly pea flower, and mango. Stay tuned to see them in baked goodies soon!

The recipe for these cookies is found in their website but I modified it to use a lot less of the cranberry juice powder. It seemed excessive to almost empty my bottle to make a batch of cookies. The cranberry flavor came through bright and clear the way I did it, so I am happy with the way they turned out.