Look at the video

http://www.kmov.com/video/topvideo-index.html?nvid=409012

December 6,  2009

One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park, St. Louis, MO 63110-1380
Telephone 314.721.0072

Macaron

Here is a two peanut soup recipes that some  people where asking for:

Slow Cooker Peanut Soup ♥

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 jalapeño, minced
1/4 cup uncooked rice
5 cups chicken stock (I used homemade)

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup chicken stock (I used homemade) ‘

ADD for LAST HOUR of COOKING
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 jalapeño, minced
Kosher salt to taste

In a large skillet, heat the oil on MEDIUM HIGH til shimmery. Add the onion, celery and jalapeño as they’re prepped, stirring to coat with fat, and cook til just beginning to turn golden. Transfer to the slow cooker. Add the rice and 5 cups chicken stock. Stir together peanut butter and 1 cup chicken stock, add to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 - 7 hours. (In my slow cooker, 6 was perfect.) Stir in the red pepper flakes, the second jalapeño and salt. Cook on LOW for 1 hour.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per 1/2 Cup: 165Cal; 12g Tot Fat; 2g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 573mg Sodium; 10g Carb; 2g Fiber; 3g Sugar; 7g Protein; Weight Watchers 4 points

TODAY’S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION
Adapted from The Gourmet Slow Cooker: Volume II, Regional Comfort-Food Classics by Lynn Alley

Mollii Katzen’s soup are incredibles, and her Spice peanut soup is just,  fabulous !

Spicy Peanut Soup

Adapted from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest
Preparation time for the whole thing: About 45 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1. Place the peanut butter and honey in a medium-sized bowl. Add about half the boiling water, and mash with a spoon until it becomes smooth. Whisk in the remaining hot water and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a soup pot or a Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, salt, and ginger. Saute over low heat for about 10 minutes, then add the spices. Continue to cook and stir for about 5 minutes longer.
3. Stir in the peanut butter mixture and cover. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat way down and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, prepare the topping. (Recipe follows.)
4. Just before serving, heat the soup again (if necessary) and whisk in the room temperature buttermilk. Serve right away, with a small spoonful of Banana Topping in each bowl.

This banana & cappuccino cheese cake is very different, the base layer is a banana cake and the top, coffee cheese cake. Let’s start…

1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed, ripe
1 teaspoons lemon juice
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup softened butter
2 1/8 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 275°F. Grease and flour a half sheet pan, In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.  In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, mix the cream, butter and sugar until it becomes light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Beat in the flour mix alternately with the sour cream. Stir in the banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until toothpicks come out clean when inserted.  Set aside until it cools down.

4 packages cream cheese
2 cups sour cream
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup of espresso Coffee

Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and coffee in a large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and mix well.  Pour the mix on top of the banana cake
Bake for 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Cool, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Decorate with cocoa powder and fresh or dry bananas. Remember you can freeze this cheese cake.
If you want to pre-cut it, cut it frozen…

 BY Aisha Sultan

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
05/09/2009

When a local fashion designer and executive chef showed up in matching Vera Wang coats to start renovating a building for a reality TV show, the film crew rolled their eyes.

The coats stayed on for 43 seconds.

 Aracelli 51, admits she stalked the producers of “Renovation Realities,” a show that appears on DIY network and HGTV, for a chance to be featured on it. She also readily admits that she’s a far cry from a handy, crafty DIYer.

“I haven’t even changed a knob on a drawer,” she said.
Unsurprisingly, mayhem ensued.

Two years ago, Araceli was laid off as a fashion designer for May Co. She had worked all over the world in fashion and immediately began freelancing. In the meantime, she met chef Natalia Penchaszadeh, 34, who was searching for a restaurant location in the city. Both originally from Argentina, the pair hit it off instantly and are St. Louis’ version of Lucy and Ethel - quirky, full of energy and with ideas that are a little over-the-top.

They spotted a former mortgage company building across the street from Lafayette Park, but Natalia ruled it out because it lacked the zoning needed for a restaurant. Natalia left to visit Argentina, and when she returned Araceli informed her that she had purchased the property anyway.

With her husband’s extensive antique and art collection, Araceli figured they could transform the space into a cafe, with an antique and gift shop on the side. She convinced Natalia to come on board as the chef for the project, which they dubbed “Rue Lafayette.”

They had a vision of bringing a slice of Paris street life to St. Louis, complete with toy sailboat rentals that kids could play with in the lake. But the entire building would have to be gutted and rehabbed, and the original architect estimates came in around $180,000.

That’s when Araceli got the idea that they could save some money and get some publicity by appearing on the reality show, which was scouting locations throughout the country. She filled out an application and sent in a video.

“They definitely don’t look like the typical builder,” co-executive producer Lori Golden-Stryer said when she saw their tape. She asked them: “Are you guys serious about this?”

They had originally suggested that they would stain some windows but the producers vetoed that project as too lame. Time for Plan B: The women figured they could easily rip out old flooring and replace it with new tile. They also proposed tearing down a wall in the entrance. But, the show insisted they add a project in which they actually construct something. So they proposed a counter built out of the extra original doors.

Keep in mind, they had never held a power tool in their lives.

Natalia figured the entire thing was a joke. She had no desire to make a fool of herself on national TV.

When Araceli showed up at her door bearing gifts, she became suspicious.

“I have something to tell you…,” Araceli said and pulled out a contract.

They had been picked. Once Natalia was convinced that the show would not ruin her reputation as a chef, the two immediately began plotting what they would wear.

The premise of “Renovation Realities” is a bit different than the other picture-perfect home makeover shows on television.

“On home renovation shows, everything is rosy,” Lori, the producer said. “No one makes mistakes, no one mismeasures, but the reality is, people do.”

The idea is for viewers to learn from DIYers’ mistakes and be inspired by their successes.

With little to no outside help, the novice rehabbers were set to be filmed for a week as they attempted their planned projects. At one point, they spent 30 minutes trying to screw a nut with a drill but could not figure out why it wouldn’t work. Finally, one of the crew members suggested they check the direction of the drill.

It was in reverse.

There was a steep learning curve.

“It was my first time using a wet saw,” Araceli said. “Actually, it was my first time seeing it.”

At one point, she tried to cut through electrical wire with scissors. “How was I supposed to know?” The crew, which tries to stay as detached as possible, was forced to intervene when Araceli started to use a power saw to cut through the middle of an unsecured door.

“I can’t let you do this,” the cameraman said, as he set his camera down. The saw could have gone flying out of her hands.

“My son said we looked like monkeys with loaded guns,” Araceli said.

During this interview, she tried to describe a tool they used while redoing the tile floors.

“We called it microdermabrasion,” she said. “But that’s not what it was called. We used it to clean up underneath the old tiles.”

“Oh for God’s sake,” the producer said, when we called her trying to track down the proper name of the tool.

“It was a buffer.”

But, somehow, at the end of a very long week, the women accomplished their tasks.

Araceli said she felt a little funny when she looked at the new entry way or the counter they built.

“I don’t know what this feeling is that I have,” she said. “It’s either a sense of accomplishment or hatred or gas.”

The remainder of their vision - a darling cafe with copper tiles, mahogany wainscotting, a concrete stained floor - will be carried out by a skilled team of carpenters and contractors.

“Never again,” Araceli said. “It was just too much work.”

The sweat equity has given the project a “labor of love” attachment, though. Araceli looked up the property’s original owner and was delighted to discover that owner David Nicholson had stipulated back in the early 1900s that his property “should be occupied only by dwellings of elegant design and substantial character.”

“I like that guy,” she said. “He had style.”

The Rue St. Louis cafe and antique shop is set to open by the end of May at 2026 Lafayette Ave. The “Rue St. Louis” episode of “Renovations Realities” will appear on DIY and HGTV through the month of May. Check local listings for times.

6 lb (3 Kg) Oranges
1 Gallon(3.8 Lt) Water
8 lb ( 4 Kg) White Sugar

If you like sweet, you will love this Orangettes recipe! Mostly since you can make them with the orange peels that you would otherwise trash. They are so delicate and delicious that you will soon be eating oranges just as an excuse to get enough orange zest to fulfill your Orangettes needs.
Cut the orange in four pieces and with your hands peel it taking the peel from one of the points making sure to take it together with the white part.
Soak the peels in water at room temperature for at least 3 days (in a big container) exchanging the water daily. Cut the orange peel pieces lengthwise, of about a quarter of an inch wide.
Dip the peels in boiling water for 2 minutes (use a drainer or similar tool) and move into cold water. Repeat this process three times.
Make a syrup using 1 Gallon water and 4 lb of sugar
Place in a thick simmering syrup for 4 hours, let them cool down and place in a cardboard box alternating layers of sugar with layers of peels. Keep them in the box for a week (if you can refrain the temptation of eating them earlier), remove the sugar and they are ready to go!

Ladue News Feb, 2009

• Owners Araceli Kopiloff-Zimmer and Richard Zimmer are transforming the 1920’s residence at 2026 Lafayette Ave. into  La Fayette, a combination antique store and gallery. Next door has been reserved for Le Café, where Natalia Penchaszadeh will cook and bake. Many know and love Natalia’s creations from classes at Kitchen Conservatory and the Fountain on Locust*. ‘Child friendly by day/romantic at night’ is the description Araceli and Natalia use for the cafe, which is projected to open in April

This coconut cookies are  delicious and Easy!!! Just two ingredients:
1 can Condensed Milk
3 cups ground coconut

~Pour the condensed milk in a bowl, add the coconut and fold until everything comes together.
Preheat the oven at 300 F (150C) .

In a baking sheet cover with baking paper.
With a wet tablespoon take small amounts of the mixture and place little bowls on a baking sheet covered with baking paper, make sure to leave space in between. Wet the palm of your hands and flat the cookies. The cookies will grow a little bit, cook them for 15 minutes or until golden. Very important, take out the cookies immediately with a spatula or they will be impossible to remove later. This recipe makes around 26 Cookies.

Bienmesabe decorate with coconut cookies deep in chocolate
see bienmesabe

In  English Click here

Recetas de hallacas, pasteles y tamales
Aunque los ingredientes básicos sean los mismos (masa de maíz o plátano, hojas de plátano y guiso), cada país tiene su propia manera de preparar esos ricos tamales que pueden acompañar cualquier festividad. Les traemos algunas recetas típicas de varios países latinoamericanos de tamales, humitas, quimbolitos… o como se le llame a este tipo de plato en tu país.

Humitas Argentinas (© FoodPix / Jupiter Images)
Recetas de hallacas, pasteles y tamales
Humitas Argentinas

Receta de Chef Natalia Penchaszadeh
Chef Ejecutiva
www.zinur.com

Ingredientes

- 12 choclos (mazorcas de maíz, jojoto)
- 1 cucharada de grasa (puede ser manteca o mantequilla)
- 1 cebolla picada
- 2 tomates en cubos
- 1 morrón rojo (ají o pimiento) en cubos
- 3 dientes de ajo Picado
- 1 taza de crema de leche
- 1 cucharada de azúcar
- Pizca de sal y de pimienta
- Hilo para Brindar ( Pabilo)
- Mozzarella rayada

Preparación

- Separa las chalas (hojas envoltorios del maíz) de los choclos, ¡guárdalas que se usaran al final!

- Con un cuchillo sacar todos granos de maíz, raspar bien las mazorcas para extraer más sabor y más almidón.
- En una sartén poner una cucharada de grasa. Agregar la cebolla, el morrón, los dientes de ajo y el maíz. Dejar cocinar por 5 minutos y agregar la crema y el azúcar.

- Se revuelve hasta que espese y se procesa la preparación en un procesador eléctrico, para dar mayor consistencia y humedad.

- Reforzar la sal y la pimienta si es necesario.
- Deja enfriar.
- Rellena las chalas con una cucharada de la preparación, agrega la mozzarella y doblar haciendo paquetitos, amarrar o atar con el hilo de brindar. Cuidar de que los paquetitos estén bien cerrados.
- En una olla grande hervir agua y cocinar las humitas por 30 minutos.

Recomendaciones

Las humitas se cocinan mucho mejor si las dejamos congelar primero y se llevan directamente a cocinar al agua hirviendo.
El maíz o jojoto se puede comprar en lata o congelado. Si es en lata, se debe escurrir el líquido excedente. También las chalas se encuentran en la mayoría de mercados latinos.
El rol de la pimienta en esta preparación es fundamental, ayuda a balancear lo dulce del maíz. Es preferible usar pimienta negra y recién molida para reforzar el sabor.
La chef Natalia Penchaszadeh usa hojas de plátano para sus humitas y las llama Hullaquitas (Humitas y Hallaquitas)

En Espanol para MSN latino Click here

In  English Click here