Gifts From the Kitchen

Ingredients

• ½ cup dates, chopped

• ½ cup dried cranberries

• 1 cup walnuts, slightly chopped

• 1½ cups applesauce

• ¼ cup sugar

• 2 eggs, slightly beaten

• 1½ teaspoons vanilla

• ½ cup wheat flour

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• ½ cup oats

• 1½ teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened

• 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Spray two loaf pans—or four mini-loaf pans—with cooking spray. Lightly dust with flour and set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together dates, cranberries, and walnuts. Stir in applesauce, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well blended.

4. In a separate bowl, combine flours, oats, baking soda, and salt. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Mix to incorporate.

5. Add flour mixture to fruit mixture in three parts, stirring to combine. Do not overmix.

6. Spoon mixture into prepared loaf pans. Mixture will be thick. Bake for 20 minutes for mini-loaves or 30 minutes for full loaves.

7. While baking, mix together butter and honey.

8. Check doneness with a toothpick. If it doesn’t come out clean, continue baking, checking every 10 minutes.

9. Remove from oven, cool on wire racks for 10 minutes, and remove from pans if desired.

10. Spread honey butter on top to glaze. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Loaf can be frozen.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 ribs celery, chopped

• 1 tablespoon oregano leaves

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon pepper

• 3–4 green chiles, chopped

• 1 cube (2 teaspoons) chicken bouillon

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

• 4 cups milk or half and half, divided

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan on medium heat, heat oil for 1 minute. Cook onion and celery until soft. Stir in oregano, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, green chiles, bouillon, and garlic. Cook until fragrant, 2–3 minutes.

2. Add beans and chicken. Stir in 3 cups milk. Simmer chili for 20 minutes.

3. Whisk cornstarch into the remaining milk, then slowly add to chili. Stir until chili is thickened, adding water to thin if over-thickened.

4. Serve hot, or cool it and spoon into clean jars. Refrigerate jars until used or gifted.

Makes 6–8 servings.