Apple Cider Donuts

Step 1: Get your ingredients and prepare stations
Most grocery stores carry apple cider in the produce department during the fall months and all other ingredients should be easy to find at the store or in your own pantry. If you don’t have a donut cutter, try a kitchen or home supply store. Bring along this
shopping list so you don’t miss any items.

Before baking starts, set up donut making stations to streamline the process and keep everyone from stepping on each other’s toes.

Step 2: Mixing Station

At the first station, put a few of your Home Maven friends in charge of heating the cider and mixing the ingredients together in bowls to create the dough. If you’d like, you can reduce several cups of cider (one for each batch you plan to make) beforehand to speed up the process.

Friends stationed here will follow these instructions:

* Boil 1 cup of apple cider in a small saucepan for 8 to 10 minutes or until cider is reduced to 1/4 cup; let cool.
* In a large bowl, beat sugar with solid shortening until smooth. Add eggs and mix well, then add buttermilk and cooled cider.
* In a medium-sized bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add to liquid ingredients; mix ingredients just enough to combine.

Step 3: Donut-Cutting Station

At the second station, set up an area on a flat surface with a lightly floured board for cutting and shaping dough. Place baking pans covered in wax paper or parchment nearby for finished donut shapes.

Friends stationed here will follow these instructions:

* Transfer dough to the lightly floured board and pat to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a 3-inch donut cutter; re-roll the excess donut holes and cut scraps back into the dough.
* Refrigerate formed donuts on baking sheets for about 20 minutes to help firm the dough prior to frying.

Step 4: Frying Station

If you want to work at a faster pace, you can provide two frying pans at this station so more donuts can be fried at once. Also provide plates with several layers of paper towels for draining the donuts after frying.

Friends stationed here will follow these instructions:

* Add enough oil or shortening to fill a deep (3-inch) pan; heat to approximately 375°F or until the oil is bubbling.
* Fry several donuts at a time, turning once or twice until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes.
* Remove and place on paper towels for draining and cooling.

Step 5: Cinnamon and Sugar Station

Have one or two helpers put the finishing touch on the donuts by supplying large plastic zip-top bags containing a cinnamon and sugar mixture. Once the donuts have drained and cooled a bit, they will shake up the donuts in the bag. Finished donuts can be placed on a wire rack to continue cooling.

For an added touch, have friends at this station pour the excess apple cider into a large saucepan and heat with cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cloves and orange peel. Since they won’t have much to do right away they can keep an eye on the hot apple cider and stir occasionally. Not only will it add warm festive fragrances throughout your home, it makes a tasty complement to the donuts.

Step 6: Goodie Bags
Goodie Bags

When the baking is finished take a moment to sit back and enjoy your warm donuts and hot apple cider together. You can catch up with each other and talk about your plans for the season. Before it’s time to go, make several goodie bags with your friends so they can take home some leftover treats to share.

Delectable Avocado Dill Salad

A delicious addition to a romaine lettuce wrap or served as a light side. The avocado is so creamy, the cucumber is super crunchy, and the lemon and dill give it a bold flavor!
Ingredients:

1/2 or 1 whole avocado, sliced into bite size pieces
1 green onion, sliced
1/4 large english cucumber, cut into bite size pieces
juice from half a lemon ( this may be too much for some people so start with less and add more if you think it needs it)
1/4 tspn hemp oil
1 small bunch of dill, pulled off the stem and cut into smaller pieces
a pinch of sea salt
Preparation:

Chuck all bits into a bowl, mix around, and let sit in the fridge for about an hour before serving. The avocado will get a little softer and absord some of the flavor from the bottom of the bowl. Give it a good mix around before serving and enjoy!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

These crunchy peppers with a smooth avocado/beet filling have been a big hit at parties. People who had never had a 100% raw dish served to them were asking me for the recipe.
Ingredients:

4 Bell Peppers (mixed colors), quartered and seeded
1 avocado, mashed
1 beet, grated
1 celery stalk, chopped fine
2 tablespoon sunflower seeds, soaked 4 hours and rinsed (I’ve done it without soaking the sunflower seeds with success).
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon kelp powder
Preparation:

Put ingredients (except peppers) in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. Fill peppers with mixture. Cut into quarters for easier handling.

Mock Re-Fried Beans (Taco and Burrito)

Ingredients:

Mock Re-fried Beans

(4 servings)

BLEND IN FOOD PROCESSOR (until re-fried bean consistency)

2 cups soaked walnuts
½ cup banana
1 avocado
1 ¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ cup spring or structured water
1 ½ tablespoons cacao powder
1 ¾ teaspoons pink salt

Taco

(1 serving)

Place moderate amount of mock re-fried beans at bottom of cabbage leaf.

Add ¼ avocado on top of mock re-fried beans
Sprinkle pink salt on avocado
Sprinkle small pinch of cumin on avocado
½ cup cilantro
Place ¼ chopped tomato on top of avocado
Sprinkle pink salt on tomato
Add small pinch of paprika
Add any amount of cayenne if desired

Burrito

(1 serving)

Place moderate amount of mock re-fried beans on nori wrap or big romaine lettuce leaf.

Add ½ Avocado on top of mock re-fried beans
Sprinkle small amount of pink salt on top of avocado
¼ cup cilantro
¼ cup chopped tomatoes
Sprinkle small amount pink salt on tomatoes
Sprinkle black pepper on top
Squeeze lemon and/or lime on top
Desired amount cayenne or habenjero pepper (Optional)

Fold in to burrito shape and enjoy!

Angel Hair Pasta with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Angel Hair Pasta with Mushroom Cream Sauce


I mated a couple recipes from Alissa Cohen and Ani Phyo here. I've just never been a fan of the marinara sauce that Alissa pairs her pasta with. When I tried Ani's recipe, I thought, "this sauce is great, but it would be BETTER on zucchini pasta...
Ingredients:

2 cups sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoons Bragg's liquid aminos
1/2 clove of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil

4 zucchini

2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cup almonds
3/4 cup water
1 cup olive oil
Preparation:

Mix the mushrooms with Braggs, small amount of olive oil, and 1/2 clove of garlic. Set aside to marinate until thoroughly soaked and tender.

Peel the zucchini and process through the spiral slicer with the blade on the pasta setting.

Put the 2 cloves of garlic and sea salt in the food processor until chopped into small pieces. Add almonds and process until fine. Add water and process until thick and creamy (may not require entire amount of water listed). Add olive oil and process until creamy.

Mix the pasta and cream sauce in a large bowl. Stir in half the marinated mushrooms. Divide into bowls and top with the rest of the mushrooms.

Pumpkin Cake

US METRIC
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 2 cups white sugar
* 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 cups canned pumpkin
* 4 eggs
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3 teaspoons baking powder
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 12x18 inch pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine sugar and oil. Blend in vanilla and pumpkin, then beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in nuts. Spread batter into prepared 12x18 inch pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Butterscotch Cream Cheese Icing

butterscotch cream cheese icing

1 lb. cream cheese (2 pkg, I think)
6 T. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
2 T dark corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla (or as much vanilla as you like; I'm pro-extra-vanilla)

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 3 minutes (and yes, do it for three minutes. Set a timer. You'll feel like a goof letting the mixer run for so long, but it will be worth it). Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy, at least another three minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the frosting to thicken up before using.

This stuff is AMAZING on pumpkin bars/spice cupcakes. One time I made it and it was a little grainy, as though the brown sugar didn't totally dissolve. I don't know if I failed to mix it long enough or if I didn't let it chill long enough, or what. It was still tasty, but not as smooth as I wanted it.

Menu

Chicken Curry with fragrant basmati rice
Chicken Vindaloo
Meatloaf and mashed potatoes with green beans
Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin with potato wedges
Fish sticks with mac n cheese

Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 2 tablespoons steak seasoning rub
* 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 2 pounds boneless pork loin roast

DIRECTIONS

1. Dissolve steak seasoning in balsamic vinegar, then stir in olive oil. Place pork into a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade overtop. Squeeze out air and seal bag; marinate 2 hours to overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Place pork into a glass baking dish along with marinade. Bake in preheated oven, basting occasionally until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (65 degrees C), about 1 hour. Let the roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
* 3/4 cup milk
* 2 eggs
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* 3/4 cup finely crushed saltine cracker crumbs

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan.
2. Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.