Saturday Dinner, Risotto, Movie.

Saturday night I cooked a Sirloin Steak. Never had one before, cooked sirloin roasts but not steaks. It was pretty good. I made a shallot in red wine sauce and served it with a mushroom risotto made in the Instant Pot. First time I have done a risotto in the IP and I was trying not to cook too much so it ended up a tad to liquidy, so next time I had better use more rice - I had cut down everything, but still had too much liquid. It still tasted very good even if a bit runny. I had been to the Victoria St. Market again, to get bananas (we eat one every day) and, as usual, bought other stuff including the Bienenstich I bought before. We both really like it. Yes Birgit, if you are reading this, you were right with the name. It was even displayed this time. Later - duuh, I have just realised it is Bee Sting Cake and I am almost positive I published a recipe for it once before, will have to check it out. Yes, I did, in November 2016, I even called it Bienenstich which I had forgotten, but not the name Bee Sting.  What a lousy memory although I did remember eventually I guess.

Sunday night I decided to try a risotto again, just a simple one without mushrooms, well I didn't have any left anyway. It worked, it was very good.

I watched Sabrina on Sunday night, one of my favourite movies. They have been playing Audrey Hepburn movies all day today. Wish I had realised. I have always enjoyed her movies. Saw the last few minutes of My Fair Lady when I turned on. I was tempted to watch the next movie but it wouldn't end til after I normally go to bed. I always enjoy Humphrey Bogart movies too.

Anyway, for those of you who are baking enthusiasts, here is a recipe for the cake"

Oma's Bienenstich Recipe (Bee Sting Cake)

Cake Layer Ingredients:
2 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup flour, all-purpose
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
½ cup milk
1 Tbs butter

Topping Ingredients:
¼ cup butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ Tbs honey
1 Tbs whipping cream
1 cup almond, slivered
½ tsp vanilla extract
Filling Ingredients:
2 cups whipping cream (minus the 1 tbsp in topping)
2 Tbs granulated sugar
2 Tbs instant vanilla pudding powder

1. Cake Layer Instructions:

2. Preheat oven to 350 °F.

3. Into large mixing bowl, mix eggs and sugar until thick and creamy.

4. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together and stir into egg mixture.

5. Heat milk and butter to just about boiling (I microwaved for about 30 seconds), stir, and mix into batter.

6. Pour into greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake for about 20 - 30 minutes until firm to touch and wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

7. Meanwhile, make the topping!

8. Topping Instructions:

9. In a small pan, melt butter over low heat. Add sugar, honey, and whipping cream, stirring continually.

10. Bring to boil, and boil gently for 5 minutes, stirring continually.

11. Stir in almonds and vanilla.

12. Set aside to cool slightly and carefully spread topping on cake immediately as it comes out of the oven.

13. Set oven to broil

14. Broil cake for a few minutes until the top is nicely browned being careful it doesn't burn!

15. Let cake cool on a wire rack. Remove outer ring from spring-form carefully.

16. Filling Instructions:

17. Whip cream, sugar, and instant vanilla pudding powder until stiff.

18. Cut cake in half when cold.

19. Spread filling on bottom layer.

20. Place top layer on top of filling. To make it easier to serve, cut this top layer first into wedges and then place on top of filling.

21. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

 . HINTS:

1. If the topping gets too thick before spreading on cake, add an extra tablespoon of honey and/or cream and reheat.

2. Place the outer ring of the spring-form pan back around the bottom layer in order to neatly put the filling on the cake. Place the top layer into the pan. Let sit in fridge until needed. Then remove the outer ring. Nice and neat!

3. Bienenstich with the "chewy" topping can be difficult to cut through neatly without the cream filling squeezing out. It really is best if you cut the cake into 2 layers, cut the top layer into serving size wedges before you place them neatly on top of the filling. Makes for neater serving.

Have a great day
 

Swine Flu, Movies, Books

The main topic on the news at the moment is Swine Flu. What, I asked myself, is swine flu? Then I got an email from WebMD talking about it and giving me information. If you would like to read it click here. Basically it says swine flu is influenza which affects pigs and normally does not affect humans. However, for some reason this virus is affecting us. As far as I can see, its spreading rapidly. Sort of "yesterday in Mexico, tomorrow the world" scenario. The WebMD site gives you information on how to diagnose it and what to do about it. On TV you see lots of people wearing masks. If you go this route, do make sure you have a proper mask. There are masks and then there are masks - I remember during the SARS scare discovering that some of the masks available to the public are not worth using and are not effective at all so make sure from your pharmacy that you are getting one which will really do the job. Last night we watched Sabrina on TV - the original was one of my favourite movies and starred William Holden, Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn. The one on TV was a remake and had been done very well. The principle name was Harrison Ford who was excellent with Julia Ormond and Greg Kinnear. Matt enjoyed it although it is a love story and I would think very much a chic flic. It was made in 1995 so I guess it is already classified as a classic movie but we had never seen this version before. I am reading an unusual fantasy book at the moment, The Magicians and Mrs. Quent by Galen Beckett. So far it is basically Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters with magic thrown in. I gather that is the author's premise, what if those books had been written with magic. At first I didn't like it, but now I am enjoying the story - I believe it is intended as a trilogy. The first section has strong flavours of Pride and Prejudice, then we go onto flavourings of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, I have just started the third section. Yesterday was our last bowling for the Monday Senior League, we have one more for the Friday group and then next Monday we do some fun bowling, have a few awards handed out and end up having a 'banquet' at 4:00 which we have paid for during the season. On Thursday this week is our last Travel League and Thursday night our 'banquet' for the bowling alley which doesn't exist any more. It is still a fun get together for us and we all bowl in the travel league anyway. Eating Well are currently promoting low cost healthy meals which are always a good idea. In their new ezine I liked the look of several recipes, this being one. I like risottos, I like barley and I like fennel so where can I go wrong.

Barley Risotto with Fennel Eating Well

Makes 6 servings, generous 1 cup each

Ingredients

2 teaspoons fennel seeds 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, cored and finely diced, plus 2 tablespoons chopped fronds 1 cup pearl barley or short-grain brown rice 1 small carrot, finely chopped 1 large shallot, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or �no-chicken� broth 1-1 ½ cups water, divided ⅓ cup dry white wine 2 cups frozen French-cut green beans ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese ⅓ cup pitted oil-cured black olives, coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest Freshly ground pepper to taste

Barley Risotto with Fennel Ingredients Cont.

Barley Risotto with Fennel Instructions

1. Coat a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. Crush fennel seeds with the bottom of a saucepan. Combine the fennel seeds, diced fennel, barley (or rice), carrot, shallot and garlic in the slow cooker. Add broth, 1 cup water and wine, and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the barley (or rice) is tender, but pleasantly chewy, and the risotto is thick and creamy, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours on high or low. 2. Shortly before serving, cook green beans according to package instructions and drain. Turn off the slow cooker. Stir the green beans, Parmesan, olives, lemon zest and pepper into the risotto. If it seems dry, heat the remaining 1/2 cup water and stir it into the risotto. Serve sprinkled with the chopped fennel fronds.

Barley Risotto with Fennel Instructions Cont.

Barley Risotto with Fennel Tips

Prepare fennel, carrot, shallot and garlic. Combine broth, 1 cup water and wine. Refrigerate in separate covered containers for up to 1 day.

Have a great day.