November is upon us and Christmas is around the corner. Marzipan always reminds me of Christmas when my mom would buy Banek from the dutch deli. Banek is an almond filled roll that is so delicious you can't stop at just one piece. Almond paste is expensive to buy but I will show you how you can make a better tasting one at a much lower cost.

Marzipan, Almond Paste, you can easily half the recipe.

Ingredients

• 6 cups of ground raw almonds, no peel (in food processor)
• 6 cups icing sugar
• 3 tsp pure almond extract
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 egg whites

Mix everything in a bowl and then dump on the counter and keep kneading it. The heat of your hand will bring it all together.

Makes 10- one inch rolls then inches long.
Keep the paste wrapped in the fridge or freezer...it wont last long!


I wrap rolled out puff pastry or you can lay out 3 sheets of phylo dough on top of each other and melted butter brushed between each layer and on top then lay out a length of almond paste. Brush on beaten egg white and put on cherries and almonds, then bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Watch them as you only want them lightly browned. Cool, cut and eat.


NOTE: each cup of sliced almonds grinds up to almost a cup of ground almonds. I do mine in the food processor.

You Won't Miss the Clams with this Seared Scallop Chowder

**Seared Scallop Chowder from Pike Place Market**

2 lbs bay scallops
2 cups red skinned potatoes,steamed and diced
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
3 tablespoons sea salt (use salt at your discretion/I used 1 teaspoon)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups water
6 cups heavy cream
1 medium or 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/3 cup lime juice, about 3 limes
Cooking oil vegetable or canola
A pinch of chopped parsley or chives and paprika makes for a nice garnish 

Cover the bottom of a large soup pot with mild-tasting cooking oil and bring to a high heat. Chop bay scallops into smaller piece and add to pot to sear lightly, turning frequently. Lower heat. Add diced onion and celery and saute until translucent. Mix in sea salt.

 Sprinkle flour over the mixture and slowly add water, stirring constantly until thick and smooth.  Add cream and pre-cooked diced potatoes. Stir until chowder reaches 190degrees F. Remove from heat. Add chopped tomatoes, dill and lime juice. Sprinkle with chopped chives and paprika. Let the mixture cool to 155 degrees F and enjoy this peoples favourite chowder from Pike Place Market Chowder.

*For gluten free chowder substitute rice flour or arrowroot.

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This is a delicious recipe that I had found and follow it to a t. It makes 3 7x3 loaves, moist, spicy and tastes even better the next day! It kind of reminds of me of a Dutch Koek. I often double this recipe so I have some for the freezer but make sure your oven is big enough.

Ingredients.

• 1 (15 oz can pumpkin puree or 2 cups). We grow our own small pie pumpkins which are small and the flesh is very orange, then in the fall I bake them and puree in food processor, then in the freezer it goes in 2 cup bags.
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup water or orange juice
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3- 3 1/2 cups of flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ginger

Optional.....1/2 to 1 cup of raisins