3 - 2 - 1 Cake!

This was a recipe passed on from a friend via email. I haven't tried it simply because I don't have a microwave, but if I did, I would be trying it out right away!

This is perfect for those of us with just one or two in the house these days, hate to make a huge cake. This way you can make one 1, 2, 3, or as many as you need.

3, 2, 1 CAKE

These individual little cakes are amazing and ready to eat in one minute! They are perfect for whenever you feel like a treat without all the fat and calories that cake can have. Genius idea!

INGREDIENTS:

1 box Angel Food Cake Mix

1 box Cake Mix - Any Flavor

DIRECTIONS:

In a Ziploc bag, combine the two cake mixes and mixes well. For each individual cake serving, take Out 3 Tablespoons of the cake mix combination and Mix it With 2 Tablespoons of water in a small microwave-safe Container. Microwave on high for 1 minute, and you have your own instant individual little cake!

KEEP remaining cake mixture stored in the Ziploc bag And use whenever you feel like a treat! You can top each cake with a dollop of fat free whipped topping and/or some fresh fruit.

Helpful Tips:

This recipe is called 3, 2, 1 Cake because all you need to remember is

"3 tablespoons mix,
2 tablespoons water,
1 minute in the microwave!"

TRY various flavors of cake mix like carrot, red velvet, pineapple, lemon, orange, etc. Just remember that one of the mixes has to be the angel food mix; the other is your choice. The flavor possibilities are endless!

NOTES:

The best thing is, you open both cake mixes into a gallon Storage bag, one that 'zip locks' or 'self-seals', or a Container that seals tightly, shake the two cake mixes to Blend and then make the recipe. Storage of mix is simple, put it on a shelf. No need to refrigerate, since the mix is dry.

Always remember, that one of the cake mixes MUST be Angel Food. The other can be any flavor. The Angel Food is the cake mix that has the eggs whites in it. So, if, anyone is allergic to egg whites, you cannot serve this recipe.

Harmony Valley Website Scavenger Hunt

Find the answers to the following questions on our website and get a FREE package of Harmony Valley Vegetarian Hamburger Mix!

1. Link your favorite HV recipe on the site!

Harmony Valley Breakfast Scramble

This is a particularly delicious way to begin your day! This recipe can be made with either tofu or egg. It is flavorful and a great way to start your daily intake of protein. ENJOY!

Can't wait to try this out. I love eggs in the morning and have already used Soyrizo to scramble. Plus, I love the fresh tofu I can get in the local markets here in Cambodia.

2. Where can you find HV near you?

There really isn't a local retailer that sells HV Vegetarian mix to my dismay. I'll look for it at our local natural foods store, though, called New Frontiers.

3. How do you make Harmony Valley Vegetarian Mix?

I cook it up with taco seasoning and use it for tacos, burritos and taco salads. So yummy to just have on hand for any of the above.

Pancakes

Thank you to Mom Most Traveled, Can Can, for providing this recipe. I look forward to trying this out with a few modifications for here in Cambodia, such as substituting soy milk for rice milk, using regular oil, and adding bananas instead of blueberries and walnuts.

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients (have at room temperature):
2 eggs
1/4 cup rice milk
2 Tbsp oil (walnut, almond, grapeseed or corn)
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

Dry Ingredients (have at room temperature):
3/4 cup rice flour (or 1/2 cup rice flour and 1/4 cup corn flour)
3/4 tsp non-aluminum baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 or 2 Tbsp oil for frying (coconut or corn)
1/8-1/4 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
1/8 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions

Mix wet and dry ingredients separately, then combine. Be sure to have the griddle heating to a medium temperature. Blend in blueberries and walnuts if used. Makes about 5 five inch cakes. Smother in maple syrup.

If using fruit in the batter, covering the cakes when cooking helps ensure they will be done throughout. A little more baking powder makes for thicker, fluffier cakes, and a little less makes thinner more dense cakes.

Crock Pot Oatmeal

This recipe was passed on from a friend who spent some time in India and used to make up large batches of oatmeal to eat cold. She stayed with my mom for a week or so, making her oatmeal and my mom fell in love.

This recipe also comes from her, but is a warm version that is mostly hands-free. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups milk (can be nonfat, whole, 1/2 & 1/2 or soy, or any combination of milk product)
Cinnamon to your liking

Add all ingredients to a crock pot and stir. Turn crock pot on LOW and cook for 6-8 hours; or cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours.

The recipe can be doubled. Additionally, feel free to any sweeteners that you like. Honey is good, as well as agave nectar (my personal favorite, though I add it to my individual servings and not the whole batch). Nuts or raisins are tasty compliments, too.

Zucchini Bread

I have a giant zuchhini that a friend brought over and it has been patiently waiting to be made into something. This vegie is the size of a kiddie bat. That's not an exaggeration. I'm sure I'll have plenty to make hundreds of batches of bread.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

Recipe provided by Rutiz Family Farms, my local organic farm that's just around the corner.

Polenta and Oatmeal Cookie Recipes

I was reading through the San Luis Obispo Country Fall 2010 magazine and ran across the "In the Kitchen..." section. Featured was Italian Beef Stew and Polenta, as well as Banana Oatmeal Cookies (circa 1970). I wanted publish these recipes so I could come back to them later.

Polenta recipes from Darlene Rotta. Both recipes are simple and easy. I'm looking forward to using up my polenta with fish.

Cookie recipe from Mike Allen. I think this is a great way to use up those overripe bananas that seem to accumulate in my house. Dont' throw out! Just toss them in your freezer (or maybe it's better to gently place them.)

Italian-Style Polenta

4 cups water
1 cup polenta
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter (optional)
Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

Bring water to a boil and gradually add polenta and salt; stir constantly until thickened.

Reduce heat and stir frequently for about one hour. Add butter and cheese, if you wish, just before removing from pan.

American-Style Polenta (microwave)

3 cups water
3/4 cup polenta
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix water, polenta and salt in a three-quart bowl. In microwave, cook six minutes on high. Stir well. Cook again for six minutes. Stir and cook for five more minutes. It is ready to serve.

You may add butter and cheese at the end, if you wish.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda + 1/4 tsp. for bananas
3/4 cup shortening
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (mix in the 1/4 tsp. baking soda)
1 3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Sift dry ingredients--flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. baking soda--into mixing bowl. Cut in shortening. Add egg, bananas, rolled oats and nuts. Beat until thoroughly blended.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes, in a 350-degree oven, or until edges are browned. Remove from pan immediately and cool on rack.

Makes about 3 dozen. Recipe can be doubled if desired.

70% cocoa or bust!

I have become a fan of dark chocolate that has 60%+ cocoa.

In fact, I treated myself to Trader Joe's holiday Chocolate Palette offering of 8 bars of "distinctive origin" chocolate made with a minimum of 60% cocoa. (Ironically, the Venezuelan chocolate bar has been my favorite so far.)

I'm halfway through Ghana (70%), and loving it, too. Mmm...I just enjoyed a small piece of it now.

I still have Sao Thome and Papua New Guinea (both 70%).

But, what this post is really about is getting my hands on 336 minibars of Ritter Sport! My friend CanCan over at MomMostTraveled is having a giveaway! Check it out, or NOT and let me win them!

Ritter Sport has lots of new flavors, and even one that is Extra Fine Dark Chocolate (71% cocoa) made with Arriba cocoa from Ecuador. I can't wait to try that one!

I became a fan of Ritter Sport in 1992 as an exchange student in Denmark. There were much fewer varieties back then, but I loved savoring every last bite of my Ritter Sport bars. Every time I see one it brings back such wonderful memories. Thank you Ritter Sport!

CAMBODIA: Pepper Farmers Get Ready for their Champagne Moment

By Robert Carmichael

PHNOM PENH, Dec 8 (IPS) - Under a shady trellis of rice sacks in the province of Kampot in southern Cambodia, 42-year-old Nuon Yan tends his crop of pepper vines.

Small-scale farming is a tough occupation, with prices and weather unpredictable and the cost of inputs high. But Nuon Yan knows a good idea when he sees one. When he heard about an opportunity to double the money he was making from black pepper, he jumped at it.

That opportunity is to register the prized variety of pepper that he and neighbouring farmers grow – known as Kampot Pepper – for Geographical Indicator, or GI, status. Kampot pepper is highly regarded by some chefs in Europe and the United States as one of the world’s finest pepper varieties.

If the term GI sounds unfamiliar, the concept itself is much better understood, says Jean-Marie Brun, an advisor at GRET, a French non- governmental organisation involved in getting Kampot pepper its GI status.

The most famous GI product is champagne. In fact, says Brun, GI is what makes champagne champagne rather than sparkling wine. Unless bubbly is grown in a specific part of France to specific rules and meets a certain quality standard, it may not be marketed as champagne.

That, in a nutshell, is GI, and it will work exactly the same way with Kampot pepper. The added advantage is that Nuon Yan and the 130 other members of the newly formed Kampot Pepper Producers’ Association (KPPA) – most of whom are also farmers – decide on the rules and the quality standard.

Brun says any grower who meets the requirements can join the association, and once GI is registered it is protected under World Trade Organisation rules.

"The right to use the name Kampot pepper once it is registered belongs to anybody that complies with a certain number of requirements," says Brun. "The stakeholders decide on the delimitation of the area, how it should be produced and the quality criteria."

Brun explains that farmers like Nuon Yan, who currently earns 2.50 U.S. dollars per kilo for his crop, will likely double their income when GI status is confirmed.

Complying with GI does bring added costs, but Brun says these typically equate to five percent of the extra income. In the case of Kampot pepper, and because it is early days for the KPPA, the costs of compliance are higher than that – currently around 10 percent – but they will decline as more members join.

Farmers like Nuon Yan benefit as a direct result of providing a product that consumers can buy safe in the knowledge that it has attained a certain quality standard and is what it claims to be. But that assurance is worth nothing unless someone ensures the members abide by their own standards.

That policing role is performed by the KPPA itself and an independent auditor. The KPPA is based in a small room in a shady grove five kilometres outside the provincial town of Kampong Trach in Kampot province. KPPA deputy head, En Trou, explains that growers have had a tough time in the past.

"Because they were not able to market Kampot pepper and didn’t have much money, the farmers faced many problems trying to earn enough to support their families," he says. "We also found that other growers were using the name Kampot pepper on their products."

But the advent of GI status, which will be confirmed in a matter of weeks, should start to resolve that. En Trou is confident that the future will be brighter for the association’s members, who currently harvest 14 tons of pepper annually.

"I am hopeful that in another five years we will have increased the number of producers to 150, and be selling between 20 and 30 tons a year," he says.

The man in charge on the government side is Var Roth San, who heads the intellectual property department at the Ministry of Commerce. Among the powers wielded by his department is the power to revoke the GI registration for Kampot pepper should the independent auditor find the KPPA is shirking its role to maintain standards.

"The association must form control within themselves to keep the quality good," he points out. "Therefore the price of GI products increases. If [there is] no control within themselves or by an international organisation, who will believe [that their product is high quality]?"

Var Roth San says getting GI status for Kampot pepper links directly with the strategy of government and donors to reduce widespread rural poverty. Around 80 percent of the country’s people live in rural areas, and more than half the eight million-strong labour force is involved in agriculture, so boosting rural livelihoods is critical for Cambodia.

"We want to create jobs, and we want our poor to get more money from their work in the rural area," he says. "GI law is one thing that will help the poor in the rural areas."

Although GI for Kampot pepper will benefit at most a couple of hundred farmers, the government plans to roll out the initiative for other products too, including palm sugar from Kampong Speu province and honey from the northeastern province of Ratanakkiri. But Kampot pepper will be the first.

Back on his one-fifth hectare pepper plot in Kampot province, Nuon Yan explains that his rice crop has to date generated more income than the pepper he harvests from his 300 pepper vines. Last year he made around 400 U.S dollars from selling 150 kilograms of pepper.

But he is clearly banking on Kampot pepper’s potential.

"If I can sell my pepper for a higher price, then it is possible that one day I could earn more from pepper than from rice," he says.

Nuon Yan has an eye on that future possibility. He will deposit some of the extra money he will earn in the bank and put the rest towards buying more pepper vines. He and the other members of the association are banking that Kampot pepper’s GI status will result in a more secure future for them and their families.

I love how Cambodian pepper is so aromatic. A little goes a long way! I grind it fresh in my mortar to add a spicy zing to many dishes.

Cinnamon Honey Sweet Potatoes

This was a well-liked side dish to go with Thanksgiving dinner, thanks in part to Pillsbury and their November 17, 2009 issue of Thanksgiving.

I love cinnamon and honey, so partnered together with butter and sweet potatoes made for a winning combination.

Ingredients
5 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp grated fresh lemon peel
1/2 cup honey
4 lb medium sweet potatoes (about 8-10)

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 325 F. Brush 13x9-inch (3 quart) glass baking dish with melted butter. To remaining butter, stir in cinnamon, salt, lemon peel and honey; set aside.

2. Peel sweet potatoes; cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in baking dish. Drizzle with half of the honey mixture; stir to evenly coat potatoes.

3. Cover tightly with foil; bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; spoon remaining honey mixture on top. Recover; bake 20 t0 30 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

This is such an easy recipe, and the honey and cinnamon makes the sweet potatoes so yummy!

Plus it's great with any main dish, or just by itself.

Maybe next time I'll try agave nectar in place of the honey for a different approach. I might even try this with roasting some squash I've got.

Beef Lok Lak

MckLinky Blog Hop: Favorite Recipe


Lunch on Friday was Beef Lok Lak. I prefer to cook it myself, but this was tasty enough.

Making it is very simple. All you need is some beef that you slice into bite-sized pieces, steamed rice, freshly sliced cucumber, tomato and onion with some lettuce leaves, and finally a sauce made of freshly ground pepper, salt and lime juice squeezed over at the last minute.

Prepare a large platter layering the vegetables starting with lettuce leaves on the bottom, then followed by cucumbers, onions and tomatoes.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add some oil and minced garlic. Cook until slightly golden. Add the beef, stirring quickly to cook it, but not too long.

When the beef is mostly cooked, add a Tablespoon or two of sugar and soy sauce. Allow that to bubble up into a sauce. Turn off heat. Pour beef with sauce directly over the vegetables.

Squeeze the lime juice into the salt and pepper. Mix up. Serve with rice.

Eat Lok Lak by taking a piece of beef, vegetable, rice and add a little of the salt and pepper sauce onto a spoon.

Fried Ginger with Pork

Image originally uploaded on Flickr by drkigawa

This dish is another standard in my repertoire of Cambodian cooking. It's simple and tasty.

Here's what you'll need:

200 grams of pork cut into bite-sized pieces
1 ginger root, peeled and grated
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
oil

Here's how you do it:

Add oil to a heated wok or frying pan. Add garlic and brown slightly. Add the ginger and stir fry til it is well cooked, then add the pork. Cook until no longer pink.

Transfer to a dish. Add some chopped green onions. Serve with steamed rice.

Grated ginger image from Anna Parabrahma

Fried Rice with Sausage

OK, so this is the ultimate "I'm afraid of eating anything strange, so I'll stick with something I know" food. Actually, it's a simple dinner that's inexpensive and filling all at the same time.

Fried rice is made with pre-cooked rice that has been chilled or cooled. There are several mystery sauces added to the fry, but mainly there is oil, chili sauce, egg and vegetables. The vegetable usually consist of bits of carrot and sliced stem pieces of collard greens.

I like my fried rice with bits of sausage because the sausage here is a bit sweet. The rice is fried up in a large wok with lots of stirring to keep it moving and thoroughly cooked.

Finished fried rice is place on an oval plate (no other style of plate is used) and served with a bowl of broth that either has a meatball or a bone in it along with some herbs. You can also order a fried egg to go on top of your fried rice.

Add some chili sauce and soy sauce to the rice and stir it in, then enjoy a tasty evening treat!

Note: real fried rice is only available at night, along with fruit shakes and fried noodles. There are stalls set up around town in designated places. Foreigner price: 5,000 Riel ($1.25). Local price: 3,000 Riel ($0.75).

Back to Cambodian Food!

I am so happy to be back in Cambodia enjoying Cambodian food. There is just nothing else that compares to the yumminess of food here. Besides that, if you get tired of Cambodian food there's plenty of Western food to enjoy.

Back to eating sour soup and rice, mom's cooking at the cottage with roasted salted fish.

I love the noodle soup in the morning at the Soup Dragon with iced coffee (no milk this time). It's become the place for locals to do business in the morning. I just enjoy watching the pubs open and clean up for a fresh day ahead.

Of course there is also the yummy street snacks of fresh fruit, roasted bananas, and roti with sweetened condensed milk.

Come on over to savor the flavors of Cambodia!

Polish Cabbage and Noodles Dish

OK, so this dish was inspired by an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives that I briefly caught. It was some Polish restaurant. I know there's a funny Polish name for this dish, but of course it escapes my memory.

I was mesmerized by this dish because 1) it was so simple, and 2) I had all of the ingredients sitting in my fridge. The Cal Poly Organic Farm cabbage heads from my CSA boxes have been crying out to be turned into something delicious, and one can only eat so much coleslaw.

So, I did a little online investigating and discovered many recipes for this dish. It's really very simple. All you need is:

1/2 head of sliced cabbage
1-2 yellow onions, sliced
1/2 package of egg noodles (other noodles will do, but these are the tastiest)
1 kielbasa sausage
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup sour cream
salt & pepper to taste (I used my mortar to grind some fresh white Cambodian Kampot pepper)

Fill your pasta pot with water to start it boiling.

Get the butter melted in a BIG frying pan, or wok. Add the yellow onions and cook on medium-low until tender then turn down to low to start carmelizing them.

Slice the kielbasa into somewhat thin rounds. Cook over medium heat in a skillet to brown them on each side.

If the water's boiling, add the egg noodles and boil them according to directions on package.

Add the cabbage once the onions are a nice golden brown and let that stir-fry until tender. Once nice and tender, add the egg noodles along with salt and pepper to taste. Toss in the kielbasa slices and stir in the sour cream. Allow it to continue cooking on low for a few more minutes.

Oila! Scoop into a bowl and have yourself some delicious Polish comfort food.

Feel free to veg it up a bit by add more vegetables in the onion and cabbage stir-fry and leave out the sour cream. Consider using another cheese, or none at all.

Easy standby stirfry

Fried Tofu with Collard Greens

I love making this as it is so simple and easy and I can let the tofu cook first while cutting up the rest of the vegetables.

Before starting, get your rice started cooking, either in a rice cooker or on the stove top. Rice can always stay warm if it is ready before the stir-fry.

1. Cube very dense tofu and place in a hot wok with oil. Sprinkle some sugar and salt over the top. Cover and let brown.
2. Minced several cloves of garlic to place with the tofu after the first side is browned.
3. Slice 1/2 of a yellow onion. Cut the stems out of the collard greens, then thinly slice the leaves. Select another vegetable of your choice. I like broccoli, cauliflower or carrots, but any will do.
4. When the tofu is brown on one side, turn all the cubes over. Add the minced garlic. Continue cooking until the second side is brown.
5. Add the most dense vegetable first (i.e. cauliflower). Add a 1/4 cup of water to the pan and cover to let cook. After about 1 minute, stir in onions leaving the collard green leaves for the last item to be added.
6. If necessary, add more salt and/or sugar.
7. Add the vegetable mix to a plate or bowl of steamed Jasmine rice.

Enjoy! It should take less than 30 minutes.

Season's Baking

I am on a huge kick of using fresh vegetables and ingredients while trying to avoid using canned or packaged products. I like the idea of going back to cooking origins by making things from scratch.

Thanksgiving was a great time for cooking from scratch. I have learned everything I need to know about roasting a turkey from my mom. She learned from her mom (who actually hated cooking and was always looking for shortcuts), but expanded upon what my grandmother did to create her own traditions.

Unfortunately, I didn't participate in preparing the turkey for roasting since I was working that morning. However, I did all the shopping for the ingredients so I got to choose what we would eat this year. And, I did get to prepare the mashed potatoes and a "new" way of preparing yams using fresh ones instead of canned yams. More to come on that later.

Here's the menu of our traditional Thanksgiving feast:

Roasted Turkey (Norbest) - roasted with the stuffing inside the bird
Stuffing (though I never eat my mom's) - white bread torn into small bits and mixed with the turkey's inards that have been cooked with onions and celery and lots of poultry seasoning
Mashed Potatoes - I wanted to use broth, but was overruled and used milk and butter with salt & pepper to taste (should have used my Cambodian pepper)
Yams - I prepared these on the stove top in a skillet
Creamed Corn (a recipe given from a longtime family friend) - canned corn & whipping cream, 'nuf said!
Cranberry Sauce (homemade from whole cranberries) - we prefer this to the canned stuff, hands down.
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (not my choice, but there's been an excess of these in the fridge.)

Recipe for Skillet Yams
(as half-heard from a morning news show while I was getting ready for work)
4-5 medium yams (the red/orange ones), peeled and cubed
1-2 cups chicken, turkey or vegie broth
1 cup brown sugar
2-4 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil

Directions
Place oil in bottom of large skillet (cast iron is preferred, though any will do). Add cubed yams, broth, butter and brown sugar. Stir and cover. Cook on medium heat until bubbling, then turn to low to simmer until the liquid becomes a thick brown sauce. Remove from heat and serve.

The first time cooking these for Thanksgiving this year I got caught up talking with a dinner guest and they overcooked, but were still very tasty!

Homemade Pumpkin and Banana Breads

I was feeling very culinary when I woke up yesterday morning. Plus I knew I had to bake something for a brunch the next day.

I have modified my mother's original recipes for both of these sweet breads (cakes are a more fitting description). Instead of white flour I used whole wheat flour. Instead of milk, I used soy milk. Instead of candied Maraschino cherries, I used dried Goji berries (it was either those or dried currents). Everything else was more or less according to her recipes.

The result is a denser, less sickeningly sweet bread, though still sweet because of those chocolate chips that must go into the Banana Bread. Once you starting using chocolate chips, you'll never go back.

My sister modified the Banana Bread recipe by adding cocoa powder to it. It was different from my mom's, yet tasty, too!

[I'm tired and will post the recipes later.]

Vegetarian Chili (from scratch)

I started making this chili when I was teaching English in China in 2002-03. We had very cold winters but very warm apartments and nothing better to do but have potlucks in each other's places. I think I made chili at least 3-4 times. I discovered the beans in the market place and the vegetables were just so dang cheap then!

Other people brought over the fixings and sides to go along with the chili such as: corn bread, grated cheese (a luxury in China!), vegetables, drinks, etc.

Beans are not for "hurry up and eat" kind of people. This takes time: at least 4 hours must be set aside for the process.

The Beans
I generally like to use black beans, but a variety of beans can also be fun. More recently I used a combination of black, red and Peruvian dried beans.

Be sure to wash and pick through the beans to take out any non-beans (such as pebbles).

For this recipe I used 1 cup each of the black, red and Peruvian beans and used the quick cooking method. Place the dried beans in a really big soup pot and a good 6-8 cups of water. Bring the dried beans to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for 1 hour.

During this 1 hour wait time I like to prep my add-ins.

The Veggies
1 1/2 - 2 bell peppers (capsicum): green and/or red, diced
1 onion, diced
2-3 large tomatoes, peeled* and diced
1 can tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
Chili powder, to taste
Garlic powder and/or freshly minced garlic, to taste
Salt, to taste

*To remove the skin from a tomato, stick a fork in it and hold it over open flame if you have a gas stove. You will hear the tomato hiss and pop. If you're unfortunate enough to have only electric, gently drop them in already boiling water, remove quickly and place in ice water. The skins will be ready to slip right off!

Back to the Beans
When your 1 hour is up, pour the beans and water into a colander (which is already in your sink). Rinse well, then put back into your big soup pot. Add all the above ingredients except for the spices as that can be done later. You can add a little water to this if you think it's too thick.

Boil the mixture for up to 2 hours, or until the beans are softened (you can tell by tasting), stirring occasionally. In the last 1/2 hour, add the spices and make sure you taste it until you have the right combination.

Some other stuff
While the beans are cooking you can bake some cornbread, prepare some garlic bread, grate some cheese, cook up some rice or spaghetti.

In China we ate a lot of rice and since there were 11 mouths to feed (plus 3 young men), we prepared a lot of rice to put in the bowl of chili to make it go farther.

My mom likes to have chili over spaghetti for some reason. I grew up eating it that way, too, and now it's kind of like a comfort food.

Once your beans are finished, you will have tons to eat! Why not make your chili into an event or special day and invite people over to enjoy the fruit of your cooking. Maybe even ask them to potluck the fixings and sides? Or, bring over 1/2 the pot to a neighbor (that's what we do!) Otherwise I recommend freezing at least 1/2 of the pot to savor later.

Cakes for the Fall Festival

I chose to bake cakes for the church's Fall Festival (aka the big event to replace Halloween) instead of volunteering to corral children. I made one last year, too.

Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix (I used white)

1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding

3/4 c. canola oil

3/4 c. water

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or any other baking nut)

1 cup cinnamon and sugar mixture

Mix together all ingredients at high speed for 8 minutes (this just seemed too long, so I only mixed for about 4 minutes). Grease bundt pan well with a pastry brush (or a good 'ol paper towel with butter smeared on it). Sprinkle 1 cup chopped nuts into pan; spread around. Nuts will cling to grease! Place 1/3 batter in pan; sprinkle with connamon and sugar mixture (and I added some of the nuts). Place another 1/3 of mixture in pan; sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar (more nuts). Place remaining 1/3 of batter in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or more, until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and turn over onto cake plate.

Fudgy Chocolate Bundt Cake

Fudgy Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 pkg. fudge cake mix (I used German chocolate cause that's all I had)

1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup cold coffee

1 (12 oz.) pkg fudge chocolate chips (or any will do)

Mix everything together EXCEPT the chocolate chips. Then add chips and mix some more. Pour into well greased Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Cool and turn over onto cake plate. Top with Glaze Frosting.

Glaze Frosting

2 Tbsp. soft or melted butter

1/4 cup cocoa (the good kind for baking)

1/2 tsp. almond flavoring (or any flavor you like)

Powdered sugar (add a little at a time)

Milk (add a little at a time)

Mix all the ingredients together to desired consistency. Pour over cooled cake and top with chopped nuts.

I really wanted to keep the chocolate cake to eat myself, but knew that I would eat the whole thing. I'll just have to make another one.

They were both easy to make, though slightly modified from their internet recipes, as usual.

Chicken Stock and Soup

I have been craving homemade chicken soup, but it's been too warm here on the Central Coast to justify making a big batch of it. I finally bought a whole chicken to cook for the stock and figured I should just go ahead with it since it can be frozen rather easily.

As I sit here I can smell the stock cooking. I should probably go check it to make sure it's not bubbling over. My mom hates when I let things spill then forget to clean up the burners.

Ingredients for Chicken Stock
1 whole chicken
1/2 celery bunch, chopped
1 onion roughly chopped

Method
In a very large stock pot, place the chicken, celery and onions with water to cover it. Boil until the chicken is tender and pulls easily from the bones.

Remove chicken and let cool. Pour the water (now chicken stock) through a sieve into a bowl to remove the pieces of celery, onion and any chicken. Keep the chicken, toss the veggies.

At this point you can either freeze the stock for later use or keep it to make a giant pot of soup now. (I froze half of mine for later.)

For the chicken, remove all the meat from the bones. Throw away any remaining bones, cartilege and any other undesirable parts. Cut or tear the meat into more bite-sized pieces to use in your soup (or freeze for a later use).

Chicken and/or Vegetable Soup - use only veggies if you like
1 quart soup stock/broth (use your chicken stock from above or any box/can broth)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2-3 med potatoes, chopped; and/or rice; and/or noodles; and/or cooked beans
any combination of chopped fresh, canned or frozen vegetables (I know, but sometimes I use them), but I prefer to use seasonal veggies
2-3 chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
chopped, cooked chicken; or sausage; or ground meat; or cooked turkey
1 Tbsp oil (olive is my choice)
salt, pepper and other favorite seasonings to taste (I like lemon pepper)

Method
Prepare all your veggies in advance (cause it makes it easier when it's time to add them to the soup).

Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in bottom of soup pot. Add chopped onion. Let cook until translucent (so that they turn from yellowish white to clear and shiny). When onion is ready, add all of your veggies and meat (except noodles), then cover with all of the broth. If the broth isn't enough, add water to top off but not more that 2 inches from the rim of your pot.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-30 miinutes until all the vegies are cooked. Add your seasonings towards the end of cooking along with the noodles, so that the noodles don't get overcooked and become paste.

Turn off heat and enjoy with some fresh bread (you choose!). Grated parmesan cheese is also very lovely on top of the bowl of soup, too!