Banana Fritters

As I have a bunch of overripe bananas, I thought I'd stir up some banana recipes. Of course, the obvious is Banana Bread, but I thought I'd go for the more exotic or fun recipes.  This one, called Kuih kodok or godok pisang, is basically a banana fritter, and is easy to make with few ingredients.

Ingredients:

8-9 ripe bananas
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
oil for frying

Preparations:

1. In a medium bowl, mash bananas (you can use a fork, or a bean or potato masher).
2. Add Flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well to form a thick batter.
3. In a large skillet or wok, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium heat.
4. When oil is hot, lay a spoonful of batter in skillet.  Fry a few at a time, so the oil temperature doesn't drop. When golden brown, remove fritters (a slotted spoon works nicely for this), and set aside on a wire wrack to cool (and drain). You may want to put paper towels below the wire wrack to catch any dripping oil.
5. Serve warm.

Make Your Own Oyster Crackers

Ingredients:

Oil for brushing the dough
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp cold butter, cut into bits
2/3 cup iced cold water
1/2 tsp salt or sea salt plus more for sprinkling

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add butter, and work with your hands until a crumbly dough forms. Slowly add 1/2 cup ice water and mix with a fork. Continue adding water 1 Tbs. at a time mixing until the dough forms a ball.

Divide dough in half. If dough is sticky, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-20 minutes. With a rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/8 - 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into squares (or whatever shape you desire). Place on baking sheet, brush with oil, and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

Store in an air tight container. Makes about 32 one inch square crackers, or 60-70 smaller crackers (depending on how you cut 'em).


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Cost Breakdown:

• 1 3/4 cups Flour = 20¢ - 28¢
• Oil = less than 2¢
• 1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder = 5¢
• Butter = 75¢
• Salt = 5¢ 

Price per batch = $1.07 - $1.15
Price at the grocery store = $2.30-$4.20 

Store brand ingredients: Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Soybean Oil With Thbq For Freshness, Salt, Yeast, Malted Barley Flour, Sodium Sulfite, Enzymes (Protease), Baking Soda. Allergy Warning: Contains Wheat And Soy. May Contain Traces Of Milk And Eggs.

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Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

This is a great recipe to use when mushrooms are on sale at the grocery store. You can also, saute the mushrooms in a little butter and freeze them for use later. Store them in freezer bags in 1/2 cup batches.

Ingredients:

1-2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2+ Tbs. butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Preparations:

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and saute until mushrooms are tender and have given off half of their moisture. Brown "frond" may appear at the bottom of the pan, this is highly condensed mushroom flavor, which will release from the bottom of the pan when you add liquid.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour and 1 1/2 cups of the milk until smooth. Slowly add the milk and flour mixture to the mushrooms, scraping the "frond" from the bottom of the pan. Stir (or whisk) constantly. Continue slowly adding the remainder of the milk, stirring constantly.  Your soup will begin bubble and thicken. If it becomes too thick, you can thin it with a little more milk or water.

Remove from heat and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with homemade oyster crackers or use as a base for a casserole.

To store: allow to cool and place in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Cost breakdown:

• 1 cup of mushrooms  = 75¢ (on sale) - $1.25 (when not on sale)
• 2 Tbsp. butter = 25¢
• 1/2 cup flour = 5¢
• 4 cups milk =  75¢ - $1.00 
• spices = nominal
• TOTAL = $1.80 - $2.55 for 3 cans, or  60¢ - 85¢/can

Store brand ingredients: Water, Mushrooms, Wheat Flour, Skim Milk, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Soybean Oil, Whey Protein Concentrate, Salt, Buttermilk Solids, Monosodium Glutamate, Cream, Sea Salt, Modified Cornstarch, Potassium Chloride, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Maltodextrin, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Natural Flavor (Contains Milk). Allergy Warning: Contains Milk, Wheat And Soy. 

Homemade Egg Noodles

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 Tbs. butter

Preparation:

In a large bowl, mix together flour and salt. Add eggs, milk, and butter mixing until dough forms.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead dough for five minutes. Allow to rest in a clean, covered bowl for 10 minutes.

Turn out onto floured surface again. With a rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/8 inch thickness.

If using in soups, stews, or as a side dish, cut into desired length strips.  If using for ravioli, cut into circles with a round cookie cutter or drinking glass.

For storage purposes, allow pasta to dry and store in an air tight container. To cook, bring a pot of water to a boil and add pasta. Cook until al dente.

Cost Breakdown:

• 2 1/2 cups Flour = 31¢ - 45¢
• Salt = nominal
• 2 eggs = 16¢
• 1 Tbs. Butter = 13¢
• 1/2 cup Milk = 11¢ - 16¢

Price per batch = 71¢ - 90¢
Price at the grocery store = $2.00-$3.00 

Store brand ingredients: Semolina, Durum Flour, Egg Yolks, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate (Iron), Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid. Allergy Warning: Contains Eggs And Wheat.

Homemade Tortillas

4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. vegetable shortening (Crisco), or margarine, or lard
1 1/2 cups warm water


Preparation:

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients.

Add vegetable shortening. With a fork, cut through the shortening, mixing with the dry ingredients. (will be crumbly).

Add warm water, a little at a time, mixing as you go.  Your dough will be sticky.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for several minutes, until smooth.

Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Roll into balls and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Heat a skillet over medium-high.  Using a rolling pin, roll out your dough balls into thin, round tortilla shapes. Place the tortilla in the skillet and cook for a couple of minutes on each side, or until each side becomes a light golden brown.  Place in a warm oven or in between kitchen towels to keep warm.

If storing, allow tortillas to cool. Keep in a plastic bag or air tight container for up to a week. Or place in the freezer for up to three months.

Sourdough Bread Recipe

There are plenty of sourdough recipes out there. This one is from King Arthur brand flour:


1 cup sourdough starter
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 tsp yeast
1 TBS sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 cups All-Purpose Flour

Preparation:

Combine all of the ingredients, kneading to form a smooth dough.

Allow the dough to rise, in a covered bowl, until it's doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

Gently divide the dough in half; it'll deflate somewhat.

Gently shape the dough into two oval loaves; or, for longer loaves, two 10" to 11" logs. Place the loaves on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise until very puffy, about 1 hour. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.

Spray the loaves with lukewarm water.

Make two fairly deep diagonal slashes in each; a serrated bread knife, wielded firmly, works well here.

Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes, until it's a very deep golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Sourdough Starter Recipe

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar (optional)

Preparation:

In large (non-metallic bowl) mix ingredients together. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for four to eight days. This allows the dough to ferment (you can do this without the yeast as well, although you may need to let the dough ferment a little longer).

The dough is ready to use when it is bubbly and has a slight sour odor. If the dough appears pink or orange, or any other strange color, do not use it. Throw it out and start over. 

Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake.

When using the starter to make sourdough bread, first divide the starter in half. Add 1 cup water and 1 cup flour to one of the halves. Mix well and leave that half out on the counter until bubbly again, then refrigerate. This is referred to as "feeding" your starter. Use the other half to make your bread. Each time you make a new loaf of bread, you'll do the same thing - divide and feed your starter.

Don't worry if a clear or light brown liquid accumulates on top of your dough. This is an alcohol that occurs with fermentation and will bake off when cooked. Just stir this back into the starter.

Plain Scones

2 cups flour
1 TBS butter
1 cup milk
1 TBS sugar
1/3 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk (to brush on the tops of the scones)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Grease a cookie sheet and set aside.

If you have a sifter or a fine mesh sieve, sift dry ingredients into a bowl.  Add butter, and with fingers, crumble and mix into dry ingredients. Make a little well in the flour mixture and pour in the milk.

With a fork, stir the flour mixture and milk together until dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Press the dough into a round or square shape with your fingers, flattening it until it is 1 to 2 inches thick.

Cut the dough into round, square, or triangular shapes. If there's leftover dough, fold it over on itself and press it with your fingers again, flattening to no less than 1 inch thick. Cut the dough into desired shape.

Place on a grease baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with a little extra milk. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 425ºF.

Serve warm with butter or jam.  If there are leftovers, store in the freezer - they should stay good for up to two months.

Popovers

4 eggs (room temperature)
2 cups milk (room temperature)
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450ºF.

Grease popover or muffin pan.

Break eggs into a bowl. Beat well. Add flour, milk, and salt. Mix until blended.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full with batter.

Bake 30 minutes without opening the oven door.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before removing from the pan.

Serve warm with butter. Good with soups or stews or served with marmalade or jam for breakfast.

Homemade Pita Bread

1 1/8 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 TBS. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside and allow to rise until dough is double in size.

Preheat oven to 500º F.

Turn dough out onto floured surface. Gently roll and stretch dough into a 12 inch rope.

Divide dough into eight pieces. Roll each into a small 6-7 inch circles.  Set aside on a lightly floured countertop. Cover dough with a towel and let it rise for 30 minutes, until slightly puffy.

Dampen two kitchen towels and set aside.

Place pita rounds on a wire wrack, pizza stone, or baking sheet and put in oven. Bake 4-5 minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately put pitas between two damp towels until soft.

Serve warm. Good with hummus or served with butter and cinnamon sugar.

Store in freezer for 1-2 months.

Lemon Ginger Scones

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

1/2 cup crystallized ginger, chopped into small pieces

Zest of 1 large lemon

2/3 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in middle of oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.  Stir in the chopped crystallized ginger and lemon zest. Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. If you don't have buttermilk, use 2/3 cup milk with a Tablespoon vinegar. Do not over mix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round and about 11/2 inches thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into 4 pie-shaped wedges (triangles). Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with a little cream. 

Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 8 scones.