(Original recipe adopted from Pantry Mama)

Ingredients
50 g sourdough starter (fed & bubbly)
500 g bread flour (I use Sunrise Flour Mill Heritage Organic Bread Flour Blend for both feeding my starter and to actually make my sourdough but something like King Arthur Unbleached Organic Bread Flour works well too.)
50 g oats
30 g honey
350 g water
10 g salt

Instructions
Weigh out starter, water and honey in a glass or ceramic bowl. Mix so that the honey is dissolved. Add flour and salt and mix together into a shaggy dough. Cover and let sit for 1 hour. Work around the bowl grabbing the dough from the outside, stretching it up and over itself until a smooth ball is formed. Once a smooth ball, cover and rest for 30 minutes. Then do a set of stretch and folds (one fold per side), adding oats in with each stretch and fold. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes and then repeat stretch and folds. Do a total of 4 sets of stretch and folds with 15 minutes between each set. Cover and place in warm place (I use the oven with the light on) for bulk fermentation. Leave it until fully proofed (mine takes several hours). Shape the dough with good surface tension and place in banneton seam side up. Cover and cold ferment in the fridge for 5-36 hours. I usually do 12-15. When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven with your Dutch oven in it to 450 for at least 1 hour. Leave the dough in the fridge until the last minute. Score the bread after placing on sling (or parchment paper but I love my silicone bread sling!). Bake with lid on Dutch oven for 30 minutes then drop the temperature to 410 without the lid on for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and put on cooling rack. Allow to fully cool before cutting into the loaf.

Optional Add-In: Work the oats in with your first set of stretch and folds and then work freshly shredded Asiago cheese in with your next set. I used about 4-5 oz of shredded Asiago for one loaf, saving some aside to line the banneton with so it would be embedded into the top of the loaf. So, so good!

(Original recipe adopted from Pantry Mama)

100 g Sourdough Starter (fed and bubbly)
200 g Pumpkin Puree
500 g Bread Flour (I use Sunrise Flour Mill Heritage Organic Bread Flour Blend for both feeding my starter and to actually make my sourdough but something like King Arthur Unbleached Organic Bread Flour works well too.)
280 g Water
20 g Honey
10 g Salt

Instructions
Weigh out starter, water and honey in a glass or ceramic bowl. Mix so that the honey is dissolved. Add flour, pumpkin puree, and salt and mix together into a shaggy dough. Cover and let sit for 1 hour. Work around the bowl grabbing the dough from the outside, stretching it up and over itself until a smooth ball is formed. Once a smooth ball, cover and rest for 30 minutes. Then do a set of stretch and folds (one fold per side). Cover and let rest for 15-30 minutes and then repeat stretch and folds. Do a total of 4 sets of stretch and folds with 15-30 minutes between each set. Cover and place in warm place (I use the oven with the light on) for bulk fermentation. Leave it until fully proofed (mine takes several hours). Shape the dough with good surface tension and place in banneton seam side up. You can line the banneton with pumpkin seeds if you like before placing dough in. Cover and cold ferment in the fridge for 5-36 hours. I usually do 12-15. When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven with your Dutch oven in it to 450 for at least 1 hour. Leave the dough in the fridge until the last minute. Score the bread after placing on sling (or parchment paper but I love my silicone bread sling!). Bake with lid on Dutch oven for 30 minutes then drop the temperature to 410 without the lid for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and put on cooling rack. Allow to fully cool before cutting into the loaf.

*Note: The honey and pumpkin make this a high hydration dough but it is worth working with for the super soft crumb, delicate crust, and delectable flavor. It lends itself to both sweet and savory uses. I personally have enjoyed it with pumpkin butter or with guacamole, as well as using it as a sandwich bread.

Ingredients
One loaf’s worth of your favorite sourdough. I use my Honey Oatmeal recipe. Fully proofed or over-proofed dough will work.
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
8 TB butter (melted) (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cup powdered sugar
3 TB milk (or almond milk for dairy free)
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
Make your dough and once it has bulk fermented, it is ready to be put into prepared casserole dish. Brush a 9×13 inch casserole dish with melted butter or coconut oil. You can add extra butter/oil, cinnamon and sugar into bottom of pan for extra gooey sweet bread. Using wet fingers, fit the dough into the bottom of the casserole dish and then press deep dimples into the dough. Place into the fridge to cold ferment overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 450*. Mix the melted butter/oil, brown sugar and cinnamon together and then spread mixture over the top of the dough. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together until smooth and drizzle over the top of the focaccia. Slice and serve!

Ingredients
Over-proofed sourdough (I used one loaf’s-worth of my Honey Oatmeal sourdough that had bulk fermented too long and then I cold fermented it for 2 days)
Everything Bagel seasoning, to taste
Coarse Sea Salt, to taste
Butter, enough to coat pan
Olive Oil, enough to drizzle over the top, several TB

Instructions
Preheat oven to 450. Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish with butter. Using wet fingers, fit the dough into the bottom of the casserole dish and then press deep dimples into the dough. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Everything Bagel seasoning and coarse sea salt, to taste. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before you slice it.

Ingredients
1.5 cups milk (warm)
4 TB butter (softened)
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup honey
1.5 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour
1.5 tsp instant yeast

Instructions
Mix wet ingredients first then add dry, saving yeast for last. Knead well. Let rise for about 20 minutes. Shape and put into loaf pan and let rise again for about an hour. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.
*Note: This is bread machine friendly. If you have a bread machine you can just dump all the ingredients in (in the order listed) and push a couple of buttons and have fresh baked bread in less than 3 hours.

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup oats
1/2 cup (125 g) sourdough discard
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup M&Ms

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet. Cream together butter, sugars and vanilla. Add in remaining ingredients except M&Ms and chocolate chips. Mix well with stand mixer. Stir in the M&Ms and chocolate chips with a large spoon. Form dough balls from 2 TB of cookie dough. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden. Let cookies rest for 10 minutes on the baking sheet to finish baking before transferring. Enjoy!
*Note* These freeze well and we actually just store in the freezer as soon as they are cool and eat straight them from the freezer!

*This recipe has been passed among my family members and tweaked to suit different tastes. I am sharing MY favorite version but feel free to tweak it to suit you!

410 g (4 1/2 cups) old fashioned oatmeal
70 g (3/4 cup) slivered almonds
120 g (3/4 cup) roasted, salted pumpkin seeds
225 g (1 1/2 cups) whole cashews
110 g (1 cup + 2 TB) shredded sweetened coconut
125 g (1/2 cup + 1 TB) dark brown sugar
190 g (1/2 cup + 1 TB) maple syrup
100 g (1/4 cup + 2 TB) coconut oil, melted
3 g (1/2 tsp) salt

Preheat oven to 250*. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, coconut shreds, and brown sugar. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, coconut oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto two sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes, stirring every 15-30 minutes for an even color. Remove from oven and once cool, transfer to a large, air-tight container for storage.

*Optional: when you’re ready to eat it, add in craisins, raisins, or other fruit. I personally love it with fresh blueberries, strawberries, and/or banana slices – yum! It is also fantastic as is straight out of the container!

*This is a recipe of my own making and (along with my peach salsa) is one of my favorite things to stock up my canned goods pantry with!

4 cups of passion fruit juice (I use an electric food strainer to remove the seeds)
1 1/2 cups of sugar
4 tsp Pomona’s Pectin
4 tsp calcium water

Pour fruit juice into pan, add calcium water and stir. Measure sugar and pectin into separate bowl and mix well. Bring juice to a full boil. Add the sugar/pectin mixture and stir constantly and vigorously for 1-2 minutes to dissolve pectin (wire whisk is handy). When it returns to full boil, remove from heat. Skim off foam (edible but not pretty). Fill jars to within 1/4 inch of rim. Wipe rims and screw on lids. Water bath for 10 minutes. This makes 5-6 half pint jars.

*This is a recipe of my own making and probably my very favorite thing to make and preserve!

Ingredients:
15-16 peaches
6-8 large tomatoes
2 onions
6-7 sweet banana peppers
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 TB salt

Instructions:
Dice and skin tomatoes and peaches. Chop remaining ingredients and combine all in large pot. Bring to a boil and then keep at a simmer until desired consistency is reached and canner is ready. Ladle salsa into hot jars with 1/2-1/4 inch head space. Wipe rims and lid hand tight. Process 15-20 minutes.

*This is a recipe of my own making and my absolute favorite use of both pawpaws and spicebush berries!

First you need infused spicebush berry sugar. To make this, you take 4 fresh or 5-6 dried spicebush berries for every half cup of sugar in a coffee grinder or food processor. Process until smooth. The infused sugar will be a creamy orange color and smell like allspice and citrus. Now on to the ice cream:

1/2 gallon fresh raw Jersey milk
2 cups infused spicebush berry sugar
1 TB real vanilla extract
1-2 cups of pawpaw pulp, depending on how strong you want the pawpaw flavor

Blend all ingredients well (I use a blender) and then use an ice cream maker to churn and freeze it into ice cream. So delicious!

*This plant-based, healthy chocolate recipe was adopted from Chocolate Every Day It is absolutely decadent! I use all organic ingredients for this.

125 g coconut oil
35 g cacao butter, roughly chopped
80 g cacao powder
90 g maple syrup
4 g vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt
about 1/3 to 1/2 cup almond butter

Prepare 24 mini cupcake liners or a silicone mini cupcake pan on a baking sheet. Set aside. Combine and melt coconut oil and cacao butter, stirring occasionally until fully melted. Remove from heat and whisk in cacao powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Fill mini cups about 1/3 full. Place in freezer for 15 minutes or until firm. Remove from freezer. Add a dollop of almond butter to each, lightly spreading it over the chocolate, then top each off with more chocolate to cover completely. Place back in freezer until set. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

*This plant-based, healthy chocolate recipe was adopted from Chocolate Every Day It is delicious and shockingly easy to make! I use all organic ingredients for this.

1 cup raw cacao butter, chopped into small pieces
1 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Melt cacao butter, either in the microwave or on the stove top. Remove from heat. Stir in cacao powder and maple syrup until completely smooth and no clumps remain. Pour into chocolate molds (or in a parchment-lined sheet pan if you don’t have candy molds) and put in the fridge to chill. Leave in fridge for at least 30 minutes or until the chocolate is set. Remove from molds (or break into pieces) and store in an airtight container.

*This plant-based, healthy chocolate recipe was adopted from Chocolate Every Day and is absolutely decadent and very easy to make! I use all organic ingredients for this.

1/2 cup raw cacao butter, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup coconut butter
1 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Melt cacao butter and coconut butter together, either in the microwave or on the stove top. Remove from heat. Stir in cacao powder and maple syrup until completely smooth and no clumps remain. Pour into chocolate molds (or in a parchment-lined sheet pan if you don’t have candy molds) and put in the fridge to chill. Leave in fridge for at least 30 minutes or until the chocolate is set. Remove from molds (or break into pieces) and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
2 TB minced onion
2 tsp minced garlic
salt, to taste

Instructions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Form into 4 patties. You can cook these on a grill or on the stove top but I chose to bake them in the oven at 375* for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve on Honey Oatmeal sourdough bread (or whatever bread/buns you like). We found it was delicious just like that but feel free to add condiments and whatever else you like.

Ingredients
1 can chickpeas (washed and drained)
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup nut butter of choice (I use natural almond butter)
3 TB sweetener (I use maple syrup)
chocolate chips (I use Date-sweetened Dark Chocolate Chips)

Instructions
Blend all ingredients in food processor. Add chocolate chips – however many you want – and stir in. Enjoy! Eat with a spoon, or use as a dip with apples or graham crackers.

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
1/3 cup oatmeal
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast)
1 egg
1/2 cup tomato sauce, divided
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350*. Mix all ingredients in a bowl except for 1/4 cup tomato sauce. Press meat mixture into muffin tin. Top with tomato sauce. Cook for 30-35 minutes.

Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 TB avocado oil
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425* and line a baking sheet. Add all the ingredients to the baking sheet and stir/toss to coat everything. Spread in an even layer and place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Stir/toss and place back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked and chickpeas are crispy. Enjoy!

Ingredients

*Note: I realize that I haven’t put in specific amounts of anything. This will depend on how big your turtle is or how much meat you decide to use and also the size of your slow cooker, how many people you’re feeding, etc. Wing it, trust me, it will be good!

Snapping Turtle meat, frozen in water (if not frozen in water, you will want to add some kind of liquid)
Potatoes
Carrots
Onions
Favorite Spices
Salt/Pepper

Instructions

Put all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low 8 hours. The meat will literally just fall off the bones.

Recipe adopted from The Flavor Bender

Ingredients

• ½ cup passion fruit pulp, seeds strained out (I actually use the food processor blade *not the sharp ones* in my ninja food processor to extract the most juice from the seed pouches)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup sugar
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 egg yolks (from large eggs)
  
  Instructions

Place the passion fruit pulp and sugar in a heat-proof glass bowl or the top of a double boiler.
Heat a few inches of water in a saucepan or in the bottom part of a double boiler, and bring the water to a boil. Then lower the heat to a simmer.
Place the bowl of passion fruit pulp and sugar on the saucepan or the double boiler, and whisk for a few minutes to warm up the ingredients and dissolve the sugar.
Add the egg yolks and lemon juice into a separate jug or bowl, and whisk to form a smooth paste.
Pour the warm passion fruit and sugar in a thin stream into the eggs, WHILE whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
Next, pour the egg and passion fruit mix back into the bowl, and return the bowl to the double boiler.
Add the unsalted butter to the warm passion fruit curd. The butter will melt as the passion fruit curd heats, and the whisking/stirring will help emulsify the butter into the passion fruit curd. 
Stir well (or whisk) frequently, while cooking the mixture. Make sure to not let the mixture set at the bottom of the bowl (this will cause the eggs to overcook). Stir or whisk frequently until the passion fruit curd thickens. This can take up to 10 – 20 minutes (the time depends on the bowl and the heat).

The most accurate way to ensure that the passion fruit curd is cooked well is to use a temperature probe and check the temperature of the curd often, in between whisking. When the passion fruit curd registers 160° F, it’s ready!

Storing the curd: Sterilize a 1 x 11 oz glass jar (324 mL) and sealable lid in boiling water. Remove the sterilized jar from the water and pour the hot passion fruit curd into the jar. Close the jar with the lid. Store in the fridge overnight, to completely chill the curd. The passion fruit curd will last in the fridge for about 3 weeks (with unopened sterilized jars), or about 7 days with unsterilized jars or bowls. Or it will last longer in the freezer (up to 3 months). Once opened, use within 7 – 10 days for best results.

*These are delectable. Absolutely irresistible. They make a great appetizer. Or side. Or dessert. Or snack. If you haven’t had these, you are missing out.

1 8-oz package of pitted dates
4 oz goat cheese
1 16-oz package bacon

Slice along one side of each date, from the top to the bottom, so you can open it like a tiny book. Scoop a small amount of goat cheese into the center of each one, and then close it back up.
Cut the whole package of bacon in half, so that each long strip is now half as long. Wrap a half-slice of bacon around the outside of each date.
Arrange seam side down on a baking sheet with sides, covered in one sheet of foil, to catch grease.
Bake at 400* for 20-25 minutes, or until well browned and crispy. Drain on paper towel, and serve warm or at room temperature. SO tasty.

*This is unbelievably delicious and makes a wonderful side to any holiday dish.

5 (15 oz) cans green beans, drained
7-12 slices bacon (or a whole pound)
2/3 C brown sugar
1/4 C butter, melted or bacon grease
7 tsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Place the drained green beans in a 9 x 13 pan.
Cook bacon in oven, putting it in cold and setting it for 20 minutes at 400*. Bacon should be done, but not real crispy. Sprinkle the bacon pieces on top of the green beans.
Combine the brown sugar, melted butter or bacon grease, soy sauce, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Pour this mixture over the green beans and bacon. Bake uncovered at 350* for 40 minutes.

*This is a Christmas brunch tradition in our family along with gooey cinnamon rolls, egg and cheese casserole, and fresh fruit.

2 pounds Jimmy Dean pork sausage (or turkey sausage)
1 1/2 C cracker or corn/rice Chex crumbs
1 C chopped apple
1/2 C milk (or oat milk)
1/4 C minced onions
1 slightly beaten eggs

Mix well. Pack in ring mold overnight. Take out of mold and bake in deep pan 350* for an hour.

Another Christmas brunch tradition!

1/2 lb Colby Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 lb Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 4-oz can chopped green chiles, optional
6 eggs, beaten
8 oz sour cream

Put grated cheese in bottom of buttered 9 x 13 pan, chiles on top. Mix eggs and sour cream until creamy and smooth. Pour over top. Bake for 40 minutes.

*This is a FAVORITE and probably the longest-lasting family Christmas tradition. Since at least the early 90s, our family has made these special cookies in the weeks preceding Christmas and then given them to friends, family, and neighbors. The time spent with family assembling and decorating these is always fun and the joy on the faces of those receiving the trees is wonderful to see.

Cookie Ingredients

3 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C butter, softened
2 eggs
2 T milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp green food coloring of your choice
1 box (25 ft) foil
Christmas Tree Cookie Cutters for 3D Tree – (This is an affiliate link which means I might receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase this through my link.)

*The above recipe will make enough dough for two Christmas trees using the 6 smallest star cookie cutters.

In a small bowl, stir flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large mixer bowl at medium speed, beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs, milk, vanilla, almond extract and food coloring until well blended. At low speed, beat in flour mixture until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide dough into four portions. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least two hours or overnight until firm enough to handle.
Preheat oven to 350*. Cut several sheets of foil the same size as the baking sheets and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place one portion of dough on a piece of foil, keeping remaining portions in fridge. Roll dough to 1/4 inch using plastic wrap over dough if it’s sticking to the rolling pin. Using the 6 smallest smallest star cookie cutters, cut cookies about 1 inch apart and remove scraps of dough around cookies. Repeat until all starts are cut out. Each tree needs two of each star size. Cut out cookies will hold shape better if refrigerated for a few minutes before baking. Re-roll scraps of dough as needed. Do not move cookies on foil or foil will tear. Carefully slide entire sheet of foil onto baking sheet.
Bake cookies for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned and cookies are set in center when touched. Remove cookies and foil to cooling rack. When cool enough to handle, carefully peel off foil. Cool cookies completely on wire racks.


Royal Icing: the cookie “glue” ingredients

1 pound powdered sugar, sifted (about 4 C)
3 egg whites, at room temp
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

In a large mixer bowl at low speed, beat powdered sugar, egg whites and cream of tartar until well blended. At high speed, beat for 7-10 minutes or until a knife drawn through the mixture leaves a path. ‘Glue’ together as is, then thin with water until spreading consistency for snow. Add sprinkles, red hot candies, M&Ms, and/or other candies to decorate beautiful trees to share and eat!