As of today I'm posting my recipes on my other blog Mitinita.It was really difficult keeping up with both of them, so I've decided to have the recipes and articles written in Romanian and English on one blog.
From now on they'll be in both languages and I'll try to translate the ones already on the blog.
Hope to see you on the other blog!

I've never made leek and potato soup and I've always wanted to try it...so when I found leek in the supermarket and this great recipe of David Lebovitz I had to try it right away. Of,course it's a little bit adapted.You'll love it!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1 leek
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
3 cups water
1 cube chicken stock
300 gr potatoes ,peeled and cubed
1 bay leaf
salt to taste

Heat the oil and add the sliced leeks.


Fry for 5-7 minutes or until soft.
Add thyme and stir for about 30 seconds.
Pour the water and add the potatoes and the bay leaf.
Add the cube as well.
Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.
Take out the bay leaf and using a stick blender puree the soup.

If the soup is too thick add some water.
Don't use a food processor,the soup will turn gummy.

Made these great muffins and I had to share them with you!Here's the original and apparently,it was adapted from a zaar recipe: Yummy Low Fat Carrot Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar,
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 Tbsp. oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup non-fat or low-fat milk
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts


Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners or spray tins with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and brown sugar.
In a small bowl whisk together the egg, oil, milk and vanilla.
In a medium bowl mix the shredded carrots with the crushed pineapple.
Add in the oil/egg mixture into the carrot/pineapple mixture; mix well to combine, then add to the dry ingredients; mix just until combined.
Add in the raisins and chopped nuts.
Divide the mixture between the 12 muffin tins.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the muffins test done.

You might have seen my announcement about Kitchen Aid finally arriving to Romania and at a very high price may I say. It's almost double than what is in North America. But I have the chance of winning one,through the contest "Romanian Recipe of the year".Why am I asking for your help,other than me really WANTING a Kitchen Aid is that I've entered only Zaar recipes,one is Katew's,one is French Tart's and two more. I don't know what my chances are,but you might see a lot of me the next 10 days.
You can vote only through your Facebook account and you can vote each of the recipe once a day for 10 days. Each category can win either a food processor,toaster or blender and the one contestant that has overall most votes will take the Kitchen Aid.
Voting is done by clicking on the four icons on the right.Thank you and may the Zaar recipes be the recipe of the year!

You can find the links here as well:

http://www.bucataras.ro/bucataras-premium/?bid=BP00983 - brownies


http://www.bucataras.ro/bucataras-premium/?bid=BP00980 - FT's cream cheese


http://www.bucataras.ro/bucataras-premium/?bid=BP00984 - sushi


http://www.bucataras.ro/bucataras-premium/?bid=BP00982 -katew's soup

Once you click on the link,below the photo it will appear a box that says VOTEAZA,which means vote,that's what you have to click.Thanks.

Make sure you try this amazing salad!


Ingredients:
500 gr carrots,coarsely grated
200 gr apples
60 gr almond,toasted and chopped
2 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1 t cumin
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t sugar

Mix all ingredients together,but don't add salt.
Refrigerate for at least one hour (important step!).

Enjoy!!!

This is the only soup my littles would eat when sick and I don't know how a sick little tummy can wish for a soup with tomatoes,but that's what they want and that's what they get!
Of course,it's Andi's recipe and you can find it here:http://www.food.com/recipe/tomato-soup-333005

Before moving to posting the recipe maybe you'd like to see my review!
"Maybe you thought that only you get animals involved in making this soup! I'll get there too, but first let me tell you how the soup making went. You have the best simple recipes, that at first (and I don't know the reason) look so complicated, but they are really so easy. You are really special and that's the reason I put bay leaf in the soup. Recently, I don't really like the taste of it.I used homemade coutons,with garlic and onion powder and I added some dried basil and oregano.Soup was great!And than I thought I should post a different kind of photo, with a Romanian background. A pigeon was trying to come and try it. Probably saw the steam coming out of it and smelled it too, of course! I was feeding the soup to little's little#2 and she enjoyed it so much (I added some olive oil to hers) when she knocked over her dish and we got tomato soup all over the door(only there luckily). Now as I'm trying to write the review she's right in the corner where the photo is posted and is trying to eat the soup. Is touching the picture and watching her hands, probably wondering why there's none on her fingers. This soup will be only tomato soup that I'll make from now on. Tasty,easy and unforgatable."

1 garlic clove,minced

1 bay leaf

1 (28 ounce) can canned tomatoes

1 slice bread,crust removed or not

1 cup broth

salt,pepper to taste

italian seasoning or oregano

Heat the oil and add onion,bay leaf and garlic.

Soften veggies for three minutes.Add canned tomatoes and broth.Stir in bread.

Mash with a stick blender or a potato masher.Add seasonings.

Cook until just heated,don't boil.Remove bay leaf and serve.Drizzle with oil.

I'm a little bit late in posting it...Delicious cake!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 t baking soda
1 T vinegar
2 eggs
1/4 t salt
2 cups flour
vanilla essence
2 cups grated apples
1 T cinnamon
for topping:
1 t cinnamon
2 T sugar
2 T flour
2 T butter
chopped walnuts

Mix the butter with sugar,eggs and vanilla essence.
Add the flour and make a well in the center where you add baking soda and vinegar.
Add salt,cinnamon and mix well.
Add the apples and well and toss.
Mix all topping ingredients and sprinkle on top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes and let cool for 10 minutes before removing.