William Tell Bake

I used to live in St. Louis. While I resided there, I attended a church called The Center for Spiritual Living. It was a nondenominational church. I met many people from different backgrounds and religions. It was interesting.

We served coffee along with foods provided by members or cooked items that were brought into the reception area after each Sunday service. I never knew who was bringing what or for which of the two services. We did have some staples on hand as well as some spices. Creativity reigned supreme since we just never knew what we had to work with that day. I loved to cook there!

I was fortunate enough to learn some cooking tips from Patrice. She did catering for a while. I learned how to present a beautiful fruit or vegetable tray. She also taught me how to create eye-catching displays that varied in height by hiding boxes under the tablecloth. Eventually, she tired of volunteering and I took over the cooking but not the running of the kitchen.

I used to joke with many of the members that they were my guinea pigs. They would laugh and tell me they were more than happy to do it. I was able to try out many recipes and the members provided feedback; either by the way it disappeared fast or by word of stuffed mouth.

The greeters loved it when I was there. They would come back often to see what I was putting together. They were able to sample everything while the rest of the members were attending service down the hall. Sometimes the dishes were finished off before the service finished.

This recipe was one of many of their favorites to enjoy. The smell of baking apples and cinnamon wafted into the service causing their stomachs to growl and their mouths to drool.

William Tell Bake

I Gala Apple Chopped

1 Fuji Apple Chopped

1 Honeycrisp Apple Chopped

1 Cup Pecans Chopped

½ Cup Dried Cranberries

1/4 Cup Dates Chopped

1 Tsp Vanilla

½ Cup Brown Sugar*

Dash Ginger

Dash Nutmeg

1 Tsp Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325. Combine all fruit in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and thoroughly mix. Pour mixture into a 9 x 9 baking pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake another 20 minutes.

*If you would like it juicier, add another 1/3 cup brown sugar.

Let cool 10 minutes and spoon into bowls. Top with a scoop of your favorite nondairy frozen dessert. I used strawberry, but many might prefer vanilla.

Optional: sprinkle with homemade granola.

Fruit and Nut Granola

2 ½ Cups Old Fashioned Oats Raw

½ Cup Brown Sugar

½ Tsp Ginger

½ Tsp Nutmeg

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1 Cup Chopped Nuts

½ Cup Shredded Coconut *

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1/3 Cup Agave Sweetener

½ Cup Coconut Oil

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1 Cup Dried Cranberries

6 Dried Figs Chopped

½ Cup Dates Chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet or 13 x 9 pan with parchment paper or spray with coconut or baking oil. Parchment paper is best.

Mix the dry ingredients minus the chopped fruit. The fruit is added after it’s been baked a while.

Add the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spread evenly into the pan or baking sheet.

Bake 15 minutes. Take out of the oven and toss again and bake another 5 minutes. Take out of the oven and add the fruit. Carefully mix and let cool before storing. I divide it in half: one half goes in the freezer and the other in the fridge.

*This could be optional since many may not like coconut in this particular dessert.