Chocolate Spicy Chilli Souffle

Souffle is amazing dessert. Cheese and chocolate are my favorite varieties. This time I decided to spice up a recipe. Since I had chili dark chocolate in my pantry I decided to use different chocolate combination as usual.
Taste is absolutely amazing. Sweet, spicy, creamy and wonderful.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 ounces chilli chocolate
2 tablespoons sweet cream butter
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon warm water
1/4 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
powdered sugar for garnish

Brush 4 ramekins with soft butter, then coat with sugar. Put the prepared ramekins in the freezer.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Put the chocolate and butter in a medium pan. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer, set the bowl over, but without touching the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla sugar. Set aside.
Combine the egg yolk and warm water in the bowl of a standing mixer with paddle attachment and beat until frothy. Add sugar and continue beating. Fold the yolk into the chocolate mixture.
Remove prepared ramekins from freezer. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer with whisk attachment. Beat on medium until frothy, then add the remaining sugar and increase speed to high.
Fold slowly egg whites into the chocolate until blended. Gently ladle or spoon the souffle mixture into the ramekins and place on a prepared baking sheet.
Immediately bake until the souffle rises about 1 inch from the ramekins, about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven, dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Result is souffle with beautiful crunchy top and velvety cream inside.

This is also reduced fat and gluten free recipe.

Enjoy:)

No Kid Hungry Campaign

All across America families struggle to feed themselves and children are hit the hardest.
“Share Our Strength” national non-profit is working to end children hunger in U.S. by 2015.
Williams-Sonoma is partnered with No Kid Hungry campaign to help get nutritious food to kids in need.
For more info and how you can help please visit
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/special-offers/no-kid-hungry/

Recently I received an e-mail about event at Williams-Sonoma stores. With donation of $5 per child, kids can decorate Marvel series character cookies, have fun and will receive
Spider-Man and The Avengers Comic Book, all for the cause, No Kid Hungry campaign.
I took my six year old son to event and he had a blast.

He choose Spider-Man and Captain America cookies to decorate.

Atmosphere was fantastic, everything was organized and set up nicely and the kids had all kinds of decorating tools available to express their imagination.

It was very nice experience to be part of this event, at the end of the day, you feel good about helping the cause, No Kid Hungry.

For more info please visit:
http://www.nokidhungry.org

Rancho Las Palmas, Beautiful & Caliente

Here I am again. Have to admit, it’s a strange feeling without computer and internet for a few days….but on the other side it’s very relaxing too.
Family vacation time was very fun. We visited Rancho Las Palmas, great resort located 120 miles from Los Angeles in Rancho Mirage, CA.

Resort is offering amazing golf course, 24 tennis courts, spa and Splashtopia which reminds me of water park. If you just want to have a nice walk you can do that too….all the paths through resort have beautiful scenic views of dessert mountains.

Palm trees, ponds, plants, real dessert scenery, still in lush resort setting.

Hotel entrance and lobby are decorated in Spanish renaissance style which gives visitors feel of elegance and beauty.

Resort offers excellent food, pools and spa.

blueEmber restaurant is lighting up the local dining scene. Under the direction of Executive Chef Sean O’Connell, bluEmber showcases the region’s rich harvest, exuding the sun-drenched charm of the desert and relaxed elegance of Southern California.

Every morning we had amazing breakfast buffet. Omelette station, waffle station and wide selection of fresh fruits, warm pastry and different dishes for fantastic breakfast experience.

Every morning before pool is open lifeguards are practicing skills making sure to keep everybody safe and sound.

View from our balcony, kids can’t wait to start daily routine of pool jumping, lazy river and slides off course:)

Pina Colada by the pool, delicious and refreshing at 114 F….so hot.

I was so excited when my hubby remind me to take advantage and treat myself with a afternoon at the spa. Still while having wonderful treatment, I was planning and thinking what recipe will I make next when we com back home….can you believe it? I was at the spa but still missing my kitchen:)

There it is….waiting. I am looking at the scale and scale is staring at me….should I use it or no? I don’t think so, it is vacation time after all:)

Sauna was amazing place to spend lovely afternoon.

I decided to try Desert Elements Sea Salt Bath.
Precious minerals and Dead Sea salts are combined with algae extracts, aloe vera and choice from aroma essences for blissful experience.

Rancho Las Palmas is beautiful resort, kids friendly and perfect for family vacation all year round.

Seafood Lunch, The Beach, S’mores & Real Taste of Summer

This post is about Summer. We are fortunate to live very close to the beach
called “El Porto” which is located in Manhattan Beach, CA. El Porto is one of the most popular beaches in the South Bay area with surfers from near and far because of an underwater canyon that creates waves usually larger than those at neighboring beaches. It is perfect for boogie boarding and fun in the waves.

I love how this beach and sand always stays clean. So nice that people are aware and want to keep it that way:)

After a long day at the beach, when all energy is used, good prepared lunch is more then needed.

Grilling season is still going strong and this time I prepared perfect seafood lunch with grilled scallops, salmon steak and veggies on the side. Italian zucchini and squash were on the menu too.
I used only extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, pepper and lemon for the fish. For the veggies salt and drizzle of olive oil.
For the dip I used light mayo, pickles and fresh parsley, yum!
Now, what about dessert?
Grill was still on so we decided to make S’mores, truly sweet, comforting dessert. My hubby and kids waited for their turn to roast marshmallows. So cool.

I like to dip skewers in the water for few minutes before use so skewers don’t burn when close to the grill.
S’mores tasted amazing.

Warm and gooey marshmallow with low fat graham crackers and chocolate chips.
Wonderland taste and real fun summer fun:)

Facts:
Salmon is a highly nutritious food. Of course, it is high in protein, and the “good fats.” But did you know that a 4 oz serving of wild salmon provides a full day’s requirement of vitamin D? It is one of the few foods that can make that claim. That same piece of fish contains over half of the necessary B12, niacin, and selenium, and is an excellent source of B6 and magnesium.
Omega-3 fats, selenium, phosphorous, vitamin B-12 and iron are among essential minerals and vitamins that sea scallops contain.

Cauliflower & Broccoli Poppers

I was on the search for the great side dish, to change a bit every day lunch menu ideas, leave potatoes and beans on the side, till fall arrives. Reading blog posts, I decided to take advice from my friend Tes from “Tes at Home” blog. She made wonderful Cauliflower with Basil dish. I love the way she made a batter for cauliflower. Thanks, Tes.
I had in fridge broccoli and cauliflower, so I made different version of this amazing side dish adding refreshing dip too.
So tasty, so good:)

Cauliflower and Broccoli Poppers

Ingredients, makes 5 servings

1 lb cauliflower- cut into florets
1 lb broccoli- cut into florets
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup corn flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 chilled water
Olive oil for deep frying

Combine flour, corn flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in the mixing bowl. Add water and briskly stir until just combined.
Dip cauliflower and broccoli florets one by one in the batter and deep fry until golden brown. Layer the dish with paper napkin to absorb any extra oil from fried vegetables.

I also made quick dip for the veggies

Homemade Dip

1 tablespoon light mayo
1 teaspoon organic ketchup
1 teaspoon horseradish
1/4 teaspoon mild paprika
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Fresh Marjoram, mix in or for decoration

Mix all the ingredients in the bowl and serve as a dip with your favorite vegetables. Great tasting dip, refreshing.

This dish is the best when served right away, hot. It is absolutely delicious.

Salsa & Hot Air Balloon Festivals, Underwood Farms, Boat Ride and Stuffed Zucchini Flowers….

An hour from LA, Ventura County, so many things to see, try and experience. Super affordable summer fun. I am so happy that I can share this photos with you and recommend this events for future visitors.

Underwood Farms

“Bring the entire family, young & old, for a fun, educational day “out on the farm.” Children love it! For your convenience, we have a number of pull-wagons to transport your “prize pickings” and/or children from the field to the Farm Market area. There is $3.00 admission fee to our Farm Center Monday – Friday and $5.00 on weekends and holidays. Weekend admission includes a tractor-drawn wagon ride to the fields. Most picked items are priced by the pound.”
Best part by far is “Pick your own” fruits and vegetables ….In Summer months, available for picking are: strawberries, raspberries, zucchini, lettuce, carrots, cucumbers (green for salad and for pickling) and many more….

While I was enjoying strawberry picking my kids were picking raspberries:) Fruit was ripe, sweet and juicy, perfect.

Love the idea of having wagons available for people to navigate and carry while picking and all kinds of containers for different type of produce, so convenient.

Underwood Food are amazing place to visit. They have petting zoo with farm animals and many more like ostrich and mini goats.

Goats have the whole bridge system developed so they can eat and sleep in the “upper area”. So fun to watch them how they navigate high above the ground.

There are also fresh eggs available:)

It would be so nice to go back in fall to pick different kinds of autumn produce.

3370 Sunset Valley Road
Moorpark , CA 93021
(805) 529-3690

Oxnard Salsa Festival

“Spicy food, hot music and Oxnard’s cool ocean breezes are on the menu for the 18th Annual Oxnard Salsa Festival, July 30 & 31, 2011 in Oxnard, California. Plaza Park is the place for a two-day celebration of everything salsa – the food, the music, and the dance. Downtown City of Oxnard.”
Music at the main stage was fantastic, big band was playing and atmosphere was like real party. People were dancing, so cool.

My favorite part, Salsa Tasting Tent….Yum. Over 20 different local vendors were promoting their products. Amazing variety, sweet, mild, hot and blazing hot salsa.

http://www.oxnardsalsafestival.com

Citrus Classic Balloon Festival

“Let your summer take flight. . . with hot air balloons inflated over scenic citrus orchards and rolling hills, the Fourth Annual Citrus Classic Balloon Festival is THE best backdrop for THE balloon event closest to Greater Los Angeles and beaches. Mingle with balloon pilots, enjoy outdoor dining, wine and beer garden, browse arts and craft vendors, get active with the Kids Activity Area, relax with live music. . . It’s the perfect day trip, family summer weekend or romantic getaway – conveniently just 1.5 hours from Los Angeles!”
This was a brilliant event. Lovely colorful balloons, friendly people and again, great food. Must see.

http://www.citrusclassicballoons.com

Hooper Electric Boat Rental

Hooper Electric Boat Rental offers variety of water activity rentals. Look for the website 10% off coupon on any rental.
If you are in the area, this is the great way to relax and try something that doesn’t happened every day for most of the people, take a ride at the electric boat and be a captain. How cool is that? My husband did a great job, ride was smooth and relaxing:)

Beautiful view of the harbor, marina, ocean waves, lovely breeze….

Channel Island Harbor
Oxnard, CA

Since I picked lovely zucchini flowers I decided to try and make Stuffed Zucchini Flowers.
I made classic risotto with red onion and Parmesan cheese. Then I stuffed flowers one by one, sprinkled them with sea salt and extra virgin olive oil. In the oven at 400 F for 20 minutes. Crunchy flowers and creamy risotto. Fresh, simply delicious dish.

Hope you liked the post!