Orange Honey Cupcakes

Original Recipe from:
Greetings from the Knit Cafe
By: Suzan Mischer
Recipe by:Julie Stark

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of oatmeal (stove top, not instant)
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
zest from the orange
1/4 cup of honey
5 1/2 tablespoons butter melted

Icing:
1-1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
bit of zest from the orange
tablespoon of orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a muffin pan or line with papers.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, and stir with a fork. Add in the juice, zest, honey, eggs, and butter. Continue mixing batter until all ingredients are well integrated into the batter. Fill each cup of the muffin tin with batter till 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or light golden.

To make icing:
Combine 1 cup of powdered sugar, zest, and juice until a smooth glaze. If too wet, add more sugar. If too dry, add a very small amount of juice or water. Once the glaze is a smooth spreadable consistency, drizzle over the muffins while still warm and hurry up and eat!!!

Story:
My mom bought this knitting book for me as a Christmas present. I love the projects, suggestions and recipes. Hmmmmmm......What will your next present be? These muffins/cupcakes are really good, but I like pretending that I'm being healthy by using whole wheat pastry flour instead of the all-purpose. It gives the muffins more texture and better color, but that is merely my opinion, not fact. If you prefer, just use two cups of all-purpose. Be warned even sticking these treats in the freezer didn't stop me from eating them! Though they really do taste better when not frozen.

Dominik's Austrian Potato Salad

This is a very simple recipe and I LOVE it! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

1 kg potatoes
1 - 2 onions
3 - 4 tablespoons oil
2 - 3 tablespoons vinegar
salt
pepper
Water
cook the potatoes for about 20 minutes, pour cold water over them, peel
them, cut them in slices.
Mix all the other ingredients in the meantime.
Drop all potato slices into the marinade and give it a rest time in the
fridge.
Taste it.
If you feel that it's too much vinegar, add some sugar, if it's not a
little spicy add more salt and pepper, but that’s always a question of
personal preference.

Story:
This recipe was given to me by my friend, Dominik, who was an exchange student from Austria and practiced with the Illini Judo club. He was always cooking something at judo gatherings and this is the potato salad he made at the last gathering of the year. Usually not a fan of potato salad because of the mayonnaise, this salad is perfect! Thanks Dominik! XXX

Chicken Korma

Chicken Korma
Ingredients
1) 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2) 1 onion (chopped)
3) 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
4) ½ teaspoon julienned ginger (I use ground)
5) 1 teaspoon salt
6) 1 teaspoon turmeric
7) 1 teaspoon ground cumin
8) 1 pound chicken (cooked)
9) 1 cup water
10) 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala (or to taste)
11) ¼ pint heavy whipping cream
12) Finely chopped coriander

Directions
Step 1: Heat oil in a large deep frying pan adding chopped onions and fry for 4 to 5 minutes on a medium heat until onions are slightly brown.

Step 2: Add garlic and ginger and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 3: Add salt, turmeric, and cumin. Turn up the heat and cook for an additional 1 minute. It is crucial that the spices are well mixed in the pan with the chicken at this point to ensure that the chicken cooks with texture and flavor.

Step 4: Add chicken.

Step 5: After the chicken has been well mixed with the spices add water to mixture.

Step 6: Turn down heat slightly then add garam masala, and the cream and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Step 7: Sprinkle top with Corriander if desired

Sean’s note: I find that the sauce is a little thin so I add some flour to the water to help thicken it up a little.