Gingerbread House with 'Glass' Windows (and Light)

Did you start preparation for Christmas? Have some fun and make a Gingerbread house, then let your children (or child in you) decorate it!

You will need:
Recipe for gingerbread dough
Boiled lollies (for glass windows)
other lollies for decoration
Food colour (optional)
Cake board
(tea candle; if you want light inside your house)

Method:
1. Prepare paper template (mark windows and doors)
12 x 19 cm - 2 times, 
10,5 x 16 cm - 2 times 
16 x 18 - 2 times (you'll need to cut upper corners of those rectangles, so they support roof - see picture
2. Transfer templates onto roll-out dough (cut out windows and doors)
3. Place onto baking sheet (lined with baking paper); fill widows with crushed boiled lollies. Bake
4. Trim 'house sides' while hot (if necessary); cool
5. Glue house sides together (egg white and icing sugar / thick paste) placing pieces on cake board, supporting them with cans
(Don't forget to cut out hole for tea candle on the board, if you want light in your house. In that case, make a chimney for heat / smoke escape)
6. Decorate when sturdy (leave 2-3 hours to dry or overnight)
7. Let it snow over your house (dust with icing sugar)

Gingerbread Kucica sa 'staklenim' prozorima (i svjetlom)

Jeste li poceli sa pripremama za Bozic? Zabavite se i napravite kucicu, zatim pustite djecu (ili dijete u vama) da je dekorira.

Potrebno:

Recept za Gingerbread tijesto 

Secerne bombone (tvrde bez punjenja, za prozore)

Razne slatkise i bombonice, za dekoraciju

Kartonski podlozak za kolace / torte

Prehrambena boja (opciono)

Male 'cajne' svijece (ako zelite svjetlo u kucici)

Postupak:

1. Pripremite papirne modele (oznacite prozore i vrata)
12 x 19 cm - 2 puta
10,5 x 16 cm - 2 puta
16 x 18 - 2 puta (ove cete morati nakoso zasjeci, tako da krov nalegne - vidi foto)
2. Prenesite model na tijesto; zasijecite dijelove
3. Postavite na papir za pecenje (na tepsiji), ispunite prozore sa lomljenim bombonama. Ispecite
4. Ako je neophodno, ispravite dijelove poslije pecenja, dok su vruci; ohladite
5. 'Zalijepite' stranice kuce (bjelance i secer u prahu -gusta masa); podrzite ih konzervama na podlosku za torte (ne zaboravite izrezati otvor za cajnu svijecu na podlosku, ako zelite svjetlo u kucici. U tom slucaju napravite dimnjak kako bi vrelina / dim izlazili vani))
6. Dekorisite kad je dovoljno cvrsta (susiti 2-3 sata ili preko noci)
7. Zasnijezite kucicu (sa secerom u prahu)!

Chocolate Black Forrest Cake

Welcome to December!
Black Forest cake is one of favourites in my family, but one of us is not fan of cream in cakes. To avoid disappointment, I added chocolate to the cream part and the result is delightful. This (pictured-one) is second that I made this month (November is month of birthday cakes in my kitchen - both my sons have birthdays in November, and so is my mum, my mother in law, my best friend...Lots of scorpios in my life!)

Ingredients:
Sponge-
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
75 g flour
50 g cocoa, good quality
Filling-
300 ml thickened cream, 35% fat
200 g dark chocolate
1/4 cup (+) icing sugar
300 ml double cream, 45% fat
1 jar of pitted cherries
1-2 tbs Chery Brandy ,( or Kirsh -optional)
2 tsp arrowroot (tapioca flour), or corn flour

Method:
Preheat oven to 170*C; prepare 22 cm spring form (line with baking paper).
Beat eggs and sugar until very thick and pale. Sift flour and cocoa on top and fold in. Bake for 35 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool, then take out and horizontally  cut into 3 layers.
Divide cherries into 3 parts; reserve 1 cup of liquid. Add cherry brandy to the liquid. Brush 2 bottom layers of sponge with this mixture, place cherries over them. The rest of liquid (2/3 cup) mix with corn flour and boil until thick. Add last part of cherries and let it cool.
Heat cream, pour over chocolate and stir into a smooth consistency. When set, add double cream and icing sugar; beat until thick. Divide into 3; spread 2 first layers and assemble cake. Put cream around last layer, leaving middle free. Spoon jelly with cherries in the middle and refrigerate for 2 hours, before slicing.

Čokoladna 'Schwartzwald' Torta

Dobrodosli u decembar!
'Schwartzwald' torta je jedna od omiljenih u mojoj porodici, ali jedan od nas ne voli pavlaku u kolacima. Stoga sam dodala cokoladu u krem, da bih izbjegla razocaranje. Torta je bila odlicna.
Ova (na slici) je druga proslog mjeseca koju sam pravila (novembar je mjesec torti u mojoj kuhinji - oba moja sina su rodjeni u novembru, moja mama, svekrva, najbolja prijateljica...Mnogo skorpija u mom zivotu!)

Potrebno:
Biskvit-
6 jaja
1 solja secera
75 gr brasna
50 gr kaka, dobre kvalitete
Fil-
300 ml slatke pavlake, 35% masnoca
200 gr tamne cokolade
1/4 solje secera u prahu (+)
300 ml 'duplog' vrhnja ( 45% masnoce)
1 tegla visanja (u soku)
1-2 K Sheri-brendija (ili Kirsh), opciono
2 k gustina (ili slicnog skroba)

Nacin:
Ukljucite rerun na 170*C; pripremite22 cm obruc za torte (oblozite papirom za pecenje).
Tucite jaja sa secerom dok ne postane gusto i cvrsto. Prosijte brasno I kakao na vrh, pa rucno umijesajte. Pecite 35 minuta, ili dok ubodena cackalice ne izadje cista. Ohladite, pa izrezite na 3 sloja.
Podijelite visnje na 3 dijela, sacuvajte 1 solju soka. Dodajte alkohol soku. Cetkicom nanesite tekucinu na prva 2 sloja; postavite visnje preko ovoga. Ostatak tecnosti (2/3 solje) pomijesajte sa gustinom i prokuhajte. Ubacite treci dio visanja I ohladite.
Zagrijte vrhnje, prelijte preko komadica cokolade I promijesajte u glatku masu; ohladite. Umijesajte duplo vrhnje I miksajte u gustu kremu sa secerom u prahu. Podijelite na 3 dijela. Premazite prve 2 kore sa kremom, a zadnj samo okolo, ostavljajuci sredinu slobodnu. Slozite tortu, zatim u sredinu ubacite prostali dio sa visnjama. Stavite u frizider na 2 sata prije rezanja.

Quick Burek (with ready made Phyllo Pastry)

A few of my (Aussie) friends have asked for a burek recipe with commercial phyllo pastry. Here it is!

Ingredients:
1 packet phyllo pastry, 375 g (you might not need all)
1 tbs oil
2 onions, diced
400-500 g mince
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
50 ml oil (3 tbs + 1tsp)
1/3 cup sparkling water (+ jar to mix it with oil)

Method:
Sautee onion in oil, add mince and spices. Cook until meat change colour. Let it cool. Pour oil and water in a jar with lid.
Preheat oven to 190*C; prepare a round pan (pizza - 30 cm), spray with oil.
Place 5 sheets of phyllo pastry on bottom of pan, laying them over the edges of the pan.
Sprinkle each layer of pastry in the pan with water/oil mixture (shake every time before sprinkling). Place 1/2 of mince mixture, crush 4-5 sheets of pastry (to cover mince; alternatively you can layer 4-5 sheets) , sprinkle with water/oil. Place another 1/2 of mince, now return hanging sheets to cover mince, sprinkling each sheet again. At top place one, or two whole sheets, sprinkle with oil/water again and tuck in underneath. Cover with al-foil (do not let touch pastry; it will stick during baking) and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve cutting into wedges. (Fresh sliced onion, tomatoes or drinking yogurt is traditionally served with burek).

Brzi Burek sa gotovim korama

Nekoliko mojih (Australijskih) prijatelja je pitalo za burek recept sa gotovim korama. Evo ga!

Potrebno:
1 pakovanje tankih kora za pitu (375 gr, necete sve potrositi)
1 K ulja
2 crvena luka, sjeckana
400-500 gr mljevene govedine
1 k soli
1/2 k crnog bibera
1/2 k kima u prahu
50 ml ulja
80-90 ml mineralne vode (+ 1 tegla za pomijesati sa uljem)

Nacin:
Zagrijte ulje, proprzite luk. Dodajte meso i zacine, przite dok meso ne promijeni boju. Ostavite prohladiti. Stavite vodu i ulje u teglu sa poklopcem. 
Ukljucite rernu na 190*C; pripremite okrugli (pica) pleh. Nauljite ga pa postavite 5 listova tijesta, tako da krajevi vise preko ivica. Pospricajte svaku koru sa mjesavinom ulja i vode (protresite svaki put prije spricanja). Postavite 1/2 mesa preko dna tepsije; zguzvajte 4-5 kora, postavite preko mesa (mozete ih i postaviti bez kidanja i guzvanja). Pospricajte emulzijom obilato svaki sloj, zatim postavite drugu 1/2 mesa. Zavrnite kore koje su visile preko tepsije, spricajuci svaku. Na povrsinu stavite jednu ili dvije cijele kore, i fino ih podvucite ispod. Pospricajte ponovo, pokrijte al-folijom (pazeci da ne nalegne na tijesto - zalijepice se) i pecite oko 30 min. Skinite foliju pa dopecite jos 5 minuta. Servirajte toplo sa (luk salatom, paradajzom ili jogurtom).

Fruit, Nut and Avocado salad

It is HOT today...40*C...which means salad for lunch!

Salads are often complete meals during summer in my household. We go creative with fridge ingredients; everyone adds what they like. Boys usually want something meaty (salami, ham, tuna...) while I prefer some fruit and nuts in it. Nice fresh dressing over it, and I don't need anything better.
What sort of salads do you like?

Ingredients: (for 1 person)
1-2 handfuls of salad greens (mixture)
1/4 avocado, sliced
3-5 strawberries, sliced
2-4 tbs walnuts, chopped

Orange  Dressing (for 2-4 servings)
1 orange, juice + a bit of zest
4-5 tbs olive oil
pinch of pink salt
1 tsp mustard
1 tbs parsley leaves, chopped (optional)

Mix all ingredients, pour with orange dressing over it. Enjoy!

Salata sa avokadom, vocem i orasima

Danas je VRUCE...40*C...sto znaci salata za rucak!
Salate su ceste za obrok tokom ljeta u mom domacinstvu. Postajemo kreativni sa sadrzajem frizidera; svako ubacuje u svoj obrok ono sta voli.Decki obicno zele nesto 'mesno' (slama, sunka, tuna...) dok ja volim voce i orasaste plodove u salati. Fin preljev preko, i meni ne treba nista bolje.
Kakve salate vi volite?

Potrebno: (za 1 osobu)
1-2 sake mijesaneih listova salate
1/4 avokada, izrezan
3-5 jagoda, izrezane
2-4 K oraha, sjeckanih

Preljev sa sokom narandze (za 2-4 salate)
1 narandza, sok + jos malo ribane korice
4-5 K maslinovog ulja
prstohvat (pink) soli 
1 k senfa
1 K lisca persuna, sjeckan (opciono)

Pomijesajte sve sastojke, pospite sa preljevom. Uzivajte!

Onion bake

Onion is one of most often used vegetables in kitchens around the world, but it's almost always just a companion to other ingredients. With this recipe onion is presented as a star; it can be served as a snack (with crusty bread), or as a side dish.

Ingredients:

4 large onions, sliced (1-1,5 cm )

oil spray for pan

100 ml white wine

1 cup cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 190-200 *C; prepare a large (shallow) baking dish. Spray it with oil. Place slices of onion onto it. Pour wine, then cream on top. Season with salt and pepper (carefully - Parmesan is salty) and place in oven for 12-15 minutes. Take out when cream starts caramelising, sprinkle with Parmesan and return for another 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Zapečeni  crveni luk

Crveni luk je veoma zastupljeno povrce u mnogim kuhinjama sirom svijeta, ali uglavnom kao usputni sastojak sa drugim komponentama. Sa ovim receptom, luk je predstavljen kao zvijezda, u prvom planu. Moze biti  posluzen kao 'snak' (na kriski kruha) ili kao prilog. 

Potrebno:
4 vece glavice luka, izrezane na 1-1,5 cm reznjeve
ulje za tepsiju
1 dl bijelog vina
1 solja pavlake
so i biber prema ukusu
1/2 solje rendanog parmezana

Nacin:
Ukljucite rernu na 190-200 *C; priprenite veliku ali plitku tepsiju. Nauljite ju i poredajte reznjeve luka. Zalijte s vinom, zatim i vrhnjem. Zacinite (pazljivo sa solju, parmezan je slan). Pecite oko 12-15 minuta, dok vrhnje ne pocne rumeniti. Pospite sa parmezanom i pecite jos 5 minuta. Servirajte toplo.