Baked salmon on fennel

This is an extremely light and simple dish that creates a delicious combination by using very few ingredients. It's basically salmon infused with fennel aromas lying on a fennel bed, everything oven-baked and spiced only with salt and pepper to allow the fennel and salmon's flavors to shine through better. Full of protein and fiber but very low on calories. Perfect for the main course in hot weather. Enjoy.

Last year: Café con leche (Spanish strong coffee with milk).
Two years ago: Peach and vanilla cream pie.
Three years ago: Lemon and artichoke spaghetti (vegan).
Four years ago: Baby making and no cooking :).

Brie walnut spread (French-style)

I was thinking about Obazda, the delicious German spread based on Camembert and caraway and paprika, and decided I should try making a similar spread (God, don't we all just love cheese spreads! Perhaps a little more than we - I - should) with a French riff. And that, bien sûr, had to mean Brie and walnuts. :D
Well, since it all seemed pretty straight-forward and easy to accomplish, I got to it right away. The result was not only good, but way better than imagined initially, like in a greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts way :). Must try as soon as possible. Just take my word for it and you won't be sorry. Oh, and please don't replace the walnut oil with anything else. It's essential. You can thank me afterward. Go.

Last year: Pa amb tomàquet (Spanish/Catalan tomato bread) (vegan).
Two years ago: Field salad with parsley and breaded Camembert.
Three years ago: Gyeran-Jim (Korean fritata with green onion).
Four years ago: Baby making and no cooking :).

Pizza Pollo affumicato con Brie (Italian-American)

This particular pizza didn't look that great, as you can notice if you look at its irregular shape because I accidentally put in too much water in my dough and only realized how runny and sticky it was after it was already done rising and it was time to roll it. I decided against adding more flour to compensate for the extra moisture, because I didn't want to wait for yet another rising time, so I went on with it and rolled it the best I could, topped it with the rest of the stuff and baked it as it was. The result was just as delicious as any pizza, except for the rustic shape, to say the least :D.

The pizza recipe is an Italian-American classic, using smoked chicken breast and the lovely Brie cheese. Try it once and love it forever :)

Last year: Banana brownie cake.
Two years ago: Chickpea and ras-el-hanout cous cous (Moroccan-style) (vegan).
Three years ago: Raspberry-chocolate brownies.
Four years ago: baby making and no cooking :)

Coffee and brown butter banana bread with caramel coffee topping

This was truly marvelous. Take the well-known plain banana bread and add brown butter and coffee to it for extra richness and flavor. And as if that wasn't enough, make a coffee-flavored (slightly) salted caramel on the stove and generously pour it over the whole thing. Because you can. :D. 

Culinary arrogance at its best. For a posh and rich and grown-up breakfast, cake to make your mornings just a tad naughtier. 
Also, last but not least, this was my own creation. And proud of it. :) Enjoy!
P.S: When I made the recipe, I doubled it for 2 loaves. And they were both gone the next day. 

Last year: Drunken spaghetti (Italian-American).
Two years ago: Moules frites (Belgian and French).
Three years ago: Turmeric-fried chicken with three chili marinade and tomato raita.
Four years ago: Baby making and no cooking :).

Migas (Scrambled eggs with bread and chorizo) (Spanish)

Migas is one of the most iconic dishes of rural Spain. Bread has a central role in all Spanish cuisine, and bread-based dishes are a go-to especially in the rural areas where making the most out of little was a delicious art. You can read a fascinatingly detailed article about Spanish types of bread and their use here, and Migas is the perfect dish to start cooking if you want a taste of it yourself. 
It's made with slightly old bread, fried in a pan together with eggs, chorizo, olive oil and a sprinkle of chili flakes. It's just the right amount of fiery and robust and it's ready in as little as 10 minutes from deciding you're hungry to having it in a plate in front of you. :)
Recipe source: Saveur.

Last year: Paprika mackerel with olive and orange salsa.
Two years ago: Spuma di Ricotta al Cafee (Ricotta and Coffee Mousse) (Italian).
Three years ago: Herb-mustard-beer pancakes with cottage cheese and bacon.
Four years ago: Baby making and no cooking :).

Espaguetis con atún y alcaparras (Spaghetti with tuna and capers) (Spanish)

A classic pasta recipe very popular in Spanish kitchens, quick to throw together and absolutely wonderful to enjoy. Give it a try whenever you want a quick lunch. 

Last year: Goat feta bits in pesto and walnut crust.
Two years ago: Chili cheese nachos (Nachos con queso) (Mexican).
Three years ago: Fruit chaat (Indian fruit salad) (raw vegan).
Four years ago: Baby making and no cooking :).

Smoked salmon quesadillas with three-color cherry tomatoes

I wanted some smoked salmon quesadillas for a long time, but all the recipes I could find online had the salmon folded inside the quesadillas, which didn't tickle my fancy because that would cook the fish at least a little, and take away part of its charm (by my book).
This recipe was the closest I could find to the combination of flavors I had in mind, but still not what I wanted. Therefore I said to myself - well, to hell with recipes - and went on and made the quesadillas of my dreams exactly how I pictured them :).
So here's a great recipe for quesadillas with smoked salmon on top.
Enjoy :)

Last year: Whole wheat goji berry pancakes.
Two years ago: Chicken scallopini (Italian).
Three years ago: Fruit chaat (Indian fruit salad) (raw vegan).
Four years ago: Baby making and no cooking :)

Ciulama de pui cu ciuperci (Romanian chicken and mushroom roux)

This is a traditional Romanian stew-like dish, featuring chicken, or mushrooms, or both (like here) in a white sauce (based on roux). It's a bit heavy and hearty but utterly delicious. This is my mom's recipe, so it's the real deal, you can trust it to be as authentic as possible :).
When this is done with chicken, it's called "Ciulama de pui", and if it's the vegetarian mushroom version, it's called "Ciulama de ciuperci". Traditionally, it's served with mămăligă (Romanian polenta; you can find instructions on how to make it here).
All in all, it's quite delicious and way easier to make than it sounds (roux, yikes, I know). Enjoy.

Last year: Toasted bread with za'atar and olive oil (vegan).
Two years ago: Mini filled paprikas (raw vegan).
Three years ago: Beer lemonade (Radler) with strawberries (vegan).
Four years ago: Baby making and no cooking :).

Gogoşi (Romanian doughnuts)

"Gogoşi" are basic Romanian doughnuts easy to find in almost every grandma's kitchen from our country. They can be either simple or filled with various jams, and their dough is always yeast-raised. They are fried in vegetable oil, on the stove or even in the oven sometimes, drained on paper towels and then generously dusted with powder sugar. If you decide to try them, you're in for a fluffy, fluffy treat. A treat from the deepest childhood of most Romanians. Sort of like a fairytale snack. :) Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from here.

Last year: Salade au chevre chaud (Warm goat cheese salad) (French).
Two years ago: Sun-dried tomato and cauliflower dip (raw vegan).
Three years ago: Green lasagna with aubergine and zucchini.
Four years ago: baby making and no cooking. :)

Kopi Jahe (Indonesian coffee with ginger) (vegan)

The ginger coffee they serve in Indonesia is an interesting thing to try, especially if you've already tried ginger in tea and liked it. I usually accept spices in tea easier, but I enjoyed this coffee as well. Try it and decide for yourself. Anyway, if you plan on cooking some Indonesian meals, it would be a shame not to pair them with a drink that matches the cultural background :).
Recipe source: Saveur.

Last year: Chia oatmeal breakfast with fruit (no cook).
Two years ago: Căpșune cu smântână (Simple Strawberries and Cream) (Romanian).
Three years ago: Chicken, olive and preserved lemons tagine (Moroccan).
Four years ago: baby making and no cooking. :)