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!
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.
The Oscars ceremony is one of the greatest motion picture awards presentations. The Academy Awards ceremony will be seen in many countries worldwide and the next presentation, the 80th, will be, as expected, transmitted live on television and will make the greatest event on February 2008. If you are one of the many of us who love the Oscars and want to watch and comment the best moments with your dear friends, here is a great party idea that will match perfectly with the refined ceremony.
You’ll need:
• stylish pajamas
• imagination
• TV
• confidence
• friends who go crazy about the Oscars
The Outfit
It’s easier to create one than it would be for a real Academy Awards ceremony, that’s for sure. Tell your friend guests to dress in fancy silk and satin pajamas or in long, elegant nightgowns, Hollywood style. Don’t forget to spice it up by wearing great matching accessories for the big night, like shawls, feathers, earrings, bracelets and mini purses in fancy colors.
The Decor
You know that the red carpet is the central piece and the delight of the ceremony, right? You may improvise a red carpet, like a long red blanket or a sheet to welcome your invitees in style. Arrange some nice blankets, in red, golden, white and black on the chairs and couch, where you’ll be watching the show. Use big golden candles to create even a greater atmosphere. Light them in tall, transparent vases; you’ll create a special lights and shades scene.
Food and Drinks
Organize a Swedish buffet. Arrange cocktail finger food with dipping, mini cupcakes, sushi and sashimi on ample plateaus. Be sure you have napkins in matching colors (red, golden). Don’t use plastic plates; it’s a special night, entrees plates would match perfectly. Complement the food with interesting cocktails. Use pomegranate or tomato juice to obtain a red color drink. Champagne is also appropriate. For dessert arrange spherical chocolate bonbons covered in golden aluminum foil in transparent glass bowls. It will give a great sense of occasion.
Entertainments
It’s the night of entertainment by definition, but you need to personalize it as much as you can. Comment with your friends the red carpet activity from the live ceremony (who’s coming, what everyone is wearing); it’s a delightful and gossipy moment. Prepare yourself for this event; find out in advance the nominees and place bets with your friends. Establish a prize for every guessed category (movie tickets, popcorn bowl and fashion magazines).
Special tips:
• take pictures to capture the moment. Later, you can frame the photographs, add movie like themes and quotations from the party.
• if you really want to declare a night of festivities, you can also decorate the house with bouquets of red roses. With this type of decorations you’ll let your invitees speechless.
• it is recommendable to have one of those High Definition TV-s, you’ll have the amazing reality sensation and you’ll feel like you are part of the Oscars Ceremony.
And the winner is…
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.
Let’s face it, the nature gives us the most amazingly things, why turn back on such a special and inexpensive treat? Forget about the plastic decorations, it’s time to go green and celebrate this Christmas in a more original and nature friendly way.
A living Christmas tree will bring warmth into your home and soul. Don’t think twice, buy a pottered tree! You can decorate it every year, it’s a long term investment and you can always plant it in your backyard. You will have the happiest Christmas tree ever.
Use natural table decorations, like pine tree cones. Arrange them in a nice wattle basket, in a table wreath, around Christmas natural candles or in a transparent glass bowl. You can spread several hip roses for a playful color delight. It would be a great arrangement for your Christmas dinner.
Decorate your home for this special holiday with seasonal plants, like poinsettias or any other you like. They will be such a joy for the eye and heart. Be careful where you expose the plants and how much water you use to moisture the sole.
Use several little spruce or pine branches to decorate the Christmas Day table. You can arrange them in the middle of every plate on the festive napkin. It will give a great sense of occasion and a magnificent fresh winter aroma.
Choose natural tree decorations, like painted cones, recyclable cotton or paper ribbons, stars, nuts in shells and mini red apples.
Use candles made with natural fragrances to give your home the special season’s flavor. Use spruce, gingerbread, cinnamon, cranberry or apple fragrances.
Welcome the caroling singers with homemade goodies, like gingerbread and cinnamon cookies, caramelized apples and hot beverages.
Have a Natural Green Christmas!
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.
Everyone is preparing now for the incoming holiday of the season. It’s that time of the year when family and close friends are gathering to celebrate Thanksgiving. The stores are already full with all sorts of decorations, dishware, candles and seasonal flowers. Maybe this year you want to be more simplistic and authentic. If you want to try some of the following ideas, be prepared to surprise your invitees with creativity and originality.Â
Nowadays we all go green, right? Are you ready for organic decorations as well? Good! Pick some of those festive iconic pumpkins in small and medium sizes. Use different colors of them for diversity and the joy of playing with colors. Arrange them on the table;Â they’ll make a great seasonal image.
Another great idea is to spread some autumn leaves on the table or arrange them in a nice fall bouquet. Autumn leaves are the great season’s inspiration, beside pumpkins. So, get inspirational with them.
Use some branches and twigs to decorate the table. You can pick all kinds of them; just choose the ones you like. Among them put some high transparent glass vases with candles inside. You’ll create a splendid rustic scene with beautiful lights and shadows.
All kinds of nuts in shelves can be found in stores this period of year. Buy combined nuts and arrange them in a wattle basket. You can mingle among them red fresh apples. It’s a great combination and an original decoration for your Thanksgiving dinner.
Now that you got inspired, it’s time to get to work and gather all the elements you’ve found interesting. I wish you an inspiring Thanksgiving!Â
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:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
* all purpose flour
* water
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* scraped or canned pure pumpkinÂ
* 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…Â