Hallo and Howdy!

Wow, it has been way too long since my last post! Sorry about that but after my finals I needed some time to recover. Then, hubby and I traveled to Germany for the holidays and when we got back it was already time to get back to school and work. It has been crazy. The good news is that I have a whole lot of new recipes from my trip to the old world!  

Our 10-day vacation through Germany and Holland covered Monheim-am-Rhein, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Aachem, Trier, Maastricht and Amsterdam. The trip was great and I will make sure to talk about some of the places we visit there. However, since this is not exactly a travel blog, I'm not going to focus on the castles, old churches and domes. Instead, let's focus on the food! Ah...the food was incredible!!!

Now, it is expected to gain a few pounds over the holidays, but with currywurst, sauerbraten, frikadellen, bockwurst and excellent beer...let's say Germany exceeded my expectations. Anyway...

One of my favorite things to do when I am traveling overseas is going to the local grocery store and checking out the different spices, sauces, etc. Much to my husband's amusement, I do that with a camera at hand. Nothing wrong with that, right? Besides, who wants to have 200 photos of old churches when you can take a photo of a lovely cold cuts and sausage display, right? Take a look:

Isn't that beautiful? Oh, see the rolled up ground meat above? That is the base ingredient for the "Mettbrötchen", which is nothing less than raw minced pork on a crispy roll, topped with diced onions, salt and pepper. 


I have to admit that the first time I saw my husband eating that I was really afraid. All my life my mother told me that pork needs to be cooked well to avoid diseases. Later, I figured if the Germans, including my hubby, have been eating this for ages, it should be safe when you are in Germany. So, I gave it a shot and it was wonderful! This is perfect for a breakfast, mid-afternoon or night snack, especially if having a Kölsch beer. My point is: if you are in Germany, don't miss out on Mettbrötchen! 




Next post: Cauliflower and grilled shrimp soup

• 
• 

Blog Gadgets

Maple Dijon Mustard Roasted Chicken

My hubby brought  some maple syrup and maple cookies back from Canada. Sweet! I believe the cookies are long gone because I haven't seen them for a while...or maybe I just hid them too well to avoid temptation. They were de-li-cious!  

So, a few days ago, when I came back from school, I was roaming the internet, trying to find some inspiring recipe that I would be able to use the maple syrup other than pancakes or waffles. 

I found this simple and easy recipe at http://www.closetcooking.com/, which was perfect for a quick dinner. I made some changes to the original recipe to fit our taste and served it with bacon and leek rice. Approved!

Ingredients:

1 pound of chicken breasts

For the marinade:
3 tablespoons of maple syrup
3 tablespoons of dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of olive oil
salt
black pepper

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons of maple syrup
2 tablespoons of dijon mustard
a bit of cayenne pepper
salt

How to make it:

Marinate the chicken in the maple syrup, dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper for 30 minutes or more. I usually use a ziplock bag or something similar that will allow for the meat to be immersed in the marinade. Pre-heat the oven at 350 F for 10 minutes.

Cover a roasting pan with foil and drizzle some olive oil over it. This usually makes cleaning the roasting pan a lot easier! Place the chicken breasts in the roasting pan and into the oven. Roast chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F, or for about 45 minutes.

Discard the leftover marinade. No, you cannot use the marinade for the sauce because it was in contact with raw chicken, remember?

Get a bowl and mix the maple syrup and dijon mustard again. I like to add a little heat, especially when mixing sweet and savory flavors, so I added a bit of cayenne pepper. Add salt and mix everything well.

Slice the chicken and arrange it on the plate. Add a spoon of the sauce on top and enjoy!

• 
• 

Blog Gadgets

Sardela

Turkey, green beans, yams and pumpkin pie...yeah, it’s almost Thanksgiving! You probably have the main course and dessert figured out but have you thought of an appetizer yet? If you want to serve something that will make your taste buds go crazy but won't do the same to your schedule, then Sardela is a great choice for you. 

Sardela is a very common appetizer in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It’s basically a paste made with red bell peppers, sardines or anchovies, onions, garlic, basil and other spices. A staple in Italian restaurants, the Sardela is served with thick slices of bread and pairs very well with red wine or a cold beer.

Apparently, there is some debate whether the Sardela is an Italian or a Brazilian dish. The Italians have something called “Rosamarina”, that is prepared with “bianchetti” fish, peppers, fennel seeds and olive oil, which sounds similar. Some people say that the answer may be  that the Italians who migrated to Brazil adapted the recipe with local ingredients.

That might also explain why the Sardela is so popular in Sao Paulo, where the Italian population is the highest in the country. But enough with history. The truth is that regardless where the Sardela comes from, it’s delicious!

I got this recipe from my dad and I love it. It's quick, very easy and you can prepare it in advance. It actually tastes better if you make it a day ahead. Just keep it well refrigerated in a sealed container.

Now,
I was actually very surprised that I don't have a photo of the Sardela I made. I guess I was too busy eating it and didn't take pictures! So, if you make this recipe, send me a photo of it at lolnlollies@gmail.com and I'll update this post with the first three photos I get. Make sure to send me your name, so I can mention it.


This is how the Sardela looks like. This one was made by my dad:

What you will need:

 4 bell peppers, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon of nuttmeg

1 large onion, chopped

2 cans of anchovies fillets (drained); or 1 can of anchovies and 1 can of boneless sardines (drained). 

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon of marjoram

A few leaves of fresh basil (about 8)

Olive oil (about 1/4 cup, just enough to brown the onions)

How to make it:

Lightly brown the onion and garlic. Add red bell peppers, anchovies or sardines and spices. Cook on low heat until bell peppers are tender, for about 25 min. Let it cool a bit and then put everything on a blender. Blend it until you obtain a smooth paste. Serve it hot or cold with slices of Italian bread or baguettes. This is also really good when mixed with fusilli pasta too. Just add some fresh basil leaves when serving. yum!

Sources: Wikipedia; my dad. J

• 
• 

Blog Gadgets