New York Monday: Take a Load Off
June 28, 2010 | Filed Under Broadway Malls, New York Monday | 4 Comments
Stop and smell the roses and people watch for a little while at the Broadway Malls (a landscaped median strip on Broadway that stretches from 60th street to 168th street on Broadway).
Happy Monday, everyone!
Paz
Strawberry and Cream Cake
June 22, 2010 | Filed Under Baking, Cakes, Strawberries, Strawberry and Cream Cake | 14 Comments
Strawberries. Cream. Cake. What more can one ask for?
Paz
Strawberry and Cream Cake
Lululu at Home
(makes a 6" cake)
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups double cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1/4 cup icing sugar
few fresh strawberries for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat for another 3 mins. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well. Fold in flour mixture.
Pour mixture into a greased 6" springform cake pan lined with parchment paper. Bake 45 mins until top of cake bounces back when pressed. Cool cake in pan for 10 mins. Release cake ring, let cake cool completely before halving the cake in 2 layers.
To prepare filling, whip double cream with sugar until the mixture holds soft peaks. Place into the fridge to chill.
Line parchment paper along the inside of the cake ring. Place the bottom cake layer in. Scatter the strawberry pieces on, then top with cream mixture and smooth the top with a palette knife. Place the other cake on top. Dust heavily with icing sugar.
Carefully remove the cake ring. Peel off the parchment paper. Garnish with whole or halved strawberries.
the beginning: first layer of cake before the cream is added.
the end: dusted with confectioner’s sugar and decorated with strawberry.
New York Monday: Peek-A-Boo!
June 20, 2010 | Filed Under New York Monday | 5 Comments
This is the Chrysler Building. See Ed. note below.
I see you! Yes, you — the Empire State Building. I see you peering behind the apartment buildings.
This 102-story landmark was completed in 1931. It’s the third tallest sky scraper in the Americas and the 15th tallest in the world. Visitors from various walks of life stop by the Empire State Building, making it one of the most popular structures in New York. To read some interesting facts about this building, look here and here.
Have a great week, everyone.
Paz
Ed. Note: Yikes! BIG correction! Jeanne of Cook Sister! recently corrected me about this building. It is NOT the Empire State Building but instead the Chrysler building. How could I miss the scallop shell-shaped building top? I was staring at the Chrysler building but thinking Empire State building. The Chrysler Building also has a very interesting history. It’s an art deco skyscraper (77 floors) located on 42nd Street. For a very short time, it was considered one of the tallest buildings in the world, until the Empire State Building was erected. You can find more info on the Chrysler building here, here and here. Thanks for the correction, Jeanne!
Tilapia with Fresh Basil
June 14, 2010 | Filed Under Seafood, Tilapia | 12 Comments
I found this Tilapia with Fresh Basil recipe at the appropriately-named blog Simple Recipes. True to its name, the dish was not only simple but the ingredients were inexpensive to buy. Oh! I loved it even more. All I needed to purchase was tilapia, the cheapest fish at the counter (about five bucks) and fresh basil (no more than two bucks). After that, my grocery shopping was done and I actually had some change in my purse. Normally, grocery shopping can be very expensive, especially when there’s a long ingredient list involved.
In this photo, I could have probably chopped or torn my basil leaves into smaller pieces but I was feeling a little lazy at the time. No matter, it still tasted good. I’ve made this wonderful recipe several times and when I didn’t have basil, I used my fave herb, cilantro. Oh Heaven! Loved it!
Another great thing about this recipe: It was fast to prepare. Real fast. Thanks, Simple Recipes! I’m so loving this tilapia recipe.
Paz
Tilapia with Fresh Basil
Simple Recipes
Ingredients:
2 fillets of Tilapia
1 teaspoon of paprika
Salt to taste
1 tablespoons of fresh basil chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Preparation:
Coat a oven safe dish with olive oil, gently place the fillet of Tilapia and sprinkle with salt, paprika and top with basil. Place in a oven for approximately 15-20 minutes at 375F. Serve hot.
New York Monday: Fruits
June 13, 2010 | Filed Under City Streets and Sidewalks, New York Monday | 8 Comments
You’ll find many of these fruits stands on the sidewalk, all over the city. The nice thing about them is that they’re cheaper than store-bought fruits and quicker to purchase. So, go ahead and grab an apple or banana.
Happy New York Monday, everyone!
Paz
