SHF #35: The Beautiful Fig

Well, I saw yesterday over at the wonderful (and wonderfully kind) Canadian Ivonne's site that the new SHF theme was figs! Not only that, but she has just come off a previous hosting gig of La Festa Al Fresco, with half of a beautiful round-up to boot! You go, girl, and I hope you enjoy all that the blogging world has unleashed on you!

Of course, I cannot continue without due mention of the founder of this sweet event, Jennifer of theDomesticGoddess. Her blog is so divine to read and I'm happy to be able to take part in her event!

This theme works well for me, as I am part of a family of fig lovers (noshing in both fresh and dried forms). Unfortunately, I don't often cook with them, since they aren't usually a pantry or fridge staple for us (unless of course the future SF goes to Costco... then we wind up with 40lbs of them (fresh), 20 rock-hard peaches and 5 huge jars of nuts). I can't bash the store too much though, since they have the camera I'm craving to get my hands on and it may be coming for Christmas... hey, a girl can dream, right?

I found some things on this yummy ingredient that I thought were pretty neat, so I wanted to share with you:

• In Chinese the fig is called 'fruit without flower'.
• The flowers are pollinated by very small wasps that crawl through the opening in search of a suitable place to reproduce (lay eggs). In turn, the flowers provide a safe haven and nourishment for the next generation of wasps.
• There are tons of varieties available: Adriatic (Fragola, Strawberry Fig, Verdone, White Adriatic), Black Mission (Beers Black, Franciscan, Mission), Blanche (Italian Honey fig, Lattarula, Lemon, White Marseille), Brown Turkey (Aubique Noire, Negro Largo, San Piero), Celeste (Blue Celeste, Honey Fig, Malta, Sugar, Violette), Conadria, Croisic (Cordelia, Gillette, St. John), Desert King (Charlie, King), Excel, Flanders, Judy, Kadota (Dottato, Florentine, White Kadota), Len, Osborn's Prolific (Arachipel, Neveralla), Panachee (Striped Tiger, Tiger), Tena, Genoa (White Genoa), Ventura, Verte (Green Ischia)
• Figs are rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron.
• Figs are the sweetest of all fruits, with a 55% sugar content.
• One serving of figs is 40 grams, about 1/4 cup, or about 3 Calimyrna figs or about 4 to 5 Mission figs.
• Figs are high in fiber, providing 20% of the Daily Value — more dietary fiber per serving than any other common dried or fresh fruit.

Nutrition Facts of the Fig
Serving size 1/4 cup (three figs) (49g) dried, uncooked figs
Calories 130
Fat Cal 5
Total Fat 0.5g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 33g 11%
Dietary Fiber 6g 24%
Sugars 31g
Protein 2 g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 8%
Iron 6%

If you're looking for more info, check out The Fig Lady!

So here's the recipe. Italian inspired polenta, with banana for moisture and sweetness, plus raisins in addition with the decadent figs, makes this cake a great change to any dessert table. You can add nuts if you like, hazelnuts or even pine nuts would be good choices.

Vegan Polenta Banana-Fig Cake
Serves 8
1 egg replacer (such as Ener-G), prepared
1 banana, mashed
2/3 cup cane sugar
2 cups soy milk
¼ cup brandy
½ cup yellow cornmeal
pinch salt
½ cup dried Mission figs, diced
1/3 cup Thompson or flame raisins

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease an 8" square pan.
2. Beat egg replacer, banana and sugar in a large bowl.
3. In a saucepan, bring soy milk, brandy, and salt to a brisk simmer, remove from heat.
4. Gradually add soymilk to banana mixture.
5. Return everything to the saucepan, add corn meal and whisk until thickened and beginning to bubble.
6. Add figs and raisins to the batter and pour into the cake pan.
7. Bake 40 minutes.
8. Cool 20 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a plate.

Figgy Olive Oil and Sesame Challah #BreadBakers

While it's only been a few days since I last shared a decadent, hearty loaf of bread with everyone, I couldn't wait to get back into the bread kitchen as soon as I could!

With the school year's end approaching all too quickly, I find myself spending more and more time away from my beloved stove and oven and in front of Excel spreadsheets and Word documents, moseying through report cards. When I can't stand another minute in front of the screen (or sitting still), bread making becomes my go-to relief - it's multi-stepped, interspersed with waiting periods which I use to continue "work" work, the (albeit minimal) hand kneading and shaping is therapeutic and the sheer variety of flavour and texture possibilities allow my imagination to run wild, even if only for an hour.

I had kept my eye on the #BreadBakers challenge group for a while now, soaking up the decadent posts from the likes of Baking in Pyjamas, Noshing with the Nolands, Magnolia Days and a few others from #SundaySupper, and I finally got the nerve to join in! This month was focused on the world of stuffed bread, and I knew exactly the loaf I wanted to create. Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, this just hearty enough, half whole-wheat dough is enriched to silky, smooth and tender perfection with eggs, honey and both olive and sesame oils. As tender and moist as it is, after rising the dough keeps its integrity, making it strong enough to not only weave into an 8-strand plait but hold ribbons of homemade fig-sesame jam inside each "rope". Each slice has maximum fig and sesame distribution, and truthfully needs no adornment... however, that didn't stop up from thinly spreading on some tahini and runny honey at breakfast time!

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the BreadBakers home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

This month, we're filling out breads with all sorts of goodies... why not "stuff" yourself with these bakes!

Sweet Breads

• Chocolate Caramel Stuffed Monkey Bread from Robin at A Shaggy Dough Story
• Cinnamon Roll Quickbread from Laura at Baking in Pyjamas
• Cream Pan - Japanese Custard Filled Buns from Shireen at Ruchik Randhap
• Figgy Olive Oil and Sesame Challah from Sarah at What Smells So Good?
• Jam filled Danish Pastries from Holly at A Baker's House
• No-Knead Apricot Sweet Rolls from Renee at Magnolia Days

Savory Breads

• Baked Peas Kachori from Shilpi at SimplyVeggies
• Cauliflower, Paneer & Peas Stromboli from Priya at I Camp in my Kitchen
• Cheesy Bacon Stuffed Pretzel Buns from Allison at The PinterTest Kitchen
• Cheesy Pizza Wheels from Tara at Noshing with the Nolands
• Chicken Stuffed Casserole Bread from Vimala at Cooking Club
• Cuban Sandwich-Stuffed Cuban Bread from Jenni at Jenni Field’s Pastry Chef Online
• Gruyère Stuffed Crusty Loaves from Adam at Bakers and Best
• Jalapeño Cheddar Stuffed Pretzel Rolls from Heather at Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Jamaican Meat Loaf from Kelly of Passion Kneaded
• Paneer Kulchi from Anshie at Spice Roots
• Prosciutto, Salami and Mozzarella Stromboli from Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Russian Pirozhki from Mireille at Chef Mireille's East West Realm
• Sri Lankan Seeni Sambol Buns from Pavani at Cook's Hideout
• Stuffed Bazlama - Turkish Bread from Sneha at Sneha's Recipe
• Stuffed Black Garlic Monkey Bread from Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Stuffed Pretzel Bites from Karen at Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Tiganopsomo - Feta-Stuffed Fried Bread from Stacy at Food Lust People Love
• Zucchini and Goat Cheese Stuffed Bread from Aisha at La cocina de Aisha

Date - Fig Bars

Perusing my archives, it's definitely clear that I have a soft spot for figs. Not only did I whip up three variations of my long-standing favourite cookie, but I even worked them into an elegant braided challah that my mom still talks about. The one thing I hated about making those cookies was how finicky rolling and sealing the dough could be - and since I'm lazy the time to roll out, fill, trim, roll and cut is just not my cup of tea. Bars, however, are a-OK: Less mess, less individual cutting, and far easier storage.

When I came across a fig-filled bar cookie in my review copy of Bake Something Great, I knew I wanted to try it out. Unfortunately I didn't have stellar results the first time around, but I picked up enough tips along the way to turn my next pan into a vegan, filling packed, whole grain success. I was running short on the namesake figs by the time I got to baking, but luckily I had some dates handy. These not only bulked up the mix, but added extra sweetness as well so I could use even less sugar in the dough. I upped the flour, using a mix of spelt and whole wheat, and used shortening and flax to keep things animal free.

Finally, after chilling everything down, I got to make my first slice - success! Tons of figgy filling, tender, slightly nutty crust and perfect for packing on a picnic or in a lunchbox.

Lovey Buns

So it’s coming around to mid-February, which can only mean two things: one, that the Superbowl and all it’s over-priced ads, is over and done with and two, that the freakishly pink and chocolate-inundated Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Though I have nothing against the lovebirds that flock to the bistros and flower shops this time of year, the sheer prevalence of chocolate and jewellery filling the stores these days is always a bit of an amusement factor for me. After all, Saint Valentine was clubbed stoned and finally beheaded after trying the whole religious conversion trick (a common practice for the priesthood, even today) on the Roman emperor who imprisoned him for being Christian in the first place. Now, I don’t know about you, but not only does that story sound like an absolutely horrible excuse to indulge in the excesses marketed by Hallmark, but it also makes me wonder about the intelligence of this Saint in the first place. I mean really – if you had been arrested and thrown in an ancient Roman prison for simply helping any Christian countrymen, why on earth would you then go to the guy in charge of that law in the first place and say “hey, how about accepting this Saviour and atoning for your sins”?

Egyptian Fig Roll Cookies

When I was in elementary school, we did a lot of ancient Egyptian studies. My teacher was from Africa, and even though she was of South African Dutch heritage (with a gorgeous accent to match), she had a passion for the world of the pyramids, Sphinx and papyrus. I share that fascination, as well as loving any ancient history, and when I discover a new bit of trivia about an old civilization lost to time I soak it up.

That's why when I discovered that the cookie I grew up sharing with my Grandpa, my favourite Fig Newton, was actually rooted in ancient Egypt, I had to revisit it. I finally found a version of the dried fig filling (in a kids Egypt book, nonetheless) that used honey, nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom for a heady, exotic feel and definitely wanted to make it the star. For the "wrapping", the ancients preferred a pastry-like flatbread, but I personally like the tender cookie version. I found a perfect recipe on Savory Simple to play with, which wound up becoming a spelt-cinnamon concoction laced with orange and vanilla and just slightly chewy from using egg whites in place of the yolks.

With all the luscious figs tucked inside, these are great for the Eating the Alphabet Healthy Recipe Challenge on Meal Planning Magic! This month we're on E and F - check out what yummies are being cooked up with fruits, vegetables, grains or legumes beginning with these letters!

Fig Newton "Sarah-Bars"!

I'm not sure why, but I never really "got into" the energy bar craze as a teen and college student. There were certainly enough of them out there - from the cheap cereal-based "granola-y" snacks I could kill for as a kid (but which my mom would never buy) to the trail-mix "natural" bars in our vending machines, vegan options in the dorm convenience store and of course the quintessential PowerBar, they innundated us students from all angles. As I completed my nutrition programs, they showed up more and more around me, especially when classes were running to 9PM, and though I tried a few of them I just didn't "get" their appeal.

Amusingly, although I wasn't a fan of eating energy or snack bars, I had (and still have, obviously) no problem making them for those who are! More as an experiment on my end (and an excuse to play around with my Three Legume Butter), I set out to make a mock-Lara Bar concoction dubbed the "Sarah-Bar". The flavouring was dictated essentially by what I first laid eyes on when I went to my baking pantry - along with the necessary dates, I had a half package of dried figs and a goodly amount of raisins by the time I made it back to the kitchen. My idea was to make a sort of "Fig Newton" with the combination, and lightly coat the tops of the bars with poured fondant (yeah, I know - undoing any health benefits from the beans and fruit).

I soaked the (very) dried out figs and raisins first so that my poor off-brand food processor wouldn't conk out on me, draining them well and pressing out the liquid so that they were pliable but not soggy. Then I just chucked everything into the processor and let'er rip until it basically became a fruit-legume butter paste, scraping it into a plastic lined square pan. It was too soft to cut right away, so into the fridge it went overnight, after which they cut wonderfully with my bench scraper! All told, it took longer to mix up and glaze the bars with the fondant than it did to make the plain bars, and from what I heard from hungry snackers (especially those who were gluten-free and vegan) it was well worth the minimal time and expense!

Getting it Right!

Sometimes, the sweet smell of success is really more than a metaphor!

Over a year ago, I tried to make Fig Newton-esque cookies for my grandpa with less than stellar results. I had used an Anna Olson recipe, following it to a T (against my better judgement, since I have had bad results from some of her other recipes. I love her show Sugar, though, and wanted to give the recipe the benefit of the doubt). Though my grandpa enjoyed the cookies well enough, I knew I would have to figure out a better way to make the "dough" part of the bar... the original was akin to a pie dough, and way too crumbly to properly "encase" the filling without falling apart. If that wasn't enough, it was also butter-based, which is okay with me for shortbreads, drop cookies and cakes but is really too finicky for me to use with refrigerator cookies (one of the reasons why you don't see a lot of fun checkerboard or pinwheel biscuits here). At the time, I was a newbie too busy with getting used to the whole blogging world to make another round of these, so away they went to the back of my mind and recipe binder.

Until now! Ironically, I decided to begin the (admittedly time-consuming) process of making these bars after a restless night of about two hours sleep (on the couch), while I had two batches of sourdough bread dough resting in various places in the kitchen and poor Andrew wondering what the hell this crazy girl was doing. I'm going to reason that I just kept on going yesterday to keep myself awake! My mom is having my grandparents and Andrew over tonight for an Italian porchetta roast supper too, and she asked me (after the fact, mind you) to whip up a dessert of some sort. Cookies it was!

The main difference between these cookies and the previous ones is in the cookie dough portion: whereas the original had butter, eggs, and a fair bit of leavening in it, this dough is vegan with shortening and a cornstarch "egg replacer" instead. It handles better and doesn't require chilling, though a stint in the fridge after shaping and cutting helps them stay in shape. The filling with these bars is different too, incorporating not only figs but cherries and ground ginger too! On it's own, the filling is a delicious spread on toast or English muffins - Andrew squeezed most of what was left over right into his mouth, and he doesn't even like figs (or ginger!)! If that isn't a victory, I don't know what is.

So, take a cookie and a cuppa, and enjoy your lazy Sunday afternoons!

Cherry-Fig Bars
Serves 30
Filling
4 oz dried figs, diced
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup thawed frozen cherries (with juice)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground ginger

Cookie
1 tsp cornstarch
3 tbsp water
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tbsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

Filling

1. Combine all the ingredients (but lemon juice) in a small saucepot and bring up to a slow simmer.
2. Cook 25 - 30 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed and figs begin to "paste". Stir in lemon juice.
3. Purée in a food processor to a thick puree.
4. Cool completely, set aside.

Cookie

1. Combine cornstarch and water in a small dish, whisking smooth. Set aside.
2. Cream shortening and sugar until light.
3. Beat in cornstarch slurry and vanilla until well combined.
4. By hand, gently but thoroughly beat in the flours and baking powder to form a very stiff dough.

Assembly

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
2. Roll dough into a large, fairly thin (1/4" or so) rectangle on a well-floured board.
3. Cut into four wide, equal strips.
4. Place filling in a pastry bag with a large plain tip (or use a large Ziploc with a corner cut off).
5. Pipe a line of filling down one side of each strip.
6. Fold the dough over the filling, pinching the edges to seal well. Place on baking sheets.
7. Chill 2-3 hours, or freeze up to 3 months.
8. Preheat oven to 350F.
9. Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut each log into ten equal cookies.
10. Bake 12 minutes.
11. Allow cookies to cool completely on sheets.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 71.6
Total Fat: 3.6 g
Cholesterol: 2.0 mg
Sodium: 0.6 mg
Total Carbs: 9.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.8 g
Protein: 0.9 g

Egyptian Fruit Tartlets

These Egyptian Fruit Tartlets are a variation on my favourite fig newton recipe, and are perfectly sized for a two bite treat!

Well, I'm more or less back to everything after this busy, busy Summer! Apologies to those of you who enjoy my writing but I needed to take the break to deal with both school and personal commitments. At any rate, I will do my best to at least get one post a week out, and what better way to start than with these delicious tartlets?

These tartlets are different from the standard pastry shell variety in a couple of ways. First, the casing is more of a shortbread style of dough, relatively soft and pliable. Second, the fruit is in a paste form, rather than fresh or "pie filling" format. The filling has to be my favourite part of the whole treat, since it is almost identical to the filling I use for date squares. My inspiration for these tarts came from the Middle Eastern pastry maamoul, and since I needed to make a dessert for one of the school plays that kept to the Arabian / Egyptian / etc theme it seemed to fit the bill nicely. To keep the filling from being super sweet, and since a few of the kids hate dates (I can't believe it, they are nature's candy!), I added some dried figs which lent a delicate texture and floral note. Those of you who have been following me know I love figs, and especially fig newtons, so I could definitely polish the spread off with a spoon.


I mentioned it earlier but the dough is very soft, even after chilling. I didn't want to add too much flour at the onset and had nothing but a paste on my hands, but I gradually added flour until I got a shortbread dough texture. for me, 27 oz worked well, plus the flour I dusted with when rolling. You may also need to tamp down the middle of the shells after baking to keep the depression intact. It's all worth it - I promise! While the recipe makes a fair amount of tartlets, it does scale well, and you can freeze leftovers as well without issue.

Toast Topper #26 Spicy Dried Fruit Jam (#RecipeRedux)

I never thought I'd take to canning the way I have. Preserve making was always something that I imagined Old World-style grandmothers doing, bound up in aprons with pots boiling and bushels of produce spread over every countertop - definitely not an activity that the average 20-something would devote an afternoon to.

But then again, I'm not the average 20-something. I guess you can say I fell into preserving out of my stubborn frugality - our garden every year is so plentiful that I hate to see any of the gorgeous vegetables go to waste! I had a bit of a learning curve at first, though. While my paternal grandmother used to make pickles, freezer jam and jellies when I was really young, she's since hung up the ladle (so to speak). My dad, while a great pancake maker and grill man (who occasionally branches into home smoking and turkey frying), is not what you'd call the homemade pantry type though. My mom is finally starting to emerge from years as a short-order cook for two (rather opposite) childhood palates, but with a relatively new (and ahem, picky) Italian family on the meal ticket plus three grown children and 8(!) pets at home (yeah, I'm one of the squatters) and a full time job, she doesn't have the time or energy to break out the antique drum-like canner and spend most of the day processing fruit and vegetables.

So I've become the next canner in the family. I was given a large canning pot by my grandma back in 2008, and with a little research I took the plunge into tomatoes and pickles - and I've never looked back. Now my repertoire grows bit by bit every year, depending on the crops we have growing and what I find at the farmers market, and I've been able to put up various tomato sauces, tomato paste, pickles, jellies and jams, mincemeats and more chutneys than I ever thought existed. With the availability of products like Pomona's Pectin, which sets jam and jelly with next to no sugar required (most pectins need a good deal of sucrose to activate), I've also been able to make preserves for those in my family looking to avoid sugar for whatever reason using stevia-based replacements like PureVia, Pyure and most recently Truvia.

It was this combination of Pomona's, Truvia and naturally rich dried fruit that created this sweet and spicy fig jam. It's a chunky-style topping that goes well with sharp cheese and a glass of wine, spooned over ice cream or simply spread on a slice of pumpernickel bread. I was able to cut the added sugar by over 50% from the original recipe, partially by replacing it with Truvia (a blend of stevia and erythritol that's 3 times as sweet as regular table sugar) and partially by simply eliminating it. There's also a decent dose of calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese (an important detoxifying agent), but most importantly there is a wallop of exotic and exciting flavour in each bite. 

This month's #RecipeRedux is all about Raising the Bar on Food in a Jar. Whether you're packing your lunchtime marinated salad, stashing your homemade granolas and trail mixes or (like me) canning up a storm, the Mason and Ball jars once recycled or shoved to the back of the cupboard are finally getting their well-deserved resurgence to the forefront. Check out the rest of the group's offerings below, and if you have a different innovative use for the container let me know in the comments!

Maple Syrup Pumpkin Bars for a Fall #SundaySupper

Happy Autumn! The new season officially begins today at 4:44 P.M EDT, and to me that signals the arrival of not only colourful leaves and cooler weather, but the warmth and coziness of the kitchen heating up again. No longer is it too ridiculously hot and humid out to fire up the oven and stove, or break out the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves, and while the cherries and blueberries that filled our bowls in July and August are gone for another year, the apples, figs, pumpkin and squash are starting to arrive.

I was actually surprised that I've made a few pumpkin desserts this year already - not due to their seasonality (since canned pumpkin and apples are essentially seasonless) but because the smell of cooking pumpkin and squash is absolutely stomach-turning to me. I was never a fan of eating pumpkin pie (though I do like pumpkin pancakes and doughnuts), but I've been told I make a mighty fine one. However, once it (or anything with Winter squash) is in the oven, I have to set my kitchen timer, take it with me and retreat to the far side of the house. I'm probably the only one with this weird issue, but there you are!

Anyways, these bars taste fantastic, regardless of their aroma when baking - in fact, I'd venture to say they're better chilled (or frozen, ice-cream sandwich style) and topped with a scoop of frozen yoghurt and maple syrup. Not only are they refined sugar free (thank you, Canadian maple syrup and maple sugar!) but they're also eggless - creating a rich, dense and fudgy cake that makes a great base for toppings (like I mentioned before) or, with a half teaspoon of extra baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda added and caked in a 9" springform, turns into a "snacking cake" or coffee cake perfect for any Fall breakfast table.

This week's #SundaySupper is a testament to the flavours of Fall. From apples and pumpkin to dates, sweet potatoes mushrooms and kale, the cooler weather won't make a dent in your home with all these warming treats to keep you cozy! This event is being hosted by Soni of Soni's Food. Thanks Soni!

Amazing Breakfasts, Brunches, and Breads

• Apple Spice Muffins from Pixie Dust Kitchen
• Skinny Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Donuts with Maple Cream Cheese Glaze from The Messy Baker
• Apple Spice Waffles from Treats and Trinkets
• Pumpkin Spice Latte Donuts from Daily Dish Recipes
• Mini Pumpkin Pancake Kebobs from The Urban Mrs.
• Mini Apple Cinnamon Rolls from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Cinnamon Apple Crepes from Juanita's Cocina
• Maple Apple Bread from The Foodie Army Wife
• Pumpkin Ale Pretzel Buns from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Outstanding Soups, Starters and Sides:

• Bacon, Corn and Shrimp Chowder from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Pumpkin Tomato Sauce with Andouille Sausage from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Parmesan Polenta from That Skinny Chick can Bake
• Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula from Shockingly Delicious
• Butternut Squash Tian with Herb Topping from Food Lust People Love
• Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup from Alida's Kitchen

Comforting Main Dishes:

• Autumn Risotto with Chicken & Cranberries from Momma's Meals
• Mushroom and Sorrel Lasagne from Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Roasted Fig & Pancetta Pasta Carbonara from Nik Snacks
• Chili from Casa De Crews
• Vegan Mushroom Pie from Killer Bunnies Inc
• White Pizza with Kale and Meatballs from The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Spicy Korean Monkfish Stew (Agu Jjim) from kimchi MOM
• Creole Shrimp & Cheddar Basil Grits Cake from The Roxx Box
• Penne with Spicy Pumpkin and Sausage Sauce from Webicurean
• Bacon Spinach Pasta from Magnolia Days
• Chicken, Spinach, and Gnocchi Soup from Cookin' Mimi
• Stuffed Meatballs in Tomato Alfredo Sauce from Family Foodie
• Butternut Squash and Lentil Pot Pie from Curious Cuisiniere
• Mini Meatball and Goat Cheese Risotto from MarocMama
• Onion Tart {Zwiebelkuchen} from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili from Neighborfood

Decadent Desserts:

• Pumpkin Marshmallows from Home Cooking Memories
• Salted Caramel Apple Crisp Bars from Table for Seven
• Apple Cider Five Spice Caramels from girlichef
• Italian Apple Torta from La Bella Vita Cucina
• Apple Fig and Pomegranate Crisp from Take a Bite Out of Boca
• Caramel Apple Sugar Cookie Pizza from Chocolate Moosey
• Pumpkin Bourbon Pie with Walnut Crumble from Gotta Get Baked
• Camotes Enmielados (Mexican Candied Yams/Sweet Potatoes) from La Cocina de Leslie
• Maple Syrup Pumpkin Bars from What Smells So Good?
• Pear Almond Graham Cracker Tart from Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Walnut-Stuffed Baked Apples from Foxes Loves Lemons
• Buttery Bourbon Ice Cream from NinjaBaking
• Caramel Apples from Pies and Plots
• Funnel Cakes from The Texan New Yorker
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies from In The Kitchen With KP
• {Gluten-Free} Pumpkin Swirl Pecan Crumb Cake from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Chocolate Pumpkin Swiss Roll Cake from Big Bear's Wife
• Hot Apple Pizza from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Savory & Sweet Coconut Cream Salted Caramel Apples from Sue's Nutrition Buzz

Tasty Drinks:

• Pumpkin Juice - Harry Potter Style from The Dinner-Mom
• The Best Wines for Fall Foods from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Don’t forget to join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EDT. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here

Yeast Free Date Rolls

My grandpa and I shared a love of many things - Jeopardy!, golf, jazz music and big black cats among them. Weekends with Grandma and Grandpa always shared a few stolen moments driving or power walking, always deep in conversation. He knew how much I loved learning (as much as he did!) and loved to fill my head with all sorts of knowledge, from seemingly inane trivia (which will come in great handy should I ever go on Jeopardy!) to household maintenance tips, health news and musical lore. 

When it came around to snack time, the two of us would never be happier than when we discovered a package of Fig Newtons in the pantry or "just happened to" come home with a box of date squares. The tender, oat-packed crust and crumbly topping of those squares was just sturdy enough to hold up to the insanely thick layer of sweet date puree, and while the bakery that made our favourite treat has since shut down (and I doubt they ever had a website), the resulting bars resembled these ones almost to a T. The two of us were really the only ones who shared a deep passion for the dessert, which was all the better for us back then - a pan would last us the whole weekend, plus a few extra pieces for me to pack along for school the next week. Today, I'm the only one in the family who still adores dates in any and every form, and while I do have my great aunt's recipe, making it just doesn't hold the same allure.

Luckily, I have a great group of friends and colleagues with adventurous palates, and when one of them (who happens to be keeping gluten free for eczema issues) mentioned her yen for "jam rolls" (essentially cinnamon rolls with a fruit paste or butter as the swirl) near the end of the term, I decided to try out the idea using some homemade date paste I had in the freezer. I've mentioned before that I don't tend to buy eggs, unless it's for a Home Ec class, simply because I can't eat them - besides, with all the substitutes I have available to me at home (from chia and flax seed to bananas, tofu and even Homemade Egg Replacer) buying a dozen for just one or two seems like a waste. This time, though, I took a leaf out of Cupcake Project's book for my substitution and tried an unlikely candidate - mayonnaise. Specifically, an all-natural, egg-free mayonnaise that I had bought near the end of the year for my SK-Grade 1 "transition" class and was sitting in my fridge being ignored by the "normal eaters" at home (I can't handle the fat in any type of mayo, otherwise I'd be making tomato sammies!). Unlikely as it may be, the mayonnaise swap worked wonders in the dough - keeping it moist and supple (a rarity for most GF bread!) with a tiny bit of buttermilky tang. I didn't want to bother messing around with yeast this time around, but the "biscuit" type of dough was perfect for the filling and allowed me to tweak the ingredients so that no refined sugar was used, allowing the molasses-y notes of the raw sugar play in concert with the 100% fruit filling.

Fresh out of the oven that afternoon, and even right before bed, these rolls were perfectly moist without any hint of crumbliness. The next day (after a stint in the fridge) they were beginning to dry out, but by whipping up a honey-butter glaze and brushing it on before reheating and serving them any hint of "aging" disappeared. Simply put, if you love date squares, cinnamon buns or any combination of the two, you've got to try these - you won't be disappointed!

Shared with Gluten Free Fridays

Espresso Brownies for a Mother's Day #SundaySupper

I have fond memories of Saturday morning outings with my mom when I was in my teens. That was back in our Weight Watcher days, where Saturday mornings meant the dreaded weigh-in followed by toasted bagels and cream cheese for breakfast and a vanilla fudge brownie latte for a "morning dessert". Those days are gone (sigh), but Mom married into an Italian family with a taste for espresso and it's assorted drink and dessert variations. While the most traditional caffeinated sweet, tiramisu, usually offers up a "meh" response from both Mom and my stepdad (anything overly creamy is usually not much of a hit), it's hard to steer her away from chocolate - and when that chocolate is spiked with a heady dose of espresso and baked into a sinfully fudgy brownie (laced with Kahlua no less), it's a Mother's Day delight at our house!

I wish I could take credit for the idea to thoroughly souse the pure chocolate bliss that is a brownie with caffeine, but in fact the original recipe was found in Petite Treats: Your Favorite Desserts-Bite Size!. Sadly, as is the book's recipe was on the dry side when I made it verbatim, so I took preemptive measures for my mom's batch. Honey added a moist chew, brown sugar added depth and more chocolate chips added pops of yummy texture. Just to be sure there was no dry or hard brownie bits at all, when I flipped out the bars they got a nice brushing of Kahlua and a rich chocolatey icing too. Hey, only the best for Mom - and what mom doesn't need a little "pick me up" these days?

This #SundaySupper is all about Mom - we're celebrating the amazing women that brought us into the world as well as all the other incredible women who acted in loco parentis growing up. Make sure you take a look at what all the other #SundaySupper participants are sharing for Mother's Day!

Mother's Day Brunch:

• Blueberry Coffee Cake from Peanut Butter and Peppers 
• Cornbread Pancakes with Blackberries from The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Crepes from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks 
• Hot N Sweet Mango Chutney from Sue's Nutrition Buzz
• Lemon Glazed Raspberry Scones from Juanita's Cocina
• Quiche Lorraine from Supper for a Steal
• Seafood Quiche from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Strawberry Rhubarb Compote from Noshing with the Nolands
•  Sweet French Breakfast Crepes from Curious Cuisiniere
• Vidalia Onion Quiche from Comfy Cuisine

Mother's Day Entrees:

• Cod with Stewed Tomatoes from Cindy's Recipes and Writings 
• Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches with Herbed Goat Cheesefrom Foxes Love Lemons
• Lemon Risotto from Healthy. Delicious.
• Lobster Ravioli with Shrimp Caper Sauce from Family Foodie
• Pork dumpling (Shumai) from The Urban Mrs.

Mother's Day Sides:

• Spaetzle from Magnolia Days

Mother's Day Desserts and Drinks:

• Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls from Gotta Get Baked
• Chocolate Kahlua Cream Pie from Ruffles & Truffles 
• Espresso Brownies from What Smells So Good?
• Fresh Blackberry Elderflower Sorbet from Shockingly Delicious
• Fresh Fig and Walnut Pie from Vintage Kitchen 
•  Gluten Free Coconut Cake with Chocolate Ganache, Berries, and Fresh Whipped Cream from Neighborfood
• Lavender Shortbread Cookies from girlichef
• Lemon Meringue Pie from Pies and Plots
• Lemon Petit Fours from Home Cooking Memories
• Lemon Sorbet in Prosecco from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Milky Way Brownies from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Mini Coconut Pies from La Cocina de Leslie
• Mini Strawberry and Cheese Pies from Basic N Delicious
• Mom's Apple Crisp from Cravings of a Lunatic 
• Mom's Texas Sheetcake from Daily Dish Recipes
• Raspberry and Hazlenut Friands from Happy Baking Days
• Semolina Balls (Suji Laddoo) from Soni's Food
• Too-Good-to-Be-Lowfat Chocolate Eclair Icebox Dessert from The Weekend Gourmet

Don't forget to join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter today to celebrate Mother's Day! We’ll tweet throughout the day and share our delicious recipes. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.

What do you think of when you think of your Mom? Do you have any special memories?

Watermelon Meyer Lemonade

As much of a lemonhead as I am, I'm a latecomer to the wonderful world of the Meyer lemon. My excuses were (at least in the beginning) lack of availability in my neck of the literal woods - unlike the "big city" Toronto, all the really fun stuff doesn't filter in as quickly. When the grocery store finally did start carrying the tiny, sweet-tart fruit, it was only in mesh bags of 10-12 and exorbitantly priced. So I did what any rational foodie / wannabe gardener would do: I bought a Meyer lemon tree. If you think that's a little extreme for a lemon, I also own a fig tree. We're growing olives, horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes and grapes along with the rest of the (in my case, heirloom) tomatoes, peppers, beets and carrots too. But I really wanted that Meyer lemon tree.

That was three years ago. After buying the few-years-old dwarf tree, I had to wait "patiently" for it to mature enough to both bear fruit and be strong enough to support the lemons (which, although small, are heavy for the little tree). Then there were the bugs (spider mites to be exact) - this year I almost lost the whole plant, and only through babying and watchful waiting did I finally get my first two lemons.

As soon as those two lemons turned yellow, I knew exactly what I'd be doing - lemonade, baby! I supplemented the two lemons of my own with a few I bought downtown (where the fruit stall had them cheaper than our supermarket!), and picked up some watermelon cubes that looked, if not juicy and ruby-red, at least decent. A quick spin in the blender later and I had myself a 100% sugar free drink, sweetened with naturally super-sweet stevia, that was perfect for today's 30°C weather. Had I thought of it, I would have added some frozen berries in place of ice cubes too - I love using frozen fruit as ice cubes in drinks: one, they don't water the beverage down and two, they're edible!

What's your favourite warm-weather drink?

Toast Topper #33: Tomato Kasundi #SundaySupper

One of the love/hate relationships we (and I'm sure many other gardeners) have is with our tomato plants. While this year's crop are long gone now (and boy are we missing their sweet flavour compared to the mealy, cardboardy supermarket ones currently available), in the middle of the season there were a few points where we were forced to either dry them, can them, freeze them or lose them to the ravages of mould and fruit flies.

As much as I love my various versions of tomato sauce, one thing is always constant - my stepfamily (and thus, my household) won't eat them. While they are Italian (my stepdad was born and raised there) it's not as if they're super gourmands or anything snooty like that. In fact, they would rather have a processed sauce out of a can that tastes of nothing but salt than a bona fide long-simmered, multi-dimensional ragu. Sigh. Well to each their own!

After realizing I would never win them over to the Italian sauce side (although recently my stepbrother made tomato sauce which is now "the sauce" for the family *rolls eyes*), I gave up and started to branch out into other cuisine inspirations for my harvest. Like last year, tomato confit took out a decent chunk of our extra fruit (and is now securely packed in the freezer for soup), as did basic roasted cherry tomatoes. But in the interest of trying something new, I also whipped up a batch chutney along with something I had never heard of before - tomato kasundi.

If, like me, you're looking at the title of this recipe going "what the heck is kasundi?", I'll break it down a bit for you. In it's most basic concept, kasundi is a rich, thick and decadently spiced tomato relish of sorts hailing from India. Filled with ginger, garlic, chile peppers and vinegar, it's tart and spicy, with just a hint of sweetness from brown sugar and molasses to balance everything out. It's beautiful looking when it's done, and even better smelling while it cooks - but would you know what to do with it? If you're like my mom (thank God she still likes what I cook!), you stir it into scrambled eggs, mix it into leftover rice while reheating, top leftover turkey sandwiches, or use as a killer sauce on grilled steak or roasted meats. It's delicious hot or cold, and while we haven't done it yet (we missed grilling season), I bet it would take the place of ketchup on my mom's fantastic burgers (or on meatloaf! Now that's an idea!).

It's a saucy week for #SundaySupper, and from sweet to sour and everything in between there's sure to be something you can sink your spoon into! DB is our gracious host this week - thanks DB!

Savory Sauces

• Port Wine and Fig Sauce from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Jalepeno Cranberry Sauce from Hot Momma's Kitchen Chaos
• Homemade Steak Sauce from Juanita's Cocina
• Tomato Kasundi from What Smells So Good?
• Homemade Tartar Sauce from The Foodie Army Wife
• Creamy Dairyfree Mushroom Sauce from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Homemade Teriyaki Sauce from Curious Cuisiniere
• Red Wine Sauce | Molho de Vinho Tinto from Family Foodie
• Guava BBQ Sauce from Basic N Delicious

Pasta Sauces and Pastas with Sauce

• Chardonnay Seafood Sauce (with Linguine) from Country Girl in the Village
• Italian-Style Tomato Sauce from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Homemade Guiltless Alfredo Sauce from Momma's Meals
• Sicilian Marinara Sauce from Growing Up Gabel
• Basil Pesto from Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Angel Hair Pasta with Neapolitan Sauce from Cookin' Mimi
• Roasted Vegetable Pasta Sauce from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Lentil Marinara Pasta Sauce from Alida's Kitchen
• Lamb Ragout from Maroc Mama
• Black Walnut Kale Pesto with Zucchini Spaghetti from Sue's Nutrition Buzz
• Amatriciana Sauce from The Weekend Gourmet

Entreés with Sauces

• Chicken Tikka Masala from I Run For Wine
• Pork Tenderloin with Plum Sauce from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Garlic Mushrooms In Red Wine Sauce from Kudos Kitchen By Renee
• Jack Daniel's Honey Barbecue Baked Wings from Chocolate Moosey
• Salmon with Homemade Caper Onion Mayonnaise from Food Lust People Love
• Chicken with Mushroom Demi-Glace from Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Mrs. A's Skillet Lemon Chicken from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Philly Strip Steaks with Provolone Sauce and Caramelized Onions from The Texan New Yorker
• Sweet & Sour Garlic Chicken Wings from Big Bear's Wife

Sweet Sauces

• Banana Pudding Sauce from Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Raspberry Red Wine Sauce from Treats & Trinkets
• Pumpkin Applesauce from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Sauce from Daily Dish Recipes
• Slow Cooker Applesauce from Citronlimette
• Apple Cider Caramel Sauce from The Messy Baker
• Port Wine Cranberry Sauce from Webicurean
• Pumpkin Caramel Sauce from Noshing With The Nolands

Desserts with Sauces

• Sticky Toffee Pudding w/ Toffee Sauce from girlichef
• Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce (over Chocolate Rosemary Cake) from Gotta Get Baked
• Pear Tatin with Rum Caramel Sauce from Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Bananas Foster from MidLife Road Trip
• Baked Espresso Berry Pudding from The Urban Mrs
• Caramel Apple Sheet Cake from Pies and Plots

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here.

Simple High(er)-Fibre Baguettes #BreadBakers

Baguettes are definitely one of the most perfect "party" breads out there. Whether they're toasted for crostini or bruschetta, sliced into ovals for smears of butter or pate, halved for "party subs" or simply left whole as an edible table centrepiece, the light inner crumb with its distinctive crust is versatile and almost universally accepted.

Of course, the traditional baguette is a white-flour-only soiree - a welcome note for some of my family who are staunch members of the "Wonder Bread club", but unfortunately one of the least recommended foods for their diabetic or pre-diabetic diet plans. The problem is that while refined all purpose or bread flour brings a wonderful strength to the dough and helps with creating the open, slightly spongy interior or the loaves, it is essentially void of nutrition - namely fibre and B vitamins. Whole wheat flour, while delicious in its own right and much richer in nutrients, is also too dense and heavy for the ethereal nature of these French loaves.

My solution was to incorporate some of that nutrition - at the very least, the fibre component - back into the dough in a more subtle way. I started by swapping in a touch of white whole wheat flour for the bread flour - not all of it, which would weigh the dough down, but enough for a little boost. A scoop of psyllium husks and a few tablespoons of inulin powder added extra fibre power without too much extra heft - and if anything the slight texture of the psyllium added to the rustic nature of the handmade baguettes. Three risings helped develop a deeper flavour than standard white bread too - and next time, I might even try an overnight rest to see if I can tweak it a little more. Overall, a delicious, slightly more nutritious side for the holiday (or anyday) table!

Let's take a look at what my fellow bakers have baked for this month’s Family Feast Breads event:

• Butterflake Rolls from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Cardamom Fig Braid from A Shaggy Dough Story
• Challah Bread from la cocina de Aisha
• Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Buns from Food Lust People Love
• Chicken in a Blanket from Sneha's Recipe
• Classic Dinner Rolls from A Baker's House
• Cloverleaf Rolls from En La Cocina de Caro
• Cranberry & Orange Spice Bread from Baking in Pyjamas
• Eggless Coconut Pineapple Quick Bread from Seduce Your Tastebuds
• Edible Bread Basket from Passion Kneaded
• Mallorcan Ensaimadas from Ruchik Randhap
• Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Einkorn Bread from The Schizo Chef
• Pear Pie Cinnamon Rolls from From Gate to Plate
• Poppy Seed Coiled Challah from Bakingyummies
• Poppyseed Roll from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Povitica from Spiceroots
• Pumpkin Dinner Rolls from Cook's Hideout
• Pumpkin Yeast Bread from Hostess At Heart
• Rose-shaped Buns from Sara's Tasty Buds
• Savory Cheddar Honey Butter Rolls from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Simple High Fibre Baguettes from What Smells So Good?
• Smoked Cheddar Caramelized Onion Dinner Rolls from Noshing With The Nolands
• Sweet Dumpling Squash Drop Biscuits from Magnolia Days
• Thanksgiving Wreath Braided Bread Centerpiece from Pastry Chef Online

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

Toast Topper #9: Crab Apple Jelly

I don't consider myself a huge "jam" person. I'm not overly picky about what fruit goes on my toast or crackers, but since I don't eat them very often buying a jar often leads to waste. I do make a lot of it though, both for my mom (who takes it to work to have with her bread of the week) and for Christmas gifts. This year I had inspiration all over, but this particular jelly is packed with memories - both of my hometown and of my dad's mom!

For some reason I always think of two foods when I think of my paternal Grandma, and both of them had to do with preserving. The first one is pickles. For holidays, Grandma always puts out a dish of them along with tiny cornichons, and as a kid I remember going to a local community garden with her to pick the cucumbers she'd use for that year's batches. I don't believe she canned either her dills or her bread and butters, but those dill pickles were incredible - sour, spicy and definitely laden with garlic and dill. However, I detest sweet pickles - to me, they seem like something that evolved because a chef mistook sugar for salt and didn't want to toss the batch. You can claim that they have their place (though I'm hard pressed to think of where that is) but I'll take a pass. Give me my full sour Kosher dills and I'm good, thanks.

The other thing Grandma reminds me of, and the whole purpose of this post, was crab apple jelly. I don't know if she actually made it herself, but she always seemed to have it around the house. It was there that I had my first taste of it (on a Triscuit, likely with some Havarti or Cheddar) and fell in love. There is nothing better to put on a platter of "plain" crackers and mild to medium cheeses than a tangy crab apple jelly, along with a little bit of hot pepper jelly and some fig jam.

Crab apples also remind me a lot of my home town of Ajax. A lot of the streets there, especially the older ones, are lined with crab apple trees, and the city never seems to either spray them with pesticides or prune them. They also don't do anything with the fruit they bear every year - the relatively small trees always overburdened with apples by the end of the summer, which just falls off and rots, leading to an oh-so-wonderful aroma by mid October (apparently, they don't clean up the fallen fruit either). This year, I didn't want to see it all go to waste yet again, so on my way home from a gym class a few weeks back I pulled over onto a side street and filled one of my shopping bags with ripe, tiny apples. I had a recipe for jelly from The Old Farmer's Almanac Garden-Fresh Cookbook and used that - with great success. I wound up with a crystal clear, bright pink-red jelly that was perfectly set and neither too sweet or tart. I did opt to concentrate the juice after straining it, which really brought out the flavour of the fruit. If you're looking for a foolproof "first jam / jelly" to make, this is definitely one to look at!

A Few Bests, and a Few Plans...

The end of 2007 is drawing nigh, folks, and the "best of" lists are abounding! Nupur over at One Hot Stove is continuing in this vein, bringing her own event, "Best of 2007", to the table. So many things have happened since the beginnings of this blog way back in the beginning of July: over 160 posts, a new business, new opportunities, and a host of new friends and colleagues that I could only dream of having before. Each post that I've written has been well recieved by those who read it, and every time I spoke to someone in my family or friend circle who reads this blog they tell me how much they enjoy reading both my recipes and the blogs of those I link to (or who link here). I have learned so much over the months, not only about cooking and baking, but about writing, friendship and expressing myself that I don't think I would have learned otherwise. This year brought ups and downs, as do all years that pass, but I have a few favourites of my blogging year to share now, along with some of my favourite posts from other bloggers and tastes I hope to create in the year to come.

My 10 Favourite Posts (Chronological Order)
Chocolate Guinness Cake (July 6)
Teaghan's Favourite Cake: Recipe File Memories (August 6)
A Going-Away Gift, and a Full Day's Work: Coq Au Vin & Bakery Stuff (August 28)
WHB with the Last Pieces of the Garden (Product Review included) (September 30)
The Post - Thanksgiving Glut: Leftover Turkey Sandwiches with a Twist (October 9)
A Kinda Thai Pumpkin Pie... Getting Paid to Invent! (November 1)
Extreme Makeover: Recipe Edition (November 24)
This Cheesecake is Wired! (November 30)
Holiday Musts from Mom... Filled Brioche and Challah! (December 25)
Making Snow-Cakes (December 26)

My 10 Favourite Posts by Others (No Particular Order)
A Guide to Working With Gluten-Free Flours from Shauna (Gluten-Free Girl)
yes. from Shauna (Gluten-Free Girl)
212 Sensational Christmas Cookies from Around the World 2007 from Susan (FoodBlogga)
Adventure on the High Seas from Jen (Milk and Cookies)
Ten Tips For Better Bread from Susan (FarmGirl Fare)
Knit Night Cupcakes from Lolo (Vegan Yum Yum)
Cream Puff Goes to School: Week 1 from Ivonne (Cream Puffs in Venice)
Sugar High Fridays - The International Sweet Tooth Blogging Extravaganza from Jennifer (The Domestic Goddess)
Can't Be Beet Chocolate Cake! from Susan (FatFree Vegan Kitchen)
Calling All Bloggers: Things to Eat Before You Die? from Melissa (The Traveler's Lunchbox)

My Top Kitchen Resolutions for the New Year (what I hope to achieve from other sources, no particular order)
Date and Fig Ravioli from Escapades
World Peace Cookies from Dorie Greenspan
Pecan Pie Cookies from Cherrapeno
Red Lentil Soup from Cream Puffs in Venice
White Chocolate and Pecan Nanaimo Bars from The Domestic Goddess *again!!*
Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage from Simply Recipes
The Ultimate Baguette from Peter Reinhart
Red Pepper, Spinach, Mushroom, and Asparagus Terrine from Coco Cooks
Dutch Crunch Bread from Baking Bites
Hawaiian Sweet Bread from Baking Bites
Honey and Saffron Loaf from Baking Bites
White Bean and Garlic Stew from FatFree Vegan Kitchen
Quinoa Vegetable Paella from FatFree Vegan Kitchen
Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches from FatFree Vegan Kitchen
Skinny Figgy Bars from FatFree Vegan Kitchen
My Favorite Lasagna from FatFree Vegan Kitchen
Vegan Quinoa and Brown Rice Sushi and Cavi-Art from Spice Island Vegan

New Recipes to Test in the New Year (untried recipes I've written and want to make)
Nutty Night Owl Cake
Whole Wheat And Cornmeal Potato Bread
Kettle Corn
Hippie Cheesecake
Tomatoey Mac (Un) Cheese
Torta Del Garbanzo
Super-Chunk Brownies
Peanut Cake With Giandua Truffle Creme
Squaw Bread
Torta Straticella Alla Andrew
Coffee-Spice-Slice Cookies
Twixlets
Vegan Stuffed Shells
Baked-Not-Fried Doughnut Series

Whew!! Talk about lists! Looks like I'd better get cracking if I want to make any headway by 2009! Happy New Year's to all!