Cherry Nut Cookies

This is a family favorite that my dad's mother made, and my mom continued. It is such a simple cookie with very few ingredients that comes together quickly, but its very tasty and pretty, and it makes a wonderful addition to a Christmas cookie tray! (Didn't my husband and boys do well while I was sewing?)

Cream together until light and fluffy:

• 1 c. butter
• 2/3 c. firmly packed brown sugar (sucanat)

Add and mix thoroughly:

• 1 egg

Stir in:

• 1 tsp vanilla

In a separate bowl, stir together

• 2 1/4 c. flour (I use white whole wheat)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Add 1 c. flour to butter mixture and stir until smooth. Add enough more lfour to make a moderately stiff dough.

Mix until well blended. Shape dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll in:

• 1 c. chopped nuts.

Place on ungreased baking sheet. Press thumb into balls to make depression in center of each. Bake in moderate oven at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes. Fill depress in cookies with:

• halved candied cherries, cut side down.

Makes about 6 dozen (really) small cookies (I've never gotten that many).

Grandmother noted on the card: VERY GOOD

Chai Tea

We are in the throes of the first snow storm of the year, and it is a doozey You can spell doozie however you want, right? Spellcheck is not helping me here!

I made French toast this morning, and I'm about to go clean my kitchen while putting on some Chai Tea. I made it for the first time last week after seeing the recipe on the back of my giant bottle of cloves from Costco. SO easy, tasty, and I like that it uses less milk than cocoa! The recipe called for 1/2 cup of sugar, but I'm going to cut it to 1/3 this time, and I think it will be plenty sweet!

Put 4 c. water to boil with 2 cinnamon sticks, broken and 1 tsp. of cloves. Turn it down and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 c. milk, 8 black tea bags (My boys love Trader Joe's decaf Irish Breakfast), and 1/2 (or 1/3) c. sugar. Let it steep for 3 minutes, strain, and enjoy!

Squash in Bounty

After my husband found winter squash on sale and then I succumbed to a bad back, I found myself with an embarrassment of squash to use quickly this week.


Well, not quite that much, but enough.

Monday morning I put two large butternut squash to roast while I was at the chiropractor. Then, I returned and used it to make a variation of this Curried Cream of Chicken Soup. I pureed the rest and made this Butternut Squash Muffin recipe into a loaf of bread AND a pie.

Pumpkin (or Squash Pie)
1 pie crust
15 oz can pumpkin (or pureed winter squash)
3 eggs
3/4 c sucanat
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp posdered cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup plain yogurt

Puree the squash in the food processor and then transfer to a bowl. Put the eggs, sugar, and spices in the processor and mix well. Return the squash and gradually add the remaining ingredients. Pour into a pie shell and bake for 35 minutes at 350.

I had two mysterious green squash that I wasn't sure what they were nor what to make. I cut them open and discovered pumpkin! I put the halves to roast at 350 for about a half hour while I pondered what to do. I found this recipe, cubed some bread and cheddar and mixed it with garlic and a bit of milk, and put it into the pumpkin halves. I continued roasting for another 30-40 minutes.

It was SO yummy! Wow. For something so simple, it made such a tasty and unique dish. We had it as an entree, but it would make a nice Autumn side dish as well.

I have one spaghetti squash, one acorn squash, and one butternut left. I think I'll make meatballs to serve with red sauce on the spaghetti, Serve the acorn roasted on its own as a side one evening, but I'm just at a loss for what to do with the remaining butternut. We are butternutted out, it seems!

On Second Thought...

We have a bunch of apple seconds we bought at the orchard a few weeks ago. We really needed to use them up (so I can justify buying more this weekend), and we made an apple pie and apple sauce.

One of my very favorite kitchen tools is this apple peeler.


I think we bought it with a gift certificate when we were married, or maybe we registered for it? If you bought it for us, thank you! It is great.

This handy little gadget not only means that I don't have to sit and hand peel a half bushel of apples to make sauce and pie; it means I can assign the entire job over to the boys. Truly, there was little work on my end. The boys did every bit of the peeling and slicing.

For apple sauce, I just had them fill up my big pot with apples. I'm really not sure how many apples that is, but I roughly followed the Cook's Illustrated recipe and doubled it. All that meant was adding 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup sucanat, and 6 cinnamon sticks.

I put a lid on the pot, turned it to medium high, checked periodically and stirred a bit, breaking up the apples as they softened. I'm guessing it took a half hour to get really soft.


Then, I pulled out the cinnamon sticks and smashed it with a potato masher. We've used a plunger blender in the past if you like it smooth, but be sure to count the cinnamon sticks so you are sure to get them all out. Ask me how I know. This time, the boys interrupted me while I was putting in the sticks; so, I just mashed. I figure chunky applesauce is far superior to smooth apple sauce with chunks of wood scattered throughout.


I put it in Mason jars. I didn't do the whole sterilizing thing. I planned to keep it in the fridge, but I figure sealing it in the jars will help it keep longer in the fridge, though, it doesn't usually stay around all that long anyway!


For apple pie, I must confess to resorting to a store bought crust. This is my first year, and I must admit that my local health food store carries an excellent prepared crust! Since I wouldn't have a top crust, I found this recipe to follow for making a streusel topping. It's been a hit so far this year.

Of course, it wouldn't be homemade if life didn't happen in the process. Moley has no complaints about the frozen pie crust. The little stinker even pushed the step stool over so he could steal some! Not even walking yet and already stealing food.


Can't you tell we don't feed him?

Norwegian Apple Cake

I was very much inspired by Jennifer's seasonal menu post. I don't try a lot of new recipes these days, but one recipe that Jen shared that we've enjoyed a few times already was her Puff Pancake. I think I like it for the same reason I like one of my own favorite fall time recipes--it is both easy and tasty.

I've long viewed this Norwegian Apple Cake as my go to in the fall when we crave homemade goodness but don't have a lot of time or energy. It's one of those recipes we've whipped together right before the real estate appraiser shows up to make our home smell nice, and it is versatile and appropriate for breakfast, tea, or dessert.

This morning, my back is a bit better, and it was something that I felt up to making as we are all ready for some homeyness after almost a week of prepared foods. Besides, we didn't have enough milk to make a puff pancake;)

It is also pretty. It goes together in a pie plate, and I just love a pretty pie plate!


The original recipe is one I got from my mother. I, of course, modify it somewhat to fit my own ideas of ease and extra nutrition.

Norwegian Apple Cake

3/4 cups sugar (I use 1/2 c. sucanat)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I use white whole wheat)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 med. tart apple, peeled and chopped (I don't peel the apple)
1/2 cup chopped walnut
1 T. cinnamon sugar

In a bowl, combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt.

Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

Stir in apple and walnuts. Spread into ungreased 9-inch pie plate.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

My mom notes that she doubles the recipe and bakes it in a 9x13 inch pant at 350 for 30 minutes. I've never done that but will have to soon since we can polish off one of these in a sitting. I think I would use two pie plates, though.

This is what I do.

I mentioned that I don't peel the apple.

I also mix the dry ingredients directly in the pie plate. Then, I use a spoon to make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients where I drop the eggs. I beat the eggs right there, add the vanilla, and then I stir the flour in with the wet ingredients in the center. Then, I add the apples and walnuts. If mindful enough to remember, I would wipe the edges with a paper towel after using this method. You can see in the picture that it makes a bit of a mess on the sides of the dish.

I also don't always keep cinnamon sugar on hand, so, I just sprinkle a teaspoon of cinnamon and a couple teaspoons of sucanat on top.

This way, I don't have an extra bowl to clean!

Funny Food Names

Remember this is prepared food week?

Tonight we enjoyed hummus, tapenade, and mini-pitas. When he ran out of pitas, our oldest asked if he could have more "air biscuits."

It's a fitting name, and we think it might stick.

I'm not sure I have that many readers yet, but for those of you out there, what are some of the funny names for food that have become a standard in your family's vocabulary? Actually, what are some funny food names you've heard, whether they stuck or not?

I posted last week about the three year old's request for "muggets" and "hanimanburgers" from "O'Donnel's," which is cute and all, but I find it especially funny when they come up with an original word rather than just a mispronunciation.

One of our oldest's first words was "dobby bread" which is a peanutbutter sandwich. We referred to them as such for at least four years, but sadly, I think that it has worn off now that he's five and so much more sophisticated.

When I was little, four I think, I asked my parents for "rubbed cheese." It took them forever to figure out that I meant "grated cheese." My family will still playfully refer to grated cheese as rubbed cheese in my presence.

Any other food funnies to share?

Halloween Cookies

So easy, even a husband, two boys, and a crying baby can make them! As I sit here icing my back (the cold kind, not the yummy kind), my dear husband is making these cookies with the boys. They love putting the candy on. So much for blogging about food in order to inspire myself to cook it.

We never did much trick or treating growing up. For one thing, we lived on a dead end dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Our Halloween tradition primarily consisted of carving a jack o lantern and celebrating the day after with deeply discounted candy. But, in later years, my mom found this recipe, and we had it every year.

I will admit, I just love how candy corn looks... and just hate how it tastes. I pick the candy corns off my cookies to eat the cookie alone, but usually there are others around who would just assume have more candy corn, so, everyone ends up happy. We didn't this year, but some years we buy those candycorn pumpkins and cut the tops off and put them in the middle. The candy lovers like the remains.

Maybe these are a little late for making on Halloween, but they could just as easily be "harvest cookies" for Thanksgiving.

And tomorrow...all the candy corn will be on sale.


Halloween Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar (I use evaporated cane juice)
1 cup brown sugar (I use sucanat)
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups oats***
2 cups flour (I use white whole wheat)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1.4 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup rice cereal
Candy Corn

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

***Take 1/2 of the oats and put in a blender about half a cup at a time and blend until it is like flour. Combine oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add cocoa, vanilla and eggs--beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in cereal.

Drop by rounded tablespoon (we use about two, typically) onto prepared cookie sheet (we like to use parchment). Bake 12-15 minutes (we switch and turn the pans halfway through). Immediately after removing from the oven, press 3-4 pieces of candy corn onto the tops of cookies (one if you made smaller ones). Let stand for a minute on cookie sheet before removing to racks to cool. Store in an airtight container. Makes 5 dozen small cookies or 2 1/2 dozen larger ones.

My mother suggested doubling the recipe and freezing half the dough for another day. We cooked a doubled recipe because they are for a party.

I've never made it this way, but the recipe also says you can choose not to add cocoa and add 1 cup candy coated chocolate pieces or chopped pecans to the dough before stirring in the cereal.

Shiny Food

Do you know what it is? The three year old requested it for dinner since we had it for lunch.


We've also had pizza this week, and my kitchen has been a disaster. Just trying to utilize this whole accountability thing I mentioned.

In my defense, I fell down the basement stairs this week, and today back my has finally succumbed to the spasms and stress and is no longer simply "aching." I also spent a lot of time on saints costumes.

I managed to serve a roast chicken with rice AND roasted acorn squash. The roasted squash is a culinary step up from the frozen peas I usually serve as a side, and it was nice having the easy leftovers to make the soup.

Ironically, my injuries mean I cannot prepare food, but I am stuck and might as well blog about it. So, perhaps I will have a chance to formalize some seasonal plans and type up some favorite recipes to share.

It is hard to hear the pot boil when its raining...

Yesterday, I made this profound observation to my husband as I was making beef stew while it poured buckets outside. I suggested it would make a fun title for my food blog. My husband didn't really think it was funny, but fortunately I had a three year old willing to chime in with, "you're funny, Mom" so my self-esteem remained intact.

Still, it got me thinking. Hmmm...a food blog. Not just to make a lame joke my husband won't laugh at, but it might help me think about and plan for our meals as well as share a bit of my inherited wisdom with others. I've struggled lately with cooking. My mother was well known for her cooking and baking, and for most of my life I have carried this skill and love with me. Lately, though, I've struggled with meal preparation as more of a chore than the expression of creativity and loving nurture I've known it to be. I'm not ready to succumb to accepting cooking as mere drudgery--not yet anyway!

I lost my mother unexpectedly 3 1/2 years ago while I was expecting my second son. The times I miss her most but also have some of my most vivid memories are in the kitchen. Perhaps this is both why my passion for cooking has fizzled a bit and why I am determined to relight the fire.

The first step to starting a blog, of course, is the title. My husband nixed my first idea, but I've often chuckled over the Chesterton quote:

The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese.

Admittedly, cheese is not very poetic, and yet, it is so very good. How can such a such a perfect food be unsuitable for verse? One theory I have is it's because it is just too good for words, and they simply cannot express its sublimity. Whatever the reason, I am reminded that the poets are mysteriously silent about much of what might constitute my own culinary experiences as a mother of little ones. And yet, the spirit of what is communicated in a meal through the loving preparation, the pleasure of taste, and its communal nature is truly beautiful.

Creating this beautiful thing for my family (and nurturing my own soul in the process) must involve many prosaic things like spills and stains, peels and pith, gristle and grease, burns and backaches, cuts and crumbs, meat raw or rancid, dirty dishes, and of course, cheese. I must become ever more efficient and diligent so that the irksome and ordinary might bring forth the things that will comfort and inspire my family. This is true of many things as a homemaker, but this is especially true regarding food and the sharing of meals.

My hope is that having a place to muse over menus, recipes, and share my experiences and insights from my life in my kitchen will be a source of joy as well as accountability that can help me hold onto my love of cooking and perhaps encourage others in the process.