Liquid Glucose!?

Last week when I was doing some shopping for Thanksgiving, I found a jar of liquid glucose, by Solar, an Indian company. It looks just like Karo Syrup, though it's not made from corn syrup. I'm planning to use it soon to make a batch of caramel almond popcorn and substitute it for the karo syrup and see how it does. I'll let you know.

Have any of you ever used it? I'd never seen it before, but it's locally made and about Rs. 50 a jar! I'm really hoping it works! :) Let me know if you have experience with this liquid glucose...

Makka Atta Corn Bread

This is the season to find makka atta in the dukans! I usually buy 3-4 kg and keep it in the pantry for the rest of the year so we can have corn bread whenever we want. Here's a quick and easy recipe for great corn bread using makka atta!

Corn Bread (or Corn Muffins)

1 c. maida

1 c. makka atta

2-4 T. sugar (I use 3)

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2 beaten eggs

1 T. mayonnaise

1 c. milk

1/4 c. oil

Combine maida, makka atta, sugar, salt, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and beat in the mayonnaise. Add the milk and oil. Add all at once to the dry mixture. Stir till combined. Let it rest a few minutes. Spoon into a 9 inch round pan or muffin tins. For a round pan, bake 25-30 minutes at 225. For muffin tins, bake 12-15 minutes at 225.

The mayonnaise is a little trick my Grandma told me to do. She said it makes the corn bread really moist and chewy, so I just always throw it in. But it's optional. :)

Country Apple Tart with Spiced Brown Butter

I'm sorry I've been absent for a couple of weeks! I've been getting a lot of recipes from all you out there, and I really appreciate it! I'm trying to catch up and post them. Also, be aware that I might not be around for awhile because I'm due with our third baby in less than two weeks! :)

Thanksgiving is this week! I'd love to hear what's on the menu for your Thanksgiving feasts this year! We're getting together with a couple other families, and I'm responsible for the stuffing, green bean casserole, and a dessert. For the last 6 years, I've been making this Country Apple Tart for Thanksgiving, and we really love it! It's a lot of work, but you can spread it out over a couple of days to make it more manageable. It's totally worth it! I got it from epicurious.com or allrecipes.com.. can't remember which!

Country Apple Tart with Spiced Brown Butter

Crust

1 ¾ c. all purpose flour

¼ c. sugar

¼ t. salt

¾ c. chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces

2 large egg yolks, beaten to blend

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Apples

5 ½ lbs. medium Braeburn or Golden Delicious apples (about 15) peeled, cored, and quartered

5 T. unsalted butter, melted

2 T. fresh lemon juice

6 T. sugar

Spiced Brown Butter

½ c. unsalted butter

1 large vanilla bean, split lengthwise

6 whole cloves

3 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

2 large eggs

½ c. sugar

3 T. all purpose flour

1/8 t. salt

For Crust:

Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and process, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolks and process, using on/off turns, until dough comes together in large moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Cover with plastic; chill 20 minutes.

Spray 10-inch-diameter springform pan with nonstick spray. Divide dough into two equal pieces.. Roll out 1 dough piece on generously floured surface to 10 ½ inch round. Roll dough up on rolling pin and transfer to pan. Press dough round into bottom of pan, patching any cracks. Divide second dough into four equal pieces. Roll out each piece between palms and generously floured surface to 7 inch rope. Place dough ropes end to end to form one continuous ring along bottom edge of pan. Press dough ring firmly up side of pan, forming 1 ¾ inch high sides. Press dough seams together to seal. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Bake crust just until set and very light golden around edges, about 10 minutes. Cool.

For Apples:

Position 1 rack in bottom third of oven and one rack in center of oven and preheat to 400˚F. Spray 2 heavy large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray. Toss apples with butter and lemon juice in very large bowl. Arrange in single layer on sheets, leaving spaces between apples. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar over apples on each sheet. Bake until apples are tender and golden brown, turning apples occasionally and rotating pans between lower and higher racks, about 40 minutes. Cool. (Crust and apples can be made one day ahead. Cover crust and store at room temperature. Place apples in bowl. Cover; refrigerate.)

Place pan with crust on clean baking sheet. Arrange apple wedges close together, standing on their short ends, in concentric circles in crust.

For Spiced Brown Butter:

Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into butter; add bean. Add cloves, star anise and cinnamon stick. Cook over low heat until butter turns golden brown and spices flavor butter, adjusting heat if necessary to prevent burning and stirring frequently, about 25 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Whisk eggs, sugar, flour and salt to blend in medium bowl. Strain spiced brown butter mixture into egg mixture; whisk to blend. Reserve vanilla bean, star anise and cinnamon stick; discard cloves. Slowly pour egg mixture over apples in crust. Bake until egg mixture is set, puffed and light golden and apples are deep golden brown, about one hour and five minutes. Cool on rack at least 30 minutes (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature).

Release pan side. Transfer tart to platter. Garnish tart with reserved vanilla bean, star anise, and cinnamon stick, if desires. Serve tart slightly warm or at room temperature with ice cream.

African Peanut Soup

From AndreaS:

Here’s an easy recipe I made the other day. I thought it was really good J I’ve never been to Africa, but that’s what my friends call this soup, so I have no idea if it is “authentic” in any way, but it’s good! J

African Peanut Soup

8-10 Roma Tomatoes (chopped with liquid)

½ cup (uncooked) brown rice (cook separately)

1 large bell pepper (red peppers are the best, but green work great)

4 Cups vegetable (or Chicken) broth (I used 2 Maggi bullion cubes b/c I didn’t have any broth handy)

4-5 Medium/Large Onions

2 green onions chopped (optional)

2-4 Garlic cloves

Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder

Chili Powder (if you have it – if not, paprika works great)

(Add seasonings according to personal preference)

½ cup Peanut Butter (crunchy or creamy depending on preference – I use creamy)

Cook the Brown Rice in a separate pot or pressure cooker. While it’s cooking, put the tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic cloves and broth in a big pot on the stove. Once the tomatoes have cooked a while (15 min or so) add the salt, pepper, garlic powder & chili powder/paprika. I usually wait until this point to add the onions (I like them to have a little crunch. If you like them without crunch then add them when you add the tomatoes. Add the rice and the peanut butter. Heat and stir until the peanut butter is dissolved.

I think this is a really good and hearty soup. It’s even better and thicker the next day. I think it would be good with about a half a kg of shredded chicken too!

Rachel's Guide to Freezing Vegetables

Cabbage: Remove outer leaves and wash the remainder. Cut into thin wedges or shred. Blanch 1½ minutes if shredded or 2 minutes if cut into wedges. Chill in iced water 1-2 minutes. Drain well. Pack in freezer bags, label and seal. Keeps up to 6 months.

Carrots: Wash and scrub carrots and cut large carrots into pieces. Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water. Chill in iced water 3 minutes. Drain. Spread on a tray in a single layer and freeze 30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps up to 6 months.

Cauliflower: Divide into florets and wash. Blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water. Chill in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain and place on a tray in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.

Peas: Shell, wash and blanch 1 minute. Chill in iced water 1 minute. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months.

Chicken, Rice and Broccoli Casserole

Chicken, Rice and Broccoli Casserole

1/2 c. onion, chopped
1/2 c. celery, chopped (I use celery seed in India)
2 c. rice, cooked
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can milk
1 c. cheddar cheese
2 c. chopped broccoli, cooked
2 c. chicken, cubed & cooked

Saute onion and celery in butter. Mix milk and soup. Mix all ingredients except cheese and place in greased casserole. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake 1/2 hour at 350 degrees.

Banana Walnut Whole Wheat Pancakes

Banana Walnut Whole Wheat Pancakes

2/3 c. Atta
1/3 c. White flour (you can use all atta if you prefer)
2 t. Baking powder
1/2 t. Salt
2 T. Sugar
2 T. Melted butter
1 egg
1 c. Milk
sliced bananas
chopped walnuts

Mix all except bananas and walnuts together with wire whisk or fork.

Heat skillet and grease with a little oil or butter. When pan is hot, pour batter into skillet. Then place several slices of banana and some chopped walnuts onto the pancake. Flip when ready.

This makes about 8 pancakes.