Month: December 2010

Cream Cheese Straws

cream cheese straws recipe with step by step pictures

These straws are super easy to make.

And yummy!

 

Of course, they can be enjoyed as a nibble or finger food year-round, but I think they are especially welcome at Christmas and New Year’s parties.

Mmm. I can imagine them with drinks, salads or thick soups even.

Also, creating these savory treats makes a great project for you and your kids. Just try making them together. I am sure there will be loads and loads of fun.

 

cream cheese straws recipe with step by step pictures

Here’s what we need.
Yes, this is one of those recipe where you only need very few ingredients.

I am a huge fan of such recipes.

 

cream cheese straws recipe with step by step pictures

1. Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

2. Place the butter, cream cheese, flour, and salt into a bowl.

 

cream cheese straws recipe with step by step pictures

3. Combine the ingredients by hand just until a nice ball forms.

 

cream cheese straws recipe with step by step pictures

4. Place the dough onto a well floured surface.

 

5. Using a rolling-pin, roll out the dough into about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) thickness.

If the dough gets too sticky during this process, just use more flour to make the work easier.

 

cream cheese straws recipe with step by step pictures

6. Now cut the dough into even strips. My ones were 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide and 4 1/2 inches (11 cm) long.

 

If you want them to look super fancy, use a fluted pastry wheel cutter.

Oh, and it helps a lot if you dip the cutter in flour beforehand.

 

7. Re-roll any scraps and cut more strips.

 

cream cheese straws recipe with step by step pictures

8. Lay the strips on the lined baking sheet. Brush them with a lightly beaten egg.

This will make them beautifully golden in color.

 

cream cheese straws recipe with step by step pictures

9. Lastly, sprinkle each strip with some salt, sesame seeds and cumin.

I only had ground cumin seeds on hand when I was making these cuties. I think that the whole ones would look even better.

 

cream cheese straws recipe with step by step pictures

10. Bake at 350 °F (175 °C) for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Enjoy, dear friends!

 

(This recipe makes about 30 straws and takes 45 minutes to prepare.)

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Burning the Haze (My Most Favorite Photoshop Trick)

how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

I want to share my most favorite Photoshop trick with you.

It’s easy and very rewarding.

The reason why I am sharing this technique with you is simple – I would like you to experience the same level of amazement that I go through each time I make this magic happen.

how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

See the gray film over this original (“before”) picture?

how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

This is the “after” picture.

The gray film is gone!

The picture looks much more realistic.

I love this game!

 

Of course, I could continue working on that picture giving it some more light and sharpness but I am leaving that for later.

For now, let’s just get rid of that unsightly gray film.

Let’s burn the haze!

 

What I find most fascinating about this technique, aside from its terrific result, is how quickly and easily it’s done:
1. Open the picture in Photoshop (File -> Open).
2. In the Layers palette, click on the Background layer and then press Ctrl+J (Mac: Command+J) to create a duplicate layer. Leave this new layer selected (highlighted).
3. Click Enhance (in the upper bar) -> Unsharp.
A new window will pop up.
4. With the Amount slider go somewhere between 15 – 30. Then move the Radius slider somewhere between 17 and the end of the line. Set the Threshold slider to 0.

Play with the Amount and Radius sliders to achieve the desired effect. Then click OK.
5. Now click Layer (in the upper bar of your screen) -> Merge Visible.
6. Save the picture (File -> Save As).
And that’s it!

how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

This is another SOOC (straight out of the camera) picture.

how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

Haze be gone!

how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

And another one before the treatment.
how to remove the gray film from pictures, Photoshop step-by-step tutorial

And after.

 

Just try this technique and let your pictures enjoy some more clarity, contrast and sharpness.

Enjoy, dear friends!

 

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Chicken Roulade Stuffed with Ham, Cheese, and Peppers

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

This roulade, which by the way is just another word for a roll, is devilishly good.

There are countless variations of chicken roulades, in fact. They can be stuffed with basically anything you can imagine. Well, not anything maybe (chocolate chicken roulade might be a little too funky, I guess), but still there are many ingredients that just work perfectly in that lovely rolled up wonder.

Spinach, bacon, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, shallots – these are just some of the ideas, and the list goes on.

 

What I love about chicken roulades is how cute they look. This is one of those dinners that will elicit a lot of oohs and wows.

And you know what?

They really are easy to make!

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step picturesHere’s what we need.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

1. First, preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C).

2. Place the chicken breast into a Ziploc bag (or between two sheets of plastic wrap).

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

3. Beat the chicken breast with a meat mallet until about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thin.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

This is the ham I had on hand.

It’s beyond yummy!

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

4. Place two slices of ham lengthwise along middle of the breast.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

5. Then place two thin slices of the cheese over the ham.

I use Edam cheese in this recipe. You can, of course, use any kind you like.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

Blue cheese.

My true love.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

6. Now divide the blue cheese into three equal parts and arrange one third crosswise at the near end of the breast.

We are starting to create the center of our roulade here.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

These are red peppers.

I had some pickled ones in my fridge.

Yum!

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

7. If you are using fresh red pepper then place two thin slices over the blue cheese.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

8. And two green pepper slices over the red ones.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

9. Roll the chicken roulade from one end to form a cylinder, securing the seam with a couple of toothpicks.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

10. Secure the ends as well.

We definitely want to keep those flavorful juices inside.

11. Repeat the process for each of the two remaining chicken breasts.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

12. Brush a baking pan with some olive oil and place the roulades inside, the seam side down.

(Tip: You can sear the rolls in a hot oiled pan before putting them into the baking pan – about 2 minutes from each side. That will help keep the juice inside the roll while baking.)

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

13. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil with salt.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

14. And brush the roulades with the oil mixture.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

15. Place in the oven and bake (at 400 °F – 200 °C) for 30 minutes.

There will be a little juice in the pan when your remove the roulades from the oven.

Keep it please, it’s precious.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

16. Remove the roulades from the pan and let them rest for 5 minutes before doing anything else.

 

17. Then remove the toothpicks and slice the roulades crosswise into 1/2 inch (1 1/2 cm) rounds.

Then sit down for awhile and feast your eyes on that cute structure you’ve just created.

 

chicken roll stuffed with ham, cheese, and peppers, recipe with step by step pictures

When serving these cuties, pour a little of that precious and flavorful sauce from the pan over them. That will make them even more moist and delicious.

You can serve these roulades warm with toasts.

Or, to create a more satisfying dish, serve them with mashed potatoes.

 

And most importantly, ENJOY, dear friends!

 

(This recipe takes about 1 hour to prepare and makes 3 servings.)

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Delicious Brownies

delicious brownies recipe with step by step pictures

I made these babies the other day.

Then, two days later, I made them again to make sure I hadn’t been dreaming before and they really tasted like heaven.

And they did.

Again.

Just like heaven!

When it comes to their structure, they have it all. They are something between cakey and fudgy, slightly more on the fudgy side, with just a little chewiness to them. When I think about it (which is a little difficult after eating so many), these brownies have a strong potential to satisfy just about anyone. So any camp you are in – the cakey, fudgy or chewy one, these are great for you!

Now let me just run to the kitchen to grab another one before I show you how I was making them…

 

delicious brownies recipe with step by step pictures, ingredients

…Okay, thanks for your patience, I’m back now. YUM!

This is the list of ingredients.

 

delicious brownies recipe with step by step pictures

1. To make your own Brownies, first preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).

 

2. Line the bottom and two sides of a 13 x 9-inch (33 x 22 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two sides. Butter the paper and set the pan aside.

Lining a baking pan this way is just gorgeous. It allows you to remove the baked stuff out of the pan in the most easy way. I find it the best invention right after wheel. Yes, that’s exactly what I think!

 

3. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

 

Just like this.

I was a naughty girl and didn’t sift the cocoa. But next time I will, I promise!

 

delicious brownies recipe with step by step pictures

4. Now chop the chocolate roughly.

Or just brake it. Or just throw it against your counter top and watch it break into a million pieces (sorry, I just got slightly carried away).

 

delicious brownies recipe with step by step pictures

5. Now place the chocolate and the butter into a heatproof bowl and set it over a pot of simmering water.

The bottom of the bowl shouldn’t be touching the water since what we want to do here is just gently melt these two ingredients.

 

6. Heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, for about 3 minutes. Then remove the bowl from the pot.

 

delicious brownies recipe with step by step pictures

7. Add sugar and mix to combine.

 

8. Then add the eggs and, again, mix to combine.

 

delicious brownies recipe with step by step pictures

9. Finally, add the flour mixture and mix just until moistened (do not overmix).

 

delicious brownies recipe with step by step pictures

10. Transfer the batter to your prepared pan. Using and offset spatula or just a spoon, smooth the top.

 

11. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the batter/brownies comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs attached).

 

12. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Using the paper overhang, lift brownies out of the pan and transfer to a rack to cool completely (still on the paper).

 

13. On a cutting board cut into squares.

 

delicious brownies recipe with step by step pictures

Yum-yum!

Enjoy, dear friends!

 

And if, by any chance, you end up with some leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.

 

(This recipe was loosely adapted from Martha Stewart. It takes about 1 hour to prepare and yields 24 2-inch/5cm squares.)

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