Roasted Squash, Teff Grain & Kale Salad

Ingredients

US|METRIC

2 SERVINGS

1 butternut squash (peeled and cut into 1" cubes)

2 shallots (peeled and cut into thick wedges)

4 Tbsp. olive oil (divided)

salt

pepper

1 cup water

1/2 cup teff 

1/2 cup herbs (fresh soft, – parsley, dill, cilantro, mint, basil, whatever you have, finely chopped)

1 clove garlic (finely chopped)

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1 lemon

1/2 tsp. honey

1/2 bunch kale (destemmed and finely chopped)

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional, omit for vegan recipe)

3 Tbsp. seeds (mixed, – pepitas, sunflower seeds)

2 Tbsp. currants

2 Tbsp. Tahini

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Toss butternut squash and shallots in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and spread evenly on a baking tray. Place in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until golden and tender.
3. While the squash is cooking, prepare the teff grain by bringing 1 cup of salted water to a boil in a small pot. Add the teff grain, stir and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes and then remove from heat and place a clean dishcloth, or paper towel, between the pot and the lid to absorb the moisture. Set aside.
4. Make the salad dressing by combining chopped herbs, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, and remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and paper to taste. Mix well to combine and set aside.
5. Place kale in a large bowl and massage with a few teaspoons of the dressing.
6. Fluff up the cooled teff grain with a fork and toss it in a large salad bowl with the kale and cooked squash and shallots.
7. Drizzle with remaining dressing and top with crumbled feta, seeds, currants and tahini.                                                            this isn't me recipe, saw it healthy wanted to share                                                     
   

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Traditional Christmas Cake

Ingredients

flour  250 gm
butter  250 gm
eggs  6
sugar  250 gm
black currants, raisins, almonds chopped, cherries, prunes, orange and lemon peels   300 gm soaked in 1 bottle of rum for 10-15 days before the cake is made
cake spices  1 tsp
caramelised sugar  1 1/2 tbsp
essence few drops
baking pdr.  2 tsp

Method

sieve flour, baking pdr.
cream butter and sugar
beat the eggs till fluffy
gradually add the egg mixture to the butter mixture, creaming continuously
add flour in small quantities  till it is entirely used up
add fruits and spices and caramel to the mixture
pour the batter into a greased and lined cake tin and bake at 300 deg. F for 2 hours approximately

for decoration
apricot jam  5 tbsp warm and sieves

moulding icing
icing sugar  450 gm
egg white 1 lightly beaten
liquid glucose   1 tsp
mix all ingredients and knead until soft and pliable dough

Royal Icing
egg whites  2 well beaten
icing sugar  450 gm sifted and added gardaully
lemon juice  1 tbsp

brush the top and sides of the cake with jam
roll out the moulding icing in cornflour
support icing on a rolling pin and place carefully over the cake
press the icing on the sides to cover evenly
remove excess icing
fill a piping bag with a star nozzle with royal icing
pipe stars all over the edges and in the centre of the cake.

those interested in cancer & health related topics are free to see my blog-

http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/


for crochet designs, my blog, those who like a particular design are free to mail me

http://My Crochet  Creations.blogspot.com

For info. about knee replacement, be free to view my blog-

http://knee replacement-stickclub.blogspot.com 

Fruit and nut cake for Christmas

Ingredients  

All-purpose flour/maida – 2 cups

Baking powder – 1 tsp.

Salt – ¼ tsp.

Unsalted butter – 1 cup /227 grams

Light brown sugar / white sugar – ½ cup

Dark brown sugar – ½ cup

Eggs – 3

Brandy or rum – 3 tbsp. plus extra for brushing the cake

Juice and zest of orange – 50 grams each

Lemon zest – 50 grams

Ground almonds – ¾ cup

Chopped nuts – 1 cup

raisins, sultanas, currants – 340 grams

Method 

Preheat the oven at 160 degrees C

Add the lemon and orange rind to rum/brandy and soak the dried fruits for at least 2 days.

Beat the sugars (light brown and brown) with a beater until they are light and fluffy. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the orange juice, fold in the ground almonds, chopped nuts & the soaked  fruits.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt & baking pdr & fold this into the cake batter.

Grease a pan with butter, and line the bottom and sides with butter paper.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

Reduce the oven temperature to 150 degrees C and continue to bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Insert a metal skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out moist, continue baking for a few more minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and wait for it to cool.

With a skewer, poke holes on the top surface of the cake and brush it with a little brandy.

Let is soak well, before you cut & serve.

those interested in cancer & health related topics are free to see my blog-

http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/


for crochet designs, my blog, those who like a particular design are free to mail me

http://My Crochet  Creations.blogspot.com

For info. about knee replacement, be free to view my blog-

http://knee replacement-stick club.blogspot.com

Curd vermicelli

Vermicelli 200 gm

Fresh curd 350 gm

Salt to taste

Green chilies cut 1 tsp

Ginger cut fine 1 tsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Asafetida ¼ tsp

Curry leaves 1 sprig

Oil 2 tsp

Boil the vermicelli. Mix with curd once cool.

Heat oil, add mustard seeds, once it crackles, add asafetida, curry leaves, ginger & chilies, sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add to vermicelli, add salt to taste & mix well.this can be eaten plain or serve with pickle of your choice.

Gooey Butter Tarts

Yields: 12

Cooking Time: 12 min

Ingredients

• 1 ¹/2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¹/4 teaspoon salt
• ¹/4 cup cold butter; cubed
• ¹/4 cup shortening; cubed
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• ice water
• ¹/2 cup packed brown sugar
• ¹/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 pinch salt
• ¹/4 cup currants, raisins or chopped pecans

Instructions

1. In large bowl, combine flour with salt with pastry blender or 2 knives.
    
2. Cut in cubed butter and shortening until in fine crumbs.
    
3. In 1-cup liquid measure, whisk egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of vinegar; add enough ice water to make 1/3 cup.
    
4. Gradually sprinkle egg mixture over flour mixture, stirring briskly with fork until pastry holds together.
    
5. Press into disc; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until chilled or for up to 3 days.

Filling

1. In bowl, vigorously whisk together brown sugar, corn syrup, egg, softened butter, vanilla, vinegar and salt.  Set aside.
    
2. On lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 1/8-inch thickness.
    
3. Using 4-inch round cookie cutter (or empty 28-ounce can), cut out 12 circles, rerolling scraps, if necessary.
    
4. Fit circles into 2-3/4-x 1-1/4-inch muffin cups.
    
5. Divide currants among pastry shells.
    
6. Spoon in filling until three-quarters full.
    
7. Bake in bottom of 450F-degree oven for about 12 minutes or filling is puffed and bubbly and pastry is golden.
    
8. Let stand on rack for 1 minute. Run metal spatula around tarts to loosen; carefully slide spatula under tarts and transfer to rack to let cool.

Notes

Variations:

• Chocolate Gooey Butter Tarts
  • Drizzle cooled tarts with 2 ounces of melted semisweet or white chocolate.
     
• Not-So-Gooey Butter Tarts
  • Increase brown sugar to 3/4 cup; decrease corn syrup to 1/4 cup.

ps- I'll be away for a month, so take care, best wishes to all in advance for the festive season, Those interested in health & cancer related topics can view my blog


http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

Steamed Dahi Bada

Steamed Dahi Bada

Ingredients

Urad Dal 1 cup (soaked overnight)

Coconut shavings 1 tbsp

Currants 1 tbsp.

Salt to taste

Fresh curd 2 cups (whipped)

Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp

Roasted cumin seed powder 1/2 tsp

Chaat masala 1/2 tsps.

Salt & sugar to taste.

Method: Grind urad dal in a mixie. Add currants, coconut and salt to the mixture. The mixture should be thick. Pour small portions of the mixture into idli moulds and steam in a pressure cooker (20 min.) or in a microwave oven at 180°C (four minutes).

Dip the steamed rounds in cold water and squeeze gently to soften them. Then drop them in whipped curds which have been flavoured with red chilli powder, cumin seed powder and chaat masala.

Christmas pudding

Christmas pudding

Fresh bread crumbs 200 gm                            whole wheat flour 50 gm     

butter 200 gm                                                  Raisins 200gm     

currants 2000 gm                                             mixed peel 100 gm

Dates stoned & chopped 200 gm                    chopped nuts 200gm      

brown sugar 200gm                                         Grated nutmeg ½ tsp    

tsp each of cinnamon & clove powders         Big pinch of salt          

baking pdr ½ tsp                                             orange juice 2 ½ cups

1)      put flour, salt, baking pdr in a large bowl.

2)      Rub in butter & bread crumbs, mix well.

3)      Mix in fruits, nuts & spices.

4)      Lastly add orange juice, mix well.

5)      Turn the batter into a greased bowl, cover with a foil.

6)      Bake in a slow oven for 1 hour.

7)      Serve hot or cold with custard or cream.