Category: 30 minutes meals

Good bye 2018 … Welcome 2019 !

On By felisrecipesIn 30 minutes meals, Breakfast, Brunch8 Comments

2018 was an eventful year, but that was not the reason for my absence. Somewhere along the way, the drive that once fueled my desire, my passion for cooking dwindled until months had gone by without me realizing it.

Some major personal breakthroughs in 2018: (Not in a chronological order) the best thing that happened was that I found a “cure” for my digestive problems. Looking back, I realize that this was the turning point for me. Little by little, my passion for cooking returned and I found myself thinking of what recipes I could try my hand at again, and most importantly, what the next post could be. Additionally, I changed my department under the same company at work. I am very happy with my decision. I had the chance to learn new things and to meet a bunch of new, wonderful people. And last but not least, we have also decided it’s time for us to buy a condo and move to a new location. Like I said, it’s been a busy year.

All I can say looking back at 2018, is that I am so grateful to have such a wonderful family, including my two furry boys, Sherlock & Steve, of course :); I am so grateful for my friends and coworkers and not at least for being able to improve my health.

Do I have a list of resolutions ? Not really. But I have a few ideas I would love to stick with and achieve in 2019:

  1. to read more: I decided a book a month;
  2. to knit/crochet more: at least on little thing a month;
  3. Socialize more. As my daughter says YOLO.
  4. Blog more; a post a month (at least).

I am pretty sure most of you have a say that whatever we do the first day of a new year, we will do it through the year. So what better way to start the new year with than a platter with grilled cheese and ham sandwiches.

What cheese and ham did I use? Soft goat cheese, Old Cheddar cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, Brie and Camembert cheese along with Black Forest Ham. Who doesn’t want to eat cheese all year round?

Happy New Year 2019!!!

Ham and cheese sandwich ready for the pan

Ham and Cheese sandwiches in the pan
Getting the platter ready
Grilled ham and cheese platter for the first 2019 breakfast
Am I going to get a sandwich or not ?!?

Bon Appetite!
and
Happy New Year 2019 !!!

Apple Compote

On By felisrecipesIn 30 minutes meals, Brunch, Uncategorized12 Comments

Last week I made a so called childhood desert. Some of you might know is also as “Compot de mere”. I think we all have those moments when we crave a childhood dessert. I will share the recipe, and the way my mother used to make it for us, although I noticed that French compote is more like a stew, I love the extra juice from mine. As a kid, I always thought the more juice, the better 😉 I still like it this way.

Apple compote.jpg

Ingredients:

  • 7-8 apples (I used green apples)
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 5-6 cloves
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • juice from two lemons
  • about 2.5-3-litre water

Directions:

Bring a large pot with water to boil on medium high heat. When the water starts to boil add the sugar, the cinnamon sticks and the cloves.

Wash the apples thoroughly. Peel and core the apples. Cut them in pieces. I love mine a bit bigger. While I cut the apples, I put them in a large bowl, and I squeeze the lemon juice over the apple pieces so they won’t oxidize.

If you like it sweeter, you could add some more sugar. If you are not fond of cinnamon, you can use only the cinnamon sticks or the powder. Simmer all together for about 15-20 minutes. You can serve it hot or cold. I like it mostly cold, from the fridge.

You can serve it hot or cold. In the Summer I will definitely have it cold ], right from the refrigerator.

You can keep it the compote in the fridge up to two weeks if such a thing is possible. Mine will probably vanish in a few days 😉

 

Aplle compote 2

 

 

Aplle compote 3

 

Enjoy ! 

Tuna melts

On By felisrecipesIn 30 minutes meals, Bread and Pizza, Breakfast, Brunch12 Comments

When it’s time for grocery shopping, I always check the fridge and pantry for the items I have already. It’s good to know what I have left around because those should go first.

One of the things I hate the most is wasting food. I think most of you would agree with me that it can be pretty challenging to do the groceries to stay in the budget but also to buy healthy and nutritional food.

There might be a few reasons why I haven’t used left items through out the week:  we were not in the mood for a particular recipe, or I had a missing ingredient from the recipe that stopped me.  However, on Saturday mornings I am more eager to use what we have left around, and sometimes ideas come quickly, and the missing items are not as important anymore.

While the coffee was brewing and the kitchen started to smell of good things, I checked the fridge: half of tuna can; a little bit of cheese ( no more than 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella). Some white baguette that my hubby bought but that was not as fresh anymore. So it took me around 30 seconds to figure out how to use all of these ingredients before the new ones come to fill the fridge shelves. In other circumstances, I would love to have had some tomato slices or olives or maybe more fresh cheese, but everything that’s left has to be used.  I sliced the baguette, added the little bit of ketchup left in the bottle, put the tuna on top and sprinkle with cheese and bake for about 8 min in the preheated oven at 350 F and the last three minutes on broil.

I sliced the baguette, added the little bit of ketchup left in the bottle, tuna on top and sprinkled the cheese. I baked the baguettes  for about 8 min in the preheated oven at 350 F and the last three minutes on broil.

The result I think speaks for itself: Tuna melts

tuna melts 1

 

tuna melts 2

Bon Appetit! 🙂

Featured

Frittata

On By felisrecipesIn 30 minutes meals, Breakfast37 Comments

 

As per Wikipedia:” Frittata is an egg-based Italian dish similar to an omelette or crust-less quiche, enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables or pasta. The word frittata is Italian and roughly translates to “fried”.

There are a few rules to follow and mistakes to avoid. Here there are a few rules found in  Bon- Appetit magazine, Dawn Perry, BA digital food editor:

1.  “Dairy turns an ordinary omelet into a delicious, creamy egg cake.”

2. ” For every dozen eggs you use, you’ll need a half-cup of dairy. Six-egg frittatas get a     quarter-cup.”

3. “Whatever oven-safe pan you choose, be aware of how well it conducts heat. Because it retains heat well, a heavy pan like a cast-iron will continue to cook your frittata after you remove it from the oven.

4. “A frittata makes use of fully-cooked leftovers like last night’s roasted potatoes or this morning’s leftover sausage. But if you’re starting from scratch, it’s best to fully cook any addition that might release moisture into the eggs—mushrooms, tomatoes, and summer squash or zucchini are common “wet” culprits than can water down your eggs. Sauté them separately.”

5. “A good frittata should have the texture of custard: trembling and barely set. An over-baked frittata, in contrast, will have all the textural appeal of a kitchen sponge (and its interior will look strikingly similar). “You may want a deep golden-brown top,” says Perry, “But the reality of it is, when the crust is golden, the interior is over-baked.”

6.” Be sure to season your eggs with salt and pepper before adding them to the pan. A surface-level sprinkling of salt won’t penetrate the rest of the frittata”

7. ” Choose your cheese wisely: Although all cheese is delicious, not all cheese is created equal. Know what function you want your cheese to perform. Best options are cheddar, gruyère, and fontina cheese. 

 

Zucchini, Dill and Mushrooms Frittata: 

 

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Oven Ricotta and Spinach Frittata:

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Ham, Spinach, Cheddar Cheese  and Green Olives Frittata: 

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Reg Pepper, Spinach and Mozzarella Frittata:

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Capers, Parmesan Frittata:

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Enjoy !

Sunday morning sandwich

On By felisrecipesIn 30 minutes meals, Breakfast2 Comments

Avocado, cheese, whole wheat bread …. sounds like a perfect Sunday morning breakfast !!! Simple, quick, healthy and not at last yummy !!!

What did I use for 1 serving:

  • 2 slices whole wheat bread
  • 2 tbsp feta cheese ( shredded feta )
  • 2 tbsp cheddar mix ( shredded )
  • 2 tbsp guacamole

Of course you can use your imagination or preferences …. 🙂

Bon Appetite !!!

Avocado salad

On By felisrecipesIn 30 minutes meals, Breakfast, Vegetarian2 Comments

I was craving for days for a guacamole but then I decided to make kind of a salad instead … but it turned out so delicious, I didn’t regret my choice …

I had the salad with oven whole wheat pita.

Ingredients ( 2 servings )

  • 2 avocados
  • 1 large tomato
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • salt and paper to taste
  • green onion or garlic ( this time I haven’t use any of those because I took I serving at work for lunch so … I decided to skip them this time )
  • fresh parsley or coriander

Cut the avocado in half, remove the stone, dice the avocado and place it in the salad bowl. Peel the tomato, save only the pulp and cut it in small pieces. Add the tomato pieces to the avocado. Sprinkle with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and ground pepper. Mix all together, garnish with fresh parsley and serve it right away .

Mushroom spaghettoni

On By felisrecipesIn 30 minutes meals, VegetarianLeave a comment

 

Have you ever been in the situation to have only 30 minutes for preparing a decent dinner? I bet you did. I was there several times :).

I don’t know what saved you from the “situation” but for me  one of the easy/quick – 30 minutes dinner is a variation of pasta and tomato sauce; of course with a vegetable addition, if on hand : mushrooms, artichoke, asparagus, capers, olives …whatever you like  or have on cupboard.

So, this time I had : spaghettoni, mushroom-tomato sauce, fresh mushrooms !

Ingredients ( 3 servings )

  • 1 package spaghettoni (they were called like that on the package – of course you can use any spaghetti or other pasta)
  • 220 g white fresh mushrooms
  • 1 cup tomato crushed
  • 1 jar portobello  mushroom sauce
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and black pepper to taste

 

Prepare the pasta after package information.

Mean time peal and cut the garlic. Wash and cut the mushroom ( as small or big you like them )

Drain the pasta and wash it in cool water.

In a large pan heat 3 tbsp of olive oil. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the mushroom tomato sauce, crashed tomato and turn down the heat to low.

Season with salt and pepper and dried oregano and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the pasta and lightly toss them together.

Serve right away with fresh parmesan cheese on top… (this time I had to skip it because I didn’t have any at home 🙂 )

Bon Appetite !