DATE LEMON RAVIOLI COOKIES

These have NO added sugar! (though I am sure the dates are quite high in natural sugars.)

8 oz dates (I used Medjool dates)
Zest and juice of 2 lemons (approx. 4 T juice, 2 T zest)
egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 T water)

Remove the pits from the dates and any hard stem parts or stringy inside parts.
In a saucepan, cook the lemon juice with the dates for about 3 - 5 minutes, over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon.

Make a recipe for two-crust pie pastry. (see below) Divide dough in two pieces.
Roll each between wax paper.
Cut into 2" circles or squares.
Place 1 tsp of date mixture on half of the squares.
Paint a little egg wash around the edges, place a top piece of pastry on and seal the edges with a fork. Make a little steam hole in the top of each cookie with a toothpick.
Bake on parchment-lined sheet at 350° for 12 - 15 minutes.

Red Velma Cake

This is adapted from a recipe in a Penzey's catalog called "Aunt Velma's Chocolate Cake". I halved the recipe and baked it in a non-stick loaf pan. And added beets.

2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can baby beets, drained (I used pickled beets, which made the cake tart and great!)
juice and zest of 1 orange (I added a little Boyajian Orange Oil)
1 tsp ground cardamom

Puree the beets in a blender or food processor. Scrape the puree into a glass measuring cup and add enough orange juice to make 1 cup. Heat in microwave for 1 -3 minutes until it starts to bubble. Set aside.

Grease the baking pan with non-stick spray or butter. Dust with 1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar, then add the vanilla and eggs.
Put the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a sieve or sifter and sift it into the bowl of the butter mixture. Stir until just blended.

Using rubber spatula, spread mixture into the prepared pan, being sure to even out the batter and get it into the corners.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes (if using a Bundt pan or a loaf pan, your cooking time may vary).

Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Butter Cream Frosting
1 lb powder sugar, sifted
1/3 - 1/2 cup softened butter
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 - 5 T milk
Beat together the powder sugar, butter, salt and vanilla. Add milk 1 T at a time until frosting is of spreading consistency.

Green Onion Coconut Lemon Frittata

1 bunch green onions
6 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup large flake coconut
1 tsp lemon zest
olive oil

Slice the green onions with scissors, on an angle. Put the white part in one bowl and the green parts in another.

Heat 2 T olive oil in a skillet. Saute the white part of the green onions until softened. Add the coconut and lemon zest and cook briefly until the coconut starts to give off its scent. Then add the remaining green onion slices and cook a few more minutes.

Make sure everything is spread out evenly in the pan, and pour in the eggs (Pour into a spoon so as not to dislodge the onion mixture. Cook over low heat until bottom is set enough to run a spatula under. Then put pan in a 350° oven until the fritata is set.

Orange Beef Stew

3 lb beef chuck roast
2 medium onions, diced
2 cups cubed winter squash (I used Hubbard)
2 cups orange juice
2 cups broth (I used Better Than Bouillion paste, chicken flavor, mixed with wtaer)
2 T olive oil
2 T canola oil
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp mace
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp dried ginger
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1" piece fresh ginger, minced
2 tbs sundried tomatoes (I used the jarred ones from TJs)
one red bell pepper, diced
2 T. TJ's eggplant red pepper spread
1 T. light molasses
zest of one orange
salt & pepper
1 orange, sliced

Cut the meat into 1/2 - 1" cubes. Mix the dry spices together in a small bowl, then place the beef cubes in a plastic bag and add the the spice mixture and toss until the beef cubes are coated. Place the bag in fridge overnight.

In a heavy Dutch oven, brown the beef cubes in the olive oil and canola oil. Don't crowd the pan - do it in batches. Add more oil as needed. Remove the beef cubes to a plate. Then cook the onions in the drippings until soft and browned, then remove to a plate. Brown the squash cubes in the same pan. Add the ginger, thyme, and red bell pepper, and the sundried tomatoes, then add back the beef and onions. Add the orange juice and broth, and the red pepper spread. Bring up to a boil, then turn heat to low and cover and simmer for about 3 hours. Check for seasoning, and add salt, pepper, and red bell pepper flakes to taste. Stir in the molasses and the orange zest. Garnish with a sliced orange.

MARSHMALLOW SNOWMEN

This is a fun and easy project to do with kids.

Supplies. This is what you need:

Marshmallows
Licorice gumdrops (I used Crows) (for hat)
Fruit Roll-Ups (for scarf)
Non-Pareils (for eyes & buttons)(or you could use licorice laces, snipped into pieces)
Orange jelly beans or candy corn (for nose)
Plastic drinking straws
Toothpick for placing the non-pareils
For wrapping: squares of clear plastic wrap, and tape.

1. poke the straw through a marshmallow and then through another:

2. Push the tip of the straw into the bottom of a black gunmdrop:

3. Using toothpick, prepare holes for non-pareil "eyes" and jellybean "nose":

4. Place non-pariels for eyes:

5. Place orange jellybean nose:

6. Place fruit roll-up "scarf" around neck of snowman:

7. Hello Mr. Snowman:

Tomato Orange Soup

I love the Tomato Orange Soup at Elephant's deli - this is my interpretation.
Theirs probably has butter and cream in it - it tastes great.
This version is healthy.

Tomato Orange Soup

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
pinch cinnamon
1 can tomatoes (the small one, 14.5 oz) (I used "S & W stewed Italian recipe")
1/2 cup orange juice (the juice from one orange)
zest of 1 orange
1/4 tsp. Boyajian Pure Orange Oil
2 cups chicken broth
minced fresh herbs: I used marjoram, thyme, chervil, mint.

Saute the garlic in the olive oil in the soup pot. Add the cinnamon and a little of the marjoram.
Then add the tomatoes, broth, orange juice, zest. Bring to boil then turn down to simmer. You can put a lid on it if you want.
Start the rice ( recipe below).
After it's cooked for 10 - 20 minutes, use a stick blender* to smooth the soup.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with a scoop of yellow rice in the bowl then ladle in the soup and garnish with the fresh herbs.

Yellow Rice
1 cup pearl rice (such as Calrose)
2 cups broth (I used water with 1/2 t. Better Than Boullion)
pinch turmeric

Vegetarian Dinner

Baked Barley

Pear Grapefruit Slaw

Roasted Delicata Squash Rounds


Continuing along the theme of meals made with lots of vegetables, low-overall fat/ no saturated fat, whole grains, lean protein.

Baked Barley :
8 oz barley
1 -2 T oil
1 small can diced tomatoes (I used no salt organic)
1 carrot, peeled & chopped (I detest the taste of carrot peels!)
chopped garden celery or parsley
thyme
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1 tsp Better Than Bouillon mushroom flavor stirred into:
1/2 canful (from the tomatoes) hot water

Roast the sunflower seeds in a 9 x 13" pan or skillet in a 350° oven for 10 -15 minutes.
Put the oil in a casserole dish, stir in the barley, then add the other ingredients.
Cover with lid or foil and bake at 350° for one hour.

Pear Grapefruit Slaw :
matchstick julienned pear, carrots, & winesap apple
grapefruit slices, supremed*
minced garden herbs: lots of spearmint, little bit celery, parsley, chervil, cress
dressing: lemon juice & honey (another nice dressing is equal parts each mayonnaise & orange juice)
on bed of garden lettuces (green leaf, mache, romaine)
garnish small marigold petals (cut off with kitchen scissors)
*http://freshcatering.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-to-supreme-segment-orange.html

Roasted Delicata Squash Rounds
slice the squash into rounds, leaving in the seeds
put 1 -2 T oil in a 9 x 13 dish
place the squash rounds in the pan, then turn them over so they are oiled on both sides.
sprinkle with a teeny little bit of garam masala and turmeric
Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes