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Love apples are a great dessert recipe and an inspiring gift for the ones you love. They are very easy to prepare and a delicious choice when you have a sweet tooth; especially when fruits are exactly what you need for your health and good tonus.

You’ll need:
* 4 apples
* 4 wood sticks
* 1 and 1/2 cup lump sugar
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 teaspoon food color (red)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
* 1 teaspoon apple vinegar
* 3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar

Wash the apples and dry them in a towel. In every apple push a wood stick on the stalk spot.
Spread the granulated sugar on a dinner plate.
Mix the lump sugar, water, food color, vanilla essence and vinegar in a pot and bring to boil. When the temperature of the composition reach 300 ÌŠF, remove the pot from the oven and place it in a pot filled with cold water.
Sink the apples in the sugar composition one by one, until every one of them has a thick coat of glaze.
Place the apples on the granulated sugar plate with the wood sticks upward and leave them until they’re dried and cooled.

Special tips:
* If you want to offer love apples as a gift, wrap them in cellophane foil and tie them with colorful strings and ribbons.
* Love apples can make a great and unique Valentine’s Day gift as well. Place the apples in an occasion metal box and cover them in waxed paper.
* The glazed fruits are very sensitive at heat. It is best to be kept in a cool room or refrigerated.

This soufflé recipe is a light meal and can always accompany your steak or sausage. If you don’t fancy it as garnish, you can always serve it as entree with other such types. It is an easy recipe to prepare and you’ll be surprised at the end with a great taste that will delight your gustative papillae.

Ingredients:
* 2 small cauliflowers
* 1/2 lb fat free sour cream
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
* 2 tablespoons parmesan
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* a pinch of black pepper
* a pinch of fresh cut dill

Cut the cauliflowers into little bouquets and wash them. In the meantime, in a medium pot boil 2 cups of water mixed with a teaspoon of sea salt.
When the water is boiling, sink the cauliflower bouquets for 10 minutes. Then drain the water and let the cauliflower cool on a large plate.
When the cauliflower is cool enough, cut it in smaller pieces and put them in a large bowl. Stir in the sour cream, eggs, salt, pepper, dill and the cheddar cheese. Mix all together.
In an oven safe tray or pot add one tablespoon olive oil and grease it. Spread some bread crumbs on the greased surface and add the mixed composition.
Heat the oven to 375 ̊ F. Sprinkle some parmesan on the top of the soufflé and put it in the oven. Cook it for 35-40 minutes or until it turns golden-brown. Let it cool 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy it warm as garnish or cold as entree with sour cream on top. A glass of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir will match perfectly.

Special tips:
* If you’re not a big cauliflower fan you can change it with broccoli and proceed the same way. If you don’t like broccoli either, you really have a problem
* This soufflé recipe is a great meal for weight loss diets, but be careful with the sour cream and cheese. Choose fat free ingredients.

 

If you’re feeling that your imagination regarding Easter dessert menu is not giving you the best ideas ever, here is what you might want to try. This cookies recipe is easy to prepare and could be a great treat for your family, friends and kids on Easter Day.

You’ll need:

*2 cups all-purpose flour
*8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate morsels
*4-5 eggs
*1 cup granulated sugar
*1 teaspoon orange extract
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1 tablespoon orange peel
*1 cup unsalted melted butter
*powdered sugar
*oval or egg-shaped madeleine baking pans

Combine flour and 1 cup morsels in a medium bowl. Beat eggs in a large mixer bowl. Add the granulated sugar, orange peel, vanilla and orange extract. Add flour mixture and butter alternately into egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 ÌŠF. Grease and flour the madeleine baking pans.
With a tablespoon pour the batter into each prepared mold. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let them cool in pans for 2 minutes then with the tip of a knife release onto wire racks.  While still warm, sprinkle the cookies very lightly with powdered sugar and let them cool completely.
Wash the pans and repeat the action with the remaining batter.
Microwave the remaining morsels until smooth. Cut a small hole in corner of a plastic food storage bag, pour inside the smooth chocolate paste and squeeze to drizzle over egg-shaped cookies.
Allow chocolate to cool before serving. Enjoy it!

Even Valentine’s Day is gone, you don’t need special days to surprise your family with a great, funny and tasty breakfast. The heart-shaped muffins are very easy to prepare and you can make it your weekend’s breakfast fun, especially if you have children around; they will love to help you with the cooking activity. This recipe also gives you endless possibilities; you can always improvise and get inspired by adding your favorite spices, fruits and nuts.

You’ll need:
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 2 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup milk
* 2 eggs
* 1/4 cup melted butter
* 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon or orange peel
* 1 cup ground pecans or walnuts
* 1 and ½ fresh blueberries
* heart-shaped muffin cups (oven safe)

Preheat oven to 350-375 ÌŠF. Grease the muffin cups and add a little flour on the bottom of the form.
Combine flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, the lightly beaten eggs, butter, and lemon or orange peel.
Stir in pecans or walnuts and blueberries. Mix all together.
Spoon into prepared muffin heart-shaped cups, filling almost full.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until you insert a wooden pick in the center of the muffin and comes out clean.
Let them cool in pans for 5 minutes and then remove and allow cooling slightly.
Enjoy them with a hot cup of café latté or hot chocolate. They can be also a great evening snack accompanied by a glass of milk.

Special tips:
You can use all kinds of berries. If you cannot find them fresh, you can always use frozen berries.
You can add toppings if you want to make your muffins look even better.
If you don’t like berries, you may consider dried, dehydrated fruits.

This recipe that I’m about to share with you it’s one of the best main dishes. Even if you haven’t heard of it before, I strongly recommend trying it. It takes a little more time to prepare it, but at the end you will be rewarded with a great taste. This winter season’s recipe can add that little something that you were looking for and, even more, originality to your weekend special dinner. I’ve got your attention already? Good! Here are the ingredients and the steps to be followed.
You’ll need:

• 3 cabbages
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 2 lb pork loin top roast boneless
• 3-4 tomatoes
• 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon blend pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
• 2 tablespoon salt
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup oil

Wash the red bell pepper, peel the onion and cut them into little pieces. Add 1/2 cup of oil into a frying pan and add the onion and the red pepper. Cook them for about 10 minutes or until the onion become a little yellow. Remove the pan from the heat.
In the meanwhile, cut the cabbages in quarters and then every quarter into tiny pieces. Be careful to not cut the cabbage stalk as well, remove that. Add 1/2 tablespoon salt and mix it with the cabbage. Add 1/2 cup of oil in a pot and add the cabbage. Cook it until the cabbage turns a little yellow, stirring occasionally.
Cut the pork loin into squared pieces and stir it in the cabbage pot. Add 1/2 tablespoon of salt, the blend pepper and 2 cups of water. Cover it and cook it for half an hour, stirring occasionally.
Add the red pepper, the onion and mix all together. Cook it for 5 more minutes.
Meanwhile, clean the fresh dill and cut it small. Peel the tomatoes, cut them in little pieces and put them in a saucepan. Add the tomato paste and 1/2 tablespoon salt.
Bring the mixed cabbage, meat and vegetables in an oven pot. Add the tomatoes, the dill and mix them all together. Cover the pot with aluminum foil. Heat the oven at 350 F and cook all for about 45 minutes. Take the pot out of the oven and remove the aluminum foil. Put the pot back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
Dinner is ready! This cabbage, meat and vegetables recipe match perfectly with polenta, 2 tablespoons of sour cream and red hot peppers. Enjoy it with your guests and complete it with a glass of Pinot Noir.

With the cold weather installed, we’re all searching for hot dishes to warm our body and delight our soul. This vegan soup recipe that I’m about to share with you, it’s a very tasty dish and a great idea for light after holidays meals.
Ingredients:
•    3-4 carrots
•    1 celery root
•    1 onion
•    1 parsnip
•    4-5 tablespoons olive oil
•    salt, pepper
•    cumin seeds
•    Italian parsley
•    croutons
Peel the carrots, onion, parsnip, and the celery root. Wash them and cut them in little pieces, except the onion, which remains as it is. Put all the vegetables in a medium pot. Pour water in the pot until the vegetables are completely covered.
Cover the pot and bring to boil. After 30-45 minutes the vegetables should be already boiled. Strain the soup in another pot and put the vegetables on a large plate to cool faster.
Pour a cup of soup and as many vegetables as you can in a blender.
Blend all until you obtain a creamy consistence. Pour the obtained composition back in the cooking pot. Repeat the action with the remaining vegetables.
Add 4-5 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper as desired. Spread some cumin seeds for an incredible aroma and add a little more soup if your composition is too thick. Warm gently, stirring until all the ingredients are mixed in the creamy soup.
Et voilà! The extraordinaire soup is ready! Serve it immediately in soup bowls, garnish with a touch of fresh minced Italian parsley and croutons.
Special tips:
•  the vegan creamy soup is a great choice for after the holiday days, when everybody is looking for light meals.
•  this soup recipe could be also a great treat for holiday dinners. Serve it with toast, butter and Swiss cheese instead of croutons and your guests will be impressed by your original and interesting idea.

The French toast is a simple and fast recipe to prepare. Maybe you have your house full for the holidays and you need to come up with an easy to prepare plan for breakfast. This recipe is the perfect idea for the holiday next day breakfast - and guess what, might keep the kids busy too.
Serves 10:
• 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 8 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 loaves French bread
Cut the bread into ten 1” thick slices. Pour the milk in a medium pot and warm it up a little, but do not boil it. If the milk is warm, the bread will absorb it better. In a bowl, beat eggs and add salt, sugar, cinnamon and the gently warmed milk. Stir until all the ingredients are well mixed. One by one, dip the bread slices in the milk and egg mixture. Turn to coat well on both sides.
Butter two frying pans and place as many slices as you can. Fry on both sides until are golden brown. Repeat with the remaining bread. Serve with maple syrup, bee honey or with orange marmalade. Many people enjoy their French toast with fried eggs and bacon. Add some orange juice and coffee and your breakfast is ready.

Special tips:

The French toast may be also baked instead of fried, if you prefer it that way. Preheat the oven to 375⁰, generously butter two sheet pans and bake for 10 minutes, then turn slices and bake for 10 more minutes or until both sides are golden brown.
Don’t be afraid to involve the kids in obtaining this delicious recipe. They will love it!
This is a very easy to prepare recipe for a crowd, so make your late morning holiday breakfast a funny and joyful activity.

Holiday parties may be a really challenge when it comes to cooking. The cheese and fruit plateau is a delight for every invitee and very easy to prepare. Here is what you need and the easy steps to follow for achieving the delightful dessert.
What you need:
* Gorgonzola Cheese
* Cedar cheese
* Stilton cheese
* Camembert cheese
* Swiss cheese
* Brie cheese
* fresh apples
* fresh grapes
* fresh pears
Cut the cheese into little slices. Proceed the same way with the apples and pears. Don’t forget to remove the stalk.
Arrange the grapes, the sliced apples and pears in the middle of a big plateau.
Use the different types of cheese to decorate the margins of the plateau. Et voilà, your delicious dessert is ready.
If you have a cocktail party instead of dinner party, it would be recommended to use appetizers picks to unite the slices of cheese with the fruits. This way it will be much easier for your guests to serve themselves.
Useful tips:
Use a sharp knife to cut the cheese in perfect slices.
Cut the fruits after you’ve done cutting the cheese and serve immediately. Otherwise the fruit will change its fresh looking color.
Complement this cheese and fruit plateau with a glass of dessert wine or champagne.

Excited about the on-coming Christmas and its delicious treats and recipes? Glögg is the perfect cold weather beverage; the hot mulled wine is made with aromatic spices that bring warmth into your soul. The season’s greatest holiday will bring you joy and the atmosphere will be fabulous if you treat your guests with a cup of glögg. Here is the recipe of the tasty season’s beverage.

Ingredients:

* one or two bottles of red wine (as preferred)
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1 and 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 dozen cloves
* 1 cup raisins
* 2 dozens almonds
* 1 teaspoon nutmeg
* orange peel
* a touch of brandy
Pour the red wine in a stainless steel pot. Add the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, raisins, nutmeg, almonds and orange peel, stirring until all the ingredients are mixed together and the sugar is diluted. Warm gently, stirring occasionally, but do not boil, otherwise the alcohol will evaporate. Add a touch of brandy for a greater aroma and garnish it with more orange peel or cinnamon. The glögg is ready! Pour it in seasonal Christmas cups or mugs and make sure there are spices in every cup, they will keep the aroma longer while you are seeping the tasty drink. Be sure that the glögg it is served steaming hot. Enjoy it with your friends after a great day of skiing or ice skating, with your guests on Christmas Eve or after you spent some time outside, looking for the perfect Christmas Tree.

Special tips:

* You can age the glögg by straining it and putting it in a glass bottle. Keep it in a cool place. Warm it before you serve it!
* You can offer a cup of hot mulled wine as treat to the caroling singers. It will warm them immediately, but be sure they are not under 21 though.
* Glögg match perfectly with ginger bread. So, arrange some pieces on a little plate, accompanying the hot mulled wine.
* Don’t use aluminum or copper pots because the metal interacts with the wine and gives it a metallic taste!
* Although the glögg is a sweet, spicy drink, it contains alcohol. So, be aware how many cups you enjoy and give your car keys to someone else.

Pumpkins are still in fashion this month and give us more inspiration for Thanksgiving delicious recipes. A great and original idea for your Thanksgiving feast is to serve pumpkin strudel for dessert. Here is how you can make it.

Ingredients:                                                      

* all purpose flour

* water

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* scraped or canned pure pumpkin 

* cinnamon

* brown sugar

* powdered sugar (optional)

In a bowl mix a little amount of flour with a little water and salt. Keep adding flour and water until you obtain the desired amount of dough. Leave it to rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, scrape the pumpkin or open de canned one. Spread some flour on a clean surface and begin to extend the dough with a rolling pin until you obtain a very thin (almost transparent), rectangular pie sheet. On the dough-surface spread the pumpkin, add brown sugar and cinnamon as desired. Roll all together into a pumpkin stuffed roulade. Grease an oven tray and sprinkle some flour. Put the pumpkin stuffed roll on the tray and grease a little for a great final look. Cook it at 350 F untill it turns a little ruddy. When you take the strudel out of the oven, you can sprinkle powdered sugar above it. The strudel is ready!

Cut it into slices, put them on a nice holiday plateau and garnish with ground nuts or pecans. Your Thanksgiving invitees will be impressed! Enjoy it with a glass of red wine or a delicious liqueur. Yummy…