Walla Walla Sweet Onion Ice Cream

I love unusual recipes. Like this one! Who'da thought that onions could make delicious ice cream? I dare you to try it.

Walla Walla Sweet Onion Ice Cream

1 cup milk
1 cup sugar

heat milk to where bubbles form on the edge of the pan. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Cool.

Add 4 pints whipping cream
2 cups finely shredded Walla Walla Sweet Onions
2 teaspoons vanilla

Chill in ice cream freezer. It is ready to serve in about 30 minutes.

Serve with shortbread or caramel topping.

Walla Walla Sweet Onion Tarts

Spring is here! It's the time of daffodils, Easter eggs, lawns turning green, and planting gardens. It's a little early to plant very many things outside, but peas and Walla Walla Sweet Onion starts are hearty enough to withstand a bit of frost as the weeks go by. If you live in the valley, sets of onion starts can be found at any nursery and in most supermarket garden centers. It's possible to grow them "nearly" as sweet and delicious as the pros; the Italian sweet onion farmers who plant and bag Walla Walla Sweet Onions in abundance. Have you ever eaten an onion like an apple? If not, it's likely you've never tried a genuine Walla Walla Sweet.

I was going through one of my mother's recipe boxes a few days ago and found this delightful recipe. With spring here, it seems a perfect time to share! I hope you enjoy!

Walla Walla Sweet Onion Tart

1 cup butter
2 - 3 oz. packages cream cheese
2 cups all purpose flour, white

Combine ingredients and blend well. Then divide the doub into 48 equal balls. Press dough into 2" sections of ungreased, nonstick muffin tins. Work the dough up the sides of the tin to the rim. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Then cream together:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 medium eggs, beaten lightly
2 cups Walla Walla Sweet Onions, diced
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream together butter and sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Fill tart shells to the rim. Bake from 30 - 40 minutes (check until golden brown). Cool completely before removing from muffin tin.

Serve as a "sweet" for afternoon tea. 

Chilled Swiss Cherry Soup

Cherry season is upon us! I'm sharing this refreshing and light chilled soup recipe with you today. The weather has been so warm; I thought this Swiss cherry soup might be quite the ticket for cooling things down. I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Chilled Swiss Cherry Soup

3 cups unflitered apple juice
6 thin lemon slices
6 thin orange slices
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 cups pitted cherries
2 cups sliced peaches

Simmer first 5 ingredients together for 10 minutes in covered saucepan.Meanwhile, dissolve cornstarch in water. Add to saucepan, stirring briskly.Return mixture to a boil and continue to boil 1 minute over medium-high heat or until clear, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add cherries and peaches. Serve chilled.

Serves: 4

*Add the sweet herb, stevia, if you would like a sweeter version of this recipe.

The cherry orchard next door was filled with cherry pickers this morning. They were busy harvesting (and I am sure the orchard owner is praying for "no rain" until harvest is past). Fortunately sunny skies are in the forecast.

Coconut Cream Pie

This recipe is a favorite! Easy to make, it has a rich flavor and appeals to anyone who loves coconut or custard!  It's dairy free and eggless and can be poured into a regular pie crust or into a nut or graham cracker crust as well.

Coconut Cream Pie

3 1/2 cups vanilla flavored rice milk
1/2 cup agave syrup or honey
6 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups unsweetened coconut, fine
2 tablespoons coconut extract

Save out 1/2 cup rice milk to blend with cornstarch for thickening. Bring the remaining ingredients to a slow boil, then add the 1/2 cup rice milk with cornstarch. Cook until thick. Cool completely. Pour into baked pie crust. Chill and serve.

*Use gluten free crust if necessary.

Marionberry Crisp

Berries make wonderful desserts!  They are filled with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.  Their juicy sweetness delights the taste buds and satisfy any craving for a delicate dessert.  Strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, huckleberries, elderberries, lingonberries, blueberries and more come in a colorful palette of reds, blues, and purples.  A simple half cup of Marionberries contain 4.4 grams of fiber and only 27 calories.  Nutrient dense, they are not only tasty, but amazingly good for you as well!

A friend grows Marionberries in abundance and shares her crop with friends and family.  Individually frozen berries placed in zip-lock bags keep their fresh flavor and appearance for use during the off-season.  Yesterday I drew a bag of this treasured fruit out of my freezer to create a dessert for a family celebration.  The result?  A healthy and wholesome crisp!

Marionberry Crisp

4 - 6 cups Marionberries

3 - 4 Tbsp. tapioca

Allow berries to thaw.  Add tapioca and let mixture sit for about 30 minutes, so tapioca softens.  Then add:

stevia to taste (the amount used will vary by brand of stevia; I used about 6 packets of NuNaturals powdered stevia)

1/4 cup agave syrup (or to taste)

Mix together well and place in a low baking dish.  Add crumb topping:

1/2 cup coconut oil (or less)

1/4 cup gluten free flour blend (of choice)

3/4 cup gluten free oats

stevia (2 - 3 packets if using NuNatural)

agave syrup (to add moisture and sweeten)

pinch of salt (optional)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Blend ingredients together until moistened.  Crumble with hands and sprinkle over berry mixture.  If you would like more 'crisp', double the topping recipe.  Drizzle with agave syrup and place in oven.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 - 40 minutes.  Enjoy!

{Can substitute any sweetener of your choice!}

A P P L E S crisp

The neighborhood is busy preparing for apple harvest. Bins are being set out for pickers to fill with juicy, red, Fuji apples. The bins will fill the back of semi-trucks who haul them to a nearby packing plant. There's nothing like a tree ripened Fuji apple! Its juicy water-core indicates a sweet and ripe apple. Our friendly neighbors are generous with their apples, so it is a perfect time of year to prepare foods with this delicious fruit!

An Apple-a-Day Pesto

1 1/2 cups basil leaves, fresh
1 cup parsley, fresh
1 cup Fuji apple, cored and quartered
1/4 cup almonds
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate
1 tsp. lemon juice, fresh
1 tsp. lemon zest, fresh
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Place basil, parsley, apple, almonds, and salt in food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Stop pulsing and add apple juice concentrate, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Pulse food processor and then slowly drizzle olive oil into mixture. When blended, place pesto in a serving bowl.

Serve with apple slices, crusty slices of bread, and crackers. If you like to double-dip, add a bowl of peanut butter!

Enjoy!

Pansy Peppermint Parfaits

Pansy Peppermint Parfaits

Yummy for breakfast or for a lunchtime dessert, I developed a summery parfait that is gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally sweetened. I hope you enjoy it too.

2 boxes silken tofu, extra firm
1 package Mori Nu Chocolate Pudding Mix (naturally sweetened)
1 package Mori Nu Vanilla Pudding Mix (naturally sweetened)
1/4 cup coconut milk, lite
1 banana
1/2 cup quinoa and brown rice flake granola (homemade)

Prepare pudding mixes according to instructions on package using silken tofu, pudding mixes, and coconut milk.

In a small, stemware glass, layer chocolate pudding, bananas, vanilla pudding, and granola. Repeat and end with a layer of vanilla pudding sprinkled with granola.

Garnish with a fresh peppermint leave and a pansy on each one. Enjoy!

*If you don't have Mori Nu pudding mixes on hand you can substitute your favorite brand.

Coconut Cream Pie

Main Street, Bisbee, Arizona
A perfect place for tea and pie!

Here's one of my favorite "easy" dessert recipes that.  It says to pour it into a pie crust or graham cracker crust, but if you don't have time --- it makes a great custard pudding as well.  Simple and delicious!

Coconut Cream Pie

3 1/2 cup vanilla flavored rice milk*

1/2 cup honey (or alternative liquid sweetener)

6 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 cups coconut, unsweetened, shredded**

2 Tbsp. coconut extract

Save 1/2 cup of the rice milk to use with the cornstarch for thickening.  Bring the remaining ingredients to a slow boil and then add the cornstarch/milk mixture.  Stir constantly until a rolling boil

is achieved.  Remove from heat.  Pour into a baked graham cracker crust or pie shell.  Cool completely, then serve and enjoy.

* soymilk will work fine; if using unflavored, add a 1/2 tsp. of vanilla flavoring

**sweetened coconut will work as well

***for gluten-free option, use gluten free pie crust

Baked Apple Delight with Lavender

This is a wonderful gluten-free version of an old favorite. The delightful flavors in this mixture meld delightfully.

Baked Apple Delight

4 apples

2/3 cup almonds

1/8 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup coconut

juice of 2 oranges

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup agave syrup

1/2 cup dates, chopped
lavender and mint

Core apples, cutting deeply into center so that space can be made for filling.

Grind almonds and flax seeds in food processor until finely ground. Place mixture in a bowl. Add coconut, orange juice, vanilla, cinnamon, agave syrup, and dates.

Place a small amount of filling in the bottom of a baking dish (or dishes). Use the remaining filling to stuff each apple.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes. When apples are tender and baked through, remove from oven. Drizzle with more agave syrup for decor. Garnish with mint and lavender.

*The lavender enhanced the flavor --- allow little buds of lavender to mix with the filling.

Making Sugared Blossoms

Beautiful magazines that promote lovely living frequently feature sugared flowers and the instructions for making them. Each spring when my violets and pansies are blooming, I think about how nice it would be to have sugared flowers. The instructions always say to take some egg white, mix with a little water, paint on petals, dip in ultra-fine sugar, and allow to dry. They also give the classic warning about the potential for salmonella, as the egg whites are only dried and not cooked. Food safety is important to me and I don't want to make anything that might cause anyone to get sick. Even though the petals are used mostly for decor, the risk is still too great. I know not everyone will agree with me, and that's alright. I've just dreamed about sugared flowers and tried to think of an alternative way to achieve the same results. Commercial egg white products are available at craft and cake decorating stores that have been pasteurized and are safe for use, but it was challenging and fun for me to find a plant-based, vegan alternative. 

Both egg whites and egg yolks carry risk for this illness. Here's information from the Centers for Disease Control regarding salmonella and egg whites: www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/salment_g.htm

Sugared Flowers with Flax Seed Gel

Here are my instructions for making 'food safe' sugared flowers. Be sure to use non-toxic flowers for sugaring.

1. Bring 1/4 cup flax seed and 1 cup water to a boil. Stir occasionally and allow to cook for 3 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool. The liquid portion of this mixture will turn thick and have a similar consistency to egg whites. 

2. Don't worry about straining out the flax seeds. I tried and it's too difficult and unnecessary for this application.

3. Use a soft paintbrush and gently wash each petal in flax seed gel. Only paint the top side. If the gel is too thick, stir in a small amount of water. Tweezers are needed to hold the petal without damaging the flower.

4. Once petal is painted, gently sprinkle ultra-fine sugar over the petals. Not much sugar is needed. I thought that about 1/2 the sugar would fall off when the flower dried, so added a little more sugar than really necessary. The sugar did not dry and fall off as expected! About 99% of the sugar stayed on the petals! Flax seed gel is very 'binding'.

5. Set flowers on parchment paper or a hard, flat surface. Do not touch. Allow to dry completely. 

6. When ready to use, take a small, sharp object and/or tweezers and gently remove the blossom and place on cupcakes, cookies, or brownies. A lovely garnish!

7. Next time --- I will sugar a few leaves as well. I left a short stem on each blossom for ease in handling with tweezers. I will probably shorten them next time, although they snipped off easily with a pair of small scissors after blossoms dried.

8. Sugared flowers made by this method keep very well. Store in a small container in a dry place. Mine kept for months.

Today I am linking to Bernideen's Tea Time Blog and Rose Chintz Cottage.

Mom's Fresh Strawberry Pie

Mom's Fresh Strawberry Pie

Strawberry season isn't far away. Fresh strawberries are showing up in the supermarkets and it's time to enjoy them in things like my mother's fresh strawberry pie!

1 1/2 quarts strawberries, fresh

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

2 1/2 T. cornstarch

1 tsp. margarine, vegan

1 baked pie shell (gluten free if necessary)

red food coloring if desired

Crush 1/2 quart of berries. Blend with sugar, cornstarch, and water. Heat to a boil (2 min). Add margarine and food coloring. Fill pastry shell with chilled berries. Pour glaze over berries. Chill. Serve with whipped topping of choice.

World English Dictionary

strawberry  (ˈstrɔːbərɪ, -brɪ)
— n  , pl -ries
1.	a. any of various low-growing rosaceous plants of the genus Fragaria,  such as F. vesca  ( wildstrawberry ) and F. ananassa  ( garden strawberry ), which have white flowers  and red edible fruits and spread by runners
	b. ( as modifier ): a strawberry patch
2.	a. the fruit of any of these plants, consisting of a sweet fleshy receptacle bearing small seedlike parts(the true fruits)
	b. ( as modifier ): strawberry ice cream Yummy, strawberry ice cream!

Snow Ice Cream

 

Pineapple-Crowned Fruit Pie

Pineapple-Crowned Fruit Pie

1 cup oats
1/4 cup sesame seed
Walnuts

1/4 tsp. salt
2 medium bananas, sliced
Lemon juice
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Process oats, sesame seed and 1/2 cup walnuts a small amount at a time in blender container until of flour consistency. Mix in salt and 3 Tbsp. cold water. Press into 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Dip banana slices in lemon juice. Arrange in pie shell. Top with strawberries. Blend cornstarch and pineapple in saucepan. Cook until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in vanilla; cool. Spoon over fruit. Chill for several hours. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup chopped walnuts. 

Makes: 6 - 8 servings.

*To make gluten free, use certified gluten free oats.

One of my recipes --- published years back in the Great American Heritage Cookbook --- which contained favorite recipes of home economics teachers. Walking down memory lane on this chilly winter day.

SNOW Ice Cream

It's very cold outside! With temperatures in the teens, we've been staying inside by a cozy wood fire most of the day. Skiffs of snow, patches of sunlight, gray cloudy skies, and a gentle, but very cold breeze reminds us that winter is here! The snow reminds me of childhood moments that brought my sister and me great pleasure. What creative little girls we were! I think we came by it naturally, as our mother was creative as well and always went along with our crazy plans and experiments. Sometimes we would take fresh snow and carefully pack it away in a plastic container, tucking it far back in the freezer, so we could enjoy it again during a very hot day in July! Or we'd scrape the snow off a frozen puddle on a concrete pad in the field next door, put on our ice skates, and go skating. Mind you, the patch was probably no more then 10 x 10 feet square! But, we were inventive and didn't mind the lack of very much space to skate (nor the fact that the ice was so thin, we were actually skating on concrete!). We'd catch clean, fresh snow as it was falling and try to eat it before it melted --- such fun, the feeling of it melting in your mouth. My sister grew up to enjoy snow camping --- sleeping in snow caves she learned to build in wilderness survival classes. I preferred to sleep in a warm, cozy place but did enjoy times of snowshoeing on snowshoes that my dad made out of conduit, leather, and cording. Our family would snowshoe deep into the woods, enjoying the fresh snow and the quiet of the wilderness --- no cars, no noise --- just the silence of a wintry forest where sounds were buffered by the insulation of clean, fresh snow. And then there was the ice cream! Yummy snow ice cream! Have you ever made it? 

Here's a recipe similar to the one we enjoyed. If you have a chance, try it out! What memories it will help you create:

Snow Ice Cream

1 gallon snow
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups milk (dairy or soy)

When it starts to snow, place a large, clean bowl outside to collect the flakes. When full, stir in sugar and vanilla to taste, then stir in just enough milk for the desired consistency. Serve at once.

Nutty Honey Loves

Honey Loves are a little cookie made in a muffin tin. They are sweet, tender, and gluten-free. These were a huge hit with my family! I used the greased muffin pan option, but next time I'll use mini-muffin papers, as these were hard to remove from the pan. I think cashews would work well as a substitution for the walnuts if you prefer that flavor. The delicate flavor of these cookies make them a delicious accompaniment for a cup of hot tea.

Grease well mini muffin tins. These recipe makes 24 mini muffins, but can be doubled, tripled, etc.

1/2 cup butter*
2/3 cup mild honey
1/2 cup coconut
1 1/2 cups finely ground walnuts
1/2 cup coarsely ground walnuts
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350. Thoroughly grease mini muffin tins or use mini cupcake papers. Set aside. Melt butter in a heavy pot. When melted, but not browned, add honey and cook just to the boiling pt to combine. Shut off heat. Add remaining ingredients, saving almond extract for last, combining thoroughly. Using a small ice cream scoop, divide batter almond mini muffin tins.

Bake at 350 for fifteen minutes. This is a critical part. The cookies should be medium golden brown. Watch carefully or they will burn. Remove from oven and let them cool and rest on cookie sheet for ten minutes. Then, place on rack to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

*May substitute vegan margarine or oil.

Photo: The real honey loves! Grown-up and nearly grown-up kids of friends sharing a happy time.

Mint Infused Chocolate Truffles

8 ounces dairy-free semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (choose a good quality of 62% cacao or higher), chopped

1/2 cup plain soymilk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

cocoa powder

Over a double boiler, heat soymilk until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat and add mint leaves. Cover and steep in fridge for one hour. Then, strain and place mint infused soymilk back into double boiler and bring to a simmer again. Add a tsp. more soymilk if too much evaporation took place during the simmering process.

Place the chopped chocolate in a separate bowl. Pour the hot soymilk over the cocoa. Add the vanilla. Stir until the chocolate has melted and is creamy.

Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for two hours or more. Remove from refrigerator. Using a teaspoonful of chocolate mixture at a time, form small balls (wear plastic gloves for this process). Place rolled truffles on parchment set on a cookie sheet. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Then, roll truffles in cocoa powder and place in individual papers.

Makes 30 - 40 truffles

Variations: sift a dusting of powdered sugar over cocoa coated truffles; or roll in chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds instead of cocoa powder. May also roll in unsweetened coconut.

These make a great accompaniment for tea!

Creamy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pie

There's nothing more relaxing than spending time puttering in the kitchen. Mixing, stirring, blending, and tasting equals a recipe for a fun afternoon. Do you have time to try out a new recipe today? I'll share one of my favorite pie recipes with you, and you can decide if you want to try it or not. It really is yummy and will remind you of a peanut butter cup!

Creamy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pie

1 pie crust, gluten free if necessary (or a graham cracker crust)
1 package Mori-Nu tofu, extra firm, pureed
8 ounces Tofuti soy cream cheese (or regular cream cheese, if you'd like)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
1/4 cup chocolate syrup

Place the cream cheese, tofu, sugar, peanut butter, vanilla, and honey in a food processor. Puree to a creamy mixture. Pour into crust and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Allow to cool and then refrigerate for 5 hours to overnight before serving. When ready to serve, drizzle pie with chocolate syrup before cutting into slices and plating.

*If you like, carob syrup can be substituted for chocolate syrup.

M a r i o n b e r r y

Marionberries were developed by scientists at Oregon State University.  They are a spectacular blackberry with a glossy, black appearance that turns to a deep, dark purple when frozen and thawed.  The Marionberry is tart with elements of sweetness.  It is larger, sweeter, and juicier than most other blackberries.

Using the same filling ingredients and proportions as shared in a post for Marionberry Crisp, I decided to make a Marionberry cobbler.  It is interesting to taste the difference between the two desserts.  Although they are both similar in ingredients, the flavor and presentation of each is unique.  A cobbler is simply made by choosing your favorite baking powder biscuit recipe and adding sweetener and a dash or two of cinnamon.  

For my cobbler, I chose a gluten-free biscuit mix that required the addition of oil and water.  After adding stevia powder to make it sweeter, I added cinnamon and then worked the dough, forming it into a soft ball.  Small biscuits, formed by hand, were placed on top of the Marionberry mixture until the top was covered.  It was baked at 350 degrees F. for 30 - 25 minutes (until browned).  When done, remove from oven and allow to cool.  The dough mixture on the top will absorb the extra moisture in the berries, creating a delicious and tasty dessert!

A Supper Sauce for Fruit

Because it was a hot day, something cool and refreshing seemed perfect for a simple supper last evening. Beautiful strawberries, kiwi fruit, and bananas sliced and sweetened with the sweet herb stevia made a pretty fruit salad for our meal. It was all topped off with a pear sauce that added exactly the right sweetness and creaminess. Although the spearmint sprig was for garnish, I couldn't help but nibble it with every bite or so. It added just the right amount of 'perk' to the fruity combination. Delicious!

Pear Sauce

2 cups soft tofu
2 cups canned pears
1 cup pear juice (from jar of pears)
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. cinnamon

Whiz in blender until creamy and smooth. Pour over individual fruit salad servings (or fold into entire fruit salad for a creamy salad). Garnish with a strawberry piece and fresh mint. Enjoy! You'll never miss the whipped cream!

Cake and Flowers!

"Flowers have an expression of countenance as much as men and animal. Some seem to smile."
Henry Ward Beecher

Decorating with flowers is really fun and helps create beautiful and unusual cakes and cupcakes. As you can see, the yellow miniature roses were accented with mint leaves and fresh lavender and were the decoration on the gluten free, chocolate cupcakes. The red and white baby roses were accented with fresh lavender and were what distinguished the wheat flour cupcakes from the others. They were served at the culmination of a family birthday dinner.  Here's the recipe so you can enjoy it too.

Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour* (or all-purpose flour)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar (Florida Crystals)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. vinegar lemon juice
1 tsp. pure vanilla
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in liquid ingredients. Using a hand mixer, blend until batter is smooth and creamy. Work quickly, as the lemon juice activates the baking soda and starts the leavening action. Gently stir in chocolate chips. Measure into cupcake papers in muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 - 25 minutes. 


*To make your own gluten-free flour blend, consider Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour Blend or a mixture of equal proportions of cornstarch, garbanzo/fava bean flour, and potato starch. Add 1 tsp. xanthan gum for every cup of flour.