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An apple pear pie prepared with locally-grown fruit, potato bread using potatoes grown at Crystal Spring Earth Center in Plainville served with a homemade tomato jelly, and canned dill pickles derived from cucumbers from an area farmer's market were among the dishes shared at a recent potluck dinner in a celebratory conclusion to a local group's six-week discussion series on "Menu for the Future."

The idea was to serve up dishes to share which contained at least a couple of locally-grown, or at least largely organic, ingredients, drawing on the theme of the book by that name which was the focal point of discussions taking place both at Murray Unitarian Universalist Church in Attleboro and the First Universalist Society of Franklin.

The groups explored food systems and their impacts on culture, society and ecological systems; agricultural and individual practices that promote personal and ecological well-being; and ways to create and support sustainable food systems.

In short, participants said the sessions served to raise awareness about the food they eat and taught them to treat it not just as sustenance, but as a way to share and celebrate life and to appreciate the environment around them.

Here are recipes of several of the dishes shared at the potluck. Fully enjoy with family and friends. Slow-Cooked Vegetable Soup

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large potato, peeled and diced

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cup chicken or vegetable broth

2 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped 1 can (16 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans or chick peas, rinsed and drained

2 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 bay leaf

Dash cayenne pepper

In a large skillet, saute the onion, celery and green pepper in oil until crisp-tender. Add potato, sweet potato and garlic; saute 3-5 minutes longer. Transfer to a 5 qt slow cooker. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.

Recipe from "Soup from the Heart," a cookbook put together by and available at Murray Unitarian Universalist Church.

Fast No-Knead Bread

1/2 cup whole rye flour

2 cup. whole wheat flour

1/2 cup coarse cornmeal

1 teaspoon instant yeast

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Oil as needed

1. Combine flours, cornmeal, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest about 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Oil a standard loaf pan (8 or 9 inches by 4 inches; nonstick works well). Lightly oil your hands and shape dough into a rough rectangle. Put it in pan, pressing it out to the edges. Brush top with a little more oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 1 hour more.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread about 45 minutes, or until loaf reaches an internal temperature of 210 degrees. Remove bread from pan and cool on a rack. Yield: 1 loaf. Recipe from The New York Times.

Baked couscous with spinach and pine nuts. (Serves 6-8)

1 cup couscous

1 1/2 cup water or broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1 chopped onion

a few minced garlic cloves

1 28 oz. can chopped tomatoes

about 10 fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup pinenuts

10 oz. fresh spinach

ground pepper

1 cup. grated muenster cheese

Combine couscous with boiling water (or broth) and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Saute garlic and onion in oil about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes. When mixture starts to boil, add couscous, basil, pine nuts, spinach and pepper. Spread 1/2 inch in a 12-by-7-by-2-inch pan. Sprinkle with cheese then top with remaining mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Apple Pear Pie

Crust: 2 cup unbleached flour

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup milk

Filling: local apples and pears to fill, peeled and sliced

cinnamon and pinch of nutmeg

3/4 cup sugar

Cook at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, lower to 350 for another 30 minutes. Recipe by local resident Linda Legendre.