Herbed Nuts

Many years ago I got this recipe out of Sunset Magazine.  Started using as gifts for my co-workers, sometimes making extra so we had them around the house through the holidays.  I usually do not eat nuts but these are tasty.

I don’t always use the same type of nuts but mix it up and measure them out in 5 cup batches.

I also frequently use sugar-free maple syrup.  Several of my co-workers are diabetic or in general are trying to stay away from sugar.  (This is why I rarely bring whoopie pies to the office!)

I also don’t always use fresh herbs and change up how much cayenne pepper I used so they taste slightly different every year.  

Great to bring to a party as the contribution to the festivities.

herbednutsbeingmixedNuts, herbs and other ingredients mixed in a bowl.

herbednutsinpanSpread out in the pan

herbednutsinbowl2Roasted Herbed Nuts

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Shortbread

My roommate makes the best shortbread cookies ever.  He got the recipe from a cookbook he got in Scotland many years ago:

highlanderscookbook

 

This is the same recipe used for years in the Fabulous Radical Women Bake Sale.  

Here’s some pictures from the last batch he made.  He sent them to his folks as holiday gifts.  These are Laughing Cow cheese boxes that he painted and covered with colorful leaves.  Very nice, don’t ya think?

shortbread

shortbreadgifts3

shortbreadgifts2

shortbreadgifts1

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Cheese Ball for All Occasions

I adapted this recipe from my first cookbook, a Betty Crocker one.  Bring to work at least once a year for potlucks and it’s gotten very good reviews.

For the one tablespoon of salad dressing, use your favorite vinaigrette type.  My current fav is Annie Shataiki Mushroom dressing.

cheese ball in progress

For Halloween, I add a little red and yellow food coloring for nice orange hue.  Then use olives or cherry tomatoes to put a pumpkin face on it.  For Holiday potluck I make it into a tree shape, roll in parsley, then use cherry tomatoes as ornaments.

cheeseball

 

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Vegan Fig and Walnut Bread

Folks really liked this bread, vegans and non-vegans alike.  Definitely a keeper.  Found it online at www.vegkitchen.com.

I did use just whole wheat flour; didn’t find any whole wheat pastry flour in the grocery store.

figwalnutbread

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Vegan Vanilla “Butter” Cream

This recipe came out rather goopy.  I kept the whoopie pies in the frig so that the filling didn’t spill out.

 

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Vegan Chocolate Whoopie

These turned out very well and my vegan friends loved them, though the cookies stuck to their fingers.  But that often happens with the classic whoopie pie I make.  They are just finger-licking good!

When I baked the first two batches I tried to put the batter in little muffin tins so the cookies would be universally the same size.  Mistake.  I got little vegan chocolate brownies.  I smashed them flat to make the whoopie pies, which made them very ugly.  And probably why they were messier to eat.

With the remaining batter I dropped them on a cookie sheet like normal.  Got five normal looking whoopies from that.

See the Vegan Vanilla “Butter” Cream recipe for the filling.

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Lemon Whoopie

Made a delicious cake.  Filled with Blueberry Cream filling, which is just the normal filling with two or three tablespoons of blueberry syrup added.  Of course, hand mixer worked fine on these.

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How to Make a Foolproof Quiche

Found this online and it worked really well.  Made mushroom/Swiss cheese quiches (4 of them) with Jarlsberg Swiss and they came out great.  Great flavor and the custard was creamy delicious.

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Brunch Menu for 40

This weekend I coordinated a brunch 40 that was served before an Sunday afternoon meeting.   Here’s the menu plus notes about the quantities and reviews from the brunchers.

 

Fruit Salad
Bananas, tangerines, apples, pears
Vanilla yogurt on the side (dairy or soy)
 

Mushroom Swiss Cheese Quiche

or
Mushroom Tofu Vegan Quiche
 

Pork Sausage or Gimme Lean Vegan Sausage Patties
 

Fig Walnut Bread
Orange Marmalade on the side
 

Doreenitini Whoopie Pies
Lemon cakes with blueberry filling

Vegan Chocalate Whoopie Pies
Vanilla vegan creamy filling

 

We made 4 dairy quiches and 2 vegan ones.  There was one slice of the dairy left and three of the vegan.  Baked three loaves of Fig Walnut bread and as usual over made the whoopie pies.

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Southern Living’s Pumpkin Pecan Bread

My sister made this over the Thanksgiving week.  It was great to have for breakfast each morning with coffee.  It was moist and yummy.

 

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