1 c raw walnuts (or roasted and unsalted)
1/4 c brown sugar
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of pepper and/or cayenne pepper

In large pan, combine walnuts and sugar over medium high heat. Stir frequently until sugar starts to melt. Lower heat, and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes, or until sugar starts to fully melt and cover nuts. Add spices and continue to cook for an additional minute or two, until nuts are well glazed and seasonings are well mixed in. Be careful not to burn! Pour onto sheet of wax paper on a cooling rack, and spread out. Allow to cool. Store in tightly-sealed container.

This is another good arugula recipe from the San Francisco Food and Wine Newsletter

Lemony Arugula Salad with Feta, Mint & Garlic Croutons

INGREDIENTS:
4 slices day-old sourdough bread, cut into bite-size cubes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 to 8 cups arugula
Handful fresh mint leaves
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 to 2 shallots, chopped
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces wonderful-quality feta cheese, preferably Greek
I
NSTRUCTIONS: Lightly toast the bread under the broiler. Do not let it get too dark, you only want crisp and crunchy. Remove it from the oven and toss with the chopped garlic. Set aside while you put together the salad.

Toss the arugula with the mint, lemon zest, shallots, then the olive oil and lemon juice. Top with the feta cheese and garlicky croutons. Serve right away.

Serves 4

1/4 pound butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp cream or milk
1 1/4 cups flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream the butter, then gradually add the sugar, beating until light. Add the egg, vanilla, and cream or milk, and beat thoroughly.

Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together, add to the first mixture, and blend well.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
6 ounces Mexican chocolate, preferably Ibarra, finely chopped
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, plus shavings for garnish
Unsweetened whipped cream, for serving

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk with the heavy cream and bring to a simmer over moderately high heat.

2. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks until combined. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of the hot milk, then transfer the mixture to the saucepan. Cook the custard over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until it is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Immediately add the finely chopped Mexican and bittersweet chocolate and remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted, then strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large glass measuring cup or bowl. Pour the chocolate mixture into 6 small bowls and refrigerate until the pots de crème are chilled, at least 6 hours or overnight. Serve the pots de crème with unsweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

The recipe can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerated for up to 3 days.

3 cups of oats (not the quick kind)
about 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, optional
touch of vanilla extract, optional
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup honey (could use brown sugar instead)
1 T maple syrup, optional
1/4 cup unsalted butter
handful of coarsely chopped raw almonds (not salted)
handful of raisins and chopped apricots

Preheat oven to 350 F
Melt butter with honey and maple syrup, salt & vanilla.
Mix oats with coconut, and almonds in a large bowl then pour honey mixture over top and combine.
Spread out onto two baking sheets and bake approximately 30 mins - be sure to move mixture around, scraping the bottom every once in a while during baking to avoid burning. When evenly golden brown set out to cool.
Always add chopped fruit AFTER granola has been taken out to cool.
Store in an air tight container

Although St. Martin's life was austere and sober, his day was always celebrated in the Old World manner, with feasting, merriment, and thanksgiving for harvest foods. In Poland rich cookies shaped like horseshoes were baked for St. Martin's snow-white horse, on which he "comes riding through the snow" when one least expects him.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats, uncooked

DIRECTIONS
Cream butter or margarine; add sugar gradually while continuing to cream; beat until fluffy. Stir in vanilla, flour, and salt. Blend in rolled oats. Roll out about 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured board. Cut in strips 6 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. On ungreased cookie sheets shape strips to resemble horseshoes. Bake at 325° for 20 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove carefully, as cookies are very rich and break easily.

Bring to a boil while stirring, over lower heat.
Pour in 1 more cup of cream.
Stir well and cook until the color turns to a delicious butterscotch color. This takes 15-25 minutes depending on the heat so sing, and tell stories and take turns stirring.

Have a small cup of water with ice cubes nearby and once the color begins to turn, drop in a little spoonful and see if it is setting up or not. Make sure it forms a hard ball before you pour the mixture into the buttered pans. Sometimes I pour it out too soon and we don't care really we just enjoy softer caramels....

You can add 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts at the end if you like or sprinkle them over the buttered pan.

Let cool if you can stand it, and cut into squares and wrap in waxed paper, twist the ends. A delicious and sweet treat for the holidays, reminding us of when the farmer wives had too much cream and too much butter on hand to use up!

The recipe yields about two mini tarts (each tart yields 3-4 small servings)

Dough
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 T. sugar
¼ tsp. table salt
8 T. unsalted butter
¼ C. + 1 T. ice water

Whisk flour, sugar and salt together. Cut butter into flour and incorporate butter into flour mixture until butter is in small pieces. Add ice water and continue to stir with fork until mixture comes together to form a mass. Add more ice water if necessary, one tablespoon at a time. Gently form mass into a ball and divide into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes and as long as overnight.

To Assemble:

Slice one whole fruit per tart. We've been using two peaches.
pinch sugar, pinch salt
1 T. butter, melted
1 tsp. sugar
parchment paper
vanilla ice cream

1. Toss peach slices with the pinches of sugar and salt. Set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll one disk out approximately into a 9-inch circle, using flour as needed to prevent sticking. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and transfer dough to parchment paper. Arrange fruit in concentric circles.

2. Finish the tart by folding the exposed border over the tart onto itself, crimping to make a folded-over border. Chill tart in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Brush dough with butter and sprinkle sugar over entire tart. Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden. Let cool for five minutes on tray then slide parchment paper and tart onto a cooling rack. Let cool another 20 minutes before slicing.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.