By Olivia Fowler

For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

We often associate cookies with Christmas, but I believe there are plenty of other holidays that can do with a good cookie, like Thanksgiving and Easter.

For one thing, there are usually so many rich foods on the table, even thinking about a heavy dessert can make a person a little queasy.

So maybe it’s time to turn to a treat that’s just a little lighter. One cookie will not have as much impact as one slice of pie or cake.

I really like the featured cookies this week.

You certainly don’t have to make all four varieties, and if you choose gingerbread men, remember, you can always use a different-shaped cookie cutter if you think it’s not the right time of year for the familiar figure to appear on the dessert table.

Please enjoy and have a safe, happy and possibly Zoom-filled holiday.

By Olivia Fowler

For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

Some of these recipes go back a long way.

One of my all-time favorites is the old-fashioned pineapple upside-down cake my grandmother used to make in a cast-iron frying pan. This was a specialty of hers for Sunday night suppers. It never lasted long enough to make leftovers.

The upsy daisy cake was popular in the 1930s, and there are versions of this recipe in old cookbooks.

The banana split cake is easy to make and is a really decadent dessert, and the black bottom cupcakes are popular party fare.

None of this stuff is calorie-free, but sometimes you have to let it go out the window and just enjoy.

By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

This is that time of year when gardeners are faced with lots of green tomatoes that probably won’t be able to get ripe. So, what do you do with them? Of course you can always fry them. And that’s one way.

These four recipes offer a little more variety. We like the chow chow as an accompaniment to field peas in the winter. Use it any way you like.

None of these are difficult, but some do take a little more prep time than others. It’s important to use green tomatoes before they begin to lighten in color and soften. The firmer, the better.

For the pickles, I use the smaller ones, about the size of a golf ball. For the chow chow, I always ask for a little chopping help. Please enjoy these.

By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

We take sweet potatoes pretty much for granted around here, and I admit a really good baked sweet potato is hard to beat. They’re moist, naturally sweet and a real comfort food when the weather starts cooling off.

Baking is not the only way to cook sweet potatoes, and you may be surprised at their versatility. One of the things most pleasing things about sweet potatoes are their color. The bright, vivid color really adds to their appeal.

By Olivia Fowler

For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

There are many different varieties of peppers on the market, and different levels of heat for each variety.

This week, we feature recipes with very mild to hotter peppers. The jalapeno poppers are the hottest dish featured, then the stuffed Poblano, the baked banana pepper poppers and the mildest sweetest recipe, the stuffed pimento peppers.

We are very fortunate in having access to many varieties of peppers brought to America from other countries, and we enjoy them prepared many different ways.

By Olivia Fowler

For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

If given a choice between pie or cake as dessert, pie is usually picked around our house.

Our crowd claims that all but a few cakes dry out too quickly.

They like the moist richness of cream pies. Favorites include chocolate, vanilla, banana and butterscotch.

This is fortunate for the cook, as all are variations of a basic cream filling.

This week we are featuring a basic cream filling with meringue topping and a chocolate, banana and butterscotch version of this pie.

By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier

The most important thing to remember about pears is to allow them to ripen before using.

Most of the pears in grocery stores are not ripe, but if left out of the refrigerator for a couple of days at home, they will ripen beautifully.

If you have access to a pear tree, you’ll know to pick the pears just before they’re ready and then let them ripen on the counter.

There’s nothing quite like a ripe pear. It’s mild in flavor, sweet and juicy. Please enjoy this week’s recipes.

By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com

Celery is a vegetable that is overlooked and often taken for granted. We’re used to seeing it in salads and paired with carrots as a vegetable to dip in various and sundry substances, but it’s time to regroup.
Don’t neglect celery as more than just a tired old snack food.
It has the advantage of being nutritious and a real plus as far as diets go, and it’s considered a negative-rated source of calories.
String it before eating, a task easily done with a

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