ITALIAN STYLE VEGETABLE SOUP WITH EGG NOODLES; BAKED ORCHETTA PASTA WITH VEGETABLES AND CHEESE; MASHED YAMS AND CARROTS; CARAWAY-SUNFLOWER SEED SOURDOUGH BREADS; OATMEAL-CHOCOLATE CHIP-RAISIN COOKIES; FAT FREE ROCK STAR CUPCAKES PHOTOS OF PREP FOR DEC 1ST MENU

OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHUNK AND RAISIN COOKIES

PREVIOUS 2 THE VEGETABLE SOUP TOMATOES, BEETS AND EGG NOODLES

OWN GROWN AND PICKED THIS MORNING TOMATOES, PEPPERS! WITH ZUCCHINI ONIONS, GARLIC, WHITE WINE

RAINDROPS ON ROSES..IT'S FINALLY RAINING IN LOS ANGELES

MASHED CARROTS & YAMS

PREVIOUS 2 THE VEGETABLE AND ORCHETTA PASTA FOR THE BAKE WITH CHEESE

FAT-FREE ROCK STAR CUPCAKES (back story "hundreds of years ago" when I worked for Rod Stewart, Elton John was playing Las Vegas and Rod took him some of these, and got the best thank your from Elton from the stage..made his night! This recipe will be in the next VOLUME (5) OF THE GREAT GRANNY DIET due out before Christmas)

IRISH POTATO BREAD/POTATO CAKES, has always been Vegan, Recipe & photos..these were made with mashed potatoes and yams

This is a very old recipe from the North West of England, and originated in Ireland.
They are cooked on a greased griddle or skillet and can be frozen and used like a frozen waffles, just pop in toaster.
Great with any meal especially breakfast and afternoon High Tea


Fabulous flavors and very simple to make no dairy nor eggs.
You will only find this recipe I have searched for decades to find, in my second volume of THE GREAT GRANNY Diet, available only from www.amazon Kindle. Just $9.99 packed with over 80 bread and uses for breads, recipes.
You don't need to purchase a kindle pad, just  download the free app when you purchase the book and you can read it on your computer or Smart phone.
Great and wonderful International Breads and other recipes...cakes, puddings, soups, cookies and breads.

EMERGENCY CHEESECAKE RECIPE IDEAS...when company just drops in un-announced

Because you can never be too prepared for Company here's a quick dessert idea, when you are caught out, or when the midnight munchies are REALLY kicking in.


1 graham cracker crust 
(1/2 pound any plain cookie smashed in a plastic bag, then the crumbs are mixed with 3-4 tbsp melted butter and 2tbsp sugar, press this into a 7inch diameter pie dish and bake in preheated 350F oven for 8 mins, remove and cool)

The add any fresh or canned fruit, even fruit pie filling is great.( Try this with chocolate pudding too).

Whip 8ozs cream cheese* with 1 cup whipping cream and add any extract you like (lemon juice works well as does almond or vanilla extract).
Pipe or just spoon this whipped cream cheese over the top and serve, or if you have time, allow to set up in a fridge for a couple of hours then slice.
This is great also with a layer of peanut butter under the fruit (especially bananas) and or made with chocolate cookie crumbs instead of plain.

* If you don't have cream cheese use plain  or fruited yogurt and fold this into the already whipped cream.

Variation you can add the cream cheese first and top with fruit and then top with a little more of the cream mix.

DECEMBER COOKIES OF THE MONTH RECIPES :OATMEAL COOKIES FOR HOME BAKING. INC. GLUTEN FREE

OATMEAL IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMFORT FOODS, and is low in gluten, high in soluble fiber, and vitamin/mineral packed.
These recipes use steel cut and old fashioned rolled oats.

Oatmeal also helps to curb depression.
The secret to better flavored oatmeal cookies is to toast the oatmeal and allow it to cool before baking into cookies. This releases natural oils and gives a nutty flavor to all the cookies.

OATMEAL CHEWS
24 cookies

2/3 cup condensed milk
1/4 cup dried milk
1/4 cup raw wheat germ
1/4 tsp sea salt
2tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup steel cut oats
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven 325F


In a large bowl combine all the ingredients and allow to sit for 30 mins

Mix well then drop by teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and oiled.

Bake for 15 mins.
Lift from the paper while still hot and cool on wire rack.

GF OATMEAL DROP COOKIES
36-48 COOKIES

1 1/4cups sugar
1/2 cup safflower oil
2 eggs
6tbsp molasses
1 3/4 cups rice flour
1tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups rolled "old fashioned" oats (not instant nor quick cook)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup raisins

PREHEAT OVEN 400F

Cream the sugar and oil and then add the eggs and molasses.
Sift in the cinnamon, rice flour, salt, baking soda, and stir in then add the rest of ingredients, and mix well.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake 8 - 10 mins, until golden brown.
Cool on tray on wire rack, remove while warm, but not hot.

FRESH APPLE OATMEAL COOKIES
MAKES 36-48 COOKIES

1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 tsp sea salt
2tsp baking power
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups finely chopped unpeeled apples

PREHEAT OVEN 350F

Cream the butter and sugar and beat in the eggs one at a time.
Combine all other ingredients and stir into the creamed mix.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an oiled cookie sheet and bake 12-15 mins or until golden brown.
Cool on wire rack
 

 

Dutch apple and berry pies; Sweet Potato Pies, and Pumpkin-sweet potato pies all with flaxseed-wholewheat short pastry..photos

           HAPPY THANKSGIVING AMERICA

KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL AND "TRIM YOUR WASTE" www.amazon.com

Chocolate & banana bar cookies aka "Death By GOOD STUFF"

The green is the top of my kitchen table, reflected through the glass dish

I remember as a child when my mother baked I got to play with the leftover pastry and make jam tarts.
This is something that came about by using up leftovers, well sort of.
I made more pies today and had some pastry leftover (the only place you will find the recipe for this brilliant short and buttery pastry is in my 3rd book "TRIM YOUR WASTE" on www.amazon.com JUST $5).

I greased a 9 x 13 inch oven proof dish, then add a layer of this pastry and baked it "blind" in 350F oven for 15 mins.

I then cooked 6 very ripe bananas in apple juice, butter and brown sugar, cooled it a bit and poured this over the pastry base.
Topped this with 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips.
Topped this with a chocolate sponge cake batter, with extra milk so it was very runny.
Sprinkled this with dark chocolate chips and baked for 30 mins at 350F, then removed and cooled for 10 mins then baked again at 350F for 15mins.

Remove from oven and cool in pan on wire rack, and cut while warm.

This is fantastic!!!

A  TRUE  "necessity IS the mother of invention" and maybe just about the creation of one of the best accidental recipes in cookies!

It is so very goooey and not too sweet and very chocolately.
If anyone asks it is also high in Vit C, antioxidants and potassium too, so you could say it IS healthy!

Pumpkin & Yam Soup; Baked yam wedges with salsa; Cashew paella; Baked eggplant Mozzarella; Mashed carrots & yams; Sicilian style cabbage with raisins; Beet,horseradish & potato salad, Sourdough wholewheat pumpkin dried cranberry breads; Pumpkin wholewheat pies; Sweet potato wholewheat pies; spiced apple bar cookiesPRE-THANKSGIVING MENU.ALL PHOTOS

Fresh apples, Fuji, Pink Lady, Macintosh and Granny Smiths cooked in butter and spices then add brown sugar and make a caramel sauce for the cookies and pies

Baked yams for the pies

Steamed and peeled beets for the potato salad

Mashed yams

Mashed pumpkin

Previous 2 the pumpkin-dried cranberry sourdough bread

Apple spice bar cookies before cutting

Baked sourdough breads

Pumpkin & Yam soup finished with extra virgin olive oil

Yam wedges

Eggplant with tomato and mozzarella to be baked at client's home

Previous 3 the fresh sweet potato (yam) pies

Vegetables for the Paella will add cashew nuts and cooked rice later, the tomatoes & peppers are own grown

Beet & Potato salad with horseradish, yogurt and mayonnaise

Previous 2 the paella vegetables and cooked rice

Sicilian style  Cabbage with raisins

Fresh pumpkin Pies

The RECIPE for the pastry for the pies is only available in my 3rd book
"TRIM YOUR WASTE" out now on amazon kindle..this isa wonderful, buttery rich, very short pastry and I have made it with whole wheat and all purpose flours and the results are terrific in both cases.

www.amazon.com

Happy Thanksgiving