Is that a beautiful plant or what? What it is is a new RED spinach developed and released by the USDA Agricultural Service. The spinach the first true red and is called USDA Red.

USDA Red is supposed to be good for fresh baby leaves, freezing and canning use. It has an even higher nutritional content than green spinach, containing betacyanin which is an even more potent anti-oxidant than anthocyanin. What a nice looking addition to a salad or pot of greens. And if you garden to add to your freezer or canning cupboard, this would be a colorful bonus.

Beauty and nutrition; a double home run. I wish I could grow some now to see how it tastes!

Thank You https://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2008/12/cherry-cheese-coffee-cake-for-christmas.html

Man, I just hit this recipe for Cherry Cheese Coffee Cake for Christmas.   It seems VERY easy, as you use canned crescent roll dough and has only a few other ingredients. The blog author, Jessica Gordon, attributes this recipe to Pampered Chef.

It calles for commercial cherry pie filling, but you could just weigh out the same of your home-preserved filling. And if you wanted to use apple or some other filling, who's gonna stop you? I am sure your homemade stuff is MUCH better than the store-bought, right?

Check it out. You might just need something quick and sweet for Christmas Morning. Or some other morning!

Cherry Cheese Coffee Cake
Source: Pampered Chef

Cake & Filling

2 (8 oz. each) pkgs. refrigerated crescent rolls

8 oz. cream cheese

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract

21 oz. can cherry pie filling

Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2-3 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Unroll crescent dough and arrange 12 of the triangles in a circle with wide ends toward the outside edge of the Large Round Stone - the points will not meet in the center.

Lightly flour and roll out the seams making a 14" circle with a 3" hole in the center.

Combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg & vanilla and spread over dough. Top with pie filling.

Cut each of the 4 remaining triangles into thirds (starting at the wide end opposite the point and cutting lengthwise to the point). Arrange over filling evenly in spoke-like pattern. Press ends to seal at center and outer edges.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly.

Mix powdered sugar and milk until glaze consistency and drizzle over coffee cake.

Here's an update on the November Class:  Eat Dessert First.  This class will include Make and Take Apple Pie Filling. a recipe for freezer preservation. Just defrost your frozen pie filling and have pie!

I say--life is short, so sometimes you GOTTA eat dessert FIRST--so attend this class and get some good dessert recipes to eat and share--before dinner, of course!