Chanteuse Designs

‘My Common Table’ posted this dish awhile ago. But I found it buried in a search for yogurt recipes. Her photos, sense of writing and this recipe will cheer your day. I love this recipe. It’s so easy, quick and makes the house smell like pure comfort.

Give it a try and check out her beautiful website.

INGREDIENTS:

• Butter to grease the pan
• 250g plain yogurt (1 1/4 cups)
• 4 large eggs
• 125ml vegetable oil (1/2 cup)
• 300g sugar (1 1/2 cup)
• 210g all-purpose flour + a little more to dust the pan (1 3/4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1-2 pears, thinly sliced
• Powdered sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Not mine however…ha ha ha. Don’t judge this photo by its looks. Nothing sexy about Ratatouille. Nutin! Buuuuut I have long loved Ratatouille and this is by far the best I have ever made. The recipe was brought to me by a coworker from the cookbook “flavors of Morocco” (no the “f” is not capitalized on the book? – admitted Grammar nazi here at least when it comes to spelling. There is SO much error in journalism today it’s making me crazy. Enough said). Now watch me regret THAT comment. ;-)

The secret ingredient is dates. Wow, didn’t see that coming. But the magic little fruit makes such a subtle and sweet difference it is hard for me to imagine making this dish in the future any other way. It’s also very simple. I have one suggestion to myself and my readers. This recipe doesn’t have you sweat the eggplant. My coworker made this dish and he also didn’t sweat them, but when I made it I did. For quite some time I might add. Normally it’s a 5-10 minute sweat process. But my eggplant was happily having it’s very own menopause moment that I kept letting it sweat. THINKING……that the eggplant would be much more silky in the dish. This however did not pan out. I love babaganoush….big time so I was trying to achieve a softer effect since you keep the skin on. Don’t get me wrong it’s the BEST ratatouille! I didn’t want to cook every single vitamin out of the dish so I could have cooked it til the cows came to soften the eggplant more but I didn’t. Whew, that was a mouth full.

So, for the future I will continue to sweat but may try baking it solo ever so slightly before adding it to the dish. Again, it’s the BEST ratatouille I’ve made. Thank you dates. My new love (and yes I have forgiven you for almost killing my Cuisinart whilst making granola bars!).

Don’t miss this dish.

Here’s all you do:

Moroccan Ratatouille:

• 4-5 Tbl of olive oil
• 1 onion halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise, with stalk and seeds removed
• 1 medium eggplant, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
• 2 zucchini, sliced
• 8 oz. pitted dates, halved lengthwise
• 2 – 14oz cans of chopped tomatoes
• 1-2 teaspoons of sugar (I left this out and added more dates)
• 1-2 teaspoons Ras-el-hanout (ethnic grocery stores carry)
• small bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley coarsely chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a tangine or a heavy based casserole. Stir in the onion and garlic and simmer for 2-3 minutest until they begin to soften.  Add the pepper, eggplant and zucchini and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.  Add the dates, tomatoes, sugar and Ras-el-hanout (smells like cinnamon) and mix thoroughly.  Cover pot and cook for about 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Soul satisfying for sure.

Bon Appétit!

Who knew you could use your leftover beer for waffles. (Does beer expire??) I was looking for some fancy Belgium Waffles to make but realized I didn’t have the time to make this really buttery sugary Snooty concoction and then stumbled upon this. Cheaters written all over it. Time savers dream. These were good. Not earth shattering, but good. If you’re in a pinch for time and have to have waffles give these a try. Thanks Sarah of the Sugar Hit!

Here’s all you do:

Beer Waffles

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup beer
• 1 cup milk (or buttermilk)
• 1 stick of butter or 1/2 cup
• 12 Tablespoons sugar or maple syrup

Mix dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center and combine eggs, milk, butter, beer. Mix well. Batter will be very lumpy, don’t worry it all cooks down. Meanwhile fire up that waffle iron and get it nice and hot – tsssssss. Pour just enough batter to slightly cover the bottom. This will expand and rise as it cooks so don’t over pour or you’ll be wiping up the counter tops.

Top with whatever kinds of topping you like. Confectioners sugar, syrup, jams and jellies, nachos (just kidding!).  Makes 7 batches of my heart shaped waffles! Sweet.

Bon Appétit.

It’s that time of year again and though I have been making this Pumpkin Bread for eons, discovered a new-er recipe from Mad About Maida. It’s an old post, but a good one. The only different thing I did was add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. I couldn’t find my tried and true old family recipe, but since I have made that at least a hundred times, this one looked almost identical. Hence I had to put the vanilla in!

It’s great with a cup of coffee or breakfast on the run.

Here’s all you do:

 Pumpkin Bread Bundt

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 TBS. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
1/2 tsp. powdered cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. salt
5 oz. (1 cup) raisins, dark, light or mixed
3 1/2 oz. (1 cup) walnuts, broken into medium sized pieces
2 cups pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups safflower oil, corn oil, or other salad oil
4 eggs
Optional: Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Butter or spray a tube or Bundt pan.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and salt.

In a mixer bowl, mix together the pumpkin, sugar and oil. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Add the teaspoon of vanilla. Lower the speed and add the sifted dry ingredients, beating until smooth. Stir in the nuts and raisins. Turn into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10-20 minutes before removing. You can eat as is and it is absolutely perfect. Or if you need a little ooomph for your guests, sprinkle with some confectioners sugar!

Bon Appétit.

I love my pear tree. It’s over 100 years old and if it could only talk!! It’s pear season and we are having pear pie, pear sauce, and yummy pear pasta! Here’s all you do for Pear Butter, which I under cooked and just made sauce. Healthier. ;-)

Pear Butter

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. ripe pears, peeled, cored and diced
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• pinch of groud nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves

Directions

As you all know, I Adore marzipan so when I bought some beautiful figs and discovered this tart from Spoon Feast it was instant love! It’s easy to put together and is really elegant if I do say so myself. I had it cooled and warm from the oven. BOTH are incredible.

Here’s all you do:

Yield: two 9 1/2 inch tarts

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg

Sift together the confectioners’ sugar, flour and salt into a bowl.

Place the butter into a food processor and process until smooth.

Scatter the flour mixture over the butter, add the egg and process just until the dough forms a mass; do not over mix.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least for an hour.

Line a greased 9 1/2 inch tart pan with half the dough and chill for 30 minutes. Keep the other half for another use.

For the frangipane:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Place the sugar and the slivered almonds in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground; about 2 minutes.

Add the butter and process until combined.

Add the eggs and the almond extract and process until smooth; about 1 minute.

Add the flour and process until combined.

Use ¾ cup for this recipe. Extra frangipane can be frozen until another use. Use fresh frangipane within a week if kept refrigerated.

For the figs:

• 2 pints fresh figs, quartered.

Keep enough uncooked figs aside to ring the outside of the tart

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 vanilla bean, split & scraped
• sugar to taste*

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pan, add the vanilla seeds and beans and the quartered figs and sauté until they have a jam like consistency but retain their shape.

Use sugar to taste.* Often you don’t need it.

Cool the mixture.

For the custard:

• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon Cognac (or to taste)

Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the cream and cognac.

To assemble and finish this tart, you will need:

• One 9-1/2 inch tart shell made from sweet tart dough, unbaked
• 3/4 cup frangipane
• Quartered figs and sautéed figs, cooled
• Custard mixture
• Slivered almonds

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Spread an even layer of frangipane over the prepared tart pan. Bake for 14 minutes, until the frangipane layer is puffed but not set.  Cool. Arrange some uncooked fig quarters around the edge of the tart  Add the fig ‘jam’ mixture on the baked frangipane layer, inside of the fresh fig ring.  Pour the custard mixture over the figs.  Sprinkle the top with some slivered almonds.  Bake for 50 minutes, until the custard is set and the pastry is golden brown.

Cool the tart completely on a wire rack before cutting and serving.

Um, yeah I sorta cheated on the directions, put them all in in the order suggested and baked for an hour. It was beautiful. Next time I will bake for 14 minutes, and then arrange and bake for another 50. Mine was stunning and so was the original. Just don’t wait. Summer is here with so many beautiful figs!

Bon Appétit!

So I’m at it again. My dear pregnant friend visiting from another island is here for a few days and of course she loves pancakes. So I decided Blueberry Chia Almond Essence pancakes were on the menu. It was, it did and it will always be heavenly!

Here’s all you do:

Blueberry Chia Pancakes

2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tbsp chia seeds
4 eggs
1 3/4 cups almond milk (or whatever milk you choose)
1/4 cup melted butter, cooled
1 teaspoon almond essence
2 cups blueberries

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, seeds and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.

In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, butter and almond essence. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir by hand until the batter is evenly moistened. (At this point, the batter can be covered and refrigerated for up to 12 hours, or used right away.)

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and grease it lightly by brushing or spraying with oil. Right before you make the pancakes, fold the blueberry into the batter. Drop about 1/4 cup of pancake batter into the hot pan, spreading them slightly into circles. Leave about 2″ between pancakes.

Cook until small bubbles appear and the edges are set, about 2 minutes, then flip using an offset spatula. Cook on the second side an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the pancakes are golden brown. Serve at once with Maple Syrup and butter.

Bon Appétit!

Love eggs. Love avocados. Match almost made in heaven. Saw this from “The Wicked Noodle” blog (Darling blog by Kristy Bernardo do stop by and check her out….Darling) and had to give it a try. I didn’t have limes but thought the lemon might be a simple substitute. And of course the sriracha gives this such a wake up call. You must try!

Here’s all you do:

Ingredients

2 avocados

4 eggs

1/2 lime or lemon

kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

assorted toppings of your choice

Instructions:  Preheat oven to 425˚. Split avocados in half and remove the pit. Gently scoop out some of the pulp to make the hole bigger to make more room for the egg. Place avocado halves on a baking sheet. Drizzle each with a little lime/lemon and season with kosher salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Crack an egg in each hole, allowing some of the whites to run out (just make sure the yolk stays put). Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until whites are set and yolk is at desired consistency. Top with whatever is in the cupboard. I liked the lemons and the chives fresh from the garden. Happy Spring.

Bon Appétit.

I love spinach. Really love spinach. Wish I could say that I have loved it all my life long, but it’s one of those veggies that as an adult I can’t get enough of. Sadly it is also one of the most pesticide ridden veggies, but I have grown my own and it is easy and so much better from your own garden. Super easy to grow.

That being said I sometimes can’t eat it fast enough and find some additional uses in the not raw spinach category.  ;-) This frittata is super easy. Like a quiche with out all the work or clean up.

Here’s all you do:

Spinach Frittata:

6 eggs
1.2 cup of almond milk or regular (your choice)
2 healthy cups spinach washed and dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
one small onion sautéed
1/4 cup of sliced goat cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350˚  Saute the onions in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.

Let cool and place aside.

In a small bowl mix the eggs and milk, salt and pepper, set aside. When the onions have cooled,  place the spinach in a butter greased quiche pan and then top with the onions.

Lastly pour over the mixed eggs on top of the spinach and onion base. Top with dopples of the goat cheese and then top with the cheddar. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the eggs set. I cover the top with foil until the last 10 minutes.

Bon Appétit!

I was making my wonderful pear cake again when all of a sudden I thought “Why don’t I use almond extract instead of vanilla extract?” Oh, why had I not thought of that sooner. So while I added this in only at the second hour, so to speak, exchanged one teaspoon of vanilla for one healthy teaspoon of almond extract. Next time I will cut out the vanilla altogether. But for now this, as always, smells ridiculously heavenly. Ha, wish you were here!

Here’s all you do:

The Pear Cake:

Ingredients:

3 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 Cup Light Brown Sugar

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
¼ Cup Molasses

2 Teaspoons Almond Extract ;-)

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

3 Large Eggs
3 Cups Diced Pear

The Glaze:
½ Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
¼ Cup Water or Apple Juice
1 Cup Confectioner Sugar
½ Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350˚. Thoroughly grease a large bundt pan.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and granulated sugar. Mix in brown sugar, breaking up any clumps. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and mix in oil, eggs, vanilla extract and molasses. The batter will be quite thick. Fold in the diced pears being careful to not break up the fruit too much.

Spoon the cake batter into the greased bundt pan and spread the mixture evenly. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes before inverting on to a plate.

This cake needs no glaze just giggles. It’s simply delicious without anything but a little sprinkle of powdered sugar and good friends! Simple Sundays!

Bon Appétit!

Banana Chia Pancakes

STILL The best banana pancake recipe I have found in a long time. I just decided to try to make these more healthy. It worked like a charm. Didn’t miss the buttermilk, hence I cut back the sugar amount. I want to cut it out altogether next time as the Pure Maple syrup I use is plenty sweet enough. And we all know I have a salt craving over sugar! So I may not be the person to ask, but these were utterly delicious.

Here’s all you do:

Banana Chia Pancakes


Makes 4-8 servings

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 cups almond milk, unsweetened
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas [I used 2]
• 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds

Coconut oil for the pan.
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.

In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. Mash the bananas separately. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir by hand until the batter is evenly moistened, then fold in bananas. (At this point, the batter can be covered and refrigerated for up to 12 hours, or used right away.)

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and grease it lightly by brushing or spraying with oil. Right before you make the pancakes, fold the mashed bananas into the batter. Drop about 1/4 cup of pancake batter into the hot pan, spreading them slightly into circles. Leave about 2″ between pancakes.

Cook until small bubbles appear and the edges are set, about 2 minutes, then flip using an offset spatula. Cook on the second side an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the pancakes are golden brown. Serve at once with Maple Syrup and butter.

Bon Appétit!

I have a wonderful friend that I work with who has cut out dairy, meat and sugar from his diet. When I baked him a cake he couldn’t eat it. Hmmm, plan B. So I was searching…… thinking maybe Granola Bars would make a nice thank you treat. Something fun, easy, light, filling and healthy. I searched and searched since I had never made them before and this was what I landed on. Thank you Little Monster Baby blog for the template for these. I added some additional ingredients. Believe I accidentally added too much honey, so these were sooooo sticky they nearly killed my Cuisinart. Yes, it survived but it is not happy with me at all. Next time I will pull a Lucille Ball. Yuck Yuck.

These turned out delicious buuuuuuuuut I needed (for me personally) more nuts, less honey, and definitely more sesame seeds. Probably in that order. The cashews were perfect in these. Perfect. And maybe a new Cuisinart.  I think mine is a dinosaur. A great Dinosaur but still a dinosaur! It barely survived these.

Here’s all you do:

Almond Date Granola Bars   aka WAMBOLD BARS

• 1 cup quick oats
• 1 1/2 cup slivered raw almonds
• 1 cup dates
• 3/4 cups honey
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cashews whole or pieces (but not ground)
• 1 Tbsp Flax Seeds
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

In a food processor, pulverize oats and 1 cup of the raw almonds to the consistency of bread crumbs. Then, add dates remaining ingredients and blend until sticky and incorporated. Spill mixture out onto a board and fold in remaining 1/2 cup of almonds.

Add this mixture to a parchment lined small baking dish (3 cup / 4 1/2″ x 6 1/2″), and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from dish, sprinkle with more and more sesame seeds and cut into squares. Fabulous with a cup of coffee and great friends!

Bon Appétit.