Apologies All Around

Sorry for the lack of updates. I have been severely neglecting the blog due to travel and work. But I promise new posts this weekend! One will be on an amazing restaurant I visited in London, and another will be a cooking at home post, focusing on fun appetizers for entertaining guests. Stay tuned!

Cooking at Home: Banana (Nut) Muffins

I love to bake, and lately, I've been on a muffin kick. Muffins are really easy to make, take little time, and are healthy and delicious. I've made blueberry, cinnamon sugar, and the ones in this post: Banana (Nut) Muffins. I used only ingredients I had on hand, so I didn't use any nuts this time, but they can be added if you have them.


I always try to make my muffins (semi) healthy, so I incorporated wheat flour into the recipe, usually about half and half.


These muffins are also (GASP!) vegan. Vegan baking can seem like a scary thing, but it's really not so difficult. There are a few key things you use for substitutions, and muffins are a good way to start experimenting with vegan baking since the recipe is very straightforward.

These muffins came out moist, fluffy, and absolutely scrumptious. The boyfriend loved them, and he didn't even know they were vegan.

Banana Muffins (Makes 12)

Recipe adapted from Spark Recipes

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup plain flour

2 ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup rice milk (or any other non-dairy milk)

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup oil (sunflower, safflower, canola)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 175 ° C. Grease a muffin tin with oil or any butter/margarine of the vegan variety.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In another bowl, mash bananas and mix with milk, sugar, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.

Make a well in your dry ingredients bowl, and pour in wet ingredients, mixing well.

Fold in nuts if you choose to add them.

Pour batter into greased muffin tins, about ¾ full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Insert a toothpick into center of one to test. If it comes out clean, it’s done!

Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.

Restaurant Review: Las Adelitas

It's a shame that in the 2+ years I've lived in Prague, I had never been to Las Adelitas before. It's not because I have a distaste for Mexican fare (obviously), and it's not because I had heard bad things about it (quite the opposite in fact). I can only chalk it up to being lazy, I suppose. So, having sampled much of the Mexican/Tex-Mex style cuisine here in Prague, some of it great, some of it horrible, I decided, with the help of my trusty American cohort, to finally embark on the higly-touted taqueria known as Las Adelitas.

Sinced it's owned and managed by Mexicans, I wouldn't expect anything less than a traditional taqueria feel inside. The place is tiny, with tables closely pushed together, and a small bar in the back (in the summer there is also outdoor seating). But this atmosphere just lends to the authentic feel. I made a reservation (smart!) because I had heard from numerous people that it's always packed.

For drinks we had, of course, margaritas. Why would you go to a Mexican restaurant and not have a margarita?
My friend tried the Frozen Mango Margarita (99 CZK). She loved it, and had seconds.

I opted for the Classic Margarita (99 CZK). I also loved this, and had seconds (and thirds).

While I'm not a huge tequila fan, I do love a good margarita. And this classic was well-prepared, not too sweet, and seriously delicious. So delicious, I almost forgot to take a picture of it (and by the second one I almost forgot to take pictures of the rest of the meal).

We started with an appetizer of guacamole (55 CZK) and some tortilla chips (39 CZK). These are not really appetizers per se, but more like additional sides you can order along with your meal. But we ordered it to start because those margaritas were definitely kicking in.

It's quite a small portion, considering I could eat guacamole by the bucket, and I usually prefer it to be a bit more chunky, but taste-wise, it had great flavoring, not too much cilantro and just the right amount of lime.

For our main meal, my friend decided on the Vegetarian Quesadilla (173 CZK), which is filled with season mushrooms and served with red rice and refried beans on the side. She enjoyed it very much, even though it was a different type of quesadilla than we Americans are used to seeing, of the Tex-Mex variety.

I had the Enchiladas Rojas (173 CZK). It's filled with shredded chicken, topped with a red salsa, again with red rice and refried beans on the side. I'm normally a person who goes for the spicier foods, but today I chose the milder version because if I drank any more margaritas, I'm not sure I would have remembered the experience enough to share it here.

The red salsa was wonderfully flavored, with a nice amount of chilli. The shredded chicken was a bit dry, but when mixed with the salsa it held up quite nicely. I'm not a big fan of refried beans, but these were amazing, seasoned with cumin and a wonderful texture. The rice was perfectly cooked, moist and fluffy.

The portions were a decent size. They left you feeling satisfied, but not stuffed.

I've heard mixed things about the service, but honestly, for us, the servers were very attentive and quite friendly, speaking a nice mix of English, Spanish, and Czech.

The total bill for the two of us, including our appetizer (and my lush-style drinking) was 935 CZK, not including tip. Not bad for authentic-style Mexican food in Prague, I must say.

I decided to forgo dessert this time (the third margarita was my dessert), but will definitely be going back in the near future to sample more dishes (tostadas and flautas are on the top of my list), and more margaritas (I want a pitcher next time). So yes, overall, Las Adelitas has undeniably lived up to the hype it has received, and is, without question, a newly minted favorite for Mexican grub.

Bonus: it's a five minute walk from my flat. This could be dangerous.

Las Adelitas

Americká 684/8, Praha 2, 120 00
Telephone: +420 222 542 031
http://www.lasadelitas.cz/

Desserts: Brownie Icecream Sandwich

I. love. chocolate.

I don't know how many times I can say this. And brownies are one of my favorite chocolate desserts. I love it when they are gooey and warm and melt in your mouth. But alas, it's summer, and while we haven't had such a warm summer, it's still not the season for a warm dessert. Enter the icecream sandwich.

Now, I also love icecream, almost as much as a love chocolate. And chocolate icecream, well, don't even get me started. So we happened to have some vanilla icecream in the freezer, but, let's be honest, vanilla icecream is boring by itself. So, I decided to whip up a half-batch of brownie mix, and make an almost cookie-type brownie to use as the "bread" for my icecream sandwich.

The result was this delicious combination of chocolate and vanilla, a fun twist on the classic icecream sandwich. I made my brownie mix from scratch, but of course you can use a box of mix if that's your preference (no judgment here). And I used just plain store-bought vanilla icecream, but you can use whatever you prefer (double chocolate anyone?).

Brownie Icecream Sandwiches

Makes 4 sandwiches

1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4-1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil (or butter)
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
vanilla (or any flavor) icecream, slightly thawed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 175 C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.

2. In a large mixing bowl, oil, sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla and stir. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder.

3. Spread batter into prepared pan, making sure the mix isn't more than 1/2 inch thick. You want to make sure the brownies will be slightly thinner and firmer than normal, so they can stand up to being sandwich ends. Any excess mix can be tossed, baked, or eaten!

4. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes (check after 10 to make sure they do not overcook). Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.

5. Once cool, cut the brownies into equal size rectangles, then use a knife to cut the icecream into simiarl sized rectangles. Place icecream in between two brownie pieces, and enjoy!

When in Prague: Pork and Potatoes

If there's one thing Czechs are known for, besides beer, it's cooking pork and potatoes. This is something they have down to a science, a traditional meal that can be found in almost every home, pub, and restaurant.

So sure, if you want some řízek (what we Americans call Schnitzel), it's easy enough to head down to the local pub and order some. But it's also easy enough to cook at home (I swear).

My mom has been making breaded pork cutlets for me since I was little, so this is actually a Czech-style meal I am not afraid to cook. And while I don't have a family recipe for it, the same way I do for meatballs or stuffed artichokes, it is fairly simple to make, and chances are you already have most of the ingredients you need at home already.

The nice thing about living in a country where this is a staple meal is that it's easy to find the proper cuts of meat you need in any market. I used pork here, but you can use chicken or veal as well.

To make the cutlets, all you need is flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs.

For the roasted potatoes, the ways you can season them are endless. I usually coat them in oil and either a dry dressing or soup packet, or you can mix up your own spices if you're feeling especially creative.
Line a roasting pan with foil, spread the coated potatoes evenly, pour remaning mix on top, and roast in a preheated oven for about 45 minutes, testing with a fork to make sure they're done.


I served mine with tartar sauce (of course), but you can serve with any sauce or dressing you like.

And that's it! A really simply dish that uses few ingredients, but is high in flavor.


Pork cutlets with roasted potatoes

Serves 2-4

3-6 boneless pork cutlets
3/4-1 cup all purpose flour
1-2 eggs
3/4-1 cup breadcrumbs
2-3 large potatoes
1 packet dry soup or dressing mix (or your own spice mix)
3-4 tbsp olive oil
oil for frying

Preheat oven to 190° C and line a shallow roasting pan with foil. Cut potatoes into small wedges, and place into large bowl. Add seasoning packet (soup/dressing mix or your own) and generously coat with 3-4 tbsp of olive oil. Mix until potatoes are well coated with oil and seasoning. Line out flat on roasting pan and place into oven. After 20 minutes, flip potatoes so they do not burn. Remove after 45 minutes, or when potato wedges can be easily pierced with fork.

While potatoes are roasting, coat a frying pan with oil (about 1/4 inch) and place on stove over medium-high heat. Crack eggs and whisk in a shallow bowl. Make an assembly line with the flour, beaten eggs, and breadcumbs each in a separate bowl. Take one cutlet, coat with flour, shaking off excess. Then coat with egg mixture, and finally breadcrumbs. Place cutlet into heated frying pan and cook 3-5 minutes each side. Repeat with remaining cutlets, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Once cooked place them on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Serve with tartar sauce or your favorite condiment or dressing.

Review: Jazz Dock

So, I went to Jazz Dock for the first time last weekend, to celebrate a friend’s birthday. It’s located right on the river bank, in Smichov, and being inside, you almost feel as if you aren’t even in Prague.

The interior has a bright and fun feel, with neon colors and lights, and nice views on the river.

It was a bit smaller than I had imagined from the pictures, with some seating outside as well.

There's a nice mix of bar seating, high and low top tables, and a couch in the back.

We went on a night when there actually wasn’t jazz music, but instead a band called Caribe, who played Latin-Caribbean music. The music started around 10PM, but we arrived around 8PM for dinner and drinks beforehand.

The menu has limited fare, with an extra summer menu which has a few more choices. It’s mostly appetizers, salads, with a few different types of main courses.

I ordered the Penne with roasted prosciutto (145 CZK), and it was okay. Too much rucola on top, and a bit dry, but the prosciutto was good.

The boyfriend had the Roastbeef Sandwich (155 CZK) which I tasted. It was assembled similar to a club sandwich, and it was quite good, especially the homemade tartar sauce.

The birthday girl had the Grilled chicken on skewers (175 CZK), which had a nice char to it, although it looks to have been cooked in a pan and not on a grill.

After dinner we all decided to stay for the show. The price of admission was 250 CZK and it was quite entertaining. There were salsa dancers who gave lessons to anyone who wanted to join in, and the music created a very fun atmosphere, although it did get a little loud after a while (or maybe I’m just getting old).

Overall, we had a pleasant experience there. The service was good, and the food was average, but serves its purpose of satisfying hungry customers before the show. I think we will venture back on an actual Jazz Night, to see if the vibe is any different.

Jazz Dock - Jazz & Blues Bar & Café

Praha 5 - Smíchov
Janáčkovo nábřeží 2 (riverbanks)

phone: +420 774 058 838

e-mail: info@jazzdock.cz

http://www.jazzdock.cz

Interior photos courtesy of Jazz Dock website.