Apples with amaretti filling

After a busy weekend, Monday came, like always. My supplies were down to two eggs, various cheeses, a couple of onions and three apples. My motivation was still in bed. I did manage to make a lentil/tomato soup, just to be a good mommy. But my appetite was calling for something else. I didn't know what but it had to be sweet. Mondays are hard enough, dessert is recommended. And I don't mean a piece of chocolate. That wouldn't do: too little too fast. I mean something to treat yourself without any afterthoughts involved. Pure pleasure. Pure like apples.

Chocolate-raspberry mascarpone dessert

Good I had girls over that evening. Otherwise, I would have eaten half of it while taking pictures. I'm not kidding. The cheesecake is delicious. Light and smooth with a subtle taste of mascarpone. More like a creamy dessert with a crust than a cake. Easy and fast, if you are not counting refrigeration time. But it's worth waiting, preferably overnight.

Wild mushroom risotto

Wild mushroom recipes used to remind me only of Polish Christmas. But my taste has been corrupted over the years by...different things. Living and eating with an American, on his ground and then on mine, various food at 35,000 feet off any ground, layovers here and there...and my unconditional love for Italy. Risotto ai Funghi Porcini is an Italian classic. Good for any time you want to treat yourself to a meal that tastes like nothing else around.

Broccoli quiche

When I buy broccoli, I never let it camp in the fridge for more than 24 hours. I can't stand finding little yellow spots on the flowers. 

Sweet peach cake with raspberry sauce (w/whole spelt)

One of those very simple, all-in-one-bowl, all-from-the-pantry cakes. Kids love it and I don't mind having a mouth full myself...with a small espresso on the side. Well balanced between dry and moist, not too sweet, maybe a bit salty (only the cook will notice), slightly peachy, very enjoyable. Giada, the chef, recommended putting a thick layer of icing on top and cinnamon inside. I swapped icing for raspberry sauce and cinnamon for lemon zest. And some white flour for spelt. 

Raspberry cream with ladyfingers

I know, I know, it was supposed be a molded dessert, stand on its own, looking like a happy cake, with ladyfingers around it. And it probably would have been, if I had waited another 12 hours.

Ladyfingers

I was just going to make some raspberry dessert, but then I noticed I needed ladyfingers for the recipe. I was out of ladyfingers so I made some. Especially since Julia Child said that the store bought cookies are "stale and dreadful". Coming from Julia...brrr. She was right. Those you make yourself using her instructions are a thousand times better. And I wasn't even using my electric mixer, which was occupied by another project. 

Sweet or salty ricotta triangles

I'm always curious about new pastry dough recipes, but when it's got cheese, I have to try it. I buy ricotta regularly now, because when I don't, it seems like everything I want to make calls for it. Italian recipes like the white "re-cooked" (ri-cotta) cheese.

Banana-chocolate muffins w/whole spelt

Oh yes, they had to be good. After Saturday full of hard lessons to swallow together with hard dough with burned mozzarella and dead rucola, grainy reheated creme anglaise on watery apples,  I ended it with a cup of chocolate pudding. Correction, Hania was at a birthday party, so I ate hers too. But I'm a big girl, I can face and forget failure fast, as long as nobody is talking to me, asking questions.

Cherry flan

It's not cherry season yet. But I've had enough of apple cakes and mousses. I wanted a bright color and a bit of Summer taste.

Spinach gnocchi

It's the third time I've used my new potato press and I'm liking it more every time. No mashing will do. Potatoes from the press come out light and airy. The fluffy puree will incorporate perfectly just about any vegetable or cheese to make a full, delightful meal. We are getting to be very fond of gnocchi.

Rizini with vegetables al pecorino

Winter is almost over but I don't see signs of spring on the market yet. I had an idea for 
parsnips. I have not used them yet this season. I browsed through some recipes. Ina Garten's recipe looked good, but after reading it, I decided it against. Another 2 hour recipe, more braising. Non merci. 

Molinetti w/whole rye

Not bad. Even though I altered flour proportions significantly.  I do believe in the power of the whole grain. But I appreciate the qualities of a fine flour. I've been a health food fanatic numerous times. I've been a health food expert. Probably had an eating disorder. I blame it on jet-lags. I didn't go to any secret meetings or anything, but I had to de-learn to think about eating healthy to enjoy eating at all. That's OK, learning and de-learning is my second name, second and third, I mean.

Onion soup

It's one of my favorite soups. It's thick without being starchy, creamy without...cream, rich...without calories (or cognac), simple but refined.  It's a soup I would order in a restaurant, while in France. Not in Poland. I fell in love in it once in Lyon and I'll never forget it. The one I had here, in a restaurant, on Monday...just gave me an appetite for the real thing.

Hard toasted french bread

I needed toasted bread for my French onion soup*.

Spelt rolls

This morning, cutting through what it felt like a piece of Styrofoam but was a lunch roll for Hania, I thought, it's the last time, I'm making a sandwich with this sad piece of food.  Full of air instead of grain, so loose I don't have a chance to spread butter without tearing it. Thinking that rolls (whole grain) was one of my favorite thing to eat while growing up...

Potato cake with spinach

After a busy Easter, it feels good to eat at home alone again. Not that my mom's duck or snails with pesto at the best restaurant in town (courtesy of my brother in law) were bad. Not that my little nephew can't sit still (typical 4 year old) and always wants something that he shouldn't have and my sister looks for ways to the right thing. All fine, as long as I know the next day, I could do my own thing, in peace.