Tina's Apple pie thingies

So this recipe was invented today by my daughter Tina. I provided the ingredients and the initial idea and my Daughter corrected me, improved the idea, and come up with apple pie thingies! The original recipe (that came from my dad, featured slices of banana, wrapped in a package of pastry, fried and then covered in icing sugar...well Tina said that the banana filling sounded "yucky" adn that we should use up our apples instead....

So, I used my favourite pastry recipe (see "back to basics" post for more info). I rolled it out until it was quite thin, and then Tina cut out rounds, using a wide mouthed plastic cup. We then put around 200g of apple cubed into a frying pan, with a teaspoon of sugar, the juice form one tangerine, quarter of a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of butter. We put the frying pan over a medium heat until the butter had melted, adn the apple had turned a golden colour.

Then we took the frying pan off the heat, and put a teaspoon of the apple mixture into each round of pastry. Tina then folded one side of the round to the other, and sealed it, finishing it off cleanly with a cup (empanada style). Tina experimented with some other shapes, including a ball, and I have to say they were all just a delicious! :) These 'parcels' were dropped into hot oil and deep fried until golden brown, and then rolled in icing sugar.Tada!!

Culturally cooking-Under Pressure

I am a member of a Women's Group here in Cyprus, by the name of Cyprus Women of Today. Today it was my pleasure to host one of our Culturally Cooking events. What we do, i a member invites us to her home, and teaches us to cook something. A discussion had arisen over how to use a pressure cooker, and what kind of things you can cook, so i decided to cook a few different dishes, to show how quick and easy and versatile the pressure cooker is. A menu was born-black eyed beans, followed by spare ribs,and  finished off with a steamed chocolate pudding with chocolate fudge sauce...

So, we started with the black eyed beans. I took 2 cups of beans, and placed in the pressure cooker with 1 tablespoon of salt, and 5 cups water.
I sealed the pressure cooker, brought it up to pressure, and cooked for around 9 minutes. I used the quick release, so that i could check on the beans, and saw they needed another 5 minutes. Total cooking time 14 minutes. To serve, ladle into a bowl, not forgetting to add some juice, then drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. This is traditionally served with boiled vegetables (either zucchini or perhaps some swiss chard). We also like to eat a tuna salad as a side dish- 1 can tuna, 1 bunch of parsley chopped,and 2 spring onions chopped.

Now for the  "Oh My" spare ribs (so called because that is the comment they got from one of my best friends, when she first tried them!)

I took about 4 kilos of spare ribs, cut into 2-3 rib pieces thanks to my lovely butcher, and rubbed them down with the seasoning (1tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp chili powder, and 1 tsp paprika). Then i heated about 2 tablespoons oil in the pressure cooker, and browned off the ribs

I added 4 onions that i had sliced into half moons, and the 1.5 cups of ketchup, as well as 0.5 cup of vinegar.

Then i closed the pressure cooker, and brought it up to pressure (then turned it to low to cook), and cooked the ribs for 15 minutes.

When you open the pressure cooker (after letting the pressure dissipate on it's own, or hitting the quick release button) you will smell the most wonderful smell :)

Last but not least, I made a chocolate steamed pudding...I took a 1/4 packet of chocolate chips, and 1 tablespoon of dairy free butter and melted them together in the microwave. Then i added the dry ingredients, 1.5 teaspoon baking powder, 0.5 teaspoon salt,0.5 cup sugar,and 1 cup of flour, to the chocolate/butter mix, and added the liquid ingredients-0.5 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix until the batter is smooth, then turn into a cake tin (small enough to fit into the pressure cooker). Place a rack inside the pressure cooker, and then place the cake tin on top. Close the pressure cooker, and bring up to pressure. Cook for 30 minutes, and then check the pudding (you check the pudding the same way you would a cake- stick in a knife and if it comes out clean, it is ready)

So here it is, a full meal cooked int he pressure cooker :) :) :)

It's raining here in Cyprus, and the temperature has dropped a couple of degrees, so it has got me to thinking about comfort food. Today's delight is chocolate sponge with hot chocolate sauce on top...

The chocolate sponge recipe is one i use all the time, 1.5 cups plain flour, 1 cup water or soya milk, 0.5 cup oil, 0.5 cup sugar, 0.5 cup cocoa, 1 egg, 1.5 teaspoon baking powder. Mix the ingredients well, and pour into a cake tin of your choice- today i used a loaf tin.Bake for 30 minutes at 180 (or until a knife comes out clean).




Now for the special stuff- the sauce-take 0,5 cup of chocolate pieces, and warm together with 2 tablespoons of dairy free butter until melted.

 Now add 0.5 cups sugar, and 1 cup soya cream. Warm until the mixture is thick and glossy (today i added 1 tablespoon of custard powder as i wanted the sauce EVEN thicker!







Enjoy!

Zucchini bread

I'm still trying to use up all of my courgettes (zucchini) so i thought i would make a zucchini bread, so i got online to find a recipe. I wanted to make a savoury bread, but all i could find were very sweet cake type recipes, so i thought i would adapt one, and this is what i came up with:


I took 3 cups plain flour,1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp baking soda,1 tsp baking powder,3 large eggs,1/2 cup sugar,1 cup vegetable oil, 2 cups shredded zucchini (with the skins),3 onions, chopped (about 1/2 cup), and a cup of shredded carrot then mixed the mixture, until it was homogenous. Then i turned it out into two10 1/2 inch loaf pans, and sprinkled the top of the loaves with crushed cashew nuts, and crushed pistachio nuts to give it some crunch, I also sprinkled some chili flakes onto the top to give it some zip

Then it was into the oven at 185C for about 55-60 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes or so, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. This is another of those baked goods that tastes yummy when it is cooled down, but if you can cut it when it is still warm, and then spread with your favorite 'butter'-its divine!!

The (Shhh! don't tell them the secret ingredient) Chocolate cake!

As a mother, I am always on the look out for new ways to get my children to eat veggies (and if i can sneak it into something that they will eat without them knowing- I'm there!).

Actually, my children are pretty good at eating their veggies, they just won't eat cooked ones-so if you take that and the fact that i have a glut of enormous marrows at the moment, I really needed to find a recipe that will use them up, and , at the same time, get my children to eat them :)

I know, i know , I'm crafty- but admit it- you are still reading- aren't you??

So, it goes something like this; Pre heat the oven to 350F or 180C, then take two cups of shredded zucchini/marrow/courgette, and (before anyone notices they are in the bowl) cover them up with 2.5 cups plain flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, 2.5 tsp baking powder, 1.5 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 3 tbsp butter,2 cups sugar,and 1/2 cup of orange juice. Mix it all together into quite a thick batter (i had to break out my electric mixer as i couldn't do it by hand!)

Put it into a prepared cake tin, i used a bundt tin 10 inches across, and then into the oven it goes for around 50 minutes (or until a knife come out clean). Take out of the oven, and let it rest and cool for around 15 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack until it cools completely.

I finished it off with an orange glaze-2 cups of icing sugar, 5 tablespoons of orange juice, it should look like runny icing. Then drizzle over the top of the cake- et voila!

Auntie Viki's Zucchini Bombs

So, our veggie patch (which hasn't done very well this year) has suddenly decided that it is going to produce monster vegetables! We had a zucchini (or courgette) that was 16 inches long, and 16 inches around at the widest end...and a marrow that weighed in at 2 kilos!

So i took my monster zucchini, and i sliced three rounds (3-4 inches high). Then i scooped out the seeds, and made a 'cup'. 

These i put aside, and i started on my filling. I took 2 cloves of garlic and sliced them, then i took one small onion and chopped it. I sliced around 6 mushrooms and put them to the side. Into a frying pan i put 2 teaspoons of oil, and then threw in the onion and garlic.

 After around a minute, i added the mushrooms, and a minute later i added the mince (around 400g). Once the mince had started to brown i added  400g of tomato puree, 2 tbsp Italian herbs, 1 teaspoon chili flakes (this can be omitted if you don;t like it hot!) and just let it all simmer for a few minutes, so the flavors can all bind and come together.

Next, take your zucchini 'cups' and fill them up, then cover with foil, and into the oven they go at 180C for 40-45 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft (you can stick a fork into it to see if it is done).
Enjoy!

English Muffins

Ok, so i have to admit i LOOOVVEE muffins, banana walnut ones, strawberry or blueberry ones.. the choice is almost endless, but once in a while, i have a craving for English muffins. There is just something about them- the crispiness of the exterior, the butter melting into all the nooks and crannies of the interior...what can i say??
So, I found myself in a dark house when evryone else was sleeping this morning, and i thought-hmm, i could really go for an english muffin. Bearing in mind that in Cyprus such things are not readily available, and if they WERE there is no way i would find them at 4:30am on a sunday morning- so into the recipe book i go!

I found a great recipe by Isa Chandra Moskowitz in her Vegan Brunch cookbook (a totally awesome cookbook by the way!).

You start off with 1 teaspoon of yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 cup of water- place in a bowl, and let it do it's thing for 10 minutes or so, then add the flour (2 1/4 cups) the salt (1 1/4 teaspoons) and the margarine (3 tablespoons). Mix it untilb it forms a sticky dough

Then turn it out onto a floured surface, and knead for 6 minutes or so, until you have a nice smooth dough. Now leave to rise for an hour (in a nice warm place) until the dough has doubled in size.

Now we are ready to roll it out on a floured surface, and using a cookie cutter (or the top of a coffee mug) cut out rounds (about 3 inches across).

Preheat a heavy frying pan or skillet, and melt about a table spoon of margarine in it (the pan should not be hot enough to burn the margarine!). Now, working in batches put a few muffins in the pan at a time, and fry for about a minute on each side until the muffins are lightly browned  and then put them on a greaseproof paper lined cookie sheet, and into a oven at 180C (350F) for 6-10 minutes. Let them cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes (this is what Isa suggests, but to be honest, these didn't last that long!) Serve dripping in butter and with a nice cup of tea!