Curry Sauce

Orange Cranberry Nut Bread

Dry Ingredients 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour Ensure to measure correctly for best results.
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 cup orange juice 
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• Zest of 1 orange

Add ins

• 1 cup of whole or halved cranberries and 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts.

Preparation 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare  a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the orange juice, vegetable oil, eggs, and orange zest until well blended.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Fold in the cranberries and chopped walnuts.

Baking

1. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
2. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
3. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack.

Nana's Darkest Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur)

2 cups  sugar

3/4 cup  unsweetened  dark cocoa powder (King Arthur Black Cocoa Powder)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/ 4  teaspoon  salt

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1 cup milk, or buttermilk

1/2 cup) vegetable oil, or canola oil, or melted coconut oil

2 large eggs

2  teaspoons vanilla extract (Watkins Vanilla or Mexican Vanilla)

1 cup boiling water

*Chocolate Ganache

(See photo below for suggested products)

Directions

Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.

Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.

Pour batter into a prepared Bundt cake pan.  Bake for 35 minutes in 350° oven, check for doneness before removing.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan onto a cake plate.  Spoon Chocolate Ganache over each slice.

*Chocolate Ganache

• Heat one cup of heavy cream until warm (not boiling) 
• Pour over 2 cups of semi-sweet dark chocolate chips.  After 5 minutes, stir until smooth.  Pour over the cake or over each slice.

Note: I heat 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 cup of cream in a glass bowl in the microwave.  Stir until blended into a chocolatey sauce, add a touch of vanilla  and spoon over each slice .  Refrigerate left over sauce  Ganache can be warmed again in the microwave for 30 seconds. 

Jody's Ice Cream Dessert

Jody's Chocolate Delight

This recipe has been in our family since Jody, a missionary journeyman friend of the Oliver's shared it with us. I make the following changes:

Real whipped cream

Homemade chocolate pudding  cooled before spreading. 

Recipe follows:

Ingredients

Directions

Pudding recipe from Food Network

Small Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of sugar 

• 1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder 

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch 

• Pinch salt

• 2 cups whole milk

• 1 large egg

• 4 ounces dark chocolate chips

• 4 (6-ounce) custard cups

Instructions

Combine dry ingredients  in a 2 - quart pot. Whisk together.

Combine 2 cups of milk and egg. Slowly pour into dry ingredients and whisk to get  smooth.  Continue stirring over medium high heat until thickened. Add the chocolate chips, stirring until blended. Remove from heat then stir in 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. Pour into custard cups. Chill.

Two-Crust Pie Shell

 Ingredients 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 6 to 7 tablespoons cold water

Directions 

In a bowl, mix flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add cold water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.

Brazilian Flan

Flan

3 eggs
1 can Condensed Milk
Same can filled with regular milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Carmelized Sugar

3/4 cup sugar carmelized in a skillet. Allow to cook until runny and golden brown. Pour into the flan pan and let it run around in the pan.  Place this pan into another pan with 1" of water.

Mix both milks, eggs, and vanilla in a slow blender. Do not beat air into it.  

Slowly *pour the blended mixture over the carmelized sugar in the flan pan. Cover with foil. 

Bake at 295 degrees for 55 minutes.  Check with a knife. Inserted knife should be clean with no flan residue.  Take the pan out of the water and set on a rack. Lift the foil to let air in. 

*Note-for a perfectly no air bubbles flan  slowly pour the mixture through a sieve into the pan.

When ready to invert, slide a knife around the edges.  Place your serving platter over the pan and invert. Let the sugar run down the flan. 

Super Fudgy Brownies

Oven: 350°

8x8 square pan, sprayed with oil, lined with parchment paper 

Medium glass bowl

Ingredients 

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon cooking oil

2 teaspoons Vanilla

1 cup + 2 tablespoons white sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa, sifted with the flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions 

Combine hot melted butter, oil and sugar together in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk well for about a minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another minute.

Sift in flour, cocoa powder and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until JUST combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top out evenly. I top my brownies with chocolate chips.

Bake for 20-22 minutes.  Brownies should not be overcooked!

Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.

Ice with your favorite buttercream or cream cheese icing that has been tinted green with food coloring.  Top the icing with crushed peppermints.

* Sometimes, I cut the brownies into squares and individually ice each one, especially if I am giving them for gifts. If you're serving the whole batch at once, you can just ice them, then cut into squares.

Nan's Black Bean Hummus

 2 cups unsalted cooked black beans, drained

1Tbsp. Parsley, minced

2 minced garlic cloves

2 Tbsp. Tahini Sauce

4 seeded chipotle peppers (if you want more heat, add a minced, seeded jalapeno pepper)

2 Tbsp. Adobo Sauce from the peppers

2 Tbsp. water (or juice from a can of pickled jalapeños)

1/4 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Lime Juice

Process in a blender or food processor until smooth.

French Bread

This is a staple in our house!  I make this bread every other week rather that buying bread at the store.

INGREDIENTS

•  2 1/4 cups warm water
•  2 tablespoons sugar
•  1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
•  3/4 tablespoon salt
•  2 tablespoons olive oil
•  5 1/2 - 6 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water sugar and yeast. If using active dry yeast, let the mixture bubble and foam before proceeding (this can take 3-5 minutes). If using instant yeast, proceed with the recipe (no need to let the yeast activate).
2. Add the salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and mix. Add in 2 1/2 to 3 more cups of flour gradually. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl and form a soft ball that doesn't leave a lot of dough residue on your fingers. Knead for 2-3 minutes until the dough is smooth. If the dough starts to cling to the sides of the bowl, add 1/4 cup of flour at a time until a sturdy but soft ball of dough forms.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a towel or greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled, about an hour or so, depending on the warmth of your kitchen. (I use the PROOF setting on my oven)
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly greased surface and divide in half. Pat each section into a thick rectangle, 9X13-inches or thereabouts (doesn't have to be exact). Roll the dough up starting from the long edge, pressing out any air bubbles or seams with the heel of your hand, and pinch the edge to seal. Arrange seam side down on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I use separate baking sheets for each loaf). You can slash several gashes in the top of the bread with a sharp knife.
5. Cover with greased plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let the loaves rise until noticeably puffy and nearly doubled in size, about an hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and make sure an oven rack is in the center position. 
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and baked through. 

Habanero Salsa

Andrew's Pepper Garden produces so many cayenne and habanero peppers that I must create ways to prepare salsas and sauces which can be used immediately or stored in the freezer.  This Habanero Salsa is delicious in small doses! 

6 medium (about 3 ounces total) fresh habanero chilies, stemmed and seeded (if you don't want the heat)

4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled

2tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt to taste

Roast the habaneros and garlic cloves (peel on) in a hot, dry skillet on the stove.  Turn the peppers and garlic until they have brown spots on them and appear to be roasted.  Peel the garlic cloves and place them in a mortar and pestle with habanero, or use a mini- food processor to make into a paste.  Add the lime juice and salt.  

I freeze this salsa small amounts in ice cube trays then, store them in a plastic bag to use in recipes such as soups, hummus, and a spicy marinade for meats.

Jacob's Pork Schnitzel

 After seeing this dish on a TV cooking show, my grandson, Jacob, decided he wanted to make it.  Now he makes it for us at least every couple of months!  It is a delicious meal with mashed potatoes and green beans.  Serving with lemon wedges is a must!

Ingredients:

1 Cup all-purpose flour

2 Large Eggs

1 Tablespoon plus 2cups Grapeseed or other neutral oil

1 Cup plain dry breadcrumbs

1¼ pound Pork Tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Lemon wedges to serve

Directions:

1. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven on the middle rack; heat the oven to 200°F. Put the flour in a wide, shallow bowl. In a second wide, shallow bowl, beat the eggs with the 1 tablespoon oil. Put the breadcrumbs in a third wide, shallow bowl.
2. 
   

1. Cut the pork tenderloin in 2 pieces crosswise, making the thinner end slightly larger, then cut each piece in half again. Place each piece with the cut sides up and down between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat pounder, gently pound each piece to an even ⅛-inch thickness. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Season each cutlet on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. 
   

1. One at a time, coat the cutlets on both sides with flour, shaking off the excess, then dip into the eggs, turning to coat and allowing excess to drip off, then coat both sides with breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere. Place the cutlets on a large plate, stacking them if needed.
2. 
   

1. In a large Dutch oven over medium-­high, heat the 2 cups oil and ghee (if using) to 360°F. Carefully place 1 or 2 cutlets in the oil—add only as many as will fit without overlapping—and cook, gently jostling the pot so oil flows over the cutlets, until light golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes total; use tongs to flip the cutlet(s) once about halfway through. Transfer to the prepared rack in the oven to keep warm.
2. 
   

1. Return the oil to 350°F and cook the remaining cutlets in the same way. Serve with lemon wedges.
2. 
   
3. Credit: Milk Street