Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Key Lime Pie Martini

Key Lime Pie Martini
From Coastal Living Magazine (April 2006) and myrecipes.com

Ingredients
4 tablespoons vanilla flavored vodka
2 tablespoons Key lime juice
2 tablespoons simple syrup
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup ice
graham cracker crumbs
honey
cinnamon stick
lime wedge

Preparation
Line the rim of a martini glass with honey and dip into graham cracker crumbs, coating the rim with crumbs. Combine first 5 ingredients in a martini shaker. Shake well until very cold. Strain into martini glass. Garnish with cinnamon stick and lime wedge. Makes 1 really yummy don't-care-about-nuthin' serving.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Retreat Weekend Indian Recipes

Parathas
Chibati flour (or whole wheat)
Water to make it pliable but not too wet (add a little at a time)
Let rest five minutes.
Oil the bread so it won't dry out.

Fillings:
Boiled potato or fresh Cauliflower or Asian Radish grated.
Mash the potatoes with your fingers
chili powder, ground chili and/or cayenne
ground cumin and cumin seends,
coriander powder
ground fresh ginger
black pepper
salt
jalapenos (ground or chopped fine) or cilantro

Directions:
Add all the spices "to taste" (If following Krishna practices - add all spices to "guess" as one cannot "taste" food while it is cooking).
Mix well.

With cauliflower or radish mixture let sit for a few minutes then squeeze it, a handful at a time to remove the moisture. It will drip from your hands.

Heat tortilla skillet or griddle or skillet.

Squeeze off dough and shape it to be two similar sized ping pong ball sized balls.

Using rolling pins make same-sized rounds out of each ball, using a little flour on the outside "side" of each "patty". Don't make them too thin yet. Add a little bit of filling to one piece. Place the other over it. Making sure the outsides are floured, Use the rolling pin again and flatten the stack. It will look like a pancake.

Add a litle oil to the pan and brown the paratas on each side.

Serve with Raita

Raita (a spiced yogurt)

Make your yogurt or use plain yogurt. Thin it with milk if you want it more like a dressing. Leave it thicker if more like a sauce. Add basically the same spices as above, just in powder form. Don't add ginger to this one. Mango powder is good. Add grated cucumber. Grated fresh, but not too ripe tomato can also be added as well as cilantro.

Vegetable dish (I missed the name)

Into ghee or oil add same basic spices as the parathas recipe. Additionally add tumeric. Seeds OK on this one. Add tomato slices. Cook to a paste. Use two parts cauliflower florettes cut medium sized, to one part raw potatoes cut a bit smaller (so they'll finish cooking at the same time. Cook together adding a little bit of water, if needed, to help the steam, until tender.

To make yogurt

Boil milk. Bring to body temperature add a spoonful or two of commercial plain yogurt. Let sit for a few hours at room temperature. Voila' more yogurt.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Carrots to Die For

Steamed Carrots With Garlic Ginger Butter
From myrecipe.com and Cooking Light

Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound baby carrots with tops, peeled
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation
1. Prepare garlic; let stand 10 minutes.
2. Steam carrots, covered, 10 minutes or until tender.
3. Heat butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in carrots, cilantro, and remaining ingredients.

Serves 4 unless you totally fall in love with them like I did.