Marionberry Crisp

Berries make wonderful desserts! They are filled with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Their juicy sweetness delights the taste buds and satisfy any craving for a delicate dessert. Strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, huckleberries, elderberries, lingonberries, blueberries and more come in a colorful palette of reds, blues, and purples. A simple half cup of Marionberries contain 4.4 grams of fiber and only 27 calories. Nutrient dense, they are not only tasty, but amazingly good for you as well!

One of a Kind Loaf

 Creating a unique and individualized vegetarian entree loaf is fun and simple with the following recipe. Each time you make it, the recipe will be unique and can use ingredients that you already have in your kitchen or that are available seasonally. This is a heart-healthy, low-calorie, and nutrient dense loaf. Tasty too! To create, simply choose the amount suggested for each ingredient type as shown below:




2 cups of legumes

• cooked legumes of any variety such as: lentils, kidney beans, garbanzos, pinto beans, soybeans, or tofu, etc.

1 - 2 cups of grains

• whole grain bread crumbs, rolled or quick oats, cooked brown rice or millet, Grape-Nuts cereal, crushed whole grain cereal flakes, whole grain cracker crumbs, whole grain croutons, etc.

1/2 cup chopped or ground nuts or seeds

• almonds, cashews, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, etc.

1 1/2 cups liquid

• broth from cooked vegetables, plain soy, nut, or grain milk, tomato juice or sauce, V8, etc.

1 Binder

• 2 Tbsp. soy flour
• 2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
• 2 - 3 Tbsp. gluten flour
• 3 Tbsp. potato flour
• 3 Tbsp. minute tapioca
• 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
• 1/2 cup cooked "cream of wheat"
• 2 Tbsp. soaked mung beans, blended, etc.

1/2 - 1 teaspoon of one or several Seasonings as desired (I always use at least double this recommendation; be generous with the seasonings!)

• cumin, sweet basil, Italian seasoning, oregano, parsley flakes, rosemary, sage, Bill's Best Chicknish, McKay's Chicken-Like Seasoning, celery salt, garlic or onion powder, nutritional yeast flakes, salt, Vegex, Bragg's Liquid Aminos, Marmite

1 or more Vegetables

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 - 3 Tbsp. chopped pimiento
• 3 - 5 stalks celery
• 2/3 cup shredded carrots
• 2/3 green beans or peas

Mix all the ingredients you selected together. Press into a sprayed loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes (or more if you prefer a darker loaf). Serve with a light savory or tomato gravy.

Leftover can be sliced and served in sandwiches or mashed for a spread (add olives, pickles, or Veganaise).

*Instead of baking as a casserole loaf, this recipe also makes delicious patties. Use a non-stick skillet with some extra-virgin olive oil and fry until crispy and golden.

**Although I make a vegan version of this recipe, you can add other ingredients that fit your likes and needs. Consider adding shredded cheese, eggs, or your favorite protein source.

Summertime Three-Bean Soup

Summertime Three-Bean Soup

• 3 cups water
• 15 oz. can rinsed kidney beans
• 15 oz. can black-eyed peas
• 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
• 1 - 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 1/2 cups whole corn kernels
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup zucchini, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. Bill's Best Chicknish'

Combine water, beans, tomato paste, mustard, garlic, chili powder, basil, oregano, and cumin. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add corn, carrots, zucchini, and onion. Return to a boil, then simmer for 10 more minutes. Adjust seasonings as desired. When ready to serve, spoon into bowls and garnish as desired.

Blueberry Scones & Tea

I saved enough fresh blueberries from yesterday's picking to bake a batch of scones. They baked up beautifully with abundant, juicy, blue orbs in each one.

The recipe called for lemon zest, but I didn't have any lemons, so used lemon juice in the dough and baked them without zest. Then I decided that orange marmalade would be an appropriate sweet to go with the scones. The zest of the orange in the marmalade made up for the lack of zest in the scones. They paired perfectly.

Gluten free scones "act" a bit differently than regular ones. Because they don't contain gluten to trap the carbon dioxide gasses when the baking soda and baking powder do their job, I try to choose forms or shapes that are most likely to rise well without much handling. Sometimes I bake gluten free scones in one large mound that is flattened and then cut with a pizza cutter to make wedges. And at other times, like today, I prefer the drop biscuit approach. I was pleased with the lightness and flavor of these scones.

A simple black tea was selected to accompany the blueberry scones. My choice was Yorkshire Gold because it's full bodied without being overpowering. It's produced by Taylors of Harrogate, a company that was founded in 1886 in Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. It is a blend of five varieties of tea grown in Assam, Sri Lanka, and Kenya. A review of this tea on Serious Eats reports that: 

• Yorkshire Gold from Taylors of Harrogate is a "luxury blend" of second flush Assam and peak-season East African teas. This is a robust black tea that works well with milk, though given its silky smoothness that's certainly not required. There are hints of cedar and earth; this tea is slightly fruity but mostly savory, perfect for getting your eyes open in the morning.

Although this is a delightful tea with the addition of milk and sugar, I tend to prefer my tea "black" or "plain" so I can taste every undertone as it is, with just a tiny touch of stevia to sweeten.

I chose this teacup because it was blue. It seemed so appropriate for the blueberry theme. It is called Saxony, by Royal Doulton. It is one of my everyday favorites.

Blueberry Scones

Makes 8 - 10

• 2 cups gluten-free flour (I used 1 cup garbanzo/fava flour and 1 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour blend)
• 1 packet stevia powder (about 1/2 tsp.)
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 6 Tbsp. Smart Balance margarine
• 1 egg OR 1 egg substitute {flax seed gel}
• 2/3 cup soymilk
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 generous cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add margarine and cut in with a pastry blender until the size of small peas. Add vanilla, egg, lemon juice, and soymilk. Stir gently with a fork until dough is moist and blended. Gently stir in blueberries.

Form scones by spoonful and place onto a baking stone. Push stray blueberries into dough so none are left out.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat and allow to cool on the baking stone. Serve with margarine or butter and orange marmalade. Also delicious with lemon curd.

Of course, at the end of every good photo shoot comes the pleasure of sitting down at a pretty table setting to enjoy what's set out to eat and a nice, hot cup of tea. Today I had a little helper. She's such a polite little thing. She was curious, but asked permission with her eyes before attempting to share. Her nose is long, though, and she has a pretty keen sniffer. I gave Sudo a few crumbs which she appreciated and enjoyed. I discovered, though, that she prefers plain blueberries to scones. She's such a dear.

Veg Sausage and Red Quinoa Cabbage Rolls

Recipe conversion is an art that is interesting and can be fun. For those who live a vegetarian lifestyle, it becomes a way of life. Recently I found a great recipe for cabbage rolls on the Internet. I thought it sounded delicious and it reminded me of the cabbage rolls my grandmother and mother used to make. I decided to make them, adapting the recipe to fit the dietary needs of members of the immediate family. The cabbage rolls were not as time consuming as I expected, and they were essentially a one-dish-meal (protein, starch, and vegetable). You could add a tossed green salad if you liked. Here's the recipe as converted:

Veg Sausage and Red Quinoa Cabbage Rolls

• 1 head cabbage
• 1 cup red quinoa, cooked
• 1 egg, beaten OR egg substitute (ground flax seed or flax seed gel)
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 package Soyrizo, vegetarian sausage
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder (or fresh, minced garlic)
• 2 - 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
• 1 - 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with liquid
• 1 tsp. stevia
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

Stem head of cabbage and place base down in a kettle. Add 2" of water and lid. Steam until tender; about ten minutes. When leaves are tender, remove from heat and drain. Cool. Then remove leaves and dry individually with paper towel.

Combine red quinoa, egg OR egg substitute, almond milk, onion, garlic powder, Soyrizo, and salt. Scoop about 1/4 cup of this mixture into the center of each cabbage leaf. Fold them into small packages, making sure all ends are tucked in. Place each in a low casserole pan with the tucked in side down.

In a bowl, combine tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, stevia, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Delicious!

This is a gluten-free recipe. The Angostura Worcestershire Sauce from Safeway is vegetarian (no anchovies).

Garden Greens and Violets

Our menu for supper recently was bean enchiladas, spiced Spanish millet, and a garden green salad. It was the first meal from our garden greens. Oh, they were fresh and so delicious! There were freckled and white violets blooming nearby, so I added them in as well as some fresh curly parsley, Italian parsley, and cilantro from the herb garden. The violets were 'not' picked out of the salad at meal time --- by now my family is used to my ways.

Just think about all the vitamins and minerals in those garden fresh greens!

I used garden scissors to snip the baby greens. Since they were scatter planted, rather than placed in rows, the early harvest by snipping (not pulling) helps to thin them out and yet gives the plants opportunity to sprout new growth from the roots still in the ground.

The spring bush peas are growing, and the Cherokee bush beans have pushed their heart-shaped leaves out of the soil. Walla Walla Sweet onions are growing in two of my garden 'squares' and this week the pickling cukes and regular cucumbers have sprouted leaves through the earth. And, the beet greens are a little behind, but are coming along alright.

There is something about a garden...

Summer Green Salad with Raspberry Lemon Dressing

Summer Green Salad with Raspberry Lemon Dressing

• 1 lb. red and green artisan lettuces, torn into 1" pieces
• 1 medium green apple, peeled and diced
• 1 avocado, diced into 1" cubes
• 1 Tbsp. dried cranberries
• 2/3 cup corn kernels, defrosted

Prepare ingredients and toss together in a serving bowl.


Raspberry Lemon Dressing

• 1 small package raspberries
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup raspberry apple juice, concentrated OR raspberry white grape juice concentrate
• 1 to 2 packets stevia
• 1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh
• 3 Tbsp. black cherry fruit spread, fruit juice sweetened
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard OR 1 Tbsp. mustard powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. poppy seeds

Place all ingredients except poppy seeds in a blender. Whiz until well blended. Pour into serving pitcher and stir in poppy seeds.

Enjoy!

Cheery Cherry Macaroons

Cheery Cherry Macaroons are a wonderful meld of pecan and almond, coconut, and cherries! Perfect with a cup of tea or packed into a lunch box, they are a special culinary treat. Thanks to my friend, Nancy, for sharing this wonderful recipe.

Cheery Cherry Macaroons

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 cups coconut

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients except maraschino cherries, pecans, and coconut. Beat at low speed for 2 - 3 minutes. Then stir in maraschino cherries and pecans. Drop by teaspoonful into the coconut and roll cookies into 1" balls. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until light brown. Remove from heat and then allow to stand on cookie sheet for at least one minute. Remove from cookie sheet. Enjoy!

Simple Chilled Cucumber Soup

My mother would sometimes serve a chilled cucumber soup for afternoon tea or on other special occasions. She would add all the ingredients to a blender and puree them. Always refreshing, I always enjoyed it when she served it. When I decided to make a chilled cucumber soup of my own, I was dismayed to find that most of the recipes I found contained canned soups, like chicken or potato. The delightful freshness of cucumbers was lost in the sodium and preservatives of the canned product, so I kept searching and ended up adapting a recipe to create my own. This is my version of a summer delight.  It's a great way to use the cucumbers from your garden!

Simple Chilled Cucumber Soup

• 2 cups almond milk
• 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. parsley, fresh and snipped
• 2 tsp. chicken-style seasoning*
• 1/2 tsp. dillweed, dried
• 1/2 cup English cucumber, seeded and shredded
• 2 Tbsp. onion, finely diced
• salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a quart jar. Lid and shake. Place in fridge to chill for several hours before serving. Serve cold with a sprig of mint and toast points. 

{Ingredients can be mixed in a blender like mother did as well.}

Idiot Bread

What a silly name! Our family first had this bread when on a visit to see Aunt Marcella and Uncle Mike. Aunt Marcella prepared such a lovely dinner and served this bread. It was delicious and we all asked for more. We also asked for the name and she told us it was "Idiot Bread". We thought that was a very strange name for bread and asked her how it came by that name. She said it was so simple, even an idiot could make it! I still think it needs a new name! But the recipe needs to stay exactly the same! It is fast, easy, and delicious! 

Idiot Bread

• 1 Tbsp. yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Add sugar, salt, and flour. Stir well. Spread into a greased, 9 x 13 in pan. Let rise for 1 hour. Pour 1/2 stick of melted butter or margarine over the top. Sprinkle with parsley, garlic powder, and Parmesean cheese. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 - 45 minutes (until golden brown).

Flavorful, quick and easy, and delicious with so many things!

Oat Burger Patties

Redesigned furnishings by Bonnie ~ always beautiful!

Oat Burger Patties

These are delightful as comfort food on any day. Serve smothered in gravy or nestled between hearty whole grain buns. Great with ketchup, pickles, and Romaine.

• 7 c. water boiling
• 2 c. cold water
• 1 c. walnuts chopped or ground coarse
• 1 c. sunflower seeds
• 1 T. sweet basil
• 1 T. Italian seasoning flakes
• 1/4 t. oregano powder
• 9 c. oatmeal, (regular oats, not cooked)
• 1 c. Braggs Aminos or soy sauce
• 1/4 c. nutritional yeast

Add seasonings to boiling water. Put onions and sunflower seeds into blender with the 2 cups cold water. Blend. Add the blended ingredients to the boiling water along with the nuts and oatmeal. Always add the oatmeal last. Remove from heat and let set until its cool enough to work with. Use a jar ring and make patties on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Bake in 350 oven until brown, turning once (usually 1/2 hour).

*If you prefer, patties can be fried in a non-stick pan with a little bit of olive oil instead of baking.

*Use gluten-free oats if necessary.

Aunt Polly's Apple Cake

Aunt Polly's Apple Cake is a treasured family recipe. I was first introduced to it when I was a teen-ager and dating my husband. It was his aunt's recipe and one that his mother made frequently. Fortunately she was happy to share the recipe and it became a "go to" recipe that my mother, sister, or I baked often as well. It is very moist, with a fall apart on the fork kind of quality. The apple chunks are nice when cut large so you can see them in each slice. If the peelings are left on it adds to the beauty of the sliced cake. Walnut pieces and coconut make up for the fact that there is no frosting on this cake. I hope you enjoy this cake recipe as much as we do!

Aunt Polly's Apple Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups oil*
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix ingredients together in mixing bowl and beat until well blended. In another bowl, sift together:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Fold the flour in with a spatula. Then gently add:

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 cup coconut
• 3 cups apples, raw, diced

Place batter into a prepared tube pan. The batter will be stiff. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 1 1/2 hours. 

*May reduce oil up to 1/2 the amount called for without compromising quality of cake.

{Apple tea is pictured in the teacups}

Alma's Rhubarb Cake

Rhubarb is a family staple. My father loves rhubarb! Every year my mother would make a vast quantity of rhubarb sauce and freeze it for winter use. And my father would savor every bite. His favorite way to eat rhubarb sauce is over cottage cheese, but he loves pies and cakes made with rhubarb as well. As far as he is concerned, I don't think that there is anything bad that can be made out of rhubarb. It is a food he loves!

Alma indulges him in his love for rhubarb too. One of the things she makes out of rhubarb is this recipe for cake. It is superb!

Alma's Rhubarb Cake

Bottom layer:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 3/4 cup margarine
• 1/4 tsp. salt 
• 1 egg

Make into crumbs, adding the egg {beaten} last. Press into an 8 x 10 inch pan, reserving 1 cup and set it aside.

Filling:

• 4 cups chopped rhubarb
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup flour

Mix well. Then add:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup margarine, melted

Pour this over bottom layer. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture on the top, spreading evenly.

Make a mixture of:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Sprinkle on top. Take at 350 degrees F. for one hour.

Snowballs in Spring

My snowball tree is filled with an abundance of pristine, white blossoms. They grow in beautiful, clustered orbs. Each branch is heavily laden with snowballs.

My tree was a gift from Karleen. Each spring when it blooms, I think of her and appreciate my tree {and her} even more. Just seeing it reminds me of early childhood memories. My family lived in a barracks that had been converted into an apartment for university married students {like my parents}. Units were small and close, but the back lawns were all connected and all the neighborhood children had a wonderful time playing together outside. When the snowball bushes bloomed, we had wonderful snowball fights with the soft, pristine blossoms. 

The floral snowballs also remind me of real snowballs! The kind that are hard when they hit you and that melt when you try to bring them inside! And they remind me of the quintessential Hostess Snowball. Do you remember them? They were a concoction of chocolate cake covered in marshmallow and rolled in coconut. So tempting in the package at the store, but mother would never buy them {they are "just fluff" she'd say and "not good for growing kids"}. But how pretty they were! Instead we'd use the idea to make homemade truffles at home and sis and I would roll them in unsweetened, flaked coconut until they were as dense and pretty as the blossoms on the snowball tree!

And you can make some too! Here's a recipe I enjoy. Find the coconut and you can roll to your heart's content. The recipe even includes tea!

Basil & Tea Truffles

• 2 cups heavy cream (or SILK soy creamer)
• 1/2 cup packed, fresh basil
• 2 tea bags, Earl Grey tea
• Pinch of salt
• 1 lb. chocolate, bittersweet, chopped
• Crushed cookies (gluten-free if necessary), toasted chopped nuts, shredded coconut or cocoa powder, for rolling.

Bring the cream to a low simmer over medium heat. Then remove from heat and add tea bags and basil leaves. Steep for 15 minutes. Then strain mixture and discard the solids. Return the pan of infused cream to the heat and simmer for five more minutes. Then, stir in chocolate until melted and combined. 

Cover mixture and place in fridge. Cool completely (2 hours or overnight). 

When ready to create truffles, place the topping or toppings of your choice in bowls. Use a spoon to scoop by teaspoonful and make a rounded 1 inch ball. Then roll in one of the toppings listed above. Each truffle should be well coated. 

Store truffles in a covered container in the fridge until ready for use.

Mother's Steamed Christmas Pudding

During my teen years, mother decided that she wanted to start a Christmas tradition that was unique to her heritage. After much time spent going through food magazines and cookbooks, she used her skills in recipe adaptation to create a recipe for steamed Christmas pudding that the entire family could eat. Dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free; it met everyone's dietary needs. Not only that, but it was delicious! As grandchildren joined her family they enjoyed helping her make the pudding and prepare it on the stovetop, as it was steamed instead of baked. At serving time, sugar cubes were soaked in almond extract and brought to the dinner table in high flame. The children loved watching the flames slowly die as the extract was burned off. And how fun it was to eat something that had been presented with so much charm! Here is mother's recipe for you to enjoy as well.

Steamed Christmas Pudding

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup amaranth flour*

1/4 cup sweet rice flour*

1/4 cup garbanzo flour*

1/4 cup tapioca starch*

3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 cup grated raw carrots
1 cup grated raw potatoes

1/4 cup raw grated apple
1 cup raisins
1 cup nuts, walnuts

1/2 tsp. fresh lemon zest

1/2 tsp. black walnut extract

Mix all ingredients together until moist. Place mixture in a prepared Pyrex bowl and cover with foil until secured. Put in a kettle of gently boiling water and cover with lid. Water should be 3/4 of the way up the side of the bowl. Steam for four hours, adding more water as necessary. Additional steaming is okay, but will result in an even darker pudding.

Serve with apple gravy (thickened apple juice concentrate with cinnamon added). To flame: soak sugar or sugar cubes in pure almond extract. Working quickly, place on top of pudding and light with a match. Take to table while flaming for a beautiful presentation.

*All-purpose flour may be substituted for the gluten-free flours given.

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread boys and girls are a traditional Christmas 

cookie and bring much delight to those who eat them. 

Can you remember biting of a foot, arm, or the head 

first, and then laughing as you share in the experience 

with someone you love? What shall be the second bite? 

Today I'm sharing a gingerbread cookie recipe for those 

who are gluten-free. I don't want them to miss out on 

the experience! 

Gingerbread Cookies

2 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups arrowroot, plus extra for rolling out cookies
1 1/2 cups amaranth flour
2 Tbsp (6 tsp) baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 cups Sucanat
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup safflower oil
1/3 cup molasses
2 Tbsp (6 tsp) vanilla
oil, for oiling cookie sheets

Decorations:

dried currants
dried cranberries
sunflower seeds
Decorator's Frosting

1. In a small bowl, stir together the brown rice flour, arrowroot, amaranth
flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and
cloves, and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, place the remaining ingredients, and stir to combine. Add
the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir well to combine. Cover
the bowl, place it in the refrigerator, and chill the dough for 1 hour or
more. Using a little safflower oil, lightly oil (or mist with oil) two
non-stick cookie sheets and set aside.

3. Sprinkle a little arrowroot over a work surface. Divide the chilled dough
into quarters, work with only one quarter of the dough at a time, and keep
the remaining dough covered and chilled until needed. Working in batches,
roll out the quarter of dough to 1/4" (6 mm) thickness, and cut into desired
shapes with cookie cutters.

4. Carefully transfer the cut cookies to the prepared cookie sheet. Bake them at
350 F (175 C) for 6 minutes (the cookies will feel slightly soft to the
touch). Allow them to cool on the cookie sheets for 3 minutes before
transferring them to a rack to cool completely. Repeat the rolling and
cutting-out procedure for the remaining cookie dough. Store the cookies in an
airtight container.

To make Gingerbread People:

1. Cut the dough using a person-shaped cookie cutter. Carefully transfer the cut
cookies to the prepared cookie sheets.

2. To decorate them: use two dried currants for eyes, pressing them slightly
into the dough; squeeze one dried cranberry with your fingers to form it into
a mouth, pressing it slightly into the dough; and then use 8 sunflower seeds
to make the outline of a vest, or 10 sunflower seeds to make the outline of a
dress, pressing them slightly into the dough.

3. Bake as directed above.

TIP: The dried currants, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds can also be used
to decorate other cut shapes of cookies.

To make Glazed Gingerbread Cookies:

1. Cut cookies as desired and bake as directed above.

2. Prepare the Decorator's Frosting and use it to decorate the completely cooled
cookies, as desired.

3. Allow the frosting to set completely before transferring the cookies to an
airtight container.

Yield: 3 - 4 Dozen.

Easy Enchilada Sauce

As summer draws to a close, food prep changes to match the season. During autumn I think of corn, beans, cilantro, and a bit more spice. Here's a recipe for enchilada sauce that our family loves! It is easy to make and really does kick things up in the kitchen!

Easy Enchilada Sauce

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup chili powder

2 cups vegan chicken-style broth

10 ounces tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil. Then, add cornstarch and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chilli powder and cook 30 seconds. Add broth, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken and smooth out. Adjust seasonings, adding salt if needed.

To make vegan chicken-style seasoning, mix 1 cup of water with 2 Tbsp. Bill's Best Chicknish' or McKay's Chicken Style Seasoning.

A P P L E S crisp

The neighborhood is busy preparing for apple harvest. Bins are being set out for pickers to fill with juicy, red, Fuji apples. The bins will fill the back of semi-trucks who haul them to a nearby packing plant. There's nothing like a tree ripened Fuji apple! Its juicy water-core indicates a sweet and ripe apple. Our friendly neighbors are generous with their apples, so it is a perfect time of year to prepare foods with this delicious fruit!

An Apple-a-Day Pesto

1 1/2 cups basil leaves, fresh
1 cup parsley, fresh
1 cup Fuji apple, cored and quartered
1/4 cup almonds
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate
1 tsp. lemon juice, fresh
1 tsp. lemon zest, fresh
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Place basil, parsley, apple, almonds, and salt in food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Stop pulsing and add apple juice concentrate, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Pulse food processor and then slowly drizzle olive oil into mixture. When blended, place pesto in a serving bowl.

Serve with apple slices, crusty slices of bread, and crackers. If you like to double-dip, add a bowl of peanut butter!

Enjoy!