Inside out Burgers

These are delicious for a BBQ party or even to celebrate the start of the weekend with ;) which is just what I did :)

This is enough for 4 servings:

90% lean ground beef (about 1 pound)

1 large red onion

Worcestershire sauce

1/2-1 Cup Cheddar Cheese

Paprika

Pepper

Canola Oil

Burger Buns

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high or preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a bowl combine the chedder cheese and the chopped onion.

Gently mix the beef, Worcestershire ( I used 4 tablespoons, but it really depends on your taste), paprika (2 teaspoons) and pepper( 1/2 teaspoon) in a large bowl. Mix with your hands, but don't overwork.

Shape the beef into 8 thin, 4-inch-wide patties. Place 2 tablespoons of the Cheddar cheese/onion mixture on each of 4 patties, leaving a 1/2-inch border, (I added 1 teaspoon of worcestershire sauce as well). Cover each with one of the remaining patties. Crimp the patty to make sure mixture is fully enclosed and seal the edges closed.

To grill: Grill the stuffed patties in a pan over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. (Do not press the burgers down as they cook or they'll split and come apart and the cheese will ooze out.)

To broil: Cover a broiler pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Broil the stuffed patties in the upper third of the oven, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well.

In both these cases, once the burger patty is done, let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

If you can handle it, you can cheat and buy ready made burger patty's, spoon the filling into the centre of one ready made burger beef patty and place the other one on top, pinch edges to make sure the burgers are firmly together and cook as above. This does result in a bigger burger, not for the faint hearted! If you do this, it would look like the burger below :) .....

White Chocolate Fudge Brownies

" What I love about cooking is that after a hard day, there is something comforting about the fact that you melt butter and add flour, then hot stock, it will get thick! It's a sure thing. It's a sure thing in a world where nothing is sure!" - Nora Ephron

I was NOT planning on cooking/baking anything today! I thought I better just relax and take it easy, but........... I couldn't resist! I got online, checked my email and then somehow started browsing my old recipes! Initially I wanted to bake a cake, but we're all out of eggs, and not enough butter and no more whole milk......I still had the urge to do something, so I kept it simple with these to die for brownies.

These brownies are really delicious! Make sure you use white chocolate that has a profound taste, the better the quality of your chocolate, the better the brownies!

6 tablespoons of butter
8 oz of white chocolate
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
2 handfuls of semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit
2. butter and flour an 8inch baking pan, or line with aluminium foil
3. Melt the butter and the white chocolate on top of double boiler over hot water
4. In a bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs and sugar really well
5. Add the chocolate butter mixture to the egg sugar mixture, add the flour and vanilla too and beat all together just until incorporated, thick and smooth
6. Fold in chocolate chips with a spatula (do not beat here)
7. Pour mixture into the baking pan
8. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, keep an eye out
9. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick, brownies are ready when the toothpick comes out clean
10. Let it cool and then cut into squares

I am planning on bringing these into work tomorrow. I just hope some remain! (Mona's friends are passing by!) Tina if at 8am you are sipping on coffee at your desk, browsing my blog, come over to my side of the office and claim your piece! ;)

Lemon-Thyme marinated sea bass with slow roasted tomatoes

Slow Roasted Tomaotes......

I bought a lot of tomatoes at the grocery store this week, i've been craving them for some reason, so I thought I would experiment with making slow roasted tomatoes! You can just leave them in the oven in the morning and do your morning chores and then come back to a fragrant house. It smells like i've been working hard in the kitchen! If i'm having guests over, what I like to do is pop them in the oven 30-60 minutes before guests arrive, which gives the aroma plenty of time to diffuse in the house, a great backdrop aroma for a dinner party that'll put your guests in the the right mood for some great food!

You can use as many tomatoes as you like. Since it's just me and my sister, Mona, I used two big tomatoes. The oven temperature was 107 degrees celcius, which gives them enough time to rippen nicely, without burning.

2 tomatoes

Olive oil

Basil

Oregano

Garlic

Salt

Pepper

1. Cut the tomatoes into thick rings (as shown in photo below and place on baking sheet)

2. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet (I would normally line a baking dish with aluminium foil for easy clean up, but I didn't have any so I just put them on a baking sheet).

3. Sprinkle basil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper on the tomatoes ( I didn't have any fresh basil, but it gives it a nicer flavour, so if you've got some, use them!)

4. Drizzle olive oil on top of the tomatoes.5. Put the tomatoes in the oven and leave them in for a good couple of hours.

This is what they look like after!

Lemon-Thyme Marinated Sea Bass

(Serves 2)

Two sea bass fillets

Lemon juice

Salt

Pepper

Thyme

2 Garlic cloves (chopped)

1. Wash fish ( water, then lemon juice and white pepper, then water), pat dry put in a bowl and marinate in lemon juice, chopped garlic, thyme, salt and pepper.2. Brush olive oil on both sides of fish and palce in a pan. Grill in pan on medium heat until cooked through.

3. Serve with lemon wedges
Serve the slow roasted tomatoes as a side dish. Tonight, this dish will be accompanying Lemon-thyme marinated sea bass. Mona and I are trying to incorporate more fish in our diet because of all the health benefits. So this was the perfect, simple, easy dish.Tomatoes are so great because they go with just about anything! I had a few left over so I chopped them up and put them in a tauperware with lettuce leaves and tuna, which will be my lunch for tomorrow! If you feel like pasta, use as a topping!

Chicken Faijta Lettuce Wraps

This dish is inpired by Sue Ellen Reyes Johnson, an Amazing passionate individual that inspires me! She calls it 'garden faijtas' check out her blog, www.theyellowtearoom.com
This is what I made for dinner tonight! It's simple, nutritious and delicious! It's quick to make, makes you feel full and is healthy, filling yet light! A great post-workout meal or when you're hungry and need to make something fast! Especially because my sister and I work all day, it's hard to make complicated dishes during the evening coz we are both so tired!

Chicken Faijta Lettuce Wraps

( serves 2-3 people)

Ingredients

2-3 chicken breasts cut into strips (I used 2)

Boston lettuce or cabbage (or any broad flat leaf lettuce)

1 Green bell pepper

1 large tomato

1 large white onion

lemon pepper herb seasoning

3 garlic cloves

juice of 2-3 lemons

salt

pepper

Preparation

1. Wash the chicken, pat dry and cut into strips

2. put it in a bowl and marinate for 30 minutes in lemon juice, garilc, salt, pepper and lemon pepper herb seasoning ( you can use any seasoning you like, the next time i make this i will be adding a tablespoon of taco seasoning!)

3. Grill the chicken until juices run clear and cooked on the inside

4. Add the chopped onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring

5. Add the chopped tomato and green bell pepper ( i cut them into strips)

6. Cook for a few more minutes, make sure the tomatoes don't get too soggy

7. Place the chicken with the grilled vegetables inside a lettuce wrap

8. Drizzle some soya sauce on top et voila!
Variations: Always be creative! You can use minced chicken, minced meat, even add some salsa, shredded chedder cheese, sour cream, or gaucamole for a mexican flavour!

You can also add chopped green onions, shredded carrots to the chicken for a chinese version. You can basically use any of your favorite vegetables.

Have you tried this yet? Let me know how YOU made this dish!

Yummmm!!!!!!!

Chocolate Fondant a la Bailey's

Recipe adapted from Chef Axel Godefroid from Empire in Monarch Dubai.

Makes 4-6 chocolate fondants (I used 4 ramekins, mine were pretty big, but if you use smaller ones you can make 6 chocolate fondants)

Ingredients

150grams chocolate

150gr butter
2 pcs eggs

2 pcs egg yolk ( I used only 1 egg yolk)

60 gr icing sugar (1/2 cup)
16 gr flour (2 tablespoons)

Preparation
CHOCOLATE FONDANT

• melt chocolate• melt butter

• whisk sugar, egg, egg yolk

• add chocolate and butter mixed together

• add sieved flour

• add 1 tablespoon of bailey's irish cream or orange liquer (optional)

• put on ramekins that are already buttered and floured

• cooked at 180 degrees celcius for 8-9 minutes
Place the ramekins upside down on a plate and slowly lift it up, the fondant should slide out easily.

Serve this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side!

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmm FONDANT-LICIOUS!!!!!!

I added a tablespoon of baileys, I also tried this once with orange liquer it was delicious! This is also really good without any liquer. Don't forget the vanilla ice cream!!! Oh, for presentation purposes you can sieve some icing sugar on top of the fondant, like i did with the brownies below, add some raspberries on the plate too! This is a great dessert to serve at a dinner party, your guests will be VERY impressed! :)

Remember to be CREATIVE! After all.....

"Cooking and Entertaining is about finding your own style while following a
few basic guidelines."

- Patty Kriz

After all this baking today (and tasting) it is time for me to hit the gym because I am feeling very full! ( tip: if serving chocolate fondant as a dessert during a dinner, make sure your main course etc is not too heavy, otherwise it will be painful to eat this as dessert because it is quite heavy!)

ENJOY!

Arlene's Brownies

This brownie recipe is absolutely to die for! Always a favorite growing up, they are sweet, densly rich, chocolatey and very fudgy! I've always been on the hunt for the perfect brownie recipe and this one comes very very close! The best brownies i have ever tasted, has to be from Fat Witch bakery in New York City. I managed to get a hold of their caramel brownie recipe-I think I will attempt to make it soon and share my results with you. In the meantime, Enjoy Arlene's fabulous Brownies!

Arlene's Brownies

Ingredients

*1/2 cup self raising flour
*3/4 cup melted butter
*1 & 1/4 cup sugar
*1/2 cup cocoa powder ( i used hershey's)
*1 tsp vanilla
*4 eggs
*3/4 cup hershey's chocolate syrup

Preparation

1- Sieve flour and cocoa powder, then set aside

2- Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan on medium heat and add a tablespoon of cold water

3- Set aside and let it cool and then add the vanilla

4- Beat the eggs thoroughly till peaks form, add the flour-cocoa mixture and beat on low speed until it's all mixed

5- Add the butter sugar mixture and beat on low just until all ingredients are incorporated and you have a smooth batter

6- Add the chocolate syrup and fold it into brownie batter with a spatula

7- Put it in the oven ( 180 degrees celcius) for 20-25 minutes.

8- Around 20 mins, test doneness with a toothpick

9- Remove and let cool, then use a knife to cut into squares, also once cool you can sprinkle some powdered sugar on top to make it look puurrrty :)

ENJOY!!!!!!

I made these today and as you can tell from the picture, they don't look super fudgy, (which they usually are) that's because I used 1/2 cup of hershey's choclate syrup and baked them for 25 minutes. I urge you to use 3/4 cup of chocolate syrup and bake them for 15-20 minutes. It's ok if the toothpick comes out with a little batter on it, once it cools it will solidfy a bit more but retain its fudgy-ness!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FUDGY BROWNIE RECIPE? If you try this one, i would love to hear your feedback on your success!

Who Needs Potato Chips?

Kale Chips: A healthy alternative to Potato chips.Photograph from 28 cooks on Flickr

So, during lunch break at work today, a conversation with two of my ‘favorite’ colleagues :)sparked my interest in posting the following recipe. We were discussing how chips are so oily and fatty, I thought to myself, hang on, there are healthy alternatives that taste just as great! I remember trying this recipe back in good ‘ol England when I was studying. Below is the basic recipe. I will leave it to you and your imagination to come up with mouthwatering variations. Oh, these are great for parties or simply to snack on, nutritious and low in calories!

Ingredients
1 large bunch fresh kale, washed & dried
Olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (approx 170°C).
2. Tear bite size pieces of kale & place them on a cookie sheet. ( You can line a tray with foil for easy clean up)
3. Brush or lightly drizzle each leaf with a coat of olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle salt & pepper on the kale leaves
4. Bake in oven for about 7-8 minutes. Make sure to watch them, they will turn from good to bad in a matter of minutes, so it’s really just trying and seeing what works as I know different ovens vary in cooking time. They should be done when the edges are brown and kale is crispy when moved in pan.

Photograph from: sammyw

Bonne Appetite!

Note: You want these to be light, crisp & airy, if you bake them to long they will turn black & become very bitter (resembling fire place ash!)

Yep, I know what most of you are thinking... ‘They’re a little fish food like’ but they are a healthy alternative to greasy/oily potato chips! The best part is you can season them with just about any herb you like! I made these with Garlic and herb seasoning and crushed red pepper; it really took these to the next level! You can even sprinkle with grated parmesan/asiago cheese. For a barbeque flavored undertone, try tossing with paprika (in addition to salt and olive oil!)

In fact, you can use any starchy vegetable, some could be: Eggplant, Zucchini, carrot (slice into thin coins or long strips) Lettuce, bok choy, sweet potato, etc…

My personal favorite is eggplant! What’s yours?

Kinda's Kitchen Welcome Message!

How it all started........

Like most 11 year old's, I was excited to learn new things. Unlike most 11 year old's, my excitement came from baking my first cake! Yes, it was anything but perfect with olive oil instead of butter or vegetable oil, but even with a funny taste my parents and siblings still ate it and provided the support (Gotta Love 'em for that!). Cooking and baking have always been passions of mine; being in the kitchen with my ingredients gives me a comfortable feeling inside, like a warm cup of soup. Quite simply, it's therapeutic and my euphoric escape.
Growing up I've always wanted to be a Pastry Chef, I would say baking is my forte. Cooking allows me to drift off into another world where it's just me in control of whipping up a fantastic dish, but the greatest feeling of all is, when all is done feeding my friends and family and watching the smiles emerge from their faces with every bite they take and the twinkle in their eye from the aromatic smells.
I hope that one day I manage to create my very own catering business, bakery or even a restaurant. I have started this blog to ensure that I explore my passion, diving deeper into different foods everyday and see where it takes me. It will definitely support my creativity and inspire others to pick up the spatula in the kitchen, or even chase their dreams. The first step is always the hardest, but if you can see what you'd like your life to look like, it will become YOUR life!

I think the greatest thing about "creativity" is that your creativity can inspire others to fulfill their dreams and it shows people that it's really never too late to get started on something. I put cooking off my whole life- yes I cook at home and bake but only now, after university and working have I decided that I would like to start a "cooking career" so to speak.
Creativity is not just an artistic attribute that a person possesses, but rather it is part of their very being, and to some degree my creativity defines me, it's the "human" side. Most people may not know it, but cooking brings out so much emotion, I mean why else would there be a saying "It was cooked with love" ? Of course it's going to taste better! More importantly if you have "creativity" it should be nurtured and not neglected, why would you want a great part of you to disappear?

We are all passionate about something. We have all felt that passion at one point. It brings about this energy that makes you feel untouchable, that gives you the power to do anything you want to do and what normally would feel like the greatest challenge, is nothing but a small obstacle in the way from achieving your goal. When you stay calm, and fight through those "challenges" that's when you know. That's when you know nothing can come between you and your passion.
Another interesting thing about passion is that you can't fake it, you have to genuinely feel it, and the best proof will be in your creations. My passion in cooking for example, will be reflected in the foods I create. In short, it is important to get excited about what you are creating, don't hold back and have no fears. Don't forget to put passion into your work, you never want it to be something you "have" to do but let it always remain as something you "want" to do. With this thought in mind, truly dedicate yourself to your work and fulfill your passion. This will only yield the results you've always wanted.

Why the Kitchen?
What can I say? It has always been my favorite place in the house. It's practically a host room for social activity! It brings friends and families together- through cooking, chatting, or sipping on that warm hot chocolate on a cold winter's day. It brings peace through food! Growing up I probably spent more time in the kitchen than any other room in the house, and I don't regret it.
Please be sure to keep posted for some: succulent recipes; funny stories related to the kitchen; Dubai culinary adventures; my personal restaurant reviews; dining experiences and cooking tips!