Banana-Vanilla Rum

One of our fans sent us this recipe... Thanks Brian for sharing!

Hi Patty! I love your site…

Just thought I’d share my Banana/Vanilla Rum Recipe with you…

This makes a great rum to serve over ice, as a shot or to use in recipes (like rum cake! Yummmm!)


BANANA/VANILLA RUM



INGREDIENTS:

1 1.75L bottle good dark rum (I use Mt. Gay)

1 extra (empty) 1.75L bottle

5 cups water

1 cup white sugar

2 Mexican Vanilla beans, split and cut in half

2 ripe bananas, halved and split, the long way, in quarters (so they will fit in the bottles)



DIRECTIONS:

Heat, sugar & split/halved vanilla beans in the water, stirring constantly, just until all the sugar is dissolved.

I heat it til it just reaches a light simmer.

Allow mixture to cool.

Split the rum equally between the two 1.75L bottles.

Split the Vanilla/Sugar mixture equally and add to the bottles.

(make sure you add the vanilla beans and any seeds to the rum bottles!)

Add one of the prepared bananas to each bottle.



And now the hard part… wait two weeks (at least), turning each bottle once a day (gently)!

Gluten Free Chives and Sour Cream Bread

The keys to gluten-free breads are eggs and xantham gum to act as binders. Proportions are also important. This recipe will give you a crusty bread outside but soft inside. Use high-quality parmesan for better flavor.

Gluten-Free Chives and Sour Cream Bread

1 cup white rice flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup corn starch
1 tbs xantham gum
1 tsp salt
2 tbs unsalted butter (room temp)
¼ cup dry milk
2 ½ tsps yeast
1 ½ cups parmesan (separated to 1 and ½)
1 tbs dried chives or 3 tbs fresh chives, chopped
1 cup sour cream
¾ water (warm, not hot)
2 large eggs
1 tbs agave syrup

Mix all of the dry ingredients.
Cut in the butter and incorporate until it has a cornmeal consistency.
Mix all of the wet ingredients and mix. If the dough is dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it achieves the right consistency. (Mixing by hand will help you feel the dough better.)
Sprinkle a little of the rice flour in a flat surface and knead the dough for about 2 minutes until it forms a ball. Since it does not have gluten, there is no need to spend your morning kneading! Make a large loaf or two small ones and transfer them to the baking sheet previously prepared with non stick oil.

Score the bread twice on top, cover it with a plastic wrap sprayed with non stick oil too, and let the dough rest for about 1 hour until double in size. Sprinkle the rest of the parmesan cheese on top before you put it in the oven.

Preheat the oven at 375 F for at least 30 minutes before you bake the bread. Bake the bread for 25 minutes, remove from the heat, and let it cool in racks.

As much as we like to eat our bread when it is hot, it is best to enjoy it when it has cooled as all the flavors have settled.

Enjoy!

Homemade Almond Flour

Yes, I've seen recipes where you have to grind the almonds frozen to avoid making a paste! As much as I appreciate those sharing ideas on how to make almond flour, I still prefer this method because the process is not only simple but the baking draws out some of the moisture of the almonds and it enhaces their nutty flavor.

Homemade Almond Flour

Ingredients
12 oz slivered almonds

Preheat the oven at 200 F.

Spray a baking sheet with non stick oil and spread the almonds thoroughly.

Bake for 30 minutes, stirring at 15 minutes. This process is more to dry the almonds before grinding them.

Let them cool at room temperature and put them in the food processor until coarse.

Keep them in an air tight container, preferably in the refrigerator.

See? This recipe is almost effortless!

Pepper Jack Hamburger

Pepper Jack Hamburgers

Ingredients

1 bag whole wheat hamburger bread
1 lb ground beef
1/3 cup bread crumbs
¼ cup chimichurri salsa (recipe below)
½ lb Pepper Jack cut in squares
2 beef tomatoes cut in slices
Green leaf lettuce

Chimichurri Salsa

1 bunch parsley
1 tsp fresh chopped oregano
4 garlic cloves
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
Cumin, salt, and pepper to taste

Chop parsley and garlic cloves. Put them in the food processor until they look fine. Add oregano, vinegar, and lemon juice. Pulse until incorporated. Slowly add the olive oil while the food processor is running to emulsify the sauce. Season to taste.


Dressing

3 tbs mayo
1 tbs sour cream
1 tsp ketchup
A pinch of cayenne (optional)
1 tsp chimichurri sauce
¼ onion finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Season the meat with chimichurri, salt and pepper. Incorporate bread crumbs and make the patties putting a square of the Pepper Jack cheese in the middle. Cook in the grill for 2 minutes on 1 side and about 1 ½ minutes on the other side. Remove and cover with foil

Mix all of the ingredients for the dressing and smear in the hamburger bread. Put lettuce, tomato, and the hamburger patty to arrange the hamburger and enjoy!

Anzac Biscuits

Anzac Biscuits

Even though these are cookies, the name Anzac Biscuits is protected by the Australian government in respect for those soldiers fighting in WW1. Their mothers, wives, grandmas, etc. would make these biscuits to send to them.

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda or bicarbonate of soda (it’s the same)
A pinch of salt
1 cup oats
1 cup toasted coconut
1/3 cup agave* syrup
½ tsp Madagascar Pure Ground vanilla (or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)
7 tbs butter

Preheat the oven at 350 F.

In a small pot, put agave and butter and cook on medium heat until butter is melted. If you use vanilla extract, you can add it in this step too.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, oats, toasted coconut, salt, and ground vanilla.

Add the agave mixture to the dry ingredients and mix only until all of the ingredients are incorporated.

Spoon the dough with a tablespoon into baking sheets with wax paper, then spray the wax paper with non-stick oil. This is the easiest way I’ve found to remove them after baking.

Bake for 8 minutes, remove from the oven, and let them cool for about 5 minutes before you put them in cooling racks.

Enjoy!

* The original recipe calls for Golden Syrup; however, I’ve substituted it for agave for its high fructose content. This makes possible for people with dietary needs to enjoy them if they are not gluten intolerant.

Biscochos Anzac

Biscochos Anzac

Aunque estas sean galletas, el titulo de Anzac es protegido por el gobierno Australiano en honor a los soldados que participaron en la Primera Guerra Mundial. Sus madres, esposas, abuelas, etc. hacian estas galletas para enviarselas mientras estaban fuera del hogar.



Ingredientes

1 taza de harina
1 cucharadita de soda para hornear o bicarbonato de soda (Es lo mismo)
Una pizca de sal
1 taza de avena
1 taza de coco tostado
1/3 taza de jarabe de agave*
½ cdita de Vainilla Molida de Madagascar (o 1 cdita de Extracto Puro de vainilla)
7 cdas de mantequilla o margarina

Pre-caliente el horno a 350 F.

En una olla pequena ponga el jarabe de agave y la mantequilla a cocer a fuego mediano hasta que la mantequilla este derretida. Si usa extracto de vainilla, puede agregarlo en este paso tambien.

En un recipiente mediano mezcle la harina, soda, avena, coco, sal, y la vainilla molida.

Agregue la mezcla de agave a los ingredientes secos y mezcle solo hasta que esten incorporados.

Con una cuchara medidora, mida la masa que va a poner en una charola con papel encerado, despues rocie el papel con aceite en spray. Esta es la forma mas facil que he encontrado para despegar las galletas despues de hornearlas.

Hornee por 8 minutos, remueva la charola del horno, y deje las galletas reposar por unos 5 minutos antes de ponerlas en las parrillas para enfriar.

Buen Provecho!

* La receta original tiene Jarabe Dorado pero yo lo sustitui por el Jarabe de Agave por su alto contenido de fructosa. Esto hace posible que personas con dietas alimenticias especiales puedan disfrutar de estas galletas si no son intolerantes al gluten.

3 EZ Summer Salsas

Southern Salsa

1 14 oz can black beans
1 14 oz can corn kernel
½ red onion, chopped
½ red pepper, chopped
1 avocado, diced
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
A pinch of cayenne
Cumin to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients and serve.

Use this salsa to accompany grilled chicken or fish.

Chimichurri

This salsa originated in Argentina to marinade or serve on top of steaks. It is also delicious in bruschetta and melted mozzarella. Just place the salsa on top of the cheese before serving and you’ll have a delicious treat!

1 bunch parsley
1 tsp fresh chopped oregano
4 garlic cloves
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
Cumin, salt, and pepper to taste

Chop parsley and garlic cloves. Put them in the food processor until they look fine. Add oregano, vinegar, and lemon juice. Pulse until incorporated. Slowly add the olive oil while the food processor is running to emulsify the sauce. Season to taste.

Pico de Gallo
Enjoy this salsa with tacos, nachos, bruschetta, enchiladas, quesadillas, etc.

4 -5 roma tomatoes, small dice
½ jalapeno chile seeds removed, small dice
½ onion, minced
1 tbs lemon juice
Cumin
Salt and pepper

Mix all of the ingredients and season to taste.

GI Key Lime Pie

Normally Key Lime Pie is made with condensed milk but this version is specially made for people looking for low glycemic options. We included 20% of white whole wheat flour in the pie dough and turned added lemon juice to a pastry cream for the filling. Enjoy!

GI Key Lime Pie

Pie Dough

1 cup *pastry flour
4 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
12 tablespoons cold shortening
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coconut extract
6 tbs cold water
1 baking bag with beans for blind baking

Dissolve salt in water for even distribution. Add the coconut extract.
Place water and shortening in a mixing bowl and rub or cut shortening into flours.
Add the water mixture to the flours and mix gently only until incorporated to avoid developing gluten.
Put the dough in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
Sprinkle a little flour in a flat surface and roll the dough out.
Transfer the dough to a pre-greased baking pie pan. Place the beans on top and bake for 30 minutes at 375 F.
Remove from the oven and let it cool.


Filling

2 cups milk (or half and half)
¼ agave syrup
1 egg
2 egg yolks
3 tbs corn starch
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tbs cold butter cut in small squares
Iced water

Boil milk with agave.
Mix eggs with cornstarch.
Temper the eggs with the milk.
Bring to a boil until it thickens and add the lemon juice. Stir quickly and remove from heat.
Put the pot in iced water and add the butter until all is melted and incorporated.

Topping
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 pint heavy cream or sugar-free whipped cream
1 tsp Deluxe White vanilla
2 tbs agave syrup
Lime wedges

Cover pie with coconut.

Combine cream with vanilla and syrup and whip until hard peaks form.

Put the mixture in a Ziplock bag and decorate as desired with lemon wedges.

Patriotic French Toasts

Not exactly coming from France, French Toast have made their way to the U.S. to stay. Enjoy these while celebrating your 4th of July breakfast!

Patriotic French Toasts with Orange Cream

6 slices sandwich bread
2 cups milk
3 whole eggs
1 tbs agave syrup (or sugar)
1/8 tsp Madagascar Vanilla extract
½ stick butter
1 basket fresh strawberries, sliced
1 container blueberries

Orange Sauce

1 pint heavy cream (or 1 container sugar free whipped cream)
1 tsp orange extract (or orange juice to taste)
1 tbs agave syrup

Mix milk, eggs, agave, and vanilla. Cover it and leave it refrigerated overnight.

Leave bread slices drying overnight. This will allow them to absorb more of the liquid the next morning.

Heat a large skillet at medium temperature.

Put two bread slices on the egg mixture and let them soak for about 30 seconds in each side.

Smear butter in the hot pan and cook the toasts until both sides are golden brown.

Mix all of the ingredients in the orange sauce, pour over the French Toasts and garnish with the berries.

Enjoy!

Patriotic Pizza

Patriotic Pizza

1 Pillsberry pizza crust
8 oz original cream cheese
4 oz whipped cream
2 tbs agave syrup (or sugar)
1 tsp orange extract
1 basket strawberries sliced
1 small container blueberries
Non stick oil spray

Preheat the oven at 425 F.

Spray a baking sheet with non stick oil.

Stretch pizza crust and use a fork to poke the dough. This will allow the dough to “breath” when baking. Bake for 18 minutes.

Cream the cheese in a mixer until smooth; add whipped cream, agave, and orange extract until all ingredients are incorporated. Scrape with a spatula to ensure there is no cream cheese attached to the mixer.

When the pizza is ready, remove from the oven and let it rest to room temperature before smearing the cream cheese mixture on. Use the berries to make the flag shape.

Enjoy!