WILD BERRY CRISP

It's summer in some parts of the world and berries are in season. If I could get a hold of these berries, then I would be making these. I usually make this at parties by special request but I  haven't had the chance to make it again because my schedule's been so hectic lately. I specially love it with vanilla ice cream.  I featured this already in yummy magazine and also in true confections and have gotten good comments so just in case you don't have a copy yet, here it is again.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

2 cups assorted berries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

FOR THE TOPPING

1 cup all purpose white flour

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  

2. For the filling, in a large bowl, combine the strawberries, the assorted berries and sugar.  Toss to mix well.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, oats, sugars and salt.  Add the cubed butter and work in with the flour using a fork until resembles into a sandy mixture with pea size particles.

4. Pour filling in a baking dish and then sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly on top.

5. Bake the berry crisp in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden. brown.  Transfer onto wire racks to cool.  Serve them warm with ice cream if desired.

SPAGHETTI WITH ARUGULA, TOMATOES, BASIL AND GOAT CHEESE

This week, I think I ate pasta almost every other day as a meal. I had pesto pasta, the other day, then pasta with fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil, then yesterday, I had pasta vongole.  I guess it's because it's so easy to make and it cooks fast. I can have a meal in less than thirty minutes.  My daughter Sabrina loves eating pasta too so she has pasta on her menu at least once a week.  She was the one who actually requested for the pesto pasta the other day.  She said "mama, I want the noodles with the green stuff"... so I made one for her.

Here's another pasta recipe that's very easy to make and very refreshing.  I made one similar for Yummy magazine  but this time I made it with goat cheese.  You may also use feta if you want.  I'm sure it will taste as great. Enjoy!

SPAGHETTI WITH ARUGULA, TOMATOES, BASIL, GARLIC AND GOAT CHEESE

 

Prep Time: 15 mins                  Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 1

100 GMS  SPAGHETTI NOODLES

2  T.         EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

2  CLOVES GARLIC – SLICED

1/4 C       RED CHERRY TOMATOES

1/4 C       YELLOW CHERRY TOMATOES

1   T.        FRESH BASIL LEAVES – CHIFONNADE

1/2 C        ARUGULA- TORN

1/2  t.        SALT

1/4  t.        PEPPER

2    T.        GOAT CHEESE

Directions:

1.      Cook spaghetti noodles in boiling water with salt and oil.  Follow cooking instructions in the pack specially the cooking time. Drain the noodles and drizzle with olive oil and set aside. Reserve some pasta water.

2.     In a medium sauté pan, place olive oil.  Add the garlic and cook on medium heat. Allow to cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Do not brown.

3.     Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.  Add about ¼ cup of pasta water and allow to simmer for another minute.

4.     Add the noodles and toss to combine.  Add the basil and arugula. Cook until well combined.

5.     Season pasta with salt and pepper.

6.     Place pasta on a serving plate. Then drop spoonfuls  of goat cheese over the noodles.

7.     Splash a little more extra virgin olive oil over the pasta right before serving. 

 

 

CHICKEN AND CORN TORTILLA SOUP

I went to yoga this evening...whew what a workout!  On my way home, I started getting hungry and  thought of what to have for dinner. Since it was raining, I decided to just make some soup. This is one soup that I would make every time I don't feel like eating rice.  I actually made this for Yummy magazine last year for a feature of comfort foods.  This is one of them and yes, this is what's for dinner.  I think it's ready now.  Time to eat! 

2 T.       OLIVE OIL

1/2 C.    ONION, CHOPPED

1/4 C.    CELERY,CHOPPED

1  (14 OZ) CAN  CRUSHED TOMATOES

2  C.      CHICKEN STOCK

1 T.       GROUND CUMIN

SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

4 PCS.  CORN TORTILLA, SHREDDED or torn

1/2 C    CHICKEN BREAST, BOILED AND SHREDDED

2  PCS  SWEET CORN, SHRED FOR KERNELS ONLY OR 1 CAN SWEET CORN KERNELS

CILANTRO,  FOR GARNISH

TORTILLA CHIPS,  FOR GARNISH – OPTIONAL

Directions:

1.     1.  Heat olive oil in a saucepan.

2.    2.   Sauté onions and celery for about 3 minutes until wilted.

3.     3.  Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock and corn tortilla. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

4.    4.   Add the cumin, then season with salt and pepper

5.     5.  Using a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth.

6.     6.  Add to the soup the shredded chicken and corn kernels. Allow to simmer for another 5 minutes.

7.     7.  To serve, scoop soup on soup bowls, garnish with cilantro and or tortilla chips.

 

BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS!

I was browsing through my food photos and found this. I did this for a food tasting a few months ago.  Since I cooked the wings for a group of tasters, I served the whole batch thinking that there would be some left for me, but it got wiped out in a blink of an eye. They commented that it was good and that was enough for me to know that I did something right.

This is what I served for dinner tonight, together with a taco salad and cheese quesadillas. Would've loved to have this with a mojito but didn't have time to get some mint. 

BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS

       oil for deep frying

         1/4 cup butter

         1/4 cup hot sauce

         1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

        1/4   teaspoon pepper

coating:

         1/2 cup all-purpose flour

         1 teaspoon paprika

         1/2 teaspoon salt

         1/8 teaspoon pepper

         10 chicken wings

DIRECTIONS

1.       Combine the butter, hot sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir together and heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and reserve for serving.

2.       In a small bowl mix together the flour, paprika, salt and pepper. 

3.       Heat oil in a medium saucepan to about 375 F.  

3.       Coat wings well with the flour mixture.

4.       Fry wings for 10 to 15 minutes, or until parts golden brown. Remove from heat and             immediately coat wings with the hot sauce mixture.     Serve with blue cheese dressing.                            

BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

1 cup mayonnaise

        1/2 cup sour cream

    1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled        

1 tablespoon lemon juice

        2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

        1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

        1/4 teaspoon salt

        1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

CHOCOLATE CRINKLES

Yesterday, we had taping for True Confections and did this in one of our episodes.... The Chocolate Crinkles.  I like everything about it...the crackly look of the cookie, soft and gooey texture and how it can last for days at room temperature.

The dough can also be stored in the fridge or freezer for days and you can just bake them as needed. I think I'll be making another batch of these for the weekend... you should too.     Happy Baking!

Ingredients:

3/4 cups oil

2 cups sugar

4 pieces eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup confectioner's sugar

Directions:

1.  Combine oil and sugar in a bowl of an electric mixer.

2.  Add eggs and vanilla.

3.  In a separate bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda. 

4.  Place the mixture in the refrigerator for at least an hour  or until the dough is firm before using.

5. To bake, Preheat oven to 350 F. Shape the dough into 3/4-inch balls and roll in the confectioner's sugar to coat completely.

7.  Place the balls in a lightly greased cookie sheet or lined with parchment paper.  Arrange the balls about 2 inches apart.

8.  Bake the cookies until puffed and cracked on the top, about 10-12 mins.  Cookies should look undone and still soft in the center.  The internal heat will cook the cookies while cooling down and will keep them moist and chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside.  Cool completely.  

9.  Store in an airtight container.

SEAFOOD PAELLA

One night, the girls decided to come over for dinner.  We were all craving for a paella but too lazy to go to a Spanish restaurant.  So we sent the driver to the grocery to buy our ingredients and this is how we did it.  A lot of people get intimidated in making it because it uses a lot of ingredients but if you follow the steps below, I guarantee you a good paella every time.

FOR THE INGREDIENTS:

 4            T                        extra virgin olive oil

1            c                        onions, minced

1            T                        garlic, minced

1            c                        chorizo, sliced

1/2            c                        crushed tomatoes

1            T                        sweet paprika

1            T                        colorante

1 1/2             c                        calrose rice

1            t                        saffron threads (diluted in ½ c hot water)

3            c                        chicken stock

2            pcs                        crabs

200            gms                        shrimps/prawns

200            gms                        clams/mussels

2            pcs                        pimiento – sliced

Instructions:

1.       1.  Saute onions in olive oil  on medium heat

2.     2.  Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.

3.     3.  Add chorizo

    A4.  Add crushed tomatoes

2.     5.  Add paprika and colorant

66. 6. Add rice, sauté for 2 minutes

1.     7.  Add the saffron water, then add the chicken stock

2.     Allow to simmer for 15 minutes

1.     8.  Add the seafood and arrange over the paellera.

      9.  Add the pimiento.  Cover and simmer on low until done, about 20 minutes.

  

Serve paella with lemon wedges.