We are the Champions

Last night, Spain defeated Germany (1-0) to win the Eurocopa for the first time in 44 years. It was a really exciting game. Unlike most games where they only really play hard the last 15 minutes of each half, last night´s game was packed with really good plays. I was pleasantly surprised.

Juan and Sandra (and their two kids Claudia and Mateo) hosted us yet again. This time a few more friends joined us, too. I made some easy-to-eat finger foods, which were delicious: potatoe croquettes and empandillas with pisto. I didn´t have time to take pictures because we were running out the door but here are the recipes.

PS - HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLIE!

Potatoe Croquettes

6 potatoes

3 tblsp of butter, plus more for frying

1 cup shredded cheese (colby jack, cheedar, whichever you prefer)

2 eggs

Splash of milk

Bread crumbs

Oil for frying

Salt

Peel potatoes and cut them in quarters. Boil the potatoes as if you were making mashed potatoes and drain. Move the potatoes to a mixing boil and add butter. Mix until potatoes are well combined with the butter; then mix in the cheese with a wooden spoon. (Taste test and add salt, if needed.) Cool to room temperature.

Add oil to a good size frying pan (about an inch around the pan) and a pat of butter. Heat on medium high. Beat the eggs and add a splash of milk. To make the croquettes, take a small handfull of the potatoe mixture and mold into a ball. Pass the ball first in the egg mixture and next in the bread crumbs. Flatten slightly so that the croquette is about the size of your palm. Fry in batches until golden brown on each side.

Empandillas de pisto

1 med yellow onion

1/2 of a red pepper

1 zuchinni

2 medium size tomatoes

3 tsp sugar

Olive oil

Salt

2 packages of pastry dough

Preheat oven to 375º F (or whatever temperature the package of pastry dough recommends)

Dice onion, red pepper, zuchinni, and tomatoes and small chunks. Heat a small frying pan on high and add 1 tblsp of oil. When hot, add tomatoes (stand back - tomatoes have a lot of water and when they hit the hot oil they will pop!) Add sugar and mix with a wooden spoon. Let it cook for about 5 minutes (stirring occasionally) and when it has condensed, take it off the burner and set aside.

Heat a large frying pan on med-high and add 2 tblsp of oil. Then add the onion, red pepper and zuchinni. Cover slightly and cook for about 15 mintues, stirring occasionally. When the vegetables become soft, mash slightly with the back of a wooden spoon and add the tomatoe mixture. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Roll out the pastry dough and cut out circles. (If you don´t have a pastry cutter, you can use a glass turned upside down.) Add a teaspoon of pisto (the vegetable mixture) to the middle of each circle and fold over. You can seal them with your finger pinching the pastry dough together. Brush with egg wash and pop in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

I have turned my kitchen into a little laboratory trying to figure out why my cookies and cakes are not up to par. My cookie dough is more like pastry dough - shiny and sticky - and my cakes don´t rise and are very dense.

First, I thought it was the eggs. The eggs in Spain have a much larger yolks than in the US. I normally use medium eggs in the US already and small don´t exisit so I was using one large or extra large egg instead of two. But that wasn´t the solution. Next, I blamed the butter. Butter in Europe has a higher butterfat content than in the US. In theory, this should just give it a better taste. However, it melts quicker and can´t take much of a beating with the Kitchen Aid.

Today, I did a quick search online to investigate any recommendations for baking with butter in Europe. I didn´t find much but what I did find shed some light at the end of the tunnel. The culprit to my baking disasters could be the FLOUR. It turns out that All Purpose Flour in the US is bleached and in the EU it is illegal to bleach flour so they only sell it unbleached.

I am going to ask my sister, Angela, to bring me some flour when she comes in August to test it out. In the mean time, I read that you can heat it to make ¨Kate Flour¨or freeze it, which alters the moisture level and will make it have similar characteristics of bleached flour. I will have to test it out and let you know. Wish me luck!

Hot Wheels

Since summer finally arrived in Madrid, we changed our mode of transportation on the vineyard. We still take out the Montero but the quads are much more fun. I officially learned how to drive one by myself. The crash course took a total of 45 seconds - here is the ignition, here is the gas, here are the brakes. Not too difficult. The only problem is that I was going in between newly planted vines and I could just see myself taking out one after the other. Fortunately, there weren´t any causualities.

The other thing is that they are literally hot wheels. With the sun beaming down in the middle of the country and the engine running, your only hope is to go a little faster and catch a breeze. My next step is to try to learn to drive a scooter for our trip to Ibiza. Not too sure about that, though, because it only has two wheels and I am not all that great riding a regular bike to begin with.

PS - Happy Birthday Bea!

School´s Out For Summer!

Last weekend Oscar and I and the family went to see my nieces, Sandra and Mónica, perform in the end-of-the-year school play. Each grade level represented a different time period in Spanish history. My nieces danced a traditional dance from Madrid called the ¨Chotis¨. They were adorable! I kept waiting for Yankee Doodle to come out from behind the curtain but then realized where I was. Since we were in Spain, no play would be complete without Goya and Carmen and they were both characters in the play. Some things are the same even half way around the world, though ... the big show took place in the school gym without air conditioning and with homemade props. Afterwards, we went back to the girls house for lunch. My brother-in-law, Pedro, made paella and it was delicious.

Mónica is in the middle of the picture but you can´t tell which one she is. The picture was too adorable to pass up, though. The boys were so cute with thier hats on and the girls had big red flowers in their hair covered with a white scarf.

After the show, Oscar bought us ice pops. They were a nice treat on such a hot day. The girls had a good time at the after party on the school playground.

Pedro´s famous paella.

Viña Esmeralda

I recently tried a new white wine and loved it. Viña Esmeralda is made by Torres in the Upper Penedès area of Cataluyna. It is a very aromatic, crisp wine. I found that the natural flavors of the fruit to be dominant, which was very refreshing. Since it should be served chilled, it is a great choice for the summer. It pairs nicely with paella. And, the best part about it is that it is very reasonbly priced - only 7 euros at the grocery store. I am not sure where you can find it in the US, possibly at Central Market or a specialty wine store. If you don´t see it on the shelf, ask if they can get it for you. It is definitely one worth trying.

The Human Race

Nike is sponsoring The Human Race on August 31. It is a worldwide 10k race that is going to take place in 25 cities. Wouldn´t it be so much fun it we all ran it together? Unfortunately, Dallas is not one of the 25 but Austin is. You could always make it a weekend trip. If not, you can run it in your own city and sync up your Nike+Ipod (since we all have one of those ... ) with the race. Proceeds will benefit LIVESTRONG, ninemillion.org, and the WWF. I plan on running in Madrid and hope to convince Oscar to join me :)

Le Cordon Bleu Paris

For Christmas this year, Oscar gave me a pastry cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu Paris and it was absolutley amazing. I had the opportunity to cook in Le Cordon Bleu kitchens and learn from a master chef, Chef Daniel. We were a small group of about 12 ladies from around the world who all shared the same passion for cooking. We made several traditional Parisien pastries like croissants, pain au chocolat and brioche. It was a delicious experience and one I will always remember.

Main entrance to Le Cordon Bleu Paris.

Chef Daniel teaching us how to knead the dough.

Me and my masterpieces.

These two trays were mine. Thank goodness they freeze well!

Moi et Chef Daniel

Eggplant Parmesan

I used a springform pan to make it this time and loved how it turned out. It was the perfect size to get several layers and made for great presentation at the table. All I had to do was remove the side section and move it to a plate (with the bottom of the pan still intact).

1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus more for frying

6 teaspoons of sugar

2 eggplants

bread crumbs

4 large eggs

2 cups shredded mozarrella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Pour tomatoes into a skillet. Add olive oil and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate. Partially cover and cook over medium heat for about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.

As the sauce cooks, start on the eggplant. Fill a skillet without about an inch of oil and heat on medium-high. Beat eggs in a bowl, deep enough to dredge the eggplant. Pour bread crumbs onto a separate plate and refill as needed. Peal eggplant and slice into thin pieces. Dip eggplant first in the eggs and then in the bread crumbs. Fry eggplant in batches but make sure not to crowd the pan because it will reduce the temperature of the oil. Place fried eggplant on a tray covered with paper towels to soak up any excess oil. (Note: Change the oil at least once while frying.)

Cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Arrange eggplant so that they overlap slightly and make a nice layer. Top with sauce. Repeat until done then top the last layer with mozarrella cheese. Bake for about 35 minutes and golden brown and bubbly.

Baked Bolognese

Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman, perfected by Elizabeth Restivo de Muñoz

For the tomato sauce:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 more tablespoons

1 pound ground beef (or half ground pork, half ground beef)

4 large cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

Couple dashes red chili flakes

1 (28-ounce) plus 1 (12 oz – I think! It’s the regular size) can crushed tomatoes

Sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the bechamel:

1/2 stick butter

1 large onion

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/3 cup white wine

1 1/2 cups whole milk

Dash ground nutmeg

2 cups grated three-cheese blend, divided

Pasta:
1 pound parcooked rigatoni

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Tomato sauce: Pour both cans of crushed tomatoes into a skillet. Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and about 8 teaspoons of sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate. Partially cover and cook over medium heat for about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally. (Move off of burner to stir because it will splatter!) You’ll know it’s done when it reduces some and has a nice consistency.

Add oil to another large skillet over high heat. Add ground beef and sauté, breaking up the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Add garlic, oregano and chili flakes and cook a couple minutes. If there is a lot of oil/juice in the pan, drain it off now. You just want the meat! Add to the tomato sauce and remove from burner.

Pasta: Salt water and cover with a lid to speed up the boiling process. Once boiling, salt water and add pasta. Cook according to directions – about 10 minutes.

Béchamel: In a large saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat until bubbling. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Sprinkle with flour, stirring constantly and cook until the mixture begins to thicken. Gradually whisk in the wine, and then gradually whisk in the milk and nutmeg and cook until smooth, thick and creamy.

Put it all together! Combine the meat sauce and pasta, and then pour half the pasta mixture into a baking dish. Spoon half the béchamel over the pasta and top with half the cheese. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Bake 30 to 45 minutes until browned and bubbly.

Random Act of Kindness

As many of you know, Oscar and I are living at my in-laws. They are at the beach this week and Oscar and I have had the house to ourselves. I noticed that the refrigerator needed a good scrub so I decided to clean it for them. When cleaning the fridge, I recommend doing it in sections. For example, I took out the vegetable drawer, threw out anything past due, scrubbed the drawer in the sink, wiped down that section inside the fridge, and then put the drawer back in filled only with good veggies. I find this method to work well so you don´t get overwhemled. Also, this way you never end up with the fridge in a hundred pieces in your kitchen and not know how to put it back together. (It happens, believe me!) As I was cleaning, I remembered how much I appreciated it when my mom did it for me when she came to visit when Oscar and I were living in Boadilla. I am sure this will be a nice surprise for my in-laws when they get home.

¡Felicidades, Raul!

Last weekend, we celebrated Oscar´s brother, Raul´s, 30th birthday. I was the lucky one that got to prepare the dinner! I came up with several different menus and let Raul choose his favorite. Guess what he choose ... Baked Bolognese! Always a crowd pleaser. I was so excited because I have been dying to make it but haven´t had the chance. Since my mother-in-law doesn´t eat pasta (Have you ever met a person that doesn´t like pasta?!), I also made a double batch of eggplant parmesan.

To start off, I made a couple of appetizers: homemade mozzarella sticks and a ham and cheese pastry braid. My nieces Sandra (5) and Mónica (4) have discovered fried cheese from a chain restaurant Foster´s Hollywood (like a TGI Fridays) and love them. I thought it would be a nice treat for them to try ones that haven´t been previously frozen. I thought of my mom as I was making the fried cheese because she is the patient one that always helps me since you have to bread them not once but twice! The ham and cheese pastry braid is a great go-to dish. It makes for a great appetizer and a really simple supper.

Ham and Cheese Pastry Braid

1 pacakge refigerated pastry dough

4 slices deli ham

2 slices of cheese

1 egg

Preheat oven according to package of pastry dough (about 375 degrees)

Roll out pastry dough and place ham down the middle of the dough. Layer with cheese and another layer of ham. (Think of dividing the dough into thirds and the ham and cheese goes in the middle section.) Slit the sides of the dough in about 8 sections on each side. Braid over the middle so that the ham and cheese peak through. Beat egg and brush egg wash over the top of the braid. Bake according to package (about 20 min) until golden brown.

Then for dessert, I made cream puffs and my mother-in-laws special cake. I had to improvise on the cream puffs because I can´t find Jello pudding mixes here. So I made them with whip cream and chocolate whip cream. I experimented and figured out how to make chocolate whip cream. It´s really simple and fabulous.

Chocolate Whip Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

4 teaspoons sugar

Put whipping cream in the bowl and start the mixer. Add cocoa powder and sugar. Mix on high until stiff peaks start to form. Don´t over mix or you will get cocoa-butter!

Here is the family! Raul is the one infront of the cake, Almudena (his finacée) is the right of him, then Mónica (my goddaugher), and Sandra. On the left is Rosa (Oscar´s sister), her husband Pedro, my mother-in-law Angelines and my father-in-law José. I promise that Oscar and I will make it in the next photo.

A Tribute to Paris

Barefoot Contessa´s cookbook ¨Barefoot in Paris¨ (a Christmas gift from Thomas and Tabitha) was my guide to where to find the best places to shop for food in Paris. I would go to the Gran Epicerie (an elite grocery store) and visit it as if it were a musem :)

The book is filled with great French recipes and has a resource guide in the back with restaurant recommendations and where to find the best bread, cheese, pastries, etc. I followed her suggestions to make a nice, light, Parisian dinner for Oscar one weekend when he came to visit.

It included:

- Smoked salmon (Gerad Mulot) with herbed creme fraiche

- Foie gras (Gerad Mulot) with raspberry jam

- Cheese platter (cheese selection from a quaint shop on Saint-Germain-des-Pres) with fruit

- Rustic bread (Polaine)

- Bordeaux wine (a gift from our landlords Claude and Lucile)

- And, pastries (Laduree) - not shown here

I love this type of dinner. It creates the perfect ambiance to relax and enjoy eachothers company and conversation. Even though there wasn´t much food, I think Oscar and I noshed on it for almost two hours until we finished the bottle of wine.

It was a lovely evening and the view of Place Saint-Sulpice from my kitchen was a very nice touch :)

Mighty Mowers Box Lunch

When I went home for my mom´s 60th birthday in April, which was a blast, I had the pleasure of making lunch for the Mighty Mowers crew. Mighty Mowers is my brother Chris´landscaping business - the best lawn care service you can get within a 50 mile radius of Corinth! The truth is his business is an inspiration to any entrepreneuar and one that I truly admire. They are really hard workers so I knew I needed to make a hearty lunch that was easy to eat. So I went for triple decker sandwhiches, chips, and chocolate chip cookies (previously made by my mom).

The sandwiches were made with Mrs. Bairds white bread (toasted), ham, roast beef, pastrami, colby-jack cheese, lettuce, tomato (with salt, pepper, and olive oil), mustard and mayonaise. Delicious! One sandwich wasn´t enough, though. So the next day I made them again, but two sandwiches each. They were delivered in brown paper bags with Mighty Mowers and a little sun drawn on the front. The best part of all was the crew was so very appreciative - a little love goes a long way :) Good luck this summer guys!

Happy Birthday, Oscar!

To celebrate Oscar´s birthday this year (May 18th), we invited some friends over and I prepared a miniature American dinner: mini hamburgers, mini hotdogs, orzo salad, french potato salad, spinach-tortellini salad, birthday cupcakes and browines.

For the hamburgers, I used a combination of ground beef and pork instead of just beef and it was delicious. I made them about as big as the palm of my hand but pretty thick so they wouldn´t get too well-done. I pan-fried them for about two minutes on each side and then put them on a baking sheet and topped with cheddar cheese. When the guests arrived, I popped them in the oven to heat through and melt the cheese. Then I used media-noches, which are small rolls similar to an eggknot roll, as the bun and piled on lettuce, tomato and red onion. I inserted a tooth pick to keep them together.

For the hotdogs, I boiled traditional Oscar Meyer dogs just until almost done then crisped them up in the pan with a little olive oil and butter. (A trick I learned from Rachael Ray!) Then I used refrigerator pizza dough for the bun. Oscar helped me roll them up and I brushed with egg wash and popped them in the oven while I was assembling the hamburgers. They only take about 10 minutes.

I pretty much followed the salad recipes. Except I didn´t add mint to the orzo salad. The spinach-tortellini salad was inspired by a Rachel Ray recipe that Angela and I have perfected. Also, for the browines, I didn´t add coffee because Oscar doesn´t like the flavor. I have tried it in the past and think it is a nice complement to the chocolate. This time my brownies were very dry and crumbly but they tasted good :) I am still getting the hang of different ovens, ingredients, and cookware.

The most important thing to remember when hosting a party is to have fun and be a guest. Nobody wants to spend the party in the kitchen. It always helps to have a double oven, or at least one that will cooperate (the one I was using is not up to par but works). The good thing about the salads is that you can make them in advance. I recommend not adding the dressing until you plate right before your guests arrive. And, when using spinach as the base of your salad, make sure to add it last because it will wilt in the fridge.

Oscar liked the cupcakes so much that I made another batch with chocolate frosting for him to take to work to share with his friends :)

Welcome to my world

My day pretty much revolves around food. When I wake up in the morning, I am already thinking about what I am going to make for dinner. Some people wake up and turn on the news. I, however, watch the Food Network. This is me in Paris - the city of great food!

I have always enjoyed cooking but I got more into it over the past few years. My mom is my inspiration. She is always cooking something! My favorite saying of hers is: If you cook it, they will come. And, it is true! There are days when it doesnt seem like anyone is going to come over and then all of the sudden everyone stops by and has a bite to eat.

Thats what I love about food - it brings people together. My family has always had dinner together, whether at home or a restaurant, and I love that. I even started a supper club with the kids, which was a huge hit.

Now that I am on the other side of the world, I cook to feel like I am at home. I escape to the kitchen, open the windows, turn on some music (Bocelli is great for cooking!), get out the Kitchen Aid, and it is as if I were at home again. Well, almost! I don´t have my two best sous-chefs (Mom and Angela) and the all-time best test-tester team in the whole world (The Fam). But I do have Oscar and he appreciates good food.

I decided to start a blog to share my passion for cooking with you. I intend to create a place where you can see what I am cooking and new foods that I am trying. Also, I will post any new recipes that I think are worth trying.

Enjoy!