Fare Exchange: Time for a stash of holiday-oriented recipes

“Does anybody have a no-fail recipe for communion bread?” asks Joan Kenimer. Her question brings to mind a conversation about a good gluten-free version of communion bread, so how about a traditional gluten-full recipe and a gluten-free version for those with allergies?

Not many months back, we began to print some recipes from the generous supply sent by Marcia Steele of Signal Mountain, who is known for spreading edible cheer among many at Alexian Village. Today we give you two more from her collection.

Brown Butter-Bourbon-Cherry Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup bourbon

3/4 cup dried sour cherries

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

1 box Betty Crocker yellow cake mix

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan generously with cooking spray, and set it on cookie sheet.

In 1-quart saucepan or 6-inch skillet, brown 1/2 cup butter by melting over medium heat until it begins to foam, then beat constantly with whisk until solid bits in butter turn dark brown and smell fragrant like toffee. Remove from heat and pour butter into heatproof dish to cool.

In small bowl, mix bourbon and cherries; allow to soak about 10 minutes. In medium bowl, beat sour cream, cooled browned butter and eggs with whisk. Beat bourbon-soaked cherries into sour cream mixture with whisk.

In large bowl, place cake mix and pecans. Fold in sour cream mixture until just combined. Scrape batter into pan.

Streusel

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

1/2 cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash of salt

In small bowl, mix streusel ingredients. Pinch butter into mixture until sandy and clumps form when pinched. Sprinkle streusel over batter in pan.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes. Loosen cake from pan using sharp, thin knife; remove from pan. Cool completely before serving with or without glaze.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 shallots, chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

2 medium potatoes, diced

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 dash ground nutmeg

2 pounds pumpkin, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

5 cups vegetable stock

Plain yogurt

Cilantro leaves

Heat oil in 3-quart saucepan; add shallots and celery and sauté 5 minutes. Add carrots and potatoes; sauté 5 minutes longer. Add coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add pumpkin and vegetable stock. Bring to boil, cover and simmer gently 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Blend soup in food processor or blender until smooth. Return to pan, adjust seasonings to taste and heat through. Serve hot, garnished with swirl of yogurt and cilantro leaves.

FAMILY FILES

Mrs. Steele’s collection of favorites is similar to a web-accessible file titled “Genie’s Recipes.” Everything from the open kitchen of this beloved woman was worthy, so the family simply made a file for adding the latest taste treat. Today, as they have before, the family added two corn-based recipes for our Fare Exchange collection. And hers is a challenge for Christmas giving: Make such an accessible file for those you love. There is still time.

This first recipe is not for the faint-hearted or beginner since you must determine proportions and other details for yourself.

Cornbread Stuffing

Chopped onion (1 medium)

Chopped celery (2 to 3 sticks)

Butter (1/2 stick)

Canned low-fat chicken stock

Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing mix (1 to 2 packages)

Poultry seasoning

Salt and pepper

Crumbled homemade cornbread or pieces of day-old bread, if you like

Chop up onion and celery. Sauté them in butter for at least 5 minutes, maybe more. Add package of stuffing, maybe two. Stir. Add some chicken stock, seasonings. Taste it, see what you think. Make it moist, but not too moist. Put in casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Corn Casserole

1 (16-ounce) can cream style corn

1 cup Bisquick or other biscuit mix

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons salad oil

1/2 cup milk

1 can (4-5 ounces) green chili peppers, drained

6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, sliced

Slices of ham, if desired

Combine the corn, biscuit mix, egg, oil and milk. Mix well. Spread half the mixture in greased, 8x8x2-inch pan. Cover with chili peppers, cheese and ham. Spread remaining batter over top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until brown.

HELPFUL HINTS

Thank you Valerie Bowers for this shopping hint. “You can find brioche at Earth Fare and Fresh Market.”

Joshua Lake recommended the recipe and the technological cleverness of cooking tutorials from Cookie in the Kitchen, “most particularly the one on YouTube, the Harry Potter Butterbeer Shot Cookies Tutorial.”

JUST A DASH

Scott H. brought a family tradition from Michigan to his North Carolina girlfriend’s home. “It was a good group activity for me to get to know her family, to make homemade applesauce. My Mom advises using nothing but sweet autumn apples like Jonagold or Honeycrisp and you won’t need to add sugar.

“Put a little water in a heavy pan or Dutch oven and bring it to medium on the stovetop. Add peeled and quartered apples, turn down heat and cook slowly, watching the pot constantly to prevent scorching. Mash with potato masher, leaving some chunks for texture. You may add sugar and cinnamon at the end, but we didn’t need to.”

So here’s to the applied principles prescribed above: Cook together in the company of those you want to know better; keep it seasonal and simple. And in all things give thanks.