blueberries

“Cobb” Yogurt

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Fresh fruit yogurt is a dish I love to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and …….just about any time of the day.
Which brings up the question – why would anybody buy the crappy ready-made stuff when this is so much better !?
I make this all the time, using whatever fruit is available, changing often so as to have a great variety of what is basically the easiest dish out there to prepare from scratch. Most of the time when good fruit is avilable, it is sweet enough that I don´t even have to add honey to the mix. The pictued amount is usually what I eat during a single day, either in addition to, or in place of, a regular meal. After years of eating this 4 to 5 times a week, I still do not get tired of it and I believe I never will. 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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“Cobb” Yogurt

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures

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: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, toroughly washed and dried

: mash most of the berries coarsely, keep some whole ones to garnish the berries lightly, add honey to taste

: add plain Greek yogurt

: mix together

: plate the yogurt in a flat bowl, arrange the rest of the berries in an attractive pattern (rows, as in a cobb salad)

: “Cobb” Yogurt

: “Cobb” Yogurt

: “Cobb” Yogurt

: “Cobb” Yogurt

: “Cobb” Yogurt

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Beef Ribs Braised With Blueberries And Merlot, Served With Mafaldine & Pangrattato

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Blueberries in a beef-braise?
If I didn’t know better, I would probably have rejected that idea too.
But of course, I’ve cooked a similar dish before, so I am familiar with it. The reason blueberries are being used in a beef sauce is that when you need a good amount of sauce with great color and great flavor, but you have only a small amount of beef, you are in a hurry and you have no proper stock at hand and not enough root vegetables – if all that comes together, you need some kind of a solution to give debt of flavor and color to the dish.
Well, here is the solution to the problem – blueberries will do the trick 🙂
This sauce tastes different from your typical beef sauce, very rich – almost like game sauce, but the flavor is absolutely unique, lovely and delicious 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good
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Click here for more Beef Ribs on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for more Blueberries on ChefsOpinion
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Beef Ribs Braised With Blueberries And Merlot, Served With Mafaldine & Pangrattato

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures

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: season 8-10 beef ribs (depending on size) with kosher salt, cracked black pepper and granulated garlic in 2 tblsp peanut oil, saute all sides until golden brown ( 1 layer at a time)

: remove the ribs, set aside

: in the remaining fat, saute 2 ea cut onion, 2 ea cut tomatoes, 5 ea med hot chilies and 5 ea cloves of garlic until the onions are caramelized

: add 2 quart of good quality merlot and 1 quart water, deglaze the pot

: add 2 cup blue berries, 1 cup sweet hungarian paprika, 7 ea star anis, 4 ea dry bay leaves, 5 ea cloves, 5 ea juniper berries, 2 tblsp sugar, 1 tblsp thyme, 1 tblsp oregano, 1/2 tblsp coriander, 1/2 tblsp cumin, 1/ 2 tsp ground black pepper and kosher salt to taste

: bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook until the meat is very tender but does NOT fall off the bone (2-3 hours)

: 3 hours later……

: remove the meat, set aside covered, degrease and strain the sauce, check / adjust seasoning, serve with pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes , serves 4

: Beef Ribs Braised With Blueberries And Merlot, Served With Mafaldine & Pangrattato

: Beef Ribs Braised With Blueberries And Merlot, Served With Mafaldine & Pangrattato

: Beef Ribs Braised With Blueberries And Merlot, Served With Mafaldine & Pangrattato

: Beef Ribs Braised With Blueberries And Merlot, Served With Mafaldine & Pangrattato

: Beef Ribs Braised With Blueberries And Merlot, Served With Mafaldine & Pangrattato

: Beef Ribs Braised With Blueberries And Merlot, Served With Mafaldine & Pangrattato

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Seafood Salad….(Worthy Of The Holidays)

Romaine Lettuce With Shrimp, Mussels, Crab Claws, And Fruits, Dressed In Avocado Salsa

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Before I went to get some last-minute shopping done this morning, I contemplated my probable food-intake for the next two days. It downed on me that if I don’t want to gain at least 10 lbs over the holidays, I must offset the gluttony with sensible breakfasts and luncheons, so I started today with this simple and light salad;
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“Romaine Lettuce With Shrimp, Mussels, Crab Claws, And Fruits, Dressed In Avocado Salsa”
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P.S.
For seafood salads, I always like to “refresh” refrigerated seafood in a mixture of room temperature-water, lemon juice, garlic paste, kosher salt and cayenne pepper. (Keep in liquid for ten minutes)
For all hot dishes, I like to “refresh” refrigerated seafood in a mixture of room temperature-whole butter, lemon juice, garlic paste, kosher salt and cayenne pepper. (Keep in butter for ten minutes)
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Mix romaine lettuce, cucumbers and rainbow grape tomatoes with a simple honey/mustard vinaigrette, plate on serving platter.
Top with pomegranate seeds, blueberries and mango, refresh seafood according to instruction on this page.
Top with seafood.
Drizzle with avocado dressing/salsa.
Serves – well, that depends entirely on you. 🙂 (This one was just the perfect sized meal for Bella and me)
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Avocado Salsa/Dressing Recipe:
In a food processor, blend 1 cup honey/mustard vinaigrette and juice from 1 lime with meat from 1 to 2 ea Hass(Haas) Avocado (depending on size) until smooth, stir-in 1 tblsp finely chopped cilantro.
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Click here for more Salad on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for more Seafood on ChefsOpinion
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Romaine Lettuce With Shrimp, Mussels, Crab Claws, And Fruits, Dressed In Avocado Salsa

I could eat just the salad on its own……….

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures

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: bring liquid to a boil, cool to room temperature

: add the seafood for 10 minutes, drain

: dress romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers with honey/mustard vinaigrette

: plate the salad

: top with fruits, top with seafood, drizzle generously with avocado salsa

: Romaine Lettuce With Shrimp, Mussels, Crab Claws, And Fruits, Dressed In Avocado Salsa

: Romaine Lettuce With Shrimp, Mussels, Crab Claws, And Fruits, Dressed In Avocado Salsa

: Romaine Lettuce With Shrimp, Mussels, Crab Claws, And Fruits, Dressed In Avocado Salsa

: Romaine Lettuce With Shrimp, Mussels, Crab Claws, And Fruits, Dressed In Avocado Salsa

: Romaine Lettuce With Shrimp, Mussels, Crab Claws, And Fruits, Dressed In Avocado Salsa

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P.S.
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This dish is part of my upcoming meal plan # 2 –
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH TWO
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Click here for
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH ONE
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The Complete Idiot’s Guide To The Very Best Blueberry Cake

The Very Best Blueberry Cake

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As my regular readers know, I love sweets, desserts and cakes, but I do not like to prepare them, so when I do prepare a sweet dish, it must be quick , simple and easy.
This cake batter definitely fits into that category. No machines needed, no mess in the kitchen and the whole preparation does not take more than 10 minutes at most.
Yet, the result is absolute culinary delight 🙂
Use any fruit you might like and have available, such as any berries, stone fruit, halved grapes, even bananas, etc. Just make sure you don’t overcook the cake. Unfortunately, the old toothpick test does not work for this type of cake, so you must rely on your touch. If you are still not sure, remove a small piece from the center to check, then replace it right away and let the cake cool down to room temperature. (Don’t worry, the castor sugar will hide this little sin 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more Cake on ChefsOpinion
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The Very Best Blueberry Cake

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures

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: butter and flour a springform

: whisk 1.3 cups a/p flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder and a dash of salt in a bowl until combined., beat 1 stick butter and 3/4 cup sugar for a couple of minutes, beat in 2 large eggs and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, add the flour mixture and 3/4 cup of milk, stir until smooth

: add 1/3 of the batter mixture to the springform

: mix the remaining 2/3 batter with 2 pint washed and dried blueberries, fill into the springform

: bake in a preheated oven at 355F for 1 hour

: when the cake is baked through, remove from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes before removing springform; to serve, sprinkle with castor sugar and more blueberries, serve with fresh whipped cream

: The Very Best Blueberry Cake

: The Very Best Blueberry Cake

: The Very Best Blueberry Cake

: The Very Best Blueberry Cake

: The Very Best Blueberry Cake

: The Very Best Blueberry Cake

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Fourth Of July – Celebrating The First Brexit Of 1776 (English Trifle)

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Tomorrow is the 4th of July, “Independence Day”, Americas most celebrated public holiday.
And what better way than to rub it into the 200+year-old wound of the British than to celebrate this glorious occasion with this most typical of British desserts, the English Trifle 🙂
Well, just kidding. We are of course thankful that the Brit’s left us with this superbly wonderful dessert
(But mostly with the fact that they left us) 🙂 .
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Excerpt from “The Spruce”:
>>An English Trifle is the quintessential pudding that has graced British tables for more than four centuries.
The blousey looking, decadent, rich dessert is simply luscious. There are so many variations in the traditional recipe; some will boast jelly in their trifle, some not; fruit is a must-have for some, for others, no way. This is my recipe and one I have been making for many years. Essentially a trifle needs a sponge soaked (if for adults) in sherry, a thick layer of creamy custard and a deep layer of lightly whipped fresh cream. The rest is all about personal preference. My favorite trifle recipe is made with jelly as it is even more appealing to children though if so, do leave out the sherry. If you prefer a trifle without jelly, simply omit and proceed without, this will be quicker to make as it will not require setting in the fridge. You choose, they are all delicious.<<
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Vanilla pudding recipe:
1/3 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, pinch of salt, 2 cups milk, 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten, 2 tablespoons softened butter, a dash of vanilla extract.
1) – In a 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Simmer and stir 1 minute.
2) – Gradually stir at least half of the hot mixture into egg yolks, then stir back into hot mixture in saucepan. Simmer and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla.
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P.S.
You can easily control the texture of your trifle by adding more or less cake, more or less fruit or jello, more or less whipped cream, more or less pudding and by soaking the cake with more or less liquid (booze for the grown-up’s, juice or honey for the kids)
(I personally prefer a lighter texture – more pudding, more cream, more fruits, easy on the cake).
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I would usually use a bright red jam for a trifle, but when I started to prepare this one, I realized that I forgot to buy the jam. After an agonizing 2 seconds of mental deliberation, I decided to save myself a 5 mile trip to the store and instead use the apricot preserve I had in the larder. Less color, same great flavor.
And there you have it 🙂
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HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY !!!
(Great Britain rejoice, you still have Gibraltar) 🙂
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Fourth Of July – Celebrating The First Brexit Of 1776 (English Trifle)

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: prepare vanilla pudding according to the recipe on this page, chill overnight

: whisk heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks, chill

: carefully wash and pad try fruits of your choice

: slice pound cake to the thickness you prefer

: spread pound cake slices wiyh jam or marmalade of your choice

: drizzle pound cake with the liquid of your choice (for this one I used white chocolate Liqueur)

: spread first layer of pound cake on bottom of your bowl

: top pound cake with fruit

: top fruit with first layer of pudding

: spread pudding evenly

: top pudding with first layer of whipped cream, spread evenly

: top whipped cream with first layer of blueberries; repeat all layers once or twice, as you prefer

: top the last layer with whipped cream and fruit, dust with castor sugar; to serve, sprinkle with chocolate dots (optional)

: Fourth Of July – Celebrating The First Brexit Of 1776 (English Trifle)

: Fourth Of July – Celebrating The First Brexit Of 1776 (English Trifle)

: Fourth Of July – Celebrating The First Brexit Of 1776 (English Trifle)

: Fourth Of July – Celebrating The First Brexit Of 1776 (English Trifle)

: Fourth Of July – Celebrating The First Brexit Of 1776 (English Trifle)

: Fourth Of July – Celebrating The First Brexit Of 1776 (English Trifle)

: Fourth Of July – Celebrating The First Brexit Of 1776 (English Trifle)

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Berries And Cream Pound Cake

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So I woke up early today and the first thing that came to my mind was food – sweet food with lots of fruit, to be precise.
I went to the store to see what’s available and got home with some great raspberries and blueberries. First I was thinking pancakes, but I had those a few times in the past month, so something different was called for. Since I did not feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen, pound cake seemed easy and fast enough and it went into the oven in a flash 🙂
Two hours (and a good movie) later, the baked, cooled down and halved cake was in front of me. First I drizzled the cake with fresh-squeezed orange juice for flavor and moistness, then covered one-half with nutella, the other half with raspberry jam. Topped that with the washed and dried berries, drizzled the berries with melted apricot jam and finished it all with a sinful amount of whipped cream and castor sugar. As usual I ate too much and I am sure I’ll pay for it with a day of my life.
But, at the time, it seemed well worth it………..
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Pound Cake Recipe :
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Ingredients:

– 8 oz unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
– 2 cups cake flour, plus extra to dust the pan
– 2 cups granulated sugar
– 2 tsp organic vanilla extract
– 1 tsp kosher salt
– 4 whole, large eggs
– ½ cup soft cream cheese

Method:

Heat oven to 325° F. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, line the bottom with parchment, butter again, and dust with flour.
Beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the cream cheese until smooth.
Add the flour and mix just until combined (do not overmix). Transfer the batter to the pan, smooth the top, bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

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Topping:
Juice of 1 orange, 2 pint raspberries, 2 pint blueberries, 1/2 cup nutella,
1/2 cup melted apricot jam, 1/4 cup raspberry jam, 1 cup whipped heavy cream, castor sugar.
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P.S.
Serve one piece each of raspberry jam covered cake and one each piece of nutella covered cake per portion.
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Berries And Cream Pound Cake

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: Berries And Cream Pound Cake

: Berries And Cream Pound Cake

: Berries And Cream Pound Cake

: Berries And Cream Pound Cake

: Berries And Cream Pound Cake

: Berries And Cream Pound Cake

: Berries And Cream Pound Cake

: Berries And Cream Pound Cake

: Berries And Cream Pound Cake

: Berries And Cream Pound Cake

: Berries And Cream Pound Cake

: Berries And Cream Pound Cake

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One For The Kids # 2 – Banana/Nutella Tortilla Roll With Fresh Raspberries And Blueberries

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Yesterday afternoon my friend Ralf came by with his four-year old son Justin.
Ralf and I had some Chili Noodles which were fantastic, but would have been way too spicy for a four-year old, so I made this dish for him. I made this for him before, so I knew he would love it. Heck, so did Ralf and I. (Of course I prepared way too much, so we ate the rest) 🙂
While this is a simple, quick and easy dessert or snack, it is yummy and pretty enough to serve on any informal occasion.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Vanilla Cream recipe
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Click here for Tortilla Dulce recipe
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Click here for more Tortilla recipes on ChefsOpinion
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One For The Kids – Banana/Nutella Tortilla Roll With Fresh Raspberries And Blueberries

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: wash raspberries and blueberries, pat dry

: mix 1 cup vanilla cream with 1/2 cup greek yogurt, 2 tblsp honey and a dash of organic vanilla extract (either yogurt or vanilla cream by itself will also work just fine)

: spread nutella onto a flour tortilla

: top with a banana

: roll tight

: repeat

: sprinkle with sugar

: broil until caramelized; to serve, cut into four eaqual pieces, plate with a good helping of the berries, sprinkle with castor sugar

: One For The Kids – Banana/Nutella Tortilla Roll With Fresh Raspberries And Blueberries

: One For The Kids – Banana/Nutella Tortilla Roll With Fresh Raspberries And Blueberries

: One For The Kids – Banana/Nutella Tortilla Roll With Fresh Raspberries And Blueberries

: One For The Kids – Banana/Nutella Tortilla Roll With Fresh Raspberries And Blueberries

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P.S.
I just know that somebody out there will be inspired by the look of these tortillas and serve a variation of them as a whimsy “Marrow Bone Dessert” 🙂
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Breakfast Of Champions # 51 – Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake With Fresh Pomegranate Yogurt

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Getting out of bed in the morning sucks ! 😦
Getting out of bet in the morning to this sweet beauty sucks less 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Have A Wonderful Day 🙂
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More “Breakfast Of Champions”
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More “Pancakes”
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Breakfast Of Champions # 51 – Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake With Fresh Pomegranate Yoghurt

Breakfast Of Champions # 51 – Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake With Fresh Pomegranate Yogurt

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: cut fresh pomegranate in half

: remove all seeds

: mix with Greek yogurt, sugar and vanilla extract

: mix well, keep in fridge until serving-time

: mix one cup of flour with four egg-yolk, one tspn sugar, half tspn vanilla essence and enough buttermilk to form a batter, whisk the egg-whites with one tblsp sugar to stiff peaks

: fold the egg whites into the batter

: add washed, DRIED blueberries

: add to a preheated, lightly buttered pan, cook until just set, flip and finish cooking in a 400F oven

: remove pancake to serving platter

: top pancake with pomegranate yogurt, dust generously with castor sugar

: Breakfast Of Champions # 51 – Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake With Fresh Pomegranate Yogurt

: Breakfast Of Champions # 51 – Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake With Fresh Pomegranate Yogurt

: Breakfast Of Champions # 51 – Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake With Fresh Pomegranate Yogurt

: Breakfast Of Champions # 51 – Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake With Fresh Pomegranate Yogurt

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Chocolate Panna Cotta With Rum-Macerated Rambutan & Vanilla Panna Cotta With Blueberries

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This dessert is so fool-proof that it should feature prominently on the menu of folks who proclaim they can not cook and/or have no time to cook. Not only is extremely easy to prepare as far as desserts go, it is also super delicious and can easily be transformed into a whole new dessert by just adding another ingredient, such as chocolate, flavored syrup, fresh fruit, etc.
Quick, easy and delicious – my kind of dessert 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Sweet !
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Panna Cotta With Rum-Macerated Rambutan

Panna Cotta With Blueberries And Whipped Cream

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: Sweeten 6 cup heavy cream and 3 cup half&half with 1/2 cup of honey, add a few drops of organic vanilla extract, bring to a simmer, remove from heat

: add 6 tblsp of water to 3 envelope of gelatin, let bloom, warm over low heat until desolved, add to milk / cream mixture

: remove half the mixture and fill into cups, add instant coco to other half of mixture, fill into cups

: place cups into fridge until set, 3-4 hours or overnight

: top vanilla panna cotta with whipped cream and blueberries

: Panna Cotta With Blueberries And Whipped Cream

: Panna Cotta With Rum-Macerated Rambutan

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Vanilla Pudding Chock-Full With Berries

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Ever since I have started to eat healthier, my sweet tooth has suffered.
I had no problem giving up alcohol and I had no problem to stop smoking, but giving up on cake and patisserie remains a daily challenge, I miss my sweet’s terribly.
I am eating and enjoying a ton of fruits, but sometimes that just does not do the trick. I am a fairly good cook but a lousy patissier, so my sugar-free desserts are a bit lacking in finesse and variety.
Having said that, I DO have a few great options for sugar-free or at least refined-sugar free desserts. The following is one of my favorites because of its creaminess and richness.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Sweet ! (Sometimes)
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Vanilla Pudding Chock-Full With Berries

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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1/3 cup Honey
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
5 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract
lots of fresh, washed and dried berries

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