Sweet potatoes could be the mascot of the sustainable foods movement.  Packed with nutrition, including more than twice the daily suggested serving of vitamin A, antioxidants, protein, iron, potassium and other hard to get minerals, sweet potatoes provide a huge benefit to calorie ratio. They taste wonderful, they’re even anti-inflammatory, which can help mitigate inflammation-related diseases like asthma, arthritis, and heart disease. Because they’re root vegetables, they absorb everything (including pesticides and chemical fertilizers) that’s in the soil around them, so it’s important to get organic sweet potatoes so you can eat the nutrient-rich skin.  Finally, sweet potatoes come into season right now, in November and December, just when straight-off-the-farm bounty starts to wane. At your farmer’s market, you should be able to find just-dug sweet potatoes. Prepare them by poking a few holes and baking them in the oven or by boiling them, then use the starchy, nutrient-rich water in soup or other recipes. Straight up is the best way to enjoy these excellent roots, since they taste great with nothing at all added, but they drop jaws and fill bellies in this sweet and savory pancake recipe.

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Make an infusion of 4 T dried or 8 T chopped fresh sage leaves and one cup of boiling water, simmered together for about ten minutes, uncovered. Strain through a cloth strainer for about ½ cup sage infusion.

Add to this:
3 ½ cups granulated sugar (I sometimes reduce the sugar in her recipes)
1 cup fresh apple cider
¼ cup lemon juice

As it comes to a boil, add:
½ bottle Certo (extra points for anyone who can come up with a non-Kraft product to substitute for liquid pectin)

Stir well again as it comes to a boil and boil for about one minute. Pour immediately into clean jelly glasses (five ounce canning jars), process and serve with roast meats or cheeses.

Recipe from Fine Preserving

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Cranberry Crisp

1 cup rolling oats
1 cup flour – I started replacing ½ cup of regular flour with whole wheat flour or substituting the whole cup with whole wheat flour
¾ brown sugar – you can also use white sugar if you don’t have brown
½ cup margarine or oil
2 tsp. cinnamon
3-4 apples peeled and diced or a pan of apple pie filling
I can cranberry sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray either 8” square or round dish with baking spray (this recipe can easily be doubled to fit a larger pan). Mix the first five ingredients together. The mixture should be crumby; if it is too moist then add more oats. Place half of this mixture on the bottom of the baking dish. Lay the diced apples on top of that, then followed by the cranberry sauce. Top the dish with the second half of the dry mixture.

Bake the dish for around 45 minutes. I always know it’s ready when I see the cranberry sauce start to bubble through the top oats layer. Enjoy!

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The Ultimate Chocolate Cake from The Kosher Palette

2 cups sugar
1 and ¾ cups flour
¾ cup cocoa
1 and ½ tsp. baking soda
1 and ½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup non-dairy creamer – I now use soy milk instead because it’s healthier
½ cup vegetable oil (I’ve started using olive oil)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup boiling water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add all of the ingredients together. The batter will be very loose. You can bake the cake in either a bundt pan or a 9”x13” pan. Make sure the coat the pan in baking spray, and add a lot of spray if using a bundt pan (a personal favorite!).

Bake the cake for around 45 minutes. If you baked it in a bundt pan, make sure to let it cool completely before removing it.

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Bittersweet Chocolate Espresso Cake
Serves 10-12

vegetable oil and matzo meal, finely ground for the cake pan
1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup ground almonds
2 teaspoons espresso powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch spring-form cake pan and dust with matzo meal.

2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or in a microwave on low stirring every 20 seconds until melted and just smooth.

3. Beat the egg yolks with sugar and salt until pale yellow. Stir in the ground almonds, melted chocolate, vanilla, and espresso powder.

4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks but are not dry. Stir ¼ of the whites into the chocolate and egg mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

5. Transfer the batter to the cake pan and bake in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes until puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

6. Cool on a rack. Run a knife around sides to loosen sides of cake, remove pan sides and serve cake at room temperature on a platter. Can be made a day in advance, covered tightly in foil.

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Apple Coffeecake

6 apples, pared, cored and sliced (3 cups)
5 Tbs plus 2 cups sugar
5 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbs. salt
1 cup salad oil
4 eggs
¼ cup orange juice
1 Tbs. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine the apples, 5 Tbs. sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
3. Sift the flour, remaining sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the oil, eggs, orange juice and vanilla.
4. Beat with a wooden spoon until well blended.
5. Spoon one-third of the batter into a greased 9-inch or 10-inch angel food pan. Make a ring of half of the apple mixture drained of excess moisture on top, taking care not to have the apple mixture touching the side of the pan.
6. Spoon another third of the batter over, make a ring of remaining apples and top with remaining batter. Bake one and a quarter hours or until done. Cover top with aluminum foil if it begins to overbrown.
7. Allow to cool to lukewarm in pan before turning out onto a serving plate. This cake can also be made with fresh peaches.

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Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Loaf
from Crazy Plates, by Janet and Greta Podleski

Combine these items:
2- 1/2 C flour
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1- 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp each cinnamon and baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

Whisk together:
3 eggs ( or 3/4 C. fat free egg substitute)
1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
1/3 C vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla

add:
2 C packed, grated zucchini

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones; add 1/2 C mini chocolate chips

Spread batter evenly into 2 - 8″ x 4″ loaf pans oiled or sprayed with non-stick spray

Bake 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to racks.

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Date Honey
Yield: about 1 cup of gooey, fragrant date honey

• 8 dates – make sure you buy the fat, sticky Medjool dates (Delget won’t work)
• Juice of ½ a lemon, remove the seeds
• ½ cup water
• 4 pieces crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• ¼ cup Agave syrup (available at Whole Foods or health food stores)

Remove the pit from the dates and quarter them.  Mash the dates with a fork into a paste-like consistency.  Add the date mash to a small sauce pan.  Add the lemon juice and ¼ cup of water and heat over a low flame, stirring frequently with a whisk or wooden spoon (about 3 minutes).  After the water is absorbed, add the remaining water, agave syrup and crystallized ginger.  The mash should take on a slightly more liquid quality, like apple butter.  Continue stirring, adding small amounts of additional water and Agave syrup as necessary until you reach the taste and consistency you like.

Let cool and serve with slices of Ginger Gold, Honey Crisp apples (or any apple you like).

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Plum and Nectarine Cobbler with Candied Ginger

Filling
3 nectarines
12-15 small plums
4 tablespoons brown sugar and or agave nectar
3 tablespoons flour
juice of half a lemon or 2 Tbs water (use water if you want a sweeter cobbler)
4 small pieces of candied ginger, chopped finely (optional)

Cobbler dough
I used a slightly altered version of the basic recipe from The Joy of Cooking

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbs sugar
5 Tbs COLD salted butter (or Earth Balance) cut into small pieces
1/3 cup milk or 1/2 cup heavy cream (soy milk works fine, but the dough won’t be as fluffy)

Remove the pits and quarter nectarines and plums.  Add the sugar/agave, flour, lemon juice/water, and ginger (if using) and stir until the fruit is coated.  Pour into an ungreased 8×8 pyrex or glass baking dish.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking powder.  Add the butter, tossing it witht the dry ingredients until covered.  Using a pastry blender, fork or other tool (I used my hands), cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.  Add milk/soy milk/cream and mix with wooden spoon until dough comes together.  Knead the dough 5-10 times, adding more flour or milk if it’s too sticky or dry.  Pinch off 2 inch balls of dough, press to flatten into “biscuits,” and arrange in lines three (or four) across the entire baking dish.  Brush with melted butter or Earth Balance.  Bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes until the fruit is bubbling and the dough is lightly browned.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla  or chai ice cream…or a dollop of marscapone drizzled with honey…or a cup of mint tea, or Turkish Coffee…or straight out of the baking dish with a spatula.

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Bimuelos (Sephardic Doughnuts)
Makes about 24 medium or 48 small doughnuts

These are also called awamee in Arabic, loukoumades (loukoumas singular) in Greek, and lokmas in Turkish.

1 package (2½ teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon granulated sugar or honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting or sugar syrup

1. Dissolve the yeast in ¼ cup water. Stir in the sugar or honey and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture and remaining water into the well and stir until smooth. The dough will not be very thick. Cover and let rise at room temperature until double in bulk, about 1½ hours. Stir.
3. Heat 2 inches oil over medium heat to 375 degrees.
4. Dip a teaspoon or tablespoon into cold water and use the spoon to drop the dough into the hot oil. (Moisten your fingers to prevent sticking.) In batches, fry the doughnuts until golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
5. Dip the warm doughnuts into the cooled syrup or sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Serve immediately. (To serve bimuelos later, let them cool without the syrup and store in an airtight container. Just before serving dip into warm syrup.)

VARIATION:
Zelebi (Middle Eastern Funnel Cakes): Pour the dough from a large spoon or squeeze it from a plastic squeeze bottle or pastry bag into the hot oil in a spiral fashion into a 6-inch-long coil. Makes about 26 cakes.

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Chocolate Mousse

The recipe is simple as the eggs are not separated. I discovered this quite accidentally of course. You don’t need to fold in the whites if you get enough air into the whole egg. My only requirement in sharing this with you is that you use the best quality chocolate you can find. It makes a huge difference in the end product. P.S. I am definitely buying the chocolate hand cream next. Keeping the craving going!

Serves 6-8

4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I prefer Callebaut)
¼ cup freshly brewed coffee
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 ½ tablespoons rum
1 vanilla bean, scraped
3 large eggs at room temp
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons sugar

1. Place the chocolate and the coffee in a medium heat proof bowl in a skillet over barely simmering water. Gently melt the chocolate. Remove from the heat and add the scraped vanilla bean.

2. In a mixing bowl, place the eggs, water and sugar in the same simmering water and whisk until the eggs are 140. Remove the bowl and mix at high speed until the eggs resemble whipped cream (about 5 minutes). Fold the eggs into the chocolate and divide into serving bowls or ramekins ( I use champagne flutes).

3. The mousse will set up in the refrigerator after several hours. You can store the mousse covered in the serving bowls or glasses for up to 1 day.

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Apples & Berry Sauce

The recipe below is inspired by the applesauce in Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone - it’s one of my favorite everyday cookbooks.  Pick up a copy here.

I cut off the bruises and chopped up the apples into half inch pieces (roughly) with the skins on, threw them in a saucepot with a bit of sugar (about 2 tablespoons) and a splash of water (about an 1/8 of a cup). I then added a stick of cinnamon, a few grinds of fresh nutmeg and a shake of ground cinnamon and turned on the stove. As the apples started to simmer and permeate my kitchen with cinnamon-y goodness, I decided to slice a lemon into thin wedges, and added that as well. Then I remembered the half bag of frozen berries in my freezer. I threw these in at the last minute, and they brightened up the dish into the most beautiful ruby-red color.

I tried this again yesterday, and added half a bag of cranberries to the apples. Just as delicious and just as beautiful.  Btai Avon!

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Banana Cake

This cake is a great way to use up bananas that are over-ripe.

• 2.3 cups of flour
• 1 cup pecans (broken)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup candied ginger
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• .5 tsp. baking soda
• .25 tsp salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup mashed banana (about three bananas)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup melted butter
• 1 cup buttermilk

mix flour, pecans, cranberries, candied ginger, baking powder, baking soda, salt
in large bowl, mix sugar, banana, vanilla, eggs
add butter & buttermilk mix well.
add flour mix and mix well
butter and dust a non-stick 10″ bundt pan
bake at 350º for about an hour

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Sarah Bernhardts
(About 24 cookies)
These elegant macaroons were named after the French actress.

Macaroons:
8 ounces (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) almond paste
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup (about 3) egg whites, lightly beaten
36 whole almonds (optional)
Ganache:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped or grated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze:
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons sliced almonds or chopped pistachio nuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease the baking sheet.
2. To make the macaroons: Using your hands, work together the almond paste, sugar, and salt until well blended. Add the almond extract. Gradually beat in the egg whites to make a soft, dropable dough with the consistency of cooked oatmeal.
3. Place the almond paste mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch or 5/8-inch plain tip and pipe onto the prepared baking sheet into 1 1/4-inch rounds about 1/2-inch high.
4. Bake until the macaroons begin to color, about 13 minutes. Let stand until the parchment can easily be pulled off cookies, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
5. To make the ganache: In a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a low boil (no more than 118 degrees at which point the cocoa butter will separate from the chocolate), stirring occasionally. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl, pour the cream over top, and let stand for 30 seconds. Stir until melted and smooth.
Stir in the vanilla.
6. Pour into a medium bowl and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until of spreading consistency, about 2 hours. (Ganache may be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Let stand at room temperature to soften until of spreading consistency, 30 to 45 minutes.)
7. Beat the ganache until light and fluffy. Using a pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain or star tip, pipe about 2 tablespoons of the ganache on top of each cookie. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.
8. To make the glaze: Stir the sugar, water, corn syrup, and butter or margarine over a medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Stop stirring and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and stir until smooth. Let stand until the glaze begins to firm.
9. Place the cookies on a rack set in a baking sheet and spoon the chocolate glaze over the tops, allowing the excess to drip off (the excess can be melted and reused). Arrange several almond slices or pistachios over top. Store in the refrigerator.