Dairy Free Pudding with Banana Slices

Creamy pudding with perfectly ripe slices of banana.

Dairy Free Pudding with Banana Slices

This dessert requires very little effort. Extremely easy and no fancy ingredients.  Most of all it is soy and dairy free. And can be done in 15 minutes… of course, you still have to cool it in the fridge.

I came up with this pudding when I had plenty of egg yolks in the fridge and had to figure out a recipe without using milk or butter. At that time I also had plenty of bananas, but no vanilla wafers or cookies.  But I thought “Hey, why not make pudding and just serve it with slices of bananas?!” And thus this recipe was born.

½ cup + 2 TBSPs. granulated sugar

½ cup + 2 tablespoons flour

¼ tsp. kosher salt

5 large egg yolks, beaten

1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk + water to make 3 cups

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

 

5 – 6 large ripe bananas (ripe but no brown spots) – peeled and sliced

Note:  I used Chaokoh (brand ) coconut milk for this recipe.  (This brand is available at Wal-Mart.) This brand of coconut milk is rich and thick that’s why I mixed it with purified bottled water to make 3 cups.  If you are going to use another brand, use two cans and add enough water to make 3 cups.

Combine flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in 3 quart pot.

Turn on the stove to medium heat.

Gradually whisk in coconut milk and water mixture.  Keep whisking until mixture is smooth and no lumps. (This will take about 3 minutes.)

Slowly pour beaten egg yolks over the flour mixture.  Again, keep whisking until the mixture thickens and comes to a full boil.  Immediately reduce the heat to low.  Keep whisking for another minute.

Remove pan from the heat.

Add vanilla extract and whisk until vanilla extract is well incorporated with the pudding.

Pour pudding into a large glass bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Serve pudding in a glass or bowl with slices of bananas at the bottom and on top.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess

Lemon Baked Chicken

I don’t like bland food.  And chicken is one of those meats that needs to be seasoned generously. At least this is my experience here in the U.S.  The chickens are lacking in flavors.  And this may explains why it is common to see chickens sold in the supermarkets having labels that say:  “injected with chicken broth to enhance flavors.”  Huh.  Why?

I usually avoid this type of chicken.  Because I don’t know what flavors have been injected into the chicken.  And I much rather know.  So I buy the plain ole chickens with no flavor enhancements.  And seasoned them myself.

When I was a young girl, we had several chickens running around in our yard.  And on special occasion, we would feast on one of these chickens.  We would have to catch the chicken, the night before, while the chicken is asleep.  Usually, up on a tree branch.

I remember the chicken tasting so good…

The chicken we ate was organic and fresh that it didn’t need plenty of seasoning.  In fact, we only had salt and lemon grass.  It’s either that the chicken tasted so good.  Or, that we did not eat much poultry or other meats.  So that when eat meat, our senses are awakened.  We inhaled the sweet aroma.  We savored every bite.  And we licked the bones clean!

And we were hungry for more.

During those days, I especially loved chicken livers.  Each time we’d kill a chicken, I’d asked dad if I could have the livers.  “Please, please, Tatay… Can I have the livers? Nobody should get them but me! I demanded.”  I didn’t care for the other parts.  I only liked the livers!

Later I found out.  The chicken livers I thought I was getting, weren’t livers.  They were chicken blood!  Chicken blood!  I was shocked.  I felt cheated!

But for several years, until I was in my teens.  I thought I was eating livers.  Then one day, I ask my dad: “Tatay… why there are plenty of livers on our chicken…?”  “Oh.  They’re not livers.  They’re blood.  Chicken blood.  They just looked like livers once they’re cooked.” Tatay replied.

Chicken blood dropped into the boiling soup, in the pot.  Once it’s cooked, the large droplets of blood clumped into a liver like specimen.

We only had the luxury to feast on a single, mature chicken.  And I always wonder why there seems to be a number of livers floating in the pot.

But I liked the livers.  I mean the blood.  No. The livers! They tasted so good.  I didn’t know they were blood.  I thought they were chicken livers.  Tasty chicken livers!

But then I had another revelation…

Back in 1996, 15 years ago, when we went home to the Philippines .  Willie and I were on a protein diet.  So we ate mostly meats:  pork and chicken.  I noted a great difference in taste on the chicken and pork meats.

Our maid was cooking the chicken and pork simply.  Pan fried, with minimal seasonings – salt and black pepper.  Yet, it tasted so good.  It was shockingly good.  Tastier and more flavorful compared to the ones we were consuming back in Okinawa, Japan.  The ones we buy at the USAF Commissary.  The Tyson Chickens from Arkansas.

What’s the difference? A lot.  I’m sure.  Farming methods.  Feeds.  Etc.  And I could probably write another blog on these issues.  But I’m not going to do that, so I’ll just stop here.

But here’s one fact:  I often wish the chickens and pork here in America would taste as good… and flavorful as the chickens and pork I have eaten in the Philippines.   I kept wishing…

~~~

Lemon Baked Chicken.  This is a fairly simple chicken recipe that’s full of goodness.  It is lemony.  And good.  Real good!

Leg quarters.  Washed.  Pat dried with paper towels.

Lined up in a heavy duty baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Or you can use a large glass baking pan.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice drizzled all over the chicken.  And generously seasoned with herbs and spices.

Baked in a preheated oven at 350°F for one and a half (1½ ) hours.

Serve them with the juices over the chicken.

The Recipe…

Lemon Baked Chicken :

6 pieces Chicken leg quarters

Juices of 2 large lemons (about ½ – ¾ cup)

1 whole lemon – thinly sliced

1 TBSP. kosher salt

1 TBSP. Spanish paprika

2 tsps. Garlic granules

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 TBSPs. olive or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Wash chicken and pat them dry.  Place in a large glass or ceramic baking pan.

Drizzle half of the lemon juice over the chicken leg quarters on one side.

In a small bowl, combine salt, paprika, garlic granules, black pepper, thyme, oregano, and cayenne pepper.  Sprinkle half of this seasoning over the chicken.

Turn the chicken over to the other side and drizzle the remaining half of the lemon juices.  Sprinkle the remaining half of the seasoning.

Scatter the thinly sliced lemon over the chicken pieces, and drizzle olive or vegetable oil.

Bake chicken in a preheated oven at 350°F for one and a half (1½ ) hours.

Serve warm with sauce drizzled over the chicken.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – Allow the chicken to marinate in lemon juice and spices for at least one hour or overnight in the refrigerator, before baking. This process allows the chicken to absorb lots of flavor from the lemons and spices.  Which makes a great difference in enhancing the flavors of the chicken.

#2 – Freshly squeezed lemon juice.  Please.  Do not use the bottled, artificial lemon juice.

#3 – The herbs and spices.  All the herbs and spices give the chicken plenty of flavors.

 

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Southern Style Banana Pudding

“When my dad used to make this… he’d be in the kitchen for at least half a day.  Making sure everyone knows what he’s doing.  Every move was slow.  Deliberate.  And calculated… He’d make me think I’ve done something good… and for it… I’m being rewarded…”

My husband would often this whenever I make this pudding.

This banana pudding is one of the few desserts that my father-in-law used to make.  In fact…it is the only dessert that I’ve seen him made…

I always have liked it when he made it.  It was so good, there were times when I wish I could eat half the pudding…

My version of this banana pudding is loaded with plenty of bananas and Nilla Wafers.  It is  banana pudding after all, right?  At least this is how I  make it at my home.  Th0ugh I can’t speak for everyone…

We went to a Superbowl Party few weeks ago.  And one of the desserts was Banana Pudding, which was catered by a local barbecue place.  The custard was tasty.  Though I kept looking to see what happened to the bananas and Nilla Wafers…?  They skimped on both of these ingredients.  Not unusual for a restaurant – skimping on ingredients to fatten up their bottom line.

Banana pudding is one of the simplest and easiest dessert to make.  If I don’t count the time it takes to chill the banana pudding before serving, it is fast to make.  It takes about 30 minutes to assemble.

I always use perfectly ripe bananas.  The ones with no brown spots.  But perfectly ripe to eat.

Here’s what you need:

Perfectly ripe bananas.

Large eggs.

But we’re only going to need the egg yolks.

Unless you’re feeling energetic and have some time to spare.  And own an electric mixer.  And want to top the pudding with meringue.

All purpose flour, granulated or fine sugar, cornstarch and salt.

Coconut milk. And water to make 3 cups.

Of course, you can use whole milk, evaporated milk, or soymilk.

Pure Vanilla Extract.

Nabisco Nilla Wafers.  My husband loves his banana pudding with these wafers.  He did not care much for the lady fingers as much as I did…

Or…

Or lady finger cookies.

I have recently used lady fingers for my banana pudding… And I must say it was great! I loved the texture.  Though I learned to increase the sugar next time…

What to do:

Peel the bananas.

And then sliced them into rounds.

Drizzle about 2 teaspoons of lemon juice over the sliced bananas.  To keep them from browning.

Carefully crack the eggs, one at at time, and separate the egg yolks and whites.

Beat the egg yolks.

Combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt in a large pot.

Slowly pour coconut milk over the flour, while whisking it.

Turn the stove to medium heat.

Keep whisking until flour and sugar is completely dissolved.

And the mixture thickens smooth  custard.  But NOT boiling.

Technically… this is not custard yet.  Because we haven’t added the egg yolks… But you know what I mean…

The texture should resembles condensed milk.

Scope a small amount of the custard into the beaten eggyolks.

Whisk to combine the egg yolks and custard.

Slowly pour the beaten egg yolks into the custard…

Keep whisking until custard comes to a boil.  And then immediately reduce the heat to low.

Continue whisking for another minute.

Remove the pot from the heat.

Add one teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract.

Whisk to combine.

Add about 1/3 of the custard into a deep dish.  A square or triangle dish is fine.

Spread the custard to cover the bottom of the dish.

Line a layer of Nabisco Nilla Wafers over the custard.

And top that layer with sliced bananas.

Spread half of the remaining custard over the banana layer.

And cover custard layer with another layer of Nabisco Nilla Wafers.

And top it with the last layer of sliced bananas.

And finally cover the last banana layer with the remaining custard.

You can stop at this point.  If you don’t have the time to make the meringue.  Or simply don’t want to be bothered with the meringue.

At this point… you can now refrigerate this Southern Style Banana Pudding.  And chill it for at least three hours before serving.

And if… you decide to top the banana pudding with a meringue…

Here’s what you need:

I have always made meringues using an electric mixer.  Because I don’t think my arms are strong enough to withstand the continuous whisking of the egg whites until it forms into a meringue.

So therefore, I would highly recommend using an electric mixer.  Unless you’ve got a volunteer to do the whisking…

Otherwise, I will forgo the meringue and just enjoy the banana pudding without it.

But… If you don’t mind this extra step…

Then, I say… go for it!

You’re going to need the egg whites

Granulated sugar.  Extra fine sugar is best.

Cream of tartar.  This will help stabilize the meringue.

Pure Vanilla Extract.

What to do:

I apologize for not having a step by step photo on how to make the meringue…  So I hope the few photos I have here and and the instruction will suffice…

First.  Be sure the mixing bowl is free of oil and lint.

So what I do is right before making the meringue… I wash the mixing bowl with hot and soapy water.  Rinse it with hot water and shake off excess water.

Then proceed with making the meringue.

The meringue should be slightly firm and glossy.

Spread the meringue over the banana pudding (last layer of custard).  And use the back of a spoon to make a design.

You then bake the meringue topped banana pudding in a preheated oven at 375 °F for 8 – 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool over a cooling rack for at least an hour before chilling in the refrigerator.

Banana Pudding using Lady Finger Cookies.

Without the meringue.

Banana Pudding with Nabisco Nilla Wafers.

Without the meringue.

The RECIPE…

Southern Style Banana Pudding

½ cup + 2 TBSPs. granulated sugar

½ cup flour

2 TBSPs. cornstarch

¼ tsp. kosher salt

5 large egg yolks, beaten

1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk + water to  make 3 cups

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 package (12 ounces) Nabisco Nilla Wafers

5 – 6 large ripe bananas (ripe but no brown spots) – peeled and sliced

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Using a 3 quart sauce pan, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.

Turn on the stove to medium heat.

Gradually whisk in coconut milk.  Keep whisking until mixture is lightly thickened.  But not boiling.

Add ½ cup of milk mixture to egg yolks.  Whisk to combine.

Slowly pour beaten egg yolks over the milk mixture, while whisking constantly.

Keep wisking custard until it comes to a full boil.  And then immediately reduce heat to low.  Keep whisking for another minute.

Remove the pan from the heat.

Add vanilla extract and whisk to combine.

Spread about 1/3 of the custard on the bottom of an 8” x 8“baking dish.

Layer Nilla Wafers over the custard.

And then, layer banana slices over layer of Nilla Wafers.

Spread another ½ of the remaining pudding over the banana layers.

Repeat the same process – by layering the Nilla Wafers and banana slices.

You should end up with a layer of custard as the last and top layer.

How to Prepare the meringue:

4 large egg whites

¼ tsp. cream of tartar

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

¼ cup + 2 TBSPs. Granulated sugar

Wash the mixer bowl with hot soapy water.  Rinse thoroughly and shake water off the bowl.

Place bowl in the electric mixer and attach the wire whisk.

Add egg whites and beat on high speed until foamy.

Add cream of tartar and vanilla extract.  Continue beating on high speed until soft peaks form – about 2 minutes.

Gradually add the sugar, while the mixer is running on medium speed.  Beat on high speed again until peaks are firm and glossy, but not too dry. (This will take about 1 minute.)

Spoon the meringue over the layers of the banana pudding, slightly pressing the meringue to make sure it is touching the pudding and sides of the baking dish.

Use the back of the spoon to create an attractive design on the meringue.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 °F for 8 – 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove pudding from the oven and cool completely.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

NOTE on Substitutions:

For my friends in the Philippines who may want to try this recipe… you may have to make do with what is available at your grocery store.  Especially when it comes to the cookies or wafers…

As for the milk… use 3 cups of Carnation Evaporated Milk.

As for the bananas… use very ripe, eating bananas.  I don’t think the “saba” will be good for this.

As for the tools… if you don’t have a whisk, you can use a cooking spoon.   And it might take longer to mix the flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt and milk until they are well combined and free of lumps.  Good luck!

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

If using Lady Finger Cookies… increase the sugar to ¾ cup.  I found that the Lady Finger Cookies are less sweet than the Nabisco Nilla Wafers.  Thus, the sugar increase.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Apple Crumble with Browned Butter

This recipe was inspired by my friend Theresa.  She made this for Thanksgiving and posted an inviting photo on her Multiply page.  She was kind enough to share her recipe.  And gave me permission to share it with you here.  Thank you Tess!

I altered her recipe just a little bit.  Instead of using margarine.  I used browned butter.  I LOVE the smell and taste of browned butter.  And I thought it would be perfect for this recipe.

Also, while I was at the grocery store.  I spotted Ultra fine or superfine sugar that Baker’s used.  So of course I got one and use it for this Apple Crumble recipe.  Instead of granulated sugar.

Here’s Theresa’s Original recipe if you would like to print it as well.

For this Apple Crumble, you will need the following:

When making crumbles or pies, I always like to mix different varieties.  Here I have Granny Smith, Gala and Braeburn.

Peel, core and slice apples.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice.

You really do not need two lemons.  One large lemon usually yield 2 – 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.  And you only need 1 – 1/2 TBSPs.

Superfine sugar.

Ground cinnamon and cloves.

Flour (superfine sugar, and kosher salt).

Browned butter.

~~~

How to assemble all the ingredients…

Pour lemon juice over the sliced apples.  Toss to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and cloves.

Pour sugar, cinnamon and clove mixture over the apples.

Mix them up.

Brush a 13 x 9 x 2″ baking pan with browned butter or melted butter.

Empty the bowl of apples into the buttered pan.

In another bowl, combine flour, sugar and kosher salt.  Mix them up.

Pour browned butter over the flour mixture.

And mix them up or crumble them with your hands.  Until mixture resembles a sand texture.

Pour crumbly mixture over the apples.  Making sure to evenly spread the it over the apples.

And that’s how it should look…

Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F degrees for 45 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350°F and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Since this is a crumble.  I like my apples tender.  Not crispy.

And that’s how it should look.

And it should taste as good as it looks.

Here’s the recipe.

Apple Crumble with Browned Butter

10 – 12 Apples medium size apples (granny smith, gala and braeburn)

1/4 superfine or Baker’s sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 ½ TBSPs. lemon juice

TOPPING:
¾ cup superfine or Baker’s sugar
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon kosher or maldon salt
1/3 cup browned butter

Preheat oven at 375°F.

Butter a 13″ X 9″ pan.

Peel and core and slice apples.

In a mixing bowl, pour lemon juice over sliced apples.

In another bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.  Pour over sliced apples and mix .  Then pour apples into buttered baking pan.

In yet another bowl, combine together sugar, flour, salt.  Pour browned butter.  Mix until crumbly and sand in texture.

Top apples with the crumbled mixture.

Bake at 375°F degrees for 45 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350°F and bake an additional 10 minutes.  Or until apples are tender and topping is light golden brown.

Best served warm and fresh from the oven.  May be served with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream on top.

How to Make Browned Butter:

Place butter in small pot with heavy bottom.  Melt butter over medium heat.  Butter will boil and sputter before it turns golden brown.  This whole process takes about 20 minutes.  Please watch carefully.  As soon as the butter turns starts to smell nice, aromatic and nutty and turns golden brown.  Remove pot from the heat and cool before using.  Refrigerate for future use.

Note: 1 cup of butter will yield about ¾ cup of browned butter.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – Browned butter elevates the taste of this apple crumble to another level.

#2 – Mixed apple varieties give this apple crumble a mixed texture, sweetness and tartness.

#3 – You can also make this dairy free.  Since I’ve tested this recipe.  I have also have made a dairy free version, using coconut oil, instead of browned butter.  Slightly different taste.  But it was still good.  Perfect for people who are allergic to dairy products.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess

Beautiful Morning Muffins

I love muffins!

My husband thinks I’m weird because whatever food I eat in the morning, I can also eat them any other time during the day. I love eating breakfast items for dinner, snacks or dessert. I eat pancakes for dinner, or granola with rice milk for a midnight snack.  Who says I can’t?

Ramon is the same way.  We’ve never given him any restrictions when it comes to food and drinks (except alcoholic beverages, of course), ever since he was a little boy.  He can eat whatever he wants, and whenever he wants.

I’ve been around parents who imposed so many restrictions on their children, especially when it comes to food and drink. “Mom, I’m thirsty! Can I have a drink?” “No, it’s already 9 o’clock (at night) and it’s time for you to go to bed! You know the rule: no more drinking before bedtime! Now, go to bed!”

Now… I grew up in a nipa hut, if we’re thirsty, we drink.  In fact, if that’s all we want – something to drink (water) my poor parents was more than happy to oblige.  “Water is free. You can drink all you want!” What is so bad about drinking before bedtime? She’s thirsty for chrissake!

Or… “Mom can I have some cookies?” “Fine, you can only have one and that’s it!”

One…? Who eats only one cookie? If my son wants to eat 5 cookies, he can.  If he doesn’t feel well after overeating cookies, then he won’t do it next time… and if he doesn’t learn the first time, he is guaranteed to learn sooner or later.

For me, I think that’s wrong. I think the more you restrict your children, the more that they are going to rebel.  They might pretend to do what you want them to do while you are in sight, but once you’re not around, they are going to let loose, and do everything you did not want them to do.

My husband, Willie, is really the person that needs to be credited with this type of thinking on how we raised our son.  He believes that the more you forbid your child, the more they want to do the forbidden. It’s just human nature.  It makes us highly curious when something is forbidden.

And, you’re probably wondering what’s this got to do with the muffins?

Well… probably nothing.  But with these muffins, you don’t have to worry about any restrictions or an ounce of guilt for eating one or more. You can eat them anytime, other than in the morning.  They are good for you, or at least good for me, in my opinion…

And, they’re easy to make, and every time I hear the word “easy” I get excited.

Here’s what you need to make these muffins:

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamom

½ tsp. kosher salt

Wet Ingredients:

2 eggs

¾ cup extra light olive oil or coconut oil

¼ cup rice milk

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Other Ingredients:

1½ cups shredded carrots (3 medium sizes)

1 cup shredded apple (peeled and cored – pink lady, braeborn, etc.)

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (available at health food stores)

½ cup raisins

¾ cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line 18 regular size muffin cups with paper baking cups.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients, by whisking them. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, beat eggs, olive or coconut oil, rice milk and vanilla with a wire whisk.  Pour this mixture over the flour mixture.  Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Add shredded carrots, apple, and coconut; raisins and sliced almonds.

Fill each muffin cup with the batter, about ¾ full.

Bake in a preheated oven for 26 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean, when inserted.

Remove from the oven.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess