Harvest Topiary Recipes

HARVEST RICE DISH

Steps:

• Place almonds on an ungreased baking sheet. Toast at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 5 to 8 minutes.
• Mix broth, brown rice, and wild rice in a medium saucepan, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes, until rice is tender and broth is absorbed.
• In medium skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and brown sugar. Saute until butter is absorbed and onions are translucent and soft. Reduce heat, and cook onions for another 20 minutes, until they are caramelized.
• Stir cranberries and mushrooms into the skillet. Cover, and cook 10 minutes or until berries start to swell. Stir in almonds and orange zest, then fold the mixture into the cooked rice. Salt and pepper to taste.

HARVEST TOPIARY

Steps:

• Cut 2 pieces of florist foam into 2 1/2-by-3-inch cubes. Place 1 inside each terra-cotta pot. Mix the dried wheat and rye and divide into 2 bunches 3 to 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap and secure each one with wire about halfway down the sheath, and again about 1 inch from the bottom. Hold a bunch securely and press firmly into the florist foam, making sure it is straight vertically. Fill the pot with mixed nuts, mounding them at the center. Cut the ribbon in half, making two 18-inch long pieces. Wrap each ribbon around a bunch several times, covering the wire, and tie with a bow.

HARVEST PATTIES

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Toss together the potatoes, carrot, parsnip, and squash in a large bowl until evenly mixed. Tilting the bowl away from you, collect all the vegetables in your hands and squeeze them to separate the juice. Move the vegetables into a separate bowl and mix in the cinnamon.
• After 5 minutes or so, slowly pour out the juice from the first bowl - the bottom of the bowl should be coated with starch. Combine the starch with egg and flour, using a fork to stir it together. Then take the starch mixture in your hands and massage it through the shredded vegetables. Separate the mix into little balls, about 1 inch thick, and flatten onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the patties in the oven until lightly browned around the edges, about 20 minutes; flip and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes more.