Pistachio Sugarplums

3/4 cup packed dried pears
3/4 cup packed dried apricots
2 cups whole pistachios
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/2 cup honey
Confectioner's sugar for rolling, as needed
Combine the pears, apricots and pistachios in a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Alternatively, and more traditionally, chop by hand.

In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped fruit and nut mixture with the lemon zest, the confectioner's sugar and the spices. Mix by hand until the sugar coats all of the pieces.

Add the honey, and mix until the mixture comes together into a stiff mass.

Pinch off pieces of the mixture about 1 inch in diameter. Roll into balls, and flatten slightly into plum shapes.

Roll in confectioner's sugar.

Store at room temperature for up to a week, or refrigerated for longer storage.

Yields 40 sugarplums

Traditional Sugarplums

1/2 cup   raisins or currants
1/2    cup dried apricots
1/2 cup dates
1 1/2 cup toasted whole almonds
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2    tsp ground anise
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/3 cup honey
Confectioner's sugar for rolling, as needed
Combine the raisins, apricots, dates and almonds in a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Alternatively, and more traditionally, chop by hand.

In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped fruit and nut mixture with the confectioner's sugar, and the spices. Mix by hand until the sugar coats all of the pieces.

Add the honey, and mix until the mixture comes together into a stiff mass.

Pinch off pieces of the mixture about 1 inch in diameter. Roll into balls, and flatten slightly into plum shapes.

Roll each piece in confectioner's sugar.

Store sugarplums at room temperature for up to a week, or refrigerated for longer storage.

Yields 30 sugarplums

1 and 1/2 lbs chicken cut into strips
1 red pepper
2 heads of broccoli (cut into 2-3 cups of florets)
1 onion

Sauce made from:
1/2 cup water
Vegetable Oil (3 tbsp)
Spicy Thai Mango Sauce (6 oz bottle)
1/2 tsp marjoram
Several dash parsley flakes
Several dash basil

Use about 2/3 of the sauce in a hot saucepan or wok (it will make steam).  Add chicken and cook while stirring often about 6-10 minutes, until it is no longer pink inside and comes apart easily.  Take the chicken out and keep it warm.  Add in the pepper, broccoli, and onion and the rest of the sauce.  Stir-fry the vegetables until tender.  Mix the vegetables and chicken and serve over white rice.

Other possible additions:
Sliced carrots
Pineapple chunks
Water chestnuts

2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter

Mix everything in a saucepan over medium heat.  Once it starts to thicken add the beets (4 cups, skins removed), lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.  Stir often or else the mixture will burn.

Just made changes to the email system.  Posting this as a test.

Cherry Hazelnut Sugarplums (makes about 30):

1 cup dried cherries
2 cups toasted hazelnuts
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 cup honey
More confectioner's sugar (for rolling)

Put the dried cherries and the toasted hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped (chopping by hand is quite labor intensive).

In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped fruit and nut mixture with the lemon zest, the confectioner's sugar and the spices. Mix by hand until the sugar coats all of the pieces.  Add honey, and mix until the mixture comes together into a stiff mass.  Pinch off pieces of the mixture about 1 inch in diameter. Roll into balls, and flatten slightly into plum shapes.  Roll each piece in confectioner's sugar.

Store sugarplums at room temperature for up to a week, or refrigerate them for longer.

Adding to that recipe:

Dry ingredients
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp salt
3 ½ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
dash of allspice

Moist ingredients
1 egg
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
Milk

Mix dry ingredients and set aside.  Combine egg, vanilla and almond extracts, and oil in a 2 cup measuring cup.  Fill the rest of the way with milk.  Mix dry and moist ingredients.  Griddle up!  Remember:  keep your heat low to keep from burning the pancakes.

For crunchy goodness, add 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds to the batter after it is mixed.  Hard to make shapes with the added almonds, but tasty.

ROLL
    1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
    3/4 cup all-purpose flour
    1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    3 large eggs
    1 cup granulated sugar
    2/3 cup solid pack pumpkin

FILLING
    1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
    1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
    6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)


FOR ROLL:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.

COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

COOKING TIP:
Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

A mixture of limeade and lemonade.

This makes 2 quarts

1/3 cup lemon juice (usually 2 lemons)
2/3 cup lime juice (usually 4 limes)
1/2 cup pure cane sugar
top off with cool water (should be about 6 1/2 cups)

Estimated nutritional value per 8 oz glass:
Calories: 45
Vitamin C:  40%
Carbohydrates:  6gr (2% RDA)
Dietary Fiber:  1.5gr (6% RDA)

Note: If you use juice from concentrate, such as Realemon or Realime, they are usually pasteurized and lose all of their Vitamin C, along with most of the dietary fiber.  Fresh lemons and limes are best, of course.  Using a juicer will help you get all of the juice out of the lemons and limes.  Also, this is pretty tart - if you are going to drink it without ice on a hot day I would add a little water to thin it.