Sunday, June 30, 2013

Balsamic Reduction

I've posted a recipe for Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and a Balsamic reduction.
I thought I'd post the reduction recipe separately because it's great with Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil.

2 C Balsamic Vinegar
Boil over medium low heat in a small saucepan
Cook for about 10 - 20 minutes, it will begin to turn into a thick glaze
Remove to a bowl or Salad Dressing Cruet
Cool completely
Drizzle over slices of Tomato and Mozzarella Cheese slices topped with fresh Basil leaves.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Coconut Rum Bread Pudding

I have a Best of the Best Recipe for Bread Pudding.
I've been posting recipes and stories about Coconuts, so I decided to post this recipe.
I think it's the Coconut Rum soaked raisins and the Coconut Rum Sauce that make it interesting.

Coconut Rum Bread Pudding:

24 slices of day old baguettes sliced 1" thick
1/4 C butter, softened
4 eggs
1/2 C brown sugar
1 (25oz.) can crushed pineapple with the juice
1 C grates coconut
2 1/2 C evaporated milk
1 C raisins soaked in 1/2 C coconut rum

Spread butter on each slice of bread
Place bread in a buttered 2 quart casserole, overlapping the slices

Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl
Add:
pineapple
coconut
evaporated milk
raisins
Blend Well

Pour mixture over the bread getting it in between the slices
Let it soak in for about 15 minutes
Squish ( i think that's a word) the slices so they get well soaked in the egg mixture
Place the casserole dish in a roasting pan with boiling water coming 1/2" up the sides of the dish

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes
Remove the dish and cool

Serve with Rum Sauce

Here's my favorite rum sauce recipe: ( I keep any leftover sauce in the refrigerator, in a canning jar with a tight lid )

Coconut Rum Bread Pudding

1 C granulated sugar
1/2 C butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1/4 C coconut rum ( for Christmas Puddings I use regular rum) My favorite is Mount Gay from Barbados
1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan, heat:
sugar
butter
whisk in the egg
whisk until completely blended and sugar has melted
Remove from heat
Whisk in the coconut rum
Return to a simmer and continue whisking constantly until it thickens

Remove from heat
Whisk in the vanilla

Serve warm or cold over the individual serving of pudding

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Banana Pie

I'm going to make a Margarita Pie for the 4th of July. When I saw this recipe, I was tempted to make it too. This is really simple, it makes it's own crust..... can't be any more simple than that.
This is an adaptation of a Betty Crocker recipe.

Banana Pie:

1 C mashed ripe ( brown spotted) bananas, about two
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2C Original Bisquick Mix
1/4 C sugar
1 TBS butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 C (140z) sweetened condensed milk
1C thawed ( frozen whipped topping) or some really good homemade whipped cream!
1/4 C chopped macadamia nuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9" pie pan with a vegetable spray or my Pan Release Recipe.

In a small bowl, mix:
banana
lime juice
set aside

In another bowl:
bisquick
sugar
butter
vanilla
eggs
condensed milk
Mix well and add bananas
Mix until blended well

Pour into pie pan
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes or until golden brown

Cool on a wire rack at least an hour
Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or until set well

Top the pie with whipped topping and sprinkle with nuts

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Indian Flatbread

I was raised in Michigan. Michigan is a name based on the Chippewa Indian word meaning great water, referring to Michigan's Great Lakes. As a child, we learned about the many tribes that settled the various areas of Michigan.  Thirty Two counties in Michigan have Native American Indian names.We spent a vacation at the Wisconsin Dells when I was about 10 years old. It's a outdoor campground and lodge with activities and a lot of historical settings, lakes and boating activities.
There are over 20 campgrounds with acres of pine forests.
They have many water activities on the lakes and the Wisconsin River.
There was a Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show that I was fascinated with as a young boy. It has a Wildlife Park with a vintage train that you can ride.
I remember shops with souvenirs and some great food.
There were always demonstration by the various Indian Tribes representing life as it was when the area was occupied by Indians. I vividly remember cooking demonstrations where they made Indian Flatbread over an open fire. We used to eat it and I loved it. At the time I had no idea how simple it was and that it was basically a staple of Indian food. Apparently it was important that a woman learned to make the bread, because marriage was contingent on how well she did it. The bread eventually turned into the present day Tortilla that is a staple of Mexican and Tex - Mex cooking.

Here's an updated, basic recipe for Indian Flatbread

We make it on a grill over hot coals.

5 C white bread flour
1 tsp salt
2 TBS baking powder
1 tsp of any available fresh chopped herbs
1/3 C olive oil
2/3 C warm water

Mix all  of the dry ingredients in a bowl using your hands
Make a well in the center and pour in the oil and 2/3 C of warm water
Continue using your hands to combine the ingredients adding a bit of water if it's too dry
Once it all starts to come together, form it into a ball

Dust your hands with some flour and knead the dough on a flat surface. This should take about 5 - 10 minutes
Place the dough back in the bowl, cover it with a towel and let it relax.

Divide into 10 equal balls
lightly oil your hands and press the dough balls in your palms to begin to flatten and shape them.
Slap them back and forth in your hands to turn them into a 1/2" thick circle.

Place them as you make them on a hot griddle or on the a grate over an open fire pit
Cook them until they begin to turn golden brown in spots.

Keep them warm in a towel lined basket, serve warm with butter
They can be served to accompany meats, stews, salads and soups.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Coconut Bars

I spent a few weeks in the West Indies on the Island of St Lucia in the 80's. I learned to climb a coconut tree and we picked fresh cashews from the porch of our mountain side hideaway. We fried coconut chips in coconut oil and lightly salted them. They were delicious. We also fried the cashews in coconut oil.
I found this recipe in one of my vintage recipe books and it reminded me of the Islands.

Coconut Bars:

1 C flour
1/2 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar

Mix the above ingredients together, press into a 10" square pan
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes
Remove from the oven

In a small bowl, mix:
2 TBS flour
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 C coconut
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C chopped cashews
Spread mixture over the crust

Bake an additional 25 minutes

Cut into squares to serve

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen

Cherry Delight

This is one of those church supper recipes, a perfect picnic recipe, and a family reunion recipe. It's another one that I consider and American Iconic Treat!
It's also from my mother in law's Mennonite Church Recipe Book.

50 large marshmallows
1 C milk
1 large carton of frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 1/4 C graham cracker crumbs
1/4 C butter, softened
1/4 C chopped pecans
2 cans of cherry pie filling

In a heavy saucepan on warm heat, slowly melt the marshmallows and milk, stirring often
Cool completely and then:
Fold in the whipped topping

Mix graham cracker crumbs nuts and butter
Press into a 9"X13" baking dish

Spread the marshmallow mixture over the crust
Spread pie filling on top

Chill thoroughly before serving

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Apple Bake

This is not a pie, it's similar to my Apple Pie without a crust , but it's not the same. I found it in a recipe book from my mother in law's Church. The recipes are not always easy to comprehend and sometimes they need a bit of interpretation. Recipes many years ago, especially the ones written by women that didn't really use measuring cups or spoons are interesting when you see them written. I did my best to figure out this one.

Apple Bake:

preheat the oven to 425 degrees

1/2 C butter melted in a 10" Cast Iron Skillet in the oven
remove when melted

Peel and slice 1 Granny Smith Apple
Place the slices in a small bowl with enough brown sugar to coat them well
Scatter them in the skillet

In another small bowl mix:
1 C heavy cream
4 eggs, beaten
Gradually add 1 C of flour
mix well

Pour the batter over the apples
Bake for 20 minutes

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!