This is a throwback post published on March 8, 2011.

Today is Malassada Day!
Amongst the many labels applied to the day before Lent begins, Malassada Day stems from the same gorge-yourself-crazy spirit of Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday and the like.

Things like sugar and lard were meant to be used up before the fasting of Lent began, and what better way to do this, so the São Miguel islanders thought, than to make copious amounts of delicious, delicious fried dough.

Malasadas¹ are basically doughnuts, and hoo boy, are they good when fresh out of the pan!

My grandmother’s always made them with a hole in the centre, but apparently the “traditional” way is to simply form a ball of dough, sans hole.

Want to fry up some of your own?
Here’s my grandmother’s recipe

Vavo’s² Malassadas

Ingredients
2 tbsp soft butter
1 tsp salt
12 eggs 1 cup sugar
sliced lemon rind
2 lbs flour (6 cups)
jar of Mazola oil

Instructions:

Put 2 packets of Fleischmann’s yeast in 1/2 cup lukewarm water, for about 5 minutes
Stir yeast. Put in a big bowl.
Add everything, except flour, and mix with electric mixer. When soft and blended, add flour and mix by hand.

Let rise for around 4-5 hours.

Take small amounts, shaping them into doughnuts, and carefully putting them in a frying pan, filled with boiling oil.

Let both sides get golden brown (this doesn’t take long at all!)

Remove, and coat with sugar.

Oh yes, and consume immediately.

Yum.
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¹ Here’s some info about Malassadas.
² Vavo means grandma in Portuguese.
³ Image sourced from this site.

This is a throwback post published on March 5, 2011. 

There are few things in this world I believe I do well. I’m no horn-tooter, but I can bake a pretty mean cinnamon bun.

On more than one occasion, people have requested the recipe, so I thought I’d share it here.

Hope you have a very sweet and cinnamony day!
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Preheat oven to 425 F.

Ingredients:
Dough:
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk

Filling:
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 tbs cinnamon

Combine all ingredients for dough (except milk). Mix until a crumbly texture forms, then add the milk and knead.
Lay out dough on flat surface, and spread the filling mixture on top.
Roll up dough (the tighter you can roll it the cuter they end up looking, I find). Pop them into lightly greased muffin tins and bake for about 14-18 mins. I usually keep them in a bit less, but that’s personal preference.
And of course, icing is always good on top!

Icing: a random mix of butter, icing sugar and a very little bit of milk.

Sometimes I’ll use cream cheese with, or instead of, butter. They’re both very good.

This is a throwback post published on September 10, 2013.

This year my garden focus was mainly on tomatoes.
And whoo boy, do I have tomatoes!

I’ve made a few batches of sauce so far, and the most delicious tomato jam evar.

Here be the recipe:

Tomato Jam

3 lbs fresh tomatoes
9 cups (but I only use 4!) sugar
2 lemons
fresh ginger (1″ thinly sliced)

In a large pot on medium heat place the tomatoes, cut roughly into chunks, lemon juice and ginger.
Bring to a boil and reduce the heat.
Cook slowly for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
Boil slowly for 30 minutes more or until desired thickness is reached.

And, to go with that jam, the worlds greatest Cheese Crackers:

1 cup butter
1/3 tsp salt
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/3 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you prefer spicy!)
2 1/2 sups flour
1 tbs water (approximate)

Blend all ingredients together to make dough. Roll out to approx. 1 cm width and cut with cookies cutters (alternatively, you can roll it into a log and just slice “coins” of dough that are about 1 cm wide).
Bake at 375 degrees F for about 12 minutes.
Best served hot!

I’ve also been gifted loads of pears and apples from my parent’s place, with the promise of yet another year of apple butter making ahead!