Rice Pudding

This rice pudding is actually my own invention.
I had the day off and was fooling around and was
trying to think of frugal ways of using what I had on hand.

One thing I've had on hand forever is a bunch of
preserved cherry leaves. I can't even remember
how long I've had them. I needed them for something
and can't remember what. So I took 4 cups of milk,
1/2 cup of sushi rice, 2 preserved cherry leaves and put
them in a double boiler. I cooked it for about an hour.
The results were a very creamy, subtly flavored and
nicely scented pudding. I chopped up some almonds for decoration.

Granola

This recipe is based on Ruth Reichel's The Gourmet Cookbook
6 cups of rolled oats
2 cups unsalted cashews
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups chopped up dried apricots
1 cup dried cranberries

Mix the oats, nuts, salt, oil and maple syrup together.
Divide mixture between two parchment paper lined
cookie sheets. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.
After the first fifteen minutes, stir each tray and
switch positions in the oven.
When cooked add the apricots and cranberries.
I store it in a large tin and it keeps pretty well.

Pear Sorbet

To make the sorbet you will need about 2 pounds of pears. Nicely ripe.

I use one not too ripe pear to make pear chips.
You will need a mandoline. Slince paper thin and lay on a parchment lined
cookie sheet. Bake them at about 250F for two hours. Then turn off the oven
and just leave them there.

You will need some lavender flavored cookies to go with the sorbet.
These come from Big Island Candies
They are located in Hilo, Hawaii and your really need to go
there and get some. If you can't you'll have to order
online.

Pear Sorbet (from Gourmet magazine, December, 1980)
Boil 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar for five minutes.
Peel, halve and core 2 pounds of pears. Dropin a bowl of water
acidulated with the juice of half a lemon. Puree the pears and the sugar syrup
in a blender with 5 tablespoons of lemon juice. Chill really
well and freeze in an ice cream maker.

Pumpkin Bread

This recipe was given to me by my son when he was in nursery school.
It has been used hundreds of times.




The only change I have made to the original is the addition
of about a tablespoon of dried ginger.


Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsps. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsps. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tblsp. dried ginger
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
2 cups pumpkin puree (I use one small can of Libby's)

Sift dry ingredients together. Mix pumpkin, water, oil and eggs together.
Pour into dry mixture and mix well. Pour into 2 parchment paper lined
9"x5"x3" loaf pans. Bake in 350 degree oven 1 hour and 15 minutes.

And here is the result. It keeps very well.

Hawaiian Portuguese Bean Soup

I first had this soup two years ago on the Big Island at the Volcano Golf club. As the name implies the club is right near the volcano. Geese walk around on the courses.
It's a poky little place with real unpretentious homemade food. Check out the menu. I had this soup and a half a tuna sandwich, potato chips, a pickle and root beer.
Probably the soup tastes better in Hawaii. Everything does.
I found this recipe at www.soupsong.com/rhawaii.html
There's a hilarious story about a Hawaiian, a Portuguese and a Japanese and their lunchtime woes in Hawaii.

My Legume Love Affair

Coming soon

My New Year's resolution was to get this blog started.
Hoping to have a first posting this weekend.