Wheat and Honey

This makes enough honey toffee to cover 6 smallish apples

¼ cup water 1 cup honey ½ tsp apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp butter

First prepare your apples and pears by removing the wax. Dip them in steaming hot water for about 30 seconds each, then rub with a rough cloth until the skin is smooth and not tacky. It may change the color of the skin, but the toffee will stick better. Remove the stems, and push a stick/large skewer into the top down to the center (or plastic forks, in my case). Place out a piece of foil and smear butter on it. Get a deep bowl of cold water ready.

Use a medium saucepan—larger than you think you need, because it foams up a lot when it boils. Cook the water, honey, vinegar, and butter over high heat. Let it boil until it reaches about 280° F. Honey cooks faster than cane sugar so be really careful; this is as hot as it gets before burning. Remove from heat and dip the apples/pears immediately and quickly once it reaches this temperature. Tilt the pan to make a pool, then stick in one apple at a time, twirling it around to cover with toffee. Then quickly plunge the apple into the cold water, then set down to harden on the buttered foil.

#butter #candy #dessert #glutenfree #honey #vegetarian #vinegar

2 ½ cups plain bread crumbs* ¼ cup brown sugar 4 Tbsp butter 1 lb apples ½ lb plums 1 tsp ground ginger 3 Tbsp honey 1 cup whipping cream 2 Tbsp brown sugar

Cut the butter into smaller pieces. Place breadcrumbs, butter and ¼ cup brown sugar in a non-stick pan on low heat. Cook gently while constantly stirring until the butter has all melted and it’s dark golden. Transfer into a bowl and set aside.

Core and slice the apples. Combine the apples and honey. Cook, covered, over medium heat until the apples are soft enough to easily poke through with a knife, but before they get mushy. Add the ginger. Mash the apples, or put them in a food processor on a low setting, until it is have pureed and half chunks of apple. Basically make a chunky applesauce.

Pit the plums and cut into fourths. Mash/process them in the same way.

Divide each of those ingredients into thirds.

In a glass dish, layer the ingredients. Starting at bottom: apples, plums, crumbs. Repeat to have 3 sets of layers.

Chill in the fridge until cool, even overnight.

Before serving, whip the cream with the 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and spread that over the top. Garnish with plum jam, if available.

*I made bread crumbs with a mixture of whole wheat bread and white potato bread. Basically any plain bread, biscuits, rolls, etc. will work. The easiest way to make bread crumbs is to tear up pieces of bread and process in a blender/food processor until it is all crumbs.

#apple #breadcrumbs #brownsugar #butter #cake #cream #dessert #ginger #honey #plum #pudding #vegetarian

2 cups apples, grated ½ cup honey 3 eggs ¾ cup almond meal 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350° F. Put the grated apple in water with lemon juice until ready to use. Let the eggs come to room temperature. (Putting them in warm water helps.)

Beat the eggs on high speed until pale yellow, a thick foam, small bubbles. Meanwhile gently heat the honey until it is thin and runny. Reduce the eggs to a medium beating speed and slowly pour the honey in as it beats. After the honey is added, beat on high speed for about a minute. Reduce to a low speed and slowly add the almond meal, cinnamon, and salt. Then fold in the grated apple.

Pour batter into a buttered 8” baking pan. Cover with foil.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

#almondmeal #apple #cake #cinnamon #dairyfree #dessert #egg #glutenfree #honey #salt #vegetarian

2 cups whole wheat flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt ½ cup butter ½ cup buttermilk 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Beat together the milk and 1 ½ eggs (or 1 extra large egg). (Start with 1 egg and the milk, then beat the second egg separately and add half of it to the milk.)

Roughly cut the butter into the flour mix, leaving some largish chunks of butter. Stir in the milk mixture until just mixed.

Gently knead the dough on a floured surface until it holds together. Gently shape into a large, flat rectangle. Fold the rectangle into thirds (like folding a letter) and gently press down. Cut into 8 equal pieces, or however many biscuits you want. You can leave them in this shape, or gently reshape them by tucking the edges.

Place on a baking sheet that is greased, or lined with parchment. Use the remaining beaten egg to glaze the tops. Sprinkle seasonings on top if desired. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

#bakingpowder #biscuit #butter #buttermilk #egg #salt #side #vegetarian #wheatflour

1 batch of pie crust dough ¾ cup carrot, grated 2 Tbsp oil 1 ½ cup potato, chopped small 1 clove garlic 1 cup mushrooms, chopped small 2 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves ½ tsp salt ½ tsp pepper

Chill the pie dough until ready to use.

Cook the potato and garlic with the oil, over medium-low heat until the potatoes are softened (they don't have to be completely cooked). Add the mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes, until the mushrooms are soft. Remove from heat. Add the carrots, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Divide pie dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a circle. Spoon a quarter of the filling onto each circle. Fold over the dough and press the edges together. Make a couple of steam vents on the top and place them on a baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

#carrot #garlic #mushroom #oil #parsley #pepper #potato #salt #side #snack #vegetarian

Makes 4 pasties.

1 batch of pie crust dough ½ cup onion, chopped small 2 Tbsp oil 1 ¾ cup potato, chopped small 1 clove garlic 1 cup mushrooms, chopped small 2 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves salt and pepper

Chill the pie dough until ready to use.

Fry the onion in the oil over medium heat for 5 minutes, then add the potato and garlic. Cook over medium-low heat until the potatoes are softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes, until the mushrooms are soft. Remove from heat. Add the parsley, salt, and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Divide pie dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a circle. Spoon a quarter of the filling on to each circle. Fold over the pastry and press edges together. Make a couple of small holes in each pasty and place them on a baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

#garlic #mushroom #oil #onion #parsley #pepper #pie #potato #salt #side #snack #vegetarian

Get some canned pears. Chop them up into smallish pieces. Line a baking sheet with foil, then dust with powdered sugar. Spread the pear pieces in a single layer on the baking sheet. Put in the oven at 200° F for 4-6 hours. They need to be not wet anymore, only slightly sticky, and with a gummy texture like raisins or other dried fruits.

#candy #dairyfree #dessert #driedfruit #glutenfree #pear #powderedsugar #vegan

¾ cup cold buttermilk ¼ cup jam or jelly 1 egg 2 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ¼ cup butter spiced sugar

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk, jam, and egg, stirring just until moist.

Place dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly until the dough is all together. Place on a baking sheet that is either greased, or lined with parchment. Form dough into an approximately ¾” thick, 9” circle. Cut dough into wedges all the way through.

Sprinkle spiced sugar on top. Bake until golden and firm in the middle, 20-30 minutes. Serve warm.

#bakingpowder #butter #buttermilk #egg #jam #salt #scone #side #snack #sugar #vegetarian #wheatflour

6 avocados 2 limes 1 tsp salt ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Peel avocados and remove seed. Juice the limes. Mash together the avocado, lime juice, salt, and cilantro.

#avocado #cilantro #condiment #dairyfree #glutenfree #limejuice #salt #side #vegan

Chicken pieces (boneless and skinless is easiest) salsa shredded cheese (such as cheddar, mozzarella, colby jack, pepper jack, monterey jack) oil or butter spices (Mexican style, such as cayenne, cumin, cilantro)

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Warm the oil/butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add in the chicken pieces. Sprinkle the tops of the chicken with spices. Let brown on the bottom side until the chicken seems cooked about halfway through.

Transfer chicken and all drippings from the pan into a baking pan. Cover the chicken with salsa, then cover with shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. (Check with a thermometer for larger pieces. Chicken needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165° F.)

Serve with sides like beans, rice, corn, guacamole, sour cream, whatever you want.

#butter #cayenne #cheese #chicken #cilantro #cumin #main #oil #salsa