Azoresgal~Life on an Island

These are such a luxurious treat, made with three simple ingredients ! Dried figs, chocolate and sea salt, are a match made in heaven. Making this a wonderful combination for your taste buds. The contrast between salty and sweet is amazing. They are so elegant looking, and would make such a lovely gift. So impressive and yet so easy, I really hope you give them a try. 100g chocolate (70% dark was used here) 12 dried figs 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (Maldon is what I used) Break or cut the chocolate bar into pieces and melt over a water bath.  Gently mold each fig back into its natural shape if it's been tightly packaged. Holding by the stem, dip each fig in melted chocolate and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt while the chocolate is still liquid. recipe source

This classic French-Canadian meat pie is a substantial dish, and a pleasant addition to your table for the holiday season. Here is a little bit of history :  The tourtière is a French-Canadian meat pie that originated in the province of Quebec in Canada as early as 1600. Most recipes for tourtière include ground pork and other ground meats.  The tourtière is a traditional part of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations in Quebec, but the pie is also enjoyed at other times and throughout Canada. There is some debate about the origin of the name of the dish. Some believe that the dish is named after the now extinct passenger pigeons, called “tourtes,” that were cooked into the original pies.  Others argue that the pie is named after the deep ceramic baking dish that families used to create the pies.  It is, however, agreed that by 1611, the word tourtière had come to refer to the pastry containing meat or fish that was cooked in this medium-deep, round or rectangular dish. There are arg

This cranberry ketchup is fantastic and festive too. The tangy, tart bite of the cranberries, and the sweetness of the onion and sugar, make it a winner ! It was really fast to make, less than 30 minutes ! I added extra spices, because I just can´t leave things alone. I will be serving this tonight with Tourtiere for our Christmas Eve dinner. I think they will compliment each other really well ! Hope you give it a try ! 1 2/3 cups fresh cranberries 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup chopped shallots ( onions would be ok ) 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup water 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (*pinch of cayenne) *pinch of cinnamon, pinch of cloves (added by me) Preparation Combine cranberries, brown sugar, chopped shallots, cider vinegar, water, salt, and red pepper in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Pour into a blender; pro

A friend of mine shared this recipe with me a couple of weeks ago, and I can't thank her enough for it ! It was a big hit with my family, I have made it I think once a week, since she gave me the recipe. So quick to make, and really very pretty too. It is great hot or cold, and so very versatile. I think you could mix and match the fillings to your own likings, and it would still be a winner. The orginal recipe uses crescent rolls ,Pillsbury,  this brand is not found here, but I was quite pleased when I used something similar I found at my grocery store. I think puff pastry would also be smashing used here. I really..really hope you give this a try ! I loved..loved it with this mango chutney !! 2 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken (usually 2-3 chicken breasts) 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli (cooked) 2 cups  shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper 1/2  cup mayonnaise 2 teaspoons dried dill weed 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 garlic clove, presse

Tis´ the season to drink eggnog ! I think you either love eggnog or hate it, I happen to enjoy it!.I like it cold though instead of warm. There are so many recipes out there for eggnog...dont´believe me...google it. This is one of my favorites..simple, easy and not fussy at all. I like to sprinkle mine with some cinnamon, want to make even richer add some whipped cream. Ingredients 2 cups heavy cream 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 2 teaspoons vanilla 4 large eggs 3/4 rum or spiced rum or brandy or adjust to your liking Directions In a medium saucepan, bring the heavy cream, sugar, and nutmeg just to a simmer, do not boil. In a blender, blend the eggs on low speed for 1 minute. With the motor running, gradually add the hot cream mixture, and the vanilla. Blend until frothy, about 30 seconds more. Add the brandy and blend to combine. Serve warm.(or refrigerate and serve chilled). Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon. recipe source

 Challah is an amazing bread, and I am sorry I waited this long to make it! It somehow scared me, I thought it would be complicated. Turns out it is a simple process, but it does take a little bit of time and effort. But when you  smell the bread baking, then see your beautiful braided challah on the dinner table,  it really makes it all worth it. As for braiding the Challah, I will add the link to the video, that helped me out ! Honey Challah Bread makes 2 loaves Ingredients: 1 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees) 4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 packets) 1/2 cup sugar plus 1 tsp sugar 1/2 cup honey 8 tablespoon butter, softened 3 eggs 2 teaspoons salt 5 1/2 cups flour (or more if necessary) 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash Directions: 1.  Lightly oil a medium bowl and line a large baking sheet with silicon mat or parchment paper and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, put warm water in the bowl and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon s

 These are divine! When you bite into the crisp shell there is a soft rich chocolatey centre. So good. Everyone loves them and there is never any left on the plate. Perfect for the Christmas season ! I have yet to make them with a boozy filling, but I imagine, a bit of baileys or frangelico would be just wonderful ! Ingredients: 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened 36  Oreo's 200g chocolate + 1 tablespoon crisco sprinkles Directions:  Place the Oreo's in the bowl of your food processor and chop until finely crumbled. Pour Oreo crumbs into a medium bowl. Add in cream cheese and mix until well combined. Or add cream cheese to the food processor, and pulse. Place  wax paper on a cookie sheet. Scoop out Oreo dough and roll a 1 inch ball of the mixture, setting it on the wax paper. Continue until all the Oreo mixture is used up. You'll have at least 3 dozen depending on the size. Place cookie sheet in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, longer is better

Tis the season.....for magic and melancholy.

A creamy soup made with broccoli, carrots, and plenty of cheese! It is simple and delicious, make it extra special and serve it in a bread bowl. It is one of my favorites to make on a rainy day, to warm up everyone's bellies. 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup flour 1 medium onion, diced small 2 cups matchstick cut carrots 2 heads of broccoli, just the florets cut off (800 g frozen ) 4 cups chicken stock 4 cups milk (skim is what I used) 4 cups  cheddar cheese ( or any cheese you like ) 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg salt and fresh cracked pepper (go a little heavy on the pepper) 1.  Add carrots and broccoli to a saucepan. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are very tender, about 15 – 20 minutes. 2.  In a large soup pot, add butter and onion. Add salt and pepper. Saute over low heat until onions are tender. Add flour and cook for 2 -3 minutes. Add milk and whisk constantly until mixture starts to come to a boil. Then add chicken stock an

During dinner last night, Simon our 8 year old, out of the blue asks : "Mommy what are you baking for breakfast Christmas morning??" I couldn't help but laugh, and then asked him what he would like me to make. To which he quickly replied "you have to make those cinnamon rolls, you made last year " and then he added  "you should make them more often mommy" ! You know what Simon, you are right I should make them more often, and I think I should also share the recipe on the blog. Please don't be scared to make these, just be sure to give yourself plenty of time, I would suggest a lazy afternoon, when you are not in a rush. Homemade cinnamon rolls are easier to make than you think – I promise! Cinnamon Roll Dough: 1 cup milk. warm ½ cup + 1 TBS granulated sugar divided 1 TBS Active dry yeast/ 1 package 2 large eggs room temperature, beaten 6 TBS butter melted 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 4 to 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp se

These Chicken Fingers are a meal my kids just love....Mr.G and I love them too! Plus, I love knowing that we are eating real chicken. The dipping sauce is delicious, and I think both together in a sandwich would be out of this world ! Both are super simple to make and your family will love them! Ingredients: 2 chicken breast fillets 1/3 cup plain flour 1 garlic clove, crushed Salt and pepper to taste 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups flavored bread crumbs ¼ cup to 1/2 olive oil Method: Cut chicken into strips approximately 1cm diameter and 10cm long. Toss chicken strips in flour, shake off excess. In a bowl whisk eggs, add garlic, salt and pepper. Cover chicken strips in egg mixture then roll in breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a deep frypan and fry the chicken strips in  batches until golden brown. Dipping Sauce  : 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons honey 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice Mix the mayon

These are lovely ! Great flavors, apple and cinnamon, with a moist crumb. The crunchy topping, is oh so very delicious, and just adds to make this recipe a keeper ! Muffin : 1 and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup white sugar ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 egg 1/3 cup milk 1 large apple Topping : ½ cup brown sugar 1/3 cup quick cooking oats ¼ cup salted butter 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon Directions: 1) Preheat the oven to 200//400-degrees and prepare you muffin tin but greasing or using liners. 2) Make the topping first – in a small bowl, use a fork to combine the brown sugar, oats, butter and cinnamon. Set aside. 3) Peel, core, and dice the apple into small pieces. 4) In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients with a whisk.  In a small bowl, beat the egg and combine the oil and milk.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. 5) Fold in the apples until just mixed, then spoon into pre

   Butter, garlic, cheese and little bubbles of fresh baked bread...heaven. Who could resist!? Great served along side pasta, or as a snack. Super simple and quick! You don´t have to make your own dough, buy some pizza dough at your bakery, and it comes together even faster ! Add other spices, basil, oregano, or rosemary. The butter and cheese ratio, is something you will play with....after all more cheese is never a bad thing ! 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 1/3 cups warm water 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 tsp. salt 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/4-1/2 cup butter, melted 1 Tbsp.chopped parsley 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1 cup grated cheese (of your choice In a large bowl, stir together the yeast and water. Let sit 5 minutes until yeast is foamy. Mix in the olive oil, salt, and flour. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until dough is elastic, 7-10 minutes. Place dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitc

This is one of Mr.G's favorites, especially when I use eggplants from our garden! When I make this for us, I just serve it with a nice salad, it is a great meatless meal. Depending on the size of your serving dish, the     ingredients will decrease or increase. If you only wanted to use some ramekins, use less eggplant, a larger dish for more people, use more eggplants. It is really easy to put together, there are no real rules here. Use a favorite tomato sauce, and feel free to add oregano, black pepper, even some parmesan cheese to the recipe. 2 medium-sized  eggplant, cut into thin slices 1/3 cup  olive oil, + more jar of your favorite tomato sauce ( or more) 2 fresh mozzarella balls, cut into slices ( or more ) 1/2 cup torn fresh basil Preheat the oven to 180 degC.  With a vegetable peeler, make stripes in eggplant then cut into 1/2-inch thick slices. Sprinkle them with salt. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and when hot add the eggplant slices.  Fry over

I made this trifle many times this summer...and it was such a hit! An empty trifle bowl every single time! It has such lovely flavors, the apple filling, the peanut butter, and the silkiness of the cream cheese. All of these things and the fact that it is a no bake dessert, make it a keeper. This weekend a sweet friend asked for the recipe, and I realized it was not yet on the blog. Mea culpa..mea culpa, forgive me for not sharing  this gem earlier !  Please give it a try, you won´t be dissapointed. 1-1/2 cups cookie crumbs (Ricanela) any cinnamon flavored cookies 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cups peanut butter 1/4 cup butter, melted 2 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup sugar 1 carton (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed (whipped cream 2 cups) 2 cans (21 ounces each) apple pie filling 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar 1/3 cup peant butter 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon In a large bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, brown sugar,1/2 cup peanut bu

This chicken was a hit at our house ! The kids loved it and so did Mr.G. It is super easy to make, and is delicious. The only thing I would change, would be to  make extra sauce, if you do, just bring it to a boil in a small pot on the stove. I really hope you give this a try ! Chicken: 4 chicken breasts salt and pepper 1 cup cornstarch 2 eggs, beaten 1/3 cup canola oil Rinse chicken, trim off fat or extras and then cut into 1 inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken into cornstarch and coat all the way and then into eggs. Heat oil in large skillet. Cook chicken until browned. Place in a 9x13 baking dish. Next add the sauce. Sauce: 3/4 cups white sugar 4 Tablespoons ketchup 1/2 cup  vinegar 1 Tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon garlic salt Whisk until smooth. Then pour evenly over chicken. Turn chicken so the sauce gets on both sides and then put in the oven at 180/350 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn chicken and then cook for 15 more minutes. r

What does one do with 61 store bought ground cherries ?? Well, make one very small, jar of jam...isn´t that what everyone does ? What is a ground cherry, also known as Physalis ?  It is a small, smooth round fruit wrapped in a papery case, the fruit itself is a pretty orange-golden colour. It can be eaten as is, they have a delicate sweet-sour taste – sort of a cross between a gooseberry and a cherry tomato. This is not something we have growing in our garden yet , as it is very invasive. They do however grow abundantly on the island, wild. When I saw these at the market, I just had to buy them. I got them home, and counted how many there were, 61 lovely little golden gems, so I decide to make a jar of jam, a very tiny jar of jam. It came together very quickly, I swear it was ready in 15 minutes. I love all the little flecks in it, all the tiny seeds, it was great paired with cheese, the sweet and tart flavor, a wonderful contrast. Now was it really worth it , just to have one litt

This easy mushroom sauce is excellent with steak or roast beef. Try and get the mushrooms nice and caramelized, it will give the sauce a great color. Even better is if you use the same pan where you fried your steaks. All those great little bits left behind, will allso give your sauce flavor and color. Fresh mushrooms are great here, but don't hesitate to use canned. 1 cup sliced mushrooms, (or more) 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil splash of Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup dry red wine 1 cup beef broth** 1 teaspoon cornstarch 3 tablespoons cold water salt and pepper, to taste Sauté mushrooms in butter and oil for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally; add a splash of Worcestershire sauce ,add red wine and simmer for a few minutes. Add beef broth and simmer to reduce a bit, about 5 minutes. Combine cornstarch and cold water and whisk until smooth. Stir into the mushrooms until well blended. Season to taste and simmer for about 1 minute, until thickened. I

This is such a great sandwich, a favorite at our house. Steak, onions, peppers and cheese a winning combination in my books ! After making this atleast once, you can certainly eyeball everything, and add mushrooms or hot peppers. Wrapping them, and baking them a little bit just takes them over the top ! I really hope you give them a try ! 700 grams boneless steak 3 tablespoons vegetable oil/ or butter or more 1 very large onion, halved and sliced 2 large green bell pepper, cut in strips 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoon Worcestershire  sauce 4 to 6 soft bread rolls 500 grams cheese, grated ( a good melting kind) To make the steak easier to slice, set it in the freezer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Remove the steak from the freezer and cut it into very thin slices, and set it aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and peppers and sauté over medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring o

Cheese, jalapenos and beer in a bread !! What ?? Seriously those ingredients alone had me convinced this would be really good. That and the fact that I still have tons of jalapenos, which Mr. G keeps nagging  reminding me to use up ! So I got to it, and found this recipe on the magical world of Pinterest. You know the place, don´t pretend you don't!  This bread,it's a keeper, its sitting on my kitchen counter right now, just took it out of the oven. It smells wonderful, and tastes ( I know because I ate a big warm slice of it...I had to taste test it for you) even better. It's best to eat it all the day you bake it, that won't be hard , because it's a quick bread, it will not be as lovely the day after. So go on..go try it ! 3 cups all-purpose flour 3 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/4 cup sugar 2 whole jalapenos, finely chopped (seeds removed) 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 12/ oz (355ml) bottle/can beer 3 Tbsp melted butter Preheat ove

Pumpkin, sugar, and  cinnamon, oh my.... these are such a lovely treat. They are a favorite at our house on the weekends, and a great way to use up all the pumpkin we had this year. These little gems taste like pumpkin pie, with less work. Try and resist the urge to make them any bigger than, a teaspoon, they will not cook all the way through. I hope you give them a try. 1½ cups flour 1/3 cup sugar 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp ginger ¼ tsp nutmeg ½ cup cooked pumpkin ¼ cup milk 2 tbsp oil 1 tsp vanilla 1 egg ½ cup sugar 1 tsp cinnamon Heat frying oil to 375◦ Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.  Mix pumpkin, milk, oil vanilla and egg.  Stir in dry ingredients just until moistened. Drop by teaspoonfuls into hot oil, 5-6 at a time.  Fry for 1-2 minutes, on each side, until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels. Mix cinnamon and sugar.  Roll warm donuts in mixture. recipe source

A simple recipe for mexican rice that is delicious, and I think better than anything you can order in a restaurant. But that's just my opinion...you have to make it and decide for yourself ! Break out the Margaritas while you are at it ! 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 small onion diced small 1 cup long grain rice, uncooked 1 tsp. fresh minced garlic 1/2 tsp.  salt 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/2 c. tomato sauce 2 cups water + chicken cube 3 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute the diced onion, till soft. Add the rice and gently stir until rice begins to lightly brown. Add the garlic, salt, and cumin and stir the rice till it looks golden. Add the tomato sauce, water + chicken cube, and cilantro and turn the heat up to medium high. Bring the mix to a boil then turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

I have a confession to make...uhm...this was the first time I ever ate lentils ! Shocking I know...and I really have no clue as to what took me so long to try them. This soup was delicious ( might have something to do with the bacon ) and real fast to make. In 30 minutes it was ready to serve for dinner, and the hubby and I enjoyed it very much.The wonderful  Mr.G had the light version sans creme fraiche and sans  parmesan cheese, grated on top. You all know I went for all the toppings, go big or go home, I say ! 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 bay leaves 2 slices of bacon, finely chopped 1 teaspoon thyme leaves ¾ cup (150g)  lentils 1.25 litres (5 cups) chicken stock Sea salt and cracked black pepper Finely grated parmesan and sour cream, to serve Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, onion, bay leaves and bacon and cook for 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the thyme, lentils and stock, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until

Last weekend our family went to a baptism for the youngest cousin in the family. Following the ceremony we were  invited to lunch. Amongst many wonderful dishes served at the venue, were these lovely little apples. These delicate ruby gems, were not too sweet, and had a fantastic syrup, the perfect pairing to the pork loin. They were poached in red currant syrup, this syrup is very common here in Portugal. There are many brands, and they are used for all sorts of beverages, very similar to grenadine. I have never been drawn to fruit poached in wine, it just has never appealed to me, so these beauties inspired me to go home and give them a try. I must say.... mine could give the catering company a run for their money ! They were amazing. 4 medium apples ,Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, or Braeburn apples,(peeled, cored,cut in half) 500 ml water 200 ml red currant syrup ( xarope de groselha) 150 grams sugar 2-3 anise star 4-5 cloves Combine water, red currant syrup, an

Hey, I saw that ! You wrinkled your nose when you read bread pudding ! This however is not your grandmother's bread pudding. Trust Me ! I had friends coming over for coffee yesterday, and I wanted to bake something for our breakfast. My go to dish is pancakes, ( they love my pancakes ), but there was no electricity yesterday ( yes you read that correctly, the drawback of living on an island...whole other story ), so I could not use my griddle. Now luck would have it that the gods in my pantry  provided me with all the ingredients to make this lovely dish. The only thing I added to the original recipe, was the grated orange zest. Orange and cranberries just go really well together,the perfect combo. This got rave reviews from the ladies, and was a sweet start to our day. I hope you give it a try ! 16 slices bread, crusts removed, cubed 1 cup dried cranberries 3/4 cup white chocolate chips 6 eggs, lightly beaten 4 cups  milk 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla ex

Out of the blue, I got the biggest craving for Chicken Divan..weird..or nostalgic, since I just turned 40 ! The last time I ate Chicken Divan, I was a shop girl, and worked in a very frou-frou  boutique, in the mall. I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the bistro, where I would have this for dinner. I do however remember  that it was really good, so good, that 20 years later I can still taste it. I made it this weekend, adapitng what ingredients I can buy here, to loosely follow this Paula Deen recipe . It was amazing, my husband, asked why I had never made it before, and the kids loved it ! Adjust the curry powder to your liking, omit it if need be, but it really gives it such wonderful flavor. I really hope you give this a try ! 2 400g bags of frozen broccoli, cooked and chopped 2 whole chicken breasts, cooked and chopped 1 box of bechamel (500ml) 1 cup mayonnaise 1200g bag grated  Ilha cheese 1 tablespoon  lemon juice 3 teaspoons curry powder Salt a

Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many. - Unknown.