Arrivederci Giada dinner for IHCC!

Well it's time again, to say goodbye to another chef at I Heart Cooking Clubs. The past six months we have been cooking with Giada De Laurentiis!Very well known all over the world, but i didn't know her!(six months ago).
To get to know her i started with a little research on the internet about her. Reading true her own website GiadaDeLaurentiis.com and ofcourse Wikipedia(what would we do without)and the foodnetworksite, i really found out a lot about her.
One of the most important things i found out, is that she is an Italian and that she cooks Italian. So i was eager to start cooking(because i like italian).
Halfway true the six months i lost this sence of cooking Giada's recipes, Stil don't know why exactly. One of the things i do love Giada about is all her great Mascarpone recipes like this one. This is my favorite recipe an i will be making this again.

But for this week i have prepared a little dinner to say Arrivederci!

Sweat pea CrostiniWith
Apple and Thyme Martini


Crunchy parmesan chicken tenders
served with
Penne with sun-dried tomato pesto

Panna Cotta with fresh berries



Posting this to:
- I Heart Cooking Clubs( Arrivederci Giada! last week of cooking with Giada, next week we will start cooking with Jamie Oliver for the next six months)

Panna Cotta with fresh berries

Recipe can be found here
Courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis

Cook time: 7 minutes(waiting 6 hours)
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon unflavored powdered gelatin
3 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch salt
2 cups assorted fresh berries

Directions
Place the milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Pour milk mixture into a heavy saucepan and stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves but the milk does not boil, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, honey, sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour into 6 wine glasses so that they are 1/2 full. Cool slightly. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours.

Spoon the berries atop the panna cotta and serve

Notes:
My first attempt ever at making Panna cotta. Ofcourse there had te be a first time for failure also, since i started this cooking blog. Everything has been going well untill now.

You can see the two different layers in the glass, so i wanted to find out why it happend. After reading some more panna cotta recipes, i thought it was because of the cooling down. In giada's recipe the cooling is after youve poured it into the wine glasses, but in all the other recipes this happens before. So i put the saucepan in my sink(with a bottom of cold water), kept stirring and after that poured it into the glasses. It worked! the panna cotta came out fine after that and tasted creamy delicious. No fresh berries in season now so used frozen.

Posting this to:
- I Heart Cooking Clubs( Arrivederci Giada! last week of cooking with Giada, next week we will start cooking with Jamie Oliver for the next six months)

The link to my Arrivederci dinner is here!

Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Recipe can be found here
courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

cooking time: 12 minutes
yields: 6 servings

Ingredients
4 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders (about 18)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
3/4 cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs

Directions
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.(260 degrees C.)

Brush 1 tablespoon of oil over each of 2 heavy large lined baking sheets. Place the buttermilk in a large bowl. Add the chicken tenders and stir to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash the garlic with the salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and then the remaining 1/2 cup of oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with pepper. Transfer the vinaigrette to a small serving bowl.

Stir the Parmesan and bread crumbs in a pie dish. Remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk and dredge them in the bread crumb mixture to coat completely, pressing to adhere. Arrange the coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the chicken tenders and bake until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Transfer the chicken tenders to a platter and serve the vinaigrette alongside for dipping.

Posting this to:
- I Heart Cooking Clubs( Arrivederci Giada! last week of cooking with Giada, next week we will start cooking with Jamie Oliver for the next six months)

The link to my Arrivederci dinner is here!

Penne with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Recipe can be found here
Courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis

cooking time: 15 minutes
yields: 4 servings


Ingredients:
12 ounces penne pasta
1 (8.5-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
2 garlic cloves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan.

Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.

Posting this to:
- I Heart Cooking Clubs( Arrivederci Giada! last week of cooking with Giada, next week we will start cooking with Jamie Oliver for the next six months)

The link to my Arrivederci dinner is here!

Sweet Pea Crostini

Recipe can be found here
Courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
Sweet Peas:
2 cups chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen peas
1/4 cup fresh chopped mint
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 ounces finely diced prosciutto

Crostini:
1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
3 to 4 cloves garlic

Directions
For the Sweet Peas: Warm the chicken broth and red pepper flakes in a medium
saucepan over medium-high heat until the broth boils. Add the frozen peas and cook until the peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the peas in a mesh sieve.

Place the peas in a food processor with the mint, salt, and pepper. Puree the pea mixture. Place the pea puree in a medium bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the crostini: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the baguette slices on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the oven until toasted and golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. While the crostini are still warm, drizzle the tops with extra-virgin olive oil. Using a whole clove of garlic in your fingertips, rub the top of the crostini a few times to give a hint of garlic.

To finish, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the pea puree. Top each of the crostini with about 1 tablespoon of pea puree. Sprinkle with a bit of the diced prosciutto. Serve immediately.

Posting this to:
- I Heart Cooking Clubs( Arrivederci Giada! last week of cooking with Giada, next week we will start cooking with Jamie Oliver for the next six months)

The link to my Arrivederci dinner is here!

Roasted baby potatoes with herbs for Spud week! at IHCC

After this week we only have left one more week of cooking with Giada. Also after two weeks of Voting our Next chef is finally announced. We could vote for Rick Bayless, Bobbie Flay or Jamie Oliver. Mr. Flay was the least favorit, and it became clear very soon that Jamie or Rick
Would become our chef for the upcoming six months.
Mr. Oliver did it he won the vote with more then half of the votes.

Recipe can be found here
Courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis

Cooking time: 1 hour
Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients
1/2 pound small red-skinned potatoes (about 1 3/4-inch diameter), scrubbed
1/2 pound small white-skinned potatoes (about 1 3/4-inch diameter), scrubbed
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence, plus extra for garnish
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the potatoes into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the herbs, garlic, and oil together until blended, and then pour over the potatoes. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer the potatoes to a heavy large baking dish, spacing them evenly apart.

Roast the potatoes until they are tender and golden, turning them occasionally with tongs, about 1 hour. Transfer the roasted potatoes to a decorative platter and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and herbes de Provence, if desired. Serve hot or warm.



Admitting this to:

Apple and Thyme Martini

The exact origin of the Martini is unclear however the most likely explanation is that it was simply a shortening of the main ingredient, Martini branded vermouth. One popular alternative suggests it evolved from a cocktail called the Martinez served at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco in 1862, which people frequented before taking an evening ferry to the nearby town of Martinez. Another theory links the origin of the Martini to the name of a bartender who concocted the drink at the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City in 1911.

The original Martinez cocktail consisted of two ounces of Italian Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth, one ounce Old Tom sweet gin, two dashes maraschino liquor, one dash bitters, shaken, and served with a twist of lemon.By the end of the 19th century, the martini had morphed into a simpler form: two dashes of Orange bitters, mixed with half a jigger of dry French vermouth and half a jigger of dry English gin, stirred and served with an olive.

But it was Prohibition and the relative ease of illegal gin manufacture that led to the martini's rise as the predominant cocktail of the mid 20th century. With the repeal of Prohibition, and the ready availability of quality gin, the drink became progressively dryer. In the 1970s and 80s, the martini came to be seen as old-fashioned and was replaced by more intricate cocktails and wine spritzers, but the mid-1990s saw a resurgence in the drink and an explosion of new versions.

Some of the newer versions (e.g., appletini, peach martini, chocolate martini), take their name not from the ingredients, but from the cocktail glass they share with the martini.

If you have read al that information you will see in giada's recipe there is only vodka. So it's a very modern take on Martini with even a pinch of thyme, this is where the homemade thyme syrup that i posted earlier this week comes in.
After taking my first sip of it , i almost spit it out because the vodka was to strong for me. I had to ad some more apple juice to make it drinkable. Then the taste was fine i liked the Thyme in it but my boyfriend(from now i will reference to him with Mr. R)totaly didn't. I would chance the amount of vodka and applejuice to use in this recipe with each other the next time.

Recipe can be found here
Courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis


serves: 4
Ingredients
Ice
10 ounces vodka
6 ounces apple juice
1/4 cup thyme syrup, recipe posted earlier on my site
1 large apple, peeled
4 fresh thyme sprigs

Directions
Special equipment: melon baller

Chill the martini glasses.

Fill the shaker with ice. Combine the vodka, apple juice, and thyme syrup in a martini shaker. Shake for about 10 seconds. Divide between the 4 chilled martini glasses.

Use the melon baller to scoop out small balls of apple. Place 3 balls of apple and 1 sprig of thyme in each glass for garnish. Serve immediately.




Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martini_(cocktail)

Thyme Simple Syrup and some facts about thyme

Thyme Simple Syrup:
Recipe can be found here
Courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis

Did you know this about thyme:

-That there are over 350 different species of Thyme.
-We mostly use Thymus vulgaris for cooking.
-Thyme has a long history of use in natural medicine in connection with chest and respiratory problems including coughs, bronchitis, and chest congestion.
-Thyme has been used since ancient times for its culinary, aromatic and medicinal properties. The ancient Egyptians used it as an embalming agent to preserve their deceased pharaohs.
-The essential oil of common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is made up of 20-54% thymol.[6] Thymol, an antiseptic, is the main active ingredient in Listerine mouthwash.
-Fresh thyme can be stored best in the refrigerator, wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel.
-Thyme is an excellent source of iron, manganese, and vitamin K. It is also a very good source of calcium and a good source of dietary fiber.
-Thyme is native to areas such as Asia, southern Europe and the Mediterranean region and is also cultivated in North America.
-Most Euro­pean languages have related names all deriving from Latin thymus. Examples are German Thymian, Italian timo, Finnish timjami, Estonian tüümian, Dutch tijm, Russian timyan [тимьян], Greek thimari [θυμάρι] and Hebrew timin [תימין].
-The name thyme is borrowed from Latin thymus, which goes back to Greek thymon [θύμον] “thyme”. The Greek plant name is usually put in relation with thymos [θυμός] “spirit”, originally meaning “smoke” (related to Latin fumus “smoke”; cf. “perfume”) and the verb thyein [θύειν] “smoke, cure; offer an incense sacrifice”. The reference is probably the strong, smoky odour of thyme. Yet there is also another, unrelated explanation that the Greek name actually comes from Old Egyptian tham, which denoted a plant used in the mummification process



Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
5 large sprigs fresh thyme

Directions:
In a saucepan combine sugar, water, and thyme over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

You can use this syrup in beverages, drizzle over pancakes, or anything you like. Let me know where you are using it with? I am curious...
I made an Apple Thyme martini with it posting later this week.

Yield: 1 cup

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes



References:
-http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=77
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyme
-http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Thym_vul.html

Chicken tetrazzini for IHCC

Since it still potluck this week, and our time with Giada de Laurentiis over at I heart Cooking clubs is almost up... I decided to make another one of her recipes, for this weeks potluck. The Foodnetwork.com has been my recipe source over the last few months, and i decided to make number 1 from the Giada top 100 recipes, Chicken Tetrazzini.

The preparation took about one hour, but it was word it. Would propably never chosen this recipe myself, but i really had to make something from the top 10 at the very least. Suprised i was that it came out this well, it taste's lovely two. It was definatly worth the try.


recipe from the foodnetwerk
courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis

cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients
9 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 ounces linguine
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup dried Italian-style breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.(230 degrees C.)

Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until pale golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 12 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.

Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.

Croissant Panini for IHCC

It's our last month cooking with Giada de Laurentiis at I Heart Cooking clubs, though i've been missing out on the fun the last couple of months. I am back again this week. Can't waith to hear who whe will be cooking up the next six months, because it's voting time. I hope it will be Jamie...


recipe from the foodnetwork
courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis

Ingredients
4 croissants, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
4 ounces smoked Gouda, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
8 teaspoons grated Parmesan
4 ounces Genoa salami (about 24 slices)
5 ounces arugula


Directions
Heat a panini grill. Divide 1-ounce (1/3 cup) smoked Gouda between 1 top and 1 bottom of a croissant. Sprinkle each half with 1 teaspoon Parmesan. Top each side with about 3 slices of Genoa salami (about 1 ounce of salami per sandwich, total.) Top 1 half of the sandwich with a small handful of arugula. Close the sandwich and continue with the remaining sandwiches. Grill the panini until the cheese melts, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Cut each sandwich into thirds. Place the remaining arugula on a serving platter. Place the warm sandwich slices on the arugula. Serve hot.

Creamy red pepper soup for IHCC

So it's already the 9th week that whe are cooking with Giada over at i heart cooking club, one thirth of our time with her is up. Wath do hou think of her and her cooking? Because i don't know it yet..
I have to confess i still don't own a book of Giada, running true her recipes online is that one of my problems with her or that i can't easily make a lot of her recipe because i can't get the ingredients.
The stuff i did cook i liked but i wasn't amazed by most of them, so maybe i can still change this feeling around with some help of you all.


This week theme is: warm the belly, fill the soul.
Right now as i'm working on this post the first snow of the season is falling, what a coinsidence. I love the snow, but you have to know something about Dutch people "they are always complaning about the weather" like "it's to hot" or "it's so cold" and "it's going to snow" they are never satisfied with almost any kind of weather. I on the other hand can't hardly wait till the seasons are changing and snow starts to fall. In my early days after a day of laughter and playing in the snow, trowing snowballs to each other and making the biggest snowman you could, taking sleigh rides and making angels in the snow. My mum would call us in for dinner and she often made soup or a real dutch "stamppot" (Mash pot).
So i'm filling my soul with all this happy chilhood memory's and the love for the snow is falling and warming my belly with this Creamy red bell pepper soup.




Recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis
at the foodnetwork.com

cooking time:45 minutes
Yields: 8 servings

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
6 cups chicken broth
2 (12-ounce) jars roasted red bell peppers preserved in water, drained
1 russet potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 (3/4-inch thick) baguette slices, cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, and thyme and saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, bell peppers, potato, wine, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool the soup slightly.

Using an immersion hand blender, puree the soup in the pot until it is smooth. Alternately, working in batches, puree the soup in a regular blender, taking care while blending warm liquids. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and saute until they are crisp and golden, about 8 minutes.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Dollop a tablespoon of mascarpone in the center of each bowl and top with croutons. Sprinkle with pepper and serve.

Spaghetti with Arugula Pesto and Seared Jumbo Shrimp for IHCC

I've been missing out of last weeks fall theme, but back here with this weeks potluck at IHCC.

My boyfriend has been asking about shrimps so when i came across this recipe, i thougt this would be a delicious simple weeknight meal.
He really loved my choice because he saw no veggies(he isn't a big fan of them), but ofcourse there is already a lot of arugula in the sauce/ pesto. Seems like a great choice to me to! No complaining about the veggies he didn't like because he didn't regonized them.

recipe from foodnetwork.com
Cook time: 15 minutes
yields: 6 servings

Ingredients
2 cups fresh arugula
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound jumbo shrimp
1 pound spaghetti
Lemon zest, for garnish
10 parsley leaves, chopped, for garnish

Directions
Blend the arugula and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup of oil, processing until well blended. Transfer the pesto to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Prepare the grill (high heat). Using a knife, cut the back of the shrimp. Brush the shrimp with oil. Sprinkle with salt. Grill the shrimp until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the pasta with the pesto in the large bowl to coat, adding the reserved cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time to moisten. Top with the grilled shrimp. Garnish with the lemon zest and parsley.

Rice Pudding with Vanilla Bean, Orange and Rum for IHCC

This weeks theme at IHCC is kid at heart.

As a kid i was fond of rice pudding, so made this delicious recipe.

i left out the rum, cause i don't like that.

Recipe from foodnetwork.com
Cook time: 35 minutes
Yields: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
5 cups whole milk
2/3 cup Arborio rice or other short-grain white rice
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons dark rum
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
Orange segments

Directions
Combine the milk and rice in a heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean; add the bean. Bring the milk to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the rice is tender, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes. Mix in the sugar, rum, and orange peel. Discard the vanilla bean. Cook until the mixture thickens, 5 to10 minutes longer.

Spoon the rice pudding into bowls. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 5 hours. Serve with orange segments.

Parisian Steak and Cheese Croissant Sandwiches

This week we are exploring Giada's recipes - Out of Italy!
Over at I Heart Cooking clubs(feel free to join in!)
At first i misunderstood the term "out of Italy" i tought it ment straight out of Italy, but later when the post was made i read it was the meaning to cook up one of giada's non italian Recipes. So lets get her out of her comfort zone and see if she gets comfortable anywhere else to.....

Looking for a recipe to make i came across this Parisian Cheese steak recipe, And i really love Paris. And since i live only a four our drive from this city i've been there only twice in my 29 years of living. Maybe a great idea for a little trip anytime soon, because its been a while. So for know this parisian cheese steak whil have to do...


cook time: 11 minutes
yields: 4 servings
(adapted from the foodnetwork.com)
Ingredients
4 (4-ounce) beef fillet steaks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 croissants
6 ounces Brie cheese, cut into 1/2-inch slices, at room temperature
2 cups arugula
1 cup (about 4 ounces) jarred roasted red bell peppers, thinly sliced

Directions
Season the steaks with salt and pepper. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Cook the steaks for about 5 minutes each side for medium-rare. Set aside for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice the steak, across the grain, into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices.


Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Using a serrated knife, slice the croissants in half lengthwise. In 2 batches, place the croissant halves, cut side down in the skillet and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until lightly toasted. Lay the Brie slices over the toasted croissant halves. Place about 1/4 cup of the arugula on the bottom halves of the croissants. Add the sliced steak. Arrange the red bell pepper on top of the steak. Top with the remaining arugula and add the top of the croissant. Serve immediately.

Mascarpone and Dark Chocolate Cream in White Chocolate Cups for IHCC

The first Month of cooking with Giada has gone by, and I really start to like her cooking already. Al that recipe's with creamy Mascarpone are great.
So this weeks theme is Chocolate cravings(women and their chocolate isn't there a better match). I found another recipe with Mascarpone this time with chocolate ofcourse...

Started with making the white chocolate cups, made them a few days in advance because i didn't had a lot of time this week. They where very easy to make but it took some time cause they have to sit in the freezer before you can put on the second layer of chocolate. They turned out very well, only one of the cups broke wile getting of the paper. Made the chocolate filling today and it was delicious(my boyfriend tasted it, and fell in love immediatly, just like me!)

Here is the recipe
(adapted from the foodnetwork.com)
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
White chocolate curls, for garnish
Directions
Line 8 muffin cups with paper liners. Melt the white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon melted chocolate into each paper liner. Using a pastry brush, coat the chocolate evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the liners. Freeze until the chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. Remelt the white chocolate in the bowl. Spoon 1 tablespoon into each cup and brush over the bottom and up the sides, forming a second coat. Freeze until completely set, about 1 hour.

Melt the bittersweet chocolate in top of a clean double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. At this point, set aside to cool completely.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream and sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Set the whipped cream aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone cheese, melted bittersweet chocolate, orange peel, and vanilla in a large bowl just until smooth and glossy, about 30 seconds (do not overmix). Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in 2 batches. Transfer the mousse to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the mousse into the white chocolate cups. Sprinkle the white chocolate curls over the mousse and serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate overnight, and then let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Halloween Spice Cake

So this week it's this month's Potluck again over on IHCC, We can make any recipe we like as long as it is one from Giada. Since i don't have any cookbooks of her i'm depending on her recipe's online. The site of the Foodnetwork is in Halloween spirit, since it is less then a week till the day. So i thought it would be nice to cook up something special for the holiday, found't this great recipe for this delicious spice cake.

But what kind of day is Halloween? We don't celebrate halloween over here in the Netherlands, but you here a lott about it in american movies and Tv-series. Lets find out..(overhere)



Ingredients
Butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Directions
For the cake: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.

In a large bowl, beat the sugars, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract to blend. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake for 10 minutes. Unmold the cake and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into slices for serving.

Rigatoni Penne with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Served family style is this weeks theme at IHCC. We can make any dish that our familys would love.
So i made this lovely pasta with Mushrooms.

Adapted from the foodnetwork.com
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 pound rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound assorted mushrooms, (such as cremini, shiitake and button), cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

i'didnt had rigatoni so i used Penne.
Giada seemes to love rigatone...

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes until all the liquid evaporates. Add the stock and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the mascarpone cheese. Stir until creamy. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water, and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the mushroom mixture and the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss well to coat pasta, adding the reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the chopped chives. Serve immediately.

Bruschetta with Shrimp, Tarragon and Arugula

So our 6 months with bittman are up, and the new chef was chosen.
And it is Giada de Laurentiis. Since i'm not from the states i really don't now her an her cooking but, i hope i'll get to love her as mutch as i do bitmann after i got to know his cooking;)
To welkom Giada this week where having a Big welkom party at IHCC

(Adapted from the foodnetwork.com)
Ingredients
Toasts:
1 (1-pound) loaf ciabatta bread, trimmed and cut into 14 (1/2-inch thick) slices
Olive oil, for drizzling
1 garlic clove, halved

Topping:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large or 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 pound extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 packed cup arugula, chopped
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
Directions
For the toasts: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.


Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes. Rub the warm toasts with the cut side of the garlic. Set aside.


For the topping: In a medium skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 2 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, to taste, and add them to the skillet. Cook until the shrimp are pink and cooked through about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the shrimp and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.


In the same skillet, add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook over medium-high heat until the tomatoes start to soften, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tarragon, arugula, mascarpone cheese, and chopped shrimp. Stir until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the toasts on serving plates and drizzle with the sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper before serving.