Chocolate Gravy

Here's a fun recipe that's easy and quick.  I've had it in my files for years (like 20 years).  :)  I remembered it recently when I was trying to think of a quick chocolate dessert.  It's yummy and very quick. 

Chocolate Gravy
by Beth S.  (Lang school student)

3 Tablespoons Cocoa
3 Tablespoons flour
7 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt

Melt butter in small saucepan.  Combine cocoa, flour,  and sugar in a small bowl and then add to butter.  Add milk, vanilla, and stir. 
Cook until gravy begins to thicken.  Serve warm over hot buttered biscuits.

Here's a recipe I've been promising Stacey I would put on the blog.  So, here it is!  Enjoy!

Sour Cream Chocolate Pound Cake
3 cups sugar
1 cup butter
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 eggs
3 cups plain flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup cocoa
1 cup sour cream

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add soda and vanilla.
Mix flour and salt.  Add in corn starch if altitude adjustment needs to be made.  
Then, alternate adding eggs one at a time with small amounts of flour mixture until all added.
Add cocoa and then sour cream. Mix until just blended. Bake at 325 for 1 hour 30 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean) in a greased and floured tube pan.

Note - High Elevation adjustment -
6 tablespoons corn starch - Limuru
3 tablespoons corn starch - Nairobi

Cinnamon Bread - finally!

This is the bread from Zambia that was so loved by folks who took a long bus/car ride to and from Peteuke. It was also enjoyed by friends in Vancouver and Nairobi. Sorry it's taken me SO long to post it. The four loaves at the front at Cinnamon Bread I baked in Lusaka (the back three are banana bread).

Cinnamon Bread from Dawnya K.
2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk (or yogurt with a bit of milk)
¼ cup oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon soda
----------------
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ cup sugar

Mix all ingredients together EXCEPT cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar.
Mix cinnamon and sugar together in separate bowl.
Pour in half the batter in a greased and floured large loaf pan then sprinkle 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of sugar/cinn. mixture over batter. Pour in rest of batter and the remaining sugar mixture.
Cut with knife for a marble effect.
Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

 Note: I usually make a double recipe and divide it between three narrow loaf pans.  Among those three smaller pans (with two recipes of batter divided between the three)  I use less of the cinnamon sugar mixture than called for.  I put about 2 1/2 Tablespoons of cinnamon over the first half of batter and then 1 1/2 Tablespoons over the top of each loaf.   I have also decreased the amount of sugar in the recipes by about 1/4 cup sugar per recipe. 

Egg Yolk Paint

Here's a fun recipe I got off a bag of flour years ago. It was originally meant for sugar cookies, but also works great for gingerbread cookies.

Roll out cookies and cut into shapes as desired. Place on a cookie sheet.
After cookies are painted, bake as usual.

Cookie Paint - Egg Yolk Paint -
Mix 1 egg yolk and 1/4 teaspoon water. Divide mixture among several small custard cups. Tint each with different food color to make bright colors. If paint thickens wile standing, stir in a few drops water.

Cheesy Ham Quiche

Cheesy Ham Quiche

Pastry for 9 - inch pie shell
1 cup diced cooked ham
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 eggs (beaten with fork)
1 cup milk (canned evaporated milk works best, but not necessary)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes

Put pie dough in piepan, trim excess pastry around edges. Bake at 400 for 3 minutes: remove from oven and gently prick with a fork. Bake 4 minutes longer. Let cool on rack.

Mix together ham, cheese, milk, and spices. Pour into baked pie shell.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until firm.

Fresh Lemon Meringue Pie

For over thirty years this is the recipe I've used for Lemon Meringue Pie. Bob savors every bite!

Fresh Lemon Meringue Pie
from "Sunkist"

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 egg yolks, well beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon fresh grated lemon peel (this is the part with color - not the bitter white part underneath. If available, I buy one imported lemon so that I have the yellow peel. The green peel works fine - it's just not as pretty).
1 baked 9-inch pastry shell

In a saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt together, using a wire whisk. Still using whisk, gradually blend in cold water., then lemon juice until smooth. Add beaten egg yolks, blending very thoroughly. Add butter. Add boiling water gradually, stirring constantly with rubber spatula, Gradually bring mixture to full boil, stirring gently and constantly with spatula over medium to high heat. Reduce heat slightly as mixture begins to thicken. Boil slowly for 1 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in grated peel. Pour hot filling into baked pastry shell. Let stand, allowing a thin film to form while preparing meringue.

Meringue
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
6 tablespoons sugar

Have egg whites at rom temperature. Use a small, deep bowl. Beat with mixer several seconds until frothy (some fairly large air cells still remain). Add cream of tarter. Beat on high speed until whites have just lost their foamy appearance and bend over slightly when beaters are withdrawn, forming “soft peaks”. Reduce speed to medium while adding sugar gradually about a tablespoon at a time. Return to high speed and beat until whites are fairly stiff but still glossy and soft peaks are again formed when beaters are withdrawn. Place meringue on the hot filling in several mounds around the edge of pie crust, sealing well. Cover the rest of the filling by spreading meringue from edge of pile to center, forming decorative swirls with spatula. Bake at 350 for 12 - 15 minutes until golden brown. Cool on wire rack at room temperature away from drafts for 2 hours before cutting and serving. Use sharp knife and dip into hot water after each cut for a perfect clean cut serving.

NOTE - it works best to have the ingredients ready to make the meringue as soon as the custard is ready.  You need to put the meringue on  the custard while it's still hot.  This helps to cook the meringue. 

I also tried making the filling with all sugar, but used 1/4 cup less sugar called for in the recipe.  It still turned out really well and wasn't too sour/tart. 

Linda's variation to use for filling with less sugar - still tastes great!

1 cup splenda (scant)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks, well beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon fresh grated lemon peel
1 baked 9-inch pastry shell

In a saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt together, using a wire whisk. Still using whisk, gradually blend in cold water., then lemon juice until smooth. Add beaten egg yolks, blending very thoroughly. Add butter. Add boiling water gradually, stirring constantly with rubber spatula, Gradually bring mixture to full boil, stirring gently and constantly with spatula over medium to high heat. Reduce heat slightly as mixture begins to thicken. Boil slowly for 1 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in grated peel. Pour hot filling into baked pastry shell. Let stand, allowing a thin film to form while preparing meringue.

Linda's Lasagna

Here's a recipe I've been promising forever! Sorry it's taken me SO long to get it on here. The recipe makes a lot. You can cut it in half, but I love having it in the freezer.
I do not pre-cook my noodles. If you cover them well with sauce, and let the dish sit for a while before cooking, they cook up nice and tender in the dish.

If the lasagna is cold, the cooking time will need to increase. If you are cooking both at once - or four at once like I used to do regularly in Richmond, then you have to increase the cooking time and move them around in the oven to assure even cooking. I usually cook them covered until they are well heated through. After I uncover them, they are done when they are bubbling on the sides and the cheese on top turns a golden brown.

Happy cooking. =)

Linda's lasagna
yield: 2 9x13 pans 
 
3 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 clove crushed garlic, opt.
1 tablespoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
3 cans tomatoes (420 grams each) - "small" or regular size can - not the large can (in US - 14.5 oz)
1 ½ cans tomato paste (340 grams each - I prefer Kenylon) (in the US, I use 3 small cans of Contadina tomato paste - 6 oz.) 

About a cup of water - I usually rinse out the cans and it ends up to be about a cup. 

6 cups cottage cheese (see directions elsewhere in the blog for making your own. Be warned, East African cottage cheese that is available in the store can be very sour, so I always make my own)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
1 cup Parmesan cheese

2 pounds mozzarella (pazella) cheese

lasagna noodles (if they are available, I've been buying the "no cook" noodles)

1. Cook ground beef and onion, adding garlic when almost done. Drain meat to remove grease. Then add tomatoes, chopped, tom. paste, water and spices. Cook for one hour at least.
2. In a separate bowl mix cottage cheese, eggs, parsley, pepper, and parm. cheese.
3. layer noodles, sauce, cottage cheese mixture, and mozz. cheese. Repeat twice. (so you end up with three layers). Add sprinkling of parm. cheese on top.
4. bake at 350. For first 30 min. cover with foil. Then remove the foil and cook until bubbling and slightly brown.

Assembling each lasagna -
Spray bottom of pan.
Put small amount of sauce on bottom of pan to keep noodles from sticking to pan
cover bottom of pan with noodles.  usually 3 1/2 noodles depending on the size of noodles
1 1/2 rounded cups of sauce for first two layers and then put what's left for the third layer.
1 cup cottage cheese mixture per layer
1 1/3 cups mozzarella cheese per layer

Try to spread ingredients evenly across the pan.

Chicken Stir Fry

This is a simple stir fry. You can substitute other meats, other nuts, other vegetables. This is the combination I use most often. I did not put an amount for the vegetables. Basically I fill or mostly fill soup bowls with each of the vegetables cutting them into bite size pieces. If I'm having more people over, I just add more ingredients. It's harder to cook in large amounts though.

¼ cup Soy sauce
⅔ cup water
½ teaspoon ground ginger
4 teaspoons corn starch
----------------------
onion
carrots
broccoli
snow peas
raw cashews (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup)

1. mix first five ingredients and set aside.
2. toast cashews in hot stir fry pan (careful - they burn easily). then set aside.
3. put small amount of oil in pan and heat. Add carrots and cook for two minutes. Then add onion to the carrots and cook them for three minutes. Add broccoli to the carrots and onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add snow peas to the other vegetables and cook for 2 min. Empty into bowl and set aside. (cooking times are approx. It depends on how hot the pan is, how many vegetables you're cooking, etc. You'll have to just try it a few times to get used to how long to cook them. You're looking for bright colors with some crisp left. You don't want raw vegetables, but you also don't want soggy overcooked ones).
4. If using fresh chicken breast (cut into small pieces) stir fry until done (pink is gone inside the pieces). OR use chicken from Chicken teriyaki (see elsewhere in the blog for recipe) that you've cut into bite size pieces. Put in pan and heat. Then add liquid (Soy sauce mix) and cook briefly until starts to thicken. Add back in vegetables and stir. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Add cashews, stir, and serve.
For many years I have served this over brown rice, but these days I usually serve it with quinoa.

Chicken Teriyaki

Here's a recipe I've used for years. It is a great main dish to serve with vegetables, etc. Then, freeze what's left (I usually double or triple the recipe) and use it as the meat in the Chicken Stir fry.

Chicken Teriyaki
4 chicken breast
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1. Combine oil, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger and add to chicken. Marinate for 4 hours in fridge.
2. Line pan with foil. Put chicken on it. Baste. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Cottage Cheese

I have hesitated to post the recipe for cottage cheese because it’s not a very exact thing. You just have to give it a try. If you have some milk that’s going a bit “off” - not fresh enough to use for drinking - this is a great way to use that milk rather than throwing it out. Or, if you just need cottage cheese for a recipe, you can make it from fresh milk. The “tri-pack” milk works great.

Cottage Cheese
Put milk in a bowl or plastic container and cover with a cloth. Then place milk either on the counter top in the kitchen or in a warm place (like a hot water closet) and leave it until it “clabbers” - it will be the consistency of egg whites or before jello gets solid.

Place the bowl of “clabbered” or “jellied” milk in the microwave. Cook at high heat for four minutes. The goal is to cook it to the stage that it is solid enough to hold together between your finger tips. If it is still like jelly, then put it back in for four more minutes and check again. Then again for two minutes and two more minutes UNTIL it gets to that stage where you can hold it between your finger tips.

Each time you check it, cut it into large squares with the spoon, stirring it slightly just to evenly expose the milk solids to heat.

Once it is “done”, it must be drained and washed. The original instructions call for cheese cloth, but living in Africa, I decided to use “mosquito netting” . I cut it in large squares and it works nicely. I drape the netting over a colander and pour the cottage cheese and whey (separated water like liquid that come out of the cottage cheese) through the netting and colander. Then I rinse it with clean water. After rinsing well, I draw up the corners of the netting and tie it on the sink faucet to drain. I usually leave it for an hour or so (or until I remember to take it off). I have found that it drains better tied to the faucet rather than leaving it in the colander.

Once it has drained well, I put it in a bag and store it in the freezer until I’m ready to cook. For a recipe that calls for cottage cheese, I mix it with fresh milk to make it creamy - so that it looks like what you would buy in the US.

Note - the time needed to “cook” the cottage cheese depends on many factors -especially the amount of milk and the power of your microwave. The original instructions I had were for four tri-packs of milk and it said to cook it for four minutes twice and then two minutes twice. You have to test it each time though, because once it’s ready, you don’t want to continue to cook it.

I make cottage cheese from fresh milk, milk that’s stayed too long in the fridge, and also from the milk that’s left when I make butter from cream. All work fine and make an excellent ingredient for many recipes.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

Well, I haven't done too well in posting recipes here. But, since Sandra asked for this one - here it is. It takes some time to assemble, but we really like it. If you have any vegetarians in your life, this works great without the chicken.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Original recipe from: Southern Living Mag. Adapted by Linda.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil
cooking spray
3 cups mushroom, thinly sliced
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup red bell (capsicum) peppers, chopped (opt - I don't use)
3 to 8 cup fresh spinach, chopped or torn (First, remove the hard middle stem of the spinach and discard)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups cottage cheese (see elsewhere in the blog for the directions on how to make it)
4 cups penne pasta, cooked or 8 ounces dry (or 250 grams)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated, divided
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup milk
1 can cream of chicken soup (see elsewhere in the blog for the substitute)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. heat olive oil on med. high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper; saute 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach, oregano, and black pepper; saute 3 minutes or just until spinach wilts.
3. Combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, and soup in a large bowl. Then mix in chicken, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup parm. cheese, and milk. Then mix in cooked pasta. Spoon mixture into a 2 quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and remaining 1/4 cup parm. cheese. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until light and bubbly.

Kenya note - when using ricotta - which is dryer - you need to add more milk. Or you can use homemade cottage cheese. I have not found a commercial cottage cheese here that works well - it's usually too sour. The original recipe called for grated fresh parmesan cheese. I did try it that way in the US, but it's MUCH more expensive and really the cheaper already ground up kind works fine. For the spinach I use "Italian Spinach" that comes in a bag, but other varieties would work I'm sure. I tear it like lettuce and then measure - I put about five cups in yesterday. The original recipe called for three cups. When I was in the US I used the bagged "baby" spinach like you put in salads. It's so mild that I used eight cups to get enough spinach flavor.

I DO NOT put red peppers in mine. That is just taste preference.

For the recipe for the soup, see elsewhere in the blog - search for white sauce. I am also going to try to add the cottage cheese directions - in case you want to make your own. The "Browns" ricotta worked okay, but I didn't add enough extra milk and it was a bit dry. The homemade cottage cheese is much nicer. Enjoy!

Christmas Tree Bread

After posting on Facebook that I was making "Christmas Tree Bread" I had some requests for the recipe. I have been making this bread for many years. We traditionally eat it for breakfast on Christmas morning. There is no great mystery in the recipe, but it's one of those things I could show you more easily than I can explain it.

Start with the recipe "Nola's Rolls" posted here on the blog in May, 2006. It's a refrigerator roll recipe, so you need to plan ahead and mix it up either early in the morning or in the evening before you go to bed. BTW, this time I used about half whole wheat flour and half white flour. You can use all white flour or any combination.

Once the dough is ready to use, take it out of the fridge and punch down. Divide the dough into eight portions. Keep one portion out and put the rest back in the fridge.

Roll out your 1/8 of the dough into a triangle shape. Spread softened butter over the "triangle". Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (1/4 c. sugar mixed with 2 tsp. cinnamon - I did some with half Splenda). Fold sides to the center and pinch together so that the butter/cinn. sugar mixture is covered. Turn over and lay on greased baking sheet fold side down.

If you have kitchen scissors they are very useful for the next step. ( If you don’t, use a knife, but it will be a bit awkward) Run the scissors lightly down the center of the “tree” from top to bottom to mark the center. Next, cut with the scissors at 1/2 inch intervals down both sides of the tree. Your cut will be just up to the “line” you made down the middle. The cuts on each side should be even with each other. After all the cuts are made, grasp each section starting at the top - leaving the tip of the tree as is - and twist each section one quarter turn so that the cinnamon inside is now showing on the top. As your turn each section, stretch is slightly outward. You should end up with a nice “tree shaped” bread.

Bake each “tree” for 7 or 8 minutes - until slightly browned. After the bread is cool, I decorate them using candied fruit and icing (see below). The bread can be wrapped in foil and reheated when you are ready to eat it.

“Sweet Icing” - from Betty Crocker
I cup powdered sugar (icing sugar - NOT castor sugar)
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
mix until smooth

I did my best to explain how to do it. If it doesn’t make sense and you are in the Nairobi area - make a plan to come by and I’ll show you how it’s done. It’s quite simple, but looks impressive.

Have fun - and Merry Christmas!

Pumpkin Bread made with Whole Wheat Flour and Splenda

I am always looking for ways to use whole grain flours and less sugar. I took a recipe from called "Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread". (feel free to look it up) I'm sure the original recipe would be yummy, but I converted it using whole wheat and splenda - and also used fresh pumpkin. It would probably be possible to also use apple or pear sauce to replace some of the oil, but I don't have any right now, so I haven't tried that yet. Once pears come in to season, I'll give it a try and give you an update.
So, here's my version. I am pleased with it.

INGREDIENTS:
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree OR see note below ***
5 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup “pumpkin” water *** (use plain water if using canned pumpkin)
1 1/2 cup Splenda
1/2 cup white sugar
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two large loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar and splenda until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

*** If using fresh pumpkin - bake and puree. I used four cups of fresh pumpkin puree. I put the pumpkin in a stainer over a bowl. (I used a large plastic mesh strainer - it looks like a giant tea strainer) and let it drain for several hours. Reserve “pumpkin water” for this recipe.

Spanish Rice

This is my adaptation of a Better Homes and Gardens recipe. By using canned tomatoes and using the juice as part of the liquid, it gives the dish a nice color by turning the rice red. It's a family favorite.

1/4 cup green pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon rosemary, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup rice
1 (420 g.) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
In a skillet stir fry the onion and peppers in oil until soft but not brown. Add basil and rosemary and cook another minute, stirring constantly. Drain tomatoes (reserve tom. juice) and chop. Add to onions. Add enough water to tomato juice to make 2 cups. Add to pan. Add rice, salt and pepper. Cook covered for 20 min for white rice or 45 for brown. rice.

Chapatis

Here's the variation of Edith's recipe from Newcomer's Cookbook that we've used for the "Africa Meal".

Chapatis

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoons oil
7/8 cup very warm water (if multiply the recipe, use only enough water to make a stiff dough)

Mix flour and salt. Stir in oil and
mix in warm water. Dough should be soft, but not too wet or sticky.
Knead on floured, cloth covered board for 5
minutes. Cover dough and allow to rest for
30 minutes. Divide dough into golf ball size pieces. Roll each ball into a “snake” shape. Then wrap the dough into the shape of a cinnamon roll. Place on floured surface and
roll each piece into a circle. Cook on
hot greased griddle until browned on both sides.
Cover with a cloth and keep warm until ready to serve.
This recipe makes thin, pliable chapatis.

Pimento Cheese Spread

Greetings to those who still look at this blog on occasion. I can't believe it's been over a year since I posted anything. Life has just gotten too crazy. I also found it increasingly difficult to have things to post since the style of cooking when living stateside is SO different. I am very happy to say that I will be back in Kenya one month from today. I HOPE that living back in Africa will inspire me to once again think about new recipes and old ones that work well away from grocery stores full of pre-made ingredients.

I'm now visiting my mother - who has inspired many recipes that I have posted in the past. She made some home made pimento cheese today for lunch that was quite yummy. I remember Becky Cady's great home made pimento cheese from our early Kenya days. So, here's a recipe to use IF you can find pimentos.

Pimento Cheese Spread
1 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 4 oz. jar pimentos, drained
1 cup mayonnaise
coarse ground pepper to taste

Puree the pimento is a food processor or blender. Add to grated cheese. Stir in mayonnaise until well blended. Add pepper to taste.

Yield: 4 cups

Homemade baking powder

This is an interesting recipe that came from Bon Appetit Mag., March 2008. I have used it in several recipes and it works great. It is useful for people like me who live in America and cook so seldom that their baking powder gets old before you use it. OR, it would have been great when I lived in Kenya because the local baking powder sometimes didn't work like I expected. I actually took huge containers of baking powder from the US in my crates. Now that I have this recipe, that would not be necessary. The only problem is the availability of "cream of tarter". What I am using now came from Kenya, so it lasts a long time without going bad. I do recall that sometimes it would disappear from the shelves - as most things do. But, it always came back eventually. Baking soda may not be available everywhere either. If you can't find it in the baking section, perhaps you could ask the chemist/pharmacist if they stock it. I have learned to not make assumptions about the availability of things in other parts of Africa based on what I could get in Nairobi, so perhaps those of you in the Southern parts may not find this recipe useful. But, just in case anyone else could put it to good use - here it is:

Homemade baking Powder (makes about 1/3 cup)

Sift 1/4 cup cream of tarter and 2 tablespoons of baking SODA through a fine strainer 3 times into a small bowl. Lasts for four weeks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. This may clump after being stored, so it may be necessary to resift before each use. Use the same proportions as commercial baking powder.

Jenn's Enchiladas (original recipe)

Here's a fun dish that I got from my sister. I will give you the original version and then my variation. Part of the reason I changed the recipe was because I was using whole wheat tortillas and they were a bit heavy and seemed like too much bread. My version is also faster and easier. You may still prefer the original version, so I'll give that to you first:

Ingredients:
1 to 2 pounds hamburger meat
1 16 oz. carton sour cream
1 can cream of Mushroom Soup
1 medium jar of Mild Pace Picante Sauce (24 oz)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 block of sharp cheddar cheese (1/2 pound)
1 pkg. flour tortilla shells (10 to 12)

Brown hamburger meat and onion. Season with garlic, salt and pepper. Drain well. Add sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, and picante sauce. Stir well and let it cook until the sauce begins to bubble. When the sauce mixture bubbles, spoon it into the tortilla shells, roll the shells and place them into a 9x 13 casserole dish. After the shells have been used, take the remainder of the sauce and pour it over the tortilla shells. Grate the whole block of cheese and sprinkle it over the top. Bake at 400 degrees until the cheese is completely melted. Remove and serve!

Jenn's Enchilada casserole - Linda's version

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground turkey meat
1 16 oz. (two cups) sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup (low fat)
3 cups salsa or picante sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups cheese
6 flour tortillas (whole wheat)

Brown ground meat and onion. Drain well. Add sour cream, cream soup, and salsa. Stir well and let it cook until the sauce begins to bubble. Coat a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Tear two tortillas and put in a layer in the bottom of the pan. Put 2 1/2 cups of meat mix on top of tortillas. Add layer of cheese (one cup). Repeat two more times for three layers total (on last layer put the remainder of the meat mixture which may be a bit more than 2 1/2 cups). Bake at 400 degrees until the cheese is completely melted (20 to 30 minutes). Serve hot.

Notes - I think you could use yogurt instead of sour cream if that's all you have available. I have not tried that yet though. I have also only used bought salsa - I am in America =). If you try this with a home made salsa, let me know. If you don't have a condensed cream soup, you can use the condensed soup substitution listed earlier in the blog. Enjoy.

note from August 5, 2008 - I have now started using half nonfat yogurt and half nonfat sour cream. I am sure that yogurt could easily be used for the whole thing. I am still waiting for someone to send me a good home canned salsa recipe to substitue for the bought kind I am buying in the US.

Sausage or Ham Soufflé

This is a great breakfast casserole for company. Since you make it the night before, all you have to do is put it in the oven the next morning.

6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 pound cooked sausage or ham
6 slices bread, cubed (can be white or whole wheat)

Beat well (can use an electric mixer, but not necessary): eggs, milk, salt, mustard, and bread. Add cheese and cooked meat - either sausage or ham.

Pour into buttered dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

A basic marinara sauce: (meatless sauce)

I use this sauce over spaghetti noodles for a nice meatless meal. I also use this sauce in several recipes that call for bottled spaghetti sauce - like Eggplant Parmesan, manacotti, etc.

2 cups onions sauteed in small amount of oil
1 large can tomatoes (or about 4 cups peeled) - I cut them with scissors into small pieces
1 340 g. can tomato paste
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar (necessary if you use tomato paste because it keeps the sauce from being bitter)
1 or 2 cups of water as needed
Simmer for an hour.

When cooking the onions, you can also add peppers and mushrooms. If you want to add fresh diced garlic, wait to add it until the onions are almost done - it burns easily.

Spaghetti sauce

When I was in Kenya recently some of the ladies were talking about their attempts to make a good spaghetti sauce. This is the sauce I started making when Bob and I married in 1978. It still works for me. Try it and see if it works for you. We’ve always thought it was yummy. =) I have never been tempted to buy “store bought” sauce.


Linda's spaghetti sauce:
Brown two pounds (1 Kilo) ground beef or turkey with 2 cups onions. Drain well either in a colander or on paper towels.
Add 1 large can tomatoes (or about 4 cups peeled) - I cut them with scissors into small pieces
1 340 g. can tomato paste
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar (necessary if you use tomato paste because it keeps the sauce from being bitter)
1 or 2 cups of water as needed
Simmer for an hour.

Brownies

1/2 cup melted butter
5 tablespoons cocoa
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Melt butter and cocoa together in a saucepan. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Stir in eggs, then sugar (order is important), then flour and baking powder. Bake in a greased 8x8 square pan or in round cake pan for 20 to 25 minutes at 350. It's important not to overbake them. They should be set but not dry in the middle when removed from the oven, so you might want to check them after about 18 minutes or so since each oven cooks differently - plus pans make a difference.

I usually double this and make them in a 9x13 inch pan.

Sausage Gravy and spice mix

This recipe came from Cherry. It's been a family favorite.

Sausage Spice
3 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons sage
1/3 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 1/8 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Mix well. Store in an airtight container. Use 2 Tablespoons of mix to 4 cup meat or 1 Kilo
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Sausage Gravy

2 tablespoons sausage spice
1 kilogram pork mince (ground pork)
1/2 cup flour (white or whole wheat)
4 cups milk

Brown 1 kilo pork mince with 2 tablespoons of sausage spice in a large frying pan. You might need to add a bit of oil or kimbo if the mince is very lean. Once the meat is cooked, stir in 1/2 cup flour. Cook and stir until flour is browned. Next add milk. Cook until thick.

Serve over biscuits, rice or pancakes.

You can use twice the amount of milk for a creamier gravy.

Flour Tortillas

Ester's Tortillas - I got this recipe from Melissa, a friend in Kenya years ago. I recent years I have made them with whole wheat flour. If you use whole wheat, you will have to add extra water.

5 cups flour (plain white or whole wheat or mixture)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup shortening

Mix these ingredients (cutting in shortening like you do in biscuits). Add enough BOILING water to make dough hold together (it will be less than 2 cups). Knead well. Cover dough as you work so that it does not dry out.

Remove golf ball size dough from bowl. Roll into a circle on lightly floured board. Roll thin.

Cook in a dry pan (cast iron works well). The pan should be hot. If the pan is too cool the dough will cook too long and get too dry and crunchy. The dough will begin to bubble up and have dark places on the bottom. Turn over and cook until that side also has dark spots on it.

Cover the done ones with a towel to keep warm and keep in moisture. Store in a plastic bag. Can be frozen (wrap well).

Broccoli Puff

Recipe By: Cindy, Lori's good friend. I've used this recipe for years - both in the US and in Kenya.

10 ounces broccoli florets/stalks
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten

Cook package of broccoli. Cut into bite size pieces.
Mix all other ingredients and fold into broccoli. Pour into small baking dish and cover with dried bread crumbs or top with croutons. Dot with butter if desired. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Can be easily doubled. You can substitute a mixture of vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots work well).
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Notes: see substitute for cream soup in early postings on blog.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Here's an easy soup that's yummy:
2 Tablespoons Flour (can be whole meal or plain white)
1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 cups milk, divided
4 cups tomato juice (heated)
In large saucepan, combine flour, sugar, and 1/4 cup milk. Stir until smooth. Add remaining milk. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Slowly stir in HOT tomato juice until blended.

You can add cooked onions, bacon, or cheese if desired.

Note (added Jan. 17, 2010) - some brands of tomato juice are more watery than others. I just fixed the soup and it didn't have enough "tomato" flavor, so I added two tablespoons of tomato paste. That gave it a nice boost of tomato flavor.

Holiday Recipes:

These are some of my favorites for the Christmas season. If you need more detailed instructions, let me know and I'll try to clarify the steps.

Sugared peanuts
2 c. peanuts
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
Mix together in a pot. Bring to a boil and continue to stir until water evaporates and then bake on a flat pan (pan can be covered in foil for less mess) for 20 minutes at 300. This will dry and crisp them. You don't have to do the baking step. We have taught many Kenyan ladies to make these cooking over and open fire with no baking. The ladies loved them even though they are very sweet.


Sausage Balls
1 pound of Raw pork mince seasoned with four tsp. of seasoning
2 cups grated cheese
3 cups biscuit mix (use biscuit mix from Newcomer's cookbook - works with whole wheat)
Mix and form into balls. Bake for 15 min. at 350.


Ham/Poppy Seed filling
1 lb. grated swiss (or gouda) cheese
1 lb. chopped ham
3 tbsp. poppy seed
3 tbsp. prepared mustard (american)
1 tbsp. worscestershire sauce
1/2 stick butter, softened
Mix and spread on rolls. Cover pan with foil, bake at 350 for 20 min.


Spice tea
1 gal. water
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 TBSP whole cloves
4 sticks cinnamon
3 sm. tea bags
1 1/2 c. orange juice
1 1/2 c. pineapple juice
Juice of three lemons
Boil water, cinnamon and cloves plus sugar for 5 minutes. Add tea. Turn heat off and let set for 3 min. Strain at once and add juices.


Spicy Bean Dip
Refried beans - 1 can (or 2 cups homemade which tastes better)
1 cup cheese
1/2 c. taco sauce (I usually use the sauce from the Newcomer's cookbook)
1 can green chilies
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. oregano
Mix and heat until smooth and cheese in melted. Serve with chips.


Holiday cheese Ball -
2 - 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese (4 “pots” of Mrs. Brown’s plain cream cheese)
1 small can crushed pineapple , drained.
1/4 c. green pepper
2 T. chopped onion
2 tsp. seasoned salt
2 c. chopped pecans
Mix all but pecans, then form into ball and roll in pecans to coat. This makes very large cheese ball. I usually cut in half = or make the whole recipe and then make two small cheese balls.

December Africa Meal

We hosted another Africa meal last night. It was great fun and we had an outstanding group over to help prepare it. As I reviewed the recipes I've posted already, I saw that for the "Oven Roasted Meat" I'd said to sear the meat before cooking - I did not do that yesterday and it turned out fine. I just trimmed it and cut the meat into cubes and put it in a casserole dish to cook, adding the chopped onion and canned tomatoes. Also, I did not say that when you add the can of tomatoes, that I usually use chopped tomatoes. If you use a can of whole tomatoes, you need to cut them up before adding them to the meat. Make sure you have plenty of tomato juice for the meat to cook in. I cooked a large quantity of meat last night (6.5 pounds after trimming it) so I had to add some extra tomato juice. Enjoy! It's really yummy! =)

Thanksgiving Cornbread Dressing

Happy Thanksgiving! I have been working on this post for about a week - working on it a bit at a time. I wanted to give you my mother’s “Dressing” recipe. I am from the South in the USA, which means that we eat cornbread dressing - not stuffing. It’s cooked in a pan. We use cornbread and biscuits to make it. Originally dressing was made from leftover breads found every day in our grandmother’s kitchens. Since we don’t keep cornbread and biscuits available all the time now, I have to make both for my dressing. Part of what took so long to get this post ready was writing the biscuit recipe. I tried to write it as clearly as possible. So, in a separate post, you’ll find the biscuit recipe. For the cornbread, please DO NOT use a mix like Jiffy cornbread mix. It has lots of sugar in it and will make your dressing taste sweet - not a desirable quality in dressing. Oh, and Poultry seasoning is a necessary ingredient. You could have someone put some in a brown padded envelope and mail it to you. I always take it with me. (I need to work on my list of “always take it with me” stuff). I did find a substitute recipe for poultry seasoning - I have not tried this, but if you don't have poultry seasoning, you might try it - for 1 tsp. of poultry seasoning use 3/4 tsp. dried sage and 1/4 tsp. dried thyme. I think that these spices in Kenya were flakes or chopped leaves rather than powdered. If that is the case with yours, I would suggest putting it in a blender or food processor to make the two powdered.

Nola's Dressing

1 recipe of cornbread (see “Newcomer’s Cookbook” or other basic cookbook - do NOT use a cornbread mix that makes a sweet cornbread ie Jiffy cornbread mix), torn or crumbled into small pieces
biscuits, torn into small pieces (you should have 3 or 4 cups after the bread is dried)
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2 onions chopped
1 or 2 stalks celery chopped
2 or 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine
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2 eggs beaten
2 to 3 tablespoons poultry seasoning
1/2 tablespoon sage (opt.)
salt - only if broth not salted
broth - enough to make moist (turkey broth is best, but chicken broth is okay)

Place biscuits and cornbread pieces on pans and heat in 200 degree oven until dried and crisp - will take several hours.
Cook onions and celery 5 min. in butter. Grease pan. Mix all ingredients (breads, onion and celery,eggs, spices, and broth) until moistened. I stir well and then add more broth. Then pour into pan. Cook at 350 for 30 min. or until brown. This makes one 9 x 13 pan. If you prefer thin and more crisp dressing, put in several pans in a thinner layer.

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!!

Biscuits

2 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening (kimbo/crisco)
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the shortening (use fork or pastry cutter) into the flour (mashing and cutting the shortening with the fork or cutter). The shortening should be mixed well into the flour and the mixture resemble small peas. Pour in the milk and GENTLY mix into the flour. It is important not to stir more than necessary to combine the milk and flour mixture. If you need a little more liquid to moisten the flour, add small amounts. When mixed, pat out the dough on a floured surface. Cut with biscuit cutter or round can. Put biscuits on a lightly greased pan.

Notes:
1) It is best to cut the biscuits leaving the smallest possible dough left over. Lately I've been patting the dough into a round shape and cutting it like a pie. This gives you biscuits that are triangle shaped. You use all the dough and there is no re-rolling.
2) you can substitute oil by stirring it into the flour instead of shortening. OR you can substitute butter or margarine for the shortening.

Variations:
“buttermilk” biscuits - use either buttermilk OR milk that has been soured by adding lemon juice or vinegar (I tbsp. per cup), OR part yogurt/part milk. This will substitute for the milk. You use 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda instead of the 1 tablespoon of baking powder. Dough tends to be a bit stickier.

Whole Wheat - works best with the buttermilk version. You will need to add more liquid.

Cranberry - Sour Cream Salad

Cranberry - Sour Cream Salad

Recipe By: Shandon Cookbook p. 24

1 box cherry flavored gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 can whole -berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup celery
1/2 cup nuts chopped (I prefer pecans)
1 cup sour cream or yogurt
1 apple, medium chopped

Combine gelatin and hot water and let thicken to consistency of egg whites. Mix in cranberry sauce, celery, nuts, apple, and sour cream. Pour into mold/molds and refrigerate.
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Notes:
I always took Wholeberry Cranberry Sauce from the US. Sorry I don’t have a good substitute for you, but just in case you brought some or if Oceanspray has reached where you are - here’s my favorite Thanksgiving Salad

Africa meal - Oven roasted meat

(we host an African meal several times per year. Check for more recent updates for addtional recipes and options on these recipes.)

This is not especially authentic since the majority of African homes I've eaten in don't have ovens. However, the flavor of tomatoes and onions cooked with the meat does remind me of dishes I've been served in Kenya.

Oven roasted meat -
Choose a lean roast - I buy what's on sale.
Trim fat from meat and cut into cubes. Heat oil in pan and brown outside of meat (sear it). Transfer meat into baking dish that has a lid.
Chop onion and add to meat.
Add can of tomatoes.
Cover dish with lid.
Bake in 350 oven for an hour plus until meat is tender.

Africa Meal - Sukuma Wiki

Several people have asked me for these directions. I don't have a recipe for this, just a general plan. Next time we host the "africa meal" I will try to pay more attention to how I prepare it.

Sukuma Wiki (greens)

Use collard greens, swiss chard, or other green leafy vegetable.

Wash greens carefully to remove grit and sand. Remove woody center stem. Chop greens into small pieces.

Chop onions and tomatoes. Cook onions for a few minutes, add tomatoes and cook briefly. Add greens. Depending on the type of greens, you may need to add water. Swiss Chard has lots of liquid in it, so you don't need to add water to it. Collard greens do require water - but only add a small amount (1/2 cup ? - depends on the amount of greens you are cooking). The goal is to steam them, NOT boil them as American cooks usually do. Cook until tender. Serve with ugali (see Newcomer's Cookbook for directions).

Africa Meal - coconut beans

6 cups cooked beans (pinto, rose cocoa, or small red beans)
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 large onion chopped

If using canned beans, drain and rinse beans. Add coconut milk and water to cover beans well.
If using dried beans, cook as directed under “dried beans” (separate entry in the blog) and then add the coconut milk and enough liquid to cover the beans well.

Cook for an hour or so until the liquid is thick and the onions are tender.

Note - I have only used canned coconut milk for this recipe. I would think that coconut milk made from the dried coconut milk mixed with water would work fine - I used to use that in Kenya as it was easily available.

Dried Beans

Important note - as I was getting ready to cook some dried beans today I realized that I forgot to mention that dried beans must always be "sorted" first. You need to look carefully at the dried beans to check for "buggy" beans, spoiled beans (discolored), and especially to remove any rocks found there. Even in the US there are rocks mixed in with dried beans. I'm not sure why they are there, but they are. If you have someone helping you in the kitchen, this is a great job for them to do.

Storing dried beans - if you have to buy ahead and store dried beans, they will keep longer without getting "buggy" if you will put them on baking sheets and put them in a warm oven - 175 degrees for maybe 30 minutes or so - long enough to make sure they are heated through. This will kill any bug eggs that have attached to your beans. Once the beans have cooled, store in an airtight container. If you choose not to heat the beans, you may find that those eggs will hatch and eat not only the beans, but the container you are storing them in.

One more observation - the older the beans, the longer it takes to cook them - at least I found that to be true.

Dried beans - I cook all types - pinto, black eyed peas, great Northern Beans, navy beans. In Kenya I liked rose cocoa in recipes that call for pinto beans. For great Northern Beans I think the white beans were called mexican beans. If you live at a high elevation, the use of a pressure cooker really cuts down on the time to cook.

Most recipes call for soaking the beans over night before cooking. Instead, I cover the beans in water and bring to a boil. I boil for two minutes and then remove the pot from the heat add baking soda - a tablespoon or so (it will foam) - and then rinse well. This helps with digesting the beans.

If using a pressure cooker, I return the beans to the pot, cover with water at least an inch higher than the top of the beans, add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger (this also aids in digestion). I then add approximately 1 teaspoon salt per cup of dried beans and stir. Some recipes say to wait and add the salt after the beans are cooked. To me the beans taste better if cooked in salted water. Put on the lid, bring up to pressure and then cook for the time suggested for that type of bean. My pressure cooker recommends: 25 minutes for pinto beans, 20 minutes for black eyes peans, and 30 minutes for great northern or navy. Be careful when cooking black eyed peas because they tend to foam and can clog the pressure valve. Always stay near by when using a pressure cooker to monitor the pot. If it stops "jiggling", you need to see if it is because you have the heat too low or if the valve is clogged. If a clog is the problem, remove from heat and reduce the pressure inside by holding it under cold running water. NEVER try to open the pot while there is still pressure inside.

If you are not at a high altitude, you can just cook the beans in a regular pot over medium heat. It will take an hour or more to cook the beans. Cook until tender.

For refried beans use pinto or rose cocoa. After the beans are cooked, put them in a food processor to mash or mash them with a fork or potato masher. Put oil in a pan, add about a cup of onion and cook onion until tender. Then add beans. Cook until hot and bubbling. They get thicker as they cool.

White Chili

It's getting cool weather in the US - the perfect time for a warm comforting soup. This is one of my favorite recipes. My Mom found the basic recipe on the internet and I adapted it

White Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
6 cups chicken broth OR 6 cups water plus 3 bouillon cubes
2 cans green chili peppers
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 to 12 cups great northern beans with liquid (cook beans with less salt if planning to use boullion cubes)

Sauté the onion in olive oil until tender. Just before the onion is ready, add minced garlic and cook briefly (burns easily, so don't over cook). Mix together the onion and garlic with all the other ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Cappuccino Muffins

This is an amazing muffin recipe. I first ate one at Becky's house in Kenya. I've been baking them ever since. You can find the recipe in the Newcomer's Cookbook.
2 c. flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon instant coffee (can be any type - if omitted, it makes them taste different)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled slightly
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips (or semi-sweet chocolate chopped into chip size pieces - Cadbury Bourneville is the BEST)

Combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add liquid ingredients and mix together only until combined. Do not overmix as it makes muffins tough. There may be a few lumps, which is okay. Gently mix in chocolate chips. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full and bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 18 muffins (approx.)

Easy Fruit Cobbler (updated with temp. for cooking - 7/08

4 cups fruit - canned, with juice or without
1/4 to 1/2 cup butter or marg.
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar or splenda
1 cup white flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in baking dish (10x10 approximately)
In a bowl, mix milk, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour into dish and mix lightly with butter. Add fruit and juice - do not stir.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and check. Remove when it is nicely browned on top.

Notes:
This can be easily doubled, but be careful to put in large enough pan - it boils over if juicy.
If you want to use fresh fruit, you can use it raw, but I think it works better to cook it slightly first.

Orange Congealed Salad

1 small package Orange gelatin
1 small can crushed pineapple in juice (8 1/2 oz. can)
1 1/4 cup water
1 small package “Dream Whip” prepared
1 cup grated cheese (like cheddar or gouda)
1 cup nuts (1/2 macadamia pieces and 1/2 cashew pieces or 1 cup of pecans)

Put the water, pineapple, and gelatin in a pot. Stir it while heating it just to a boil and then chill until the consistency of “egg whites”. At this point, add the cheese and nuts. Prepare the dream whip according to the package directions. Fold in the dream whip. Pour the mixture into a mold or bowl.

Dream whip is something you might need to get from the US - although if there are some “local” varieties that might be imported into your place, you might want to try that. Dream Whip makes 2 cups of whipped topping. If you are in the US you can substitute 2 cups of “Cool Whip”.

Sugar-free jello works fine.
A substitute for the dream whip for those of you who cannot use things with sugar is to whip 3/4 cup of very cold evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed milk) until it looks like whipped cream. It deflates easily, so after folding it into the gelatin, pour the mixture into a bowl rather than a mold.

Linda’s Congealed Salad

2 small packages gelatin (like “jello”)
2 cups boiling water
1 small can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup pecans or other nut, chopped

Mix gelatin and boiling water for 2 minutes. Chill until the consistency of “egg whites”. Add yogurt, pineapple, and nuts and chill until set.

Notes: for a green colored salad use one package lemon jello and one lime. For red use two different flavors of red - black cherry, strawberry, cherry, etc. Local “Jelly Crystals” work fine.

Some locally canned pineapple may be more acidic than US brands. If so, you may need to add a teaspoon of plain gelatin.

Sugar free jello works great for this - unless things have changed you’ll have to bring that from the US or have someone mail it to you. When using the sugar free jello, go ahead and add the pineapple as soon as you’ve finished mixing the jello with boiling water. Sugar free seems to gel more quickly and the pineapple keeps it from getting solid before you add the other ingredients.

If you wait too long to add the other ingredients and it gets solid, just “melt” it and begin again. You can put it in the microwave or put your bowl on top of a bowl of boiling water.

Zucchini Patties

This is one of our favorite recipes - easy, quick, and yummy! My children especiallly like them.

Zucchini Patties

2 cups grated zucchini
1 small onion, chopped
2 eggs
6 tablespoons flour (whole meal/whole wheat works well - white is also fine)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash pepper

Combine squash and onion. Beat in egg. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Drop by tablespoon onto oiled griddle or in shallow pan with small amount of oil until browned.

Oven Roasted Vegetables

This is great cooking method for lots of different vegetables. I give you the basic recipe and some substitution suggestions, but feel free to "mix and match" according to what vegetables you have available.

Oven Roasted Vegetables

based on recipe from South Beach Diet
Serving Size: 4

1 medium zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium summer (yellow) squash, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into bite-size pie
1 pound asparagus, fresh, cut into bite-size piece
1 red onion, cut into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place vegetables in bowl and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Line baking sheets with foil, spray with cooking spray and arrange vegetables in single layer - use two sheets if there are too many vegetables. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, (rotating pans if using two) until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender.
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Notes: I usually substitute three or four squash and three zucchini for the asparagus. Mushrooms also work well - although they overcook easily. Might want to add them after 10 minutes.

Lentil Curry

Recipe based on one from Karibu Cookbook
Serving Size: 4 as a main dish, at least 8 as a side dish

1 cup whole lentils
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric, ground
1/2 teaspoon red (cayenne) pepper ground OR use red Indian chili powder - I use less than 1/2 tsp. to keep it from being too spicey for me
4 medium tomatoes chopped fine (or use canned tomatoes)
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2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
2 green chiles (optional) split

1. Soak lentils overnight or cover with hot water and soak for an hour or two
2. Drain the lentils several hours before the meal.
3. Put lentils in large pot and cover with fresh water. Add onion, fresh ginger, minced garlic, salt, turmeric, ground red (cayenne) pepper, and tomatoes.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.
5. Just before lentils become tender, place oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Place garlic and the cumin and coriander powders into oil. Add split green chilies if a hotter curry is desired (the chili powder usually makes it hot enough for me, although I have used the chilies on occasion). Stir until garlic is brown and then add to lentils.
6. Continue simmering 20 to 30 minutes or until lentils are thickened and well cooked.
7. Serve over rice if desired.
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Notes: doubles well, freezes well

Indian Curry

Here's another recipe I've adapted from the Newcomers Cookbook.  The recipe originated with Edith J.

Indian Curry
1/4 cup oil (I'm now using Avocado Oil)
2 cups chopped onion
1 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped (depends on how much you like garlic)
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
 1 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons turmeric
6 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon Indian chili powder (depends on how hot you like it - I used to use 1/2 tsp. - you may like more or less) (actually now in 2020 I use a rounded teaspoon)
4 cups tomatoes OR 1 large can (28 oz or 794 grams) whole tomatoes cut up along with juice
3 cups cooked and deboned meat - either chicken, beef, pork, rabbit, etc. OR you can used raw meat (see below).

Heat oil in large pot until hot. Add a couple of mustard seeds to test temperature of oil. Oil is hot enough when the seeds “pop”. Add the rest of the seeds and immediately add onions to stop them from popping too much. Cook the onions briefly and then add the other spices and garlic. You will need to stir this to make sure you don’t burn the spices. You may use more oil, but I prefer using as little as possible. Stir and cook several minutes. (If you are using raw meat, add it now and brown it with the spices.) Add tomatoes and cook for several minutes. Then add cooked meat and simmer, covered for 20 to 30 minutes. (if you added raw meat, cook until meat is cooked through).

Serve over cooked rice and top with condiments. The usual condiments I use are: raisins, peanuts, coconut, mango, boiled eggs, tomatoes, onions, pineapple chunks, bananas, and mango chutney. Everything should be cut into “bite size chunks”. I also use plain yogurt on the side to "cut the hot".

Egg Substitutes

I had a request from Kara for baking without eggs. I found these interesting suggestions on a natural foods web site. For those of you who are working with people who don't eat eggs, these might be worth trying. ONE (1) egg equals any one of the following: 2 Tbs. flour ½ tsp. oil ½ tsp. baking powder 2 Tbs. liquid 2 Tbs. water 1 Tbs. oil ½ tsp. baking powder 1 Tbs. flaxseed (ground in coffee mill) 3 Tbs. warm water 1 Tbs. gelatin or fruit pectin 3 Tbs. warm water Yogurt, mashed banana, applesauce, pumpkin, or other pureed fruit or vegetables are good replacements for eggs in muffins or cakes. To replace eggs in casseroles, burgers, or loaves try mashed vegetables, tahini, (sesame seed butter) nut butters or rolled oats.

Granola - Three different versions

These three recipes span our eating habits over the last 20 years. I began with my version of Rosalind’s recipe in 1986. When I adopted a “low fat” lifestyle, I cut out the oil and several other high fat ingredients. Years later I began trying to cut sugar from our diet and so I deleted the honey and brown sugar and added more nuts. I discovered it needed some liquid, so I added back a portion of the oil. After hearing a presentation recently about flax seed, I have been thinking about adding some ground flax seed to this, but haven’t yet.
I eat a heaping 1/3 cup of the sugar free granola with either milk or yogurt for breakfast almost every day. Enjoy!

Granola - version #1
(based on recipe from Rosalind H., whose recipe was found in the Newcomers Cookbook, 1986 version)
2 cups unprocessed bran
4 cups oatmeal (the larger the better - Old Fashion/Jumbo)
1/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup sesame seed
1 cup raw peanuts (chopped)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup raisins (opt.)

Heat oats and bran in an ungreased pan in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Mix remaining ingredients (except raisins) into the warm oatmeal and bran mixture.
Bake at 300 for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally (about every 15 minutes). Remove from oven. Add raisins if desired. Let cool. Store in an airtight container at room temp.

(the original recipe called for 1/2 to 1 cup coconut and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla - I never used either of these, but you might want to add them.)

Granola #2 - for less fat
2 cups bran
4 cups oats
1/4 to 1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 to 1/2 honey
1 cup peanuts (chopped)
raisins (opt.)
Heat oats and bran in an ungreased pan in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Mix remaining ingredients (except raisins) into the warm oatmeal and bran mixture.
Bake at 300 for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally (about every 15 minutes). Remove from oven. Add raisins if desired. Let cool. Store in an airtight container at room temp.

Granola #3 - sugar free version
2 cups bran - unprocessed
4 cups oats (old fashioned/jumbo)
3/4 cup raw almonds (chopped)
3/4 cup raw peanuts (chopped)
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 1/2 tablespoon oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup dates (chopped) (opt.)

Heat oats and bran in an ungreased pan in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Mix remaining ingredients (except dates) into the warm oatmeal and bran mixture.
Bake at 300 for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally (about every 15 minutes). If dates are to be added, add after 40 minutes and cook additional 5 minutes.
Remove from oven. Let cool. Store in an airtight container at room temp.

Refrigerator Roll recipe - and a whole lot more

Nola's Roll Recipe

1 cup shortening (or 7/8 cup vegetable oil)
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon yeast (rounded tbsp.)
1 cup warm water
6 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon salt

1. Put shortening in large bowl. Pour 1 cup boiling water over shortening and stir to break up. Leave to melt and cool.
2. Put one cup of warm water into a cup measure. Add one rounded tablespoons of yeast to the cup warm water, stir. In a separate bowl beat eggs.
3. After the shortening and boiling water have cooled and shortening is mostly melted, add eggs, sugar, and yeast water. Stir well.
4. Add flour and salt and stir well. If dough is very wet, add up to 1 cup more flour.
5. Grease separate bowl. Put dough in a metal or glass bowl (not a plastic one), turning once. Cover bowl with cling wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until it has risen. (over night is fine).

Crescent rolls - divide dough into eight portions. Roll each portion into a circle. Coat with melted butter. Cut into 6 to 8 triangles - depending on size of roll desired. Roll from large end to small, making them curved slightly - like a crescent moon. Put on greased pan and cover with cloth. Place in warm place to rise - at least one hour. Uncover and bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees about 6 minutes or until golden brown.

Hamburger buns - use a metal can or other object to cut "hamburger sized" circles out of the dough. Let rise on greased pan and bake.


Cinnamon rolls - divide dough into two portions. Roll each portion into a rectangle. Spread the dough with butter and then use a combination of sugar and cinnamon (or cinnamon and Splenda) sprinkled over the dough. (Cinnamon Sugar - 1/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon). Roll up from top to bottom so it makes long roll. Cut into circles and place on greased baking pan - leaving space between for rising. Cover with cloth and place in warm place to rise at least one hour. Bake at 400 for about 8 minutes or until golden brown. After baking the rolls, you may drizzle with sweet icing while they are still warm. Sweet Icing is made by mixing 1 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar) with 1 tablespoon milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Mix until smooth.

Bacon/cheese Rolls- (you make these like cinnamon rolls but the filling is savory instead of sweet) - divide dough into two portions. Roll each portion into a rectangle. Sprinkle with bacon and cheese. Roll up from top to bottom so it makes long roll. Cut into circles and place on greased baking pan - leaving space between for rising. Cover with cloth and place in warm place to rise at least one hour. Bake at 400 for about 8 minutes or until golden brown. (you can use ham or sausage in place of the bacon, but my crowd always prefered the bacon)

Ham and Cheese "loaf" - roll the dough out the same way into a rectangle but then I would cover the middle third with a mixture of mayo and mustard and then put layers of ham slices or chopped ham and slices of cheese or grated cheese. I would then fold it together in the middle, pinch the two sides together and flip it over. I would bake this - it maybe looks a bit like a calzone and then cut it into large sections and serve.

Notes
1. The dough can be prepared with combinations of whole wheat flour, oat flour (oats ground in a food processor), or other flours. You'll want to experiment. In Kenya I used part "Tower" whole meal, part Atta, and part oat flour. It doesn't rise as well as the "white" flour version, but it fit better with our preference for whole grains. One third white flour mixed with the whole grain flours makes a good compromise. Whole wheat needs more liquid, so you probably won't be adding the extra flour mentioned above.
2. Sugar can also be decreased to 1 Tbsp. You can add some Splenda or Equal for a sweeter dough, if desired.
3. Local shortening like Kimbo (made in Kenya) works well in this recipe. If you don't have access to shortening you can make this with oil. It does alter the consistency of the dough and therefore the product is somewhat altered, but it does work. You may have to add extra flour.

Eggs -

As you buy eggs in a market setting, you may wonder how to be sure they are edible. Cracking open a rotten egg is a memorable experience that you will want to avoid! As you wash your eggs before putting them in the fridge, the simplest test is to put them in bowl of water to see if they float. Plain water always seemed to work for me, but today I read in an "Ask Martha" column that you should dissolve four teaspoons of salt into two cups of water. Perhaps this will show the difference more clearly. Old eggs will float and fresh ones will sink to the bottom. The article said that if one hovers somewhere in the middle it is not particularly fresh, but is edible.

Please note: I would still recommend cracking each egg into a small bowl to make sure it is a good one before adding it to other ingredients. If the recipe calls for several eggs, still break them one by one into a small bowl and then add to the other eggs. It is always possible for an egg to go bad after you checked them - or to forget one time to check them before putting them away. This precaution could save you from ruining other expensive or special ingredients.

*** After reading about how Avian Flu is spread through bird "droppings", it occured to me that care in the washing of your eggs is more important than ever. A solution of three tablespoons of bleach per one gallon of water should be used to soak the eggs and then they should be rinsed well. You should use gloves while washing the eggs.

Substitute for Canned Soup

The standard substitute for canned soup in recipes like casseroles which call for cream of chicken or other condensed soups is found in More with Less Cookbook by Doris Longacre. She suggests using a medium-thick basic white sauce. The directions are:
Melt in a heavy saucepan 3 Tbsp. butter. Blend in 3 Tbsp. flour and 1/4 tsp. salt. Using a wire whisk to prevent lumps, stir in milk, stock, or a combination equal to one cup of liquid. To make a substitute for chicken soup, use part chicken stock or bouillon. To make mushroom soup use 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms and 1 Tbsp chopped onion sautéed in the butter before adding the flour. Once the liquid has been added, cook until smooth and thickened. This amount substitutes approximately for a 10 oz. can of condensed soup.

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That was the "standard substitute" and it works well. My version is a bit different. In an effort to cut down on fat AND because it's easier, I simply whisk the flour into cold liquid (milk/flour/stock/etc.) and bring it to a boil. After it boils, I continue to cook it for 2 minutes to make sure the flour is cooked well. This means I don't use butter in my recipe. I also omit the salt since I usually use a bouillon cube rather than stock.

For a more creamy soup, I use a full cup of milk and add a bouillon cube (1/2 cube per 1 cup of liquid if using Knorr) rather than using part water.

I prefer to use whole wheat flour rather than white plain flour. The whole wheat flour doesn't thicken it as much, but I have not found that to be a problem in casseroles.

Mexican Chicken

Here is a recipe that I have adapted for cooking without canned soup. See the notes at the end for substituting back in the soup, if you prefer, as well as a few other "tips". For the standard substitute for canned soup see the entry with that title. In this recipe I increased the amount of white sauce to make the recipe more creamy. 

Mexican Chicken 

3 cups cooked, de-boned chicken, cut up in small pieces no larger than 1 inch by 1 inch 

4 cups milk 

3/4 cup flour (either plain white or whole wheat/whole meal or “Atta”) 

2 Knorr bouillon cubes 

1/2 cup butter 

2 cups onion -- diced 

1 cup chicken stock 

1 can green chilies 

4 cups grated cheese (1 pound) 

5 cups tortilla chips, crushed 

 1. Sauté onions in butter. 

2. Make white sauce with milk, flour, and bouillon cubes. Whisk flour into cold milk. Cook over medium heat. When milk is hot, add bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil.  Once boiling cook for at least two minutes until thick.  

3. After preparing white sauce, mix with chicken, sautéed onions, chicken broth and green chilies. 

4. Layer 3 cups crushed chips on bottom of a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Next layer 3 cups of the chicken mixture onto top of chips. Then add 2 cups cheese Next, layer 2 cups crushed chips, rest of chicken mixture, and 2 cup cheese. 

5. Bake for 30 min. at 350. 

 NOTES : Three cans cream of Chicken Soup may be substituted for the white sauce (4 cups milk, flour, and bouillon cubes). It's quicker to use the bought soup, but the homemade white sauce tastes much better. 

If whole wheat or Atta is used in making the white sauce, it will not be as thick as when you use plain flour. However, it still makes a nice creamy sauce and works fine in the recipe. 

Home made flour tortillas (either white or whole wheat) can be sliced and toasted and substituted for the corn chips. I cut the amount slightly on the amount of “chips” when using flour tortillas. 

For Gluten Free - substitute corn starch as the thickener instead of flour.  Use half the amount of corn starch as flour.  In this recipe use 1/4 cup + 2 TBSP corn starch.  Use the cornstarch in the place of the flour and follow recipe above. 

Pizza Crust

Pizza Crust

Recipe By : Linda

1 tablespoon yeast
1 cup water -- warm
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F.). Add yeast to warm water (not hot) and stir to dissovle. Add salt and half the flour to the yeast/water mix. Mix with a spoon until smooth. Add oil and remaining flour. Mix well (you will need to use your hands). You should have a smooth ball of dough. Cover and let rise for 10 minutes. Spread on 2 greased pizza pans with greased hands. Top with sauce, cheese, etc. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 - 30 minutes. (Bottom of crust should be light brown)

Pizza Sauce

Pizza sauce (revised 4/08)

My version of a recipe by Edith J. originally found in Newcomers Cookbook, 1986 version.

1 340 g. or 12 oz. can Tomato Paste (any brand)
2 cups water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon thyme
4 tablespoons oregano , regular (or 1 TBSP ground oregano plus one tsp regular oregano)
1 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar

Mix spices, tomato paste, and water until well blended. Heat over low heat until simmering. Simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool slightly before spreading on pizza crust. Use only what is needed to give medium cover over crust. Freeze the rest for next time.

Getting Started

As I've been helping people get ready to go to various places in the world, there have been lots of questions about how to cook overseas. I would like to post some simple recipes for these friends to help them prepare "yummy" dishes for their family and friends. I will begin with some of the basic recipes we've talked about at my house. If you need a specific recipe, post a request in the comments. Thanks. Linda