In The Mood For

{a funny and original way of cheering up a lousy day - Happy Hallowe'en!}

Last night it was wonderful and touching to recall my childhood with the little boys and girlscouts [not that I had ever been one] knocking at the door singing the "Bolinhos e Bolinhós" song. It took me back to a time when all my worries were about how my carton box design would look like and whether or not I would get some small cash to buy my favourite treats afterwards or if instead [what a disappointment then] I would just receive walnuts, dried figs or apples. I recalled the excitment felt during these days before the 1st November, the thrill of the ritual's preparation and the rush adrenaline in the adventure of going knocking door-to-door and suddenly breathtakingly escaping, naively "cursing" those who wouldn't give us anything...Last night I had mixed feelings of nostalgy and the bittersweet taste of envy and I felt so bad about it that I ended up giving away all the treats I usually keep stored for the weekend! Wish you the sweetest weekend. I'm in the mood for...

{my new nailpolish in hues of gray - Essie's Chincilli}

{a great illuminator for healthy looking skin during winter's dull days - suggestions are more than welcomed!}

{love everything about this look - ultra chic and really my kind of sexy appeal}

{totally into arm swagging in gold dainty pieces}

{the first chestnuts of the season - the promise of  a recipe soon on the blog}

{this polished handbag - what's not to love about it?}

Moist Chocolate Chip Cake - Hallowe'en

 The celebration of Hallowe'en isn´t a Portuguese tradition, but as a kid highly influenced by the American culture of movies [totally obsessed]and as an English teacher I've always enthusiastically promoted and thoroughly supported and incentivated the kids at school to make of the 31st October a great fun day, the good old American way. This is a super easy, fun but mostly a delicious  cake that all kids will certainly enjoy [who doesn't love chocolate anyway?]. It's super moist, dense, it has a rich texture that resembles pudding and the intense flavour of the dark chocolate chips[with crunchy bits inbetween and their bittersweet taste mixed with the sweeteness of the cake at the same time] is a mega combination for sucess. Needless to say that as a fruit gums addicted, when I saw these amazing spiders I just couldn´t resist bringing some home to decorate my cake for this party - though [I'm extremely aracnophobic as well]I haven't been able to eat a single one so far!!! I hope you have a great Hallowe'en tomorrow and hope to inspire you to make a great theme party!

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 and a 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk [milk with 1/2 a lemon juice resting for 15m]
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup sunflower oil
• 125gr chocolate powder

 In a bowl mix the dry ingredients all together blending well with a wooden spoon. Then add the sunflower oil and beat with a mixer. Then add the eggs and continue beating and finally add the buttermmilk and beat again until you have an homogenous dough. Put it into a buttered and floured mold and take to a preheated oven at 180º for about 1h.

Too Good Not To Post It Right Away

Peas Cream Soup With Eggs

A less conventional soup, but very nutritious and delicious, creamy and simple, with tasty bits of boiled eggs, perfect for the colder days of this upcoming November that is taking major steps with the promise of rain and substantially lower temperatures, making us wish for the warmth of a very warm cream of peas, delicious and uncomplicated that warms the stomach and the heart!
 
Ingredients:

•  peas [I used a package of frozen peas]
•  2 large eggs
•  2 potatoes
•  1/2 large onion
•  2 carrots
•  qs salt
•  extra virgin olive oil

  In a saucepan, bring water to boil on the stove. Peel potatoes, cut them into pieces, along with the onion, carrots and eggs, all going to cook. Join the peas.Season with a little salt and let cook for 30 minutes. After the  vegetables are cooked, remove the eggs to a plate and add the olive oil and blend the soup with a hand blender. Boil for 2 minutes. Meanwhile cut the eggs into small pieces and set aside. Two minutes afterwards the soup is ready to be served. Serve the soup with the eggs.


Uma sopa menos convencional, mas muito nutritiva e deliciosa, cremosa e  simples, com saborosos pedaços de ovo cozido, perfeita para os dias mais frios deste novembro que se aproxima a passos largos com a promessa de chuva e de temperaturas substancialmente mais baixas,  a fazer desejar o aconchego de um creme de ervilhas bem quentinho, delicioso e descomplicado que aquece o estômago e o coração!

Ingredientes:

• ervilhas [usei um pacote de ervilhas congeladas]
• 2 ovos grandes
• 2 batatas
• 1/2 cebola grande
• 2 cenouras
• sal q.b.
• azeite virgem extra

 Numa panela, leve a água ao lume até ferver. Descasque as batatas, parta-as em pedaços, juntamente com a cebola,as cenouras e os ovos, que vão a cozer. Junte as ervilhas.Tempere com um pouco de sal e deixe cozer durante 30 minutos. Depois dos legumes cozidos retire os ovos para um prato e adicione o azeite e passe a sopa com a varinha mágica. Deixe ferver durante 2 minutos.
Entretanto corte os ovos em pedaços pequenos e reserve. Passado os 2 minutos a sopa está pronta a ser servida.Sirva a sopa com os ovos.