Ginger Lemonade

• 4 organic lemons
• 2 cm of fresh ginger
• 6 tablespoons of sugar
• fresh water and ice cubes (or Sparkling Mineral Water)
• mint leaves to serve

Directions

1. Squeeze the lemons into a bowl so as to collect all the juice, then grated the fresh ginger and add it to the lemon juice.
2. Strain the lemon juice and the grated ginger, pressing the pulp into the strainer with the back of a spoon to extract the essence of ginger.
3. Pour the lemon juice in a jug or a bottle, add the sugar and stir until dissolved, then water it down with cold water. The amount of water will depend on how intense you like it: I usually use 1/3 of lemon juice and sugar and 2/3 of water.
4. Serve the ginger lemonade with ice cubes and a few sprigs of fresh mint.

Chicken Pita Taquitos


This was AMAZINGLY easy and very good. Karan and Manav both liked it. We used pre-cooked frozen smoked chicken breasts for it and added barbecue sauce. We happened to have Lebanese pocket bread that we picked up in Delhi recently, but tortillas or any kind of roti would work, or it would be good on top of rice

2 marinated mesquite barbecue-flavored                        1 cup corn (frozen but we used canned)
   chicken breast fillets or 1 pkg. frozen                          1 large tomato chopped
   grilled / smoked chicken fillets                                    1/4 jalapeno chili pepper, seeded, chopped
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, sliced                          (or we used chili flakes)
1 small onion, sliced                                                       1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (OR MORE)
1/2 medium green bell pepper, sliced                             3 pita (pocket) breads, cut in half (or tortilla or roti)
    (we used red because it's what we had)

1. Prepare chicken according to package directions until fork-tender and juices run clear (OR if you  are using the pre-cooked Indian kind, just let it thaw completely. You can get it at Green Chick Chop)

2. Meanwhile, spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray (or put a bit of oil in it). Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add zucchini, onion and bell pepper; cook and stir 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in corn, tomato, chili pepper / powder and cilantro; simmer 3 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and mixture is thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally

3. Thinly slice cooked chicken; stir into vegetable mixture. Fill each pita bread half and add more barbecue sauce and sour cream, if you happen to have it--as I did tonight!

We also made red jelly for dessert, which earned us RAVE REVIEWS from the boys. Manav said, "Do you always cook like this?" We told him it was easy and fun. Watch out, Anisha and Manish!

Betsy's Pound Cake (Postema)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1/2 pint whipping cream

5 cups flour

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter for 2 minutes. Add sugar and continue beating for 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition.
3. Add flour alternately with whipping cream beginning and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla and almond extract.
4. Spoon into prepared 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
5. Turn out on cotton dish towel and place on cooling rack covered with cotton towel. When cool sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with fruit or plain.

Joy Horne's Banana Breeze Pie

Crust:
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup corn flake crumbs

Melt: butter, sugar, cinnamon in saucepan.  Stir over low heat til bubbles form on edge of pan.
Remove from heat.  Add corn flake crumbs.  Press into 9" pan, chill

Filling:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, soft
1 can condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
5 medium bananas
2 Tbs lemon juice

Beat cream cheese till fluffy, add condensed milk.  Blend.
Add lemon and vanilla.   Stir till thickened.
Slice 3 bananas, line crust. Turn in filling.

Refrigerate 2-3 hours.  Garnish with bananas

Ms. Michiko Tezuka's Tofu cookies

You can also look at the tofu recipe I posted below this one- I took it from the web.


Yield: 40 cookies


Oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Bake 15-20 minutes



1 block tofu
1 egg yolk
1 cup flour
80 grams of sugar (if you find the conversion let me know!  I have a scale so I'm not concerned about converting)
1/2 cup butter (no salt)  
1/2 tsp baking powder 
vanilla
cherries, nuts, etc


1. Sift dry ingredients
2. add butter and mix well
3. Add sugar and salt, mix
4. Smash tofu, add egg, mix
5.  Add vanilla, etc. 
6. Drop from spoon and bake




Here's another recipe from the web:

Tofu Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Pecans

adapted from gliving.com

Ingredients

1 cup cake flour

1 1/4  cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup tofu, blended

2 tsp vanilla paste

1 c. pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

1 c. chocolate chips 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  

2.  Sift together cake flour, whole wheat flour, salt, and baking soda.  Set aside.

3.  Using a stand mixer, blend together melted butter, brown sugar, sugar and tofu.  Mix until well combined.  Add in the vanilla paste and continue to mix.

4.  Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on med until just incorporated.

5.  Add the pecans and chocolate chips and mix on low until topping are distributed.

6.  Use an ice cream scooper to scope balls of dough onto a parchment lined sheet tray.  Gently flatten and pat down the mounds of cookie dough before placing in the oven.  You can use the palm of your hands or the bottom of a drinking glass.

7.  Bake for 15-18 minutes.  Rest on tray for a couple minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. 

Grilled Lemon-Oregano chicken Salad

Prep time: 15 minutes plus chilling
Grilling time: 10-12 minutes

2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
1 T. oregano
1/2 t. grated lemon peel
1/2 t. minced garlic
1/2 t. salt

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1. Combine above except chicken in plastic zipper bag.  Add chicken and refrigerate 2 hours.

2.  Grill chicken 5-6 minutes per side.  Slice thin.
3.  Arrange over lettuce and add cherry tomatoes
4.  Drizzle dressing over salad.

Dressing recipe:

Combine:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup buttermilk (see below for substitute)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp. salt

Preparation:

1. Place a Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.

2. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line.

3. Let stand for five minute. Then, use as much as your recipe calls for.

Michele Postema's Iced Mocha...or Gayle Smith?

4 Tbs. instant coffee
4 Tbs cocoa
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup boiling water
 
Cool and Add:

6-7 cups milk
2 tsp. vanilla

(I'll be experimenting with dairy-free options)

Company Christmas Party---Lunch

(12 people)

*Broiled Mushrooms

*Crab Casserole

Rice

*Greens and Cherry Tomatoes with Tomato French dressing

*Gateau Helene

BROILED MUSHROOMS

3 slices bacon (or soy bacon)

24 large mushrooms

5 tbs. butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 Tbs. finely chopped capers

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 Tbs. cream

2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbs. dry bread crumbs

Cut each bacon slice into 16 crosswise strips.

Clean mushrooms and remove stems from caps. Chop stems finely

Heat butter in skillet over low heat.  

Add mushroom stems and onion.  Saute about 5 minutes, stirring gently with a  spoon. 

Add and toss gently a mixture of the capers, salt and pepper.  

Remove mixture to a bowl with a slotted spoon, allowing butter to drain back into skillet. 

Add the cream to the chopped mixture.

Add mushroom caps to skillet and cook slowly, turning occasionally and gently, until lightly browned and tender. 

Remove from skillet.

Fill caps with the prepared mixture and crumbs.  

Top each cap with 2 strips of bacon. 

Broil with mushroom caps about 3 inches from source of heat for about 4 minutes or until bacon is browned.

Serve immediately.

DOUBLE FOR THIS MENU

CRAB CASSEROLE

1 can artichoke hearts
1 1/2 cups crabmeat
1 cup sauteed fresh mushrooms
2 cups medium white sauce
1 cup dry sherry
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Place layer of artichoke hearts in buttered casserole.  lLace layer of crabmeat over artichokes.  Combine other ingredients (except cheese) and pour on top of crab.  Sprinkle cheese on top.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.  Shrimp may be substituted for crabmeat.

TRIPLE FOR THIS MENU

TOMATO FRENCH DRESSING

1 cup tomato soup
3/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbs. minced onion
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1 clove garlic, split

Place all ingredients in a covered jar and shake well.  Keeps well in the refrigerator.


GATEAU HELENE

Coffee-rum syrup
Rum-cream filling
1/2 pint heavy cream, whipped
apricot preserves
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. rum extract
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbs. butter
1 cup sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Beat eggs until thick and light.  Beat in salt, sugar and rum flavoring.
Heat milk and butter to boiling point and beat in.
Sift flour and baking powder together and beat in.
Turn into one greased and floured 9-inch layer cake pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes.

Remove from pan and spoon the coffee-rum syrup slowly over entire surface of warm cake.
Let stand until cool. Split carefully into two layers.
Fill with rum-cream filling.
Garnish top with whipped cream (Put through ribbon tip of pastry tube) and apricot preserves

Coffee-rum Syrup:


1 cup sugar
1 cup strong coffee
1/4 cup rum

Combine sugar and coffee and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.  Boil 3 miinutes and cool.  Add rum.

Rum-cream Filling:


1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 egg yolks, or 1 whole egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp. rum

Combine sugar, flour and salt in top of double boiler.
Add milk and stir over low heat until thickened.  Cook over hot water, covered, for 10 minutes.
Add a little of the hot mixutre to egg yolks, then combine with remaining hot mixture.
Cook 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly.
Chill.
Add rum.

Tea For Sensei

(10 people)

*Buttercrunch Cake Ring

*Congo Bars

*Cinnamon Twists

*Peanut Brittle

Coffee and Tea

I couldn't find an exact match for the recipe but this picture inspires ideas!

BUTTERCRUNCH CAKE RING

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup brown sugar firmly packed

1/2 cup broken walnuts

1 pkg. white cake mix

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbs. sugar

1 cup pineapple chunks---fresh, canned or frozen

1 1/2 cups cherries---fresh, canned or frozen

preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease a 10-inch angel food cake pan.  

Break butter into small pieces and place in bottom of pan. 

Sprinkle brown sugar and walnuts over butter. 

Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions and pour into pan.  

Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Remove from pan at once and cool. 

Whip cream with vanilla and sugar.  

Fold in fruit and fill center of cake.

TO BE CONTINUED

Bananas Foster Banana Bread

This is the kind of baking that Brandy does!  Its a banana bread with streusel topping and a rum glaze- not for the faint at heart!

Kaye says that her Better Homes & Gardens cookbook recipe says to wrap the banana bread for one day before slicing and eating.

Yield: 1 loaf

For the Bread:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 medium bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk

For the Streusel Topping:
1½ cups chopped walnuts
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter

For the Rum Glaze:
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) butter
2 tablespoons water
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup rum

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

2. Combine ingredients for streusel topping in a medium bowl and combine with fingers to create a crumbly topping with the butter evenly distributed. Set aside.

3. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl to combine. Set aside.

4. On medium speed, beat the sugar and vegetable oil to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each until combined. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract; beat to combine. Alternatively add the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat just until the flour is incorporated and finish mixing with a spatula.

5. Spread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Bake until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out almost clean, about 60 minutes.

6. To make the rum glaze, combine the butter, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Set aside and cover to keep warm.

7. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then, using a skewer poke holes all over the top of the loaf. Spoon about ¼ cup of the rum glaze all over the loaf. Let the cake sit for about 5 minutes and then spoon the remaining glaze over it, a little at a time, until it is all absorbed into the bread.

Jamie Oliver's asparagus, mint and lemon risotto

always wanted to learn how to make a real risotto so I had my friend Brandy (a wonderful and creative cook) come over to show me how to get it just right.  Brandy says, "it's all about the timing, and patience".

ingredients

1. approx 2 pints stock (chicken, fish, or vegetable as appropriate)
2. 2 tablespoons olive oil
3. 1 pat of butter
4. 1 large onion, finely chopped
5. 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
6. ½ head of celery, finely chopped
7. 14oz risotto rice
8. 2 wine glasses of dry white vermouth (dry Martini or Noilly Prat) or dry white wine     Brandy emphasized that there is no such thing as "cooking wine".  The wine in cooking should be table wine grade at the least.
9. sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
10. 5 tablespoons butter                                                                                                                                  
11. 4oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese

method

Stage 1: Heat the stock. In a separate pan, heat the olive oil and butter, add the onion, garlic and celery, and fry very slowly for about 15 minutes without coloring. When the vegetables have softened, add the rice and turn up the heat.


Stage 2: The rice will now begin to lightly fry, so keep stirring it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent. Add the vermouth or wine and keep stirring — it will smell fantastic. Any harsh alcohol flavors will evaporate and leave the rice  with a tasty essence.

Stage 3: Once the vermouth or wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a good pinch of salt. Turn down the heat to a simmer so the rice  doesn’t cook too quickly on the outside. 


Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring and almost massaging the creamy starch out of the rice, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15 minutes. 


Taste the rice  — is it cooked? Continue adding stock until the rice  is soft but with a slight bite. Don’t forget to check the seasoning carefully. If you run out of stock before the rice  is cooked, add some boiling water.

Now put a large saucepan on a medium to high heat and pour in half the stock, followed by all your risotto base and the finely sliced asparagus stalks and the tips. Stirring all the time, gently bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer until almost all the stock has been absorbed. Add the rest of the stock a ladleful at a time until the rice  and asparagus are cooked. You might not need all your stock. (This part is a little confusing.  Brandy added the asparagus towards the end of the ladling procedure when the rice was just about to finish.  We used the final ladle full of stock as a means to cook the asparagus.)


*Be careful not to overcook the rice- check it throughout cooking to make sure it's a pleasure to eat. It should hold its shape but be soft, creamy and oozy, and the overall texture should be slightly looser than you think you want it.

Final Step:  Turn off the heat, beat in your butter and Parmesan, mint, almost all the lemon zest and all the juice. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Put a lid on the pan and leave the risotto to rest for a minute. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a scattering of lemon zest and a block of Parmesan on the table.

Mulligatawny Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes     Ready in 50 minutes


This is an easy version of the golden, curry-flavored Anglo-Indian soup that is still served at places like the Indian International Club in Delhi--where Karen and I have eaten with Princess Bavanesh Kumari, a long-standing member (and Loyal Woodstock Graduate AND the first woman to practice before the Supreme Court in India) who is as colorful as the soup!

3 tablespoons butter                    Pepper (the recipe says 1/8 tsp. but I used quite a bit more)
1/3 cup chopped onion               2 whole cloves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour            3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped parsley    2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/2 teaspoon curry powder        1 cup chopped unpeeled apple
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (or more)  1/2 cup sliced carrot
                                                   1/2 cup sliced celery


1. In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, cook and stir until tender. Add flour, parsley, curry powder, nutmeg, pepper and cloves; cook and stir 1 minute, or until smooth and bubbly.

2. Gradually stir in broth, cook until thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover, simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove cloves.

Ruth Hekman's Grape salad

I remember that Ruth Hekman made an amazing salad once out of grapes and sour cream, so I looked up recipes on the Web. We have some rather flavorless green grapes which I now have  mixed in a modified version of this recipe chilling in the 'fridge, so we'll see if it's good money after bad or if it tastes nice. I only had a bit of cream cheese and a bit of sour cream, so I also added some of that cooking cream that comes in the "long life" cartons here--and plan to add bananas at the last minutes. BUT if you live in the USA you can make it the way it's supposed to be made! 4# of seedless grapes (green or purple) 1 8oz package of cream cheese 1 8 oz container sour cream 1/2 cup white sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 4 ounces chopped pecans 2 tbsp brown sugar Wash and dry grapes. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, and white sugar. Add grapes and mix until evenly incorporated. Sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans, mix again and refrigerate until serving.

Oven Chicken Cordon Bleu
Prep Time: 20 minutes    Ready in 50 minutes     Yield: 4 servings  
from Pillsbury Best Chicken Cookbook, copyright 1997 by The Pillsbury Company

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves               4 very thin slices Swiss cheese
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard                                      1 egg white
4 teaspoons chopped fresh chives                           1 tablespoon water
4 very thin slices cooked lean ham                          1/3 cup finely crushed corn flakes or bran flakes
                                                                                         (or I use panko--fine bread crumbs)
                                                                                1/4 teaspoon paprika

1. Heat oven to 375 F / 180 C. Spray 8-inch (1 1/2 quart) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place 1 chicken breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Working from center, gently pound chicken with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick; remove wrap. Repeat with remaining chicken breast halves.

2. Spread each chicken breast half with 1/2 teaspoon mustard; sprinkle each with 2 teaspoon chives. Cut ham and cheese slices to fit chicken. Top each chicken breast half with ham and cheese slice. Roll up, tucking ends inside.

3. In a shallow bowl, combine egg white and water; beat slightly. Place cereal crumbs in shallow dish. Coat chicken rolls with egg white mixture; roll in crumbs. Place in sprayed dish; sprinkle with paprika.

4. Bake at 375F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear

Day Ahead Dinner Party

(10 people)

*Stuffed Celery

* Marinated Pork Roast

*Ratatouille

*Mashed Potato Casserole

*Julia's Cake

STUFFED CELERY

Shrimp Filling:

1 (4 1/2 oz.) can shrimp drained and finely chopped

3 oz. cream cheese

2 Tbs. mayonnaise

1 Tbs. each of minced onion, parsley, green pepper, finely chopped celery, finely chopped green onions

Dash bottled hot pepper sauce

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Dash salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients.  Stuff into diagonally cut celery sections.  Chill.  makes 1 cup.  

Bleu Cheese Filling:  

3 oz. cream cheese

1 oz. bleu cheese crumbled (1/4 cup)

1 Tbs. catsup

Dash garlic salt

Dash cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients.  Fill celery sections.  Garnish with snipped parsley or chives.  Chill. 

Makes 1/2 cup. 

MARINATED PORK ROAST

6 lb. loin of pork (3 kilo)

2 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

3 coves garlic, minced

1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. oregano

2 cups chopped onion

3 Tbs olive oil

2 1/2 cups red wine

Rub pork with mixture of salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano.  Place in glass or pottery bowl with onion and 1 1/2 cups wine.  Marinate overnight in refrigerator, basting occasionally.  

Heat oil in pan. Place undrained pork in it.  Roast in 350 degree oven for 3 hours, or until done, basting frequently.  When roast is cooked, pour off gravy into a saucepan and skim off fat.  mix cornstarch with remaining wine and stir into gravy.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.


RATATOUILLE

8 Tbs. olive oil
4 green or red bell peppers, diced
2 zucchini or cucumbers
salt and pepper
Oregano
2 large onions, sliced thin
4-8 eggplants, (depending on size)
4 tomatoes (canned will do)
1 garlic clove, minced

Slice onions.  Seed and dice peppers.  Cut up eggplant, leaving skin, into 1/2-inch cubes.  Slice zucchini, with skins, about 1/2-inch thick.  Peel, seed and chop tomatoes.  Suate onions in olive oil until transparent.  add diced peppers and eggplants.  Cook slowly 5 minutes.  Add sliced zucchini and tomatoes.  Simmer with lid on pan for about 3 minutes.  Add salt and pepper, garlic and oregano.  Sprinkle with parsley and simmer 10 minutes more.

Note:  It is important to use at least half the quantity of olive oil for flavor, but for economy, half may be salad oil.  This is just as good, if not better, reheated.  It can be made the day before .  It is also good cold as an hors d'oeuvre.

*other recipes include dried basil and 1/2 cup fresh parsley


MASHED POTATO CASSEROLE

10 medium potatoes
2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 Tbs. grated onion
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper

1/2 lb. butter
Bread crumbs

Boil and mash the potatoes.  Combine the next five ingredients with the mashed potatoes and put in a buttered casserole.  Dot the top with the butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.


JULIA'S CAKE

1 cup sugar
4 eggs, separated
3 Tbs. cold water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 cup minus 1 1/2 Tbs. sifted flour (cake flour in Japan)
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 squares baking chocolate, grated
1 pint heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbs. sugar

Sift sugar through a fine sieve 3 times before measuring.  Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.  Gradually beat in 1 Tbs. sugar of each egg white (taken from sugar called for in recipe) and set aside.  Add water and vanilla to egg yolks and beat until a pale lemon color and very thick.  Combine yolks and whites and fold together with a spoon until mixture is even.  Combine and sift cornstarch, flour, baking powder and salt.  Fold into egg mixture.  Do not beat.   Pour into 2 ungreased cake pans; cut through mixture with a knife to  break large air bubbles.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.  Invert onto wire rack and let stand until cold.  Loosen with knife or spatula.  Cut each cake carefully into 2 layers. Whip the cream until stiff and add vanilla and sugar.  Frost each layer and sides.  Sprinkle top and sides with grated chocolate.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

"Munchy Kale Apple Salad" by Karen

Yesterday my PhD class met for dinner- we all brought dishes which included foods with the letters of our initials


This was my contribution and it was well received!

1 LARGE bunch kale
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup combination of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds toasted 
2-3 carrots, grated
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2  diced apples, ¼ cup olive oil
Freshly squeezed lemon juice




2 tablespoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

1. Be sure to choose a large bunch of kale (or two small ones) or the salad will be overly salty and over-dressed.  By large, I mean 16-20 leaves that are at least 12" long.
2. De-stem kale by pulling leaf away from the stem.  Wash  leaves.  Spin or pat dry. 
3. Break up leaves into bite-sized pieces
4. Put kale in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, massage salt into kale with your hands for 2 whole minutes. The volume of the kale should reduce by about 1/3. (The kale will become very soft- no need to cook the kale when prepared this way!)
5. To toast seeds, put in a dry skillet over low to medium heat and stir constantly for a few minutes until they change color and give off a nutty aroma.
6. Put kale in a fresh bowl and discard any leftover liquid. 
7. Mix carrots, cranberries, apple and toasted seeds into kale.
8. Dress with oil and vinegar and toss.  Taste for salt and vinegar, adding more if necessary. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice.  When at desired flavor, toss in cheese. 

Preparation time 15 minutes
Makes 6 servings

Breakfast apple cake with walnuts

This cake is not too sweet.  I used egg and melted butter.  When it was done and had cooled some, I put pats of butter on top and drizzled maple syrup.  Note to self: don't make the pieces of apple too small!

Ingredients:

(makes one 8 inch cake)

1 egg 
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup organic/vegan brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted 
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, I added 1/2 tsp cardamom

pinch of salt

1 cup apple, peeled and chopped  (Gala apple came out well)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup rolled oats
maple syrup for drizzle, optional

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8 inch cake pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a small bowl make the flax egg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the almond milk, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. Add in the flax egg and mix well. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir until just moistened. Fold in the apples and walnuts. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the rolled oats on top.

Bake for about 25 – 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the center of the cake springs back when pressed on with your fingers. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm and drizzled with maple syrup.