1 bag fresh cranberries
2 granny smith apples
2 Gala apples
2 pints raspberries
1 large can mandarin oranges – drained
1 pomegranate
1/2 cup sugar

Wash and sort the cranberries to remove all bad ones. Put them in a food processor and pulse until they are chopped finely. Pour them into a large bowl.

Peel the apples and finely chop them. Add them to the cranberries. Wash and sort the raspberries and add them to the bowl along with the oranges.

Remove all of the seeds from the pomegranate and add them to the bowl.

Stir the fruit together and sprinkle the sugar over it. Stir the sugar in.

This is best made a couple of days before you plan to eat it – this gives the flavors time to meld together. We like it a little more tart, so you will need to add some more sugar if you want it sweeter.

This also makes a very tasty pie if you cook it down with 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar. Then use it as you would berry pie filling!

This sounds so simple – and it is – but it tastes fabulous!

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pkg. soft tofu
1 med. head cabbage – savoy or napa work well
3 carrots – shredded
2 cloves garlic

1.5 Tbsp. oyster sauce
water
splash of mirin cooking wine

optional ingredients
1 Tbsp. minced leek

Put the oil in your pan & heat until it’s smoking.
Cube the tofu into 1″ cubes and set aside. Chop the cabbage and set aside. Peel and shred the carrots, mince the garlic and leeks.

When the oil is smoking, add the veggies. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce and mirin to taste. Add a little bit of water & cover to let it cook down until the veggies are almost wilted. Add the tofu & cook 3-5 minutes more.

Serve with steamed rice.

After buying a bushel of apples, I needed to find things to do with them. So, I turned to the trusty internet to find a proper recipe for applesauce… After not really finding ANY that didn’t require using a food mill (which I don’t have) I decided to try it and see if it was really necessary. This is my recipe.

5-6 medium Honey Crisp apples (or your favorite variety)
1 nectarine
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
dash of apple pie spice

water to cover the bottom of the pan

optional:
2 Tbsp. sugar

Pour enough water into a large heavy bottomed pan to put around 1″ in the bottom. Add the cloves and cinnamon. Set the heat to medium.

Partly peel the apples – leaving some of the skin or all, to your taste. I had some windfall apples, so I peeled those. Cut the core out & discard. Chop the apples into 1″ chunks. Put the apple chunks in the pot.

Peel the nectarine and chop into small chunks. Add this to the apples.

Sprinkle the apple pie spice (or pumpkin pie spice) over the fruit and let it cook down so that all of the fruit is mushy. Stir occasionally.

When the apples are soft, remove the cloves and cinnamon stick. Using the spatula or a potato masher, mash the apples. If it is too tart for you, add a little bit of sugar. If you start with sweet apples you shouldn’t need any.

Remember that it will be less sweet when it is cold.

This serves around 4 people. You can also separate it into snack cups for lunch boxes. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Since buying a bushel of apples, I have made a batch every day – my family loves it! It is good hot or cold, and would make a very good dessert – just add some graham crackers & whipped cream for an inexpensive treat.

1 cup pumpkin (plain from a can)
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs or 2 Ener-G Egg Replacers (mixed)
1-1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup raisins or craisins
1/4 cup molasses (optional)

Throw everything (except the raisins/craisins) into a large mixing bowl. Mix until all of the ingredients are well blended together. Add the raisins/craisins and mix a bit more.

Pour the mixture into a greased and floured loaf pan or divide the mixture between twelve greased muffin cups.

Bake at 350F for 50 minutes if baking bread, or 25 minutes for muffins.

Enjoy!

Recipe provided by Lori Rohleder, Barefoot Books Independent Rep. For a catalog or information on starting your own Stallholder business, please email me at rohleder4@aol.com.

This is a delicious dip for sweet potato fries or artichokes – or use it on hamburgers!

1/2 cup miracle whip or mayo
2 large cloves – mashed
2 Tbsp. minced chives
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp curry powder
cracked black pepper
dash of chili powder

Mash the garlic with a knife or wooden spatula, and mince with a knife using the salt as an abrasive.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl & mix thoroughly. Chill for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.

These delicious fries are sure to be a hit with your family and friends. Since they are baked rather than fried, they are more healthy too!

2 large sweet potatoes – orange or white
olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp. grated parmesean cheese
3 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary

Peel & juliene the sweet potatoes. If you aren’t using them right away, place them in a bowl of cold water.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

In a bowl, drizzle potatoes with olive oil – enough to cover them. In a smaller bowl, combine salt, parmesean and rosemary. Sprinkle the seasonings over the potatoes and mix with your hands. Lay the potatoes out on the baking sheet with space around each of them so they will crisp up nicely.

Bake the fries in the over 5-7 minutes per side – flipping them halfway through baking. Watch them closely to make sure they don’t burn.

Remove and serve immedietly with Garlic-Chive Aioli or ketchup.

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Update!
We made these for a BBQ on Memorial Day, and I used rosemary and spicy oregano instead of parmesan, and used a mixture of sweet potatoes, yams and russet potatoes – they were fabulous!

This is a fabulous dessert recipe for any size gathering – from 2 to 10. It also works great for pot-luck gatherings, as it can be made ahead of time & easily transported.
Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose self rising flour (bisquick)
2 eggs
1 stick of butter – softened

fruit filling* (peaches are best, but any fruit will work)

cinnamon & sugar to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F**. In a medium bowl, mix sugar, flour, egg, and butter. Set aside. In a pan, pour fruit* to fill bottom at least 1-1/2 inch. Cover fruit filling with batter, and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Tent with foil & bake approx. 30 – 45 min. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve with ice cream. Vanilla or cinnamon both taste wonderful.

*If using fresh or home frozen fruit, sprinkle tapioca through out. (minute tapioca works well.) For berries, I generally cook the filling down a little before making the cobbler.

**If using a glass pan, reduce oven to 325°F.

This recipe is deceptive in its simplicity, but it is the perfect side dish for meat and poultry. It is the most requested side dish in our household!

5 med. Yukon Gold potatoes (red, white or purple potatoes will work too, however russet’s do NOT!)
1 med. turnip*
1 large sweet onion (Walla Walla or Mayan sweets are good)
4 carrots (peeled), or 1+ cups baby carrots
4 cloves garlic – minced (or use the garlic paste found in the cold produce section)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
Suggested Seasonings – to taste

pepper – ground

pinch of salt

oregano

thyme

¼ tsp (or less) Sage

Chop all vegetables into small (1/2 inch) chunks. Place large skillet on burner & add olive oil. Add onions and garlic & reduce for 2 minutes. Add all other vegetables, butter and seasonings (I usually sprinkle to cover once & stir) and cook until tender. Scrape the bottom of the pan often, as it will stick. You can add more butter, if needed. We like to let it stick a little & get the browned bits to mix into the rest.

Typically serves 6, depending on how much they like it!

*If you don’t have a turnip, leave it out & it tastes great. They just add a little more flavor & nutrition. Turnips are our usual addition – most people don’t even know they are there! Sweet potatoes are also a very tasty addition.

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs

4 cups flour (sifted)
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

1 large can pumpkin pie filling
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups dried fruit*

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cream the butter & sugar, and add the eggs.
Combine all dry ingredients and mix thoroughly into the wet ingredients. Add the pumpkin fillling, spices, fruits and nuts.
Drop large dough balls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Cool on rack.

*Our favorite fruits to use are chopped dried apricots and dried cranberries. If you make large cookies, they are very good as a breakfast cookie – they are almost pumpkin scones! Adding more pumpkin will moisten the cookies – I usually use the medium-sized can of pumpkin pie filling, but the new huge one will work too – or make a couple of batches!

For you “true bakers” out there… here are the “proper” directions…

cream butter & sugar.  Add egg.  In a separate bowl sift together dry ingredients and, with the mixer on low, slowly add to the butter/egg mixture, alternating with the pumpkin filling.  Stir until just combined.  Gently mix in the dried fruits and nuts.  Bake.

I have done it both ways, and while I usually cream the butter first, everything else just goes into the mixing bowl as my hand reaches it!

We have also used fresh pumpkin, and if you have it on hand, it is wonderful!  But it is not a necessity… the canned stuff tastes great too!