Tarragon Grape Sauce

2 t olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 C wine
2 C grapes
1 C chicken broth
2 t tarragon

To 12 inch skillet add oil and heat on medium until hot. Add onion and cook 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in wine and cook on medium-high 1 minute. Add grapes, broth, tarragon and heat to boiling. Cook 5 minutes or until grapes are tender, stirring occasionally.

No Bake Chocolate Cookies

2 C sugar
1/2 C milk
1/2 C butter
4 T cocoa
1 t vanilla
3 C oats
1 C coconut

Put sugar, milk, butter, cocoa, and vanilla in a large saucepan and boil 3 minutes.  Add oats and coconut, stir until coated. Drop by teaspoonful onto waxed paper.

Sesame Peanut Noodles

Sauce:

1 1/2" piece fresh peeled ginger, sliced
2 garlic cloves
1/2 C chunky peanut butter
1/4 C tahini
1/4 C natural rice vinegar
3 T soy sauce
2 T sesame oil
1 T hot chili oil
1 T sugar
1/3 C warm water

Mince ginger and garlic in a food processor.  Add peanut butter, tahini, vinegar, soy, sesame oil, hot chili oil, and sugar. Process until combined, add water, process until smooth.

Noodles:

1 lb spaghetti
2 t sesame oil
1 small seedless cucumber, cut in 2" julienne strips
2 C cilantro, torn
1 small red bell pepper, cut in 2" julienne strips
4 green onions, diagonally sliced
1 C shredded carrots
1/2 C chopped peanuts

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.  Rinse with cold water. Drain well. Toss spaghetti with sesame oil.  Add sauce and toss to coat.  Add cucumber, cilantro, bell pepper, green onions, and carrots.  Toss to combine.  Sprinkle with peanuts and serve.

Each serving
Calories 458
Fat          23
Protein    15
Carbs      51

Buttermilk Belgian Waffles

For Bella Cucina Rotating Belgian Waffle Maker

Waffle Base

5 C all-purpose flour
2 T baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 C sugar

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container until ready to use

Classic Buttermilk Waffles

1 1/2 C Waffle Base
4 T melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 C buttermilk

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until mixture is smooth and contains no lumps.  In preheated waffle iron, ladle in about 1/3 C for each waffle and cook until waffles are golden brown (about 3-4 minutes). Top with your favorite breakfast fruit, cream, or syrup

Makes 4 waffles

Apple Pie

½ cup unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ cup water

½ cup white sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

8(ish) Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.

Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

This is the original recipe.  I switched it up a little bit.  I put a teaspoon of cinnamon, and about a ¼ teaspoon each of ground cloves and allspice in the syrup. I replaced one tablespoon of the water with vanilla (just pour it in the measuring cup first).  I brushed the bottom crust with egg white to help keep it from getting soggy.  I also put about 2/3 of the mixture in the apples before I filled the pie and mixed them up in it.  Then I put the lattice on top and evenly poured the remainder of the syrup over the crust.  Things I will probably try next time:  Lemon juice in the syrup, probably a tablespoon.  Replacing half of the water in the syrup with bourbon or cognac.  Ground up blanched almonds in the crust.

You obviously don’t have to do a lattice if you don’t want to.  If you want to go with a regular crust, just mix all of the syrup in with the apples before you put them in the pie.

Pie Crust

3 cups all purpose flour

2 ½ teaspoons sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup chilled vegetable shortening, cut

½ cup + 2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut (1 ¼ sticks)

10 tablespoons (approx) ice water

Combine flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in shortening and butter until coarse meal forms. Blend in enough ice water 2 tablespoons at a time to form moist clumps.  Gather dough into ball, cut in half.  Flatten each half into a disk.  Wrap separately in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Can be made one day ahead.  Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.)

Mango-Pineapple Chutney

1 T vegetable oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 large jalapeno, seeded and chopped
Salt & Pepper
1 (8 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained
2 T honey
1 C water
1 ripe mango, peeled & diced
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 C parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 C cilantro, chopped

Heat a saucepot over medium-high heat with vegetable oil.  Add the red onions and jalapeno and season with a little salt and pepper.  Cook for 3-4 minutes or until onions are slightly wilted.  Add pineapple, honey, and water.  Turn the heat down to medium low and gently simmer for about 5 minutes.  Add mango, lime juice, parsley, and cilantro.  Stir to combine.