Sweet Concern

The other morning our house helper came to me with great concern on her face.  I've translated our conversation for you...

"Madam, does your family eat lunch?"  she asked.

"Yes, everyday."  I told her.

"But madam, everyday I do your dishes and there are not enough dishes.  There are no dishes from where you cook your rice.  Are you eating enough rice?"  again, great concern across her face.

"Well, we not do eat rice everyday.  We normally have leftovers from the evening before (insert my own explanation of what leftovers are) so I do not have to cook twice in one day."

"But you eat rice, right?"

"We do eat rice, but also other things as well."  I tried to reassure her.

"Okay, well I just wanted to make sure your were eating, and getting enough rice."

She is so sweet :)

So good... Pumpkin Gingerbread!

Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins


Makes about 16- 18 standard muffins **double the recipe to make 3 standard loaves**

*My healthier changes 

Ingredients

FOR THE MUFFINS

1 3/4 cups (222 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 c whole wheat flour, ½ c AP flour, ¼ c quick oats

1 teaspoon baking soda
 - 1 ½ soda & added ½ tsp baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt


1 teaspoon ground ginger


1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon


1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg


1/4 teaspoon ground allspice


1/4 cup (about 63 ml) canola or vegetable oil
 - mashed banana

1/2 cup molasses


1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
- unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup (about 128 grams) brown sugar, - ¼ c brown sugar & ¼ c honey

2 eggs (or 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds combined with 6 tablespoons (ml) water, for vegan/dairy free)


8 ounces pumpkin puree


1/4 cup (about 63 ml) water

FOR THE STREUSEL

(optional, this bread is still amazing without it)


1/4 cup (64 grams) brown sugar


1/4 cup (32 grams) all-purpose flour


1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


2 tablespoons (about 15 grams) unsalted butter, melted 

To make the muffins: Preheat oven to 350 degrees (165 C). Lightly spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour, or grease and flour each one, or line with muffin liners; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the oil and molasses. Stir in the sugars until combined, then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Stir in the pumpkin until thoroughly combined. Stir in the water. Sprinkle about half of the flour mixture over the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the remaining flour mixture, and mix just until no streaks of flour remain. Place three tablespoons batter into each muffin mold and set aside while you mix the streusel topping.

To make the streusel: In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, flour, and cinnamon together, whisking until thoroughly combined. Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture and stir with a spoon until you have a mixture that resembles lumpy wet sand. Do not break up the clumps too much.

Divide the streusel evenly between the pans, sprinkling it over the top of the batter to cover it.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

*I got 1 loaf pan & 6 muffins, it was very good & moist, and I did not do the streusel on top.  I baked the loaf for 45ish minutes.  

*With the changes I made & no streusel each portion is 3 WWpts +

Tamale Casserole

Last night I had in mind to make Chicken Pot Pie... alas I did not have all the required ingredients.  So I started flipping through one of my cookbooks and found this recipe.  Trying to sound interesting I posted our new dinner adventure on FB and several then asked for it... here you go!

But I must pose this disclaimer:  Brad says while he enjoyed it & the taste was good it is not like the tamales one would get in a mexican restaurant back home.

Tamale Casserole
(makes 4 large servings)

4 tsp oil
1 bell pepper (recipe says green but I used yellow & red), seeded & chopped
2 red onions, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded & chopped (I used 1 local hot chili & a few precious pieces of cut jared jalapeños)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 lb ground meat (recipe says turkey, I used chicken but I am confident beef would be good too)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup frozen corn kernels (I used an entire can, drained)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 tsp hot chili powder
2 cups water (I used 1 cup chicken stock, 'cause I had it)
2/3 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used whatever meltable cheese I had)

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat oil.  Saute the bell pepper, onions, jalapeño pepper, & garlic until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the ground meat & cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5-8 minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce, corn & 1/2 tsp salt, and the chili powder; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat & simmer, covered stirring once or twice until the sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to a 8-inch square baking dish.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of the water & remaining salt to a boil.  In a medium bowl, which the cornmeal into remaining 1 cup water.  Slowly pour the moist cornmeal into the boiling water in a thin steady stream, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes back to a boil.

Reduce the heat & cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens & begins to form large bubbles, about 5 minutes.

Spread over the turkey mixture so that it is completely covered.  Bake 25 minutes, then sprinkle with the cheese & back until cheese melts, about 5 minutes longer.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
______________________

If you use light & healthy options throughout- it is 300 cal, 6g fat, 6 g fiber, 42g carb, 22g protein per serving.

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

Enjoy!

Yummy bagels

American baked goods are one of those things you cannot "go out & get" here... like at all...

Now... I have never been a huge bagel fan... sure the occasional one was good but nothing I really craved until one day.

I blame Bit... do you know her?  She is an amazing lady who we love & introduced me to the 

Panera Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bagel.

Which the closest Panera is about some 8,000 miles (give or take a few) away... :(

So what is a girl to do?

Make them yourself!  

You can get the recipe here if you like!

Heaven

Ha... just kidding... especially this picture from this angle!  

But... oh my... this girl has been loving this 

Cincinnati Chili!

Pretty Muffins

Thank you to whomever sent the cute little muffin-cups!

Comfort

Sorry... I know that this blog is not really suppose to be a food blog...

but it is about our lives.

Lately it seems that a bit of culture shock/stress has set in for this girl... so reaching out for comfortable things are only natural.  This week (really has been the only meal I have cooked this week) was 

King Ranch Chicken.

I am convinced that most all good Southern cooks have some sort of gooey, chickeny, cheesy, 

good feeling casserole in their artillery.

I believe this to be true because I have versions from KY, AR and now FL...

Here it does take a bit more work, as in no canned foods to help you out.  

So this week I gave my hand at making Rotel (thanks to CopyCat) and Cream of Mushroom soup

Then the following day I let the KRC have it!

After the fact Brad told me I had been holding out on him!

Poor guy... that isn't true but since this is not the most figure-friendly meal I think this really is only the second time I have made it since we have been married!

Things are different here, everything but I am talking about the food & ingredients, but I was surprised at how much like home/ mom's it tasted!

As far as comfort food goes this is a good one... but I do guess it is a good thing we don't eat like this all the time!  And good that we got an elliptical machine!  Ha!

(sorry there is no pic of the finished product... my camera battery gave out on me!)

Homemade

Peanut Butter Cups

Why?  Because all too many South Asians have not yet discovered the true wonder & bliss 

of the marriage of chocolate & peanut butter!

Start with some sort of peanut butter ball recipe...

I followed my mother-in-laws... Thanks Helen!!!

Last week while we were in the Big City some coworkers introduced us to their favorite dark chocolate... and wow it really is good!  

I have yet to fine good chocolate for baking & candy outside of regular candy bars... so this was exciting!

Chop it up and melt accordingly...

Pour into your muffins cups. 

(or mini muffin cups for a bit more figure friendly version... but I don't have any of those!)

Mix your PB goods & place in the fridge until you are ready for it...

Place a blop of PB mixture into each chocolate cup.

(yes... blop is a technical term :)  )

Cover with more melted chocolate then refrigerate until set!

Enjoy like this :)

Then a few pics of other homemade creations lately...

Apple Chicken with squash & whole wheat pasta

Creole Shrimp with Brown Rice

Whole Wheat Yogurt Pancakes

Fruit Happy :)

Yes that is a mango on my neighbor's tree... 

they have been taunting me by hanging over the fence into our compound... 

but guess what... they are finally ready to eat!  

I just got a bag full & will report on their yumminess soon :)

Learning Curry

There are so many very yummy foods in South Asia.  So many foods that I have no idea how to make... many of our neighbors have asked (with concern) what I cook... if I cook... and what we eat...

Now I can tell them I know how to make Chicken Curry!

I am sure they will sigh with relief!  (really!)

Remember my amazing language tutor?  

Well, I asked her earlier in the week if she would stay one day after class to teach me to make one of her favorite dishes and if her family would then join us for lunch!

She did & they did!

Sow now... get ready... I will teach you what I learned!

(note: sorry most of the pics are rather blurry... she moved really fast!)

Cast of Characters: (yes I stole that from PW :) )

brown whole coconut (you only use 1/2, so save the rest for later) (milk in a can will do as well)

ginger-garlic paste (a south asian staple)

cilantro leaves

curry leaves

2 -3 small red onions

1 kg chicken (cut up with the bones) (next I will go no bones)

canola oil 

salt

masala powder

First you gotta crack your coconut... the sidewalk edge will do nicely :)

getting ready...

Then you grate 1/2 of your coconut (with a coconut grater that she brought from her house)

Once your coconut is grated you add water...

then mix with your hand then squeeze the heck out of it....

drain that liquid off & you have homemade coconut milk!

After your chicken is cut (i skipped the pic of that) your chicken needs to be rinsed & squeezed dry.

Then thrown into your pressure cooker with a bit of oil, a bit of the coconut milk 

& the chili cut in 1/2 to get a faster start.

Prep your veg by slicing your onions & getting your leaves ready.

Sorry... more chicken squeezing & rice cooking.  There is nothing here about cooking your rice... you need about a kg, cooked & hot by the time your curry is done.

Getting ready... and a chili or two... I forgot those... in with the rest of the veg in the pot.

She said I should I have pic taken of me so that I can show my mother I can grate my own coconut, 

so mom this pic is for you :)  Look I can grate my own coconut!!!!

While you chicken is doin' its thing in your pressure cooker (RIP :( )

in an additional pot caramelize your onions in the oil.

Of course her kids where hanging out & helping (not really) as well.... aren't they a cute family?

Precious :)

Once the onions are good add the ginger-garlic paste and stir about.

Get the chicken out of the PC and throw it into the mix with the onions.

Add the masala powder & salt.  Mix well.

(both till they look good & suit your taste.  we like it spicy so there was more masala powder than some folks might use)

Add your coconut milk.

Then your curry leaves.

Stir well... then taste test... gotta check your spice & salt levels... then adjust as needed.

Add your cilantro leaves.  Stir well & serve over rice!  

Enjoy!

(And yes... it was AWESOME!)