June Kessler's Blog, page 4

Pumpkin Bread

 

 

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree

4 eggs

3/4 cup coconut oil

2/3 cup milk

1cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup coconut sugar

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 x5 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, coconut oil, milk and sugars until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake for about 60-65 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

Grilled Eggplant Burger

 

1 medium eggplant, weighing about 1 lb.

¾ Tbs. olive oil

¾ Tbs. balsamic vinegar

¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon oregano

¼ teaspoon salt and pepper

4 oz. halloumi cheese

 

To assemble the grilled eggplant, halloumi and pesto burgers

4 medium sized burger buns

4 teaspoon pesto

Mayonnaise, according to taste (optional)

2 leaves of lettuce, cut in half

1 large tomato, cut into 4 slices

 

 

Instructions

Cut the eggplant into ½ inch thick rounds, at its widest part. Save the remaining eggplant for another use. Place the sliced eggplant in a shallow dish.

Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, oregano, salt and pepper together. Pour the whisked ingredients over the eggplant rounds, and toss well to coat. Slice the halloumi into ½ inch thick slices.

Heat a grill to medium-high heat. You can use an outdoor grill or a cast iron stove top grill. When the grill is hot, arrange the eggplant slices on the grill, and cook for about 6 minutes on each side or till the eggplant is cooked.

Grill the halloumi slices on both sides till golden grill marks appear, about 2 minutes each side. If you don’t have a grill, you can cook the eggplant and halloumi in batches on a large skillet.

To assemble the burgers. Spread some mayonnaise, if using, on 2 halves of a burger bun. Take one half of a bun, and stack the grilled eggplant, halloumi and spread 1 teaspoon of pesto.

Top it with tomato and lettuce. Place the other half of the burger bun on top.

 

Pineapple Strawberry Lime Loaf

1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

½ cup butter or margarine, softened

1¼ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup Wheat Bran

1 Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup buttermilk

1 Tablespoon grated lime rind

½ cup chopped pineapple (8oz. can pineapple slices)

1 cup strawberries frozen or fresh, chopped

1 Tablespoon powdered sugar

 

Glaze

2 teaspoons grated lime peel

2 to 3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Splash lemon juice

1-1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180C). Grease and lightly floured two 8 ½ x 4 ½ x3 loaf pans.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix well after each addition.

Sprinkle strawberries with 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar. Fold in pineapple and strawberries with a big spatula.

Pour batter in prepared pans. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Combine lime rind, lime juice and powdered sugar, add a splash of lemon juice it seems to calm the flavors

 

Mexicali Burgers

Mexicali Burgers                                 
                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 Tablespoon green onions

1(1¾ -oz.) envelope chili seasoning mix

1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut into 16 slices, optional

 

Directions

 

In a bowl, combine ground beef, green onions and chili seasoning mix; shape into 8 patties. Place on lightly greased rack; place rack in broiler pan. Broil 4 inches from heat (with electric oven door partially opened) 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Top each Pattie with avocado slices, if desired, and serve immediately.

Makes 8 burgers

Holidays

Thanksgiving holiday Day is traditionally a day for family members and friends to get together for the special dinner. Your food usually consists of a turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin pie, and vegetables. Thanksgiving Day is really a time for most people to offer many thanks for what they have.

 

Most stories of the thanksgiving holiday history begin with the harvest celebration from the pilgrims and also the Indians that happened in the autumn of 1621. Even though they had a three-day banquet in special event of the great harvesting, and also the nearby natives do take part, this “very first thanksgiving holiday” wasn’t a holiday, simply a gathering. There is little evidence that this feast of thanks led directly to today’s Thanksgiving Day holiday. Thanksgiving holiday can, however, be tracked back to 1863 when President Lincoln became the initial us president to declare Thanksgiving holiday Day. Thanksgiving has since been set to the forth. Thursday on November

BUTTERSCOTCH TOFFEE CRUNCH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 cups (170 grams) sliced or slivered almonds

1¼ cups (270 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons water

½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 Tablespoon light corn syrup (golden syrup)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Topping:

6 ounces (170 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Place almonds on a baking sheet and bake them for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

 

Once the nuts have cooled to room temperature, place in a food processor, fitted with a metal blade, and pulse the almonds until they are finely chopped. Sprinkle half of the nuts in an 8 by 10 inch (20 x 25 cm) rectangle on a buttered or oiled baking sheet. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack.

 

In a medium-sized, heavy bottomed saucepan (10 cup) (2.4 liter) combine the brown sugar, water, butter, and corn syrup. Have the baking soda and vanilla extract ready. Bring the sugar mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Then cover the pan with a lid for about one minute to allow the sides of the pan to wash themselves down and dissolve any sugar crystals. Remove lid after one minute. Then clamp a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure it does not touch the bottom of the pan, and cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 285 degrees F (140 degrees C) (soft-crack stage) on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat as the temperature will continue to rise to 290 degrees F (145 degrees C). Add the baking soda and vanilla extract and stir to combine.

 

Immediately pour this mixture evenly over the nuts on your baking sheet. Then place the chopped chocolate over the hot toffee. After a few minutes the chocolate will be soft enough to spread with a spatula (or back of a spoon) in an even layer over the toffee. Sprinkle the remaining chopped almonds over the melted chocolate. Place the pan in the refrigerator until chocolate is firm; cut the toffee into pieces using a sharp knife.

 

You can store the toffee, in an airtight container at room temperature, or in the refrigerator, for about 10 days.

Makes one pound

Fresh Tuna Burger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

¼ cup green or red pepper, finely diced

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 pound sushi-grade tuna, finely diced

2 scallions, finely sliced

¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

Olive oil, for cooking

4 hamburger buns, split

Spicy Sriracha Dressing (recipe below)

Tomato, sliced

Red onion, sliced

Arugula

Lettuce

 

Directions

In a large mixing bowl add the sesame oil, soy sauce, red pepper, scallions and egg to. Mix well, and then gently fold in the tuna and cilantro. Fold in the panko breadcrumbs. Carefully form the mixture into patties. Put them in the refrigerator to firm them up. 15 to 20 minutes should do the trick. I usually let them sit for longer. You don’t want them to break up on you when they’re cooking.

 

Heat a large skillet. Coat the pan with olive oil and cook the patties about 3-4 minutes per side. Don’t overcook them. It might seem rare on the inside, but it will finish cooking after you let it sit for a few minutes.

 

Toast up the hamburger buns. Assemble burger with dressing and fixings.

 

Spicy Sriracha Dressing

 

¾ cup low fat sour cream

½ cup low fat Neufchatel

1 ½ Tablespoons Sriracha

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon honey

Salt and pepper

 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

 

Note: If you don’t like it too spicy, follow directions and add more honey. It will still have a bit of kick at the end but not as potent.

 

 

Shrimp Burgers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 garlic cloves

1/8 cup cilantro or parsley

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. onion powder

Pinch cayenne pepper

½ cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 Tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil

4 hamburger buns

Salsa, if desired

Avocado

Lime or lemon slices

 

Directions

 

In a small bowl coarsely chop half the shrimp. Take the other half and add it to a food processor with the garlic and cilantro. Pulse: to make a chunky paste. Add to bowl with the chopped shrimp; mix well.

 

Add the salt, paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, Panko breadcrumbs, and egg. Mix until just combine.

 

Divide into four patties. Heat a skillet over medium high heat with the vegetable oil. Add the burgers and cook for 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Serve on a bun as a burger, serve with salsa, avocado, lime slices.

 

Roasted Hamburgers

 

Make sure your oven’s clean before roasting anything at such a high temperature, otherwise it’ll smoke.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for lining the pan

2 pounds ground beef, preferably chuck

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

6 toasted hamburger buns, English muffins, split focaccia, or slices of other favorite bread

Your favorite hamburger toppings: sliced Swiss or cheddar cheese), sliced tomato, lettuce, sliced onion, pickles, ketchup, mustard, etc.

 

Directions

 

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 475 degrees F. Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spread a thin layer of salt over the surface of the foil to absorb any drippings and prevent the oven from smoking. Arrange a wire rack so that it sits at least ¾ inch above the surface of the pan.

 

Break the beef into 1- to 2-inch lumps with your hands and drop into a mixing bowl. Season with salt, Worcestershire, and a generous amount of black pepper. Mix gently, using your fingertips to break up the meat and incorporate the seasonings. Over-handling the beef will make for tough, dry burgers.

 

Divide the meat into even 6 portions, and arrange them, before shaping, on a large plate. “This way I can add a little here and remove a little there until I have 6 equal-size lumps to start with.” If you have a kitchen scale, you can use that too: have it so each burger weighs 5.3 ounces. (My method was just to grab a hunk of meat and shape it.) Lightly shape the beef into disks about 3 1/4 inches across and about 1 inch thick. Set the burgers at least 1 inch apart on the wire rack.

 

Roast the burgers for 10 to 16 minutes, checking on them either with an instant-read thermometer (the quickest way) or by cutting into one to peek. For medium-rare, look for 130 to 135 degrees; for medium, 140 degrees. (If you’re mad enough to like your burgers medium-well, take it to 160 degrees; but WHY WHY?!). If adding cheese, top the burgers with cheese when they are about 2 degrees away from being done to your liking and return them to the oven for 1 minute to melt the cheese.

 

Transfer the burgers to buns, English muffins, split focaccia, or favorite bread and garnish as you like.

 

 

Asparagus Sweet Potato Soup

The health benefits of Asparagus and sweet potatoes are tremendous, make a great addition  to your after school or evening meals

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

2 cups chopped onion

2 cups chopped sweet potato

1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded and chopped

24 ounces chicken stock

1/2 cup milk, half and half or cream

Himalayan salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions