Baked Jicama Fries

I came across this recipe awhile ago and was so glad I did. Not only is it a low glycemic treat, but a fun way to use a vegetable which is easy to find but that I have rarely cooked with. Now that I no longer eat fries or chips and can rarely find even sweet potato options from the store with the right oils, 

I LOVE this!

Baked Jicama Fries

Preheat oven to 400°F.

I double the amount of spices and oil. :) 

• 1 medium jicama, peeled and cut into thin slices about 1/4 inch thick (about 4-5 cups)
• 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• homemade guacamole, for serving (store-bought works too)

Boil a pot of water on stovetop. Once water is boiling add your jicama slices to the pot and boil for 8-10 minutes. 

Drain the water and pat the fries dry before coating them with the spices and baking.

Once jicama slices are dry add them to a large bowl, add oil, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.

Spread the fries onto a baking stone or a baking sheet lined with a silpat mat or parchment paper (or spray pan) making sure the fries aren’t crowded. They need space or else they will start to steam and get soft rather than crispy. 

Bake for 30 minutes, take them out of the oven and flip, then bake for another 20-30 minutes or until fries are a little brown and have reached the desired texture.

Remove from oven and serve with guacamole for dipping. Makes 4 servings

Go to eatingbirdfood.com for the original recipe. They adapted it from healthiersteps.com.

Serving: 1cup Calories: 97kcal Carbohydrates: 15g Protein: 1g Fat: 4g Sodium: 246mg Fiber: 8g Sugar: 3g

Great Chocolate Muffins

The really sweet thing about this recipe is that it uses a cake mix! 

Add the pudding and chocolate chips and wow - chocolate lovers delight.

for the original, go to https://butterwithasideofbread.com/wprm_print/57230

Danish Pastry

 
This is a tough recipe to do yourself if you've never done something like this before.

I'll be helping some friends do this soon and will update this post with tips and photos after that.

Danish Pastry                                                                  
Best made when it is cold or in the morning. Makes 3 coffee cakes; mix filling and frosting first. Margarine must be used in this recipe--do not substitute butter or shortening.  [Tbsp.=tablespoon; tsp.=teaspoon]

1.  Mix and set aside:   3 Tbsps. yeast  [1 Tbsp.= 1 envelope or cake]
              ¾ cup very warm water
              [comfortably warm on your wrist]
2.  Mix:   4½ cups flour
              ½ cube margarine (¼ cup)
3. Add  ½ cup cream (or evap. milk) & ½ cup water
              [or use 1 c. milk instead of above 1 c. liquid)
              2 Tbsps. sugar
              2 eggs

You'll later add 2½ cubes frozen margarine (1¼ cup)

(*) set these aside (to put on top of pastries before baking):
              1 whipped egg
              1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
              3/4 cup sliced almonds

In your mixer (or with hand mixer or fork), blend step 2 together until crumbly.  Add steps 1 and 3 to a “well” in the flour (step 2).  Mix long enough so dough can form a ball.  Roll out mixed ball onto floured board (or countertop) and roll into 18”x12” rectangle.

Cut 2½ frozen cubes margarine into thin slices and lay on 2/3 of rectangle, leaving 1/3 of dough blank to lay over the top.  Fold into thirds, starting by folding blank 1/3 onto middle 1/3.  Now fold in thirds a second time but start with open ends.  Carefully roll out into a 18”x12” rectangle again and refold like above.  Do this until the margarine is worked into the dough--usually a total of 3 times.  Finally roll dough into an 18”x18” rectangle and cut into three equal rectangles (about 18”x6”) for shaping and filling. ( If kitchen in warm, put extra 2 pieces of dough into refrigerator.)  Takes 15-30 minutes to get this far.

Fillings:  To put inside dough before baking; choose 1 option.  Each recipe makes enough filling for 3 coffee cakes. Nuts or raisins can be added to any filling if you like.
Almond Filling:  Beat 1 egg white in small bowl and add ½ cup almond paste or filling (½ of 8 oz. can) [not marzipan] and ½ cup sugar.  Mix until well blended.  Makes 2/3 cup.
Butter Cream Filling:  Mix ½ cup butter (1 cube), 1 cup sugar, 1½ Tbsps. almond extract.  After applying filling, sprinkle on ¾ cup raisins.
Cream Cheese Filling:  Mix two 8 ounce pkgs. cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar, and 2 Tbsps. lemon juice.  Makes 2 cups.
Vanilla Cream Filling:  Mix 2½ Tbsps. sugar and 2 Tbsps. cornstarch in top of double boiler (or use reg. pan & watch very closely); stir in 1 egg yolk, then beat in 1 cup milk.  Cook, stirring constantly, over simmering water for 10 mins. or until thick, then cook without stirring for 5 mins. longer.  Pour into small bowl, add 1 tsp. vanilla & cool.  Makes 1 cup.
Prune Filling:  Simmer ½ cup dried pitted prunes and ½ cup water for 30 minutes or until very tender.  Puree; add ¼ cup sugar; and cool.  Makes ½ cup.

Frosting: To be drizzled on top after baking is done.
              1 egg white, whipped
              1½ cup powdered sugar
              1 tsp. lemon juice
              pinch of salt

Coffee Cake
Using 1/3 of dough, cut 1” slits on both sides of rectangle, leaving a 2” center for filling. Best with Almond or Butter Cream fillings. Do 13-15 cuts on each side. Scatter nuts or raisins on (if wanted). Braid by folding 1” of top over and alternating sides to bottom, which is then folded under. Put into greased pan shaped as half moon; let rise for ½ hour. 

Brush with)*) beaten egg, sprinkle on sugar, toss on almonds and bake at 400° for 1 minute, then turn down to 350° and bake for 20 minutes or until slightly browned. Drip on frosting while warm.  Need 1-2 oz. almonds.
 
To keep dough, fold into a block, place in plastic bag and store in fridge; use by next day.  To freeze pastries, shape and fill, place on cookie tray as for baking.  Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and freeze.  Allow additional 45 minutes of rising time before baking.  Use (bake) within 4 weeks.  Baked pastries can be frozen up to 3 months.

Mexican Chicken Lentil Soup - Instant Pot

 Note: Just pulled this out of the freezer after 2 months and it's still really good!

I had some chicken and cilantro I needed to use up and WOW! This is a keeper.  A little spicy for us, but some sour cream calmed it down.  I may just use 8 oz of mild salsa verde in the next batch. 

Gimme some oven recipe - SO Good!!

Instant Pot: Sweet Potatoes w Parsley and Balsamic Vinegar

 

switch out the brown sugar for 1 tsp monk fruit and the unsalted butter for olive oil 

and done - I can eat this!

In order to make it meet my anti-inflammatory standards, I used 3 drops of monk fruit and 1/4 c. olive oil in place of the brown sugar and butter.

I also added 2 tsp turmeric powder and just 1 tsp of parsley flakes.  SO GOOD!!

Hanukkah Food and Celebration Details

Hanukkah is a celebration of the Jewish victory over a tyrant king and a rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Jews fought for freedom and reclaimed their holy temple; in order to rededicate it, they needed to light the menorah, but only had enough oil for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days. Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration to commemorate the eight-day miracle.

It’s traditional on Hanukkah to pay homage to the miraculous oil by eating foods fried in oil! That means delicious latkes, which are fried potato pancakes, and sweet jelly doughnuts.
taken from https://nationaltoday.com/hanukkah/#how-to 

What do you know about Hanukkah?  I'm just learning about it.

There are a very good step by step instructions and videos here: 
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/hanukkah-candle-lighting-ceremony/

Celebrating Hanukkah this year

We are celebrating Hanukkah this year. In years past we have done a recreation of the Passover with our children to help them better understand the Jewish customs, traditions and the Bible.  As we prepare to spend an entire year studying the Old Testament at church and week day religious classes (Seminary), we're doing our best to better understand this celebration.

The following text is taken directly from this source:  https://nationaltoday.com/hanukkah/#how-to

I just added three headings to help pace readers.

The Background:

Around 200 B.C., Judea — which is modern-day Israel/Palestine — came under the control of Antiochus III, the Seleucid king of Syria, who allowed the Jews who lived there to continue practicing their religion. His son, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, proved less benevolent. Ancient sources recount that he outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods.

In 168 B.C., Antiochus IV Epiphanes soldiers descended upon Jerusalem, massacring thousands of people and desecrating the city’s holy Second Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs within its sacred walls.

Led by the Jewish priest Mattathias and his five sons, a large-scale rebellion broke out against Antiochus and the Seleucid monarchy. When Matthathias died in 166 B.C., his son Judah, known as Judah Maccabee — ‘the Hammer — took the helm. Within two years the Jews had successfully driven the Syrians out of Jerusalem, relying largely on guerilla warfare tactics. The revolts turned out to be a success, and the Jews regained the rights to practice their religion in their temples.

The Cleansing and Miracle:

In order to do so, Judah called on his followers to cleanse the temple and light a menorah with oil that had been blessed by the high priest all night every night until the new altar could be built over the old one.

This is the gold candelabrum whose seven branches represented knowledge and creation and was meant to be kept burning every night. But, there was only one flask of oil left that would only last for one night. They lit it anyway and it stayed lit for eight days, the amount of time needed to press new oil.

According to the Talmud, one of Judaism’s most central texts, Judah Maccabee and the other Jews who took part in the rededication of the Second Temple witnessed what they believed to be a miracle. Even though there was only enough untainted olive oil to keep the menorah’s candles burning for a single day, the flames continued flickering for eight nights, leaving them time to find a fresh supply. This wondrous event inspired the Jewish sages to proclaim a yearly eight-day festival.

Biblical reference:

The story of Hanukkah does not appear in the Torah because the events that inspired the holiday occurred after it was written. It is, however, mentioned in the New Testament, in which Jesus attends a ‘Feast of Dedication.’

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