Direction Connection

I set out to find a quinoa pudding recipe this April because I recalled my friend Trystyn, who died around a year ago,  mentioning not long before she died that a volunteer hospice (or similar) worker had made some especially for her, and Trystyn really enjoyed it. In the time I knew Trystyn, she was a very health-conscious person, so I thought this recipe was most likely to suit her tastes (others called for heavy cream or eggs). I found the recipe here; the one I’ve reproduced below has some notes based on my experience making it two or three times now.

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2-1/2 cups soy milk
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. maple syrup, or agave syrup
• 2 Tbsp. kudzu, dissolved (a thickening agent; see notes below)
• 2 Tbsp cold water
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg or ground cinnamon

Put quinoa, soy milk, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add sweetener. Mix well. Add Kudzu, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add vanilla and spices. Top with your choice of topping or fruit. Delicious warm or chilled.

My notes:

• The soy milk works really well; I’ve also experimented with adding half-and-half and whole milk (because we had them around the house) instead of a portion of the soy milk.
• I used maple syrup, mostly because that’s what I had and I didn’t exactly know what agave syrup was.
• Instead of kudzu, I used corn starch, which you’re supposed to mix in with the water before adding to the pudding (the recipe isn’t clear, but I’m sure this is right).
• I may experiment with adding no thickener, as the pudding seemed pretty thick to me even before I added the corn starch.  And when we get it ready to eat after storing it in the refrigerator, we add a little bit of soy milk to thin it out a bit. So the thickener may be completely unnecessary.
• We didn’t top it with any fruit or other topping, although some recipes I consulted suggested raisins or currants.

• 1/2 c. butter (softened)
• 1/2 c. shortening (I always have used vegetable oil)
• 1 c. confectioner’s sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. almond extract (I haven’t always had that so I consider it optional)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. red food coloring (or more, depending how dark you want it)

Mix thoroughly the butter, oil, sugar, egg and flavorings. Blend in flour and salt. Divide dough in half. Blend color into one half. Shape 1 T. dough from each half into 4-inch ropes. Place side by side and roll lightly together and then curve into a cane. (The dough needs to be just slightly tacky - too wet, and it’s a disaster, and too dry and the two pieces won’t adhere) Bake about 9 mins. on ungreased cookie sheet, or till set and very light brown. Remove from baking sheet. Makes about 4 dozen.

I made this up when I was single and used to make too much rice for dinner so that I wouldn’t have to throw away the leftover rice. All measures are very approximate.

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups cooked rice
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 cups milk (I think soy milk is OK)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place all ingredients except the cinnamon in a large bread loaf pan and stir well. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and bake for one hour or until custard “gels” and is not runny on the top.

• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp baking cocoa, divided
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1-3/4 cup hot water

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, 2 tbsp cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Spread in an ungreased 9-inch baking pan. Combine brown sugar and remaining 4 tbsp of cocoa; mix well. Sprinkle over batter. Here’s the weird part: Pour hot water over all and do not stir. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serve warm. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large bananas (very ripe)
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup walnuts (only if you’re a weird-o; putting nuts in baked goods is just not right)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one loaf pan. Cream butter, sugar, salt, and egg. Mash bananas and add to mixture. Sift flour and baking soda; add to egg mixture. Add vanilla and (gasp!) nuts; blend well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan. Cool on wire rack.

Cupcake recipe:

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup water with 1/3 cup oil mixed in
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and fill cupcake papers about 1/3 full.

Filling recipe:

• 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt

Put on top of batter in each cupcake paper, then add chocolate chips to taste.

Bake at 350 ° for 15 to 18 minutes.

From Jan Murphey

Place in a greased 8-inch square pan 4 cups of pared, cored, sliced baking apples (about 4 medium). Blend until crumbly, then spread over the apples: 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 3/4 tsp. cinnamon, 3/4 tsp. nutmeg, and 1/3 cup softened butter. Bake until the apples are tender and the topping is golden brown. About 30 mins at 350 degrees. Serve warm. Makes 6-8 servings.

Baking apple varieties are: Jonathans, Northern spy, McIntosh, Rome.