Mother's day deserts!

To follow the homemade AWESOME pizzas, I had to make an awesome desert as well to finish the evening in style. So I decided to make a Chocolate Raspberry Tart.

I changed the recipe a little. Here's what I did:

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TART


Ingredients:
1 ½ cups of Oreo Crumbs
1 Tbsp of Sugar
½ Cup of Melted Butter
1 ¼ cup of Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup of coconut milk, thickened
¼ tsp of Salt
1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
About 3 cups of Fresh Raspberries


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9” tart pan with non stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Press this mixture in the tart pan making sure you press it very evenly. Place it on a baking sheet and refrigerate it for about 20 minutes.

Bake it for about 10 minutes. Let it cool completely.

Place 1 cup of the raspberries in a blender and puree it. Pass it through a fine sieve and get rid of the seeds.

Place the chocolate chips and salt in a bowl and set aside. Place the thick coconut milk in a small sauce pan and bring it to a simmer.

Pour the thick coconut milk over the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes. Stir until the chocolate is all melted and then stir in the raspberry puree and vanilla extract.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the baked tart shell and chill it in the fridge for about an hour and a half. Arrange the raspberries over the top and place it back in the fridge for another hour or so. 

The picture is a little orangy but the tart was deeeeeeeeeeeeeelicous!!!!!!




I also made some Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing.
I used some coconut milk + 2 tsps of lemon juice instead of buttercream milk.
Also, I used less red coloring gel and added some raspberry and beet juice, which you cannot taste once the cupcake is cooked by the way. It's just healthier with less red coloring gel.


And I made some Vanilla cupcakes with raspberry icing.
I added some raspberry juice to the batter and used coconut milk instead of whole milk.

Mothers day Pizzas

For mothers day I decided to make homemade pizzas and turn my kitchen into a pizza buffet!

To satisfy the different palettes, I made 4 different kinds.

The first I tried was a Caprese Pizza. I love Caprese salads so I decided to try the Pizza version. Boy, I didn't go wrong with that one!!!!

 #1: CAPRESE PIZZA

 You will need:

Pizza crust
Pizza sauce (tomato based)
3 medium Tomatoes
1tsp Salt
Fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp of olive oil
250 g fresh mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven at 425°F (220°C).

Start off by slicing the tomatoes into 1/4-in slices.
Place onto paper towel-lined cutting board.
Season both sides with salt and let stand 15 minutes.  
Blot tops of tomato slices with another paper towel.

Slice mozzarella cheese into 1/4-in thick slices


Spread the pizza sauce evenly all over the crust.

Arrange tomatoes, basil leaves and cheese slices in overlapping rows on crust.
Bake 5-10 minutes just until the cheese melts 


Cook’s Tips: Salting tomatoes pulls out the excess moisture, preventing a soggy pizza. Blotting well with paper towels results in a more concentrated flavor

Pizzas are crispier when  baked on a stone pizza pan.

 

#2: ALL DRESSED

Pizza crust
Pizza sauce (tomato based)
1 Sliced peperoni
1 Sliced green peppers
1 sliced tomato
 6 sliced mushrooms
Olives, green and/or black, to taste
1/2  large onion sliced
Basil leaves
Shredded mozzarella, to taste

Preheat oven at 425°F (220°C).

Start off by placing sliced tomatoes onto paper towel-lined cutting board.
Season both sides with salt and let stand 15 minutes.  
Blot tops of tomato slices with another paper towel.


Spread pizza sauce evenly over crust.

Arrange peperoni, vegetables and cheese in overlapping rows on crust.
Bake for 15 minutes.

 #3: VEGGIE DELIGHT

Pizza crust
Pizza sauce (tomato based)
1 Sliced tomato
1 Sliced green pepper
 6 sliced mushrooms
1/2 broccoli cut into little bushels
Basil leaves, to taste
Olives, green and/or black, to taste
1/2  large onion sliced
Shredded mozzarella, to taste

Preheat oven at 425°F (220°C).

Start off by placing sliced tomatoes onto paper towel-lined cutting board.
Season both sides with salt and let stand 15 minutes.  
Blot tops of tomato slices with another paper towel.

Spread pizza sauce evenly over crust.


Arrange vegetables and cheese in overlapping rows on crust.
Bake for 15 minutes.

The fourth pizza that I made was a special order for my sister-in-law because she really doesn't like cheese so I made her a cheese-less All dressed pizza!

Chicken Saltimbocca makes my mouth water

Chicken Saltimbocca. Saltimbocca is Italian for Melts in mouth.
This recipe deserves it's name! Really.

I serves this on Penne and Broccoli...try it!

Serves 4
Ingredients
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves, pounded thinly
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
2 Tbsp of Unsalted Butter
12 Sage Leaves
4 Thin Slices of Prosciutto
½ cup of White Wine
1 cup of Chicken Stock
Salt and Pepper to taste

Process

1) Season the chicken breast on both sides with salt and pepper, place 3 sage leaves on each chicken breast and lay 1 piece of prosciutto on top. Press the prosciutto to kind of stick it to the chicken and set aside.

2) In a large non stick skillet over medium high heat, preheat the olive oil. Add the chicken breast to the hot oil prosciutto side down and let it cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan onto a plate and cover it to keep warm.

3) Add the wine to the pan and let it reduce by half. Add the chicken stock and let that reduce by half as well, about 3 minutes.

4) Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the butter, cook for about 1 minute longer.

5) Drizzle the sauce over the cooked chicken breast and enjoy!

Really, ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!! This is restaurant quality!!

I found this recipe on Laura Vitale's website

Peace <3

Herb and garlic crusted goodness

Last night, i made a Herb and Garlic crusted pork chop I found on Laura Vitale's website 

I've tried this recipe with Pork, Flanc steak, chicken breast's and it fits perfectly with all of them!
I've made this with a side of rice and broccoli , mashed potatoes and asparagus. It's just great!
I prefer the sauce with mushrooms, so I just added some to the original recipe!

Ingredients
4 Small Boneless Pork Chops
1 Large Onion, sliced
5-6 large mushrooms, sliced
¾ of a cup of Chicken Stock
1 Tbsp of Fresh Chopped Parsley
2 tsp of Fresh Chopped Rosemary
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp of Butter
1 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Process,

1) Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper and sprinkle them evenly on both sides with the chopped parsley, rosemary and garlic.

2) Preheat a large non stick pan with about 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat.

3) Add the pork chops and cook for a couple minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove them to a plate and set them aside.

4) Add another tbsp of olive oil, add the onions and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the onions are caramelized. Add chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce, using a wooden spoon scrape all the brown bits. Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Add the pork chops and cook for another 6 minutes or so flipping them half way thru to insure they cook evenly. Remove the pork chops to your serving platter and set aside. To the onion mixture and add the butter. Stir until the butter melt and turn the heat off.

5) Spoon the onion mixture over the pork chops and enjoy!

Really, try this recipe, now, this week! GO! :O)

Peace <3

National Banana Bread Day

I love this day!
I mean:
Banana. Bread. Day. Yeah!

So in honor I made a Peanut Butter & Chocolate Banana Bread with a peanut butter drizzle...with Chocolate Chips...YEAH!

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Banana Bread with a Peanut Butter Drizzle

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Yield: 1 large loaf + 1 small loaf

Ingredients

Bread:
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
  
  
• 4 medium ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup peanut butter, heaping
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 egg
  
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Peanut Butter Drizzle:
• 2 Tbsp peanut butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 2 Tbsp mini chocolate chips
• 
  

Instructions

Bread:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line bottom of loaf pan with parchment paper and then grease/flour the pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. In another large bowl, mash/whisk/mix together the bananas, vanilla, milk, sour cream, peanut butter, oil and egg.
4. Make a well in center of the dry flour mixture and the pour in the wet banana mixture. Using a large spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry. Fold/stir/scrape about 30 strokes or until all the dry is combined.
5. Add the chocolate chips and fold to incorporate.
6. Pour 2/3 of the batter into the large loaf pan. Pour the remaining 1/3 into the small loaf pan.
7. Bake small loaf for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Bake large loaf for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate loaves half way though baking time.
8. Let cool in pans for at least 30 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. 
Peanut Butter Drizzle:
9. Once bread has completely cooled, prepare the drizzle.
10. In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, sugar and milk.
11. Add more/less milk depending on the consistency you desire.
12. Drizzle over the bread and sprinkle with mini chocolate chops.
13. Allow to set for 20 minutes before cutting and serving. 

I found this recipe on http://javacupcake.com/

It was great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peace <3

This pregnancy, I tell you!

In the last months, Due to the, very hard to live with, pregnancy, I have been extreeeeeeeeeeeeeemely lazy!
Either not baking or not cooking or simply not posting about what I did bake n cook!

I'm feeling better now and just in time for my daughter's 2nd birthday bash this week end!
That's right, Clara is turning 2, this Friday, at 8:17am!
I'm so happy to celebrate her. She's a gem! <3

For her big day on Friday I'm planning on making some pasta along with a meat and tomato sauce to go with it... and let's not forget the Garlic bread and a green salad  to accompany the dish. You could say I got my Italian chef hat on for that meal!

I'm also making a cake for that night. I have NOT IDEA whatsoever what kind of cake I'll be going with though... maybe an Italian cake...? lol

Also, on Sunday, we're going to McDonald's to have the big kid's celebration ( my place is just WAAAAAY to tiny for 17 kids and 17 adults!!!! I KNOW! craaaaaaaaaaaaazy!

Since I don't have to think of the "happy"meal to serve, I decided to make a super Sesame Street Cake for Clara. She IS IN LOOOOVVEEE with that show and ALL it's characters! she knows them all!

I'm excited and nervous for this cake. I'm excited because I love to make cartoon cakes and I'm nervous cause, well, she's my most important customer, I want the cake to be super amazing since it's for the most amazing being in the world.

I'll keep post on how the whole week turned out!

P.S. I'm making some cinnamon rolls as we speak!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peace <3

Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies!

OREO STUFFED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES. Need I say more? 

Seriously.

I have been following http://chef-n-training.blogspot.com and she never fails!

Lets just say that I made 2 batches of these bad boys ( 48 cookies) and by the end of the night, the 3 grown men that were at my house devoured the cookies and left me with 4 cookies~! 

Now THAT'S how good they are!!!!! 

 

 

 

So wait no more, GO MAKE THEM COOKIES!

 

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup shortening

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 2 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 3 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1 package Double Stuff Oreo cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with a mixer until well combined.

Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In medium bowl mix the flour, salt, and baking soda.  Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined.

With a cookie scoop, form balls with the dough.

Place one ball on top of an Oreo cookie, and another ball on the bottom. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo cookie is fully enclosed with dough.

Place onto parchment or silpat lined baking sheets and bake cookies for approximately 13 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

 

 

Ok now, either, be certain to have company over to help you devour these delicious puppies OR stack 'em away from ones eyesight!!!! Really, no joke!

Peace <3