February's new dish: Carrot cookies with coconut

This month I decided to experiment with carrots. I also made a carrot cake but I think the recipe still could be improved, so I am going to find another variety, before I make a blog post about it.
Ta-daam! I found this super easy recipe for carrot cookies. You probably have all you need already, and if not, all the ingredients could be found at any supermarket around. These cookies turned out really delicious, and what is great about them is that carrots are actually good for you! (just don't overeat) ;)))))


RECIPE for Carrot cookies with coconut:

Products:
    4 big carrots
    100g melted butter
    3 t.sp. oil
    1 cup of sugar
    1 egg
    1 vanilla
    salt
    1 sp. mix of spices - cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg
    1/2 cup coconut flakes
    2 cups flour
    1 sp. baking powder

For the glaze:
    juice from 1 small mandarin
    2-3 t.sp. powder sugar

Preparation:

1. We clean and wash the carrots and then we cut them into rings. We cook them in hot water until they feel tender enough to be mashed. We cool them down with cold water, and then mash them finely with a fork or potato press.
2. After that, we take a bowl and mix the egg with sugar. Pour butter and oil and add the carrot puree. Season the mixture with the spice mix, vanilla and salt.
3. Pour the coconut and mix. Finally, add the flour previously sifted with the baking powder. In order to prepare the whole recipe you don't need to use a mixer. Domestic stirrer or spoon would do great.
4. Finally, we cover the tray with baking paper, and we use a spoon to make small piles of the mixture on it, having in mind we need to leave enough space between them so they don't touch each other. 
5. The recipe instructed to bake the cookies in preheated 170 * oven for 10-15 minutes or until nicely golden, but in my oven it actually took a little longer, so I guess you have to just look for the golden crown.
6. To prepare the glaze, you need to mix the mandarin juice with the powdered sugar. You need to determine the density by your own taste, so you could add juice or sugar as you please. The glaze should be good spill, but still remained on the surface. Mine actually went down the cookie, but still did its magic.
7. It would be best if you pour the glaze while the cookies are still warm so it dries much faster.
You can garnish with fresh shavings of fresh carrots and sprinkle with a little powdered sugar. 
 Source: Yoli (рецепта на български език)

I encourage you to try these at home and share with friends and family. I hope you like it!
February down, ten more to go! :D

 
 Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

January's new dish: Kurkuda soup

There is a number 11 on my list of Resolutions 2012, and it is there to make me try and cook something new at least once a month. You know having the same food for long periods of time can only lead to not cooking them in the next 3-5 years, depending on the variety of meals you usually make. We don't want that, because we love that food, don't we? Here's the first new dish I did in January 2012...

Kurkuda soup is a typical Bulgarian soup, and it is exclusively made in the area of my hometown and the surrounding towns and villages, north Bulgaria. Our grandmothers are proud to pass their recipes forward to us so we keep traditions as they should be - eternal.

If you are a fan of sour cabbage and pork this is a must-try, definitely! Before I start with the recipe, I just want to note that this is my grandma's recipe and it may slightly differ form the recipes of other families, but this is the charm of it.

RECIPE for Kurkuda Soup

Products:

    500g pork meat

    4-5 leaves sour cabbage, pickled home-style

    1 onion

    1 carrot

    salt, pepper, savory

    2 s.f. canned tomato juice

    1l water /could be mixed with some sour juice from the cabbage if you wish for a more intense sour taste/

Preparation:

1. Fill a pot with water and put it on the hot-plate until it boils. Do not add oil, because the meat is going to extract some by itself later on.

2. While the water is heating up, chop the onion, the cabbage leaves, and the meat in small pieces.

3.  When the water boils, add the chopped products altogether and let them cook for a while.

4. Add the spices, and try the soup occasionally in the course, so you know if it needs more salt or sour cabbage juice and add it accordingly.

5. When the meat changes it's color, you can now add 2 spoon-fulls of tomato juice and the carrot. Let it cook.

6.  In the end you can thicken the soup by adding a beaten egg, flour etc., but this is not mandatory. I like it clear, so I missed the last step.

Tip: I added just a little bit of some really hot spice I have, and the soup got a chilli taste, but when it's hot and served with bread and black pepper powder it is the best cold-fighter, I promise!

The whole cooking process took me no longer than an hour, I guess, but it is really simple to make and so delicious to eat. I hope you like the recipe, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will do my best to help you.

Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

PS: January down, eleven more to go.

Day 188: Oh...de...Cologne!

The town of Cologne is a charm. It is a place worth seeing, tasting, experiencing. I visit Cologne for work every now and then, and even though I have a hard time walking at the end of the day, I love going out for dinner. So far I've found a few places I can recommend. This last time I was staying in a pretty central location which saved me some hurtful walking in high-heels (I know, it was stupid, but they just feel so nice at first...). That's why I went straight into the first couple of places that caught my eyes. All of them are on the left side of the Dom Cathedral in the heart of Cologne.

My first recommendation goes to....Früh am Dom! This is an authentic German style restaurant, where they bring you draft beer as soon as you are seated even though you didn't ask for it....they just know you eventually are going to ;) That's a place where you can see a guy carry around more than 20 beers in a metal kind of tray made especially for that purpose. Amusing :))) Food is great, too, by the way :D

Second recommendation goes to............Chicago Steak House! Friendly staff, friendly atmosphere, friendly customers....all in all - friendly place! Steaks are delicious, deserts are worth a try as well :)))

My third and last tips go to................Barrios! A Spanish-style cocktail bar that saved me from getting a cold by serving me a warm and oh-so-nice potato soup and tacos with cheese...of course, Spanish wine included! I like this place a lot, maybe because of my endless affiliation to Spain and all things Spanish, or because of the warm feeling I got as soon as I entered the place. I just like it so much that I wanted to take it back in a suitcase and put it somewhere in Sofia so I can go whenever I feel like it.

Oh...de...Cologne!

Oh.....and I almost forgot....Oh HARIBO ♥

Nokia E72: Photos 1, 7, 9
Nikon D60, 18-55mm: Photos 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8

Day 186: Tikvenburg

My hometown is just lovely. For so many different reasons.

This time I have in mind the annual fall fair in town in the middle of October. Since my hometown's symbol is the pumpkin (in Bulgarian tikva), we cherish it so much that we celebrate with a carnival, with artistic exhibitions, as well as a culinary show, of course, made with the use of pumpkin. Everyone, from kindergarten children to grown ups get involved in all the preparations. It feels like the community here is quite united compared to other parts of Bulgaria. Lucky Sevlievo :)))

It is so beautiful to come back home in autumn and have a little feast, do a little chit-chat with old friends, and simply enjoy your time.

Here's a bit of Tikvenburg 2011. Next year if you wonder what to do in the middle of October you might want to consider a trip to Sevlievo, and celebrate with the people there. They sure know how to make one at home :))))))

Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

Day 174: Days of summer...Blueberry-Pistachio Cheesecake!

Say cheeeeese!

Now, say cheeeeeesecake! And say no more :)

I made my very own first trial on the making of a cheesecake a couple of weeks ago. And it was surprising even to myself when everyone who tried it said "whoa!" I started the preparation at about 10p.m. one night and finished it after midnight, because it was my gift for my grandma's birthday the next morning. I'm such a last-minute person sometimes, I know!

The recipe was borowed from Yoli 's fantastic cooking blog, and I adjusted it to my own taste and the available products at hand. I used blueberry jam for the top coat and I also added some dried blueberries I have from Detelina, that serve me in situations of sugar emergency and this time they really added up to the taste. I couldn't find Ricotta cheese at the local store so I substituted it with Philadephia cheese instead, and I also allowed myself to add some raw pistachio nuts for the biscuit bottom layer. It turns out it's not such a complicated thing making a cheesecake, I have no idea why I didn't try making it before, but anyone out there contemplating on that I would strongly encourage you - JUST TRY!

I am making some more once I get back with time in my watch and space in my fridge :))))))))

Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

Day 161: Hotalich sunsets

I've never been much of a landscaper, but this doesn't mean I don't admire a nice view, quite the contrary actually. I just find it hard to recreate what my eyes encounter in a sunset landscape..
Last week we climbed up to the old town of Hotalich nearby Sevlievo, north Bulgaria. Archeologists have excavated the area and among the things they found are dwellings and fort gates, as well as an old church and tower.
Even if you are not that much into archeology and history you would still enjoy this place because of the wonderful views and sunsets you can witness from up there.

For more information search on Hotalich Fortress.

Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

Day 155: Sivcho

Pretty isn't he? :)))))
This is the most sociable and huggable kitten I've met :) Not afraid of the camera...like at all!

Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

Day 154: Roses are pink...

I remember admiring photos of this type when I was younger. They would appear on notebooks for school, on photo album covers, or just on romantic postcards. I should sit and apply some texture techniques on some of these and see what happens...oh well, when I find the time!

Nikon D60, 18-55.

Day 153: Roses are white...

Roses, apart form everything else, look fabulous under the rain. It's as if they are having a day at the spa with a hydration therapy all free of charge :)) I know flowers are trivial and girly, but I still enjoy photographing them.
Look forward to more of these in the following posts.

Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

Day 141: Yoana

A month ago I met Yoana. She is sweet, smart, enthusiastic, happy, and adorable. She is also my boyfriend's favorite little girl. I realized that the moment I saw her running towards him for a hug. It's so obvious with those two :)))
I love the sincerity in her every word, look, and gesture.
Looking forward to seeing her in a year, when she comes back to Bulgaria a year taller, smarter, sweeter, and probably a tiny bit more English :))

Last photo was taken by Misho.

Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

Day 139: Bunny in the grass

If you live in a place where bunnies jump undisturbed in the grass around, you must be living in a good place.

Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

Day 137: Sunday bliss

If only all Sundays could look like that...
This place reminded me so much of my old village that it made my soul cry.
Sharing my Sunday bliss with you, hoping you find a place close to your heart if not every Sunday, at least every once in a while..

Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

Day 135: Tulip with an attitude

To all the red tulips out there.
Be different. Get an attitude. Grow some thorns. Make some noise. Walk away with pride. Don't just be a red tulip. Be a red tulip with an attitude!

Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

Day 134: Lazy Sunday, Lazy Monday

I shot this photo on Sunday, but it applies to Monday as well, since it feels like Sunday all day anyway.. ;)
Today was lazy with a capital L...And I think I was not all alone.
Sundays should be twice a week. I know you're all thumbs up ;)

Happy Lazy Monday!

Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

Day 130: Happy birthday, Misho!

A very special happy birthday to my very special boyfriend! :)))))
To many more cheers, hugs, smiles, adventures, kisses, and not so many misses! ♥♥♥

Day 89 - Joy of ♥ 24: where

Here comes the next one... It's asking where did we first meet, or fell in love with each other. That's hard to tell, first of all, because we come from the same place and we practically have known each other forever. And second of all, it's too hard to determine where and when exactly did we feel those so called butterflies...and maybe too personal to tell aloud ;)

That's why I am attaching a photo of the two of us from Christmas at home in 2008 when we actually met in the real sense of the word, and according to me - we spoke for the first time =D It's been a long journey since then, with ups and downs along the way, but somehow it feels like everything that happened, happened for a reason.

A long story told short.

Author of photo: unknown. (but most probably it's George?! :D)

P.S. Ignore the sober guy behind, he's just a totally different story I'll tell some other time :D

Day 61 - Always Coca-Cola

And this is how you write Coca-Cola in Arabic ;)


Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

Day 60 - Very cherry

Spotted in Marrakesh as well :)
Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

Day 58 - Le Souk, Marrakesh

Shopaholics, use with care :D

A place to bargain in, to taste, smell and feel.
And be careful, with words and gestures. Prices can go down from 250dh to 60dh if you have the guts ;)

Le Souk, Marrakesh, Morocco, June 2010

Nikon D60, 18-55mm.
Marrakesh, Morocco, June 2010

Day 57 - Dee Tourist

Last summer I went to Marrakesh and I have tons of pretty colorful photos to share, so be prepared to see more ;)

This photo is from that same trip, and it's my friend Dee, who's always hungry, and when I say always, I mean it :D

She just got back from Japan and last week landed in Rio, and I am just curious to see her next destination...oh, and she's a great photographer herself!

So, here's Dee Tourist in Marrakesh :)) Misses and kisses!