Carolina Kitchen

Fall Fruitcake

Who says you need to wait until the holiday season to enjoy fruitcake? So moist from all the fruits, this lightly spiced cake is reminiscent of gingerbread and tastes like autumn on a plate. It is easy to omit or change up some of the fruits, as well. 3 large eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 1¾ cups sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons pumpkin or apple pie spice ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon rum extract, optional 2 tablespoons sorghum molasses 3 Gala apples, peeled, cored, seeded and roughly chopped 3 pears, peeled, cored, seeded and roughly chopped ½ cup chopped dates ½ cup raisins ²/₃ cup chopped nuts, any kind, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat eggs with oil until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Combine sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and spice. Beat in a cup at the time until all has been incorporated into egg mixture. Using spatula, fold in remaining ingredients.

Pour into a 9-by-13-inch prepared pan. Bake for about 45–50 minutes.

Enjoy as-is or with a dollop of whipped cream, lemon or other curd, on a pool of applesauce, or with ice cream dusted with cinnamon. Unless otherwise noted, recipes on these pages are from Wendy Perry, a culinary adventurist and blogger, who chats about goodness around NC on her blog at WendysHomeEconomics.com.

Harvest Time Cabbage & Root Vegetable Soup The arrival of fall and the changing weather brings a shift in produce at our farmers markets. Root vegetables provide nourishment with so much depth of flavor — simply throwing them in our slow cooker calls for little seasoning, just their own natural goodness. This recipe makes ample soup to freeze for busy nights. 1 package (12 ounce) smoked sausage, cut in ½-inch cubes* 1 pound ground chicken* 1 large sweet potato, cut in ¾-inch cubes 1 large sweet onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 large carrots, peeled, cut into ½-inch pieces 2–3 parsnips, peeled, cut into ½-inch pieces 2 medium turnips, peeled, cut into ½-inch pieces 4–5 cups chopped cabbage Several bay leaves 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 can (29 ounce) puréed tomatoes, optional Fresh parsley to garnish, optional

Combine all ingredients except parsley in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cook on high 4–6 hours or low 6–8 hours until vegetables are tender, stirring periodically. Time will vary depending on your pot.

Once done, season with salt and pepper to suit your taste. We find that if using salted broth, with the natural flavors of these ingredients, little to no additional salt and pepper is needed.

Yield: Makes 5–6 quarts *Variations: Make this a vegetarian soup by leaving out the meats. Love creamy soups? Swirl in a bit of half and half or heavy cream before serving, or purée some of the soup and stir in.

Ranch, Cheddar and Cauliflower Crackers Counting carbs? Even if not, these crispy crackers with the subtle flavor of cauliflower are perfect to enjoy alongside soup or just as a snack. You might just get your picky little ones to eat a vegetable with these! 1 medium cauliflower 1 cup grated cheddar cheese ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon ranch dressing mix

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Salt-free “everything” seasoning, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Break cauliflower into small pieces and steam in microwave about 5 minutes. Once tender, pulse in food processor to “rice” consistency. Spread between layers of paper towels and roll up to remove as much moisture as possible. (You will need about 2 cups of riced cauliflower.)

Once dried and cooled, combine with remaining ingredients except seasoning.

Place loose heaping tablespoons of mixture onto sprayed or parchment-lined baking pan about 1 inch apart. Don’t make piles too thick or your crackers will be chewy in the middle. Dust with seasoning if using. Bake about 6–7 minutes until a little brown around the edges. Remove to cooling rack.

Best if enjoyed soon after baking but will keep in refrigerator for several days in covered container.

Yield: Makes about 2 dozen crackers Variations: Other cheeses that work well include mozzarella, pepper jack, Swiss and asiago.

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From Your Kitchen

Crispy Butterscotch Cookies An often overlooked flavor, a mention of butterscotch may conjure fond memories of pudding cups and hard candies. Forgo your oh-so-common chocolate chip cookies for these rich, crispy butterscotch beauties loaded with chips. And don't forget the milk! 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon of salt 2 large eggs 1 cup softened butter or margarine ¾ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup of sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 bag (10–12 ounce) butterscotch chips 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, butter, sugars and vanilla extract until creamy.

Gradually add the flour mixture and mix well. Stir in the butterscotch chips and nuts.

Drop by rounded tablespoon or roll in balls and place on ungreased baking sheets. Leave room for spreading.

Bake for 9–12 minutes or until golden; cool on baking sheet.

Recipe courtesy of Andrea Kyker of Franklinville, a member of Randolph EMC.

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