Channa Masala (Chickpea and Tomato Curry)

Cooking oil (vegetable or olive)

1 large onion, yellow or red, diced 

1 Tablespoon grated fresh Ginger (or to taste) 

2 cloves garlic 

3 chopped fresh tomatoes, or stewed/canned tomatoes 

1 Tablespoon (or more to taste) Chana Masala (premixed spice found

at Indian grocery)

1 teaspoon salt

2 cans garbanzo beans or the equivalent cooked from dry.

3 cups water

½ teaspoon baking soda

Can also add lots of fresh dill (use more like a vegetable than

a herb or garnish)

In a large pan, heat oil to medium, add onions and cook until browned.

Add garlic and ginger, and then tomato, spices and chickpeas. Stir

occasionally for 5 min and then add water and baking soda. Bring to a boil

and cover. Simmer for 40 min on low heat.

(Or in pressure cooker for 20 min with 1 ½  cups water instead of 3 cups)

Water amount and cooking time based on using dry beans that have been

soaked overnight. 

I like mine drier, so I cook uncovered for a bit after the 40 min.

You can add more water if you like more of a sauce.

Serve over rice or with chapati (flatbread).

Indian dish: Saag (spinach)

This is James & Nicole's recipe for the dish, with some 
edits by Elisabeth. You can make a similar dish with just 
about any greens--such as red leaf (amaranth leaves) or  
zucchini--in place of the spinach or in addition to. 
Some recipes use one part spinach and one part mustard 
greens.

-One large onion (yellow or white)

-4 cloves garlic

-Olive or canola oil

-2 lbs frozen spinach (can also use fresh if you prefer)

-ginger root, about 1 inch piece or more to taste.

-small can evaporated milk (optional, but makes 
a cream-like sauce)

-1/2 t tumeric

-1/3 t chili powder

-1 t coriander

-3/4 t salt

-Optional: to make Saag Paneer (spinach with cheese) buy a

block of paneer at the Indian grocery (in the refrigerated

section, looks kind of like super firm tofu.) Chop into

cubes.

Chop onion fairly fine. Chop or press garlic. Grate the

ginger using a fine grater and keep the liquid as well.

Defrost spinach, squeeze some of the liquid out.

Heat oil in skillet on medium high, add onions and 
cook until soft and yellowed. Add ginger, cook a few 
more minutes. Add spinach & garlic, add more oil if needed. 

Turn down to a simmer, stirring occasionally. If using

evaporated milk, add and keep heat low enough so that it

won't curdle. If using paneer add cubes now. Add spices and

continue to simmer until thickened. (The longer you can

simmer it, the better.)

This dish may not look the most appetizing, but it is one

of my (Elisabeth's) favorites!

Welsh Cookies

2 eggs
6 tablespoons milk
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 to 2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1 cup sugar
1 cup raisins or currants
1 cup shortening


1.  Heat frying pan to 350 degrees
2.  Beat together eggs and milk
3.  Add dry ingredients & shortening in a mixing bowl, blend well
4.  Add wet and dry mixtures, stir well until mixed
5.  Cut shapes with floured glass or cookie cutter
6.  Fry in electric fry pan until golden brown on each side

I was told these can also be baked.

Chicken (and/or Broccoli) Divan

This is a recipe that started with the Edgemont 2nd Ward Relief Society in Provo, was a Gill family favorite, and then fell into Westwood hands where it was considerably modified. I'll try to start with the original recipe and then list the changes we have made.

10 oz. package frozen broccoli
1/2 to whole chicken or turkey
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c mayonnaise or salad dressing*
1 t curry powder
paprika
1/2 cup grated cheese

Cook broccoli and chicken separately. Mix soups, mayonnaise and curry powder. Debone and cut chicken in bite sized pieces. Arrange broccoli in bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Put chicken on top of that. Pour soup mixture over. Top with grated cheese. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve over rice. (If you don't have a rice cooker put 2 cups rice, 3 cups of water in kettle, let boil--when boiling turn heat to low, time for 15 minutes--let stand 5 minutes, fluff with fork)

Grandma's current recipe says she uses 2 cans cream of chicken soup, but this is the recipe that was in the Gill Family cookbook. We have switched to 2 cans cream of mushroom or celery. Sometimes we use milk or a mayonnaise/milk mixture with the soups. When we got vegetarians in the family we made a "broccoli" end with only broccoli. Later we added almonds and sometimes mushrooms and/or water chestnuts to the broccoli end. A vegan version has not yet been tried.

Corn Cakes (Betty's recipe)

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/3 cup melted butter or oil
2 eggs
milk to make a thin pancake consistency (I use abt 2 cups)

Heat an oiled griddle. Betty made them half dollar size--filled each plate with lots. Delicious with jam, yogurt, and/or syrup.

Betty would bring the electric griddle out on her balcony overlooking the bay and make dozens of them for us to eat when we visited San Diego.

Babolouie Stew

Bobalouie Stew

(from Pam Christensen of Riverside Ward, Columbus, OH)

1 pound ground beef (chuck or round)

¼ cup chopped onion

2 cans cream of celery soup, undiluted

3 cups grated carrots

Diced tomatoes

1 quart tomato juice

1 T brown sugar

1 cup water (more if needed)

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat; drain grease. Add rest of ingredients and simmer until flavors blend. More vegetables can be added or water if too thick.

(Every winter I want hot soups and stews. This is a favorite from Pam Christensen. She and her husband are LDS church stalwarts out here in Zion (Ohio). They are some of the power houses of faith that made it possible for us to have a temple here. --think of the story of the judge who was so wearied of the widow's request that he granted it . . .)

Betty's Tamale Pie

Betty's popular Tamale Pie (as printed in the Holladay Herald and modified by me (David Westwood)

Brown 1-1.5 lbs ground meat with 1/2 cup finely chopped onion & 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic salt / powder (or small quantity fresh minced garlic) and salt to taste. . .

Add and simmer: 1 15 oz. can Mexican Style stewed tomatoes, 1/4 to 1/2 cup salsa, 1-2 tsp chili powder, 1/2-1 tsp oregano, pinch of cumin / fresh cilantro. Sliced olives (optional)

On stove top at low heat in sauce pan or in microwave in 2 qt glass bowl cook : 3/4 cup cornmeal & 3/4 cup hominy grits in 6 cups broth (recipe says chicken, but beef or vegetable work as well imho) and 1.5 teaspoon salt (optional) stirring frequently. Cook until mush is soft and loses raw taste (Betty/Mom sometimes added 1 small can drained corn).

Line greased 9x13" casserole dish (or 12" diameter round glass baking/casserole dish / 2 8.5/9" diameter found glass baking bowls.) with cooked cornmeal/grits pour in meat mixture and top with remaining cornmeal/gits mixture. Sprinkle generously with grated cheese.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.

May be cooled and reheated (some say that improves the flavor) also freezes nicely.

---------------------

Variation given to Vilo & me by Betty shortly after our marriage.

Ingredients:

1 C. Yellow cornmeal

2/3 C. Hominy grits

~1/2 tsp salt

~5 C. Water

1 can corn (optional)

1 to 1.5 lb Lean ground meat (turkey) -- use faux ground meat or mixed chili beans if you are serving it to vegetarians.

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 can (~15 oz.) Mexican style diced or stewed tomatoes

1 small can chopped olives (optional)

1 can / 2 cups of cooked chili beans - black, red, pinto or mixed (optional)

1 small can chili peppers (optional)

Salsa to taste

chili powder to taste

cumin / cilantro to taste

1-2 cups grated jack, pepper jack or sharp cheddar cheese (or a mixture of cheeses including queso fresco if available)

Directions/Procedure:

Combine cornmeal & grits in salted water in a 2 quart sauce pan or 2 qt covered glass bowl cook on stove top stirring frequently or in microwave oven for 5 minute intervals, stirring between intervals. Continue until polenta mixture is thick.

-Note one may add some cheese, corn or olives to the polenta mixture once it has thickened.

Pour a layer of cooked polenta into the bottom of a glass casserole. Reserve some polenta for topping

Heat a large skillet and brown meat (or TVP) with onions. Season with salsa, chili powder, cumin/cilantro (& lime juice -DW) as desired / to taste. When meat has browned add the diced/stewed tomatoes with a little liquid and combine thoroughly. Add drained corn, beans and peppers if desired.

When meat mixture has thickened pour evenly over the layer of polenta (cornmeal/grits) in casserole. Put remaining / reserved polenta on top of meat mixture and cover with grated cheese.

Cook between 350 and 425 degrees F. until cheese bubbles.

The dish may be made a day in advance and refrigerated until warming before serving. May also be frozen for up to two weeks.