Blueberry Walnut Cake - THB

Yes, I am behind but I am working on catching up and actually, I am about ready to bake the next cake, a buttermilk bundt cake.  We in The Home Bakers (THB) are using Coffee Cakes by Lou Seibert Pappas.  Since, we are a coffee cake household, this is the perfect book for us.  Except for chocolate which Hubby does not like, the rest of the recipes are just right for him. 

This one, Marionberry-Hazelnut Cake is filled with his favorites, not marionberries or hazelnuts though.  What is a marionberry?  I used blueberries and planned to use almonds until I realized, I was out.  I pulled out walnuts instead.  I keep ground flours on hand with a celiac husband.  Nut flours give flavor and are a partial substitute for the all-purpose flour.  I use a gluten-free mixture and the nut flour.  A Great Combo!

You can find the recipe here.  My substitutions are as above, walnut flour, gluten free mix, blueberries.  Otherwise, I was true to the recipe, another good recipe from this book.

 

 Check out the other bakers and see their cakes and the changes they made.

Hearty Breakfast Casserole

  I have to admit that this month's food choice threw me.  Croutons.  What do I do with croutons.  I never use croutons, except to throw them into a salad.  With hubby having celiac, I tend to skip bread products or bread creations.  Either, I have to make it first or buy it and it is expensive.

 After much thought and more perusing through cookbooks and the Internet, I decided to make a breakfast dish.  I figured a little cheese, eggs and some seasoning and I would have something. Then, I found a recipe on Allrecipes .com.

I made it for a 2:00 PM breakfast on Sunday.  No, I did not sleep until then.  I started working on plans for my fifth grade and was too busy to eat.    If I want to diet, all I have to do is start a project, whether cleaning a closet, or leaning something new or making plans for school or even cooking.  I get absorbed and never a thought goes to tempting food.

Of course, I can not say that I don't eat when I am done and today, this is the casserole, hubby and I enjoyed.

Hearty Breakfast Casserole (Adapted)

Ingredients:

3 cups gluten-free croutons
olive oil spray

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups croutons
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1  cup milk
1 bell pepper (any color), diced
1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 teaspoon dill

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F .

In a skillet, cook onions in the olive oil, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Spray a 9x12 inch baking dish with vegetable spray. Place croutons in the bottom of the dish, and spray the top with additional spray. Sprinkle with grated Cheddar cheese and the onions.

Mix eggs,  milk, peppers, mustard, salt, and pepper, and beat until well-combined. Pour over the croutons and cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

It is done when a sharp knife inserted, comes out clean.

This is part of the Kosher Connection Linky organized by Tamar Genger who you can find at Joy of Kosher.

Eat and enjoy.

Gram's Buttermilk Pancakes - SRS

This is my third swap and I am enjoying, finding blogs, I have never sen before.  The adventure in a new blog and a new recipe is lots of fun.

This month, I selected my recipe from Sugar Cookies to Peterbilts.  I do what I usually do, jump from one recipe to another and change my mind, each time.  I still plan to make a lemon cake, I fell in love with just looking at the photo and a Southwestern salad with corn and black beans.  Yummy.

Kris must be strong living and working on a farm.  She describes all seasons as being difficult so I can imagine, life can be hard but she certainly sounds like she enjoys it.  She and her fiancee have cats a dog and chickens.  

I decided on Gram's Buttermilk Pancakes.  I have made pancakes for years but this one was very different than those of my past.  There was no butter and no sugar. Healthy - yes.  I wondered how it would taste.

My husband is my judge and when I saw him put a little maple syrup on this, I decided a little sugar would fit into the recipe but there was no need for butter.  This is a healthy and good pancake.  I did add almond extract because that is what I do.

I learned a wonderful lesson from these pancakes. I can cut fat in a lot of my recipes and I am betting, they will be good.  I wouldn't cut all the butter or oil but I can see, using less for a healthier version that is probably just as good.

Grams' Buttermilk Pancakes  (adapted slightly)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil or butter for skillet

2 cups gluten-free flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 c. buttermilk*

Method:

Mix dry ingredients. 

Add eggs, almond extract and buttermilk to dry mix. Mix until combined.  There may be a few lumps.

Place oil on griddle and heat.  I used an ice cream scoop to size my pancakes.  They took almost no time to cook.  As soon as they pancake bubbles, turn it over and cook for another minute or until brown.


*Buttermilk Substitute: For two cup of buttermilk, add two tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measure cup. Fill cup to equal two cups, with milk.

Tomato, Onion, Avocado Salad

The three ingredients in the title sold me.  If you like them, give this a try.  It looks good and tastes better.

I buy avocados from Costco, six at a time, which means, I have to have some dishes to use them in.  Usually, there is guacamole for one or two but the rest are not designated and I usually have fun searching for ways to use them.

Granted a salad is not a big deal when using avocado but this particular one is plated on a platter so it has a different look to it, which helps sell it.  For me, it was a special treat since it called for herbs growing right in my garden.  It feels wonderful, seeing all those bits of green on the top, knowing where they came from.


Tomato, Onion, Avocado Salad Recipe (adapted from Simply Recipes)

Ingredients :

3-4 fresh large tomatoes, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 avocados, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
 
Method :

Place a layer of sliced tomatoes on a large serving platter. 

Arrange the slivers of red onions and the chunks of avocado over the tomatoes. 

Sprinkle with parsley, garlic, and oregano. 

Combine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar or honey and drizzle the vegetables on the platter. 

Eat and enjoy.

Mexican Corn Bake

I love corn and if I can find an excuse to make it, I gladly do. I keep frozen corn, on hand, all the time, so I can throw together some delicious dish.

In the summer, when we can get fresh corn, I refuse to do anything with it than boil it for a few minutes and eat it with all its sweetness.  There is nothing like freshly picked corn.  For the rest of the year, fortunately, there are many enjoyable dishes to make, blending the corn into some concoction or another.

This dish was a great success.  Everything blended together beautifully. I had stumbled on this Corn Bake at Pillsbury. 

Mexican Corn Bake

Ingredients:

2 bags frozen corn

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups sour cream

3 tablespoons cornmeal

2 teaspoons sugar

2  cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)


Method:

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook corn as directed on bag.

 In 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in bell pepper and onion; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender. Stir in corn. Remove from heat.

In large bowl, beat eggs, sour cream, cornmeal, sugar and salt with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in corn mixture and cheese blend. Pour into baking dish.

Bake 20 - 30  minutes until a sharp knife inserted, comes out clean.

Eat and enjoy.

Moussaka - Donna Hay - a week behind

I just discovered, I am a week behind in our schedule.  We have a risotto for this week and it is just too late for me to do anything about it.  Please check out everyone else.

Another two day Jewish holiday starts tonight and I have been cooking up a storm. I did not want to miss out on Wednesdays with Donna Hay so I made this week's choice,  one of the dishes for the family.

We made Moussaka which is made up of wonderful ingredients such as eggplant, lamb, garlic, onion, tomato puree, vegetable broth, cinnamon, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  Since I am Kosher, I could not include both the lamb and cheese in the same recipe (we do not mix meat and milk or even serve them, at the same meal.)  I decided to go with the dairy.

I was not traditional and used brown rice in place of the ground lamb.  This does change the whole feel of the dish although it still is a good combination to serve. 
You can find the original recipe in Modern Classics I on page 110. This was chosen by Kayte.

Check out the dishes from the other ladies and enjoy.
Margaret        Kayte          Gaye
 

Marinara Sauce - SRC

Remember as a kid how much fun it was to belong to a club.  Then came sororities and it got a little more competitive.  Now, joining a club is fun and easy if you enjoy cooking.  Just become a member of the Secret Recipe Club.  Wait for a delightful surprise each month when you are assigned a blog to cook from.  Then have lots of fun, looking through the blog and very likely finding many recipes to make.  Then, eliminate most of them and finally pick the one you are making.  We then wait for the Reveal which is now.

My assigned blog was Growing Up Gabel. 
Camille and her husband Mitch live in Las Vegas.  Their warm and loving family include a daughter and a son,  Ella and Miles.  Gabel is the kind of blogger I respect, one who loves what she is doing and gets joy from blogging.

It was easy to select a recipe because I needed a sauce for pasta, the night, I was cooking my recipe.  I found this straightforward, easy to make Sicilian Marinara Sauce and was delighted to make it.  I didn't make changes to the original recipe.  The only change I would make, in the future, is adding some of my home grown oregano and that is basically because it is from my garden and I am proud of our spices.

Marinara Sauce 

Ingredients :

2 large cans crushed tomatoes
2 cans tomato paste
1 head of garlic, finely diced
Olive oil
Pinch of hot pepper flakes
1-2 Tablespoons sugar
Dried or fresh basil
 
Method:

Cover the bottom of a very large pot with a thin layer of olive oil. Heat over medium heat.
Open all the cans of tomatoes.

When oil is warmed, add garlic and saute for just a few minutes.

Add all tomatoes. Fill each empty can of tomatoes with water and add to the pot.  Yes, it is a lot of water.

Raise heat to high.

Add in hot pepper flakes, sugar and dried basil to taste. If using fresh, add at the very end of the cooking time.

Bring sauce to a boil and then turn down heat. Simmer for 4 hours.

Eat and Enjoy.

Thanks Camille for helping feed my family and for having a welcoming blog.  Thanks  to April, head honcho and Suzanne, group leader of B team. 

Grilled Cutlets with Sweet Tomato Sauce

I had used Chicken cutlets for our Donna Hay recipe on Wednesday.  I had two left and no ideas as to what to do with them, a familiar situation.  I think, this is because I am a saver.  I want to know, I have what I will need, in the refrigerator, freezer or cabinets.

As a result, I buy a little bit of "everything".  At almost any given time, you will find bok choy, onions, sweet potato, potato, spinach, zucchini, carrots, chopped chicken and chopped beef, chicken cutlets, organic soup, etc., in the house.  Of course that is besides the dairy products.  My basic cheese is Parmesan, Ricotta, Cream Cheese, Cheddar, Mexican shredded, Edam, Goat and some sliced cheese.

My point is that I am usually ready with all the ingredients or a good substitute.

I remember one day, I met a friend in the food store and she was literally begging me, to stop by and take an onion, she had with no plans for.  I bet her kitchen is more organized than mine.  I didn't take her onion because I had a drawer full of three different kind of onions plus some other goodies.

I think, this goes to my aversion of food shopping, more than necessary.  If I had my way, I would shop once a week but it doesn't work, for me, even with a filled kitchen.  I might just need kabacha or celery or parsnips or a can of diced tomatoes or, or, or.................................

This leads to my two extra cutlets.  When I went to take them out of the refrigerator, I discovered hubby had already grilled them and he was asking me to make a sauce for them.

Now, here we go again.  I had a tomato that was so ripe, it was about to get up and jump into a pot or get moldy and have to be thrown away,  Horrors, I hate to throw away good food.  You have to know that the tomato was going to be part of the sauce.  Here goes........

Grilled Cutlets with Sweet Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

2 chicken cutlets
1 tomato, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 scallion, chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
1/4 cup sweet red wine
spray olive oil

Method:

In a small saucepan, spray olive oil on the bottom of pan.  Add garlic and scallion and cook for 2 minutes.  Add tomato, wine, tomato and brown sugar or honey.  Cook on a low flame for another 4 minutes.

Cook for about 5 minutes and pour into a small food processor (the one that came with my immersion blender).  Turn on  and run until sauce has a few small pieces of the tomato and scallion still with substance.

Place cutlets in a baking dish.  Cover with sauce and heat in a 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes or until hot.

Serve with rice, quinoa or pasta and a salad for a complete meal.

If you would prefer it without the sauce, this is the grilled cutlets and I think, they look just fine all by themselves.

Linked to       Foodie Friday

Lemon Chicken Pasta - Wednesday with Donna Hay

I usually cook for my Donna Hay group on Tuesdays so I can post it on Wednesdays. I fell behind, this week, but I am getting it out on Wednesdays.

It is surprising that I am late in doing this since I look forward to cooking Donna recipes. Almost everything has turned out to be yummy and nothing has been difficult. A win-win situation. This week is no exception.

Lemon Chicken Pasta is shredded chicken mixed with spaghetti, garlic, red pepper, shredded chicken breast, lemon juice, lemon zest, basil , salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. I added sliced onions and I had a little coconut milk in the refrigerator and could not help myself. I added it to the mix and it made it perfect. We do not serve cheese with meat so I left out the Parmesan.

This is Gaye’s pick  so take a peek at her wonderful site. Margaret and Kate are the other two members and they welcome you to their  just as wonderful sites.  

Margaret  
Kayte
The recipe is on page 22 of Donna’s Off the Shelf: Cooking from the Pantry. It is also online at Donna’s website.. 

This is linked to:          Frugal Food Thursdays       Gluten-Free Wednesdays        Full Plate Thursdays

Sweet Potato Medley

  
Sometime, we find recipes that are total winners and this one turned out to be  just that.  I was checking out The Tasty Alternative, a site that caters to those who are on special diets, such as gluten-free, dairy free or sugar-free.  There are wonderful recipes and beautiful photos and I am betting you will want to visit.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the recipe.  I know that it looked good and has sweet potatoes which I love.  The added apricots and coconut milk were other  incentives to make the dish.  Honey finalized my decision.

I followed my gut and it lead me in the right direction.  If I had been cerebral about this, I would have mentioned that I could not see how the beans fit into the recipe, but they did.  Everything blended to make a slightly sweet temptation.


Sweet Potato Medley

Ingredients: 

1 cup sliced  onion
2 cups peeled and shredded sweet potatoes
 1 can garbanzo beans
1 cans salt-free chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup dried Turkish apricots sliced small)
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons honey
 1 tablespoons olive oil

Spices 

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
A few turns of the pepper grinder
 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Method:

Heat oil in a large skillet and add onions. Saute for 3 minutes. Next add in the sweet potatoes  and saute for 5 minutes. 

Add  the garbanzo beans, tomatoes, apricots, coconut milk, and spices. 

  Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn down to low, gentle simmer and cover for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Liquid thickens.

This makes a delicious side dish and this is one, I plan to make as often as possible.  We love it.

Linked to:  Allergy Free Wednesdays    Real Food Wednesdays