Gifts from Your Kitchen

32 ounces good-quality white chocolate, such as
Callebaut, chilled and coarsely chopped
1 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise and chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1. Place about 12 ounces chocolate and chopped vanilla bean in food processor. Pulse just until chocolate is granular. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Place about 10 ounces chocolate and ground ginger in processor. Pulse just until chocolate is granular. Add to chocolate-vanilla bean mixture.
3. Place remaining chocolate, nutmeg, cardamom and peppers in processor. Pulse just until chocolate is granular. Add to chocolate-vanilla bean mixture. Stir well.
4. Spoon into half-pint jars or small zip-lock bags. Makes about 7 ½ cups.

Hot Chocolate Chai: Pour 1 cup scalded milk into a mug. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons mix; whisk well.

White Christmas Lattes: Combine equal parts strong coffee and Hot Chocolate Chai.

White Chocolate Chai Fondue: Heat 1/3 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat; add 1 cup mix and whisk.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "Gifts from Your Kitchen," Relish the Holiday, November 2007.

1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup old-fashioned oats
3 cups whole-wheat flour
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
2 1/4 cup stone-ground yellow or white cornmeal
1 cup sugar
1 (12-ounce) container buttermilk powder
5 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 tablespoons salt

1. Toast sesame seeds in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Stir constantly, until fragrant and light brown, about 4 minutes. Immediately remove from the stove. Pour into a bowl to cool.
2. Place oats into a food processor and pulse until powdery. Add sesame seeds and pulse to grind. (Mixture will be mostly powdery with a few whole seeds here and there. Don’t over-grind, or you’ll end up releasing too much oil).
3. Transfer oatmeal mixture to a large bowl. Add flours, cornmeal, sugar and buttermilk powder. Stir well.
4. Sift baking powder, baking soda and salt over flour mixture. Stir well.
5. Transfer into 1-pint jars or zip-top bags. To prevent rancidity, both from the whole-grain flours and sesame seeds, store in the freezer. Makes about 16 cups; when reconstituted, each cup serves 2 to 4.

Open Sesame Pancakes: Beat 2 eggs with 1 cup water in a medium bowl. Whisk in 2 cups pancake mix and 4 teaspoons vegetable oil; do not overbeat. Heat a heavy nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Ladle in batter. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Makes 4 (4-inch) pancakes. Serves 2.

Toasty Open Sesame Waffles: Whisk together 2 egg yolks (reserve whites) and 1 cup water. Whisk in 2 cups pancake mix and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil just until well combined. Preheat a waffle iron. Beat egg whites until stiff; gently fold into batter. Pour batter onto waffle iron, following manufacturer’s directions, and cook until done, about 4 to 6 minutes. Makes 4 (6-inch) waffles. Serves 2.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "Gifts from Your Kitchen," Relish the Holiday, November 2007.

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils
6 whole bay leaves
3 cups pearled barley
1 1/2 cups dried porcini and shiitake mushrooms, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups dried yellow split peas
3/4 cup mixed dried vegetables for soup (such as Just Corn, Just Peas and Just Tomatoes)
2 tablespoons dried dill weed

1. Place ½ teaspoon black pepper in the bottom of 6 (1-pint) jars. (If making in 8-ounce jars, half all ingredients.) Pour ¼ cup red lentils into each jar.
2. Place one bay leaf in each jar, vertically against the inside of the glass, anchoring the tip in the lentils. Pour ½ cup barley into each jar, holding bay leaf against jar until the barley keeps it in place.
3. Place ¼ cup mushrooms in each jar. Press down to eliminate air pockets.
4. Pour ¼ cup split yellow peas in each jar, followed by a heaping 2 tablespoons of vegetables in each jar.
5. Top each jar with 1 teaspoon dill weed, and place lids tightly on jars. Makes 6 (1-pint) or 12 (1-cup) jars.

Wild Mushroom, Bean & Barley Soup: For this soup, you’ll need 4 cups of packaged mushroom broth. Combine 1 pint soup mix, 4 cups water and 2 cups mushroom broth in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Stir well, cover, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Stire in remaining 2 cups mushroom broth and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 40 to 50 minutes, until barley and peas are tender. Makes 10 cups.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "Gifts from Your Kitchen," Relish the Holiday," November 2007.