Shalom Farm's Maple Cookies - A Family Favorite

This recipe was inspired by our maple farmer in PA. She quickly gave it to me by memory as we stood in a cold parking lot, making a large maple syrup purchase/exchange. (She would meet me half way in a parking lot). Anyway...I must have written it down wrong, because my notes made no sense! I had it "stored away in a safe place" for about 2 years! (sigh) When I came across the recipe recently, I decided I would try to make it work, by guessing..and man did it ever! We LOVE these cookies! They are simply delicious. I am going to suggest playing with a list of optional goodies of choice, but my absolute favorite is adding dried cranberries. The tartness of berries with the gentle sweetness of the maple is so special! I even like it better than chocolate chips!!! (Unheard of!) This recipe makes about 3 1/2 dozen good size cookies. You could cut it in half if that is to many.

Anyway - try them and tell me what you think!

Shalom Farm's Maple Cookies
Preheat oven at 350F

2 eggs, beaten
1C REAL butter
1 1/2C REAL maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4c wheat or spelt flour

Handful or two of dried cranberries*** (Or nuts, dr. apples, dr. apricots, chopped fresh apple, chocolate chips, raisins)

1. Beat together the first 4 ingrediants until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a seperate bowl, mix the next thre ingrediants.
3. Then add to the bowl of wet ingrediants and blend well. Add dried cranberries (or other goodies) and mix with a spoon.

Drop large tablespoons full of dough unto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for approx 10minutes.

Apple Cake

Apple Cake sounded good for Chazaq's 2nd Birthday this year, but I didn't have a "tried and approved recipe" in my family recipe book yet...so I started searching the web. I found a recipe that the writer raved about, but it still had ingredients we don't use...so I modified it and rewrote the instructions the way I like too. This is what I came up with and it was outstanding! This has made the family recipe book with honors! It makes a 9x13 pan. The amount of apples you use may very based on the the size of your apples, but the more are better. You want enough apples to cover the cake generously in two layers. This makes a delicious dessert cake or a special coffee cake. ( I Like to reduce the sugar by a cup when serving it for Shabbat breakfast.) It is also very nice to make ahead for Shabbat to take to gatherings, but I must admit it is dangerous to have sitting around if you are staying at home! :-)

For the apple mixture:
Approx. 12-16 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1" chunks
1T cinnamon
5T Rapadura, Sucanut or Maple Sugar (brown sugar is OK too - if you must)

For batter:
3-4C Rapadura, Sucanut or Maple Sugar (brown sugar is OK too - if you must)
5C wheat flour (fresh ground if possible)
2T baking powder
2 tsp sea salt
2C pecan chopped (optional)
1/2C orange juice, fresh squeezed
1T + 2 tsp vanilla extract (homemade if possible)
8 eggs, beaten
2C coconut oil (or oil of choice)

Grease a 9x13 baking pan and preheat your oven to 350F
1. Prepare and combine apple mixture and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together.
3. In a separate bowl mix wet ingredients together.
4. Add the wet to the dry and mix well.
5. Layer half of the batter in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle half of the apple mixture evening over the top. Repeat.

Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours of until a knife comes out of the center clean.

Try it and tell me what you think!

Pecan Pie WITHOUT Cornsyrup

I was recently reminded about the 'yummyness' of Pecan pie, by a friend who was visiting and LOVES pecan pie. I asked her if she had a recipe with corn syrup and she said, sadly, "no". Which inspired me to start searching. We moved from Lancaster County, PA a couple years ago, where pecan pie is a local side dish! It is found in every restaurant, road side farm stand and church pot luck. There is even a tourist (trap) bakery who's primary item is pecan pie, I would not be surprised if a hundred are sold in a day in the Summer Tourist Time. Anyway, these pies, are so (sickening) sweet that it really took the joy of the pecan pie from me. Then...right before we moved, I came across a pie made by a healthy Amish Baker that used to bake pies for our local health food store found on an Amish Farm. She used (if I remember correctly) brown rice syrup and maple syrup and whole wheat crust. Her pies where (small, but) delicious and full of flavor. (And they didn't send you in to a sugar-comma or make your teeth hurt!!) But then we moved!! I was never able to learn her secrets, and frankly had not thought about it until my friend mentioned pecan pie with such passion recently. Our pecans are now falling from our tree and Thanksgiving is fast approaching! So I thought I would research this topic and see what I could find. while I haven't had a chance to try any of these yet, I can see they have the makings of a great pies! So I thought I would post them. When I do try them, I will give my review in Our Family Jots and Tittles. If you try them, please come back and comment. I would love to know what you thought!

This recipe uses brown rice syrup and maple syrup. (This would be my first pick if I could get a hold of brown rice syrup again...and it weren't crazy expensive.)
http://foodforlaughter.blogspot.com/2009/10/maple-pecan-pie.html

This one uses, Rapedura/Sucanut, honey and molasses and soaked pecans.
http://www.cheeseslave.com/2009/12/14/healthy-texas-pecan-pie/
An amazing looking tart. (I would sub Rapadura for brown sugar.)
http://recipeland.com/recipe/v/Triple-Pecan-Pie-with-Maple-52735

This recipe uses a homemade cane sugar syrup - which replaces corn syrup. Interesting!
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/dessert/oldfashioned-pecan-pie-a-corn-syrupfree-recipe-131952

A raw food version - you don't even have to feel guilty about!
http://drbenkim.com/healthy-pecan-pie-recipe.html

Here is an honorable mention of a Pecan Pumpkin Pie Squares - that looked really good that my daughter wants to be sure we make first.

Enjoy!

P.S. I have just recently learned of a regional pecan pie down here in the south under various names, but often called Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Pie. It has chocolate and bourbon in the recipe! But, like the other pecan pie - everyone uses corn syrup. :-( I have been looking for a recipe without cornsyrup and can't find one! (maybe I will have to experiment!) If anyone knows of one, please let me know! I would love to play with it!!

This post was shared at the Barn Hop.

**UPDATE** Yesturday, we were going to give the recipe listed above by Cheeseslave (listed above) a try. In the process, I learned that (although I triple checked the location again) it does not take you to the recipe. I had to go the her website (http://www.cheeseslave.com/) then search "texas pecan pie" to get there again. Then when I went to apply the recipe - I could not find a bake temperature. I asked her questions and will share the answers if I get them. Also in her comments someone else listed a pecan pie recipe that was VERY SIMPLE, without cornsyrup that they really enjoyed. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pecan-Pie-V/Detail.aspx
I would sub Rapedura/Sucanat/Maple Sugar for the brown and white sugar in this recipe. "SIMPLE" is where I think I need to focus at this stage of the process. :-)It may end up being the one I try - because my time is running short before we leave. (I'll try to let you know how it worked out in our next Jots and Tittles.)

I also found this yummy and SIMPLE looking recipe that uses maple syrup and brown sugar. (I would sub Rapedura/Sucanat/Maple Sugar for brown sugar as mentioned before.)
http://southernfood.about.com/od/pecanpies/r/bl50714f.htm I am out of maple syrup right now (Mom is actually bringing some to Thanksgiving from my Farner in PA! YES!) otherwise, I would make this one.

Cranberry Thanksgiving (with Muffin Recipe)

Several years ago, we came a accross this book at our local thrift-book store, called Cranberry Thanksgiving. As I looked up the link to share it with you today, I find that it is indeed out of print and getting sold at exorbanant prices. The link above lets you browse the book on Amazon. Anyway, I thought if you came accross it in a thrift store (like I did), that you might take notice of it.

It is a cute story about Grandma's Famous Cranberry Bread, hospitality, greed, good character and not judging people by the world's standards. (I don't want to give too much away!) At the end of the book, the secret recipe is revealed, which we just HAD to try...and it is DELICIOUS. It has become a family holiday favorite. I like to make it either in muffins or loaves (4 loave or 48 muffins minumum) for Thanksgiving Day Weekend. They make a wonderfully quick continental breakfast to have on hand for quests with fruit, premade quiche, fruit, coffee, tea and milk. It is always one of those recipes that is "asked for". I have modified it to suite our family. I use Rapedura/Sucanut/Maple Sugar, since those are our preferred sugars to white. I have also reduced the sugar by 25%. I use wheat or spelt flour instead of all purpose in the orginal recipe. I was also just made aware, that I have increased the orange juice from the original recipe. I don't remember how that has come about...but I confirmed my notes and this how we make it. We have modified it enough that we could probably rename it Shalom Farm's Orange Cranberry Bread...so of 'that cookbook' ever happens. That's probably what I'll will do! :-) They freeze well, and are great for "taking" if you are traveling elsewhere for the weekend. So here is the recipes with my modified directions and muffins option as well.

(Shalom Farm's) Orange Cranberry Bread/Muffins :-)
This makes 2 loaves or 24 muffins.

4 wheat flour
1 1/2C sugar of choice
1T baking powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2c butter, cold
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp orange zest
2 C orange juice
3C golden raisins (not dark raisins)
3C fresh or frozen cranberries

Mix together flour, sugar, b. powder, b. soda and salt

Cut in cold butter, to make a course even crumble. Make a well in the center.

In another bowl mix together, o.j, zest and egg. Add 'wet bowl' to 'dry bowl' and mix until blended evenly.

Fold in raisins.

Butter your loaf pans or muffin tins, or line muffin tins with paper muffin cups.

Evenly distribute your cranberries in the bottom of your pan or cups. Than pour your batter over top. (This works much better than the original instructions of mixing the cranberries in the batter, because it keeps them from floating to the tippy top, where they always burn.)

For loaves - bake @ 350F for 1 hour 10 min or until knife comes out clean.
For muffins - bake @ 325F for 30-33 minutes.
Enjoy!

* A side note - This bread is LOADED with fruit between the cranberries and raisins. It is a wonderful combination of sweet and tart. But the fruit could easily be reduced to suite some preferences. My suggestion, if you do this, is just keep the ratio even between cranberries and raisins. You could reduce it to half and still have a very nice bread. (Something to consider if you need to be cost conscious or have limited supplies!) I have also made this bread with dried cranberries and raisins. It is nice...but not as good. It is much better (in our opinions) with fresh or frozen. Again - don't sub dark raisins for golden because it too, is very different - they don't do this bread justice, we've tried it.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

This is a scrumptiously rich pie that makes a wonderful Erev Shabbat Dessert. It came from a cookbook called HELP! My Family is Hungry. It is a simple to make, but very rich and "extra special. The author says she likes it best gooey and warm. However, my family prefers is after it has cooled and set up. SO it makes a great make ahead dessert! (You can see which way your family prefers it.) Just a little sliver will do it either way...because it is RICH. Because it is so rich, a little vanilla ice cream is always quite nice with it. :-)

The recipe called for an 8" pie pan (but we only have 9". So that is what we used and it turned out wonderfully). You could use any pie crust with this pie. A nut crust, graham cracker, a roll out and press in crust all would work well. We like to use a short bread recipes we are partial too and press that into a crust.

Pie crust of choice
1/2C butter
1/2C chocolate chips
1C sugar (could reduce to 1/2!)
2 eggs, beaten together in a small bowl
1/2C chopped pecans
1/2C coconut

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Line pie plate with crust and refrigerate or prebake as needed.
• In a saucepan, melt butter
• Add chocolate chips, and stir until melted.
• Remove from heat, stir in remaining ingredients.
• Pour into prepare shell.
• Bake 35 minutes

Easy as pie!

Home Shalom's Orange Pecan Date Muffins

These are my new favorite muffins. They are a scrumptious and decadent treat! (My muffin monsters agree!) We are having them for our Shabbat Breakfast tomorrow and making extra to freeze and have on hand. This recipe was inspired by a cake recipe I saw at Taste of Home. Of course I rearranged it, took things out and added my stuff, now I can call it my own. These are a "must try" while oranges are still in season! Zesting the oranges takes a little doing..but it is SO worth it! This recipe make about 15.

1 cup chopped dates
2 1/4C + 1/4C wheat flour (divided)
1C butter, softened
1/2C Rapadura or Sucanat
2 eggs
1/4C grated orange peel
1tsp b. powder
1/2 tsp b. soda
1/2 tsp salt
1C buttermilk
1C pecans, chopped fine

1. Toss dates into about 1/4C flour to coat the dates. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and rapadura until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, one at time, beating well each time. Add orange peel and gently mix in.
4. In a separate bowl mix together remaining flour, b. powder, b. soda and salt.
5. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in stages, to the butter mixture beating it well as you go.
6. Stir in the dates and nuts.

Fill greased or paper lined muffin tins. Bake @400F for 20 minutes or until tooth pick comes out of the center clean.

Enjoy!

p.s. Hailey was my partner in the creation in this muffin by the way...she is a crumb off the ol' muffin!

Crockpot Caramel Dip

This was a delicious recipe we found this week at Crockpot Recipe Exchange . It took one try and it made the family recipe book! This delicious and simple caramel dip is wonderful for dipping apple wedges, and would make a fabulous ice cream topping or even a sauce for an apple tart! We have also used it as a middle layer between shortbread and melted chcoalte chips for a decadent cookie bar! This is a soft carmel (unlike a hard store bought caramel cube) , but it will stiffen in the fridge some. Apparently this is an "old recipe" that used to be cooked right in the can, but here is a more healthful twist on this old classic!*

1 can of sweetened condensed milk**

1. Take the milk from the can and put it in a pint jar. Secure a lid (we use plastic).

2. Lay a washcloth in the bottom of the crock and put your jar in and cover with water. (I had to lay mine down and weight it with a heavy cereal bowl so that it could be totally submerged under the water.)

3. Cover and turn on High and let cook for 4-6 hours. If you pull it out on earlier it will be lighter in color and flavor, if you let it go the longer length it gets richer and darker in color and flavor.

This is a rich dip and it makes what I would call 8 very "responsible" servings (small) of dip. (Pictured above.)

* This can also be done on the stove top, in a double boiler, covered, on moderate heat for about 60-90 minutes.

** FYI - Trader Joes has Organic Sweetened Condensed Milk!! (The only place I have ever seen that!) If anyone else knows of another source for organic - please tell me!

To double it, we put 2 cans in a quart jar and lay it on its side on my oval crock.

HomeShalom's Snow Cream

I was hoping to post this last week (when there was still snow on the ground here!), but I didn't get it done. But I know there are lots of folks who will still have snow for several weeks...and who knows...we might get it again...ya never know down here in TN. :-) Since we have moved down here - It have become a delicacy! Our recipe has grown as our family has...so I will reflect that here:

These are generous serving sizes. You might consider a smaller number if you just want a cup instead of a big bowl. It IS cold! :-)

Mix together and eat -

Serves 1
1/2C Cream
1T Maple Syrup (Sugar, Agave or light honey)
3 drops Vanilla Extract
2C Clean Snow

Serves 2
1C Cream
2T Maple Syrup (Sugar, Agave or light honey)
6 Drops of Vanilla Extract
4C Clean Snow

Serves 4
2C Cream
1/4C Maple Syrup (Sugar, Agave or light honey)
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
8C Clean Snow

Serves 6
3C Cream
1/4C + 2T Maple Syrup (Sugar, Agave or light honey)
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
12C Clean Snow

Serves 10
5C Cream
1/2C + 2T Maple Syrup (Sugar, Agave or light honey)
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
20C Clean Snow

• Rapedura (sucanat) also works well, each variation in sweetener effects the flavor slighty - you will find what we you like best. Our favorite is maple syrup.
• You may sub whole milk for cream or mix it.
• We have also added fixin' too! Although it really doesn't need it. (banana, sauces or mini chips)
  
  Enjoy!
  

Chocolate Challah Bread Pudding

I have not yet tried this at the time of this post, but it looks so amazing (how could it not be delicious???). So I thought I would share it. Now, I won't forget to try it either! :-) I am just discovering that there are quite a few Challah Bread pudding recipes out there...I'm am going to have to experiment this winter! :-)

Serves 8.
1 pound challah, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
3 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 large eggs
2 yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

• Spread challah cubes on cookie sheet and let dry in warm oven (250 degrees) about 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small saucepan combine the chocolate, milk and cream over medium heat, whisking until mixture is smooth.
• In a large bowl whisk the eggs and yolks with the sugar and add the hot mixture in a steady stream. Whisk in the vanilla. Stir in the challah.
• Transfer the mixture to a buttered 3-quart shallow baking dish. Let stand 10 minutes for challah to absorb the custard mixture.
• Bake about 30 to 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.
  
  

Grama's Cocoa Fudge

Grama's Cocoa Fudge

I can remember one time when I was a girl, and my brother and Aunt (who was our age) didn't really want to include me in what they were doing ( I was the little tag along). My grandma always knew just how to smooth things over between us kids. She pulled me aside and whispered (do you want to help me make some fudge?) It helped me forget all about what they were doing!

2C Sugar ( I reduce mine!)
3T Cocoa
pinch of salt
3/4C milk
1T butter
1tsp vanilla

In a saucepan, blend together sugar, cocoa & salt. Add milk and mix well, put on low flame and stir constantly until it comes to a boil- then do not stir again. Boil slowly until it reaches the softball stage (238 F). Remove from fire and add butter and vanilla - but don't stir! put the pan in cold water (Grama always liked to use icewater in the sink.) When candy no longer feels hot to touch (110 F) beat until creamy and starting to loose its glaze. Turn out into a buttered 9" square pan and mark into squares. Grama always like to keep her fudge in a tin. :-)

HomeShalom's Chocolate Sauces

I was experimenting with making chocolate sauce from scratch last winter and wrote a post about it and never posted it. (I have a few of those!) My husband was a "Hershey Syrup" kind of guy, but the ingredients list did not pass my test. So I used to by the organic version of it by Alaska, which he liked. Since we have moved, our grocery options became more limited and I am trying to be more thrifty with our purchases (the organic stuff is expensive!). So I have gotten in the habit of making more and more things from scratch whenever I get the hankerin'. Ben had been without his beloved syrup for a while...so I thought I try to come with a home made version. These experiments resulted in no cook chocolate sauce variations that we can make anytime with things I keep on hand in my food pantry. It's a beautiful thing! Enjoy!

Home Shalom's Milk Chocolate Sauce

1/4 C Coconut Oil

1/4 C Cocoa Powder

1/3 C Dry Milk Powder

1/3 C Maple Syrup

1tsp Vanilla Extract

2T Filtered Water

Mix all ingredients together until nice and smooth. This is the family favorite, hands down. we double it when we make it.

HomeShalom's Dark Maple Chocolate Sauce
1/4 C Maple Syrup
2T + 2tsp Cocoa Powder
Mix well and drizzel as desired.

This version gives a slight maple undertone to your chocolate which we found to be delicious. We use Grade B syrup which is strong in maple flavor...but a light amber Grade A would be
would be more discreet on the maple undertones. You could slightly increase the cocoa to compensate (make them heaping Tablespoons).

--------------------------

HomeShalom's Dark Agave Chocolate Sauce
1/4 C Agave Syrup
2T + 2tsp Cocoa Powder
Mix well and drizzle as desired.

This version is smooth and delicious. I think it was my favorite.

--------------------------

HomeShalom's Dark Honey Chocolate Fudge Sauce
1/4 C Raw Honey
3T (heaping) Cocoa Powder (scant 1/4C)
Mix well and spread or spoon as desired.

This was a much thicker consistency, like fudge sauce. It could be warmed and it would thin out. It had a honey flavor in the back ground.

-------------------------------
Variations
I have also played with adding flavors to my sauces but failed to record them for the post. So I would like to encourage you to play with them too. Flavor extracts like cinnamon, mint, orange, banana, coconut, cherry and vanilla have all been delightful! Instant coffee and pumpkin pie spice and peanut butter are also things I have yet to try..but sound like they have potential!

* Each Sauce is shelf stable and can be stored in the cupboard in an airtight container if you double the recipe or have leftovers.
* I did not have any Barley Malt or Rice Syrup on hand, but I think it would work just as well.

*** Some suggested uses: add to coffee; top ice cream; drizzle on (or dip) fruit; top pancakes, blintzes or french toast; milk; mix in to make choc flavored ice cream, malts or shakes; smoothies; pudding; flavor hot cereals like oatmeal or farina; jazz up your granola; drizzle over homemade cinnamon sugar tortilla chips; fondue; mix into a basic muffins, pancake or cookie batter to convert it to a chocolate version; dip for pretzels or graham crackers; mix in a club soda for an old fashioned chocolate soda; mix in yogurt for fruit or pretzel dip. We love it over our frozen homemade "banana only ice cream".

Coco Cranberry Raw Bars

This is a version of raw Lara Bar I came up with that has become a family favorite. It was requested from my Shabbat Menu last week. They are so easy to make and so delicious. I hope you will try them!

Coco Cranberry Raw Bars

2C dates, rough chopped

1/2 C cocoa

1/2-1C coconut

1 tsp vanilla

1C dried cranberries

1C raw cashews

1. In the food processor, with the cutting blade, process the first 4 ingredients to make the base that sticks together. It will look crumbly, but press some together to see how well it sticks. If is doesn't you need more dates.

2. Add nuts and cranberries and pulse to chop and mix. (The finer your nuts the better it will hold its shape. The nuts in my picture are not as fine as they should be...this batch did not slice as well as the last.)

3. Pour mixture onto a large sheet of wax paper. Fold the wax paper over the pile pressing and shaping the pile underneath into a pressed log. When it is all smashed together in a firm tight log. Wrap well in wax paper and put into a Zip lock bag and store in the fridge. When you want to serve, just slice off pieces, and eat. They look like little cookies. They are pretty too! These are nice to travel with too. When we take long trips, we'll just pinch pieces off and skip the formality of the cutlery. :-)

Tips: If your bars are too crumbly add more dates. This may very based on the moistness of your dates and coconut. If you don't like really dark rich chocolate, use only 1/3C cocoa.

If want to experiment with your own combinations (which I highly recommend and hope you share with me!). This is the rough "formula" you can follow:

(1 part of each)

Example:

1C nuts of choice

1C dates, chopped

1C dried fruit

Spices as desired

This recipe is linked to Tuesday Twister

Herbal Yogurt Pops

I've made all kinds of herbal tea popcycles and yogurt popcycles...but I never thought to make herbal yogurt popcycles! Not until it was suggested in one of my classes at Learning Herbs - that is. Here is a recipe with Hibiscus which is rich in Vitamin C and a festive red color. It also has Chamomile which is a rich source of nutriants and has a plethora of healing properties. (Two things I always have on hand!)

These pops passed my kids' test, and this recipe made our family recipe book. Give them a try. I will be more bold to experiment along these line too!

1/4 C Dr. Chamomile Flowers
2 T Dr. Hibiscus
2 1/2 C boiling Water
Honey to taste (2/3 - 3/4 Cups)

*Put honey and water in jar and mix to disolve.
* Add herbs, cover and let steep for a minimum 5-10 minutes. (I like to let my infusions stand longer...as long as possible it derives more properties...but also makes it stronger.)
*Strain Herbs (not neccessary if you bag them while ther steep)
* Put in blender and add:

pinch of salt
2 C Yogurt
2T Lemon Juice

Blend and pour into popcycle molds of choice, and freeze.
(Great Premade Shabbat Treats! Nice to have on hand for little visitors too!)

This recipe makes 18 tupperware molds (3 trays). (You could easy cut this recipe in half if thats too many.)

My Favorite Berry Pie

These recipes come from a book that is out of print, but if you can get a hold of it - it is a treasure. Rodale's Basic Natural Foods Cookbook. It is 800 pages of natural recipes. A wonderful resource! 'Tis the season for:

Berry Pie

• pastry for two pie crusts (suggestions below)
• 4C fresh berries (blackberries, raspeberries, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, elderberries, huckleberries, locan berries, juneberries, gooseberries, strawberries, or currents)
• 1/4 tapioca*
• 1/4C plus 1T honey**
• 2T butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional - but tasty!)

1. Preheat oven to 450F
2. Prepare crust of choice (suggestions below)
3. Roll out 1/2 of the pastry on a flat surface and line a 9" pie plate with the crust.
4. In a medium size bowl mixe berries, tapioca, honey, butter, and cinn. Pour mixture into dough. Roll out ramaining crust and place over filling. trim, seal, and crimp edges. Make several steam vents in the top of the crust. (or make laddice or crumb topping if preferred)
5. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and bake for 30 -45 minutes or more if needed. Cool to room tempature on a wire rack before serving.

*I grind large tapico balls (not instant) into a powder and use it that way.

**If making cherry, cranberry or goosberry pie add 3T more honey (equalling 1/2C total).

This is also very tasty if made without a crust and backed in a cassarol dish and used as a decadent ice cream topping!

If you have a favorite crust use it - here are some suggestions if you don't or you want to try something new.

SourCream Pie Crust (2 crusts)
2 1/2C WW pastry flour
1/2C cold butter
1/2 to 2/3C cold sour cream

Put flour in med sized bowl, and cut in cold butter (with a pastry knife or back of a fork or two butter knives.) When you are finished it will be an even mixture of course lumps.

Mix in sour cream a little bit at a time to bind the dough until it holds together. (amount may very)

Chill for 30 minutes or more.

When ready to fill the pie, devide dough in half and roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and line a buttered 9" pie plate. (Repeat and shape for top and vent or cut into lattice.)


Basic Rolled Pie Crust (2 crusts)
2 1/2C ww pastry flour
6T cold butter (1/4C + 2T)
4-6T oil
4-6T ice water

• Put flour into medium bowl; cut in cold butter with pastry cutter or 2 knives distribute evening.
• Add oil slowly as you continue to cut until the dough forms a unifrom course meal (crumbly).
• Slowly add icewater while mixing until the dough can be gathered into a ball. (Not crumbly, not wet)
• Place dough on a piece of floured wax paper. Flatten dough with your hand and sprinkle with flour. Cover with another pice of waxed paper and roll into a 12" circle, about 1/8 to 1/4" thick. Remove top sheet and invert onto a buttered 9" pie plate. Pat it place.

Fill pie and repeat rolling process for top crust. Crimp edges and cut vents or cutt into a lattice and bake as directed.

OR

Bake empty piecrusts for 12-15 minutes @ 425F cool and fill as other recipes may call for.

Rich Pie Crust (bottom only)
1/2C Ricotta Cheese or Cottage Cheese
1/3C Butter
1 1/4C WW Pastry Flour

In a medium bowl, combine all ingrediants together, tossing gently to form dough. Chill.
When ready to fill the pie, press crust into pie plate.

* You can double this and press shapes to drop on top, or do a crumb topping.

Maple Almond Kisses

This is a tasty cookie, which is easy to make and has only four ingrediants. They are a unique cookie which are fun to serve others. It is a light and sophisticated cookie; lovely to serve with tea or ice cream and easy to pack up for "taking".

Maple Almond Kisses
2 Egg Whites
1/3C Pure Maple Syrup (we like Grade B)
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2C Finely Chopped Almonds

• Preheat oven to 275F. Line a cookie sheet with parchement paper.
• In a large beat egg whites until soft peaks form. (Do this with a beater on HIGH or a whisk and lots of fast strokes.)
• Gradually, add syrup while beating on high (if doing this manually, you will need a helper while you hold the bowl and beat) until stiff (but not dry).
• Gently fold in vanilla and almonds.
• Dollop spoons full onto prepared cookie sheets with a little tip at the top (like a "Hershey's Kiss shape) and bake for 45 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 250F and bake 10 minutes more.

Let cool and remove from paper with a thin spatula. Makes about 2 dozen.

The texture on these vary slightly based on your the size of your dollops. Some may be crispy outside and chewing inside (like a chewey toasted marshmellow- kinda) While some may be sticky and elastic like soft taffy. Both are very tasty and get posative reviews. The cookies get to a like toasted color. I am anxious to try other flavors in place of the maple. I would love to hear your reveiws of this (or any) recipe, if you try it!

Fluffy Puree Chip Cookies

These have become a family favorite from the first time we made them. They are a delicious and very versatile cookie! Unique and fun to share with others (make copies of the recipe, you'll need them!) Makes a large batch (number varies on size of cookies and wether you add oats or not). Enjoy!

Fluffy Puree Chip Cookies
2C (or 1-15oz can) of Pumpkin Puree (or squash, or yam, or carrot, or banana)
4 Eggs
1/2C Melted Butter
1/2 C Honey (or agave or barley malt) (lessoned from 1C)
1tsp Vanilla
3 1/2C Wheat Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Clove
2C Chocolate Chips
1-2C Oats (optional - oats make the cookies crispier, without them they are a delightful cake-like texture)

1. Mix wet ingrediants together.
2. Add remaining dry ingrediants, except for chips and oats, and mix.
3. Fold in chips and oats.
4. Drop on oiled cookie sheet, leaving 2-3" in between cookies (they spread).
5. Bake @ 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes (depending on size).

*mini chips are very nice in these cookies.

Hamantashen

This is a our favorite Purim Cookie. It makes large batch, 4-5 dozen. You can easily cut the recipe in half, but if you want to make more, I do it in batches. The it's too difficult to cut the butter into the flour if you double it and it doesn't turn out as nicely. I like to use my food processor to cut the butter in, it is so very fast and does such a great job. However, you can do it manually with a pastry cutter or two butter knives or the back of a fork.


4 C Flour (I use wheat pastry flour)

1/2 pound cold butter (2 sticks)
4 tsp baking powder
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1C sugar (I use a scant cup of fructose)
2 tsp vanilla

Goodies - Jam, peanut butter, chocolate chips, fig, whatever sounds yummy!

• Mix dry ingrediants together in a bowl-Cut in butter (using a pastry cutter or a big fork or a two butter knives) until it is evenly encorperated into the texture of a course meal.
• Add Eggs & Vanilla-Mix dough to form a ball (add flour if too sticky to handle)
• (You may refrigerate, if sealed well to use later or...) Preheat oven 375 F
• Roll out dough on a floured counter (about a 1/4 inch)
• Cut into circles (using a biscuit cutter or a glass or a reg. mason jar ring)
• Pinch three corners to form a triangle that looks like a three pointed hat, leaving a sot in the center for goodies.
• Drop a dollop of goodies in the center of each hat (1/4-1/2 tsp preserves, choc chips, peanut butter, etc)
  

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until crisp (very light golden)

Chag Purim!