I’ve been on a sourdough making kick as of late and have been infusing my starter discard in just about everything that pops into my mind. My latest venture is adding discard to my cornbread and the results are fantastic. This is something my whole family has loved. The best thing is that everything is mixed in one large bowl for easy preparation and clean up.
Ingredients
1 cup sourdough starter
1 cup corn flour
1 cup stone ground corn (I used polenta/corn grits)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp mace
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup raw cane sugar
2/3 cup sunflower or avocado oil
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
Directions
Add sourdough discard, corn flour, corn meal, all purpose flour, and remaining eight (8) ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Using a wire whisk, mix until everything is well incorporated. Set aside. Grease a 9×12 pan and pour mixture into pan. Spread evenly and place into a 350 degrees oven. Bake for about 40 minutes, until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool. Drizzle with butter, honey, and or fresh herbs and serve.
This delightful treat came about because I’d had some leftover sumo oranges that no one wanted to eat and I didn’t want to waste them. The leftover sumo oranges were halved and placed in a sauce pot filled with filtered water. Once the oranges and water boiled and most of the liquid absorbed, the mixture was removed from the stove and left to cool completely. Next, the entire mixture was blended into a smooth puree, yes even the rinds. The paste was then cooked down and sugar and honey was added to cut down the bitterness. Once cooled, paste was placed in storage containers and refrigerated.
Now I will admit this does sound like a lengthy process just to be used up in a yummy cake, even though it’s worth it. If time is an issue, puréed orange marmalade may be substituted. The flavor may not be as dense, which is okay as well.
Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp mace spice
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cup cane sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup pureed orange paste
1 cup whole milk (or heavy cream)
1 TBSP lemon extract
Directions
In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and mace. Whisk dry ingredients to incorporate air and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add softened butter and cane sugar and whisk until light and fluffy and pale in color. Add eggs, one at a time and whisk after each addition. Next, add orange puree and whisk again until well incorporated. Working in thirds, add 1/3 flour mixture and whisk until flour is just incorporated and then add 1/3 milk and whisk until flour and milk are mixed well. Continue to add flour mixture and milk until done. Last add lemon extract and stir.
Grease a large bundt pan or 2 loaves pans. Add cake mixture to pan and tap pan 3 to 4 times on counter to even mixture throughout the pan or pans. Place cake into a cold oven and bake on 325 degrees until golden brown around edges and top. Make sure when toothpick is inserted into middle that cake comes out clean.
Let cool complete as this is a soft cake and remove from pan once cooling is complete. Serve, eat and enjoy!
Made this delicious spread to go along with all of the sourdough bread I’ve been making lately. This is great as a standalone spread, or used as a dressing for salads, and works greats as a sandwich spread. The possibilities are deliciously endless.
Ingredients
4 (8oz) packs of cream cheese, room temperature
3 (3oz) packs of smoked salmon, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 green onion, rough chopped
1 TBSP course ground garlic
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 whole lemon, juiced
Directions
In a large mixing bowl add room temperature cream cheese, chopped salmon, cilantro, green onions, and spices. Mix ingredients until just incorporated. Add lemon juice and stir. Using a hand held blender, mix on medium to low speed for about 2 minutes until spread is thoroughly mixed and everything is well incorporated. Place spread in a glass covered bowl and chill for about 30 minutes. Serve chilled as a spread for breads, crackers, or deli meats.
My family loves when I make egg rolls. Here’s is a family favorite that everyone will enjoy but it’s a fun project to get everyone into the kitchen for a fun family cooking night.
Ingredients
2 lb ground wagyu
2 lb ground bison
6-8 shishito peppers
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole
3 green onions, cut in half
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and halved
1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and halved
2 TBSP red palm oil
1 TBSP Harissa spice
1 TBSP Berbere spice
2 tsp. Cayenne pepper
2 TBSP Dried ginger granules (optional)
1 TBSP Espresso rub (optional)
1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lb Buffalo cheddar cheese
1/2 Pepper jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Egg roll wrappers
Egg wash
Peanut oil for deep frying
Directions
In a large heavy bottomed skillet, add red palm oil and turn the heat on medium-high. Once oil is heated, add shishito peppers, garlic, green onions, yellow onion, and Anaheim pepper. Sear peppers and onion mix on all sides until charred. Remove from skillet and let cool slightly. Once pepper mix has cooled slightly, add everything into a high powered blender and blend until combined but be careful not to over blend mixture.
Add ground wagyu and ground bison to a large mixing bowl. Add blended pepper mix and all dry spices to meat and mix until well combined.
Cook beef mixture on medium high heat. Add Worcestershire sauce half way through the cooking process and proceed to cook until done. Drain any excess oil from meat. Remove from heat and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Cut buffalo cheddar and pepper jack cheese into small cubes and set aside.
Once meat has cooled, place in large mixing bowl. Add cubed cheese and mix until combined.
Add meat to egg roll wrappers, about 1/8 cup full at a time. Brush corners with egg wash and roll egg rolls according to packaging instructions.
Once egg rolls are filled then deep fry on high heat until wrappers are golden brown. Remove from oil and place on draining rack.
Delicious cobbler recipe using local sweet potatoes and just in time for the holidays.
Ingredients
6 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
5 cups of filtered water
1 stick of butter
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cardamon
2 tsp ground all spice
2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup coconut sugar
1 cup cane sugar
4 refrigerated pie crusts
Ingredients for thickener
3 TBSP all purpose flour
Approx 1/2 cup of sweet potato liquid
Toppings
1 TBSP Cane sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon
Directions
In large dutch oven, start to boil sweet potatoes on medium heat. About halfway through the cooking process, add in cubbed butter, vanilla bean paste, remaining spices, and sugars. Continue to cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through, being careful not to over cook. Once cooked turn heat to a low simmer.
Working quickly, remove about 1/2 cup of sweet potato liquid from pot and set aside in small bowl. Next, add about 3 TBSP of flour or more to sweet potato liquid. Whisk thoroughly until a nice paste is formed. The paste should be the consistency of thick pancake batter. Be sure to stir vigorously so that there are no lumps in flour. Add this mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, to sweet potatoes. This is to thicken the cobbler so that it’s not runny. Stir gently until we’ll incorporated. Remove from heat, cover and let cool and thicken for about 15 minutes.
Prepare a deep dish 9×13 baking pan with 2 of the pie crusts on the bottom of pan. Using a fork, poke holes in the crust and bake in a 350 degree oven until crust slightly done. Add sweet potatoes with slotted spoon until pan is full. Next, scoop remaining liquid over of sweet potatoes. Be careful not to overflow pan. Using the 2 remaining pie crusts, make lattice design on top of sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place in 350 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes or until top is golden brown.
1 whole pineapple peeled, cored and cut into chunks
4 lbs of fresh prawns, peeled and deveined
Scant 1/2 cup of potato starch
Oil for sauteeing and frying
Cilantro for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Mix fish sauce and remaining 6 ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and set aside. Heat oil in large wok on high heat. Next, coat prawns in potato starch and set aside for 5 minutes. Once wok and oil is heated, at prawns in small batches being sure not to crowd the wok. Once shrimp are evenly cooked, about 2 minutes, remove from frying oil and drain. Continue frying prawns until all prawns have been cooked.
In large dutch oven on high heat, or wok, heat sautéing oil. Then add bell peppers, onions, and carrots. Saute until onions are translucent and bell peppers and carrots are softened a bit.
Turn heat down to mid-low and add prawns and sauce. Toss prawns and vegetables to be sure everything is evenly coated. Next, add pineapple and green onions and continue to coat everything in sauce. Cover with lid and let cook on low heat for about 10 minutes.
veggies choppedmaking sweet and sour saucesautéing veggiesprawns coated and ready to fry
Here’s a yummy treat using fresh strawberries that’s perfect for brunch or a sweet treat to share with friends. It’s great for gatherings large or small.
STRAWBERRY TOPPING Ingredients
4 lbs fresh strawberries
1/2 cup vodka
1/4 cup cane sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions Clean, halve, and coat strawberries with sugar, vodka, and vanilla extract. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Tart ingredients
PIE CRUST Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
3 TBSP cane sugar
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
5-8 TBSP ice water
Directions
Place flour in large mixing bowl. Add salt, sugar and stir. Next add cut butter. Cut butter into flour mixture with pastry blender or use hands. Mix until flour and butter mixture is crumbly. Add ice water into flour butter mix one tablespoon at a time. Use hands to mix dough and form into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
CREAM FILLING Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese, room temp
16 oz creme fraiche, room temp
2 eggs, room temp
3/4 cup cane sugar
1/4 cup vodka
Directions
In a large bowl, mix cheeses using a wire whisk. Add eggs one at a time and whisk after each addition. Next, add cane sugar and vodka and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Cover and set aside (do not refrigerate).
ASSEMBLING AND BAKING TART Ingredients
Pie crust
Cream filling
Strawberry topping
1/2 cup apricot jam mixed with 2 TBSP vodka
Directions Preheat 350 degree oven.
Remove pie crust from refrigerator and roll out into a nice thick crust. Place crust in a large, 11 inch round quiche dish. Be sure that all sides of the dish are covered with dough. Using a fork, place air holes into the crust bottom and around the sides. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until crust is a light golden color.
Remove baked crust from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes. Once crust is cooled, add cream filling. Place crust and filling back into the 350 degree oven and cook until filling is a solid firm mass and is not sticky when touched, or about 25 minutes.
Once cream filling is done, remove from oven and let cool completely to room temp. Remove strawberries from refrigerator and begin to place berries on tart base one at a time, starting with the outer edge. Once the first layer of berries are on the base, begin to fill in any gaps with remaining berries. Berries can then be layered on top of other berries to create a nice thick pile.
Brush completed tart with apricot jam mixture and serve.
Here’s a fun and versatile recipe that’s great served as a rich and delicious hot drink, a cold smoothie or even added to baking.
Ingredients
2 cups culinary rose petals, finely ground
1/4 cup rouge cocoa powder
1/4 cup jet black cocoa powder
3/4cup monk fruit sugar
1/4 cup maple sugar
1/8 cup Vanilla collagen creamer
3 TBPS Vanilla keto powder
3 TBSP Rose water
2 tsp Lemon paste
Directions
Using high powder blender, blend rose petals into a finely ground powder. Mix in cocoa powders, vanilla powders, and sugars and blend again for a few seconds and pour contents into a mixing bowl.
Next, add rose water and lemon extract. Mix thoroughly with a spoon until a thick paste is forms
Store in an air tight jar with lid. When ready to use, Add mixture to hot milk or water and serve as desired.
This is a twist of a recipe I created in December 2012. I typically make some kind of large salad for my hubby on his birthday, which is on Christmas. I wanted to stay within the season and use seasonal items as much as possible. So here’s a simple and delicious salad the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
3 bunches of curly leaf kale
5-10 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Wash and dry kale throughly. Remove hard middle stem from each kale leaf and set aside. Wash, peel, core and slice apples. Keep apples soaked in water with lemon to keep them from turning brown. Next, roughly tear or rough chop kale and place in large bowl and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, add vinegar, coconut amino, maple syrup and oil and mix well. Add this mixture to kale and massage mixture into kale to ensure it’s well coated. Next add apples, pecans, cranberries and currents. Salt and pepper to taste and give salad a nice toss so that everything is evenly coated. Cover and chill about 30 minutes and serve immediately.
Aly in the Kitchen 