September
Autumnal Work
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Recipes For The Month of September
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September 1
"September ushers in again
Autumn sun and autumn rain;
Bids the summer fond good-bye
Hints at winter's frosty eye.
Yet with all its sad ado
September has its beauties too;
Radiant foliage, morning mist,
Air that serves as catalyst
To the changing season's train,
September days are here again."
~Jacques Ducharme
September Sweet Potato Muffins
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1 13/4 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup mashed sweet potato, cooled
1/2 cup half and half cream
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt cinnamon and ground ginger; set aside. In another bowl, stir together sweet potato, half and half cream, eggs, oil and vanilla. Make a well in center of dry ingredients, add potato mixture and stir just to combine. Stir in crystallized ginger. Spoon batter into greased muffin cups. Bake in 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm or store in airtight container at room temperature.
*These September Sweet Potato Muffins are wonderful at breakfast served warmed and generously slathered with Strawberry Butter or as a side to Cordon Bleu Casserole. If you aren't up for mashing sweet potatoes, substitute with canned pumpkin.
September 2
"Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt, put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself."
~Ezekiel 4:9 (NIV)
"There was something frantic in their blooming,as if they knew that frost was here and then the bitter cold. They'd lived through all the heat and noise and stench of summer time, and now each widely opened flower was like a triumphant cry, 'We will, we will make seeds before we die."
~Harriette Arrow
Wheat and Barley Bowl
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3/4 cup barley
3 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons instant beef bouillon
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup bugler wheat or quinoa
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1/.4 cup snipped parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
In a large frying pan, cook and stir barley in butter over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until brown. Stir in water, beef bouillon, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling; reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Stir in wheat,. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes. Stir in onion, parsley and lemon juice. Simmer another 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with sunflower seeds.
*Taking its name from the grain crops harvested, the Full Barley Moon can be an awesome sight to see. It is a powerful, yet peaceful reminder of our farming roots and the heartbeat of the land. Try the South American grain quinoa for a nuttier flavor and higher protein content than other grains. Serve with Beer Battered Walleye or Imagingarden Stir-Fry. Complete the meal with Molasses Cookies.
September 3
"Aware of what is happening to the children
Corn Woman walks the fields, carrying knowledge
from where the good medicine grows.
Pulling truths from stalks of corn
leaning into the winds, the teachings of long ago
become renewed with every grain he children swallow.
Keep in mind that you
are part of the whole, she reminds them.
The future is planted within you.
Give to yourselves lives to be proud of
Treat yourselves and others
always with respect.
The rocks are listening.
The trees are listening.
The eagles are listening.
The rivers are listening
And the children?
They are destined to hear
the sounds of the sacred grains of wisdom
Growing inside their hearts."
~MariJo Moore
Indian Summer Salad
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1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon each of chopped fresh basil and chives
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups canned corn, drained
1 pound green beans (4 cups), cut into bite size pieces, steamed till tender-crisp
2 cups red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
2 large peppers, colors of choice, cut into bite size pieces
Combine olive oil, vinegar, onion, basil, chives, mustard, oregano,lemon juice and pepper into tight sealing container and shake well. Place corn, green beans tomatoes and pepper pieces in separate bowls. Pour 1/4th of dressing over each vegetable. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours, stirring several times. Layer corn, peppers, beans and tomatoes in large glass bowl. Garnish with fresh chives.
September 4
"Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim, through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty,
Hold me with thy powerful hand;
Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more."
~William Williams
"Whose bread I eat, his song I sing."
~German Proverb
Sourdough French Bread
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1 package yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup sourdough starter
5 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Cornmeal
Melted butter
Dissolve the yeast in the water in a large bowl. Add the sourdough starter and mix stir in 4 cups flour, sugar and salt. Cover with damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Then mix remaining cup flour with baking soda and stir into the dough. Add enough flour to make the dough stiff and turn out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and shiny. 6 to 8 minutes. Shape the dough into half loaf sized and place on a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Leave in a warm place until again doubled in size. Brush the top of the loaf with cold water and make a sharp slash about 1/2 inch deep i top of loaf. Before baking bread, place a shallow pan with a little hot water on the bottom rack. Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until dark almond brown. Brush with melted butter and hot water and then crisp in oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Bread is best served warm. Store the bread in a tightly wrapped brown paper bag at room temperature.
*To freshen French Bread should it become hard, sprinkle generously with water, and warm in 180 degree oven for several minutes. Serve warm with White Lasagna or Irish Stew.
September 5
"Today I think
Only with scents - scents dead leaves yield,
And bracken, and wild carrot's seed,
And the square mustard field;
Odours that rise
When the spade wounds the root of a tree,
Rose, currant , raspberry, or goutweed,
Rhubarb or celery;
The smoke's smell too,
Flowing from where a bonfire burns
The dead, the waste, the dangerous,
And all to sweetness turns...."
~Edward Thomas
"What I enjoy is not the fruits alone, but I also enjoy the soil itself."
~Cicero
Rhubarb Dream Bars
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2 cups flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, slightly softened
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups rhubarb, chopped
In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups flour and powdered sugar. Cut in butter until crumbs form. Press into bottom of a 10" x 15" jelly roll pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare filling by blending eggs. granulated sugar, 1/2 cup flour and salt until smooth. Fold in rhubarb. Spread over hot crust and continue baking for 40 to 45 minutes, or until filling is lightly browned. Cool and cut into 1" x 2" bars. Store the bars in the refrigerator.
*Fresh or frozen rhubarb works equally well with these bars. Serve with dollop of Old Fashioned Butter Cream Pudding for an extra special dessert.
September 6
"In late summer after the day's heat is over
I walk out after dark into the still garden
wet leaves fragrance of ginger and kamahi
the feel of the path underfoot still recalling
a flow of water that found its way long ago
toads are rustling under the lemon res
looking back I can see through the branches
the light in the kitchen where we were standing
a moment ago in our life together."
~W. S. Merwin
Gingered Garden Pilaf
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1 - 1" pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and quartered
1 cup fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
/2 cup fresh green beans
1.2 cup fresh carrots, sliced
1/2 cup fresh cauliflower flowerets
1/2 cup fresh peas
1/2 cup corn
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup chopped cashews
In a blender, combine ginger, cilantro, garlic and water. Cover and blend until mixture is smooth. Set aside. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, our until onion is tender. Add green beans carrots, cauliflower, peas, corn, salt, cinnamon and ginger mixture. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes,or until vegetables are just tender. Stir in cooked rice and heat thoroughly. Serve immediately, garnished with cashews.
*Try adding or substituting any of the above listed vegetables with what's available in your garden or at the local market. Suggests serving along side Gingered Garden Pilaf Mustard Chicken in Phyllo Pastry or Baked Chicken Salad and finishing with Blackberry Cobbler.
September 7
"At harvest time, the vegetable garden comes into the kitchen. Not all at once, unfortunately"
~Barbara Dodge Borland
"Fish, to taste right, must swim three times - in water, in butter and in wine."
~Polish Proverb
Baked Orange Roughy with Vegetables
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1 pound Orange Roughy fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 zucchini, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons sherry
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Clean fish fillets well under cold water and place in a greased 8" x 8" baking dish. Heat the oil in a skillet and saute zucchini, carrot, green pepper, onion, and garlic for 6 to 8 minutes, or until just tender. Spoon over fillets and top with tomatoes. Combine basil, chicken broth, lemon juice, sherry, butter, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Pour over fillets. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until fish flakes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
*Orange Roughy, on of the mildest fish, grills well too. Just wrap above recipe in tinfoil and grill over low flame for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with Mashed Potatoes and Carrots or Cheese Scalloped Potatoes and Fruit Pizza for dessert.
September 8
"He who plants a tree, he plants love,
tents of coolness spreading out above
wayfarers he may not live to see
Gifts that grow are best."
~Lucy Larcom
Homemade Applesauce
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8 to 10 apples, your choice of varieties
1 tablsepoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Peel, core and cut the apples into large chunks, tossing with the lemon juice to keep from browning. Place the apples, cider, sugar and cinnamon stick in large pot, cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until apples are tender, about 15 minutes,. Uncover the pot and cook about 5 minutes more. Remove the pot from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick. Coarsely mash the apples with the juices remaining. Cool to room temperature, put into air tight container and keep refrigerated. Applesauce will store up to 5 days.
Apple Cider
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5 pound apples, your favorite red variety
1 gallon boiling water
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
3 to 4 cups sugar
Wash apples and cut into quarters. Put apple pieces into a large cooking pot. Bring water to boil in separate container and ad cream of tartar. Pour over apples and let set for at least 24 hours. Drain and discard the apples. Strain the broth through a cheese cloth, return to cooking pot and bring to a boil. Add 3 to 4 cups sugar for each gallon of cider.
*Apples are symbolic token gifts of appreciation still given to out modern day school teachers. Early on , apples were given as a repayment of services expected. Students would offer sweet fruit to authority figures to sweeten their disposition, and thus, hopefully, make the dispensation of the grades more predictable.
September 9
"One should learn also to enjoy the neighbor's garden, however small; the roses straggling over the fence, the scent of lilacs drifting across the road."
~Henry Van Dyke
"Autumn carries more gold in its hand than all the other seasons."
~Jim Bishop
Garden Mix Pickles
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4 quarts cucumbers, sliced about 1.4 inch thick
3 or 4 onions, diced
3 green peppers, diced
3 red peppers, diced
1/3 cup canning salt
15 carrots, chunked
1 bunch celery, chunked
1 cauliflower head, chunked
3 cups vinegar
5 cups sugar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
Combine cucumbers, onions and peppers and sprinkle with canning salt. Let stand 3 hours. Do not drain. Boil carrots, celery and cauliflower for 3 minutes and drain. In a large saucepan, make syrup by combining vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, turmeric and celery seed. Bring to a boil, add all the vegetables and heat until hot. Immediately spoon the vegetables into clean glass canning jars. Pour syrup over vegetables until about 1/2 - 1 inch from rim of jars. Seal and put into boiling water bath to seal, about 15 minutes. Store at room temperature, but refrigerate before serving.
**Try adding broccoli or Brussels sprouts to your Garden Mix Pickles. On a harvesting note, cucumbers and many vegetables and fruits are best tasting and most crisp when picked in the morning when still plump form the overnight cool. If you need to pick produce so that it doesn't spoil, be sure to store different families separately, such as apples and carrots. Some fruits give off gases which can cause a bitter taste in vegetables, and you don't want that!
September 10
"The picnic table's loaded beneath the spreading trees,
And all of our relations are buzzing 'round like bees.
The men are going fishing by the river in the reeds,
And kids are doing battle with watermelon seeds...
Old folks are finding berries to fill a battered pail,
Where yellow daisies cluster beside the dusty trail.
The young and old are laughing by the river green and deep.
And they'll still be busy talking when it's time to go to sleep."
~E'Lane Carlisle Murray
"Would you sell the colors of your sunset and the fragrance
Of your flowers, and the passionate wonder of your forest
For a creed that will not let you dance?"
~Helene Johnson
Cilantro Potato Salad
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2 pounds new potatoes, cooked and halved, left unpeeled
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Combine potatoes and onions in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, make dressing by combining milk, vinegar, mustard and mayonnaise. Pour over potatoes; add cilantro and garlic. Toss until combined. If mixture is too dry for your liking, mix another half recipe of dressing. Refrigerate up to 24 hours before serving.
*This is the eve of one of the most devastating days in recent American history. Take some time today to remember the days that once were. And make sure you are doing all you can to enjoy and be thankful for each continued day in our beautiful homeland.
September 11
"God bless our native land; Firm may it ever stand,
Through storm and night. When the wild tempests rave,
Ruler of wind and wave, Do thou our country save
By they great might.
So Shall our prayers arise to God above the skies,
On whom we wait. Thou who art ever nigh,
Guarding with watchful eye, to thee a loud we cry;
God save the state!
Our father's God , to thee, Author of liberty,
To thee we sing; Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light. Protect us by thy might,
Great God our king."
~A National Anthem
Red, White and Blue Muffins
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1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 teaspoon butter melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, vegetable oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda, baking powder and salt. Add to moist ingredients and mix well. Fold in nuts, rhubarb and blueberries. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins to 2/3 full. Combine melted butter, sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of each muffin. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
*Today, say a prayer for out country, may it always stand firm.
September 12
"Give me the splendid silent sun with all his beams full-dazzling,
Give me juicy autumnal fruit ripe and red from the orchard,
Give me a field where the unmow'd grass grows,
Give me an arbor, give me the trellis'd grape
Give fresh corn and wheat, give me serene-moving animals teaching content,
Give me nights perfectly quiet as on high plateaus wet of the Mississippi,
and I looking up at the stars,
Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk
undisturb'd..."
~Walt Whitman
"Far away, there in the sunshine, are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead."
~Louisa May Alcott
California Cornbread
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2 cups Bisquick
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup creamed sweet corn
Combine Bisquick, baking soda, cornmeal and sugar. Add melted butter, buttermilk, eggs and corn. Mix only until all dry ingredients are moistened, as batter will be lumpy. Pour into greased 9" x 13" pan and bake in 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
*There is no significance for the name California Cornbread other tan I got the recipe from a friend in San Diego, CA. I lived with her briefly while I was in the process of moving out of California. She and her husband were great cooks and they generously shared their meals with me. I took many warm memories and meal ideas with me, and often used many of their recipes. But over the years, tastes have changed, careers have demanded more time and child rearing has entered into the picture, so most of the old recipes have been replace with easier, simpler ones. This recipe is one that has survived. I suppose because it is easy, and because I love cornbread. And it is an incredibly heart warming way to remember good friends and appreciate their generosity.
September 13
"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly.
"One must have freedom, sunshine and a little flower."
~Hans Christian Anderson
Roasted Vegetable and Tortellini Salad
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2 cups whole button mushroom
2 cups cubed zucchini
2 cubed eggplants
1 medium red onion, cut into wedge
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 package (6 to 9 ounce) cheese tortellini
4 sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 - 1 cup hot water
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 cups torn leaf lettuce,choosing several favorite varieties
Parmesan cheese
Basil leaves
Place mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant and onion on a large baking sheet. Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake vegetables in 425 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes,or until vegetables are browned. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, cook tortellini according to package directions, drain and set aside to cool In a small bowl, place sun-dried tomatoes and pour hot water over tomatoes to cover. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes, or until tomatoes soft. Drain well and chop. Ina small jar with tight-fitting lid, combine tomatoes, chicken broth, basil, remaining olive oil, lemon juice, water, garlic and pepper,. Shake well. If not serving salad immediately, refrigerate all ingredients separately until ready to serve; vegetables are best if not let refrigerate longer than several hours. When ready, shake dressing again and combine with roasted vegetables and tortellini. Serve over lettuce greens and garnish with parmesan cheese and basil leaves.
*A blackened chicken breast (use recipe from Blackened Salmon Salad) sliced across the top of the salad can be added for those who prefer more protein. A bit of fresh Black Bean Salsa can be served for more pizzazz. Herbed Croutons can be tossed on for those who need more crunch...
September 14
"We return thanks to our mother,the earth, which sustains us. We return thanks to the rivers and streams, which supply us with water. We return thanks to all herbs, which furnish medicines for the cure for our disease. We return thanks to the corn, and to her sisters, the beans and squashes, which give us life. We return thanks to the bushes and trees, which provide us with fruit. We return thanks to the wind, which, moving the air, has banished disease. We return thanks to the moon and the stars,which have given us their light when the sun was gone. We return thanks to our grandfather He-no, that he has protected his grandchildren form witches and reptiles, and has given us the rain. We return thanks to the sun, that he has looked up the hearth with a beneficent eye. Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit, in whom is embodied all goodness, and who directs all things for the good of his children."
~Iroquois Native American Tradition
Stuffed Patty Pan Squash
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6 patty pan squash
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, chopped
2 celery stalks,finely diced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup crushed pine nuts
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Cut off a dime-sized piece form base of each squash. Cut off lids, setting aside. Scoop our the reserve insides. , leaving about 1/2 inch shell intact. Sprinkle cavities with a little salt. Set squashes on baking sheet. Broi8l under preheated broiler until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove form oven. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. Cover bottom of 9" x 13 " baking dish with tomato sauce. Set squash shell in sauce and set aside. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil and saute squash, garlic, scallions, celery and pepper until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Add bread crumbs, pine nuts, Swiss cheese, egg and cayenne. divide evenly among squash shells. Replace lids on top of each squash. Bake in 375 degree oven until heated thoroughly, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
September 15
"God has not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God has not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
But God has promised
Strength for the day,
Rest for the labor,
Light for the way,
Grace for the trials,
Help from above
Unfailing sympathy,
Undying love."
~Annie Johnson Flint
"The earth has enough for every man's need but not for every man's greed."
~Mahatma Gandhi
Garden Style Sloppy Joes'
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1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely diced bell pepper, color of choice
3/4 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1 large carrot, grated
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato puree
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
In a large skillet, brown ground beef; drain. Stir in bell pepper,onion and celery and cook about 5 minutes, or until onion softens. Add carrots, tomatoes, tomato puree, black pepper. Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour. Stir occasionally and add salt and pepper as desired. Serve over California Cornbread, Molasses and Bran Buns or White Buns.
*Some people enjoy this sloppy joe recipe made int a casserole. This is easily done by adding 3 to 4 cups of cooked macaroni noddles, pouring mixture into a casserole and topping with cheddar or mozzarella cheese and baking in 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with Pear Crunch Pie.
September 16
"You can't always go by expert opinion. A turkey, if you ask a turkey, should be stuffed with grasshoppers, grit and worms."
~Changing Times
"Eating is not merely a material pleasure. Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy companionship. It is of great importance to the morale."
~Elsa Schiaparelli
Melon and Turkey Salad
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3 cups diced, cooked turkey
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
4 ripe cantaloupes, halved and seeded
1 cup honeydew melon balls
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup sliced almonds
In a bowl, placed turkey, celery and green peppers. Season with salt and pepper. In a separate small bowl, combine mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice and pickle relish. Blend into turkey mixture: if mixture seems too dry, add 2 to3 tablespoons milk. Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Meanwhile, scoop out melon balls from cantaloupe halves and combine 1 cup of them with the honeydew balls. Mix into turkey salad. Cut a slice form bottom of each melon half to steady shell. When ready to serve, fill each melon half with turkey salad and garnish with parsley and almonds.
*Serve with Raspberry - Lemon Muffins or Kuchen and finish with a big slice of Coffee Spice Cake or scoop of ice cream with Caramel Sauce. Enjoy!
September 17
"He said to me: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, ad I will be his God and he will be my son."
~Revelation 21:6-7 (NIV)
"I've noticed something about gardening. You set out to do one thing and pretty soon you're doing something else, which leads to some other thing, and so on. By the end of the day, you look at the shovel stuck in the half-dug rose bed and wonder what on earth you've been doing."
~Anne Raver
Golden Day Punch
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1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons chopped ginger root
2 - 4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 (6 ounce) can frozen apple juice concentrate, prepared per package directions
1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, prepared per package directions
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
In a medium saucepan, combine water, sugar, honey, ginger root, cloves and cinnamon stick,. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Cool mixture; cover and let sit in refrigerator for several hours. Meanwhile, in a large container combine prepared apple and orange juices and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for several hours as ready to serve, strain spice mixture, discarding spice pulp. In a punch bowl, combine spice mixture and fruit juices. Float half of sliced oranges and lemons in bowl. Add ice mold or cubes. Cut remaining slices in half and garnish punch bowl and glasses. Serve immediately.
*This tasty punch is great served at a late summer get together. Or enjoy it all alone, as you gaze out at your garden, wondering what you've been doing and making big plans for tomorrow.
September 18
"Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vines do yield their strength."
~Joel 2:21-22 (KJV)
"The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell."
~Song of Solomon 2:13 (KJV)
Fig and Berry Gratin
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12 ripe fresh figs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup Grand Marnier LIquor
1/2 cup raspberries
Prick the figs with a fork and place in a lightly greased glass round baking casserole. Combine cinnamon, cloves and brown sugar and sprinkle over the figs. Add the water to the dish. Bake uncovered, in 325 degree oven for 30 minutes, basting often. Combine the cream, butter, sugar and Grand Marnier. Fold in the raspberries and spoon over the hot figs. Return to oven and broil for 5 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve hot drizzled with cream and Grand Marnier.
*Figs have been flourishing since Biblical times. Not only are they fundamentally very healthy, being packed with minerals and fiver, they are versatile in how thy can be prepared. They do just fine being eaten alone and are great when cut into yogurt or added to granola. Figs can be incorporated into an appetizer by wrapping them with partially cooked bacon and broiling. But, the most favorite way of enjoying figs seems to be sinfully hidden in sugar, cream and butter. Be sure to enjoy some soon, as fresh figs are only available July through mid-October. Serve after a meal of Stuffed Eggplant or Spring Pea Linguine.
September 19
"To get the best results, you must talk to your vegetables."
~Prince Charles of Wales
"Too many cooks may spoil the broth, but it only takes one to burn it."
~Madeleine Bingham
Cream of All-Vegetable Soup
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1 small bunch broccoli, cut int florets
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large zucchini, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 large potato, peeled and shredded
1 small onion, finely diced
1 cup snap peas, broken into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 bay leaf
2 1/4 quarts hot vegetable stock
1 1/2 quarts milk
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sherry
Combine the broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, celery, mushrooms, potato, onion and snap peas in a large bowl. In a large stockpot, saute half the vegetables in 2 tablespoon of butter. Add the salt, peer and bay leaf. Saute for 8 to 10 minutes, then add the hot water and milk. In a separate smaller saucepan, melt the 1 cup butter and add flour , stirring to make a roux. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes stirring constantly. Slowly add to vegetable mixture while stirring. Add the rest of the vegetables to the stockpot. Stir in the sherry, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.
*Surely, you can think of a favorite vegetable or something from your garden that isn't in this All-Vegetable Soup. As usual, feel free to add and delete as convenient or as preferred. Serve with Sweet Potato Biscuits or Bacon Muffins.
September 20
"In search of my mother's garden I found my own"
~Alice Walker
"O thou Lord of life, send my roots rain."
~Gerard Manley Hopkins
Mom's Peach Cobbler
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1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup water
3 cups peeled and sliced peaches
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening
1/2 cup milk
In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, cornstarch and water to a boil and continue for 1 minute; remove from heat and add the peaches. Place fruit in a greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Dot the fruit with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder., salt, shortening and milk. Mix together until just moist. Bake in 400 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes,or until golden brown. Let cool slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream.
*Many of the recipes in this book were either contributed or inspired by my mother. Of all of them though, this one sticks out as a favorite. The fall harvest was a busy season on our farm house growing up, and homemade peach cobbler was a quick and easy. It hel its heat well, so even hours after coming out of the oven, you could add a scoop of ice cream and it would melt into a heavenly swirl. Peaches seemed to taste better in those days. So, to now dream of those aromatic, juicy peaches just leaves a soft, warm, fuzzy feeling, jut like you find on a fresh peach skin. And, I can still picture my mom working over the counter, making the dough. But, for some reason, it doesn't get made as much as it deserves, getting buried amongst the latest and greatest by Martha Stewart. So, in honor of my mom's birthday, I intend to make it more often, and I hope you do too. Or better yet, dig our a favorite recipe from your Mom.
September 21
"Took it for granted"
When it was planted
That I had just enough.
Now during my days
I'm trying new ways
To use up all the stuff.
My basement is crammed,
It's been jellied and jammed;
Made into bread and cake.
It's been chopped and sliced
And grated and diced-
There's nothing else to make!
I've baked and canned it;
Boiled it and panned it.
And frozen all I need.
I have had my fill.
There's too much - and still
It's growing like a weed!"
~Madolyn Brown
Zucchini Salad
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2 pounds zucchini, about 2 large, cut into 3/4 inch slices
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 cup large ripe pitted olives, quartered
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic
1 avocado
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
Combine water and salt; pour over zucchini in saucepan and cook until tender crisp. Drain; add olives and set aside. Combine oil, vinegar, paprika, pepper, sugar and basil. Spear garlic on a toothpick; add to dressing. Pour over zucchini mixture and stir gently. Chill overnight. Several hours before serving, remove garlic. Peel avocado, cut into slices, and gently add to salad. Garnish with red pepper slices.
September 22
"We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumber, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions and the garlick:"
~Numbers 11:5 (KJV)
"Summer ends, and Autumn comes, and he who would have it otherwise would have high tide always and a full moon every night."
~Hal Borland
Garlic and Mushroom Stuffed Shells
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6 large pasta shells, cooked al dente
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups mushrooms, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped basil
16 ounces cottage cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 jar favorite marinara sauce
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Cook pasta shells according to package directions and drain. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet and add mushrooms, garlic and basil. Cook on medium heat until soft. In a large bowl, mix ricotta cheese, cottage cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Add the sauteed vegetables to cheese mixture and blend well. Stuff the cooked shells with cheese mixture and arrange in a greased 9" x 13" baking pan. Pour marinara sauce over shells and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake in 375 degree oven fro 20 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
* If you are a moon follower,m you may be aware that the turn of the new moon, or the arrival of the autumn equinox, is the time to plant garlic,. You can mail order special types of garlic, but the ones purchased at the grocery store seem to grow equally well. Just make sure you use the biggest, fullest cloves and don;t over water. The Farmer's Almanac can give you precise planting dates per the moon cycles for all your vegetable crops.
"My garden is an hones place. Every tree and every vine are incapable of concealment, and tell after two or three months exactly what sort of treatment they have had."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
September 23
"If the people have no bread, let them eat cake."
~Marie Antoinette
"Sometimes... it takes me an entire day to write a recipe, to communicate it correctly. It's really like writing a little short story."
~Julia Child
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake
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2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups mashed pumpkin
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips
Mix together flour, salt, soda, baking powder and cinnamon. In a large mixing bowl, mix pumpkin, oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Blend with dry ingredients. Add walnuts and chocolate chips. Pour into greased 9" x 13" baking pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until knife comes out of center clean. Eat plain or frost with cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
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3 ounces soft cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1 - 2 teaspoons milk
Cream together the cream cheese, margarine and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Add milk if desired for softer texture.
September 24
"The autumn drifted away through all its seasons.
The golden corn-harvest, the walks through the stubble-fields,
and rambles into hazel-corpses in search of nuts;
the stripping of the apple-orchards of their ruddy fruit,
amid joyous cries and shouts of watching children;
and the gorgeous tulip-like coloring of the later time
had come on with the shortening days."
~Elizabeth Gaskell
"Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land,
And verily thou shalt be fed."
~Psalm 37:3 (KJV)
Molasses and Bran Buns
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2 packages yeast
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups All Bran cereal
1 cup cold water
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
12 - 14 cups flour
3/4 cup shortening, melted
1/4 cup butter, melted
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water. Set aside. In a large bowl, pour boiling water over the cereal and let sit for several minutes. Add the 1 cup cold water, molasses, eggs and salt; stir together. Add 1.2 cup flour and the yeast mixture. Beat with a wire whip until all combined. Let rise for 20 minutes. Add the melted shortening and enough flour to make dough stiff. Turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place into a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, place in a warm area and let rise about 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down and shape into tennis ball size buns. Place onto greased cookie sheets minutes, or until golden brown. While still very warm, brush melted butter over tops of buns for a richer flavor and color.
September 25
"There is no doubt what soever that I will be outlived by my garlic, and that long after my own genes have been deleted beyond recognition, my bindweed's genes will be the same genes I left behind in my first, failed garden."
~Sara Stein
"A garden is an experience, It is not flowers, or plant of any kind. It is not flagstone, brick grass of pebbles, It is not a barbecue, or a fiberglass screen. It is an experience, If it were possible t distill the essence of a garden. I think it would be the sense of being within something while still out of doors. That is the substance of it: for until you have that, you do not have a garden at all."
~James Rose
Pickled Garlic
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3/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon hot chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon cumin seed
1 cup large garlic cloves, peeled
In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, sugar, chili flakes, peppercorns and cumin seed. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add garlic and return to a boil; simmer uncovered for 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into a jar. Cover, cool and chill at least 24 hours or up to 1 month.
*Garlic can be very useful in the garden as an insect repellent and to help fight plan diseases. Take 2 garlic cloves and two hot peppers and put in a blender. Fill blender half full with water and liquefy. Strain out and garlic or pepper bits and mix remaining liquid and enough water to make 1 gallon. A little molasses will help mixture adhere to leaves. Spray when sign of insects appear. or every couple weeks as a prevention measure.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
-Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
September 26
"I'd like to fill a treasure chest with September-
I'd take:
the warmth of the late summer sun
the brightness of marigolds
the smell of drying maple leaves
the color of the hillsides
the taste of McIntosh apple
the thrill of finding a red ear of corn
the fun of riding in a yellow school bus
the stillness of the pumpkins waiting for Halloween and
the security of another harvest.
I'd seal the chest carefully - and not peek 'til the coldest day in January."
~Shirley Adwena
"Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful;
they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul."
~Luther Burbank
Apple Berry Breakfast Crisp
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1 cup oatmeal, uncooked
1 cup packed brown sugar, divided into two portions
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups peeled and thinly sliced apples (about 4 medium)
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
To make the topping, combine oatmeal, 1/2 cup brown sugar and butter. Set aside. To make filling, combine remaining brown sugar, orange juice, flour and cinnamon. Add apples, blueberries and strawberries and stir until fruit is evenly coated. Spoon fruit filling into greased 8 - inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minute or until the apples are tender. Serve immediately.
*Did you know that Johnny Appleseed was a real live person?! John Chapman was born today in 1774 in Leominster, Massachusetts. We can honor his legend and birthday by preparing our favorite apple recipe or enjoying the abundance of goodies and products available.
September 27
"Some children like to make castles out of their rice pudding, or faces with raisins fro eyes. It is forbidden - so sternly that, when they grow up, they take a horrid revenge by dying meringues pale blue or baking birthday cakes in the form of horseshoes or lyres or whatnot."
~Julia Child
"Lo, 'tis autumn, Lo, where the trees, deeper green, yellower and redder, Cool and sweeten Ohio's villages with leaves fluttering in the moderate wind,
Where apples ripe in the orchards hang and grapes on the trellis'd vines,
(Smell you the smell of the grapes on the vines? Smell you the buckwheat where the bees were lately buzzing?) Above all, lo, the sky so calm, so transparent after the rain, and with wondrous clouds, below too, all calm, all vital and beautiful, and the farm prospers well."
~Walt Whitman
Raisin Puffs
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1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup water
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Place raisins and water in a small saucepan and boil until water evaporates. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar; and eggs on at a time and beat well. Mix in vanilla. Ina separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt and add to butter mixture. Add boiled raisins and blend well. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Roll dough in small balls and roll in cinnamon sugar to coat. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until firm to touch. Let cool and serve immediately or store in airtight container at room temperature.
*My Dad gave me another recipe that could be titled "Raisin Puffs". Take a cup or two of golden raisins and add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh gin. Stir several times over the next couple days until raisins are plump and syrupy. take 1 tablespoon per day for good health. Or good times. Something good... no doubt.
September 28
Loves music.
Loves dance.
Loves the moon.
Loves the Spirit.
Loves love and food and roundness.
Loves struggle.
Loves the Folk.
Loves herself.
Regardless."
~Alice Walker
"Nature never did betray the heart that loved her.."
~W. Wordsworth
Very Veggie Nachos
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3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons dry sherry
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup yellow pepper
1/2 cup chopped avocado
1/2 cup chopped avocado
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped black olive
1/4 cup chopped green olive
4 corn tortilla
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
Jalapeno chilies, sliced
Black Bean Salsa
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sherry, onion and peppers; saute vegetables several minutes until crisp tender. Add the avocado, tomato and olives; turn off heat and let sit to warm. Meanwhile, cut each tortilla into 4 triangles and arrange on baking sheet lined with tinfoil. Bake in 400 degree oven until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring every several mutes so they brown evenly,. Spread triangles with vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and top with jalapenos, as desired. Return to oven until cheese melts. I to 3 minutes. Serve immediately with salsa..
*Serve alongside Hum-dinger Chili if the fall isn't hot enough for you.
September 29
What wondrous Life is this I lead!
Ripe Apples drop about my head;
The Luscious Cluster of the Vine
Upon my Mouth do crush their Wine;
The Nectaren and curious Peach
Into my hands themselves do reach
Stumbling on Melons, as I pass,
Insnared with Flowers, I fall on Grass.
Mean while the Mind, from pleasure less,
Withdraws into its happiness;
The Mind, that Ocean, where each kind
Does streight it own resemblance find;
yet it creates, transcending these,
Far other World, and other Seas,
Annihilating all that's made
To a green Thought in a green Shade."
~Andrew Marvell
Chicken Veronique
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2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup seedless green or red grapes, halved
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups cooked rice
Cut chicken into 1" pieces; set aside. Ina small bowl, combine chicken broth cornstarch and soy sauce; set aside./ Heat half of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet. Add mushrooms and onions and saute for several minutes, or until vegetables are just tender crisp. Remove vegetables from pan. Add and heat remaining oil. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return vegetables to pan and stir until heated. Add grapes and wine and cook until all well blended together. Turn off heat, but continue stirring another minute. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice.
September 30
Beloved, it is morn!
A redder berry on the thorn,
A deeper yellow on the corn,
For this good day is new-born:
Pray, Sweet, for me:
That I may be
Faithful to God and thee.
~Emily Henrietta Hickey
"They that have roses
Never need bread."
~Dorothy Parker
Strawberry Bread
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3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
2 (10 ounce packages frozen strawberries thawed
Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sugar. Set aside. Combine eggs, oil and strawberries and add to dry ingredients and mix. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9" x 5" loaf pans. Bake in 350 degree oven for one hour, or until knife comes out clean. Cool and slice.
*Dorothy Parker is quoted above to state, "They that have roses, never need bread." The Bible read in Luke 4:4 (KJV). "That man shall not live by bread alone." I'd like to take from that and say that I can have, and need, both roses and bread, savoring them to the utmost! Enjoy this Strawberry Bread with Strawberry Jam. For a late summer brunch or afternoon snack serve with Grandma's Banana Bread.
Recipes For The Month Of
January , February , March , April , May , June , July , August , September , October , November , December
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