Recipes Cooking

The two week holidays are back and its that time of the year when I struggle to find ways to interest my pre-schooler boy outside of the iPad or DVDs. Last afternoon, it was baking time. I pulled out the Muffins Bible from the bookshelf, read out the recipe for Blueberry muffins to the son, made him wear his spiderman apron, spread newspapers on the kitchen table and we were all set to bake together. He promptly recruited my househelp as the sous chefs sous chef, i mean, his sous chef. We measured out the dry ingredients, and the boy threatened to stir it with so much enthusiasm that I thought there would be more flour outside the bowl than inside it. When it was time to crack the eggs, he wanted to do it all by himself, breaking each of them like coconuts on the tines of the fork. My househelps heart was in her mouth, in the fear that how much clean up wed have to do if he broke the eggs on the floor. Thankfully, it wasnt that much of a disaster. We managed to fill up the muffin cups and when I turned around to put it in the preheated oven, guess what I see? When my attention had turned elsewhere for a nanosecond, he had cranked up oven temperature to 250C, changed the oven setting to grill - one crazy sous chef indeed. After some rectifications, the muffin tin finally went inside and then he sat almost burning his nose by touching it to the oven glass, to wait for them to be ready.



Finally when it was out, he didnt mind his tongue getting burnt but he had to taste them immediately. This morning, I asked him if he could recall how we made the muffins, this is what he drew. This made me a happy mom :)




Lemon & Blueberry Muffins
Makes 15 medium sized muffins






Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil or 1/2 cup oil + 1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup milk (at room temperature)
Zest of two lemons
Juice of 2 lemons
1 cup blueberries* (frozen or fresh)

Directions
Preheat the oven at 190°C.
In a large bowl, mix the flours, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and mix well with a fork or a whisk.
Whisk the oil / butter, vanilla extract, eggs and milk in another bowl. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice, give it a quick whisk and add this to the big bowl of dry ingredients.
Gently fold in the blueberries.
Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper liners or grease them well with butter.
Divide the batter between the 12 muffin holes. If theres any extra, make in the next batch, or bake a baby cake with left over batter.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

Shopping Guide
I used frozen blueberries that goes by the brand Delishh, found in the freezer section of Auchan Supermarket (Gopalan Mall), KR Puram. Rs.215 for 200 grams, they were of reasonably good size and freshness. This freeezer section also stocked frozen raspberries and blackberries. 


My Doodle recipe is a part of Easy Doodle Recipe contest at BlogAdda.com in association with TastyKhana.com

When Mr. Ferdzy and I were courting - if you can call a single month between meeting and moving in together courting - he invited me to dinner at his co-operative house, and I brought this in the form of a pan of cornbread, in the hopes of seducing him with my culinary skills. It didnt exactly work, since he ate it cheerfully enough but somewhat obliviously. On the other hand it did no harm, and in another month we will have been together for 23 years. Not bad, considering we gave all our parents spasms from the speed at which we moved in together.

Ive had this recipe for at least 10 years longer than that, and maybe more like 15, so it definitely comes under the heading of "tried and true". Not tired of it yet either.

The amount of sugar you put in is very flexible. Half a cup will make them sweet and cake-like which may be what you want sometimes. Two tablespoons will give just a touch of sweetness and make them suitable to serve as an accompaniment to a main dish such as chili or stew. For normal breakfast purposes I usually put in about 1/4 cup of sugar.

12 muffins
1 hour - 30 minutes prep time


1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 3/4 cups milk or buttermilk

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons to 1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg
1/3 cup mild vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 12 muffin cups with muffin papers, or butter and flour them well.

Mix the cornmeal with the milk and let sit for 10 minutes.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Beat the egg and oil into the cornmeal and stir in the flour, until just mixed. Do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly amongst the muffin cups. Bake 25 minutes. You could also put it in a well buttered and floured 9" x 9" pan, but I did not record and no longer remember the time it took to bake. Probably a few minutes longer.





Last year at this time I made Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits.

Lovely, toasty gluten-free English muffins. I kid you not.

I opted for baking the muffins on a sheet lined with my trusty Exopat (using a liner keeps those overly sensitive gluten-free flours from scorching on the bottom). I'm using English muffin rings to help shape the dough (I purchased them at Amazon). A reader suggested on Twitter I could use cleaned out tuna cans, but. That seems a tad unappetizing (intellectually, I know tuna cans would work; emotionally, all I keep visualizing is the mystery neighbor in Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park who piles his smelly used tuna cans out in the hallway).

Using Alton's basic template the first batch turned out very dense, with no rise and no crunchy edges- though the dough looked promising (pictured above, rising). Dense was not a quality I wanted in my muffin. So I tried again, this time using my own original Gluten-Free Bread recipe as a template (I'm loving the combo of sorghum, potato starch and millet as a flour base for yeasted breads these days). The result was better- but still not quite there.

After a third attempt I realised that the issue might be moisture. I was creating a dough that resembled wheat dough, and I could shape it a bit and pat it into the English muffin rings, but the result was heavy and more resembled a gluten-free hockey puck.

The fourth try was the charm (sometimes perseverance pays off). I added more warm water to the dough (than seemed wise), until it was more of a thick cake batter than a stretchy playful dough.

And sweet bi-locating John from Cincinnatti! It worked.



Read more + get the recipe >>

This is a Tex-Mex version using some of their unique spices, which adds to this a very hearty and robust chili... I found that my photo and recipe are featured @ http://pinterest.com/pin/121386152426146053/

Servings: (6)
Prep: 10 Mins. |
Cook: 50 Mins.

Posted: by Sandra at

INGREDIENTS

4 bacon strips, cut into 1/2 " slices
1 lb. lean venison burger
½ spanish onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz. can) stewed tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz. can) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (16 oz. can) chili beans, undrained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 carrot, shredded
½ cup celery, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (Or more if you like it spicier)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon unsweetened Hershey’s Cocoa Powder
½ tablespoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

***Toppings (Optional):
--Cheddar Cheese, shredded
--Jarred and sliced pickled jalapeno peppers

METHOD

Heat a dutch oven, or large heavy-bottom pot, to medium-high heat, and brown the bacon until crisp, and set aside, while reserving drippings. Add the venison burger and brown in drippings, and when it’s about ¾ the way cooked through, add the onions and saute just until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients, except the bacon and fresh cilantro, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, while occasionally stirring for 50 minutes.

Premium Cornbread Muffins

Meanwhile, begin preparing the Premium Cornbread Muffins about 20 minutes before Venison Tex-Mex Chili is scheduled to be done, if making...(as they take about 15 minutes to bake).

-- Premium Cornbread Muffins - For recipe, click here: Sandras Premium Cornbread Muffins)


After the Venison Tex-Mex Chili has cooked for 50 minutes, stir in the fresh cilantro, and crispy bacon.

To serve, ladle the Venison Tex-Mex Chili into soup mugs placed in the center of a plate, and place Premium Cornbread Muffins around parameter. (Top the Venison Tex-Mex Chili with shredded cheddar cheese and sliced pickled jalapenos, if using). - Enjoy!


Tip:  This is just as fantastic using any other type of lean ground meat or poultry as well!