Calico Bread from Fablehaven

4 cups flour (white or whole wheat)
1 3/4 cups warm water or milk
1 Tbs. salt
2 tsp. dry yeast or .6-.7 oz fresh yeast
2 tsp. sugar

Fillings/flavors:
peanut butter
jam/jelly
cheese
marinara sauce, with or without cheese, minced pepperoni, etc
poppy seeds and lemon zest
dill weed and grated carrot
any kind of herbs, edible flowers
tiny bits of caramel
cheese with minced vegetables like peppers, garlic, etc
honey
cinnamon and sugar
dried fruit
Use your imagination!


Combine the yeast with the sugar in warm water/milk. Stir in the flour one cup at a timbre, adding in the salt at some point. Knead so that it's smooth and elastic with some resistance.

Coat bowl and dough in oil or water. Place dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap sealed around the edges, but large and loose over the top so it doesn't smash the risen dough. Let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled, in a warm place.

Divide dough into a lot of small portions. Add a different filling into each piece, adding flour if necessary to anything that is too wet. Some filings can be kneaded into the dough. For some fillings, roll the piece of dough flat, put on the filling, and roll it into a log with the filling spiraled inside. Others can be made into little filled dumplings. Who the outside of the pieces with water so they will adhere together. Put the pieces of dough all together in a greased bread pan, coat the top with oil, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise again for another 30 minutes or so, until it is about an inch over the top of the pan.

Spray water into the oven or place a small pan with water inside. Put the bread pan into the oven, then start pre-heating to 350° F. Bake for 60-70 minutes until it's a dark golden brown on top and the interior measures to 190°-200° F.

Autumn Spice Hot Cocoa

For 8 servings:

1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups cold water
1 cup sugar
6 cups milk or plant-based milk
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. allspice
1 1/2 Tbls. vanilla extract

For 1 serving:

2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/4 cup cold water
2 tsp. sugar
3/4 cup milk or plant-based milk
dash of cinnamon (approx. 1/8 tsp or less)
dash of nutmeg
dash of allspice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a pot over medium heat, whisk together the cocoa powder and water until smooth. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until it heats to steaming. Do not let it boil. It can be served as is, or with toppings such as marshmallows, whipped cream, ice cream, etc.

Non-Dairy Hot Chocolate

Makes one large serving.

1 1/2 cups oat milk or nut milk
2 Tbls. cocoa powder
2 Tbls. semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1 Tbls. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a small pot over medium heat. Whisk the mixture as it heats. Keep heating and stirring until it is smooth and the chocolate chips are completely melted. Don't let it get hot enough to boil. Add the vanilla extract at the very end.

Fancy Ants on a Log

Celery sticks filled with mixed nut butter, sprinkled with cocoa powder, topped with mixed raisins.

Mixed Nut Butter

2 cups of raw nuts and seeds

1 Tbls oil

optional: 1 tsp salt
optional: 2 Tbls sugar

Preheat oven to 325 F. Spread nuts onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Let cool enough to handle. Place in a food processor with the oil and optional salt and sugar. Grind until it becomes a thick paste.

You can use any combination of nuts that you like. For this batch I used peanuts, walnuts, almonds, candied almonds, chia seeds, and a pinch of fennel seeds.

Garlic White Bean Hummus

1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
1/4 cup minced garlic, raw or roasted
1 tsp. fennel seed
1 Tbls. paprika (regular, smoked, or spicy if you like)
1 tsp. cumin
3 Tbls. olive oil + some for sauteing
3 Tbls. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups cannelini beans or other white beans, cooked & rinsed

Saute onion with a small amount of olive oil, in a covered skillet over medium heat. Assemble the other ingredients in a food processor. When the onion is limp and translucent, add it to the food processor. Puree everything until it is as smooth as possible. Add a bit more lemon juice if necessary to make it smooth.