American Style Pancakes
May1
I finally got around to upgrading the blog’s software to the latest version and sorting out some of the old drafts that I had started a long time ago. This is one of them. I think I made this picture about nine months ago and never really finished / published the post that goes with it. I’m quite happy though because as it happens, my camera is broken now when I planned to restart working on the blog. Until I manage to get it fixed I’ll simply dust off and finish those drafts.
First question you probably asked yourself is “why the heck are those pancakes labeled as ‘American’”. This is not some particular form of patriotism (as you might know, I’m actually writing this blog from Germany and have spent most of my life here ;)), it’s just that we Germans label this type of pancake as “American” since it is quite different from the usual “German” pancake. Pancakes over here are made without baking powder hence they are slightly thinner but therefore larger in size. We usually eat them with sugar/cinnamon or marmalade, oh and before I forget it, of course “Nutella” which is a chocolate/hazelnut spread that is absolutely addictive and particularly loved by children. Maple syrup is something that you’ll only find in bigger malls and it is fairly expensive over here because people almost solely consume it with “American pancakes”. Fortunately these have become quite popular here, so the syrup isn’t that hard to find anymore.
I’ve tried many recipes for this dish over time and this, so far, is my favorite:
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 50g sugar
- 150ml buttermilk
- 100g flour
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 25g butter
Recipe
- Separate the eggs and beat the egg-whites along with the sugar until it becomes firm enough for you to be able to flip the bowl with the contents staying in place.
- In a second bowl mix egg-yolks and buttermilk until both are well incorporated then add the flour, the salt and the baking powder and continue stirring until the batter becomes smooth.
- Separate the beaten egg-whites in two parts and incorporate them slowly into the batter; be careful not to stir too much, since the egg-whites are supposed to make the batter “fluffy” and the longer the batter is agitated, the more it loses that texture.
- Heat up a skillet and melt about a tsp of the butter in it. At medium heat drop 2-3 tablespoons full of batter into the skillet, each making a pancake. Once they are golden brown on one side, you can flip them. If you realize that the pancakes are burning before the batter turns solid on the upper side, just reduce the heat a little. Continue until the batter is used up and add butter to the skillet as you go (when the butter from the previous batch turns too “brown” just use a paper towel to clean the skillet quickly in between).
Makes about 15-20 pancakes.
Enjoy!
Long time no see - crispy oatmeal white chocolate cookies
Apr0
Before I’m off, packing for Barcelona, I simply had to post a picture of this wonderful cookie I had yesterday. Generally cookies should be prescribed by doctors, really. When you mess up at work and are afraid of getting yelled at or if you lose someone that you really really like, a cookie always helps. Recipe will be posted soon.
Updated - And here is the recipe I used: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/05/crispy-salted-oatmeal-white-chocolate-cookies/
One of my favorite food blogs btw 
Oatmeal Cookies
Oct0
While I lived in France I actually forgot how beautiful fall could be in Munich. Trees are plunged in all shades of red, orange and yellow while waves of leaves start to cover the floor, gleaming in the last warm sun rays of the year. Well, that’s as much as I see of it while taking a look through the windows of my new flat, which is in a complete mess at the moment. A bazillion of cartridge boxes are scattered everywhere between partly assembled pieces of furniture. Why partly? Well, while reading the instructions and assembling as you go, you always reach a point where the pieces described in the pictures are nowhere to be found or where three different parts could fit and instead of making the painful choice you think “oh, there are still some boxes to unpack, I rather go with that :)))))))”
In these rough times there is nothing like a cookie to comfort you! Usually I always make chocolate chip cookies, but I’m glad that this time I decided to try this recipe I found in a German food magazine. Oatmeal cookies might be something completely ordinary for British or American people, but over here in Europe they don’t really belong to those childhood treats you remember when growing up. In fact I actually haven’t seen them for sale (in that form) anywhere yet. Too bad, as I’ve been missing out on one of the most delicious cookies I ever tasted. Not to sweet, lightly flavoured with vanilla the cookie gets a nice texture from the oatmeal and raisins while still being soft and chewy.
These cookies keep up to two weeks and can be frozen fairly well. Try to keep them in a closed container to prevent them from drying out.
Oatmeal Cookies (adapted from “Lecker” November 2008)
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 360 g soft butter
- 400 g brown sugar
- salt
- 4 eggs
- 320 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 200 g raisins
- 400 g oatmeal (”kernig” in Germany)
- Start out by lining three baking trays with baking sheet and putting them aside.
- In a large bowl combine butter, sugar, salt and beat with an electric whisk until the mixture reaches a creamy consistency.
- Add the vanilla extract and beat in the eggs seperately.
- Mix the flour with the baking powder and soda and add to the butter-sugar-egg mixutre. Incorporate briefly.
- Now stir in the raisins and the oatmeal and incorporate them with a wooden spoon.
- Preheat the oven at 180 °C.
- Drop tablespoons of cookie dough on the sheet (about nine little piles) and flatten them with the spoon until they are flat and round.
- Put the cookies in the oven and let them bake for about 12 minutes. This is only an approximation; it is absolutely vital that you look at the cookies from outside and check them frequently. Every oven is different and my baking time differed greatly from the one described in the original recipe. Once the cookies have that soft brown color (with the edged being a little darker) you can remove them. Let them cool out completely on the baking sheet.
- Continue this way with the other trays.
Makes about 30-35 cookies. Enjoy!
Shortbread Biscuit Cake (Gâteaux aux petits beurres)
Sep1
Do you know the kind of dish you taste for the very first time, thinking “this is so good; imagine I’d have died without ever having a taste?” or “my palate just touched a piece of heaven “. This actually happens quite rarely to me. Mostly I need to acquire tastes and once I eat a certain type of food several times, I start to develop a liking for it. But this cake… I literally fell in love with it after the first bite.
When I first came to France, my husband took me to the birthday party of one of his friends (the most provençal family you can imagine by the way). That friend’s mum had made exactly the above pictured cake and when I threw a glance at it, my first thought was “this can’t taste good, it looks like a cake made by a child at vacation camp” (yes, I have such evil thoughts one in a while, I should get scolded^^). They seemed to have noticed the look on my face and just smiled before starting to serve up pieces. I saw the whole family jumping and snatching plates away, then silently devouring the whole piece with closed eyes. And when I finally decided to give it a try myself, I swore never to judge a dish by it’s looks - ever - again :p
Turns out the recipe is actually from an old issue of Mickey Mouse magazine, which is why it’s so suited for making with your kids. It’s really really quick on top and requires no baking, just some resting time in the fridge…
The only ingredient which might be hard to come by is the “brown” biscuits:
If you can’t get a hold of these, simply use shortbread biscuits, they taste almost the same.
Shortbread Biscuit Cake (Gâteaux aux petits beurres)
- 24 shortbread biscuits
- 125 ml lukewarm, strong coffee
- 1 fresh egg
- 75g powdered sugar
- 100g butter
- grated chocolate as garnish
In a bowl break the egg and add the powdered sugar. Incorporate it by stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture takes on the texture of a sticky fluid. In a second bowl whisk the butter until it becomes fluffy then add it to the egg and sugar mixture and beat everything until you get a smooth, rather firm cream.
Get a large, flat recipient like a big plate or a platter and start out by dropping six biscuits into the coffee (one at a time). Be careful here, biscuits get soggy really quickly (just like sponge biscuits for tiramisu). So simply drop the biscuit into the coffee, count one second, flip it and count another second then remove it and start layering the plate. When the layer of six biscuits is done, cover it by a layer of 1/4th of the cream we made earlier. Continue this way until you use up all biscuits and finish with a layer of cream. Dust the cake with grated chocolate and refrigerate for three hours.
Serves 6, please make sure to refrigerate the cake well and use it up quickly as the cream contains raw egg.
PS. I challenge you to eat more of this cake than 2 pieces at a time, so far no one we know has managed! (It really stuffs :p)
Bento n°22: Spaghetti à la provençale
Jul0
Contents:
- Whole-wheat spaghetti “à la provençale”
- Snow peas
- Tamagoyaki
- Apple rabbits
As it’s getting hotter around here in Germany (surprisingly it hasn’t rained since 3 days) I’m naturally leaning towards lighter meals and bentos. This recipe for pasta is great because it tastes even more delicious when it’s cooled off. You can freeze leftovers in portions and just put them in the bento box quickly in the morning. While the spaghetti unfreeze on the way, they also cool your bento, which is especially important in summer. The only thing I actually had to make in the morning was the tamagoyaki, the apple rabbits and the snow peas (15 minutes including time to pack up the bento).
Spaghetti à la provençale
- 150g spring onions
- 100g celery
- 1 yellow or red pepper
- 1/2 zucchini
- 1 tomato
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 250g whole wheat pasta
- salt, pepper
- herbes de provence
Put water to heat in a large saucepan for the spaghetti. Meanwhile cut the vegetables in bite sized pieces, slice the spring onions and dice the tomato. Heat the olive oil in the pan and start by adding the spring onions. After 1 min add the other vegetables beside the tomato and cover the pan with a lid. Stir occasionally and finish cooking the pasta, then drain them and sprinkle with a little olive oil so they don’t stick. After about 5 minutes remove the lid from the pan, add the tomato and season to taste. Cook for 2 more minutes and add the herbes de provence. Finish by putting the pasta into the pan and tossing it with the vegetables. Serves 4, enjoy!
Tiramisu “Light” (Without Eggs)
Jul2
Eating a piece of tiramisu must be the biggest sin you can commit when you are watching your weight. But when you look at this delicious treat, it looks so innocent and actually also tastes fairly light, one has a hard time believing that a portion contains more calories than a human should consume during a full meal. The treacherous ingredient that makes it a calorie-bomb is the Italian triple-cream cheese mascarpone, made from crème fraîche and cream, which contains about 80% fat. Luckily there is a low-fat alternative which contains only 40% fat and tastes almost just as good, which I used in this recipe. With 420 kcal per portion I still wouldn’t recommend eating loads and heaps of this tiramisu, but it does make indulging in this all time favorite dessert weigh a little less on the conciousness And the best part for me is that this is made entirely without eggs, so there should be no risk even if you keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Tiramisu “light” (inspired by “meine Familie & ich”)
- 500g low-fat mascarpone
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 100g sugar
- 1 tsp of vanilla
- 200 ml very strong coffee (cold)
- 4 Tbsp Amaretto
- 150g lady fingers (Italian sponge-cakes)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder to dust the top
Combine the mascarpone, sugar, zest and vanilla in a bowl and stir well. Pour the Amaretto into the coffee, prepare a form (square) to stack the tiramisu in. Now drop the lady fingers into the coffe, flip them and start layering the bottom of the form with them. Once done, if you like the sponge cakes to be well imbibed with coffee sprinkle the layer you just made with 2 additional Tsps of coffee. Cover with a layer of the mascarpone mixture and continue this way until you are out of mascarpone and finish with a layer of it. Put the tiramisu in the fridge for 2 hours and dust with cocoa powder short before serving.
Enjoy!
Bento n°21: Quick-pickled radish!
Jun0
Been a long time yes, but I was simply overwhelmed by my internship. I found the time to make this delicious bento though and surprisingly the highlight was the little pile of pickled radish that was actually just an experiment. With some preparation this bento can be assembled in 15 minutes (I used left over zucchini tempura, the only thing I actually had to cook was the stir-fry and the omelet, I also used frozen rice which I unfroze in the microwave).
Contents:
- Japonica rice
- Quick-pickled radish
- Sliced omelet
- Cabbage / spring onion / red pepper stir fry (seasoned with soy sauce only)
- Zucchini tempura
Quick-pickled radish:
- 100g of grated or sliced radish (the red ones make for a pretty color)
- 4 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp salt
While you are making your bento, start out by grating the radish and combining it with the other ingredients in a bowl, stir well so the salt gets everywhere. Cover the bowl with a plate or a lid and put it in the fridge. By the time the rest is done, spread a cheese cloth over your sink or another big bowl and spoon the pickled radish on it. Wrap the cloth together and squeeze the radish through the cloth as hard as you can so all the excess liquid is removed. It’s ready to be used. While packing it, best put it in a seperate container within the box.
Bento n°19: Octopus Wieners in Action!
Mar1
Contents
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Salmon Rolls
- Octopus Fried Wieners
- 1 Egg cut in a half
- Onigiri
- Broccoli
Today I decided to have a little fun with my bento. Usually I’m not making octopus wieners because I have to take my bento to university, but today we simply made a bento for eating lunch at home. Unfortunately I think I’m addicted to it now. I mean, I tried to shape a face for the octopus wieners from squished rice corns and sesame seeds and now the sausages have their own personality! By observing this endangered species closer, we notice clearly that the left octopus’s character and behavior seem to differ entirely from the right octopus’s. Smarty (on the left) seems to be the intelligent and cynical leader of the octopus family, contemplating the injustice of life itself. Meanwhile Dooley (on the right) has a rather blank expression, signalling that his mind seems to be mostly void of complex thoughts and that the sole purpose driving him in life is the quest for yummy food. Venturing further in our analysis, it is safe to say that Smarty seems to be the female octopus while Dooley is most certainly a male. As, you see, octopi always wander in pairs - like Pinky and the Brain - scheming and plotting to take the world over. Indeed, that is what truly happens under the lid of your lunchbox.
Biggie over at lunch in a box has posted a great tutorial on how to make octopus sausages, click here to view it. I tried it out today for the first time and it worked perfectly.
And here is a more or less informative video on how to make onigiri. I don’t say that because of the quality of the recording but as you’ll notice for yourself, making onigiri is mostly about practice until you get the shape right and of course keep those hands wet!
Thai Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
Mar0
Does it happen to you sometimes that late in the evening you think all of a sudden, “I really feel like eating cookies”? Of course it’s always in those moments that you don’t have any cookies left, neither in the pantry nor in the freezer. Then you start contemplating if you should really get up and make a batch and after half an hour of yes/no/maybe you make up your mind and go for it.
While frantically searching for anything that could fit into a cookie, I stumbled upon a jar of peanut butter, sugar, eggs, flour, almonds and… and that was about it. I was so disappointed when I saw that I had none of the usual ingredients like chocolate chips available, but at that point I was already past caring and the need for a cookie was starting take control of the logical part of my brain. So I went ahead and made some peanut butter cookies. When C. (my husband) tasted them he was like:
“… hmm … Interesting”. -_-
Uhm yeah, we all know what that means, but hey, at least I really didn’t feel like eating anything anymore after that cookie 
What can we learn from this? Firstly never give in to midnight baking temptations unless your pantry is really well stocked. Secondly always keep some emergency cookies handy.
This morning I decided to cook one of my favorite dishes to make up for those atrocious cookies: Thai chicken curry with coconut milk. This was a great opportunity to use up some of those chili peppers we had bought last week, this time however in a MUCH lower quantity. The result was absolutely amazing and this is one of those fast dishes that completely blow people in your house away just by the way it smells. Anyway, hubby is always happy when he smells curry.
Thai Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 chili pepper (depending on how hot your peppers are, use a little more or less)
- 1 carrot, cut in bite-sized pieces
- 2 chicken breasts, cut in dices
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup green beans
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 1 tsp sugar
- oil for cooking (peanut oil for example)
- optional: lemon grass
In a large saucepan heat 2 tablespoons of oil. When the pan is really hot (and that means piping hot) add the meat and cook it from all sides until it starts to get brown. Add the onions and the other vegetables and cook everything over medium-high heat for about 4-5 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables as well (they should still be al dente though).
Add the spices as well as some pepper to taste and pour the coconut milk into the pan. Sir well and reduce the heat to a very low simmer. You must be careful with coconut milk and heat as it can somewhat disintegrate if cooked too long. Add the sugar and salt the curry to taste. Remove from heat after about two minutes.
Serve with hot rice. Serves 3-4. Enjoy
30-Minute Chili Con Carne (low-fat)
Mar0
Spring is approaching and normally markets should start to feature all sorts of asparagus. Since I absolutely love this vegetable I was looking for it a few days ago when I went to the supermarket, with a specific recipe in mind that I’ve always wanted to try. So while perusing the selection, I stumbled upon the most amazing jalapeños I had ever seen - a full basket of shiny chili peppers that simply begged to be taken home and cooked. But no, I told myself, I was there for the stunning, fresh asparagus they were supposed to have!
After searching for it for what must have been five minutes, I finally found five lots of it, tucked away behind all the potato-baskets where no one could possibly find them. Actually that was quite fortunate for the asparagus as it was so dried out and shabby that it looked like little bundles of straw. Quite amazing actually when you think about it. You set out to cook seasonal/local vegetables that should be available in abundance right now but instead, in this little supermarket in one of the most remote places of Provence, we had the choice between jalapenos, shiitake mushrooms and flown-in papayas :p
Anyway Mexican food is great and we weren’t going to complain. When we came home from University today we started cooking right away and whilst my husband loves to taste everything I’m chopping on the cutting board, he glanced at me rather dubiously when I asked him to taste how hot the jalapenos were. But you see, the great thing about men is that they’d never openly admit that something is too hot for them (lucky for me :p). So when he finally took a bite he told me it was quite hot but said that I should go ahead and put in two of them! And that’s what I did.
Suffice to say that the chili completely owned us. But still, with our eyes and noses running and our mouths literally burning we still chomped our way through the bowl because it was simply too good.
This is a quick recipe for a low-fat chili - something you can make for your whole family when you come home from work as it really only requires a little chopping in the beginning. The short cooking time is also one of the reasons why we chose ground beef, which doesn’t need to stew as long as chunks to be tender.
30-Minute Chili Con Carne (low-fat)
- 350g low-fat ground beef
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 pepper of each color (red, yellow, green)
- 2 tomatoes
- 1-2 green chili peppers
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 200 ml tomato purée
- 250 ml quality stock, either beef or chicken
- a pinch of sugar
- 1 can red beans
- pepper, salt, thyme, sweet paprika
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
————-
Finely chop the onion and the garlic and heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and the garlic and cook them for several minutes until they become transparent.
In the meantime dice the peppers and the tomatoes and finely chop the chili peppers.
Once the onions have cooked long enough, add the ground beef and use a wooden spatula to break it up while cooking it. After about 3 minutes add all the vegetables you’ve chopped before as well as the spices (minus the salt).
Add the chicken stock, the tomato purée and the tomato paste and let everything simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered, over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the sugar to cut the acidity of the tomato. Also fold in the red beans, then take off the heat.
Serves 4. Serve with grated cheese, onions, tortilla chips, corn bread etc.
