Sour Cream & Chive Potato Bread

Total Time: 3 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces sour cream (light is ok, nonfat is a poor option)
• 1/2 cup leftover mashed potatoes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1/4-1/2 cup finely chopped chives

Recipe

• 1 combine all of the ingredients and mix till cohesive. knead the dough, by hand or mixer, till it's smooth, about 5 to 10 minutes, adding water or flour if needed. the dough will become fairly elastic, though still somewhat stiff. place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl or dough-rising bucket, cover it, and allow it to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it’s quite puffy (though not necessarily doubled in bulk.).
• 2 shape the dough into an 8-inch log, and place it in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. cover the pan with a proof cover or lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the loaf to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until it’s crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan.
• 3 for sandwich rolls, divide the dough into six pieces, each about 4 1/2 ounces in weight. roll each piece into a smooth ball, then flatten the balls (using your fingers and/or a rolling pin) till they’re about 4 inches in diameter. place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, about 1 inch apart, and cover them with a proof cover or lightly greased plastic wrap. allow the rolls to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour (or longer, depending on the temperature of your kitchen), till they’re noticeably puffy, though probably not doubled in bulk.
• 4 bake the bread in a preheated 350°f oven for about 40 minutes; an instant read thermometer inserted into the center will read about 190°f bake the rolls in a preheated 350°f oven for 22 to 27 minutes, or until they’re a light golden brown. remove the bread or rolls from the oven, and brush with melted butter, if desired, for a soft, flavorful crust. transfer to a rack to cool.

Everything Bagel Bombs

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (plain, not low-fat)
• 1 cup green onion, thinly sliced (green part only)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (225 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast (1/4 packet)
• 7/8 cup water, room temperature (185 grams)
• mild vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon dried onion, flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon water

Recipe

• 1 put the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream on medium speed, until fluffy. scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the green onions, sugar and salt and paddle briefly to incorporate. adjust to taste.
• 2 scoop the cream cheese mixture onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet in 8 even lumps and freeze until completely frozen, 1 to 3 hours.
• 3 to make the dough, stir together the flour, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer using the dough hook. continue stirring as you add the water, mixing for 1 minute, until the mixture has come together into a shaggy consistancy .
• 4 engage the bowl and dough hook and mix the dough on the lowest speed for 3 minutes or until the ball of dough is smoother and more cohesive. then knead for 4 more minutes on the lowest speed. the dough should look like a wet ball and should bounce back softly when prodded.
• 5 brush a large bowl with oil and place the dough into it. cover with plastic wrap and let the dough proof at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• 6 the make the seed mixutre, mix together the salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onion flakes, onion powder and garlic powder. (note: should there be any leftover mixture, store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.).
• 7 preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• 8 punchdown and flatten the dough on a smooth, dry surface. divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. use your fingers to gently stretch each piece of dough out into a mini pizza shape, between 2 and 3 inches wide.
• 9 put a frozen cream cheese ball in the center of each dough circle. bring up the edges of each round and pinch to seal so that the cream cheese ball is completely contained. gently roll each ball between the palms of your hands to ensure the bomb has a nice, round, dinner roll shape. arrange the bombs 4 inches apart on a parchment or silpat-lined cookie sheet.
• 10 whisk the egg and 1/2 teaspoon water together and brush a generous coat of egg wash on each bun. sprinkle a heavy even coating of the seed mix all over the bagel bombs–every possible inch, except for the bottoms, should be coated. (i would dip them into the mixture, rolling to ensure good coverage.).
• 11 bake the bagel bombs for 20 to 30 minutes. while in the oven, the bombs will become a deep golden brown and a few may have cream cheese leakage. not to worry–serve them as is or use your fingers to tuck the cream cheese back inside the bagel bomb.
• 12 bagel bombs are best served warm out of the oven–or flashed in the oven later to warm and serve. if not eaten immediately, once completely cooled, wrap them well in plastic and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Poblano-stuffed Bacon -wrapped "lazy" Poppers

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin
• 1 lb turkey sausage, sweet italian
• 6 -8 poblano peppers
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 6 -8 slices turkey bacon

Recipe

• 1 in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. brown the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon--about 7 minutes. drain on a paper towel.
• 2 wash peppers. cut a slit lengthwise on one side of each pepper, and then carve about a quarter inch of pepper out alongside this slit so your fingers can barely fit inches it's a bit tricky, but gently using the flexibility of the pepper and the narrow opening, i was able to wash out the seeds and membranes without breaking the pepper, while also providing enough room for the filling.
• 3 in a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, parmesan, and sour cream until well combined. stir in the cooled sausage.
• 4 using a small spoon, stuff the peppers with the cream cheese mixture. wrap each pepper with bacon and secure with toothpick by inserting pick into both pepper and bacon to hold. if it doesn't come close to wrapping around, just drape it over the top (where filling is), and secure.
• 5 preheat grill to medium. brush grates with vegetable oil. set peppers on grill. cover and cook until peppers are tender and bacon is crisp--about 30 minutes.
• 6 enjoy!

Spiced Pineapple Jam

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 5 cups fresh pineapple, cut and mash half
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 7 cups sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon butter
• 1 (3 ounce) package pectin

Recipe

• 1 combine the pineapple, cloves, stick of cinnamon and 1 cup of sugar in a pan and let stand for 1 hour.
• 2 after 1 hour, add the remaining sugar and place the pan over a medium-high heat; stir constantly until the sugar dissolves.
• 3 bring the mix to a rolling boil for two minutes.
• 4 remove the pan from the flame and skim off any foam that accumulates.
• 5 place the pan over the heat again for 1 minute to boil.
• 6 again, remove and skim off the foam. add the butter and bring the mixture to a boil again.
• 7 take off heat, take out the cloves and stick of cinnamon. add the 1sp ground cinnamon, add the pectin and stir constantly.
• 8 bring to a rolling boil again for 1 minute. take of heat and skim off the foam.
• 9 allow the jam to cool for 5/10 minutes.
• 10 ladle into canning jars. wipe rim with sterilized cloth.
• 11 apply lids then rings and tighten to fingertip tightness.
• 12 process in a water bath for your altitude time.
• 13 p.s. i know it seems like allot of boiling time, but pineapple is a hard fruit and this foams allot. you can also use canned pineapple, just make sure it is not in sugar syrup and can skip the 1 hour soaking time.

Spotted Dog

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (preferably unbleached)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2/3 cup golden raisins (or more if you'd like) or 2/3 cup seedless raisin (or more if you'd like)
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4-1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 425°f.
• 2 in a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt and sugar. add raisins and toss well. form a well.
• 3 break an egg in a 2-cup glass measuring cup and beat lightly. add buttermilk to bring the volume up to 1 1/2 cups. pour into the well in the flour. using one hand, with the fingers open and stiff, mix the flour into the liquid. the dough should be soft, but not very sticky. do not overwork the dough!
• 4 turn dough out onto a floured surface. wash and thoroughly dry your hands; with floured hands, knead bread two or three times to clean up any shaggy edges. pat into a round about 2" thick. transfer to a floured baking sheet. cut a deep cross in the top of the round, allowing the ends of the cuts to drop into the sides of the loaf. prick the triangles thus formed several times with the tip of the knife.
• 5 place loaf in oven and reduce heat to 400°f bake 35-40 minutes, until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when thumped. serve in thick slices with butter and jam, or with cheddar cheese.

Osso Buco With Tomatoes And Kalamata Olives

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 8 -10 veal shanks (use meaty cross-cut, tied with cotton kitchen string)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon seasoning salt or 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 2 small carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 1 large celery rib, diced
• 3 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
• 3 teaspoons dried thyme (rubbed between fingers to release the flavor)
• 2 -4 teaspoons dryed chili flakes (optional or to taste)
• 1 cup red wine (or use wine)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 cup kalamata olive (pitted and halved)
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley (can use more)
• cooked spaghetti
• parmesan cheese

Recipe

• 1 pat the shanks dry using paper towels.
• 2 in a shallow dish mix flour with seasoned salt (or salt) and black pepper).
• 3 coat the shanks in the flour (shaking off any excess flour).
• 4 heat butter with oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven.
• 5 add in shanks and brown on all sides (about 10-12 minutes) remove browned shanks to a bowl.
• 6 add in onions, carrots, celery, chili flakes and thyme; cook stirring with a wooden spoon for about 6 minutes (adding in the garlic the last 2 minutes of cooking).
• 7 add in the wine, broth undrained tomatoes, olives and bay leaves; bring to a boil stirring.
• 8 season with a little salt an black pepper.
• 9 arrange the shanks in the pot in one layer; bring to a boil on top of the stove.
• 10 set oven to 325 degrees.
• 11 transfer the pot to oven and cook covered until tender (about 2-1/2 hours).
• 12 serve with cooked pasta and pass the grated parmesan cheese at the table.

Kourabiethes – Greek Butter Cookies

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 30
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
• additional confectioners' sugar, for dusting (or coating or topping)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees. mix butter and 1 cup sugar until very light and fluffy. stir in egg yolk and brandy. mix sifted flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. mix in the flour and baking powder a little at a time until dough no longer sticks to your fingers. if you are adding the almonds, chop them up into fine pieces. mix them in while mixing in flour, accomodating for the extra ingredient and not letting the cookies get too dry. knead well until dough is smooth and can easily be rolled into balls. take small pieces of dough and shape into balls or small crescents. place on parchment paper on a baking sheet or on a lightly greased sheet. bake for about 15-20 minutes or until very light brown. while still warm, brush very lightly with orange flower or rose water. roll in confectioner’s sugar and set on a tray or plate. use the remaining sugar to sift over top until well covered.

Raspberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 pint raspberries
• 1/4 cup honey
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 7 cups rhubarb, cut in pieces
• 1 (9 inch) pie shells, fully baked
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup ol-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup butter, cold
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Recipe

• 1 filling:.
• 2 in blender, puree raspberries and honey. scrape through fine sieve into bowl.
• 3 whisk in cornstarch to dissolve; add vanilla.
• 4 in saucepan, bring zest, sugar, and water to a simmer. add rhubarb. cover and simmer 8 minutes. rhubarb should be tender, but hold shape.
• 5 add berry mixture and boil 1 minute, stirring till thickened. pour into pie shell.
• 6 topping:.
• 7 combine all ingredients in bowl. with fingers, rub till mixture is enenly moistened and forms clumps. crumble over filling.
• 8 place foil under pie to catch drips. bake at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes until brown.

Ruby Tuesday's Garlic And Rosemary Stuffed Mushrooms

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 head garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 16 mushrooms (2 inch diameter)
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 3/4 cup fine fresh sourdough breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• vegetable oil cooking spray (pam)
• fresh rosemary (to garnish) (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400 degrees f.
• 2 peel outer papery skin from garlic head.
• 3 cut off top 1/3" to expose garlic cloves.
• 4 place garlic head, cut side up, in small ramekin.
• 5 drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over garlic head.
• 6 wrap ramekin in double thickness of foil.
• 7 place in oven; roast garlic for 30 minutes.
• 8 open top of foil, exposing garlic, continue to roast garlic until golden (about 20 minutes).
• 9 remove from oven and cool.
• 10 cut out mushroom stems; chop stems finely.
• 11 melt butter with 1 teaspoon oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat.
• 12 add chopped stems; sauté until beginning to release juices (about 3 minutes).
• 13 add breadcrumbs; stir until crumbs are toasted (about 5 minutes).
• 14 remove skillet from heat.
• 15 mix in parsley and chopped rosemary.
• 16 separate roasted garlic into cloves and peel; reserve oil.
• 17 using fork, finely mash enough garlic in bowl to measure 1 1/2 tablespoons.
• 18 mix in reserved oil.
• 19 stir garlic mixture into chopped mushroom mixture.
• 20 season with salt and pepper.
• 21 line large baking sheet with foil, spray with oil spray.
• 22 brush mushroom caps with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil.
• 23 place rounded side down on prepared sheet.
• 24 lightly salt mushrooms.
• 25 spoon filling into mushrooms, mounding in center.
• 26 **canbe made 1 day ahead.
• 27 cover& chill.
• 28 preheat oven to 375°f.
• 29 bake mushrooms uncovered until tender (about 20 minutes).
• 30 arrange on platter; garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Mulligan Stew

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, cooked and drained
• 2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans vegetarian vegetable soup
• 2 (15 ounce) cans of mac-n-beef macaroni
• 1 (12 ounce) bag of ruffles potato chips or 1 (12 ounce) bag generic chips

Recipe

• 1 after ground beef is cooked and drained add soups and mac-n-beef and heat through.
• 2 serve onto plates and use chips to scoop up.
• 3 goes best with potato salad or like side dish.

Spotted Dog Cakelike Raisin Bread

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups irish flour (read recipe description - 450g) or 3 1/2 cups plain flour (read recipe description - 450g) or 3 1/2 cups unbleached flour (read recipe description - 450g)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (1 imperial teaspoon) or 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (1 imperial teaspoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (1 imperial teaspoon)
• 2 teaspoons caster sugar or 2 teaspoons superfine sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk (read recipe description - 1/2 imperial pint or 1/3 liter) or 1 1/3 cups sour milk (read recipe description - 1/2 imperial pint or 1/3 liter)
• 1/2 cup sultana raisins (any combination) or 1/2 cup golden raisins (any combination) or 1/2 cup dark raisin (any combination)
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar or 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
• 2/3 cup buttermilk (1/4 imperial pint or 166ml) or 2/3 cup sour milk (1/4 imperial pint or 166ml)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 450f/230c/gas mark 6. do not start until oven is ready. then ignore the doorbell, telephone and cell phone until your bread is in the oven. for best results, measure everything before you begin.
• 2 sieve the flour, bread soda, salt and about 2 teaspoons of sugar into a large bowl and mix in the fruit. whisk about 1 1/3 cup of the milk together with the egg. make a well in the center of the flour and pour in almost all of the milk and egg mixture. quickly and with a light touch, use your fingers to quickly and lightly bring the flour in from the edges and mix with the milk, until all the ingredients come together into a dough.
• 3 use your hands, not a spoon or mixer. work quickly and lightly.
• 4 the dough should be soft rather than wet or sticky. if it is too dry add a little more of the milk and egg mix or the of the remaining buttermilk. once it has come together, do not knead, just place it on a floured wooden board, pick up a handful of flour and rub it into the palms of your hands so that they are perfectly dry, and and then shape the dough into a round about 2 inches thick.
• 5 brush the top of the dough with some of the remaining milk and sprinkle the rest of the sugar over it. cut a deep cross on the top of the dough.
• 6 put the bread into the oven immediately.
• 7 after 5 minutes turn the oven down to 400ºf (200ºc/regulo 6). the initial high temperature gives the bread a nice brown crust.
• 8 after another 25 minutes take the bread out and knock on the base. if it sounds hollow it is done, if not return it to the oven for about 5 minutes and then check again.
• 9 eat the day of baking or toast it the next day.

Raspberry Chocolate Cake With Lemon Buttercream

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 6 ounces chocolate, coarsely chopped (can use 6 oz choc chips)
• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package cake mix (the type without pudding)
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 3/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves (do not use jam with seeds)
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• fresh raspberry (optional)

Recipe

• 1 for cake:.
• 2 heat oven to 350. generously grease and flour 2 9â€? round cake pans.
• 3 melt the chocolate in a small glass bowl in the microwave for 1 minute. (it will probably hold most of its shape even though it is starting to melt). remove from the microwave and stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula until smooth. let cool for approximately 5 minutes.
• 4 place the cake mix, water, oil, eggs, egg whites, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a large bowl. add the slightly cooled melted chocolate. mix with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. stop your mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. using a medium speed, mix again for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• 5 divide the batter between your prepared cake pans. smooth the tops with a rubber spatula, then place the pans in the oven on the center rack, side by side.
• 6 set the timer for 28 minutes and then check for doneness. the layers should be golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger. it may take up to 4 minutes longer in the oven, but don’t overcook.
• 7 remove from the oven and place on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes.
• 8 run a knife around the edge of each layer and invert onto a rack, then invert on another rack so that each layer is right side up. allow to cool for at least 30 more minutes.
• 9 for frosting:.
• 10 place the butter and 1 cup of the powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. with an electric mixer, beat on low speed for 30 seconds.
• 11 add the remaining powdered sugar alternately with the milk and lemon juice (1 cup of sugar, then 1 t liquid at a time), blending with the mixer after each addition. add the lemon zest. if the frosting seems very stiff, add up to 1 more tablespoon milk. increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, approx 1 minute.
• 12 to assemble:.
• 13 place the raspberry preserves in a small bowl and stir until it is smooth and no lumps are present.
• 14 using a long serrated knife, carefully split the first cake layer horizontally into halves, creating 2 layers. place the bottom half on a cake plate, cut side up. spread ¼ cup of the raspberry preserves on it. place the top half of the layer, cut side down, on top of the first half. again, spread with ¼ cup of the preserves.
• 15 split the 2nd layer in the same way you did the first. place the bottom half on top of your partially assembled cake, cut side up, and top with the remaining ¼ cup of preserves. then top with the top half, cut side down.
• 16 frost the top and sides of the cake with the lemon buttercream frosting.
• 17 if you are garnishing the cake with fresh raspberries, wait until right before you serve it. otherwise juice from the raspberries will start to spread into the frosting. it won’t ruin it, but it won’t look very pretty after a while.
• 18 store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Patacones (fried Plantain)

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 4 green plantains (do not use yellow, or yellowish green. it vastly changes the taste)
• vegetable oil
• salt

Recipe

• 1 peel plantain, and cut it width wise into 3 or 4 pieces.
• 2 i have found that the easiest way to peel the plantain is to cut roughly 1/4" off of each end of the plantain (the very tips), and then carefully, without cutting into the plantain itself, slicing the skin down one side.
• 3 once you have slit the skin on one side, you can gently pry the peel off with your fingers.
• 4 heat 1" of vegetable oil on medium heat until hot.
• 5 fry plantain pieces on both sides for about 3 minutes, or until the pieces are golden.
• 6 when they are golden, remove from pan and place onto a plate covered with a paper towel.
• 7 flatten the fried plantain.
• 8 i do this by placing the pieces one at a time between 2 pieces of waxed paper, and flattening with my hands.
• 9 be careful not to put too much pressure, or the plantain will stick to the waxed paper.
• 10 just gently flatten them till they are about 1/4" thick.
• 11 place in the hot oil again and fry until both sides are golden brown.
• 12 drain on paper towel covered plate (be sure to change paper towels in between the 2 fryings) and sprinkle with salt.
• 13 serve immediately.
• 14 for an extra special treat, eat the patacones with a thin slice of queso blanco (salty cheese) on top.

Mini Croissants With Frosting

Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
• 2 cups flour
• 1 dash salt
• frosting
• 1 cup butter (whipped)
• 16 ounces powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)

Recipe

• 1 blend butter, salt and cottage cheese, add flour gradually.
• 2 divide into 4 balls. refrigerate 4 hrs or over night.
• 3 roll out each ball into a circle, cut into 8 slices (like a pizza) roll each slice tightly.
• 4 bake 30 min @ 350.
• 5 frosting: mix all frosting ingredients until light and fluffy and spread over warm rolls.
• 6 enjoy!

Flat Bread With Goat Cheese, Arugula, And Balsamic Glaze

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 8 ounces flat bread
• 1 cup arugula, torn into bite sized pieces

Recipe

• 1 in a sauce pan, pour in the vinegar, stir in the brown sugar and simmer until it is thick and reduced to about 1/3, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• 2 remove from the heat.
• 3 spread the goat cheese on the crackers and top with arulgula.
• 4 drizzle with the balsamic glaze and serve.
• 5 enjoy!

Tootsie Rolls

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 5
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup powdered milk
• 1/2 cup corn syrup

Recipe

• 1 mix all ingredients together.
• 2 knead like you would for bread.
• 3 roll into rope shapes and cut into desired lengths.
• 4 wrap with plastic wrap to keep.

Sharon's Meatloaf

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 1/4 ounces lipton onion soup mix
• 1 1/2 lbs hamburger
• 1 small chopped onions or 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup oatmeal, uncooked
• 1 cup v- 8 juice

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350.
• 2 sift lipton onion soup mix to get most of the small pieces of onion out leaving mostly the powdered seasoning. add together in a large bowl hamburger, onion, salt, pepper, lipton powdered seasoning from soup mix. mix it all together using your hands and fingers. then add the uncooked oatmeal and again mix it together. add egg and v-8 juice and again mix together using hand.
• 3 press firmly into a bread pan.
• 4 bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Sour Cherry Pistachio Crisp

Total Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 3/4 lbs sour cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 cup pistachios, unsalted, chopped
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375°f if using frozen cherries, spread them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. let stand at room temperature until cherries have thawed almost completely but still hold their shape, about 30 minutes. drain off any accumulated liquid.
• 2 whisk together the pistachios, flour, oats, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoons salt in a medium bowl; set side.
• 3 put butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until creamy.
• 4 stir pistachio mixture into butter mixture until just combined. work mixture through your fingers until it forms coarse crumbs ranging in size from small peas to gum balls; set topping aside.
• 5 stir together cherries, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. transfer cherry mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish. sprinkle the topping evenly over cherry mixture. bake until topping turns golden and juices are bubbling, 50-60 minutes. let cool on a wire rack 1 hour before serving.

Spooky Halloween Ghost Cake

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 (18 ounce) box yellow cake mix (1 pkg. 2-layer size)
• 3 eggs (or as called for by your cake mix)
• 1/3 cup oil (or as called for by your cake mix)
• 1 1/3 cups water (or as called for by your cake mix)
• 3 1/2 ounces instant vanilla flavor pudding and pie filling
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (16 ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted (4 to 4-1/2 cups)
• black decorating gel
• 5 oreo cookies, divided

Recipe

• 1 prepare cake batter as directed on package. add dry pudding mix; mix well. spoon evenly into 12 paper-lined medium muffin cups. bake as directed on package for cupcakes. remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• 2 beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
• 3 gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.
• 4 arrange cupcakes on large serving platter or tray to resemble a ghost as shown in diagram (http://www.kraftfoods.com/pdf/ghostcupcake.pdf). spread with frosting. use decorating gel to outline the mouth on the cupcakes.
• 5 finely crush 3 of the cookies; sprinkle inside mouth.
• 6 place remaining 2 cookies on cupcakes to resemble eyes.
• 7 to make a bigger ghost, double the amount of cupcakes you make.
• 8 store in refrigerator.

Roast Lamb With Sage And Potatoes

Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced frsh sage leaves or 2 teaspoons dried sage
• salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
• 3 -4 lbs lamb loin roast, bone-in or 2 -3 lbs boneless lamb roast or 2 -3 lbs fresh ham

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 425*. mix together the garlic, sage, salt and pepper. put the potatoes in a roasting pan that is also large enough to hold the lamb, and toss them with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and about 1 teaspoon of the garlic-sage mixture. place the roasting pan in the oven while you prepare the lamb.
• 2 using a thin-bladed knife and your fingers, make slits all over the lamb and insert most of the remaining garlic-sage mixture. spread the rest of it all over the outside of the roast, and nestle it among the potatoes. pour a little more olive oil over the meat and place it in the oven.
• 3 roast, undisturbed, for 30 minutes. remove it from the oven, stir the potatoes (you will probably have to scrape some of them off the bottom of the pan), and bast the lamb with a little of the pan juices. lower the heat to 325*f and continue to cook, stirring the potatoes every 15 minutes or so. after 1-1/4 hours or so total cooking time, begin to check the meat (it's likely to take longer, but it's worth the checking); when an instant-read thermometer registers 145* to 150*, remove the meat to a warm platter.
• 4 while the meat rests for 10-15 minutes, turn the oven heat up to 450* to make sure the potatoes are done and crisp (use your judgement; you can simply run them under the broiler if they just need a bit of browning, or keep the oven at 325* if they're perfectly done). carve the meat and serve with the potatoes.

Peppermint Cream Cheese Mints

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 (2 lb) package powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 6 drops red liquid food coloring (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, blend together cream cheese and butter.
• 2 slowly add powdered sugar, stirring well between each addition.
• 3 stir in peppermint extract.
• 4 if you want to add color to your mints, you can either add all six drops to the full mixture, or divide the mixture in half and only add three drops to one half and leave the other half .
• 5 make 1 inch balls of the mixture and press onto wax paper or parchment paper with the bottom of a glass dipped in powdered sugar.
• 6 you can use a 2" cookie press to press them.
• 7 i just press them with my fingers.
• 8 let cool for four hours uncovered.
• 9 store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Floating Hands Halloween Punch

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 24
• 2 (64 ounce) bottles of juicy juice punch fruit juice
• 1 (12 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 4 (12 ounce) cans carbonated lemon-lime beverage (sprite or 7-up)

Recipe

• 1 floating hands:water or juice, pair of clear plastic gloves, rubber bands or twist ties pour water or juice into gloves, adding enough liquid to fill loosely but not so full that fingers will not move.
• 2 fasten closed with rubber bands or twist ties.
• 3 place on a paper towel lined baking sheet.
• 4 freeze for 3 hours (water) to 6 hours (juice) or until firm.
• 5 make more than one pair if you would like to replace the"hands" when they melt.
• 6 punch: combine juicy juice punch and lemonade concentrate in a large bowl; slowly stir in soda.
• 7 carefully cut gloves from hands with scissors and float hands in the punch.
• 8 when the hands have melted, replace with a new pair!

Meatballs In Tomato-wine Sauce

Total Time: 7 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 15 mins Cook Time: 6 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup dry red wine
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (or can use 28 oz. can tomato puree)
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 t. minced fresh)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 t. minced fresh)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 dash ground allspice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry red wine

Recipe

• 1 to make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat.
• 2 add in the onion and garlic; stir/saute for a few minutes or until well softened but not browned.
• 3 add in the wine; bring to a boil; continue boiling 1-2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
• 4 transfer mixture to the slow cooker.
• 5 add in tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, parsley, allspice, and bay leaf; stir to combine.
• 6 cover and cook on high while you prepare the meatballs.
• 7 to make the meatballs: add the ground beef to a large mixing bowl, breaking it up a bit with your fingers or a large fork.
• 8 add in the breadcrumbs, eggs, parmesan, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, parsley, and allspice.
• 9 gently but thoroughly blend the ingredients, using your hands or a large fork.
• 10 be careful not to compact the meat, which will make your meatballs tough.
• 11 gently shape the mixture into 12 meatballs, each a little bigger than a golf ball.
• 12 heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat; add in the meatballs and brown on all sides, 6-10 minutes, turning carefully.
• 13 using a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to the slowcooker.
• 14 pour off any fat from the skillet, return to the stove and add the wine.
• 15 cover over high heat for 2-3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan.
• 16 pour over the meatballs.
• 17 if the meatballs are not covered by tomato sauce, carefully spoon some sauce over them.
• 18 cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
• 19 remove the bay leaf and serve meatballs and sauce over pasta.

Mulled Wine Fruit And Nut Christmas Cake: Make-ahead Fruitcake

Total Time: 48 hrs 1 min Preparation Time: 48 hrs Cook Time: 1 min

Ingredients

• 18 fluid ounces ruby port
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 cloves
• 1 nutmeg
• 1 orange, zest of, strips
• 7 ounces sultanas
• 7 ounces currants
• 7 ounces raisins
• 8 ounces ready to eat prunes, chopped
• 4 ounces sliced almonds
• 4 ounces glace cherries, quartered
• 4 ounces mixed peel
• 8 ounces softened butter
• 8 ounces soft brown sugar
• 4 organic eggs, beaten
• 9 ounces plain flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 orange, zest of, grated

Recipe

• 1 two days before you bake:.
• 2 gently heat up the port with the strips of orange peel & all the mulled wine spices tied up in a muslin or cloth bag; you will need a large roomy saucepan as you will be adding the fruit to it later.
• 3 bring it to the boil and then take off the heat and allow to cool slightly.
• 4 add all the fruit, prunes, peel & nuts to the mulled wine port mixture, stir it well and cover with a lid.
• 5 leave at room temperature, unless you live in a very hot climate in which case you will need to refrigerate it, for 2 days. i have left this for up to 4 days with no adverse effects!
• 6 the day you bake the cake:.
• 7 pre-heat oven to 160 c or 320°f.
• 8 grease and double line with bakng paper/parchment a loose bottom deep cake tin; i used a 8" diameter round tin with high sides.
• 9 wrap the outside of the cake tin with a double layer of brown paper or baking paper/parchment & tie with string - it stops the cake browning too quickly or too much and is worth the effort!
• 10 beat the butter and sugar together until light & fluffy.
• 11 add the flour bit by bit with the beaten eggs gradually - mix well in between each flour & egg addition. this stops it curdling.
• 12 drain the fruit & nuts - any excess port can be kept for future soakings! discard the mulled wine bag & the strips of orange peel.
• 13 add the fruit and nuts to the cake mixture & mix well.
• 14 add the spices along with the grated peel of one orange and mix well with a wooden spoon.
• 15 spoon the the cake mixture into the prepared tin and level the top.
• 16 make a slight dip in the middle to allow for rising unevenly.
• 17 bake for 30 minutes and then turn the oven down to 150 c or 300 f and bake for a further 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
• 18 leave the cake to cool in the tin.
• 19 remove from the tin and keep stored in an airtight container - well wrapped in the baking paper/parchment until christmas.
• 20 decorate it with traditional marzipan & icing or a fruit and nut glaze - or just remove from the paper, decorate with a frill and serve it from an attractive cake platter!
• 21 in yorkshire where i come from, we would eat a slice of christmas cake with a slice of wensleydale cheese!

Flatbread With Caramelized Onions And Gorgonzola

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 lbs onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 4 large flour tortillas (not the super size, not the 7-inch, the size in-between)
• 3/4 lb milk gorgonzola, in little pieces
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 cup shredded basil

Recipe

• 1 cook onions in butter in a large skillet for about 10 minutes, or until wilted.
• 2 sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper and continue to cook for 20-30 minutes until browned and tender.
• 3 cool.
• 4 place tortillas in a single layer in a preheated 375°f oven directly on oven racks until crispy and lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes.
• 5 place tortillas on baking sheets in a single layer.
• 6 spread tortillas with onions and dot with gorgonzola.
• 7 sprinkle with parmesan and rosemary.
• 8 bake 8 to 10 minutes until cheese melts.
• 9 sprinkle with basil.
• 10 cool one minute.
• 11 cut each into 8 wedges with a pizza cutter.

Dry Shampoo

Total Time: 5 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons orrisroot powder
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot

Recipe

• 1 mix ingredients together.
• 2 to use: part hair and sprinkle a little powder along each row -- or for short hair, add some with your finger tips around the face and work back
• 3 leave on for 10 minutes.
• 4 brush out as much of the powder as possible.
• 5 note: the only drawback from this is that the hair is not quite as shiny.

Sour Cherry Crumble Pie

Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup oatmeal
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar (movado sugar)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 1/2 lbs sour cherries, pitted
• 1/2 ml almond extract
• 3 tablespoons minute tapioca (if your cherries are very juicy)

Recipe

• 1 roll out a pie crust disk on floured surpace. transfer to a 12 inch pie dish. trim overhang to 1 inchl. fold edges under. crim, forming high rim. chill at least 30 minutes and up to a day.
• 2 for crumble:mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl. add butter which should be at room temperature as well as vanilla. rub with fingers until small clumps form.
• 3 for filling:position rack in enter of oven. preheat to 375°f place foil-lined baking sheet in bottom of oven to catch spills. mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and sald in large bowl. add cherries, toss to coat. let stand until cherries begin to release juice, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. add almond extract and tapioca before mixing gently and transfering filling to chilled crust, mounding in center. you can decrease amount of tapioca if your cherries are not very juicy. sprinkle crumble over, covering completely and pressing to adhere.
• 4 bake pie 20 minutes. tent loosely with foil. bake until filling bubbles thickly and streusel is golden, about 1 hour 15 minutes longer. cool on a rack.

Tooty Fruitys

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 (10 ounce) package extra light flaky biscuit dough
• 10 (1 1/2 inch) fruit, pieces (such as plum, apple, peach or pears)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon water
• powdered sugar (optional)

Recipe

• 1 heat the oven to 425°f
• 2 spray a baking sheet with vegetable spray.
• 3 separate the biscuits.
• 4 place on lightly floured surface.
• 5 roll each biscuit with lightly floured rolling pin or flatten with fingers to form 3 1/2 " circles.
• 6 place 1 fruit piece in the center of each circle.
• 7 place on sheet.
• 8 beat a egg in small bowl with the water, brush over dough.
• 9 bake until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.
• 10 sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, just before serving.

Meatloaf

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup onion (very finely chopped)
• 4 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 dash garlic salt
• 1 pinch pepper
• 1/2 cup ketchup

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 mix the ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, onions, ketchup, garlic salt and pepper together.
• 3 press the meatloaf into the pan leaving enough room in between pan and meatloaf for your finger to fit.
• 4 bake in 350 degree oven 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Mini Chicken Parm Meatloaves

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 lbs ground dark-meat chicken
• 1/2 cup minced yellow onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaf
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 6 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese
• 3 cups marinara sauce

Recipe

• 1 heat the oven to 400°f and arrange a rack in the middle. line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. place a 12-well muffin pan on the baking sheet and coat the wells and the top of the pan with cooking spray (alternatively you can use olive oil to coat the pan); set aside.
• 2 using your fingers, combine 1/3 cup of the panko, 1/3 cup of the parmesan, and the measured olive oil in a small bowl until evenly moistened; set aside.
• 3 place the egg in a large bowl and beat it with a fork to break it up. add the remaining 1/2 cup panko and 1/2 cup parmesan, the chicken, onion, basil, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper. using clean hands, mix everything until combined (don’t squeeze or overwork the mixture).
• 4 divide the mixture among the wells of the muffin pan. evenly divide the mozzarella pieces among the wells, nestling them into the center of the chicken mixture and making sure to enclose them. smooth out the tops of the “muffins.”.
• 5 sprinkle the reserved panko-parmesan mixture evenly over the tops of the meatloaf muffins and gently press to adhere.
• 6 place the baking sheet with the muffin pan on it in the oven and bake until the meatloaf muffins are cooked through, about 25 minutes. meanwhile, heat the tomato or marinara sauce and keep it warm.
• 7 when the meatloaf muffins are done cooking, set the oven to broil and broil until the panko topping is golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. remove the baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. run a small knife around the perimeter of each well to loosen and remove the meatloaf muffins. serve immediately with the tomato or marinara sauce.

Spiced Vanilla Pecans

Total Time: 13 hrs 31 mins Preparation Time: 13 hrs Cook Time: 31 mins

Ingredients

• 1 lb pecan halves
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar (see note)
• 3 tablespoons sweet butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup (light preferably)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (splurge on the real stuff)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (i use my microplane zester)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Recipe

• 1 note: if you don't have superfine sugar (in britspeak: caster sugar) then you can whirl regular granulated sugar in the food processor for about 5 minutes.
• 2 you can skip this and just use granulated sugar, but please make sure it dissolves completely before leaving the pecans to sit.
• 3 in a large pot, boil the pecans in the water for 1 minute.
• 4 drain well.
• 5 while they're still hot, toss them in a large bowl with the sugar, melted butter, corn syrup and vanilla extract.
• 6 mix well and let the nuts sit, covered, for at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours.
• 7 preheat the oven the 325 degrees f.
• 8 put the nuts on a cookie sheet (make sure it's rimmed so the nuts don't fall off).
• 9 bake the nuts for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
• 10 the nuts should brown nicely.
• 11 i know, they are brown already, what i mean is that they should be a little darker, and crisp looking.
• 12 however, they won't actually get crisp until they cool.
• 13 meanwhile, combine all the spices in a large bowl.
• 14 the minute, the actual instant that the nuts are done, add them to the spices and toss them until they are well covered.
• 15 pat the nuts back down on the cookie sheet in a single layer, so they can cool without clumping together.
• 16 cool thoroughly, and store in an airtight container.

The Perfect Gravy

Total Time: 9 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 4 mins

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon kitchen bouquet (gravy starter)
• 1/3 cup wondra flour (for thicker gravy use 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Recipe

• 1 melt butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat about 1 minute, do not brown; add 1 can of the broth; bring to a simmer.
• 2 in large measuring cup or bowl with a pouring spout, whisk remaining can of broth, gravy starter and flour.
• 3 gradually pour flour mixture into simmering broth while stirring with a wooden spoon to incorporate.
• 4 add salt, poultry seasoning and pepper.
• 5 increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to a full boil.
• 6 once boiling, cook 3 minutes, until thickened (to test thickness, draw your finger through gravy on back of spoon. if distinct line forms, the gravy is ready).
• 7 transfer to a gravy boat and serve warm.

Shannons Spicy Pickled Eggs

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 4 dozen hard-boiled eggs
• 4 cups vinegar
• 1 onion, sliced
• 8 habanero peppers
• 7 jalapenos
• 1/2 cup pickled jalapeno pepper
• 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
• 5 dashes hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 3 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 3 pinches alum
• 4 tablespoons peppercorns
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 cups sliced carrots or 2 cups cauliflower (or both)

Recipe

• 1 boil everything except the eggs for about 15 minutes.
• 2 put the eggs in a huge jar.
• 3 pour the hot brine on top of the eggs.
• 4 top off with hot water to completely cover the eggs.
• 5 let sit in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Tamale Bites

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups corn flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/3 cups beef stock
• 2/3 cup vegetable shortening, melted
• 1 lb cooked shredded beef (or lamb or chicken)
• 2 teaspoons corn flour
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leave
• 1 -2 canned chipotle pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• water
• salt and pepper
• crumbled queso fresco (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 heat a skillet over medium–high heat. add the shredded meat, and following seven ingredients. stir well and add 1 cup of water. bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer. simmer until all the liquid in rendered out--approximately 10 minutes.
• 2 preheat the oven to 350 degrees f.
• 3 meanwhile, mix 2 cups of masa with the baking powder, salt and cumin. add the beef stock and mix to a crumbly consistency. pour in the melted shortening and mix by hand until smooth.
• 4 spray your mini-muffin tins with non-stick spray. roll the masa mixture into small balls—about 2 teaspoons each. place one ball in each muffin cup and press with your fingers—or the back of a rounded measuring spoon—to make little shells.
• 5 once the beef mixture has rendered out the liquid, stir in the sour cream and lime juice. salt and pepper to taste.
• 6 fill each masa shell with beef mixture. bake for 15-20 minutes.
• 7 allow the tamale bites to cool 3-5 minutes before extracting them from the muffin tins. use a small sharp knife to lift one side, then gently lift them out with your fingers.
• 8 garnish with crumbled queso fresco and thyme leaves. serve warm!

Portabella And Brie Appetizers

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 6 ounces fresh mushrooms (portobello, crimini)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons wine
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 6 ounces brie cheese

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375°f spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.
• 2 clean mushrooms if needed and chop finely.
• 3 in a small skillet, combine chopped mushrooms, butter, wine, garlic, thyme, parsley and cayenne. cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. stir in green onions and mustard.
• 4 unroll crescent dough into 4 rectangles. press perforations firmly to seal. cut each rectangle into 6 pieces (for a total of 24).
• 5 press 1 square of dough into each muffin cup, letting the corners stick up above the edges.
• 6 divide mushroom mixture evenly among cups, about 1 1/2 tsp per cup.
• 7 bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. while baking, cut brie into 24 pieces.
• 8 remove cups from oven and place 1 piece of brie over each cup.
• 9 return to oven and bake an additional 2-4 minutes or until dough is golden brown and cheese is softened.
• 10 cool slightly before serving.

Mini Crab Cakes

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 lb lump crabmeat, patted dry
• 10 tablespoons crushed round, buttery crackers (like ritz)
• 3/4 cup crushed cracker (like ritz)
• 4 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 6 tablespoons olive oil

Recipe

• 1 whisk mayonniase, chopped parsley, and next 5 ingredients in large bowl.mix in crabmeat, 10 tablespoons cracker crumbs, green onions, and egg.
• 2 shape mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls into 1/2" thick cakes.
• 3 place remaining 3/4 cup cracker crumbs in shallow bowl. roll cakes in crumbs to coat; arrange on baking sheet. can be made 2 hours ahead. cover and chill.
• 4 preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• 5 heat 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat. working in batches, fry crab cakes unti golden, adding more oil as needed to skillet, about 4 minutes per side. transfer cakes to another baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm.
• 6 arrange on platter. garnish with parsley sprigs.

Easy Pie Crust

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 12 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup ice water (strain out the ice just before using)
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Recipe

• 1 in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the 4 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar for 1 minute.
• 2 add the butter and mix just until it's a crumbly, sandy mixture.
• 3 the pieces of butter should still be visible.
• 4 in a small bowl, stir the water and vinegar together.
• 5 with the mixer running at medium speed, drizzle in the water-vinegar mixture and mix just until a dough forms.
• 6 again, the bits of butter should be visible.
• 7 turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide the dough in half, and shape it into 2 round, flat disks.
• 8 dust a work surface with just a few tablespoons of flour and keep some extra flour at hand.
• 9 sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and start rolling outward from the center with quick, light strokes.
• 10 don't worry if the edges split a bit; concentrate on getting a good circle going from the center.
• 11 if it gets sticky, sprinkle on a bit more flour, but don't do this more than 2 or 3 times; the dough will absorb too much flour.
• 12 instead, put it back in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm the butter up.
• 13 keep rolling until the circle is at least 2 inches larger than the pan.
• 14 if the dough tears a bit, don't be concerned; it's easily repaired.
• 15 using scissors or a sharp knife, trim the dough to within 3/4-inch of the rim.
• 16 use any extra scraps to patch the crust, pressing with your fingers (wet them if necessary) or set aside.
• 17 leave the edges of the bottom crust hanging over the rim.
• 18 roll out the second piece of dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
• 19 line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper.
• 20 roll the dough up onto the rolling pin, then unroll it onto the sheet pan.

Stuffed Baby Bell Peppers

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb baby bell pepper, assorted colors
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 poblano chile, seeded and diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon dried chipotle powder
• kosher salt
• 1/2 lb ground lamb
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3 ounces muenster cheese, diced (about 3/4 cup)
• lime wedge, for serving

Recipe

• 1 heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. add the baby bell peppers in a single layer and cook, turning, until the skins blister and start browning, about 8 minutes. transfer to a plate.
• 2 add the onion, poblano, garlic, cumin, oregano, ancho and chipotle chile powders and 1 teaspoons salt to the skillet. cook, stirring, until the onion and poblano are tender, about 8 minutes. increase the heat to medium high and add the lamb. cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. remove from the heat; let cool.
• 3 meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees f. make a slit in each baby bell pepper with a paring knife, cutting from stem to tip. crumble the meat mixture into small bits, then stir in the cilantro and cheese. stuff 2-3 teaspoons of the meat mixture into each pepper using your fingers or a small spoon; transfer to a baking sheet (the peppers can be stuffed up to 4 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate. bring to room temperature before baking).
• 4 bake until the peppers are hot and the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. season with salt and serve with lime wedges.

Tony's Jalapeno Wrap

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 48
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) packet ranch dressing mix
• 1 cup miracle whip
• 1 dozen tortilla
• 1 (6 ounce) jar jalapeno peppers, diced

Recipe

• 1 mix cream cheese, ranch& miracle whip until smooth.
• 2 add diced jalapeno peppers to mix (to taste).
• 3 spread onto a tortilla shell.
• 4 roll shell.
• 5 repeat until out of mix.
• 6 chill in refrigerator for about an hour.
• 7 slice into bit sized pieces.

Our Family Favourite Lemon Spring / Easter Cake

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces margarine
• 6 ounces sugar
• 8 ounces self raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 lemons, zest of, grated
• 3 tablespoons water
• 4 eggs, beaten
• yellow food coloring (optional)
• 2 cups icing sugar (approx)
• 3/4 cup margarine (or butter)
• 1 tablespoon orange flower water
• yellow food coloring (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 2 lemons, juice of
• 1 tablespoon water (approx)
• yellow food coloring (optional)
• 16 miniature chocolate eggs (approx)

Recipe

• 1 cream the margarine & sugar until it's light & creamy. beat in the eggs & lemon zest. slowly add the sifted flour & baking powder & mix well but gently. add the water & mix.
• 2 pour into a lined & greased baking tin. i use either a tall 5" round tin or a shallow 12" round tin (if having a plain- unfilled but iced cake) - both work very well & i've also seen others using square pans & bundt tins -- bake in a preheated oven at 180c for 40-45 minutes; test to see if it is done - it may need a few extra minutes. if cooked, turn off oven & allow cake to rest in it for around 3 minutes.
• 3 filling:.
• 4 beat the margarine / butter until creamy. slowly add enough icing sugar to reach a consistency you like. tint yellow if desired. when the cake has cooled completely, use a bread knife to cut the cake into 3 layers. divide the filling in half & spread onto bottom & middle layers using a pallet knife or similar.
• 5 icing.
• 6 after filling the cake, put the top layer back in place. trim off any edges or bumps etc. mix the sifted icing sugar with the lemon juice & enough water to get a very thick but spoonable consistency. tint with colouring if desired & carefully spoon over the top of the cake. the icing will slowly begin to drip down the sides of the cake - take a pallet knife & carefully run it around the sides of the cake to ensure & even covering.
• 7 when the icing is almost set, run a clean damp finger or knife handle around the rim of the plate (if serving on it) & top with chocolate mini eggs or other decorations of your choice.

Tyler Florence's Ultimate Steak Sandwich Recipe

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups grated gruyere
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 bunch baby arugula
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 12 soft hoagie rolls
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lb rib eye steak, finely sliced
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 large fennel bulb, fronds removed and halved
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 8 ounces coleslaw mix
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 make the brechamel sauce:.
• 2 melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
• 3 add the flour and stir constantly to incorporate - you do not want any color.
• 4 gradually pour in the milk as you stir, and whisk out any lumps.
• 5 as the mixture thickens up continue to stir until it reaches a boil - this ensures the flour is cooked completely.
• 6 dump in the cheese and stir for another minute until the cheese is completely melted.
• 7 stir in the horseradish and season with salt and pepper, then set aside to keep warm.
• 8 make arugula mayonnaise:.
• 9 put arugula in a food processor with the lemon juice and salt and pepper.
• 10 top with mayonnaise and process until well combined.
• 11 give it a taste and adjust seasoning if required.
• 12 prepare the steak:.
• 13 take the finely sliced steak and shingle it out into 2 portions on a clean cutting board lined with parchment.
• 14 put the shingled meat between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound out using either a saute pan or a meat mallet.
• 15 after first pounding, remove the plastic wrap, fold in the edges, replace plastic and pound the meat some more.
• 16 store wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator.
• 17 now the meat is ready when you want to cook it.
• 18 heat a large, flat grill-pan over medium heat.
• 19 split hoagie rolls in half, drizzle with olive oil and place onto griddle.
• 20 take the meat out of the refrigerator.
• 21 peel off 1 side of the plastic wrap and season with salt and pepper.
• 22 put this side down in the pan and then quickly peel off the other side of the plastic wrap and season again.
• 23 cook slowly in the pan until juicy and tender and just past pink in color.
• 24 turn the meat over and then fold with some of the cheese sauce.
• 25 make fennel slaw:.
• 26 finely slice fennel using a mandoline, or the grater attachment on your food processor.
• 27 in a large mixing bowl combine the lemon juice, mayonnaise, and sour cream and stir to combine.
• 28 add the finely sliced fennel and coleslaw mix, herbs, and olive oil and fold together.
• 29 season with salt and pepper.
• 30 assemble:.
• 31 smear each half of the roll with arugula mayonnaise.
• 32 top the bottom with the steak and cheese, then lay a scoop of fennel slaw over the top.

Ruby Tuesday's Buffalo Chicken Wontons

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 48
• 12 wonton wrappers, cut into quarters
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, to brush on wontons
• 6 cups water, to boil chicken
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 6 tablespoons louisiana hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons liquid margarine
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt
• blue cheese dressing
• celery (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 325ºf.
• 2 place the wonton wrappers on a work surface and brush lightly with the oil.
• 3 mold the wontons, oiled-side up, into the bottoms of miniature (1-inch) muffin tins.
• 4 bake until light brown, about 5 minutes. remove from oven, let cool slightly and remove from the muffin tins.
• 5 cool on a wire rack.
• 6 place on a baking sheet and cover tightly with plastic wrap until ready to assemble.
• 7 cook the chicken at a simmer until cooked through, about 12 minutes.
• 8 cool the chicken slightly, then finely chop and shred with a fork.
• 9 season with a little salt.
• 10 in a medium bowl mix together the hot sauce, liquid margarine, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
• 11 add the chicken and mix well.
• 12 refrigerate until slightly chilled.
• 13 to assemble:
• 14 place 1 heaping teaspoon of the chicken mixture in each wonton cup and garnish with bleu cheese dressing and crunchy celery sticks for dipping. serve at room temperature.
• 15 note: the wonton cups can be baked up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container. the chicken mixture can be made up to 1 day in advance. let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. the wonton cups can be filled up to 1 hour in advance.

The Perfect Chocolate Cake

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package devil's food cake mix, with pudding
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. lightly greased three 9 inch round cake pans and dust with flour. shake out excess flour.
• 2 place the cake mix, sour cream, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. stop machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. increase the mixer speed to medium and beet 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. the batter should look well combined. divie the batter among the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula, and place them in the oven. if your oven is not large enough to hold them on one rack, place two pans on the center rack and the third in the center of the highest rack.
• 3 bake the cakes until the spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 20-25 minutes. be careful not to overcook the layer on the highest oven rack. remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. run a sharp knife around the edge of each layer and incert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so the the cakes are right side up. allow to cool completely, 30 minutes.
• 4 frost and fill with frosting and filling of your choice.

Sausage Mushroom Appetizers

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 48 large mushrooms
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 lb bulk lamb sausage, cooked,crumbled,and drained
• 1 cup shredded swiss cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
• 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning (tony chachere's)
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

Recipe

• 1 remove stems from mushrooms and discard; set mushroom caps aside.
• 2 in a mixing bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients.
• 3 stuff mixture into mushroom caps.
• 4 place stuffed mushrooms into two greased 13x9 inch baking dishes.
• 5 bake, uncovered, at 350° for 16-20 minutes or until heated through.

Lemon Pepper Focaccia

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1/4 ounce dry yeast
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced and de-seeded
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese (i use more)

Recipe

• 1 mix all bread ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and knead for 10 minutes.
• 2 allow to rest uncovered for 10 minutes.
• 3 roll out dough on a floured board or between two sheets of parchment paper, to a 14-inch circle of ½ inch thickness.
• 4 place the dough on an oiled baking sheet, or pizza pan, and brush heavily with olive oil.
• 5 evenly powder with the chopped rosemary and pepper.
• 6 place lemon slices evenly over bread in a design.
• 7 cover with a cloth and allow to rise 20 to 25 minutes in a warm area.
• 8 preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• 9 to get the olive oil to stay in place, make light indentations in the bread with your fingers.
• 10 bake at 425 decrees 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• 11 remove from the oven and brush with more olive oil.
• 12 sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Port-glazed Grape Tarts With Pecan Crust

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted (2 oz)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups ruby port
• 1 1/2 cups concord grape jelly
• 3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (or to taste)
• 5 lbs small red seedless grapes, stems discarded (12 1/2 cups)

Recipe

• 1 tart shells:.
• 2 preheat oven to 350°f
• 3 pulse pecans with brown sugar in a food processor until finely ground (do not allow to become a paste). add flour, butter, cinnamon, ginger, and salt and pulse until mixture begins to form large lumps. divide mixture between tart pans and press evenly over bottom and up sides with floured fingers. chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• 4 bake tart shells in lower third of oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. transfer shells in pans to racks to cool completely. carefully remove sides of pans, keeping shells on pan base. (tart shells can be made 2 days ahead and kept in pans, loosely covered, at room temperature. remove sides of tart pans before filling.).
• 5 make filling while shells cool:.
• 6 simmer port and jelly, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes, then stir in lemon juice. (port glaze can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. reheat before proceeding.)
• 7 immediately toss grapes with 1 cup glaze in a large bowl until well coated, then mound in tart shells. (tarts can be assembled 4 hours ahead.).
• 8 just before serving, drizzle tarts with more glaze and serve remainder on the side.