Amy’s All-Purpose Crepe Batter
Island Pecan Pie
Adapted from here: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/island-pecan-pie/
But reduce the sugar from 2 c to 1.5 c. The pie is best after sitting out at room temperature for a day.
Ultimate Sweet Potato Pie
| 2 c mashed baked or boiled sweet potatoes (~ 3 potatoes) 1/2 c (1 stick) softened butter 2 eggs 2/3 brown or white sugar 1/3 c cream or evaporated milk or milk 1 t vanilla extract 1/2 t ground cinnamon 1/2 t ground nutmeg 1/2 t ground ginger 1/8 t salt Combine all ingredients. Pour into a 9 inch unbaked pie crust. Bake at 350 for 55-60 min or until set (or at 400 for 10 min then at 350 for 40-50 min or until set) |
Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb peeled carrots
- 3 T butter
- 1 T honey
- 2 cloves miinced garlic
- ¼ t salt
- pepper
- 2 t fresh chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut carrots into thirds. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Mix in honey. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant while stirring. Add the carrots and allow the sauce to thicken for a further minute, while tossing the carrots through the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer carrots to baking sheet in a single layer so they cook evenly. Toss to evenly coat. Roast for 20 minutes, or until carrots are fork-tender. Broil (or grill) for 2-3 minutes on high heat to crisp/char the edges.
Adapted from https://cafedelites.com/honey-garlic-butter-roasted-carrots/
Naomi’s Chocolate and Peppermint Cookies
COOKIES
1 c flour
1 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 c brown sugar
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
3T oil
4 T butter
1/4 c granulated sugar
1/4 c confectioners’ sugar
Preheat oven to 325° F.
Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in bowl.
Whisk brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and oil together in large bowl. Microwave butter until melted then whisk into egg mixture. Fold in flour mixture until no dry streaks remain. Let dough sit for 10 minutes.
Place granulated and confectioners’ sugar in separate shallow dishes. Roll a spoonful of dough at a time in the granulated sugar and then the confectioners’ sugar.
Bake until puffed and cracked and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), about 12 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cool completely on sheet.
PEPPERMINT FROSTING
4 T butter
3/4 c powdered sugar
3/4 T cream
1/2 t peppermint extract
Beat the butter until smooth and fluffy. Mix in the powdered sugar a little bit at a time. Mix in the cream and peppermint extract. Whip until completely smooth.
Adapted from https://themodernproper.com/crinkle-cookies-with-peppermint-cream
Eggplant Parmesan
Kale Slaw
3 c shredded kale
2 c shredded cabbage (red, green)
1/2 c shredded carrots
1/2 c shredded cilantro leaves (or parsley or fresh basil or chives)
1/3 c sunflower seeds
poppyseed dressing (OR dressing of 2 T olive oil, 2 T apple cider vinegar, 1 T Dijon mustard or honey, 1/8 t salt, 1/4 t pepper; OR olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste)
Combine dressing ingredients and shake in a small jar until emulsified. Mix remaining ingredients and then dress and toss.
Winter Squash Soup
Peel, dice and set aside – 1 large or 2 small carrots, 1 sweet potato, 2-3 cups winter squash.
Dice and add to soup pot with 1 T oil and 1 T butter – 1 stalk celery, 1 small or half large onion, 1/2 – 1 red pepper 1-2 cloves garlic. Cook and stir until soft and the onions start to brown.
Add orange veggies and 5-7 cup of water. Add 1 packet Sazon seasoning. Simmer until all the veggies are soft. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend well. Salt to taste. Add 1/3-2/3 cups cream or coconut milk. [14 oz coconut milk = 1 c heavy cream + 2/3 c water]
Garden Vegetable Noodle Soup
4 T oil
3 carrots
1 medium onion
2 stalks celery
1 c winter squash
1/2 c frozen corn
1 small zucchini
1 can (1.5 c) diced tomatoes
1 T tomato paste
1 T butter
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t dried basil
1/2 t dried oregano
7 c water?
1 c egg noodles (or 1/2 c macaroni)
1 c cooked chicken (optional)
Dice all vegetables. Add oil to saucepan over medium heat, then carrots, onion, celery, and winter squash, and stir until they start to soften (about 10 min). Add remaining ingredients except noodles and simmer about 10 minutes. Add noodles and cook 5 minutes. Have the cooked chicken on the side for non-vegetarians to add.
Mexican Food
Tomato Basil Salad
1 c diced tomato
7 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
olives, artichoke hearts and/or green onions (optional)
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil
1/8 t salt
1/8 t pepper
mix vinegar, oil, salt, pepper and pour over remaining ingredients.
Barley Vegetable Soup
3 T olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
7 c water
1.5 T vegetable broth base
1 c barley
4 carrots
chunk of cauliflower
1 zucchini
1 tomato
1/2 c frozen corn
1/2 t basil
1/2 t oregano
1/4 t black pepper
1 T lemon juice
Dice onion, mince garlic, and sauté in a large pot in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the next group of ingredients (all vegetables chopped), bring to boil and simmer for about 40 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.
Corn Flour Pancakes
Corn Flour Dosa
Mix in bowl to form a thin batter:
2 c corn flour
1/2 c flour
2 t cumin seeds
1/3 t salt
1 largish onion finely chopped
handful of cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
water as needed
Spread thin in pan in oil and fry over low heat until golden brown on each side.
Perfect Whipped Cream
1/3 c cream
1 t sugar
1/3 t vanilla
Mix, whip on medium speed in chilled bowl for about two minutes until soft peaks form (peaks should not immediately collapse). Don’t overwhip or gets buttery.
Makes 4 servings.
Super Moist Zucchini Bread
INGREDIENTS [doubled in brackets]
2 c whole wheat flour [4 c] (1 1/2 c for chocolate zucchini bread [3 c])
2 t baking powder [4 t]
1 t salt [2 t]
1 T cinnamon (for apple or pineapple option) [2 T]
3 eggs [6 eggs]
(TRY 2/3 c) 3/4 c oil [1.5 c]
2 t vanilla [4 t]
1.5 t blackstrap molasses [3 t] (optional — works with banana, pineapple)
3 t (4 t) vanilla
1 c sugar [2 c]
2.5 c grated zucchini or raw squash or pumpkin (or 1.5 c cooked/mashed pumpkin or sweet potato) [5 (3) c ]
2/3 c chopped walnuts (optional) [1 1/3 c]
1/2 c shredded coconut [1 c]
1/3 c raisins (optional) [2/3 c]
2 T lime or lemon juice (optional) [4 T]
FOR FRUITY: 1 c crushed pineapple/mango/banana (1.5 bananas)/apple (pealed) or 1 orange with peel grated, then seeded, diced [2 c]
FOR CHOCOLATEY: 1/2 c chocolate chips and 1/2 c cocoa [1 +1 c]
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Combine wet and dry ingredients separately then mix together. Pour batter into 2 greased 8×4.5″ loaf pans (about 1.25-1.5 c in each) and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes until an inserted butter knife comes out without liquid batter. Do not overcook. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pans. For better slicing, refrigerate a few hrs.
For muffins, use two muffin pans (24 muffins), bake 15-20 minutes.
Makes 2 loaves [4 if doubled].
FAVORITES:
Stan: Sweet-potato-pineapple-walnut-cinnamon;
Kelly: Zucchini-banana-pineapple-walnut-cinnamon-molasses
Adapted from https://www.garlicandzest.com/ultra-moist-zucchini-bread/
Also see, for the best of all, Heather’s Perfect Whole Wheat Banana Bread and Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread.
PRIOR VERSIONS:
2021-08: 3 eggs plus 1 white, 2 t baking soda, 1.5 t baking powder
Amy’s Instant Pot Chili Verde
14 oz diced chilis (fire roasted is nice)
28 oz can green enchilada sauce
3 3/4 lb bone-in pork chops
1 c water
2 T oil
1 c diced onion (~1 small or medium)
oregano, lemon pepper, garlic powder, bay leaves
Put a little oil in the instant pot and some in a cast iron pan. Cook the onions on saute in the instant pot until translucent while you brown the outside of the chops in the pan, then set them aside. When the chops are all browned and the onions are done, add 1/5 can of enchilada sauce to the instant pot and stir. Add the chops alternating with the rest of the enchilada sauce, putting a thin layer of sauce between each layer of chops. Add 1 or 2 bay leaves and some lemon pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Use the cup of water to deglaze the pan you browned the chops in and add liquid to the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Removed the chops and break them up, discarding bones. If desired, thicken the sauce with a roux of flour and butter. Add the meat back into the chili verde and serve with tortillas and sour cream.
Zucchini Mug Muffin
Mix 2 T flour, 1 T cocoa, 1/4 t baking powder, 1/8 t baking soda and a pinch salt well in a mug. Add 1 egg, 1/2 cup grated zucchini. 1/2 T oil. 1 T honey, 1 T chocolate chips and 1/2 t vanilla extract. Mix well again. Sprinkle 1/2 T chocolate chips on top and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes (on our microwave – yours may vary).