Corn Dumplings

Yummy corn dumplings that go great with stews and soups! Recipe by Cynthia Nelson, a Caribbean cook from the South American nation of Guyana.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 heaped Tsp sugar
• 1 + 1/2 tsp baking powder
• A pinch of ground cinnamon
• Lukewarm water

Preparation:

1. Add all the ingredients except the water to a bowl and mix thoroughly.
2. Add water and knead to make a dough. Once the dough forms, knead for 2 minutes.
3. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape into balls.
4. Steam the balls in batches of 3 or 4 for 25 minutes each time. Serve while hot.
5. If you are not steaming, then make the balls smaller and drop into soup or stew and let cook for 25 minutes. You can opt to boil the dumplings by adding them boiling water and letting them boil for 20 minutes.

Personally, I leave out the cinnamon. I don’t really like it all that much and to my way of thinking – it is not well suited to savory dishes.

Vegetarian Fried Wontons

Simple yet delicious. Addictive, so set a limit! 😛 Credit to a Ms. Rhonda Parkinson!

Deep-fried wonton are stuffed with mashed bean curd. Vegetarians who don’t eat egg can substitute 1 tablespoon oil for the beaten egg.

Makes about 45 – 50 wontons

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mashed firm tofu
• 1 green onion, diced
• 4 water chestnuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons shredded carrot
• 1 bok choy leaf, shredded
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of pepper
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 45 wonton wrappers, or as needed
• 3 to 4 cups oil for deep-frying, as needed
• Hoisin sauce or soy sauce for dipping, as needed

Preparation:

Drain and mash the tofu. Wash and prepare all the vegetables. Lightly beat the egg with the salt and pepper. Combine the mashed tofu and vegetables with the egg and seasonings.

Heat the oil for deep-frying while you are wrapping the wontons. The oil should be heated to between 360 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

To fill the wontons, lay a wrapper in front of you so that it forms a diamond shape. Wet all the edges of the wrapper with water. Place a teaspoon of filling in the middle. Bring the top half of the wrapper over the filling and seal the edges.

Deep-fry the wontons until they are golden and crispy (about 2 minutes). Serve with hoisin sauce or soy sauce.

Coconut And Strawberry Cheesecake

This is yummy! Not sure where I copied and pasted the recipe from, but it is not mine. If anyone recognizes, let me know who to credit!

Crust

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted, divided
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut,toasted, cooled
• 1/4 cup sugar

 

Filling

• 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco López)
• 1/4 cup coconut rum (such as Malibu) | Obviously I don’t use this…but you can…

 

Topping

• 1/4 cup seedless strawberry jam
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3 1-pint containers strawberries, stemmed, sliced

 

Method…

For crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Line pan with parchment paper; lightly brush paper with some of melted butter. Blend crumbs, coconut, sugar, and remaining butter in medium bowl. Press mixture over bottom of prepared pan. Bake crust until lightly browned at edges, about 10 minutes. Cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat first 4 ingredients in large bowl until blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in cream of coconut and rum. Pour batter over crust. Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Add enough water to roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of cake pan. Cover roasting pan with foil.

Bake cake 1 hour. Remove foil. Bake until cake is pale brown, puffed, and just set in center, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in water bath 2 hours. Remove from water; run knife around cake to loosen. Chill cake in pan 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place cake in oven 2 minutes. Remove from oven. Place sheet of foil, then 10-inch-diameter cardboard round or tart pan bottom on top of cake. Turn pan over. Shake gently, allowing cake to settle onto foil and round. Remove pan and parchment. Place platter atop cake and turn cake right side up onto platter. Remove round and foil.

For topping:
Simmer jam and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan. Brush top of cake with warm jam. Overlap berries atop cake, covering completely. Brush remaining jam over berries; chill. (Can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead.)

Enjoy! I did! Many times! 😀

Italian Styled Breadcrumbs

I confess I cannot remember where I got this recipe from and who to credit. If anyone knows please tell me so I can give credit where credit is due. These breadcrumbs are needed for the Vegetarian Meatballs recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

 

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, tossing to blend thoroughly.
2. Store in an airtight container and use in any recipe calling for Italian breadcrumbs.

Vegetarian Meatballs – The GOOD Kind!

Great tasting recipe that many people say tastes better than real meat. Recipe by Kathleen McDonald.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup dry Italian style breadcrumbs | See here for recipe.
• 2 (1 1/4 ounce) envelopes vegetarian broth (I use G.Washington brown broth)

Method:

1. Mix ingredients together in order.
2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Form into 1-1/4 inch balls and place on baking sheet sprayed with Pam.
4. Bake in 400 degree oven until brown, about 20 minutes.
5. (May be frozen now.) Place meatballs in casserole and cover with 2-3 cups boiling water and 2-3 cubes or envelopes vegetarian brown broth.
6. Meatballs should be within 1/2 inch of being covered with liquid.
7. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour (1-1/2 hrs if meatballs are frozen).
8. Or meatballs may be prepared in a crockpot on high setting for 1 hour (or 1-1/2 if frozen).

Pepper Roti

You won’t believe how great this tastes! For all savory lovers out there!

Cheddar Cheese Puffs

A relatively simple recipe by Elise Bauer for a delightful snack!

Thanks to Cookiemomma for the recipe! Doesn’t this look good?!

Malacca Apple – Pommerac

I first had this fruit when vacationing in the Caribbean of all places. Now my eccentric aunt has a giant tree in her backyard. It is called the Malacca or Malay Apple, or as they call it in the Caribbean – pommerac (pomme = apple, malac = Malay in French). It has more in common with a pear I think though. When green it can be used in a salsa and when ripe it is very sweet and juicy with a flavor that I cannot describe. Really is unique.

Basic Yellow Cake #1

Recipe By:  Carroll Pellegrinelli

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Two 9-inch Cake Rounds

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup milk

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans.In bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt with a wire whisk.Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix until completely combines. Slowly add flour alternately with milk. At end of addition batter should be smooth. Divide between 2 pans.Bake Yellow Cake Recipe for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then invert onto a rack and cool completely before frosting.

For a 9 x 13 pan – Baked at 350 degrees F. for 30 to 38 minutes.

I have tried this recipe and I have got to say it was perfect. Simple and effective. Any idiot could do it! Even those who have a lifelong history with ineptitude when it comes to baking. Yes, Dee Dee. Even you!