What Katie ate

Since I 'borrowed' one of her gorgeous photos to illustrate the chocolate pecan brownies I made last week, I had to show you the full monty and how incredibly talented Food Stylist, Photographer and foodie blogger Katie Quinn Davies is...
Pics below are a sneak peek of Katie's amazing Bumper Christmas Edition. Seriously what do they feed them in Australia to be so good with food photography...Donna Hay, Michele Cranston and now Katie (who is in fact Irish). Frankly if Katie releases this amazing digital mag into a printed book, the first copy is for me!

Vu que j'ai 'emprunte' une de ses magnifiques photos pour illustrer les brownies au chocolat et noix de pecan que j'ai fait la semaine derniere, il fallait que je vous montre la totale et a quel point, la styliste, photographe et bloggeuse Katie Quinn Davie est super douee.
Les photos ci-dessous sont juste un apercu de son magazine special Noel. Non serieurement, ils sont eleves a quoi en Australie pour etre aussi bons en photos de cuisine....Donna Hay, Michele Cranston et maintenant Katie. Franchement si Katie sort une version papier de son genial magazine digital, le premier examplaire est pour moi!

(C) What Katie ate

Chocolate pecan brownies recipe

Last Tuesday I organized a surprise diner party to celebrate Steve's Birthday*. I got him three vintage gas stations pricing signs from Three Potato Four (no 3, 6 and 5 to tell him that I love him every day of the year), this map from New-Zealand and these fabulous speakers which he loved! The fourth gift (in my book!) was a whole meal cooked by myself which, luckily, was a success...
Mila and I made chocolate pecan brownies for desert and here is the recipe...prepare yourself to die and go to heaven.
*mostly to make up for the fact that in the past 2 years, too busy here with Xmas orders, I totally forgot the first year and wished him a day too late the second year :-(

★★★★

Maman: "Mila..move"

Mila: "no"
Maman: "Mila move!.... I need to add the pecan nuts"
Mila licking the spoon: "No!...this is SO good.."

★★★★

Mardi dernier, j'ai organise un diner suprise pour l'anniversaire de Steve*. Je lui ai offert trois vieux signes de stations d'essence achete a Three Potato Four (no 3, 6 et 5 pour lui dire que je l'aime tous les jours de l'annee), cette carte de Nouvelle-Zealande et ces fabuleuses enceintes qu'il a adore! Le 4eme cadeau (selon moi) etait un repas entier cuisine par bibi et qui en plus etait super bon...

Mila et moi avons fait des brownies au chocolat et noix de pecans pour le dessert et voici la recette:
Vous aurez besoin de: 300g de beurre, 350g de chocolat noir, 6 oeufs, 450g de sucre brun, 1 csp d'extrait de vanille, 225g de farine, 150g de noix de pecan, du sel, du chocolat en poudre ou du sucre glace. Vous aurez egalement besoin d'un plat d'environ 20 x 30 x 6 cm et d'un cookie cutter en forme d'etoile.
Beurrez le plat et ajoutez du papier sulfurise au fond du plat, faite fondre le beurre et le chocolat au bain-marie. Battez les oeufs, melangez les avec le sucre et la vanille et ajoutez le tout au melange de chocolat.
Ajoutez la farine au tamis et ensuite melangez les noix de pecan et une large pincee de sel. Mettez le tout dans le plat et enfournez pendant 30 a 35 min a env. 180degres/thermostat 4. Testez avec un fin couteau. Personnellement, je les prefere quand ils sont un peu moux mais si ils coulent trop, laissez-les 5 min de plus. Laissez refroidir dans le plat, puis decoupez le chocolat en petits carres et decorez-les avec le cookie cutter et du sucre glace. Voila!! Vous allez mourir tellement c'est bon et allez straight to heaven!

*et aussi parce que cela fait deux ans de suite que j'ai tellement de boulot avec les commandes de Noel ici que j'ai completement oublie de lui souhaiter la premiere annee et je lui ai souhaite le jour d'apres la seconde annee :-(

(C) Beautiful image from What Katie ate

Penne with Marinated Tomatoes, Basil and Mascarpone

I've been blogging for almost a year now, and for some reason, I've never posted a recipe of something I cooked myself. Ok, I do know the reason why. I like cooking and consider myself decent at it, but I'm certainly no wunderkind in the kitchen. I forget crucial steps, mess up measurements, and often add chunks of butter at the last minute because my "healthy" approach has left the dish tasting like kitchen counter.

So when I make something that is not only good, but revelatory, it means I have one damn good, idiot-proof recipe. I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart Living, and it is hands down one of the tastiest things I've ever made. It's best to make in late summer, when you can get colorful and super-ripe heirloom tomatoes from a local market, but even now, in the dead of winter, it leaves me with a glorious summery feeling. Bon Appetit!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
* 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes (depending on how much heat you like)
* 1 bunch asparagus, cut into penne-size pieces, spears removed
* 3/4 to 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
* 3/4 cup fresh basil
* Sea salt to taste
* 1 pound dried penne (rigatoni works too)
* 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Cook oil, garlic, and red-pepper flakes in a small skillet over low heat. After 3 minutes, add chopped asparagus and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Let cool.
2. Place tomatoes, 1/2 cup basil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Stir in asparagus-garlic mixture. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours, tossing occasionally.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water, and drain. Meanwhile, mix mascarpone and pepper in a small bowl. Add pasta to asparagus mixture. Stir in remaining basil, and serve with peppered mascarpone on the side or mixed in.