National Cupcake Week - Vanilla Cupcakes with Haribo Candy Fluff Frosting

This week being the national cupcake week, I was inspired, to bake some cupcakes today, by my friend who decided to make cupcakes every day of this week. Very ambitious!! I decided to make cupcakes today, especially as it is the cake and bake show tomorrow. I am setting the mood already today by baking :)

Cupcakes come usually with some sort of frosting. The usual one is the butter cream frosting or the cream cheese frosting. I am not a big fan of both of these. However, I have discovered something called fluff. You can basically make anything into a fluff. So I decided to make haribo candy fluff. 

There are different recipes of how to make this fluff. The one I used is as following:


Ingredients: 3 dl double cream, 80 g of haribo mix candies.

Process: Heat up the double cream in a saucepan but do not let it boil. Put in the candies and stir until the candies have melted. Put the mix in the fridge and let it set for about 4-6 hours. After the mix is set, whip the mix with a little but more double cream until it becomes fluffy.

The recipe for the actual cupcake, I used Mary Berry's perfect Victoria sandwich recipe which I have tasted before and it is really good. The cupcakes were delicious and I simply decorated them with some princess sprinkles.

Swedish Cinnamon Rolls (Kanellbullar)

 I am finally done with the baking for today. I baked some cupcakes and Swedish cinnamon buns (kanelbullar) which are the best cinnamon buns in the world according to me. 

The idea is to take some of these delicious buns to the cake and bake show tomorrow and invite Eric Lanlard to try one :) We will see how that goes.

A recipe will come later for these delicious buns. They take such a time to bake, but I love how they make the whole house so fragrant of delicious cinnamon and they are at the best when you enjoy them with a nice cup of hot tea, yum. I love the sugerpearls on top. I have asked friends from Sweden to bring them for me when they come and visit me as I haven't seen them here in UK. Anyone who knows where I can find them in London area?

Homemade Beef Burgers - Recipe

I love beef burgers, especially making my own burgers. Ever since I show one of these documentaries on what the food companies put into their beef burgers I stopped buying them and decided to make my own. Although it can be a little more expensive, it is totally worth buying the meat and make your own beef burgers, at least you know exactly what they are made of!

There are many different varieties of beef burgers and what to put into them, and this is just one of my many recipes of how I make them. You can put as much and as little into the mix. This time, I used very little ingredients :) Usually I love to stuff the meat with veggies. This is recipe for today:

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

300-500 grams of minced beef ( I always go to the butcher and choose a nice beef steak and let them mince it for me once)

1 onion, half chopped, half sliced

dried parsley

salt and pepper to taste

ground garlic, 1/5 tea spoon

roasted paprika powder, 1/5 tea spoon

olive oil, 3 table spoons

worcester sauce, few dropps

asian spice mix, 1/5 tea spoon

Usually, you should use an egg and some flour to make the meat bind well, but I skipped it this time. You also need: tomatoes, lettuce, onion (I used roasted onions), cheese, beef burger dressing and ketchup for putting it together.

Process:

1 - Heat up the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.

2- Mix all the ingredients for the burgers and shape them rounded. Put them on an oiled oven tray and put them in the oven until golden brown. If the tray gets watery from the burgers, I just take out the tray, pour out the water and put it back in the oven until done.

3- Let the meat rest for few minutes and then put it together with the tomato, onion and lettuce, dressing, ketchup, cheese and serve it with coleslaw and french fries.

Enjoy!

Roasted vegetables and chicken - Recipe

One of my all time favorite dishes is the roasted vegetables with chicken. It is very easy to make and a perfect healthy meal which can be served as it is or with fish, chicken or meat, or as I love to serve; with couscous and a nice fresh yogurt dip with herbs, yum!

Sometimes, I get tired of rise, pasta, bread and "heavy" foods. So, I like to make roasted veggies as it fills me, but doesn't give me that stuffed and bloated feeling afterwards. This time, I made extra so I could take some for our lunch the day after. 

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
9 potatoes, diced
1/2 big leak, sliced
1 fennel, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
3 chicken breast, diced
olive oil

Spices: roasted paprika, mix of peppers, salt, cumin, herbes de provence, dried parsley, mild curry.

Process:
1- Put the oven on 200°C/400°F/gas 6.

2- Slice up all the veggies and put them in an oven tray, pour olive oil and spices over it and mix everything so everything gets coated in the olive oil and the spices. Put tray in the oven and let the veggies roast for about 1 hour or til they've got a nice golden color and are cooked well.

Usually, I love having courgette, aubergine, garlic, butternut squash etc in the veggie mix, but I just had these at home and used them. Jamie Oliver has a great recipe on roasted veggies which I simply love.

3- Cut the chicken breasts in 2 pieces, and coat them with the olive oil and the spices as well.

I prepared everything in 2 oven trays. One for only the veggies and one for the chicken mixed with the veggies. I put them both in the oven for about 50-60 minutes until the veggies and the chicken were cooked well.

Very useful if you invite vegetarian friends for diner or you're on a healthy diet.

Enjoy !

Top tray with just veggies and bottom tray with veggies and the chicken.

Fruity Smoothie - Recipe

Sometimes I feel like having something sweet, fresh, and creamy, but I'm not talking about candies or sweets. I'm talking about smoothies :) 

One of the best drinks (?) ever that you can make in so many different ways and yet always be so tasty. I was craving this smoothie while watching the food channel, and one of the chefs made it to take on a picnic. Now that the weather is getting worse here in the UK, there won't be any picnics, but it did not stop me from having a delicious, summery smoothie :)

It's so simple to make that every time I make it, I'm surprised I don't do it more often. Now I don't have exact measurements for all the ingredients that went into this smoothie, but I'll will try give an approximate recipe for this particular smoothie.

Ingredients:

1 kiwi
13-15 strawberries
2 bannas
half cup Greek yogurt
1/3 glass of summer fruit juice
honey to sweeten it
some milk to get the right consistency


Process:

1- Put all the ingredients in a liquidizer and wazz it up as Jamie Oliver would say :)

2- Taste it, and put in more of the ingredients, that you feel are required to get the right taste.

Enjoy !

The Cake & Bake Show 2012

Finally, it is only one week left to The Cake & Bake Show 2012, an event dedicated to the world of cakes, breads and the art of baking. It will take place between 22-23 September at Earls Court Brompton Hall. When a friend of mine mentioned she had 2 tickets for this show, I instantly wanted one and couldn't wait for it. Baking is another passion of mine, and I love to bake, especially if it involves chocolate :)

This will be my first event related to food and baking. I'm truly looking forward to meeting and listening to some famous speakers such as Marry Berry and Paul Hollywood, who are the judges on the famous baking show Great British Bake Off And of course, Eric Lanlard! I love watching Lanlard's show "Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard". His cupcakes and cakes look absolutely divine and delicious.

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So, next Saturday, I will be at the Cake & Bake Show. I hope there will be plenty of sweet cakes and bread to nibble on :)

I will try to buy some new baking tools and hope to learn new techniques for baking bread and cakes and, of course, have a great time !

Crispy Crostini with Tomato & Mozzarella - Recipe

Yesterday evening, I felt a bit peckish and craved something simple with bread. So, I thought, what could be better than crostinis? They're super easy to make and tastes great. The best part is, they're quite filling too. Crostini works well as starters, a simple lunch, or a late-night snack. The varieties of crostinis are endless, making it a versatile option for any time of day or occasion!

Serves 2


Ingredients:
5 slices of garlic bread
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 mozzarella ball, sliced
a pinch of dried basil
fresh basil for garnish


Process:

1- I purchased pre-sliced garlic bread with a spread of butter and herbs from the refrigerated section of our local supermarket.

2- Next, I topped the slices with mozzarella and tomatoes. I sprinkled a pinch of dried basil over the toppings and then placed them in the oven at 200°C until the cheese melted and the bread turned crispy brown. Finally, I garnished it with fresh basil.

Enjoy :)

Beef Tacos with Salsa - Recipe

One of my favorite stores here in the UK is TIGER, a Scandinavian store with a wide range of fun and stylish products. what I particularly love about this store is the variety of spices they offer. Today, I went to buy three different spices: dried basil, dried dill, and, of course, the taco spice mix (1£/ each). This mix sparked the idea of making the super simple dish, tacos, as we call them in Sweden. It is a Tex Mex inspired dish that's easy to make and doesn't require much effort or time.  

Serves 3-4

Ingredients: 
500g minced meat (I used beef)

4 large tomatoes, chopped

2 onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1/2 cup of sweet corn
dried basil, 1 teaspoon
lemon juice from 1 lemon
salt to taste
parsley
1 avocado, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons tomato puree
tortillas and tortilla chips
soured cream
2 tablespoons of taco spice mix
1/2 cup of water

Process:

1- I began doing the salsa which is very simple. Chop the tomatoes, 1 onion, parsley, 1 bell pepper, and avocado. Mix them together and add salt, lemon juice, and dried basil. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

2- For the taco sauce, fry the minced meat in olive oil over medium heat until brown and crumbly. Break up any large pieces with a spoon. Add chopped veggies like bell pepper, parsley, and sweet corn, and fry for a few minutes. Then, add the taco spice, salt, tomato puree, and water. Let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3- Once the taco sauce is done, I served it with the salsa, tortillas, chips, and sour cream. It's a filling and tasty meal!

In Sweden, it's common to chop up veggies like tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, and sweet corn and serve them in separate bowls along with guacamole, sour cream, meat sauce, salsa sauce, and grated cheese. I've spent many fun nights with friends enjoying this simple yet delicious dish.

Another great recipet I plan to try soon is the beef tacos recipe by allrecipes.co.uk. But if you prefer chicken instead, I recommend Jamie Oliver's Chicken Fajitas with homemade guacamole and salsa. It is truly a delicious dish, perfect for a Friday night in front of a great movie :) 

Enjoy :)

Pasta with creamy coconut chicken curry sauce - Recipe

Today, I whipped up a deliciously creamy pasta with a coconut chicken curry sauce. Back when I lived in Sweden, my girlfriends and I would often make this dish and absolutely loved it. It's the perfect comfort food when you're craving something creamy but not too heavy. I find myself making this dish frequently when I'm alone and in need of a quick yet satisfying meal. 

I've come across comments online suggesting that the combination of pasta and curry sauce might sound unusual, even a cultural clash. However, I find the flavors beautifully complement each other. The addition of coconut milk lends a creamy texture and rounds out the curry taste, toning down the intensity of the spices.

Yesterday, when family came to visit, we enjoyed a lovely picnic in the park. Needing something quick to prepare, I opted for my fast food pizzas. Using store-bought pizza bases, I topped them with squash, bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, chicken, and onions. They turned out absolutely delicious!

With some diced chicken leftover from yesterday, I decided to create this creamy pasta with curry sauce for today's meal. The recipe is simple to prepare and doesn't require much time to cook. It's a delightful dish that's sure to please the taste buds!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

500g pasta of choice (I used twist pasta)

3 chicken breasts, diced 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 squash,diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

3 small scallions (any onion can be used instead), chopped

1/4 cup of sweet corn

1 can of coconut milk, 400ml

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 tea spoons thai red curry paste (Sainsbury's)

Process:
1- Start by cooking the pasta according to the instructions on the package.

2- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pan and add the diced chicken and let it cook until golden brown. then, add the squash, bell pepper, sweet corn, scallions and curry powder. Fry everything together over medium heat until evenly cooked.

3- Add the coconut milk and thai red curry paste. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the curry sauce has reduced slightly to a creamy and thick consistency. 

4- Serve the curry sauce with the pasta.

Enjoy!

Delicious Lasagna & Fresh Green Salad - Recipe

Yesterday, I was craving something truly delicious and creamy, so I immediately thought of making lasagna. It was also a family request, so lasagna it was! I went to buy lasagna sheets and tomato sauce since I didn't have enough time to make my own tomato sauce from scratch (which I usually do, and that will be a topic for another blog post). This is a recipe I always turn to when I want to whip up a quick yet scrumptious lasagna, paired with a fresh green salad. I hope you'll give it a try!

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

12 Lasanga sheets

For the Meat Sauce:

500g tomato sauce (I'm using onion and garlic tomato sauce from Iceland)
Ca 300  minced beef
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/3 bell pepper
A small onion (I also had a small piece of aubergine and leek, which I also used in the tomato sauce)

Spices to use for extra taste in the tomato sauce: 

1/2 teaspoon of :

• smoked paprika
• black, rose, white pepper mix
• ground garlic
• herbes de provence mix
• dried parsley
• dried basil
• sea salt

(All spices should be used to taste, this is how I like it best in my tomato sauces)

Bechamel Sauce (white sauce):

 Ca 700 (1 pint) semi-skimmed milk

pinch of grated nutmeg

1,5 tablespoons of plain flour

1 tablespoon of butter (not in the picture)

salt and pepper to taste

grated cheese, ca half cup (I am using Sainsbury's white cheese, not in the picture)

Process:

1- Preheat the oven to 200°C degrees (gas mark 7). Heat the oil in a pan and add the minced meat. Fry until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon if needed.

2-  Grate the veggies in a food processor (or by hand if you prefer that, but I use the food processor always for grating the veggies while the meat is frying as it is done in seconds and saves me time). Add the veggies in the pan and fry everything together for few minutes.

 3- Once everything is browned, add the tomato sauce, stir and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add all the spices and stir until everything is mixed well. Dont forget to taste and season more if needed.  

4- For the white sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, add flour, and gradually pour in the milk. Stir over a moderate heat until just boiling. Add salt, black pepper and the nutmeg. Reduce heat and simmer gently, then add grated cheese. Keep stirring so nothing gets stick to the bottom of the pan, until the sauce looks smooth and thick. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

5-  The last step is when you put everything together. For this, I am using a pyrex glass baking dish. Spoon a thin layer of the tomato sauce and white sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. Place 3 lasagna sheets on top. Repeat layering with sauce and lasagna sheets, finishing with sauce on top. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Then put the lasagna in the oven for about 30-45 minutes depending on your oven and heat, until golden brown and delicious.

This was truly an amazing dish that I try to make at least once every month. It's perfect for portioning into boxes and freezing for a convenient work lunch. For the dinner, I served it alongside a fresh green salad. It was very tasty and filling :)

Fresh green salad:

2 tomatoes

1/3 cucumber

1/3 iceberg salad

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

2 teaspoons of dried parsely

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. 

Enjoy your delicious homemade lasagna with a side of fresh green salad!

Enjoy :)  

Fast Pizza - Recipe

A quick pizza is often the ultimate comfort food when you're short on time to prepare a meal from scratch. I purchased three pizza bases with tomato sauce and cheese already on top, then simply utilized whatever ingredients I had at home today to add on top and baked them in the oven.

 

The ingredients I used include the following (which can be adjusted according to taste):

 

• Diced, grilled chicken breast (details on how I grill the chicken will be shared in a later post)
• A half green bellpeper, grilled
• A quarter of a small eggplant, grilled
• A quarter of a leek, grilled
• Sweetcorn
• Tomato, sliced
• Sea salt to taste
• Cheese

After grilling the bell pepper, eggplant, and chicken in a pan, I sprinkled the grilled ingredients, along with the tomato, sweetcorn, and extra cheese, over the pizza base. Then, I preheated the oven to 190 degrees Celsius and baked the pizza for about 15 minutes. However, please note that all ovens are different, so your pizza might require more or less time in the oven. Keep an eye on it, and once it turns golden brown, it should be ready.

 

I recommend serving a nice cabbage or green salad alongside, as we often do in Sweden. :)

Now, I've only tried out these specific ingredients on the pizza this time. However, feel free to use whatever toppings you desire. You can add salami, mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, other veggies, etc. Let your imagination run wild when making your pizza! The key ingredient is an already made pizza base with tomato sauce and cheese, which makes the baking process very simple and ensures a dinner ready within 30 minutes.

Enjoy ! 

Here we go....

Hello and welcome to my blog :)

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Ever since I got married and moved to the UK from Sweden last year, I've developed a passion for cooking and baking. With my mum no longer around to handle the cooking and household activities, I had to roll up my sleeves and become the chef of our house. I started by following basic recipes I knew and those my mum had taught me. Through experimentation, I developed my own recipes and learned so much about food and cooking in the process.

Eventually, I ventured online and discovered various food websites, and most importantly, YouTube with its array of lovely recipe videos. One of my favorite YouTubers is Laura Vitale, who primarily cooks Italian cuisine and shares simple and easy-to-follow recipes. Additionally, I've become enamored with the Food Network (channel 49 on Freeview) since discovering it recently. I can spend hours watching and learning from chefs like Nigella Lawson, Jenny Morris, Reza Mahammad, and many others.

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There's no particular cooking style or type of food I adhere to. I enjoy experimenting with different dishes from all corners of the world, influenced by my experiences with food from various cultures through friends, family, travels, and fellow international students at university. 

Therefore, I'll be blogging about all the new recipes I try out, sharing both my successful and not-so-successful experiments in the kitchen. I love using fresh veggies and a variety of spices in my cooking, so I'll also be sharing what I always have on hand in my kitchen

My goal is to make this blog my kitchen playground, where I gather all my recipes, information, and experiences in cooking and baking, along with other interesting food-related topics. I'd love to share it with all of you who enjoy cooking, baking, or simply eating. Feel free to leave a comment whenever you visit, share your own recipes or blog with me, and enjoy reading my blog! :)