Posted on 03/23/2008 11:36:40 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick
Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.
At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."
Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.
A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."
[snipped]
She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.
"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
Today’s Cool Site... [From Kim Komando]
Hand-picked health information
Search sites like Google will help you find just about anything online. But there’s no guarantee that you’ll find accurate information.
You need to be particularly careful when searching for health information. You don’t want to rely on information from a questionable source.
Fortunately, you’ll find legitimate sites dedicated to health information. OrganizedWisdom is one such site.
Enter a health condition to start your search. Then, read the WisdomCards to get a quick overview.
The WisdomCards give a brief description of the condition. There are also fast facts that will help you prevent or identify the condition.
To learn more, check out the resources section. You will be taken to other sites that provide in-depth information on a condition.
All of the resources on OrganizedWisdom are handpicked by experts. So, you won’t find spam links or redundant information.
OrganizedWisdom is a great way to learn more about health issues that affect you. However, it is no substitute for your doctor’s advice.
organizedwisdom.com
Thanks!
Corban is very much loved! Can’t wait to get my hands on him—going up this weekend.
I have a good following with my articles, so... I enjoy writing, and—not bragging—but I am good at it. I’ve read a lot of stuff that was published by big name authors that’s not as good as some of my stuff. My friends and relatives like my books. :) Not that they’re prejudiced or anything! And it makes me happy, and that’s a great deal of it.
Nora Roberts publishes under at least one pen name—because she has such a back log of unpublished material they were trying to get out. Shaking head. I can’t imagine.
My only problem is time! Everything, and I do mean everything, gives me an idea for a new story! I have about 8 novels going right now and I switch back and forth whenever I get an idea.
Have a great day!
Welcome to the site for all your tutorial needs, the best way to find the tutorials to help you out!
Welcome to tutorialguide.net, the path to your tutorial! Use the search box above to find your tutorial. We offer a wide variety of links to the best tutorials and if you can’t find it through our website, you can always ask for help with our contact form.
Arts And Crafts Tutorials
Are you feeling artistic? Yes, then you’ve come to the right place. Tutorial Guide has lined up some great tutorials for you!
Decoration Tutorials
Learn How To Draw Tutorials
Painting Tutorials
Pen And Ink Tutorials
Photography Tutorials
http://www.tutorialguide.net/arts_and_crafts/
Home And Gardening Tutorials
If you’ve got some spare time left and feel like doing something around the house, then Tutorial Guide has got some great tutorials for you! Whether you want to build a nice wall to annoy the neighbors or a nice pond for your rubber duckies, it’s all possible here with the tutorials of Tutorial Guide.
Birdhouse Tutorials
Pond Decoration Tutorials
Pond Installation Tutorials
Wall Tutorials
http://www.tutorialguide.net/home_and_gardening/
Another site that may interest someone....
granny
Honoring Warriors
Sioux Cloth Dress ca. 1900
http://www.nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/identity_by_design/IdentityByDesign.html
Dancing in Beauty
A collection of telling history with the women’s dresses.
http://www.nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/identity_by_design/IdentityByDesign.html
[Smiles...photo goes with story...LOL]
http://cats.about.com/b/2008/11/08/cat-picture-of-the-week-admiral-hester.htm
Cat Picture of the Week: Admiral Hester
Saturday November 8, 2008
The Admiral and I became a unit when she was rescued from a grocery store parking lot ten years ago by a dear friend of mine. She didn’t bond well personally for some reason with my friend although he has five cats. I fell in love with her beauty and personality and he gave her to me when she was five months old.
She is much beloved and knows only love and kindness...nothing else and it shows. She knows eight commands (suggestions, I should say!) She mostly obeys the “suggestions” if it suits her fancy.
This morning she came torpedoing down the hall at full speed from my room, when I stood in the center of the living room and said “Brush?” The last thing to say is she snuggles every night next to my head with her face turned toward mine. We are nose to nose and she sings (purrs) me to sleep. She pats my face and mouth with her front paw with her claws tucked tightly up so she won’t hurt mommy.
My sons love her too and call her The Admiral because of her beautiful waving tail...like a staff.
© Carole
RefSeek is Google for Students and Scientists
Stan Schroeder
Google used to be a great tool for researchers, but then it got swarmed by billions of links from companies trying to sell you something. Clearing your way through all this information can be (and often is) counterproductive.
Enter RefSeek, an “academic” search engine, that launched today in beta. Simpler than Google even in appearance, RefSeek does not claim to offer more results than Google; instead, it strips any results not related to science, research and academia. It’s different from Google Scholar, which only indexes articles from scientific publications; it’s a fairly standard web search, only without all the commercial stuff. It claims to be indexing over one billion documents, including web pages, books, encyclopedias, journals, and newspapers.
In practice, this means that no matter what you’re searching for you’ll get a lot more results from .edu and .org sites as well as various online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia and Answers.com. It sounds simple enough, and the examples provided, such as “RNA” or “Carbon Nanotubes” yield good results, but does it work better than Google in the long run?
Over 5 million gardens:
http://www.refseek.com/search/search.php?q=gardens&v=
Grow food, 8 million:
http://www.refseek.com/search/search.php?q=grow+food&v=
http://www.refseek.com/search/search.php?q=prepare+for+survival&v=
http://www.refseek.com/search/search.php?q=+dehydrated+food&v=
http://www.refseek.com/search/search.php?q=dehydrated+food+recipes
Excellent results:
http://www.refseek.com/search/search.php?q=survive+depression+hard+times&v=
Another interesting search:
http://www.refseek.com/search/search.php?q=grow+food+in+pots&v=&l=
Even better results:
http://www.refseek.com/search/search.php?q=container+gardening&v=
Always fun, with Christmas coming:
http://www.refseek.com/search/search.php?q=free+toy+patterns&v=
http://www.refseek.com/search/search.php?q=free+doll+patterns&v=
http://www.refseek.com/search/search.php?q=+make+your+own+shoes&v=&l=
Over 2 million:
http://www.refseek.com/search/search.php?q=+making+your+own+food+mixes&v=
LOL, OK, I tested it and will again, many of the sites it pulls are indeed the better ones on the internet.
granny
[I found the invention that you need, photo at site...granny]
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/10/mono-scooter-is-speedy/
Mono-Scooter Is Speedy (Nov, 1936)
Filed under: Toys and Games — @ 4:04 pm
Source: Popular Mechanics ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Nov, 1936
Mono-Scooter Is Speedy
With a little practice, you can get more speed out of this mono-scooter than out of a pair of roller skates. It is made from two roller-skate wheels and a hardwood block as wide as the shoe and about 5 in, longer. Round the ends of the block and slot them to take the wheels. Steel rods serve as axles, and washers are placed on either side of each wheel to keep it true. These should be lubricated. Triangular blocks serve as heel and toe plates, and a single toe strap keeps the scooter on the shoe. Tilting the foot to one side brings the block into contact with the sidewalk to get efficient braking .
Thanks for bringing the photo over, I can imagine her saying,
“Now Listen to me, this is your orders for the day”.
I had noticed before that the England cats often have that line down the nose, that divides the face, one side one color and the other different ....
There is a relative of theirs making feral cats here, some will have a yellow stripped side and the other will be dark.
Must have been a powerful Tom, to be able to get his breeding done across an ocean.
My only problem is time! Everything, and I do mean everything, gives me an idea for a new story! I have about 8 novels going right now and I switch back and forth whenever I get an idea.<<<
That is the way it should be.
Earle Stanley Gardner had a staff of secretaries that did his typing and he spent his time thinking up new plots.
LOL, I read most of his books, before TV ruined them.
Few know that he was also an avid treasure hunter in the west and was the first [? according to my memory] to use a helicopter in treasure hunting.
He wrote several books on treasure hunting and they are good. The only title that I can recall is “Hovering over Baja”, in it he saw a very tall man come into the hotel and asked him about his history.
He went and explored the hidden mountain top that the tall man came from, found his relatives were all tall, indeed the tribe were all taller than is expected.
He had a lot of photos in it, and they even allowed him into the Sacred Cave and he had photos of their Pictographs, recording their history.
You will enjoy meeting Corban, give him an extra hug for me.
Above this post, is one I sent to you, it will enable you to get more done in a day............LOL
Pages of early inventions, includes one to keep a baby upright in the bath tub....
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/category/house-and-home/
[Talk about using time, but imagine the taste, if they had used a wood fire.....]
Pastry Baked From Inside Out
[1933]
PERHAPS the only pastry which bakes from the inside to the exterior is the Tree Cake produced in the pastry kitchen of a Chicago hotel. In making the cake, the hatter mixture is poured on a revolving spit. When gas jets have baked or toasted it to a delicate brown, more batter is poured on and this in turn is browned. The process is continued until the spit takes on the shape of a tree trunk becoming more and more uneven with each additional layer.
http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/007351broccoli_beef.php
Please welcome guest author Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen who brings us this Chinese-American classic, Broccoli Beef. ~Elise
After moving out of the dorms in college, I found an apartment to share with 3 others. My job was to cook, and as long as what I put out on the dinner table was better than instant ramen, I didn’t have to clean the kitchen or vacuum. A mighty fine trade of labor, if you ask me! But then pretty soon, friends of roommates discovered my cooking talent and would conveniently drop by at around 7pm. I knew cooking was my calling back then, because each new friend would try to find a suitable trade to be able to snag a coveted spot at our dinner table. No more grocery bill, laundry, ironing, washing the car or studying!
Broccoli Beef was one of my specialties, mainly because broccoli was cheap and beef could be sliced thinly to stretch and feed unexpected guests.
So, how do you get the broccoli crisp-tender and the beef juicy, succulent? Well, the secret is to blanch the broccoli first, before stir frying the beef. This helps you control the cooking times for the broccoli, instead of praying that the broccoli and beef finish cooking at the same time. You’ll add the broccoli back into the pan as the beef finishes cooking.
And how do you prevent the garlic from burning? Most recipes will have you add the garlic in the pan or wok before you add the beef. If you do this, you’ll surely burn your garlic, as the beef takes about 1 minute to 1 ½ minutes to cook through on high heat. In this recipe, you’ll add the garlic after you add the beef. There should be plenty of oil in the wok to fry the garlic (if you use a large frying pan or wok) and the timing will be perfect.
Ingredients
* 3/4 pound flank or sirloin, sliced thinly across the grain
* 3/4 pound broccoli florets
* 2 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil
* 2 cloves garlic, very finely minced or smushed through garlic smusher
* 1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
For the beef marinade
* 1 teaspoon soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
* 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce
* 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
* 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 1/4 cup chicken broth
Method
1 Marinate the beef: Stir together the beef marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the beef slices and stir until coated. Let stand for 10 minutes
2 Prepare the sauce: Stir together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
3 Blanch the broccoli: Cook the broccoli in a small pot of boiling, salted water until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
4 Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water sizzles and instantly evaporates upon contact. Add the cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the beef and immediately spread the beef out all over the surface of the wok or pan in a single layer (preferably not touching). Let the beef fry undisturbed for 1 minute. Flip the beef slices over, add the garlic to the pan and fry for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute until no longer pink, Pour in the sauce, add the blanched broccoli and bring to a boil. Pour in the dissolved cornstarch and cook, stirring, until the sauce boils and thickens, 30 seconds.
Recipe adapted from Martin Yan.
Photo by Jaden Hair.
[The comments are also interesting with this recipe]
http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/11/sausage-and-red-russian-kale-soup.html
Sausage and Red Russian Kale Soup Recipe with Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Herbs
Kale, Sausage, and Garbanzo SoupThis week it snowed in Salt Lake and I was home sick with that coughing thing teachers get each year from being around too many small people with germs. I didn’t feel much like cooking, so I was very glad to have soup in the freezer that I’d made in August when my garden was overflowing with Red Russian Kale. In the soup I used Colosimo’s Tuscan Sausage, made by a local Utah company, and also added some fresh herbs from my garden. There must be a thousand variations on soups like this with sausage, kale, and beans, but I thought this version was delicious.
Weekend Herb Blogging is focused on cooking with herbs and unusual vegetables, and this soup with Red Russian Kale and the added bonus of rosemary and sage is my entry for this week. WHB is now sponsored by Haalo from Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once, and this week it’s traveling to Singapore where the host is Wiffy from Noob Cook. Here are the rules for Weekend Herb Blogging if you’d like to participate.
Start by sauteeing chopped onion in olive oil for a few minutes, then add garlic, finely chopped fresh rosemary, and sage and saute a few minutes more.
I squeezed the sausage out of the casings and browned well before adding it to the soup. Any type of flavorful sausage would work.
Red Russian Kale might have been my favorite garden crop this year. I don’t like long stringy pieces of greens in soup, so I chopped it fairly well. You could use any variety of kale, but some of the more curly types will require a bit longer cooking time.
The soup simmered for about 30 minutes with the onions, herbs, sausage, chicken stock, and tomatoes. Then I added the chopped kale and garbanzos and simmered for about 45 minutes more.
Sausage and Red Russian Kale Soup with Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Herbs
(Makes about 6 servings, recipe created by Kalyn)
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 tsp. olive oil (depending on your pan)
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary (or use 1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed)
3 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage (or use 1 1/2 tsp. dried rubbed sage)
1 T finely minced garlic
12 oz. Colosimo’s Tuscan Sausage (3 links) or use other sausage type of your choice
10 cups chicken stock (I use homemade chicken stock but you can use canned or bottled chicken broth)
2 cans diced tomatoes with juice
1/4 cup tomato sauce (freeze the rest if you’re opening a can)
1 tsp. Vegeta seasoning (optional, but good in soups like this)
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 large bunch Red Russian Kale or other type kale, washed well and finely chopped
2 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed well
freshly grated parmesan for serving (optional)
Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in heavy frying pan over medium heat, then add chopped onion and saute 3-4 minutes, until onion is soft. Lower heat a little and add garlic, chopped rosemary, and chopped sage, and saute 2-3 minutes more. Put onion-herb mixture into large soup pot with 10 cups chicken stock and start to simmer.
Add 1 more tsp. olive oil to frying pan if needed and turn heat back to medium. Squeeze sausage out of casings and cook, breaking apart with metal turner, until sausage is browned and well broken apart. Add sausage to pot with simmering chicken stock. Add canned tomatoes and juice, tomato sauce, black pepper, and Vegeta seasoning if using. Simmer about 30 minutes over low heat.
While soup simmers, wash kale, spin or shake dry, and finely chop into ribbons, then turn cutting board and chop again going the opposite way. Drain chickpeas (garbanzos) into metal colander placed in the sink and rinse with cold water until no more foam appears.
After about 30 minutes, add kale and garbanzos to simmering soup mixture. Simmer about 45 minutes more, until kale is completely softened, and all flavors are well blended. Serve hot. This would be great with freshly grated parmesan.
South Beach Suggestions:
Every ingredient in this soup would be a great choice for the South Beach Diet or any other low-glycemic eating plan.
More Ideas for Cooking with Red Russian Kale:
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
Red Russian Kale and Red Cabbage Slaw
Red Russian Kale and Red Onion Savory Breakfast Squares
Red Kale and Cheese Omelet for Two
Autumn Harvest Soup with Kale, Butternut Squash and Farro
Rustic Red Kale and White Bean Soup from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
Kale Pesto from I (heart) Kale
Kale Frittata from Too Many Chefs
Kale and Sweet Pea Soup with Mint from She’s in the Kitchen
(Find even more Red Russian Kale Recipes with Food Blog Search.)
[Links are live at site]
http://foodandspice.blogspot.com/2007/09/concord-grape-pie.html
Concord Grape Pie
I am guessing that not many of my readers have heard of grape pie before. Well, if you can get Concord grapes in your area, you are in for a real treat. Everyone that I know who has tasted this pie will forever remember it. For this recipe, you will need one unbaked single pie shell. I’m a firm believer in making my own crust, though you can purchase one if you don’t have the time or inclination to prepare your own. I’m providing a recipe here for the crust I made, but feel free to use your own favorite pastry shell recipe. Though the pie is delicious warm out of the oven, I would suggest chilling it before serving as it holds together better if you do.
I’ve submitted this recipe to Real Epicurean, who will be hosting In the Bag, a food blogging event featuring seasonal summer fruit.
Concord Grape Pie
4 1/2 cups of Concord grapes (about 2 pounds)
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of flour
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1 unbaked 9 inch pastry shell
Streusel Topping
1/2 cup of oats
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of flour
1/4 cup of butter
Squeeze the end of each grape opposite the stem to separate the skins from the pulp. Set the skins aside in a medium-sized bowl. Put the pulp in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Press the boiled pulp through a strainer to remove the seeds. Add the seedless pulp to the bowl with the grape skins, along with the sugar, flour, lemon juice and salt. Stir well to combine. Transfer the mixture to the pastry shell.
To make the topping, combine the oats, brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle the topping over the filling. Cover the edges of the crust with foil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake for another 20 minutes or so, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before serving.
For the crust, I made a Flaky Butter Pie Crust. The key to a good pie crust is to ensure all of the ingredients are cold.
Flaky Butter Pastry Shell
1 cup of flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 cup of cold butter, cut into 8 pieces
3 - 4 tablespoons of ice water
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in the butter using two knives or a pastry cutter until the butter is reduced to very small pieces. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of ice water over the dough and combine with a fork. The dough is ready for rolling once it holds together when you squeeze it. If the dough is too dry, add more of the ice water.
On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a flat circle shape with a floured rolling pin. Gently fold the rolled dough in half and transfer to the pie plate. Trim the dough and fold to make the crust edge. Crimp the edges.
Posted on Tuesday, September 18, 2007
SERVE IT UP! Fruit, Treats and Desserts
[Warning, a visit to this site, takes hours, recipes and links to other interesting sites....granny]
http://foodandspice.blogspot.com/search/label/Cornmeal
Showing posts with label Cornmeal.
Polenta Croutons with Parmesan
Croutons are not something I normally use. My soups and salads tend to be substantial and flavourful enough without them. I’ve also found that store-bought varieties are about as appetizing as the crumbs lingering on the bottom of my toaster oven. Recently however, a co-worker passed on a recipe for a brothy tomato soup with Parmesan croutons and chive oil that sounded just perfect. In preparation, I deviated from the original recipe and made these Polenta Croutons with Parmesan cheese. They turned out so well, I found myself enjoying them as a snack.
I sprinkled the Parmesan over the cooked polenta, but in hindsight, I would increase the amount of cheese and stir some into the pot before transferring it to the pan to cool.
On the subject of croutons, don’t forget to send in your entries to this month’s edition of No Croutons Required. Holler is the host this month and the theme is salads with cheese.
Polenta Croutons
3 cups of water
1 1/2 cups of cornmeal
1 teaspoon of cayenne
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of olive oil
cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, finely grated
In a medium pot, bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, and pour in the cornmeal, stirring constantly. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is thickened. Remove from the heat, and stir in the cayenne, salt, olive oil and black pepper.
Transfer the polenta to a greased 8X8 baking pan. Spread the polenta evenly with a spatula or knife. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Leave to cool.
Cut the polenta into small cubes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently transfer the cubes to the baking sheet. Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until the croutons are crisp and golden. You may want to flip the cubes onto their sides part way through the baking time to ensure they brown evenly.
Makes about 3 dozen croutons.
Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2008 9 comments
SERVE IT UP! Cornmeal, No Croutons Required, Soups and Salads
Corn Cakes with Blue Cheese and Honey
I’ve always enjoyed trying new recipes, but before I started Lisa’s Kitchen, I would often make the same dishes, with little variation, over and over again until I tired of them. Cooking more often than not thus became a necessary chore and food a required fuel. There are still days when I have little time or inclination to cook, but this past year my kitchen has become my creative studio. Not only do I look forward to sharing culinary ideas with fellow food enthusiasts, I get to eat the products of my labour.
As elegant as these little corn cakes are, they were made on a lazy Sunday evening when I wanted something light but unique for dinner to go along with the red wine I had been enjoying for a few hours since afternoon breakfast. These chunky yet chewy cakes are mighty fine garnished with a bit of blue cheese and honey, or maybe goat’s cheese or balsamic jam. Choose your own culinary adventure.
Corn Cakes with Blue Cheese and Honey
1 cup of cornmeal
1/4 cup of unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoons of cayenne
3/4 cup of boiling water
a few tablespoons of olive oil
7 ounces of blue cheese
a few tablespoons of honey
In a medium-large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, cayenne, paprika and salt. Pour in the boiling water and stir until the mixture is well combined and forms into a dough.
Shape the dough into small one inch round balls and with damp hands, flatten them into 1/2 inch thick cakes.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, fry the cakes until they are golden brown - roughly one minute per side. Drain on paper towels and top with blue cheese and a bit of honey.
Serve warm. Makes approximately 12 corn cakes.
Posted on Monday, April 14, 2008 9 comments
SERVE IT UP! Appetizers, Cornmeal
Jalapeno Spoon Bread
The theme for the next Weekend Cookbook Challenge is vintage recipes. Carla of Chocolate Moosey is the host this month and she is asking for recipes dated before 1980. Inspired by the theme, I decided to make a Jalapeno Spoon Bread. Spoon bread is a classic Southern recipe consisting of cornmeal, milk, butter and eggs. It has a custard-like texture and is perhaps best described as a cornbread pudding. I served this with a soup and salad, but it would also make a fine breakfast dish.
Jalapeno Spoon Bread
3 cups of milk
1 cup of cornmeal
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of butter
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
3 eggs, separated
Grease a 8-inch baking pan or dish.
In a heavy saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it almost reaches a boil. Reduce the heat and stir in the cornmeal and jalapenos. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, sugar, salt and baking powder. Beat the egg yolks together and stir into the pot, mixing well. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into the cornmeal, milk mixture until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the bread is browned and puffy. Serve warm or cool, using a spoon to serve.
Serves 6.
Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 15 comments
SERVE IT UP! Breads and Muffins, Breakfast, Cornmeal
Cornmeal-Crusted Chili
When I first became a vegetarian, I didn’t eat the most balanced and varied meals like I do now. I relied on rice, pasta, cheese, bread and vegetables for the most part. I’ve since learned the art of vegetarian meal combinations. The first lesson is to always eat a healthy breakfast consisting of eggs and toast or a grain such as oatmeal or spelt along with some fresh fruit. For other meals throughout the day, as a rule of thumb eat plenty of vegetables and take care to balance a legume with a grain component to ensure you get your complete proteins.
One of the earliest healthy staples I incorporated into my diet was vegetarian chili. I’ve become more creative in the kitchen over the years and have now expanded upon my repertoire of chilies, which include some oven baked variations. This Mexican-style baked cornmeal chili is a meal onto itself. I used kidney beans and black beans here, but feel free to use chickpeas and or/ pinto beans if desired.
Cornmeal-Crusted Kidney Bean and Black Bean Chili
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
6 mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large Jalapeno, finely diced
1 green chili, finely diced
1 hot red chili, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1 tablespoon of chili powder
2 teaspoons of ground coriander
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1 2/3 cup of cooked red kidney beans (2/3 cup dried)
1 2/3 cup of cooked black beans (2/3 cup dried)
1 - 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup of unbleached white flour
3/4 cup of cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of buttermilk
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of sour cream
Grease a 13 X 9 glass baking dish.
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and cook for a few minutes. Add the carrot and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Now add the spices, garlic, Jalapeno, and chillies and stir and fry for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes to the pot, along with the beans, chopped parsley and black pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes or so, or until the chili is nice and thick. Transfer the contents to the prepared baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, cheese and sour cream. Stir into the dry ingredients until just combined.
Pour the batter over the vegetables, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.
Serves 6 - 8.
Posted on Sunday, March 09, 2008 9 comments
SERVE IT UP! Beans and Legumes, Black Beans, Cornmeal, Kidney Beans, Mexican, Vegetables
Jalapeno Cornbread Wedges
In the interest of variety and spiciness, I prepared a different cornbread recipe than the one I usually make. I certainly wasn’t disappointed with the result and it was very easy to prepare besides. I used a large jalapeno for the extra kick, but if you can’t take the heat, use a small one instead. This cornbread makes for a nice light lunch or snack but could also be served with dinner. Makes one 9-inch pie, or 8 wedges.
Jalapeno Cornbread
6 tablespoons of butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup of cornmeal
1 cup of unbleached white flour
1/3 cup of sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of buttermilk
1 large egg
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch glass pie plate.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan and set aside to cook for a few minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk and egg with a fork until just blended. Pour the buttermilk mixture and butter over the dry ingredients and add the jalapeno. Stir with a rubber spatula until just blended.
Transfer the batter to the pie plate and spread evenly. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving. Can be served warm or at room temperature.
Posted on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 0 comments
SERVE IT UP! Breads and Muffins, Cornmeal, Grains
Polenta with Mushroom Ragout
Two of my favorite foods are cornmeal and mushrooms, so when I came across a recipe combining the two, I of course couldn’t resist making it. The mushroom ragout, which is essentially a thick sauce or gravy, would also go nicely with rice or any other grain of your choosing, including pasta.
Polenta with Mushroom Ragout
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 - 2 pounds of mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon each of sea salt and pepper
1/2 cup of white wine or 1/4 cup of vermouth combined with 1/4 cup of water
1 - 2 tablespoons of flour
1 cup of vegetable stock or water
1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley
For the Polenta:
3 cups of milk
1 cup of water
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
1 cup of cornmeal
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
In a wok or large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, saute the mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper until all of the liquid is evaporated - about 8 - 10 minutes.
Next, add the wine or vermouth and cook, stirring, until evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Add the flour, stirring to coat the mushrooms and then add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsley before serving.
To make the polenta, bring the milk, water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Whisk in the cornmeal and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring, until thickened - about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese.
Spoon the ragout over the polenta and serve.
Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 3 comments
SERVE IT UP! Cornmeal, Grains, Italian, Mushrooms
Classic Cornbread
Considering I put hot chillies and / or Jalapenos in pretty much everything, my regular readers might be surprised to learn that my favourite cornbread consists of little more than cornmeal. But my regular readers will also know that I’m a huge fan of cornmeal and this dense and filling bread will satisfy any cornmeal craving. For a satisfying snack, serve with a bit of butter. It also goes well with any spicy meal.
Cornbread
3 cups of cornmeal
1 cup of flour
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
3 tablespoons of sesame oil or olive oil
1/4 - 1/2 cup of natural sweetener, such as rapadura sugar or barley malt - you can also use brown or white sugar if desired
2 - 3 cups of water
Grease a loaf pan with butter or oil and set aside.
Combine the cornmeal, flour and salt in a large bowl. If you are using a dry sweetener, mix in to the dry ingredients. Next, add the oil and sift in with your hands. If you are using a liquid sweetener, add it now and stir to combine. Gradually stir in the water until the mixture resembles a thick cookie dough.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat the prepared pan until hot but not smoking. Transfer the batter to the pan, and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Increase the heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 50 - 60 minutes, until the bread begins to brown and small cracks form on the top of the loaf. Remove the bread from the oven, cool on a metal rack for about 10 minutes and then remove the loaf from the pan. Cool for another 30 minutes on the rack before serving.
Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2007 1 Comment
SERVE IT UP! Breads and Muffins, Cornmeal, Grains
Blueberry & Cornmeal Buttermilk Pancakes
I’ve found that these light fluffy pancakes from Mollie Katzen’s Sunlight Café are the perfect way to start a lazy summer Sunday, combining the light crunch chewiness of cornmeal with the tartness of buttermilk and the sweetness of vanilla and fresh berries to produce an amazing balance of flavours and textures. With a little pat of fresh butter and a drizzle of my father’s homemade maple syrup, there’s nothing like them. I’ve used fresh blueberries here, but any kind of berry or chopped fresh fruit like peaches are just as pleasing.
Blueberry & cornmeal buttermilk pancakes
Dry mix ingredients
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Gently melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan.
Meanwhile, combine the dry mix ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs into the buttermilk and then stir in the vanilla.
Pour the buttermilk mixture and the melted butter over the dry mixture. With a spoon or spatula, stir gently from the bottom of the bowl until the batter is combined, but without overmixing. Small lumps are fine, as long as they are moistened.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and melt a little butter in the pan just to cover the surface. Use a 1/4 cup spoon measure to scoop the batter into the frying pan, and sprinkle a tablespoon of blueberries into the middle of the pancake. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes until nicely browned on the bottom before turning the pancakes over to cook for 2 or 3 minutes on the other side. Makes 10 to 12 four to four-and-a-half inch pancakes.
Posted on Sunday, July 08, 2007 1 Comment
SERVE IT UP! Breakfast, Cornmeal
Egg And Cornmeal Pudding With Refried Beans
Anyone who reads this blog already knows that I use cornmeal in all kinds of dishes, not only for its sweet corn flavour and crunchy-chewy texture, but for its incredible versatility — and this smooth and creamy pudding takes full advantage of the versatility of both cornmeal and eggs to take care of almost any kind of bean or vegetable leftover that you might have on hand. Here I use my leftover Refried Beans to give it a zesty Mexican flair, but even if you don’t have any leftovers on hand, this pudding works just as well with a good few handfuls of some sautéed peppers, mushrooms, potatoes, corn, or whatever you’ve got on hand. For a more savoury version, add some of your favourite herbs or try using fresh grated parmesan cheese or crumbled goat’s cheese for the topping.
It was a very successful use of leftover refried beans, and a good reason to submit the recipe to Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity who will be hosting the next Leftover Tuesday, a roundup of creative and tasty ways to clean out your fridge.
Egg and cornmeal pudding with refried beans
3 cups milk
1 cup fine cornmeal
4 large eggs
1 cup refried beans
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
fresh ground black pepper
1 cup grated aged cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 350° and grease an 8-inch square baking pan with butter. In a bowl, beat the eggs.
Heat the milk in a saucepan over high heat until almost boiling. Turn the heat down to medium and slowly whisk in the cornmeal. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. The cornmeal and milk should have a porridge-like consistency after 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the beaten eggs, refried beans, salt, mustard, black pepper to taste, and half the cheese. Pour the combined mixture into the baking pan, and bake for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and return to the oven to bake for 10 more minutes, or until the pudding is firm in the center.
Cut into squares and serve hot with sour cream or salsa.
Posted on Monday, June 25, 2007 2 comments
SERVE IT UP! Breakfast, Cornmeal, Eggs and Cheese
Cherry Corn Scones
I had some cherries left over after making Cherry-Vanilla Ricotta Muffins the other day, so I decided to make some Cherry Corn Scones to fill out a meal of leftovers. I ate them for breakfast this morning as we didn’t eat them all for dinner. These scones are filling and very easy to make. Any type of berry or current can be used instead of cherries. For a spicy scone, omit the cherries, add some finely chopped jalapenos, along with some ground chili powder and a cup of shredded extra old cheese.
Cherry Corn Scones
1 cup of unbleached white flour
1 cup of cornmeal
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoons of sugar
6 tablespoons of cold, unsalted butter
2/3 cup of buttermilk
1 large egg
1/2 cup of fresh or dried cherries, finely chopped
Grease a baking sheet with butter or oil.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the butter is broken into little tiny pieces.
Put the buttermilk in a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup. Add the egg and beat gently with a fork or small whisk until well blended.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and then pour in the buttermilk mixture, and add the cherries. Stir until just combined.
Using a greased ladle or 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop some batter from the bowl and drop it onto the baking sheet. You will have about 6 - 8 scones, depending on how large you want them. Leave at least an inch between each scone.
Bake in the center of a 375 degree preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the scones begin to brown. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.
Posted on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 0 comments
SERVE IT UP! Biscuits and Crackers, Breads and Muffins, Cornmeal
Stuffed Mushrooms with Goat Cheese
Like Holler over at Tinned Tomatoes, I adore mushrooms. I could eat them almost everyday; they are so versatile, they are good at any time of the day in combination with a variety of foods. I was looking to fill out a meal of leftovers, and so decided to prepare some stuffed mushrooms with goat cheese. As I am also fond of spicy food, I added some cayenne pepper and chopped fresh chillies to the stuffing.
Stuffed Mushrooms with Goat Cheese and Cornmeal
10 - 12 large mushrooms
1 tablespoon of butter or oil
1 medium sized clove of garlic, finely minced
2 green chillies, finely minced
1 shallot, finely minced
4 - 6 oz of goat cheese
1/2 cup of cornmeal
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon of cracked black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Grease a large 9” X 13” pan or baking sheet. Wash the mushrooms with a damp cloth and carefully scoop out the stems. Finely chop the mushroom stems.
Heat the butter or oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, fry the garlic, shallot, mushrooms stems and chillies until the water has evaporated - about 7 minutes. Transfer to a medium sized bowl and let cool for a few minutes.
Mix in the goats cheese. I worked it in with my hands rather than using a spoon. Then add the Parmesan, cornmeal, pepper and cayenne pepper and stir well to combine. Using a small spoon, fill each mushroom cap with the stuffing. Transfer filled mushrooms to the baking pan and cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. You can also put the mushrooms under the broiler for a few minutes at the end of the cooking time to brown the tops a bit.
Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 7 comments
SERVE IT UP! Appetizers, Cornmeal, Eggs and Cheese, Mushrooms, Vegetables
Raspberry Cornmeal Muffins
I’m relatively new to food blogging, but as I explore other food blogs, I’m discovering a number of food roundups that make blogging and cooking (and yes, baking) even more fun. It has inspired me to find new ways to cook with food and it’s a good way to discover other cook’s creations. So when I saw that the next Weekend Cookbook Challenge was featuring one of my favourite grains, I took a quick look through my cookbooks and dashed off to the grocery store for some raspberries.
Raspberry Cornmeal Muffins
1 cup of unbleached white flour
1 cup of cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
2/3 cup of sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup of buttermilk
1 large egg
4 tablespoons of butter, melted
1 cup of raspberries
Lightly butter 12 muffins cups.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar.
In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and buttermilk. Add the egg and beat gently with a small whisk or fork.
Slowly pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter. Gently mix until almost combined, then fold in the raspberries. Take care not to over-mix.
Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and a cake tester inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Set the muffin pan on a wire rack and let cool for 5 - 10 minutes before removing the tender muffins. Transfer muffins to a wire rack and let cool for 20 - 30 minutes and serve.
Adapted from Mollie Katzen’s Sunlight Café
Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2007 5 comments
SERVE IT UP! Breads and Muffins, Cornmeal, Grains
Cornmeal Biscuits
If you are looking for a simple solution to fill out a meal, these easy to make delicate biscuits are a perfect choice. The addition of cornmeal provides a slightly crunchy texture. They take about 30 minutes to prepare and bake and are best served warm with some butter. If you have any biscuits left over from dinner, consider finishing them off for breakfast.
Cornmeal Biscuits
1 3/4 cups of unbleached white flour
2/3 cup of cornmeal
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 cup of cold butter
1 cup of buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until only small pieces of butter are visible.
Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the buttermilk. Stir until just combined.
Spoon the dough onto a greased baking sheet. Alternately, you can gently shape the dough into twelve equal portions, and transfer to the baking sheet. For fluffier biscuits, place the biscuits closer together on the baking sheet. For crustier biscuits, place the biscuits 2 inches apart. Bake in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Posted on Monday, May 14, 2007 0 comments
SERVE IT UP! Biscuits and Crackers, Breads and Muffins, Cornmeal
Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins
These cornmeal and blueberry muffins are a slightly sweeter and moister version of the cornmeal muffins I usually make. The sugar content is the same, but the addition of plump blueberries make these an extra special treat.
Note: If you are using frozen blueberries, do not thaw before adding the berries.
Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins
1 cup of unbleached white flour
1 cup of cornmeal
1/4 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup of melted butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 1/3 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries
Grease 12 muffin cups with butter. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Make a well in the center.
In another medium sized bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, butter, and vanilla. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Take care not to overmix. Fold in the blueberries.
Spoon the batter into the muffin tins. Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. Leave the muffins in the tins for about 10 minutes to cool before removing.
Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 4 comments
SERVE IT UP! Breads and Muffins, Cornmeal
Quick and Easy Corn Muffins
These cornbread muffins make a good breakfast snack or addition to a meal as they contain little sugar. They are really easy to prepare and best enjoyed fresh out of the oven with a dab of unsalted butter.
Corn Muffins
1 1/4 cups of unbleached white flour
1 cup of cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup of sesame oil
1 cup of milk or plain yogurt
1. Combine flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir together and make a well in the center.
2. Beat the egg in a small bowl until frothy. Mix in the oil and milk or yogurt. Pour into well and stir just enough to moisten. The batter should be lumpy.
3. Fill 12 greased muffin cups. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on how energy efficient your oven is. Leave the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack. Good warm or cool, depending on your personal preference.
Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2007 3 comments
SERVE IT UP! Breads and Muffins, Cornmeal, Grains
http://foodandspice.blogspot.com/search/label/Oats
Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
If you like your pancakes light and fluffy, overnight-soaked oats are probably not the way to go with your batter. But if you like thick, wholesome and nourishing pancakes, these banana oatmeal pancakes are warm, moist and tasty little parcels of all the many vitamin, mineral, soluble fat, fibre and protein benefits of soaked oats.
Banana oatmeal pancakes
3/4 cup rolled or steel-cut oats
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup yogurt
1 cup spring water
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 large egg
2 bananas
Stir the oats and flour into the yogurt and water in a large mixing bowl and leave to soak overnight at room temperature. In the morning when you’re ready to make the pancakes, stir in the baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Break the egg and combine the peeled bananas into the mixture with a potato masher until well blended but slightly lumpy.
Lightly butter a large cast-iron skillet or frying pan and warm up on medium-low heat. At the same time, preheat an oven to 175°.
Drop in a quarter-cup of the batter for each pancake and fry for a couple of minutes before turning over and frying on the other side until the pancakes are golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and place on a plate in the oven to keep warm until all the batter’s been used up for pancakes.
Serve the pancakes warm and pour over them some pure maple syrup. Add a little butter if you like, and slices of banana.
Makes about 12 four-inch pancakes.
Posted on Saturday, April 19, 2008 9 comments
SERVE IT UP! Breakfast, Grains, Oats
Blueberry and Maple Syrup Oat Smoothie
In addition to all her lovely recipes and her wonderful idea to host our new “No Croutons Required” food blogging event, there are many things that I have to thank my fellow vegetarian blogger Holler from Tinned Tomatoes for, not the least of which is that she is such a dear friend even though she’s halfway across the world from me. One other thing that I’m grateful to her for is turning me on to the idea of oat smoothies blended with yoghurt and fruit. What a terrific way to combine all the proteins, minerals and fibre of oats and yogurt with the vitamins of fruit into a quick, easy, wholesome and delicious pick-me-upper for any time of day!
Holler’s blueberry, maple syrup and oat smoothie already inspired me to dabble around with oats, yoghurt and a blender to come with my own fermented oat smoothie base to which I added mango and blackberries. It worked out so well that I would consider an overnight room-temperature soaking of one part rolled oats and two parts whole-fat yoghurt to be a one-size-fits-all base for adding any variation of fruits and sweeteners to make a thoroughly nutritious and digestible oat smoothie. So of course I had to try applying it with Holler’s yummy-sounding combination of blueberries and maple syrup. It was absolutely gorgeous, and didn’t last long!
Blueberry and maple syrup oat smoothie
3/4 cup rolled or steel-cut oats
1 1/2 cups whole-fat yoghurt, from raw milk if possible
1/2 pint fresh or frozen blueberries
2/3 cup fresh-pressed apple cider or apple juice
1/3 cup cold water
2 tablespoons fresh maple syrup
4 ice cubes
Stir the yoghurt into the oats and let soak overnight at room temperature in a covered non-plastic bowl.
In the morning, blend the soaked oats together with all the other ingredients in a blender until smooth and frothy. Serve with breakfast, or as a snack. Makes 4 large servings.
Posted on Saturday, February 09, 2008 6 comments
SERVE IT UP! Beverages, Breakfast, Fruit, Grains, No Croutons Required, Oats
Oat-Mango Smoothie with Blackberries
If you’re ever looking for a super-quick, healthy and delicious pick-me-up for breakfast — or any other time of the day, for that matter — oat and fruit smoothies are the way to go, as my good friend Holler from Tinned Tomatoes has discovered. The mild flavour of oats provides just a hint of nuttiness without overcoming the tang of yogurt and the sweetness of fruit that makes these drinks so appealing, while providing an especially good source of B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, protein, and soluble fat and fibre. Together with the vitamins from mangoes and blackberries, notably C, B6, B9 and A, and the easily digestible milk protein in fermented yogurt, what’s not good about this smoothie?
Like other glutinous grains, oats must be fermented themselves to make their proteins digestible and available for absorption. For my smoothies, I use the yogurt with its whey content to soak and ferment the oats in a variation of the muesli technique. While some may find the idea of leaving yogurt overnight at room temperature unappealing, it is perfectly safe since the broken-down lactic acid in yogurt prevents harmful bacterial culturation, and it really brings out the natural tangy flavour of yogurt besides.
Oat-mango smoothie with blackberries
3/4 cup rolled or steel-cut oats
1 1/2 cups whole-fat yogurt (from raw milk if possible)
1 medium red mango, peeled and chopped
1/4 pint blackberries
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons honey
pinch of ground cardamom
4 ice cubes
Stir the yogurt into the oats and let soak overnight at room temperature in a covered non-plastic bowl.
In the morning, blend the soaked oats together with all the other ingredients in a blender until smooth and frothy. Serve with breakfast, or as a snack. Makes 4 large servings.
Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 4 comments
SERVE IT UP! Beverages, Breakfast, Fruit, Grains, Oats
Staple Corner: Quinoa-Oat Croquettes
Cooking quinoa and oats together combines the best of both of these astonishingly healthy foods for a high-protein, high-fat meal rich in calcium, iron, B-vitamins, vitamin E, phosphorus for nerve tissues, and silicon for bones and connective tissues. And frying the cooled porridge really brings out the unbeatable nutty flavour and crunchy texture of quinoa in little croquettes that are deliciously satisfying and wholesome just on their own or with a dash of tamari sauce added. But they’re also so simple to make that you’ll have time to cook up some Best-ever Mushroom Sauce to pour over them for one of my all-time favourite combinations of flavours.
Quinoa-oat croquettes
1 cup quinoa
1 cup rolled or steel-cut oats
3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
sesame seeds
Scrub the quinoa with your hands in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water for a minute or two to rinse the bitter saponin from its surface. Soak overnight with the oats overnight in a medium stainless-steel or pyrex saucepan in 3 cups of water.
Stir in the sea salt and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent the oats from sticking to the bottom. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, still stirring frequently, until it has the consistency of a thick porridge.
Pour the cooked quinoa and oats into a square 9x9 baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or longer to let the mixture cool, then cut into slices.
Lightly oil a frying pan over medium heat and fry the slices on both sides until golden-brown and crispy.
Serves 4.
Posted on Saturday, November 10, 2007 1 Comment
SERVE IT UP! Grains, Oats, Quinoa
Chai spice oatmeal
Oats are the perfect grain for starting the day, naturally sweet and soothing, and a terrific source of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, fibre and B vitamins. Samuel Johnson once noted that oats are “a grain used in England to feed horses and in Scotland to feed the populace,” which might be why there were so many splendid specimens of English horses and Scots. Oatmeal porridge was a staple breakfast food of older Canadians, and it’s so quick and easy to make there’s no reason why it shouldn’t become a staple for a new generation as well. Avoid instant oats, because most of the nutrients are lost during a high temperature precooking stage, and they also contain preservatives and artificial sweeteners. The time saved is a matter of mere minutes, compared to a significant loss of taste and nutritional value.
Oats are easy to dress up with fresh or dried fruit, butter, milk or cream, but every once in a while I like to spice it up for a change. This recipe is adapted from Mollie Katzen’s Sunlight Café The oats taste like they were cooked in a chai tea latte, and it’s as simple and fast to make as any oatmeal porridge.
Chai spice oatmeal
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup spring water
1 cup yogurt
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
A pinch of saffron (optional)
2 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. vanilla
Soak the oats overnight at room temperature with half the water and yogurt.
Pour the other half of the water and yogurt in a small saucepan, and whisk in the salt and spices. Put on stove over medium heat and bring almost to a boil. Immediately turn down the heat to low and let the pan simmer for a few minutes.
Add the vanilla and honey and stir until the honey is dissolved. Pour in the oat and yogurt mixture that had been soaking overnight. Cover the pan and leave it over low heat, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until the oats have thickened to your liking.
Serve hot by itself, or with raisins, apples or pistachios.
Posted on Monday, April 16, 2007 0 comments
SERVE IT UP! Breakfast, Grains, Oats
Oatmeal apple pancakes
Nothing warms up a cold morning like hot homemade pancakes with fresh butter and pure maple syrup… especially when I’ve just returned home with a jug of my parents’ own homemade syrup! These oatmeal apple pancakes are my favourites; they’re ridiculously easy to make, and they make a perfect start to a weekend morning. Enjoy!
Oatmeal apple pancakes
3/4 cups large rolled oat flakes
1/2 cups whole spelt or wheat flour
1 cup yoghurt
1/3 cups spring water
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 small apple, any variety, diced
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon honey
Soak the oats and flour in the yoghurt and water at room temperature overnight. In the morning when you’re ready to make the pancakes, stir in the baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and apple.
In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, melted butter and honey. Pour over the oat and flour mixture and mix well.
Lightly butter a large cast-iron skillet or frying pan and warm up on medium-low heat. At the same time, preheat an oven to 175°.
Drop in a few tablespoonfulls of the batter for each pancake and fry for a couple of minutes before turning over and frying on the other side until the pancakes are golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and place on a plate in the oven to keep warm until all the batter’s been used up for pancakes.
Serve the pancakes warm and pour over them some pure maple syrup. Add a little butter if you like, and any fresh fruit toppings that tickle your fancy.
Makes about 10-12 five-inch pancakes.
Posted on Sunday, April 08, 2007 1 Comment
SERVE IT UP! Breakfast, Grains, Oats
Staple Corner
By now everyone is familiar with the advice to eat whole grains as part of their daily diet, but many people still don’t know how to go about getting them properly. Whole grains are widely marketed these days in all kinds of breads, granolas, cereals and snacks, but unless you’re familiar with the actual process used in their productions, you’re better off without them. Most commercial whole grain products are baked at too high temperatures — it’s quick and efficient for the producers, but these temperatures destroy most of the nutritional content of the foods. Another common problem in modern production processes is the use of rancid grains — the outer layer of the whole grains are especially susceptible to becoming rancid quickly without freezing.
Most importantly, however, the grains used in most commercial processes have not been soaked before being cooked. All grains contain phytic acid in their outer layer, or bran, that when left untreated combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc in the intestinal tract and block their absorption. Soaking grains in warm water overnight allows enzymes and lactobacilli to break down the phytic acid so that the benefits of grains are realized. Soaking and fermenting also helps break down the complex proteins in grains, especially gluten, into simpler components that are much more easily digested by the body.
It’s ridiculously easy to prepare whole grains for yourself, and one of the best times to get them is in the morning with your breakfast. Grain porridges have been a staple of cultures around the world for as long as anyone knows, and they’re almost as quick as pouring a bowl of corn flakes. Oat porridges are fondly remembered by older generations of Canadians as a staple breakfast food, and they’re also one of my favourite quick morning pick-me-uppers. Rolled or steel-cut oats are almost as good as using the whole oat groats, because they’ve only been lightly processed with light steaming and rolling or cutting.
Oat porridge for two
Add 1 cup of rolled or steel-cut oat flakes to 1 cup of warm water, yoghurt, or any mixture of the two, and add a small stick of cinnamon. Let the oats and liquid soak together for at least seven hours and as much as twenty-four hours.
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil with a pinch of sea salt if desired. Toss in some finely diced apple pieces, and add the soaked oats. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for a few minutes until thick. Just before taking the oats off the stove, add fresh or frozen berries or raisins and stir in for thirty seconds.
Take the oats off the stove and let cool for just a few minutes before serving.
Whole grains should always be eaten with good fatty dairy products to provide the catalyst for mineral absorption. The easiest way to do this is to add some whole cream, yoghurt, buttermilk, or a pat of butter to the porridge. A few freshly ground flax seeds to give you a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids are always a good addition to the porridge after it’s cooked. If you like a little extra sweetness, swirl in a bit of maple syrup or raw honey.
Although oat flakes are what I usually use in porridge, other grains can be substituted as well, although some grains like rye or teff may require soaking for longer than seven hours. Two popular alternatives in my house are spelt, an ancient member of the wheat family with a gluten that breaks down more easily during soaking and is often more digestible for people with digestion problems, and kamut, another ancient grain with a mild nutty taste. Give them a try, they’re all good, and good for you.
Posted on Friday, March 30, 2007 3 comments
http://foodandspice.blogspot.com/search/label/Turkish
Sweet Potato and Apricot Rolls with Mint Yogurt Sauce
For the Mint Sauce:
1 cup of plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 cup of finely minced fresh mint
juice from one small lemon
For the Rolls:
1 medium sweet potato
1 cup of cooked chickpeas (1/3 cup dried)
4 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup of dried apricots, finely chopped
4 tablespoons of pine nuts
1 - 2 fresh red chillies (or cayenne peppers), finely chopped
1/4 cup of fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup of fresh dill, finely chopped
lots of freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup of cornmeal
1/2 - 1 cup of breadcrumbs
1/2 cup of unbleached white flour
oil for frying (I used peanut oil)
Whisk together the ingredients for the Mint Sauce and refrigerate.
Peel the sweet potato, cut into slices, place in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly and cook until soft. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl, along with the cooked chickpeas. Mash the chickpeas and sweet potato together until well combined.
Stir in the green onions, apricots, pine nuts, red chili, dill, basil and salt and pepper. Now stir in the egg. Add the cornmeal and 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs. Add more breadcrumbs until the mixture is slightly moist and holds together.
Shape into roughly 3” long croquettes. Roll each portion in the flour.
In a heavy frying pan or pot, heat roughly 1/2 inch of oil over medium high heat. When it is hot, put the rolls in the oil, and fry for roughly 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn the rolls every few minutes so they evenly brown. Drain on paper towel. Serve with the mint yogurt sauce.
Yields roughly 14 - 16 croquettes.
Other Turkish recipes from Lisa’s Kitchen you might enjoy:
Wilted Spinach with Pine Nuts and Lemon Yogurt Dressing
Turkish Yogurt Hummus
Feta and Olive Scones
Turkish Barley and Apricot Porridge
Turkish Sour Cherry Pilaf
Posted on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 14 comments
SERVE IT UP! Beans and Legumes, Chickpeas, Turkish
Wilted Spinach with Pine Nuts and Lemon-Yogurt Dressing
This lovely little warm wilted spinach dish will enhance a quiet summer evening meal of pasta, bread, olives and cheese with a loved one … there’s no need to tell your special friend that it’s especially nourishing and healthy besides. Adapted slightly from Martha Rose Shulman’s Mediterranean Harvest.
Wilted spinach with pine nuts and lemon-yogurt dressing
Dressing:
2 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup whole-fat yogurt, drained in a cheesecloth for several hours or overnight
juice from 1 lemon
Spinach:
10 oz. baby spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 fresh green cayenne pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon demerara or rapadura sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
To make the dressing, mash together the garlic with the salt in a mortar and pestle. Mix together with the drained yogurt and lemon juice. Add more salt if desired and set aside.
Put the baby spinach in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for just a couple of minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze dry and chop.
Heat a medium saucepan or wok over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, wait a few moments, then swirl around to coat the pan. Toss in the onion, cayenne pepper, sugar and cumin and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion is tender. Stir in the pine nuts and continue to stir for a couple of minutes until the pine nuts are lightly browned.
Remove from heat and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper, or set aside to reheat gently with a little water later on if preparing ahead of time. Transfer to a serving plate and top with the dressing. Serves 2.
Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 13 comments
SERVE IT UP! Turkish, Vegetables
Turkish Sour Cherry Pilaf
If you can imagine the sweet and tart perfume of fresh cherries, just multiply that thought by a dozen or more factors and you’ll have an idea of the most perfectly cherry-like of aromas that is obtained by cooking dried sour cherries. And if that isn’t reason enough to add this very unusual Turkish sour cherry pilaf to your next Middle Eastern themed summer menu, try imagining the warm tangy flavour of caraway seeds combined with the tart but refreshing sourness of cherries and the soft butteriness of perfectly cooked white basmati rice…
…it’s like nothing else than a light and fluffy, slightly sweet but mostly savoury dinner cake spooned into the most astonishing little morsels on your plate. If this picture sounds inadequate it’s because this dish pretty much exhausts my powers of description. But don’t let that stop you — this rice, adapted from Martha Rose Shulman’s Mediterranean Harvest, is a perfect accompaniment to any light and garlicky Mediterranean summer meal, like the Turkish yogurt hummus I served with fresh vegetables.
Look for dried sour cherries, also known as Morello cherries, in most large grocery stores and in natural food stores. Readers in London, Ontario can obtain them at Quarter Master in Wortley Village.
Turkish sour cherry pilaf
1 1/4 cups basmati rice
1 cup (about 3 1/2 oz. or 100 g) dried sour cherries
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon demerara or rapadura sugar
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
2 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon sea salt
Optional topping:
1 cup whole-fat yogurt, drained in cheesecloth for several hours or overnight
Thoroughly rinse the rice under cold running water for several minutes until the water runs clear. Let stand in a strainer for half an hour or longer to air dry. Meanwhile soak the dried cherries for 10 minutes in hot water, then drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the cherries and sugar and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, giving the pan frequent but gentle shakes. Stir in the rice and caraway seeds to coat the grains with butter, then add the water and stir in the salt. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes undisturbed.
Remove from heat, remove the lid, and cover the pan with a dishtowel. Put the lid back on and let sit for 15 more minutes, undisturbed.
Serve warm on bowls or plates with yogurt if desired. Serves 6 to 8.
Posted on Monday, August 11, 2008 3 comments
SERVE IT UP! Grains, Rice, Turkish
Turkish Yogurt Hummus
The meze table — or selection of “little foods” — that greets guests in eastern Mediterranean homes is not only a wonderful tradition for entertaining but a wonderfully varied source of inspiration for feeding oneself in the hot summer months when appetites are not so enormous. And if hummus is already one of the classic staples of “little food” tables, what could be more appealing on the very hottest and most humid of summer days than a light and fluffy hummus made with yogurt instead of tahini, as in this refreshingly tangy Turkish version adapted from Martha Rose Shulman’s Mediterranean Harvest?
This is my contribution to My Legume Love Affair - Second Helping - hosted by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook.
Turkish yogurt hummus
1 cup dried chickpeas
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons whole fat yogurt
juice from 3 lemons
1 teaspoon sea salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon pine nuts
Rinse the chickpeas and soak overnight covered in several inches of water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and discard the soaking liquid the next day and add the chickpeas to a medium saucepan covered in several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the beans are buttery soft. Drain and set aside.
Place the garlic cloves in a food processor fitted with steel blades and pulse until the garlic is finely chopped and sticks to the side of the processor. Scrape the garlic down to the bottom and add the cooked chickpeas and cumin. Process until the beans form a coarse paste. Add the yogurt and lemon juice and purée until smooth. Stir in the salt and add black pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish.
Just before serving, heat a frying pan over medium-low heat. When hot, toss in the olive oil, wait a few moments, then swirl to coat the pan. Add the pine nuts and gently fry until golden brown. Spoon the pine nuts and drizzle the oil over the hummus.
Serve with fresh vegetables and/or triangles of pita bread. Makes 2 cups and keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Posted on Thursday, August 07, 2008 16 comments
SERVE IT UP! Beans and Legumes, Chickpeas, Sauces and Dips, Turkish
Feta and Olive Scones
After reading Johanna’s post on the biscuit / scone “controversy,” I wasn’t sure what to call these savory little quick breads. Probably they are best described as scones, but depending on where you live, they could also be dubbed a biscuit. Regardless of what you call them, if you love feta cheese and olives as much as I do, you’ll want to try these Turkish pastries that I was inspired to make after finding a recipe for Dill-Feta Po aça at Almost Turkish.
Perfect for breakfast, brunch or as an accompaniment to a Mediterranean meal. Quite simply appropriate at any time of day.
Feta and Olive Dill Scones
1 cup of plain yogurt (preferably goat’s milk yogurt)
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup of melted butter
2 eggs (reserve the yolk of one egg for coating the scones)
2 teaspoons of baking powder
2 2/3 cup of flour
1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup of finely chopped dill
1/3 cup of olives, pitted and chopped
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon of dried red chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
sesame seeds
kalonji (also known as Nigella sativa seeds or black onion seeds)
Grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, melted butter, eggs (minus the yolk of 1), baking powder, feta, dill, olives, red chili flakes and salt and pepper. Stir in the flour until just combined.
Shape roughly 1/3 cup portions of the dough with your hands and drop onto the prepared baking sheet and brush with the reserved egg yolk. Sprinkle with kalonji and sesame seeds.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 - 50 minutes, or until the tops of the biscuits are slightly browned.
Makes 12 - 14.
Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 7 comments
SERVE IT UP! Biscuits and Crackers, Breads and Muffins, Breakfast, Turkish
Anooshavoor: Turkish Barley and Apricot Porridge
Although whole grain porridges are a staple breakfast food in my kitchen, I’d never considered barley a morning grain until I came across this recipe in my treasured copy of Mollie Katzen’s Sunlight Café for anooshoavoor, an apparently traditional Turkish barley porridge that’s flavoured with apples, apricots, honey and cardamom. It’s one of the most delicious and satisfying porridges I’ve ever had.
Cooked in a risotto style with liquid slowly added to very low heat, the result is a creamy, sweet porridge surrounding the still chewy grains of barley. But although the preparation and instructions are so extraordinarily simple, it takes about two hours to cook so it’s not a breakfast for a weekday unless you make it the night before and reheat the next morning.
Mollie’s recipe calls for cooking the barley in apple juice, but using apple cider instead gives the porridge an especially full, rich apple taste.
Anooshavoor
½ cup pearl barley
1 ¼ cups water
1 ½ cups apple cider, room temperature
6 green cardamom pods
¼ teaspoon sea salt
5 or more dried apricots, to taste, sliced or chopped
1 tablespoon honey
Rinse the barley and soak overnight in a small saucepan in the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cover. Simmer, stirring every 10 minutes or so, for 45 minutes while checking the water level (if the porridge dries, add a little more water).
Stir in ½ cup of the apple cider. Put the cardamom pods in a tea ball and add to the saucepan along with the salt. Cover, and continue to simmer, stirring every 10 minutes as before.
After 20 and 40 minutes, stir in another ½ cup portion of the apple cider, while continuing to stir every 10 minutes. When the last portion of the apple cider has cooked in the barley for 20 minutes, you should end up with a thick, but not too thick porridge. If it’s too thick for your taste, thin it with a little more apple cider. Remove the tea ball and stir in the honey and apricots, letting them settle for a few minutes to that the apricots soften.
Serve hot or at room temperature, topped with milk, cream or yogurt. Serves 2 - 3.
Posted on Thursday, September 27, 2007 2 comments
melamine
Worried about food safety? You should be
http://whattoeatbook.com/tag/melamine/melamine
[Several articles and reports on melamine in our foods.]
http://foodandspice.blogspot.com/search/label/Spices
Staple corner: Harissa
Harissa is the classic flavour of Tunisia, a fiery hot sauce that is widely used across Algeria and Morocco as well. Plenty of dried hot chili peppers, garlic and roasted cumin seeds give harissa a characteristic burst of fire that works wonderfully as a condiment for couscous, flatbreads and vegetables and also as an ingredient in soups, stews and salad dressings. If you’re looking for a creative way to spice up any of these kinds of dishes, try adding a little harissa — but be sparing with it until you’re used to it!
This is a typical version of harissa, although caraway seeds and tomatoes are often used in variations. It’s a little trouble to make it, especially if you were to use the traditional method of grinding the ingredients with a mortar and pestle, but it keeps for months when stored in a jar with a tight-fitting lid with olive oil poured over the top.
Harissa
24 dried hot red chili peppers
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
4 teaspoons cumin seeds
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
6-8 tablespoons olive oil
Place the chilis in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for half an hour until softened.
Meanwhile, heat the coriander and cumin seeds in a frying pan over medium heat for five minutes or until they become aromatic. Grind to a powder with a mortar and pestle or with a grinder.
Drain the chilis when they are soft, and place in a small blender or food processor with the coriander and cumin powder, garlic and salt. Blend together while trickling in the olive oil until the sauce has a thick salsa-like consistency.
Makes about 1 cup of harissa.
Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2007 6 comments
SERVE IT UP! African, Sauces and Dips, Spices, Staple Corner
Staple Corner: How to make your own Chana Masala Powder
Whenever possible, I prefer to make my own spice mixtures. Quality pre-blended varieties are available at Indian grocery stores, but not everyone has local access to a neighborhood Indian grocery, and it’s much more fun to concoct your own mixture to complement your culinary creations. I made this mixture in preparation for the chana masala I will be making this week. If you want to make your own garam masala, some recipes can be found here.
Homemade Chana Masala Powder
1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
2 tablespoons of cumin seeds
2/3 teaspoons of black cardamom seeds
1/3 teaspoons of yellow cardamom seeds
1 2/3 teaspoons of black peppercorns
2 - 3 dried red chillies
1/3 teaspoons of whole cloves
pinch of ground ginger
pinch of mace
pinch of nutmeg
1/3 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon of amchoor powder
Dry roast the seeds, peppercorns, chillies and cloves in a large frying pan over low heat until they begin to brown. Transfer to an electric coffee grinder with the ground spices and grind to a fine powder.
Makes about 1/3 cup. The recipe can be increased if you want to make a larger quantity.
Posted on Saturday, April 14, 2007 2 comments
SERVE IT UP! Indian, Spices, Staple Corner
How to make your own garam masala
As some of my readers might not have ready access to some of the spice mixtures that will appear in these pages, I will be providing recipes so you can make your own at home. Since garam masala is often used in Indian dishes, I’ll provide a few variations here for my readers to try.
Indian culinary specialist Madhur Jaffrey is a good place to start, as I have yet to be disappointed with any of her recipes. Slightly adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian
Classic Garam Masala
1 tablespoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon of whole cloves
1 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
a 2 inch stick of cinnamon
1/3 of a whole nutmeg
one bay leaf
Grind the spices to a fine powder in a coffee grinder or blender. Store in a tightly closed jar. Ms. Jaffrey also points out that the garam masala spices can be used whole, meaning two or more of the components can be used together to make up the masala. For a milder version, decrease the amount of cardamom, and increase the amount of cumin and add some coriander seeds.
Another staple cookbook in my kitchen is “Lord Krishna’s Cuisine” by Yamuna Devi. I’ll have more to say about this cookbook, which is essentially the bible of Indian cooking, but for now, I’ll provide a few versions of Yamuna Devi’s garam masala.
Yamuna Devi’s Garam Masala
1 dried whole chili pod
1/2 teaspoon of saffron threads
5 cloves of mace
1/4 cup of whole cloves
3 3-inch cinnamon sticks
15 black cardamom pods
1/2 cup of cumin seeds
2/3 cups of coriander seeds
1/4 cup of fennel seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons of ground nutmeg
Toast the seeds and spices in a heavy pan over low heat for about 15 minutes to release the flavor, stirring occasionally. Crush the cinnamon sticks and remove the black seeds inside the cardamom pods. Discard the pods. Grind to a fine powder and store in a tightly covered jar.
Delhi-style:
1/3 cup of whole cloves
five 3-inch cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup of green cardamom pods
1 cup of cumin seeds
3/4 cup of coriander seeds
Follow the procedure for the above version.
Bengali-style
3-4 dried whole chili pods
3 tablespoons of sesame seeds
2 tablespoons of green peppercorns
2 tablespoons of black peppercorns
2 tablespoons of white peppercorns
1 tablespoon of whole cloves
three 3-inch cinnamon sticks
20 green cardamom pods
1/4 cup of cumin seeds
3/4 cup of coriander seeds
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
Again, follow the roasting and storage procedure outlined above.
[An interesting recipe site, with unusual recipes....I like it all.
granny]
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.