Although the book says they're not really good to can, there are those who do can them and like the results, which is why the canned recipe was re-instated. You could do a small test batch and see if if's something you care for. In case you're wondering, canning rutabagas is not a safety issue; it's just that some find the resulting flavor strong or bitter. Others enjoy it - a difference of personal taste. Carol

Jo, While there is something about the tree's leaves that seems familiar, I don't know what it is and don't think I've seen them here. That's not unusual though as your soil (including soil pH) and rainfall in NE OK is quite different from mine here in SC OK and y'all have a lot of trees that will grow there and which do not seem to grow here. The tree I'm familiar with that has similar leaves and fruit is the Carolina Linden and that's one possibility but I'm only guessing because I've never seen a Linden tree growing here in my part of Oklahoma. Have you noticed what sort of blooms form? Small ones? Showy ones? White? Pink? Purple? Fragrant? And, if you have noticed the blooms that eventually give rise to the fruit, do you know which month the flowers bloom? Also, do the little fruits stay green or do they mature to another color in late fall or winter? Finally, if you cut into a fruit does it have seeds. How many? What color are they? I bet someone here will know what your tree is. If you want to try something fun, click on the link below and answer the questions and see what this website decides your tree is. (It may not be correct, but then again, it might be.) Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: What Tree Is This?

I made these last night, after remembering them from years ago. I had two pounds of tofu I needed to use up. I would think you could cut the recipe in half and use one pound of tofu if you liked. Mine were probably twice the size of the recommended 1", so I had to cook them longer. They're hard to turn without smushing, so I left them in their original position. Also, I didn't have sesame oil so I sprayed them with a little olive oil. Tofalafels Ingredients 2 pounds tofu, pressed or squeezed 1/2 cup minced onion 1/2 cup sesame seeds 1/2 cup bread crumbs 2 tablespoons tahini 2 teaspoons cumin 2 teaspoons natural soy sauce or tamari 1 3/4 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne Sesame oil Accompaniments: Pita bread Chopped tomatoes Green salad fixings 1/2 cup yogurt 1/2 cup tahini Lemon juice to taste Method: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Mash the tofu. Add the remaining tofalafel ingredients except sesame oil, and mix thoroughly. Form into 1-inch balls, and place on oiled baking sheet. Brush the tofalafels with sesame oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. When the tofalafels have browned on one side after about 20 minutes, turn to brown the other side for the remainder of the cooking time. Serve hot in warm pita bread with tomatoes, green salad, and a yogurt dressing of equal parts yogurt and tahini, with lemon juice to taste. Serves 4 to 6

I learned to make pasties from my mother in law, who was born and raised in Houghton, MI. She always used beef suet and butter in the crust with the flour, salt and water. They called pasties with rutabegas Finlander pasties. The ones I make call for cubed top sirloin, potatoes, onions and topped with salt, pepper and butter. I haven't made them since DH had coronary bypass surgery....and it is difficult to find good beef suet in our area. DH's family always used a lot of catsup on theirs but I like hot Mexican salsa or pickled jalapenos on mine.