Pistachio and Cardamom Cupcakes

Makes 24

1 cup unsalted pistachios
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2/3 cup unsalted butter, chopped
1 1/2 cup self-rising flour
3/4 cup superfine sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Lime syrup

1/2 cup superfine sugar
zest of 1 lime

Honey, Yogurt topping

1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon honey

Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 standard muffin cups with paper liners.

Place the pistachios and cardamom in a food processor and pulse until just chopped. Add the butter, flour, and superfine sugar and pulse for 20 seconds or until crumble. Add eggs and yogurt and pulse until just combined.

Divide the mixture evenly among the paper liners. Bake for 15 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

To make lime syrup, place the superfine sugar and 3.5 oz of water in small saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil, then add the zest and cook for 5 minutes. Strain. Brush the syrup over the cakes while they're still warm, then allow to cool.

To make the honey yogurt topping,place the yogurt and honey in a small bowl and stir until well combined. Sprinkle ground cardamom on top. Easy!

Jean-Pierre's Classic Salsa.

it twas my first time making salsa and it came out pretty darn good.

Here it is:

2 slicing tomatoes (firm + adding up to 1 lb)

1/2 bunch of cilantro

2 tablespoons of lime juice

1 whole onion (i used valida onion cause it's mild... but red works would work fine also)

salt to taste

1 Pepper of your choosing. (i used a New Green F1-a hybrid pepper. you can use red, long hots, etc..)

tomato instructions: First i cut the ends. then using a wide knife (butcher knife) i rolled the skin off. Then i chopped the skin. For the round core that's left over, I chopped it up but before i added it to the rest i gave it a good squeeze to get the liquid out. some people throw it out but i don't like to waste food. also, even though it is squeezed it adds necessary moisture. http://www.mefeedia.com/watch/29495521

so basically you chop it all up. add mix it together. then let it sit to let the flavors mix. Enjoy.

# Mousse au chocolat !!!

I don't have picture but a sufficient amount of witnesses to testify !!!!

for 6-8 people:
- 300g (10.6oz) chocolate
- 150g (5.3oz) sugar
- 4 eggs
- 4 big spoons of creme fraiche
- a pinch of salt

Melt the chocolate then add the cream to it
Mix the sugar with the yellow part of the eggs plus the salt Then add the chocolate and the cream in it.
Mix the white part of the eggs with a hand mixer until it does not seem to grow anymore, when it's done, add it to the previous mixture with delicacy (yes yes !) and slowly mix everything up.
When it looks more or less like a chocolate mousse (if it never does, then redo everything !), put it in the fridge for 2h minimum.

If you f%#$ed up the rest of the meal, that should be a good way to make it up to your friends !!! ;-)

Fruity Puree Cookies

Fruity Puree Cookies (from the petit appétit cookbook, lisa barnes)

¾ cup organic brown sugar

¾ cup expeller pressed canola oil

1 cup apple puree

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup organic oat bran

½ cup organic toasted wheat germ

1 ½ cup organic whole wheat flour

½ cup organic soy flour

Heat oven to 350 F. Combine sugar and oil in a medium bowl until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Refrigerate dough for 30 min. Roll 1 Tablespoon pieces of dough into balls and place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten cookies with a fork that has been dipped in flour. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown underneath. Remove cookies with a spatula and cool on wire racks.

Yields: approx. 100 cookies

Nutritional Information: serving size 3 cookies, calories 110, total fat 6g, sodium 40mg, cholesterol 0 mg, total carbohydrate 13g, dietary fiber 2g, sugars 6g, protein 3g

Wheat-Free Fruity Puree Cookies (from the petit appétit cookbook, lisa barnes)

¾ cup organic brown sugar

¾ cup expeller pressed canola oil

1 cup apple puree

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup organic oat bran

2 cups organic brown rice flour

Heat oven to 350 F. Mix sugar and oil in a medium bowl until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Roll 1 Tablespoon pieces of dough into balls and place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten cookies with a fork that has been dipped in flour. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown underneath. Cookies will be light colored on top. Remove cookies with a spatula and cool on wire racks.

Yields: approx. 100 cookies

Nutritional Information: serving size 3 cookies, calories 110, total fat 6g, sodium 40mg, cholesterol 0 mg, total carbohydrate 15g, dietary fiber less than 1g, sugars 6g, protein 1g

# Far Breton (from Brittany not Great Britain !!!!)

Far Breton and its lunar landscapes...(hopefully it'll be good...I did not tasted it yet !)

- 200g (7 oz) flour
- 200g (7oz) sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 liter (0.25 gal) milk
- 1 sachet of vanilla sugar
- 300g (10oz) unstoned (is that right ?) pruned

Mix everything but the pruned in a pan, make it gently baked until it starts to become a bit less liquid, then pour it into your cake pan with the pruned inside and make it bake for 50 minutes.

(I know what you will say it's pretty much like a flan but what's the hell, why not a bit more of regionalism now that I am here !)

I can’t believe it’s Spring Chicken

This is a quick and easy meal that cooks in less than 30 minutes without sacrificing taste.

Ingredients:

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, Raised Without Antibiotics (3 pieces)

Organic Shitake mushrooms 3.5oz

¼ sliced organic onion

3 crushed organic garlic cloves

¼ cup of Balsamic vinegar

Organic Lemon

Cooking oil

Fresh Basil

Fresh Oregano

1 table spoon of sea salt

½ table spoon of grated rainbow pepper

Medium Grain Organic Couscous

Organic baby romaine salad

Organic Goat Cheese with mixed herbs

Extra virgin Olive Oil

Grease medium skillet (10”/25cm) with cooking oil and turn on heat on low.

Dice chicken and poke holes in the pieces (this helps the seasoning to seep into the meat with more ease). Add chicken and shitake mushrooms to the skillet. Evenly distribute rough sea salt and grated pepper over the chicken and mushrooms; add crushed garlic and the onion slices. Squeeze lemon, add ½ a cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water. Set heat to high. Stir occasionally. Cook the mixture for 15 minutes or until the chicken is slightly golden. Voila!

For the couscous, I grease the small saucepan with cooking oil and set the heat to high, add the diced onion, as it begins to fry I add a cup of couscous. Water is then poured over the couscous so that is completely submerged. It is best to make sure the water covers the couscous by about ½ an inch (1cm). I add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice and let it cook for 5 five minutes in the covered pot. It should sit covered for another two minutes. Once done I sprinkle some basil over it.

The baby romaine salad, is seasoned with plain old salt and pepper, extra virgin olive oil and crumbled goat cheese with mixed herbs.

Serves two.

chocolate explosion cookies

8 oz organic unsweetened chocolate
2 cups organic all-purpose flour
1/2 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup organic unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup of organic dark-brown sugar
3 large eggs
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
One 3.5 oz bar of dark chocolate chopped
1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts

Preheat Oven to 350

Melt the unsweetened chocolate in double broiler or short bursts in microwave. Set aside

Sift flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda together. Set aside

Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy

Add eggs, one at a time until well incorporated. Add vanilla extract, melted chocolate and 1 teaspoon water

Add dry ingredients, Add white-chocolate, chopped chocolate bar and nuts

Bake for 12 minutes, makes 30 cookies


Enjoy enjoy, and brush your teeth afterwards

Crepes bretonnes

For each series of six crepes:
- 100g flour (3.5oz)
- 1 egg
- 50g sugar (1.7oz)
- 20g butter (0.7oz) --> to put melted butter in the paste allows not to be obliged to put butter in the pan
- 2cl water
- 25cl milk (one cup)
- little bit of salt

"Jump" the crepes ! Universal law: first one is always a mess...

# My gateau au chocolat !

Recipe:
Oven 180°C (pretty much 360°F)
- 250g Chocolate (8.75oz)
- 125g Butter (4.40oz)
- 200g Sugar (7oz)
- 80g Flour (2.8oz)
- 4 eggs

Melt the chocolate and the butter together, mix the others all together and eventually everything together. Bake in the oven for 20 min, then switch it off and wait for 10 more minutes before taking the cake out.

Bon appetit !

Maple-Glazed Spiral Ham

Ingredients:

Spiral Ham (preferably sliced around the bone), calculate 10 oz. per person
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon

1. Place ham in a roasting dish and add ¾ cup water. Wrap with tin foil and bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.
2. In a saucepan at medium low heat, add maple syrup. Slowly whisk in brown sugar, Dijon, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
3. Remove ham from oven and paint with syrup mixture.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Light Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

Ingredients:

¼ cup almond oil
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
2 egg whites
1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup cranberries
1 cup pistachios
Orange zest (1 full orange)

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Mix vanilla, almond extract, eggs and orange zest.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking power.
4. Slowly mix flour mixture into egg mixture.
5. Add in nuts and cranberries.
6. With wet hands, divide dough in half to create (2) 2 X 12” logs on parchment paper.
7. Bake for 35 minutes.
8. Let cool for 10 minutes.
9. Reduce heat to 275 degrees.
10. Cut logs diagonally and bake on their sides for another 8-10 minutes.

Healthful Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup agave nectar
¼ cup (or less) of brown sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 egg whites
½ cup lowfat milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups fresh zucchini (about 2 small)
½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup almond oil
¼ cup apple sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease loaf pan with olive oil.
3. Stir dry ingredients in a large bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and then add wet ingredients with a spatula.
5. Add zucchini to wet ingredients.
6. Fold wet mixture into dry mixture.
7. Pour into pan and bake for 45-55 minutes. Test with a toothpick.
8. Let cool for 20 minutes, then remove from pan.

Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients:

1 ½ lb strawberries, quartered (about one and a half container)
5 tbsp sugar
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
2 tbsp sugar
¾ tsp salt
1 ½ cup heavy cream

1. Mix strawberries with 3 tbsp sugar and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, 2 tbsp sugar, and salt in a bowl. Mix in cream. Place in ungreased 8” square pan and bake for 18-20 minutes.
4. Remove from pan and place on rack to cool slightly.
5. Cut into 6 pieces and split each horizontally.
6. Spread whipped cream on the bottom pieces and place strawberries on top.
7. Place top pieces on and add whipped cream and add remaining strawberries.

Whipped Cream:

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup heavy cream
3 tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1. Beat ingredients in mixer for 1 ½ to 2 minutes.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
2 eggs
2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup milk
Lemon juice (about a half lemon)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ tbsp red food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixer, combine sugar, butter and 2 eggs.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder.
4. In a separate bowl, mix milk, lemon juice, vanilla, and red food coloring.
5. Add flour mixture to contents in the mixer.
6. Then blend in the food coloring mixture.
7. Divide into 18 cupcakes using cup cake liners.
8. Bake for 20 minutes and let cool in pan for a few minutes. Then remove and place on racks to cool.
9. Spread chocolate icing on top.

Chocolate Icing:
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tbsp butter
5 tbsp evaporated milk (or regular milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar. (If you don’t have confectioner’s sugar, you can always use a food processor to mix 1 cup sugar with 2 tbsp cornstarch until it is very fine.)