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. 

 

 

 

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Minestrone Soup

  

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1 medium (or 2 small) potatoes, diced into ½ inch cubes (about 1 cup diced potatoes)
• 1 (28 ounce) can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 cups spinach
• 4 ounces elbow noodles, small shells or fusilli, gluten free if desired
• For serving:
• Freshly grated Parmesan
• Garlic bread or crostinis

 

Preparations

• Add olive oil to a large pot or dutch oven and place over medium high heat. Add in diced onion, celery, sliced carrots and potatoes. Saute for 3-5 minutes or until onions soften. 
• Next add in crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium low for 10-15 minutes. 
• Next stir in the green beans, spinach and pasta. Cook uncovered for 8-12 more minutes or until pasta is al dente and green beans are tender. Pour into a bowl and serve with Parmesan cheese on top. I also like to serve mine with garlic bread, crostinis or crackers. Personally I think soup makes amazing leftovers and is even more delicious the next day. To make vegan: simply leave the cheese off the top or use your favorite vegan Parmesan.  

  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