É de pequenino que se torce o pepino, imaginem quando tiver mais idade...

It is little that twists the cucumber, imagine when you're older ... (?!?!?) 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0z10vQ-RD0&feature=related

Why Should We Let Kids Bake Cookies?

Letting kids bake cookies is only natural because they are loyal supporters of these yummy treats. Besides, cookies are the easiest of all baked goods to prepare, and kids learn so many practical lessons by making them.

•Baking is an ideal exercise in time management, organization, responsibility. Speaking from experience, cookies bake quickly and will burn miserably if a baker neglects to watch his/her oven and its temperature. Good organization reduces preparation time and makes cleaning up a breeze.

•School aged children, especially those in elementary and middle schools, are comfortable with concrete ideas, situations, or examples. Therefore, letting your kids bake cookies is an effective way for them to familiarize with basic mathematical concepts such as fractions, conversion, measurement, etc.

•When kids bake, they have less time to passively watch television. Baking cookies is a constructive and proactive way for them to socialize.

•Baking together teaches kids the value of teamwork. The ultimate reward is sweetest and most delicious when everyone participates and shares the work equally.

•Baking encourages creativity and gives kids a real sense of accomplishment. When kids bake pressed or spritz cookies, wafer cookies, even rolled or cut-out cookies, they have fun and develop manual dexterity at the same time.

Homemade Animal Cookies

When making these animal cookies, you need cookie cutters or templates of your favorite animals. If you don’t own any ready-made animal shaped cutters, feel free to let your imagination and artistic talent guide you in making your own animal templates.

The next step is to gather the following ingredients:

All purpose flour 2 cups
Baking powder 1 tsp
Salt ½ tsp
Ground cinnamon ½ tsp
Granulated sugar ½ cup
Brown sugar, packed ½ cup
Unsalted butter, softened ½ cup or 1 stick
Vanilla extract 1 tsp 
Egg 1 large

•Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

•Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon together thoroughly. Set the mixture aside for later use.

•Cream softened butter until light, then add sugars (both granulated and brown). Continue creaming at medium speed until the mixture is fluffy.

•Add egg and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly.

•Add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. At this point, if dough is too soft to handle, cover and refrigerate it for 2 hours or until firm.

•When you are ready to bake, roll dough out to about ¼-inch thick. Use cookie cutters or templates to cut out your favorite animals.

•Bake for about 10 minutes or until cookie edges are golden brown. Transfer animal cookies to wire racks to cool.

Bom apetite!

Plantel oferece bolo de aniversário a Mourinho

Os jogadores do plantel do Real Madrid ofereceram esta quinta-feira um bolo de aniversário a José Mourinho durante o treino na cidade desportiva de Valdebebas.

Os capitães Casillas e Sergio Ramos fizeram as honras da casa e o técnico, que festeja hoje os 49 anos, agradeceu-lhes calorosamente.

Sabem como fazer um bolo de aniversario bem simples?

É uma Grande Prenda, especialmente quando feita por nós:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLPENdEwALc

Bom Apetite!

Doce Preferido do José Mourinho “No Reino Unido popularizou-se a alcunha de "The Special One", em Itália de "Lo Speciale" e em Espanha de "El Especial".”

Azevias ou Coscorões com Batata-doce:

A Massa das Azevias ou Coscorões:

250 g de Farinha Nacional
2 colheres de sopa de manteiga
2 colheres de sopa de azeite,
Sal, q.b.
0,5 dl de água
2 c. Sopa de aguardente
Sumo e raspa de 1 laranja grande

Peneire  a farinha e coloque-a sobre a bancada. Faça um buraco no meio e aos poucos vá adicionando os restantes ingredientes. Amassar muito bem e quando ganhar a textura desejada estender com o rolo da massa.

Recheio de Batata-doce:

Cozer a batata-doce (3/4 conforme o tamanho)  com casca. Depois desfazer bem até ficar em puré e adicionar 3 gemas e a amêndoa ralada. Entretanto levar ao lume o açúcar (a gosto) e um pouco de água até ganhar ponto.

Quando passarem 8m +- adicionar o puré e deixar engrossar, mexendo sempre para não pegar.

No fim polvilhar com canela e raspa de laranja.

Depois da massa pronta toca a rechear, a cortar e a fritar. Passe por açúcar e canela e já está.

Para os Coscorões usei  a mesma massa mas sem recheio. Cortei pequenas tiras de massa, fritei  e passei por mel ainda quente.

Boa sorte ao Treinador José Mourinho

Bom apetite!

Sabem como ganhar uma Estrela Michelin? Então eu vou ensinar, como fazer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzBre0GTJsQ&feature=related

Calculam quantos Restaurantes Portugueses é que têm pelo menos uma Estrela Michelin ou até duas?

Estrelas Michelin 2012: Conheça os 12 restaurantes portugueses!

Estão, oficialmente, anunciados os nomes dos restaurantes portugueses galardoados com as cobiçadas estrelas Michelin.

No total, são 12 restaurantes distinguidos, dois dos quais com duas estrelas. O The Ocean (Lagoa), liderado pelo chef austríaco Hans Neuner subiu um patamar e alcançou a segunda estrela. O restaurante, localizado na unidade hoteleira Vila Vita Parc Hotel tinha, em 2011, sido eleito o melhor restaurante português ao conquistar o Garfo de Platina, atribuído pelo Guia Boa Cama Boa Mesa, do jornal Expresso.

Por sua vez, o restaurante Vila Joya, também no Algarve, mais precisamente, em Albufeira, manteve as duas estrelas Michelin, graças ao trabalho do carismático chef Dieter Koschina, que desde 1999 mantém a distinção.

Para 2012, surgem na lista dos melhores restaurantes portugueses duas novidades e uma saída. Assim, o chef José Cordeiro conquistou a primeira estrela Michelin para o seu Feitoria, no Altis Belém Hotel & Spa, em Lisboa (vencedor de Grafo de Ouro em 2011), enquanto, a norte, em Vila Nova de Gaia, o restaurante The Yeatman, liderado por Ricardo Costa, também vai ostentar uma estrela Michelin. Refira-se que ambos os chefes trabalharam na Casa da Calçada, em Amarante, onde tinham sido distinguidos com uma estrela Michelin.

Com uma estrela Michelin mantém-se, para 2012, os restaurantes Henrique Leis (Almancil), São Gabriel (Almancil), Largo do Paço - Casa da Calçada (Amarante), Fortaleza do Guincho (Cascais), Arcadas - Quinta das Lágrimas (Coimbra),  Il Gallo d’Oro (Funchal), Tavares (Lisboa), agora com Aimé Barroyer no lugar de José Avillez, e Willie’s (Vilamoura).

E Mais! 

Guia Boa Cama Boa Mesa: Areias do Seixo e The Ocean vencem em 2011!
International Gourmet Festival: Estrelas Michelin brilham no Algarve e em Lisboa!

Bom apetite!

Ingredients

175 g / 6 oz butter, softened

Plus extra for greasing

200 g / 7 oz golden caster sugar

3 eggs, beaten

225 g / 8 oz self-raising flour, sifted

125 ml / 4 fl oz strong black coffee

Chocolate-covered coffee beans, to decorate

Frosting

125 ml / 4 fl oz milk

125 g / 4½ oz butter

3 tbsp golden caster sugar

650 g / 1 lb 7 oz icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC / 350ºF/Gas Mark 4, then grease and base-line two 20 cm / 8 inch sponge tins. Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, and then fold in the flour and coffee. Divide the batter between the prepared tins and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until well risen and springy when pressed in the center. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out and peel off the lining paper. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
2. To make the frosting, put the milk and butter into a saucepan, place over a low heat, and stir until the butter has melted. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. Place the caster sugar in a separate, heavy-based saucepan and place over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and turns a golden caramel. Remove from the heat and stir in the warm milk mixture. Return to the heat and stir until the caramel dissolves.

Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the icing sugar, beating until the frosting is a smooth spreading consistency. Join the cakes together with some of the frosting and spread the rest over the top and sides. Decorate with chocolate-covered coffee beans.

Bom apetite!

Ingredients

Serves 8

Butter, for greasing

200 g / 7 oz self-raising flour

¼ tsp baking powder

4 tbsp cocoa powder

100 g / 3 oz caster sugar

2 eggs

2 tbsp golden syrup

150 ml / 5 fl oz corn oil

150 ml / 5 fl oz milk

Filling

1 tsp instant coffee

1 tbsp boiling water

300 ml / 10 fl oz double cream

2 tbsp icing sugar

To decorate

50 g / 1 ¾ oz plain chocolate,

Grated

Chocolate caraque

Icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC / 350ºF / Gas Mark 4. Lightly grease three 18 cm / 7 inch cake tins.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into a large bowl, and then stir in the sugar. Make a well in the centre and stir in the eggs, golden syrup, oil and milk. Beat with a wooden spoon, gradually mixing in the dry ingredients to make a smooth batter. Divide the mixture between the thin.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until springy to the touch. Leave to stand in the thin for 5 minutes, then turn out and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the filling, dissolve the instant coffee in the boiling water and place in a large bowl with the cream and icing sugar. Whip until the cream is just holding its shape, then use half the cream to sandwich the three cakes together. Spread the remaining cream over the top and sides of the cake. Press the grated chocolate into the cream round the edge of the cake. Transfer the cake to a serving plate. Lay the chocolate caraque over the top of the cake. Cut a few thin strips of baking paper and place on top of the chocolate caraque. Dust lightly with icing sugar, then carefully remove the paper and serve.

Bom apetite!

A pedido de inumeros UK falantes:

Coffee & Walnut Cake

Ingredients

Serves 8

175 g / 6 oz unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

175 g / 6 oz light muscovado sugar

3 large eggs, beaten

3 tbsp strong black coffee

175 g / 6 oz self-raising flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

115g / 4 oz walnut pieces walnut halves, to decorate

Frosting

115 g / 4 oz unsalted butter

200 g / 7 oz icing sugar

1 tbsp strong black coffee

½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4. Grease and base-line two 20 cm / 8 inch sandwich tins.
2. Cream together the butter and muscovado sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Beat in the coffee.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture, and then fold in lightly and evenly with a metal spoon. Fold in the walnut pieces.
4. Divide the mixture between the prepared cake tins and smooth level. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and springy to the touch. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
5. For the frosting, beat together the butter, icing sugar, coffee and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and creamy.
6. Use about half the mixture to sandwich the cakes together, then spread the remaining frosting on top and swirl with a palette knife. Decorate with walnut halves.

Bom apetite!