Blueberry Pie

1 double batch of pie crust dough
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 Tbls butter
1 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Prepare the bottom pie crust in the pie tin.

Stir together the sugar and arrowroot powder. Cut the butter into the mixture until it is no longer dry. Stir in the cinnamon and lemon juice, then gently stir in the blueberries, to coat them.

Pour the filling mixture into the pie tin.

Place remaining pie crust on top, seal and flute edges. Slit the top crust a few times for steam to escape. Or do a decorative top crust with holes in it.

Place a pie shield or strips of foil around edges before baking. Bake in 400 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until juices begin to bubble through slits, removing foil or shield at around 25 minutes into baking.

Cool completely before cutting.

(I did not have any foil when I made this, so you can see how the edges need protecting.)

Blueberry Sour Cream Pie

1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbls. flour or corn starch
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 9-inch unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix the sour cream, sugar, egg, flour/corn starch, vanilla extract, salt, and nutmeg, until smooth. Gently stir in the blueberries.

Pour into the pie crust. Bake for 40-50 minutes.

Wheat Coconut Pie Crust

This is a very light, crisp, and flaky crust that holds together. Good for tarts, pasties, or any pie with a solid filling that can be eaten by hand.

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
6 Tbls. coconut oil
1/4 cup water
1/8 tsp. salt

The coconut oil must be solid for a proper pie crust. If it is melted/soft, it will make a crust that is very soft and doesn't hold form (still tastes good though).

Cut the coconut oil into the flour. If you use your hands, it will melt quite easily. Blend it so that some of it is melted in, and some of it is still in chunks. Dissolve the salt in the water, and stir that into the mixture, forming a very soft dough. Press the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic.

Chill for at least 10 minutes before rolling out into a crust. Be gentle, because the coconut oil is quite soft. Use a dusting of flour if necessary to prevent sticking.

To bake the crust alone, bake at 350 F for 27 minutes. Otherwise, follow pie recipe instructions.

Makes a single deep-dish pie crust.

Dark Mustard

2 tsp. horseradish powder
2 Tbls. mustard powder
2 Tbls. whole mustard seed
1/2 tsp. smoked salt
1/4 cup cold water
1 Tbls. molasses
1 Tbls. balsamic vinegar

Coarsely grind the mustard seeds in a mortar with a pestle. Combine the horseradish, mustard powder and seeds, salt, and water, and stir thoroughly. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Stir in the molasses and balsamic vinegar. Let cure for a day before using.

This is a really strong mustard. For the sharpest, darkest mustard, use brown or black seeds. The mustard shown here used white seeds.

Fried Corn Cakes

The corn fries to a crunchy shell, with a soft interior.

1 cup corn meal
1/4 cup flour
1 Tbls honey or sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cups water or vegetable stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup mixed vegetables (e.g. corn, beans, minced peppers)

Canola oil for frying

Stir together the corn meal, flour, sugar if using, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Slowly stir in the water and honey if using. It should be a thick, but smooth, batter. Stir in the chives and vegetables.

Heat like 1/2” of oil in a skillet over high heat, then turn the heat to medium when it gets hot. Drop large spoonfuls of batter into the oil and press them down into patties. Cook on each side until golden brown. Place them on a cooking rack on top of a baking sheet to drain oil before serving. Eat plain as a snack, or add toppings like basically what you would put on a taco.

Blueberry Soup

4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
3 cups water
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups plain yogurt
1/4 tsp ground allspice

Combine the blueberries, water, sugar, and allspice in a large pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. In small batches, blend the blueberry base with the yogurt in a blender, until the soup is completely smooth. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, then serve.

Roasted Asparagus

1 bunch thin asparagus stalks
3 Tbls olive oil
1 1/2 Tbls grated parmesan cheese (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbls lemon juice (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Break off the woody ends of the asparagus by bending them towards the end until the end snaps off.

In a bowl, drizzle the olive oil over the asparagus and toss to coat them with the oil. Add the other seasonings (minus the lemon juice) and toss to coat.

Place the asparagus on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until tender. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve hot.

Honey Cornbread & Muffins

1 cup corn meal

1 cup flour

1 Tbls baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into the mixture. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, and milk. Add to the dry mixture and stir until just mixed, then stir in the honey. It is ok to have lumps, as they will continue to absorb moisture and dissolve.

Cornbread loaf: bake for 20 minutes in a greased 9" square or circular baking pan.

Muffins: Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Divide the batter into the cups. Bake for 15 minutes.

Corn Tortillas

1 cup masa harina (for more corn flavor & color, use 3/4 cup masa harina and 1/4 cup yellow or blue corn meal)
3/4 - 1 cup warm water
1/4 tsp salt

Stir together the flour and salt. Stir in 3/4 cup water to make a moist dough. Moist enough to stick together, dry enough to form a ball instead of sticky globs on your hands. knead it to make a smooth ball of dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap or a wet towel and let it sit for a few minutes to absorb its moisture. Knead in more flour or water if necessary after it has sat for a while. It should feel like playdough.

Preheat a frying pan over high heat, then turn it to medium.

Prepare a pressing folder by cutting open 3 edges of a plastic storage bag, or cutting a rectangle of baking parchment and folding in half into a square.

Form a small ball of dough, place on one half of the pressing folder, fold over the other half, and use a flat-bottomed plate to press the dough into a circle. Press the tortillas as thin as you can. Peel off the top half, flip the dough onto one hand and peel off the other half of the folder.

Cook them over medium heat until browned on each side.

I made them thicker than store tortillas and didn't try bending them, but I like the texture and flavor more that way.

Pickled Grapes

Makes 1 pint.

1/2 lb grapes (any type)
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. black peppercorns
3/4 tsp. mustard seeds
1/4 tsp. salt
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 grams (0.1 oz) dried orange peel (Probably 1 tsp.)
9 grams (0.3 oz) candied ginger (probably 1 Tbls.)

(Sorry for the awkward measurements. My orange peel and ginger are in chunks and I didn't want to cut them small enough to measure volume.)

Wash the grapes and remove stems. Put in a clean 1-pint jar.

Cook the rest of the ingredients over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Pour everything into the jar with the grapes. Set aside for about an hour to cool, then put the lid on and turn the jar upside-down to distribute the spices.

Store in fridge. They will take about 24 hrs to cure. They will keep for 4-5 days.

Semola Pie Crust

For a single crust.

6 Tbls butter
1 cup semola flour
1/4 cup water
1/8 tsp salt

Cut the butter into the flour until it's crumbly and there's no dry powder.

Dissolve the salt into the water, then stir it into the flour and butter. Stir to make a soft dough.

Roll out on a piece of waxed paper. Use flour if necessary on top and bottom to prevent sticking. Roll to 1/8".

Use the waxed paper to flip the crust over into the pie tin. Trim the edges and fill in any holes, etc.

To bake the crust alone, bake at 350 F for 27 minutes. Otherwise, follow pie recipe instructions.

Lemon Sponge Pie

 

This pie has a light fluffy texture and a very subtle lemon flavor.

1 single batch pie crust
1 cup sugar
1 Tbls butter
2 Tbls flour or corn starch
3 large eggs (or 4 medium eggs)
1 cup milk
2 Tbls lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 F. Prepare the pie crust in a large tin and bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, run the eggs under warm water to bring up their temperature. Heat a medium-sized metal or glass bowl with hot water.

In another medium bowl, cut the butter into the sugar and flour. Separate the eggs, reserving the whites. With a wire whisk, beat the egg yolks, milk, and lemon juice into the sugar mixture, until completely mixed and smooth.

Dry out the warm bowl and put in the egg whites. Beat with a machine beater until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the rest of the filling.

Pour into the pie crust. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5-10 minutes, until top is lightly golden and the filling is slightly jiggly. It will continue to solidify as it cools. Can be served warm or chilled.

Variations:
Use different fruit juices. Use concentrated juice for stronger flavor.
Try different pie crusts.
Add spices to the crust.

Brazilian Limeade

4 limes
4 cups cold water
1 12-oz can sweetened condensed milk

Wash the limes and peel two of them. Combine the lime and water in a blender. Blend for about 10 seconds.

Strain the juice through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the pulp to extract all the juice.

Return the liquid to the blender and the sweetened condensed milk. Blend until creamy and frothy.

Add some ice and blend again until cold. You can add more water to taste if it is too strong for you.

Fried Chicken

Chicken:
Needs to be thawed. Doesn't have to be room temperature, but can't be frozen.
Cut out any bones.
Cut or pound the meat so it is no more than 3/4" thick.

First dredge:
Flour and/or cornmeal.

Second dredge:
Buttermilk, or milk with some acid added. Generally vinegar, but you can amp the flavor by adding salsa, steak sauce, or whatever.

Third dredge:
Mostly bread crumbs. Panko for most crunch, but any kind will work.
Add lots of salt, pepper, and seasonings. (Red pepper flakes, Rosemary, onion powder, Garlic powder, cumin, what you want)

Frying:
I use plain canola oil. Type of oil doesn't necessarily matter as long as it can get hot.
Use at least 1/2" of oil.
Put it over high heat in a frying pan. Once it gets hot, turn the heat to medium to maintain heat.

Process:
Use tongs to handle everything.

First, coat the chicken piece with flour/cornmeal. Then dip it quickly into the milk. Then put it in the breadcrumb mixture, coat it & press the crumbs onto it.

Put the chicken directly into the hot oil. Let it fry, without moving it, for several minutes until the bottom is deep golden brown. Then flip it and fry the other side the same.

Don't have more than 2 or 3 pieces frying at a time so they have space & a more stable temperature.

When you take out the chicken, put the pieces on a cooling rack atop a baking sheet. Extra oil will drip off, and the chicken will cool without getting soggy.

Peppermint Peach Punch

2 cups water
2 mint teabags
1 Tbls ginger root
1/2 cup sugar
3 large peaches
1 Tbls lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
2 liters sparkling water

Boil 2 cups water. Remove from heat. Add the tea bags and steep for 10 minutes.

Chop the peaches and ginger root, removing peach pits. Combine all ingredients except the sparkling water, and let sit for 10 minutes. Liquefy the mixture in blender, then strain out the solids, which will basically only be bits of peach skin. Return the mixture to heat, and heat it to boiling point. Remove from heat and chill thoroughly. To serve, mix it with 2 liters of sparkling water. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and frozen peach chunks.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

3 Tbls butter
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 Tbls salt
.6 oz fresh yeast or 2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
1/2 cup room temp water or milk
1 egg
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour

Filling:
Softened butter
Brown sugar
Cinnamon
Optional: dried fruit, chopped nuts, shredded apple, shredded coconut, other spices, etc.

Directions for stand mixer. You can mix by hand if desired.

Stir together the hot water, butter, sugar, and salt in the stand mixer bowl. Mix in 1 cup of flour with the dough hook on medium speed. Mix in the yeast and lukewarm water/milk. Mix in the egg. Mix in the rest of the flour one cup at a time.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead it. It will most likely only need a tiny bit of flour and not very much kneading to get it smooth and buoyant. Coat the outside of the ball of dough with water or oil, cover with plastic wrap or a lightweight cloth, and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled.

Roll out the dough out into a large rectangle, no thinner than 1/2". Spread the entire surface with soft butter, then sprinkle liberally with brown sugar, cinnamon, and other desired fillings.

Roll up the dough longways into a log. Cut it into 12 pieces and place them in a greased 9"×13" pan. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes or until large.

Preheat oven to 475° f. Bake the rolls for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° f and bake another 5-7 minutes to brown them.

Cover them with your favorite glaze, icing, or cream cheese frosting. I like to put it on while the rolls are still hot in the pan so the frosting melts into them.

Orange Almond Cake

Period: Medieval in Spain, Italy, Middle East

Sources: (I need to do research)

 1 lb whole oranges, left whole
6 eggs
2 cups almond meal
1 cup raw sugar
1 tsp baking powder

Place the oranges (I used 1 small sweet orange, 3 tiny lemons, and a grapefruit) in a saucepan and barely cover them with water. Bring to a boil, lower the water to a simmer and leave on low heat, covered, for 1 hour. (I saw a recipe that said they can be microwaved in a covered container for 8 minutes instead of boiling, but I haven't tried it.) When done, remove the oranges from the pan and leave to cool.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter and flour, with semolina flour, a 10-inch springform tin. 

Chop the fruit into chunks, removing seeds. Puree them in a blender. Make sure they are completely pureed and there are no chunks of peel. Measure 3 cups of fruit puree and discard any extra. Then thoroughly blend the eggs with the 3 cups of fruit.

In a large bowl, mix the almond meal, sugar and baking powder, then stir in the egg-orange mixture, just until it is mixed. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-60 minutes. The cake is done when it turns a deep golden brown, has come away slightly from the sides of the tin, and a tester comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before turning it out gently on the serving plate. It is good served plain, or with cream or syrup.  It can be stored in the refrigerator.

Basbousa

 

 

Cake batter:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup raw sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups fine semola
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup plain yogurt
12-15 almonds, halved; or 1/4 cup finely chopped almonds

Syrup topping:

2 cups raw sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1 Tbls fresh orange zest 

1 tsp dried floral tea

1/2 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 300 F. Grease a large cake pan.

In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well.

Mix the semola, baking powder and baking soda in another bowl. Add this slowly into the butter mixture alternately with yogurt.

Spread batter into the cake pan. Put the almonds on top of the cake at equal distances so that when you cut into pieces later, each piece has an almond topping in the center; or sprinkle chopped almonds over the top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes.

For the syrup, dissolve sugar in water over medium heat, add the lemon juice and the rose essence and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 5-7 minutes, then set it in a container filled with cold water to cool the syrup.

When the cake is done, slowly pour the cooled syrup over the hot cake. This works best to keep it in the pan so the syrup can be soaked into the cake. Serve the cake once it is completely cool.