Orange Cream Cake

Serves 12-14




Ingredients:
* 18-1/4 oz. pkg. orange cake mix
* 3-oz. pkg. orange gelatin (jell-o) mix
* 1/2 C boiling water
* 1/2 C cold water
* 3-1/2 oz. pkg. Instant vanilla pudding mix
* 2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1 C milk
* 1 tsp. orange extract
* 8-oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
1. Prepare cake mix according to package directions; bake in a 9X13 greased baking pan.
2. Dissolve the gelatin in boiling water, add cold water.
3. When cake is done, use a fork to poke cake full of holes; slowly pour gelatin over cake. Refrigerate for one hour.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix, vanilla, milk and orange extract.
5. Fold in whipped topping with pudding mixture, spread all over cake.

Store in refrigerator until you serve. Enjoy!

*Note: To make a cake extra rich, substitute 2 egg yolks for each whole egg in recipe.

Homebrew Spent Grain Beer Bread

My hubby has been dabbling with making his own beer at home for about a year now. He likes to get his money's worth out of the ingredients he buys. Most beer recipes consist of 4 or 5 cups of a variety of mixed whole grains.

Following on from an idea of another friend of ours who brews, he's been looking for a quality Spent Grain Bread recipe.

He found this one, and it turns our a really good loaf and is quite healthy at the same time.

Ingredients:

1 bottle (12oz) beer (any style or brand, hubby insists on using his own beer)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon yeast
3/4 cup dry milk
1 1/2 cups spent grain
2 eggs
1 tablespoon salt
5 cups flour


Directions:

Make a sponge by combining the beer, sugar, yeast, dry milk and spent grain. Cover this and let it sit for a couple of hours.

Add the eggs and salt, and enough flour to make a workable dough. Knead it (working in only as much flour as you need), then let it rise again.

Shape it into loaves, and bake by placing it in a cold oven. Set the oven temp to 400 for 15 minutes, then down to 350 for an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

Fresh Peach Chutney

Ingredients * 1/2 cup cider vinegar
* 1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 large sweet red pepper, seeded, diced 1/4 inch, about 1/2 cup
* 1 small white onion, peeled and diced, about 1/2 cup
* 1/3 cup white raisins
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
* 1 tablespoon grated ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 pounds firm, fresh peaches, blanched to remove the skin, pit removed, sliced into wedges

Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Garam Massala Recipe for Curry.

2 tsp Ginger
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
3 tsp Ground Cumin
3 tsp Ground Coriander
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1 tsp Ground Cloves

Mix spices together and store.

Chicken Curry Recipe

This recipe is an authentic Indian Curry as found in Cape Town, South Africa and other parts of the country where the Indian/Malay Culture is still very strong. This recipe can be made with chicken, lamb or fish, and it carries with it a very robust and aromatic flavor from the myriad of spices used.

The recipe calls for Garam Massala (not to be confused with Italian Marsala), which is itself a combination of complimentary spices. If you cannot acquire Masala, I have included a recipe for this too, here.

If you can, sliced Banana mixed with a Bulgur Yogurt, to lend a sweet and tangy taste as a side absolutely makes this, as does a nice Peach Chutney when used as a condiment, a recipe for peach chutney is included, here.

You can also add 1 cup raisins/sultanas (Sultanas would be more authentic), to the final mix.

It has been my experience that the more fresh the spices are, the more robust the taste is.

Ingredients
* 4.5lbs chicken or mutton or fish pieces, sliced with the grain at about 1/4"
* 4 chopped onions
* 6 peeled and chopped tomatoes
* 6 potatoes cut in rough pieces
* Frozen peas
* 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 tsp garam massala, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp cumin, 5 cardamom seeds, 1 tsp cinnamon, 5 crushed garlic cloves, 5 whole cloves
* 1/4 cup of sunflower seed oil
* Cayenne Pepper
* Cumin
* Whole Coriander

‘Side dish’
* 3 sliced bananas mixed with Bulgur yogurt, and peach chutney to serve with.
* Jasmine Rice

Directions
1. Mix all spices, except the Cayenne Pepper, Cumin and Whole Coriander.
2. Heat oil, add onions then add spice mixture to the hot oil and stir fry until you smell the unique aroma that is curry.
3. Add the meat, the tomatoes and 9oz of water. Simmer for around 1 hour until the meat is tender.
4. Add the potatoes and peas and cook for another 45 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
5. Place 1/2oz of whole coriander into a small hot skillet and sear on high for aprox 2 mins or until you can smell the aroma. Crush with a mortar and pestle and add to the pot
6. Sprinkle Cayenne Pepper in a thin layer, or to taste, over the curry and mix in
7. Sprinkle Cumin in a thin layer, or to taste, over the curry and mix in
8. Serve the curry with the banana dish, rice, sweet chutney and naans on the side.

Serves 6
Enjoy!

Simple Spiced Rice

This recipe is simple yet a flavorful change to any menu.

Please check out my other recipes, I have included many Indian dishes that this would go great with.

Serves 8



Ingredients
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 cups uncooked basmati rice
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 4 cups water
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 2 whole cinnamon sticks
* 1 large bay leaf

Directions
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook and stir the basmati rice and onion until the rice kernels are coated with butter and the onion is translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. The rice will give off a slightly toasted fragrance. Pour in water, and mix in salt, cinnamon sticks and bay leaf.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the saucepan, and simmer the rice until all the water has disappeared and the rice appears dry, about 18 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

Curried Corn - 2 Variations

Here is a nice vegetable side dish recipe to serve with any curry or alone.

Because many Indian religious practices limit or forbid the eating of meat, Indian cuisine abounds with vegetable and lentil dishes, along with rice and delicious yogurt- or cream-based sauces.

Enjoy!


Ingredients
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 2 cups frozen corn
* 2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
* 2 tablespoons chopped onion
* 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* salt and ground black pepper to taste


Directions
1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat; mix the corn, green pepper, onion, and curry powder into the melted butter, cover the skillet, and cook until the vegetables are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir the sour cream into the vegetable mixture, season with salt and pepper, and continue cooking until hot, stirring continually, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.


Sauteed Curried Corn


This veggie side dish serves 8 and is a great accompaniment to any Indian dish or American cuisine looking for a nice change in taste.








Ingredients
* 1/3 cup butter
* 1/2 cup diced onion
* 2 (15.25 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained
* 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
* salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Melt butter in a large skillet over high heat.

2. Add the onion and corn. Cook, stirring frequently until the corn begins to brown at the edges, about 7 minutes.

3. Season with curry powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.