Home for the Holidays

Home for the Holidays

With all that’s going on in the world, just being home in a warm, aromatic kitchen surrounded by loved ones seems like a great blessing. To add to the pleasure, here are some holiday goodies, some of which will make great gifts, others of which are so delicious they may get eaten before you have the time to gift wrap them. Happy Holidays! Eat and enjoy!
The following recipes are adapted and reprinted from these fine cookbooks on the Co-op bookshelves. Any one of these books would make a wonderful holiday gift!

• Sweet & Natural Baking by Mani Niall
• The Gluten-Free Gourmet by Bette Hagman
• Vegetarian Celebrations by Nava Atlas
• The Quick and Easy Organic Gourmet by Leslie Cerier
• Horn of the Moon Cookbook by Ginny Callan
• The Good Stuff Cookbook by Helen Witty
• The Splendid Grain by Rebecca Wood

Maple Date Pecan Bread

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. each: ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup safflower oil
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1/4 cup currants
1/2 cup chopped pecans or hazelnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder, spices, and salt.

In another bowl, beat the eggs together with the oil, syrup, juice, and lemon rind. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the west mixture.

Stir vigorously until thoroughly combined.

Stir in the dates, currants, and hazelnuts. Pour into an oiled
9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center tests clean. Cool on a rack, then cover tightly with foil to store.

Braided Sweet Potato Bread

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup safflower oil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1-1/2 cups cooked, well-mashed sweet potato
3 Tbs. honey
1 cup low-fat milk or soy milk
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1-1/2 tsp. salt
Milk or soy milk to brush tops of loaves

Combine the yeast and the water in a medium-sized mixing bowl and let stand for 10 minutes,
or until dissolved.

Stir in the oil and thyme, then the mashed sweet potato, honey, and milk or soymilk.

Stir gently until the mixture is smooth.

In another bowl, combine the flours, cornmeal, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the wet mixture.

Work together, using a spoon at first, then hands, until thoroughly combined into a dough.

Turn out onto a floured board and knead for 3-10 minutes, adding additional flour until the dough loses its stickiness.

Place in a clean bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1-1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch the dough down and turn back out onto the board. Divide into six equal pieces.

With hands, roll each piece into a long coil, about 1 inch in diameter. To make each loaf, braid three coils and pinch the ends together.

Place the loaves on a floured baking sheet, cover with the tea towel, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Brush the tops of the loaves with milk or soymilk. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the loaves feel hollow when tapped.

Delectable Wheat-Free
Hazelnut Cake

5 Tbs. flaxseeds
2 cups apricot or apple juice
1/4 cup canola or hazelnut oil
1 cup maple syrup
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 cup hazelnuts
2 cups brown rice flour
1 cup barley flour
2 Tbs. non-aluminum baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Grind
the flaxseeds in a blender until powdery.

Add juice and blend until gelatinous. Add oil, maple syrup, and vanilla to the blender and mix briefly.

Grind the hazelnuts in a food processor. Sift flours, baking powder, and salt. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir.

The batter is like a thick pudding. Lightly oil a 9-inch round or 9x13x2-inch baking pan. Pour batter into pan. Bake 40 minutes. Cool on rack before frosting.

Variation: Omit flaxseeds. Use 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour instead of barley and rice flours.

Cocoa Fudge Icing

1 cup cocoa powder
1 lb. extra firm tofu
12 oz. strawberry rice nectar (syrup) or plain rice syrup

Blend these ingredients in a food processor. Taste and adjust the flavoring, if desired.

When the cake is cool, cut it in half. Put one half on a large plate or cake platter.

Spread about 1/3 of the frosting on the top. Stack the other half on top, and frost it and the sides.

Cranberry Bread
Pudding with Warm
Caramel Pecan Sauce

2-1/4 cups sugar
1 cup water
Zest of one orange
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
2 cups cranberries
1 lb. french bread
5 Tbs. butter, melted
3 cups milk
5 eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup pecans, toasted, chopped
Whipped cream, optional
Mint sprigs for garnish

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, water, orange zest and vanilla. Heat to dissolve the sugar.

Add the cranberries and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Cut the french bread into 1" chunks, drizzle with 1 Tbs. butter and toast until golden brown. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, 3/4 cup sugar and eggs. Stir in the toasted bread and add the chilled cranberry mixture.

Place in an oiled casserole dish and sprinkle the top with cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar. Bake at 350° for one hour.

In a skillet over medium-low heat, add the remaining butter and the brown sugar. Simmer for 2 minutes while stirring.

Add the pecan pieces and slowly pour in the heavy cream, while continuously whisking. Heat through.

Serve the pudding warm, drizzled with the warm caramel pecan sauce. May be garnished with whipped cream and sprigs of mint.

Wheat-Free Pralines

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1-1/2 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup rice flour
3/4 soy flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until creamy; beat in eggs, then flours. Add nuts.

Chill 1 hour.

Roll pieces of dough into
1-inch balls; place on greased baking sheets 3 inches apart.

Moisten bottom of glass tumbler; press balls to flatten to 1/8-inch thickness. Bake in preheated 375°F oven 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Remove immediately from baking sheets and cool. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

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Pumpkin Mousse

One 10-oz. box silken tofu
(soft variety)
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1 tsp. rated lemon zest
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
A pinch of ground cloves
A pinch of salt
3 cups (29-oz. can) solid pack pumpkin or fresh, cooked pumpkin (if you have on hand)
8 gingersnaps (2-inch diameter), crushed with a rolling pin

Place everything except the pumpkin and the gingersnaps in a blender, and puree until smooth.
Add half the pumpkin, and puree again.

Transfer to a medium-sized bowl and beat in the remaining pumpkin with a whisk until the mixture becomes uniformly creamy.

Taste to see if it needs more lemon juice.

Cover tightly and chill for several hours or overnight, so the flavors combine and depend.

To serve, spoon the mousse into decorative bowls and sprinkle with gingersnap crumbs.

Serve immediately, so the crumbs won’t turn soggy.

Yield: About 6 servings.

Italian Chocolate Nut Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or mar- garine, cut into several pieces
2/3 cup dry unsweetened cocoa
2 cups firmly packed light
brown sugar
1/2 cup water
2-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves or allspice
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup raisins or currants

Preheat the oven to 350°. Combine the first four ingredients in a saucepan.

Heat slowly, stirring, until the mixture resembles a smooth syrup. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder and spices.

Make a well in the center and pour in the chocolate syrup. Work together, first with a spoon, then with clean hands, to make a stiff batter.

Add the almonds and raisins or currants and work in.
Form into balls no larger than 1 inch and arrange on cookie sheets.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie tests clean