More shortbread

Shortbread:

My Dad regards the jam thumbprint as the "Mac daddy" of all cookies! Filled with raspberry preserves and sometimes a covering of chopped almonds, the cookie has to have a tender crumb and a melt-in- your-mouth consistency. Savouring this simple confection can very well be your "saviour" to a "me moment."

Ingredients:

Half cup and 1 tbsp of organic sugar( Repunzel) or any sugar you desire. 8oz European unsalted butter. Beat these two ingredients until creamy and you no longer feel the sugar in the mixture. Add a pinch of kosher salt and 2 tsp vanilla( from Santo Domingo preferably). Sift together one and three quarter cup all purpose and a quarter cup corn starch and then fold this mixture into butter and sugar mixture. Do not over work. You can mix all you like but the minute you fold the flour into any mixture, the less you have to handle the dough! unless of course you are making bread where you want to develop the gluten! Roll into small balls, flatten a little and imprint a thumb print and fill with your favorite preserve. Bake at 350 for 25 mins or until you smell the aroma of the cookie. A good baker can tell when something is done just by that sense of smell!

Variation: Bake the cookies with the thumb print and when cool fill with melted Lindt chocolate.

Old fashioned farmhouse bar

This bar of soap has a special type of "feel" to it if you will. It is so smooth and I can either make it in an oatmeal, milk and honey fragrance or a fresh pure grapefruit fragrance. It has goats milk, shea butter, black seed oil....etc

Whenever I use this soap, I imagine myself in one of those old tubs in a " spaghetti western movie". Try it and you may just cross over into yesteryear!!

Nazarina.

Birds custard( pudding)

Hurrah! to the English for coming up with pudding. No need for a stiff upper lip here to enjoy that silky, smooth texture, just dig in and satisfy your salivation. Pudding will remain unostentatious but showy enough to compete with the creme brulee any day. This modest creation is comforting enough for a mere peasant to a pope!

Ladyfingers, birds custard, milk, vanilla, cream and chocolate are all the ingredients you need to make this smashing dessert.

This was my very first recipe that I "made up" years ago and people always want me to make it above all the other complicated dessets.

Baked butternut with a touch of brown sugar

As you have most probably noticed, I love almost all things caramelized and golden brown!

This is no exception! So easy peasy, just sprinkle butternut with a little brown sugar, "smear with some pounded fresh garlic, a little roasted bell pepper seeds and some cinnamon and a tiny bit of kosher salt and last but not least a pat of unsalted butter and bake in the oven until tender and brown. To serve, stuff the little cavity with some basmati and chives.

Nazarina

Stuffed jalapenos with a roasted poblano and corn soup

Soup will fix anything that ails ya! The crunch echoes in your ears when you bite into these cornmeal chillies!

Saute' one medium onion( small dice) with 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic, 1/4 c chopped red bell pepper and one tablespoon of olive oil until caramelized. Roast 2 poblanos with a pinch of kosher salt and a tablespoon of olive oil in the oven, until skins are blistered. Peel off the blackened skin, remove vein and seeds and set aside. Cut kernels of 3 ears of corn off the cob and add to onions and saute' further until corn is tender or you can use corn in the can. Blend a small can of creamed corn and add to this mixture as well.( this will thicken soup). Season with kosher salt to taste and then add about 1 cup of water or chicken stock and simmer for another 10 mins. Add the roasted poblanos and a bit of chopped cilantro and cook for another 10 mins. If you think the soup is too thick, then just add some more water.

I took the whole green chillies ( jalapenos) in the can and stuffed them with a sauteed mixture of panko, garlic, chopped red bell peppers, green onions.and chopped cilantro. Cool this panko mixture, add grated pepper jack and then stuff the chillies and close with tooth picks. Dust with some potato starch or flour, dip in beaten egg and then roll into corn meal or panko and shallow fry. These chillies would serve as the "croutons."

Garnish with chopped fresh tomato and a sprinkling of kosher salt.

For a gluten-free version: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes instead of panko.

Nazarina.

LJ and Don's story.

I'd like to say that I played a little part in the union and now the coming of the little one of LJ and Don. From the delicate white chocolate heavy whipping cream mousse frosting on the wedding cake and the making of the wedding bouquet to that same frosting on the baby shower cake and fondant bears and not forgetting the chocolate mousse frosting on the inside. It was indeed a nail biting long ride to the venues to deliver these cakes, but sooooo worth that feeling of accomplishment. As you know I did not attend a culinary school so I am not that elaborate with decorations, but I would hope to think that the mousse frosting would count for something!
Nazarina.

I piped a little baby " frill" around the edge. 11" by 15"

A fresh strawberry sauce accompanied this cake. Served 100 people.

Funny ski clip

Cape Malay Cooking! (Cape Town, my birth place)

Bridal soap favors

These bridal soaps has a lot of detail. Brides and bridesmaids love this quaint little gift!

Savon de marseilles

This was the very first bar of soap I made. Martha Stewart made this soap in a milk carton and it looked so luxurious and good for the skin that I decided to try the art of saponification. It has shea butter, olive oil, green clay .....etc. There was also a segment of her and her niece Sophie where the both of them were laughing uncontrollably. Her niece said to use a "hoe" to smooth the soap instead of pantyhose!

I have been making soap ever since and have about 40 different designs.

Nazarina.

My nephew's son, K.

Just like "Mannequin P.." in Brussels!

There is something about Florida and the whole Disney thing that just makes a guy goofy especially when you are from Colorado. I'll say it now, like I said it way back then that skiing is not my thing. On the other hand, the sun, surf, the swamp and not forgetting those real-life cartoons makes you feel uninhibited. So give me a break if I cannot wait for the bathroom! So little time, so much to see, makes a kid like me just wanna be freeee!

Nazarina.

To ski or to snowboard ?

I ski and my husband snowboards and we maintain that if you practically live in the backyard of the most popular ski resort then it would be a shame not to ride those majestic slopes. We go often either with family or friends or just by ourselves when nobody wants to venture out in the cold. I love when it snows because there is that extra soft blanket of snow to cushion your b.... when you wipe out!

Shortbread frangipane( almond cream) custard tart..

" Do not call me a tart?"

"Look at me, I have smooth almond cream with a decadent layer of custard and glossy red lipstick colored strawberries and please do not forget my angelic, sugary Halo."

So even though every body's lips are always on me, I am still ' the lady Baltimore' amongst all the other bourgeoisie of confections!

Nazarina.

Sea shell soaps

"She sells sea shells on the sandy sea-shore."

These soaps hang from a string of pearls and look exquisite in a beautiful ocean theme bathroom or just any bathroom for that matter. This soap is indicative of a luxury spa!

They are made from goats milk and essential oils and has all the butters and smell divine.

Nazarina.

Tuna frikadels(patties).

"Hierdie frikadele is baie lekker."

" Enigiemand wat nie met my saamstem nie, kommentaar asseblief" !

These tuna patties are loaded with sauteed onions, red bell peppers, garlic and ginger and then spices, panko, green onions and lemon zest....etc are added before it gets a quick sear and finished off in the oven. Accompanied by a Malaysian kerabu(vegetable slaw) and finally a homemade coconut, cilantro chutney. These ingredients are really inexpensive and the final product by no means cheap on taste.

Nazarina.

Makowiec( Polish coffee bread)

This may look like a familiar " ciastko kawowe" ( coffee bread) to you, but it in actuality it is very Polish. I learned how to make this yeast bread with a poppy seed filling and almonds because my husband is Polish and grew up with this delicacy. I do not make it too often, but when I do, he always says that he ( MIL'OS'E') loves it more than the one in Poland.

Do you think that he is only saying this because he would very much love to eat well for the rest of his life? You decide! LOL!

This segment is for you and your parents and the nostalgia of Poland !


Recipe:

Makowitch------- 3 c organic white bread flour.

½ teasp. Kosher salt

2 tablespoons Bakers sugar ( fine sugar)

2 pkts. Active dry Fleischmann’s yeast

½ c lukewarm milk + ¼ c lukewarm milk

1 egg lightly beaten

¼ c melted unsalted butter.

Flaked almonds

For the filling: 1 can ready poppy seed filling (bought at Target)

¼ c butter

½ c raisins

1 pkt sunmaid fruit bits

½ c ground almonds

½ teasp ground cinnamon

For the icing 1 c powdered sugar

1 tables. Lemon juice fresh

3 teasp. H2O

Method: cream the yeast by mixing with the lukewarm milk and the 1 tablesp. bakers sugar and let sit until you see the bubbles and frothy mixture. Sift flour, salt and place in the kitchen aid, add the remaining 1 tablesp. Bakers sugar, and mix on low with dough hook. add egg and melted butter, and the add the yeast mixture. I normally knead right in the kitchen aid for 10 mins with the dough hook of course. Let rise for 1- 11/2 until double in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with clear oiled film and a cloth. Meanwhile for the filling dump the poppy seed filling, the butter into a saucepan and cook 2 mins. until loose consistency, remove from heat and add the rest of ingredients and then cool. Knock back dough and roll out into big rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the filling onto dough within ¾ inch of the edges. Roll up the dough, starting by the long edge, tucking in the edges to seal. Place seam side down onto lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and leave to rise for 30 mins.or until double. Bake in preheat. Oven 375 degrees for 30 mins or until golden. Warm the ingredients of the icing gently and decorate like I did in the picture.

Nazarina.A

Pizza

From the unbaked pie to the baked cheesy gooey messy sauce and crispy crust. I make this with whole wheat flour and cake flour or A p flour and the sauce with good tomatoes, spices and herbs. As you can see from the pictures, the crust has an abundance of herbs in it as well and unlike other pizza crusts which are sometimes half eaten, mine are fought over and devoured up until the last crumb. The' pizza rolls' has the same sauce and grilled chicken on the inside. I decided to just put the mozzarella on the top of the rolls. ( It was a culinary error and I just' rolled' with it ever since.

Brunch delectables.

Sure I can dream of tropical beaches in this very frigid conditions .........in a glass that is! No reason not to have a party.

I am soooooooo! not a morning person! Every " so now and again" I have to spice up my morning with my " eternally alpine" smoothie ( Alpine indicative of up north and has boiled and blended almonds and pineapple as the more prominent ingredients ( hence the name) and also coconut milk, papaya, pineapple juice , banana, passion fruit and peaches ) and delectable filled pancakes ( which has mascarpone, strawberries, bananas etc....) I will either make one or the other never both on the same day because these are filling. When I have to cater a breakfast and people see these pancakes, they tell me that they never want to go back to boring, old doughnuts again!

Nazarina.

White chocolate, heavy cream frosting with dark chocolate inside

Birthday cake for:

Luke ( A "hardcore ski bum)

Nurie ( An aspiring one)

Goats milk and honey soap

"Goats milk and honey" bar is my favorite soap because I love the oats which does double duty ie: it exfoliates and makes the skin soft. This bar is loaded with shea butter, cocoa butter, honey, almond oil and goats milk.

Did Cleopatra really bathe in milk?

nazarina.

Tiramisu

This tiramisu has no liquor. It has mascarpone, heavy cream, layers of ladyfingers and dark chocolate and espresso etc.... It is not exactly a light dessert so easy does it! In fact all my desserts are not overly sweet. When a recipe calls for a cup of sugar, I normally would only use a third cup and use something like vanilla for that extra burst of flavor. I am extremely anal about small portions and sometimes this gets me in trouble. People normally want to "hog" the bowl! ( like Sara)

Nazarina.

Candles that look and smell like fruit drinks

Candle making is such fun! There is nothing like a little, soft, moody lighting to go with any occasion. My Clients love it when I make these whimsical conversation starters.

Nazarina.

Shrimp curry, savory basmati rice and papadoms

This is my son's favorite dish.

I am a complete food snob where this curry is concerned. This is "no curry in a hurry". Even though the shrimp is a quick cook the ingredients I prep for this dish is not. I roast the garlic, half of a lemon and orange or tangerine in the oven with a little olive oil and kosher salt and ultimately forms the basis of the sauce. The tomatoes has to be peeled and grated and the green onions should be a small dice. Of course cilantro, ginger root and my spices also join this party! Urad with black peppercorns ( papadoms) and a kachoomer are sometimes served alongside this flavorful dish. White rice is the color of choice but its my " party and I'll cook what I want to."

Nazarina

Tulips

These tulips are from my garden. When spring arrives, these tulips spring up just about everywhere and is almost like a celebration if you will after the long and cold winter. Tulips are extremely delicate and their blooming period ( no pun intended) is short lived. My Mom was an amazing florist and I on the other hand always learning and trying to measure up to her standard! I miss her help !

Nazarina.

Malaysian curry cottage pie

The little red polka dots on the cucumbers are sambal oelek( short, intermittent pangs of spicy pleasure !

Comfort food that will heat up any cold soul!

My onions are always caramelized before I add the chopped tomato, garlic and ginger. My garam masala mixture which consists of whole seeds that are roasted in the oven and then grounded eg. cumin, coriander, fennel, mustard seed, fenugreek, black pepper corns, methi seed and a little aniseed. The turmeric, masala and the cilantro are added and this lean ground beef curry mixture will gently cook until the gravy is rich and the meat tender!

The mash on top has to be creamy and golden brown. Normally one would serve kachoomer with this, but I wanted the cucumber salad with the guacamole hidden in the tomato instead.

Nazarina.

Baby soap

My passion for soap-making is indescribable. Yes I am actually at a loss for words. Hard to believe is it not? I could "potter around" in my studio for hours making all these different designs and I never tire. I have several different kinds of essential oils, butters and fragrances and still adding to the collection. Homemade soap is by far a good thing!

Nazarina.

Jogging: Love that fresh air

I run almost every morning around a pond quite close to my house. Well, this morning I reached for the bread but the cupboard was bare so I reached for the panko breadcrumbs instead to feed the geese. Unfortunately, I slipped on some geese " poo" and went flying into the frigid water. Some guys came by to my rescue, but found it difficult to contain their laughter! Somehow I felt that their apology was not sincere but thanked them anyway. Were the geese really worth all this?

Nazarina.

A man and his garden

The only other man I knew that was so passionate about a garden was my Dad. Now I see this same love for nature in my husband. From small beginnings, where the seeds are sown to enjoying the fruits of his labor. Last summer alone he planted eight hazelnut trees. We live off this garden every summer. The winters are far too harsh for anything to survive so we transfer the whole "kit and kaboodle" to our sun room. The trees and other flora that has to stay outside normally bears the vicious onslaught of the snow and wind.
Lo and behold! when spring rolls around, signs of growth would feebly peek through the remnants of the soft snow and try to make its presence known, very much like me!


An organic garden:

This garden is absolutely organic! All the fruit and vegetable wastes that come from my kitchen goes into this garden and even eggshells all serve as compost. My husband waters this garden everyday with just a few drops and this tiny bit of moisture and his love and patience and not forgetting the sun is by far better than any chemical out there. Life is one fast roller coaster, so from time to time get off it and plant a few, because gardening will slow you" way the heck down".

Nazarina.

These tomatoes are the bomb! They splatter in your face when you bite into them!

Potato and tomato layer bakes

The unbaked version of a floury potato and tomato layer bakes.

The tomatoes and chives were sown and harvested by my husband with so much TLC. These tomatoes were the bomb! They were so juicy, so much so, that when you bit into it, it splattered all over your face! The tomato is by far my favorite, but then again I cannot be trusted because I am a slut.....a food slut that is! I cannot be faithful to just one man, I mean, vegetable.

This dish was a labor of love, the stacking of all the layers was laborious but then I always say that nothing is worth having without a little bit of effort and a culinary vision!

The end result was nothing short of my expectations - It was crispy, golden brown and oh! so .................satisfying!

Sorry! you are most probably saying, "where are the tomatoes?" My response," it was devoured before I could take a picture of one measly wedge. So you are just going to have to trust me!

Nazarina.

Zucchini rolls and vegetarian lasagna

The double feature here is the zucchini.

The zucchini flesh is hollowed out, sauteed with garlic, red bells, green onions, then cooled, mixed with a little panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan and stuffed back into the "tubes" and then baked. The dish is garnished with a spicy yellow bell pepper sauce and basil and pine nut pesto.

The lasagna is made with won tons instead of pasta, and the layers consist of zucchini, peas and Parmesan. I was really not into zucchini until I made it work for me with all these interesting sauces!

Nazarina and E

Me and my sweetie

People ask me why do you look the way that you do? What is the secret?

My answer: Just lots and lots of.......................Oregano( said with a very English accent! LOL! ( O---rie----gaa--no)

No seriously, I am going to let you"ll out there be the protagonist in this "story" and fill in the blanks, and never for one moment stifle your imagination.

Nazarina.

Strawberry extravaganza: tastes like strawberry & chocolate ice cream

My original design!

A little mascarpone, whipping cream and white chocolate went into the making of this strawberry mousse that covers this cake. So there is no additional sugar in this mousse. It feels light, airy and an absolute overload of fresh strawberry taste!




I am sure you did not expect this checkerboard design on the inside!





Oetker strawberry mousse with white and dark choc. whipping cream frosting.

Oooooh! la! la! mon ami.
let me wrap my quivering lips around thee,
and gracefully drown in your sensuality!


Okay, so my French is not something to be desired for and hopefully no Frenchman was insulted during the making of my pink dessert.So I am going to say it in Afrikaans and say ( "Hierdie koek is ryk en lekker".)
Nazarina.



I made this napkin by using a rubber stamp and acrylic paint and there is milk in the rose-colored glass.



The recipe for my "Strawberry extravaganza" is as follows:

Please use organic ingredients whenever possible.

• 1 c unsalted European butter( room temp)
• 11/4 c sugar
• 4 Egglands best eggs
• 1 T vanilla( I use the one from Santo Domingo)
• 2 T baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 4 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 c milk
• 1/2 c fresh strawberry coolie( just blend strawberries with a little water and 1 T sugar)
• 5 oz dark chocolate
• 1 t Dutch cocoa
• 1 T Oetker strawberry mousse( save the rest for the frosting)

Melt chocolate over hot water and set aside to cool slightly. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy and pale yellow. Add vanilla and then the eggs one at a time and incorporate. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and alternate by adding the flour mixture and the milk in three parts. Divide the batter in half and fold in the melted chocolate and the cocoa to the one half. In the other half fold in the mousse and the coolie.

Baking the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake this cake in a 9 and 3/4 inch checkerboard cake pan set. Grease the three cake pans and line with parchment. I normally use the Wilton cake release.

Grease and then place the tri- sectioned batter divider into one pan and then pour the chocolate batter in the inner and outer rings. Pour the strawberry batter into the middle ring. Make sure to pour batter so that the pans are half full Remove the divider gingerly by the edges, lifting straight up and then wash and dry the divider. Prepare the second pan exactly as the first one. For the third pan, wash the divider again, grease and position and then alternate the colors by pouring the strawberry batter into the inner and outer sections and the chocolate batter in the middle and then remove the divider. Bake the layers for 25 mins. or until a skewer comes out clean- place skewers in the middle of cake to check for doneness. Cool cakes in pans on racks for 10 mins. Cakes will retract slightly and then invert onto parchment paper.

Assembling:

NB. You can use any frosting and decorations you like, just make sure you use a thin layer of frosting between layers so as not to upset the checkerboard effect! I made sure to decorate the cake with lots of strawberries and melted dark chocolate.

I used the brand Oetker mousse ( strawberry and chocolate) to ice my cake and just made each box by following the directions on the box but just using 1/2 c of milk instead of 1 c as stated on their box. I also whipped up some heavy whipping cream and folded a little into the Oetker mousse dessert mix to lighten it. A little melted white chocolate and mascarpone went into the strawberry mousse and a little melted dark chocolate went into the chocolate mousse as well and in so doing amplified that rich chocolate taste. I put the chocolate in between the layers and the strawberry on the outside as you can see in my picture.

When cool, stack the cakes so that the outside colors alternate and to ultimately achieve the checkerboard effect.

* Being above 5,000 ft above sea level, I constantly test recipes because of the altitude. One has to improvise and manipulate the ingredients until the end result turns out to be spectacular. So make a recipe your own, even if you have to do it many times over to achieve the result that gives you pleasure. Nothing is worth having without a little perseverance and a culinary vision

Enjoy! because we certainly did!

Nazarina A