Rustic Turnip Greens and Vegetables with Quinoa

Well, I could not pass up a great deal on frozen turnip greens at my local discount grocery while ago- a HUGE  3 pound box for only $1.79! Normally I might have to pay almost that much for a 1 pound package of some frozen greens. So I bought 3 boxes-- later wondering for a minute how I was going to use 3 pounds at a time. However, since it was such a good deal, I did not spend much time on the small details.  ;)  When I started thinking about what I could use them to make, I remembered that turnip greens have a slightly bitter flavor as compared to spinach or kale. So I began to think more about how I could incorporate them into things that my children might eat and not complain too much! While I had previously used these greens in soups and eaten them sautéed with bacon, I was looking for something a little different and some way that I could use up a lot of them without eating a huge pile of them by themselves.

So this is the huge block of turnip greens, partially thawed.

After perusing the internet for ideas, I decided it would be good to mix the greens with some other vegetables (including some that have a little natural sweetness to help offset the bitterness of the greens) and a little ham for extra flavor. Then I thought it might also be nice to have a little milk or cream sauce- I ended up making a white (béchemel sauce) to mix in at the end. In the process of adding this and that, I got the idea to throw in some quinoa, which I have on hand but do not use as much as I would like to. This ended up being a perfect addition- not really enough to stand out but still there adding some great nutrition.

As is often the case, my dish ended up to be a HUGE pot that we will be eating on for a little while. I used probably about 1 1/2 pounds of the greens. If you have a "normal" amount of fresh greens or frozen- like 1 pound or less, than you will have a more reasonably sized dish. I have attempted to cut my amounts in half, which may still make a normal "family-sized" amount. This dish can be a main dish or used as a side to other foods. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that both of my children, although initially were a little hesitant to try it, ended up eating it very well and commented on how good it was. Feel free to leave out items or add in other foods, as desired.

The large crockpot it started in- had to be moved into another pot to finish on the stove.

This is something that can be started in the morning in a crockpot and be ready in 4-6 hours on high or 8 hours on low. However, I had to switch over to a pot on the stove since I did not get it started early enough and needed to speed up the cooking process. I am notorious in my family for my soups/dishes that start in one pot, then have to be moved into a bigger pot- sometimes multiple times.
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 12-16 oz. or a good-sized clump of turnip greens, the hard center rib removed, rinsed well and then the greens chopped (or use frozen chopped greens)
• 3-4 med-large potatoes, cleaned and cut into chunks
• 1/4 cabbage, coarsely sliced/chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2-3 ham slices, cut into chunks
• 2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (I used some leftover cooked ones, about 2 cups)
• 4-6 cups water
• 3-4 chicken bouillon cubes
• salt/seasoned salt (1-2 tsp to cook in with potatoes, then to taste at the end)
• 1/4 cup zylitol or other sweetener (more or less, helps cut the bitterness of the greens)
• 1/4-1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 4 hard boiled eggs, diced
• 2 medium onions, diced and sautéed in 2 Tbsp butter, a little salt until they begin to almost carmelize
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 2 1/2 Tbsp flour
• 1-1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 1/2- 3 cups milk
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Instructions:

• Assemble the first 11 ingredients and put in a 6-8 quart soup pot, adding enough water to cover the potatoes/vegetables. Begin cooking on the stove on medium-high (or put in the crockpot) and cook until the potatoes/other vegetables are tender- approximately 35 minutes. Watch closely to make sure there is enough water and stir occasionally. 
• While vegetables are cooking, prepare the hard-boiled eggs and sauté the onions and garlic. 
• Then start preparing the white sauce- in a saucepan, melt the butter, add in the flour and whisk together. Continue to cook over low-medium heat while stirring the roux for a couple minutes. 
• Then begin to gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium low, continuing to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly. When finished, add in seasonings. 
• When the vegetables are finished, add in onions, hard-boiled eggs and white sauce. Mix together and serve with some crusty bread, if desired.

* Turnip greens are an amazing food- so full of nutrients that they really are another one of the "superfoods". Feel free to check out the site I found that does a wonderful job at detailing just how good this food is- http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=144  I did not realized that it is the turnip green's high calcium content that contributes to its bitterness. It is also very rich in cancer-fighting nutrients. So cheers to the humble turnip greens!

Pulau Basmati Rice (Nepali Rice)

I was recently introduced to VahRehVah.com, which is a great website by Sanjay Thumma with great Indian recipes, as well as ones from other countries in the region. His videos are very helpful and are a wonderful resource for people wanting to learn more about cooking Indian cuisine. 

Biryani is a layered meat/sauce and basmati rice dish that is baked and becomes so flavorful. I have been wanting to make this dish for some time,  but I had some leftover cooked chicken that I was trying to use up, which did not seem to fit with a biryani dish. So when I can across the Pulau recipe, it was just what I was looking for. Sanjay's version did not have any meat included, but I added the chopped cooked chicken with the other ingredients in the rice to make a more complete meal. I also added some cardamom seeds and cumin seeds and some leftover chopped canned tomatoes with lime and chipotle flavor. So the link to Sanjay's original Pulau Basmati Rice is http://www.vahrehvah.com/Pulau++Basmati+Rice+:2688. What follows is my adaptation of his recipe. Because I used brown basmati rice, the cooking time was longer and I had a little difficulty getting the grains on top to completely cook, despite adding extra water. I love the flavor of brown basmati rice and it is full of nutrition, but the only place I found it was at the local Indian grocery store. If you use this, just be aware that it takes longer to soak and cook.

Ingredients:

1 medium-large onion, chopped

1-2 Tbsp oil

3/4 tsp whole cumin seeds

3 whole cardamom pods

2 whole cloves

1 bay leaf

1 large (approximately 4 inch) cinnamon stick, or a couple smaller ones

1/3 cup mixture golden and dark raisins

1/2 cup cashews, broken or pieces are alright to use

1 1/2 cup basmati rice

1 tsp salt

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 1/4- 2 1/2 cups water

1 cup chopped cooked chicken (had already been cooked previously with fajita seasonings)

1/2 cup chopped canned tomatoes with lime and chipotle

Soak rice in a bowl covered with water for about 30 minutes, draining it in a fine mesh strainer and then soaking in fresh water after about 15 minutes. In a large pot, sauté onions and oil, adding in the other spices and stirring together. As the onions are becoming translucent, add in the raisins. Drain the rice and put into the onion mixture. Add salt and continue to stir around in the frying pan for a couple minutes. You may need to add another Tbsp of oil at this time. Then, if using some canned tomatoes, put them in the measuring cup first, then add the necessary amount of water to equal the total amount needed. (Start with the lesser amount first, and add more if necessary after rice has cooked about half the time). Add all the liquids to the rice mixture, as well as the chicken, chicken bouillon and nuts. Stir well and bring to a boil and make sure the bouillon cubes have dissolved. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Give the rice a good stir after about 12 minutes and if much of the liquid has dissolved and the rice that was on top is still not very soft, then you may add about 1/4 cup water. Cover and finish cooking for another 15 minutes or until rice seems soft but not mushy. 

To serve, remove bay leaf and other whole spices (cloves, cardamom and cinnamon). The cumin seeds are very small and do not need to be removed. Serve on a platter and garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired. It is also wonderful accompanied by the Indian breads- either naan or paratha, warmed in a skillet and spread with a little butter. I have shown both the naan (the white colored flatbread) and the paratha (the darker colored wheat flatbread) in the picture above. We enjoy using the bread to scoop up rice and take bites of both together.

Traditionally, pulau would be only one part of the meal. In addition to this, some of the other foods one might serve include some Indian pickles, raita (cucumber and yogurt mixture) or some vegetables cooked with some spices and served on the side. I also love to have a mixed greens salad with this dish for some added nutrition.

Quick Corned Beef , Cabbage and Potato Soup

Cooking with kids- for me, two words= stressful and stretching. However, I realize it is necessary for them to learn skills in the kitchen and it will also help them learn to try foods more readily if they are participants in the preparation and cooking process. So this is our latest family cooking activity retold for your entertainment.

This recipe was truly a work of the entire family! Even my husband got involved and offered some suggestions, which he rarely does. Anyways, my 9 year old son decided in the afternoon that he was going to treat me to a "gourmet soup". He has taken quite an interest in making food (mostly soups) since I started this blog. However, usually he starts chopping some carrots and celery and then wants to abandon ship for something else that has caught his attention. He decided previously that he is not going to be cutting up onions again anytime soon-- after he made a couple slices in one and immediately developed watery eyes and could not find any goggles to cover his eyes adequately. So with this in mind and the fact that I have been quite ill with a severe sinus infection and sore throat for quite some time, I really did not feel like going through this process again with him right now.

Suffice it to say, he went ahead and pulled out some carrots and started cleaning and chopping them while I was trying to rest. Later he came to me and told me of his progress and informed me that he could not find  anything else to put in the soup. By the time my husband came home from work, our son was again thinking about what he could use- putting lettuce in the soup was vetoed. As I looked through the fridge and saw we had some cabbage, my husband offered the idea that a cabbage and potato soup with carrots would be good. So as I tried to convince my son that this would be a good direction to go in with the soup, he pulled out some corned beef luncheon meat that I had picked up at the discount grocery the previous week. So we all were able to brainstorm and come up with things to pull together a tasty soup, and were we ever surprised at how good this soup turned out!!

Our son was so thrilled at being able to "make" the soup (admittedly with a little help from mom), and our 4 year old daughter was happy she was able to help chop up some of the vegetables.  While I am a bit of a control-freak and nit-picky about messes in the kitchen, it is a good feeling to be able to make something with one's children and see everyone enjoy the fruits of the group's efforts.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
4-5 medium-large potatoes, chopped
1 cup carrots, peeled (if needed) and chopped
2-3 celery stalks, chopped (we did not have them for this recipe)
1/4 medium head of cabbage, sliced or small chunks
10 oz. sliced corned beef, cut into pieces
8 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 palmful of  Herbes de Provence
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp seasoned salt (I use adobo with pepper or cumin), or to taste
fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped for garnish if desired

Combine all the prepared ingredients into a large soup pot and add the water, bouillon cubes and seasonings. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked and soft. Serve with some buttered toast, garlic bread or other type of bread.

Note: Herbes de Provence is a mixture of herbs that you can find in most any grocery store. I just purchased some from Penzey's herbs online. It is a wonderful blend of rosemary, thyme, fennel, basil, lavender, oregano, savory, marjoram and some include sage, chervil, dill and tarragon. The Penzey's brand seems to contain the largest variety of spices I have seen together. This is a wonderful blend for using in many dishes and is well worth keeping on hand. It goes wonderful with eggs, potatoes, chicken, vegetables, fish, stews or soups, as I found with this experiment.

Enjoy!!

Banana Nut Cake

I love just about anything with bananas. Bananas are a powerhouse of vitamins and health benefits, including protecting us from heart disease, keeping bones strong, helping our eyesight, may help protect our kidneys, aid in digestion/elimination/prevention of ulcers, and the list just keeps going on. So I am loving the fact that I can eat this moist and yummy banana cake and feel good about it. I cut back on some of the sugar, which works fine especially if you use very ripe bananas. ....and the nuts, that is a whole 'nother topic of health benefits. The last time I made this recipe, I added a couple spices and ate it without any icing- it was perfect just the way it was.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oil (I use olive oil)
2 cups flour (I also used part wheat & part white flour)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 bananas, mashed (about 3/4 cup- I sometimes use up to 1 cup and just bake a little longer, if needed)
3 large eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c. nuts
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
2 1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

Cream oil and eggs with sugar in a large bowl. Add in mashed bananas, vanilla and buttermilk. Sift together the dry ingredients and then add into the wet ingredients. Mix together well and pour into a greased and floured 9x13 inch cake pan (or use the nifty Baker's Joy nonstick spray mixed with flour from the can).

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or just until toothpick or sharp knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Eat it as is after it has cooled, or sprinkle with powdered sugar or whipped cream before serving, or it is also great with a cream cheese frosting.

This recipe could be made into a layer cake with icing if you cut the 9x13 inch cake in half down the middle. Then put a thin layer of icing between the 2 halves, set the other half on top and then put icing all over the cake. It makes a tall square layered cake.

This cake stays very moist for a long time and the flavor improves with time.

Fried Egg Sandwich

Did I mention before how much I love eggs? We love them so much at our house, with the exception of my 4 year old daughter. She informed me the other day when I was trying to get her to eat some- "Mommy, I just don't lub eggs." (Everything about her is either loved or not loved, no in-betweens!) Well, I will keep working on her until she joins the rank of egg-lovers in our home.

Meanwhile, I have also been having a dilemma regarding my camera. You see, I lost it right before Easter- just before we left to visit family out of town, along with a few lovely photos I was hoping to share with everyone. The camera still has not surfaced, and I am anxiously awaiting a new camera's arrival and hope to put it to use immediately. In the meantime, I am trying to use our original digital camera from years ago. Bear with this less-than perfect picture, but I just wanted to share one of my husband's and my favorite egg sandwich, which we use as a quick breakfast, lunch or even supper if I don't feel like making much. I grew up eating these prepared by my mom for breakfast or brunch. It has a few unusual ingredients, which you can leave out if you are not inclined to try them. However, when my husband first tried this, he was pleasantly surprised at how well the flavors went together.

Ingredients:

eggs- 1 or 2 per person
bread or rolls
mayonnaise or salad dressing
ketchup
dill pickle slices
lettuce
cheese of choice
sliced onion

Fry eggs in skillet- I usually make them with the yolk still runny and pop it so the juice comes out. This keeps the sandwich from being so runny. However, make them any way you like the eggs. After the egg is cooked, remove skillet from heat and lay a slice of cheese over the 1 or 2 eggs for each individual sandwich. Cover with a lid to melt the cheese. Meanwhile, start the bread toasting, and prepare the other sandwich ingredients. After the bread is lightly toasted, spread with some mayonnaise or dressing, a little ketchup (or more if you like), and layer the other ingredients on the bread. Remove the egg/cheese and place on the sandwich. Finish the sandwich by covering with the other part or slice of the bread. Cut in half, if desired, and then it is ready to serve.

How do you eat your egg sandwich?

More Awards!

   

   

Well, earlier this month one of my favorite bloggers sent some more awards my way. She is really too kind. Since I have been gearing up for and finally getting back into a more regular part time work schedule, as well as trying to keep up with the family and all the work that goes along with that, I have not had as much time to blog about food. I appreciate Tina's interest and encouragement in keeping me going. Be sure to head on over to check out her lovely and very well-done blog, Pinay Cooking Corner In Texas- all about Filipino (Pinay) cooking with some interesting cultural information and stories thrown in.

So I am passing this on to 15 bloggers who I think are worth reading. If there are some repeats from my past award baton-pass, then that is because I feel they continue to do an amazing job and deserve more awards again.

• 1.   Skip To Malou 
• 2.   My Creative Flavors 
• 3.   Indian Simmer
• 4.   Mediterranean Inspired Food
• 5.   eCurry
• 6.   Spoon and Chopsticks 
• 7.   The Hungry Mouse
• 8.   Tes At Home
• 9.   Blog of CheapCooking.com
• 10. Noble Pig 
• 11. Spicie Foodie 
• 12. Frieda Loves Bread 
• 13. Mother Rimmy's Cooking Light Done Right 
• 14. Colorful Palate 
• 15. A Seasonal Cook In Turkey 

Enjoy checking out these lovely blogs and be sure to post a comment of one (or more) of their posts, including maybe even follow them, if you feel inclined. 

Meanwhile, I'll be cooking up some great food from these talented bloggers-- oh, and trying to catch up on the never-ending pile of laundry! ;)

Pumpkin Dump Cake

I was first introduced to dump cakes about 20 years ago when I worked night shift at the hospital. We would all bring in food occasionally and celebrate something-- or just do it to have fun and keep us awake. One of my coworkers made the dump cake that calls for pineapple and cherry pie filling. I remember really enjoying it, although it was quite rich. Then about 2-3 years ago, a coworker at my current job made a tropical dump cake, which is just slightly different from the regular one, but not quite as rich. That also was very good. Then I saw Paula Deen making her blueberry dump cake that looked amazing! However, last winter, I was introduced to the best version of dump cake yet!- at least in my opinion. I never dreamed there were so many options to what you could do with dump cakes!  Since my friend Vikki said she got her recipe off the internet, I "googled" it and was astonished at the unending list of pumpkin dump cake recipes. So I started looking at various ones and writing down the different things people were doing with them. Some were more streamlined than others. Those who know me know that I am not a simple-spice/flavor person. So I decided to make this like a deluxe pumpkin pie. I used pumpkin pie spice, since I had it and it contains all the different spices most everyone was using. However, I will give measurements for the individual spices if you do not have the pumpkin spice mix. I cut back on sugar and also did not use any salt since I was using salted butter, and it turned out wonderful!

Another thing that amazes me about this recipe is how you can make it so different by switching the cake mixes you use. I read on one recipe that you could use a spice cake mix or caramel cake mix. For this picture, I used a spice cake mix. Most recipes call for a yellow cake mix, which is also very good. The finished product is like a pumpkin pie on the bottom and a crumb-like topping.

Serves 9-12
Ingredients:

• 1  (29 oz.) can of pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1  (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
• 1 cup sugar (1/2 cup white, 1/2 cup brown, or you can use all white sugar)
• 3 eggs (some called for 4, but I did not think it was necessary)
• 2 1/2- 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves and 1/2 tsp nutmeg)
• 1 box cake mix- either yellow, spice or caramel
• 2 sticks butter (1 cup), melted
• 1 cup pecans or walnuts, whole or chopped
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut (optional)
• cool whip or whipped cream for topping- or even some vanilla ice cream!

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 inch baking pan. 
• Whisk together pumpkin, milk and eggs in a large bowl. Add in the spices and mix well.
• Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over top of the pumpkin mixture- breaking up any large chunks of mix.  Sprinkle nuts and/or coconut over top  of the cake mix, followed by melted butter drizzled evenly over top.
• Bake for approximately 1 hour. Cool. 
• Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars/Cookies

I love peanut butter cookies but am often looking for more ways to make things a little more healthy, including adding more fiber and cutting back on the sugar and hydrogenated oils. Recently, while shopping at one of my favorite bargain food shops, I came across a whole bunch of natural chunky peanut butter. Of course, I just cannot pass up a deal like this-- 99 cents for a jar of peanut butter!!! Since I have a strange son who has a thing for textures in his food and does not like nuts in things and my husband does not particularly like chunky peanut butter, I rarely buy it. However, I had a brainstorm a while back (another time I found some reduced chunky peanut butter on clearance) that I could use chunky peanut butter in cookies and baking and not need to add the chopped nuts separately. So remembering this, I bought a flat of the chunky peanut butter- full of plans about how to use it up. Well, it has been a little while, and I got a little sidetracked with other things. The other day, I saw all that peanut butter sitting begging to be used, and I decided I needed to get on the stick! Now, if any of you have used natural peanut butter to bake with, you know it does not give quite the same flavor and texture to things that the stuff with all that hydrogenated oil gives, but it is still good. Since I have been eating natural peanut butter all my life, I really do not miss the difference.

I made this recipe from the Bake It Better With Quaker Oats cookbook, which is full of winner recipes using oats. The recipe name was "Peanutty Crisscrosses". Because I really do not enjoy making cookies when I am pushed for time (which is most of the time), I often opt to make bar cookies. So I adapted the recipe into a bar cookie- I will give both instructions for those who enjoy slaving over those cookie sheets.

Ingredients:

3/4 cups butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
1 cup peanut butter- I used chunky
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar (I cut back the sugar to 1 cup- still good)
1/3 cup water
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked-- I used quick oats)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, vanilla chips, butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips (or a combination of these- I used about 1/4 cup vanilla chips and about 1/2- 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips)- optional if making formed cookies
granulated sugar if making into formed cookies

Beat together the butter, peanut butter and sugar until creamy.  Add water, egg and vanilla; beat well. (I sifted the flour and baking soda together to make sure there were no lumps of baking soda not mixed in.) Add combined oats, flour and baking soda; mix well. Mix in the flavored chips, if desired.

If making into bar cookies, prepare a 9x13 inch pan either sprayed with nonstick spray or lined with foil and sprayed with nonstick spray. Spread out batter evenly in pan and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 25-35 minutes, taking them out before they seem completely firm or they will be too dry. If you are using a glass dish, lower the baking temperature by 25 degrees. Cool on a wire rack completely. Then you may drizzle them with a little glaze made from confectioners sugar and milk- put it in a sandwich bag with one corner removed (very small hole) and gently squeeze the bag back and forth over top of the bars. Cut and serve. Store in a tightly covered container. If you mistakenly overbake them, you can store them in a sealed container for a couple days with a slice or two of bread to soften them up.

To make them into cookies, cover the bowl of cookie dough and chill for about 1 hour. Then heat your oven to 350 degrees and shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; flatten with tines of fork dipped in granulated sugar to make a crisscross pattern. Bake 9-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container. Makes about 7 dozen.

Hummus (Chickpea/Garbanzo Bean Dip)

Although almost every food blog or website has a recipe for hummus, I decided to add one of my versions to the mix.  This is a Middle Eastern food that is popular all around the world for good reason. It is extremely nutritious, and also full of flavor with so many different ways to vary it. It can be as simple or as complex as you wish. Another added plus is that it is so easy to make. If you have a food processor or  blender, you can whip this up in very little time. Traditionally, it is served with pita, but it is great with vegetables, crackers (I love them with triscuits), on sandwiches, chips, and the list could go on.

Ingredients:

2  15 oz. cans of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2-4 Tbsp tahini (optional- this is a butter made of sesame seeds that adds to the creaminess of the dip)
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp. powdered cumin
1/4 tsp powdered mustard
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 - 1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp marjoram
3-4 palmfuls of chopped fresh parsley leaves
3-4 culantro leaves, finely chopped or 4 palmfuls of chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt (I like Goya Adobo with cumin or pepper)
2 raw garlic cloves, put through a garlic press or minced very finely
1/3- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
3-4 Tbsp olive oil (more or less)

Blend everything together, adjusting the oil and yogurt as desired until a creamy consistency is obtained. May need to adjust salt depending on your taste. Mix the dip well. Refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours for the spices to blend well.

 This makes approximately 4 cups- if cutting the recipe in half, you do not need to use exactly half of the spices in the recipe- it is quite forgiving and could probably stand to have a little more than half of the spices that are listed in small amounts.

* Another option is to use roasted garlic instead of fresh- put the garlic cloves in a foil packet with a little butter or olive oil in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes, or in a frying pan over medium heat on the stovetop until softened and golden brown. Then put through the blender with the other ingredients.

It is also popular to make this with roasted red peppers (various types), as well as sundried tomatoes, a little feta cheese-- let your imagination go wild.

Homemade Yogurt

Yogurt has such a universal appeal and is found in almost every nationality's cuisine. It is easily substituted for sour cream and is so full of beneficial bacteria essential for our bodies to stay healthy. If you strain it longer than you would for making Greek yogurt and keep squeezing out the extra liquid, you can make a yogurt cheese that is like cream cheese. I have wanted to make yogurt for many years. In fact, I bought a yogurt maker about 10-12 years ago. However, since I am a notorious procrastinator with my fingers in too many pots, it was not until recently that I decided I needed to give it a try. Part of the impetus was the rising cost of yogurt and the fact that they are full of sugar. Since my youngest is recently Type I diabetic, I decided it would be good to try making some with Xylitol, since I really do not care for the other chemically altered/produced artificial sweeteners.

Here is the picture of the type of yogurt maker that I used, which holds about 2 quarts or slightly more.

This is basically a small plastic pail with a handle and lid that snaps on tightly, then sets down into a styrofoam insulated tub with an insulated lid.  I have seen others write about putting the yogurt in glass jars with lids and wrapping them up in towels or newspaper to be stored in a small styrofoam cooler or some other type of cooler that is thick (insulated with foam). Others even use a heating pad underneath the pot of yogurt mixture for the required amount of processing time. Basically anything that will help insulate the yogurt for about 8-12 hours will do the job. One of my newly purchased recipe books entitled The Indian Slow Cooker even has a recipe for making yogurt in the crockpot/slow cooker.

Notice I have a thermometer there. It is important to get the milk hot enough to take care of unwanted bacteria, but not too hot to boil or even scald the milk. You will also want to be sure you have brought the milk back down to the right temperature (110-118 degree F, or 45-48 degrees C) or else the culture you add will be killed quickly. There is only a small window of temperature that is ideal for the yogurt bacteria to reproduce.

I used the instructions that came with my yogurt maker because it seemed so easy. For the starter, I bought a small container of plain yogurt with no other additives, preservatives or thickeners. It is recommended in my instruction booklet that you get new starter about once a month in order to prevent problems from an aging culture. I am not sure if this is affected by whether you make yogurt more or less frequently. I kept some of the original yogurt aside to use later and put it in the freezer until needed.

Ingredients:

2 liters of milk (either homogenized, raw, 2 % or skimmed- I used 2%)
1/2 cup non-fat milk powder (optional)
2 tsp plain and unflavored gelatin (optional)
4 Tbsp plain yogurt or 1 packet yogurt culture

Put a 3 liter or 3-quart pot inside a larger pot filled with water (to make a double boiler). Pour the milk into the smaller pot and add the other ingredients, mixing together well. Heat the milk to 180 degrees F/ 82 degrees C, stirring regularly.

Meanwhile, have a sink partially filled with very cold water. After the milk has reached 180 degrees, place the pot in the cold water and  continue stirring and checking the temperature. When it reaches 118 degrees F/ 48 degrees C, add in a packet of yogurt culture or 4 Tbsp of last prepared plain yogurt (or store-bought). Mix well.

Pour mixture into a container rinsed with boiling water. Cover and wrap it up with either towels or newspaper, placing it in a cooler or styrofoam container, or placing it on a heating pad covered with towels.

Curdling requires at least 3-5 hours (some say 7-8 hours). I started mine before bed and checked it about 10  hours later and it was perfect. The longer you let it set, the stronger flavor it may have. However, my yogurt was very mild flavored even being left for 10 hours.

When the yogurt has been allowed to set adequate time, you may test it by seeing how firm it is. If it is firm enough, then stir the contents and then put into other smaller containers that have been dipped in boiling water, if desired. Cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably longer.  When ready to eat, serve plain or with fruit, jam, fruit syrup or other sweeteners.

If you want a Greek-style yogurt, you may take a mesh drainer and line it with doubled cheesecloth. Put the yogurt into the cheesecloth, close it around the yogurt and then squeeze it tightly over the sink to express the extra liquid. You should then place it in a drainer sitting inside a larger bowl (making sure it sits up off the bottom of the bowl enough). Allow it to continue to drain for 2-3 hours. Then again take it and squeeze out any extra liquid. After that is complete, you may then remove the cheesecloth and store it in the refrigerator. The amount of yogurt will be reduced approximately by half from when you started, but it should be very thick.

Yogurt may be prepared from non-fat powdered milk, as well. To make 2 liters of non-fat milk, use 3 cups of milk powder and fill the remainder with water.  Gelatin delays production of liquid when the curd is cut into. Addition of milk powder increases firmness and nutritive value of the yogurt.

There is also a milk-reduction method I just learned about from a fellow food blogger on Spoon and Chopsticks.  Yogurt making is really not hard or time-consuming. It is so much cheaper and healthier to make your own. So be brave and give it a try. Don't procrastinate like I did!!!  Good luck.

An Award!! and More

Wow! I was very surprised when I received the note from a fellow food blogger at Dulce Dough that she was passing on the Stylish Food Award to MOI-- among other people. What an honor- just 2 months into my blogging adventure! Thanks SO MUCH!!!  If you have not checked out her blog- be sure to head on over to Dulce Dough.  She has some wonderful recipes, as well as pictures, and I am hard-pressed to pick a favorite. However, I think the Black Forest Cake with Chocolate Ganache looks so good!

I really consider myself a newbie and still have so much to learn. It has been a fun journey, and I am continually amazed at what a bunch of talented people there are blogging and photographing their food. They have been so helpful and supportive and willing to share tips. When I first started blogging at the end of December, 2010, I was pretty naive and uneducated in food blogging. It was not until I started spending more time checking out other bloggers' sites that I realized I really needed to have at least one picture for my entries (imagine that!- on a food blog!!!). So now I am in the process of working through my early recipes and posting pictures for each one. (My poor husband's diet is really being sabotaged!) Anyways, I guess food is my new obsession. While I have always enjoyed food, cooking and looking at recipes, I never dreamed a couple years ago I would think about food all day-- and night, much less be writing and photographing it! I must give some credit to a post that has been such an incredible help with learning photography of food- check it out at Vegan Yum Yum . (I still have way too much to learn, but I'm having fun along the way.)

Well, back to the business at hand-

Following the rules of the award, I have to:

1.  Thank them, make a post, and put a link back to the person/s who gave me this award.

2.  Share 7 things about myself.

3.  Pass the award to 10 recently discovered great bloggers.

4.  Contact these bloggers and personally tell them about the award.

7 random things about myself:


1. I was home schooled for about 5 years until high school, then graduated as valedictorian-- out of a class of only one other person.


2. I love walking through cemeteries- to think, exercise without a lot of traffic and gawkers, as well as wonder about the people who are buried there.


3. I am the oldest of 5 children.


4. My husband and I (with the help of a few good men friends and family) spent about 2 1/2 years remodeling a house before we actually moved in-- and we are still together!!!!


5. My husband and I were initially introduced by a combined effort of mutual friends from New Zealand and Wellsboro, PA- we lived over 250 miles apart.


6. I have a tendency to be a procrastinator and have many unfinished projects.


7. I love to cook, but wish I had a magic wand to clean up all the mess.




10 blogs that I have recently discovered and want to pass on the award to:


(I follow so many blogs and would give this award to many, many different ones. However, I have tried to pick either newer blogs or some other ones I really like, and that have not received this award- as far as I can tell.)

Inspired By The Mediterranean

Tes At Home

 One Creative Kitchen

 A Touch Of Rojo

Foods Is Love
 D*lish

 Cranberry Jam

Pinay In Texas Cooking Corner

 A Seasonal Cook In Turkey

 Spoon and Chopsticks

I'm excited about all the great people I have met and will meet in the future. Happy cooking!!!

Easy Spaghetti and Vegetables

I never tried making much spaghetti except the traditional tomato sauce spaghetti until a couple years ago. However, Rachael Ray inspired me to try making it different ways, and I learned from her shows how easy it is to make a simple sauce using some of the starchy pasta water. This is such an easy dish that can be changed up many different ways. Just about any vegetables would be good added, as well as cooked meat, if desired. This is filling, pretty healthy and quick to fix up. Enjoy!


Ingredients:

3/4 pound spaghetti or capellini or other pasta
1-2 cups canned chopped tomatoes with its juice
1 1/2 cups each of broccoli and cauliflower (or other frozen/fresh vegetables- I really like to use chopped spinach or other greens)
1  15 oz. can of white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cottage cheese
3 cups reserved pasta cooking water (approximately)
2-4 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
2-3 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro/culantro (use lesser amount if using culantro)
2-4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/4 -1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

In a large cooking pot, boil spaghetti/pasta and vegetables in  well-salted water. When finished, drain vegetables and pasta, reserving the water. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients and mix into the cooked pasta. Add in the pasta water until the proper sauce consistency is obtained (the pasta will soak up a lot of water, so feel free to make it a little more "wet" if not eating immediately).  Cream cheese (light) is also a great addition, in place of the cottage cheese. It also would be good with some crumbled bacon bits on top.

Serves approximately 6-8

Bacalaitos (Codfish Fritters)

This is a favorite Puerto Rican/Dominican food that I was introduced to a couple years ago. They are sold on the street by vendors (street food) and there are many variations. The Puerto Rican ones traditionally are made from flour, seasonings/herbs and garlic and the Dominican ones contain cornmeal, sugar and fewer herbs and vegetables. I have tried them different ways and most recently decided to make a version of my own. This recipe has 1/2 cornmeal and 1/2 flour, as well as onions, garlic, and I added some of my homemade sofrito. Usually salted codfish is soaked or boiled  and then shredded. However, if you cannot find this type, you can use other that is cooked. These are deep-fried and definitely not very figure-friendly -- my poor husband's diet is being tested since these are his favorite!

Ingredients:

1/4 pound salted codfish
3/4 cup flour (or use roughly 1/2 amount corn meal and 1/2 amount flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp (generous amount) seasoned salt (I use Adobo seasoned salt)
3/4 cup reserved fish broth from cooking the fish
1 garlic clove (more or less), finely minced
2 culantro leaves, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1- 1 1/2 packet sazón seasoning (I used culantro and achiote flavor)
few dashes of pepper
2-3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or may use 1 Tbsp dried parsley)
2 large spoonfuls of sofrito (blend of onion, garlic, green pepper, cilantro, parsley, cumin, oregano and more)
sugar (optional)- I find that the onions give it a slightly sweet flavor

Cut the fish into chunks and boil the fish in water for 15 minutes. Then remove and flake it- deboning it if you did not use boneless fish. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water. As it cools, begin mixing the dry ingredients together, followed by the remaining ingredients, except the fish and broth. Pour the broth slowly into the center and mix well to make a thick batter. Add in the bacalao and mix gently. Allow to set for about 5 minutes so the cornmeal can absorb a little moisture.  Bring a large amount of oil to approximately 350 degrees and then add large spoonfuls of batter into the oil. (I used a tall sided, narrow pot for cooking so I would not have to use so much oil and the fritters would be covered in the oil and float as they cooked. Therefore, I could only cook 2-3 at a time.) After dropping the batter into the oil, they may stick to the bottom, but allow them to cook there for about 1 1/2 minutes. Then take a spoon and carefully scrape across the bottom to dislodge them. By that time, they will float and probably are ready to turn over. They are finished when they are dark golden brown, but not too dark. Place on paper towels to drain. Allow to cool before eating as they will be VERY hot!        Makes 10 fritters.

They are like a chewy, mild fish flavored fritter. These may be served with a meal as part of the main course or as an appetizer.



Shared with:
Make Ahead Meals For Busy Moms- Melt in Your Mouth Monday

Pork and Sauerkraut

I have been reading over the past couple years about the health benefits of eating fermented foods. Almost every culture has some of its traditional foods that were fermented or pickled. As our diets have become more limited to processed foods, we are missing vital nutrients and health benefits that were previously rich in these diets that included fermented foods. One food that was enjoyed in large quantities even just a generation ago is sauerkraut. However, many people today do not like the tang and sour flavor found in this food. This recipe is a great way to enjoy the sauerkraut without tasting the traditional sour taste.

This is actually a couple different versions of pork and sauerkraut. The first one is from a distant cousin whom we have visited with a few times over the past few years. When Don made this version of pork and sauerkraut, we were immediately in love with it and could not get enough of it. I was surprised to find out that he had used molasses drizzled over the sauerkraut and pork as it cooked. While I still like the way I used to make pork and sauerkraut- (browning the pork tenderloin with seasonings and herbs, then slow cooking it with the sauerkraut (in its juice, not drained completely) and then served with mashed potatoes), this has definitely become my favorite way to have the pork and sauerkraut, and the kids like it much better.

His recipe is as follows: it did not include amounts- just a technique, and he used spareribs.

"Important that you rinse in a strainer the salt from the sauerkraut before adding it.
Spareribs are first charcoal broiled in a pan on an outside charcoal cooker.
Upon completion, layer them alternately in a pressure cooker with the sauerkraut and molasses drizzled over each layer of sauerkraut.
Pressure cook approximately 30 minutes. VOILA, DELICIOSO!!"


Because it was winter and quite cold outside, I made this version inside and did not charcoal the meat. I also did not use spareribs- I used pork cubes that I found on sale at a butcher shop. This is my version loosely based on my cousin's recipe.

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork cubes/ meat chunks
2 (2 pound) bags of sauerkraut (rinsed and drained)
molasses
salt/pepper/seasoned salt to taste

Brown the pork with seasonings in a large frying pan. Layer the pork, sauerkraut and drizzled molasses in layers in a slow cooker or pressure cooker. If using a pressure cooker, cook for approximately 30 minutes. If using a slow cooker, turn on high and cook for approximately 4 hours or 8 hours on low. Before serving, stir the sauerkraut and meat, slightly shredding the pork.

This tastes great with some mashed potatoes and fresh corn. Serves approximately 8 people.


***********************************************************************************************

Another version/recipe I came across as I was preparing the recipe above, was from the Hatfield Sauerkraut package. It sounds very good and is somewhat similar in that it uses a little brown sugar to sweeten the sauerkraut.


Ingredients:

3 pounds Hatfield Sauerkraut
4 Hatfield Simply Tender Thick Pork Chops, browned in butter
1 package Hatfield Polish Kielbasa Links
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp caraway seeds
1 Tbsp dill seeds

1. Layer in a crock in order: Thick browned pork chops, 1 1/2 cup prepared sauerkraut, 1 Tbsp caraway seeds, 1/2 Tbsp dill seeds, 1/2 cup chopped onion.
2. Sprinkle 1/2 of the brown sugar. Repeat layering in order as above, adding in the kielbasa in the 2nd layer.
3. Cook in a crock pot on low for 6-8 hours. Sauerkraut will turn to a light brown.
4. If cooking in the oven in a roasting pan, cook for 2 hours on 350 degrees.

Serves 4-6

Almost Heaven Cake

This is a wonderful dessert- moist, juicy cake from the pineapple juice, the thin pudding/cream cheese layer adds a special flavor, and the cool whip/ whipped cream topping and oranges add a light but refreshing flavor. All in all, this is about my favorite cake! It is wonderful for large gatherings. It is not the most elegant-looking dessert, but it will certainly bring much appreciation when they take the first bite. Another added bonus is that this recipe is another cake mix-made special (my kind of easy). This recipe was given to me by my friend, Midge. However, she does not remember where it came from, and I have made a couple minor adjustments to the recipe.


Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix
2 (15 oz.) cans of mandarin oranges
20 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 box instant vanilla pudding- 4 serving size
1/2 cups cold milk, 1/2 cup slightly warmed
8 oz. cream cheese, softened completely (I use low fat)
8 oz. cool whip (I use low fat)


Prepare the cake mix as directed on the package, adding in one drained can of mandarin oranges as you mix the cake (the oranges will be blended into small pieces). Bake in a 9x13 inch oblong cake pan. After baking, while the cake is still warm, poke holes in the cake over the entire surface using a fork. Pour the undrained crushed pineapple over the hot cake and spread the pineapple evenly over the surface of the cake. Allow the cake to cool.

Mix cream cheese with the pudding mix and 1/2 cup warm milk. After mixing together well, add gradually the cold milk while continuing to mix until well blended (easiest with an electric mixer). If you add the cold milk too quickly to the cream cheese, it will be lumpy. Place in the refrigerator for about 1 hour or more until it is more firm. Then remove and spread over top of the cake, followed by the cool whip. Drain the second can of mandarin oranges and arrange the pieces over top of the cool whip in rows or another type of pretty design. Cover and refrigerate for at least another 1-2 hours before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator.