Tomato Bread Pudding

This is an amazing recipe, I have used it twice now and it will be around our house to stay. We all love it, B the boys and I. YUM! I didn't know if bread pudding sounded too good, but I am convinced %100.

Tomato Bread Pudding
(Katie Brown Celebrates, p. 182)
Serves 12 (makes one 13 by 9-inch pan)

This is a a great way to use up tomatoes and bread that are about to go. Combine them with cheese and spices, and you will have a delicious pudding.

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Large Onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
5 Tablespoons fresh thyme
1+1/4 Cups Heavy Cream
2+1/4 Cups Chicken Stock (we use veggie stock bouillon)
1 Tablespoon Salt
1+1/2 Teaspoons black pepper
2 eggs
10 Cups cubed french bread
2+1/2 Cups grated Parmesan
6 Cups Halved Cherry Tomatoes ( I use roma tomatoes that I canned...they are soooo good!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Heat a medium-size saute pan over high heat and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add onion, garlic and thyme. Lower heat to medium and cook until onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Place mixture in a large mixing bowl and allow to cool. Add cream, stock, salt, pepper, and eggs, and whisk until well combined.

3. Add bread, Parmesan, and tomatoes, tossing well to coat everything, and allow mixture to sit for at least 10 minutes. Place in a greased 13 by 9-inch pan and bake until top is golden brown and pudding is set, about 45 minutes.

ENJOY~

barley lentil (and whatever else) soup

Barley Lentil (and whatever else) Soup
*1 T. olive oil
*3 cloves of garlic
*2 chopped medium onions
*3 medium potatoes
*1 t. salt
*1/2 t. dried thyme
*1/2 t. dried rosemary
*1 C. pearled barley
*2 C. lentils
*1 16oz.can crushed tomatoes
*Italian seasoning to taste
*2 vegetable bouillon cubes
*10 C. water (approx.)
*1.5 C. parmesan cheese (to sprinkle on top)

Put in large soup pot or kettle- this makes a ton. If you don't want to pre-soak your lentils, what you do is dump the first 6 ingredients into the pot. Saute on medium until the onions are translucent, then add in the ingredients up through the lentils. If you need to you can add extra olive oil, saute for several minutes just to soften up the lentils and so that the spices release their flavours and delicious aromas.

Add in the tomatoes and bouillon cubes and stir. Add in water, you don't have to add it all at the same time. I usually add 6 cups now and the rest throughout the rest of the cook time.

Cook for at least 1.5 hours, add more water if necessary. Then when everything is in bring it to a boil and then turn down to simmer for 1.5 hours or more and there you have it.


What do I mean when I say you can add whatever else? you can stop at the ingredients that I have listed, or if you have anything else you want to use up....add it in, things like: carrots, potatoes, celery, meat, whatever...just dump it in. Depending on the season and what is bursting from your garden this will be different. I make this for sure once a week and allow it to last. I use my biggest pot. It is perfect served with a yummy fresh bread or french bread from the store.

enjoy, and let me know if you have any questions!

bungaree recipes

Simple Meals:
Tomato Bread Pudding
Tortilla Española
egg, tomatoes and homemade bread
Pizza!
Barley lentil (and whatever else) soup
Old Fashioned Sour Dough Pancakes
Dutch Baby or Oven Pancake

baked goods:
(chocolate)zucchini(cake) bread
Danish Braid
Corn Chips
Scones
Dutch Baby or Oven Pancake
Oatmeal Cookies with a Purpose

International Delights:
Samosa (Indian Dumplings) recipe



How to:
Canning: Apple Butter
Cook a Squash

Thanksgiving Delights

our little bungaree family headed up to Tumwater to be with my brother and his little family for Thanksgiving. The boys LOVE their cousin especially, but also their aunt and uncle. It was a great time with family.

food time.

Samosa recipe

Manjula is amazing, she has so many fun Indian recipes to try. She has a website with tons of recipes and youtube demos to make it easier for the clueless like me!! Today I am going to make these samosas, and I have already made Dal is on the stove cooking right now!!! If you could smell the aroma in my home, you'd be pounding on my door for some food, YUM!





Manjula's kitchen has 72 different videos on YouTube if you are as much and Indian cuisine fanatic as me you will drool watching it. She makes it all look much easier, and removes the scary mystery out of a food that here would seem a little intimidating, since we have no idea how to make it. OH, it is so worth stepping out!!! I will tell you how they samosas go!

If you have any pointers for me let me know!

Here is the Samosa recipe directly from Manjula's kitchen!!!


SAMOSA

Makes 8 samosas.

Ingredients:

• Dough:
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon sooji (semolina flour)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 11/2 tablespoons oil
• 1/4 cup minus 2 tablespoon lukewarm water

Filling:

• 3 large boiled potatoes, peeled and chopped into very small cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 chopped green chilies
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon amchur (mango powder)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 cup green peas (frozen)

Method

Dough:

1. Mix the flour, sooji, salt, oil and salt togather to make a soft dough (add more water as needed).
2. knead the dough for about 1 to 2 minutes to make the dough smooth and pliable.
3. Set the dough aside and cover it with damp cloth. Let the dough sit for at least 15 minutes.

Filling:

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away oil is ready.
2. Add cumin seeds as cumin seeds crack, add green chilies, coriander powder and stir for few seconds.
3. Next add green peas and turn heat to medium and stir until tender.
4. Add the potatoes and stir-fry for about 4 minutes. Stir in garam masala and amchur. Add more salt or amchur according to taste.
5. Let the filling cool to room temperature.

Making Samosa:

1. Take 2 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour to make a paste and keep aside.
2. Knead the dough for a minute.
3. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and make into balls.
4. Roll each ball into 6-inch diameter circles and cut each circle in half.
5. Spread the paste lightly all along the edge of one semicircle. Pick this semicircle up with both hands and fold it into a cone shape. Pinch the side of this cone so that it is completely sealed.
6. Fill the cone with 3 tablespoons of filling. Press this filling down with your fingers. Now close the top of this cone into a triangle shape, pinching the top edge so that it is completely sealed.
7. Continue filling the rest of the samosas.
8. Heat about 1-1/2 inch of the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. To check if oil is hot enough place a small piece of dough in oil and dough should sizzle and come to the surface slowly.
9. Place the samosas in the frying pan a few at a time.
10. After samosas are floating on top of the oil turn them slowly. Fry the samosas until the samosas turn a light golden-brown color on all sides. If you use a high heat, the samosa crust will be too soft and not crispy.

Tips:

1. Boil the potatoes just until tender. Be careful not to poke the potatoes multiple times while they are cooking, as they will absorve the water. Drain immediately and keep aside until cool enough to touch.
2. The dough has to be kneaded well; otherwise, the samosas will not come out as crisp.
3. If the filled samosas sit for too long, they will dry. To avoid this, cover with a damp cloth.

Suggestions:

1. Samosa can be prepared ahead of time and can be freeze for a month.
2. Before freezing fry them enough until samosa changes the color to very light gold brown.
3. After samosas are on room temperature bag them in zip lock bags and freeze them.
4. To use frozen samosas take out as many you need and fry them on medium heat.

If you make it let me know how it turns out!!! I will be trying it tonight :)

the simple pleasures: egg, toms, and buttered bread

Here is a food post on simplifying our food. this is what we had today for lunch. tomatoes with salt, pepper, oil and vinegar, bread with butter, and an egg. This could be lunch, it could be dinner, it could be breakfast...take your pick. I just know that it has amazing nutrients and only takes minutes to make. (well, longer if you make your own bread too...but it is fully worth it :)

I am adoring my tomatoes this year, super-sweet, filled with juice and never mushy. Ahhhh....so if you want a veggie side dish, just toms like this: cut them up, add olive oil, a tiny bit of vinegar, pepper and salt to taste. divine. these flavours always bring me back to my days in spain, as this is really the only salad dressing they use. oh, there are a couple more in the bowl, I am off to eat them. I can't get over the salty,sweet, tangy, peppery goodness.

what simple recipes could you eat over and over?

natives of my strange land

yummy food, comfy blanket, and...two bungaree boys with an apettite:
but then they notice my yerba mate, look at the faces they make...huh.

closer, and closer they get. look at the strange savages in their bungaree habitat.

wanting to check out what is inside. no worries though, of course they didn't get any...it is "mamma's yucky drink". Daddy has his coffee, and mamma has yucky :) (as long as I don't have to share there are few things I wouldn't let them call it!)

the yummiest tomato soup ever!

So, not only is it the most scrumptios tom soup you have ever tasted, it is also the fastest! I am only divulging this amazingly great soup because I think it would be considered sin to keep it from you :). I have made this on warm days and cold days, and we always seem to be excited to eat it...so here it is:

(below I mention "can" without a size because it doesn't matter what size you use as long as they are all the same size, all 16 oz, all 8 oz....whatever)
one can of stewed toms
on can of tom soup
one can of milk (plus a tad of half+half for extra delight)
warm it up in pot
plate up in large bowls
crumble at least 2 Tbs. of Gorgonzola on top of each serving
serve it with dried (or fresh) parsley sprinkled on top of each serving

suggested sides: salad and homemade bread (or the daily fresh french bread from safeway would be excellent too!)


This makes for a super yummy soup, I think the reason it is so good, is because it has the chunks of the canned tomatoes, they are sweet and really just make it seem fresh. It is not thick and yuck, like some middle school tomato soup (remember that and grilled cheese!) it is so different and yummy that you have to give it a try! I can my own tomatoes in the late summer, and this year I will be sure to do an extra bunch just to have this soup whenever I please next year.

corn chips

Recipe for homemade corn chips:
(found on p. 310 of More-With-Less: a world community cookbook)

Corn Chips:
(I would double this one too, but I always double)

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F

Combine in mixing bowl:
1 C. yellow cornmeal
2/3 C. flour
1 t. Salt
1 t. baking powder
1T. dry milk solids

Stir together in separate bowl:
1/2 C. water
1/4 C. oil
1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 t. Tabasco sauce

*Add liquids to dry mixture and stir with fork.
*Knead a little until smooth.
*Grease two cookie sheets (10 by 15") and sprinkle each with cornmeal.
*Divide dough in half directly onto cookie sheet with floured rolling pin, rolling dime thin.
*Sprinkle lightly with paprika, salt, garlic, or seasoned salt.
*Run rolling pin over once more.
*Prick with fork.
*Cut in squares or triangles.
*Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

ENJOY!! (hummus is great on these, or salsa or a soft cheese!!! YUM!)

scones

Scones...these are so amazing, and such a staple in our baking diet that I have to add the recipe. For you to share with me. I initially printed this off from joyofbaking.com in 2004 and have used it very frequently (as in "like a ton") here it is, this is my version of it :

Cream Scones: (I ALWAYS double the recipe!)

2 C. flour
1/3 C. white sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
1/3 C. unsalted butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream

Egg mixture for brushing tops of scones:
1 large egg
1 T. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.


*Wisk all scone ingredients together, do not over mix.
*Knead dough gently on floured surface.
*Roll and cut (pizza cutter works really well).
*Brush scones with the Egg mixture above.
*Bake for 15 min. or lightly brown.
*Transfer to wire rack to cool.
*Serve with devonshire cream and or jam.

These scones freeze very well.
You can add whatever you want to them. I don't make the plain ones. I have mainly made chocolate chip and lavender. For lavender add 1 t. dried lavender (per batch).

happy family (aka dutch baby) recipe

This is an excellent recipe. I have no idea where I found it, but it was when Brad and I first got married. I don't like the name dutch baby...it sounds weird to me... so I changed it to happy family (because it is sure to make the family happy!) I now have to make three of them so that we'll all have our fill. Well, two for sure.

I freeze tons of blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and marionberries that I pick in season so that I will always have enough to last me until they come out again. At our house we never can get enough berries!

The recipe for one happy family:
(if you want two just double it and then pour it into two pie pans)
* 3 eggs
* 1/2 C. flour
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/2 C. milk
* 2 Tbs. butter
* 1Tbs. lemon juice
* 2 Tbs. Sugar
* powdered sugar (for topping)

Mix in everything (except powdered sugar!) Pour into a pie pan or a cast iron skillet. Bake at 450 degrees F for 20 min or so. Take out, fill with room temperature berries, apples, or eat with butter and syrup or jam. whatever you think sounds good.

I promise, its incredible.

crap, it's what's for dinner!

Hey...just a thought, an idea...whatever that I wanted you guys to know about ( I am sure many of you do...and in that case...what do you think about it?):

Did you know that even though Europe has McDonald's and Burger King that they do not allow their restaurants to serve the same low-grade quality of meat and other ingredients that are served at the McDonald's and Burger King here in the USA??! When I say low-grade there are many things that I am talking about, the growth hormones, the antibiotics and the general quality of the meat cuts used.

What do you think about that! I have know this for a while...and let's just say that in the last 10 years I have probably only been to a fast food locale MAYBE 5 times.

How do you feel that the person who told me about this insane thing is one of my best friends from Spain, living in Spain and studying Agriculture in a Spanish University? How does it make you feel that they know...and many of us do not!? I know that it makes me feel pretty bad. If this were only about fast-food...but oh,...it isn't. It is about the quality of most of our food in the US. Our standards are too low because we want the cheapest, and the fastest, and what really should not be eaten...we want it all. YUK!

Oh, did you know that 1 out of every 3 health care dollars is spent on fixing the problems caused by bad eating habits?! Yay.

Does that make you feel well taken care of, or what!?