Cherry-Chocolate Chip Eggless cake recipe

Sorry Oprah 21 cleanse folks, this recipe has sugar and gluten....but it is eggless. This is an adapted recipe, I found on allrecipes.com , Plain Eggless Cake. However, I made a few changes. In the end the consistency was like cake made with eggs and very yummy.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 tablespoons of white vinegar
  
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 10 ounces jar of Maschino cherries diced (reserve juice)
  
• 3/4-1 cup of juice from the Maschino cherries (if not enough reserve substitute orange juice)
  
• 3 tablespoons almond extract
• 1 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips
  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 10 inch round pan or a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the sweetened condensed milk, orange juice, almond extract, vinegar, cherry juice, cherries and melted butter. Beat well with a electric hand mixer. While blending gradually add mini-chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.
   
3. Bake in the center of a preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
   Note: I go the full 60 minutes, but it really depends on where you live and your oven. The top might crack a little, before the center of the cake is fully baked. The cracks don't matter if you plan to turn the cake upside down before frosting.
   

Korma Recipe -- My way!

I am not Indian, but I cook a lot of Indian food. I learned a few recipes from cookbooks and a lot of technique from my Indian Mother in-law (very sweet and patient woman). If you are vegetarian and need more variety, try out a few Indian recipes. Don't base you understanding of Indian cooking by the restaurants, there is a lot more to it (however, you can get the following recipe at most North Indian restaurants in the US & Canada).
Also note, if you have trouble with some of the Indian spices, cooking it yourself, puts you in control. For example, my husband gets heartburn from garam masala (mixture of spices), so I either cut it down or leave it out. When I use it, I make sure to have chai (tea) with cinnamon, cardamom and milk ready to go as we eat. I read somewhere cinnamon prevents heartburn and it seems to work.
One more point, if I may, Indian cooking, will not break you food budget or your diet. I would be skinny, if I stayed away from chocolate and cookies.


Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp - Ghee (clarified butter) or Vegetable oil
• 3-5 - Tomatoes depending tomato consistency and size**(make sure to read the note)
• 2 - Grated onions
• 1/2 inch -chopped ginger (or paste)
• 1tsp - cumin seeds
• 2 - Garlic cloves chopped
• 1 tsp - Turmeric Powder
• 1 1/2 tsp - Red chili powder
• 1 tsp - Coriander powder
• 2 tsp - Garam Masala Powder (not curry powder - you can find this online, in some natural food stores or better yet at an Indian grocery)
• 1/2-1 cup - Milk / water
• 1/2 cup - sour cream or yogurt
• 1/4 cup - grounded cashews
• Salt To Taste
• 3 cups - Boiled vegetables (mixture of 4 or more of the following vegetables -potatoes, carrots, green peas, green beans, cauliflower, green peppers, cabbage, butternut squash)
• 2 tbs -cilantro for garnish

How to make:

1. Heat ghee in a large sauce pan
2. Saute onions, ginger, cumin, turmeric, chili, coriander powder and garam masala on med-high heat until cumin is brown and onions are transparent.
3. Add tomatoes and garlic and cover with lid and stir occasionally until tomatoes are thoroughly a paste.**
4. Lower heat to med-low and gradually add about 1/2 of milk or water to make gravy. Add more if needed.
   
5. Stir in sour cream or yogurt and grounded cashews and simmer for 2 minutes
6. Add salt and boiled vegetables. Stir making sure the vegetables are covered in gravy
   
7. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes or more with lid on. Stir occasionally.
   
8. Garnish with cilantro
   
9. Serve with rice and chapatis
   

**You will find a lot of Indian recipes have you puree the tomatoes to make a sauce or use canned tomato sauce, its much quicker, but it takes away from the flavor. If you have time then make the tomato sauce as in the above recipe. I do however, keep a 6oz can of tomato sauce on hand for just in case the gravy doesn't make enough. Or if you discover, after add the water (or milk), the tomatoes don't quite make a gravy, then add the can before adding boiled vegetables. If you use Italian (plum) tomatoes (best choice) make sure to use at least 5.

Some good resources & blogs:

1. FoodieView Blog
2. Indian Food Facts - Know Your Food Today
   

Brown Bananas

I hate wasting bananas. They are my favorite fruit.

If you are like me, it is always hard to gage how many bananas to buy for the week. So, when we don't eat them all before they are brown, I throw them in the freezer. It is too bad my Aunt, who loves brown bananas, doesn't live near by.

Anyway, its time to make banana bread. Here's my favorite recipe:

2 1/2 cups Whole-wheat flour
2 tsp Baking soda
1tsp Salt
1 cup Butter, soft at room temperature
1 1/2 cups Sugar
4 large/ripe Mashed Bananas (ok to use yellow bananas, just add more sugar)
4 Eggs
OR 4 tsp of Flax seed and 1/2 cup of water
1 cup Pecans or Walnuts

Preheat over to 350
Grease and flour 2 medium loaf pans
In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking soda, and salt
In a large bowl, beat (or hand mixer) together butter, sugar; gradually mashed bananas; then eggs or flaxseed/water and beat until completely mixed (mixture will look a little curdled). Add nuts. Then add the combined dry ingredients and mix until blended.

Pour evenly and equally into 2 prepared pans. Bake for 55-60 minutes until tooth pick comes out clean. (You may have to add 5-10 if using Flaxseed).
Let cool before serving.

Little Beans Favorite Dish

I sometimes make this dish for Little Bean's lunch . It takes about 15 minutes to make and is very easy. It is actually a very simplified & modified stir fry (but no frying).

Veggies & Noodles

1/2 cup of dry noodles
1 carrot diced
1/4 cup of frozen peas
1/4 cup of frozen broccoli
1 tbs of soy sauce
1tbs of honey

Boil the noodles and vegetables together until soft; strain and cool; mix soy sauce and honey together and mix in with the vegetable and noodles.

My favorite Sandwich Recipe

I love this sandwich! Many years ago, my Mother ate a similar sandwich out on the East coast; she made a sandwich suggestion at a local health food store in the Midwest. So, on my lunch breaks in high school I would go to the health food store and eat this sandwich. Now I just make it at home.

Let me know what you think. If you have had this sandwich before, I would like to know where?

Recipe:

1/2 peeled and thinly slice apple
2 slices of bread
Mayo
sprouts - clover or any kind you prefer (also taste good with lettuce)
2 slices of Cheese - Swiss and Cheddar are good options
1tsp-tbs Sesame seeds (optional)
1tsp-tbs raisins (optional)

Spread the mayo on the 2 slices of bread. On top of one slice, add a layer of each cheese, apple, and sprouts. Add nuts and raisins before putting the 2nd slice on top. Enjoy!

p.s. I usually eat it without the nuts and raisins.

Pancake Recipe

I love making my own pancake mix. This recipe is eggless, but can be altered easy if you want to add the eggs (just leave out the egg replacer). Taste better than the store brand mixes.
Powder Egg Replacer can be found in most health food stores. Note: You will need large airtight container (3-4 quarts) for storage on your kitchen self.

Ultimate Pancake Recipe

Makes:	Makes about 2 1/2 lbs
Prep Time:	10 mins
Cook Time:	5 -15 mins
Ready In:	15 - 25 mi
Servings:

Ingredients

4 cups White Flour

1 cup Wheat Flour

1 cup Corn Meal/Flour

1 cup Oat Flour, Rye Flour (or ½ cup of each)

7 Tsp Baking powder

7 Tsp Sugar

5 Tsp Powdered Egg Replacer

4 tsp Salt

Directions

1. Mix well in the bowl or the storage container and store until use. To mix:

1. 1 – 1 ¼ cups Milk
2. 1 ½ cups Pancake Mix
3. 2 Tablespoons Oil or melted butter
4. Combine in a bowl; Fry on a lightly buttered or oiled skillet