Overnight Whole Wheat Tortillas

June 3, 2012 Leave a Comment

Overnight Whole Wheat Tortillas

By adding vinegar or whey to this recipe and allowing the dough to sit overnight, the wheat breaks down and becomes easier to digest. The gluten is also made more digestible. The salt is added after the soaking process because salt inhibits the absorption. This recipe makes a fabulously light tortilla.

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Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup lard, tallow, coconut oil, olive oil, or butter
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar or fresh whey if you have it
1/2 teaspoon salt
Arrowroot powder - for rolling out the tortillas

Instructions

Mix the flour with the fat/oil by cutting it in with a pastry cutter or a fork – until there are no large clumps.
Add the water and vinegar (or whey) and stir with a fork until all of the flour is moistened, using your hands if necessary.
Cover with plastic wrap and leave on the counter for 12 to 24 hours.
When you are ready to roll and cook the tortillas, add the salt and work it into the dough with your hands, kneading only a few times. Do not overwork the dough. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
Divide into 8 pieces.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat.
Dust your work surface with arrowroot powder (arrowroot will not burn on the hot skillet)
Roll out the tortilla.
Cook on an un-greased pan for 30-40 seconds per side. Slightly underdone is best.
Serve warm or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

These freeze well.

When rolling tortillas, I find it works best to form the dough into balls and roll it out about half as large as I want it to be. Then, I let it rest for a few minutes before the final rolling.

Cream Cheese Frosting

June 3, 2012 Leave a Comment

Cream Cheese Frosting

Light, fluffy, and lower in sugar than most cream cheese frosting recipes, this is my all-star, go-to, eat it from the bowl favorite!

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Ingredients

12 oz cream cheese softened to room temp
1/2 cup butter room temp
2 cups powdered sugar sifted after measuring
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

Instructions

Combine the cream cheese, butter and vanilla.
Beat until fluffy and light colored.
Add the sifted powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, beating at a slow speed until the sugar is moistened.
Increase the speed of the mixer and beat until light and spreadable.

Notes

Avoid the temptation to add liquid to this recipe. It turns out perfect every time!

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

June 3, 2012 Leave a Comment

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream cheese, sweetened with confectioner's sugar and flavored with coconut extract - - Aloha!

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Ingredients

16 ounces cream cheese softened to room temp
4 ounces butter room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons coconut extract based on your taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups powdered sugar sifted after measuring

Instructions

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, coconut extract and salt, beating until light and creamy.
Turn the mixer speed down to low and add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Continue mixing at low speed until the sugar is well combined with the cream cheese/butter mixture
When the sugar is moistened, beat on high speed until the frosting is light, fluffy and spreadable.
Taste to adjust the coconut flavoring to your liking,

Notes

This recipe makes enough to generously frost a large sheet cake, a multi-layer cake, or more cupcakes than you can imagine - and have some left over.

Best Ever Banana Cake

June 3, 2012 Leave a Comment

Banana Cake

This is a very moist, delicious cake. Save some bananas and allow them to become speckled and spotted - and very sweet. Makes one 9x13-inch or three 8-inch layers

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Ingredients

2/3 cup butter, lard, coconut oil or shortening
1 -2/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup buttermilk, soured milk, or sour cream
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
11/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
11/2 cups bananas thoroughly mashed

Instructions

Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy.
Sift the dry ingredients together.
Add them to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk or sour cream, stirring only til combined.
Stir in mashed bananas.
Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan..
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cake tests done in the center.
Top with cream cheese frosting - or try my coconut cream cheese frosting

Notes

My method: – I use coconut oil - melted, and soured milk or plain yogurt (because I can make it - and/or I always have plain yogurt on hand).

To make soured milk, add 1 Tablespoon vinegar to 1 cup milk. Mix and let stand several minutes.

Having your eggs at room temperature is important in any baking. The protein in eggs will not properly bind with other ingredients when it is cold.

The cake may take longer than 30 minutes to bake…usually 40-45 minutes.

Cheese and Bacon Quiche

April 6, 2012 Leave a Comment

Cheese and Bacon Quiche

This recipe is an all-time favorite. . . and why wouldn’t it be? Crisp bacon, Swiss cheese, and a light egg custard – all baked up in a flaky, buttery tart shell . Sliced into wedges, it can be served hot or cold any time of day.

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Cook Time 45

Total Time 45

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

10 slices bacon fried crisp and crumbled
1 Tart Shell partially baked* (click on the link to see my recipe)
4 eggs
2 cups light cream or half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/4 cups Swiss cheese grated

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425º F. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the bottom of the partially baked tart shell .
Combine the eggs, cream, salt nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Beat to mix thoroughly.
Sprinkle the grated cheese over the bacon and ladle the custard over it.
Bake for 15 minutes at 425ºF.
Lower the heat to 350ºF and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the quiche comes out clean.

Notes

*To partially bake the tart shell, make the pastry according to the directions. Prick the bottom of the shell with a fork. Bake at 425 for 8 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before filling it with the quiche ingredients.

Variations:

Spinach Quiche
Omit the bacon and use only ½ cup grated Swiss. Add 1 cup cooked, chopped spinach – well drained, and 2 Tablespoons minced onion – which has been sautéed in 1 Tablespoon of butter.

Onion Quiche
Omit the bacon and add 2 onions, thinly sliced, which have been sautéed in 3 tablespoons of butter.

Goat Cheese and Herbs
Omit the bacon, Swiss, and nutmeg. To the egg mixture, add ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, 2 tablespoons chopped scallions and 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley. Slice 4 ounces of fresh goat cheese (chevre) into quarter-inch rounds. Spread the goat cheese slices evenly over the bottom of the pastry. Beat the custard once more and carefully pour it over the cheese slices. Bake at 375 ºF for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden and the custard is set. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing. For a more rustic look, crumble the cheese instead of slicing into rounds.