Daring Cooks: Rise and Shine! Soufflé!

Yes!! it is Soufflé time! Dave and Linda from Monkeyshines in the Kitchen chose Soufflés as our November 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge! Dave and Linda provided many of their own delicious recipes plus a sinfully decadent chocolate soufflé recipe adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s recipe found at the BBC Good Food website.

First off, the molds, we needed to put some butter in them and cocoa which was in here subtituted by a kiwicha based strawberry flavor. doesn´t it look cute?  

 The next step we took was to make a ganache (it´s pink!) and since the whole idea of changing the cocoa was to make this soufflé a bit more interesting we also changed the chocolate base for a cottoncandy colored one

then for the final mix we whisked the eggs and folded in the eggy-ganache mixture, since we don´t have the proper tool (don't really know why...) we manage as we could and it looked something like this:

the mix went into the molds and soon enough we were watching them grow and grow until it seemed they were merging together!  worring moment right there!

At last! soufflés ready for eating! by the time this were done my father (oficial taster) had gone to dreamland but we made it pretty anyway and left it ready to eat. My sister ate one at that time and another one the next day and she liked the second one better, something about the eggy flavor she said.

Being the cook I just liked them all, haha but really this challenge was the first one to get a second try not because the first one was bad or anything but because it was enjoyable for all. Here´s a final picture of the chocolate original.

Hmm yummy! ^^

Later!!

~Karina

Daring Cooks: We are on a roll!

"Our October 2010 hostess, Lori of Lori’s Lipsmacking Goodness, has challenged The Daring Cooks to stuff grape leaves. Lori chose a recipe from Aromas of Aleppo and a recipe from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food."

This challenge I was really happy about, I made my mom bring me grape leaves from our own little plants and decided that this would taste great, alas, not everything goes as we plan.

For most of the challenges I've been short on time, sure, but this one I had no time at all! when I realized it the posting time had passed and I was way too busy to try it so I missed an afternoon at work and got cooking.

I decided my rice would have a bit of white wine and a bit of this and a bit that but when I realized it my rice lacked a "kick", now being a newbie as I am I decided to try and give it one with a bit of spicy things but when I opened the door I saw other items that called my attention... long story short I ended up with a rice that tasted good but just in the end gave you a REAL kick ^^;

This I fixed by adding sausages (our sausages have a lot of herbs and have a particular mild-ish flavor) and it did the trick, buut after all of this I was tired and left my (by then) boiling pot in the stove without my watching eye...

Anyway, thought some survived most grape rolls got open before time, it was a bit sad after all the time it took, so I'm sorry to say this challenge wasn't as successful as expected, next time ne?

~Karina

Daring Bakers: Get creative!

The September 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mandy of “What the Fruitcake?!” Mandy challenged everyone to make Decorated Sugar Cookies based on recipes from Peggy Porschen and The Joy of Baking.

My sister wanted to help decorate the cookies so there is a mix of what I wanted and what ended happening, weird as some where it was fun and she enjoyed it a lot so I think in the end there's no losing side to it. (AND we got to eat cookies! awesome ne? xD)

It was difficult for the both of us to use the piping bag... I'm sure it is quite obvious but I did really like the challenge and will try again with different designs.

The Apple Butter of Knowledge

The September 2010 Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by John of Eat4Fun. John chose to challenge The Daring Cooks to learn about food preservation, mainly in the form of canning and freezing. He challenged everyone to make a recipe and preserve it. John’s source for food preservation information was from The National Center for Home Food Preservation.

 When I found out what the recipe for this month would be I wasn't exactly happy... as it is I've never actually liked boiled fruits (or vegetables for that matter..) but I thought it would be fun to give it a try anyway.

The biggest challenge was in the end to find a suitable object to store the sweetness; so some research and a day of work in the kitchen after, I found myself the owner of some cute preserves! and although my percepcion of boiled apple has not changed  at least my family was quite pleased with it. (they ate it all!!)

So despite my own tastes I would definitely make some more again. =)

Eagerly waiting for the next challenge,
~Karina

Of Cookies and Dares

I really didn't know how to start on this blog thing so I decided to go with the basics. I love cookies and cookies was the first thing I learned how to bake correctly, I dare say I got a bit of 'fame' with my friends thanks to them ^^;

It's been a while since my love for sweets materialized into edable bits but I don't believe I've gone too far into the subject, yes I bake cookies of all flavors and sizes but... I want more =)

So, starting next month (hopefully) I'll be joining The Daring Kitchen, and I'll be trying my best to make all the awesome food they make.

Wish me luck! ^^

~Karina