Friday, February 21, 2014

Rigatoni With Sausage and Parmesan

Rigatoni With Sausage and Parmesan 

Serves 4-5


Ingredients:
500 g rigatoni pasta 
4 oz mushrooms, sliced 
3 garlic cloves 
1 onion, sliced
2 table spoons olive oil 
2 eggs 
1/2 cup  freshly grated parmesan 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 
8 oz heavy whipping cream 
1 lb italian pork sausage, cut into chunks
1 cup dry white wine 
1 table spoon butter


Place the olive oil, onion and sausage to cook, on medium heat. Cook until the sausage is cooked.


In another frying pan place the butter and cook the mushrooms. Put salt and pepper to your liking.


Once the sausage is cooked and the mushrooms place the mushrooms in the same frying pan as the sausage. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat, and let it simmer until the wine is reduced by half. While that is cooking go ahead and cook the pasta. 


In a bowel whisk the heavy whipping cream, half of the cheese and the egg.


Add the mixture to the the frying pan and let it cook for about 5 minutes stirring constantly. After about 5 minutes pour the sauce over the pasta, add the rest of the parmesan, add the parsley, and salt and pepper if needed.


This an extremely easy recipe and quick took me about 30 min to prepare and cook. 
The taste is absolutely Devine
Hope You Enjoy!!!


Friday, September 6, 2013

Strawberry, Banana, Buttermilk Pancakes








Pancakes 
Strawberry. Banana . Buttermilk
3 Recipes in 1!!!

                    Serving 8-10 pancakes











Ingredients: 

Pancake mix
(for which ever pancake you choose)
1 cup- milk
1 cup- flour
3 tbsp- melted butter
1- egg
2 tsp- baking powder
1/4 tsp- salt
1tsp- vanilla extract 
2 tbsp- sugar 

Regular Buttermilk 
maple syrup
Butter

Banana
Banana
maple syrup
cinnamon (optional)
whip cream (optional)

Strawberry
strawberries 
1 cup- sugar
2 tbsp- water
whip cream (optional) 


After chooseing 1 of the 3 recipes you want to start out by making the pancake mix. It doesn't matter witch recipe you choose start out by scramble your egg, make sure its well scrambled so your pancake doesn't taste like egg.


Mix all your dry ingredients in a bowl, making a well in the middle: sugar, salt, baking powder, and flour


 Add all your wet ingredients: melted butter at room temperature, vanilla extract, scrambled egg, and milk. Using a whisk mix all your ingredients. Don't worry if you have sum clumps, and try not to mix too much.


        Strawberry pancake ONLY: with a fork                      Banana pancake ONLY: with a fork 
       smash about 4-6 small strawberries, and mix                     smash 1/2 a banana, and mix it in with 
                 it in with your pancake mix.                                                    your pancake mix.
   
Make sure your pan is hot, place a little bit of butter, and pour in some of your pancake mix, on Medium heat. When it starts bubbling on top check to see if its golden brown on the bottom and flip it over.


Your pancake should look something like this 


Once your done making all your pancakes, regular, strawberry or banana...

Buttermilk Pancake ONLY:
Place a cube of butter in the middle drizzle your maple syrup. Since this pancake mix doesn't have any fruits inside you can put whatever you desire on top. 


Banana Pancake ONLY:
Chop up some bananas place them on top, drizzle some cinnamon, maple syrup, and add whip cream. 


Strawberry Pancake:
This is optional if your making your strawberry pancake or any pancake you can make the strawberry syrup from scratch. By chopping up 6-8 strawberries in little tiny cubes. 


Place them in a pan with 1 cup of sugar and 2 tbsp of water. Cook for about 3-5 minutes. 

 Once its done cooking, you can leave your syrup with the strawberries or you can drain them out like I did. 



Once you drain them or even if you don't place your syrup in the fridge or freezer to get cold.


On your pancakes drizzle your strawberry syrup, place some strawberries on top, and add whip cream 


Hope you guys ENJOY!!!

Substitutes: for the pancake mix I really wouldn't mess around with it too much in my opinion, because it changes the consistency and taste. You can use whole milk, 1% or 2% if you want to make it healthier. But the fatter the milk the better the pancake, you can also reduce some of the butter. Try replacing the milk with almond milk to make it even more healthier. Other then that I would keep the recipe as is.

Tips: For the strawberry syrup  I suggest you do more then what is required and you can always place it in the fridge to use it whenever you want. With this pancake mix the pancakes come out kinda of thin, which to me is perfect but I know some people like thick pancakes, so all you do is add flour little by little until it's as thick as you want it, try not to add too much or else your pancake will taste like nothing but flour.

I haven't done pancakes that much so I have yet to perfect the pancake mix. This one is good but I think it could be better if you have any tips I would appreciate it, go ahead and leave me a comment. I did not make this recipe I looked up many different pancake recipes and kinda made into my own changing things here and there to make it taste how I think it should, or shall I say to my liking. I have to say that the banana pancake WAS my favorite until I tasted the strawberry one. It was the first time doing the strawberry one with the syrup and In my opinion it is the best strawberry pancake I have ever eaten. I hope you guys like my recipes PLEASE comment and let me know



Friday, August 30, 2013

Join me every FRIDAY

Delicious food always brings a smile to someones face. So all you food lovers out there JOIN ME every FRIDAY before 10 pm, may it be a simple snack, a gourmet dinner, or a cooking tip It will be up on my blog. Hope to bring a smile to your face with my delicious recipes. Don't forget to subscribe :)

Cucumber Salade

Cucumber Salade
100 calories
serving 1-2


Ingredients:
Pinch of pepper
1/4- tsp salt
1/2- tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4- tbsp lemon juice 
1/2 of 1- garlic clove



Peel your cucumber, then chop it up in very thin slices. Put in the salt, pepper, garlic, lemon, and olive oil, mix it up well. Taste it to make sure theres enough salt and pepper to your liking. 


Enjoy!!!

Substitutes: instead of lemon juice- you can use apple vinegar, instead of olive oil- you can use regular canola oil. 

Tips: This recipe takes about 5 minuets and it is very easy. It can be served with anything, and is great for hot summer days. The calories that I posted above is how many calories mine came out to, it might not be the same for you, it all depends on the ingredients that you use.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Brazilian White Sauce Lasagne Bolognese

Brazilian White Sauce Lasagne Bolognese
serving 6 - 8


Ingredients: 
18 oz (2 boxes)- oven ready lasagna
16 oz- mozzarella
25g- Basil

Bolognese Sauce
1 tbsp- salt
1 tbsp- pepper
3/4 cup- onion
4- minced garlic cloves
2- tomatos
10g- italian parsley
2 lb- ground beef
22.5 oz (1 1/2 cans)- tomato sauce

White Sauce
1 tbsp- salt
1/2 tbsp- pepper
 6 tbsp- flour
3 tbsp- butter
1/4 tsp- nutmeg
4 & 1/2 cups- milk
1 tsp- dijon white wine mustard


Before starting: Please remember to include dijon mustard it is listed under ingredients, but I forgot to include in the above picture.  I also want to mention this recipe takes anywhere from 2 to 3 hours depending on how fast of a cook you are. I recommend to separate the recipe into 2 to 3 days. I will explain how you can do so at the end of the recipe under tips. 


Chop up the tomatoes, basil, parsley, onion, and mince all the garlic groves. 


Make sure the tomatoes and onions are cut in tiny small squares and when chopping the basil make sure there not to small.


 bolognese sauce 
(look under Bolognese sauce ingredients for the amount of each ingredient)

In a tall frying pan place 2 tbsp of oil, minced garlic gloves, and onions. On medium to low heat, stirring at all times. 



Let the ingredients cook for 1 minute or until it looks something like the picture above. Then add in the tomatoes and let it cook for another minute. Stirring at all times.  



Add in the ground beef, salt, and pepper. Cook it for about 6 to 10 minutes on high heat, stirring occasionally. Keep in mind its okay if your meat creates water and it's not really frying.  



Add in the tomato sauce and parsley. 


At this point your bolognese sauce is almost ready make sure to taste it for flavor. The 1 tbsp of salt and pepper is only to start out with, you may need to put more. Place a lid and lower the heat to low, let it cook for about 5 to 10 minuets or until it start boiling. Once it starts boiling go ahead and turn the fire off, and your bolognese sauce is ready.


White Sauce
(look under white sauce ingredients for the amount of each ingredient)

In a tall frying pan place the butter, onions, and minced garlic gloves, on medium heat.  



Cook it for about 1 minute. Stirring at all times.


Add only 3 & 1/2 cups of milk.


Place the rest of the milk in a cup with the flour. Stir it really good taking out all the clumps.


Place the cup of milk thats mixed with flour with the other milk thats cooking. Add the nutmeg, mustard, salt, and pepper. On a medium to low heat make sure to stir at all times. Be careful with the nutmeg and the mustard, they have really strong flavors which could possible over power the other flavor.


After a while the white sauce will thicken, you want to make sure its REALLY thick. If your sauce is not really thick you might need to get another tbsp of flour mixed in with a little bit of milk, and put it in the sauce. If your sauce tastes like flour or has no taste, you might need more salt and pepper, nutmeg or mustard. PEASE be carful with the nutmeg and mustard to not put too much as this can over power the other flavor. If your sauce clumps up, like mine did, use a blender to take out all the clumps. keep in mind that when you use a blender it will make the sauce thiner thats why before using the blender make sure your sauce is nice and thick and tasting exactly how you want it to. 


Place out all your ingredients to start building your lasagna. Pre- heat your oven to 350 ยบ F


(My Pan Size L: 12 1/2in W: 8 1/2in H: 2in )
The pan size that you use does not really matter because you can always use two if you need to, just try not to use one thats too big. I did write the size of mine above. You want to start out buy placing a layer of white sauce on the bottom. 


Place a single layer of lasagna sheet on the bottom of the pan. Its okay if there's space in between like mine because they expand when cooked.


Place your bolognese sauce with some mozzarella for your first layer. 
Go ahead and do not be scared to use your bolognese sauce and your white sauce as much as you want when building your lasagna, because you have plenty. On the other hand be careful to not use all your mozzarella inside because you need enough to cover the top. 


Then place the white sauce with mozzarella and basil leaves. 


Those are the two layers of lasagna all the way until you reach the top of the pan. You should have about 7 layers. 

layer 1- ONLY white sauce on the bottom 
layer 2- bolognese & mozzarella 
layer 3- white sauce, mozzarella, basil
layer 4- bolognese & mozzarella 
layer 5- white sauce, mozzarella, basil
layer 6- bolognese & mozzarella 
layer 7- White sauce & cheese ONLY

When you reach layer 7 which is the last layer you want to pour the rest of your white sauce on top,on  the sides, and all over your lasagna. Cover the top with the rest of your mozerella. 


Cover with an aluminum foil.


Place it in the oven to cook for 30 minuets, when its done un cover it and let it cook for another 15 minuets. 


ENJOY!!!

Substitutes: To make sure this recipe is healthier you can always light butter and oil, make sure you buy meat that has less fat, low fat mozzarella, and either 1% or 2% milk. I used 2% milk but you can also use whole milk. This recipe is really easy because you can use any type of ingredient and it would not really change much of the flavor, any type of tomato sauce, milk, mozzarella, butter, parsley,  or flour. It douse not have to be exactly what I have on the ingredient picture.

TIPS: If for some reason you do not have a lot of time to do this recipe from start to finish you can break it down into 2 to 3 days, which I do recommend. Day 1 make sure all your ingredients are chopped and ready for cooking on the next day, day 2 make both of your sauces and  leave it in the fridge, and day 3 put together your lasagna and place it in the oven. You can also make your lasagna a week prior to the date your going to serve it, as long as you place it in the freezer, and on the day your going to serve it just keep in mind it might take more then 45 minuets to cook. I personally have not done that yet so I don not know how it would come out, but Im pretty sure that it would taste just as good and look just as good.

If you have some white sauce left over you can always save it and pour it on top of some chicken with mozzarella, or make some spaghetti and use it as the sauce. If you have some bolognese sauce left over you can save it and eat it with anything really, rice, mash potatoes, or spaghetti.  If your wondering what I used to decorate my lasagna on top, I  put some thyme leaves which gives it a really nice flavor. When it comes to decorating your plate you can use anything really, even basil and parsley if you want.