Garlic on Garlic with Garlic

The perk of having a somewhat randomly stranded Scandinavian house guest, is that they provide dinner every now and again. The following is a product of JJ's sorted family history and food culture, which spans from Scandinavia all the way to Greece (and beyond). A good mix as it turns out, it is yummy.

PS. Although the dish is called Garlic Chicken you don't need to add all the garlic in the world as it was done by our Guest in the Kitchen, who has a slight garlic fetish. The chicken was fried with half a garlic (6-8 gloves), which might be a little on the excessive side. Similarly the potatoes don't necessarily need to be covered in garlic as well.

Guest in the Kitchen: JJ's Garlic Chicken with pan fried Garlic Tatties 

Marinade

• Olive oil
• Lemon Juice
• salt & pepper
• coriander Oregano
• 1 egg
• 
  

• Chicken ( breast per person)
• Olive oil
• Garlic

Make sure that the marinade has a thick consistency
Split a chicken breast (per person) into two halves and cover the pieces with the marinade. Let it sit in the fridge for about 2 hours before cooking.

Potatoes
Boil the potatoes in small pieces
Heat up a pan with olive oil
Mix salt pepper, chili powder, garlic powder - mixed herbs and fresh chopped garlic, lemon juice.
Throw on and keep browning the potatoes in the oil mix until golden brown. Enjoy immediately.

Serve with a side salad

Let the good times roll

A classic treat in most bakeries and cafes, I decided to try and make them myself. Turned out to be a bit of a challenge since I used uncoloured marsipan and had to add colourings myself - I also made them rather small (to make it easier to eat many). But hey, what are summer holidays for if not for playing around with silly things like this?

 Punsch-roll:

• 100 grams butter 
• 1 dl icing sugar
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla essence
• 3 tablespoons of cacao powder
• ca 4 dl of cookie crumbles (I made crumbs of a small Victoria sponge)
• Flavour the batter with Punsh or Arrack essence 
• ca 200-250 grams of Marsipan
• 3 tablespoons of icing sugar
• 100 grams of milk chocolate

1. Stir together butter, sugar, vanilla and cacao powder.
2. Add the crumbs.
3. Add flavouring of your choice.
4. Shape into two long rolls (I had do more than two due to space restrictions).
5. Let rest in the fridge for a while.
6. Flatten the marsipan with a rolling pin, add the batter and roll together - cut into ca 4.cm long pieces.
7. Dip the ends in the melted chocolate and leave to set on baking paper.

  

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Sweet Pies are made of this

The berry season is, I know, usually at the end of the summer. But if you have them, eat them. Blueberries especially are a source of antioxidants and C-vitamins - and probably loads of other healthy stuff. By how much these healthy benefits are reduced however, when mixed in with a mass of sugar, flour and oats, I can't say, but who needs desserts to be healthy anyway? Let's eat!

 Blueberry pie (or tart, if you need the distinction)

• grams of blueberries
• 200 grams of butter
• 1 dl of Oats
• ca 3 dl of flour
• 1.5 dl of sugar

1. Melt the butter, and add the oats and sugar - let soak for a minute.
2. Add the flour, mix well until the batter if firm enough to be pressed out into a pie dish.
3. Pour in the blueberries! How much you need/want depends on how big a dish you use.
4. Sprinkle a little bit of oats and sugar on top - or even some cinnamon. 
5. Place in the oven, 175'C, for about 25-30 minutes. 

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Good Intentions

At the beginning of the year, and at the dawn of this blog, I had the noble intention to start making my own bread - regularly. Then the oven debacle with the notorious muffins happened, and my dream of delicious homemade bread flew out the window. As mentioned previously I no longer reside in that kitchen and therefore fresh, crunchy bread is back on the table! Literally.

I started with something simple and fool proof: mix the flour, some seeds and the yeast. Add lukewarm water and some oil (don't forget a pinch of salt - which I did - and maybe some sugar). Let it stand, somewhere warm, and then dive into the therapeutic process of kneading the dough for 15-ish minutes, mold into the form you want and then let it stand again, covered. Pop in the oven (250'C) until golden brown.

simple
easy
tasty :)

That is how I was taught to make bread - years ago now, in a land somewhat far from here. The process is familiar and makes one feel at home in a new kitchen. There will be more adventurous loafs of bread to come!

Poppy and Sesame seed Bread 

• 1 pint of strong white flour
• 7g dried fast action yeast
• 3 dl of water
• Poppy and sesame seeds
• salt (sugar)
• 1 tbs vegetable oil

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Chocolate Mocha Muffins

I have a bad track record with ovens and muffins to say to least. I moved into a new place so the natural thing to make - to test the oven - was muffins. I think it is safe to say that this oven is functioning just fine.

10 large muffins

• 1 egg
• 1,5 dl milk
• 0,5 dl veggie oil
• 0,75 dl sugar
• 5 dl flour
• 2 tbsp of cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 espresso
• 75 gr milk chocolate

1. Beat the egg and add milk and oil.
2. Mix sugar into the mixture and whisk until the grains have dissolved.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to the egg mix .
4. Finally add a cold espresso and the chocolate chips.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 200'C
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