Honey & Ginger Windmill Cookies - Speculaas Cookies of Holland

Isn’t it great to receive an unexpected gift?!  I think it’s amazing!

Pumpkin Bread with Raisins, Dried Cherries & Pumpkin Seeds

Old-fashioned hospitality is at its best when you combine good food with your friends. And what could be more neighborly than to welcome your quests with a special fresh baked pumpkin bread full of flavors and fall's vibrant color.

Baked Sweet Potato Roses with Fresh Thyme

If you’re run out of ideas for sweet potato appetizers/snacks/side dishes, these potato roses are a very pretty and easy to make. It takes only 25 minutes to cook it and just few ingredients.

Baked Goldfish Pumpkin Chips - for my Sweet Children!

What a genius idea for healthy snack - baked goldfish pumpkin chips! We are roasting vegetables every other day and roasted pumpkin is our favorite. Today I have created this amazing and fun recipe for my children's lunch boxes. After a long search for suitable cookie cutter my husband has finally made one from 2 1/2-inch oval cookie cutter, rather than buying it online or at the store. To make your own cookie cutters is simple and leaves space for your imagination and creativity.

Guinness Stout Ginger Cake for St.Patrick's Day

"An invitation to tea in Ireland is no small matter of a simple cup of tea and biscuit! You sit down at the table in the dining room and the usual everyday tea stars with slices of brown Irish soda bread and slices of homemade white bread lavishly buttered, a pot or two of jam for the bread, hot crusty scones, a plate of cookies, a "sponge sandwich" cake (two layers of sponge cake, jam between and sugar sprinkled on top) and a chocolate cake with thick, creamy, chocolate icing - or warm gingerbread full of spices. Cups of hot tea all around three or four times and you"ll last till suppertime."

Challah French Toast with Bruléed Bananas, Nutella and Whipped Cream or Poor Knights

Recently I came across a very old book with interesting recipes, A QUEENS DELIGHT or The Art of Preserving, Conserving, and Candying; As also A right Knowledge of making Perfumes, and Distilling the most Excellent Waters. This book was printed in 1663 and was "never published before."

Homemade Marshmallows with Honey and Spiced Almond Coating (Gluten, Corn, Egg, Diary Free)

It was fun to make this luscious marshmallow, I like the flavor of the honey and consistency of it. Easy enough and amazingly delicious recipe. I bet it makes great S'mores brownies and topping for cupcakes! Or you can enjoy a nice warm cup of hot cocoa with a big huge marshmallow on top.

Whisky-Laced Mince Tarts - Holiday Tradition

Very few cooks make good pie crust. This is unfortunate, because a fine pie is one of the most delicious desserts, while a pie with a tough or soggy crust is one of the worst. The technique for making a perfect crust is comparatively simple, once you have acquired the knack.If you follow the tools, you should achieve good results every time.

• The mixing of the dry ingredients is simple. Just sift them together.
• The mixing a butter and flour, using two knives or a pastry blender. The bowl and knives should be dry to prevent lumping of the flour.
• Add the minimum amount of cold water required to just moisten, not wet, the flour.
• If shell is to be baked and then filled, prick the surface with a fork to release air bubbles.

Panforte, a Nougat-like Cake Dessert, have a Sweet Weekend!

Panforte is a nougat - like cake, rich in nuts and fruit. It is a speciality of Siena in Italy. Visit this beautiful country and you’ll find hundreds of variations of this Christmas-feeling sweet treat.

Mulled Wine - Perfect Drink for a Holiday Season

We have many beautiful holidays a head of us, Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. For these occasions, nothing is too beautiful. Once a year, one can indulge in an accumulation of crystal, silver, china, an abundance of light and reflections, without fear of criticism. But as always, good taste will keep the display within bounds. A successful holiday party can be an enchanted memory for a whole year.

Pumpkin Soufflé with Turkey Bacon and Feta

The pumpkin season is upon us. Well, everything is pumpkin now. I was in an elegant and sophisticated mood a few days ago, searching for some recipes for Friday family dinner.  Bobby Flay's Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Spicy Caramel Apple Sauce sounded appetizing, but a little sweet for my taste at the moment. My friend, Monica, was telling me about an amazing dinner she had at Bobby's Messa Grill in Las Vegas. I never been in Las Vegas myself - Neon Lights hotels looks inviting. I would like to try many dishes cooked by famous chefs in upscale Las Vegas restaurants.



Oh, dear, I need a vacation :-)



Anyway, here is my creative fat-free Pumpkin Soufflé with Turkey Bacon and Feta.



Pumpkin Soufflé with Turkey Bacon and Feta

It's a fat free, sugar free and flowerless, but my Pumpkin Soufflé is unbelievably delicious:) I need to loose 4 more pounds!

Ingredients:

• 1 cups pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 3 eggs (yolks and whites separate)
• 3 Tbsp. oat bran
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice
• 1 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
• 3/4 cup turkey bacon, chopped
• pinch of salt
• 2-3 Tbsp. feta cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in lower third.

Whisk together milk, cornstarch, spices in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking, then simmer, whisking, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in pumpkin puree. Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature. Add turkey bacon, egg yolks, oat bran, chopped dill and mix together.

Beat egg whites with salt in another large bowl using an electric mixer beat until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks. Fold one third of whites into cooled pumpkin mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Divide mixture among ramekins, sprinkle with feta cheese. Bake soufflés until puffed and golden, 15 to 18 minutes.

Rolled Dill Frittatine with Mushroom Ricotta

Note: Make Rolled Dill Frittatine with Mushroom Ricotta up to one day in advance. Refrigerate. Slice up up to 1 hour before serving.

Use fresh seasonal ingredients, organic eggs and have fun if you are cooking for a party!

Ingredients:

For the frittatine:

• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 Tbsp. Wheat Bran
• 1 Tbsp. yogurt  (or heavy cream if you don't mmd some rich version)
• 1 Tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
• ground nutmeg to taste
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil for pan

For the filling:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• oil for pan
• salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Beat eggs, yogurt or cream, wheat Bran, fresh dill, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until combined. Heat the olive oil in pan over medium heat. Pour of egg mixture. Cook until golden and set on both sides, 5 minutes in total. Slide frittatine from pan on to kitchen paper to drain. Let it cool.  

Meanwhile, in a large skillet sauté the onion and mushrooms in the little oil until golden, about 5-7 minutes.  Combine together ricotta, mushroom mix, salt and pepper to taste. Spread cooled frittatina evenly with the filling to within 1/2in of edges. Roll up. Wrap in plastic wrap, twisting the ends to secure. Refrigerate for about one hour. With a serrated knife, trim the ends. Cut frittatina into 7-8 slices. Discard the plastic wrap after slicing. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

A Little Cranberry Island, Maine, Part Two and Island Gingerbread - 100 years old recipe

Nestled just 30 minutes by ferry southeast of Mount Desert Island, with superb views of the mountains of Acadia National Park, the five Cranberry Isles host a year-round community of lobstermen, boatbuilders, and craftsmen, as well as numerous rusticators who’ve been returning each summer for years, if not generations.

Little Cranberry Island is fairly flat as Maine islands go, but that quality contrasts nicely with the stony peaks of Mount Desert Island that loom so dramatically to the north. Another pleasing contrast is how few motorized vehicles dash along its easy-going roadways. They're called "Cranberry" because of the low-bush cranberries that grow right on the dry ground. Islesford—the name of Little Cranberry’s village, and a popular alternate name for the whole 200-acre island—feels uncrowded, especially in the shadow of the nation’s most popular national park.



Back along Main Street is the village’s nerve center—the combined market, post office, and bakery (where I got my recipe for Island Gingerbread). It’s a must-visit, and we had a lot of time before next ferry so we also make it to Gilley Beach. It’s not a beach of sand, but rather of surf-rounded stones of mostly gray granite mysteriously interspersed with clusters of pink ones. Is their presence due to a weight difference between the two colors? Is it something islanders do? Inquiring minds would like to know.



Islesford Pottery, located on the Islesford Dock, has been open mid-June through Labor Day every summer since 1989. It is a shop as well as the working studio of potters Marian Baker, Cindy Thomas and visiting potter Kaitlyn Duggan.

Art on the island isn't just a part of the lives of artists visiting the islands. It is a vital part of the islands' way of life.

If you like to see more photos, please, visit here.



Island Gingerbread

If you haven't been to Little Cranberry Island, you've probably never had this cake. We've never tasted anything quite like it. They make it from a recipe that's been passed down among island families for over 100 years. On Little Cranberry, it's known as Island Gingerbread, even though there's NO ginger in it. Isn't that crazy? The Island Gingerbread cake has an old fashioned taste that reminds us of the warmth of our island kitchen all year long. When the Woodlawn Hotel was on Little Cranberry over a century ago, it was called "white gingerbread" and served every morning. They still eat it in the morning for breakfast, in the afternoon with tea or lemonade, and in the evening for dessert. The cake is divine, serve it with a little ice cream and cherry sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oil (I used canola oil)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar plus 3 Tbsp. for sprinkle
• 2 tsp nutmeg 
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups flour 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/3 cup buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans.
In the medium bowl mix together oil, sugar, nutmeg and salt. Add flour, baking soda and buttermilk to the mixture. Blend and turn into prepared loaf pans (or one 9x13 pan). Sprinkle sugar on top of the batter and bake in oven for about 30 minutes.

Country Pate with Pistachios

There is nothing more delightful than a complete luncheon of hors d'oeuvres, especially on a hot day in in summer. The color and variety of the various dishes, particularly when accompanied by well-chilled bottle of fine white wine, reawakens the most heat-dulled appetite.

This country pate with pistachios may be served as a first course with a light entree and a fruit dessert to follow; or a luncheon may be made up entirely of various hors d'oeuvre dishes. In the latter case you would want to serve some vegetable dishes, fish hors d'oeuvre, and certain accompaniments.



Recipe from “Cuisine Rapide” by Pierre Franey and Bryan Miller

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 1/2 cup shallots, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 lb veal liver, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 tsp dry thyme
• 1/2 bay leaf, crumbled
• 3/4 lb lean veal, cut into 1-inch cubs
• 1 lb lean pork, cut into 1-inch cubs
• 1/2 lb cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup pistachios, shelled, toasted
• 1/8 tsp groung allspice
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground cumin
• pinch ground cinnamon
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Heat the butter in a heavy skillet and add the shallots. Cook briefly, stirring. Add the liver and sprinkle with the thyme and bay leaf. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Put the veal in a food processor or blender and blend it slightly finer than store-bought hamburger. Empty the veal into a mixing bowl. Put the pork in the food processor or blender and blend it a little coarser than store-bought hamburger. Add the pork to the veal.



Put the liver mixture in the food processor or blender and blend it as finely as possible. Pour and scrape it into the bowl with the pork and veal. Add the ham and pistachios.  Add the allspice, cloves, nutmeg, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, wine, salt and pepper and blend well with your fingers. To test the mixture for seasoning, shape a small portion into a patty and cook it, turning once, in a nonstick skillet until cook through. Taste the patty and add more seasonings as desired.



Pack the mixture in a 5- or 6-cup loaf pan. Smooth the top, rounding it slightly. Cover tightly with foil and place the pan in a heatproof baking dish. Set the dish on the stove and pour in boiling water around the loaf pan. Bring the water to a boil.  Place the pan in the water bath in the oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F.



Remove the pan from the oven and carefully drain off any excess fat. Let stand until ready to serve. The pate is excellent hot or cold. You may cool it in the dish and chill until cold, preferably overnight. Cut into 1/2-inch slices and serve with pickled vegetables.

Note: In France, cornichons (small dill pickles) and mustard are traditional accompaniments for pate and terriines along with slices of crusty baguette. Serve it for an elegant picnic or a cold buffet.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Soup with Nutmeg, Homemade Crispy Baked Beet Chips, and Dry Apricot-Hazelnut Bread

This picture-perfect, crusty loaf will satisfy both the novice and the experienced baker. Use it for breakfast toast or sandwiches.

Ingredients for apricot-hazelnut bread: 

• 300 ml mineral water
• 1 tbsp dry yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup shelled and roasted hazelnuts
• 1 cup dry apricots, cut into small pieces
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 cups bread flour (min 12% protein)
• 1/2 cup rye flour

Direction for apricot-hazelnut bread:
Mix the yeast with the brown sugar, add a bit of water and two tablespoons of flour, stir thoroughly, leave for 10 min. Add in the rest of the water and mix well. Adding gradually the flour make a dough, add the salt, dry apricots and roasted hazelnuts at the end. Knead the dough for 5 min, shape into a ball, dust thoroughly with the flour and leave to rise covered in a container for 1 hour. Shape the bread into a loaf of any form, generously sprinkle with the flour and transfer the loaf onto a baking paper. Cover with the kitchen towel and leave for 30 min.

Preheat the oven together with the baking tray to 420F. Score the loaf, using a sharp knife at a 45° angle. Bake for 5 min, reduce the heat to 400F, and bake for 35 min. Switch off the oven, transfer the bread on a grid and keep it in the oven for 10-15 min, leaving the oven door ajar.
Take the bread out of the oven and cool down completely on a wire rack.



As colorful as it is good to eat, soup is sure winner, whether for midweek family supper or a dinner - party first course. A delicious soup that makes the most of freshly picked apples.
Ingredients for roasted sweet potato and apple soup:

• 1 tbsp. butter
• 2 leeks, sliced thinly
• 1 large carrot, sliced thinly
• 1 lb 5 oz/600 g sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 2 large apples, peeled and diced
• 5 cups broth
• freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup light cream
• salt and pepper
• fresh chives or cilantro, to garnish

Directions for soup:
Preheat an oven to 400ºF.
In a bowl, combine the carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until the carrots are tender and golden around the edges, 35 to 40 minutes.



In a soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and sauté, stirring, until tender 5 to 10 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables, broth, nutmeg and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to medium- low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Using a blender, food processor or stick blender, puree the soup, then pass it through a chinois. Return the soup to the pot add cream and season with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish each serving with a cilantro sprig and the beet chips.
Serve immediately.



Ingredients for beet chips:

• 1-2 beets, large, scrubbed clean
• nonstick cooking spray
• salt, to taste

Directions for beet chips:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Using the slicing blade of your food processor, a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice beets thinly. You want them to be the size of a potato chip.
Spread evenly on a cookie sheet, spray with nonstick spray and season with salt.
Roast about 2 hours, turning halfway through, until crisp. Check often to make sure they don't burn. you may need to roast for a shorter or longer period of time depending on your oven and how crisp you want them - so keep an eye on them -)