Bacon and Mushroom Pie // Tarte de Bacon e Cogumelos

Here's my suggestion for today: a bacon and mushroom pie: Ingredients: 1 package of puff pastry olive oil 150g bacon 200g mushrooms 3 padrón peppers (chopped) 1 onion 1 garlic clove 1 cube of Knorr vegetable stock 200g cream 3 eggs 2 tablespoons of chopped chives  nutmeg (to taste) salt and pepper (to taste) In a frying pan, cook the bacon in olive oil. Add the onion and the garlic clove and cook until the onion is soft. Add the mushrooms, the padrón peppers and the Knorr cube. After a couple of minutes, take from the heat and reserve. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC. Beat the cream and the eggs. Season with the chives, the nutmeg, the salt and the pepper. Cover a round baking tray with the puff pastry (poke a couple of holes with the help of a fork). Spread the mushroom mixture, and finally pour the cream mixture. Let it bake in the oven for 30 minutes to 180ºC. You can serve the pie hot or cold (I prefer it hot, though). Enjoy!

Aqui fica a minha sugestão para hoje: uma tarte de bacon e cogumelos: Ingredientes: 1 embalagem de massa folhada azeite 150g de bacon 200g de cogumelos 3 pimentos padrón 1 cebola 1 dente de alho 1 cubo Knorr de caldo de vegetais 200g de natas de culinária 3 ovos 2 colheres de sopa de cebolinho picado noz moscada (a gosto) sal e pimenta (a gosto) Numa frigideira, cozinhem o bacon em azeite. Adicionem a cebola e o alho e cozinhem até a cebola amolecer. Adicionem os cogumelos, os pimentos padrón e o cubo Knorr. Depois de alguns minutos, retirem do lume e reservem. Pré-aqueçam o forno a 180ºC. Batam as natas e os ovos. Temperem com o cebolinho, a noz moscada, o sal e a pimenta. Cubram uma forma redonda com a massa folhada (façam furos com a ajuda de um garfo). Espalhem a mistura de cogumelos, e finalmente vertam a mistura de natas. Deixem cozer no forno durante 30 minutos a 180ºC. Poder servir a tarte quente ou fria (eu prefiro-a quente). Bom apetite!

Almond Pie // Tarte de Amêndoa

This was one of the first recipes I published. One of my fondest childhood memories. As I look outside the balcony and try to make out the contour of the trees in the fog, I come to the conclusion that this pie is definitely going to be my best friend during the next few days. Ingredients: 100g sugar 2 eggs 200g flour 125g margarine Cream: 100g sugar 125g margarine 150g almond (sliced) 4 tablespoons milk Beat the sugar and the eggs. Slowly add the flour and the margarine. Spread the mixture in a baking pan (greased with margarine) with a removable bottom. While it bakes in the oven for 15 minutes to 170ºC, prepare the cream. In a saucepan over medium heat melt the margarine and the sugar. Add the milk and finally the almond. When the cream thickens remove from heat. Coat the pie base with the almond cream and let it bake for about 10 to 12 minutes - until the almonds become golden. Enjoy!

Esta foi uma das primeiras receitas que publiquei. Uma das melhores memórias da minha infância. Enquanto olho pela varanda e tento descortinar o contorno das árvores no nevoeiro, chego à conclusão que esta tarte vai mesmo ser a minha melhor amiga nos próximos dias. Ingredientes: 100g açúcar 2 ovos 200g farinha 125g margarina Creme: 100g açúcar 125g margarina 150g amêndoa (fatiada) 4 colheres de sopa de leite Batam o açúcar e os ovos. Lentamente juntem a farinha e a margarina. Espalhe, a mistura numa forma com fundo amovível (barrada com margarina). Enquanto coze no forno durante 15 minutos a 170ºC, preparem o creme. Numa caçarola a lume médio derretam a margarina e o açúcar. Juntem o leite e finalmente a amêndoa. Quando o creme engrossar retirem do lume. Cubram a base da tarte com o creme de amêndoa e deixem cozer durante cerca de 10 a 12 minutos - até a amêndoa dourar. Bom apetite!

Apple Pie // Tarte de Maçã

Everybody seems to have their own special apple pie recipe. Here's mine; and maybe one day it will be yours, too. // Have a sweet week! I'll be looking forward to the end of mine - and not just because of that beautiful #TGIF feeling, but because I'm heading to Lisbon for a few days of holidays. I promise to post some photos of it on Instagram and Facebook. Ingredients: 3 apples 200g flour 140g sugar 3 eggs 100g margarine 1/2 dessert spoon baking powder 2 tablespoons quince jelly for spreading Peel and cut the apples in thin slices. Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder. Add the margarine and the eggs and mix it well. Pour the mixture in a tart pan, previously greased and floured. Fill the top with the apple slices. Bake in the oven to 180ºC for about 40 minutes. After it is done, heat 2 tablespoons of quince jelly so it melts, and spread it over the pie, to give it a beautiful shine. Enjoy!

Toda a gente parece ter a sua própria receita de tarte de maçã. Aqui fica a minha; talvez um dia também venha a ser vossa. // Tenham uma doce semana! Vou andar ansiosa pelo fim da minha - e não só por causa daquela bela sensação #TGIF, mas porque vou passar uns dias de férias a Lisboa. Prometo publicar algumas fotos da minha viagem no Instagram e no Facebook. Ingredientes: 3 maçãs 200g farinha 140g açúcar 3 ovos 100g margarina 1/2 colher sobremesa de fermento em pó 2 colheres de sopa de geleia de marmelo para barrar Descasquem e cortem as maçãs em fatias finas. Misturem a farinha, o açúcar e o fermento em pó. Juntem a margarina e os ovos e mexam bem. Deitem a mistura numa forma para tartes, previamente untada com margarina e polvilhada com farinha. Preencham o topo com as fatias de maçã. Levem ao forno a 180ºC durante cerca de 40 minutos. Depois de estar pronta, aqueçam 2 colheres de sopa de geleia de marmelo para que derreta, e espalhem-na por cima da tarte, para lhe dar brilho. Bom apetite!

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Chicken and Rice Pot Pie // Empadão de Frango e Arroz

And the cold is back. Facing it with a nice and warm chicken and rice pot pie, we are. The force is strong with this one. Ingredients: 3 chicken breasts (shredded) leftover cooked rice (about 200g) - I used the wonderful Orivárzea IGP rice 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 chopped onion 2 chopped garlic cloves 2 tablespoons red pepper paste 4 tablespoons tomato sauce  200ml white wine 1 bay leaf 8 slices of chorizo 2 egg yolks (beaten) 150g shredded mozzarella cheese a pinch of salt Previously shred the chicken, have the leftover rice ready and dice the chorizo. Heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. When they are soft, add the red pepper paste. Stir. 2 minutes later add the tomato sauce and stir again. About 4 minutes later add the chicken.  Let it cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the white wine. Add a bay leaf, season with salt, and let it cook for about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken into an oven-proof dish. That will be the first layer of the pie. Then cover it with the rice.  Place the chorizo slices and brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg yolks. Finally, coat it with the shredded mozzarella. Let it bake in the oven to 200ºC for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

E o frio voltou. Enfrentá-lo com um belo e quentinho empadão de arroz, nós vamos. A Força é forte com este. Ingredientes: 3 peitos de frango (desfiados) arroz cozinhado que tenha sobrado (cerca de 200g) - usei o fantástico arroz IGP da Orivárzea 1 colher de sopa de azeite 1 cebola picada 2 dentes de alho picados 2 colheres de sopa de massa de pimentão 4 colheres de sopa de molho de tomate 200ml de vinho branco 1 folha de louro 8 fatias de chouriço 2 gemas (batidas) 150g de queijo mozzarella ralado uma pitada de sal Previamente desfiem o frango, coloquem a jeito o arroz e cortem fatias de chouriço. Aqueçam o azeite. Adicionem a cebola e o alho. Quanto tiverem amolecido, juntem a massa de pimentão. Mexam. 2 minutos depois juntem o molho de tomate e mexam de novo. Cerca de 4 minutos depois juntem o frango. Deixem cozinhar cerca de 10 minutos, mexendo de tempos a tempos. Adicionem o vinho branco. Juntem uma folha de louro, temperem com sal, e deixem cozinhar cerca de 15 minutos. Transfiram o frango para uma travessa de ir ao forno. Essa vai ser a primeira camada do empadão. Depois cubram com o arroz. Coloquem as fatias de chouriço e pincelem o empadão com as gemas batidas. Finalmente, cubram com o mozzarella ralado. Deixem cozinhar no forno a 200ºC durante cerca de 20 minutos. Bom apetite!

Don't put your lemons all in one basket: "Condensed milk and lemon pie" tip

These hectic past few days, with the closing of the seasonal football market in Europe, made me wonder. Why is it that so many people are struggling to save money to survive and every day we hear news of another football player being bought for astronomical figures? Sure, they deserve it I guess: they are part of a team's success, they bring people to the stadium, big companies are attracted to spend money on the team in exchange for advertising, and eventually many people keep their jobs as long as the team is sellable, but... I don't know. It sounds offensive when most people could use a tiny fraction of that money to improve their lives. Bitter sweet feelings I guess.

Which reminded me of lemons and my mom.

I had a whole basket of lemons at home but my mom convinced me to bring some of hers. "You can never have too many lemons," she said. And she's right, isn't she? Especially when they are as juicy as the ones which grow in her backyard. But now I'm stuck with all these lemons so I've decided to start using them tonight, with a bitter sweet Condensed Milk and Lemon Pie.

First, the base. Easy: crush a packet of biscuits in a food processor, add 150g of melted margarine and incorporate the two - although you might need more, depending on the ovenproof dish you use. 

Cover the dish with greaseproof paper and with the back of a spoon press the mixture. That will be the bottom part of the pie. (And yes, that is another batch of yummy Turtle Chocolate Pretzels).

While you prepare the filling, let it cool in the fridge for about 15 minutes until it is firm.

Now you can start the filling. Open a can of previously cooked condensed milk and put it in a bowl. Add 4 yolks and start whisking. Then pour the juice of 2 lemons (you can add more or less, depending on how bitter or sweet you prefer your pie to be) and finally some lemon zest. Delicious aroma... Whisk everything together, take the base out of the fridge and pour the filling on the base.

Let it cook in the oven for about 15 minutes (it's safer because of the eggs). 

Decorate with lemon zest and let it cool in the fridge.

I'd recommend serving it the next day.

Almond Pie

This is one of the pies my mom used to bake when I was a kid. I loved the fact that it always made my friends' mouths water whenever I took one to a school party. It still is a party favourite. 

Mix 200g of flour, 100g of sugar, 125g of butter or margarine and 2 eggs. Then spread the mixture in a baking pan - preferably one with a removable bottom. 

While it bakes in the oven, prepare the topping in a cooking pot: melt 125g of butter or margarine with 100g of sugar and 4 tablespoons of milk. Then add 150g of sliced almonds and a couple of minutes later take the mixture out of the heat. 

When the pie is cooked, take it out of the oven and coat it with the topping. Put the pie back in the oven until it gets golden. 

Enjoy!