HAPPY NEW YEAR!

To all of you who visited and read my blog, who commented or not, who liked my cooking or not, a big, big "Thank You!" and have a wonderful New Year! Although my hectic life doesn't allow me to write here as often and as much as I'd like, I am grateful to all of you who accompanied me in this adventure and who encouraged me to continue. Here's my wish to you: 
 

"May you get a clean bill of health from your dentist, your cardiologist, your gastro-enterologist, your urologist, your proctologist, your podiatrist, your psychiatrist, your plumber and the I.R.S.

May your hair, your teeth, your face-lift, your abs and your stocks not fall; and may your blood pressure, your triglycerides, your cholesterol, your white blood count and your mortgage interest not rise.

May you remember to say "I love you" at least once a day to your spouse, your child, your parent, your siblings; but not to your secretary, your nurse, your masseuse, your hairdresser or your tennis instructor.

And may we live in a world at peace and with the awareness of God's love in every sunset, every flower's unfolding petals, every baby's smile, every lover's kiss, and every wonderful, astonishing, miraculous beat of our heart."

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Eggplant Mushrooms Vegetable Spread - Zacusca de ciuperci

As part of my periodical "empty the refrigerator" campaign, today I proceeded to the "before New Year's Eve" session and got out the following: 

- 3 medium eggplants

- 3 bell peppers

- 3 10oz boxes of pre-cleaned sliced mushrooms

- 2 large yellow onions

- 4 large garlic cloves

To these I added vegetable oil, 2 bay leaves, salt, freshly ground black pepper, hot paprika or chile pepper (if desired), 1 tablespoon tomato paste, about 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce 

Ca parte a campaniei mele periodice de golit frigiderul, in cadrul sesiunii de azi "inaintea Anului Nou", am scos urmatoarele:
- 3 vinete medii
- 3 ardei grasi
- 3 cutii a aproximativ 300 gr de ciuperci, gata curatate si feliate
- 2 cepe mari
- 4 catei maaaari de usturoi
La astea am adaugat ulei, 2 foi de dafin, sare, piper negru proaspat macinat, paprica de ardei iute (daca doriti), 1 lingura pasta de tomate, cam 1 cana si jumatate de sos de rosii.

First I grilled the eggplants and the bell peppers. My recommendation to you is to use the oven and broil them, otherwise you may have to deal with the nice smoke alarm ;)
By the time I got the camera, the eggplants were grilled, their skin cleaned off, and the flesh put to drain, so I'll show you just the bell peppers, 2 on the grill, the third done already

Coaceti vinetele si ardeii, curatati-i, lasati vinetele la scurs

Chocolate Candy Cookies

I got this recipe from my friend GreenGirl, and I must say it is not only very easy to make, but absolutely de-li-cious!

Am reteta de la Roxana (GreenGirl) si trebuie sa recunosc ca este foarte usor de facut si mai ales delicioasa!

This is what we need: 1.5 cups self-raising flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 package vanilla sugar, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk

Ingrediente: 1,5 cani faina cu agent de crestere, 1/4 cana cacao. 1/4 cana unt, 1/2 cana zahar, 1 pachet zahar vanilat, 1 ou si un galbenus de ou

 

Apple cookies - Fursecuri cu mere

This recipe comes also from Bianca, thank you, my dear! Ingredients: 60 gr sugar, 1 package vanilla sugar, 2 eggs, 100 gr butter, 250 gr flour, 1/2 package baking powder (5 gr), 2 medium apples, confectioners' sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger.

Reteta este a Biancai-21 de pe culinar, careia ii multumesc foate mult! Ingrediente: 60 gr. zahar, 1 zahar vanilat, 2 oua, 100 gr unt, 250 gr faina, 1/2 pachet praf de copt, 2 mere, zahar pudra, nucsoara, scortisoara, ghimbir.

Chop the apples finely

Curatati si taiati merele

Pecan cookies - Fursecuri cu nuca

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas everyone! This recipe comes from Bianca, and I thank her for it.

So here we have: 125 gr ground pecans, 250 gr all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 100 gr corn starch, 150 gr confectioners' sugar, 2 packages vanilla sugar, one pinch of salt, 250 gr softened butter, cocoa


Ne trebuie: 125 gr nuci macinate, 250 gr faina, 1 lingurita praf de copt, 100 gr amidon, 150 gr zahar pudra, 2 pachete zahar vanilat, un varf cutit sare, 250 gr unt moale, cacao

I put everything in the kitchen robot to do the work for me :D

Am pus totul in robotul de bucatarie

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving
• 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces creme fraiche
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly.

Good luck!