310g all-purpose flour
200g granulated sugar
3 eggs
100g dark chocolate finely chopped
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teasp.baking powder
1 teasp. Vanilla paste
pinch of salt


Preheat the oven 180 Celsius degrees (356Fa).

Cream eggs, sugar and vanilla paste until light and fluffy. 

Mix all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, dark chocolate, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt) and add to eggs mixture. Mix until everything is well combined. 


Biscotti dough will be a little bit sticky . Roll the dough into a log 10cm long and 3-4cm wide.

Bake for 20 minutes then remove from the oven, and let the log cool to room temperature on the baking sheet. Do not turn off the oven.

Using a serrated knife, cut the log diagonally into 1,5cm-wide slices. Place
the slices back on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.


Remove from the oven. The biscotti will crisp up as they cool.


 


Source: http://tunacooking.blogspot.fr/2013/01/biscotti-z-czekolada-chocolate-biscotti.html 

Remember to eat Crêpes on Fête de la Chandeleur - February 2nd

Ingredients
3 heaped* tablespoons of flour
2 heaped tablespoons of sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of oil
1 cup of milk 


Makes four Crêpes


Mix flour, sugar and egg until you get a uniform batter with few lumps. Then add oil and milk stop mixing when thin and smooth. For best results let the batter sit in the refrigerator for half an hour.

Heat a frying pan and lightly oil it. Pour batter on to frying pan, tilting and rotating to get an even thin Crêpe, about the thickness of a tortilla.

Cook on medium heat until light brown and then turn. Cook for another minute or two and you’re all done! Put on any topping you like, French favorites include jam, sugar or Nutella.

This recipe is for sweet Crêpes, for non sweet Crêpes follow as above but don’t add any sugar. 


* As much as can be held in the spoon.


Source: http://www.americansinfrance.net/Culture/Making-Crepes.cfm 

Ingredients:

FOR THE DOUGH:
1 cup Water - luke warm
1 package (1/4 ounce) Yeast -quick-rise
2½ cups all-purpose Flour- plus for rolling
½ tsp Salt


FOR THE TOPPING:

2 Tbsp garlic-infused Olive Oil
1 cup Yellow Onions - thinly sliced
¾ cup roasted Red Peppers - drained, thinly sliced
¼ cup Almonds- finely chopped
½ cup Manchego Cheese - finely grated
½ tsp smoked Paprika
½ tsp dried Rosemary - crushed
¼ tsp Black Pepper -freshly ground


Directions:

1.To Prepare the Dough:

In a large bowl, stir water and yeast together until dissolved; set aisde for 10 minutes or until mixture is bubbly. Stir in flour and salt until well combined. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead for 5 minutes. Place in lightly greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F)

Tip: You can also use already made pizza dough and just continue to the next
step


2.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll each dough piece out into a 6-inch oval. Place on lightly greased cookie sheets.

3.Brush dough with garlic oil. Top with onion, roasted red peppers and almonds; sprinkle with Manchego cheese.


4. In a small bowl combine smoked paprika, rosemary and pepper. Sprinkle
mixture over each round. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until brown.


Cut into 4 - 6 pieces and serve as an appetizer or leave whole

serves 2-4


4 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 - 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 lb. asparagus, washed and trimmed
3 tablespoons butter

In a small mixing bowl, combine goat cheese, Parmesan, egg, 1/4 cup chives and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix with a fork until smooth. Add flour a spoonful at a time until dough comes together but is still a little wet.

Lightly flour a work surface and line a jelly roll pan with wax paper. On the floured surface, knead dough for about a minute. If it's still a little sticky, add some flour as needed, a spoonful at a time.

Divide dough in half. Flour hands and roll into each piece back and forth until it becomes a rope about 1-inch thick. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces. If desired, roll each piece against the back of a fork to add texture. Place gnocchi on wax paper-lined pan and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Bring a pot of water to boil for the gnocchi.

Meanwhile, cut asparagus on the bias into 1/2-inch pieces. Steam for about 2 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.

When water is boiling, salt generously. Add gnocchi and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they rise to the surface. Drain and set aside.

In a large sauce pan, heat butter over medium heat until it begins to brown. Add the asparagus, gnocchi, 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining chives. Cook for 1 minute. Add black pepper to taste. Serve. Garnish with chive blossoms if desired.

 Source: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-goat-cheese-and-chive-g-85661 

Gardening guru and food stylist Jeanne Kelley is known for her veggie
patch-to-stove approach to cooking. We’re big fans of her recipe book Salad for
Dinner, so when we heard about her new Kitchen Garden Cookbook, we used it as an
excuse to pop by her Eagle Rock abode and watch her in action.


 


Here, Kelley shows us how to make a springtime dessert (chicken coop and
beehive not required!)
 
Frozen Honey Cream with Strawberries and Lavender

Serves six

Ingredients

For the cream

2 egg whites
1 pinch of salt
¼ c. sugar
1 c. cream, chilled
¼ c. honey, plus more for drizzling

1. In a large metal bowl, using a whisk or an electric mixer fitted with clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites and salt until foamy.

2. Gradually beat in sugar and whip until medium peaks form.

3. In a separate large bowl, using a whisk or an electric mixer set at low, stir cream and honey until honey dissolves. Increase the speed and whip until peaks form.

4. Fold egg whites carefully into whipped cream. Transfer to a 3-cup container and freeze overnight.


For the strawberries

2 lb. strawberries, hulled
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. fresh or dried lavender blossoms

1. Cut berries in half if small; quarter if large.

2. In a large bowl, combine with honey, sugar, and lavender; stir to blend.


To Assemble

1. Spoon cream and strawberries into shallow serving dishes. Drizzle cream with a small amount of honey.

2. Garnish with additional lavender blossoms if desired and serve.


Source: http://dailycandy.com/los-angeles/article/146985/Frozen-Honey-Cream-with-Strawberries-and-Lavender-Recipe?

Individual Black Forest Trifles
Serves 6 to 8


1 jar morelo cherries, in syrup
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cherry brandy (optional)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 pound chocolate cake of your choice, cut into 1/2" cubes
dark chocolate shavings
6 to 8 3oz servings glasses
 

1. Drain the cherries, saving the liquid and reserving the cherries separately. Add the
liquid to a sauce pan, together with the cherry brandy (if using) half cup of sugar. Simmer until thickened and reduced by half. Allow to cool then combine with the reserved cherries, and set aside.

2. Whip the cream, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla together until fluffy, with stiff peaks.

3. To assemble the trifles, place about 4 cubes of cake on the bottom of each individual serving glass. Top with two tablespoons of the cherries followed by two tablespoons of whipped creamed. Repeat each layer ending with the cream.
Dust the top of each trifle with chocolate chards before serving.

Source: http://healthyandgourmet.blogspot.fr/2012/03/individual-black-forest-trifles.html 

Ingredients:1.5 pounds green beans, cleaned and trimmed

1-2 tablespoons olive oil (depending on pan size; basically will need enough to cover pan and coat green
beans)

4 tablespoons, butter, salted

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon garlic powder (if you
really like garlic, add more)

a few pinches of salt and ground
black pepper to taste

 
 Instructions:

Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook green beans for about 3 minutes. Drain beans and transfer them to the bowl of ice water. Allow beans to cool completely. Once cool, drain beans and proceed to next steps. Or store covered in refrigirator for up to a couple of days until ready to finish cooking

Heat olive in a large skillet* over medium-high heat. Add green beans and butter to pan, tossing to coat with oil and butter. Add lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Continue to toss, cooking for about 3 minutes. 

Additional salt and pepper as needed to taste. 
 
 
Notes:
*Depending on skillet size, you may need to work in smaller batches, dividing lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and paper as you work through smaller amounts.

Makes 24 pieces, 12 servings (2 sticks each)

 
Ingredients:

12 sticks part-skim mozzarella string cheese

1 large egg

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 teaspoons parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

Nonstick cooking spray

Marinara sauce and/or Ranch dressing, for serving



Directions:

Remove wrappers and cut cheese in half to give you 24 pieces. Freeze cheese until hard and frozen, about 30 minutes.


In three separate shallow dishes, place egg, flour and breadcrumbs, each in their own dish. Whisk egg. To breadcrumbs dish, add panko, parmesan and parsley.


Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Dip frozen cheese sticks in flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg, then coat with the crumbs. Repeat for each cheese stick, placing them on the lined baking sheet. Freeze on sheet at least 15 minutes, or until ready to bake (this is a must or they will melt before the crumbs get golden).


When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange oven rack in the bottom third of your oven.


Bake 4 to 5 minutes, turn sticks over, and bake an additional 4-5 minutes, watching sticks closely so they don't melt. Serve hot with marinara sauce or Ranch dressing for dipping.


Enjoy!


Source: http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2013/01/skinny-baked-mozzarella-sticks.html 

So simple and quick to make, I hope I'm not tempted to make these too often!!

Ingredients:

1/2 C Butter
2 C Sugar
1/2 C Milk
4 Tbsp Cocoa
1/2 C Peanut Butter
3 - 3 1/2 C Quick cooking Oats
2 tsp. Vanilla

Add the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, and boil for 1 minute.
Stir in the next 3 ingredients and drop onto wax/foil paper. Let cool until set. Et voila! xxx

Source: http://morganmoore.typepad.com/one_more_moore/2009/04/when-its-too-hot-to-bake-we-nobake.html
 

These flavour filled fish parcels can be prepared ahead of time, making them perfect for a dinner party. Let guests open up the packages so they fully experience that hit of herbs and freshly cooked fish themselves. 

•200g (6½oz) couscous
•6 spring onions, thinly sliced
•Grated zest of 1 lemon
•1 tsp ground cumin pinch of saffron threads (optional, but good)
•2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
•2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander leaves
•18-20 cherry tomatoes, halved
                                                             •Salt and freshly ground black pepper
                                                             •4 thick white fish fillets (cod, barramundi or snapper)
                                                             •Extra virgin olive oil for brushing and drizzling
                                                             •1 lemon, thinly sliced into wedges, to garnish

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6). Place the couscous, spring onion, lemon zest and cumin in a large heatproof bowl. Add the saffron threads to 400 ml (13fl oz) water and bring to the boil. Pour the water over the couscous, cover tightly with a heat-proof plastic wrap and set aside for five minutes.

2.Stir in the parsley, coriander and cherry tomatoes, and toss to fluff up the couscous. Season well with salt and pepper.

3.Tear off four sheets of foil or baking paper, around 45cm (18in) in length. Brush the centre with a little olive oil and place one quarter of the couscous in the centre of each. Top with a fish fillet. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and add a slice of lemon on the fillet. Season the fish well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4.Bring the edges of the foil or paper over to enclose the fish, and seal well by folding the edges. Make sure you leave some air space in the parcels - they should be securely sealed but not wrapped tightly.

5.Place the fish parcels on a large baking sheet and cook for about 15 minutes (the parcels should have puffed up a little). Serve on warm plates with lemon wedges. Let your guests open the packages themselves.

Top tips
The couscous will absorb liquid from the fish as it cooks, so it only needs to be soaked for about five minutes initially. You can prepare the parcel a few hours before cooking and keep chilled until ready to cook.


Source: http://www.easyliving.co.uk/collections/beauty-bites#beauty-bites/view/recipes/main-courses/steamed-fish-couscous-parcels?&_suid=136355264998406065149232372002