Recipe Review: Panna Cotta

If you have ever watched MasterChef, Top Chef, or Chopped then you know that Panna Cotta seems to be a favourite recipe for the chefs to cook. I've heard that it is super easy to make and really tasty and so I wanted to try to make some. Last weekend I finally got around to it and made the "Perfect Panna Cotta Recipe" from David Lebovitz.

The recipe was super easy to follow and was really easy to make. It tasted really good also! I loved the vanilla flavor and want to try to make a flavoured one next time I make Panna Cotta. I think this recipe would be really good to make for company since it is fast to make and then can sit in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Panna Cotta (from David Lebovitz)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups (1l) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2 packets powdered gelatin (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
• 6 tablespoons (90ml) cold water

 

Directions:

 

1. Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan or microwave. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
(If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the bean into the cream and add the bean pod. Cover, and let infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the bean then rewarm the mixture before continuing.)

2. Lightly oil eight custard cups with a neutral-tasting oil.

3. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Pour the very warm Panna Cotta mixture over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.

5. Divide the Panna Cotta mixture into the prepared cups, then chill them until firm (at least 2 hours)

If you’re pressed for time, pour the Panna Cotta mixture into wine goblets so you can serve them in the glasses, without unmolding.

6. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each Panna Cotta and unmold each onto a serving plate, and garnish as desired.

Chatelaine's Cooking Challenge: Monkey Bread

The second I saw that Chatelaine had posted that the next challenge was going to be Monkey Bread or Stick Buns I was right on figuring out when I was going to have time to bake. I LOVE sticky buns, and so thought that I would make those, but then decided that Monkey Bread would be good to try, and so went with that. It was sooooo yummy! My husband and I had it for breakfast- not the healthiest meal ever, but OMG HEAVENLY!!!!

Christmas Bazaar and Bannock

It is finally the Christmas Season and I am so excited! We all know what that means- more cooking and baking :D! Yesterday was a jam packed day for me (but it also included some awesome food!)

Ultimate Caesar Salad

The other day I was craving Caesar Salad, no idea why. Although I LOVE Caesar, I didn't want the usual one we got from the grocery store- I'm starting to find it very bland. In fact, I'm starting to find a lot of store bought things bland... I completely blame this on my Fine Cooking subscription, my addiction to Foodnetwork Magazine (and TV) and my unemployment (now I have time to search for recipes!). Anyways, I wanted Caesar salad and so decided to search for the best Caesar salad dressing I could find. My search resulted in a HUGE success. I found not only an amazing dressing, but also a recipe for amazing croutons! Unfortunately I wasn't able to snap a picture because I gobbled up the salad within minutes of making it.

"Homemade Sodas", Beef Wellington, and Champagne Chocolates

As I mentioned in my last post, this past weekend was quite exciting with all of the things I made. I'm so sorry I haven't kept up with my blogs, things have been so hectic that I just haven't had time. I'm hoping to "plan" my blog posts better and actually post on a more regular basis. I really want to get back into reviewing cookbooks because I really enjoyed that. I also want to participate in the cooking and baking challenges by Chatelaine and Food Network. I just have to discipline myself better and get better organized. Organization was always a strong suit of mine until I graduate from my Masters program. Now that I'm at home and am just searching for a job, I don't plan my days and so I don't get a lot accomplished.

Recently I've been so busy I haven't been able to cook any new recipes. I'm hoping that this weekend I'll be able to bake something or try out some of the other cookbooks I received on netgalley. It gets so tough to cook meals when you are coming home late every day. This week was sort of a mish-mash of dinners- spaghetti, chicken and salad, a muffin.

French Onion Soup

Every Thursday my family has soup for dinner. Recently I've been trying out new soup recipes and have found some amazing ones. Last week, we decided that we wanted to try to make French Onion Soup. I went online and found this soup by Michael Smith. It sounded really good.

365 Guide New York City

Pumpkin Pie Challenge

My Entry:

Individual Pumpkin Pies with Rum Whipped Cream and
Individual Pecan Tarts

Soup and Bread Cookbook

Seared Scallops with Herb-Butter Pan Sauce

My husband and I have been watching Hell's Kitchen and MasterChef a lot lately and we started to crave scallops and Chef Ramsey's Beef Wellington. I eventually gave in and decided to make scallops. I have yet to get the courage to make the beef wellington, soon I will though... I mean if the kids on MasterChef Junior can do it then so can I, right? Let's hope so!

Finally back in the game

I am feeling much better and now that thanksgiving is over, I'm finally ready to get back in the game. This week I will try to review 3-4 cookbooks, some recipes and maybe some restaurants. I have a lot planned so hopefully I'll be able to do It! Sorry I've been away for so long, being sick and trying to cook and taste food is no fun. Then there was thanksgiving and that was a feat all it's own! 

My brother is getting married in August 2014 and asked me to make his wedding cake/cupcakes. I'm honored but scared s***less! That's a big weight- the wedding cake is like THE thing at the reception!!!!!! This means I am going to have to learn how to make amazing cupcakes (I have awesome tasting cupcake recipes, but I can never get them to all be the same size) and also how to decorate properly. I guess its a good thing I am currently unemployed- I have tons of time to bake! This blog will be the perfect place to post my progress! If anyone has some helpful suggestions please let me know! 

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for not posting for a while- I got sick and wasn't feeling up to doing anything (especially cooking!). Now that Thanksgiving is done and I am feeling much better I will have to get caught up. I have a lot of cookbooks to review as well as a number of recipes.

Thanks for being patient!
Tanya

Baking

Cookies Challenge

My Entry:

Birthday Cake Cookies

Summerlicious

Summerlicious has to be the best idea yet- you get to go to a restaurant and enjoy a price fixe menu for a reasonable price. Even some of the "nicer, pricier" restaurants participate. I have gone to Summerlicious for 2 summers now and really enjoy each time I go. Often I find it very difficult to choose just one restaurant to go to. This year, because of me still being in school, I wasn't able to go to as many as I wanted to. I only went to one restaurant this year- Byzantium on July 20, 2013.

Mighty Spice Express

Isa Does It Cookbook

Soup Night Cookbook

Thanksgiving Cookbook

The Bay Tree Home Deli Recipes

Plum Wine

The other day I tried a Plum Wine from Caroline Cellars Winery in Ontario. I had never had a fruit wine before but my brother promised me it was sweet and that I would like it. I have to admit, my first sip I hated and thought it was disgusting, but I decided I would give it a glass to prove itself to me. After finishing the glass, I was presently surprised. It wasn't sweet, but it didn't taste horrible either- it was pretty good. It's not something I would drink every day, but on special occasions, why not? The Caroline Cellars website states that the wine would be good with pork dishes and Chinese take-out. I can definitely see that and will consider purchasing it next time I serve a pork dish or get Chinese take-out. I have to say thank you to my brother for sharing this wine with me.

PS- I'm sipping on this wine while I am writing this post :)

Beet Chips

(Guest Post By Book Loving Hippo)

The other day I was chatting with some friends about Kale Chips, I told her I had never tried them before. She made some and I tried them. They were so good. It got me to thinking- what other kinds of “chips” can I make? I went on a hunt on the internet and found beet chips. I love beets and figured why not try them?

The recipe I tried was from Shannon on Cooking God’s Way. They were heavenly!!!

Recipe:
3-4 Medium Sized Beets
2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder

Preheat the oven to 325F. Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium sized bowl mix together the oil, vinegar, Herbs de Provence, Sea Salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Set the bowl aside.

Cut the tops and bottoms off of the beets and slice very thing (the thinner you make them the less time it will take to bake). Place the beets into the oil mixture. Stir so that all of the beets are covered.

Put the beets in a single layer on the baking sheets. Make sure that they are not touching each other. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan once. After 30 minutes, check to ensure that they look dried out, otherwise continue baking.

Pull the beets out and let them cool. The will continue to crisp up as they cool.

Enjoy!