Bolo Salgado de Abobrinha

Ficou uma delicia! - segundo minha mãe.

Ingredientes:

3 xicaras de abobrinha cortada em rodelas ou ralada

1 xicara de farinha de trigo

1 1/2 col chá de fermento em pó

1/2 xic de queijo parmesão ralado ou muzzarella



1/2 xic de cebola bem picada

2 col sopa de salsinha picada

1/2 col chá de orégano

sal e pimenta do reino

1 dente de alho bem picado

1/2 xic de óleo

4 ovos ligeiramente batidos

Procedimento:

Aqueça o forno em temperatura moderada (170C). Unte a forma refratária retangular de uns 20 x 20 cm.

Misture todos os ingredientes. Espalhe na forma. asse até que doure por uns 35 min.
 
Saboreie e refestele-se!
 
Obrigada pela receita, manhê!

Potato-bread croissant

Ingredients:

1 cup lukewarm water

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 tablespoon italian seasoning

1 1/2 cup of white flour

1 cup potato flour

2 tablespoons nonfat milk (powder, preferable) (optional)

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons quick-rise or bread-machine yeast

Directions:

Add ingredients in this order into the bread-machine (except for the 1/2 cup of white flour). As the kneading process begins, keep an eye on the dough. After about 5 minutes, you will be able to tell whether the dough needs more flour or not. If so, add some more white flour gradually until the dough forms a ball that doesn't stick onto the bucket walls.

As soon as the kneading process is over, open the dough using a rolling pin and shape it as a croissant. This is how you do it: you open the dough and cut it into small- to medium- size triangles. Roll the wider edge of each triangle towards the third edge. If necessary, use a brush with butter to help the croissant adhere to the desired shape.

Let them rest on a greased tray for about 10 minutes while the oven is pre-heating (set it to 400F). Reduce temperature to 325-350 and bake them until brown (approx. 25 minutes).

Serve hot for breakfast or as a side dish with butter - or my favorite, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

Enjoy!!!!

My Mom's Zucchini Bread

My Mom's Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

8 oz. zucchini, trimmed
1/2 cup (4 fl. oz.)canola oil + extra for greaing
3/4 cup (6 oz.)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (essence)
1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour + extra for flouring
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chopped, pitted moist pack prunes or raisins
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions:

Pre-heat oven at 350 F (180 C). Grease and lightly flour one 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan or 3 6 x 3 inch loaf pans. Using the large wholes of a box grater/shredder or a food processor, shred the zucchini. You should have about one cup. Set aside. In a bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat vigorously with a whisk or with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and creamy (about one minute). Stir in the shredded zucchini until blended. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, prunes or raisins and walnuts. Add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture and stir just until combined. The batter will be stiff. Scrape the batter into prepared pan(s). Bake until bread is firm to the touch and pulls away from pan sides (approx. 50 minutes for a large loaf or 35-40 for small ones). A cake tester inserted in the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Turn the bread out, place upright on the rack and let it cool completely.

Thanks, mom!

Ideas for Sunday dinner

Sundays are my favorite day for cooking because there is no rushing. Breakfast is eaten late, then a snack in the middle of the afternoon and a nice dinner in the evening. All done with no hurrying, no running, no clock ticking... in other words, no stress!

Here is an idea for an easy and quick meal for one of those days... ahhh!

'Bife Acebolado' with potatoes + 2 side orders

Ingredients:

Meat: three to four steaks (meat of your preference) - 1 cup vinegar or white wine - 1 cup bbq sauce - 1 1/2 onions sliced - salt and pepper.

Potatoes: 5 potatoes, sliced - extra virgin olive oil - salt and paprika.

Salad: 1 bag of frozen vegetables (selection of your choice, I used Italian garden vegetables) - 2 tbsp fat-free mayo - 1 packet Sazon for salads (optional)

Toasts: 6-8 slices of bread cut into 4 triangles - extra virgin olive oil - Italian seasoning (whole wheat rolls served with butter work too!)

Directions:

The night before: if the meat is frozen, thaw it by placing it in the fridge overnight.

In the morning: in a container or Ziplock plastic bag, add 1 cup vinegar or white wine, 1 cup bbq sauce, salt and pepper and the meat. Let it marinate until you start preparing dinner (or for at least 30 minutes).

In the evening: Thaw a bag of mixed vegetables - oven top or microwave oven - and let it cool down. Mix in 2 tbsps fat-free mayonnaise. For more taste, add one packet of Sazon for salads. Put it in the fridge to serve it cold. Now, the meat. Place frying pan with meat sauce on medium heat. Once sauce is hot, add meat and remaining sauce. Let it cook for 5 minutes before adding onions. Now, the potatoes. Place pan with water and salt on the stove and bring it to a boil. While you wait, wash, peel and slice potatoes. Add potatoes to boiling water, reduce heat and let them cook for 10-15 minutes of until tender. Back to the meat, add onions. While the meat and potatoes are cooking, cut a few slices of bread into 4 triangles. Place them on a greased tray and pour extra virgin olive oil and oregano leaves, or Italian seasoning, on them. Let them stand until potatoes and meat are almost ready to serve. Once potatoes are tender, get rid of the water and cook them some more on 1 tbsp of olive oil and paprika to taste until they are brown. Turn oven to broil and insert bread tray. Serve all 4 dishes together for a delicious and easy Sunday dinner.

And let another week begin!

A few more pictures for you:

Testing 1,2,3

This is the first post of many in the series 'Testing 1-2-3'.
What exactly is it?
I will as often as I can try out something that it supposed to help us and make life easier in the kitchen such as cake mixes and pasta sauces or other ready-to-go products.
Some work wonders and help a bunch when it comes to serving a family meal or hosting a get together for friends.
Others, just don't work.

This week I tried the passion fruit cake mix from Dona Benta (Bolo de Maracujá). You can find several cake mixes from Dona Benta at the store La Pequenita located on 2740 South State Street. Among the many flavors, my favorite are Lemon, Vanilla, Banana with Cinnamon, Chocolate, Swiss Cake (Chocolatíssimo), Creamy Milho Verde, Cornmeal, Strawberry, Carrot, Whole Wheat, and my all-time favorite: Aipim (Yuca).
Unfortunately, my cake didn't rise too much. It looked more like a pie that a cake, to be quite honest. However, what it lacked in size, it made up beautifully in taste. I added some white icing and it was a hit!
Maybe it is my oven that needs to be cleaned, fixed, regulated... You get the drill.

Anyway, I hope you try one of their products and reports to me what you thought of it.
For more info on their products and delicious recipes, go to http://www.donabenta.com.br/ (available in Portuguese only).
Here is a picture of what I decided to call My Passion Fruit Cake-Pie:

Corn Meal Muffins

This recipe came on a corn meal package.

Always check packages for recipes.

Let me know what you find.

:)

 

Corn Meal Muffins

1 cup enriched corn meal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt (optional)

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup buttermilk (*)

1/4 cup shortening

1 egg

(*) easy substitute for buttermilk - 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice - let stand for 5 minutes and it's ready to use.

Preheat oven to 450F. Grease muffin pans. Blend all ingredients throughly. Beat vigorously for about 1 minute. Fill each cup 2/3 full and bake about 15 minutes or until brown. Makes 12 muffins.

Tilapia With Coconut Milk (Ginataang Tilapia)

I personally believe that slow-cookers rock!

Seriously. I leave home for work at 9 am and I don't usually get home until after 8pm. Having a slow cooker and putting it to use to me means that, after being gone all day, I get home and not only do I not have to cook, but I also have fresh homemade preservative-free food ready to serve. I truly believe that the only thing that could make life easier would be to have a Rose (from the Jetsons) at home. Wishful thinking, I know.

Here is a delicious tilapia recipe easily cooked in your slow-cooker. You can also try the same recipe with cod fish, salmon or tuna.

Tilapia With Coconut Milk (Ginataang Tilapia)

4 tilapia fillets - 1 cup white rice - 1 cup brown rice - 1/2 cup black beans - 1/2 garbanzo benas (aka chick peas) - 2 carrots cut in chunky pieces - 3 bouillon cubes of seasoning for fish with coconut milk (Tempero para peixe com leite de coco Maggi) - 1 teaspoon set salt - water - black pepper

Place fish first into slow cooker then add remaining ingredients. Place carrots on top. Cover ingredients with hot water. Cook for 3 hours on low. Season with black pepper when ready to serve. Serves 3-4.

Breakfast Casserole

One of the highlights of my Sundays is - after sleeping in and lounging in bed with the pups for at least an hour - breakfast!
I always make sure I get the day started with a healthy meal for breakfast. But still, weekdays are never as calm and relaxed as Sunday mornings are.
This past weeekend I tried the famous casserole and it was a delicious dish, very easy to prepare too.
For an even more wholesome recipe, I suggest you use homemade bread -just see one of my previous recipes for easy bread-making!

Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:
2-4 slices of bread - preferably whole wheat, but here are other ideas: white, rye, potato, oatmeal
4 eggs
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup diced ham
1 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella chesse
Salt & pepper
Skim milk

Directions:
Preheat oven at 375F.
Place slices of bread - or cut them into crumb-size pieces - on tray and pour a little milk on top.
In a separate bowl, mix ingredients in the order above. Add salt to taste.
Pour mixture on top of bread in the tray. Put tray in the oven.
Bake casserole for approx. 25min at 350F or until top is brown.
Too make sure the casserole is ready, insert a knife or fork in it. If the utensil comes out dry, it is ready to serve.
If it is still wet, make small wholes on the top and place tray in the oven again until fully cooked.

Utensils needed:
A 9-inch square tray - can be round too

Serve with tea & milk and/or Tang orange juice and fresh strawberries.

Here is my South Beach Diet tip: for an even healthier and lower-calory meal, exclude the cheese from the list of ingredients and serve casserole accompanied with reduced fat cottage cheese.