Basil and Blueberry Cornbread

Susan from FoodBlogga had posted this quick bread recipe a short time ago. I love anything corn, and cornbread is definitely on my favourites list. I found myself with some blueberries and basil seating in my fridge for a while. I never seem to use my basil fast enough, it gets dark so quickly...
Anyway, I thought it would be a perfect time to try Susan's cornbread recipe. I normally bake some sort of bread (quick or yeast ones) or some kind of muffin every other week (I would like to do it every week, but my jeans wouldn't like that so much....)


This recipe is very easy, and you know that's my kind of cooking. I never thought of mixing blueberries with basil, but the result was great, and the basil was very subtle.
I didn't change a lot of things from the original recipe, but I didn't have all the ingredients on the list. The main thing I made different on my bread was probably not using lemon extract and using some lime juice instead. I suppose if you used extract you would get a lot more of the lemony taste.


Also, Susan suggested a basil butter to go with it. As much as I like compound butters (or just butter in general), my jeans again reminded me that perhaps I could skip that... The recipe for the basil butter as well as the original cornbread recipe post from Susan and can be found here.

This was a great bread to have around the house and snack on it in the afternoon, eat it for breakfast or serve with coffee to a friend. Thanks Susan!


Basil and Blueberry Cornbread Recipe:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup medium coarse stone-ground cornmeal
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled
1 cup buttermilk **
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 teaspoon lime zest
2/3 cup fresh blueberries (dusted with some of the flour mixture)
1/3 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Combine all dry ingredients together in a bowl and whisk it.

In a separate bowl, whisk oil, butter, buttermilk, eggs, lime juice and zest. Add wet ingredients to dry mixture in batches, combining well before each addition. Don't over mix it. Fold in blueberries.
Pour batter into buttered and floured loaf pan and bake it at 375' for about 35 minutes, until cake tester comes out clear.
Let cook 5 minutes and invert it into a cooling rack.

** I don't normally have buttermilk at home, and I don't like buy something just for one recipe, specially if it is an item I know I won't use it again so soon. Because of that, often times I use the "dry buttermilk" (which I keep in the fridge) and follow the instructions on the package when needed in a recipe.

Breakfast Quinoa Meal

Quinoa is a source of complete protein, making it a staple in many vegetarian pantries, like mine. I normally cook a batch and use it in many different ways. Sometimes I have it like a couscous, mixed with vegetables, other times I'll have it instead of rice. It's great for stuffing vegetables too. I even made muffins and breads with it.





I don't put much effort on cooking breakfast, normally I eat a banana, or a fruit smoothie. And lots of good coffee, please... But I often have cooked quinoa in the fridge and so I make this when I want to have something warm and hearty. Another option would be the good old oatmeal, but I find this quinoa version easier (if you have the grains cooked already) and lighter than a bowl of oats. The good news is that is just as healthy, if not healthier.



The toppings I use depend on what I have in my pantry and fridge. I used blueberries and hazelnuts for the one pictured here. Sometimes I use walnuts, dried fruits, sliced bananas, Brazil nuts, pretty much anything goes.


Quinoa Meal Recipe:

To cook the quinoa, bring 1 cup of water plus 1 cup of quinoa to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cooked until all the liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes.

To make the breakfast quinoa-meal, put together some of the cooked quinoa (about 1/4 cup per portion), milk, a pinch of salt bring it to a simmer. Cook until desired consistency, just as you would with oatmeal. To sweeten it, you can use maple syrup (my choice), honey, brown sugar, agave nectar....

Top with your choice of fruits and nuts. If I am using dry fruits, I cook it together so they can soak up the liquid.

Green Tea Poached Pears with Pistachio Brittle. A celebration of 100 years of friendship

One hundred years ago, 781 Japanese immigrants arrived at the Brazilian port of Santos on the steamship Kasato Maru. They were the first of many more to come and try life in the warm, rich Brazilian lands. They were hired mainly to work on the coffee plantations. Today Brazil has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan (1.5 million). As is a full circle of life, since the 80s, over 300 000 Brazilians emigrated back to Japan to work on factories, mainly.

Brazil and Japan share a long relationship, and the Japanese influence can be noticed anywhere in Brazil, but it is more evident in the states of Sao Paulo and Parana, where the first immigrants arrived, and where I come from.

This post contributes to an event created by Akemi, a Brazilian blogging from Japan. The idea of this event is to showcase dishes that use Japanese ingredients.




I chose those pears that are poached in green tea. The Japanese have been drinking green tea for centuries. Here in the Western world, we just recently discovered the wonders of this tea.

This recipe is easy and you are likely to have most ingredients at home. I just had to get pears. The green tea syrup is really nice, very sweet and the good news is that there is about a cup of if left over, so you can use it later over ice cream, fruits, etc....
The pistachio brittle is optional, but it makes a nice presentation and add a new level of texture to the dish.


Green Tea Poached Pears Recipe:
adapted from here

12 tea bags of Green Tea
1 cup sugar
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
2 3-inch-by-1/2-inch strips orange peel
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
4 firm but ripe Bosc pears

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Cut out a parchment-paper circle the diameter of your saucepan; set aside. Add tea bags to boiling water, remove saucepan from heat, and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing excess liquid into the saucepan, and discard. Add sugar, ginger, orange peel, vanilla pod and seeds to the tea; stir to dissolve sugar. Bring tea mixture to a simmer over medium high heat; cook 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel pears, leaving stems intact. Using a melon baller, scoop out the seeds and core from the bottom of each pear. Add pears to saucepan; reduce heat maintaining a gentle simmer. Cover pears with the parchment-paper circle to keep them submerged. Cook until just tender, about 20 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove pears. Strain cooking liquid; discard solids. Return cooking liquid to saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes.

Pistachio Brittle Recipe:

• Nonstick vegetable cooking spray
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped, raw, shelled pistachios

Spray a small rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.

Combine sugar, honey, and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil without stirring, and cook until deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour onto prepared baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle evenly with pistachios and salt. Let cool completely.

Break into pieces as desired.

Stuffed Baked Eggplant, or Eggplant Canoes (Barquinhos de Berinjela)

Eggplant is such a versatile vegetable, however, I don't think it gets all the credits it deserves here in the States. In Brazil, eggplant dishes are a lot more popular. These "eggplant canoes", named after the final shape of the dish, are how it was often cooked at home. My mom loves it.
You can stuff the eggplant with pretty much anything you want. Being vegetarians, mom and I like to use tomatoes, herbs, cheese along with the eggplant body. But I've seen it stuffed with ground meat (turkey and beef). Another way of making it vegetarian and hearty is to use ground Textured Vegetable Protein (you can find it in bulk at natural food stores or some supermarkets).




Stuffed Baked Eggplant Recipe:

one eggplant, halved
olive oil
half onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
a handful of sliced white mushrooms
fresh parsley and basil
panko or breadcrumbs
shredded Parmesan
salt and pepper

Scoop out most of the inside of the eggplant and roughly chop it. Be sure to leave a shell that will be strong enough to hold the filling. Cook onions in oil until translucent, add garlic and cook a minute more. Add the eggplant and mushrooms, cook for about 5 minutes, add tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes or so. Add fresh herbs, season with salt and pepper.

Fill the eggplant shells with vegetable mixture, top with breadcrumbs and cheese. Drizzle with olive oil (or top with pieces of butter if you prefer).
Bake it at 350 ' until eggplant is cooked, but still holds its shape.
Enjoy it!


This is my entry to Weekend Wokking event, hosted this month by Palachinka. This month's secret ingredient is...of course, eggplant, but who knows what it will be next month? Check out the event's page to find out more about it.

Caprese Salad and it's many derivations

This is a simple salad, making most of this year's ending tomato season :(....
Just tomatoes, basil and mozzarella di buffalo. There are endless variations to this Italian classic, this is the original version, if you will. Just assembled and seasoned with good olive oil, salt and pepper.
Here are some other salad versions I made inspired by the Caprese:

1- adding finely sliced red onions
2 - adding a splash of balsamic vinegar (or reduction)
3 - using smoked mozzarella
4 - adding sun-dried-tomatoes
5 - skip the fresh basil and drizzle with pesto instead
6 - marinate tomatoes first in chopped garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper
7 - top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese
8 - use spinach or arugula instead of basil
9 - mix red and yellow tomatoes
10 - add crumbled feta

Skillet-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie

If you like cookies and milk (like Andrew does...), then imagine a "cookie slice" with ice cream...yuuumm...
That is what you get from this recipe, a huge skillet-size cookie that is sliced and served warm with some vanilla ice cream.
The recipe is as easy as a regular chocolate chip cookie, with the advantage that you don't need to make individual ones. Instead, the entire dough is spread onto a skillet.


This recipe is for 8 people, and since it's only the two of us here, it took us a few days to eat it all. We reheated each slice in the microwave for 30 seconds before topping with a scoop of ice cream.



Skillet-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe:
from here

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (about 9 ounces) mixed milk- and semisweet chocolate chips

vanilla ice cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; mix until they are fully incorporated. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips

Transfer dough to a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, and press to flatten, covering bottom of pan. Bake until edges are brown and top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Don't over bake; it will continue to cook a few minutes out of the oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, 15 to 20 minutes.

Bitter greens salad with poached egg and citrus vinagraitte

This is not a salad I have often, but every once in a while I crave poached eggs.
It's pretty simple and quick to make. Choose greens that are bitter and a salad dressing that is fairly acidic to counter balance the richness of the yolk.


Bitter greens salad and Poached Egg Recipe:

First, make the dressing. I used equal parts lemon juice and olive oil, some Dijon mustard and dry oregano. Salt and pepper to taste.

The salad body can be made with any type of green, however bitter ones such as endives, arugula, watercress and frissee work better.

Mix salad with dressing. Add croutons ( or have the salad with some crusty bread if you prefer) and Parmesan shavings.

Poach the egg:

Place water in a large pot, bring it to a simmer. Do not let it boil. Add a splash of white vinegar and make a swirl in the water. Crack an egg in a small bowl and slide it into the water. Let it set for about 30 seconds and shape the whites if necessary. Cook until desired consistency.

English Tea Sandwiches

This post is an entry to a blog event (organized by two expat Brazilians) where participants are asked to recreate a typical English Afternoon Tea. This month's challenge is about sandwiches and canapes.

The food served at a typical Afternoon Tea is light finger food, and the two most common made sandwiches are cucumber sandwich and eggs and cress. Since I don't really enjoy cucumbers all that much, I decided to go for the eggs and watercress.

English Tea Sandwiches (eggs and cress) Recipe:

White sandwich bread, crusts removed

Hard boiled eggs

Mayonnaise

Salt and pepper

Paprika (optional)

Watercress leaves, stems removed

Chopped chives

Make the egg filling:

Combine hard boiled eggs with mayonnaise and mash it, leaving some chucks for texture.

Season to taste with salt and white pepper. If you like, add a bit of paprika.

For each sandwich, coat two slices of bread with the egg mixture. Place washed watercress on top of one slice and cover with the other one. Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles.

Spread some extra mayonnaise on one side of each triangle and dip it in the chopped chives.

Andrew's Banana Cake

This is the first cake I ever made for Andrew, and it continues to be his favourite. It is my type of cake too, no frosting, layers, icing, etc... It's a cake we have with tea or coffee, as a desert, or even for breakfast.
This is a Brazilian recipe and there are many similar ones with a few variations. For example, I would love to add walnuts in this cake, but I know that Andrew wouldn't like it. I used regular dark raisins here, but the golden ones are really good too.




Another thing I like about this cake is that it doesn't require any special kitchen gadget or equipment. Everything is done using a few bowls. It takes very little preparation, the hardest part for me is to mash the bananas. If you have a potato masher (which I don't) it will be easier.
For the best results, use bananas that are over ripe.





Banana Cake Recipe:
adapted from this Brazilian cooking site

2 cups of all purpose flour ( you can use half whole wheat flour, half white)
1 1/2 cup sugar ( mixing white and brown sugar will add extra flavour from the molasses)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 teasp baking soda
1/2 teasp salt
4 ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk ( I use 1%)
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350'F and prepare a cake pan with butter and flour.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bow and whisk it to combine. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix the bananas, eggs, oil and vanilla. Add the raisins.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in 3 parts, alternating with milk and making sure it's all incorporated before adding more.

Pour cake batter into prepared pan and bake until done, about 45 minutes.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes before inverting to a wire rack to coll completely.

Deviled Chicken Drumsticks

I always keep frozen chicken in my freezer, so I constantly looking for different ways to cook it. Normally, I keep one bag of thighs, one of drumsticks and one of boneless-skinless breasts. I know that the dark meat is more flavorful, but I like to alternate it with some lean breast meat, so there is a healthier overall balance.



These drumsticks are from this month's Gourmet Magazine (August/08). They are very easy to make, with few ingredients that you are likely to have in your pantry anytime. Since I don't eat meat, I have to rely on Andrew's taste for the feedback on meat dishes. But don't worry, he is pretty picky......(although he doesn't think so) Here is his feedback: crispy outside, juice inside, and slightly spicy. Perfect! That is what I was looking for!

A little note: If you don't eat those drumsticks out of the oven, try to enjoy them at room temperature, or even cold. Just don't reheat them, or you'll loose the crispness from the crust.




Deviled Chicken Drumsticks Recipe:

Gourmet Magazine (August/08)

• 12 chicken drumsticks (2 1/2 to 3 lb total)
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 1/2oz)
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in upper third.
• Pat chicken dry, then toss with mustard until evenly coated.
• Stir together panko, cheese, cayenne, and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Drizzle with butter and toss.
• Dredge each drumstick in crumb mixture to coat, then arrange, without crowding, in a buttered large 4-sided sheet pan. Roast until chicken is browned and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: I made only 4 pieces of chicken, and cut the ingredients list by a third.

Blackberry Smoothie (mom's favourite)

Sometimes it's hard to be so far away from your family. It's not like I can just hop on a plane and go to Brazil anytime I want to. But I phone a lot. Last time I was homesick I called my mom and she was reminding me about this restaurant on the countryside where we have this blackberry drink. It's made with blackberries, milk and sugar, pretty simple. But blackberries are not so common in Brazil, so this was always a treat for us. And my mom loves it. So I saw some blackberries at the market and decided I was going to make the same drink and pretend I am at the countryside looking at the beautiful landscape along the road with mommy.
This is a nice drink, a healthy snack and the colour is just beautiful.





Blackberry Smoothie:

Blend blackberries and cold milk (or soy milk) until smooth. If you are very picky about the seeds, strain it. Sweeten to taste. This is more of a juice consistency than a smoothie, I don't add any yogurt or ice to it.

Sage-Almond "Pesto" Pasta

I have been craving pasta for a while. I love it, but try not to eat it too often, for the sake of my hips (and belly, and thighs.....)
So I found this great blog written by a Swedish living in Tuscany..... Perfect place to finds lots of pasta dishes.
This one caught my eye because it takes sage and I think everything tastes better with sage (and chocolate, and butter, and cheese....oh well..)

I only had spaghetti at home, but if I had a choice, I would had chosen some short pasta for this dish.
It turned out really good, even Andrew was surprised with how good it looked and the aroma of fresh herbs. However, when he tried, he said "Are you cooking with that lavender again?"....Lavender???

Sage-Almond "Pesto" Pasta Recipe:

I a food processor, blend a bunch of sage leaves (about 20 of them) with a handful of blanched almonds until all chopped. With the processor running, slowly add olive oil through the feeder until it comes to a pesto-like consistency. Season to taste.

Ia a large pan, heat about 2 tbs of olive oil over medium heat. Place the crushed garlic bulb and cook it until golden and fragrant, be careful not to burn it. Remove and discard garlic.

Add sage mix to pan and about a tbsp of cream, stir well.
Add cooked pasta along with some of the pasta water. Stir to combine and serve hot with Parmesan cheese.

Chicken and Sausage Bake (and a dirty little secret of mine)

This is the type of dish you prepare the night before by marinating it overnight and finish it in the oven the following day. It makes it very easy to do during a busy work week.
To reveal the source of this recipe I actually have to confess a little dirty secret... An old habit I am not so proud of....
I cut off the recipe pages from magazines from places like hotel, dentist, lounge, etc.... Hum, what a shame, I know.... I am getting better though. Instead of ripping off the page right away, now I write it down the name of the recipe and look for it online. So I am (almost) recovered... I just happen to love magazines, Andrew calls me a magazine junkie....

Anyway, now that my secret is out, let's move on to the dish. It was a Nigella recipe and it combined sausages and chicken, two favourites of Andrew.
According to him, the sausages get more of the lemon flavour than the chicken, which is surprising because the chicken is marinated overnight, while the sausages are added just before baking. I think the fresh herbs are what make this dish special. I've made with several different ones (sage, oregano, parsley). The house smells really good while the dish cooks.
This is also one of those recipes where you can be really loose when it comes to the ingredients list. Use dry mustard if you don't have Dijon, whatever herbs you prefer or have in hand will do, add more onions if you like them, remove garlic if you don't like it, and so on....



Chicken and Sausage Bake Recipe:


1 small lemon, halved
2 small onions, peeled and quartered through the roots ends
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tbsp of died oregano (or sage, or parsley...you get the idea)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
1 pound of chicken pieces (bone-in kinds work best here)
3 garlic cloves
4 Italian sausages (or ones of your preference)
2 tbsp of fresh oregano ( or sage, or parsley......whatever is your herb of choice)

Squeeze the lemon halves into a large resealable plastic bag and add lemons to it.
Add onions, olive oil, mustard, dry herb of choice and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well, add chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper. Marinate it overnight.

Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before you want to bake it. Pour contents of bag in a baking dish, add sausages. Turn chicken skins side up and season again. Sprinkle with the 2 tbsp of fresh herb.

Bake in a 425 ' oven until cooked trough and golden brown, about 1 hour, turning sausages halfway through.

Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese Stuffed Squash

What a great vegetable dish. This could be served as a side dish or a main course. I found this recipe at Jen's beautiful blog and knew I was going to like it. Roasted garlic, goat cheese...what's not to like? Plus, it is one of those dishes you prepare in little time, than leave it to the oven to do its magic.


Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese Stuffed Squash Recipe:
original recipe

1 summer squash
1 goat cheese log
fresh chopped herbs (I used parsley, oregano and sage)
1 garlic bulb
olive oil
salt and pepper
bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese

Cut top of garlic bulb and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap in foil and roast the garlic in a hot oven (400') until tender, about 30-45 minutes. Let it cool slightly and smash the cloves.

Halve squash and scoop out the seeds making room for the filling.

Prepare the filling by mixing the herbs, goat cheese and mashed roasted garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

Fill squash with cheese mixture, top with bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in a preheated 425' oven until golden, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven, top with Parmesan and continue baking until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Voila!!!!