Sweet potato, wild mushroom and guacamole wraps

Another idea on what to do with some good tortillas and guacamole :). Sweet potato spicy wedges, oven baked, paired with wild mushrooms and crunchy salad are going to make your day (and your school or office snack).


Last year: Goat cheese salad with paprika dressing, Easy Chicken Tacos with guacamole (Mexican), Amaretto Colada and Easy home-made Raclette (French-Swiss). 

Three cheese pasta with bell peppers and cranberries

The dried cranberries add a little sweetness and je-ne-sais-quois to this classic three cheese pasta dish, while the bell peppers are a delicious savory addition to almost any kind of pasta. We think you'll like this combination. The casserole is also easy to assemble ahead of time and just be put into the oven when you want to serve it. 
We're big fans of using multiple kinds of cheeses in a dish for the flavor depth we can achieve this way. For another delicious example, try out our Three cheese pasta with rucola, hazelnuts and sesame seeds. 

Last year: Blue Skies cocktail, Fastest home-made crackers (Romanian saratele), Oeufs Cocotte (French oven-baked eggs) and Orange jam and liquor Linzer torte. 

Mini oven-baked chicken skewers with satay sauce (Indonesian)

This is a super-fast and easy to make starter (or whole meal) you can just pop in the oven when you plan on serving it. Just marinate the skewers for a couple of hours in the fridge and then mix the sauce in a couple of minutes while you bake the meat. Easy as pie :). And delicious.
The satay sauce is a traditional Indonesian (and generally South-Asian) dip for marinated, skewered and grilled meat. It consists of coconut milk and peanut butter mixed in equal parts and seasoned with a bit of lemon, ginger, salt, pepper and various other spices, depending on the region. It may sound a bit weird, but it's truly delicious. Enjoy.


Last year: Peanut butter hot chocolate milk, Chicken with peanut butter sauce and Pigs in a blanket (British). 

Oven-baked salmon with herb crust and caramelised baby carrots

A delicate tasting, easy to make, but impressive dinner. We made this for my folks when we had them over for the holidays. If you can't find baby carrots in the supermarket, just chop into smaller bits regular-sized ones. The contrast between the salty and delicately herbal salmon flesh and the sweet-and-sour crunchiness of the glazed carrots makes a perfect taste pair. You should try it when you get the chance - nothing too fancy on the ingredient list, perfect for a relaxed evening cooking session. :)


Last year: Spaghetti and tuna balls, Orange and poppy seed muffins, Black olive dip (Tapenade), Concentrated orange caramel, Diet muffins with cranberries, spices and dark chocolate, Risotto with caramelized onions, artichokes and bacon, Pina colada cupcakes and Brussel sprouts side dish with nutmeg and chives. 

Cinnamon and brown sugar palmiers

Crispy, warm-tasting, the perfect companion to milk. The feel of home-made butter and cinnamon treats on a cold winter night. :)

These are one of those things where the puff pastry you use really makes a major difference, so choose carefully. It should be butter-made, with no additives and the more expensive kind. 

Last year: Chocolate and stout cupcakes, Tikka masala chicken cous cous, Czech poppy seed cakes (kolache). 

Lemon pickles (Moroccan preserved lemons)

The pickled lemons are a basic ingredient in lots of Moroccan dishes, especially in the awesomely flavorful tagines (like this). They need to be prepared at least 6 weeks before using them, but keep well for up to a year. You may encounter lots of recipes using them around here and in your other cooking-related wanderings, so I thought I'd better show you how it's done, simple and to the point, once and for all :).
Recipe source: Crazy mother cooker. 


Last year: Broccoli and ham torte, Cardamom Lassi, Broccoli and pancetta orrecchiete and Noodle salad with black sesame. 

Home-made raclette bowls with wild mushrooms, lemon and capers

Raclette is a very special cheese of French and Swiss tradition. It's usually melted in large ovens and poured over onions and pickles on each serving plate. For a more classic take on the home-made version you should check out our older post here. This time, we felt like pairing it with wild mushrooms and some tangy lemons :). If you're a fan of melted cheesy goodness, the raclette is something you can't miss. 
Warning: don't be put off by the specific smell ;)


Last year: Banana bread with nuts, Tirolese spinach-cheese dumplings, Spinach and cheese crostini, The perfect fluffy fried bananas and Chinese fried rice with egg. 

Bell pepper sticks with refried bean dip

Refried beans (refritos meaning very fried in Spanish) are a classic Mexican dip we've used before in our adventures (like the corn cakes with avocado salsa or the huevos rancheros etc). And we like them so much (not to mention they're a fast and healthy way to catch up with some of your nutritional weekly requirements) we decided to serve them simple, accompanied only by raw veggie sticks for dipping (in this case, three-colored bell peppers, but you could also use carrot or cucumber sticks etc). Double the health points and the fun! :)

Last year: Pissaladieres (French caramelized onion tarts), Pickled mustard, Marliesentorte (German chocolate cake), Potato puree with caramelized shallots and Pork muscle in spice crust. 

Beefsteaks in apple juice

Marinating meat (especially pork, lamb and beef) in apple juice is a lovely way to achieve a tenderized steak with a delicious caramelized glaze. Not to mention it is a very easy way to spruce up the flavor without working to make a complicated sauce. Here we served the steaks with our Rosemary marinated potatoes, just in case you're interested to recreate the side dish as well :). Enjoy.


Last year: Singapore noodles with chicken, Mexican-style scrambled eggs, Bacon wrapped baby corns and Spicy chocolate truffles. 

Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian) and baby arrival

After a long wait, our baby arrived (well, more than a week ago, but we were too caught up with everything to make time to post) :). Her name is Mira. We're posting a recipe of cookies with sugar confetti to celebrate the little princess. Powerpuff girl style :)


Buttery sugar cookies, with a hint of lemon and a coating of colorful sugar sprinkles that are a staple in Italian bakeries. We had these around for the winter holidays and they sure were a delicious treat :).
Recipe adapted from Saveur. 

Last year: White Turkish rice pudding (with rosewater and almonds), Florentine pie (with spinach and egg), Bramboraki (Czech potato pancakes) and Chicken with cream and mushrooms.