"Classic" sponge cake

This is a recipe I gently adapted from Classic Kosher Cooking, by Sara Finkel (p.216)
Ingredients
6 large eggs, room temperature, separated
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup sugar

1 cup cake flour, sifted
1 teaspon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract - I used 2
the 1/4 cup orange juice from the original version was skipped, maybe the next time; the same with the grated rind of 1 orange.
I was adding little by little sugar, while beating egg whites and lemon juice for maybe 3 minutes. Separately, I beat the yolk. I added the baking powder, the salt and the vanilla extract and then mixed with the yolk mixture. Beat together for another 6 minutes.
The whole combination was poured into a pan greased and then baked in a preheated oven - 150C - for around 50 minutes, until turned brown.
I am planning to serve it with some slices of mango and papaya. And definitely will try it once again. It looks puffy and soft.

PS: What about the post-Hanukka diet? Maybe the next week...Promise

My new brand salad with almost everything

What upon an afternoon, I was so full of imagination, that I added in this salad almost everything available in my basket of vegetables: 

Greek cheese, creatively chopped

Rucola

Olives

Avocado

Tomatoes

Champignons

Salt

Avocado oil

Corn

Mixed together little by little - with the hands - all the components are easily learning to live together. For the moment, the salad is impatiently waiting in the refrigerator the swalling moment. 

Bon Appetit!

Spaghetti combination

Saturday evening, after 8pm, you are not in the mood for too much cooking and if it's cold outside, going out to a fancy restaurant isn't a goos idea either. In such situations, with a hungry gang mumbling around, my creativity should be put on work immediately. I was lucky enough to find something interesting and the first reaction I remember was: it tastes as at the restaurant. A good encouragement for a sunny week, isn't it?

And, here is the suggestion:
two spoons of sesame seeds
5 walnuts grounded
one spoon of pesto
salt
parmesan
100 ml. sunflower oil

The sesame, with pesto, oil, and walnuts are fried for 5 minutes at 150C.
The boiled spaghetti - in salted water - are added and mixed together with the previous combination+the parmesan and maybe some pesto.
The total time dedicated to preparation: maximum 20 minutes.
The eating pleasure: almost infinite.

Vegetarian treats: smoked cheese with mushrooms

I am trying to keep myself as much as possible in trends with the seasons and the overall mood. As we wanted to have a quality family time thinking about what we did already and discussing our plans for the next 12 months, I decided to prepare a couple of light meals, colourful and rich and, of course, a little bit creative as well.

Also, I wanted something fit for both cheese and meat based meals. 

As autumn is here and there are fresh vegetables are always on demand, I made the following choice:

zucchini

tomatoes

big mushrooms

sesame seeds

smoked tofu cheese

All together and with oil in the pan, they spent some time in the oven (heated at 150C) and disappeared shortly after in the bellies of the hungry members of my family.

The time dedicated to the preparation of this tasty meal was: maximum 15 minutes!

Plenty of time for blogging, isn't it?

Autumn is around: Tartes aux fruits

I tried to make all the possible combinations: some fresh plums, kiwi, figs, compot (ananas and peaches). The final result is a very rich enjoyment of the senses which can be tasted with a selection of English tea. Time for a five o'clock meeting!

Roasted tomatoes time

This is a very fast and easy meal - preparation time of maximum 15 minutes - and nevertheless tasty and fresh.
The ingredients are:
tomatoes
dried oregano
salt
(sometimes also some sesame seeds could add a specific taste)
olive oil
Head the oven to 150 and wait for a while, till the tomatoes are a little bit roasted. To be served with some fresh Greek cheese.
Bon Appetit!

A fresh salad for a new beginning

This wonderfully green-looking salad was part of the never ending menu prepared for Rosh Hashanah.

The ingredients:
lettuce
avocado - half, finelly chopped
pomegranate seeds - 1/4
olive oil
1 table spoon of honey
Mixed them all together and serve them as often as possible. The final taste is delicious.