Carrot Cake

From Colorado Cache, 1978

I do not have a picture of carrot cake, yet

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

1 ½ cups sugar

4 eggs, well beaten

3 cups grated carrots

2 cups unbleached flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 F, 160 C.  Grease and sugar a 10 by 14 inch pan.

Cream oil and sugar. Add eggs and carrots and mix well. Mix dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to carrot mixture, a small amount at a time, beating well. When blended add the pecans, raisins and vanilla. Pour into the pan and bake for about an hour. Cool a little before frosting.

Frosting:

½ cup butter, melted

1 8-ounce package cream cheese (I use 200 grams Labne)

2 cups sifted powdered sugar (icing sugar)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine melted butter and cheese with sugar and beat well. Add vanilla and spread on the cooled cake.

Roasted Caramelized Beets

Hulya was talking about this in the teacher’s lounge, so I had to try it, very nice

1 kg beets

2 to 3 medium sized onions

6 cloves garlic, skin on, but rough end cut off

coarse salt

pepper

olive oil, ½ cup ish

balsamic vinegar about ¼ cup

Preheat oven to 200 C (390-400 F), my oven is convection so I used 180 C (350 F). Clean beets and cut off the end, I just peeled off the hairy parts and cut the ends, otherwise- skin on. Cut beets in half if they are not small. Take the skin off the onions and cut into quarters. Put these in a dish. Place the garlic around the beets and onions.

Pour olive oil over the mixture, pour balsamic vinegar over that, then sprinkle some salt and pepper over the mixture. Cover with foil (I used a cookie sheet because I ran out of foil, and it worked very well), and bake in the oven at least an hour until beets are tender.

When mixture has cooled a little, squeeze the garlic pieces and mix the paste with the mixture. Add to salad, or just as is.

Paleo Pizza Dough

2 cups blanched almond flour

½ cup arrow root flour

2 tps baking powder

1 tps salt

1 tps pepper

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp dried basil

Now you can get creative with the spices, I like a little curry powder and smoked chili pepper

¼ cup melted butter or olive oil (it calls for melted coconut oil, but it is way too sweet for me and who wants a pizza that has a sweet coconut flavor?)

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 F (or 165 C).  In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients and mix until a dough forms. Place the dough between two pieces of parchment and roll out or flatten  to a consistent thickness of ¼ inch (6mm) making it into a rectangle or circle (Kelani prefers round pizzas). Bake the dough for 20 minutes until it becomes firm.

When the dough is finished put your sauce on it- careful not to make the dough soggy. Once your pizza set with all of your ingredients, cook for an additional 20 minutes.

Paleo "hamburger" buns

when my family came to visit, they stocked me up on almond flour and arrowroot flour. I like the buns, and kids seem to really like them. They are much easier to make than the ones with yeast. My brother in law says that you can grind your own almonds to make the flour.

3 cups blanched almond flour

1 cup hot water

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

¼ arrowroot flour
3 eggs separated

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Some other spices you would like to use-garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, etc.

Preheat oven to 375 F (180 C). In a large bowl combine 2 cups of the almond flour, hot water, and vinegar. Fold the ingredients together using a wooden spoon. Add the baking powder, salt, pepper and the other spice. Fold all together.

Whisk the egg yolks and add them to the dough. Add the remaining almond flour and the arrowroot flour and stir.

Whip the egg whites until stiff, carefully fold them into the dough. Drop ¼ cup of the batter onto parchment sheet lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.

Boston Cream Pie

From Saveur, October 2012

The cake:

12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (6 ounces or 170 grams)

1 ½ cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

2/3 cup buttermilk (I add 2 tbsp lemon juice to milk)

Heat oven to 350 F or 170 C. Grease and flour a 9” (23 cm) round cake pan. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time and beat well after each. Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk, in three batches (begin and end with the flour mixture), beat until just combined. Pour into the pan and bake about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in to the middle comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then take out of pan onto wire rack and cool completely.

The filling:

1 cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

½ tsp salt

6 egg yolks

1 ½ cups milk

4 tbsp butter(2 ounces or 50 grams) cubed and chilled

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 4-qt saucepan; add yolks and whisk until smooth. Stir in milk, and place pan over medium heat; cook stirring constantly until it thickens (about 10 minutes). Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter one cube at a time, whisking until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the pudding to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill until firmed, at least 2 hours.

The glaze:

4 ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces.

½ cup heavy cream

Place chocolate in a bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over high heat, pour hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute. Slowly stir chocolate and cream until smooth and shiny. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Cut the cake horizontally into two layers (use a serrated knife). Spread the chilled pudding over the bottom layer, cover with the top and pour the chocolate glaze over the top. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Roasted Curried Pumpkin Soup

1 kg pumpkin, after being cleaned and peeled, cut into medium chunks

3 carrots, cut into medium pieces too

2-3 medium red onions peeled and each cut into 6 pieces (I used red and brown)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper, Turkish roasted is good

6 cloves garlic, sliced

1 leek, sliced

2-3 small chilies, coarsely chopped

3 teaspoons curry, I like the Madras stuff

2 liters of boiled (hot) water

2 tablespoons tomato paste, I used the whole little box

Pre-heat oven to 180 C or 375 F.

Mix pumpkin, carrots, and onions with the olive oil and cumin. Roast in the oven for 45-60 minutes until tender and cooked through.

Place a large bottomed pot over medium heat. Add about 3 tablespoons olive oil and fry the garlic and chili for about 5 minutes, add the curry powder and fry for about 45 seconds.  Add the cooked vegetables and stir. Add the hot water and tomato paste and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Once cooked, puree with the blender, you may need to add salt and pepper.

Serve with a dollop of yogurt [if you must], coriander leaves, nuts, squeeze of lemon…I served with a little salsa and cashew.

Grilled Turmeric and Lemongrass Chicken Wings

From Bon Appétit, July 2012

4 servings Cooking the wings slowly over medium-low coals and turning them often makes for crisp results; the skin will brown while the meat cooks through. Be sure to begin 1 day ahead; the chicken needs to marinate overnight for the flavors to infuse.

1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

3 shallots, chopped

3 garlic cloves

2 lemongrass stalks (bottom third only, tough outer layers removed), finely chopped

2 jalapeños, stemmed

1 -1” piece ginger, peeled, chopped

2Tbsp. fresh lime juice

2tbsp. Tamarind juice concentrate (not paste or pulp) or 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1tbsp. fish sauce

2tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. turmeric

3 lb. whole chicken wings

Combine coconut milk, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, jalapeños, ginger, lime juice, tamarind juice, fish sauce, kosher salt, turmeric, and 1 cup water in a blender. Purée mixture until a smooth marinade forms.

Place chicken wings in a large baking dish. Pour marinade over; turn wings to coat evenly. Cover chicken and chill overnight.

Remove chicken from marinade shaking any excess marinade back into dish. Transfer chicken to a large platter. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Transfer marinade to a large sauce-pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until marinade thickens, 10-15 minutes. Pour half of marinade into a small bowl; set aside for basting chicken while it grills. Keep remaining marinade in saucepan; cover and keep warm until ready to serve the chicken.

Build a medium fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Oil grill grates to prevent sticking. Grill chicken wings, turning every 5 minutes and basting occasionally with marinade in small bowl, until fat is rendered and skin is nicely charred in spots, 30-35 minutes. (The key here is to turn the wings often so the skin doesn’t burn.)

Continue cooking chicken without basting (so it will get crisp) until wings are cooked through, about 10 minutes longer.

Transfer chicken to a large platter and let it rest for 5 minutes. Squeeze lime wedges over wings. Transfer marinade in saucepan to a small bowl.

Serve warm marinade alongside chicken as a dipping sauce.