A healthy way to start your day, an announcement, gift and news

Wow, this is a huge title: isn’t it? But I had a lot of news to share with you, dear readers.

I am so excited because for the first time I received something related to my blog. This beautiful eco shop bag above,

a button with my site name included.

The package arrived a few days ago by mail from Food Buzz, and I was touched with this present. Thanks to the kind crew from Food Buzz.

So lets use only cotton bags to s our shopping in grocery , markets etc. and forget all plastic bags. Something is getting wrong . Today the whether was weird (82,4F in winter !! Last winter at this same time was snowing, do you believe it ??)

The second thing was that my dear friend and chef Carlos Bertolazzi has a new site : C.U.C.I.N.A. Last year Carlos stayed in Roses (Spain) and guesses what??

Last year, he did an internship with the most creative European chef, Ferran Adria, in his restaurant El Bulli This guy had a such a great talent and clever, and is a pretty sweet person too .Take a look at his site and if you need a five star catering service this is the right place.

And finally Laylita of Laylita´s recipes has tagged me for a meme called 10.

Here are the rules:
1. Post 10 of your own favorite food shots.
2. Pass the opportunity on to others by leaving a message on their comments page just so they’re aware of it.

So here are my top ten favorite food photos:

I am tagging

Dhanggit

Kate

Lori Lynn

And after you read this wonderful news I wanna let you an important tip to think and eat in your next morning

You know, mornings can be mayhem or magical--depending on your outlook on A.M. activities. Most of us would settle for somewhere in between. And that's doable, if you rethink the moments between your feet touching the floor and heading out the door.

Here is one way to get your day off to a healthy start

Break the fast. Fuel yourself with a high-fiber breakfast that includes whole grains, fruit and low-fat protein.

Ingredients

• 2 cups natural low fat yogurt, divided (or other flavors)
• 1 cup granola cereal divided (I prefer homemade)
• Preserved cherries or fresh strawberry (optional)

Directions

1. Place 1/3 cup of granola in a bowl. Top with half of the yogurt.
2. Repeat layers.

Top with remaining granola and add preserve cherries (or another favorite fresh or preserved fruit).

Pears , roquefort and almond tart

Some days we are so tired that the only things that we want are, take a shower and sleep. Is exactly what I want. This last week was an exhaustive marathon for me. I took out all my kitchen stuffs, empty drawers and move furniture. My kitchen remolding begins tomorrow. Yes, my friends. I promise that I be patient. So, I start to cook simple and quick meals with ingredients that I have in my fridge like this tart.

Pears, Roquefort and almonds tart

Ingredients

2 sheets frozen puff pastry

• 4 shallots, chopped fine
• 4 pears not peeled and fine sliced
• 100g Roquefort (or another blue cheese) smashed
• 50g almonds (sliced)
• Butter

Method

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

• Roll out the pastry and cut in medium size circles

• Place circles of dough on baking sheet.

• . Prick holes throughout pastry using a fork. Bake 10 minutes. Remove and cool on wire rack.
• Cover the pastry with a fine layer of shallots

• Pour the pears sliced and sprinkles with Roquefort and almonds

• Pour small pieces of butter on top

• Bake for 20 minutes or until gold. Accompanied with endive or lettuce salad

Idea for a Birthday brunch

I am planning my husband’s birthday. So, again I quite busy We decide that we didn’t make anything, because we thought that at this time our kitchen remolding begin just, maybe, dinner out But my husband’s family is huge as well friends. So, my husband decide on last Sunday, that will be a great idea make something In his words “something simple, like order pizza“But, I know myself and nothing is simple for me I can’t simply serve a few sandwiches and cupcakes. Or order pizza for my guest I refuse to do this.

At the same time that he said this to me I started to plan his birthday. I had just a few days to prepare all and in this moment of panic my mind was illuminated for a brilliant idea. (Thanks God) I would make a brunch

I like brunches because I can come up with a menu that requires very little effort on my part and because Sunday afternoon is a time when people are ready to relax and kick back. I’m going to tell you how I will plane do Sunday brunch and hopefully my ideas will help you. Then you can change things around to suit your tastes

I like to keep the brunch menu simple so that I can enjoy my guests. I planned to make assorted tarts, pies and savory cakes, as well. Fresh salad served in verrines (to add color).

I pretend offer some different kind of cheeses., canapés and fresh breads My choice for tarts was because you can prepare the day before you’re going to serve it, and refrigerate it overnight, or freeze it. In the morning before brunch, I simply have to bake it for an hour. I will served

• Rocket and pistachio savory cake
• Quiche Lorraine
• Spanakotyropita
• Broccoli Salmon Tart
• Chicken curry pie
• Roasted red onion and fresh cheese tart
• Tuna in sun dried tomato sauce tart
• Dried Williams’s pears stuffed with blue cheese
• Dried figs stuffed with Roquefort
• Caprese Salad in brochettes
• Smoked salmon canapés colored with beet
• Finger sandwiches
• Savory Swiss rolls

I promise that in my next post I will publish the recipes

For beverages, I pretend serve fresh fruits juice, iced tea water and soft drinks for the kids. We keep the fixings on hand in case someone wants to turn their orange juice into a mimosa or their tomato juice into a bloody Mary. Some cold sparkling wine will be in these selections, as well sangria too. Just before everyone leaves I’ll often serve dessert, I guess ice cream, unless my pastry tray contained and of course the cake and champagne.

My idea for decoration is keep it very simple. I want put a pretty tablecloth on my dining where I put the food and fresh and colorful flowers. The brunch will be serve buffet style and I set up a “help yourself” beverage station in small tables around the room and if not rain in tables in the garden.

I don’t plan any activities for brunch, though I do usually have some soft jazz and bossa nova playing in the background. This party is all about relaxing and catching up with relatives and friends we might not have seen in a while. Clean up is easy, and I often send leftovers home with guests. As you can see, a brunch is a party anyone can give. It requires little preparation (when you have a few guest, in my case I have 30) and simple foods work well.

French Toast and roasted peaches

After cooking and baking for a week for Christmas dinner, I was exhausted and my husband and I decide pass New Year’s Eve in a romantic home dinner. I roasted salmon, Caesar Salad and chocolate Mousse for dessert.

But traditions are traditions

As usually, yesterday I started my day making French toast. Is tradition in my family start the first morning of the year with French toast. Don’t ask me why. I don’t know how this tradition started, but my grand grand mom made for her children, then my mom and my sister and now is my turn
This time I made with panettone slices and garnish with baked peaches

4 slices of panettone
2 egg yolks
Pinch of cinnamon
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tbsp. caster sugar1 tbsp. unsalted butter
Icing sugar
In a large bowl, combine milk, egg yolks, sugar and cinnamon. Beat well with a whisk until mixed.
In a large pan, I used an iron pan; melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, dip the slice in the cream mixture.
Saute the Panettone in the butter for a few minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate
Sprinkle with ice sugar.

Roasted Peaches

3 fresh peaches
2 tbsp.organic brown sugar
1 tbsp butter

Wash well the peaches, cut in longitudinal shape and take of the pit.
Transfer for a shallow roasting pan and sprinkle whit brown sugar.
Cut butter in small squares and put over the fruit.
Take from preheat oven (about 220°C) for 6 or 8 minutes for each side
If you like, you can sprinkle the peaches with chopped pistachios too

Brocolli, blue chesse tarte

I've been busy all week. Spending time in checking my Christmas tree stuffs

I don’t know why, but all year happen the same thing, the rice lights insist in don’t work, and every year I've wasted my time and money on buying new ones. But Christmas is my favorite holyday and is once time in the year. So, I do those things with joy.

I’ve been planning Christmas’s eve dinner, Christmas brunch and shopping too.

And testing new recipes.

One of them is this tart made with philo dough and filled with blue cheese; broccoli and sprinkle with Sardo cheese. I love the texture, crunchy outside and creamily fill inside .And the most important, it was approved by my husband :)

Broccoli, blue cheese tarte

Ingredients

80 grams philo dough, which you can buy or substitute for puff pastry

350 grams broccoli

1 small chopped onion

200 ml cream

2 eggs yolk

Thread of olive oil

50 grams blue cheese

30 grams grated sardo cheese for sprinkle; you may use Parmesan too

Directions

Pre heat the oven

Put a thread of olive oil in a skillet and take to the heat. Add the chopped onions and

cook until the onions stay transparent. Then add the broccoli washed and clean, cut in small pieces. When the broccoli be hard green and tender, retire from de heat. In blender, measure cream; eggs and blue cheese. Mix on high speed for 2 minutes. Check the salt and pepper .Reserve

Put three layers of philo dough on a damp towel. Sprinkle with some melted butter (just a little bit) and then sprinkle 1/4 of the breadcrumbs to make a second layer. Take a round or rectangular pie pan .Put on the three layers of pilho dough Pour the broccoli and onion mix and put the blended mix over. Pour on top grated sardo cheese. Bake in medium temperature (180ºC or360ºF) for 15 or 20 minutes.

Caramalized onion, spinach and blue cheese Quiche

Yesterday I observed that it dawns earlier and the first buds are appearing in the plants, it would seem that the spring is almost, almost in the air. Thinking on that and in fresh vegetables, that I thought of making a tart with vegetables and I remembered of this tart that toward a lot that I not made. This tart is one of my best recipes of salted pastries, it was retire of Cordon Bleu book, they have a stupendous mixture of flavors. And it is perfect for a brunch or a hot first plate

For the crust

200G of flour

1 coffee spoon salt

100 G cold butter

1 Egg lightly beating

1 Tablespoon cold water

Mix with the thumbs the flour with salt and the butter until it resembles each other to grated fine bread. Make a crown and in the center put the water and the egg until obtaining a homogeneous mixture. Cover with a paper film and take to the refrigerator during at least 20 minutes. Stretch out and put in anointed pan of 24 cm for 3,5 cm. And take another time to the refrigerator

For the filler

2 Tablespoons of oil vegetable

500G onion cute in fine rings

1 Tablespoon of dessert of sugar

100 Ml red wine or Port wine, as suggested yesterday, speaking with Daniel

50 G of butter

250 G of frozen or fresh cooked spinach

A tiny piece of nutmeg

200Grs of blue strong cheese, roquefort, stilton or Gorgonzola

200ml butter cream

4 Beaten eggs

Fry the onion in the oil during approximately eight minutes until this transparent one. Increases the heat and put the sugar allow to caramel for more 5 minutes and adds the wine and allow to boil until evaporate. Reserve.

In a saucepan heat the butter cream, don't boil, I used 0% fat. Put the cheese cut in squares to melt. After melting, wait to cool and to increase the eggs. Mix well

Put 50 g in butter in a fry pan and fry the spinach, season with salt and nutmeg. Wait until cold

Mix the spinaches with the mixture of heavy cream and cheese and if it is necessary correct the salt

Fill putting the onions and at once up the cream mixture of spinaches, heavy cream and cheese. Bake until be golden

I hope you enjoy.