Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Kale Salad by Rukmini


Hare Krshna !

Ok Im a salad queen in the warmer months, heres one of my favorites I make, a ❤ opener because of the green leafys!

Rukminis Kale Salad:

1. Organic kale,finely chopped

2. In a separate frying pan heat up Olive oil or Coconut oil for a few seconds(dont burn oil) , add in Raw Organic sunflower seeds, when they start popping add low sodium soy sauce & immediately turn off heat.

3. Add the above over the Kale, just add fresh lime & fresh black pepper
Tah Dahhhhhhh!

4. Offer to Krshna..wait..then...

5. ENJOY!

❤Rukmini

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Custard Pie by Radha-Prema


Custard (made with neroli essence) pie.

Pastry:
(makes enough for pie every day for a week)

6 c flour
1 lb. cold butter
3 tbsp brown sugar
enough COLD water to form a dough (around 2-3 c if I remember correctly -- I always eyeball so I have a hard time sharing recipes)

Mix dry ingredients in cold bowl with cold pastry cutter. Cut in butter and mix well (keeping ingredients as cold as possible). Add cold water adn form loose dough. Knead only enough to stick it together. Pack in hand sized lumps in plastic wrap and put in fridge for minimum 30 mins before using. Will keep in fridge for up to a week. Can also be stored in freezer and taken out and thawed in fridge when needed.

To make pie shell, roll out and bake for approx 20 mins (or till golden brown -- another thing I don't do is time things out, I go by smell-- if I can smell it in another room, it is probably five minutes from being done) at 400 F.


Custard:
(makes enough for 4 pies -- these amounts are really out of hand because they are my grandmother and mother's recipes and I am from a family of 12 kids -- I also don't do math so didn't bother making them into more normal amounts. Who needs normal anyway?)

9 c milk
1 c corn starch
1 1/4 c sugar
2 tbsp butter
(1 c coconut)
2 tsp vanilla (or other essence you desire -- for this incarnation I used orange blossom essence which adds a really lovely, refreshing flavour -- other ideas include orange zest, lemon zest, almond essence, or anything else that strikes your fancy)

Mix 1 c of milk in bottom of pot with corn starch and whisk until smooth. Add rest of milk and stir well. Bring heat to medium and stir continuously until becomes thick and boils. Let boil for one minute before removing from heat. Once removed from the heat add butter, sugar, and (coconut) and essence.

Pour into cooled pie shells and let set in fridge. It can later be topped with whipped cream (and toasted coconut, fresh mint, fresh strawberries, whatever is pretty and you think Krsna would really love to eat with His milky pie).

Offer with love and devotion and honour with great relish. :D

Monday, March 7, 2011

Hazelnutty Dark and White Chocolate Truffles by Keli

Hi dear merry veggies :) Made some hazelnutty dark and white chocolate truffles.. they are in great balance, creamy, smooth, and goooooood!

For chocolate truffles:
225g bittersweet chocolate, finaly chopped (I use high quality Green&Blacks)
3/4 cups double cream
2tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup toasted and finely ground hazelnut
cocoa powder

For white chocolate truffles:
225g white chocolate (I use high quality Green& Blacks with real vanilla in it)
1/3 cup double cream
1tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup toasted and finely ground hazelnut
cocoa powder

Bring cream and butter to boil (probably less than a minute), pour over chopped chocolate and cover for 5-10 minutes (I use glass bowl at this stage, because if chocolate didn't get fully melted then I put it back to temper over water on very low heat). When completely melted mix in ground hazelnut, put in fridge for few hours (the white chocolate truffles may need more time or even overnight) then shape as you like and roll in cocoa powder.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Golden Vanilla Cake by Subhadra (made by Alaksya)


This is a GREAT egg-free cake. It is very moist and not the least bit crumbly.

1 cup milk
1 tsp vinegar
1 1/4 cup flour
2 tbs cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 t vanilla


Mix the milk and vinegar together and let sit for 5 minutes.

Sift together the flour, corn starch, baking power, baking soda, and salt.

In large bowl whisk together the oil, sugar, vanilla and milk mixture.

Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet.

Pour into a greased and floured 9" cake pan.

Bake at 350 degrees, about 25 minute.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Cinnamon Rolls by Alaksya




Ingredients:
1-1/2 packages (about 3-1/4 teaspoons) dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg-replacer
4 to 5 cups sifted flour
melted butter
brown sugar
cinnamon
raisins (optional)

Vanilla Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
milk or cream (2 to 4 tablespoons)
*If you want cream cheese frosting you can add 1 package of softened cream cheese

Directions:
1.Add the warm water to the yeast and soak 10 minutes.
2.Scald milk; pour over the shortening. Add sugar and salt and cool to tepid. Add the dissolved yeast and egg-replacer. Add 4 cups flour adding one at a time beating after each addition.
3.Dough should be soft yet firm enough to handle. Knead on floured board until elastic and smooth. Avoid too much flour. Turn dough into well oiled bowl. Let rise for 1-1/2 hours.
4.Press dough down and divide into workable size. Roll dough out into a rectangle. Cover with melted butter. Layer with a generous thick layer of brown sugar. Sprinkle on cinnamon as desired. If you like raisins, layer on a layer of raisins. Roll up jellyroll fashion.
5.Using a scissors or a piece of string, cut off slices about 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick. Place slices in an 8 or 9 inch round greased cake pan. Place one slice in the middle and other slices around it. Press rolls down to even out and fill pan. Let rise until rolls fill the pan generously...about another hour.
6.Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 15 - 20 minutes. If rolls get too brown, cover with a piece of tine foil until the end of baking. Do not over bake rolls.
7.Remove immediately from pan by inverting onto a plate and then tip over onto another plate to right the rolls.
8.For the Frosting:
In a medium bowl, place sugar, butter and vanilla. Then stir in enough milk or cream to reach a thick, hardly-able to stir consistency.
9.Spread over warm rolls as soon as they are placed on a plate to let the frosting melt and run into the rolls.

Friday, March 4, 2011

King Cake by Alaksya


King Cake is a traditional New Orleans cake served at Mardi Gras parties.

Pastry:
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg-replacer
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Frosting:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons water

Colored Sugar:
Purple, Green & Gold



Directions:

Scald milk in microwave for 2 minutes then add butter and let cool until lukewarm.
In mixing bowl combine warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until bubbly. Add lukewarm milk mixture, the egg replacer, salt, nutmeg and remaining sugar to yeast mixture.
Add the flour 1 cup at a time to the wet ingredients.
Once combined kneed with mixer or by hand for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is very elastic.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled (approx. 1 hour).

Make the filling by combining the cream cheese, powdered sugar, cinnamon and pecans.

Roll the dough into a rectangle measuring approx. 14x20".
Spread the filling mixture on the dough to within about 1/4" of the sides.
Roll the dough up length-wise and pinch the seam to seal.
Pinch the ends of the roll together to create an oval.
Place the oval on a backing sheet that is greased or lined with parchment paper, cover and let rise in a warm place for approx. 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Bake for 30 mintues.

Forst while the cake is still warm and sprinkle with alternating stripes of purple, green and gold colored sugar.