Summer Strawberry Lemon Loaf Cake 

Posted on June 21, 2023 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Summer Strawberry Lemon Loaf Cake

For me – strawberries scream summer, or pre-summer.  In early June, I set out to find some type of strawberry cake to make for my grandson in Seattle.  He always chooses strawberry ice cream and when I told him I was going to make a post birthday cake with strawberries, he was really thrilled. What I stumbled upon is a lemon cake with diced, jammy, fresh strawberry bits inside.  It has an interesting, dense texture and is terrific as a dessert or as a breakfast item.   

I started with a New York Times recipe by Millie Peartree. I love that name, Peartree!  I changed her recipe a lot but kept it very simple.  As I often do, I used a kitchen scale to measure quantities whenever I could which makes clean-up much easier.   

Another plus here is that the cake contains oil rather than butter and can be stirred together in a bowl with a spatula.  No mixer to haul out or clean after the fact!  I ended up reducing the sugar and substituting whole milk plain yogurt for sour cream.  I used half the amount of glaze called for which was just enough for me and did not overpower the cake.  

The bread pan I used, which I do love, was a little small and the cake rose beyond the top of the pan and was not “domed” like a lot of breads can be.  Note to self: I need to buy a 9 x 5 bread pan since the 8 x 4 is giving me trouble! 

My next plan is to try this with diced spring rhubarb.  Yum! 

Summer Strawberry Lemon Loaf Cake 

Yield: one  8–9-inch loaf 

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Cake Ingredients 
  • 150 grams strawberries (remove the stem and dice ¼ inch.  I weigh the berries without their stems. 
  • 20 grams of granulated sugar to macerate the berries
  • 170 grams of granulated sugar  
  • Grated zest of 1 large lemon 
  • 192 grams all-purpose flour 
  • 2 tsp baking powder 
  • ½ tsp sea salt 
  • 227 grams unflavored whole milk yogurt (I use Stonyfield Farms) 
  • 110 grams avocado oil or another neutral oil
  • 3 large eggs 
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or lemon flavoring 
Glaze Ingredients 
  • ½ cup powdered sugar (about 60 grams) 
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice 
  • 2 tsp of lemon zest 
Instructions 

Spray a loaf pan or use my homemade baking Pam mixture.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the oven rack in the center. 

Macerate the strawberries with 20 grams of sugar. All this means is add sugar to the diced berries and let them sit for around a half hour to release the juices.  Stir them occasionally.  I then drain juice from the berries in a strainer and toss the plain berries with a teaspoon of flour right before adding them to the batter at the end.  I taught my 5-year-old grandson the word “macerate” too! 

In a large bowl, combine the 170 grams of sugar and the lemon rind and mix them together with your fingers so the lemon oils flavor the sugar.  To the same bowl add flour, baking powder and salt. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, eggs, lemon juice and lemon flavoring or vanilla.  Pour this liquid mixture into the dry ingredients above and stir together gently. Gently fold in the strawberries 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, between 55 minutes and 65 minutes.  It will brown nicely on top.  Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then gently remove it to a cooling rack.  Let it cool completely. 

To glaze, when the cake is cool, whisk ½ cup of powdered sugar, 1-2 tsp of lemon juice together. Add more lemon juice if needed so it has the consistency of maple syrup.  Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake and then immediately sprinkle with the lemon zest.   Let it cool and harden.   

Serve slices of the cake with some sliced strawberries.

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Coconut Curry Carrot Soup

Posted on June 7, 2023 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Comforting Coconut Curry Carrot Soup

It was so chilly in April that I made soup at least three nights each week. I often revert to my favorite meat/barley or cauliflower soup but this week I tried something new.  I shared my pot of carrot soup with my son and his family, and they liked it enough to ask for the recipe.  

This  is easy, tasty, and so doable.  Best of all, because it is pureed at the end with an immersion blender, there is no need to chop anything very small.  Lazy crazy me.  By the way, immersion blenders save so much work and are not a huge investment.  I use mine at least twice a week if not more!

One caveat: if you are not a ginger lover (here’s looking at you, husband), use half or less of the fresh ginger in the recipe.  Me?  I love ginger and the kick it gives this dish.

This soup can be refrigerated for up to three days, or frozen for up to three months. You may need to thin it with water when reheating.

Coconut Curry Carrot Soup

Serves 6

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Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, roughly diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced by hand
  • 2 teaspoons peeled, finely grated, fresh ginger root
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • Pinch ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 pounds carrots – scrubbed well,peeled if not organic and  cut into 1/4-inch thick coins
  • 4 cups chicken broth (Better than Bouillon is my friend here)
  • 1 cup low-fat coconut milk
  • 2 teaspoons honey
Instructions

Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, pepper, turmeric and cayenne pepper; cook for 30 seconds, stirring, then add the carrots and the broth.

Increase the heat to high just to bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover and cook for about 12 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.

Stir in the coconut milk and the honey, then puree using an immersion (stick) blender, or in several batches in a regular blender (if using the latter, be sure to allow the soup to cool first.). Serve warm. 



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Tangy Noodle Salad – Redux

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Marilyn

Hey people. I feel compelled to repost this one (it’s been almost 10 years!). I keep a double batch of the dressing here on my pantry shelf (no refrigeration needed) and make this whenever I need a side salad or something to bring to a family or to a potluck dinner.  It’s good in the winter as well as summer.  I’ve even been known to stir fry the final dish, adding tofu or leftover chicken and veggies.

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Originally posted June 2, 2014

Click here to view recipe.

Tangy Noodles!

Tangy Noodles!

It’s almost the 4th of July and if you are invited to or in charge of  a potluck, you might be scratching your head, trying to come up with something delicious and easy to prepare. Potato salad? Baked beans? Coleslaw?   If you’re like me, you’ve been there and done that.  Time to think outside of the box.

Folks, this is it.  Another tried and true recipe from my catering days!!  If my children are reading this, they are gagging by now since they all, at one time or another, worked for me in my commercial kitchen, and had to boil noodles, grate carrots, toast sesame seeds or put together batches of tangy noodle (aka capellini) salad.  We’d don disposable gloves to toss the noodles and dressing together, then this salad was stored in huge, full-sheet deep pans.  After six hours of nonstop cooking before a huge event (think 400 guests) I’d make a little extra of this salad to take home and then grill and add sliced chicken and make it a meal in one.

Sometimes my son’s entire baseball team ate at our house so I kept this handy for those 17 year old boys.  They loved it, the adults loved it, everyone loved it! Alas… my kids begged me to stop making tangy noodles.

All eating phases generally end, and now my children happily eat this salad if I make it in their homes or when they are visiting Seattle.   It’s perfectly balanced and satisfying and an inevitable crowd pleaser. Plus it’s a little different and visually attractive enough for any 4th of July buffet!

Go forth (or 4th!) and try this.  You can also omit the grated carrots and instead dice up yellow, red and/or orange bell peppers to give it a celebratory appearance. I’ve also added chopped cilantro or black sesame seeds to the top in lieu of green onions. Leftovers really keep well too – at least for a few days.  I’ve even stir fried the noodles as is with some type of protein just to be fancy.

The recipe you will read below has morphed over the years…the original called for black Chinese sesame oil and Chinese balsamic vinegar and fresh noodles, too.  I’ve tested and retested to develop a recipe that is easy – featuring ingredients that can be found at most supermarkets or in your pantry.

Tangy Noodle Salad

Feeds at least 10-15 eaters on a buffet

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Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. dried Angel hair (capellini) pasta
  • 3 Tbsp dark toasted sesame oil (I have Trader Joes brand)
  • 1 Tbsp canola oil
  • ¼  cups tamari sauce (I’ve used soy sauce in a pinch, but prefer tamari)
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon chili oil* – it must be spicy (add more the next day if needed but be careful!)
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds  (sometimes I use black sesame seeds to switch it up)
  • 1-2 large grated carrot
  • 2 scallions (light green and white parts) sliced into thin rings-for garnish
  • 1/3 cups salted cashews – for garnish
Instructions

Fill a large stock pot with water and add two teaspoons of table salt and bring to a boil.  Meanwhile, combine the rest of the dressing ingredients (the oils, Tamari, vinegar and honey) and whisk together in a small bowl.

Put the angel hair  noodles into the pot and keep boiling them until they are al dente (a little less than package directions – mine took three minutes).   Drain really well, shaking off all the water.  Keep them in the colander, and let them cool a bit, but keep stirring the noodles in the colander so they don’t stick together.

Add half of the dressing to the slightly warm noodles and toss well to combine. I do use disposable gloves to do this.  I add the remainder of the dressing about a half hour later when the noodles are more room temperature.

Stir in the sesame seeds (reserve two tablespoons for garnish) and the grated carrot (reserving a tablespoon for garnish).  Refrigerate overnight or for at least an hour at room temperature.  Right before serving, toss and taste, adding more balsamic vinegar or tamari as needed for your taste buds.   For me  it is seasoned most often well and I do not need to add another thing, but see what you think.

I like to serve this at room temperature – the flavors seem more robust to me this way.  Garnish the finished dish with the reserved sesame seeds, carrots, scallions and cashews. Enjoy!

*I’ve been in places without chili oil, and I simply add cayenne to the dressing until it is fairl

 

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Pistachio Bundt Cake

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Perfect Pistachio Bundt Cake

This year was Jakey Boy’s 37th birthday, and his 4th baby was to be born close to that date.  The family decided to bring his birthday to HIM, so I made a cake!  Jake is not a dessert lover at all.  He doesn’t like really sweet things, and each year I try to find something to bake for him that is different, a little tart and fun.

This recipe had been in several newspapers recently and it intrigued me.  It looks like a lot of work, but actually it wasn’t too bad.  There are three components: the cake, the glaze and a ricotta mix to serve on the side.  Honestly a dollop of fresh whipping cream in lieu of the ricotta cream would have been fine but the glaze kind of dresses it up. And for me, I’ll make the ricotta topping just because I liked the texture.

I was worried about the cake.  My 11-year-old grandson was with me and he separated the nine eggs; I cannot say for sure that they did not have any yolk in them.  I demonstrated and he did the work, but when I whipped them they were a little…less than marshmallow-like and they did not really hold their peaks.

I needn’t have worried. The end result was sensational!  The cake was lovely and green and moist.  Jake and the rest of the family were all impressed.  All is well that ends well!

(PS – don’t tell Jake there was instant pudding in there or he would not be as enamored with the cake.)

(PPS – I use weight measurements for baking and recommend this always if they are available!)

Pistachio Bundt Cake

Yield: at least 12 pretty big servings.  We fed over 20 and no one left hungry. 

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Cake Ingredients
  • Nonstick cooking spray or neutral oil (my paste or Bakers Joy)
  • 2¾ cups/351 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1(3.4-ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon/195 milliliters whole milk
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons/205 grams full-fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (I don’t have vanilla bean paste)
  • 9 large egg whites
  • A little less than 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons/528 grams granulated sugar
  • 1 ¼ cups/300 milliliters avocado oil(or grapeseed or canola)
  • ⅔ cup/85 grams shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped: mine were salted but raw pistachios  would work too.
Whipped Ricotta Ingredients (see NOTE)
  • 1⅓ cup/328 grams whole-milk ricotta
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • Confectioners’ sugar to taste (personally I prefer less sweetness and didn’t add any so my ricotta whip  was thick)
  • Pinch of sea salt

NOTE: I would  add very little confectioners’ sugar.  For me, I like it thicker and not too sweet. Cooks choice.

Glaze Ingredients
  • 2¼ cups/230 grams sifted confectioners’ sugar, plus more as needed
  • SEE NOTE: ¼ cup/60 milliliters fresh lime juice (from about 2 medium limes), plus more as needed
  • ½ cup/64 grams unsalted roasted shelled pistachios, sliced or coarsely chopped
  • Flaky sea salt, for garnish
  • 2 tsp grated lime zest for garnish

NOTE: I just sifted what appeared to be 1 ½  cups of powdered sugar to my eye, then added enough lime juice until it was able to be put into a plastic bag to pipe on the cake. I needed less than 1 lime

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees with the shelf in the middle of the oven,  and coat the inside of a 12-cup (or larger) Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray or my baking mix for coating pans. The cake will come to the very top of the pan while baking then shrink back a little.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pistachio pudding mix and baking powder (I sifted all 3 together too). In a second medium bowl whisk together the milk, yogurt and vanilla until smooth.

Combine the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or in a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on medium speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugar, increase the mixer speed to high, and beat until the egg whites are marshmallowy with firm peaks that form when the beater is lifted, 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, add the flour mixture and canola oil, and gently mix them into the egg whites using a rubber spatula until smooth and no pockets of unincorporated flour remain. Gently mix in the milk mixture until completely smooth, and then stir in the chopped pistachios until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan, smooth into an even layer and tap the pan on the counter several times to remove any large air pockets. Bake until the top of the cake is lightly browned and a skewer or cake tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 60 to 75 minutes: NOTE: mine took less than 60 min, about 55 min.  Let cool for 10 minutes, then flip the cake out onto a wire rack and let cool completely before glazing. I DID THIS THE DAY BEFORE and wrapped the cake well so it wouldn’t dry out.

While the cake is cooling, make the whipped ricotta: transfer the ricotta to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and add the olive oil, vanilla, and salt. Add a little powdered sugar if you wish.  (SEE MY NOTES ON INGREDIENTS) Process until the mixture is completely smooth, stopping and scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed, 40 to 60 seconds total. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes about 1⅔ cups. Note: my plain ricotta was very smooth and I could have done this with a food processory, using just a whisk. Also – the whipped ricotta can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the fridge tightly covered with plastic wrap.

Once the cake is completely cooled, and the day you plan to serve it, make the glaze: In a large mixing bowl whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and lime juice until the sugar is completely dissolved. I used a lot less sugar and less lime juice too, so go slowly. The glaze should be very thick yet pourable. If the glaze is too thin, whisk in additional powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time. If it’s too thick, whisk in additional lime juice one teaspoon at a time. Transfer the glaze into a piping big or a large zip-top bag with the corner cut off and drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Immediately garnish the top with the sliced pistachios and sprinkle with just a touch of flaky sea salt and/or  grated lime zest. Let stand until the glaze has set, about 20 minutes, and serve with the whipped ricotta.

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Egg Bites

Posted on April 26, 2023 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Perfect Egg Bites

We always seem to hit the ground running these mornings!  I am not a morning eater but when I start to get hungry a bit later on, I don’t have the patience nor the time to figure out a healthful breakfast.  Toast just doesn’t cut it.  Fruit is great but not quite enough.  And then I discovered how easy and satisfying  it is to quickly make these Egg Bites.  Now I grab a couple with a napkin and a wet wipe in case they make my hands greasy.  

This is my new favorite breakfast and I have now tried them with varied vegetables and fillings.  Mediterranean style (feta cheese, sliced kalamatas and dried tomatoes) and  Spanish style (black beans, cheese and pickled jalapenos) are my faves to date.  Make it yours!

Egg Bites

Makes 12 cupcake sized servings

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Ingredients 
  • ½ cup grated sharp cheese (I use extra sharp white cheddar but feta is good too)
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • 8 ounces broccoli flowerettes, chopped fine 
  • 12 small cherry tomatoes
  • Handful of chopped herbs-dill or basil or whatever you have
  • 8 large eggs
  • ¼ cup milk
Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease or spray a nonstick cupcake tin with Pam or oil.

Toss onion and broccoli with oil, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and pepper and herbs and saute in a fry pan until the broccoli is softened a bit. about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes

Divide sauteed vegetables between the 12 cupcake holders, stick in two halves of cherry tomato and top with the grated cheese.

Whisk eggs and milk in a large bowl until well combined and a uniform yellow color; do not overbeat. evenly distribute egg mixture over filling over the  muffin cups.

Bake until the egg bites are slightly puffed and just set in center, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the little cups  to loosen, then gently remove from the muffin tin. Eat or cool and store for up to four days in the fridge.

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Simple Cornbread

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Marilyn

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Simple Cornbread

Because I recently made my amazing Turkey Chili, of course I had to make some homemade cornbread. This particular recipe is adapted from Mollie Katzen’s “Still Life With Menu” and it’s perfect. Simple, easy, delicious.

Simple Cornbread

Makes 6 to 8 servings

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Ingredients
  • A little butter to coat the baking pan
  • 1 cup cornmeal-medium grind
  • 1 cup unbleached white flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup buttermilk or plain kefir (I always have kefir in my fridge)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine all dry ingredients. It’s not necessary to sift, but make sure that the sugar and the baking soda are well distributed.

Beat together buttermilk or kefir, egg, and melted butter. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients, and mix thoroughly with a few quick strokes.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a knife probing the center comes out clean.

PS: If you have any fresh corn, it is always nice to stir about ¾ cup into the raw batter.  Honey and butter are great accompaniments, but I prefer pure maple syrup all the way!



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Amazing Turkey Chili

Posted on March 29, 2023 by Marilyn

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Comforting Turkey Chili

I am a chili lover, especially when the weather is cold and dreary.  To me chili is comforting, and I  love its warming spices and heartiness. I often make a boatload to share with family and friends (plus it freezes well).  Even with this single recipe, we have enough for a few dinners or lunches plus I serve the extra chili on top of giant, split opened baked potatoes or on top of leftover brown rice. 

My Chili Meander is fantastic for a beef-based chili, but for some reason I have been in the mood for turkey.  This recipe was mentioned in the New York Times food section and I recalled filing it in my “save for later” folder.  I did embellish and change quite a few things, and this is what I ended up making. 

Chili is pretty forgiving so you can make it your own.  It takes very little time to cook and I guarantee it will hit the spot for you and your loved ones.  As they say in Guatemala, Buen Provecho!

Amazing Turkey Chili

Yield: About 6 large servings

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Ingredients

(I usually make one and a half times this recipe, a HUGE pot full so I have some to gift. Just sayin’…) 

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 pounds ground turkey, combo white and dark meat if you can find it although just ground breast works too
  • 1 large coarsely chopped brown skinned onion (½-inch pieces)
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh garlic
  • 1 large sweet red or yellow pepper, cored, deveined and coarsely chopped the same size as the onion
  • 1 cup chopped celery (I also chop some of the celery leaves)
  • 1 cup cubed peeled butternut squash, ½ inch
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
  • 2 carrots peeled and thinly sliced 1/2 inch
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, cored, deveined and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp dried cocoa powder
  • 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 3 Tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 3 cups canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth (I use Chicken Better Than Bouillon to make the broth unless I have some homemade chicken stock)
  • Salt and fresh black pepper
  • 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
  • To garnish (pass separately) – shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plain Greek yogurt, pickled jalapeños and sliced avocado
Instructions

Heat the oil over high in a large heavy soup pot and add onions, garlic, sweet pepper, celery, cinnamon, cocoa, brown sugar, squash, corn, carrots, jalapeño, oregano, bay leaves, chili powder and cumin. Stir to blend well and  cook for 5 minutes.  Add the turkey meat. Cook until lightly browned, about 5-10 minutes, chopping down and stirring with the side of a heavy kitchen spoon to break up any lumps.

Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves.

Add the drained beans and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes longer. Serve in bowls with Cheddar, and sour cream or Greek Yogurt on the side, if desired. Accompany with corn bread and honey.The chili is pretty thick so add more broth if you want it more “soupy”. 

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Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate and Coconut

Posted on March 15, 2023 by Marilyn

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Banana Loaf with Chocolate and Coconut

I am well aware that I have posted other banana bread quickbread recipes (like this one and this one), but I had to try one more.  I love breakfast/dessert/anytime sweet bread that I can whip up quickly then slice and have for a few days.  This combo caught my eye, and I adjusted my recipe to use dark chopped chocolate and decreased the sugar to make it not so sweet. 

We have had this for breakfast, for dessert  and as an afternoon snack.  A slice is plenty because it isn’t cloyingly sweet or rich.  For me, it checks many boxes.  If you are coconut averse, substitute an equal amount of chopped toasted pecans or walnuts.

Ready to eat!

Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate and Coconut

Makes One Loaf (can be easily doubled for 2 loaves of bread)

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Ingredients
  • ½ cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • ½ stick soft butter
  • 1 egg
  • ¾  cup mashed ripe bananas (one very large banana or enough to equal close to ¾ cup
  • ¼ cup buttermilk or kefir, room temperature
  • ½  tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼  cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ¼  tsp. Sea salt
  • ⅛ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ cup chopped bittersweet chocolate (I started with Guittard dark chips but cut them smaller)
  • ⅓ cup shredded unsweetened coconut 
Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350, put the rack in the middle and grease the bottom only of a 9 x 5 loaf pan.  

Cream sugar with butter for three minutes or until well combined.  Add in egg. Add banana, Kefir or buttermilk and vanilla.Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and soda until just combined. Add flaked coconut and chocolate chips.

Pour into the prepared loaf pan (I use my Pam substitute) and even out the top.  Bake mid oven for 45 minutes until top and edges are browned and the center is cooked when tested with a toothpick

Cool for five minutes in the bread pan.  Jiggle to loosen the sides and remove the bread from the pan, cool it on a wire rack.  Leftover bread can be tightly sealed and kept at room temperature for a couple of days. I even froze a half loaf for a month because I got into a baking frenzy for a while this spring.

 

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Flour Tortillas or Flatbreads

Posted on March 1, 2023 by Marilyn

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Flour Tortilla!

I make soft flour tortillas or flatbread when I have limited time and want some type of homemade wrap or base for small pizza or melted cheese.  This recipe requires no yeast and just five ingredients – most of which you will likely have on hand if you are a cook.  It takes literally five minutes to mix together, a half hour to let the dough rest and another 20-25 minutes to cook the tortillas.  No machinery is involved and nothing goes in the oven. Easy Peasy!  However, you do need a cast iron skillet…

Grandson Cooking Away

One weekend, I made these with my now 11-year old grandson.  It was a terrific math and science lesson.  He learned to “tare” and use a kitchen scale, he figured out the size of each tortilla using long division, and he learned why it is important to rest the dough for 30 minutes before rolling it out.  Also – how many tablespoons equal a cup and how many ounces in a cup.  Making these takes little time and a lot of focus so it is a perfect cooking project if you have little people in your life.

Math Skills

Flour Flatbread / Tortillas

Makes 7 or 8 nice sized tortillas

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Ingredients
  • 10 ½ ounces flour  (300 grams) of flour (use your scale) 
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 Tbsp oil-I use avocado oil
  • 3/4 c room temperature water
Instructions

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix together oil and water. Right after mixing oil and water together – pour into dry ingredients and incorporate.  Sometimes you have to add a few more drops of water or a bit more flour to have the consistency soft and pliable – it should not be dried out, it is more on the sticky side.  

Knead the dough for 15 seconds. Form into eight equal sized balls – I do weigh the mass of dough then keep each dough ball equal size.  Let the smooth balls of dough sit on the counter for 30 minutes, covered with a dish towel 

Very lightly flour  the counter or pastry mat and pat each dough ball into a 4-inch circle. Let the discs of dough rest again, and one by one roll them out to seven inches in diameter.  My silicone mat works well for this.  Meanwhile, preheat a 12” cast iron fry pan on medium low.  To tell if it is ready, spritz a few drops of water into the pan and the water should sizzle. 

Love a silicone mat!

I prick the dough with a fork about seven times around the border and inside.  Carefully place the rolled out dough inside the seasoned skillet for one minute, turn with tongs and prick the second side.  I place the cooked tortillas on a plate, and top each with a small square of foil or parchment so I can stack the tortillas.  I then cover the plate with a couple of dish towels and a towel to keep them warmish for a while. And I have a paper towel with some oil ready to smear on the pan if it starts to look dry where the tortillas are cooking.

Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated briefly for up to three days.  I use mine for wrapping dressed salads, or I stuff them with egg or tuna salad or use them flat to melt cheese then top with tomato.  They are great with refried beans and cheese as well.  Some use these for nutella and sliced bananas, much like a crepe.  



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Morning Bundt Cake With Poppy Seeds

Posted on February 15, 2023 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Piece of Cake!

 

My friend Ginny lives in Montana and we tend to like many of the same foods – Cuban food, roasted veggies with Tahini, roasted garlic, etc. When she mentioned she had a recipe for a great poppyseed cake my ears perked up.

She sent the recipe to me, which was from the Saint Paul Pioneer Press in 1994. Being a Midwest girl, it is no secret that the center of the country has some mighty fine cooks. I asked her what she changed… because instinctively I thought about adding some lemon zest and lemon juice and eliminating the almond extract, replacing it with lemon extract. BUT Ginny said no, make this the way it is written.

I gulped and followed her directions to a “T”. And you know what? It is a perfect coffee cake to have as dessert or with coffee or tea. It turned out beautifully, partly due to the fancy bundt pan my brother Kal gifted me several years ago. Presentation is key. I also like that this uses oil (mine was avocado oil) rather than butter so it is not too rich.

Isn’t she a beauty?

I was underwhelmed reading the ingredients and directions, but I stand corrected. MAKE THIS. You don’t need to dirty your electric mixer, and it is satisfying to create something beautiful with your own two hands.

Poppyseed Cake
Makes 16 thin slices

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Cake Ingredients
  • 2 ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup neutral oil (I had avocado oil on hand)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp poppy seeds (OK, I heaped the tablespoons a little)
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 ½ cups milk
Glaze Ingredients
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice
  • ¼ tsp almond extract
Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack mid oven. Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan. NOTE: I only had this fancy 10 cup bundt pan and I used my handy dandy homemade “Pam”. I brushed this on liberally with a pastry brush, getting into the nooks and crannies. It paid off, the cake looked amazing. Cakes with lots of sugar like this stick to the pan so be careful to prep yours!

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt. In a larger bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts.

Pour ⅓ of the flour mix alternating with ⅓ of the milk into the large bowl containing the sugar/oil mix. Mix well with a spatula so everything is combined.

Pour into the prepared cake pan evenly-the batter is fairly liquidy. Bake for 45-50 minutes (Mine took 55 minutes but my 10 cup cake pan was really full) until a cake tester indicates the batter is thoroughly done. Let the pan rest on a rack for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the glaze ingredients together. When the 10 minutes are up, carefully invert the cake onto the rack, place some parchment or foil under the rack and brush every nook and cranny (use a pastry brush) with the glaze while the cake is still warm. Allow the cake to cool before slicing.

I cut half the cake when it cooked and carefully wrapped and froze it.  2 weeks later, it is still superb.

PS: I have made this more times than I care to tell you , and the last time I caved and put in the grated zest of 1 lemon.  I loved this addition and will do it going forward.`I also put a little lemon juice with the orange juice to have a total of 1/4 cup since my orange was small.

 

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