Things to Try Thursday, 1st of March *2012

SWEET

1. Salted Caramel. Chocolate. What else do you really need in life?
Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

2. I’ve never made one, but red cakes/cupcakes certainly have something about them. These sound really interesting: Beetroot and Poppyseed Muffins (they’re gluten and dairy free too btw, in case any one of you is suffering from an allergy to either!)

3. Elegant AND indulgent: Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Cheesecake (everyone likes a good cheesecake? Right?!)

4. Mmmmmmhhhhh. I imagine these to be the most delicate little cupcakes with just this subtle hint of calming chamomile and sweetness of honey.Delicious: Honey Chamomile Cupcakes

SAVOURY

1. Amazing little canapés: Okra Cornmeal Cakes with Chevre and Roasted Tomatoes 

2. Got to love a nice Quesadilla. Especially when it’s filled with sweet potato goodness: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas

3. YEAH. Just make them, not much to say, it’s all in the name:Caramelized Mushroom and Onion Biscuit

4. Summer is coming: Gazpacho

RECIPE: Blueberry-Stracciatella Cheesecake with Cashew Nuts

I’m planning to post some healthier recipes soon, but in the meantime, let’s concentrate on indulgent food (not saying that healthy food can’t taste indulgent, but you know indulgent in a classic sense, with lots of cream and butter and the like). I made this for christmas eve and I think it’s safe to say that it turned out a success, so I thought I’d share it here

Blueberry-Stracciatella Cheesecake with Cashew Nuts

1) Use a food processor or pestle and mortar to grind a generous handful of cashew nuts and about 1 package of chocolate covered digestives
2) Mix this with a couple of tablespoons of melted butter
3) Grease a springform tin and then use your fingers to push the mixture onto the bottom of the tin. Put the tin in the freezer, whilst you get on with the rest.
4) Mix together 3 packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, some sugar (depending on how sweet you like it), some melted dark chocolate,  a handful of crushed up blueberries and vanilla extract.
5) Fold in about 250-300ml of whipped cream
6) Pour over the cooled base, decorate with some grated chocolate and/or berries and let it set in the fridge. 

Things to Try Thursday, 5th of January 2012

SWEET
1. Fruit has fruit sugar in it, which means that roasting will lead to caramelization, i.e. goodness: Roasted Banana Muffins

2. Always up for a cheeky cheesecake. Again especially when it involves caramel: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

3. Fleur de Sel can be more than interesting as well! Dark Chocolate Shortbread with Fleur de Sel

SAVOURY

1. Since it’s the new year, and we’re all trying to shift that weight we gained from the christmas holidays… Why not do it in such a delicious way: All Green Grilled Zucchini Tacos

2. Staying on the healthy track: Spinach, Feta and Blood Orange Salad

3. Pretty standard: Black Bean and Quinoa Burger

4. I love the idea of having little salsas and dips around to make every dish this little bit more interesting. This shall be one of them in the near future: Spicy Lemon Date Spread

5. Not so healthy but HELLOOOOO! Olive and Goat Cheese Turnovers (I’d probably replace goat cheese with feta cheese though)

6. These just look too pretty and delightful to be a thing. But I think they might be. Bite-sized baked brie

 

Things to Try Thursday, 8th December’11

SWEET

1. This looks like exactly the sort of cake, that I’d like to take to bed with me on a rainy night when watching a nice film and cosing up (I don’t think it’s a word, it should be though, it means getting cosy): Salted Caramel Cheesecake Pie
P.S. Of course I’d have to eat the whole one, so I’m not sure, it’d be a smart idea to make this!

2. To be honest, I’d like to do the same with this one: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie

SAVOURY

1. Healthy, delicious looking salad: Moroccan Style Broad Bean Salad

2. I know I’m probably quite alone in this, but I love brussel sprouts, this recipe in particular looks delicious: Dijon Braised Brussel Sprouts

3. But since I already admitted, that I’m one of the about 10 people worldwide that like Brussel Sprouts world wide, here’s another delightful looking recipe: Maple Glazed Pan-Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Chestnuts

3. Oh HELLO COMFORT FOOD. I’m not sure, I’ve ever seen something that looks so so comforting: Mushroom Melt
Might take this to bed for my cosy night as a starter before eating that cheesecake from above!

Things to Try Thursday, 20th of October

I’m sorry for missing a Things to Try Thursday last week, I’m sure it’s your highlight of the week, so my bad. I’ve got one for this week though, so here we go:

SWEET

1) I know it sounds a little odd, but lavender in baked goods is actually really really nice: Lavender Short Bread Cookies

2) Have you ever thought of cheesecake as an autumn-y kind of dish? No, me neither… well not until I saw this Chestnut Cheesecake on closetcooking!

SAVOURY

1) Quinoa is just so healthy and delicious and using it in combination with green olives, cheese in a cake sounds just irresistible: Lemon Olive and Parsley Quinoa Cakes

2)Who doesn’t love chips? These look like a nice, not-too-bad-for-you alternative to deep fried normal chips: Baked Sweet Potato Chips 

3) I don’t even know what this is, but it looks really good: Aubergine Tortino in Kalamata Olive Sauce

4) A vegetable main: Green Beans in creamy Mushroom Sauce