Citrus Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

  

 

Ingredients:

All Butter Pie Dough

 

 ⅔ cup ice cold water

2 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour

1 tbsp granulated sugar 

½ tsp salt

1 cup very cold butter diced

1 egg

1 splash milk

turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Citrus Strawberry Rhubarb Filling

 

¾ lb fresh rhubarb cut into ½-inch pieces

2 cups ripe strawberries sliced

⅔ to ¾ cup granulated sugar depending on sweetness of berries

zest and juice of ½ and orange

⅛ to ¼ tsp cardamom  pdr

1 pinch salt

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

 

Preparations

All Butter Pie Dough In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and sugar.  Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or by hand, rubbing the pieces of butter between your thumb, index, and middle fingers.  Once the pieces are no longer lager than about a peanut, begin to flatten the pieces of butter in sheets between your palms.  Be careful not to over-work the butter or let it get too warm.
 Working with only a couple tablespoons at a time, add in about 6 to 8 tablespoons of the water.  Stir together using a wooden spoon or even just a clean hand in the bowl.  The dough should appear fairly shaggy and not sticky.  Once you can squeeze a few pieces together and they hold, the dough is done being mixed and hydrated.  Do not over-mix or add too much water*.
 Divide the dough into half and shape each piece into a disk.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours, or overnight (preferably).
 When ready, bring one disc out of the refrigerator and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.  Lightly flour the work surface and begin to roll out the dough, working from the center out – rotating the dough after each roll.  Roll the dough until about ¼ inch thick and about 12 to 13 inches in diameter. 
 Gently roll the dough around the rolling pin and transfer to a 8 or 9 inch pie tin.  Fit the dough into the bottom of the tin and up the sides, allowing for about an inch of overhang.  Trim with kitchen sheers and place back in the refrigerator.
 For the lattice top, repeat step 5.  Using a ruler and a paring knife, cut about 24 strips, about ½-inch wide.  Braid two sets of three (strips) to create the briads, if desired. Place all the cut dough on a baking sheet or cutting board and place in the refrigerator.
 Create the filling (see recipe to follow). Remove the pie tin from the fridge and tip in the filling. Leave a gap of about ½-inch from the top to keep the filling from spilling over too much (like mine did) while baking.
 Remove the cut strips from the refrigerator and begin creating a the lattice pattern, carefully weaving over and under each strip of the opposite direction. For this design, I weaved pairs of strips, slipping in the braids for two regular strips.  Allow for some excess dough on the end of each strip, then trim. Fold the edges of the bottom crust up and over the lattice. Press to seal. Use your fingers to crimp the edges . Roll out any other the dough scraps and cut into strips. Coil the strip around itself and pinch one end to create the roses. Cut out leaves with a paring knife and arrange on top of the lattice. Return the pie back to refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 425F. Just before heading into the over, create an egg wash by whisking together a whole egg and a splash of milk.  Brush the egg wash over the entire top of the crust and sprinkle with turbinado sugar Place pie on a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes. Turn down the heat to 375F and continue to bake for an additional 35 to 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown, the juices are bubbling, and the apples are cooked through.  If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover with foil. Allow the baked pie to completely cool before slicing and serving.

Citrus Strawberry Rhubarb Filling In a large bowl, toss all of the ingredients together. Adjust the sweetest as needed, but avoid eating any of the raw rhubarb.

 

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Malva pudding with cranberries & ginger

  

 

Ingredients

PUDDING:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp smooth apricot jam
• Zest of an orange/clementine
• 1 cup / 140gms cake flour
• 1 tsp baking soda/bicarb
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped preserved ginger
• 50 grams cranberries soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes then drained & cooled
• Ultra Mel Vanilla custard to serve

SAUCE:

• ½ / cup cream
• 75 gm butter
• 1/2  cup sugar
• 1/4 cup clementine/ orange juice

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180 C (350F)
• Using an electric mixer beat the egg, sugar and jam on medium-high for about 5 minutes
• In a separate bowl sift the flour, bicarb and salt.
• Melt the butter in the microwave and then add the vinegar.
• Whilst the mixer is still going on slow alternate between adding the sifted flour and the milk in parts until it’s well combined.
• Add the butter and vinegar mixture and the chopped ginger and briefly mix.
• Empty the batter into a greased baking dish approx 20cm in diameter (glass pyrex or ceramic works well) or a small well-greased bundt cake tin or 8 – 10 well-greased mini bundt moulds.
• Scatter the drained cranberries evenly over the surface of the batter. It is quite runny so it is better to add it in at this stage so as to avoid it sinking to the bottom of the dish. Gently swirl the fruit into the mix or push it in slightly with a skewer.
• Cover with foil and bake for 45 mins. If you are making it into a bundt cake you will need to increase the cooking time to about 50 – 55 minutes. For mini bundt, the cooking time can be reduced to 35 – 40 minutes.
• The pudding is ready when it has an even golden brown colour over the top, so bake a bit longer if it is still pale in the middle
• While the malva pudding is baking, melt all the sauce ingredients in a small pot on the stove and pour this over the pudding as soon as it comes out of the oven. If you are making a bundt shape, pour about a ¼ of the sauce over, wait a few minutes and then tip it out while it is still warm (run a knife around the middle of the tin to loosen it).

Notes

• If you are not using one large flat dish for this malva pudding its quite difficult to pour all the sauce over in one go so I keep some aside to pour over later. Just keep drizzling it over until you can’t any more. Its important that it is kept warm though.                

   

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Mango Panna Cotta

  

 Ingredients:

1 packet gelatin

3 tbsp cold water

1 ½ cups coconut milk full fat

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

2 to 3 large, ripe mangoes

2 tbsp granulated sugar

½ lemon, juiced

 

Preparations Sprinkle the gelatin over a bowl of cold water and set aside 5 minutes. Pour the coconut milk and cream into a saucepan. Stir in the sugar and set over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a slow simmer - it should begin to steam and barely bubble around the edges. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Add the bloomed gelatin to the warm milk mixture and whisk to dissolve. Pour the milk mixture into a spouted measuring cup or container. Pour into 4 small dishes or glass jars. Carefully move the dishes into the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours. Meanwhile, make the mango coulis. Place a heaping 1 ½ cups diced mango (from about 2 mangoes) into a saucepan along with 2 tablespoons sugar and the juice of ½ a lemon. Place over low heat. Stir gently until the juices begin to warm and the fruit becomes very soft, about 5 minutes. Add a tablespoon or two of water if the juices dry up before the mango is soft. Blend the mango with an immersion blender or small food processor until smooth. Once the tops of the panna cotta has set and solidified, spoon the mango coulis on top. Give the dishes a little wiggle to help the mango settle smooth. Cut up the remaining fresh mango and top before serving.

 

 

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Strawberry Chess Squares

  

 Ingredients:

• 15.25 ounce strawberry boxed cake mix
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted (8 tablespoons)
• 4 large eggs , room temperature (divided)
• 8 ounces brick-style cream cheese , softened to room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar (16 ounces)
• 1-1/2 cups diced strawberries , divided (about 7.5 ounces)

 

Preparations  Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the center. Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking pan and set it aside (see note below). In a large mixing bowl, combine the strawberry cake mix, melted butter, and 2 eggs. Mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth—the mixture will be thick. Don’t over-beat. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Lightly moisten your hands or spray them with cooking spray to press the dough without sticking. Sprinkle the diced strawberries over the top. In a separate bowl, add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, and remaining 2 eggs. Beat with a hand mixer on low speed, gradually increasing to medium speed, until smooth and fully combined. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the base layer and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and the topping is set. Don't over-bake—the center of the cream cheese layer should jiggle slightly. Let cool completely in the pan. Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

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Notes

Strawberries: If your diced strawberries are juicy, pat them dry with paper towels before sprinkling them over the dough. Adding too much juice to the recipe will affect the texture.
Baking Pan Tip: If you’re using a dark or nonstick metal pan, I recommend reducing the oven temperature to 325°F. These pans conduct heat more efficiently and can cause the base to rise too much at 350°F. I noticed this with my Goldtouch pan—lowering the temperature helped the layers bake more evenly. You may need to extend the baking time slightly, but start checking around the 40-minute mark.  Recipe Variation: The egg ratio can be adjusted for different textures. Many traditional Chess Square or Ooey Gooey Bar recipes use 1 egg in the base (for a firmer, chewier texture) and 2 to 3 eggs in the cream cheese layer (more eggs = richer, custardier topping). I’ve tested all the combinations, and while my family couldn’t pick a favorite, I prefer the version above (2 eggs in each layer). 

 

 

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Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

Cauliflower

• 2 1/2-3 lb head of cauliflower
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• salt to taste

Cheese sauce

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour 
• 1 1/4 cup whole milk or 2% milk
• 4 oz sharp white cheddar cheese block
• 8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese block
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• salt to taste

Topping

1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

 Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease an 8×8 baking dish. (You can also use a different sized baking dish that's about 2 quarts in size.) Wash the head of cauliflower and cut off the florets. Chop florets into bite-size pieces and try to make them close to the same size. Sauté cauliflower pieces with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder over medium heat. Cook until it’s partially softened but still have a little crunch in the middle. (This could take 10-15 minutes, depending on how large you cut the pieces.) Take cauliflower out of the pan and set it aside. Melt butter in the same pan and whisk in flour. Keep whisking and slowly start pouring in milk. Keep gently whisking until all incorporated. When the milk mixture is warmed, start adding cheese one handful at a time. Continue to whisk and add the cheese in handfuls until all is smooth and melted. Season with salt, garlic powder, and pepper.  When the cheese sauce is smooth, mix it with cauliflower and transfer into a greased baking dish. Spread cauliflower evenly in the baking dish and top it off with shredded Mozzarella cheese. Bake it for about 15 minutes. You can turn on the broiler until the top is golden but keep an eye on it.  

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Herbed Potato Salad without Mayonnaise

  

 Ingredients:

3 pounds Small Red Potatoes – scrubbed, washed and quartered

2 tbsp Granulated Sugar – PLUS a pinch for dressing

4 tbsp White Wine Vinegar – DIVIDED

as needed Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper

½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2-3 cloves Garlic – minced

2 tsp Dijon Mustard

¼ – ½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – to taste

½ Cup Fresh Parsley – gently packed & chopped

¼ Cup Fresh Dill – gently packed & chopped

3 tbsp Fresh Cilantro – gently packed & chopped

4 whole Scallions (green part only) – thinly sliced (about ½ cup)

3 whole Ribs Celery – finely diced (about 1 cup)

1 small Red Onion – finely diced (about ¾ cup)

 

Preparations

Boil the Potatoes: Add 2 ½ quarts of COLD water to a large saucepan or pot. Then, add the cut potatoes and bring the water to a gentle boil over high heat (SEE NOTES).

Once boiling, add 2 tablespoons of salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the water. Immediately reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Let the potatoes simmer, stirring occasionally, until they're fork tender, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, drain the potatoes in a colander, and then transfer the warm potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Meanwhile, Make the Mayo-Free Vinaigrette Dressing: To a small bowl, add the oil, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons of vinegar, Dijon, and crushed red pepper flakes, along with a generous pinch of sugar. Season with 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.  Then, grab a whisk and vigorously stir until all the ingredients are emulsified and fully combined. Add in the fresh parsley, dill, and cilantro. Whisk again until fully combined. Taste the herb vinaigrette dressing and adjust to suit your personal taste before setting it aside.

Toss the Potato Salad with Dressing and Herbs: Drizzle half of the dressing over the warm potatoes and gently toss to combine (SEE NOTES).

Add in the scallions, celery, and red onion. Then gently toss the potato salad again. Next, taste the potato salad and adjust as you see fit, adding more dressing if the potatoes seem dry, salt and pepper for overall flavor, and herbs for freshness. Then, gently toss the potatoes again.  Serve The No Mayo Potato Salad: Serve the herb potato salad warm, at room temperature or chilled, depending upon your personal preferences. Serving Warm: For the best flavor, let the no-mayo potato salad sit out on the counter for 10 minutes before serving – this gives the flavor a chance to marry and meld. Serving at Room Temperature: Follow instruction above; however, let the herb potato salad sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. (Do not leave the potatoes salad at room temp. for more than 2 hours.) Serving Chilled: Store the potato salad in the refrigerator. Remove the salad from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes (Note: You want the potatoes to be chilled, not freezing cold). Gently toss the herb potato salad before serving. 

Notes

Potatoes: Waxy potato varieties, such as Yukon, baby, and fingerling potatoes work great. Just be sure to check on the potatoes while they’re boiling as the cooking times may vary. 

Boiling potatoes: Make sure you simmer the potatoes – don’t continuously and harshly boil the potatoes or they will be more susceptible to falling apart and becoming mushy.

Dressing potatoes: Be sure the potatoes are still warm when you toss them with the dressing. Warm potatoes will soak up the dressing much better than cool potatoes.

Storage: Potato salad can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

 

 

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Red Lentil Soup

 Ingredients

2 ½ cups butternut squash, peeled and diced

½ cup red lentils, rinsed well

¼ cup almond or cashew milk, or use cream if not making it vegan

salt and black pepper, to taste

 

Preparations

• In a large saucepan, put 2 ½ cups butternut squash and ½ cup red lentils to boil in 2-3 cups salted cold water.
• When the squash is very tender and the lentils are mostly exploded, turn off the heat.
• Blend the whole thing until very creamy. I use an immersion blender and do it directly in the pot on the counter (not over the stove).
• Add salt and black pepper to taste if you want.
• Add ¼ cup almond or cashew milk and mix it in before serving, or drizzle it over.
• Refrigerate leftovers.

Notes

Liquid: depending on how you like your soup (thicker or thinner) is the amount of water you'll need. I recommend you start with 2 cups and then add more at the end if you see it is consuming too fast before the squash is done.  Milk: you can use any nut milk, but I find almond is the best and second comes cashew. Alternatively, use cream (whipping or double, directly from the fridge) if not making it vegan. 

 

 

 

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

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https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs