Beef a la Bourguignon

I remember Paris...Those extremely delicious crepes and cider for the breakfast…Gorgeous architecture and arts, surrounding you everywhere...Warm evenings right next to Eiffel Tower with champagne and other local goodies (yum!)…Overall, it’s been a brilliant week which must be repeated some day in the future. 

Roast Beef Bruschetta

I love bruschettas because it’s a great way to treat your unexpected guests. If you have some slices of good bread (preferably ciabatta), a clove of garlic and a good splash of extra-virgin olive oil, think you and your reputation is saved. In most of the cases, I choose tomatoes and basil for the topping but sometimes it simply depends on what is left in my fridge. This time I found some leftovers of the beef stew prepared the day before and some fresh leafs of arugula. After being accompanied by balsamic vinegar, all these ingredients turned out into a superb appetizer. 

Minestrone

With the end of October I start cooking thick soups because they are heaven when you need to satisfy the soul. Trying to recover after the long day spent at work, I dedicated the dinner to minestrone. Just like any other recipe representing Italian kitchen, this vegetable soup was completely right decision – thick, hearty and very filling. After some research I found that this soup has numerous variations and technically almost everything whatever you want makes your minestrone. 

Pleasing Carrot Cake

The ‘Silver spoon’ cookbook is one of my favorite ones because it always inspires me to create something new in my kitchen. This weekend it saved me from not-good-at-all autumn mood which visited my house in the afternoon. I brought lots of carrots from the farmers’ market, so I chose making carrot cake which was adjusted according what I managed to find in my kitchen cabinets.

Beetroot Risotto - Why I Love Beets

Continuing seasonal eating topic on my blog, I want to show you a great risotto recipe with one of my favorite vegetables – the beet. If you have trauma from the childhood and still scared of the looks, you should just peel off the skin and see a great burgundy color…After being cooked properly (boiled or baked in the oven), they turn into really nice vegetable full of taste. Of course, I know some people think beets are too ‘earthy’ for eating. For them I would offer trying the least ‘beety’ tasting recipe – traditional Russian soap called the borscht (recipe is coming soon...)

Seasonal Eating and Cozy Butternut Squash Salad

When fall comes, seasonal eating becomes something I think about every time I am cooking. I simply start buying bags of autumn goods, such as beets, carrots, butternut squash, pears or apples, because I believe that it’s a sin not to use these presents got from nature. After all, seasonal food is fresher and gives you the best its taste and the biggest amount of nutrients! Just think about the difference of strawberries or tomatoes that you get in summer and in winter time. If you’ve ever eaten a ripe, freshly picked strawberry on a shiny summer day, you’d know what a real strawberry tastes like! However, we will have to wait for this taste for a while....