Gorgeous Greek chicken

“Full of lovely fresh veg and herbs, this couscous salad is delicious served with citrusy Greek-style chicken. Opting for super-lean chicken breasts is the key to keeping this recipe nice and healthy – it’s a great source of protein, to help keep your muscles strong.Teamed with a lovely salad of carrot ribbons, this is a colorful, tasty midweek dinner. And, if you’ve not made your own tzatziki before, give this a try and I guarantee you’ll be making it time and again. ”

SERVES 2

COOKS IN30 MINUTES

DIFFICULTYNOT TOO TRICKY

Ingredients :                               

• 1 red pepper                                                 
• 6 spring onions
• 20 g black olives
• 100 g ripe cherry tomatoes
• 170 g couscous
• ½ a cucumber
• 2 free-range chicken breasts
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 lemon
• 100 g fat-free natural yogurt
• ½ a bunch of fresh mint (15g)
• 1 carrot
• extra virgin olive oil       
• 
  

• Method :                      

• 
  

  1. Fill a small pan with water, place over a medium heat and bring to the boil.
  2. Meanwhile, halve, deseed and finely chop the pepper. Trim and finely slice the spring onions. Bash the olives and tear out the stones, if needed, then roughly chop. Halve the cherry tomatoes, then place it all into a large bowl and set aside.
  3. Place the couscous into a bowl, cover with 250ml of the boiling water. Cover with a plate and set aside.
  4. While the couscous is steaming, coarsely grate the cucumber into a small bowl, add a pinch of sea salt and leave for 5 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, place the chicken on a plate. Drizzle over 1 teaspoon of olive oil, the oregano and a pinch of black pepper. Finely grate over the lemon zest, then turn the chicken over to coat.
  6. Using clean hands, gently squeeze the moisture from the grated cucumber into the sink, then return to the bowl. Stir in the yogurt, a good squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of pepper. Pick and finely chop the mint leaves, then stir half into the yogurt mixture.
  7. Using a speed-peeler, peel the carrot, then continue shaving it into long ribbons. Place into a small bowl, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and add a good squeeze of lemon juice.
  8. Heat a non-­stick frying pan on a medium-high heat.
  9. Meanwhile, fluff up the couscous with a fork, then add stir through the chopped vegetables with the remaining chopped mint. Add 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Stir well and season to taste with black pepper.
  10. Place the chicken into the hot pan and fry for 10 minutes, or until cooked through, turning from time to time, then slice into rough strips.
  11. Divide the couscous between plates, top with the carrot salad and chicken, then serve with the tzatziki.

quick & easy Brownie Dessert

Creating a beautiful and delicious brownie stack is easier than you would think and tastes as good as any Bakery treat!

    by iambaker.net

To make this you will need:

brownie recipe (below)

whipped cream (or store bought)

strawberries, chopped (about 1 cup)

simple syrup

chocolate sauce

9-inch cake pan

a long serrated knife

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter melted, then cooled
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Melt butter and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Sift together all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. (You may need to sift twice)
3. Place into a jar or airtight container.
4. In a small bowl, beat two eggs with the vanilla. Pour into dry ingredients and gently stir.
5. Pour the melted butter into brownie mixture and mix until just incorporated.
6. Spread batter in a prepared 9-inch cake pan and bake for 22-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

            by iambaker.net

Prepare brownies and allow to cool to room temperature.

Cut brownies into equal sections. Spread simple syrup along the edges of the cut brownie. (This will help to keep the dessert moist.)

Set brownie on a plate and place a few strawberries on top. Cover in about 1/4 cup of whipped cream.

Repeat this process. You can either make a 3 or 4 layer brownie stack. If you choose to make it 3 layers you can chop up the 4th layer into small bits and sprinkle on top of the finished stack.

Place remaining strawberries on top. Cover with chopped brownie. Drizzle chocolate sauce. Dust with confectioners sugar if you would like!

I made this Easy Brownie Dessert live on my facebook page. Join me every Tuesday at 11 am CST for some fun cake decorating!

DARK CHOCOLATE CANDY CANE COOKIES

THE CLASSIC COMBINATION OF CHOCOLATE AND PEPPERMINT MAKE THESE DARK CHOCOLATE CANDY CANE COOKIES THE PERFECT TREAT FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

by livforcake.com

So there I am a few years ago, blissfully perusing their holiday decorations, when I stumble across these authentic handmade Nutcrackers from Germany. There was a variety of them and they weren’t the traditional, boring (sorry!) Nutcrackers. Each of these Nutcrackers had a theme — there was a fisherman, a Scottish bagpiper, a leprechaun, a painter, a toy maker… They were freakin’ adorable.

And then I saw it. There was a CAKE BAKER Nutcracker. No One Cares. At All. My heart maybe started to race a little bit… until I looked at the price. These guys were all $40-$60, which isn’t crazy unreasonable (but sorta), and this was before I had gone to pastry school and gotten back into baking and blogging. I Figuratively thought to myself: ‘If I was still really into the cake thing I would totally buy this’. But I wasn’t, so I didn’t buy the Nutcracker. Sigh.

I kid you not that I have looked for that Nutcracker every damn year since (probably about 3 years now). Every year! I scour various HomeSense locations hoping it will pop up. They have a series of these Nutcrackers every year, so I am hopeful, but alas, I haven’t been able to find it. I even looked for it online, but can’t find the exact one I saw (or at least the way I remember it). The one I can find online is a bit uglier than the one I remember (lol), and I’m certainly not willing to spend $100 in. shipping on it.

by livforcake.com

Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

The classic combination of chocolate and peppermint make these Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies the perfect treat for the holidays!

1 hr, 30Prep Time

10 minCook Time

1 hr, 40Total Time

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (sifted)

1/4 cup black cocoa (sifted)*

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs (room temperature)

1 tsp peppermint extract (optional)

1 bag Bright White Candy Melts or white chocolate (melted)**

crushed candy canes

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powders, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugars on med-high until light and fluffy (approx. 2-3mins). Reduce speed and add egg and peppermint extract. Beat until well combined. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
3. Chill dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
5. Using a medium cookie scoop, portion dough onto baking sheet (I did 9 cookies per sheet). Bake for approximately 10 mins, or until the middle is set. Cookies will deflate and crinkle a bit upon cooling.
6. Cool on pans for 5 mins then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Dip in melted candy melts or white chocolate, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Allow setting.

Recipe Type: Cookie

Easy Cheese Sticks

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• PREP10 min
• COOKn/a
• READY IN1 h 25 min
• SERVINGS30
• DIFFICULTYEasy

Directions

1. Place cheese sticks on a tray; freeze at least 1 hour.

2. Heat 2 inches of oil to 375ºF in large heavy saucepan or follow manufacturer's direction on the deep fryer. Beat Bisquick mix, paprika, milk and egg until smooth. Dip cheese, 1 stick at a time, into a batter, covering cheese completely.

3. Fry 8 to 10 sticks at a time 1 to 2 minutes, turning carefully, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with marinara sauce.

Ingredients

1 lb Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Swiss or mozzarella cheese,

 cut into 3x1/2-inch sticksVegetable oil

1 cup Original Bisquick™ mix 

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup milk

1 eggMarinara sauce, if desired

Peanut Butter Bars with Salted Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Peanut Butter Slice is a quick-to-prepare, no bake dessert slice. Crushed cookies are combined with sugar, melted butter and peanut butter. Pressed into a brownie tin and topped with a layer of melted chocolate, this awesome slice will have everyone coming back for more - give it a go!


INGREDIENTS IN THIS DISH:
INGREDIENTS IN THIS DISH:

1 1/2 Cups of Crushed Cookie Crumbs
3 1/2 Cups of Icing Sugar
250g of Butter (melted)
1 1/2 Cups of Peanut Butter
375g of Milk Chocolate Chips

• Preparation Time: About 10 minutes

• MAKES ABOUT 20 SQUARES 

Black Bean Scallops with Samphire and Rice Noodles

    picture by:afc

EASE OF COOKING
Moderate

METHOD OF COOKINGStir Fry

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fermented salted black beans, rinsed and crushed
• 6 large hand diver scallops with coral on (optional), cleaned
• 1 tablespoon shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
• 100 grams fresh samphire, washed and drained

• For the noodles:
• 300 grams dried rice noodles or 200 grams cooked rice noodles
• 1 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

• For the sauce:
• 150 millilitres organic vegetable stock, cold
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon clear rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or potato starch)

• For garnish:
• Few sprigs of coriander leaves and stem, finely sliced

PREP TIME
5 minutes

COOKING TIME
25 minutes

YIELD
2 servings

            
Method

1. Prepare the rice noodles by cooking them in a medium pan of boiling water for 2 minutes, lift them out, drain the and rinse them in cold water, dress them with a tablespoon of toasted sesame oil and set aside.
2. In a bowl combine the sauce ingredients together and mix well.
3. Heat a wok over a high heat until smoking and add the peanut oil. Swirl the oil in the wok and add the garlic, ginger, chilli and crushed fermented salted black beans and stir very quickly for a few seconds.
4. Then add in the scallops and let it settle in the wok for a few seconds and then toss in the wok. Add in the shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry) as the scallops caramelise slightly.
5. Toss for a minute and then add the samphire.
6. Then add in the sauce and bring to the bubble.
7. As soon as the sauce starts to bubble, make a well in the centre of the wok and add in the cooked rice noodles. Gently mix all the ingredients together making sure all the noodles are covered in the sauce. Take it off the heat, garnish it with coriander and serve immediately.

          

DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE TART

THIS SIMPLE AND ELEGANT DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE TART CAN BE TOPPED WITH ANYTHING YOU LIKE, FROM A SPRINKLING OF SEA SALT TO DULCE DE LECHE OR FRESH BERRIES.

images by:livforcake

The epicrecipes kitchen has more than it’s fair share of baking mishaps. Despite my seemingly endless research and planning, sometimes recipes just flop. Most recently it was the first batch of my sugarcookie cups. I tried something new instead of sticking with my gut and modifying my tried and true cookie recipe. So, I had an entire batch of cracked, ugly cookie cups that I Figuratively had to pry out of the pan. We’re talking 20 cookie cups here.

I don’t like to see anything go to waste, so I decided to repurpose some the failed cookie cups into a tart crust for this Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart.

The tart crust is very easy to make. You just need some cookie crumbs (any kind — graham cracker, digestive, Oreo, sugar cookie, etc.), some melted butter, and a bit of sugar. Mix it up, press it into the tart pan and bake for 7mins. SO easy.

The ganache filling is really just as simple too. Some good quality dark chocolate chopped up and melted with some cream and butter. Pour it into the cooled tart pan, let it set, and you’re done. Is that an easy dessert or what?

by:livforcake

I chose to top mine with some sea salt flakes and Dulce de Leche. I used store-bought because I was lazy, but you can easily make your own with some condensed milk. Good old caramel is another great option or simply some fresh seasonal fruit or berries.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart

This simple and elegant Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart can be topped with anything you like, from a sprinkling of sea salt to dulce du leche or fresh berries.

 Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes

 Cook Time 8 minutes

 Total Time 2 hours 38 minutes

 Servings 10

INGREDIENTS

Cookie Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs (sugar cookie, graham cracker, digestive, etc.)*
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Dark Chocolate Ganache Filling:

• 12 oz good quality dark chocolate ** 340g, finely chopped
• 8.5 oz heavy whipping cream 1 cup, 240g
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature, broken up

Toppings:

• Maldon Sea Salt Flakes
• Dulce de Leche

INSTRUCTIONS

Cookie Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl until crumbly. Press firmly into a 9" tart pan (sides first, then bottom).*** Bake for 7-8mins. Cool completely in pan.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Filling:

1. Place chopped chocolate and butter into a large bowl.
2. In a small saucepan, bring cream just barely to a simmer. Pour over chopped chocolate and cover bowl immediately with plastic wrap. Let stand 5 mins. Stir with a spatula until combined and smooth. ****
3. Pour into cooled tart shell and allow to set - overnight at room temperature or 1-2 hours in the fridge.
4. Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with dulce de leche (or any other sauce) if desired. Serve at room temperature.

NOTES

* I used crushed up sugar cookies from a failed recipe.
** Do not use baker's chocolate.
*** I used a flat metal measuring cup to help press down.
**** If you have unmelted chunks of chocolate in your ganache still, you can heat it up over a simmering double boiler on the stove.