The big 3-0 combined with a giveaway!!

Update: deadline for this giveaway is now Thursday April 16th, 2009!!!

As lots of you already know (because I keep mentioning it here on my blog) I'm turning thirty this summer: the big 3-0. I've been trying to come up with nice ideas on how to celebrate this with my friends and family. One of the things I really like to do is have a high tea, or an afternoon tea as some of you might name it. So I thought about going somewhere with my friends to do this, I'm looking for a nice place here in Holland.

For my family I thought I could make my own tea party, since I have no experience on how to do this I'd like some ideas. Last month I gave away a nice Dutch cookbook, but I still have one left: Dutch Cooking - The New Kitchen ~ a surprisingly seductive cookbook (written in English) with all the traditionally Dutch dishes our parents used to make, adjusted to this time: less fatty and with lots of fresh vegetables. The book is filled with recipes for the best stews, soups, vegetarian dishes and salades. The lovely old-Dutch dessert have also been included!! (Paperback)

This giveaway is going to be simple: I'll ask you a question and the answer I like best will get the cookbook. I'm willing to send it all over the world! Feel free to spread the news about this giveaway amongst your friends! Deadline for entering the giveaway is Friday April 10 2009 midnight Dutch time!

So here's what you have do to win: in one comment

• tell me your favourite recipe suitable for a high/afternoon,
• explain why this is your favourite recipe and
• provide me with a link to this recipe (this is so I can try your recipe ofcours ;) )
  

P.S. Don't worry Marie, Steph and Peggy: I won't forget about my Pay-it-Forward Giveaway-winners, but I still have to finish the gifts!

WW: Spaghetti with Broccoli-Cheesesauce

As promised, here's the pasta dish I served with yesterdays Buffalo Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing:

Spaghetti with Broccoli-Cheesesauce (serves 1)

1 onion (I used a red onion)

1 pepper (I used half a red pepper and half a yellow pepper)

1 tsp olive oil

150 ml vegetable stock

60 gram boursin cuisine light (similar to Philadelphia cream cheese with herbs & garlic)

salt, pepper and currypowder to taste

150 grams whole weat pasta

150 grams boiled broccoli rosets

10 grams grated Parmezan

Dice the onion and pepper and cook them in the olive oil. Add the vegetable stock. Stir in the boursine cuisine light and add salt, pepper and currypowder to taste. Stir in the boiled pasta and broccoli. Sprinkle with the parmezan.

7 WW Points per serving. Enjoy!!

CEiMB: Buffalo Chicken Salad

Time flies when you're having fun: another Thursday had arrived and I'm happy it did, 'cause that means it's time for Craving Ellie in My Belly!!

This week AJM from You Eat Now got to pick the recipe, she selected Buffalo Chicken Salad. The recipe can be found here.

I must admit, when I saw the list of ingredients I had some doubts about this recipe. You see I love hot sauce and I love blue cheese, but simply couldn't imagine that those two would taste good when combined in one recipe.

Boy, did Elly prove me wrong!!! I decided to make this salad as a side dish with some great pasta with broccoli and cheesesauce (recipe will follow tomorrow) and served it yesterday when a friend came over for diner. We loved it! The dressing is perfect: the taste of the blue cheese (I used gorgonzola) is not too strong and the chicken is a great addition! Yum! Another recipe that I'll be making again!

Ow.... Only 3 WW Points per serving and about 1,5 for the side dish!! By the way, so far I lost 4 kilos in one month :) And if you would like to join CEiMB, go check out this site!