No food blog this time, but i assure you that the photos you'll be seeing here are equally wonderful and breathtaking!
My sister is selling their Villa in Calabria, Italy. The Villa is nestled on top of the hills with a spectacular view of the Ionian Sea .
Pls. check VILLA ROSINA and take a tour. Click on the links to know more about the Villa, the town, beaches, archeological sites and ofcourse FOOD! If interested you can click on rates and services and if you want to ask questions leave a comment on the guestbook.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
MOUSSAKA
INGREDIENTS:
• 3 medium Aubergines (eggplants) (I PREFER SICILIAN OR 4-5 ASIAN EGGPLANTS DEPENDING ON THE SIZE.
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup olive oil
For the Meat Sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound (500g) ground lamb or beef
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 13 ½ ounce (425g) can tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
For the Cheese Sauce
• 3 ounces (90g) butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup grated Romano cheese
1. Cut unpeeled eggplant into ½ inch (1 cm) slices. Sprinkle both sides with salt; stand in a colander 1 hour. Rinse in cold water, drain well. Squeeze out excess moisture with paper towels.
2. To make Meat Sauce: Heat oil in pan. Add onion and ground meat. Stir over high heat 10 minutes or until well browned and all liquid has evaporated. Add wine, tomato puree, herbs, cinnamon and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer, covered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until liquid is reduced.
3. To make Cheese Sauce- (Mornay Sauce): Heat butter in small pan; add flour to make a roux. Stir over low heat for 2 minutes. Add milk gradually to pan, stirring until smooth. Stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Cook for 1 minute; remove pan from heat. Add eggs and cheese, beat until smooth.
4. Preheat oven to moderate (350 degrees F/180 degrees C). Heat oil in heavy-based pan. Cook eggplant a few slices at a time until golden; remove from pan, drain on paper towels. Divide eggplant into three. Arrange one portion over base of shallow ovenproof dish. Spread with half the meat sauce, second layer of eggplant, remaining meat sauce and eggplant. Spread Cheese Sauce over eggplant. Bake 45 minutes or until golden. Leave in dish for 5 minutes before serving.
• 3 medium Aubergines (eggplants) (I PREFER SICILIAN OR 4-5 ASIAN EGGPLANTS DEPENDING ON THE SIZE.
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup olive oil
For the Meat Sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound (500g) ground lamb or beef
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 13 ½ ounce (425g) can tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
For the Cheese Sauce
• 3 ounces (90g) butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup grated Romano cheese
1. Cut unpeeled eggplant into ½ inch (1 cm) slices. Sprinkle both sides with salt; stand in a colander 1 hour. Rinse in cold water, drain well. Squeeze out excess moisture with paper towels.
2. To make Meat Sauce: Heat oil in pan. Add onion and ground meat. Stir over high heat 10 minutes or until well browned and all liquid has evaporated. Add wine, tomato puree, herbs, cinnamon and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer, covered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until liquid is reduced.
3. To make Cheese Sauce- (Mornay Sauce): Heat butter in small pan; add flour to make a roux. Stir over low heat for 2 minutes. Add milk gradually to pan, stirring until smooth. Stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Cook for 1 minute; remove pan from heat. Add eggs and cheese, beat until smooth.
4. Preheat oven to moderate (350 degrees F/180 degrees C). Heat oil in heavy-based pan. Cook eggplant a few slices at a time until golden; remove from pan, drain on paper towels. Divide eggplant into three. Arrange one portion over base of shallow ovenproof dish. Spread with half the meat sauce, second layer of eggplant, remaining meat sauce and eggplant. Spread Cheese Sauce over eggplant. Bake 45 minutes or until golden. Leave in dish for 5 minutes before serving.
Monday, March 22, 2010
BANANA NUTS AND CHOCOLATE CHIPS MUFFINS
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups plus two tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about two smaller bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup nuts, finely chopped
1 cup chocolate chips or morsels
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
1. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together.
2. In another bowl, mash the bananas. Whisk two large eggs and add those to the bananas. Add the oil, milk, sugars, and sour cream. Blend well. Stir in the nuts and chips.
3. With a spatula, mix the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture. Stir until just combined. Spoon the batter into 12 well-greased muffin tins or muffin liners. Ten muffins will give you large, nicely-domed muffins. Fill any unused muffins cups half full of water.
4. Bake for eight minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for another 6 to 10 minutes or stick a toothpick in the muffins and when it comes out clean it is cooked. Let the muffins sit in the tins for a few minutes and then remove them to wire racks to cool.
TIP: The burst of heat in the initial high temperature helps dome the muffins.
1 3/4 cups plus two tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about two smaller bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup nuts, finely chopped
1 cup chocolate chips or morsels
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
1. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together.
2. In another bowl, mash the bananas. Whisk two large eggs and add those to the bananas. Add the oil, milk, sugars, and sour cream. Blend well. Stir in the nuts and chips.
3. With a spatula, mix the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture. Stir until just combined. Spoon the batter into 12 well-greased muffin tins or muffin liners. Ten muffins will give you large, nicely-domed muffins. Fill any unused muffins cups half full of water.
4. Bake for eight minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for another 6 to 10 minutes or stick a toothpick in the muffins and when it comes out clean it is cooked. Let the muffins sit in the tins for a few minutes and then remove them to wire racks to cool.
TIP: The burst of heat in the initial high temperature helps dome the muffins.
