Author Archives: vanessa

Pumpkin Muffins

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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice (1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg)
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Put oven in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups.  Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.  Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.

Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.  Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Cherry Loaf

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3 tablespoons butter, soften
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons maraschino cherries, chopped, juice reserved
2 tablespoons cherry juice (maraschino juice)
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

In a bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add the egg, almond extract and vanilla while beating. Add cherries and the juices. Beat to combine everything.

Put flour in a small bowl. Add baking powder and salt. Add to the mixture of cherries. Stir just enough to wet the dry ingredients. Pour the dough in a greased loaf pan. Cook in the oven at 350 F for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in it comes out dry. Cut in 8 slices.

Desi Murgh

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1/4 cup sunflower oil
2 large onions, finely sliced
2 tsp. garlic paste
2 tsp. ginger paste
4 tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
2 oz. plain Greek-style yogurt
1.5 tsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tsp. ground coriander
3 large black cardamom pods
6 cloves
1 bay leaf
chicken pieces
5-6 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, and cook until dark golden brown.  Remove the onions with a slotted spoon.  Allow to cool, then chop them finely in a food processor.  Set aside.

Add the garlic and ginger pastes to the hot oil in the saucepan and stir for a few minutes.  Add the tomatoes and stir in well, then stir in the yogurt.  Cook for 5-6 minutes.  Add the browned onion paste and stir to mix, then add all the spices, the bay leaf, and salt to taste.  Cook, stirring, until the oil separates out.

Put the chicken pieces in the pan and spoon the spice mixture over them.  Add 2 cups water.  Put the lid on the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 40-50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.  Add more water if needed.

Remove the lid and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until the oil in the sauce separates out.  Stir in 1/4 cup of the chopped cilantro.  Garnish with the remaining chopped cilantro and serve.

 

Zucchini Bread (MOM)

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3 eggs
1 3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup oil
2 cups grated peeled zucchini
2 cups flour
3 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts (or raisins)
3 tsp. vanilla

Beat eggs, sugar, oil and zucchini.  Sift dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients; add vanilla and nuts.  Cook at 350 for 1 hour in two greased pans.

Banana Coconut Pecan Muffins

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  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
    2 tsp. baking soda
    1/2 tsp. salt
    1/2 cup raw sugar
    1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
    4 ripe bananas, mashed
    1/4 cup coconut milk
    1 tsp. vanilla extract
    1 cup pecans
    1/2 cup coconut flakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with muffin/cupcake liners. You can also lightly spray the pan if you don’t have liners. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Stir and set aside. In a larger bowl, mix sugar and oil together then add mashed bananas.  Peel each banana and squish them individually with your hands right into the bowl.
  2. To your wet mix also add coconut milk and vanilla, stirring until everything is thoroughly combined. Add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir lightly, then add pecans and coconut. Stir until everything is just combined. Note: the batter will be fairly thick. Spoon batter into muffin tins about 3/4 full.
  3. Bake for 20-25 minutes until muffins are golden brown on top.

Hoisin Sauce

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4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon molasses or 1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
1 teaspoon chinese hot sauce (more or less to taste)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Coconut-Lime Pork Tacos

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  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
  • Cayenne pepper, to taste
  • 2/3 cups coconut milk, stirred (full-fat recommended)
  • 3 tablespoons pineapple juice (I keep small cans on hand for this dish)
  • 1-2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, from 1 lime
  • 2 cups or one 15 ounce can cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
  • Corn or flour tortillas, for serving
  • 1 large avocado, diced
  • Other recommended toppings: corn salsa, chopped cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
  1. In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and a large pinch of salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until they’ve softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Push the onion and garlic to one side of the pan, and add the cumin, paprika, oregano, chili powder and cayenne. Let sizzle in the pan until they’re toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute, then stir well until the onions and garlic are evenly coated with the spices.
  2. Add the ground pork to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up any large chunks of pork and stirring occasionally, until the pork is just cooked through. Season with salt to taste. Remove any excess fat from the pan.
  3. Add the coconut milk; simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened, then stir in the black beans, pineapple juice and 1 tablespoon lime juice and cook for an additional minute or two. Taste and add more lime juice if needed. Adjust the seasoning to taste. You can serve right away, or cover the pan and let the pork gently simmer over low heat.
  4. Using a slotted spoon, divide the ground pork equally among lightly warmed flour tortillas. Serve with lots of avocado and other toppings of your choice.

Cardamom Orange Fig Newton Filling

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  • 1 pound fresh figs
  • 3/4 cups brown sugar
  • zest from 1 orange
  • 5-8 cardamom pods
  1. Chop up the figs and combine with all filling ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil then simmer until thick, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and remove cardamom pods (remember to count them before you put them in so you know how many you’re looking for!).
  2. If it’s too chunky, whirr the whole thing in a blender or with an immersion blender. Or just mash it with a potato masher. It doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth, but you don’t want big chunks.