Here's a simple twist on our Everyday Applesauce and Ginger Applesauce recipes. It's made with pears and apples, and it comes out super smooth and delicious. Add in some dates or raisins, a few walnuts or cashews, and some extra cinnamon sprinkled on top for a light, nourishing breakfast or snack.

Ingredients: Serves 2-4
2 Fuji apples, peeled (if desired), cores removed
2 pears, peeled (if desired), cores removed
2 Medjool dates, pitted
2 tablespoons raisins
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions
Cut fruit into pieces. Chop dates.
Put all ingredients into a food processor.
Pulse several times, then run machine to desired texture.
Sprinkle on additional cinnamon, and serve.

The day after Christmas, my father left this world. We were on our way to be with him, flying to California, hoping to make it to his bedside before he breathed his last breath. The sun was going down in a blaze of golden light. It spread across the land like a blanket of love, and far across the horizon to the east, in a soft, pale yellow glow. Just before landing, the sun reach a molten brilliance that took my breath away, and I wondered if the solar display had been his send off.

Dad lived to be almost ninety, which was his goal. On Christmas Eve just as I was going to sleep, he came to me in a golden light to say goodbye. It is a vision I will always remember. A week prior, I'd had a vivid dream of a Buddha in lotus position, sitting in a garden filled with flowers, birds, and trees, and, another image of an angel, so exquisite, in a garden too, with its wings lifting. These felt like visions that he might have been seeing, gifts that came to me through him.

About 8 years ago I shared some of my poems with him, and after reading them all, he looked up and said, "this is my favorite". I was deeply touched that he was moved by this spiritual poem. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to see either Temple Food, or Celebrate, which I know he would have loved.

The photos shown here are of us: one was taken when I was a girl, on the coast of Washington where the family vacationed. I loved taking long walks along the beach with the booming sound of the crashing waves, and the peace and solitude of the place. The other photo is of us in Ketchikan during an Alaskan cruise when dad was in his 80's and still able to get around. He and Sharon, my step mom, had gifted this wonderful trip to Rex and me. It was a dream come true, with memories to last a lifetime.

My love of cooking and experimenting in the kitchen came from him, as did my passion for photography, growing food, gardening, and being in nature. Similarly, my mother's passions of art, music, dance, and poetry had a major influence on me. He taught me to aim high, then even higher. He served in the Naval Air Force during World War II, was an entrepreneur, shook hands with Presidents Ford, Regan, Bush, and Governor Clinton, and he influenced thousands of people through the work he did with independent businesses. It seemed that he aspired to greatness with everything he did, yet he never talked of his accomplishments. I learned so much through him and I dedicate this poem to him.