Coriander & Feta Spiced Loaf for the World Bread Day 2020 / Pão de Coentros, Feta e Especiarias para o Dia Mundial do Pão 2020.

Here I am!!

One year later and another World Bread Day.

The 2020 World Bread Day!

Though I thought I thought I wouldn't make it, I just found the time to make a delicious bread and, most importantly, the time to share it with you all.

With everything bad that's going on this year, this was not the year to not be able to bake the most essential and "soul comforting" kind of food of them all.

BREAD!!

Saying that, for you all and specially for Zorra, our annual fabulous hostess, Coriander & Feta Spiced Loaf from "Simply" by Sabrina Ghayour!

One of the most gorgeous books I've bought this year and a truly delicious loaf to bake and share with your loved ones, both family and friends.

Burnt Butter and Salted Maple Sticky Buns and the end of the Sweet World Challenge / Rolinhos de Pimenta da Jamaica, Beurre Noisette e Xarope de Ácer e o adeus ao nosso amado Sweet World.

Hi all!

It looks like I'm not posting on the blog for ages and actually, it has been for ages...

As this is the first post of 2019 - first of all - I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year (still in time right?).

2018 was a very rough year for my family and myself and 2019 is still not going according to plan so, the strength and joy of posting recipes here on the blog, every week or even every month, are none at the moment!

Today is a very special day here on the blog!

We should be celebrating the 3rd Anniversary of our most beloved Sweet World Challenge and posting a new challenge for the month but, instead, we're posting a recipe to say good bye to our beloved challenge!

Both of us, Susana and myself, our private life is pretty much out of control right now and, as we love this challenge so much and we don't want to neglect it, we've decided to put an end to it and so, today, instead of celebrating, we're ending it!

There were 3 years of learning, challenging ourselves, getting out of our comfort zones, making, trying and researching the history of sweets, we've never had the courage to try before. A lot more is left to explore and try but, at the moment, its impossible so, a big THANK YOU to all the people that, for the last three years, challenged themselves and were with us for 35 months and a HUGE, HUGE THANK YOU to my Sweet World partner Susana, who is the most talented, friendly, dedicated and fabulous person I've ever met!

To say bye bye to our "Sweet World" on a sweet note, I'm leaving you the recipe for these absolutely outstanding Donna Hay buns and the recipe is from her latest book "Modern Baking".

Mini Cinnamon Scrolls / (Mini) Rolinhos de Canela.

Sweet World Challenge, the theme for this 34th edition and yes!!

Christmas is just around the corner so, we've chosen Cinnamon Scrolls or Rolls.

Fennel, Watercress, Orange & Avocado Salad / Salada de Funcho, Agrião, Laranja e Pêra Abacate.

Remember about the fabulous Rita Serano book "Vegan in 7", I talked about in this post?

Here it is, another fabulous recipe from this amazing book.

Honestly, I'm loving cooking from this book so much, that I could become a vegan before you notice it (lol).

No! I love food in general so, I couldn't choose a way of eating that easily but, again, saying that, I'm more and more in love with vegan or even vegetarian food! Specially after trying Rita's recipes!

I made this salad twice last week and we all loved it here at home so, as Marta's ingredient of the month is oranges, I decided to post this recipe to be part of Marta's January round up.

It's such a simple, yet, super delicious and fulfilling salad that, I couldn't help but share it!

Orange and Clove roast Chicken with Pears and Butternut Squash / Frango assado no forno, com Laranja, Cravinho, Pêras e Abóbora (butternut).

This recipe is an aromatic combination of flavours and textures.

A one pan meal that it's super easy to prepare but when you bring it to the table, your family or guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen.

The recipe is from Marte Marie Forsberg and her truly, truly amazing debut cook book "The Cottage Kitchen".

Of course I don't feel the need to introduce Marte Marie as, every blogger and/or foodie raves about her work. Both, as a passionate cook, a blogger and a very talented photographer.

The book is divided by "seasons" and every chapter features recipes with the best seasonal ingredients of course. All the recipes, descriptions and, of course, photos are incredibly mouthwatering and you just want to be in the kitchen and cook everything from the book. Well, at least, that's how I feel about it...!!

I have lots of recipes marked down in the book to be tried and I've already made two of Marte Marie's no knead breads and this chicken recipe that I'm posting today.

I chose to share this recipe first, because it features orange and oranges are Marta's ingredient of the month.

I've made this recipe before Marta announced the ingredient of the month so, good thing that I didn't post it here before, because now, it can go straight to Marta's January table.

Hope you try it and enjoy it because it's so aromatic, full of flavour and delicious that you'll only be able to describe it if you taste it!

Roasted Red Pepper, Squash and Sweet Potato Soup / Sopa de Pimentos Assados, Abóbora e Batata Doce.

Another beautiful and delicious soup, this one from "Comfort", Candice Brown debut cook book!!

Candice Brown, as you all might know, was the fabulous winner of the 2016 Great British Bake Off (GBBO)!

Candice began learning to bake at four with her grandmother and, apparently, she spent more than 12 hours a day practicing for the GBBO final.

I was very happy when her name was called out as the winner because, honestly, she has been my favourite contestant since day one!

The book is full of both, sweet and savoury, home comforting recipes, tips and gorgeous photos.

This recipe was my first choice, not just because I love soups (and you all know it), but also because it calls for sweet potatoes and, sweet potatoes, as I wrote here, are Marta's "ingredient of the month" so, I could't help but choose this utterly delicious recipe to make first.

Sweet Potato Crisps / Crisps de Batata Doce.

Sweet potatoes are a rich source of fiber, which has been shown to promote a healthy digestive system.
As well as containing a good array of vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium and selenium, they're also a good source of most of our B and C vitamins.
One of the key nutritional benefits of sweet potato, is that they're high in an antioxidant known as beta-carotene, which converts into vitamin A once consumed.
Marta Chose sweet potato as her "ingredient of the month" and I couldn't be happier, as I love sweet potatoes!
These sweet potato crisps are the first recipe I'm taking to Marta's table this month, and they're absolutely addictive and delicious!
This is a simple and delicious suggestion from Lisa Nieschlag & Lars Wentrup beautiful "New York Christmas - Recipes & Stories" cook book, the one I wrote about in this post and, these crisps are a fabulous and easy recipe to make and serve as a snack any time of the year!

Georgian Chicken Soup / Sopa de Galinha da Geórgia.

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan.

Georgian cuisine often marries western techniques with eastern flavours and to find out more about its uniqueness, you should read this amazing and very interesting article.

To create this chicken soup, Christopher Kimball was inspired by a traditional Georgian recipe called "Chikhirtma".

As we love (specially the kids) chicken soup here at home, this recipe was one of the first ones I've marked down to try from Christopher Kimball's "Milk Street - The New Home Cooking". The book of the month for the online #rainydaybitescookbookclub!

As soon as I started reading the recipe, a similar soup came up to my mind. The Greek Avgolemono soup. A soup that we loved a lot and that is also finished with eggs and lemon juice.

This Georgian soup I'm posting today is rich, full of flavour, creamy and so comforting for these cold days that, if you try it, I can assure you'll be making it over and over again.

Spanish Garlic Soup / Sopa de Alho Espanhola.

This month, Deborah chose Christopher Kimball's "Milk Street - The New Home Cooking" as the book of the month for the online #rainydaybitescookbookclub!

This cookbook features 125 recipes from all around the world where the focus is maximizing flavour using simple recipes where flavours are layered.

The recipes don't require long lists of ingredients, unusual appliances, or spending all day standing over the stove. The recipes are interesting, varied, and simple to make.

Kimball states that, "cooking and sharing food is central to the human condition" and he also dedicates this book "... to the notion that cooking is the universal language of the human spirit".

How inspiring are these sentences?

Last week, as the first recipe challenge of the month, we cooked this absolutely divine Cuban Style Pork Shoulder with Mojo Sauce, which was to die for and I'll post the recipe here, sometime soon.

I have lots of recipes marked down to be tried from the book but, this one (soup... you know I love soups right?), had to be the first one to be shared.

A soup that is super simple to make, calls for very humble ingredients and that is packed full of flavour.

According to the recipe book caption, this is an " 'end of month' recipe - the sort of meal to make quickly with whatever is on hand and when money is tight" and it is indeed!!

Lamb Burgers with Pomegranate Seeds / Hambúrgueres de Borrego com bagos de Romã.

"New York Christmas - Recipes & Stories" by Lisa Nieschlag and Lars Wentrup, is a book that will transport you to the magic and beautiful streets of New York and its iconic white Christmas.

Full of mouthwatering recipes, this book covers all your Christmas holidays food needs. From Christmas baking, winter brunch, holidays classics, Christmas dinner and New Year's Eve, you'll find everything you need to satisfy and indulge your family and friends around the festive season.

Not to talk about the absolutely fabulous stories and photos that are like entering an enchanted fairy tale or one of the New York Christmas movies that makes us dream about The Perfect Christmas!

A book that I'm totally in love with and that is on my kitchen table since the day I got it. I'll be cooking a lot from it during this season and, of course, in between food steps and processes, I'll keep on reading the stories and dreaming over the gorgeous photos of New York.

A big thank you to the publisher Murdoch Books UK that sent me this gem of a book that I totally recommend!

These burgers were the first recipe I tried as, I marked down so many to try that, of course, I couldn't wait until Christmas to try them all right?

The meat is slow cooked with some Christmassy spices and after 3 hours, it just falls off the bone and melts in your mouth. A recipe to try over and over again and that was loved an joyfully enjoyed by adults and kids.

As this month Marta asked us to make recipes featuring pomegranate for her October "ingredient of the month", I invite Marta to try and enjoy these delicious burgers.

Pumpkin Cake with Browned Butter Streusel for the Virtual Pumpkin Party / Bolo de Abóbora com Streusel de "Beurre Noisette" para a Festa Virtual da Abóbora.

It's Virtual Pumpkin Party Day again and I so love to cook with pumpkin, that I couldn't miss this day for anything in the world!

Last year I created this fabulous Pumpkin and Coconut Caramel Flan to celebrate the day but, this year, as I have so many things up to my sleeve, I decided to make a recipe from one of my favourite books at the moment!

This cake is any "pumpkin lovers" dream as it's moist, full of spicy and autumnal flavours and totally perfect for these autumnal days.!

The recipe s from Brian Hart Hoffman "Bake from Scratch" cook book and it's a real delight.

I have to say that the browned butter streusel topping is just to die for so, in case you want to give this gorgeous and delicious cake a go, here is the recipe and..., just in case you want to have a look and check all the fabulous bloggers that are celebrating this day and all the fantastic delights they cooked, check Sara's blog and enjoy the pumpkin feast.

Happy Virtual Pumpkin Party Day!!

Citrus Cake with Citrus Frosting and Candied Oranges and Lemons / Bolo de Citrinos com frosting de Citrinos e Laranjas e Limões Confitados.

After being unable to take part on Deborah's Rainydaybites Cook Book Club for the last two months, this month I couldn't miss it at all. Specially being this month chosen book, a baking book.

The book Deborah choose for September is the Brian Hart Hoffman "Bake from Scratch" book. A book full of mouthwatering cakes, cookies, breads, sweet breads and a lot more.

As the first recipe challenge, Deborah chose this citrus cake and, although here at home everybody else are chocolate lovers, me, I'm the total crazy citrus lover and so, this cake was right up to my taste.

I have to say that even the chocolate lovers of the house loved it and the cake went down a storm with all of them so, success!!

The original cake is a 4 layers cake and the frosting is made with cream cheese. I halved the recipe and made a 2 layers cake and used mascarpone cheese to make the cake.

I'm leaving you the original and complete recipe but, feel free to halve it as I did.

Crispy Chicken, Curried Spelt Salad and Raita / Frango assado, com Salada de Espelta de Caril e molho Raita.

This is a fabulous recipe that I made a couple of weeks ago and that was very delicious.

Actually, the spelt salad was a delightful surprise and I highly recommend it and if you leave out the chicken, this can easily be transformed onto a vegetarian or vegan meal.

I used Sandra curry powder mixture in this recipe. A homemade mixture that is so so fantastic, that since Sandra offered me a jar of her curry powder for the first time, I never went back to shop bought curry powder again.

Sandra loves her spices and all the spice mixtures she makes are amazing. I've already told her that she could be rich and famous selling her spices because she really is a "Spice Queen"!

This recipe is from Tom Kitchin new book "Meat & Game". About Chef Tom Kitchin, I've already told you here how much I love this Chef!

As for the book, the name says it all. A book full of very mouthwatering meat and game recipes and this one was the very first one I tried and we all loved it.

Spatchcocked Poussin with Romesco Sauce / Franguinho grelhado com molho Romesco.

Romesco is a nut and red pepper based sauce that originated from Tarragona, Catalonia, in Northeastern Spain. The fishermen in this area made this sauce to eat with fish but it also can be served with meat.

The original recipe - another one from Omar Allibhoy book "Spanish Made Simple" - calls for quail but I decided to make it with spatchcocked poussin.

As soon as I saw this recipe, it caught my attention straightaway because I'm still dreaming about the marvelous romesco sauce that I add with Manuela last month in Lisbon, when we had lunch at the Watt, the new restaurant by the Portuguese Chef Kiko Martins.

This is the last suggestion of the month and it's going straight to Marta's table and her "ingredient of the month", the peppers.

Vegan Beetroot & Beans Burgers / Hamburgeres vegan de Beterraba e Feijão Preto.

These burgers are just my favourite vegan burgers of all times.

Since Kimberly published the recipe on her gorgeous "The Little Plantation" blog, I've already made them countless times.

I adore these burgers and my daughter adores them too and loves to take them for school in her pack lunch. I could give her one of these burgers a day and she'd be super happy.

I'm just posting the recipe in Portuguese (below) as, there's no point on publishing the English version of it when it is very well explained and detailed here, at Kimberly's blog.

Give these burgers a try and you'll love Kimberly forever :)).

Penne with Spinach, Peas and Gruyère / Penne com Espinafres, Ervilhas e queijo Gruyère.

Another fabulous Melissa Clark "Dinner: Changing the Game" book recipe!

This vegetarian pasta dish was our dinner a few weeks ago and, of course,  because it's so delicious and easy and quick to put together, I had to share the recipe with you all.
The original recipe calls for wholemeal or regular penne but as I had this absolutely fabulous red lentil penne here at home, that's the one I decided to use.

Spiced Apple Cake with thick Vanilla Custard / Bolo de Maçã com Especiarias e Custard de Baunilha.

This cake, that is named a "cake" but for me, is more a cross between a tart and a pie, is one of the most beautifully delicious "cakes" we had later.

Everybody raved about how delicious it was and, certainly, it's a keeper and a recipe to make more often.

Darren Purchese (and pardon my ignorance), is a Chef that I truly admire but only came across, throughout my must beloved TV program, Masterchef Australia.

Chef Darren is one of the "bad guys", the one setting up the dreadful and very scary challenges for eliminations but the thing is...

OH LORD!!! His creations are pure pieces of art!!! and, who cares being eliminated from a competition over such gorgeous creations? I certainly wouldn't!

I didn't know anything about this gorgeous book until..., "this devilish (cook book addicted) girl" showed me the cover of "Lamingtons & Lemon Tart" on the Instagram "private messages". It was love at the first sight and I couldn't help but buy the book and I love it! Thank you so much Inês!!!

I told you already! Australia is my "dream Country" and everything that comes from there, I can't resist it. Specially if it's a book that is all about "Aussie" desserts and puddings but notched up by a great Chef - meaning - Chef Darren Purchese...

NO more talking...

Just a great and super delicious cake, filled with (for me), the best apples in the world: the Pink Lady Apples!

Harissa Chicken with Leeks, Potatoes and Yogurt / Frango assado com Harissa, Alho francês, Batatas e Iogurte.

Second and last recipe challenge of the month and also a "Cook the Cover" challenge for May's Rainydaybites Cook Book Club.

Deborah asked us to cook this fabulous one sheet meal and I'm glad she did because, not just I love all the ingredients in this recipe, I also love the fact that there's almost no washing up after.

The combination of ingredients, as you might guessed by the title, is absolutely incredible and the textures and flavour are, both, absolutely fabulous.

Another great hit from Melissa Clark "Dinner: Changing the Game" book which, by all means, I'm loving to bits!

Spiced Carrot Purée (Dip) with Dukkah / Puré (Dip) picante de Cenouras com Dukkah.

Last recipe for Marta, May and Carrot as the ingredient of the month!
This recipe, another one from Chef Maria Elia "Full of Flavour" book is absolutely divine to serve at a dinner party as a canapé or as part of a mezze.
Everybody can help themselves and dip the chosen bread in the carrot dip, while enjoying their drinks or cocktails.ingredients (serves 8):

for the dukkah:

100g almonds, blanched

50g coriader seeds

20g cumin seeds

75g sesame seeds

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

method:

Toast the almonds in a medium pan over a medium heat until golden.

Transfer the almond to a work surface to cool a little, then finely chop them.

Transfer to a bowl.

Add the coriander and cumin seeds to the pan and toast for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to a pestle and mortal, leave to cool completely, then coarsely grind and mix with the almonds.

Toast the sesame seeds until golden. Leave to cool, then grind, together with 2 tsp of sea salt.

Add to the almond mixture and season with black pepper.

Carrot and Coconut Cake / Bolo de Cenoura e Coco.

A sweet and delightful carrot cake for Marta and her "ingredient of the month".

Almost everybody (and I certainly do), loves carrot cake, specially if it's a moist and flavoursome one.

This Rachel Khoo recipe, from the "Little French Kitchen" is moist, is delicious and a joy to eat for (like me), carrot cake and coconut lovers.