Baklava is a Greek favorite, made of layers of filo pastry, nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. Katie Swore shows us how to make easy and delicious baklava.
Find more baklava recipes on Recipebridge.
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5 Banana Recipes This Day
Banana Lover’s Day
Today is Banana Lover’s Day, celebrating one of the most popular fruit in the world. This infograph from visual.ly seemed apt for this day, telling the story of banana from the beginning, and what’s happening in the ‘banana world’ today.
Nevertheless, banana remains on of the most popular fruits, and also one of the most nutritious ones. It contains high amounts of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, B6 and manganese. These nutrients help in preventing calcium loss, ulcers, high blood pressure, and even certain cancers.
5 banana recipes to enjoy
Bananas are best to eat when their skin is firm and yellow and speckled with little brown. Too many speckles make it over ripe, too less, the banana flavor is not fully developed. Besides eating as fruit, banana is versatile enough to be used in many recipes. Here’s our take on some of them:
- Banana Bread Pudding Recipes
- Banana Tea Bread Recipes
- Banana Fritters Recipes
- Banana Chocolate Frozen Pops Recipes
- Banana Smoothie Recipes
So grab a bunch of bananas, try a new banana recipes today to share with friends and family. recipes
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Back To School Recipes
Back to school is hectic and can make it difficult for families to eat a healthy meal together. Chef Kyle from Zoes Kitchen shows here some great recipes to make the whole family happy from breakfast through dinner. He shares recipe for a Mediterranean Layer Dip and Pasta Bake, sure to delight all in the family, and ease the back to school anxiety.
Find more recipes from Recipebridge to combat these weeks of back to school.
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Waffles To Share
Celebrating waffles today!
Hip, hip, hooray…it’s National Waffle Day today and it’s time to try something new!
Love waffles but always stick to the same variety and the same toppings?
Or have you never tried waffles before?! Now is the time to give it a go!
Believe it or not, waffles are not as modern as they seem. Well before the invention of the waffle iron, men of the Stone Age used to heat food between two hot stones and it wasn’t until the 13th Century when the honeycomb effect of the waffle began to grow in popularity. Generally light and crispy, waffles can also have a chewy texture. They are usually disc shapes and have deep criss cross ‘honeycomb’ patterns on each side which creates a grid like appearance that holds different toppings really well.
There are many varieties of waffles including:
- American waffles
- Belgian waffles
- Waffle pies
- Pizzelles
- Malt waffles
- Stroopwafels (a waffle sandwich wafer biscuit)
- Potato waffles
…And many more!
Not just sweet, savory waffles too!
Due to the many varieties of waffle, it means that many people like to experiment with toppings. Waffles don’t just have to be sweet – they can be savory too. Waffles go beautifully with sautéed vegetables and either chicken or fish. Just make sure that if you are creating a savoury waffle recipe, either follow a recipe for savoury recipes or look for the unsweetened variety in your supermarkets.
For a healthy topping alternative, why not try mixed fruits? Sliced fruits and a variety of berries will not only taste great and keep you healthy; they will also add a great texture to a dish you are otherwise very familiar with! A dusting of cinnamon sugar also adds a lovely sweet yet spicy flavour to a waffle recipe.
And of course, we can’t forget the most popular waffle toppings – maple syrup and ice cream. A dollop of vanilla ice cream on top of a hot waffle allows all the vanilla flavour to seep into the delicious batter, and maple syrup has that unique spicy sweetness which goes so well on waffles. Try other types of syrups, fruit sauces, jams, and chocolate sauces too for that extra bit of indulgence.
So why not invite your friend round this National Waffle Day? Put on a buffet of waffle toppings, whip up some waffles in your waffle iron and you can all enjoy this delicious treat in your own unique style!
Find more recipes for waffles on Recipebridge.
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The Classic Crème Brulee
Burnt cream or Crème Brulee
Translated as ‘burnt cream’, Crème brulee is a light dessert made of eggs, cream and caramelised sugar. It can be made fairly simply and is a very impressive dish to serve at the end of a three course meal to dinner guests.
Its history and origins are a little vague, but the first recipe for the pudding first appeared in a cookbook in 1691. Since its first appearance in recipe books and on menus across the globe, this dessert has evolved into a delicious and very different dish. Of course, the classic recipe is still very popular with many people, but varieties which include vanilla, coconut, cinnamon or liqueurs are also growing in popularity.
Crème de Menthe, bourbon, and crème de cassis are also used in crème brulee recipes for a bit of a boozy “kick” and spice. Coffee and pumpkin varieties are also becoming seasonal favourites with those that fancy an autumn or winter treat.
Make your own crème brulee
Some may describe this dessert as decadent, but if you have every tried it you will know that it also has an elegant light texture which makes it highly addictive! If you want to try making your own, here is a simple recipe for you to try:
- 2 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 7 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup plus 3 tbsp granulated sugar, split
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Put 6 ramekins in a 2-inch-deep and large baking pan.
3. In a medium saucepan mix the cream, 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar and the vanilla. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat then reduce and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks until liquid, then very slowly pour in the cream mixture while constantly whisking.
5. Strain mixture into a jug and carefully fill the ramekins nearly to the top with the custard.
6. Fill the baking pan with warm water until it is half way up the sides of the ramekins.
7. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 35 – 45 minutes, or until the custard is set. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight.
8. Prior to serving, preheat the oven to 250F. Mix together the remaining 3 tbsp of granulated sugar with the 3 tbsp of brown sugar. Spread the sugar on a baking tray and dry the mixture in the oven for 15 minutes. Place the sugar in a food processor and mix.
9. Sprinkle about 1 tsp of the sugar mixture over each ramekin. Brown the sugar with a kitchen blowtorch, or place the custards under a hot broiler for 2 minutes or until the sugar bubbles. Sprinkle another teaspoon of the sugar mixture over each custard and brown again. Serve immediately.
Try making this for a weekend party or just simply enjoy this elegant yet decadent dessert.
Find more recipes for crème brulee on Recipebridge.
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Apple Jalapeno Slaw Recipe
Chris Koetke, host of Let’s Dish, shows us how to make a unique side dish apple jalapeno slaw. Slaw is simple short for cole slaw, a salad made of primarily shredded cabbage, dressed with mayo and buttermilk. Adding apples and jalapenos to this classic recipe here creates new culinary flavors for this salad.
Find more slaw recipes on Recipebridge.
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The Refreshingly Chilled Lemonade
National Lemonade Day
It’s National Lemonade Day today, and this infograph from visual.ly is the perfect image to compliment this day. Essentially lemonade is a refreshing blend of water, lemons and sugar, evolving ever since the 13th century. It’s believed that it started in the Mediterranean region and then the recipe for this drink spread all over the world.
Homemade Lemonade
Homemade lemonade is fairly easy to mix. Here’s the quintessential recipe.
You’ll need:
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 6-8 lemons (enough for 1 1/2 cups of lemon juice)
- 6 cups cold water
Directions:
- Pour boiling water over sugar, stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
- Juice lemons and strain out seeds and pulp.
- In a large pitcher combine sugar water, lemon juice, and water.
- Add ice and lemon slices
You can add herbs or fruit to add more flavors to the lemonade. Often herbs like mint, basil etc. go well, and berries and peaches compliment lemonade flavors very well.
Find more lemonade recipes on Recipebridge.
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Grilled Recipes From Farmer’s Market
Larry Pfarr from St. Paul’s farmer’s market features grilled recipes, including one for pizza with ingredients you’ll find at the local farmer’s market. There’s a grilled asparagus and tomato salad, with grilled pizza made from scratch and more featured here.
Find more grilled pizza recipes on Recipebridge.
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Celebrating The Favorite Spud : Potato
It’s National Potato Day today!
The ever popular potato, one of the most versatile foods on the planet, has its own day of dedication. Today is the National Potato Day, and whether you like yours mashed, baked, roasted, boiled or fried, it’s a great time to get stuck into creating new recipes with this fantastic earthy vegetable which can accompany practically any dish!
The potato dates all the way back to Peruvian 500 BC where they were worshipped. When explorers came to Peru and Chile in 16th century AD, Spanish explorers took the potato and redistributed throughout Europe, where later more and more explorers saw the potato in Peruvian cooking and the vegetable was cooked in a variety of ways in different countries across the world.
Nowadays, potatoes are used in recipes all over the globe and have more recently been better recognised for their great health benefits. Of course, fries or roasted potatoes aren’t the healthiest way to cook potatoes as additional fat and oil are added which leaves them with very few nutrients at all. However, the potato in its simplest form is a great source of Vitamin B6.
- Vitamin B6 is known to help muscle and cell repair, boost your nervous system, help productivity of the brain, and protect your cardiovascular system.
- For those with high blood pressure, the potato is a great regulator. A compound called kukoamine can be found in the potato which helps lower and regulate the blood levels.
- Potatoes are also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, fibre and manganese.
Newer twists to classic potato recipes
Tired of constantly eating a baked potato? Want to try something new? Give these a go:
Mashed Potato Pancakes
You will need:
- 2 cups mashed potato
- 1 egg – beaten
- 6 tbsp flour
- 4 tbsp green onions – sliced finely
- vegetable oil
- salt and pepper
- In a bowl, mix potato and egg together. Add flour and onions and mix well then season with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat a little vegetable oil and add heaped tablespoons of the mixture by adding a dollop then flattening it with the spoon to create the pancake shape.
- Turn over and make sure they are golden on each side. Drain fat on a paper towel and serve hot with eggs and bacon for breakfast, or meat and vegetables for dinner.
Glazed Rosemary & Garlic Potatoes
You will need:
- 6 Small Gold Potatoes
- 2 Cloves of Minced Garlic
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ Cup water
- 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Stoneground Mustard
- 1 tbsp Red Chilli Flakes
- 1 tbsp Chopped Fresh Rosemary
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Peel and wash potatoes. Pierce with fork and soak in salt water for 15 mins.
- Mix vinegar, mustard, chilli flakes, garlic, rosemary, salt & pepper in a bowl.
- Drain potatoes and pour the mixture over them. Toss them to coat the potatoes. Let them sit for 10-15 mins.
- Heat oil in large pan so the potatoes can be spread in a single layer.
- Place potatoes in the oil, and stir fry for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water.
- Cover and keep on low heat till tender.
- Increase the heat & stir fry till the potatoes start browning on the sides.
Find more potato recipes on Recipebridge. What are your favorite potato dishes?
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A Family Salad Recipe
Chef Doug Gifford from Indianapolis shares a salad recipe, evolved from his family recipes. He mixes his famous salad dressing into apea salad, 3 bean salad and a fiery arugula salad.
Find more salad recipes on Recipebridge.