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Cookingbookclub 19

Welcome to a new edition #cookingbookclub, our cooking club, where I propose a book, an author or a site every two months, according to an algorithm only known to me. Lol. :))))

We are thus stepping into year number 4 – wow !!!! – and we will have a theme this year as well, because we will not cook just like that, for the sake of staying in the kitchen. 😛 :))))

If you’ve read yesterday’s article, you already know what it’s all about. This year we are trying to work a little harder on ecological behaviors. So our kitchen is going to turn a little green. We will combine the beautiful with the useful and the books with the eco principles, and we will cook something new, and what we like and speaks to us, and something for friends and family…

Our source of inspiration for the first #cookingbookclub this year is the famous chef David Chang. Became famous after opening his first Momofuku restaurant, he promotes American-Asian cuisine and has many recipes that catch your eye on his website. And if you’ve seen his two documentaries, The Next Thing You Eat and Ugly Delicious, you know what his ideas are about food, respect for it and those who prepare it.

As a result, it seemed like a good choice for the season we are in and to try to find new recipes that would inspire us to cook in such a way as to throw away as little food as possible.

Look for him on the site, on Insta, on Youtube or in the bookstore, because he has about 3 books out, the last one with microwave recipes and if you liked any particular recipe, leave a comment. The recipes I will try will arrive next month. 🙂

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#cookingbookclub #letsgetgreen! because this year our kitchen is turning green.

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Read all the #cookingbookclub articles here. See here all the disasters in the kitchen. And if you’re passionate about #cakesandcoffee, click here. Remember that prevention is easier than treating and that you can’t burn recipes successfully if you don’t know first aid in the kitchen – read more here.

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[thegreenkitchen1] – this year I am throwing away less food

I don’t have a clue about your plans for this year, but the kitchen of big, small and super pink disasters in the wider world has set itself to become a little greener in 2022! That’s why we have a new series, entitled – how else? – the green kitchen, with six beautiful ~~horses~~ episodes, which will appear together with the #cookingbookclub episodes to stimulate us to a little self-reflection and change of behaviors, where appropriate.

If you’ve been reading me for a longer time, you probably know that I believe that everyone can do more and better and that we learn something new every day. In our world, as imperfect as it is, there is still room for improvement in knowledge and behavior, and the kitchen is the right place for experiments. 🙂 If you don’t take my word for it, take a look at the older disasters. 😀

Well, the first thing I would like all of us to put into practice this year is to learn to throw away as little food as possible. I admit, I also throw away spoiled food, because sometimes I don’t get to eat it and it spoils, but I try to minimize the percentage. In today’s consumer world, where you are bombarded daily with advertisements, and offers, and tens of thousands of assortments, it is quite difficult to remain rational.

What strategies can we use to throw away as little food as possible?

I BUY

I make a shopping list

I only buy as much as I need

I check the expiration date

I check ingredients and calories

mix of fresh/ frozen/ canned

I COOK

I generally plan what I cook

I cook as much as I need

I cook what expires the fastest

I try not to burn/ destroy food

I cook healthy, paying attention to calories

I ORDER

I order as much as I need

I order smaller portions if they are too large

I order with the chosen ingredients, if possible

I order healthy, pay attention to calories

What do we throw in the trash?

First of all, perishable food, fresh meat that has not been cooked, vegetables and fruits, dairy products, bread, etc. because we kept them too long or stored them in the wrong conditions. Planning will help us here – to buy what we know we will cook or to order only things that we will consume, so that we can use the ingredients and not generate too much leftovers.

Then we throw away food because it is out of date – it’s a whole story on this topic, but as a general idea, if something has expired at home, if not many days have passed and it looks, smells and tastes ok, then it can probably still be consumed, at everyone’s responsibility. But try to consume it before it expires.

Third, we throw away cooked food, which is either not cooked properly – is raw or burnt, or we don’t need it, or it’s too much. The strategies are very easy: we learn to cook, alone or with the help of friends/ family/ disasters like me. 😀 We learn to cook smaller quantities. We learn to freeze if we make too much. And we learn to prepare ingredients separately (eg sauces or garnishes) so that what we have left can be recombined.

And if you’re used to ordering food, I recommend that this year you look for restaurants that have a food-waste liability policy and ask questions about ingredients, portions, and calories.

Well, what do you say we’re trying to throw away less food this year? 🙂

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#letsgetgreen! because this year our kitchen is turning green. Read all the episodes here. And if you’re a beginner disaster, here is a crash class in cooking.

cakes and coffee, disaster in the kitchen

[cakesandcoffee 21] – trifle to start the year

Morning from 2022! We start the year strong, with recycled leftovers of cakes and other stuff in the fridge, to make room for the next disaster! 😀 😛

From last year I had to try a recipe for dessert from Aunt Martha Stewart. The classic trifle is actually an English recipe and consists of a syrupy sponge, a cream and fruit or fruit jelly, all nicely arranged in a large glass bowl and covered with whipped cream. There are n variants, for all preferences, including visual ones – one-layer or two-layers. LOL.

I made individual portions, because I forgot that I actually have a bigger bowl around the house. :))) The sponge was a muffin with cocoa and grated apples, cut into small pieces and covered in a syrup with pineapple juice and Amaretto (you can use compote or the rest of the champagne :)))). I preferred to use quince puree instead of cream, but you can put pudding or something else that you like. Above, some raspberry leftovers. Whipped cream and homemade chocolate sauce.

Super good, although it needed more some sugar. 🙂

Along with a large cup of hot coffee. And a book to read. 🙂

If you didn’t like it, it means you didn’t put enough alcohol in the dessert. :))))))

May our year be sweet and colorful! And let’s keep our humor, because the ideas for destroying recipes are endless…

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See all the kitchen disasters here. 🙂 If you tried to destroy the recipe in your kitchen and you succeeded, we would like to hear it too, leave us a comment below; also, write to us if you have any questions or concerns. 🙂

Don’t forget that we also have a #cookingbookclub #disasterinthekitchen, where we experiment with new recipes from cookbooks every month. 🙂

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Ep. 194 – mini empanadas with chicken and vegetables

I tried to make empanadas about a year or two ago, but it was such a big miss that I was embarrassed to show it to you. I can only tell you that the puff pastry and the vegetable sauce don’t go well together. :)))

This time I studied the recipes from Martha Stewart – there are countless variations on the site – and I came to the conclusion that I will try to follow (at least) the dough recipe. 😀

Stuffing: a red bell pepper, a bag of Spanish green peppers for baking (found at Lidl, they look like some fat hot pepper and are a bit bitter), a red onion, cleaned, washed and finely chopped; half a carrot, cleaned, washed and put on a small grater; chopped celery stalks; half a boiled chicken breast, finely chopped; a little tomato juice or tomatoes in broth; salt, pepper, coriander, cinnamon, cumin. The vegetables are hardened with a little oil, when they are soft, add the cooked meat, spices and tomato juice and simmer until the sauce is completely reduced (be careful not to burn it!). Leave to cool. If you want vegan, use only vegetables. If you want more – you can clean the fridge, it’s ok, it’s important to like the combination (possibly make a small amount the first time).

Dough: 700g flour, 200g butter and lard (margarine for those who do not serve), salt, baking powder, a cup of water, mixed; a hard, elastic dough comes out, which is stretched with a rolling pin and cut into circles with a shape or a glass (8-10 cm). I rolled out the dough as thin as I could. Place the filling on the circles, then close them in a semicircle. Egg on top, if you don’t forget, like me. For a portion, I think it goes about a quarter – a third of the dough. From this amount you cook for the whole neighborhood. :)))))

In the oven, on a baking sheet, medium heat approx. 30 minutes. Check that it does not burn.

They’re really good. They can be eaten hot or cold. With salsa or a sauce next to it.

Empanadas, which means “in dough”, also exists in the fried version, originating from the Spanish in Galicia. We have a local version, which is made with puff pastry. The dough is also good for pies with English meat or vegetables, those made in the shape of a tart.

And that’s how I destroyed another recipe. 😛

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Don’t forget that we also have a #cookingbookclub #disasterinthekitchen, where we experiment with new recipes from cookbooks every month. 🙂

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Cookingbookclub 18 | Martha Stewart’s recipes

Disaster no. 1: It was supposed to be Potato Galette with Smoked Salmon, but a sort of smoked salmon potato salad came out. Boiled potatoes. Smoked salmon. Some finely chopped sour cucumbers. A dressing of lemon zest with mayo. And that’s it. :))))

Disaster no. 2: the chicken salad tarts turned into a salad with a fork (don’t ask !!). 😀 If you want to make it at home, go to the store and buy ready-made pies (they are in Auchan, you can find them in other stores as well) or use tortilla shells (they are in Carrefour) and you have got rid of the biggest hassle. How to make it: boiled chicken breast – I used chicken breast, chilled and finely chopped mix with version a) diced Granny Smith sour apples and very little finely chopped onion or version b) chopped celery stalks and some fresh horseradish or pickled. Dressing is mayonnaise with lemon and French mustard, salt and pepper. I preferred a dressing with less mayonnaise, which would only give a bit of taste to the salads – that is, don’t put the whole jar !!! :)))))) Aunt Stewart combined mayonnaise with Greek yogurt, with apples.

Disaster no. 3: mini empanadas, you can find the basic recipe on the website. This disaster will have a separate article, just a comment, do not bother to do mini-stuff if you do not have the patience of an old Spanish. :)))) I think that the local version is called “bușeuri”, but I’m still studying the problem and will be coming back. 😀 Anyway, they are great for meals with friends, you make a bowl, put it on the table, put a sauce next to it and you’re done. 😛

It should have been a disaster no. 4, super sweet, but I ran out of energy. :)))))

With this #cookingbookclub article from this year, I wish you as many recipes destroyed before Christmas, on Christmas and after Christmas. And if you burn something good and interesting, call your friends with confidence. 🙂

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#foodfriendslove and whatever would be, don’t forget to enjoy the food, the sun, the earth and to breath <3

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[cakesandcoffee 20] – Zserbó or Greta Garbo cake

Jó reggelt kívánok or morning! From today until Christmas, you can try the best Transylvanian cake every day, Zserbó – Jerbo, Gerbeaud, Greta Garbo or a five-sheet walnut cake, as my grandmother wrote in her recipe book.

The cake is named after Emil Gerbeaud, a Swiss confectioner, chocolate maker and entrepreneur of Hungarian descent, who became famous for his products sold at Café Gerbeaud, opened in 1858 in Budapest. In Silvia Jurcovan’s book, the recipe became known as Greta Garbo.

On the internet you will find recipes with 4 sheets and chocolate icing on top. We like Grandma’s recipe, which doesn’t have icing, but has an extra sheet, because that’s what we know from childhood. 🙂

For about 1 kg of dough from which you will spread 5 thin sheets, about as much as the stove tray you need 500g of flour (plus extra for spreading), 40g sugar, 5g dry yeast, 2 eggs, 100g cream, 30ml milk, 150g butter, 50g lard, vanilla sugar, lemon peel.

Filling: 400g ground walnuts, 130g sugar, 650g apricot jam (you can also use plums jam).

Put the yeast with milk and sugar in a glass and leave it to hydrate for a few minutes, until it starts to make small air bubbles.

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with the food processor. If you mix by hand, then mix the fat with the flour, then add the rest.

Divide the dough into 5 balls and let it sit for about an hour. If it’s too soft, put it in the fridge. From it you will spread 5 thin sheets, about the size of the stove tray, on the floured top.

In the greased pan or on baking paper, place the first sheet, then a layer of jam, a layer of ground walnuts mixed with sugar, then the next sheet and repeat, finally cover with the last sheet.

Bake at 180 degrees for 35 minutes. Cut after it has cooled.

The disaster of me could eat an entire tray! :)))

PS: the piece in the picture is what I managed to save. 😀 😛 :))))))

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Don’t forget that we also have a #cookingbookclub #disasterinthekitchen, where we experiment with new recipes from cookbooks every month. 🙂

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Cookingbookclub 18

We end this year with the #cookingbookclub proposal number 18 (wow!!!). Martha Stewart is an institution itself, she cooks, crochets, plants and when she gets bored she posts on all the social networks and on the website. At 80! :)))

You can search for shows on Youtube or on TV, read her books or choose from the 25,000 recipes on the site (how maaaaany????)

I thought it was a good choice for this Christmas, because you can combine recipes with something beautiful DIY for the holiday table or for the gifts made to loved ones. Most of the time, a box of homemade cookies and a handmade greeting card are more valuable than gifts from the ship. Of course, except for a Tesla. If you want to give me one as a gift, I’ll give up the cakes. LOL.

Until the beginning of next month, you can try Martha’s recipes and if something catches your eye, give me a sign on the disaster’s page.

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#foodfriendslove and whatever would be, don’t forget to enjoy the food, the sun, the earth and to breath <3

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[cakesandcoffee 19] – chocolate cake

If you have the time and ingredients, here’s a quick chocolate cake recipe. 🙂 Just right for coffee. 😛

It’s a classic cake, with a cocoa sponge and a ganache cream, plus some fruit on top for the artistic impression. 😛 We had strawberries, you use what you have.

Ingredients for the sponge: 4 eggs, 4 tablespoons sugar, 4 tablespoons flour, 2-3 tablespoons cocoa, 4-6 tablespoons water, 4 tablespoons oil, a pinch of salt, baking powder.

For the sponge cake, mix the egg whites with the caster sugar, when it is melted, add the yolks, salt, baking powder (you can skip it if you want), oil, and alternatively flour + cocoa and water. A thick, flowing dough comes out and you pour it into a round cake pan, greased with fat and lined with flour or baking paper. In the oven, medium heat, about 30-45 minutes or more – try with a toothpick.

Cream: chocolate ganache, respectively melted chocolate and cream in equal amounts. 400g chocolate and 400g cream. Melt the chocolate cubes on the fire or in the microwave (see if you don’t burn it!!!) and add the cream, stirring until it cools. If more cream comes out, keep it in the fridge and use it for other cakes. 🙂

When the sponge is cold, cut it into 3 slices horizontally; divide the cream into four; assemble the cake: the first slice, a layer of cream, the second slice, the second layer of cream, slice number three and the rest of the cream with which you cover the sides. Arrange the strawberry pieces nicely on top. If you want to syrup the slices on the counter, use fruit compote juice or make syrup from water, sugar and rum.

And if you succeed, try not to eat everything in one day! :))))

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Don’t forget that we also have a #cookingbookclub #disasterinthekitchen, where we experiment with new recipes from cookbooks every month. 🙂

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Cookingbookclub 17 | Stanley Tucci’s recipes

Since we all come from a Traian, of course the list of recipes to try was super-ultra-mega long. 😀 Great thing, at least in my case, that I’m fussy. 🙂

Bruschetta con pomodoro meaning tomato bruschetta: toast, on top of which you put chopped red tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil. I added some celery and roasted peppers.

Prosciutto with figs or prosciutto and figs. Good, simple, fast.

Insalata di rucola, prosciutto, pera, e parmigiano means a salad with arugula, prosciutto, pears and parmesan, plus a dressing with vinegar, mustard and oil, plus some sweet onions (shallots). Well, in the end, all I’ve got were the pig and the pear. :)))

Ziti con broccoli, in short pasta with broccoli; you don’t know, but I went to the shops to look for ziti, only we have many brands of pasta, but few variations. Sad.

Insalata di riso, rice salad, which actually contains two ingredients, rice and peas, plus vinaigrette. Disastrously complicated. :))

I also tried his version of eggplant with parmesan, parmigiana di melanzane, in which he mixes eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms, plus a little chopped onion, with tomato sauce and cheese.

Well, and the pork, the lamb and the beef? We leave something for next year. :))))

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#foodfriendslove and whatever would be, don’t forget to enjoy the food, the sun, the earth and to breath <3

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[cakesandcoffee 18] – plum cake

Because it is the autumn fruit season, today we have a plum cake, a disaster that is easy to make and super delicious. 😛

Basically, we have a sponge cake that we combine with some plums. If you don’t want plums, you can use pears or other seasonal fruits.

For sponge cake we need 4 eggs, 4 tablespoons sugar, 4 tablespoons cold water and 4 tablespoons flour. You got it right, 1 tablespoon of each ingredient per 1 egg.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks; beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and mix them with the mixer (or hand, for advanced :P), then add the caster sugar one by one and mix until it melts; followed by the yolks, water and flour. At the end we have a thicker dough that flows.

I used caster sugar mixed with brown sugar, because I had to finish the leftovers in the bags.

The dough is poured into a greased pan (butter) and lined with a little paper or baking paper. I used a pie tray, but this type of cake is suitable for a higher rectangular tray.

On top we place nicely sliced plums, which have been previously washed, peeled, pitted and sprinkled with breadcrumbs or semolina. And cinnamon powder.

In the preheated oven, on the medium heat, about 20-30 minutes. Try with a toothpick to see if the cake is done. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, then portion.

It is kept in the fridge and about 8 servings come out. Excellent with hot black coffee. 🙂

I’m a big fan of cakes and I prefer the ones with fruits. In addition to everything you make at home, you can control the quality of the ingredients and the classic recipes are free of additives and palm oil. And with seasonal fruit – and even local, if possible. Win-Win for everyone. 🙂

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Don’t forget that we also have a #cookingbookclub #disasterinthekitchen, where we experiment with new recipes from cookbooks every month. 🙂

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