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Fried Couscous Salad with Gorgonzola

Friday, October 07, 2011

Couscous, if not prepared properly, could taste really bland and boring. This Italian inspired fried couscous was a really pleasant surprise. The crunchiness of the toasted couscous, and rich, sharp flavour of Gorgonzola with tangy vinaigrette dressing are simply a perfect blend.

Stir-fried Couscous Salad with Gorgonzola

Inspired by Giada De Laurentiis

Couscous	Dressing
500 ml Hot vegetable broth 1/3 tsp Salt 280 g Couscous 60 ml Extra-virgin olive oil 2 Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 80 g Gorgonzola, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1/2 Large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 4-5 Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 2 tbsp Chopped red basil leaves	60 ml Extra-virgin olive oil Zest and juice from 1/2 large lemon 1/2 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth and 1/3 teaspoon salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the couscous. Cover until the liquid had been absorbed and the couscous is tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Using a fork, fluff the couscous and break up any lumps.
In a large, nonstick skillet heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the garlic and discard. Increase the heat to high and add the couscous. Cook, stirring constantly, for 6 minutes. Continue to cook the couscous, stirring every 5 minutes, until toasted, about 25 minutes.
Transfer the couscous to a large serving bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Add the Gorgonzola, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, and red basil. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until smooth. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the couscous is coated.

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Witches Fingers Halloween Finger Cookies

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

A little creepy and gross, but really fun to make, those Halloween finger cookies are actually delicious and great for spooky decorations for your Halloween party.
Inspired by The Baking Pan

30 g Blanched almonds, finely ground
170 g All-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
100 g Unsalted butter, room temperature
80 g Granulated sugar
40 g Powdered sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp Almond extract
Some blanched almond halves
Strawberry jam

Whisk together the ground almonds, flour, and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Beat the butter, and sugars until well mixed. Add in egg, almond extract and beat until blended. Sift in the flour mixture and stir until mixed.
Wrap the dough with plastic film and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Prepare 2 large baking trays and line with baking paper. Remove the dough and roll teaspoons of dough into a finger shape. Place a blanched almond half into one end of the cookie to form a nail and squeeze in the center of the dough create a knuckle shape. Use a small knife to cut a few small ridges in the knuckles. Place them back to the fridge to chill 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Remove the cookies from the fridge and bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes. Lift up the almond half, put a little bit of the strawberry jam around the edges of the nail base, and press the almond half back into place, so the jam oozes out from around the edges. Place them on a wire rack to cool.

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Gorgonzola Radicchio Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Saturday, October 01, 2011

Like arugula, this bright purplish red radicchio has a slightly peppery and bitter taste. It is loaded with nutrients and has no fat or cholesterol. The salad, a perfect blend of sweet, sour, salty and bitter, tastes so crispy, really flavourful, and easy to throw together.

Orange Vinaigrette	Salad
60 ml Orange juice 2 tbsp White balsamic vinegar 80 ml Olive oil 2 tsp Dijon mustard 2 tsp Honey 1 tbsp Sesame seeds, roasted Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste	1/2 Radicchio, torn into bite-sized pieces 100 g Gorgonzola, cubed 1 handful Arugula leaves 100 g White grapes, seedless 1/4 Mango, diced 1 tbsp Sundried tomatoes, diced

In a small jar with a tight-fitting cover, combine all vinaigrette ingredients. Cover and shake well until blended. To store, refrigerate for up to 1 week. Shake well before serving.
Combine all salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.Toss with orange vinaigrette. Serve with a glass of Chardonnay for a pleasant and light lunch.

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Baked Peanut-Filled Pumpkin Patties

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

A telltale sign of the arrival of autumn and harvest time is the presence of all sizes and kinds of pumpkins. This humble vegetable (or fruit?) is far more than just a festive symbol. Pumpkins are delicious and very low in calories yet good source of vitamins, fibers and antioxidants. The golden colour and sweet, mellow taste adapts really well to many flavours and wonderful in all kinds of autumnal dishes. So if you've been searching for a healthy and tasty autumn snack recipe, go ahead and try this quick and delectable pumpkin recipe!

Pumpkin Dough	Peanut Filling
1 Small Hokkaido pumpkin 120 g Whole grain spelt flour 1/2 tsp Pumpkin pie spice blend (or cinnamon) 1-2 tbsp Brown sugar Sesame seeds Poppy seeds 2 tbsp Olive oil	200 g Roasted peanut, chopped 80 g Butter, melted 100 g Powdered sugar

Cut the pumpkin in half. Scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. Place pumpkin halves on a baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in a 180C/350F for 45 minutes, or until pumpkin is fork-tender. Peel off the skin from the pumpkin. Place them in a blender and process until smooth. You need about 500 grams of pumpkin puree. Store the rest in the freezer for the later use.
Mix the pumpkin puree, whole grain spelt flour, and spice in a bowl. Mix until the dough is smooth. Add more flour if needed. Stir together the chopped peanut, melted butter and powdered sugar in a bowl.
Divide dough into 28 portions and shape each into a ball. Flatten each dough into a round, fill the center with a teaspoon of peanut filling. Gather the edges to enclose the filling. Coat the ball with sesame or poppy seeds. Lightly press it down to flatten the ball.
Grease a baking tray with olive oil. Place the pumpkin patties on the tray and bake at 180C/350F for 20 minutes.

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Passionfruit Curd Hearts

Saturday, September 24, 2011

The addition of passion fruit has taken the classic lemon curd to delectable new heights. The exhilarating blend of the tangy, sweet, and heavenly floral scent of passion fruit and citrus flavour has resulted in a refined and sophisticated curd that’s a perfect dessert on it's ow or as a filling for cookies and tarts.
There are two types of passion fruit, purple passion fruit and yellow passion fruit, which differ in appearance but taste the same. The pulp and the seeds are both edible.
Passion fruit has hundreds of medicinal properties that have been used throughout history. The properties and compounds in passion fruit are used to lower blood pressure, aid in digestion, control spasms and treat asthma.

Cookie	Passion Fruit Curd
200 g Butter, at room temperature 50 g Powdered sugar 300 g All purpose flour	3 Eggs 100 g Caster sugar 70 ml Fresh lemon juice Pulp from 4 passion fruits 100 g butter

Beat butter and icing sugar mixture until pale and creamy. Stir in flour until a soft dough forms. Wrap the dough with a cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180C350F. Roll out dough to 3-4mm thick. Use a 5cm heart cutter to cut out 40 shapes. Use a 3cm heart cutter to cut the centre out of half of the hearts. Place on a baking tray. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Combine eggs, butter and caster sugar in a medium saucepan. Whisk in fresh lemon juice and passion fruit pulp. Cook over low heat, stirring, for 15 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and place in the fridge for 1 hour to chill. Sandwich a heart base and a heart outline together with the passion fruit curd.

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Almond Bars with Bergamot and Mint & A Visit From The Fairy Hobmother

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Before getting down the details of this delicious and healthy energy bar recipe, I want to take this opportunity to share with you something exciting....Many of you have heard of the Fairy Hobmother from the Appliances Online who has been visiting blogs, granting wishes and spreading joy!
A little while ago, I left a comment and a wish on The Peach Kitchen, who had just been visited by the Fairy Hobmother. And to my pleasant surprise, the Fairy knocked on my door and gifted me an Amazon gift card, so I can treat myself something nice.
Want to be the next LUCKY one? Just make a wish with your *heart* and leave a comment under this post......I am sure the Fairy is listening...Good Luck and thank you again, Fairy Hobmother!

Almond Bars with Bergamot and Mint

Inspired by Schrot&Korn

70 g Almond meal
35 g Chopped almonds
1 tbsp Bergamot herb, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp Mint, finely chopped
40 g Cranberries, chopped
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Walnut oil
1 tbsp Maple syrup
2 tbsp Water

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 23 cm x 14 cm loaf pan with a baking paper. Stir together the almond meal, chopped almonds, chopped herbs, cranberries and salt in a bowl.
Add in walnut oil, maple syrup and water. Mix well with a fork or your hand until all the ingredients come together. Press it onto the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake in the middle of the hot oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cut into slices and serve.

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Pumpkin Maple Cookies with Quark Frosting

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Those cookies, a great complement to afternoon tea, are not the typical cookies. They are soft, spongy and light textured cake-like pumpkin cookies flavoured with rich maple syrup and warm, fragrant spices, that enhances the delicate earthiness of the pumpkin. They are delectable without frosting and pepitas garnish, but even better and more fun with them!

Pumpkin Maple Cookies with Quark Frosting

Inspired by Joy of Baking

Cookie	Frosting
260 g All purpose flour 1 tsp Baking powder 1 tsp Baking soda 1 tsp Ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp Ground ginger 1/4 tsp Ground clove 1/2 tsp Salt 2 Large eggs, room temperature 150 g Light brown sugar 2 tbsp Maple syrup 120 ml Corn oil 1 tsp Vanilla extract 220 g Pumpkin puree	115 g Quark, at room temperature 30 g Unsalted butter, at room temperature 60 g Powdered sugar 3-4 tbsp Pumpkin seeds, roasted

Preheat oven to 165C/325F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, clove, and salt.
Beat the eggs, brown sugar and maple syrup until light and smooth. Beat in oil, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree. Sift in the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated.
Use a small ice cream scoop to measure about 1/4 cup of batter and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches / 5 cm apart.
Bake for about 15 - 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cookie comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Beat the quark cheese and butter until soft and creamy. Beat in powdered sugar until frosting is soft and creamy and of spreading consistency.
Place small dollops of the frosting on each cookie or put the frosting in a piping bag, fitted with a small plain tip, and pipe swirls of frosting on the top of each cookie. Store frosted cookies in the refrigerator.

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Orange Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

This bright golden-coloured, creamy pumpkin soup is perfect for a light lunch with some crusty artisan bread rolls. Roasted pumpkin, potato and spices work together creating a rich depth of flavour and creamy texture without addition of heavy cream.

1 kg Hokkaido pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cut into 1cm pieces
3 tbsp Walnut oil
1 Potato, peeled and diced
1 Onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 clove Garlic, chopped
1 Cayenne chilli pepper, deseeded and diced
1 tbsp Curry powder
1 tsp Coriander powder

1 l Vegetable stock
250 ml Orange juice
100 ml Milk
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1 tbsp Lime juice
Roasted pumpkin seeds
Chives
Chilli threads

Preheat oven to 190C/375F. Place pumpkin and potato in a roasting pan. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of walnut oil and toss to coat. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender.
Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft. Add in garlic, pepper, curry, and coriander powder. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until aromatic.
Add in pumpkin, potato, stock, orange juice and milk. Cook, covered, over medium heat for about 25 minutes. Blend the mixture in a food processor or with a handheld blender until smooth. Season with salt, cayenne pepper and lime juice. Ladle among serving bowls. Top with roasted pumpkin seeds, chopped chives, and chilli threads.

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Pumpkin Seed Whole Grain Spelt Cookies

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Whole grain spelt's natural sweet and nutty flavours don't just make those rustic cookies taste GOOD, it also helps you increase daily fiber intake. And the addition of protein and minerals-rich pumpkin seeds, also known as pepita, has added crunch and texture.
Recipe adapted from Ulrike Kraus -"Kekse und Gebäck rund ums Jahr"

200 g Whole grain spelt flour
1 tsp Baking powder
100 g Pumpkin seeds
1 Vanilla bean
40 g Brown sugar
3 Egg yolks
150 g Cold butter

Sift the whole grain spelt flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Reserve 4 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds for garnishing and finely chop the rest.
Slice the top outer layer of the vanilla pod in half lengthwise. Pull open the vanilla pod. Scrape out the seeds. Cut the butter into small pieces.
Add chopped pumpkin seeds, vanilla seeds, brown sugar, 2 egg yolks and butter into the flour mixture. Combine all the ingredients into a ball. Wrap with a plastic film and chill for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 175C/350F. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and place it between two sheets of baking paper.
Roll out to a thickness of about 1/2 centimeter. Use a 5cm cookie cutter to mould out the rounds and place them on the prepared baking trays. Mix the remaining egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush the cookies with the egg glaze and lightly press the pumpkin seeds on the surface. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.

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Beetroot Salad with Walnut Oil and Chervil & Mangelwurzel Stir-fry

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Here is another very simple and surprisingly tasty cooked beet salad simply dressed with walnut oil and sherry vinegar. Except for cooking the beets, which takes less than an hour to boil in water, the salad is ready in no time at all.

Mangelwurzel, shortened to mangel, or mangold, aka chard, is one of the cultivated leafy vegetables derived from beet. Like pumpkin, mangelwurzel was traditionally grown as cattle food. However, during the 18th century, European farmers improved mangelwurzels in size and flavour, it has become an excellent addition to our tables. If you love beets, then give this rustic crop a try. You will love them!

Beetroot Salad with Walnut Oil and Chervil

3-4 Medium beetroots
1 tbsp Freshly chopped garden chervil
1/3 tsp Fleur de sel
Walnut oil
Sherry vinegar

Place beets into a saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cook for 30-40 minutes, until tender. Drain and cool.
Once the beets are cool, thinly cut beets acrossways with a mandolin slicer. Finely chop the garden chervil.
Arrange the slices of beets on a serving plate. Sprinkle the chopped parsley and fluer de sel over the beets. Drizzle walnut oil and sherry vinegar over.

Stir-fried Mangelwurzel with Garlic and Black Forest Smoked Bacon

3 slice Black forest smoked bacon
300 g Mangold leaves
2 tbsp Canola oil
2 clove Garlic, thinly sliced
1 Cayenne chilli pepper
1 tbsp Medium dry sherry
Salt to taste

Cook bacon until crisp in a skillet over medium-high heat and drain. Crumble the bacon and reserve the dripping.
Wash the mangold leaves well and trim. Cut into the inch pieces. Thinly slice the garlic cloves. Slice the pepper open, remove the membrane and seeds, then slice.
Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add in the canola oil, bacon dripping and the garlic slices. Stir briefly, then add the mangold and sliced pepper, and stir-fry until the leaves wilt. Drizzle in sherry and taste with salt. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the bacon crumbles over.

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Homemade Muesli Bars

Sunday, September 04, 2011

Those muesli bars, a mixture of seeds, oats, dried fruit and honey along with some brown sugar, so simple to prepare and perfect for those who enjoy the natural goodness of seeds, cereals and fruit. They are a healthy and high protein snack you can add to the daily lunch box.
Recipe adapted from Taste.

90 g Rolled oats
60 g Desiccated coconut
50 g Wheatgerm
30 g Sesame seeds
50 g Sunflower kernels
50 g Pumpkin seeds
80 g Sultanas
125 g Butter
150 g Honey
50 g Brown sugar

Grease and line a 3cm deep, 16cm x 28cm baking pan with baking paper. Cook oats, coconut, wheatgerm, sesame seeds, sunflower kernels and pumpkin seeds in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a bowl. Set aside to cool. Stir in sultanas.
Cook butter, honey and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, without stirring, for 7 minutes or until mixture forms a soft ball when a little is dropped into ice-cold water. Add to dry ingredients. Stir until combined.
Spoon mixture into pan. Use a large metal spoon to press down firmly. Allow to cool. Cut into squares. Store in a foil-lined airtight container for up to 7 days.

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Herb Couscous Salad

Thursday, September 01, 2011

Couscous is a staple food throughout North African countries and a dish enjoyed worldwide. It's a Berber dish that costs little and nourishes a lot. The one we usually find in the grocery stores is the tiny grained Moroccan couscous that has been pre-steamed. All you need to do is to mix them with boiling stock or water, and let stand for a few minutes, fluff the grains with a fork--incredibly easy to prepare. However, couscous is fairly flavorless on its own and tends to take on the flavour of other ingredients or sauces that it’s prepared with. This simple salad, inspired by one of my favourite recipe websites Essen und Trinken, is prepared with fluffy couscous, freshly diced tomatoes, pickled gherkins, and spring onions tossed with a fresh herb vinaigrette.

	Dressing
50 g Couscous 100 ml Vegetable stock 100 g Pickled gherkin, diced 100 g Tomato, diced 2 Spring onions, cut into rings Salt	2 tbsp Mint leaves, finely chopped 2 tbsp Parsley leaves, finely chopped 2 tbsp Olive oil 1-2 tbsp Lemon juice Pinch of sugar Salt and black pepper

In a saucepan, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool.
Dice the pickled gherkin and tomatoes. Place them in a bowl. Cut the spring onions into thin rings and add into the bowl.
Finely chop the mint and parsley leaves. Whisk together with the remaining dressing ingredients. Toss together the couscous, diced vegetables and the dressing. Taste, and adjust the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate, allowing the flavours to mingle, for 30 minutes.

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Search Angie's Recipes

Featured Recipe: 85 Recipes that highlight the beloved humble Pumpkin

Fried Couscous Salad with Gorgonzola

Stir-fried Couscous Salad with Gorgonzola

Witches Fingers Halloween Finger Cookies

Gorgonzola Radicchio Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Baked Peanut-Filled Pumpkin Patties

Passionfruit Curd Hearts

Almond Bars with Bergamot and Mint & A Visit From The Fairy Hobmother

Almond Bars with Bergamot and Mint

Pumpkin Maple Cookies with Quark Frosting

Pumpkin Maple Cookies with Quark Frosting

Orange Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Seed Whole Grain Spelt Cookies

Beetroot Salad with Walnut Oil and Chervil & Mangelwurzel Stir-fry

Beetroot Salad with Walnut Oil and Chervil

Stir-fried Mangelwurzel with Garlic and Black Forest Smoked Bacon

Homemade Muesli Bars

Herb Couscous Salad

Angie

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Search Angie's Recipes

Featured Recipe: 85 Recipes that highlight the beloved humble Pumpkin

Stir-fried Couscous Salad with Gorgonzola

Almond Bars with Bergamot and Mint

Pumpkin Maple Cookies with Quark Frosting

Beetroot Salad with Walnut Oil and Chervil

Stir-fried Mangelwurzel with Garlic and Black Forest Smoked Bacon

Angie

If you enjoy my recipes and want to support me, THANKS!

Friends

Join Us

Subscribe To

Follow me with Feedly & Email

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Recipes Archive

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