Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Lemon Soup

A chicken noodle soup alternate, for those under the weather days.

Lemon Soup
1 onion, chopped
1-2 c celery, chopped
2 c cabbage, chopped
2 c cauliflowerettes
2 c spinach
2 c chicken/turkey stock
1-2 c lentils
4 c water
1 lemon, thinly sliced (do not peel)

Sautee onion and celery in olive oil. Add remainder of ingredients, cook until lentils are done. Break off bits of the lemon rounds with your spoon as you eat, to get a little in each bite.

Apple Banana Carrot Halwa

This is an indian pudding. A sweet, simple, delicious dessert.

ABC Halwa
1 1/2 c carrots, minced
1 c coconut milk
1 apple, minced
4 bananas, mushed
1/2 t cardamon

I prep all fruit with the food processor. Simmer carrots and coconut milk to soften. Add remainder of ingredients, blend with a stick blender. Serve warm or cold.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Homemade Marshmallows

Prepare for stickiness.

Homemade Sugar Syrup (corn syrup alternative)
2 c sugar
3/4 c water
1/4t cream of tartar

Add all to pot, stir, cover, bring to boil, keep stirring. Reduce heat, cover, simmer 3 minutes. Remove lid heat until candy thermometer reads soft ball/235F. Decant into measuring cup to cool for next step.

Homemade Marshmallows
3 envelopes knox gelatin (or 3T)
1/2 c chilled water

1/2 c water
1 1/2c sugar
1 c sugar syrup
1/4 t salt

1 t vanilla extract

1/4 c powder sugar
1/4 c corn starch

Add first 2 ingredients to a chilled mixing bowl (also chill the beaters). Pour next set of ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 3 min, uncover and bring to soft ball set/ or 235F. Turn mixer to low, slowly add ingredients from pot. Turn mixer to high, mix 10 min or until it turns white, ADD VANILLA and mix 5 more min or until it starts to creep out of the bowl and slows down your mixer. Think bouncy meringue. Meanwhile grease 9x13 pan, mix next ingredients and then 'flour' your greased pan. Reserve remaining 'flour' mixture to top marshmallow mix. Using a greased spatula transfer finished marshmallow goo into greased/floured pan. Dust with more 'flour' on top, cover with foil, and allow to set up overnight.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

New Crepe Recipe

Crepes
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/2 c water
1 c flour
dash salt
2 T melted butter

Mix wet then dry ingredients. Add more water to thin batter as needed. Cook in a hot well greased pan, swirling batter to thinly coat pan before cooking. It is done when edges start to curl and should slide out of pan.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Watermelon Margarita

The trick to this treat is frozen watermelon.

Watermelon Margarita
4 c frozen watermelon cubes
1 c water
1/2 c sugar
dash lemon juice
double dash lime juice

Make simple syrup with liquid ingredients, blend with frozen watermelon--Add an appropriate amount of tequila. And yes you can freeze watermelon.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Gryo Meat

Gryo Meat
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c walnuts
2 t marjoram
2 t rosemary
1 t cumin
salt
pepper
parsley

Process, put in loaf pan, let it set in the refrigerator at least 1 hr. Cook 325F, in a water bath, around 60 min or until reaches 165F. Drain fat, apply weight for 20 min.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Updated Cornbread

New Easy Corn Bread
1/4 c GF flour mix
2 c cornmeal/flour
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
2 t baking powder

1 1/2 c milk alternative
4 T veg oil
4 T sugar
2 eggs

This has Jiffy like taste, it is a batter bread. Grease pan, bake 350 for 25-30min.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Coconut Milk Yogurt

Coconut Milk Yogurt
1 liter coconut milk (most of a carton of SoDelicous)
1/4 c coconut milk yogurt
2 T maple syrup

Heat milk to 125F, cool to 100F. Mix 1/2 c cooled milk with yogurt. Mix all together, add sweetner. Keep warm, 95-105F, for 24hrs.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Pita Bread

Pita
1 c water
1 T olive oil
3 c flour
1 1/2 t sugar
1 t yeast

Use dough setting. When finished turn out onto floured surface and punch down. Divide into 6 portions, shape each into a ball. Cover and let rise 10 min. Flatten each piece and then roll out until 1/4 inch thick. Cover and let rise 10 min. Bake 450F, 5-6min or until puffed and lightly browned.

Focaccia

Onion Focaccia
1 c water
1 T oil
3 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 t sugar
1 t yeast

1 T chopped fresh sage
1 T chopped red onion

Topping: 2 T olive oil, 1/2 red onion thinly sliced, 5 sage leaves, 2 t coarse sea salt, coarse ground pepper.

Use dough or pizza dough setting. When done lightly oil cookie sheet, knead in chopped sage and onion, roll out and put on cookie sheet. Cover and let rise for 20 min. Preheat oven 400, poke dough with fingers to leave dimples, cover and let rise for 10-15min or until double in size. Drizzle with toppings. Bake 20-25min or until golden brown.

Basic Bread

Small Loaf
1 1/2 c water
2 1/4c flour
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2t sugar
1 1/2 T butter
1 t yeast

Best Pizza Dough Ever

Best Pizza Dough Ever
7/8 c water
2 T oil
3 c flour
1 1/2 t salt
1 t yeast

Use dough or pizza dough setting. Bake 425F.

Apple Pie Filling

Apple Pie Filling
4 1/2 c sugar
1 C cornstarch
2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
10 c water

3 T lemon juice
1 t salt

6-9 lbs apples

Combine sugar, cornstarch, spices, and water in large pot. Cook until thickened and simmering. Remove from heat and add lemon and salt, and water if necessary to thin.

Put peeled, sliced, and cored apples into jars.

Pour sauce over apples, removing air spaces, and leaving 1/2" space at top. Be sure to wash rims. Process in a boiling water canner for 40 min.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Granola

This stuff is soooooo good. And unbelievably easy. The biggest hassle is getting out of the pan and into a storage container.

Granola

1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c coconut oil
1/4 honey
1/4 maple syrup
5 c oats
2 c flax nuggets
1 c pepitas
1 c shredded coconut
1 t cinnamon
2 t vanilla

Preheat oven 350F. Grease two 9x13 dishes or half sheet pans. Bring brown sugar, oil, honey, and syrup just to a boil. Stir constantly and put dry ingredients into a bowl while waiting. Pour heated mixture over dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Spread granola into pans. Cook 10 min.
Remove from oven and stir. Turn OFF oven, place pans back in oven overnight.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Dill Pickles

Dill Pickles
5 c water
1 c white vinegar
1/2 c sugar
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

6 sprigs baby dill, or 1 dill flower
1 T brown mustard seeds
1" chopped cayenne pepper
3 small cucumbers, cut into spears

Boil first 4 ingredients, let cool. Put other ingredients in a medium jar, pour liquid over. Refrigerate, ready in 5 days.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Banana Apple Muffins

You may have never had these before. That is because I just made them up.

Banana Apple Muffins
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/2 t coarse salt
2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
dash ground cloves
1/2 t grated orange peel
1 c brown sugar

1/2 c vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 t vanilla
3 ripe bananas, peeled

1 apple, peeled and diced

Use a mixer and mix dry ingredients together, then add and mix wet ingredients and bananas. Mix in apples by hand. Spoon into greased muffin pan. Bake 350, 18-24min.

Pickles

Our very wonky and strangely colored(greenish/yellowish/orange tinged) cucumbers are starting to finally produce! And so I have started with 2 different batches of refrigerator pickles...

Yellow Pickles
2-3 sliced cucumbers
1 sliced onion
1 1/2 c white vinegar
1/2 c sugar
3/4 t sea salt
1/2 t mustard seeds
1/2 t celery seeds
1/2 t ground turmeric
1/4 t ground red pepper
1/2 mixed peppercorns
4 cloves garlic, minced

Layer cucumbers then onion in large jar. Boil remaining ingredients, 1min. Pour into jar.


Pink Pickles
2-3 cucumbers, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 c sugar
1 c red wine vinegar
1 T celery seed
1 T pickling salt

Layer cucumbers then onion in large jar. Boil remaining ingredients, 1min. Pour into jar.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Fig Water Kefir

This one is my favorite so far. But since I am new to this I think that it might be the ratio of grains to water that is helping. They have grown enough to split, but I reserved enough in the main batch to make a good water kefir and two secondary meh and bad batches.

This is 'sprightly', not necessarily fizzy and has the mild ginger bite of REAL gingerale.

Fig Water Kefir
6 c filtered/spring water
1/2 c raw sugar
1 t black strap molasses
1 1/2" grated fresh organic ginger root
1/2 lemon, organic and washed
1 dry organic fig
2/3 to 1 c water kefir grains
1/4 t aluminum free baking powder (oops I used baking soda)
1/2" square piece of eggshell from a boiled egg

I boil the water to dissolve the sugar and then add everything but the kefir grains, and put the mixture in the fridge for a few hours to cool. Add grains let sit 2-3 days in sealed glass container-- only fill 2/3 of container. Strain to separate liquids from solids. Put liquid in sealed glass container, filled 2/3, and let sit 1-2 days at room temperature. Then keep in refrigerator, serve cold. Keep kefir grains, removing and tossing all other solids(fig, lemon, ginger, eggshell), and repeat.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Curried Celery Soup

This will be in my first time ever home made backpacking meal. Also first time cooking for myself or anyone else on a camping trip. I will be having this as a side to go with salmon(rei) and brown rice(trader joe's).

Curried Celery Soup
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 T curry powder
1 1/2 cup diced potatoes
3 3/4 c chicken stock
4 T parsley

Saute onion and celery. Add curry powder, potatoes, and stock. Simmer until potatoes are done. Puree with stick blender. Stir in parsley.

1 c soup = 1/2 c dried soup mix
3 c soup = l lined dehydrator tray
Dehydrator time 10 hrs

Monday, May 24, 2010

Dried Blueberries and Strawberries

There is always a chance of flavor cross-contamination when drying different things at the same time, but I think this one will be okay.

1 lb organic strawberries = 1 tray = ? qts dried organic strawberries = $2.99
Dehydrate 10-14 hrs.

2 cups frozen wild organic blueberries = 1 lined tray = ? c dried organic blueberries = ~ $2.50
Dehydrate 12-16 hrs.

Apple Rings

Dehydrated apples, for backpacking.

3lbs organic apples = 1 1/2 - 2 qts organic unsulphured dried apples = $3.69

3lbs fills the entire dehydrator (4 trays). Usually I make them crispy, I am going to try for a more traditional apple ring this time.

Dehydrator time = 8-12 hrs.

Honey Basalmic Chicken with Basil

By request. We usually eat this mid summer when we have a TON of basil that needs to be eaten.

Honey Basalmic Chicken with Basil (for 2)
chicken, sliced into tenders
salt
pepper
4T basalmic vinegar
2T honey
1-2c fresh basil

Salt and pepper chicken, sautee until almost/mostly done, browned on the outside.
Combine basalmic vinegar and honey, add to pan with chicken. Simmer to reduce and finish cooking chicken, (5-8 min? it won't be a thick sauce). Add 1-2 c fresh basil (or as much or little as you want, we like a lot!) to the pan, JUST before serving, turn off heat and allow to wilt (1-2 min). Serve with couscous or potatoes. It is good over garlicky mashed potatoes, or for less work mushroom couscous made with chicken broth.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Baked Lemon Pudding

Baked Lemon Pudding
2 eggs, separated
1/4 t salt
1/2 c sugar
1 T grated lemon rind
5 T lemon juice
2 T melted butter
1/4 c sugar
3 T flour
1 c milk

Preheat 350. Grease a 1 quart casserole.

Beat egg whites with salt until peaks form. Slowly add 1/2 c sugar; beat until stiff, set aside.

In new bowl beat yolks with lemon rind, juice, and melted butter. Add 1/4 c sugar mixed with flour; add milk.

Fold into egg whites. Pour batter into casserole. Set in pan containing 1/2" hot water.

Bake, uncovered 55 to 65 minutes or until golden.

This tastes like lemon meringue, but Chris will eat it. Very yummy. I thought ours was a bit overcooked after only 25 min. It should separate into a cake like and a sauce like layer, ours did not. It was very much like a lemon meringue pie, with everything mixed together.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Sarah's BBQ Seasoning

I find this recipe especially hard to look up in my recipe book, it is not listed as bbq seasoning in the index and it isn't within a bbq chicken/pork/brisket recipe. It usually takes me 20 min to find it. So here it is with my adaptations for a larger quantity plus the changes I have made over the years--usually based on missing and substituting ingredients.

Sarah's BBQ Seasoning
1 T salt
1 T black pepper
1 1/2 t celery seeds
1 t ground cloves
1 t red pepper

That is it. I usually refill an empty spice container with this amount, but it only last through 2-3 BBQ dinners. We make a lot of bbq when we make it. Just coat meat generously and cook 8-10 hrs. Serve with Sarah's BBQ Sauce.

Sarah's BBQ Sauce

It is hard to find bbq sauce at a normal store that isn't full of things I would rather not eat.

Sarah's BBQ Sauce
1 c organic heinz ketchup
1/4 c organic apple cider vinegar
2 T brown sugar
2 T thai seasoning
1 T dry mustard
1/2 T paprika

Delicious. My new and improved home made sauce. Do not be weirded out by the thai seasoning it has the same ingredients as worcestershire sauce, minus the caramel coloring and highfructose corn syrup, you can optionally add 1 T molasses. Read the label.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Blueberry Muffin Loaf

This is my favorite breakfast loaf ever.

Blueberry Muffin Loaf
1 c buckwheat flour
1/2 c sorghum
1 1/2 c tapioca starch
1 T baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c coconut milk kefir
2 eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 c frozen blueberries

Mix dry ingredients, mix wet, fold together. Toss blueberries in 1 T tapioca starch to coat then fold into batter. Divide evenly into greased mini loaf pan.

Bake 375, 30-35min.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Coconut Soup!

I love chow baby's version, but it is not gluten/dairy free.

Coconut Soup
1 1/2 c chicken stock
3/4 c coconut milk
2 cloves garlic
2 t fish sauce
1 T red chili sauce
1 t curry (optional)
1 t garamasala seasoning
2 t thai seasoning (contains tamarind)
shredded carrots
sliced mushrooms
chopped asparagus
shrimp

Simmer until vegetables are tender and shrimp is cooked.

Boiled Beef Tacos

Boiled Beef Tacos
2 lbs ground beef
1 t salt
2 T chili powder
2 T paprika
1 t cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
green pepper, chopped
onion, chopped

Put in pot: ground beef, salt, chili powder, garlic, cumin, paprika, and enough water to cover meat. Bring to a boil, mush as needed, simmer 1 hr. The add onion and pepper and cook 30 min. Drain, while reserving the liquid. Refrigerate liquid until it separates, remove fat. Keep 1/2 cup liquid, add 1 t cornstarch, simmer to thicken. Add back to meat.

Serve on corn tortillas.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Ranch Dressing

No way. So much better than the store bought stuff, as good as Hidden Valley.
I have missed ranch dressing.

Ranch Dressing
1/4 c lemonaise light (ouija brand)
1/4 c coconut kefir
parsley
chives
marjoram
oregano

Also soy free. Yum. Now to make cesar salad dressing...

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Peanut Butter Cookies

Yummy, and also gluten and dairy free!

Peanut Butter Cookies
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 c natural peanut butter
1 t baking soda

Bake at 350, 10-12 min.

Coconut Cream Frosting

It's like butter cream, without dairy. And it will taste like coconut.

Coconut Cream Frosting
1/2 c coconut oil, softened
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1-2 T almond milk or any flavored liquid
1 t vanilla extract (optional)

Soften oil, mix in other ingredients. Thin with liquid as needed. Basically it's one part coconut oil to three parts powdered sugar, and add liquid until its spreadable. It will thicken to a stiff frosting, coconut oil is solid at room temperature.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Quiche

Gluten free/dairy free quiche just taste better without a crust :(

Crustless Quiche
8 slices of bacon
1/2 onion, chopped
mushrooms
8 eggs
1/2 c plain soy yogurt
1/2 c rice milk
2-3 T dijon mustard
dash salt
2 dashes pepper
3 dashes nutmeg
grape tomatoes, halved
4-6 c fresh spinach

Sautee first 3 ingredients. Beat remainder and add in cooked ingredients at the end. Grease one large or two small pie plates, pour in finished mixture and smoosh with fingers until more egg mix than spinach is on top. Bake 350 for 45 min or until set. The smooshing is important with raw spinach.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Birthday Cake

Chris made me a terrific gluten free, dairy free, birthday cake. It came in a box; it tasted like cake. The magic part was baking this one layer cake in two round pans, to make a two layer cake. THEN frosting like this:

Birthday Cake Frosting
1 container dairy free cream cheese
powder sugar
1 T lemon juice
strawberry jam

So mix the first three ingredients together, adding enough powder sugar to make frosting consistency you desire. Spread the jam between the layers and frost the top and sides with your frosting. This turns out to be a very delicate and girly cake. And very tasty.

Orange Julius

Hmmm, delicious and addictive. There are many recipes out there, this is mine.

Orange Julius
1 c orange juice
1 c coconut milk
1-2 frozen bananas
2 t vanilla

Blend, 2 bananas are creamier than one. This doesn't need sugar!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Refreshing Applesauce

This is delightful, I will always choose lemon and ginger in my applesauce over cinnamon.

Apple Sauce
3 lbs apples, peeled and cored
1 inch ginger, peeled
juice of 1 lemon
4-6 small pears
1 1/2c cranberry juice

Cook 4 hours. Puree. Serve cold.

I like this version better than the mixed berry applesauce, so does Chris. Mmmm.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Liquid Body/Hand Soap

Same recipe for both, depending on what type of soap base you start with.

Liquid Body Soap
Burt's Bees Honey and Hops Body Bar
1 c boiling water
1 t glycerine
1 t honey
additional water or herbal tea

Grate soap, add boiling water, and blend until smooth. Add glycerine, honey, and if desired essential oils. Blend. Add additional hot water/herbal tea until mixture equals approximately 6 cups, which can be misleading depending on how much foam the soap makes. Blend some more. This will thicken greatly upon standing, the 6 cups is a good starting point, but realistically it will be somewhere between 6-12cups. Blend a few more times as it cools, adding more cool water as needed. Let it sit check consistency, add more cool water as needed, blend again. Put this into an easily accessible container in case it thickens too much to pour. You will want to be able to blend it with more HOT water in that case.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding
4 eggs
2 1/4 c milk substitute
1/2 c sugar
1 T vanilla
1/2 t cinnamon
4 c Cranberry Orange Bread, cubed
1/3 c craisins

Pour egg mixture over bread, press bread down to soak. Bake 350F, 40 min.

Cranberry Orange Bread

Cranberry Orange Bread
3 c gf flour
3 T baking powder
3/4 t salt
2 1/4 t grated orange peel
1 1/2 c sugar*
3 eggs
3/4 c rice milk
3/4 c veg oil
1 1/2 c chopped cranberries (use a food processor)
1/4 c chopped nuts

350F, 25 min, grease bundt pan--sprinkle nuts in bottom of pan before batter. Dust with powder sugar or orange glaze.

Orange Glaze
1 c powder sugar
1 T & 1 t orange juice


*If made without any sugar, make into bread pudding.

Pear Loaf

This was nice and dessert like.

Pear Loaf
3 c gf flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1 t
1 T ground cinnamon
1 c chopped walnuts (optional)
3/4 c vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 c sugar
6 to 8 pears (2 grated cups total)
2 t vanilla extract (optional)

350F, 20min, 8 mini loaves-- grease and flour pans.