Pecan Balls with Apricot Sauce

This is a delicious savory recipe that creates a delightful main dish for a festive meal. The apricot sauce adds a bit of "sweet" to the dinner table for variety and your enjoyment.

Pecan Balls
Makes 10 servings

1 1/4 cups cracker crumbs
3/4 cup ground pecans or pecan meal
1/2 tsp. salt
1 finely chopped onion, small
1 1/2 tsp. sage
3/4 cup grated longhorn or mild cheddar cheese (soy)
2 pressed garlic cloves
3 Tablespoons minced parsley, fresh
4 eggs

Mix all ingredients. Form into walnut sized balls.

Pour apricot sauce over meatballs (recipe to follow). 

Bake in a covered casserole at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes.

The pecan balls may be made ahead and frozen. Freeze uncooked balls at least 2 - 3 hours on cookie sheet. When ready to bake, place in baking dish and bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees F. Then pour sauce over nut balls. Return to oven and bake covered at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Apricot Barbecue Sauce
10 servings

1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar or lemon juice
3/4 cup apricot jam
1/2 cup catsup
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons grated onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Dash hot pepper sauce
Handful of raisins

It is suggested that the raisins be cooked separately and added at the last minute or cooking time as they may sink to the bottom and stick, causing them to burn. Raisins may be omitted from recipe.

Mix all ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Pour over nut balls and bake.

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.

Oranges with Radishes and Dates

Oranges with Radishes and Dates

4 large navel oranges
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 heads romaine lettuce
10 red radishes, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
1/2 cup pitted dates

With a small sharp knife, remove the peel and white pith from the oranges. Slice the oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds. Place on a large platter.

In a cup, whisk together the lemon juice, honey and cinnamon. Pour over the oranges. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Tear the lettuce into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the radishes and walnuts. Drain the dressing from the oranges and pour over the lettuce. Toss well. Add the oranges and dates. Toss to combine.

Garnish with radish roses and mint from the garden.

Serves 6.

Almond Carob Truffles

Almond Carob Truffles

• 1 cup almonds
• 1 cup dates
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp. carob powder
• 3 Tbsp. water, warm
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Place almonds and dates in food processor and mix until ground.  Add cinnamon, carob powder, water, and vanilla.  Mix until well blended.

Fill mini-muffin tin with papers.  Using a small cookie scoop, measure out scoops of mixture.  With hands, roll into uniform balls and place in muffin papers.

Refrigerate to chill and ready to eat.

Really yummy!

*You may use chocolate instead of carob if you prefer, but carob has a 'sweeter' taste and it delicious in this recipe.

**The napkin ring in the picture was made with vintage jewelry bits and pieces and a simple napkin ring.  A fun project, to be sure! I enjoyed the project and how each napkin ring was unique and different from the other.

Blueberry Picking

Our weather has been cool for mid-June, but our neighbors opened their blueberry patch right on schedule. Picking on the first day of U-picks means there are a lot of blueberries to choose from! Although it's the beginning of the season, the blueberries are sweet and ripe. How blessed we are to have organic blueberries available in our neighborhood! A bucket was picked for eating with a few saved for baking into a batch of scones. Super scrumptious. And the quiet tranquility of the lush, green blueberry patch was as good as going to the spa. Enjoy some visual tranquility as you scroll through the pictures below.

Cherries at the Market

The first of summer produce is now available in Farmer's Markets and fruits stands here in the basin. Today a trip to the Country Store was high on the "to do" list. 

We discovered a party-like atmosphere at the market. A Corvette Club scheduled a stop there. They were there, mostly by couples, enjoying free samples of apple juice, salsa, jams, and hand-made candies. The store manager was carrying a tray of cherry-chocolate truffles around to customers so they could sample them. It was all quite amazing! An event within a store with party-goers mixed in with the walk-in clientele. How fun is that? For some, great fun, but it was hard to shop, so I found a quiet corner in the store: the gift shop. I fell in love with this little bulletin board. And look! There's even a cute little copper tea kettle on it.

Soon the store had a more manageable number of customers and I was able to find what I came for. Cherries! The first of the season. Rainiers. They are a delicious mix of sweet with just the right amount of tartness. And they are pretty too!

After our selections were made and paid for we headed back to the parking lot. We'd parked at the far end of the parking lot where no other cars were parked. But wait! Did I mention that the Corvette Club was there? Two of the Corvette drivers had purposefully driven to the far end of the parking lot and one had parked on each side of Rylan's Mustang. They were making some kind of point, although I have no idea what it was. I found it amusing. Rylan just said "Hurry up, mom. It's time to go home." And we did.

Summer Green Salad with Raspberry Lemon Dressing

Summer Green Salad with Raspberry Lemon Dressing

• 1 lb. red and green artisan lettuces, torn into 1" pieces
• 1 medium green apple, peeled and diced
• 1 avocado, diced into 1" cubes
• 1 Tbsp. dried cranberries
• 2/3 cup corn kernels, defrosted

Prepare ingredients and toss together in a serving bowl.


Raspberry Lemon Dressing

• 1 small package raspberries
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup raspberry apple juice, concentrated OR raspberry white grape juice concentrate
• 1 to 2 packets stevia
• 1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh
• 3 Tbsp. black cherry fruit spread, fruit juice sweetened
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard OR 1 Tbsp. mustard powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. poppy seeds

Place all ingredients except poppy seeds in a blender. Whiz until well blended. Pour into serving pitcher and stir in poppy seeds.

Enjoy!

Cheery Cherry Macaroons

Cheery Cherry Macaroons are a wonderful meld of pecan and almond, coconut, and cherries! Perfect with a cup of tea or packed into a lunch box, they are a special culinary treat. Thanks to my friend, Nancy, for sharing this wonderful recipe.

Cheery Cherry Macaroons

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 cups coconut

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients except maraschino cherries, pecans, and coconut. Beat at low speed for 2 - 3 minutes. Then stir in maraschino cherries and pecans. Drop by teaspoonful into the coconut and roll cookies into 1" balls. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until light brown. Remove from heat and then allow to stand on cookie sheet for at least one minute. Remove from cookie sheet. Enjoy!

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!

Blueberry-Lavender Jam

Blueberry-Lavender Jam

2 Tbsp. dried, organic lavender flowers
12 ounces frozen white grape juice concentrate
3 cups fresh (or flash frozen) blueberries, washed and drained

Make a lavender sachet by cutting a piece of cheesecloth into a 6" square. Place the lavender in the center and tie into a bundle with kitchen twine or twist.

Place the lavender sachet, grape juice concentrate, and blueberries to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Stir constantly to prevent sticking. The berry mixture will 'jell' after about 20 minutes. You can test if the mixture has jelled by placing a teaspoonful of it on a place and allowing to cool at room temperature. After cooling, lightly touch the berry mixture with your finger to see if it has the consistency of jelly. If necessary, cook for 10 more minutes. When done, cover and steep for 2 hours. Then, remove the lavender sachet and discard.

Divide the jam between two pint jars. Cover and store in a refrigerator for up to one month.

*The mountain in the background is Mt. Adams*Can you see it?

Smoothies!

The weather is warming up and I'm starting to think about frozen treats. A frequent summertime dessert in our family is the fruit smoothie. Have you made them? They are easy and good for you! Here's the recipe for one I made recently. I hope you enjoy it.

Marionberry Smoothie

In a blender, add:

1 banana, frozen
1/2 cup Marionberries, frozen (or other berries of your choice)
1/2 cup pineapple, frozen
1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)
1 tsp. pure vanilla
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. stevia (herbal sweetener)
1 cup soymilk (or other milk of choice)
water

Blend on high speed until all ingredients are mixed and smooth. Add water as needed to obtain a thick, yet pourable consistency. Taste and adjust ingredients to fit  your tastebuds. Enjoy!

Serves 2.

*Sometimes I add a protein powder (about 2 Tbsp.) for added body and depth of flavor. I really like hemp powder, but sometimes use soy protein powder as well.

Tammy  just posted the 14,000th comment on Gracious Hospitality! A milestone that deserves a cheer!

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.

Favorite Jam Tea

Sometimes it is fun to vary from the usual routine and try something new. Although I usually take my tea without any sweetener except for sweet leaf stevia, sometimes it is fun to add something else instead. Flavored honey sticks  are delicious added to tea, but they tend not to stick around very long, as they are found by those who live here and are enjoyed just the way they are. But, on most days a jar of jam can be found inside the fridge door. Jam makes a great addition to any cup of tea! It makes a cup of tea so delicious that the amber liquid will slide down your throat with ease! Kids love it too and it makes a fun addition to a children's tea party. Just remember to invite the teddy bears and dolls in the house. 

The recipe is simple and I'll share it here with you:

Jam Tea

1 cup of hot plain brewed tea (I like Darjeeling for this)

1 teaspoon of your favorite jam (try apricot, or grape, or strawberry, or even raspberry jam)

Stir together the hot tea and jam. The jam will melt into the amber liquid and you'll have a sweet treat to enjoy!

The Peaceful Trees

"And see the peaceful trees extend

their myriad leaves in leisured dance—

they bear the weight of sky and cloud

upon the fountain of their veins."

Kathleen Raine

Envoi

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!

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.

Swedish Fruit Soup

Naturally sweet and absolutely delicious! This fruit soup is especially delicious during the chilly winter months. It uses dried fruits and a stick of cinnamon to spice things up a bit. If you don't have all the ingredients, substitutions can be made quite successfully.

Swedish Fruit Soup

2 cups dried fruit (apples, pears, peaches, apricots, and prunes)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups water
3 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 cup apricot All Fruit spread (sweetened with fruit juices)
1 1/2 tsp. sweet herb stevia (or to taste)
3 Tbsp. tapioca
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup mandarin orange pieces

In a medium sized kettle, bring water to a boil. Add dried fruit,raisins, and pineapple juice. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes until fruit is soft. Add fruit spread, stevia, tapioca, and salt. Stir gently. Add cinnamon stick and simmer mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mandarin orange pieces. Remove from heat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Place into individual bowls or goblets. Garnish with mint springs, cinnamon sticks, and a dollop of tofu whipped topping. Enjoy!

*Also delicious served slightly warm.

Holiday Green Salad with Raspberry Lemon Dressing

Holiday Green Salad with Raspberry Lemon Dressing

1 lb. red and green artisan lettuces, torn into 1" pieces
1 medium green apple, peeled and diced
1 avocado, diced into 1" cubes
1 Tbsp. dried cranberries
2/3 cup corn kernels, defrosted

Prepare ingredients and toss together in a serving bowl.

- - -

Raspberry Lemon Dressing

1 small package raspberries
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup raspberry apple juice, concentrated OR raspberry white grape juice concentrate
1 to 2 packets stevia
1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh
3 Tbsp. black cherry fruit spread, fruit juice sweetened
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard OR 1 Tbsp. mustard powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. poppy seeds

Place all ingredients except poppy seeds in a blender. Whiz until well blended. Pour into serving pitcher and stir in poppy seeds.

The Star House

Do you have children or grandchildren? Here is a fun story to share with them. Since it is the harvest season, find a juicy, red apple to help illustrate the story.

Once upon a time a young boy names Johnny was searching for something interesting to do. His mother suggested that he go outside and play with his toys. His train was fun as it chugged in and out of his garage. "Clank! Clank!" went the fire bell as his fire engine zoomed down the sidewalk. But Johnny was tired of his toys.

"Please, Mother, tell me about something interesting that I can do," begged Johnny. His Mother then suggested that he go outside and find a little red house that had no doors or windows, but had a star inside of it.

Johnny looked and looked but he couldn't find the little red house with no doors, no windows, and a star inside of it. When he became tired of looking he went to Grandmother's. Grandmother was always ready to listen and she was wise. She thought and thought. Finally she told Johnny that when she had a problem which she couldn't solve, she always went over to visit Farmer Brown.

Away went Johnny to Farmer Brown's home. "Please sir, can you help me? My mother asked me to find a little red, round house with no doors and no windows and a star inside of it. I asked my Grandmother to help me, but she said that when she has a problem she comes to you"

Farmer Brown thought and thought. He looked at the apple tree at the top of the hill. "When I have a problem and I don't know the answer, I go and listen to the wind. Why don't you go to the top of the hill and stand under the apple tree and listen to the wind."

"Swish. . .Swish. . .Swish. . .went the wind and an apple fell right near Johnny's feet. Johnny picked it up and looked at it. It was little. It was round. It was red! "A  little red, round house," thought Johnny. "Maybe with a star inside of it? Who ever heard of a star inside of an apple? I'll just open it and see."

"There it is! There it is! A little red, round house with no doors and no windows and a star inside of it."

It is recommended that you use an apple as an object lesson in this story, cutting it crosswise to reveal the star inside.

Turkish Nut Bowls and Summer Days

 

The end of summer nears. The neighbor's cherry orchard is changing to reflect the season with leaves on the trees turning a beautiful golden color. Although the sun is going down more than an hour earlier than it did during mid-summer, the days are enjoyable and pleasant. Cooler weather in the 80's is giving the rose bushes a second wind and they are bursting forth in beautiful, colorful blossoms. It's like one last fling before autumn finally arrives. It's the time of year to pack in as many things as you can before the weather turns cold. Perhaps it's time to take a picnic lunch to the park. Or to drive to the mountains on a wildlife scouting trip. It is harvest season. Have you picked enough boxes of peaches and apples to satisfy your sweet tooth? And what about tomato sandwiches? Have you enjoyed enough of them to appreciate their yummy goodness? Take on the days and enjoy the last fleeting days of summer sun! What's on your schedule for this week-end?

Photo: Alma's neighbor shared a set of six beautiful Turkish nut bowls and they now grace my kitchen cupboard. I think they are very cute! Neighbor is a delightful English woman who knows the value of a perfectly made cup of tea. She's married to a Turkish gentleman whose family visits from Turkey each year. Together they are a hospitable team. I appreciate the gracious hospitality they have extended to me.