In The Mood For

{love seeing roses survive throughout wintery days}

I have no attachment to winter whatsoever, a season I don't like at all. For me it translates into constant humidity, permanent grey skies, unpleasant and annoying rain, harsh winds, freezing early mornings/ nights and I really don't funtion properly up until the first steady rays of sunshine spread announcing a most wanted Spring. I'm glad January it's a wrap by now - it always seems such a long month to endure, mainly because it's coming back to face daily life's hard facts after all the entertainment of the past festivities. With three new exceptional cookbooks on the agenda for this weekend and some hearty dishes on my mind I'll be seeking moments of calm and finding balance. Wish you a cozy one! I'm in the mood for...

{an all black ensemble and a great camel coat and I'm good to go}

{beautiful polished manicures to fight back dull, gloomy days}

{still on the hunt for the perfect kitchen island's stolls}

{baking homemade bread in a traditional firewood oven for the first time}

{the cute print of this fancy handbag - at ZARA, new collection}

{falling in love with ZARA HOME's new bedding collection}

Port Wine & Cinammon Apple Cake

For wintery freezing and rainy days there's nothing better than a delicious piece of cake with big chunks of apple, a sprinkling of cinnamon and a touch of fine sweet white Port wine. It is a rather easy to bake cake that comes together in just some minutes but it looks so hearty and tastes so flavourfully that it actually seems like you've spent all morning baking it. It's a winter delight of layers of tender apples with spiced cinammon and brown sugar that makes of this delicious treat the perfect recipe to  be served as dessert or a breakfast coffee cake.


Ingredients:

•  3 apples
•  1 1/2 cups of sugar
•  2 cups f flour
•  1 teaspoon baking powder
•  100 ml liquid butter
•   6 eggs
•   3 tablespoons cinnamon 
•   50ml white Port wine
•   brown sugar

Peel the apples and slice some and dice others. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon and pour white Port wine. Let rest for approximately 10. In a bowl put the eggs and beat with the sugar until it forms a fluffy cream. Add the flour with the baking powder and beat again. Add the liquid butter and beat. Place half of the dough on top of the mold. Arrange the apple slices on top, but don't bury them in the dough. Cover with the remaining batter and spread over the apple cubes and pour the juice remaining from it. Finally, sprinkle the apples with borwn sugar. Take to a pre-heated oven at 180° C for about 40m.

Ingredientes: 

• 3 maçãs 
• 1 1/2 caneca de açúcar 
• 2 canecas e farinha
• 1 colher de chá de fermento
• 100 ml manteiga líquida
• 6 ovos
• 3 colheres sobremesa de canela
• 50ml de vinho do Porto 
• açúcar amarelo

Descascar as maçãs e partir uma às fatias e as outras duas em cubos. Polvilhar com açúcar amarelo  e canela e regar com o vinho do Porto. deixar apurar durante aproximadamente 10.
Numa taça colocar os ovos inteiros  e bater com o açúcar até formar um creme fofo. Juntar a farinha com o fermento e bater de novo.  Adicionar a manteiga líquida e bater. Colocar metade da massa na forma.Por cima dispor as fatias da maçã , não as enterrando na massa. Cobrir com a restante massa e por cima espalhar os cubos da maçã e verter o suco do preparado. Findo isto, polvilhar as maçãs com açúcar . Levar a  forno pré aquecido a 180º C cerca de 40m. 

Too Good Not To Post It Right Away

Rustic Fries With Caramelized Onion

Rapid, economical but still super tasty meals are my go-to on week days when the frenzy is fully installed.These are all organic products from my parents' farm - the soft potatoes, the tasty onions, the super fresh eggs which inevitably take the taste into another level. The combination of these simple ingredients is good enough to dismiss any other sauces or sides, because it is loaded in flavour provided by the caramelized onions that add a rich deep savory sweetness to this delicious dish. 

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1 or 2 onions
• potatoes
• black olives
• extravirgin olive oil
• salt
• chili
• sunflower vegetable oil

In a frying pan caramelize the onions in olive oil, salt and chili. Reserve. Thickly slice the potatoes and fry them in sunflower vegetable oil. Place them between several coats of paper towel to absrob the excess of oil. Fry the eggs. Pour the caramelized onions over the fries. Serve hot.

Ingredientes:

• 4 ovos
• 1 ou 2 cebolas
• batatas
• azeitonas pretas
• azeite virgem extra
• sal
• piri piri
• óleo de girassol 

Numa sertã caramelize as cebolas em azeite, sal e piri piri. Reserve. Corte as batatas às rodelas e frite-os em óleo de girassol. Absorva o excesso de óleo em várias camadas de papel de cozinha. Frite os ovos. Despeje as cebolas caramelizadas sobre as batatas fritas. Sirva quente.