Spicy Autumn Desserts for a Rainy Day

Although taking only one class is embarrassing and at times incredibly dull (from an academic standpoint), it has given me a ridiculous amount of time to read, and almost better: cook! Furthermore, autumn in Eugene is optimal baking weather, the rain-soaked air practically begging to be graced with the warm scents of cardamom and cinnamon. Who am I to deny it? If you, too, are stuck indoors due to moody climes, maybe you should try these recipes, and while they cook, curl up with some Wuthering Heights, or Dinesen's Last Tales, with a cup of chai perhaps.

Amazing Cardamom Cookies

Ingredients:

* 1 cup all-purpose flour (I use the whole-wheat kind)
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 1 pinch ground cinnamon
* 1/4 cup ground almonds
* 6 tablespoons butter
* 1 egg
* 2 teaspoons milk
* Rose water

Directions:

1. Sift together flour, sugar, and spices; stir in almonds. Cut in margarine till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in egg and milk till mixture forms a ball; chill.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Add about 2 tsp. of rose water to dough ball and knead in. Roll out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into squares or circles 1-3/4 inches in diameter. Place on non-greased cookie sheet; sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until edges are brown.


Last night I decided that something had to be done with the bananas I had bought a little over a week ago, and an apple that has been languishing in the fridge for longer than it deserved. While dancing around and listening to a little Pentangle, I made the following, which just might rival banana bread, it's that good.

Banana Apple Quiche

Ingredients:
*3 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into thin slices
*1 apple, sliced and cut into small pieces
*3/4 c. sugar
*1/2 c. whole wheat flour
*4 eggs
*1 c. milk (I used soy)
*2 tbs. melted butter
*1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
*1 tsp. cinnamon
*2 graham cracker crust pie shells, homemade or store-bought

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place fruit at the bottom of the pie shells. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour over the fruit (batter will be slightly lumpy). Bake for 40 minutes, or until fruit that has risen to the top is brown.


Enjoy warmed up and served with yogurt (or even topped with maple syrup) for a delightful morning sugar-rush.


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I moved to Eugene about 7 weeks ago, to a kind of ex-party house hovel. I brought limited kitchen implements, and the four of us currently residing here have an odd assortment of utensils. We have about 4 large and teetering piles of dishes, but no sifter, pastry cutter, or other handy instruments of torture. This dearth of needful things has caused us to resort to creative methods. My roommate Laura saw me cutting butter using two butter knives, and called me a "peaceful ninja squirrel." Luckily my bizarre display resulted in nice little butter pearls!

If you are like me, and lack a sifter (or even a fine sieve!), do the following: take your measuring cup and scoop up, then dump out the flour or sugar in the bag a few times. After you've measured and leveled, gently whisk the ingredients in a bowl to aerate (which is all sifting is, anyway). Voila! Perfectly sifted ingredients.