Biscotti x 2, Chopped Bean Salad, Sprout Curry

 Cranberry-Orange Biscotti
First time I've ever made Biscotti!  I've eaten my share, but never for some reason made any.  Sally passed me this F0K recipe which hardly needed tweaking!  I did make a couple of substitutions (noted below) so I could make them with what I had...  Easy-peasy -- I'll be making more of these!

1/3 cup Orange Juice -- I used 1/3 cup water and 3 Tbsp frozen OJ Concentrate
2 Tbsp Flax Meal (flax seeds + spice grinder = Flax Meal)
3/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1/4 cup Almond Butter -- I used 1/4 cup Almond Flour + 1 Tbsp water to make a paste
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1-2/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Allspice powder
pinch Salt
3/4 cup Craisins

Parchment line a baking sheet.  Preheat oven to 350F.  I used my Ninja Flip (tm) Airfryer-Oven.

Whisk together in a bowl the flax meal and OJ, until frothy.  
Whisk in the sugar, applesauce, almond butter, and vanilla.  
Stir in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, allspice and salt.  Mix the dough thoroughly.  
Fold/knead in the craisins.

With a wet spatula, spread the dough out on the parchment,  into a 3-4" wide rectangle about 12" long.   Bake @350F for 26-28 minutes until risen and lightly browned.    Cool for 30 minutes.

Using a long Chef's knife, cut the bake into 1/2" wide strips 3-4" long.  Lay them one their sides on the parchmented tray.  Bake again for 5-6 minutes, flip them over and bake the other side for 5-6 minutes.  Cool on the tray for 20 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to come to room temperature. 


GF Almond Flour Biscotti
Our friend Toni needs gluten-free baked goods and asked if I knew a recipe.  I found this for her and tweaked it a bit:

2 cups Almond Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 cup unsweetened Applesauce

1/4 cup Honey
1 tsp Orange Extract

2 tsp Orange Zest

1/4 cup dried Fruit (raisins, cranberries, any dried fruit you like

1/8 cup flaked Almonds

In bowl stir together the almond flour, salt and baking soda.  Add the honey, extract and zest and stir to combine into a ball.  Fold in the fruit and nuts.

With a wet spatula, form the dough into a rectangular 'patty' about 12" long and 4" wide on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, remove from oven and cool for 25-30 minutes.  Slice into 1/2" thick sticks.  Lay them on their side on the parchment tray and bake again, 5-6 minutes per side,  until nicely browned.  Cool again before storing in a tight container in the fridge.

Chopped Bean Salad
Part Five-Bean Salad, part Chopped Salad.  Sally wanted a vegetarian salad with lots of plant protein; and this is what I came up with.

3 -4 cups (cans) cooked Beans --black, kidney, garbanzo/chickpea, cannelli, great northern, lima, fava, pinto, navy, cranberry, wax beans or green beans even
1/2-3/4 cup diced Red Onion
1 cup diced Bell Pepper -- red, yellow, orange, green
1/2-3/4 cup chopped Celery
You'll also notice that I added a small handful of leftover cooked, chopped asparagus tips
1/2 cup Commercial Balsamic Viniagrette -- I used White Balsamic Citrus Basil 

Toss everything in a large bowl and fold it all together.  Pour the dressing over and fold again. 

Can be served "as is", on a bed of lettuce and other  leafy salad ingredients,  or even over cool rice/quinoa/small pasta.

Similar to Cowboy Caviar (which I've written about before), but without the Tex-Mex spices.


Brussels Sprout Sabzi (Curry)!?
Yes you can make curried Brussels sprouts!  And Yes, they are delicious! Holly came home for Christmas and brought these Brussels sprouts "au naturale" so I decided to make this curry based on a recipe by fellow food blogger Swasti I found.

My primary comment is that the dish would be even more tasty if you roasted the cut sprouts first, then added them at the end, just long enough to heat through...

9-10 oz small Brussels Sprouts, halved
3/4 cup chopped Red Onion
3/4 cup chopped Tomato (I used yellow cherry tomatoes)
1 Tbsp Garlic-Ginger Paste
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds not ground
1/4 tsp Turmeric 
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
pinch salt
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 cup frozen peas
squirt of Lemon Juice to finish

To hot oil add the ginger-garlic paste and cumin seeds.  cook until the seeds start to pop.  
Add the onion and fry until soft.
Add the tomatoes, turmeric and salt and cook until mushy.
Add the other spices and cook a couple minutes more.
Add the peas and (roasted) sprouts.  Reduce heat, cover and cook until things are heated through.  
Add a squirt of lemon juice and serve alongside rice or dal or flatbread...

Mushroom Ragout, Mediterranean Soup, No-Knead Foccacia Boule

Mushroom Ragout
Got mushrooms?  Make ragout!  Ragout is an Italian sauce usually made with ground meat and tomatoes -- marinara sauce is a ragout or ragu.  Mushroom ragout is an old vegetarian version of the sauce which may or may not incorporate tomatoes.  My no-tomato version is loosely based on one by Giada De Laurentis.

1 lb Mushrooms -- any kind, chopped
1 medium/small Red Onion, diced
3-4 cloves Garlic
1 cup Red Wine
1 Tbsp Savory -- the herb
optional:  2/3 cup grated or shredded Parmesan, chopped parsley, butter

Saute the onion and garlic in a splash of oil/butter until soft.  Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they soften too.  Now add about a cup of red wine. 

Continue cooking until the wine is evaporated.  Lastly add 2 cups of water and the Savory, stir, and continue cooking until the broth is at least 50% reduced. 

Add any or all of the optional ingredients, stir  and cook to incorporate them and thicken the mixture.

Serve over polenta cakes, pasta, rice, or  as a stand-alone side dish.  Also great on toast or an English muffin, or as filling for an omelette!

Mediterranean Soup
Take last week's leftover Pasta with Two Veg, add some leftover zucchini and eggplant pieces, sauté some mushrooms, and start it simmering in about 5 cups of water.  Add a 'brick' of frozen leaf spinach, some extra herbs and spices, and there you have at least two more meals!

No-Knead Focaccia Boule
Made a large batch of focaccia dough so we'd have fresh hot bread to go with that Mediterranean Soup.  Divided the batch in half -- one to make a regular flat focaccia, the other to make this "boule".  I baked it in a 9" diameter  Pyrextm mixing bowl to get this lovely dome shape.

4 cups AP Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 packet Quick Rising Yeast
Rosemary
EVOO

Measure the flour into a large bowl.  Add the salt and about a tablespoon of dried rosemary and stir to combine.    Bloom the yeast in 2 cups of warm water, stirring to dissolve the yeast completely.

Make a well in the flour and add half of the yeast water. With a wooden spoon start stirring the flour/water mix.   Add the rest of the water and stir strongly for 2-3 minutes to get a good mixture.

Cover the bowl with a warm tea towel. I nuke a slightly damp towel for about 30 seconds.  Cover the dough.  Put the covered dough is a warm-ish place to rise.  Here in Florida I often set in on a table outside on our covered lanai.  

Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.   Transfer to prepared (greased/sprayed) baking containers -- two 8" round cake pans or a 5x9" loaf pan,  or some combination of pans, dividing the dough with a spatula as you 'pour' it into each container.  You can even cut it into smaller pieces and make mini loaves or baguettes.  

Allow the panned dough to rise for another 20 minutes and then brush the tops with EVOO and sprinkle with more rosemary.  Bake at 450F for 30-45 minutes to an internal temperature of 190-220F.   Rest for 10-15 minutes before removing from the baking dishes.  

Turkey Week -- Grape Pie, Cranberry Mold, Mornay Delights

 Grape Pie!
I'd never heard of this until a couple weeks ago.  Originated in New York State where they harvest Concorde grapes to make jelly.  Any grape variety will do, although tough skinned varieties like Muscadines and Concords should be par cooked and peeled.  The skins can then be chopped fine and added back into the filling  for color and flavor.

4 cups (about 2 lbs) halved or sliced Grapes.  I used some wonderful Moon Drop grapes
2/3 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup Cornstarch
2 TBSP Lemon Juice
Pie Crust -- classic pastry par-cooked, or a premade Graham Cracker crust like I used.

Halve or slice the grapes into fingertip-sized pieces.  In a pan heat together everything except the crust bring to a low boil and cook until the sauce is very thick.

Spoon into the crust and refrigerate at least a few hours before serving.

Cranberry Mold
A Thanksgiving classic I just had to show off because getting mine to un-mold in full detail is a long-shot and this year's was nearly perfect!

1 bag fresh Cranberries
Zest and juice of one Orange
2+ Tbsp frozen OJ Concentrate
1 cup Sugar
1-1/4 cups Water including the fresh orange juice
1 packet unflavored Gelatin

Dissolve the gelatin in a couple tablespoons of water, stirring.  Reserve.

Bring everything else to a simmer/ low boil, and cook for about 15 minutes until the cranberries have mostly popped.  Take it off the fire.    Temper the dissolved gelatin by stirring into it about half a cup of the hot juice.  The add the temped mix into the sauce and stir to combine.  

Ladle the hot sauce into your sprayed/greased mold and let it cool on the counter before refrigerating it overnight.

To un-mold, fill a sink or large pan with enough water to come up to the level of the cranberries in the mold.  Gently lower the mold into the hot water -- be careful not to slop any water onto the set jelly.  Run a thin knife around the edge of the mold and after a minute or two invert the mold onto a serving plate and carefully lift away the the mold.


Cheesy Delights
Nearly everyone loves cheese... and cheese sauce, of course.  This cheese sauce is technically what the French call Mornay --  a basic flour + fat = roux = Béchamel sauce with white cheese melted into it.    I made about two cups and had plenty left over for another use. 

I had this beautiful purple cauliflower I picked up at the Farmer's Market along with some a couple of nice baking potatoes.  Roasted the cauliflower for about 20 minutes @ 400F.  Nuked the giant potato we split for about 10 minutes, and ladled on the Mornay sauce.  Real comfort food!
                                       

Two Veg Pasta
Probably not the Italian name for this dish, but the concept is ultimately Italian.  Two vegetables (zucchini and eggplant) plus shaped pasta, plus sauce....   Dinner for four in easy stages:

8oz box shaped Pasta -- I used Banza(tm) brand Capitelli made from garbanzo flour
Zucchini -- 2 medium or 1 large
Eggplant -- 1 medium -- I used a Globe that I had on hand
Sauce -- 2+ cups -- commercial, or homemade.  I used a 25 oz. can of peeled Italian tomatoes,  plus Italian herbs and spices.

If you're making sauce, start there as it will take longer than the rest.  

While the sauce is cooking, chop the two veg fairly large, so they're ready to sauté.

Cook the pasta to package directions.  Reserve.

In a large or deep skillet, sauté the veg in good olive oil, with your choice of Italian seasoning or mix of herbs and spices.  Although it's called "two veg" the dish will be greatly enhanced if you add some diced red onion and garlic (not a veg of course) to the sauté.

When the veg are nearly done, add the sauce and stir.  Simmer a bit to blend the flavors.  Lastly, add the pasta and fold to combine everything.  

Simmer a couple minutes more then plate with some nice focaccia or garlic bread on the side. 

PS -- take the leftovers, add some sauteed mushrooms and some broth or herbed water and some spinach, and you've got a great Mediterranean style soup.

Mushroom Pies, Salmon Casserole, Balsamic Brussels, Bean & Sweet Potato Burritos, Rustic Galette/Tart

 Mushroom Picnic Pies
Inspired by The Great British Baking Show and Sally having a Mushroom and Ale pie, I got a set of five 5" diameter pans with removeable bottoms.  The perfect tool for making freestanding Picnic Pies, UK style.  Turns out that one pie with a side veg makes a nice dinner for two.  So we had these twice.  Makes two 5" diameter covered pies or four open top 5" diameter pies.

Hot Water Pastry Crust
4+ cups AP Flour
1 stick unsalted Butter or 8 Tbsp Margarine
1 cup water
1 tsp Salt

In a bowl stir together the flour and salt.  In a pan, bring the water to a boil and melt the butter in it.

Make a well in the flour and pour in the water.  Stir together until everything is is evenly moist and the mixture has cooled  to "warm-towel-from-the-dryer".   Flour your pastry surface and knead the dough a few times, then form it into a log.  Cut off one-third to make the tops, wrap it in cling film, and store in the warm pan used to melt the butter -- keep it warm.

Cut the remaining dough in half and roll out into two circles  large enough to cover two baking tins (about 10" for my 5" pans).  Roll the dough out about 1/4" thick. Yep that thick!  I used a dinner plate as a template to cut out my 10" circles... Do what you want.

Prep the times with baking spray or a schmear of butter, then drape the dough disks into the tins and tuck it into the corners.  Trim most of the excess dough from the edge, but leave some for pinching together with the tops.

Fill the pie cases with cooled mixture -- see below

Roll the remaining dough out into two 5" diameter disks, 1/4 thick, and top the pie cases, pinching the edges together to seal.  

Then cut some artistic slits in the top to let the steam out.  Egg-wash the tops if you want (I didn't).  

Bake at 450F for 20-30 minutes until Golden, Brown, and Delicious, and 160F internal temp...

For The Filling
8-12 oz sliced Mushrooms of choice, chopped
2 cloves minced Garlic
1/2 cup diced onion
3/4 cup Frozen Peas (thawed)
4-5 Tablespoons Bistotm original Gravy Crystals

Saute the mushrooms hot and fast, then add the garlic and onion and cook to soften them.  Transfer to a bowl, the fold in the peas.   Stir together 3/4 cup boiling water and the Bisto to make a nice thick gravy and fold it into the mushroom mixture.  Let cool before filling the pie tins.  

Rustic Apple Galette/Tart
I had some dough leftover from the Picnic Pies, so I decided to make dessert.  I chopped a couple small apples and sauteed them a few minutes with some sugar, cinnamon and allspice.

Rolled to pastry out into a rough circle about a foot in diameter, then dumped the sauteed fruit in the middle and gathered up the edges, pinching them together in a sort of bag.  Baked it at 400F about 20 minutes until set and turning golden....

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
If you love Brussels Sprouts the way we do, you're gonna love these!  Roasted after being dredged in a mix of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and maple syrup...

• Brussels Sprouts, topped and halved
• Equal Amounts of Balsamic Vinegar or glaze, real Maple Syrup, and Olive oil 
• Dijon Mustard, fresh or dried Thyme, and minced Garlic to taste
• Salt and Pepper if you must

Whisk everything together in a large bowl, then fold in the sprouts and fold to combine. Repeat the folding to ensure everything is coated, while you wait for your oven to come to 400F.  Or set your toaster oven/ air fryer to 400F and 20-25 minutes.  Roast away... 


Salmon Casserole
I first created this dish back in 2017 and it was such a success I thought you needed to see it again.  This dis is simple to make in stages, then assemble and bake.  

1/2 bag frozen Peas

3 Salmon filets

Spice Blend of choice

6  oz sliced Mushrooms

2 cups classic White Sauce

1/2 box shaped Pasta

Shredded cheese and Panko for topping

Dust the salmon filets with your favorite spice blend (I used smoked paprika and Evergladestm).  Broil the filets for 12 minutes, until flake-able, cool sightly and discard the skins.  Allow the fish to cool while you boil up the pasta to package directions for al dente.  Cool the pasta.   

In a large bowl, fold together the pasta, flaked fish, frozen peas and mushrooms. 

Make two cups of a traditional roux using butter, flour and milk.   Pour it into the fish/pasta mix and fold to combine and coat everything.

Turn the mixture out into 9x9 baking dish and pat it flat.  Top with a handful of shredded cheese and then a handful of Panko.  Bake at 450F for 45-60 minutes.  

Bean & Sweet Potato Burritos
Tired of turkey?  These bean and sweet potato burritos will be perfect!

Red, Pinto or Black beans -- your choice -- 2 cans or 2 cups cooked-from-dry-beans
Sweet Potato -- about 2 cups of 1/4" diced
Spices -- Taco or similar seasoning packet, or cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, etc. to taste
Burrito size Flour Tortillas
Shredded Cheese of choice
optional - diced red bell pepper and onion

Cook the sweet potatoes -- either microwave or in a pot with a splash of water -- until just tender.  Combine with the cooked beans and spices (and optional ingredients if using), and cook together a few minutes with a splash of water. 

Mash some of the mixture to make a thick filling.  

Nuke a tortilla for not more than 20 seconds, spoon on about half a cup of filling and some cheese, and roll up burrito-style.  Top with salsa, crema or sour cream and maybe shredded lettuce...

Not my picture... I was hungry and forgot to take a picture of a rolled burrito....

Two Creamy Cheesy Pastas, Cinnamon Raisin Muffins, Soul Cakes, Soup & Bread

 Creamy Cottage Cheesy Pasta
That's right!  Cottage Cheese.  If you're not worried about calories, substitute Ricotta!  A great substitute for calorie-rich Alfredo or bechamel sauce for any pasta dish.

8 oz Pasta of Choice
1-1/2 cups Small Curd Cottage Cheese
3/4 cup Dairy -- milk or plant-based "milk"|
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Salt & Pepper
Optional -- 1-2 tsp Lemon Juice
1-2 cloves garlic
Chopped Parsley to finish

Cook the pasta to package directions -- I used Barilla brand Red Lentil Rotini.  Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water.  Drain and reserve pasta.

In your food processor combine the cottage cheese, dairy,  salt & pepper, Parmesan and lemon juice if using.  Take it all for a nice long spin to smooth the sauce out. 

Now in a pot, gently saute the garlic in a splash of olive oil, then stir in the sauce.  As the sauce cooks it's going to thin out a bit.  If too thin you may want to use a corn starch slurry to tighten it up a bit. 

When the sauce is heated through, dump the pasta in another pot of nearly boiling water for a minute or to to heat it back up.  Drain and then toss the pasta into the pan of the sauce.  Serve garnished with some chopped parsley...

Half Creamy Tuna Pasta
Here's another variation on the cottage cheese pasta sauce theme.  Why "Half Creamy"?  Look at the quantities:

1/2 box Rotini pasta
1/2 cup Diced Tomatoes with herbs and garlic
1/2 cup Cottage Cheese
1/2 cup Frozen Peas
1/2 can Albacore White Tuna in water, drained.

Start the pasta water.  Cook pasta to package directions.    Meanwhile...
Put the tomatoes & cottage cheese in the food processor and take them for a long spin.  
Transfer tomato/cheese mix to a pot and start heating it to medium.
Add tuna and peas to the sauce pot and keep cooking.

Transfer cooked pasta to a bowl and pour the heated through sauce over.


Cinnamon Raisin Muffins
Super simple.  You may have everything on hand.  I made just a half of the batch below and got 4 nice size muffins.

2 cups Bisquicktm or other Baking & Pancake mix
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Dairy -- milk or plant-based
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 cup unsweetened Apple Sauce -- or two eggs, beaten
2 tsp Cinnamon

Mix everything together and spoon into silicon muffin/cupcake cups or greased tin.  Bake at 400F for 20 minutes.  

Anglo-Saxon Soul Cakes
Halloween was just the other day, and an interest group I belong to published this modern equivalent quantities for the Soul Cakes which the Anglo-Saxons made for this season...

The tradition of making soul cakes as offerings for the dead dates back to the Middle Ages, but it has a darker past. It started with people making 'Honey Cakes' to appease a pre-Christian Saxon Honey Monster -- a creature with a wicker bee hive for a head who lived in the forest but came out to raid farms where bees were kept to make honey for the family.

To appease the Honey Monster, the people left offerings on their paths. The Soul Cakes of 10th century Hallowmas were a remnant of this tradition, appeasing wandering souls instead of monsters. 150 grams Honey 159 grams Butter/margarine 2 Egg Yolks (save the whites for another recipe) 100 grams Oats -- I used Old Fashioned Rolled Oats 220 grams AP or WW Flour I'll leave the Metric to Imperial measurement conversions as an exercise for you; or use a scale and weigh everything in grams. A half batch makes about 16, 2" diameter 'cakes'. Combine the oats and flour, then add the eggs and butter and use a paddle/spoon to combine things into a dense dough. Form it into a ball and let it rest for about 20 minutes to hydrate the flour and oats. I fancied up the cakes by rolling the dough out 1/4" thick and using a 2" cookie cutter to make everything the same size, instead of patting out lumps of various sizes and thicknesses. I dry-fried them on a non-stick skillet on medium-low for 6-8 minutes per side.

The result is a dense "cookie" (digestive biscuit to my Brit readers). More crumbly than chewie. Next time I might whirrr the oats to make them small er particles. Not particularly sweet, just pleasantly so. The 'flavor' of the honey you use definitely comes through. I used local Black Mangrove flower honey, not a commercial blended honey.

Soup & Bread

Just had to show off this Super Supper -- Hungarian Mushroom Soup and fresh, hot, buttered No-Knead Foccacia Bread.  Recipes here on the Blog of course-- use the search function to find them.

Briam, Blueberry Drop Scones, Mushroom Dinner Quesadilla, Persimmon Jam

Briam
Although Sally and Holly didn't make it to Corfu on their recent trip, I found this interesting Corfu-an dish on a Chef Rick Stein food/culture documentary where he visited the island among others in the Mediterranean.  Briam is basically a "deep dish" roasted veggie 'casserole' with whatever is ripe, plus a splash of good olive oil.  

Potatoes
Tomatoes
Eggplant
Zucchini
Onion
Green Bell Pepper
Garlic
Oregano

Fresh herbs -- any combination of:
Parsley
Mint
Dill
Basil

Cut everything into finger-sized pieces.  In a large bowl drizzle good EVOO over all the veg (not the herbs),  and toss to coat.  Now -- you can arrange everything in pretty rows of overlapping slices -- or just chuck it all randomly in a 2" or deeper baking dish.  Top with your fresh herbs.  Drizzle a bit more EVOO on top, add about 1/2 cup of water or broth (or even wine) and maybe some crumbled feta. 

Top with foil and bake at 400F for 45 minutes or more, until the potatoes are done.    I made a 9"x9"  baking dish batch -- 3-4 tomatoes, a couple skin-on potatoes, a couple Japanese eggplant, a couple zucchini, a bell pepper and an onion, plus fresh dill and parsley and dried mint and oregano.  Dinner for two easily.   Serve with Kalamata or similar olives and fresh bread to sop up the juices...

Blueberry Drop Scones
I got the urge the other day to make some blueberry scones.  Drop scones, not formed scones.  Not overly sweet, "Simple to make, simple to bake" as they say.  Not pretty, perhaps, but tasty.

2-1/2 cups Bisquicktm or similar baking & pancake mix
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup cold Butter, shaved or cut into small bits
1/4 cup Dairy -- real or plant milk or cream
2 Eggs
2/3 cup Blueberries 00 fresh or frozen (still frozen)

Preheat the oven to 400F

In a largeish bowl stir together the baking mix and sugar.  "Cut" the butter into the flour until well distributed.  

Beat together the eggs and dairy

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and cold to combine.  Lastly carefully fold in the berries until well distributed.

DROP (hence the name Drop Scone) spoonsful of the dough spaced well apart.  Or... drop the whole batch of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  With a wet spatula spread the dough in a rough circle or rectangle about 3/4" thick.  

Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and slice the rectangle into squares or wedges.  Return to the oven and bake another 10 minutes until you get a nice golden top.

Cool on the baking pan for a few minutes, then split one, slather with butter and enjoy!

Mushroom Dinner Quesadilla
My own take on an upscale dinner version of a quesadilla.

Large (9") Burrito size Tortilla
2 Eggs Beaten
Mushrooms, sliced
Onion, diced
Bell Pepper, diced
Taco Seasoning
Feta Cheese
Cheddar or Mexican blend shredded cheese
toppings of choice

Beat together the eggs while you fry the mushrooms, bell pepper and onion is a large non-stick skillet.

Pour the eggs over and around the veggies.  Use a spatula to try and keep the eggs in a 9" circle.
Dust the cooking egg/veg mix with taco seasoning, and sprinkle some shredded cheese and cheddar on top.

Lay a tortilla on the still runny mixture and press it down to adhere.

Flip as you transfer to a plate, then return the quesadilla to the skillet -- tortilla-side down.
Cook for a couple minutes to brown the tortilla.  Add more cheeses.

Fold in half and transfer back to the plate.  Top with salsa or whatever you choose, and serve.

Persimmon Jam
Simple, easy and will keep, tightly closed, in the fridge for 6 months or until it's gone...  The lemon juice acts like pectin to help the jam set up.  

8-10 Ripe Persimmons
1 cup Sugar
Juice of half a lemon
½ teaspoon Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Nutmeg or Mace
1/4 teaspoon Allspice

Cut the tops off the persimmons and peel them. Cut into pieces and with your food processor puree the fruit, sugar, spices and lemon juice to a smooth consistency.

Cook the puree in a saucepan with the burner on medium-low for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to cook out excess water and thicken significantly.  Don't let it stick to the bottom of the pan!

Ladle into a screw-top jar(s) and let it cool on the counter before you transfer to the fridge.

Persimmon Pie, Creole Comfort Food, Turkish Mussaka, Shell Pasta Salad, Apple Dessert Quesadillas

 Persimmon Pie
Persimmons are, in many places, a very under-rated fruit because people tend to pick them too soon and don't let the sweetness develop.  To avoid the rather stringent un-ripe taste, you want 'mushy-firm' fruit, with the skin not quite bursting ripe.  

There are tons of fancy persimmon custard and other recipes out there, but this simple “jam tart” is about as easy as it gets, and it showcases the fruit. When I was at our Farmers Market I could only get 5 ripe persimmons --  which made about 2-1/2 cups of pulp, so I added half a cup of unsweetened apple sauce to give me a nice full pie shell.

Notice there's not a lot of sugar or spice in this recipe. You want to taste the subtle flavor of persimmons, not bury it in sweet and spice.

2-1/2 cups pureed Ripe Persimmons – 4-6 fruit, topped, seeded and chopped with skin
½ cup unsweetened Applesauce
1/2 cup Sugar
Juice of half a Lemon
1 Egg, beaten
½ teaspoon Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Nutmeg or Mace

1/8 teaspoon Allspice
9” Pie Shell, homemade or store bought.

Blind-bake your crust so it won't get soggy

Combine the pureed persimmon with the sugar and spices and transfer to the par-baked crust.

Bake in a pre-heated 400F oven for about 45 minutes until set.

Cajun/Creole Comfort Food
All my own invention!  Sort of an upscale version of Macque Choux,  with hominy rather than kernal corn and salsa verde instead of cream or milk.

1 can White Hominy, drained
"some" Red Bell Pepper, diced
"some" Sweet  Onion, diced
"some" Celery, diced
"some" Salsa Verde
"some" Mushrooms, sliced
"some" Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoningtm or other Cajun/Creole spice blend, to taste

In a splash of oil or butter, saute the onion and bell pepper until the onion is translucent.  Add everything else, and maybe some water, and simmer until it's all heated through and fairly thick.  Serve with tortilla chips or tortillas.

Turkish Mussaka
Nearly everyone agrees, the basic concept of Mussaka or Moussaka came from the Ottoman invasions in the part of the world at the eastern end of the Med.  Nearly every culture there has some version of an eggplant (aubergine), onion and tomato 'stew', with as many version s there are cooks east of Rome and west of Moscow.  The common Greek version features a bechamel sauce topping, this Turkish version sticks to the basics -- roughly equal amounts of meat, eggplant and tomato, plus garlic and assorted spices.  Here's mine.

10-12 oz Eggplant, cubed -- any kind
10-12 oz Ground (minced) Meat.*  
3-5 cloves Garlic, minced
10-12 oz Fresh Tomato (I used a yellow and a dark red heirloom tomatoes
1 cup diced Peppers -- Poblano or Cubanelle would be perfect.  I had a Red Bell...
1 large Sweet White Onion, diced 
1 Tbsp ground Cumin
Aleppo or Hot Paprika to taste
1-1/2 cups Stock of your choice, or herbed water

The meat can be any combination of lamb and beef you want.  For us vegetarians I used Gardeintm brand ground beef flavored "veggie crumbles".

 With the tomatoes, you want some 'chunks' and some puree.  I cut each of my toms in half and pureed one half of each together, and diced the other two halves. and reserved both.

Fry the meat in a splash of oil with the garlic.  Remove from the skillet and reserve.  In the same skillet fry the eggplant in additional oil with a dash or to of Aleppo pepper or paprika.  Reserve.

Fry the onion with cumin until translucent.  Add the diced tomato.  Add the meat, tomato puree and diced peppers.  Add the stock, reduce the heat and simmer until thickened nicely.

  Serve with rice or another side veg and/or fresh bread.

Shell Pasta Salad
This is my take on one of my Mom's summer recipes.  Murphy only knows where she got the recipe originally, but I suspect the classic Red & White checked, ring-bound Betty Crocker Cookbook from at least 75 years ago...

She invariably used tuna, and hardboiled eggs in her riff on this classic.  Mine is just a little different.

That's pasta, radishes, celery, onion, red bell peppers and peas.  Fold them together and fold in "some" mayonnaise.  Dust with black pepper and paprika.

Chill several hours before serving

Apple Dessert Quesadillas
It's Fall, even here in Southwest Florida.  The perfect time for a perfectly simple Apple dessert. 
Make a batch of stewed apples from your favorite fruit.  Use them for sugar dusted quesadilla filling!

3-4 medium Apples - variety, skin on or off, slices or chunks it's all up to you.
2-3 Tbsp Butter or Oliviotm
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar or white sugar with a tsp of treacle or molasses
1 tsp Lemon Juice
Optional crumbled Cheddar cheese

In a largish pot, melt the butter/Olivio and toss in the rest of the ingredients.  Stir and simmer for 6-8 minutes until the apples are tender and the sauce is thickened.  Reserve.

Cinnamon Sugar = 1 Tbsp + 1/8 Tbsp mixed.

On a griddle or large skillet, bring the temperature to medium and dry-fry a large tortilla.  When the first side is starts to brown a bit, flip the tortilla and spread "some" stewed apples on half, and sprinkle "some" cinnamon-sugar on the other half 

Optionally add some crumbled cheddar  to the filling.  Fold the sugar side on top of the apples and cook for another minute or so, flipping to brown both sides.   Transfer to a warm plate and repeat as needed...