Olive Tapenade

For all the olive lovers out there... This is an amazing spread!! It gets together literally in 5min and lasts in the fridge for days. It's super duper delicious, and oh so satisfying!!!

Couple of weeks ago I went to London for lunch with some friends. They served this on a sharing platter with some warm bread and it was divine.

So when I got back home I decided to whip up my own version... And yeah, now I can't get enough :-)  You can use green or black olives, I opted for green here because that happened to be in the fridge, but a black tapenade is just as yummy!

Sweet Potato and Bacon Risotto

Sweet potatoes are super autumnal, wintery, comforting, delicious... There is something about them that makes the perfect meal when it's chilly outside. No wonder they are used so much around the Christmas holidays. You can probably find thousands of recipes out there to put them into and every single one of them is amazing.

The Simple Bread Roll

I know I haven't been blogging for a little, but in between a wedding, new job and a bunch of other friends' and family celebrations to attend, I put my blog on the back burner...

So on this warm, autumnal Sunday I got the craving for some home made, soft rolls and I thought... Why not share the recipe?

The fact that these rolls are made without any eggs, milk and butter makes me rave even more about them. They are super light, soft and you can use them for pretty much anything...

Sandwiches, burgers, sausage rolls, gravy rolls...

Now you have endless possibilities to get creative here. You can either leave them plain or you can jazz them up a little bit. Right before you bake them you can brush them with olive oil and sprinkle whatever your heart desires:
sesame seeds, poppy

seeds, rock salt, salt and pepper, dried rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley, basil... Really anything. I went with Italian seasoning blend.

Makes 12

Ingredients:

- 1 packet of active dry yeast
- 2tbs sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2tbs vegetable oil
- 1tsp salt
- 4 cups plain flour

Process:

- In a bowl, add the yeast, sugar and warm water. Let it sit for about 5min or until bubbles start to form.
- Add the oil and salt and give it a stir. Start adding the flour little by little, while stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon. You should end up with a non-sticky dough, so you might have to add or subtract a few tablespoons of flour. Knead for about 5min. I used my mum's technique, throwing the dough in the air 100 times and let it fall on the surface :-)
- Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel and put it aside for 1h so it can double in size.
- Then lay it on a lightly floured surface, punch the air out and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Form them into balls and put them on a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving about an inch in between.
- Lightly cover the rolls with greased cling film and let them rise for 45min. Brush them with olive oil and sprinkle your topping of choice (this step is optional).
- Preheat the oven to 200 C degrees. Bake for 12-14 min or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Bacon and Tomato Risotto

They say, if you can make risotto, you can make anything... Well honestly it's not that complicated :) I've perfected my way now and if you follow these steps, I promise you will end up with the creamiest, tastiest risotto you've ever had. So let's get going...

Grilled Chicken Salad

I love the freshness of spring!! Veggies are in season, the farmer's market is full of people and the best of all... You can't wait to get home and make some fresh salad!!

Lightened up Mac & Cheese

Mac & Cheese is probably a meal that floats everyone's boat. It's quick, simple, delicious and requires just a handful of ingredients that we all have in the fridge. It's the perfect meal to make after a long work day, on a lazy weekend or really whenever you crave some Mac & Cheese. The bonus is: kids love it!!

Now, normally people finish the meal with putting breadcrumbs on top and baking, which is very delicious. This lighter version comes together in 10min on the stove top, there are no breadcrumbs, no baking, and it requires less sauce... Less calories, less fuss, still very delicious!!

Millet Cakes

Who thought healthy food can be so delicious? Not me, for sure :-)
This recipe came up not because I planned on making millet cakes, but because I wanted to empty my pantry. Have you ever gone into that cleaning mode and sworn that you'll first use up everything you have and then go food shopping? Yep, that's what happened today. So, I thought I'd give this a go and... WOW! So delicious, super crispy and very filling (yet, so few calories) :-D

Homemade Buttery Soft Pretzels

While I studied in Germany, I used to get a soft pretzel (Laugenbrezel) for breakfast every so often. It was the treat of the day and I figured (since I like them so much) I should learn how to make them on my own. Now, I know that the ones in Germany are dipped in lye solution, but as it is a little dangerous to use I think baking soda does the job just as well. Also, I am more of a savory girl, so I prefer my pretzels with salt on top (or sesame seeds, poppy seeds, cheese...). But if you like your pretzels with cinnamon on top, this recipe* works just as fine. So, let's get to it...

Makes 12 pretzels

Ingredients:

- 500g plain flour, and a little more for dusting

- 2 1/4tsp yeast (or one individual package)

- 1tbs sugar

- 1tbs salt, and some more for sprinkling on top

- 350ml warm water (not hot)

- 2tbs butter, melted

- 5tbs baking soda (optional)**
- 5cups of water
- a little bit of vegetable oil for brushing

Process:

- In a bowl, add the yeast, pour the warm water in along with the salt and sugar and let it sit for about 10min to get activated.

- Add the flour and melted butter and start kneading. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle some more flour on it and keep kneading till it's smooth and no longer sticky.

- Put it in a clean, oiled bowl, brush it with vegetable oil and put a kitchen towel over it. Place it in a warm area and let it rise for an hour.

- After an hour, place the dough on a floured surface and cut it into 12 equal pieces. Roll every piece into a 15" rope, shape into a pretzel and put it on a greased baking sheet or parchment paper.

- Let the pretzels rest for 20min (covered) while preheating the oven to 230 C.

- Bring the 5 cups of water to a boil, mix in the baking soda, then place 1 to 2 pretzels in for 1min. Take them out and put them back on the baking sheet. Baking soda gives them a rich brown colour.
- Once they are all out of the water, sprinkle some salt on top and pop them in the oven for 15-20min or until golden brown. Enjoy!

* Freezer tip: Let them cool completely, freeze them and once you want them again, stick them in the microwave or oven.

** You can still make the pretzels without baking soda. To give them a golden colour, brush them with a beaten egg before baking.

Rigatoni With Butternut Squash and Pancetta

I had a butternut squash in the fridge and wanted to try something with it. So, I came across a great recipe that I'd like to share. It's amazingly delicious :)
The recipe is by Laura Vitale and here is a link to get all the ingredients and instructions:

http://www.laurainthekitchen.com/all/episode.php?episodenumber=478

Enjoy!

Pillow Soft Bread Rolls

I was getting ready for a dinner party when I figured regular bread from the bakery was getting a little boring. So I decided to make some bread rolls, and I all I can say is: this was such a great idea!! Soft, buttery and delicious... They also make great sandwiches, so you really can't go wrong with this recipe :-)

Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients:

- 500g flour
- 1 package yeast (2 1/4tbs)
- 2tbs sugar
- 2tsp salt
- 250g milk
- 3tbs butter, at room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1tbs melted butter, keep it till the end for glazing

Process:

- Melt the butter and milk together until warm, don't boil them. Put the mix in a big bowl, add the yeast and let it stand for 5min.
- To this mixture add flour, sugar, salt, egg and mix together until it becomes a dough.
- Place the dough on a generously floured surface, knead for 1 minute, form it in a big ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover it tightly and let it sit somewhere warm for an hour to double in size.
- Place it on a floured surface again, spread it a little with your hands and cut it into 12 pieces.
- Shape them into rolls and place them on a greased baking sheet. Make sure you leave some space between them, so they can rise.
- Cover them with a towel and let them stand for another hour to double in size.
- Preheat your oven to 190 C degrees. Bake the rolls for about 20min or until golden brown.
- Glaze them with the melted butter and enjoy!

Baked Beans (Tavce Gravce)

Tavce Gravce is one of the most traditional Macedonian meals! It's been cooked for centuries, can be eaten as a main or a side dish and goes with pretty much anything. There is something super delicious and very comforting about it and can certainly be eaten all year round. The recipe can't be any simpler, so let's get going :-) 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 250g butter beans (cannellini beans are also fine)
- 2 medium-sized onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 chili peppers
- 6tbs olive oil
- 2tsp smoked paprika (regular paprika is also fine)
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh marjoram (any fresh herbs work)

Process:

- Soak the beans in water over night.
- The next day bring the water to a boil, drain the beans, cover them with warm water again (don't put too much water, just enough to cover them) and bring back to a boil.
- Add 1 onion, 1 garlic clove, the chilis, and 2tbs olive oil. Give it a good stir and let the beans cook.
- Every 15min taste one of the beans to make sure they are soft. Once soft (after about 30-40min), preheat your oven to 200 C degrees. Take the beans off the stove.
- In a sauce pan, over a medium heat, add the other onion, garlic clove, smoked paprika, 4tbs of olive oil and turn the heat off. Stir the mixture until it becomes a sauce.
- Transfer it to a casserole dish, add the beans together with the water they cooked in, give them a good stir, check for seasoning and adjust.
- Place in the oven, and once you see the beans bubbling (it will happen pretty quickly), turn the oven off but leave the dish in.
- After 30min, take it out, sprinkle some fresh herbs and serve. Enjoy!

Eggless Vegetable Fried Rice

I decided to make fried rice without eggs. I think this way the dish is lighter :-) The secret to a perfect plate of fried rice for me is having the correct ratio of rice* to vegetables (1:2). So, I used that and it turned out just as I wanted it. I used the typical frozen vegetable mix (carrots, broccoli, peas, cauliflowers and celery), but you can use fresh vegetables, too.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 1 cup cooked rice

- 2 cups frozen vegetables, defrosted

- 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped

- 3tbs olive oil

- 5tbs soy sauce

- 1tsp ground ginger
- 1tsp allspice (optional)

- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- In a hot skillet or wok, add the oil and when it's piping hot add the veggies, onion, salt, pepper, allspice and ginger. Keep stirring.

- When the onion has softened, start adding the rice little by little, while constantly stirring.

- Add the soy sauce and stir. Give it a try to check for seasoning, adjust and enjoy!

* If you have the time, make the rice one day or a few hours in advance and keep it in the fridge. The warmer the rice is, the more sticky the dish will be.

Lemon and Thyme Roast Potatoes

Not sure whether I've made it clear that roast potatoes are pretty addictive, but to me... YES, they are!! :-)
I've tried a few different flavours so far, but this was the first time I thought of adding some lemon to my roasties. So now it's definitely a new go-to recipe.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
- 1 lemon, squeezed
- 5tbs olive oil
- 4tbs water
- 1tsp dried thyme
- 4 bay leaves
- a pinch of sugar
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Preheat the oven to 200 C degrees. Mix all the ingredients (except the potatoes) in a bowl.
- Place the potatoes on a non-stick baking dish and add the rest of the ingredients. Give them a good toss so everything is coated.
- Place in the oven and bake for about 50-60min or until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy. Baking times will vary depending on how big the potato chunks are. Make sure you toss them every 15min, so they get evenly roasted. Enjoy!

Eggplant Rollatini

What a great snack or side dish...

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 1 eggplant
- 1 tbs flour
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 5 tbs yogurt or sour cream
- 1 clove of garlic
- fresh thyme
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Wash and peel the eggplant and cut it into thin slices.
- Put a little bit of salt on every slice and leave on a plate so the bitterness comes out.
- Dip every slice in flour and fry in olive oil for 3-4 min on each side.
- While the eggplant is in the skillet mix the yogurt, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Take out the eggplant slices and let them cool for a few minutes.
- Spoon the yogurt mixture on each of them, roll and place with the seam down.
- Cool the rollatini plate for a few hours. These can be served warm or cold.
- Serve with salad and enjoy!