Whole Wheat "Conference" Cinnamon Rolls

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook
submitted by Ashley Boyer

Basic Roll Dough
1pkg. Active dry yeast (1 TBS)

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup milk scalded ( hot)

1/4 cup raw honey

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp. Salt

3 ½ cups whole wheat flour (I used 1/2 cu of white flour and 3 whole wheat)

1 egg

Soften yeast in warm water until bubbly. Heat milk in small pot on stove. Combine milk, honey, butter, and salt; cool to lukewarm. Add 1-1/2 cup of flour; beat well. Beat in yeast and egg. Gradually add remaining flour to form soft dough, beating well.(I usually knead my dough about 5 min.) Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise til double (about 1 ½ hr.) Punch down. Shape as desired.

For Cinnamon Rolls.

On lightly floured surface, roll ½ of dough to rectangle about 16x8in. Spread dough with 1 TBS. Melted butter, and sprinkle with maple syrup (could use brown sugar instead). Sprinkle with Ground cinnamon. (Can add raisins if desired) Roll up lengthwise, pressing dough after each turn, and seal edge; cut in 1 in slices. Place cut side down in greased pan. (Repeat process with other half of dough) Cover; let rise til double (another hour). Bake in over 375 deg. For 15 to 17 min.

Frost with icing while warm, if desired.

2 Tbs. Butter

1 cup powdered sugar

milk to thin to right consistency

1/2 tsp vanilla

Creamy Asparagus Soup

brought by Heather Brown
adapted from Everyday Food

3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
4-6 large shallots, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons flour
6 cups water
3 pounds asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
kosher or other coarse salt
1/3 cup cream (optional)
juice of 1 lemon (or to taste)

Directions:
Melt butter in medium/large saucepan over moderate heat. Add shallots and thyme and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring frequently, for one minute. Add asparagus and water; season generously with salt. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until asparagus is bright green. Uncover and remove from heat.

Puree using an immersion blender (or in batches using a standard blender). Add lemon juice and cream, taste for seasoning (if it tastes like dirty water it needs more salt) adding more salt, if necessary.

**This soup freezes really well. When freezing omit the cream and lemon juice. Cook to room termperature before dividing amoung airtight containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat overn low heat and stir in the cream and lemon juice right before serving.

Asparagus Gruyere Tart

brought by Heather Brown
recipe by Martha Stewart

Ingredients

flour, for work surface
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry
5 1/2 ounces (2 cups) Gruyere cheese, shredded (Fontina can be used as well)
1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400º F. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-10 inch rectangle. Place pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment for easiest removal. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using the fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until very lightly golden about 12-15 minutes.

Remove pastry shell from the oven and sprinkle with cheese. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over the cheese, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 18-22 minutes depending on size. Check on it every couple of minutes after the first 15 minutes for over browning.

Strawberry Bruschetta

brought by Heather Brown recipe by Whole Foods

Ingredients:
1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced
1 tbsp. sugar
1 French baguette, sliced on a bias
4 oz. goat cheese
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
¼ cup minced basil leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine the  strawberries and sugar in a small bowl; toss to combine.  Let the berries macerate for about 30 minutes so that they begin to release their juices.  Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on top of each baguette slice.  Top each slice with spoonfuls of the strawberry mixture.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Top each slice with the basil leaves and cracked pepper, to taste.

Mango Coconut Sorbet

adapted from Panera

4 cups fresh or frozen mango chunks (from 2 to 3 mangoes) (I used frozen)

1 fresh or frozen banana (I used fresh)

½ cup sugar (I only sprinkled the top of the ingredients with about 1-2 tsp sugar)

½ cup canned coconut milk (I used 1.5 cups light coconut milk from Trader Joe's since I was using frozen mango)

Grated zest of 1 lime

Pinch of grated nutmeg (I omitted)

Shotrbread or some other light cookie (I served with Trader Joe's Toasted Coconut Cookie Thins)

1. Put everything but the cookies in a food processor (or blender--my ninja worked just fine). Process until smooth.

2. Line a shallow 13-inch-by-9-inch metal pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhanging plastic to cover the filled pan. Scrape the fruit mixture into the pan, cover with plastic, and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours or overnight. (I just put right in to a plastic tupperware container and put in the freezer until ready to serve)

3. Break into small chunks with a sturdy metal spatula and transfer to a food processor. Pulse until soft and snowy but not melted, about 1 minute. Scoop into dessert cups and serve with the cookies. (I omitted the food processing step-- I just took right out of the freezer and served because I like the soft serve consistency).

Red Slaw with Honey Tangerines

adapted from Sophisitmom

1/2 red cabbage, finely sliced
1/2 English cucumber, finely sliced
dill weed (I recommend fresh)
2 honey tangerines (Murcott)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (I used Trader Joe's Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar)
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup or honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt
pepper

1. Place cabbage and cucumber slices on a large platter or onto individual plates. Sprinkle with a pinch of dill weed.

2. Zest the tangerines, and place zest in a small bowl. Using a sharp knife, cut the skin off the tangerines. Squeeze any juice from the cut off skin into the bowl. Set aside. Slice the tangerines into thick slices, or into sections. Arrange on top of salad.

3. Add vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the bowl with the tangerine juice. Whisk until emulsified, and drizzle over salad.