RASPBERRY BARS, EMPANADAS AND SALAD RECIPES

Hello world...  today I am making some fresh raspberry /apple bars, some South American style empanadas, as well as salads and soups but thought you might be interested in recipes that you can make at home, where ever you live

The Apple-raspberry bars came about as one of my  older clients will not eat his apple sauce unless it is in a cake, so I have made a variation to regular raspberry bars ( usually made with just raspberry jam) and this time added fresh frozen raspberries and unsweetened apple sauce

serves 4 or 2 (if eating as a main course, lol)

for the  "pastry" just a regular crisp/crumble mix but made with good unsalted butter and oatmeal 

1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats ( oatmeal)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon ( optional)
6 ozs. (1 stick =2) tbsp unsalted melted butter

In a bowl add all the dry ingredients then add the melted butter and using a fork, mix to form "breadcrumbs"

Place 2/3 of the mix in a  greased 8x8x2 metal cake pan, and bake in a 350f oven for 15-20 mins until beginning to brown on sides.
Remove from oven and cool.
In a small sauce pan, mix 6ozs ( 2/3 cup) raspberry jam with 1 tbsp water and mix until blended, cool down.

Spread the cooled jam mix over the crust & then top with

6 tbsp unsweetend apple sauce

and 4 ozs fresh frozen raspberries ( frozen berries keep their shape better when baking)

Top this lightly with the remainder of the crumb mix and bake in middle oven for  20-25 mins until bubbling and golden brown.

remove from oven and cool on a wire rack in container, cut into bars when cold.

The  empanadas....( again serves 4-6)
a basic yeast pastry filled with any mix of veggies you prefer and then baked in a hot oven for 20-25 mins.
A great way to use up any left overs, and the original dish is created using tart, salty and spicy flavors, I am making mine without the added heat from spices.
The saltiness  can be olives, capers or bacon;
the sweet can be raisins, dried apricots, even dried cranberries

the base for the filling is a saute of onion, garlic, cumin seeds ( optional), I added turmeric, carrots, celery, mine have potato and sweet potato, you can add spinach, what ever..even ground, cooked meats...as long as the mix is well cooked and almost dry so it does not make the pastry soft.

The pastry is:  ( as this is a yeasted pastry some conditions have to be noted, it is best not to make this dish up when it is cold and rainy as the yeast will not really reach it's prime, and the pastry may be tough.  Also every dry ingredient has to be at room temperature)

1 tsp active dry yeast dissolved in 1/3 cup warm water and 1/2 tsp sugar..until it foams

(then add to a food processor bowl with the dry and fat ingredients mixed)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp fine cornmeal/or polenta( grind further in a coffee grinder)
1/4 cup plain/all purpose flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 ozs cold margarine or unsalted butter
Pulse to mix the butter in  to form "crumbs"
seeds of choice, caraway, sesame , cumin, fennel, anise &etc...amount is you approx 2 tbsp more or less.

 then add the yeast mix

Mix on slow until it forms a ball.
remove from machine and place in a  greased bowl and cover with a cloth allow to rise until doubled...approx 2 hours.

divide the dough into halves

roll out to 1/4- 1/8inch thick, use a small plate or bowl to size your empanada and fill with your choice of filling.
Crimp edges ( no need to use egg wash)and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and leave for 30 mins to relax ( the dough not you).
Heat oven to 450f place a tray in middle shelf and bake for 15 mins

Remove from oven and quickly egg wash and sprinkle with more seeds, bake for a further 5-10 mins until golden brown...serve warm

The raspberry apple bars before topping

The baked apple-raspberry bars cooling

how the base is formed

the remainder for the topping of the fruit bars..butter makes this dish fabulous, and  quick cook rolled oats work better than old fashioned ( large flake)

The yeast pastry for the Empanadas

these 2 filling the pastry

edges crimped and allowed to "relax"

egg washed and just out of oven

a GREAT SUMMER fruit salad..ripe cantaloupe melon with coconut milk, lime zest and fresh mint ( use mild mint over peppermint which might over power the melon fragrance and flavor)

Basmatti Pilau..Photos and tips + fresh fig cakes and roasted veggies with pomegranate molasses

Basmatti brown rice pilau..best way to cook this is to wash and soak the rice for 20 mins, heat oil in a large heavy based lidded saucepan, add drained rice and cook over high heat for about 15 mins to coat every grain...add boiling water to cover, turn down heat to low simmer and tightly lid cook for 20 mins+ until all water absorbed...empty on to clean tray and allow steam to escape ( to make a pilau, saute chopped onion in oil before adding the drained rice, then when cooked add vegetables and herbs as the rice dries out on large cookie tray..add ground turmeric to cooking water)

Cool cool summer salsa..cucumber, cantaloupe melon, celery, Chopped fresh mint and parsley with lemon/lime juice

Roasted root vegetables with red onion and pomegranate glaze

Batter covering strawberries and apples for Eve's Pudding

Fresh green figs, maple syrup and toasted pecan cake batter

completed Eve's pudding

completed fresh fig cake

when you life hands you bananas make roasted banana walnut bread

OK... so I saw a show on TV ( America's test kitchen) making the "best Banana bread" unfortunately theirs was white flour, with mine I also roasted the bananas in a warm oven for 30 mins ( they microwaved theirs) then allowed them to cool.
Made a regular cake batter but used  canola oil in place of hard fat, just 2 large eggs, brown sugar, baking soda & aluminum-free baking powder and whole wheat flour, when the batter was made I added some rice milk and the squishy roasted bananas and their juice ( tons of flavor in the juices)...also added some walnut pieces.
Topped the cakes with fresh banana and sprinkled with brown sugar
Baked in 350f oven for 40 minutes..now cooling on wires..they smell wonderful..


I also made the greens with onions, paprika and red pepper flakes; and the buckwheat pancakes..enjoy the photographs..

the roasted banana-walnut whole wheat batter

the baked banana-walnut bread/cake

sauteing onions and pepper flakes  for the greens and pancakes

the completed greens finished with coconut milk

whole wheat rosemary buckwheat pancakes/crepes

dry/cool on clean and dry kitchen towels

adzuki beans and other sprouts for this week

the baked roasted banana-walnut bread/cake

Happy Cinco di Mayo Enchilladas..how to PHOTOS

Whole wheat, tomato basil sour dough breads with own grown sprouts..I created this sour dough starter 4 years ago with an own grown apple ( fresh fruit has a grey bloom which is lost in regular farming, when fruit is picked and then washed..this mold creates the sourdough yeast)

Stuffed eggplants ready for baking..stuffed with fresh tomatoes, basil, mint, onions, garlic, and the flesh from the eggplant.

Brioche-strawberry bread and butter pudding

plantain and brown rice filling for the enchiladas

smooth tomato sauce (no chili) for the enchiladas

dip the corn tortilla in the sauce before filling

add sauce to base of dish and also over top of the filled tortillas

Vegan no-heat enchiladas ready for baking..one of my clients can not longer eat Spicy foods and she misses  Mexican style ..so I modified a standard enchilada recipe using just fresh tomatoes and everything except hot peppers..the results are delicious

Pecan and basil pesto coated roasted new potatoes to be baked at client's home

The mysterious plantain..how to prepare Photos

For tomorrow's deliveries I am creating
3 soups: a spicy partially raw Gazpacho; a creamy coconut, corn and zucchini chowder and a spicy black bean soup; these are followed by:
a stuffed eggplant with roasted new potatoes with walnut pesto
Mixed vegetable and plantain enchiladas ( vegan as no cheese used) made with fresh corn tortillas

A salad Nicoise style with chickpeas and boiled eggs with fresh green beans, own grown tomatoes, olives and lettuce...and Dijon mustard dressing

A couscous salad with lemon dressing
A Caraway coleslaw

then a raspberry-brioche bread and butter pudding
some Sour dough tomato/basil breads
and raisin almond cookies

the cookies are in the oven, and the bread is on it's final rise, here are some photos of where I am right now and some tips:

fry the sliced plantain in very hot oil, turning to brown

remove from pan and allow to cool

Black bean soup

sweet corn, zucchini and coconut chowder

to peel a plantain...a starchy, firmer banana...place the whole thing in boiling water for about 5 mins. Choose plantains that are dark brown yet firm to the touch.

once cooked for 5 mins they skin very easily, slice then add to very hot oil, as they brown they become sweeter almost caramel like

the cooked plantains added to the filling for the enchiladas, in place of cheese, I am using red wine reduction and fresh white corn

The Provencal filling for the eggplants...baked with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic & herbs, and served with roasted potatoes with pesto

Green beans blanched for the salad Nicoise style

the corn chowder side view

the black bean soup side view