Nance’s Baked Apple with Walnuts and Cinnamon

Prep time: 10 min • Cook time: 20 – 30 min • Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

½ cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons chopped dates
1½ cups quick-cooking oats
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup maple syrup
4 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°. Sprinkle a glass baking dish with a little water and then line it with parchment paper cut to fit the bottom of the dish.
2. Combine the walnuts, dates, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and maple syrup in a small bowl.
3. Place the apple slices in the bottom of the lined baking dish. Top the apples with the oatmeal mixture.
4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the apples are soft.

Tip: Some of the best apples varieties for baking include Jonathan, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith, all of which have a crisp, tart flavor and firmer flesh that hold up well to baking.

Paula’s Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread

Makes 2 Breads

3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 cup diced, peeled any kind of apple
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup walnuts pieces or chopped pecan

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Grease and flour two 8×4 inch loaf pans. (Or you can also use the baking spray with flour in it.)
3. Place zucchini in a large kitchen towel. Bring up the four corners and twist. Squeeze the towel to extract the liquid from the zucchini, or as much as you can. Set aside. Grate carrots and set aside. Peel and dice apples and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg together. Set aside.
5. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar.
6. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.
7. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients along with the shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, apples, and walnuts/pecans.
8. Pour into prepared pans.
9. Bake until golden brown, 55 to 60 minutes, or until loaves spring back when gently pressed with fingers.
10. Let cool completely before icing.

Cream Cheese Glaze/Frosting

½ cup cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
1 – 3 tablespoons orange juice as needed

1. Cream together cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer.
2. Add in 2 cups of powdered sugar and continue mixing. Drizzle in orange juice until desired consistency is achieved.
3. Frost bread and enjoy!

Notes: The carrots and zucchini in the recipe are interchangeable. Feel free to use less or more of each. You just want three cups total.

 

Paula’s Snap Pea, Basil, and Spinach Pasta

Serves 4

Salt & ground pepper
3/4 lb. spiral pasta
3 cloves of garlic
8 oz. snap peas
10 oz. baby spinach
1/4 c. fresh basil leaves
1/3 c. heavy cream
3 oz. Parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta and garlic 1 minute less than package instructions. Add snap peas and cook 30 seconds. Add spinach and basil and stir once to wilt. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Add cream to pot and heat over medium-high until bubbling. Return pasta mixture and 1/4 cup pasta water to pot and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan. If necessary, add remaining pasta water to create a light sauce that coats pasta. Season with salt and pepper.

Rhubarb Relish

Ingredients

2¼ cups packed brown sugar
2 cups finely chopped rhubarb
2 cups chopped strawberries*
½ cups white vinegar
½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Stir brown sugar, rhubarb, strawberries*, vinegar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg together in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until relish thickens, about 30 minutes. Cool, transfer to a sealable container, and store in the refrigerator. Serve over ice cream, pound cake, or all by itself.

* You can substitute any berries for the strawberries.

Rhubarb Spinach Salad

Ingredients

1/2 pound fresh spinach – cleaned, stemmed, and dried
1/4 cup white sugar
2 large stalks of rhubarb, cut diagonally into thin slices
2 tablespoons sweet red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
water to cover

Directions

1. Arrange the spinach leaves on a platter.
2. Place the rhubarb in a skillet with enough water to cover by 1 inch; add the sugar. Bring the rhubarb to a gentle boil over medium-low heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the rhubarb is lightly cooked, about 2 minutes. Remove the rhubarb with a slotted spoon and distribute over the spinach.
3. Stir the vinegar into the liquid left in the skillet, raise heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Return heat to medium-low and cook until the liquid has reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, whisk in the olive oil, and pour the hot dressing over the spinach and rhubarb to wilt the lettuce. Divide salad between 2 plates; serve warm.

Every-Season Brown Rice Salad

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the basic salad

3 cups cooked and slightly cooled brown rice or other grain (quinoa, wheat berries, or wild rice)
1 cup cooked diced chicken (chickpeas or baked tofu would be a nice alternative)
1/2 cup walnuts, pecans, or almonds, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Seasonal Ingredients

In Spring add

1 cup fresh peas, quickly blanched in boiling water (or raw, if you like)
1 large or several baby carrots, peeled and either diced or thinly sliced
4 to 6 large asparagus spears, lightly steamed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small bunch fresh chives, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

In Summer add

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
Kernels from 1 to 2 ears of corn, quickly blanched in boiling water (or raw, if you like)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 bunch scallions, white and light green parts only, chopped

In Fall add

1 apples, frim pears, or Asian pears, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 mild fresh chile, such as Anaheim or poblano, cored, seeded, and finely diced
1 shallot, minced

In Winter add

2 cups diced butternut squash, tossed in olive oil and roasted until tender at 375° (about 25 minutes)
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned well and very thinly sliced

For the dressing

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; more as needed
1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grainy mustard
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Few dashes of hot sauce; more as needed
3 tablespoons olive oil; more as needed

DIRECTIONS

Put the brown rice, chicken, nuts, and parsley in a large serving bowl.

Add your seasonal ingredients and toss to mix well.

Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, a few twists of pepper, some hot sauce, and the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Let the salad rest for a least 15 minutes before serving, and adjust the seasoning, lemon juice, hot sauce, or olive oil at the last minute.

Tex-Mex Radish Salsa

Combine all ingredients and serve with taco chips.

1 cup finely diced radish
1 cup diced ripe tomato
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
cumin to taste (if desired)
garlic powder to taste

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Ingredients
2 lbs. green asparagus
1 large onion
3 tablespoons butter
5 – 6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, or to taste

Preparation

1. Cut tips from asparagus. Add after soup is prepared.
2. Cut stalks into 1/2 inch pieces.
3. Cook onions in 2 tablespoons butter in a 4 qt. heavy pot, stirring until softened. Add asparagus and salt and pepper to taste, then cook stirring 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of broth and simmer, covered until asparagus is very tender, 15 – 20 minutes.
4. In the meantime, place tips in salted, boiling water and cook until just tender, 3 – 4 minutes. Drain.
5. Puree soup in blender in batches and return to pan. Stir in cream, then add more broth to desired consistency. Season. Bring to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon of butter.
6. Add lemon juice and garnish with asparagus tips.

Rhubarb Crisp

Serves 8

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 cups fresh rhubarb or frozen*, thawed
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation
In a large bowl combine sugar and cornstarch.
Add rhubarb and strawberries; toss to coat.
Spoon into 8 inch square baking dish.

In a small bowl combine oats, brown sugar, butter, flour, and cinnamon until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle over fruit.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until bubbly.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Good warm or room temperature.

Note
*If using frozen rhubarb, measure rhubarb while still frozen, then thaw completely. Drain in a strainer, but do not press liquid out.

Fresh Herb, Tomato, and Caper Sauce

Ingredients
2 cups fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup slices, toasted almonds
1/4 cup fresh oregano
2 Tbsp. lemon zest
2 Tbsp. drained capers
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 finely chopped oil-packed sun–dried tomatoes

Directions
1. In a food processor combine 2 cups fresh Italian parsley; 1/4 cup slices, toasted almonds; 1/4 cup fresh oregano; and 2 Tbsp. lemon zest.  Cover and pulse until finely chopped.
2. Add 2 Tbsp. drained capers, pulse to combine.
3. Add 2/3 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp. each salt and black pepper; pulse until a saucy paste forms.
4. Stir in 4 finely chopped oil-packed sun–dried tomatoes.
5. Use it on crostini, toss it with fresh tomatoes and chunks of mozzarella over your favorite pasta, or spoon it over just about any piece of meat you throw on the grill.

Notes
Divvy up 1/4 cup servings into airtight containers; freeze up to 1 month.

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