Monthly Archives: December 2011

Homemade Chai

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I can’t completely give up my coffee but there are several days a week when tea (with a little milk and honey) sounds so much better than a cup of strong, dark coffee. I’ve been making some homemade chai for a couple years since a friend sent me some of hers as a birthday gift. Because I never really measure anything, it comes out slightly different every time, but here’s a good start.
About equal parts:
Cardamom seeds, from the pod
Fennel seed
Black peppercorns
Star of Anise
A slightly less:
Whole cloves
Coriander seed
One vanilla bean, cut in pieces
And lots of:
Candied ginger, cut in to small pieces
And optional is:
Tea, I use Sadaf’s special tea blend with cardamom flavor
Throw all the ingredients but the vanilla bean, candied ginger and tea in the oven at 300-degrees to toast. When they become fragrant, they are done. Add the vanilla bean, candied ginger and tea.

Banana bread French toast

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Banana bread French toast is nothing new. But, I forgot how yummy it is and fun to make. I had a craving this morning (and very overripe bananas), so I got up a bit early to make a couple of loaves. It hit the spot.

Banana Bread
4 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 over ripe bananas, peeled
1 egg
1/3 to 1/2 cup yogurt (plain or vanilla)
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add bananas and mix thoroughly until mashed and blended. Beat in the egg and yogurt. In a separate bowl mix the remaining ingredients and add to the wet ingredients. Stir until all flour is mixed in a moistened and it becomes doughy. Put the batter in a greased, loaf pan and bake at 350-degrees for 60 minutes. Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes before taking out and cooling.

French toast
5 thick slices banana bread
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla together in a bowl. Dunk the banana bread so soaked pretty well on both sides.
Cook in a buttered pan on the stove until golden brown on each side.

Vegetarian white bean soup

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Winter is not my favorite season but I love soup season. There is nothing better than a day on the slopes and having a nice bowl of soup.
The cold has finally set in in Utah and I’ve already made a half dozen different soups and fresh bread. But the vegetarian white bean soup is one of my all-time favorites. Even my meat-eating husband will eat seconds.

Vegetarian white bean soup

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 package of Tofurkey sun dried tomato and basil vegetarian sausages
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can of great northern beans
6 cups of vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 bag spinach
1 zucchini, quartered
1 red bell pepper, cut in half
1 onion, diced
salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 400-degrees.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the sausages and cook, stirring once, until browned (about 2 minutes). Stir in garlic and onions and cook an additional 2 minutes.
Add the beans, broth, tomatoes, zucchini, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Once the soup boils, turn heat down to a simmer. Stir occasionally.
While the soup is cooking on the stove, roast the red bell pepper in the oven for about 12 to 15 minutes, until soft.
Allow the pepper to cool and dice and add to the simmering soup.
Add the spinach to the soup to wilt for 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve with fresh bread.