On Dec 10, 10:25*pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> It's getting to that time of year. *Are you going to be making any goodies?
> I don't know if I will or not. *Not sure what we're doing for dinner. *Last
> year we went out for Mexican food.
>
> One year I made some nuts that were my version of Sahale Snacks, a fruit and
> nut mix that is made locally.
>
> I started with a couple of dried dates that had been mixed with water and
> whizzed in the food processor. *This added sweetness. *I then soaked some
> raw pecan halves and unsweetened dried cranberries in this mix for about a
> half an hour. *I then mixed in plenty of freshly ground black pepper and
> some freshly grated orange zest.
>
> I spread this mix out in my dehydrator and let it dry out on a low temp for
> about a day. *I can't remember the exact amount of time. *It will vary
> depending on the temperature in the kitchen and the humidity level. *The end
> result will be crisp and slightly sticky.
>
> I also tried making a fruitcake but mostly that didn't pan out. *I used to
> make one from an old cookbook that was mostly assorted fruits and nuts with
> just enough cake to hold it together. *The problem? *It made a ton! *I was
> sending/giving cakes to everyone I knew. *And I still had a lot left.
>
> So I tried making a cake that was mostly fruits and nuts. *I did manage to
> find a container of assorted fruits at Central Market. *To get a really good
> cake, you need a bit of everything, IMO. *The problem there? *The carb
> count. *Because the fruit is steeped in sugar syrup, it's just not good for
> a diabetic. *I ate just one piece of fruit and one nut and it still spiked
> me. *And nobody really liked it because I had to make it without eggs and
> butter. *Bleh.
>
> Another thing I like to do is take some walnuts or pecans and lightly
> drizzle them with a melted dark chocolate. *Then let them set up.

That actually sounds good.

As for me, I think the biggest thing I'll make is my lasagna. I'm
going to try to find a way to make it *just as good* only with pasta
and such that isn't "as bad" for me.