Homemade Raviolis

Click here to print the recipe

Over the time, I learned a thing or two about cooking;

I learned that simple food with fresh ingredients can have big flavors.

I learned that it's ok if my food doesn't look as good as the store bought ones.

I learned that I like to hear about who's and what's in my children's (school) lives, when we're doing a cooking project together.

These raviolis, are the perfect representation of those things I mentioned above.

Basic pasta dough:

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup semolina flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Water, if needed

Cheese filling:

• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar
• 1 tablespoon minced basil
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Place the flour and semolina on a clean countertop. Make a well in the flour. Add eggs and olive oil into the well. Start to knead the dough with your hands. Add a little bit of water if needed until you reach the desired consistency. Roll dough into one big ball, put in a plastic bag and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
• Meanwhile, place all of the ingredients for the filling in a large bowl and mix well. Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator. Grab a handful of dough and run it through the pasta roller. Adjust the roller and run the dough a few times until you have long thin pasta with no holes. 
• Lay the pasta sheet on a floured surface. Spoon about a teaspoon each of cheese filling onto the pasta, spacing them about an 1 1/2 inch apart. Brush the area around the filling with some water, then lay another piece of pasta on top. Press out any air bubbles around the filling, then cut out the raviolis with cookie cutter (or ravioli cutter if you have one). Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling.
• When you're ready to cook, simply cook the raviolis in a salted boiling water for about 7-8 minutes, or until tender. Drain and serve with any sauce of your choice.

Chocolate Swirl Cake Pops

No recipe for now. Just a couple of pictures of chocolate (and white chocolate) swirl cake pops I made this past weekend. Aren't they cute?

Dragon Fruit and Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup Dragon Fruit puree (from 1 medium fruit)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread coconut flakes on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in the oven and toast coconut until they turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool down completely.
• In a large bowl, mix together cream, dragon fruit puree, lemon juice and vanilla. Heat the milk on the stove until near boiling. 
• Mix egg yolks and sugar in a bowl, pour hot milk slowly into the bowl while whisking. Return the custard to saucepan, cook over low heat for about 2-3 minutes, stirring with wooden spatula. Remove saucepan from the heat, add fruit mixture and stir to combine. Cool custard to room temperature, add toasted coconut flakes into the mixture and combine. Cover and chill custard in the refrigerator for a few hours.
• Freeze custard in an ice cream maker, transfer to airtight container and put in the freezer a few hours before serving.

Mexican Style Chicken Corn Soup

Chicken corn soup with a kick! Leftover roasted chicken turns sexy!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans sweet corn, drained
• 1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 2/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 cups milk
• 2 medium red tomatoes, seeds removed and cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon Ancho Chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions:

• In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic, sauté until translucent and tender. Transfer onion and garlic into a blender. Add 1 can of corn and chicken stock, blend until smooth. 
• Transfer corn puree into a large soup pot. Cook over medium heat. Add milk, the rest of the corn, cooked chicken, chile powder, cumin and oregano. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Turn off the heat, stir in tomato cubes. Transfer soup into individual bowls, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings as main dish.

Avocado Poppy Seed Mini Cupcakes

Click here to print the recipe

Avocado is more than just Guacamole. They are also good in desserts and cupcakes too. This mouthwatering cupcake recipe came to me after reading one blog entry from this lovely website. The recipe is adjusted to my liking, omitting almond flour and reducing the amount of sugar, as well as using avocado cream for the icing.

Ingredients for the cupcakes:

• 50 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
• 150 grams sugar
• 2 medium avocado, peeled and pitted
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 150 grams all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Ingredients for the icing:

• 1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees  (160 degrees C). Line mini muffin pan with cupcake papers. In a large mixing bowl, beat avocado, lemon juice, butter and sugar until smooth. Add flour, baking powder and baking soda to the mixing bowl, and continue beating until the batter is smooth and creamy. 
• Fill each muffin cup with batter, about 1 heaping teaspoon or until 2/3 full. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or unit toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the pan, transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream in a large bowl until stiff peak forms. Set aside. 
• In a different bowl, beat together avocado, lemon juice and sugar until smooth and creamy. Transfer the sweet avocado puree to whipped cream bowl. Fold them gently into the cream using rubber spatula until well combined. Place a dollop of avocado cream on top of each cupcake (alternatively, you can pipe the icing using star tip and piping bag). Serve and enjoy!

Makes about 48 mini cupcakes or 24 regular cupcakes.