Limey Lambs

You will need a lamb-shaped cookie cutter.  Otherwise you will have to make Limey Stars or Limey Hearts or Limey Christmas Trees, which should taste just as delicious but not be quite so alliterative.

½ cup sugar

2 Tablespoons finely grated lime zest

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 ¾  cups, plus 2 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

for tossing, also for rolling out

1 cup powdered sugar for dusting

pinch salt

1. Whisk granulated sugar and lime zest.  Add powdered sugar. 
2. Cream together butter and sugars.
3. Add lime juice and vanilla.
4. Sift together flour, cornstarch, and salt.  Add to butter mixture.
5. On work surface, sprinkled lightly with powdered sugar-salt mixture halve dough.  Flatten each half into a 10-inch disk and wrap each in plastic.  Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 325°.
7. Working with 1 half at a time, roll out dough on parchment paper to ⅛ inch thick.  Cut shapes from dough with cookie cutter.  Space 1 inch apart on baking sheet lined with parchment.  Wrap scraps in plastic and freeze 30 minutes; re-roll and cut shapes.
8. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until barely golden, about 10 minutes (13 minutes if baked at 300°).  Let cool slightly, on wire rack 8-10 minutes.
9. While still warm, gently toss each cookie in small bowl of powdered sugar-salt mixture, coating both sides.
10. Cookies can be refrigerated in airtight containers up to 2 weeks.  Can be frozen.

Carlie's Incomparable Crisp

This is my friend Carlie's recipe and a standard at our house

when a quick dessert is desired.

Also good made with home-canned peaches. 

⅔ cup butter

1 cup flour

1 cup oatmeal

2 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

1½  cup brown sugar

6-8 large tart apples (or 6-8 fresh peaches)

1. Mix all ingredients but apples with fork or fingertips.
2. Peel and slice apples and put in 9”x13” pan. 
3. Sprinkle topping over apples.

Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes.

Apple Pie (with three variations)

The first pie I ever made was apple pie with streusel topping.

I still like it.

And I had always thought I hated apple pie.

The secret is: good apples. Fresh. Tart. Mix and match.

crust:

2 cups chilled flour

1 teaspoon salt

⅔ cup chilled leaf lard or shortening

2 Tablespoons chilled butter

¼ cup ice water (+1 teaspoon – 1 Tablespoon more if needed)

filling:

3 Tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest (optional)

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

⅛ teaspoon salt 

⅔ cup sugar

6+ cups tart apples, peeled, cored, wedged

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

1 ½ Tablespoon butter

1. prepare crust: Sift together flour and salt.
2. Combine lard and butter.  Cut ½ of lard mixture into the flour mixture with pastry blender until it has grain of cornmeal.  Cut remaining half coarsely into the dough until it is pea size.
3. Sprinkle dough lightly with ice water, pushing wetted dough away to one side of bowl as you sprinkle.  When you can gather dough into a ball, stop handling it.
4. Refrigerate until 1 hour before use: allow it to come to room temperature.  Pinch off just enough dough for one pie shell and press it into approximate shape needed.  Roll as lightly and as little as possible.
5. prepare filling:  Preheat oven to 425°F.
6. Whisk together flour, zest, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and sugar.
7. Gently toss with apples and lemon juice until well-coated.
8. Place in layers in pie shell.  Dot with butter.
9. Bake pie 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, about 40 minutes more.
10. Cool pie to warm or room temperature on a rack, 2 to 4 hours

variations:

1st.    Autumn Apple:

Make ½ crust recipe.  For top crust, cut leaves and acorns from left-over dough with cookie cutters.  Scatter over top of pie, overlapping as desired.  (If desired, paint with beaten egg tinted with food-coloring in autumn colors.)

2nd.    Streusel:

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
6 Tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
6 Tablespoons flour (or rolled oats)

1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

3rd.   Cheesy Apple:

Substitute 1 teaspoon of fennel or anise seed for other flavorings.  After baking, sprinkle 1 cup shredded sharp cheese and place briefly under a broiler to melt.

Yummy Jello Salad

My Grandma Hannah made this every Thanksgiving.  
In memory of her (and because it is YUM)  I make this too.

jello:

2 package (3-oz) lemon jello (or a 6-oz)

2 cups hot water

1½ cups cold water (or 7-Up)

1 cup drained pineapple (save juice)

3 bananas, cubed

mini-marshmallows, to cover top

1.       Mix jello and water according to package directions. 

2.       Thicken slightly in refrigerator, then add fruit and marshmallows.

topping:

1 cup pineapple juice

½ cup sugar

1½ Tablespoon flour
1 beaten egg

1 cup whipped cream

¼ cup grated sharp cheddar (or chopped nuts)

1. Heat pineapple juice.  
2. Add sugar, flour, and egg.  Cook until thick, stirring constantly. 
3. Chill.  Fold in whipped cream. Spread over jello. 
4. Top with grated cheese (or chopped nuts).
5. EAT.

Normal Beans

Because the purpose of this Table in the Wilderness is to feed distant loved ones 

as well as those close by, here is Special Request #1 for a faraway daughter.  

(With lots of hugs and kisses!!)

Normal Beans

Soak 2 cups dry beans in 8 cups water (or 1/2 cup beans in 2 cups water -- all that matters is the proportion 1 part beans to 4 parts water).  

Though I must say, I have lately NOT soaked beans 

but just popped them right in the crock pot that morning 

and they cook up fine.  

Supposedly you get more nutrients that way.  

You may also get more gas.  

You choose.

When you're ready to put everything into crockpot, put in:

4x as much water as the amount of beans (fresh water if you've soaked)
some chopped jalapeno
some chopped onion
some sprigs of cilantro

Let everything bubble away for hours and hours until beans are soft and delicious.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Sometimes I add smoked paprika or other interesting herbs.  But keeping it simple seems to be the key to success.

 

Deep Dark Secret Chocolate Cake (triple- or double-decker)

The secret?  I'll just tell you right now the first one - it's mayonnaise.  Original recipe from Bon Appetit April 2010: Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake for a birthday cake at the end of summer.  I'm not a great cake-eater, except for spice or carrot cakes.  Usually they're too dry, too boring, but this cake?  Amazing.  Moist and rich without feeling heavy.  Not oversweet, so that the real chocolate taste sings through.  

Of course, we further tweaked and adjusted (because we can't help ourselves) and suggest that SALTED butter in the frosting tips the balance just that much further into perfection.  You may consider adding a teaspoon or two of cinnamon to the batter along with the flour if you crave that Mexican chocolate deliciousness.

Deep Dark Secret Chocolate Cake
THE CAKE

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides.

Combine in medium metal bowl:

• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped 
• ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

then add:

• 1¾  cups boiling water

and whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Sift together in another medium bowl:

• 2¾  cups all purpose flour
• 1¼ teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional) 

Beat in a large bowl until well blended (2 to 3 minutes):

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1⅓ cups mayonnaise (do not use reduced-fat or fat-free)

then add, one at a time, beating until well blended after each addition:

• 2 large eggs

Beat in:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add flour mixture to sugars in 4 additions,  alternating with chocolate mixture in 3 additions, beating until blended after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.

Divide batter among prepared cake pans (about 2⅓ cups for each).

Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 20 minutes.

Run small knife around sides of cakes to loosen. Carefully invert cakes onto racks and let cool completely.



THE FROSTING

Set in a medium metal bowl, over a saucepan of simmering water

• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Carefully remove bowl from over water; let melted chocolate cool until lukewarm, stirring occasionally.

Beat in large bowl

• 1½  cups (3 sticks) salted butter, room temperature

until smooth and creamy.

Sift over the butter

• 3 cups powdered sugar

and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes.

Beat in

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Add melted chocolate to the butter mixture and beat until well blended and smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.

TO FROST: Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread ¾ cup frosting over top of cake layer to edges. Top with second cake layer; spread ¾ cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting decoratively over top and sides of cake.

~ OR ALTERNATIVELY - Frost one layer to take to a lucky neighbor, and enjoy the still generous double layer cake with plenty of family and friends at home.

Lime-Glazed Coconut Snowballs & Pecan Wedding Hearts

Both of these recipes are from America's Test Kitchen Cookbook (with only slight adaptations)

Lime-Glazed Coconut Snowballs

Makes about 40 cookies

Prep 55 minutes (including making the dough)

Total time 1 hour 40 min plus cooling time

Whisk together

• 2 ½ cups flour
• ¼ cup superfine sugar*
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• optional (but actually essential) 1 teaspoon lime zest

Then into the flour mixture, mix in one piece at a time

• 16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces and softened

using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, then continue to beat until the mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, 1 to 2 minutes.

Beat in

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

until the dough just begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds.

Knead dough in the bowl by hand a few times until it form a large, cohesive mass. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter, divide it in half, and pat into two 4-inch disks. Wrap the disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until they begin to firm up, 20 to 30 minutes (or freeze and then defrost in refrigerator).

While the cookie dough is chilling, whisk together in a large bowl

• 2 Tablespoons of lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon of softened cream cheese

until smooth.

Add

• 1½ cups powdered sugar

and whisk until smooth, adding another Tablespoon of lime juice as needed until the glaze is thin enough to spread easily.

Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 375.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1½ inches apart. Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, about 12 minutes, rotating and switching the baking sheets halfway through baking.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 min. Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze and scrape away any excess, then dip into the coconut. Set the cookies back on the wire rack and let stand until the glaze dries and sets, about 20 minutes.

Pecan Wedding Hearts

Makes about 4 dozen small cookies
Prep 5 minutes (including making the dough)
Total time 45 minutes plus cooling time

Process in food processor

• 1 cup pecans

until the texture of coarse cornmeal.  Then chop another

• 1 cup pecans

Mix nuts together and combine with

• 2 cups flour
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¾  teaspoon salt

and set aside.

Cream together

• 16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup superfine sugar*  

until fluffy and then add

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine nut-flour mixture and butter-sugar mixture.

Preheat oven to 325. 

Working with 1 Tablespoon of dough at a time, roll into 1-inch balls, slightly flattened into a fat disc.  Indent top of disk with the edge of a spoon to make heart-shape, pinching the bottom of disk with fingers.  Lay hearts on parchment-lined baking sheets, about 1-inch apart.  Bake until tops are a pale golden and bottoms just beginning to brown - about 18 minutes.  Rotate and switch baking sheets halfway through.

Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to rack.  Cool completely.  Roll cookies in

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar

to coat.  Just before serving, re-roll cookies in additional powdered sugar. 

These can be (and were) made 3 days in advance, stored in airtight container, then re-rolled in powdered sugar before serving.

* to make superfine sugar:

Process ½ cup sugar  in a food processor 30 seconds and then measure out amount needed.

West African Chicken-Peanut Stew + Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake (week of December 28 - January 3)

West African Peanut Stew

My older daughter got this spicy, and very easy, recipe from her friend and made it for my birthday. And then made it again, by universal request, the following week.


Prepare

• 2 cups uncooked rice

cooked in

• 4 cups water
• pinch salt

In large skillet, over medium heat,

• 4 Tablespoons Oriental (dark) sesame oil

Add

• 2 cups (or more) diced chicken breast
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic

and sauté over medium heat until onion is translucent and chicken is cooked.
Add

• 1 Tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup tomato paste
• 1 (15 oz.) can chopped stewed tomatoes
• ¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons chunky peanut butter

Heat through, but don't boil. Serve hot with rice.


Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake

My younger daughter made my favorite cake to hold (all!) my candles. This recipe is adapted from one in Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook. The original has a full pound of butter and 3 cups of sugar, but this version is plenty rich - and so good with the blueberries we picked this summer.

Preheat oven to 325° and lower the oven rack. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 10-inch tube or bundt pan.

In a large bowl, at high speed, cream together until light and fluffy

• 1¼ cups butter, softened
• 2 ½ cups sugar

Add, one at a time, beating well after each,

• 6 eggs

then set aside.

Sift together in a separate bowl

• 4 cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Mix in another bowl

• ¾ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

Add dry and wet alternately to butter mixture, mixing by hand – just enough to blend thoroughly without beating, beginning and ending with dry. Before adding the last of the dry, toss lightly in it

• 2 cups frozen blueberries

then fold into the batter gently.

Spread batter into the buttered pan. Bake 60 minutes or more, until a sharp knife inserted all the way down comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a plate. Cool as long as you can before slicing.

Pie in the Sky: Best Pie Crust + Ginger Pear Pie + Danish Cherry + Ohio Lemon (week of Nov 23-29)

What would Thanksgiving be without pies?

Significantly less festive, if you ask me.  

Pumpkin, of course, is a classic and expected.  

But here are the three pies I most dote on:

Ginger Pear, Danish Cherry and Ohio Lemon.

(The lemon pie is best started
the day before you plan to bake it.)

Best Pie Crust
I used to like the pastry recipe in Joy of Cooking best of all.  That was until my husband bought me Sweety Pies by Patty Pinner for my birthday (clever purchase that) full of womanish wisdom and some of the most delicious pies ever.  I've combined the best of both my best-loved recipes and here is my go-to pie crust recipe.  The secret to pie crust is to be impatient, imprecise and haphazard -- which comes naturally to some of us.  Just move quickly and roughly and not at all thoroughly.  You want to handle the dough as little as possible:

for one 9-inch double crust:

Sift together

• 2¼ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Measure and combine

• ¾ cup chilled lard
• ¼ cup chilled butter (which is the same as 4 Tablespoons, or half a stick)

and then cut the fats into the flour until it all has the texture of a bowl of peas.

Sprinkle in, one tablespoon at a time

• 2½ - 3 Tablespoons ice-cold heavy cream or evaporated milk

Keep the dough as dry as possible -- tossing until it holds together when lightly pressed.  Gather into a flattened ball and refrigerate, tightly covered in plastic wrap (30 minutes - overnight).

When you're ready to roll it out, divide into two balls (keeping the other ball wrapped and refrigerated until you're ready for it).  Sprinkle a little flour on your pastry cloth and on the cotton sleeve covering your rolling pin.  Press into a small, flat disk and then roll out from the center to the edge, all the way around the disk.  Roll until you have a uniform circle a little larger than the pie pan, about ⅛ - ¼inch thick.

for 5 double crusts (if you're making multiple pies like we do):

11¼ cups flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
2½ teaspoons salt
3¾ cup chilled lard
1¼ cup chilled butter (which is the same as 20 Tablespoons or 2½ sticks)
5-6 Tablespoons ice-cold cream or evaporated milk

***to prebake crust***
 which you'll want to do for many custard pies and meringues

• Roll out crust and line pie pan.  Flute the edges, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.   
• Preheat oven to 425.  
• Line the formed crust with parchment paper and sprinkle parchment with pie weights or dry beans.  
• Bake until the fluted edge begins to turn a very light brown, 8-10 minutes.
• Reduce oven to 350.
• Remove weights and parchment.
• Bake crust another 5-10 minutes until golden brown.  (Depending on whether you'll be putting the crust back in the oven to cook when filled.)
• Cool pan on a wire rack.  

Ginger Pear Pie
adapted from Epicurious "Pear Pie with Maple and Ginger"

Whenever whenever I make this pie, someone asks for the recipe.  There is just something so perfectly balanced about the lemon with the maple with the ginger with the pear.  If you are using very ripe pears you may want to increase the amount of tapioca to soak up the extra juice.

Prepare pie dough (top & bottom, recipe above). Line pie pan with dough. Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in bottom ⅓ of oven and preheat to 375°.

Peel, quarter, core, then cut into ⅓”thick wedges:

• 3 pounds firm but ripe Bosc or Comice pears

Toss in large bowl with:

• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca (less if pears are quite firm)
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon minced crystallized ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Transfer filling to crust. Place top crust. Cut several slits in top to allow steam to escape during
baking.

Place baking sheet on bottom rack to catch any juices that may bubble over .

Bake pie on center rack until crust is golden brown and juices bubble thickly, tenting pie with foil if crust browns too quickly, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Transfer pie to rack and cool. Serve pie slightly warm or at room temperature.

Danish Cherry Pie

Inspired by recipes for cherry soup and other Danish desserts, I made my own subtly spiced cherry filling to honor family heritage and take the place of the humdrum, over-sweetened canned cherry filling. The varied amounts in flavorings depend on how flavorful the fruit you use - so taste as you go along. You may substitute an undrained bottle of home-canned black cherries for the 2 cans of cherries - in which case you would not add any additional sugar.

Line pie pan with dough (recipe above).

Combine in medium saucepan - DO NOT DRAIN:

• 1 can Oregon Pitted Red Tart Pie Cherries
• 1 can Oregon Pitted Bing Dark Sweet Cherries
• 1½ Tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• ½ - 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 2 drops - ½ teaspoon almond flavoring
• sugar to taste, if necessary (less than 1 cup - I use none)

Let sit 10 - 15 minutes.
Bring to a simmer and cook until fruit begins to thicken.
Transfer filling to crust. Dot with:

• 2 Tablespoons butter

Cover with lattice. Bake 10 minutes at 450°, then reduce heat to 350° and bake about 40 minutes longer or until golden brown



Ohio Lemon Pie
from Joy of Cooking, "A very tart Shaker favorite."

I love this pie! 
But do use the whole amount of sugar - 
speaking from experience - it's still very tart!

Grate and reserve the yellow peel from:

• 2 large lemons

With very sharp knife remove the white inner peel from the lemons and cut them into paper-thin slices. Remove seeds.
Combine in a bowl the lemon slices, grated peel, and:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

let stand 2 to 24 hours—the longer the better.

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a pie pan with dough (recipe above), brush lightly with butter or give a light sprinkling of flour.

Add to the lemon-and-sugar mixture:

• 4 well-beaten eggs

Stir well. Pour into pastry-lined pan and cover with top crust.
Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325° and bake about 45 minutes longer.
Cool pie before serving.

Penne with Italian Tomato, Mushroom and Eggplant Sauce + Assorted Fruit and Berry Gratin (week of Oct 5-11)

BEST Italian Mushroom and Eggplant Sauce

adapted from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook: "With its meaty texture, eggplant makes a wonderful vegetarian pasta sauce, which pairs well with ziti."

We used whole wheat penne.

Cut in half lengthwise and sprinkle with salt:

• 1-2 lbs. eggplant (globe or Japanese)

Drain in colander for 1/2 hour. Rinse. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange eggplant and:

• 3-4 cloves of garlic

on an oiled baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and bake until tender (20 minutes). Let cool, then remove skin from eggplant and coarsley chop the pulp. Smash the garlic to squeeze cloves out of their skins.

In a mid-size skillet over medium heat, heat:

• 1/4 olive oil

Add and cook:

• 1 large onion (sweet or yellow), chopped fine

stirring a few times, until softened, about 5 minutes.

In a slow cooker, combine all the above with:

• 4 cups roma tomatoes, peeled and seeded (or one 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes)
• 1 tomato paste ball *(recipe below) (or one 6 oz. can tomato paste)
• 12 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 3 Tablespoons red cooking wine (or 2 T. grape juice & 1 T red wine vinegar)
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 & 1/2 teaspoons dried)

Stir. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours (HIGH for 3-1/2 to 4 hours).

During the last hour add:

• 3 Tablespoons fresh flat-leap parsley, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

The sauce will hold on LOW for a few hours.

Italian Tomato Paste

adapted from The Joy of Cooking: "This flavorful paste is diluted in a little boiling water or stock and added to sauces and soups. Fine in spaghetti and noodle dishes, as a dressing for cooked vegetables or salads, and as an addition to salad dressings."

Hmm . . . at any rate it adds a delicious & savory depth when used in place of canned paste.

Wash and cut into slices:

• 1 & 1/2 pecks ripe Italian tomatoes (6 quarts)

Add:

• 1 large celery rib, cut up with some leaves
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 Tablespoons fresh herbs: basil, thyme, sweet marjoram, or oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon peppercorns
• 12 cloves
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 two-inch stick cinnamon
• 1 minced clove of garlic

Simmer these ingredients until the tomatoes are soft. Stir frequently. Put the vegetables through a fine sieve.

Simmer the pulp in an uncovered slow cooker. Stir frequently. When the pulp is thick and reduced by half, spread the paste to a depth of 1/2 inch on moist plates.

Cut into the paste to let air penetrate. Place the paste in a 200 degree oven to dry.

When the paste is dry enough, roll it into balls and dip in olive oil. Store refrigerated in airtight sterile jars--taking care to remove one at a time with a clean utensil as needed.

Berry & Autumn Fruit Gratin

adapted from True Blueberry: "This light and lovely gratin, a traditional French baked dish with a golden crust, is prepared with fromage blanc, the versative low-fat or fat-free creamy French-style fresh cheese that visually resembles a cross between sour cream and yogurt. The fluffy gratin topping is a cross between a meringue and a souffle."

What is fromage blanc? it sounds like a close cousin to yogurt cheese (directions below). This gratin is also good with a full 7 cups of fresh blueberries instead of the assortment of fruit.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly butter an 8- or 9-inch square or oval baking dish with:

• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened

and set aside.

In a large bowl, lightly whip with a whisk, until it is aerated and smooth (~1 minute):

• 1 & 1/2 cups yogurt cheese

Add, whisking until the mixture is smooth and fluffy:

• 6 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large egg yolk
• 2 Tablespoons white flour

Set aside.

In glass bowl, combine:

• 2 large egg whites
• Pinch of salt

Beat with rotary beater until the mixture holds soft peaks. Do not overbeat. Gradually and gently fold the egg whites into the yogurt cheese until smoothly blended but still very airy. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine:

• 4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (or 1 cup raspberries & 1 cup chopped peaches or pears)
• 2 cups fresh black berries (frozen are too bland)

Place 2/3 cup of the fruit in a small bowl and set aside. To the remaining fruit, add:

• 3 Tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

and stir to combine.

Transfer the fruit mixture to the baking dish. Spoon on the egg and cheese mixture, spreading it smoothly and evenly over the fruit. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the egg & cheese topping is puffy and nicely browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with

• 1 & 1/2 Tablespoon powdered sugar

Garnish with the reserved barries, placing them in the cracks of the crust. Dust with additional powderd sugar if desired and serve immediately.

Yogurt Cream Cheese

adapted from Nourishing Traditions: "Makes 5 cups of whey and 2 cups cream cheese. . . . .[Whey can be used] as a starter culture for lacto-fermented vegetables and fruits, for soaking grains and as a starter for many [mild] beverages."

Our neighbor Delbert Powell who passed away last winter showed me how to make this cheese to serve with a Lebanese bean recipe called facula. This tangy cheese is also good spread on a chewy slice of sourdough with a fresh salsa or pico de gallo spooned over the top.

Line a large strainer set over a bowl with a square of clean cheesecloth.

Pour in:

• 2 quarts of yogurt

and cover with a clean dishcloth and let stand at room temperature for several hours. The whey will run into the bowl and the milk solids will stay in the strainer.

Tie up the cheesecloth with the milk solids inside, being careful not to squeeze. (I use a clean rubber band.) Tie the sack to a wooden spoon placed across the top of a pitcher or bowl so that more whey can drip out. (I slide the handle of a wooden spoon through the rubber band.)

When the bag stops dripping, the cheese is ready. Store whey in an airtight and sterile mason jar and cream cheese in a covered glass container. Refrigerated, the cream cheese keeps for about 1 month and the whey for about 6 months.