Regina's Baked Feta

We were blessed to know a dear family from Germany for two years while they lived here in the United States. Literally everything that Regina (pronounced Ray-gee-nah, with a hard "g" as in "go") cooked was delicious.  Feta cheese, when baked, becomes mild and slightly salty.  If you don't care for feta normally (cold and unbaked), give this a try anyway.  Everyone I've ever served it to loves it.

1 large block of uncrumbled feta cheese
        (This is available relatively cheap at Costco.  If you buy theirs, cut it in half both length- and width-wise. 
          You want it ½ inch thick or less. )

Lay the blocks of feta into a greased glass baking dish.  Top with:

fresh basil leaves
sliced onions (half-moon shaped)
sliced tomatoes

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with SPG.  Bake until heated through and soft, about 20 minutes or so.  This is delicious served with baked rice, grilled sausages or London Broil, and a side of grilled veggies and/or salad.

"Pregnancy Stew"

This is the food that the midwife who attended us at home prepared for me after each of my births.  She made me eat this--and only this--for each meal until I had successfully had a bowel movement.

It is a little different and "strange," if you will, but all of my family loved it at the time, and fixing it now carries me instantly back to that deliriously fun, exhausted time of getting to know the new baby.

I don't make it often (the kids don't like it much anymore), but new moms ask me about it all the time (like now), so here's the recipe.

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, place 1½ inches or so of water in the bottom of the pan.

Layer hard veggies first (sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, broccoli stalks, etc.) then leafy things on top (kale, spinach, broccoli crowns, etc.)

Top with one whole bulb of sliced fresh garlic (yes, a whole bulb, not one clove) and grated fresh ginger.

Bring to a boil.  Cover and cook seven minutes exactly.  Turn off and let sit without opening for a couple of minutes before serving.

Spoon over brown rice.  Add 1 pat of real butter (not margarine) and tamari (not soy) sauce to each serving.

Nanny's Blackberry Pie

Pastry for 2 crust 9 inch pie
4 C. berries
1 C. sugar
4 T. flour
1 T. butter

Line 9 inch pie plate with pastry; fill with berries. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and dash salt, sprinkle over. Dot with butter. Add top crust. Bake at 400 hundred degrees 40-50 minutes.

Aunt Kim's Oatmeal Yogurt Muffins

2 C. flour (I use freshly milled whole wheat.)
2 C. rolled oats
1 C. brown sugar (or less)
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 C. vanilla yogurt (or plain)
2 eggs
4 Tbsp. oil (I use olive oil.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Stir together dry ingredients (first six).  Whisk together wet ingredients (last three).  Stir combined wet ingredients into combined dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.  [Don't over-mix!]  Bake 22 minutes; makes 18.

Whole-Wheat Scones

Makes 16
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter (can use less)
2 cups whole-wheat flour (can use all whole-wheat)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar (1/4 cup scant)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda (1 scant Tbsp.)
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup raisins (opt.)

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease and flour a large baking sheet.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the butter and cut in with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Set aside.

In another bowl whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. Set aside 2 Tbsp. for glazing.

Stir the remaining egg mixture into the dry ingredients until it just holds together. Stir in the raisins.

Roll out the dough about 3/4 inch thick. Stamp out circles with a cookie cutter. Place on the prepared sheet and brish with the glaze.

Bake until golden 14 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Split in two with a fork while still warm and spread with butter and jam if wished. =)

Aunt Kim's Bran Muffins

1/2 C. shortening (I use butter, and it works fine.)
1 C. boiling water
1 1/2 C. sugar
Combine above ingredients and cool 1 hour.

Add remaining ingredients:
2 eggs
1 C. bran flakes (cereal)
2 C. All-Bran cereal
2 C. buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 C. flour (I use freshly milled whole wheat.)
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda

This mixture can sit up to six weeks in the fridge as a batter.  Bake muffins 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Butter Cream Frosting

1/2 - 2/3 stick softened butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 box confectionery sugar
Cream together above ingredients and then slowly add small amounts of milk to consistency desired. Frost cake when it is completely cooled.

Jenny's Mom's Banana Cake (Can be vegan, GF)

I got this recipe years ago from the mother (Joan Phillips) of a former colleague of mine (Jenny Good). I went to stay at her house and she served this delicious banana cake. Though I've never seen the mother since—and have lost touch with the daughter years ago—this is still "Jenny's Mom's Banana Cake." I've never found a better recipe for banana cake! 

Even now that I am on a special diet, this is still the best banana cake recipe around! Here is the recipe in its vegan, gluten-free form. The original (non-vegan) version appears directly below it.

Best Vegan, Gluten-Free Banana Cake

2 1/4 C. cup-for-cup gluten-free flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 lb. (1 stick) vegan butter, softened (I use Miyoko's)
1 1/2 C. sugar (coconut or regular can sugar)
2 flax eggs (mix 2 Tbsp. ground flax seeds with 6 Tbsp. water)
2-3 mashed bananas (she used only fresh, but use over-ripe ones if I need to)
1/2 C. dairy-free yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla

1) Sift together first four ingredients and set aside.

2) Cream together vegan butter and sugar.

3) Add the flax eggs.

4) In a separate bowl, cream together bananas, DF yogurt, and vanilla.

5) Finally, add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with banana mixture.

6) Bake in 2 9" square greased-and-floured pans at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (Unless I'm going for a serious special presentation, I use a 9 x 13 pan and make excess batter--there's not much--into muffins.)

7) Frost when completely cooled with butter cream frosting using Miyoko's vegan butter.

Here's the original (non-vegan) version:

2 1/4 C. flour (I use half whole wheat if it is freshly ground)
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
2-3 mashed bananas (she used only fresh, but I'll use over-ripe ones if I need to)
1/2 C. sour cream (be generous)
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together first four ingredients and set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar.
Add eggs, beating after each addition.
In a separate bowl, cream together bananas, sour cream, and vanilla.
Finally, add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with banana mixture.
Bake in 2 9" square greased-and-floured pans at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (Unless I'm going for a serious special presentation, I use a 9 x 13 pan and make excess batter--there's not much--into muffins.)

Frost when completely cooled with butter cream frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 C. butter
1 box confectionery sugar (or less, to taste)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream together softened cream cheese/butter. Add other ingredients. If using optional nuts, sprinkle on top.

Iivo's Yummy Carrot Cake

2 C. flour (I use all whole wheat if it it freshly ground)
2 C. sugar (I use less - about 1 1/2 C.)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. oil (I use light olive oil)
4 eggs
3 C. grated carrots

Sift dry ingredients. Add oil then eggs. Blend in carrots. Bake in 3 9-in. round cake pans if you want to make a spectacular layer cake. Otherwise, I use a 9 x 13 pan. (If it feels like too much batter, I make a couple of muffins with the excess.) Bake 30 min. at 350 degrees. Frost while still slightly warm with cream cheese frosting. If using optional nuts, sprinkle on top after frosting.