Kwanzaa Recipes

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups sweet potatoes, drained
  • 4 tablespoons margarine, melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 9-inch pie shell, baked
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

  • Use a food processor or fork to mash sweet potatoes together with melted margarine.
  • Blend in eggs, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add milk and vanilla.
  • Pour mixture into baked pie shell.
  • Microwave on medium high for seven minutes.
  • Sprinkle pecans over surface of pie.
  • Rotating midway through cooking, microwave on medium high six to eight minutes or until center no longer jiggles.
  • If you prefer, you can bake it in the oven at 375 degrees for about 35 to 45 minutes or until it doesn't jiggle.

Grandmother's Southern Fried Okra

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh okra, cut into one-inch pieces
  • 1 large green tomato, diced
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
  • 1 jalapeno pepper halved and sliced, remove seeds if too hot
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

  • Combine okra, tomato, onion, garlic and jalapeno in large bowl.
  • In separate bowl combine eggs, salt, pepper and milk.
  • Pour egg mix over veggies and toss to thoroughly coat.
  • Gradually add cornmeal until mixture on the okra and at the bottom of the bowl soaked up.
  • Continue to toss until ingredients evenly mixed. Mixture will have a gooey consistency.
  • Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Oil is ready when dash of cornmeal sizzles.
  • Spoon mixture evenly in skillet.
  • Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and fry until underside is golden brown for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Then invert on plate and slide the other side up into skillet and cook uncovered five to eight minutes until golden brown.
  • Remove from skillet to paper towels to drain excess oil.
  • Serve hot.

African Vegetarian Stew

Ingredients:

  • 4 small Kohlrabies, peeled and cut into chunks (Parsnips may be substituted for the Kohlrabi)
  • 1/2 cup couscous or Bulgar wheat
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup raisins, dark or golden
  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 zucchini, sliced thick
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 5 tomatoes, fresh or 16-ounce can
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 15-ounce can garbanzo beans
  • 3 cups water

Directions:

  • Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender (about 30 minutes).
  • Serve the couscous separately, if desired.

African Green Pepper and Spinach

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 medium green pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped
  • 1 pound fresh spinach, stems removed
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter

Directions:

  • Cook and stir onion and green pepper in oil in 3-quart saucepan until onion is tender.
  • Add tomato and spinach. Cover and simmer until spinach is tender, about five minutes.
  • Stir in salt, pepper and peanut butter.
  • Heat just until hot.

African Squash And Yams (Futari)

Ingredients:

  • 1 small onion; chopped, pared and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 pound Hubbard squash; pared and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 medium-sized yams or sweet potatoes
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

  • Cook and stir onion in oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until tender.
  • Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat.
  • Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
  • Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about five minutes longer.

African Vegetable Stew

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion (very large), chopped
  • 1 Swiss chard bunch
  • 1 can garbanzo beans
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup rice, raw
  • 2 yams
  • Several fresh tomatoes
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Tabasco sauce to taste

Directions:

  • Fry onion, garlic and white stems of chard until barely limp.
  • Add chopped greens and fry a bit.
  • Either peel the yams or scrub them well with a vegetable brush, then slice them into slices.
  • Add garbanzos, raisins, yams, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook a couple of minutes.
  • Make a well in the center of the mixture in the pot. Put the rice in the well and pat it down until it is wet.
  • Cover and cook until rice is done, about 25 minutes.
  • Add Tabasco sauce to taste.

African Tomato-Avocado-Buttermilk Soup

Ingredients:

  • 3 pound tomatoes, peeled and seeded
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 avocado, mashed to a puree
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Hot pepper sauch
  • Garnish: 1 cucumber; peeled, seeded and diced; sour cream, plain yogurt or cr?me fraiche

Directions:

  • Puree tomatoes in a food processor or food mill, then press through a sieve to remove seeds.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, buttermilk and oil.
  • Toss pureed avocado with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to hold the color.
  • Add the avocado, remaining lemon juice and parsley to the tomato mixture; stir to mix well.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper and a generous number of drops of hot pepper sauce.
  • Refrigerate several hours before serving.
  • At serving time, taste soup for seasonings. Ladle into individual bowl and have guest garnish their portions with cucumber and sour cream. Pass hot pepper sauce around to add more piquancy.

Benne Cakes

Ingredients:

  • Oil to grease a cookie sheet
  • 1 cup finely packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Lightly oil a cookie sheet.
  • Mix together the brown sugar and butter and beat until they are creamy.
  • Stir in the egg, vanilla extract and lemon juice.
  • Add flour, baking powder, salt and sesame seeds.
  • Drop by rounded teaspoons onto the cookie sheet two inches apart.
  • Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are brown.

Black-eyed Peas with Ham

Ingredients:

  • 3 1/2 cups fresh black-eyed peas
  • 3 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
  • 4 ounces of ham, finely chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Directions:

  • Bring all ingredients to boil in heavy large saucepan.
  • Reduce heat and simmer until peas are tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Peanut Soup with Okra Croutons

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 1/2 cup carrot, diced
  • 2/3 cup butternut squash, diced
  • 2/3 cup potatoes, diced
  • 1 cup peanuts; roasted, shelled and unsalted
  • 6 cup stock
  • 1 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper

Ingredients for Okra Croutons:

  • 1 1/2 cups okra, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons cornmeal
  • 1/4 teaspoons cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon herbal salt
  • Olive oil spray

Directions:

  • Place oil, pepper flakes and coriander in a large non-stick pot and fry over moderate heat until the seeds begin to darken.
  • Add vegetables and peanuts and cook for three minutes.
  • Pour in the stock and bring to a boil.
  • Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Cool slightly and puree.
  • Gently reheat, add lemon juice and season to taste.
  • Serve in shallow bowls garnished with okra croutons.

Directions for croutons:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Rinse okra under running water, drain and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Combine cornmeal, seasonings, salt and okra in a bag.
  • Seal and shake well.
  • Spray a baking sheet with oil, spread okra slices in a single layer and spray them with oil.
  • Bake until crisp and browned, spraying and stirring twice during cooking. Should take about 30 minutes.

Sweet Potato Fritters

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound sweet potatoes; peeled and coarsely shredded
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 small onion, coarsely shredded
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

  • Spread potatoes and onion on clean dish towl. Roll up, twisting towel to extract excess moisture from vegetables.
  • In bowl, whisk eggs, flour 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth.
  • In large non-stick skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add vegetables to batter and mix.
  • Spoon mixture into skillet, allowing heaping one tablespoon for each fritter. With back of spoon, flatten slightly.
  • Fry six fritters at a time for four minutes.
  • Turn and cook two to four minutes.
  • Drain on paper towels and keep warm while frying remaining fritters, adding more oil if necessary.


You May Also Like ...