Lime, Yogurt and Olive Oil Cake

A few days ago I bumped into this recipe twice in a day. That had to be a sign from the universe… Right? So, after wrapping up office work, I quickly went into the kitchen and before I knew it I had all the ingredients in place… except the confectioners’ sugar. I had less than a ¼ cup, so I just used regular granulated sugar and the result was still a deliciously sweet-tangy cake. One recommendation if you’re going to follow up the recipe bellow, is to rub the sugar and lime zest together. That will allow the zest to really stick to the sugar and spread its fragrance and flavor.

Kitty

Lime, Yogurt and Olive Oil Cake

Adapted from Simple Provisions

Wet Ingredients:
1 cup whole full fat Greek yoghurt
⅓ cup of olive oil
1 cup sugar
zest of one lime
¼ cup lime juice
2 eggs

Dry ingredients:
1 ¾ cups of sifted plain flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 tablespoon lime zest
2 tablespoons sugar

Procedure:

Pre-heat oven to 180c/350f and grease a 22cm baking tin.
Mix all the wet ingredients in a bowl until well combined. In a separate, large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
Pour the mixed wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon till just combined (overworking the batter will result in a tough cake).
Pour into the baking tin and cook for 45-50 minutes, or until the cake is lightly browned on top and a skewer comes out clean when poked into the centre.
When cool mix the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the top of the cake to make it look pretty.

Jicama Salad

First off, what is Jicama? Jicama is a crispy, sweet, edible root that resembles a turnip in physical appearance, although the plants are not related. It has been cultivated in South America for centuries, and the vegetable is quite popular in Mexican cuisine. It has a unique flavor that lends itself well to salads, salsas, and vegetable platters. The roots can sometimes grow to be quite large, although when they exceed the size of two fists, they begin to convert the sugars that give jicama its sweet flavor into starches, making the root somewhat woody to the taste.

When choosing jicama at the store, look for medium sized, firm tubers with dry roots. Do not purchase jicama that has wet or soft spots, which may indicate rot, and don’t be drawn to overlarge examples of the tuber, because they may not be as flavorful. It will keep under refrigeration for up to two weeks.

I have only tried it in salads, or by itself with a little salt, cumin and lime juice. You don’t really need anything else!

I got jicama at the store, and wanted to make a fresh tasting salad that included other vegetables as well, this recipe was a success. It has the acidity of the limes and a nice crunch from the vegetables. This is another type of salad I can get on board with. I left out the orange and the avocado, but just because I didn’t have any available at home that day. I have left them in the recipe because next time I try this I’ll be sure to include them.

Jicama Salad

From Simply Recipes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large jicama (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, then julienned or cubed (easiest to work with if you cut the jicama in half first)
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 a large cucumber, seeded, chopped
1 navel orange, peel cut away, sliced crosswise, then each round quartered
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup lime juice
Pinch of cayenne
Pinch of paprika
Salt
Optional:
1/2 avocado chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil

Procedure:

Toss together the jicama, bell peppers, red onion, cucumber, orange, and cilantro in a large serving bowl.
Pour lime juice over all.
Sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne and paprika. Season generously with salt.
Let sit a half an hour before serving.

Source: WiseGeek

Guest Foodie: Jake Van Ness & Tequila Bars

Every year for the Superbowl, Jake gets together with a bunch of friends to watch the game and share food. He prepared this recipe, and split it in half, one with Tequila and one without. Both came out tasting great! He knew about this recipe by Guy Fieri on The Food Network and definitely scored a touchdown with this tasty dessert!

Tequila Bars
Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri for Food Network Magazine
Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients
1 12-ounce box vanilla wafers
1/2 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted
1/3 cup tequila
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
5 large egg yolks, plus 2 egg whites
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon sugar
Agave nectar or honey, for drizzling (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350º.
Pulse the wafers and pine nuts in a food processor until well ground up.
Add the butter and blend until evenly mixed.
Set aside 1/4 cup of crumbs; press the rest evenly into a 9-by-13 baking pan.
Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool.
In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the tequila, lime juice, egg yolks and condensed milk.
In another medium bowl, beat the egg whites and sugar with an electric mixer until they hold soft peaks.
Gently fold the egg whites into the tequila mixture.
Spread the filling evenly over the crust and bake for 25 minutes; cool.
Sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top.
Chill in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight before cutting.
Drizzle with agave nectar, if desired.