Croutons

croutons make the perfect garnish for soups and salads.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp Salt
2 cups 1/2" diced bread

Method

Preheat the oven to 375°F or 190°C.

Season the butter with salt and mix together. In a medium bowl, pour half of the butter onto the bread and toss. Repeat with remaining butter and transfer to a baking sheet.

Toast crouton for about 10 - 15 minutes or until golden brown, tossing occasionally. Once finished, add a little salt to the croutons while they are still hot. Set aside to cool

Tips

I also like to add herbs to the mixture. For an even distribution of butter,salt and herbs, brush on the butter mixture or sometimes, the oil mixture, before cubing the bread.

If you don't butter that much, you can actually use cold pressed olive oil instead of the butter. Some creamy soups just go really well with the croutons.

Low fat Alfredo Sauce

I love pasta...and as they say - its the sauce that makes you fat not the pasta...
here is a low fat alternative to Alfredo sauce.

Ingredients

• Broccoli florets
• 1 1/2 cups skimmed milk
• 1 tablespoon  butter
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 3/4 cup Parmesan
•  salt

Method

1.  bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the broccoli until tender,  Drain.
2. Heat the milk and butter in a large saucepan over low heat and slowly whisk in the corn starch. Simmer until slightly thickened, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the  broccoli and mix thoroughly.
4. Add to your favorite pasta
5. Top each serving with extra Parmesan and a sprinkling of parsley

You can also add some cooked chicken breast, or shrimps to jazz this up

Comfort Food

We are moving house and the stress had led me to yearn for comfort food...what could be better than Tiramisu!
After all, translated it means 'Pull me up!!!!"

Here are two ways of making Tiramisu - with eggs or without.

INGREDIENTS:
500 gms Mascarpone
150 gms sponge fingers
4 eggs
4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup strong coffee mixed with 1/2 cup coffee liquor
Powdered chocolate (dark/bitter)
1 pinch salt

METHOD:
Beat the egg yolks and sugar until soft and fluffy.
Add the mascarpone and whip to a cream.
Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until fluffy then gently fold into the mascarpone mixture
Dip the sponge fingers into the coffee and, in a large dish, alternate between layers of the sponge fingers and a layer of mascarpone cream.
When done, dust with a layer of bitter chocolate powder.
Cover, put in the fridge, and serve when cold.

I find that if you add the cocoa powder before serving it looks better!

Now, if you don't like the idea or raw eggs, here is another way of making Tiramisu!

For this tiramisu, you will need:
About 180g sponge fingers
1/2 cup chilled espresso coffee
1/2 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua or Tia Maria
1 3/4 cup mascarpone
1 1/2 cup whipping cream
100g caster sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder

METHOD
Whisk together the mascarpone, cream and sugar in a bowl until slightly stiff. In a serving dish, soak the sponge fingers in the liquor and coffee. Alternate layers between the sponge and the cream.

Sprinkle cocoa powder over the top.

Serve cold.