Phoenix Arizona East Valley Living Blog

Sweet Corn Tomalito

5 tablespoons margarine, softened
1/4 cup Masa Harina
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen, thawed, divided
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon milk

In a small mixing bowl, mix the margarine, masa and sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
In a blender container, blend half the corn kernels with the water until smooth. Combine this mixture with the margarine mixture, stirring well. Add the remaining corn kernels, corn meal, baking powder, salt and milk and mix well. Pour the corn mixture into an 8-inch square baking pan. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and steam by setting atop a medium saucepan of water on top of the stove. Bring water to a boil and steam corn mixture for 50 minutes to one hour (check to see whether you might need to add more water), until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Tomalito should have a smooth, moist texture.

NOTE: The pan must be tightly wrapped at all times.
Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Benno’s Cajun Catfish
Source: Benno’s, West Allis, Wisconsin

1/2 cup butter, melted
Cajun seasoning to taste
7 (9 ounce) catfish fillets

Brush bottom of broiler pan with some of the melted butter. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning moderately over butter. Place fish fillets into the seasoned pan.
With a sharp knife, make 4 to 5 cuts in each fillet; the cuts should be 1/2 to 1 inch. Brush fillets with more butter. Place under broiler and broil 8-10 minutes or until almost done. Add more Cajun seasoning to fish in broiler then broil another 3-5 minutes or until fillets flake easily with fork and start to brown on top.
Makes 7 servings

Sesame-Soy Vinaigrette

1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup light sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In bowl or jar, mix soy sauce, vinegar, mustard, honey, oil. Add salt, pepper.
Serve with Asian greens, meat or poultry, or as desired.

Barbecued Pork Chops
6 pork chops, 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce, 1/2 cup catsup, 1 tsp.
Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp. onion salt, and 1/2 tsp. liquid smoke.
Trim excess fat from chops. Cook trimmings in heavy skillet till 1 tbsp. fat
accumulates. Discard trimmings. Brown chops slowly on both sides in hot hat.
Drain off fat. Season chops with salt and pepper. For sauce, combine tomato
sauce, catchup, Worcestershire sauce, onion salt and liquid smoke, pour over
chops. Cover and simmer about 1 hour., or until tender, turning occasionally. Makes
6 servings.

Almond Apricot Sour Cream Cake

1 16 oz can apricot halves save l teaspoon syrup
2 cups Cake flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
4 oz Unsalted butter; room temperature
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon Almond extract
1 cup Sour cream
1/4 cup Sliced almonds

Grease a 9-inch cake pan or line with parchment
paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Drain the apricots and discard the liquid. Making sure
to save a teaspoon of the juice. Cut each half in
half. Set aside

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda
and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and
sugar, syrup for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mixture
is light in color and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until thoroughly
mixed. Scrape down the bowl, add the vanilla and
almond extracts, and mix until combined.

On low speed, add, in order, a third of the flour
mixture, then half of the sour cream, then half the
remaining flour mixture, the remaining sour cream and
the remaining flour, mixing just to combine after each
addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level it by
bouncing it on the counter top. Arrange the apricot
quarters in a decorative pattern on top of the batter.
Sprinkle the sliced almonds over any exposed batter.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or
until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn the
cake out onto a plate, remove the parchment paper
liner from the bottom and then flip the cake onto a
cooling rack.

CHERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE RECIPE

1 9 inch graham cracker crust
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
15 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Cherry pie filling

Whip cream cheese until soft. Gradually add milk.
Mix lemon juice and vanilla extract and combine.
Pour into crust. Chill 2-3 hours.
Top with pie filling and serve.

Sugar Free Peach Almond Upside Down Cake

1 8 1/4 ounce can light peaches in fruit juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
5 1/2 teaspoons Equal® Measure or 18 packets Equal® sweetener or 3/4 cup Equal® Spoonful
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Fruit Topping, recipe below
1 cup cake flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Cut peach slices into thirds; arrange in bottom of lightly greased 8 inch cake pan. Mix applesauce, Equal® , egg and vanilla until smooth in medium bowl. Mix in combined cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Pour batter over peach slices in pan. Bake in preheated 350F oven until cake is browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Invert cake immediately onto serving plate. Spread Fruit Topping over warm cake and sprinkle with almonds. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

Fruit Topping

3 tablespoons light apricot preserves with NutraSweet® brand sweetener or apricot spreadable fruit
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 3/4 teaspoons Equal® Measure or 6 packets Equal® sweetener or 1/4 cup Equal® Spoonful
1/4 teaspoon maple extract

Mix preserves, lemon juice and cornstarch in small saucepan; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in Equal® and maple extract.

Food Exchanges:
1 bread, 1/2 fruit

Soy-glazed Tofu with Spinach
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons honey
1 ½ tablespoons sherry or dry, white wine
1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 small garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Three 15-ounce packages firm tofu, drained and halved horizontally
4 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
Two 10-ounce bags spinach, washed
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce with the honey, sherry, ginger, garlic and sesame oil. Place three of the tofu halves in a glass pie plate and spoon half of the soy mixture on top. Sprinkle with half the scallions and top with the remaining tofu half. Pour the remaining soy mixture over the tofu and scatter the remaining scallions on top.

Pour one inch of water into a wide, deep skillet and bring to a boil. Place the spinach in a steamer basket and put the basket in the skillet. Cover and steam the spinach just until wilted—about three minutes—and drain the spinach very well. Transfer it to a large plate and cover with foil.

Place a ramekin or biscuit cutter in the center of the skillet. Set the pie plate with the tofu on the ramekin, cover and steam until the tofu is hot—about 10 minutes. Arrange the tofu around the spinach, cover and keep warm. Pour the tofu sauce into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir in cornstarch mixture and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until thickened, or about three minutes. Pour the sauce over the tofu and serve.

Recipe courtesy of www.foodandwine.com

Crisp Tofu with Mushroom and Spinach Sauce

For the Crisp Tofu
1 ½ cups of vegetable oil, for deep frying
3 ½ ounces firm water-packed tofu, drained and cut into cubes
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon curry powder

For the Mushroom and Spinach Sauce

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ mango, sliced
2 hot red chilies, sliced and divided
3 mushrooms sliced
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ lime, juiced
½ tablespoon sesame oil
3 ½ ounces baby spinach

For the crisp tofu, heat the vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan until very hot or until a breadcrumb sizzles in it. Place the flour and spices into a bowl with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Place the tofu into the spice mix and coat the tofu cubes.

Carefully lower the tofu into the hot oil with a slotted spoon and deep-fry until crisp and golden, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

For the sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, mango, half of the chili and the sliced mushrooms. Mix well and cook for one minute. Add the soy sauce, lime juice and sesame oil and cook for another minute. Add the spinach, stir well and season with salt and black pepper.

To serve, place the sauce mixture onto a serving plate and top with the tofu. Garnish with the remaining sliced chili. Yield: 1 serving

Recipe courtesy of BBC

Spinach and Fennel Soup with Soy Yogurt and Chive
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 baby fennel bulbs, chopped
1 tablespoon ground fennel
2 cups vegetable stock
3 ½ ounces baby spinach, washed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon plain soy yogurt, to serve
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, to garnish

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add the chopped fennel and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the fennel is tender. Add the spinach to the pan and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for another minute, then process with a hand-held blender until smooth. To serve, pour into a bowl and garnish with yogurt and sprinkling of chopped chives. Yield: 1 serving

Recipe courtesy of www.opensourcefood.com