Chocolate Skeleton Cookies

These cookies are perfect for Hallowe'en parties, just to eat around Hallowe'en, or (what I do) give them out to the kids that come around Trick or Treating!
This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies, so try putting a couple in some festive bags and handing them out to kids as an alternative.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda

FOR THE ICING
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 Tbs. milk

~ In a large bowl, cream butter ans sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until the dough is easy to handle.
Preheat oven to 375 F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with a floured 3-inch gingerbread boy cookie cutter. Place on greased baking sheets.
Bake for 7-8 minutes, or until set. Cool for 1 minute before moving from baking sheets to wire racks to cool completely.

For icing, in a small bowl combine the confectioners' sugar and the milk and stir until smooth. Put in a piping bag and fit with a #2 or #4 round tip. Pipe skeleton bones on cookies.                                          

Fresh Apple Cake

This cake has a chunky apple center and a wonderful nutty "crust".

Ingredients:
Butter for pan
1/2 cup pecan halves, chopped medium-fine
3 large eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp. vanilla
the grated zest of one large lime
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
2 medium-large tart apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

~ Preheat oven to 350 F.
Generously butter a 9-inch round cake pan, sprinkle all over with nuts, then tilt pan in all directions to coat the bottom and sides with the nuts.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, vanilla, lime zest, and sugar until smooth. Add flour, baking soda, and salt and thoroughly blend. Fold in apples.
Carefully spread the batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then turn out onto rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8

Apple Butter

Best to use an apple that is good for sauce, because, essentially, apple butter is applesauce that has been let to really cook down. It has a bit of a caramelized flavor and a silky texture.

Ingredients:
3 pounds apples, stems removed
2 cups apple cider or water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg

~ Quarter the apple but leave the peel and core. Bring the apple and cider to a boil in a large pot. Reduce the heat and simmer until apples are very soft, 20-30 minutes. Cool slightly, and then run through a food mill to remove seeds and skins.
Return the apple puree to the pot and stir in the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Simmer over medium-low heat until the mixture is thickened. The timing will vary, depending on the size and shape of your pot, but you should allow 30-45 minutes. Don't try to shorten the cooking time by turning up the heat--as the butter thickens, so does its tendency to burn.Stir and test frequently. The butter is ready when a dollop on a plate does not weep juice around its perimeter.

This may now be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Or: You may can the apple butter using the boiling water method. Ladle the butter into clean, hot half pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Release trapped air. Wipe the rims clean; center lids on the jars and screw on the jar bands. Process for 15 minutes in the boiling water bath. Turn off the heat, and let jars rest in the water for 5 minutes. Remove jars and set aside for 24 hours. Check seals (if any have failed to seal, put in refrigerator), then store in a cool dark place for up to 1 year.

Garlic and Coriander Soup

This dish is based on the bread soups made in Portugal. Remember to use the best fresh ingredients you can find!

Ingredients:
1 oz. fresh coriander (cilantro), leaves and stalks chopped separately
6 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, or water
5-6 plump garlic gloves, peeled
6 eggs
10 oz. day old bread, most of the crust removed and torn into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

~ Place the coriander stalks in a saucepan. Add the stock or water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, then process in a blender or food processor and sieve back into the pan.
Crush the garlic with the salt, then stir in 1/2 cup hot stock/coriander stalk mixture, then return this crushed garlic mixture back to the pan with the hot stock. Meanwhile, poach the eggs in a frying pan of simmering water for about 3-4 minutes, until just set. Use a draining spoon to remove them from the pan and transfer to a warmed plate. Trim off any untidy bits of white.
Bring the soup back to a boil and add pepper and salt to taste. Stir in the chopped coriander leaves and remove from heat.
Place the bread in six soup bowls and drizzle olive oil over it. Ladle in the soup and stir. Add a poached egg to each bowl and serve immediately, offering olive oil at the table so that is can be drizzled over the soup to taste.

Serves 6

Simple Cream of Onion Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 1/4 pound yellow onions, sliced
1 bay leaf (preferably fresh)
7 Tbs. dry white vermouth
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2/3 cup double cream
1tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
(optional) a little lemon juice
croutons or snipped fresh chive to garnish

~ Melt 6 Tbs. of the butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Set about 1/2 pound (7-8 oz.) of the onions aside, and add the rest to the pan along with the bay leaf. Stir to coat the onions with butter, then cover and cook very gently for about 30 minutes. The onions should be very soft and tender, but not browned.
Add the vermouth, increase the heat and boil rapidly until the liquid has evaporated. Add the stock, and add the salt and then the pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
Leave the soup to cool, then discard the bay leaf and process the soup in a blender or food processor. Rinse the pan the soup was in. Return the soup to the rinsed pan.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in another pan and cook the remaining onions, slowly, covered, until soft but not browned. Uncover and continue to cook until golden yellow.
Add the cream to the pureed soup and reheat in gently until hot, but do not allow it to boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding the optional lemon juice if desired. Add the buttery onions and stir for 1-2 minutes, then ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with croutons or chives and serve.

Serves 4