Swedish sticky chocolate brownie cake (Kladdkaka) - Recipe

The other day we were craving my Swedish brownie cake (kladdkaka). It is a gooey delicious piece of heaven served with a click of lightly whipped cream. It takes no time to quickly mix it and only 25 min in the oven at 175 degrees.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

100 g soft/melted butter

4 tbsp cocoa powder unsweetened

2.5 dl sugar

2 tbsp cold coffee

1.5 dl flour

2 tsp vanilla sugar

Method:

1. Start by mixing the butter and egg well until it is light and airy.

2. Mix all the dried ingredients in a deep dish and then add them to the egg mixture. Add the coffee and taste it. You should get a hint of the coffee, if not add another spoon coffee.

3. Once everything has been mixed, put it in an oven dish ca 25 cm in diameter. Bake it in the oven for 20 mins at 175 degrees. Once done, serve it with lightly whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Sandwich Ideas

Sandwiches is something I eat often and for every meal if I may choose. Bread is my biggest problem. I love it and I love it a lot. But I have come to the conclusion that it is OK as long as we eat them in moderation. For a girlfriend's birthday party I opted to do the sandwiches, as I have done so many different ones and with lots of variations in my life. No one protested :). I used white and brown  square bread as well as brown bread rolls. Tried to use different spreads and fillings, but ended up with classic fillings to make sure there were no surprises for picky eaters.

1. Smoked salmon and cucumber. For the first sandwich I used cream cheese as a spread and added smoked salmon and shavings of cucumber that was made by using the cheese slicer to get them evenly thick.
                           

2. Turkey and vegetable sandwich. The second sandwich has a cream cheese spread, roasted onions, cheddar cheese, turkey slice, cherry tomatoes and lettuce.

3. These two sandwiches where cut in 4 squares and served with some crisps. I have never seen any where else where they add crisps in their sandwiches, but here they do. Have to say that the crunchy sandwiches are delicious.

 4. Egg and potato sandwiches. This filling was little more dense than the other two but they got a high mark too. Boiled eggs and boiled potatoes were mixed in a bowl. I added 2 tbsp of mayo, curry powder, paprika powder and water cress. Salt and pepper to taste and then cut in halves.

5. Scrambled egg sandwiches. The last filling was scrambled eggs on buttered toast with water cress. All sandwiches got thumbs up and the plates were soon empty to my happiness. 

Hope this post will give a few ideas of different sandwich fillings from the normal everyday sandwich.

Enjoy!

Toddler Lunch and Snack Ideas

Having a toddler in the house that loves his food has made me thinking of various meals that I can offer without it getting to repetitive . I try to to make new meals almost everyday so that he can enjoy something new and tasty everyday. I feel that by giving him new flavours everyday it has made him less fuzzy and open for new ideas and tastes. So here follows different meal ideas of what I give him.

Lentil and sweet potato mash. Boil them together and season with mustard seed, ground ginger, garlic, coriander and cumin. 

Oven baked french fries and fish fingers 

Orzo pasta mixed with a pasta sauce, topped with grated cheddar cheese.  Pasta sauce is made on a mix of marinara sauce mixed with fried minced meat and vegetable. 

Mini star pasta mixed with a minced meat pasta sauce. Sauce is made by cooking a pasta sauce with carrots, onions, various vegetable and minced meat and then processed to a smooth puree. 

Lentil stew with rice. The stew is cooked by boiling the lentils until soft. Seasoned with mustard seed, paprika powder, mild curry powder, coriander, cumin and dried parsley. Salt and pepper. Process the stew until it is smooth. Add a handful of uncooked rice and a friend medium onion and let it simmer until thick. 

                           

Snack: chopped strawberries and blueberries. Try to give these before they are out of season.

Snack: boiled egg

                            

Toast sandwich with avocado spread and a chopped egg, seasoned with paprika powder

                               

Enjoy!

Polenta-crusted Chicken and Bulgur - recipe

In my family, rice is often eaten several times a week, but I prefer not to indulge in it as frequently. I find it to be too heavy,  and  recent recommendations suggest that it should not be eaten too often. Instead, I like to cook bulgur. It gives a lighter feel and healthier in my opinion. However, my husband finds it rather bland. Fortunately, I enjoy using spices and seasoning to jazz up my cooking, which adds flavor to dishes. Also, using bulgur helps balance out the unhealthy aspects of fried chicken.

Ingredients:

2 Chicken breasts, cut into thin fillets and pounded to 1 cm thickness

1 cup bulgur, cooked according to instructions on the package

1/2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp paprika powder

1/2 dried coriander powder

1/2 cumin powder

1/2 cup polenta

2 eggs beaten

vegetable oil

Salad: tomatoes, paprika, cucumber, lettuce and lemon juice

Yoghurt sprinkled with dried dill

Method:

1. Start by cutting the chicken breast into halves lengthwise and then pound it evenly so that the thickness is 1 cm. Pat the chicken dry with kitchen towel and put aside. Mix half of the spices together with the polenta in a flat bowl. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In another bowl beat 2 eggs together. 

2. Cook the bulgur according to the instructions. Add the other half of the spice mix to the water to add seasoning and taste. Salt and pepper to taste.

3. Dip the chicken in the egg and then polenta and make sure there is an even coat of the polenta on the chicken. Fry it in a frying pan with vegetable oil on medium high heat until golden brown on both sides. Put the fried chicken on a paper covered plate to soak up all excess oil.

4. Wash and cut the salad ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice. 

5. Once everything is cooked, serve it in a wide plate with a table spoon of yogurt sprinkled with dill.

Enjoy!

Healthy meat patties and couscous with seasoned yogurt - Recipe

One of the more healthier recipes I like to use often is my meat patties with couscous. It is easy to do as I often do many patties in advance and have them in the freezer. I fry them but also bake them in the oven for a healthier option. Serving it with fluffy couscous, big tangy salad and minty yoghurt makes it a fresh and light dinner option for any summer day or any other day of the year really.

Ingredients:

500 g minced beef meat

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp dried parsley

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 small onion finally chopped

1/2 cup bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup Bulgur cooked according to instructions on package

1 chicken stock cube

handful vermicelli noddles

2 tbsp vegetable oil 

salt and pepper to taste

Salad: Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, radishes and paprika

Seasoned with a salad seasoning mix from Knorr, salt and pepper

1 onion chopped, seasoned with  sumac

Yoghurt sauce: 1 cup greek yoghurt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried herbs mix, 1 tsp parsley, salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients for the patties in a bowl and let it rest for 10 mins in a fridge.

2. form the patties round in different sizes if you like and put them in an oven dish. Bake in the oven for 30 min - 1 hour in 200 degrees, time varies depending how well done you like. I like mine well done.

3. While the patties are in the oven, cook the bulgur according to the instructions on the package. I basically heat up 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan. Lightly brown the vermicelli noddle in the oil and then add the washed bulgur and the chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper and add 1 cup water initially and let it come to a boil. Then turn down to let it simmer and add 1/4 cup water if needed.

4. While that is being cooked do the yoghurt sauce. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and put it in the fridge to let it rest and the flavours get enhanced.

5. Chop the salad in the size you desire. Season with Knorr Dressing mix which is an excellent salad spice mix according to me and one that I use regularly in my salads. The copped onion gets seasoned with sumac, a red tangy spice that adds great flavour to this dish.

6. Once everything is cooked and baked serve it in a wide plate with some salad, onion mix and a dollop of yoghurt sauce.

Enjoy!

Baked Potato and Chicken - recipe

I often have few ingredients at home for super busy days that need to be cooked/baked quickly if the day has been long and tiring.  Big potatoes and chicken breasts are always available in our household. So today I let the oven do the work. Today's super easy meal: baked potato and chicken with creamy yoghurt sauce.


Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts , cut lengthwise to make it thinner
3 big potatoes
salt and pepper
grilled chicken bbq seasoning mix
paprika powder
butter

for the yoghurt sauce:
1 cup greek yoghurt
1 tsp dried mint
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder


Method:
1. Bake the potato in the oven for about 1-2 hours in 220 degrees depending on size and oven. Check once in a while with a fork or knife if it is cooked well.

2. Wash the chicken breasts and cut lengthwise to make the breasts thinner. Season with salt, pepper, paprika powder and bbq mix to taste. I add so that all sides have an even coating. Put the breast halves in an oven dish and bake in the oven for ca 1 hour until golden brown. I usually bake them together with the potatoes.

3. Mix all ingredients in bowl for the yoghurt sauce while the food is being baked in the oven. Keep the sauce in the fridge until the fridge until the food is ready to be served.

4. Once everything is done, serve it on a plate, cut up the potatoes and add a click butter, season with some salt, pepper and paprika powder.

Enjoy!

Kurdish Biryani - recipe

A few months ago, I invited some close friends over for a delightful Saturday lunch. I chose to prepare one of my favorite dishes, one that my mother often makes for special family occasions. Her cooking is renowned for its deliciousness, and she is indeed an excellent chef.

The dish is called Kurdish biryani, which we prepare slightly differently than the Indian version. It's rich in flavor with a unique blend of oriental spices. Its distinct feature is the use of a special Kurdish biryani spice mix, although it can also be made without it. As this mix is scarce in the UK, any available biryani spice mix will suffice. Another key ingredient is the '7 spice mix,' commonly found in Asian food stores or larger supermarkets.

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rise,, cooked according to the package instructions

2 tsp Biryani spice mix

1 tsp mild curry powder

1 tsp paprika powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1-2 cups frozen chopped vegetable mix

4 tbsp roasted almond flakes

5 tbsp sultanas

5 potatoes, diced into 1 cm cubes

2 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized cubes

Salad: Chopped paprika, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, and mint, seasoned with salt, pepper, and sumac.

Method:

1. Start by making the salad. Chop all the ingredients and combine them in a bowl with the seasoning. Drizzle olive oil on top to finish.

2. Prepare the rice as per the package instructions, adding salt and half of the seasoning to the pot. After the rice is cooked, stir it well. If the instructions suggest draining and rinsing the rice, add the spice mix after cooking, not during.

3. In a frying pan, sauté chicken cubes, frozen vegetables, and potatoes separately with a bit of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to remove any excess oil. Season each with a bit of the spice mix while frying.

4. Combine the cooked rice, remaining seasoning, fried ingredients, and sultanas in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly to ensure an even coating of seasoning. Remember to taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Serve the biryani on a large platter, garnished with almond flakes..

Enjoy!

Home made Beef Burgers - recipe

Another long break has come to an end and hopefully I have enough inspiration to update my recipe bank with not just food for adults but also start post recipes/tips and ideas regarding toddlers now that we have an 1 year all eating toddler who has luckily got his mums great appetite for food.

We will start with my tasty home made beef burgers.

Ingredients:

500 g minced beef meat

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp bbq seasoning

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 egg

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Salt n pepper to taste

1-2 tbsp olive oil

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and shape the burgers round and flat, place them to a foil covered plate. Put in the fridge for 10 covered in plastic foil so the seasoning really works its magic.

2. Put the chilled burgers on a foil covered oven dish and bake the burgers in 200 degrees for ca 20-30 mins until cooked through and well browned. I like mine well done. Once you take out the oven dish place on cheese slices so they melt due to the heat. Yummeee

3. Finish of by assembling the burgers in a hot bun. I add onion rings, lettuce, tomato, ketchup and some burger dressing.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian nachos and salsa salad - recipe

Now in times of football and the world cup, we love to eat snack food in front of a nice footfall game in the living room, although I prefer us to eat at the dinner table. But there are exceptions, like a world cup :). We often make nachos and serve it with a nice salsa salad to make it more filling. This recipe, is not really a recipe, just putting few ingredients together to create a lovely meal. 

Ingredients:

A bag of nachos chips

1 jar of salsa

mature cheddar, shredded

creme fraiche

salsa salad:

2 tomatoes

half cucumber

1 avocado

lettuce

lime juice, 1 whole

1/2 tbsp dried parsley

Method:

1. Line a flat oven tray with aluminium foil and spread the nachos chips on. Add the salsa sauce on top and shred mature cheddar cheese to taste. Bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes on 200 degrees, or until cheese has melted and it is golden.

2. While the nachos are being baked in the oven, make your salsa salad. Wash and chop all the vegetables and put it in a bowl. Sprinkle over 1/2 tbsp dried parsley and juice from a whole lime.

3. Once the nachos are done as well as the salad, serve it on a flat plate with a tbsp of creme fraiche. Nice and delicious to be served in front of a great game of football.

Enjoy!

Potato salad served with oven-fried fish - recipe

We have been blessed with a great weather here in the UK, almost to the point that you cant handle the heat. Days like these, it is often hard to find motivation to stand by the cooker and make a hot meal. On the contrary, you want something light, quick and preferably cold, or at least not piping hot. What comes to mind is generally a nice salad. But, salad is not always enough if you are very hungry and want something more hearty and filling. Then what can be better than a cold potato salad? It is a great option to serve with meat, seafood, fish or just keeping it vegetarian. It is a must on every BBQ I would say. So how did I do it? 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayo

2 full tbs of creme fraiche

2 tbs of cucumber relish (I am using Bostongurka from Sweden)

1 tsp paprika, dried dill, granulated onion powder, chive, salt and pepper to taste

1tsp of Jacobsbaii spice mix by u-kuva i-africa (not necessary if you don't have it, but gives a zesty and tangy flavour)

2 stalks of celery

few stalks of spring onion to taste

2 hard boiled eggs

3-6 potatoes depending on how much potatoey you want it to be

Method:

1. Begin with putting the eggs in cold water and bring it to a boil for ca 10-15 minutes until hard boiled.

At the same time boil the potatoes in salted water. I did not boil the potato this time as I needed them to be done quickly. I simply peeled them and chopped them into bite size and put them in the microwave on the potato setting for 10 minutes.

2. While potatoes and eggs are being boiled you can start doing the dressing for the potato salad. In a bowl, mix the mayo and all the seasoning together. Wash and chop the celery and spring onions as well as the eggs once they are done. 

3. Once the potatoes are done as well, mix it with the dressing, celery, spring onions and eggs until everything is coated well.

 4. I served the potato salad with oven-fried breaded cod fish and it was delicious. But of course you can serve it as is, or with grilled meat. Another great idea is to mix it with a few cooked shrimps, which makes it a great salad with seafood, yum yum.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian pasta with tomato sauce and cream - recipe

Pasta is very versatile and can be made in different shapes and forms and be complemented with hundreds of different sauces. For that reason we make it quite often in our household, especially when the outcome is completely dependent on ingredients available at home. 

Husband made a quick pasta sauce yesterday and it was delicious and tomatoey. He made a lot so we had leftovers of sauce. Clever me who loves using leftovers, decided to use the sauce but alter it so it becomes a complete different one for today's taste buds. What ingredients did i use? Creme fraiche and double cream, they were also leftovers!

Ingredients:

Half aubergine, chopped

Half zucchini, chopped

Red paprika, chopped

Big onion, chopped

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp herbe de provance

1 jar of Dolmio tomato sauce

Olive oil

1 table spoon creme fraiche

2 table spoons of double cream

Boiled pasta twists

Method:

1. Wash all vegetables and chop them in preferable size. Brown them in a sauce pan with few table spoons of olive oil on medium heat.

2. Add the tomato sauce and add a jar of water to get extra liquid and the remaining sauce stuck in the jar. Let it come to a boil and let it simmer for 30 mins until sauce has reduced and thickened. Served with pasta twists for yesterday.

3. For today's alternation: put the leftover sauce in a pan and the leftover cream fraiche and double cream and mix well until the sauce is fully creamy. Let it simmer on low to medium heat for 15 minutes and serve with boiled pasta twist or any other pasta shape of choice.

It became very creamy and tasty this way and i will definitely try it again.

Enjoy!

Shell tacos - recipe

Today has been a long day. Midwife appointment in the morning, which went well and work in afternoon. 

I was shattered by the time I came home. We had only two bags of beef minced meat at home in the freezer and loads of vegetables. I quickly asked hubby to buy avocado, taco shells and sour cream. It was time for taco evening. This is how I made it.

Ingredients:

200-300 g beef minced meat

2-3 tbsp tomato pure

1/3 cup frozen sweetcorn

1 can red kidney beans

Taco seasoning

2 small onions

Taco shells

Cheddar cheese and sour cream

Salsa: tomato, lettuce, onion, avocado, lime juice, fresh coriander, dried parsley.

Method:

1. Fry the minced meat on high heat until browned. Add onions and beans and let brown as well. Add the taco seasoning and tomato pure as well as 1 cup water. Once it boils, turn down heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes until the water reduces.

2. Make the salsa while the sauce is simmering. Chop tomatoes, onions, lettuce and avocado as much as you like. Season with lime juice, fresh coriander and dried parsley to your taste. 

3. Once the taco sauce is done, serve everything together in small plates. Fill a taco shell with the sauce, sour cream, salsa and Cheddar cheese. That is my favourite combo😄

  

Enjoy!