Pictures From a Local Street "Bullfight"

Our landlord invited us to a local street bullfight, or Tourada a Corda (bullfight on a rope).  I've mentioned one before, here, but this time around, we had a much better view of the bull.  There are four bulls, and each is "loose" (they are tied to ropes and controlled by men dressed in white shirts and black hats) for 30 minutes, while other men chase it up and down the street.  After 30 minutes, the bull is put back in its pen, and there is a 10-minute break.  Then they bring out the next one for 30 minutes, and so on.  They don't actually harm the bull, but I think the poor thing is pretty miserable, running all over the place for that length of time, in the summer heat.  Not to mention scared of all of the activity and the poking and prodding that's going on, and the jeering crowd.  I felt really bad for the them. 

Usually, the people participating in these bullfights come away unscathed, but the week before this bullfight, there had been a bullfight in a neighboring town and someone was gored in the head and died.  I'm glad we didn't see anything very bad- just a lot of running around, and once, the bull gored a hole in one of the white cement walls.  Someone had just barely jumped out of the way and missed that by a second. 

At one of these "bullfights", you only see the bull for a few minutes, because the men keep it running up and down the street.  So it's a lot of standing around, and then a few minutes of action, then more standing, and then eating!  Bullfights are huge social gatherings here, mainly a time to see and be seen, eat, socialize, meet new people, and talk to your neighbors and friends.  Not too long ago, a bullfight was a place to meet a potential boyfriend or girlfriend, and many eventual marriages started at these bullfights. 

Our landlord's mom made some great food for everyone.  Chocolate cake, pineapple tart, almond cake, assorted sausages, breads, ribs, fruit salad, chips, nuts, etc.  We really enjoyed the eating and socialising.  :)  If one is not lucky enough to be invited to someone's house, one can purchase food from the vendors wandering around: popcorn, homemade potato chips in little bags, candy, corn on the cob, ice cream treats.  There are also trucks with hot food: pork sandwiches called "bifanas", sausages, etc. 

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Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are easy and fun to make.  They're also delicious, and create a great smell in the house.  This recipe comes from Eating, Etc.  I used some whole wheat pastry flour in this recipe, but I can't remember exactly how much.  Probably about 3/4 cup. 

Snickerdoodles

from Eating, Etc.

2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup softened unsalted butter
1-1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp ground cinnamon

1) Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, & salt in medium bowl.

2) Beat butter, 1-1/2c sugar, & eggs with mixer at medium speed, until light & fluffy.

3) Beat in dry ingredients until well-blended.

4) Refrigerate one hour.

5) Preheat oven to 375F.

6) Combine remaining 1/4c sugar & cinnamon in shallow bowl.

7) Shape chilled dough into 1” balls & roll in cinnamon sugar.

8) Place 3” apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
 

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Buttermilk Dressing

This is a great Ranch-style homemade dressing, made completely from scratch!  Well, I didn't make my own mayo or buttermilk, but I can still live with myself.  This recipe comes from Homesick Texan.  I've only tried it on salads so far, but I can't wait to try it on other foods (or as a dip).  It's not too garlicky like other Ranch dressing's I've made, and it was so easy to mix up.  I mixed it up with my immersion blender to make sure there were no garlic chunks.  I decreased the cilantro (I wanted an all-purpose flavor) and left out the spicy pepper.

Buttermilk Dressing
adapted from Homesick Texan

1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 cup of sour cream (I used light)
1/2 cup of buttermilk

1 Tablespoon of chopped cilantro

1 Tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon of chopped fresh chives

1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Salt and black pepper to taste

1.  Mix all the ingredients together and let chill for an hour.  Makes 1 cup; keeps for a week in the refrigerator.  This makes a thinner dressing; if you prefer it thicker, use 1/2 cup of mayo.

 

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Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

These cinnamon rolls are delicious, and I love that they use buttermilk.  I love baking with buttermilk.  This is Alton Brown's recipe, which I found through another blog (Foodie Bride).  You make the dough and let it slow rise for 2 hours, then form your cinnamon rolls, and let it rise reeeeeally slowly this time, overnight in the fridge.  You then make them rise even more in the morning with some boiling water and an oven, bake them, and you're ready to eat! 

This dough was just a pleasure to work with- soft, smooth and just firm enough.  It rolled out like a freakin' dream!!!  There was no sticking to my lightly floured counter.  (BTW, I hate rolling out things directly on my counter and rarely do so.  I usually just use my largest cutting board (easier to wash) but that was not going to work this time, with the dough needing to be rolled out to an 18x12 inch rectangle.  I don't have a board big enough!  This was no problem though, to roll out, or clean up.  Totally worth it).  I followed Foodie Bride and increased the sugar/cinnamon filling, but I think it was just a tad too sweet with that, and the frosting on top.  Still good though; I'm not complaining!  Next time I might just follow Alton a little more closely. 

I used one cup of whole wheat pastry flour in the dough and Neufchatel cheese for the frosting.  The reicpe is supposed to make 12 rolls, but I'm obviously bad at cutting things into an even amount, so I made 15 rolls out of this recipe.  I'll aim for 12 next time! 

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

adapted from Alton Brown, via Foodie Bride

Makes 12 rolls, or 15, if you're like me

Dough:

4 large egg yolks, room temp

1 large whole egg, room temp
1/4 cup sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup buttermilk, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 oz all-purpose flour (approximately 4 cups), plus additional for dusting (I used one cup whole wheat pastry flr.)
1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) instant dry yeast
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
Vegetable oil or cooking spray

Filling:
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/4 Tbsp ground cinnamon
pinch salt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Icing:
4 ounces Neufchatel or cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the dough: in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, butter, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add approximately 2 cups of the flour along with the yeast and salt; whisk until moistened and combined. Remove the whisk attachment and replace with a dough hook. Add all but 3/4 cup of the remaining flour and knead on low speed for 5 minutes. Check the consistency of the dough, add more flour if necessary; the dough should feel soft and moist but not sticky. Knead on low speed 5 minutes more or until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead by hand about 30 seconds. Lightly oil a large bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, lightly oil the top of the dough, cover and let double in volume, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

For the filling: Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until well incorporated. Set aside until ready to use.

To assemble: Butter a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently shape the dough into a rectangle with the long side nearest you. Roll into an 18 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the 2 Tbs. of melted butter, leaving 1/2-inch border along the top edge. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border along the top edge; gently press the filling into the dough. Beginning with the long edge nearest you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Firmly pinch the seam to seal and roll the cylinder seam side down. Very gently squeeze the cylinder to create even thickness. Using a serrated knife, (or un-waxed dental floss) slice the cylinder into 1 1/2-inch rolls; yielding 12 rolls. Arrange rolls cut side down in the baking dish; cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight or up to 16 hours.

The next morning: Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and place in an oven that is turned off. Fill a shallow pan 2/3-full of boiling water and set on the rack below the rolls. Close the oven door and let the rolls rise until they look slightly puffy; approximately 30 minutes. Remove the rolls and the shallow pan of water from the oven.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

When the oven is ready, place the rolls on the middle rack and bake until golden brown, or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, approximately 25-30 minutes.

While the rolls are cooling slightly, make the icing by whisking the Neufchatel in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Sift in the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Spread over the rolls and serve immediately.

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Salmorejo- Cold Andalusian Soup. No, not Gazpacho!

I feel guilty- I lived in Andalucia (Southern Spain) for quite a while and had no idea this soup even existed.  I'm very familiar with Gazpacho, but not Salmorejo.  I was surfing Tastespotting last week and came across a picture of it, and then I went and looked at the recipe.  I was intrigued, so I made it as soon as I could buy some decent tomatoes.  The recipe is simple; combining tomatoes, garlic, bread, and olive oil into a thick, almost creamy, cold soup.  Then, one tops it with a swirl of olive oil, some hard-boiled egg pieces, and Jamon Serrano (or priosciutto).  I don't like eating Jamon Serrano "raw" (I know it's cured), so I sauteed some first in a tiny bit of oil.  That is not necessary, though.

I served this soup in my hand-painted flower bowls from Andalucia.  :)  I only have two left, because the rest have broken during our many moves.  Someday I will go back and get more. 

A note about sherry vinegar: I cannot find any here, unfortunately.  I've never used it, either, but it's similar to Balsamic vinegar.  So instead of the sherry vinegar, I used mostly Balsamic with a splash of Champagne vinegar.  It seemed to work.

Salmorejo
from A Little Bit Burnt
Yield: About 5 Cups

About 2 lbs. tomatoes, cut into large chunks
2 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 red onion, roughly chopped
2 roasted piquillo or roasted red peppers, optional
1/3 cup good extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
2 cups roughly chopped day old crusty bread or baguette (I left the crusts on but you can remove if you like)
1 – 1/2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar, more to taste
1 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

1.  In a blender, start with the garlic and onions and finely chop on the mix or chop setting. Add tomatoes, piquillo peppers/roasted red peppers if using, salt and and puree on the same setting. Add the bread, drizzle the olive oil and sherry vinegar over all the bread, and puree for a minute or two until all the bread is blended in. Up the blender speed to blend and run until it's really smooth and creamy.

2.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with sherry vinegar or salt. If it's too acidic depending on your tomatoes, start by adding just a 1/2 tsp. of sugar, mix, taste and adjust again. If you don't have enough of a vinegary tang, add a little more sherry vinegar.

3.  Let it sit in the fridge for a few hours so the flavors can come together before serving, or overnight is even better. Taste and adjust seasoning again if you need to before serving.

4.  Garnish with sliced jamon serrano or proscuitto, chopped hard boiled egg, a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper and a little drizzle of olive oil, and a few toasted pieces of bread for serving if you like. Or you can omit the jamon to make it vegetarian, or omit the jamon and egg to make it vegan.

A few notes from A Little Bit Burnt - some people like to skin the tomatoes first but I don't think it's necessary, especially because you want this to be pureed very smooth. Also, if you don't have any stale bread, lightly toast some fresh bread so it dries out a little bit but don't let it get browned.

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Simple Milk Loaf

I wanted to make some bread to go with my homemade freezer jam, so I turned to this recipe from the Winter Guest.  You'll have to get our your kitchen scale for this one.... I translated the measurments as I made it, but I have no idea what happened to that little scrap of paper I was writing on..... oops.  This makes one loaf.  For the "strong flour', I used whole wheat pastry. 

Dan Lepard's simple milk loaf
(from the book "The handmade loaf")
from The Winter Guest

250 g strong flour
250 g all-purpose flour
350 g whole milk at room temperature
20 g golden or maple syrup
1 1/4 teaspoons good sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried or fresh yeast

1.  Mix everything in a bowl, except the salt. Knead it lightly on a floured counter and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Then add the salt and start kneading; 8-10 minutes.  (I used my KitchenAid to mix and knead).  Form dough into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap and proof for one hour, or until doubled in size.

2.  Once the first proofing is done, deflate the dough beating it on the counter or flattening it with you hands (be rough on it!) and divide it into two balls. Butter and flour a loaf pan and put both balls inside. Leave them to proof for the second time till almost doubled. Brush the top with some milk and bake in oven- preheated to 210 ºC (about 410 F). Bake for 15 minutes at that temperature and then lower the temperature to 180 ºC (about 350 F) and bake the bread for another 20-25 minutes.

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Chopped Greek Salad

Greek flavors are so delicious, and I especially enjoy them in the summertime.  I somehow came across this recipe for chopped Greek salad and made it a few days later- I was glad I did.  This salad is so fresh and flavorful, using a bounty of summer veggies, and it keeps well in the fridge for a few days, too.  When you make the dressing, using a blender is important, to emuslify the ingredients; it makes the oil/vinegar mixture creamy!  It's amazing what a blender can do sometimes.  My blender was actually being used to house some cold Spanish soup (recipe later) so I used my immersion blender for the dressing. 

Chopped Greek Salad

adapted from the Chicago-Sun Times

Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium green or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeds and ribs removed, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cucumber, scrubbed, halved length- wise, seeds removed, and cut into 1/2-inch dice (or use 1/2 English cucumber -- no need to scrub or discard seeds)
2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 scallions, white and green parts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.  Pulse vinegar, oregano and garlic in a blender to combine. With the machine running, gradually add oil through the top vent.

2.  Combine bell pepper, cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, feta and olives in a medium bowl. Add dressing and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.  Serve chilled.

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Spotlight: Massa Sovada

Massa Sovada is Portuguese Sweet bread.  It includes yeast, sugar, butter, flour, milk, etc.  It is a very rich yeast bread.  I've mentinoned it a few times; here, when I made it myself, and here, when I mentioned it makes wonderful french toast.  One can find it everywhere here- in every bakery, pastry shop, grocery store, some restaurants, and in many homes.  Massa Sovada was traditionally made as a holiday food, but is now available all year, according to Wikipedia.  I want to try making my own again, but this time, shaping it into rolls instead of the big loaves.

Grilled Ham & Cheese on Massa Sovada; May 2014

The loaf in the first pic above was very kindly dropped off by our landlord's father.  It was just huge- like twice as big as my head!  ;)  (And I have a big head!)  I'm not sure if it was homemade or bakery-bought; as my husband is the one who answered the door, and he didn't think to ask.  This was some of the best massa I've EVER had!!  I've tried it from many different bakeries, and made it myself, and this was by far the best.  It had an almost flakey texture, like brioche, and was fluffy and sweet.  We made toast out of it the next morning and my fam polished off about 3/4 of this huge loaf!  Next time we see my landlord, we're going to have to ask where this loaf came from, so hopefully we can have it again! 

It was very good toasted, with butter, and my homemade strawberry jam.  (Below).  It was also very delicious, toasted, with butter, (again!) and topped with a thin slice of sharp cheddar and a slice of thin deli turkey.  (Last photo).  I had both in the same sitting.  :)

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Homemade Vanilla Extract

Do you see how dark that liquid is, in the bottle above?  Well, that used to be clear vodka!!  That color is what happens when you add a bunch of split vanilla beans to a bottle of clear vodka and let is sit (shaking every few days, if you remember) for over 6 months.  I think the bottle above was about 8 months old when I took the photo.  The bottle used to be full.... that's how much vanilla extract I use in 8 months!  ;)  All of those little specks on the bottle are vanilla bean specks. 

I don't drink alcohol for religious reasons, but I'm just fine buying it and making my own vanilla.  I LOVE this stuff!!  And I love making it, and having a few bottles (3, now!) in my cupboards, "brewing", at all times, so I can always have access to tons of the good stuff (that would be vanilla extract, people).  I have two bottles of vodka vanilla extract and one bottle of rum vanilla extract.  Since I don't usually buy alcohol and don't which stuff is good, I just buy whatever looks good; I don't get the most expensive one. 

I got this method from Eating, Etc, (where else?!) and she re-bottles her extract into cute little bottles.  They're also dark, which is ideal.  I don't have access to the tiny bottles, and I also had a hard time finding a big dark bottle to use, so I just use a big, clear bottle, and keep in a dark cupboard.  You just don't want too much exposure to light.  The first picture is actually an older Trader Joe's balsamic vinegar bottle, well-washed out.  The second and third time I made up a batch of this, I just got super-lazy and stuck the vanilla beans right into the original vodka or rum bottle.  That seems to work just as well!  I did buy a bag of new corks though, to fit the top of my bottles, so they'd be air-tight. 

I'll include the method, or reicpe from Eating, Etc, but here's the ghetto version of what I do:  Buy a fairly cheap bottle of vodka or clear rum at a local store.  Come home, and pop off that plastic stopper that might be in the neck of your bottle.  (A small, sharp knife works well to get in there and pop it out).  Split a bunch of vanilla beans, (10-15 or so) and shove them in the bottle.  Fit the bottle with a new, clean cork, shake it up, and let it hang out in your dark kitchen cupboard forever, shaking as often as you remember.  Ready to use after 30 days.  I think this stuff lasts forever, too.  Alcohol is a preservative, so the vanilla beans should be fine as long as they're always submerged. 

Below: Left-hand corner; my 8-month old bottle.  Center; a bottle about 5 months old.  Right; a brand-new batch that I hadn't shaken up yet; hence, the clear color. 

Homemade Vanilla Extract

from Eating, Etc.

1 750-ml empty, well-sanitized, dark-colored glass wine bottle

1 wine bottle stopper or clean cork

2c vodka (or rum for a vanilla-rum extract)
8+ good quality vanilla beans, split & snipped in ½” pieces
smaller dark-colored bottles for final bottling*

1) Pour vodka or rum into wine bottle.

2) Place split, snipped vanilla bean pieces in the vodka or rum.

3) Cork & shake well.

4) Let sit for approximately 30 days, shaking the bottle, daily, to distribute the tiny vanilla seeds well for maximum flavor. (This is very forgiveable; even if you don’t shake it that often, it still turns out fine.)

5) After 30 days, begin using; or for gifts, bottle the extract in small dark-colored glass bottles.

6) You may strain the extract to remove the vanilla pod pieces, if you wish. I just leave it as is, though, with the vanilla bean seeds and pieces in the bottle to attain maximum strength & flavor.

** Once the vanilla extract is used up, don't throw out your vanilla bean pieces! They are reusable. Just refill your bottle(s) with more vodka or rum, shake it up, and let it sit again.

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Chile con Queso.... No Velveeta Needed!!

Thanks to a good cooking friend, I have this recipe for Chile Con Queso and was able to satisfy my nacho-cheese-dipping-sauce craving, sans Velveeta or any other processed "cheese food".  (Yum- processed cheese food!)  This dip was SO easy to make, and tasted so good!!   The ingredients are not hard to find either, even for me, so that is always a plus.  My daughter helped me make this, and loved the experience.  She loved eating it too.  The whole fam loved this with tortilla chips- after it was made, we all gathered around the pot and ate it.  Some of us were civilized, and actually used little bowls for the Queso, but bowls are not required.  :) 

I omitted the onion because I thought my kids would freak out, but the picky one didn't even notice the green chiles, so it probably would have been ok. 

Chile con Queso Dip

from cookin' mama

1 Tblsp olive oil

1/2 small onion minced

1 (4 1/2 oz) can chopped green chilies
1 garlic clove, crushed thru a press
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup light cream
2 Tblsp cornstarch
1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 large plum tomato, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce, or to taste
Tortilla chips and raw veggies for dipping

1. In medium saucepan, heat oil over me. heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, till softened, about 3 min.  Add chilies, garlic, and cumin. Cook 2 min., stirring occasionally.

2. In a small bowl, whisk cream and cornstarch till smooth. Add to saucepan and cook, stirring, till mixture comes to a simmer and thickens, about 3 min.  Reduce heat to low.

3. Gradually add cheeses, stirring till melted. Stir in tomato and Tabasco. Cook, stirring, till heated through, about 2 min. Do not allow mixture to simmer, as cheese will separate. Serve at once.

Portuguese Pastries

During the summer, there are many different festivals on this island.  We went to a festival not too long ago and there was a food tent with some local food goodness- we were mainly interested in the pastries.  ;)  I can't give you much info about these pastries; we sampled three different kinds, and I'm not sure what any of them were called.  Oops.  But I will describe them for you.  The one in the above photo seems to be many sheets of puff pastry with a cream filling inside, sprinkled with powdered sugar.  I have a friend here who makes these- I want her to teach me how, soon.  :)  She says they're really easy!  After I learn, I'll post the recipe here. 

This little chocolate one is a tiny chocolate cake baked in a tart shape, covered with chocolate, and filled with a white cream filling. 

The pastry in the above photo is the one I had- it looks like a canoe filled with lemon curd!  And actually, the filling is what they call "Egg Cream"..... it's kind of like lemon curd, just without the lemon.  They use a lot of egg yolks in desserts here.  The Egg Cream is made with mainly sweetened egg yolks.  The "boat" shape surrounding it tasted like puff pastry.  It was very good!  We didn't get any Pastels de Nata this time- those are very common and can be found almost anywhere here.  :)

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Cheddar Chicken Chowder

I really, really love soups, and especially chowder, so when I saw Eating, Etc's delish-looking photo of this chowder, I knew I had to make it soon.  We had this for dinner a few nights ago, with homemade bread.  I realize it's August, but it's not too hot over here.... plus, we have newly-installed AC this summer.  :) 

We had a friend over for dinner when we ate this, and he said a few times that he really liked this chowder.  I love these blue dishes- we picked up a few at Cost Plus World Market a few weeks ago when we were in the States.  See them here.  Because it's so expensive to ship things, and I was worried about breakage, I only bought 2 bowls, 2 dinner plates and 2 salad plates.  Sadly, one dinner plate and one salad plate did not make it through the shipping process- they arrived in pieces.  The broken pieces are too pretty to throw away though.  :)  Maybe if I get crafty I can do something with the pieces.  Hmmmm...

Cheddar Chicken Chowder
from Eating, Etc.

5 slices bacon, for garnish
2-3 Tablespoons bacon fat
2 large chicken breast halves, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup red or green bell pepper, diced
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
5 cups chicken broth
2 cups red potatoes, diced (I left the peeling on)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 cup cheddar cheese (I used extra-sharp)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste

1) Fry bacon in large soup pot until crisp. Remove from pot, cool, and crumble. Set aside.

2) Discard all but 2-3T bacon fat. In the same pot, over medium to medium-high heat, sauté chicken, onion, bell pepper, and garlic for about 5 minutes.

3) Add chicken broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer about 15-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

4) Place flour in a medium bowl and gradually add milk, whisking constantly until combined. Add to soup and cook over medium heat about 10-15 minutes or until thick, stirring often.

5) Reduce heat and stir in cheese, salt & pepper.

6) Serve immediately, garnishing with crumbled bacon, and more cheese if desired.

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Strawberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt

This frozen yogurt is SO good!  I saw it over at Eating, Etc's blog and was glad I finally took the oppurtunity to make it yesterday.  This is so simple- there's no cooking involved, so it's easier than the custard-based ice creams I usually make.  The recipe calls for low-fat yogurt and Neufchatel cheese, but I only had access to full-fat Greek Yogurt (well, I think they actually add extra fat in the form of cream... it's really good, creamy German-made Greek yogurt that I buy).  I also forgot to get the Neufchatel, so I used regular, full-fat cream cheese. 

For the strawberry coulis (basically an easy, no-cook strawberry sauce) I used my immersion blender, and the measuring cup it came with.  I just made up the sauce right in that measuring cup.  Then, I had my full-size blender clean to whip up the yogurt base. 

We tried some fresh out of the ice cream maker and that was really good.  Then, we froze the rest and that was just as good.  The recipe Eating, Etc. used is a half-recipe, and I used the same amounts.  I want to make the full amount because it was gone so fast with my family, but I think it might be too much for my fairly small ice cream maker. 

Strawberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt

from FWF via Eating, Etc.

The Strawberry Coulis:

1 cup strawberries, washed & hulled (frozen or fresh)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp balsamic vinegar

1) Place all ingredients in blender & process until smooth. Set aside in fridge.  (Or, blend with an immersion blender).

The Frozen Yogurt

2c 2% milk-fat Greek yogurt
4oz (1/2-brick) Neufchatel cheese (do not soften in advance)
6 Tablespoons cold milk
1/2 cup + 1Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1) Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

2) Cover tightly, & refrigerate for one hour prior to churning.

3) Freeze yogurt mixture according to your ice cream maker manufacturer’s instructions (about 15-25 minutes).  Make sure you rmachine isn't struggling at the end.... listen to it and turn it off if it is. 

4) Transfer mixture to a freezer-safe covered storage container.

5) Pour strawberry coulis by tablespoonful over yogurt, to taste.

6) Using two butter knives, cut & swirl the coulis into the yogurt.

7) Cover & freeze. (If not serving immediately, allow container to sit out on counter for several minutes before serving.)

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Grilled Nectarines

We first tried grilling fruit about three years ago, and started with fresh, tree-ripe peaches from my Aunt's tree.  They were SO GOOD; it opened up a whole new world of things to grill!  Ok, though, we've mostly stuck to peaches, pineapple, and now, nectarines!  The nectarines were kind of by accident; my local store had no peaches when I wanted them, so I got the next best thing.  They were so good, though, that now we grill nectarines on purpose.  :) 

I first tried this recipe; though I use it as more of a rough guide than actually following the recipe.  Had I not seen that recipe on AR though; I don't know if I would have ever thought of grilling peaches or nectarines!

The nectarines are a tiny bit difficult to separate cleanly, but not too bad.  Just cut down the seam, and kind of twist the two halves apart.  At least one side should come off the pit cleanly.  You may have to dig the pit out of the other side with a dessert spoon, but it's not hard.  Don't grill too long; you don't want to overcook the fruit.

Grilled Nectarines

adapted from Allrecipes

4 nectarines or peaches, halved and pitted

1/2 cup soft cream cheese, or to taste
2 tablespoons honey, or to taste

1.Preheat a grill for medium-high heat (or use the hot grill after a grilled meal). 

2.Brush peaches with a light coating of oil (or just oil your grill, like we do).  Place pit side down onto the grill. Grill for 2-5 minutes, or until the surfaces have nice grill marks.  Turn the fruit over, and drizzle with a bit of honey.  Place a dollop of the cream cheese spread in the place where the pit was.  Grill for 1 more minute, or until the filling is slightly warm.  Serve immediately.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Prato do Dia

Last week, my husband and I went on a date during the day to explore a nearby town.  Going out during the day is much more fun for us than going out at night; there's more to see and do.  After trekking around and seeing the sights, we stopped at a seaside restaurant for lunch.  We decided to try their plate of the day, or "Prato do Dia".  These plates of the day are available at every restaurant here, every day.  They're always something different, and they are so much cheaper than ordering off the menu.  Plus, you get soup, bread, the main meal, and a drink all for a low price.  Long live the Prato do dia!!! 

The Prato do dia at this restaurant was a pork and mushroom dish that was cooked in what tasted like a wine sauce.  It was very rich and flavorful.  On the side were the typical double Portuguese carbs: white rice and potatoes.  The potatoes were good- tiny, baby potatoes, peeled and fried. 

Before they brought out the main dish, they served  Pao (bread) and Sopa de Legumes (vegetable soup), containing cabbage, kale, onions and carrots.  I love the oil/vinegar containers at the restaurants here.  I took a pic of the one on our table... with the ocean behind it. 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Lemon Bars II

Lemon bars are one of my fave treats, so when I was looking for something fast (and summery) to bring to a friend's house the other day, this recipe sprang to mind.  It's very similar to a recipe I've posted before, but it has a few differences, so I thought I'd give it a try.  These were very good- the crust is tender, tasty and perfect, and the lemon filling has just the right taste and texture, even though I had my oven on the "convection" setting at first and almost burned the top.  :(  They're not supposed to be that brown!  Lol.  The taste was still wonderful, despite my mess-up.

Note: The recipe calls for unsalted butter.  I only had salted on hand, so I used that, and they were still great.  I also used 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour in the crust.

Lemon Bars

from Eating, Etc.

Makes 24 bars

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Filling:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
6 Tablespoons lemon juice
4 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt

Crust

1) In medium, bowl, mix together the flour, butter, & powdered sugar.

2) Spread in 9x13x2 greased baking pan.

3) Bake at 350F for 15-25 minutes.

4) While crust is baking, work on the filling to be immediately poured over hot crust.
 
Filling

1) In large bowl, mix all filling ingredients together with spoon (do not beat with mixer).

2) Pour filling over hot crust.

3) Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes.

4) While still hot, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

5) Let cool for 15 minutes and cut into squares.

6) Store uncovered or cover lightly with wax paper.
 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Here is a super easy dinner idea- Pulled Pork.  This tastes just like the pulled pork from a good barbecue joint, but so easy and cheap to make at home.  This will only taste as good as the barbecue sauce you use, so use one you love.  There really isn't a storebought one that I love, but this was still good.  I want to try this recipe again using chicken breasts, and making my own barbecue sauce to improve on the flavor even more.  You can serve this on crusty rolls, toasted hamburger buns, or toasted garlic bread (which is what I did).  This would be good served over rice as well.  :)

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

adapted from Allrecipes

1 (2 pound) pork roast

1 (12 oz.) can or bottle root beer

1 bottle (about 18 oz.) of your fave barbecue sauce

1.  Place the pork in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat.  Cover and cook on low until the meat shreds easily, about 6 -8 hours, depending on your slow cooker.

2.  Drain well, and shred meat with two forks.  Stir barbecue sauce into shredded meat.  Serve over rolls, toasted hamburger buns, garlic bread, or rice. 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Chocolate Almond Cookies

While looking through my sister's recipes this summer, I came upon this one.  It looked so good with the chocolate-almond flavor that I decided to make it soon after I got home.  My sister says these are good with different chips, and if you want a choco-pb cookie, leave out the almond flavor (maybe sub vanilla) and use peanut butter chips.  I used two chopped white chocolate bars, since I can't get white chocolate chips here.  (Real white choco chips are getting pretty hard to find anyway, in the U.S.)  The recipe has optional nuts; I left them out since I was making these for a group of people. 

I made these twice; the first time, I used dark cocoa powder, and really liked how they turned out.  (The photo shows the cookies made with dark cocoa).  The second time, I used regular cocoa powder.  I also tried making them into a plain chocolate sugar cookie by leaving out the white chocolate, but they are definitely better with the white chocolate. 

Chocolate Almond Cookies

from TOH, via my sister

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) real white chocolate chips (or chopped bar)
1 cup chopped almonds, optional

1.  Preheat the oven to 375°.  In a bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add egg and extract; mix well.

2.  Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the chips and optional nuts.

3.  Drop by teaspoonfuls (I used my regular cookie scoop) onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 7-9 minutes. Cool on pans for 1 minute before removing to wire racks; cool completely. Yield: about 4 or 5 dozen.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Wedding Granita

This granita was served at my sister's wedding.  Before the wedding, I helped make it, along with my mom and sister.  We made two flavors- lemon, and strawberry.  They were both vey good, and refreshing.  Granita is a kind of frozen Italian dessert- related to sorbet.  Read this article if you don't know what granita is. 

Italian Lemon Granita

from my sister

4 large lemons, juiced and zested

3 cups water

1 cup sugar (add more, to taste, if needed)

1.  Bring the water and sugar to a boil.  Simmer and stir for 5 minutes. Then stir in the grated peel and juice.

2.  Pour the mixture into a pan or bowl. Place in freezer and stir about every half hour so it doesn't become solid.
 
Strawberry Granita
from Epicurious
 
1 cup hot water
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups sliced hulled strawberries (1 pound whole berries) plus additional berries for garnish

1.  Stir first 3 ingredients in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Blend 3 cups strawberries in processor until smooth. Add sugar syrup and blend until combined.

2.  Pour mixture into 13x9x2-inch nonstick metal baking pan. Freeze until icy around edges, about 25 minutes. Using fork, stir icy portions into middle of pan. Freeze until mixture is frozen, stirring edges into center every 20 to 30 minutes, about 1 1/2 hours. Using fork, scrape granita into flaky crystals. Cover tightly and freeze. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.) Scrape granita into bowls. Garnish with berries and serve.

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