Raspberries

“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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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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P.P.S.
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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Blackberry Waffles With Vanilla Cream

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I had these a couple of days ago and I had waffles again this morning (bacon waffles).
Waffles – my new Addiction 😦 🙂
I have made them with raspberries, bacon, shrimp, crab meat, caramelized apples, shredded chicken and caramelized onions. They are so versatile and never disappoint. Just make sure that when you make a savory version you cut 3/4 of the sugar and add kosher salt to taste.
Good Stuff ! 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Waffle recipe
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Click here for more Waffles on ChefsOpinion
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Click here for Pancakes on ChefsOpinion
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Vanilla cream/pudding recipe:
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1/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, pinch of salt, 2 cups milk, 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten, 2 tablespoons softened butter, a dash of vanilla extract.
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– 1 In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil 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. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.
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Note:
Use this cream while it is still warm as waffle or pancake topping. To enjoy as pudding, pour into molds and refrigerate.
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Blackberry Waffles With Vanilla 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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: chop fresh blackberries coarsely, reserve a few whole ones for garnish

: stir chopped blackberries into waffle batter, (don’t overwork) proceed with waffles as usual (see recipe-link)

: Blackberry Waffles With Vanilla Cream

: Blackberry Waffles With Vanilla Cream

: Blackberry Waffles With Vanilla Cream

: Blackberry Waffles With Vanilla Cream

: Blackberry Waffles With Vanilla Cream

: Blackberry Waffles With Vanilla Cream

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Raspberry / Cheese Blintzes

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While cheese blintzes are traditionally made with thin pancakes, I like to make my stuffed blintzes a bit more substantial and therefore make the batter a bit thicker and spread it in the pan more thick, (between the thickness of a crepe and a dutch-pancake). I also don’t usually eat them as snack or dessert but as a main course, so my blintzes are larger, thicker and contain more filling than usual.
Other than that, I stick with tradition – pancake, cheese filling with fruit and lightly sauteed – that’s all there is to another great culinary gem 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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More about Blintzes & Blinis
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Raspberry / Cheese Blintzes

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

: mix well

: add organic honey and a dash of organic vanilla extract

: fold in fresh raspberries

: raspberry/cheese filling

: mix milk, eggs, self-rising flour and honey (if you want very thin crepes instead, use a/p flour

: whisk until smooth

: make pancakes in non-stick pan

: cook until starting to brown

: turn and cook on other side

: let slightly cool for easier handling

: fill each pancake with a generous amount of filling

: fold into pockets

: saute both sides until outside is golden and filling is heated through

: Raspberry / Cheese Blintzes

: Raspberry / Cheese Blintzes

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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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: Bring milk and honey to a boil

: add vanilla extract

: whisk eggyolks until airy

: make a cornstarch slurry

: add slurry and butter to milk, simmer one minute

: add some pudding to the egg yolks to temper

: return egg mixture to pudding, mix well, simmer another minute

: add fresh blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, fold in carefully

: pour into bowl or individual cups, cover with plastic film to prevent skin, chill overnight

: to serve, add pudding to serving plate

: top with sugar-free whipped heavy cream, sugar-free fruit purre and top with fresh strawberry

: Vanilla Pudding Chock-Full With Berries

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” Just A Pretty Picture ” Vanilla Ice Cream & Fresh Berries

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It does not always have to be ‘Food Porn ” to get me visually excited about a dish.
Last night I had a simple dessert of vanilla ice cream I made a few day’s ago,
together with some fresh berries and – voila, great dessert, even greater pictures.
Sometimes, the simple things in live………. 🙂

Life is Good !
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