Apple pie ahoy!

Because it has rum! And one would never guess. It’s a simple pie – like most apple pies are – simple and delish. But this one is really good so if you are seriously watching your weight you should move on to a different page because this pie will entice you. I think I ate half all by myself – you know, like the song…all by myse-e-elf, I ate the pie, all by myself, almost all…… 🙂 Well, good thing it’s not all that heavy so please stay – and make, and eat, and enjoy!

Here is the grocery list:

For the dough

2 eggs
100 g sugar (I use brown sugar)
150 g butter
300 g flour
tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt

For the filling

5 Granny Smith apples – or a different kind – I use GS because they are sour. Sweet apples dull the taste but if sweet apples are your only choice then just add a bit of squeezed lemon juice to lift the taste.
150 g sugar
1 vanilla sugar
2 tablespoons of rum
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
a little bit of lemon zest



First the dough:

Beat the eggs. Add sugar. Mix to dissolve the sugar. Add butter (grind it so you can easily incorporate it). Mix. Add flour and baking powder. And a pinch of salt. Mix into a moderately hard dough, then leave the dough in a freezer for a few minutes – until you make the filling.

 
 

Now the filling – yummy:

Grind the apples. Mix in the 150 g of sugar. Add 1 sachet of vanilla sugar. Add the rum, cinnamon and lemon zest. Mix all together. The apples will let out some juice but that’s okay.

 
 

Press half of the dough on a pan – no need to coat with anything.

 

Top with the apple filling.

 

I tried to roll the dough into a nice even sheet for the top but it didn’t quite work – as the messy rolling pin can prove – so transferred the thinned dough in pieces and covered the pie – and it looks ok when baked. It kind of melts together.

 
 

Bake at 180 degrees Celsius (360 F) for about 35 minutes.

This pie is great warm out of the oven, but I prefer it the next day – or even the next next day…if it happens to last that long!

                                                  So, enjoy, space peeps, and

                                                             Bon Appetit!

                                                                

Chicken Date Blues

Because it involves chicken, dates and blue cheese. And it’s yummy, too. Actually, yummy kind of doesn’t do it justice because this meal, simple as it is, is pure taste-buds extravaganza. And the grocery list is a minimalist one:

• Chicken thighs
• 1 medium onion
• Dry dates, 5-ish
• Blue cheese – any Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton – as long as it looks rotten to perfection
• Salt and pepper

  

  

Saute the onion until glassy looking. Season the chicken. Cook for about 10 minutes until it gets some nice color. Add chopped in halves dates. Mix well so that they get soaked in. Add blue cheese. Cook for another few minutes….then enjoy and be amazed by the fabulous taste! 

                                                     Bon appetit, space peeps!

                                 

Vegetarian Souvlaki

With halloumi cheese and olive oil – I guess we can call it Mediterranean, too. 

This a simple cut-line-broil type of meal to which you can add ingredient – like tomato or chicken breasts  (for a non vegetarian option) – and tailor them to perfectly suit your taste. Here. we used what was already in the fridge and that grocery list goes like this:

• 1 eggplant
• a pack of halloumi cheese (c.250 g)
• 1 big green pepper
• 2 medium onions 
• 1 can of pineapple
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Once you have everything nicely cut and lined on wood sticks, season it with salt and pepper and sprinkle with olive oil. 

Broil on 220 for 20-25 minutes depending on your oven and making sure you periodically turn the sticks so that all sides get some heat.

By the way, this would be even better on barbecue, so if you can use it – all the better!

                                             
                                                   Good appetite, space peeps! 

Green Pasta Pesto

The Grinch pasta – you know, green – is colored naturally with spinach. At least that’s what it says on the box of this Barilla fettuccine I am using today. The meal is simple but sophisticated and delish – and perfect if you want to play a blazé Italian cooking expert. And I mean, why not?  So buongiorno to you, and here is the grocery list:

• green fettuccine (about 10 small nests for 2 persons)
• fresh basil – a handful
• pine nuts – 2 tablespoons 
• garlic – 1 clove
• olive oil – 1/2 cup
• parmesan cheese (I use Cheddar – good taste, friendlier price) – to taste 
• tomatoes – for decoration 

 

Cook the fettuccine al dente, that is, cooked but firm, not gooey.

In a food chopper – my favorite kitchen gadget btw – mix the basil, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil – until you get a nice more or less smooth mixture. 

Drain the pasta and put in a nice bowl. Add pesto sauce and season a bit with salt and pepper. Sprinkle generously with cheddar (or any yellow hard cheese, really). Decorate with tomatoes. 

Serve with white wine of your choice. 

Bon appetit, space peeps!

Bacon Sandwich Time!

I made this sandwich and it was so beautiful to look at that I started making pictures. So I’m posting the photos and the sandwich – because chances are you will like it, too, and it’s easy to make, lovely to show off and super friendly on the taste buds. Is it friendly on the waist? Who cares, The Space Kitchen is weightless and the grocery list is flying around:

• Seven grains bread
• Bacon
• Mushrooms
• Green pepper
• Halloumi cheese
• Salt and pepper
• A sprinkle of apple cider vinegar

On olive oil – saute bacon, mushrooms and green pepper for a few minutes. Add diced halloumi and season to taste. Press the bread in the filling while still in pan to soak it with the olive oil – I mean, who likes a dry sandwich? Add the filling and sprinkle with vinegar to lift the taste.

If you don’t have halloumi, blue cheese (any Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort) will be a taste worthy substitute.

See, fast food does not have to be fake food. Just sayin’. By the way, just-in-case kind of information – Halloumi is a Cypriot cheese made of sheep milk, and with a high melting point that makes it perfect for frying and grilling. Good stuff.

Bon appetit, space peeps!