Onion Pie

I had a friend bring me 50 pounds of sweet onions yesterday. In lieu of going grocery shopping I decided to "make due"! I rounded out dinner with green beans and a fresh salad with cukes and avocado. Let me tell you, it tasted wonderful, even my grand kids ate it all. It is a little heavy on the eggs which I normally try to stay away from, but we had lots of eggs (we have chickens) and LOTS of onions.

(I will try to post some pictures soon. My camera is refusing to charge.)

• Pie pastry (recipe below)
• 3 cups of peeled thinly sliced onions
• 3 tbs nut milk, cream or substitute
• 3 eggs
• olive oil for sauteing
• salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Heat pan with small amount of oil over medium heat and fry onions until golden
3. Beat eggs with milk and add salt and pepper
4. Spread onions in uncooked pie shell and pour egg mixture over onions
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until set.

Can serve with a dollop of sour cream or substitute if desired.

EASY PIE CRUST

• 1 scant cup whole wheat flour, preferably soft
• 1 tb corn starch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (coconut, olive, avocado, grape - your choice)
• 1/8 cup cold soy milk (or what you have...original recipe was not vegan)

1. Combine flour, corn starch and salt
2. Mix together oil and milk and add to dry ingredients. Stir lightly with fork and round dough into a ball
3. Roll out to fit pie plate
4. Prick bottom of crust with fork
   
   

New Cookbook Out

Just wanted to let you know about this new cookbook that has been released. It is from one of the blogs that I like and I wanted to share! The blog has lots of great recipes, stories and pics. Be sure to check it out and enter to win a cookbook!


Okay,....having some trouble with inserting the link. Try this:

http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2009/05/01/its-time-for-sweet-freedom-and-worldwide-giveaway/

or just check out her blog at www.dietdessertndogs.com

Spring/Summer planting time is here! Time to prepare your soil, order your seeds and start your plants.

For some great planting information and a schedule for our area use the link below to get to the ASU extension gardening site:
http://ag.arizona.edu/gardening///news/calendar/index.html

Also, please use the familiarize yourself with their site! If you have questions, they probably have the answer:

http://cals.arizona.edu/extension/

Here are some pictures of my winter garden - the tomatoes are doing great - we did have a little bit of damage from the freezes this December, especially to the winter squashes and the birds (sparrows) have made it to my hit list - all my greens are covered with netting now!

Please feel free to post any of your questions and I will get back to you.

Carrot Cookies

I had a some leftover cooked carrots from Sunday dinner that I wanted to use up. What better way than some cookies!

• 1/2 c. coconut oil
• 1/2 c. sucanat
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tbl ground flax mixed with 3 Tbl water or 1 egg equivalent
• 1/2 c. cooked mashed carrots
• 1 c. soft whole wheat or spelt flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
• 1 tsp. grated orange rind

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix oil, sugar and vanilla. Add carrots and flax/egg. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Blend together with oil mixture. Stir in walnuts and orange rind.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until set.

Frost if desired using Agave Frosting or Powdered Sugar, orange juice with some grated rind!

Makes 2 dozen

Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1 Tbs ground flax with 3 Tbs water or 1 egg
• 1/4 c. avocado or coconut oil
• 1/2 c. agave, honey or rice syrup
• 1/2 c. sucanat
• 1 1/4 c. soft white wheat or spelt flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup peanut butter chips, optional **

Combine flax with water and set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Cream oil, peanut butter, agave/honey, sucanat and flax/egg until fluffy.

Combine dry ingredients and add chips.

Chill dough for at least 1 hour. Drop walnut sized pieces onto ungreased baking sheets and flatten slightly with fork dipped in flour.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes until set, but not hard.

*a good place to get your peanut butter, carob or chocolate chips is from http://www.sunspire.com/ - they have grain sweetened!

Whole Wheat Tortillas

This is a good way to use your old hard wheat, you know, the kind that just doesn't cut it for bread! - although any hard wheat works fine.

• 5 cups whole wheat flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 1/2 very warm water

In a large bowl combine flour and salt

Cut in coconut

Pour warm water over mixture and stir together with a fork until well blended. Knead together until smooth - Adjust water/flour for smooth dough.

Form into golf ball size pieces of dough, cover with damp cloth and let rest for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Roll out to desired thickness and fry on medium hot ungreased skillet (preferrably cast iron). Cook approximately 30 seconds per side. Do not over cook. Tortilla should puff slightly with air and start to brown in spots. Keep finished tortillas in stacked in kitchen cloth or container to keep soft.

Gluten - Mock Chicken

Everyone in our family loves this "chicken"! Great for sandwiches, salads, "chicken" fingers-dipped in BBQ sauce, breaded, soups, casseroles --you get the picture and SO EASY!

• 1 1/4 cups gluten flour
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/2 tsp. thyme leaves
• 1 tsp. onion granules or powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 Tbs. light oil (olive, grape seed)
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbs. Chicken Flavored Broth powder (optional - but really makes a difference in taste)

1. Whisk together dry ingredients.
2. Stir together broth, oil & soy sauce
3. Stir together just until combined
4. Pat into 8 X 8 lightly oil pan
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes until completely set
6. Cut into cubes, cutlets or chop in processor to use as chicken salad etc.
   
   Stores 2 weeks in refrigerator