All posts by Sonte

Old Fashioned Cake Donuts



2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 dash ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 quart oil for frying


Cinnamon Sugar
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Combine sugar and cinnamon together in a shall bowl; set aside.


In large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Using pastry blender, cut in butter until crumbly.
Stir in milk and egg until smooth.
Turn out onto lightly floured surface and work in any remaining flour.

Heat oil in deep pan over High to Med heat (375F)

Roll or pat to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut with doughnut cutter, or use two round cutters of different sizes.
Carefully drop doughnuts into hot oil, a few at a time.
Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry, turning once; cook for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side.
Drain on paper towel.
While warm, coat with  Cinnamon  and Sugar mixture.
@Betty Crocker Cookbook

 

Dal

2 cups Red Lentils, rinsed well; drained well

3 Tablespoons Ghee or Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1+ teaspoon Chili Flakes (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon Tumeric
3 Bay Leaves
3 Tablespoons Curry Powder
3 cups McCormick’s Veg Bouillion Stock or your favourite Vegetable Stock
15 oz (400ml) can unsweetened Coconut Milk
Salt
1 teaspoon Mustard Seed
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (or to taste)
4 Green Onions, sliced
Preparation

Thoroughly wash and drain Red Lentils. Set aside.
In Medium size saucepan, heat 2 Tablespoons Ghee over Med/High heat and saute onion, garlic and chili for a minute.
Add Lentils, Tumeric, Bay Leaves, Curry Powder and Water; bring to a boil then lower heat, cover and simmer until Lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.
Stir in Coconut Milk ( I use Lite Coconut Milk) to Lentil mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally.
Add Salt to taste.
Heat remaining Ghee over High heat; add Mustard Seed, additional Chili Flakes and Green Onions and saute for about 1 minute.
Stir into Lentils and serve with Basmati or Jasmine Rice.

 

 

Vegetable Pie

 

I have been making this recipe so long that the recipe page is now sandwiched between two layers of packing tape so that it will not deteriorate any further! I got the recipe from a Tupperware dealer when Ultra21’s were all the rage! I loved those so much!

The Crust is lovely and I generally follow it though sometimes will sub in sour cream for the yogurt, or buttermilk if I don’t have either sour cream or yogurt on hand. I often add herbs to the base: sage, thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano; it all depends on what filling ingredients I end up using. Also, sometimes I will add ground flax seed, sunflower seeds or wheat germ. Ok, maybe I don’t stick to it all that often!
The Filling is really, what works for you! I almost always use fresh spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes. Sometimes I will add mushrooms, zucchini, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives or chopped “bacon” rashers.
The Topping varies depending on the filling and again, what you have on hand. The recipe calls for grated cheddar but I also use mozza, monterey jack or feta. Always top off with a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper and fresh basil, if you have it or a sprinkle of dried basil if you don’t.
Crust:
1/2 cup Butter
1 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain Yogurt
Filling:
3 cups finely chopped Broccoli (it is important that all your veggies are finely chopped with the exception of zucchini)
1/3 cup diced Onion
1 cup Grated Cheddar, or a combination of cheeses loosely equal to a cup of grated cheese
2 medium Tomatoes, sliced
1/3 cup Mayo combined with 2 Tablespoons plain Yogurt
8 fresh Basil leaves or 1 1/2  teaspoons dried Basil
Preheat oven to 450F. (230C)
Prepare a 10″ Springform pan by spraying with Vegetable Oil Spray and lightly dusting with cornmeal. Or use the same size Quiche pan.
In mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add yogurt and stir until the dough comes together.
Press the dough into prepared baking pan and, if using a springform pan, halfway up the sides.
Layer filling over crust in order given.
Bake at 450F for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350F (175C) and bake for another 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve immediately.

 

Waffles off the Iron

Nothing beats a waffle fresh off the iron! And for that matter, forget Eggo Waffles, make a double batch of these, freeze  and use as needed; much better for ya!

Waffles
Fresh Waffles are, oh, so good!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup Butter, melted
2 cups Flour
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Heat Waffle Iron.

In large measuring cup, beat eggs with a fork (or small whisk) until fluffy; stir in milk, melted butter and vanilla.

In large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk together until well blended, some lumps may remain.

Ladle 1/3 of the batter onto the heated Waffle Iron and bake until steaming stops, about 5 minutes. Carefully remove waffle to serving plate or to wire rack if making a double batch. Repeat the procedure two more times.
When waffles are completely cool, carefully stack in large freezer bag and place in freezer.
To reheat, pop into toaster like you would an Eggo Waffle.

Sometimes for variation I will use whole wheat flour in place of some of the white flour, along with some ground flax seed; the dry ingredients combined still amount to 2 cups.
When making a whole wheat version I will substitute Brown Sugar for the White Sugar.
A lot of the time I use soy milk instead of milk.
I always use real butter.

 

Grandma’s 1,2,3,4 Cake

 

My maternal Grandmother made this cake regularly and the recipe has been passed around to all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren! Thanks, Grandma!
1 cup Butter
2 cup Sugar
3 cup Flour
4 Eggs
1 1/2 cups Milk
dash of Salt
3 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
Prepare a 9X13″ pan: lightly spray with veg oil spray, cut a piece of wax paper to fit the bottom only of the pan.
Preheat oven to 350F.
In medium size mixing bowl combine flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside.
In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together for a couple of minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Stir in 1/3 of flour mixture just until incorporated; add half the milk and continue stirring.
Add another third of the flour mixture followed by the remaining milk and stir until flour mixture is incorporated.
Add remaining flour mixture, stir until combined then beat for 2 minutes on high speed.
 

Pour batter into prepared 9X13, smoothing batter and pushing more batter towards corners.
Bake in preheated oven for 28 – 35 minutes, or until lightly golden and a pick comes out clean.
Remove from oven,  let rest on cooling rack for 10 minutes.
Turn out onto wire rack, peel off baking paper and cool completely.
To finish off:
1. Leave it plain and top with a Fruit Compote (as shown at Top of Page)
2. Cut in half, spread bottom layer with filling, top with remaining cake then frost all over with Whipped cream. Mask edges with toasted chopped nut or
toasted shredded coconut.
Whipped Cream Cake with Fresh Fruit

3.
Cut in half, spread bottom layer with Buttercream Icing; top with remaining cake then frost all over with Buttercream Icing, pipe on a Shell border.