Earl Pearl Grey

Last Tuesday Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution team hosted a twitter contest for a best smoothie. The timeline was filled with unique healthy and delicious ideas for this frothy concoction each creatively named. I decided to participate and first mix I had in mind was ingredients of my all time favorite drink—Earl Grey tea with pear and bergamot. I called it Pearl Grey Smoothie.

Although I don't have any idea where to find this exotic pear shaped citrus, I still wanted to combine the flavors of this tea, so I combined pear with cardamom, that reminds me of the bergamot some how plus it is used in drinks such as coffee and tea.

Now that I write this I realized, I could have added lime in lieu of bergamot… I'll do it next time!

Anyway, the smoothie came out great! Refreshing and rich as it is mildly sweet from the bosc pear. You know, it would be a perfect morning drink to kill the bad breath. Yogurt have active cultures that kill bad breath bacteria plus cardamom is known to be tough on them as well.

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Pearl Grey Smoothie

Makes 1 16 oz glass

1 cup organic whole yogurt

1 organic bosc pear, peeled, cored and cubed

4-5 cardamom pods, seeds removed and ground

Combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth, enjoy!

So wake up and smell the cardamom!

Banana NOT Cookies—Scones!

Banana nut bread was one of the first recipes I've tried when I braved to bake for the first time. I'm still learning this mathematically meticulous science—yes, cooking is art, baking is science—but I do sometimes venture to mash up different recipes to make my own creations.

This time I've decided to make banana nut cookies. I merged the recipe of banana nut bread with a recipe for cookie and set off to bake them. Little did I know that I miscalculated flour and the size of the cookies—they came out of the oven looking like scones. And we liked them!

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Banana Nut {Not Cookies} Scones

WET:

1 cup brown sugar

2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened

3 over ripen bananas, mashed

(I cut a tip off and squeeze them like from the tube)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DRY:

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

1. In a bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy, add bananas and vanilla and mix it all well;
2. In another bowl, combine flour with soda and salt;
3. Add dry mixture to the wet and mix all until well combined (about 5 minutes on high). Then fold in the nuts;
4. Refrigerate the batter for few hours, overnight perhaps if you're want to bake the scones for breakfast;
5. Preheat oven to 350° F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat;

Scoop on a prepared baking sheet, about 1˝ apart and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.

I was a bit chewed up that the cookies didn't melt, but I gladly chewed the doughy scones up instead!

Greatest gift of all

11 years ago I accepted the greatest gift that life has given me. Although I was scared and uncertain of what to do with the gift, I gladly took it into my hands. And I never want to let go.

11 years has passed like galloping wild horses, I'm still holding this gift close to my heart, as I forever will.

11 years taught me something I will never be able to forget: how to share myself with another, how to multiply my love by dividing my heart, how to be patient, selfless and how to set my priorities.

11 years ago I became a mother for the first time.

~◊◊◊~

Of all the treasures in the world

That could fall

Down to my feet

Most wonderful God had bestowed

It's you, my daughter,

You, my sweet!

~◊◊◊~

One year ago, I made this cake for my daughter's birthday. We were remodeling our kitchen and I didn't have an oven. Only a cook top. I was determent not to make this little obstacle to stay in a way of a home made birthday cake. You see, one of the best part of becoming a parent, you develop a problem solving skills. So I came up with a pancake layered strawberry short cake. It was good, to say the least. I might seem like a lot of work, but in reality it isn't and it worth the effort.

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Strawberry Short Pan Cake

1} Pancake mix:

WET

3 3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

3/4 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DRY

3 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 Tb spoon baking powder

1 Tb spoon baking soda

1. Mix WET with an electric mixer in on bowl, mix DRY in a sifter, mix WET and DRY together and beat until incorporated.
2. Ladle about a cup of the batter on a hot, non-stick skillet, fry on med-high to prevent burning until it bubbles; flip and fry while cooked through.
3. Repeat until you run out of batter. Stack the giant pancakes and make filling.

2} Cream filling:

8 oz heavy/whipping cream

8 oz confectioner's sugar

a drop of red food coloring (if desired)

Whip cream with an electric mixer in a clean bowl until peaks form then, slowly add sugar, continuing to whip and finish up with food coloring. That's all!

3} Assembly:

Few tablespoons of good quality strawberry jam

Handful of fresh strawberries, sliced lengthwise

{I use my egg slicer for perfect strawberry slices}

1. Smear generously strawberry jam on the first pancake, cover with the second one; smear generously whipped cream on top of the second pancake, cover with third; smear generously strawberry jam on the third pancake; cover with the forth, repeat...
2. Last pancake should be covered with whipped cream and crowned with sliced strawberries. Keep the cake and/or leftovers in a refrigerator.Many things changed since last year—we finished our kitchen and of course now I have an oven and all, but one thing will come back—this wonderful cake! I'm off to make it!

Cookie, please

Just when we thought we won't see snow again, winter decided to remind us--it is still February! More snow is here. Well, let's put the kettle on, brew some Earl Grey and enjoy it with some delicious home made oatmeal cookies that are good enough to eat for breakfast!

I usually use the recipe on the back of the lid of the Quaker Oats can. The recipe is called "Vanishing Oatmeal Raising Cookies". Only in our house they do not vanish unless I eat them: nobody likes these, especially after my husband started to make his chocolate-chip cookies. I, for one, rather eat oatmeal ones.

But they got boring. A little. So I tried something different. Instead of raisins, I used dried cherries; I added 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips in lieu of white sugar and omitting vanilla extract (since the chips already have some flavor) I added lemon zest. Turned out delicious! Now these were vanishing right before my eyes--everybody loved them!

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Really Vanishing Oatmeal Lemon Cherry Cookies

DRY:

1 1/2 cup all purpose white flour

1 t spoon baking soda

1/2 t spoon salt

3 cups plain quick oats

WET:

2 sticks unsalted butter (1/2 pound) softened

2 whole large eggs

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 T spoons lemon zest (from 2 medium lemons)

1/2 pound dried cherries

1/2 pack (1 cup) white chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. In a bowl mix together DRY ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt and oats, mix with a wooden spoon.
3. In another bowl, mix WET ingredients: butter, eggs and sugar and beat until creamy with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Mix in the zest
4. Combine both DRY and WET and beat for about a minute until all mixed together. Fold in cherries and chocolate chips.
5. Spoon batter by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cooking sheet and bake in pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven, let cool on a cookie sheet for 1 minute then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Enjoy with a cup of fresh brewed tea.

There's an Arabic saying: February comes with no shoe laces tied. But spring will tie them before we know it!

Crank up the Cranberries

The feasting season is over and these little guys had worked hard to make it colorful and delicious. But why abandon them now? I saw a bag of frozen cranberries in a supermarket the other day and it looked so lonely and forgotten, thrown into a wrong pile with frozen veggies. I picked it up and decided to give the berries a chance!

How can I not? They are packed with vitamin C that we all desperately need during the frigid winter! And it filled with a compound called proanthocyanidin--a potent antioxidant with an anti-inflammatory effect.

Here is a list of some benefits of this ruby red berry:

• Improve the body's circulatory system
• A daily glass of cranberry juice will treat cystitis (bladder inflammation)
• Provide relief for asthma patients
• Condensed tannins in cranberries are considered an important contributor to a healthy heart
• Can disrupt the development of kidney stone formation due to its affects on the acidity of the urine.

I made a refreshing drink using a bag (16 oz) of frozen cranberries, a 1/2 pound of green apples, 1/2 cup of sugar--to subdue the sourness a bit, a stick of cinnamon and a flower of dry anise seed. Put it all in a pot and covered with 8 cups of water, bring to boil, turn the heat off and let stand for 10-15 minutes before indulging in a cup of this bright, refreshing and healthy tea. Pour the rest in a pitcher with lid and store in the fridge. If you want, you can leave the berries and apples in, but remove the spices.

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Закончился сезон застолий, и эти маленькие ребята хорошо потрудились, чтобы сделать его ярким и вкусным. Почему же отказываться от них сейчас? В магазине я как то увидела упаковку замороженной клюквы, и он выглядел таким одиноким и забытым, заброшеным в кучу с замороженными овощами. Я решила дать шанс этим алым ягодкам!

И как я не могла? Они полны витамина С, в котором все мы отчаянно нуждаемся во время холодной зимы! В состав клюквы входят элементы, называющийся проантоцианидин--мощный противоокислитель с противовоспалительным эффектом.

Вот список некоторых преимуществ этогй ягодки рубинового цвета:

Улучшение кровообращения

Ежедневно употребляя один стакан клюквенного сока, можно лечить цистит (восполение мочевого пузыря)

Облегчает симптомы астмы

Конденсированные таннины в клюкве считаются важным фактором для здоровья сердца

Может помешать развитию образования камней в почках, так как влияет на кислотность мочи

Я приготовила освежающий напиток из одной упаковки замороженной клюквы (454 гр), 230 гр зелёных яблок, очищенных от серцевины и косточек и нарезанных на дольки, 125 гр сахара--что бы смягчить кислый вкус--и специй: палочки корицы и цветочка сухих семян аниса. Положите всё в кастрюлю и залейте двумя литрами воды. Доведите до кипения, выключите огонь и дайте постоять на плите 10-15 минут перед тем, как насладиться чашечкой этого яркого, освежающего и полезного отвара. Перелейте остальное в сосуд с крышкой и храните в холодильнике. Если желаете, можете оставить ягоды и яблоки, но специ выньте.

I just want some sunshine

...as you can tell.

Here's another warm and fruity breakfast idea. Please forgive me for using this barley flour in almost everywhere I make these days. I just happened to like it. Plus the novelty of it didn't wear off yet. Just give me another week! It is good for you, after all.

I'll be short today. Studded with tart cranberry gems these muffins are perfect start for a grey winter weekend. And Tutti-Fruitti!

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{7} Cranberry Orange Multigrain Muffins

DRY

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup barley flour

3/4 cup quick oats

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

WET

2 whole eggs beaten

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 Tablespoons orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

+1 cup dried unsweetened cranberries

1. Heat the oven 400°F, line muffin or cupcake pan with paper liners
2. Combine all DRY ingredients
3. Mix all the WET ingredients
4. Beat DRY and WET together until combined (don't over-mix) and fold it cranberries
5. Fill muffins 2/3 way and bake for 20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out dry.

~~~

Now, you can use the oranges that you turned bold when collecting the zest for decorating muffins. Peel then and slice across. Put them on each muffin before baking. After, you can sprinkle some granulated sugar or sugar syrup (1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar mixed with 1/4 cup of milk)

You can always substitute barley flour with whole wheat or all purpose flour.

Kompot from your pot

With all the recent talk about high fructose corn syrup, I decided to put my two cents in it... So it goes: it's bad for you and your young offsprings in so many ways. Just ban it, and everything that has it from your life.

This little conniving ingredient is in almost every soft drink kids love to quench their thirst with. And as any mother knows it is not easy to cut these juices, punches and colas out of kid's diet--who wants to pack school lunch with plain water???

There is an array of HFCS free products out there but why not make your own? Don't be discouraged by extra work you'd need to do. Once you get a hang of it, you will be able to do it with your eyes closed. Although, I don't recommend closing eyes in the process.

So, there's a drink called Kompot? It's a drink of my childhood. Before there was Fanta or Cola, we used to drink this sweet concoction made by our moms and grandmothers. Why not drink it now or make it for your kids? No time you say? The version I'm about to introduce to you doesn't require much of it.

Here it goes--

Take 2 10-12 oz packs of frozen fruit/berries of your choice (mixed berries, peaches, blueberries and my favorite sweet cherries work best), empty them into stock pot filled with 8 cups of water, add 1 cup of sugar and bring it all to a boil with lid on. Once the water is boiling and trying to escape through the lid, turn the heat off and voila! You got yourself a delicious fruit/berry drink.

No HFCS but lots of flavor and love!

Once it cools down poor it into jugs/bottles/pitchers w/lids and store in the fridge.

Orange and Ginger Pancakes

In places, where winter takes on its full forth it isn't easy to enjoy the weather. But as my dear friend pointed out yesterday, nature has no bad weather--we should accept and enjoy it. I think all we need is to add a little sunshine!

Flavors like ginger, honey and zesty orange make these pancakes a sunshine on a plate: warm, yellow and tasty! To add more warmth, I served it with orange slices. If sun had a taste, it would definitely taste like ginger, orange and honey!

The only "set back" for this recipe is that you need to shave the oranges, carefully! You only need the top layer of the zest. It is where all the oil and flavor is stored. The pith (white layer) is bitter and can ruin the recipe. That's why you would need to use fine Microplane zester/grater. It might seem a bit expensive, but trust me, it is totally worth it because you can use this "magic wand" for many kitchen tasks! After shaving the oranges, peel them and segment. Squeeze the juice into the bowl with slices and set aside.

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{6} Orange Ginger Pankakes

WET:

16 oz buttermilk room t°

1/3 light vegetable oil (I used grape seed oil here)

Grated zest of 2 medium oranges (save these oranges for garnishing)

2 whole large eggs, beaten

DRY:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon balking soda

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1. Mix WET ingredients and whisk them until combined;

2. Mix DRY ingredients and add them to WET mixing with a whisk until all incorporated, don't over-mix; let stand until griddle is ready;

3. Heat a non-stick pancake griddle;

4. Measure 1/4 cup batter and pour on the hot griddle. Flip when bubbles appear and fry the other side.

5. Serve drizzled with honey and topped with orange segments, enjoy!

Staying Warm and Cozy

Kids were off today. Wind had subsided. Snow was still falling, making everything sterile and quiet. I love this kind of winter weather, especially when I’m inside with a cup of warm freshly brewed tea, and a bread pudding in the oven, filling the air with vanilla sent.

This morning resembled a winter wonderland and I was inspired to make something cozy and slow for breakfast. We had bought an imported Italian cake yesterday and still had some left overs. Three quarters to be exact.

This particular cake, named Panettone, coming all the way from Italy, is already a bit dry when you buy it and keeping it for later didn’t appeal to me for it will only get harder! So, I used it in lieu of plain bread to make bread pudding: “Pane” in Panettone is Italian for “Bread”. Usually this cake is made with raisins, cranberries, or orange peel, but the one I had was plain. I used my own dry fruit and walnuts for the pudding, making this recipe is another Tutti-Frutti breakfast!

{5}Panettone Bread Pudding with Dry Fruit and Walnuts

Panettone cake, cut in 1 inch cubes

4 whole large eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup white sugar

pinch of salt

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 cup mixed dry fruit

Some confectioner’s sugar for serving (optional)

1. Heat oven 350°;

2. Arrange chopped bread, dry fruit and walnuts in a baking dish (lasagna pan will do);

3. Beat eggs in a bowl with sugar and salt, add milk and cream and mix it all until combined. Pour egg mixture over cake;

4. Bake for 40 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center of the dish comes out clean;

5. Serve in a bowl dusted with a little bit of confectioner’s sugar.

Chocolate and Raspberry Waffles

It was a snow day! The fist one this winter, which is not so typical. Usually we'd have at least a couple by now. This year we're lucky, or not. Depends how you look at it.

Never the less, an unscheduled day off usually means a nice extra long breakfast.

Today's idea--waffles. And as if having waffles wasn't good enough--chocolate waffles. During winter days I like to keep few things on hand and chocolate powder is in top 5. It is essential for most baking during long cold winter night as well as for dinner recipes. But this is a subject of a different post.

Now, chocolate always goes good with raspberries. It's a classic combination. That's why to this adapted chocolate waffles recipe I added frozen berries during frying. Frozen berries is another to go item during winter. It's a perfect reminder of warm summer and I try to freeze them myself. Another reminder of sunny summer days is my home made jam. And I used it here too. I took a cup of raspberry jam and simmered it with a 1/2 cup of water to make raspberry syrup to cover out waffles: combine water and jam in the sauce pot and bring to boil stirring constantly; turn down the heat to low and let simmer uncovered while you cook waffles--by then it'll get thick enough to pour over waffles.

Here it is--another addition to my Tutti-Frutti Breakfast collection. You know, chocolate is a fruit too!

Chocolate Raspberry Waffles

WET

3 large whole eggs, beaten

1/2 stick (2 oz) unsalted butter, melted or 1/3 cup light vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups (16 oz) buttermilk at room tº

DRY

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

3 Tablespoons white sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 /2 teaspoon salt

1 cup frozen raspberries (slightly thawed)

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup (8 oz jar) raspberry jam/preserves

1/2 cup water

1. Preheat waffle iron according to manufacture's directions.

2. Mix WET ingredients in one bowl adding the buttermilk last

3. Mix DRY ingredients in another bowl

4. Combine two together and whisk until all incorporated and stir in chocolate chips. Let the batter stand a little bit.

5. Ladle the recommended amount of the batter onto the hot iron (I use the square one and ladle 1/4 cup per waffle), add about half a dozen raspberries, close iron and cook until the waffle is crispy on both sides (usually the iron beeps or turns off the light when the waffle is done)

6. Serve with some whipped cream, raspberry syrup (see instructions above) and more chocolate chips and raspberries.

You can also freeze the leftover waffles (never the batter) wrapped in aluminum foil for next morning to heat them in a toaster.

Tutti-Frutti 3: Lemon Cake Waffles

As many of us, on one hand, I like to buy fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits at its best that means in season; on the other hand, I love having variety. However, during winter months here in North Ease the variety is quite scarce. Thank God for ever fruitful California and Florida! And citruses are at their best this time of year no matter what state they are coming from! One of my favorites, of course, lemons! As an old cliché goes, when life gives you lemons, make... well, I made lemon cake waffles. Kids absolutely loved them and ask for them almost every day. Good thing I can make an extra batch or two on weekend and then freeze them for the rest of the week so they can just pop them into the toaster and have some waffles for breakfast—kids, too, like variety! Tutti-Frutti Breakfast recipe number three: Lemon Cake Waffles. I used poppy seeds here; although I understand not everyone favor these little black dots. If you do not, just omit them.

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Lemon Cake Waffles

WET:

4 oz unsalted butter, melted OR 1/4 cup vegetable oil

16 oz cultured buttermilk room temperature

3 whole large eggs

1 tea spoon vanilla extract

Lemon zest from one medium lemon, about 2 Table spoons

DRY:

3 Table spoons sugar

2 cups all purpose flower

1 tea spoon baking soda

1 ½ tea spoon baking powder

½ tea spoon salt

1 ½ teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)

(wet+dry+fry+serve)

Mix all WET in one bowl, mix all DRY in another and then combine both mixtures and whisk until smooth. Fry waffles on a preheated waffle iron, according waffle iron instructions. Serve with warm maple syrup or raspberry jam/syrup.

***

Kids can help with measuring the ingredients and mixing the batter.

If you cook few batches ahead, just wrap them into a sheet of aluminum foil, 4 per “package” and freeze. When ready to eat, toast them in your toaster on medium setting with “defrost” option.

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Я стараюсь употреблять только свежие местные продукты и по возможности в сезон. Мне бы хотелось жить в таком климате, где круглый год спеют свежие овощи и фрукты, но увы. Хотя не так всё плохо—есть Калифорнийские и Флоридские цитрусы зимой! Мой самый любимый цитрус—это лимон. В это трудно поверить, но это так! Он просто маленькая бомбочка, напичканная витамином Ц, и его можно и есть и пить! И, конечно же готовить! Американцы говорят, если жизнь посылает лимоны—сделай лимонад. А я сделала вафли с лимоном... Третий рецепт серии завтраков Тутти-Фрутти: Лимонные Вафли. Я добавила в тесто маковое семечко, хотя не все добродушно к нему относятся. Если не желаете, можно не использовать.

Лимонные Вафли

Нам понадобится:

ЖИДКИЕ ингредиенты:

70 гр сливочного масла, растопить (или ¼ стакана-около 70 гр- светлого растительного масла)

1 литр кефира, комнатной температуры

3 целых крупных яйца

1 чайная ложка ванилина (экстракта ванили)

Тёртая цедра 1 среднего лимона, около 2 столовых ложек

СУХИЕ:

3 столовые ложки сахара

2 стакана белой муки

1 чайная ложка соды

1 ½ чайной ложки разрыхлителя (baking powder)

½ чайной ложки соли

1 ½ чайной ложки семян мака (не обязательно)

(жидкие+сухие/перемешать+поджарить+подавать)

В отдельной посуде перемешать ЖИДКИЕ ингредиенты, в другой—СУХИЕ, затем смешать вместе до образования однородной массы; подогреть вафельницу пока тесто «отдыхает». Жарить вафли соответственно инструкции вашей вафельницы. Подавать полив кленовым сиропом или малиновым вареньем/сиропом.

***

Детки могут посодействовать в измерении ингредиентов и их смешивании.

Можно приготовить вафли «впрок»: поджаренные вафли завернуть в алюминиевую фольгу, по 4 вафли на «упаковку». Заморозить и хранить до востребования в морозильнике. Для того, чтобы разогреть, воспользуйтесь тостером, подогревая вафли на средней настройке используя функцию размораживания (defrost)—каждое утро дети сами себе могут «приготовить» таким образом вафли! Они же тоже любят разнообразие!