You know how you sometimes crave a pastry, but all the bakeries are closed, and all you have is some random bits and bobs in your freezer and pantry? That’s what happened to me today. So I invented these dainty little rolled cinnamon pastries. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘kid friendly’
Roasted spiced carrots
I know lots of people who don’t like cooked carrots. And I understand why. There’s nothing more blah and boring than squishy, sweet carrot mush. For years I only ate them raw or lightly steamed, or chopped finely as a base for soups and sauces. But ever since I’ve discovered that you can roast carrots, I can’t get enough of the cheerful little buggers. Today I experimented a bit, and came with this recipe. The carrots are roasted for quite long, which makes them pleasantly soft but also gives them a nice hearty flavor. The spices, lemon juice and honey add some interest. If you’re one of those people who claims to not like carrots, I encourage you to try these. (more…)
Pommes Duchesse with cheese and parsley
I guess it’s tie to admit that I have very little experience with preparing Dutch food. Not that there’s anything wrong with it…per se. Or, you know, maybe there is! Its main flavor components are “salt” and “fat,” textures range from “gooey” to “gluey” and its main themes are “meat” and “potatoes.”
But even Dutch cuisine has its highlights, and a good “gehaktbal” (meatball) is one of them. Every grandma has her own top-secret recipe, and some of those recipes are fucking brilliant! Sadly, I don’t own one. Marbles’ mom, however, is widely renowned for her meatballs. And today I found out why! Marbles brought home some of her mom’s balls this weekend, and they were really damn delicious. But I can’t give you a recipe, it being Top Secret and all.
Instead, I’ll live you the recipe for my cheese-and-parsley pommes duchesse. They are the pretty little potato rosettes sitting next to that delicious looking meatball. And they’re surprisingly easy to make. (more…)
Roast chicken
As you may have noticed, I’m a big fan of simple, rustic foods. I really believe that the best food doesn’t result from mixing lots of complicated flavors or using complicated techniques. That is not to say that it isn’t warranted sometimes to go all out. I enjoy being surprised by the culinary artistry of great chefs. I have been thoroughly tickled by little dainty towers of beetroot crisps and home-smoked trout, by the molecular magic of fried ice cream with melon caviar, and I love a complex sauce as much as the next person.
But let’s face it: I’m a home cook. A competent one, no doubt, but I’m no chef and I won’t pretend that I am. So what do I do when I want to impress with a dinner? I turn to a chef for a really good, unpretentious recipe. And this is one of those recipes. (more…)
Three cheese Mac & Cheese with broccoli
I can’t believe that Marbles’ birthday was already a month ago, and that it took me this long to share the recipe that resulted from the fridge full of leftovers that is the inevitable aftermath of a successful birthday party. I kind of hate it when blog writers keep apologizing for not having posted in long time. So I’m not going to apologize, and instead give you the recipe to a fantastic mac & cheese.
When I think of mac & cheese I don’t immediately have visions of macaroni covered in orange goo. I grew up with the South African version, which is a lot like the English version, and probably a lot like non-boxed, gramma-style American mac & cheese. It involves macaroni, usually with some onion and diced ham, mixed with grated cheese, topped with breadcrumbs, and baked in the oven. It’s pretty delicious, but I’m not a fan of boiled ham, and figured the dish could do with a slightly healthier, less greasy update. And this is the result: a delicious, gooey, crunchy mac & cheese with the added flavor of fresh broccoli and tangy cottage cheese. The perfect comfort food, but relatively easy on the aorta. (more…)
Rainbow Cupcakes
In celebration of Marbles birthday, I made a big batch of very proud (GET IT? GET IT?) cupcakes. It was pretty much the funnest project ever, and my very first time playing around with a piping bag. All I can say is: BIG SUCCESS!