1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F; you can substitute soy or rice milk)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the butter, sugar, salt and egg yolk; mix well. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Shape into 12 balls. Push thumb through centers to form a 1-in. hole. It is important to make sure the hole is large enough as the bagels will expand while baking and the hole will fill in. Place on a floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes; flatten. In the meantime, bring a large sauce pan of water to a boil. Drop bagels, one at a time, into boiling water. When bagels float to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon and place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Leafy greens can be preserved in the freezer.
Wash greens and chop as you would were you preparing them for a dish.
Steam collard greens for 3 minutes; all others, steam 2 minutes. Spread out on a baking sheet and chill in the freezer for 3-4 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and separate into freezer bags of the desired serving amount. Be sure all excess air is removed from the bag. Freeze.

3 cups crushed strawberries
5 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1 (1.75oz) package powdered fruit pectin

Combine strawberries and sugar; let stand 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine water and fruit pectin in a small sauce pan. Bring pectin mixture to a boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add pectin mixture to fruit and stir 3 minutes. Immediately spoon preserves into freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours; freeze. To serve, thaw preserves. Preserves may be stored in the refrigerator 3 weeks.
Yield: about 6 cups.

This is my mother’s recipe, which she collected from Southern Living Magazine in the May issue of 1982!

Sort of like a sweet and sour, somewhat like a take off of Pad Thai, it’s Thai something or other…. Very pungent, very delicious, not very authentic.

Udon noodles (2 sachets)
1 block extra firm tofu
1/4cup tamari
1/8cup maple syrup
1/4 cup white vinegar
1Tbs toasted sesame oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
1/4in. finely chopped ginger
3/4cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped

First: cover noodles with warm water and allow them to soak up to 30 minutes - until they are soft and flexible but not soft enough to be mashed with your fingers. Drain them and put them aside.

Next, press tofu to remove as much water as possible - wrap the block up in several pieces of paper towel and press firmly for several minutes until the paper towel is thoroughly saturated. Cut tofu into bite size pieces and bake on a lightly oiled pan at 375F for 15 minutes, flip tofu on pan and bake 15 more minutes. Set aside.

Mix the tamari, vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil and lemon juice in a bowl and stir until well blended and set aside.

Next, stir fry or saute any vegetables desired for the dish (I like to do a mixture of onions, celery, carrots and broccoli - if using broccoli, keep this out until the very end) with garlic and ginger in a wok or cast iron skillet. Add in noodles and sauce, and let cook down until all liquid is absorbed. Be sure to keep turning it over in the pan, especially as the liquid is absorbed to ensure the noodles do not stick. When the sauce is almost all absorbed, add in broccoli and peanuts. Toss until broccoli is steamed to perfection.

Top with mung bean sprouts and serve!

a la Ani Phyo

In a food processor, process:
2cloves garlic (2 cloves leaves makes for a pungent pate; some may prefer 1 clove)
1Tbs dulse flakes or 1/4cup dulse (dulse is a sea vegetable)
Then add:
2cups sunflower seeds
4Tbs. lemon juice
1/2cup water, as needed
process until it makes a thick, creamy mix. Remove from processor and place in mixing bowl.
Then add:
1 grated carrot
chopped fresh parsley as desired
1 slice yellow onion finely chopped
black pepper and salt to taste
1 stalk chopped celery

Makes 4-6 servings; will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Makes delicious sandwiches and wraps, just add a little Nayonaise or veganaise!

1/2cup softened butter
1/2cup maple syrup
1 egg
1tsp vanilla
1.5cup flour (this can be entirely all-purpose, or 3/4cup all-purpose and 3/4cup whole wheat)
1/4tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375F.
Cream butter, maple syrup, vanilla and egg. Mix flour and salt and combine with creamed mixture.
Bake 10-15 minutes on a greased cookie sheet

1Tbs. vegetable oil
1c. water
2 1/2c. whole wheat flour
1/2c. oatmeal
2Tbs. dried mint (1/3c. fresh)
1/3c. chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine oil and water. Add flour and herbs, then oatmeal. Roll to 1/4in. thick. Cut. Bake 35 minutes.

1/2c. canned pumpkin
1/2c. water
2T vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2c. oatmeal
2c. whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine pumpkin, water, oil, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gradually add flour, then oatmeal. Roll to 1/4in. thick. Cut. Bake 40 minutes.

1/4c. good peanut butter
1Tbs vegetable oil
1c. water
2 1/4c. whole wheat flour
1c. oatmeal

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine peanut butter, water and oil. Gradually add in flour, then oatmeal. Kneed 2-3 minutes. Roll to 1/4in. thick. Cut. Bake 30 minutes.

4c. whole wheat flour
1/2c. wheat germ
1/4c. oatmeal
3Tbs. vegetable oil
1 1/2c. water
2Tbs chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine dry ingredients and parsley. Add in water and oil. Kneed for 2-3 minutes. Roll to 1/4in. thick. Cut. Bake for 30 minutes.

Makes approximately 5 dozen