Recipe: Chai Tea ,homemade

Instead of buying one cup of Chai Tea at  coffee shops like Star Bucks ,  You can make your own Chai Tea concentrate and enjoy in the comfort of your own home.

The ingredients you’ll need:

cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, star anise, cloves, black pepper, nutmeg, orange zest, tea bags, brown sugar, honey, and vanilla.

Ingredients

• 4-½ cups Water
• 1 stick Cinnamon
• 1 piece Fresh Ginger Chopped
• 7 whole Cardamom Pods
• 2 whole Star Anise Pods
• 10 whole Cloves
• ¼ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• ½ teaspoons Freshly-ground Nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon Orange Zest
• 10 teaspoons Green Or Black Tea Or 10 Tea Bags
• ⅔ cups Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Preparation Instructions

Bring the water to a boil. Add the spices and tea, remove from heat and let steep 15-20 minutes, depending on how strong you want it. Strain and add the brown sugar, honey, and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Mix 1 part concentrate with 1 part milk, heat and enjoy or pour over ice.

For a stronger flavor, mix 2 parts concentrate with 1 part milk or half-and-half (if you’re like me).

Buckwheat Pancakes recipe, My grandmother’s staple food

 

 

My maternal grandmother always like buckwheat , in the form of pancakes.  My mother recalls that my grandfather made the pancakes on the weekends, adding sliced apples to it.  I am like a sponge wanting to know more details.  My mother added that there was a lady who had a store that sold the kids pieces of fudge for 2 cents a piece.  We have come a long way from those days.  Maybe 70 years ago, buckwheat was the predominant staple.  My mom said that there wasn’t much money for meat when she was growing up. Buckwheat  is high in protein, B vitamins, Folacin, Niacin, calcium.  I’m learning that it is much more nutritious than the boxes of “pancake mix ” that is commonly sold in grocery stores today.  Although , you can find in specialty stores like Stonewall kitchen ( in Vermont), a blueberry pancake mix with both whole wheat and corn flours in it. 

Buckwheat pancakes Recipe:

Buckwheat flour,  Grind your own from buckwheat bran.

Use 1 cup white flour for every 2 cups buckwheat flour.

Into large bowl, Sift the flours together, than add 1 cup of water .

In small bowl, beat 2 eggs, then add to the flours.  Whisk by hand the flours, water and beaten eggs. You can add 4-5 TBSP of olive oil.

Ratio: 3 cups flour ( combo of buckwheat and white), 3 cups water , 2 -3 eggs.

Cover and let the mix rest in the frig for several hours or at least one hour.

Cook the crepes or pancakes on a cast iron pan that was very lightly oiled; it should not be visibly full of oil or butter.

Using a ladle, pour the buckwheat batter all at once onto the hot cast iron pan.

Wait for the pancake to cook on top until it looks dry and the edges start to curl.  Do not lift up the edges of the pancake to check, it will tear/rip the pancake.!!

The fillings can be sweet or savory.   Roll up the crepes with :   Savory: Cooked chicken, ham, Gruyère cheese,  sweet:  jam or

Serve with chives and a spoonful of sour cream.

Buckwheat Pancakes:

1 cup buckwheat flour

1/2 cup white flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 TBSP brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 oz vegetable oil

1 egg

1 1/2 cups milk

Mix well.   Pour onto hot griddle.  Yield 6 to 8  ( 6 inch cakes ). 

 

Another recipe using BUCKWHEAT GROATS:

Good to prepare during the Lenten season.

Source:  Whole Foods website

Kasha Varnishkes

Serves 4 to 6

Kasha Varnishkes, a delightful mixture of sautéed onions, buckwheat groats and bowtie pasta, graces many Jewish holiday tables. This version features caramelized onions and hearty mushrooms.

Ingredients

1 cup whole buckwheat groats
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/3 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
4 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms
2 cups dried bowtie pasta
Black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

Method

Bring 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water to a boil in a medium pot over high heat. Stir in buckwheat groats, 1/2 teaspoon of the oil, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Warm 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes. Add mushrooms, raise the heat to high, and cook for 4 to 6 more minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 to 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions and mushrooms begin to caramelize.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain pasta and toss with mushroom mixture.
Lightly fluff the groats with a fork and then stir them into the pasta and mushroom mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, parsley, and pumpkin seeds, if using.

Nutrition

Per serving: 310 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 9g protein, 52g total carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 7g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 110mg sodium

Tags: Family Friendly, American, Vegetarian, Vegan, Low Sodium, High Fiber, Dairy Free

Recipes-with Stuffing mix

Recipes -with Stuffing mix

Using Stove-top Stuffing mix or Pepperridge Farm Stuffing mix

Stuffin’ Burgers     

Combine and let set until moist:
1 cup stuffing mix
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon instant minced onion (dried onion)

Mix with:
1 lb either ground beef or ground turkey
either: 1 bouillon cube (beef for hamburger or chicken for turkey)OR mixture of 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 tespoon msg (I used Accent), and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Shape into patties. Broil, grill, or pan fry. (  By Wavette of SPFP forum)

ZUCCHINI AND GROUND BEEF CASSEROLE 6 c. sliced zucchini
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 lb. ground beef
1 tbsp. butter
1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing mix
1 1/2 c. water
1 c. cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
1 c. shredded carrots
Cook zucchini in a small amount of salted water in saucepan for 3 minutes; drain well. Brown onion and ground beef in butter in skillet, stirring until ground beef is crumbly; drain.
Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions, using 1 1/2 cups water. Combine soup and sour cream in bowl. Add zucchini, ground beef and carrots. Spoon half the stuffing into greased 9×13 inch baking pan. Layer ground beef mixture and remaining stuffing on top. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown.

I found this one this weekend and fixed it for our Church Homecoming yesterday. I thought is was very good. I was looking for zucchini recipes since they are coming in droves in our garden, but I would imagine any vegetable would work .  reposted from :

Rachel
A Genuine Georgia Peach

Stuffin’ Meat Loaf

2 lbs ground meat
1 cup barbecue sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray’s)
1 cup Stove Top Stuffing
2 eggs, lightly beaten.  Mix  together and cook in a preheated oven at 350   degrees Faherenheit  ( F ) for 1 hour.   I cook my a little longer but that could be my oven.

reposted from Pat in Mississippi

Recipe-Quaker Oatmeal cookie recipe from the 60′s

How do you like your oatmeal?   I like mine in a cookie.  Te he he.  Where did that recipe disappear to?  Oh well.  Here’s another oatmeal cookie recipe that sounds even better.

Yum, pumpkin-pie spice will be nice in a home baked cookie for fall, since back -to school time is right around the corner.

Celestial Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

• COOKIES
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) 70% vegetable oil spread
• 1  cup canned pumpkin
• 2  egg whites OR 1 egg
• 1  teaspoon grated orange peel
• 2  cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice OR ground cinnamon
• 1/2  teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  cup finely chopped, pitted prunes
• 1/4  cup finely chopped walnuts

• GLAZE
• 1/2  cup powdered sugar
• 1  tablespoon orange juice

Heat oven to 350°. Lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat sugar, and vegetable oil spread with electric mixer until well blended. Add pumpkin, egg whites and orange peel; beat well. (Mixture will look curdled.) Add combined oats, flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in prunes and walnuts. Drop dough by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls about 2″ apart on cookie sheets. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until lightly browned. (Do not overbake). Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire racks. Cool completely. For glaze, combine powdered sugar and orange juice in small bowl; mix well. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies. Let stand until glaze sets. Store tightly covered.

Stuffed Artichokes

Ingredients:

4 large artichokes
1 cup dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped black olives
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chopped capers
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
4 teaspoons grated Parmesan for topping

Directions:

Trim the artichokes as described above, removing only the tough bottom leaves and
snipping the ends off the others.  Leave the artichokes in the lemon water while you prepare the stuffing. 

To make the stuffing: For the dried bread crumbs we recommend starting with fresh bread crumbs.
Process a few slices of leftover Italian bread in a food processor.  Place on a micro-safe plate and heat on
high at 1 minute intervals.  Stir the crumbs occasionally.  Remove when they are dry and crisp.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, olive, Parmesan, garlic, herbs, capers, red pepper, salt and pepper.
Add some olive oil (4 to 6 tablespoons) gradually, stirring until combined and moistened.
Spoon the stuffing into the center of the artichokes until filled to the top.
Place the artichokes in a baking dish.
Add enough water to the dish to cover the bottom halves of the artichokes.
Cover the dish with foil and bake 1 hour.  Artichokes are fully cooked when you can easily pull out a leaf.
Remove from the oven and increase the heat to broil.
Remove the foil and top each artichoke with a teaspoon of Parmesan cheese.
Place under the broiler until the topping is browned, about 2 minutes.
Place on a serving platter and spoon a little of the juice from the baking dish over each.
Serve whole or cut in half vertically.

Serves 4

NOTES:

Stuffed Artichokes

Stuffed artichokes are one of the most common ways of eating artichokes in Italy. Native to the Mediterranean, the artichoke is harvested year-round, but more than half of the crop is
harvested between March and May.  The Fall crop usually peaks in October.  The ‘vegetable’ that we
eat is actually the plant’s flower bud.  Most people cook the whole artichoke and slip each petal, one
by one, through their teeth until they reach the tender heart which is entirely edible.    If you’re
intimidated by this unusual-looking vegetable, you’re not alone.  But once you learn the simple
procedure, preparing artichokes is easy.

RECIPE

Seasoned Bread Crumbs:

Seasoned bread crumbs are used in the above recipe for artichoke stuffing but
they can also be used as a costing for fried poultry, meat, fish, or vegetables.  You
can store the bread crumbs in storage bags in your freezer for up to a year. 

4-5 cups coarse bread crumbs
3/4 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese
1-1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients until blended.

Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Here’s why we should not skip breakfast according to Frances S. Goulart of the book “Super Healing Foods”.

Devoting an extra five or ten minutes,especially if you have 5 to 10 pounds to lose -to the first meal of the day is better than going without for two primary reasons.

First it provides mood-boosting energy that fuels the brain and actually promotes weight loss.  Am calories are more rapidly burned off than P.M. excesses.  Second, Breakfast eaters live longer. Death rates are 40 % higher for men and 28% higher for women who only rarely or sometimes eat breakfast. ,compared to those who do it daily.

“Missing the first meal of the day means your’e missing out on super healing nutrients such as Vitamin C, riboflavin, and calcium, and if you miss out you might not make good those losses in the two meals that remain, a deficit that can lead to osteoporosis, periodontal disease, chronic fatigue syndromes and worse.”

Breakfast skippers consume less calcium and Vitamin C during the dayand 10% less iron and thiamine according to Dr. Helen A. Guthrie of professor of Nutrition at Pennsylvania State University.

Here’s breakfast solutions:

Nutrition in a bowl (hot):

1.  Stock up on a god selection of whole grains , some examples are quinoa, oats, rye, brown rice, barley, cornmeal,polenta, cream of wheat, bulgur, and couscous.

2. Tp prepare, put 1/2 cup grains of your choice in a saucepan with 1 and 1/2 cups water.   Bring to a boil.  Lower heat, cover, and simmer according to directions .  Stir in fruit, sweetener, milk or cream substitute  ( Soy milks fortified with calcium , or nut milks such as almond milk.)

Nutrition in a Bowl (cold).

Choosing the right ingredients, cold cereal is just as healthy alternative.

The ingredients to look for when selceting at the grocery store are sugar free, low or no sodium, minimally processed, additive-free flakes, puffed, nuggetted or shredded biscuits from single or multigrain flakes ( sold in health food stores or a supermarket like “Whole Foods”.    Top with low-fat skim milk or a non dairy substitute milm.  Add fruit , nuts or seeds.

A 15 minute , six ingredient Breakfast:

This quick recipe can be prepared as muffins/hotcakes, or big cookies depending on how you vary, beat and bake the batter.  The dry ingredients provide fiber and carbohydrates and the liquid ingredients supply protein.   Oil and eggs supply fats. Add your own natural sweetener to taste.

BASIC MIX PLUS

2 cups whole grain flour plu 1/2 cup meal ( corn, grits, oats, etc.)

1 teaspoon low-sodium baking powder

1 cup dairy or soy milk, yogurt, or substitute*

1 egg or substitute*

2 Tablespoons nut or vegetable oil

COmbine dry ingredients and liquids separately, then combine.  Don’t overmix.

For a week’s worth of muffins today/ waffles or muffins tomorrow, refrigerate batter in a covered container.  I I like to use my trusty old Tupperware plastic pitcher with pour spout for any batter like pancakes .)

Variations:  Sweeten to taste with berry or carrot puree or other natural sugar.  To increase protein and minerals, add 1 to 2 tablespoons each skim milk powder, wheat germ, bran, or nutritional yeast.

Use the Basic Mix formula to :

Muffins:
fFold in 1/4 additional cup meal, flakes, or nuts.  Or for the “lite bite’ muffins, fold in one slightly beaten egg white.  Fill greased muffin pans or paper cups half full of batter and bake for 10 to 12 minutes in a 375 degree Fahenheit oven.  For crunch, add 2 to 4 Tablespoons seeds, or chopped raw nuts ( walnuts, pecans are examples).

Pancakes/waffles:

Pour batter from measuring cup onto preheated griddle or waffle iron. ( I use my iron pan ) .  Brown, flip with spatula, and brown the other side.

Big Breakfast cookies: Add additional meal , flour, or dry cereal flakes and / or nuts or unsweetened cocunut until cookie batter consistency is reached.  For a flavor spike, add grated citrus peel, dried raisins, or dried herbs such as lemon, mint, or chamomile.  Use a Tablespoon or soup spoon to drop batter onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet.  Bake 7 minutes in pre-heated , 400 degree Fahrenheit oven.

Wishing a warm welcome to all my visitors, and a special hello to my visitor from Pakistan, comments are always appreciated!

Recipe- Buttermilk Biscuits

January 14, 2011

After having quite the enlightening  conversation with my co-worker about her North Carolina’s  grandmother’s home-made biscuits fresh out of the oven, I was delighted that I came across this Buttermilk recipe from a blog that no longer active.

Feast-Worthy Buttermilk Biscuits
Slightly adapted from The Bread Bible by Beth Hensperger

Ingredients: Makes 12 biscuits

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Cornmeal for dusting
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 7 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup cold buttermilk

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly sprinkle the paper with cornmeal.

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the cold butter into this mixture, either using a pastry blender, a fork or your hands. I prefer to use my hands, gently rubbing the butter and flour mixture together until it resembles coarse bread crumbs.

In a small bowl combine the buttermilk and egg, briefly whisking. Add to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. The dough will be sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, dusting with flour as needed to prevent it from sticking to your hands. Knead the dough a few times until it holds together, then roll or pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick.

Now it’s time to use your biscuit cutter (you can also use the top of an empty, clean 14 or 15-oz tin can in place of a cutter, btw). Dip the cutter into your flour, then press it into the dough, gently pressing down and twisting slightly to ensure a clean cut. Cut as many biscuits as possible, then remove the scrap dough (set aside) and transfer the rounds to your baking sheet, leaving about 1/2 an inch of space between each round. You can roll the dough scraps up and cut a few more biscuits if you like.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.

http://www.bakingandbooks.com/2009/11/19/feast-worthy-buttermilk-biscuits/

New Recipes

Please click on the above to0l bar for more Recipes.

I’ve just added Italian Stuffed tomatoes under “Recipes”.

There is a section called Healthy recipes , and “Recipes.

By clicking on categories and tags, this will also take you directly to the subject or recipe.

Recipes: Roast Chicken

ROAST CHICKEN

What’s better than a roast chicken party? Not much.
As the nights began to turn cool these past few weeks, the season of oven use commenced.

Here is the simplest technique that always makes a perfect, moist chicken and can be tweaked and varied .

EARLY AUTUMN ROAST CHICKEN

~serves 4, with a little left over for lunch the next day

One 4 to 4 1/2 lb chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 thyme sprigs
4 rosemary sprigs
1 lb (around 8 medium or 10 small) heirloom tomatoes
4 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut in half
4 celery stalks, chopped
3 small yellow onions, trimed, leaving root end intact, and cut into quarters
8 small (thumb-size) fingerling potatoes
1 bunch basil
1 lemon, halved
1/3 cup canola oil (less strong tasting, though olive is fine too)
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Glaze
1/2 cup hot pepper jelly
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Kecap Manis (Indonesian soy sauce, texture like molasses)
dash ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 450°F. Five minutes after turning on the oven, put a cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet on a rack set low in the oven. Rub the chicken with the olive oil, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and tear off a few rosemary leaves and stick under the skin if you’d like.

Combine all the vegetables and herb sprigs except the tomatoes in a large bowl. Toss with 1/4 cup of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables in a large cast-iron skillet or a roasting pan.

Rub the remaining oil over the chicken. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cut lemon in half and stick in cavity. Stick herb sprigs in along with it.

Make a nest in the center of the vegetables and nestle the chicken in it.

Put the chicken in the oven and roast for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the jelly, butter, mustard, kecap manis and pepper in a saucepan and heat until hot and well blended. Mix the tomatoes with a little oil.

Smear chicken with 3/4 of the glaze, scatter the tomatoes and basil around the bird, then roast for an additional 25 minutes, or until the temperature registers 160 F in the meatiest portions of the bird–the thighs, and under the breast where the thigh meets the breast–and the juices run clear. If necessary, return the bird to the oven for more roasting; check it every 5 minutes.  Brush with the remaining glaze a few minutes before it’s done.

Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

If you’d like the veggies piping hot, before serving, set the pan of vegetables over medium heat and reheat the vegetables, turning them and glazing them with the pan juices.

Cut the chicken into serving pieces, arrange over the vegetables and serve.

Note: Use the extras in a sandwich with some extra hot pepper jelly smeared on good bread (like our favorite, Roberta’s bread in Brooklyn–you can buy the jelly and the bread at our Sunday market at 261 Moore St. in Bushwick, Brooklyn).

Recipe reposted from :

Anarchy in a Jar

Anarchy definition:  freedom from food tyranny

Country Bread

COUNTRY BREAD

Country Bread, a gluten-free recipe.

From the Vegetarian Times, Issue: October 1, 2007 p.75

A good recipe for homemade bread is worth its weight in gold to gluten-intolerant bakers. This soft, chewy loaf fits the bill.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Makes 1 loaf (10 slices)
ingredients list:

 

* 1 tsp. sugar

 

* 1 0.75-oz. pkg. yeast

 

* 1 cup brown rice flour

* 1 cup sunflower seeds
* 1/2 cup ground flaxseeds or flaxseed meal
* 1/2 cup potato starch
* 1/4 cup soy flour
* 1/4 cup tapioca flour or starch
* 1 Tbs. xanthan gum
* 1 tsp. salt
* 2 eggs
* 2 egg whites
* 1/2 cup soymilk or rice milk
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/4 cup molasses
* 1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Coat 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine sugar and 1/4 cup warm water. Sprinkle yeast on top, then stir to combine. Set aside.
2. Whisk together rice flour, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, potato starch, soy flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, and salt in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, soymilk, oil, molasses, and vinegar.
3. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture, and beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute. Add yeast mixture, increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat 3 minutes. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan; let rise 1 hour in warm place.
4. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Bake loaf 45 to 55 minutes, or until deep golden brown (the outside will look very dark but the inside will be soft and moist). Cool 10 minutes, then turn out onto cutting board, and slice.

Nutritional Information

Per SLICE:
Calories 315
Protein 10g
Total Fat 16g
Saturated Fat 2g
Carbs 38g
Cholesterol 42mg
Sodium 278mg
Fiber 5g
Sugar 6g