Honey Whole Wheat Cookies

1 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup  wheat germ

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Use a combination of all or some of the following to a total of 2 cups-

raisins

shelled unsalted  sunflower seeds

chocolate chips

Cream butter.  Beat in sugar and honey.  Add vanilla and eggs.  In another bowl combine rolled oats, wheat germ, flours, soda, salt.  Add to butter mixture and mix well.  Stir in raisins, sunflower seeds and chocolate chips.

Drop by spoonful onto greased cookie sheets.  Bake in 350 degree oven 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Makes about 60 cookies.

Tourtière

Grandmaman uses several recipes and modifies the ingredients and size according to what's on hand and how large she wants the pie.  The tourtière is a French-Canadian meat pie traditionally served for Christmas Eve supper.  We love to serve tourtière "la veille de Noël" but if the season festivities don't allow for it we'll enjoy it anytime.  Grandpa enjoys his tourtière served with baked beans and fresh bread.  Grandmaman prefers her tourtière with ketchup.

2 lb. ground pork or 2 lb. ground beef or a combination of the two
1 cup boiling water
2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp each ground cloves, cinnamon, savory (or to your taste)
1 bay leaf
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup fresh fine bread crumbs ( Panko works well)

pie crust for 2 pies (This time I used Tenderflake frozen pastry)

In heavy saucepan, combine meat, boiling water, salt, pepper, spices, onionn and garlic.  Cook over medium-high heat, uncovered, stirring continuously, for 10 minutes.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated but mixture is still very moist.  Take out the bay leaf.  Remove from heat: add bread crumbs and stir.  Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.  Let cool completely before filling pies.
Line baking pans (pie plates) with pastry and fill with meat mixture.  Cover with top pastry, seal and flute edges.  Cut slits in tops.  Combine egg and water: brush over top crusts.  Bake in 375 to 425 degree oven for about 30 to 45 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
Grandmaman

Mexican Tortilla Soup

1 tbsp butter

4 small shallots, finely chopped

1 large tomato, peeled and finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

6 cups chicken stock

1 lime, juiced

pinch sugar

2 cups cooked chicken 

(buy half a rotisserie chicken at the supermarket deli, 

remove and discard skin, shred meat)

1 ripe avocado, cubed

Tortilla chips

1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

In a large saucepan, melt butter, then add shallots and sauté for several minutes, until tender.  Add tomato and jalapeno and cook for another 2 minutes.  Pour in stock, then add lime juice and sugar.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add chicken and heat through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, add avocado, a handful of tortilla chips and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro to the soup.