Family Favorite Dessert

First Layer -

Cream 1 cup of sifted flour with 1 stick of softened butter (REAL butter). Add in one cup of chopped nuts (cashews and walnuts were a family favorite but I'm sure peanuts are good too).

Put in 13 x 9 pan (which you've sprayed with a bit of PAM) and press down. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. COOL.

Second Layer -

8 ounces Cream Cheese
1 cup sugar

Cream those together with spoon or hand mixer and add one cup of whipped cream or favorite whipped topping, blending well.

put that on (cooled) first layer.

Third Layer
Get out two bowls -
1 large package instant french vanilla pudding
1 large package instant dark chocolate or fudge pudding
beat each package with 2 cups of cold milk. Let chill for a few minutes to thicken, (while you wash those bowls).

Spread on Cream Cheese layer, first the vanilla, then chocolate.

Final Layer -

2 cups of whipped cream of whipped topping. Sprinkle with more nuts and shaved dark or milk chocolate.

Chill until serving. Refrigerate leftovers (if there are any).

Goblin Gorp

1 box raisins
3-4 cups mini oreos (I used 3 of the individual snack sized containers)
1 can cashews
1 regular bag cheddar goldfish (I used the flavor blasted ones, they're more orange)
1 bag candy corn

mix in a bowl and watch it disappear.

LASAGNA!

Prepare a batch of Home on the Range Venison Meat Sauce (recipe in sidebar) or your favorite pasta sauce recipe that would use about one 29 ounce can tomatoes and two six ounce cans of tomato paste plus meat (or veggies) and spices. Cook on low til done and the flavors have blended.

Boil a 10-oz package of lasagna noodles to which you've added a few dashes of salt to the water, as well as a teaspoon of olive oil to keep the noodles from sticking. Cook the noodles "al dente" (they still have a bit of "bite"(. When they are done but not too soft, drain, rinse with cool water, and lay them flat on a sheet of foil or a cookie sheet so they are easier to wrangle later.

Mix 3 cups low fat cottage cheese in a bowl with 2 beaten eggs. (people that hate cottage cheese won't even know this is cottage cheese when you are done). Add a 1/4 cup of grated Romano cheese, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, a 1/2 teaspoon of Penzey's garlic powder, 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes, 2 teaspoons of fresh (or dried) basil, a pinch of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to that and mix together well.

To assemble, spread a tiny bit of meat sauce on the bottom of a lasagna pan (about 13 x 9 pan) which you have VERY lightly sprayed with PAM non stick spray first. The purpose of that little bit of sauce (maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup spread around) is so keep the noodles from getting hard as it cooks. On that lay about 4 lasagna noodles.

Top with half the cottage cheese/egg mixture.

Top that with 1/2 pound of slices mozzarella cheese (not the shredded stuff, but thick slices from the deli)

Top with another 4 noodles and 1/2 of the remaining pasta sauce mixture.

Add another layer of four lasagna noodles and top with the remaining half of the cottage cheese mixture and another 1/2 pound of mozzarella.

Finish that with the rest of the meat mixture. Sprinkle it all generously with a little more grated Parmesan and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes, until bubbly around the edges.

Garlic Bread

This is not the "dripping with cheese" garlic bread, but the crispy garlicy kind that is wonderful for dipping in stew, soups or pasta sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 bulbs garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

• DIRECTIONS
  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  
• Slice the tops off of the garlic bulbs so that the tip of each clove is exposed.
• Place the bulbs on a baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until garlic is soft. Set the oven to broil.
  
• Slice the loaf of bread in half horizontally, and place cut side up on a baking sheet.
  
• Squeeze the cloves of garlic from their skins into a medium bowl.
  
• Stir in the butter, parsley, and Parmesan cheese until well blended.
  
• Spread onto the cut sides of the bread.
• Broil for about 5 minutes, until toasted.

Three Cheese and Smoked Chicken Enchiladas (and Biscuits)

This is the only recipe I've actually had published in a real cookbook. (no longer in print).

1 1/2 cup chopped smoked chicken or turkey, or any cooked poultry
1 cup salsa (plus 3 tablespoons)
4 ounces cream cheese cubed
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 heaping teaspoon oregano
1/2 cheddar
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
8 flour tortillas
hot sauce, sour cream and olives if you please, for toppings

Combine meat, 1/4 cup of the salsa, cream cheese, onion, cumin and oregano in a large skillet. Heat on low until it is creamy, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese. Spoon about 1/4 cup turkey mixture down the center of each tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in a 13 x 9 inch pan in which you've placed about 3 tablespoons of salsa and spread it around so the tortilla doesn't get crispy on the bottom. Top with remaining salsa and remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. If you make ahead and chill, bake for about 20-25 minutes covered with foil. Garnish as desired. I'm usually requested to double this recipe. It's simple and a crowd favorite, especially as you can adjust the "heat" by the type of salsa you use.

Cheddar Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix

¾ cup cold whole milk

4 tablespoons cold butter (1/2 stick)

1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Brush on Top:

2 tablespoons butter, melted

¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes

pinch salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.

3. Drop approximately ¼-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop.

4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

5. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter is a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Makes one dozen biscuits.

Recipe adapted from Todd Wilbur, "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2," Plume Books. (his version has garlic powder in it, but I left that out to go with Mexican style supper).

Basic Black Beans and Rice

This is a very mild version of beans and rice and that makes a perfect sidekick to other foods.

Black Beans and Rice
2/3 cup dried black beans (two cups cooked) or 1 16 ounce can black turtle beans
3 generous tablespoons olive oil
1 Vidalia onion sliced
small pepper (green, yellow or red, diced fine)
1 cloves of garlic
1 cup long grain rice
dash of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon of Penzey's Adobo Seasoning
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Cilantro

Cook black beans as per directions on package but cook just slightly under done. For me, after pre-boiling and letting them sit with the heat off for a while and then draining and adding fresh water (which greatly reduces any tummy issues with beans) that's about 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours.

Put the cooked beans in a heavy saucepan, keeping enough cooking liquid to make about 2 cups. (If you're using canned beans, use two cups chicken broth or hot water for your liquid). Heat the olive oil in the skillet, cook the onions and pepper until softened and the onion caramalized. ( I was using leftover veggies so I think there's a little corn in the photo batch as well). Add the crushed garlic or chopped fresh roasted garlic and cook for a couple more minutes, being careful not to burn. Stir in the cilantro, salt and and other spice at this time. Just a tiny bit as this dish is not the star but the base of another meal.

Mix the contents of the skillet to the beans in the heavy sauce pan. Add rinsed and drained rice to the beans, veggies and liquid. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat, a gentle simmer, for about 20-25 minutes. Top with additional chopped cilantro or parsley.

For breakfast, sprinkle with some cheese and let melt, then top with a fried egg or two that you haven't mangled too badly and some more cilantro. Smoked ham is also a good add in, chopped or added to the plate as a side.

Lunch it's great with some spicy grilled chicken or fish on a plate or wrapped in tortillas with your favorite salsa and crisp vegetables for a low fat sandwich wrap.

Serves 4-5 hearty appetites as a side.

Flakey Scones with Blackberry Jam

Scones
2 cups All-Purpose King Arthur Flour
1/3 cup Sugar
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 pinches Ground Nutmeg or Cardomonn
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (the peel)
6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (well chilled)
1 extra large egg
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons Penzey's Mexican vanilla



Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well. Thinly slice the chilled butter into the bowl and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until the flour and butter look like coarse meal.

In a clean medium-sized bowl, mix all the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing as little as possible, just enough to incorporate wet and dry together.  If you like, add a handful of chopped dried or fresh blueberries or tart cherries just at the end of mixing.

Place the dough onto a flour-dusted pastry board and knead a half dozen times. Cut the dough in half and pat it into two 1-inch thick rounds. Cut each round into 6 EQUAL-SIZED wedges. Place each wedge on an ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle with the vanilla sugar. Bake about 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool on a rack.

Blackberry Jam

Ingredients
5 cups crushed blackberries (do not puree, crush with a potato masher)
7 cups sugar
1 (1 3/4 ounce) package fruit jell pectin (I use Ball, but Sure Jell will work too)

Carefully measure out the berries, put them into a very large pot (8qt).
Carefully measure sugar in a large bowl.
Add the pectin to the berries a little at a time, stirring constantly.
Heat on high, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a FULL boil.
Add sugar ALL at once, stirring.
Bring the mixture back to a full hard boil, stirring constantly.
Boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and ladle into clean, hot 8-oz jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headroom at the top.
Wipe the rim of the jar and put canning lids and rings on firmly.
Place jars in canner with very hot water, making sure the water is 1 inch above the jars.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Remove and set them upright on a towel to set for 12 hours

"PayDay" Bar cookies

Start with a batch of your favorite Sugar Cookie recipe or use some store bought sugar cookie mix.

Pat the Sugar Cookie Dough in a 9x13 pan that you have sprayed with non stick coating (or they will be hard to cut into bars). Bake in preheated 350 F. oven until lightly golden and the center does not look wet(10-12 minutes).Remove from oven and sprinkle 1 bag of mini marshmallow evenly over top and return to oven for 3 minutes until the marshmallows become soft and puff up.

Remove and set aside. Next you will need: 2/3 cup Corn Syrup 1 cup Peanut Butter Chips 2 and 1/2 tsp. Vanilla 4 Tablespoons salted Butter (NOT margarine) 1 1/2 cups rice crispies 2 1/2 cups salted peanuts. While the cookie base layer is baking, heat corn syrup, peanut butter chips and butter and vanilla until melted over medium heat, in a large saucepan, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn't burn. Do NOT bring to a boil.

Stir in rice crispies and peanuts (you will need a big wooden and some muscle), reducing the heat to warm until cookie/marshmallow base is done.

 Spoon over crust/marshmallows carefully and spread evenly (Spraying your spoon or spatula with a little non stick spray will help keep it from sticking.

Melt 1 bag mini dark chocolate chips in bowl in microwave 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so. Pour over peanut layer.

When cool, cut into bars or small squares.

Croissants Pain au Chocolat

Croissants Pain au Chocolat

Recipe courtesy Jacques Torres Chocolate, MrChocolate

Show: Passion for Dessert with Jacques TorresEpisode: The Croissant (PASTRY

• Cook Time

  10 min

• Level

  Difficult

• Yield

  About 20 croissants
  

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Scant 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh compressed yeast
• Generous 1/2 cup cold water
• 3 1/3 cups bread flour, plus extra if needed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• Generous 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter

For the pain au chocolat:

• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped or shaved
  

For the egg wash:

• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg
• Scant 1/4 cup whole milk

Directions

Prepare the dough: Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Allow the butter to cool to room temperature. It should be warm to the touch.

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the cold water. Place the flour, salt, sugar, milk, and melted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Set the mixer on medium speed and mix just until the ingredients are dispersed, about 5 seconds. Add the dissolved yeast and beat on medium-high speed until the dough is well combined and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl, about 1 minute. If the dough is too soft, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it is firmer. (The dough is too soft when it cannot hold its shape.) If the dough is too hard, add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until it has softened. (The dough is too hard when it is difficult to mix in the mixer.) Remove the dough from the mixing bowl. If the dough is slightly sticky and ropy, knead it with your hands for about 30 seconds, until it is smooth. Pat it into a ball. Place the dough on a lightly floured baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let it proof at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out to an 8 by 15-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Wrap the rectangle in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. The cold retards the rising process, allowing a slow fermentation to help develop the flavor of the dough.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap the rectangle, and place it with a long side facing you on a lightly floured work surface. Spread the softened butter evenly over the right two thirds of the dough. Incorporate the butter by folding the (butterless) left third of the dough over the center, Then fold the right third of the dough to the left, to resemble a folded letter. Roll this out into another 10 by 30-inch rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Fold each short end of the dough to the middle so they meet but do not overlap. Then fold one half over the other half and, if necessary, rotate the dough so that the seam is on your right. Wrap the folded dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into a 10 by 30-inch rectangle and turn it so a long side faces you. Give the dough a single fold by folding the left third of the dough over the center, then fold the right third of the dough to the left. Now the dough should resemble a folded letter. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough into a 10 by 36-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Keep the thickness even and the edges straight. This will make it easier to cut the croissants or pain au chocolat.

For pain au chocolat: With a sharp chef's knife, cut the dough into 3 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch rectangles. Lay each rectangle on a lightly floured work surface, with a long side facing you, and place about 1/2 tablespoon of the chopped chocolate in the upper third of each one. Fold that third of the dough over the chocolate. Place about another 1/2 tablespoon of the chocolate along one seam of the folded dough. Fold the bottom third of the dough over the chocolate. (At this stage, they can be frozen for up to 1 week if well wrapped in plastic wrap. Thaw on a parchment covered baking sheet overnight in the refrigerator before proceeding.)

Turn over the pain au chocolat so the seams face down. This will keep them from opening as they bake. Place them on a parchment covered baking sheet; spaced about 2 inches apart. Loosely cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and allow the pain au chocolat to proof at room temperature until they have doubled in size and appear light and full of air, about 1 1/2 to 3 hours.

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Make an egg wash by whisking together the egg yolks, whole egg, and milk in a small bowl until well combined. With a pastry brush, very gently coat the pastries completely with egg wash. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Leftovers can be stored in the freezer if well wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 2 weeks. Thaw at room temperature and warm in the oven before serving.

Corn Pudding -

There are versions of this recipe all over the net, but however you tweak it, it's a delicious and inexpensive staple at many supper tables.

Corn Pudding

4 cups of corn kernels (about 8 ears of corn if using fresh)
12 ounce can evaporated milk
4 eggs lightly beaten
3 Tablespoons butter
1 Vidalia onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 cups crushed Kebler Brand Waverly Wavers (slightly less than 1 sleeve of crackers)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon Penzey's Aleppo Pepper
dash of ground black pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or lightly spray with Pam a 2 quart baking dish.

In a blender puree 3 cups of the corn with the can of evaporated milk until smooth (it won't be completely smooth).

Strain the puree through a mesh sleeve or strainer with medium sized holes into the bowl with the remaining corn in it. This strainer removes some of the starch which you should discard.

Stir the beaten eggs into the bowl.

In a frying pan saute onions and garlic in butter until soft and lightly caramelized. Add to the corn mixture. Stir in 1 cup of the cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Add Penzey's Aleppo pepper, salt and ground pepper to taste.

Sprinkle with remaining crumbs and the remaining cheese.

Bake the corn pudding until set and golden. About 50 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes and serve on individual plates.

Note: This Aleppo pepper is from Turkey. It has an ancho like flavor, plus a bit of tartness and a nice bite. Good on pizza, subs, corn dishes, potato salad, burgers and kabobs. If you can not find, use just a small pinch of cayenne OR ancho chili powder.

Chocolate Cream Pie

Serves 8 to 10 Photo and recipe adaption from the always great Gourmet Magazine.

• 1 1/3 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (from about 26 cookies such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)


• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted


• 1/4 cup sugar

For filling

• 2/3 cup sugar


• 1/4 cup cornstarch


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 4 large egg yolks


• 3 cups whole milk


• 5 oz fine-quality bittersweet dark chocolate (not unsweetened), melted


• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted


• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened


• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For topping

• 3/4 cup chilled heavy cream


• 1 tablespoon sugar

Make crust:

• 
  
  Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.


• 
  
  Stir together crumbs, butter, and sugar and press on bottom and up side of a 9-inch pie plate (1-quart capacity). Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes, and cool on a rack.

Make filling:

• 
  
  Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and yolks in a 3-quart heavy saucepan until combined well, then add milk in a stream, whisking. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 1 minute (filling will be thick).


• 
  
  Force filling through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then whisk in chocolates, butter, and vanilla. Cover surface of filling with a buttered round of wax paper and cool completely, about 2 hours.


• 
  
  Spoon filling into crust and chill pie, loosely covered, at least 6 hours.

Make topping:

• 
  
  Just before serving, beat cream with sugar in a bowl using an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks, then spoon on top of pie.

Cooks’ note: Pie (without topping) can be chilled up to 1 day.

Mushroom Artichoke Frittata

Note: Directions were for cooking at 6000+ feet. You may need to adjust cooking times for flatland kitchens. :-)

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
1 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 10 ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
5 large eggs
1 - 6 oz jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/8 teaspoon Scoville Brothers Heavy Metal Heat hot sauce
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper or to taste

Saute onions and mushrooms in oil until mushrooms lose a lot of their moisture and onions are starting to caramelize. Remove from heat. Beat eggs lightly. Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and pour mixture into buttered 1/12 quarter casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

You can double this and cook in a 13 x 9 pan for a crowd or for leftovers for a light suppe another day (keeps very well to reheat in the oven on low). If you double, increase cooking time 10-15 minutes.

Baked French Toast with Peaches and Walnuts

Baked French Toast (adapted from a recipe by Pampered Chef )

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 slices (1 inch thick) French bread (don't use the smaller baguette size).
1 (29 ounce) can peach slices, drained or a couple of cups of chopped apple slices
1/3 cup walnuts, halved or coursely chopped
3 eggs
1 cup less 1 teaspoon milk
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons butter melted (halved)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Spread cream cheese over both sides of bread slices. Place bread in 13 x 9 inch or lasagna style baking pan. Prick bread slices several times. Top with fruit; sprinkle nuts over peaches.

Ina large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, syrup, butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamon (you can just use cinnamon if you don't have the other) vanilla extract and half the melted butter. Pour mixture over bread. Drizzle the top with the remaining butter. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until firm in center.

You could also make this with a couple of good-sized handfulls of blueberries and 1/3 cup granola or almonds instead of the peaches/walnuts.

Yields 6 servings.

Guinness Shepherds Pie

There are a number of good Guinness Shepherds Pie Recipes on the Web. This is an adaption of 3 or 4 of them.

Guinness Sheperds Pie. Good way to use up leftover potatoes and veggies.

For the Filling

• 1 to 1 1/4 pounds Ground Sirloin (lowest fat available)
• 2 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
• 2 medium Onions, finely sliced/diced
• 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
• 1 tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 2 teaspoons Dried Thyme
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon Penzey's Ozark Seasoning (optional)
• 1 Beef Stock Cube
• 2 bottles of Guinness
• 3/4 cup Peas
• 1/2 cup corn (both thawed from frozen)
• Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Drink one bottle of Guinness. Put the other aside to add to the meat mixture.

Take a heavy cast iron pan and brown off the meat at a medium heat. There should be enough fat and liquid in the meat to let this cook easily without additional oil, etc. Once there is a little liquid in the pan from the beef add the Garlic and continue to cook and stir until the beef is lightly browned all over. Then add the Onion and continue cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.(you can also add in a cup of leftover diced carrot here, I did not). Next add the Tomato Paste Ketchup, Worcestershire Sauce, Dijon Mustard, Thyme and Oregano and crumble in the Stock Cube. Stir well and cooking for a further few minutes before adding the Bottle of Guinness. The Guinness should help you de-glaze the pan of any burnt pieces of Beef from the bottom. Stir in the Veggies, then, cover the pan and leave to simmer until a lot of the liquid is gone (should look like a very thick stew, NOT soup)

Once the filling is nice and thick put it into the bottom of roasting dish, then leave to cool while you mash the potatoes..

Mashed Potato

2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese
3 pounds baking potatoes
¼- ½ cup milk
1 stick butter
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375

To make Potato filling…
Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork tender. (you can do this in the final minutes the filling is simmering). Drain completely and place back in pot so all of the water evaporates.In a medium mixing bowl add butter and potatoes. Mash until smooth, while adding the milk for a medium consistency. Add salt and pepper.

Place over meat mixture while still warm, and sprinkle with cheddar. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Pasta with Vodka Sauce and Prosciutto

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon butter
4 garlic cloves chopped
2 and 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes diced (about 10 ) or use equivalent amount of canned crushed tomatoes.
1/4 teaspoon salt (the prosciutto is salty, so no more, or can use less to taste)
dash or two of pepper (I used white pepper)
1/2 cup vodka (don't go cheap now, good quality vodka).
1/4 lb prosciutto, chopped or use cooked drained Italian sausage
1/2 cup FRESH basil, chopped
1/2 pint heavy cream

In a large frying/saute pan add oil, butter and garlic, saute on low flame until oil starts to bubble.

Add tomatoes, salt and pepper.Cook covered on a low flame for about 30 minutes.

Add vodka.Cook uncovered for 25 minutes. Add prosciutto or pre-cooked Italian sausage-- cook 5 more minutes.

Add basil and heavy cream-- cook just 5 more minutes.

SERVE IT WITH CRUSHED RED PEPPER FLAKES (TRUST ME ON THAT) AND PARMESAN CHEESE ON THE SIDE.

Bacon Spinich Quiche

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
1 pkg.(10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
4 extra large eggs
1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon milk
1/3 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing (don't laugh, even if you hate it you will like this, but you can use mayo)
1/4 heaping teaspoon Penzey's Northwoods (spicy) OR Ozark (savory) seasoning or your favorite all purpose seasoning blend
1 cup and two tablespoons shredded Swiss Cheese (or cheese of your choice)
1 9 inch frozen pie crust (yes, frozen, it was a 50 hour work week).
1 package bacon, cooked and diced.

HEAT oven to 375°F.

COOK mushrooms and onions in large nonstick skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil on medium heat 5 min. or until softened and the onions are starting to caramelize. Remove from heat; stir in spinach. Beat eggs, milk and dressing in medium bowl with whisk until well blended. Add spinach mixture, seasonings and cheese and one quarter to one third of the bacon. Pour into crust. Top with remaining bacon. (The bacon on top gets crispy, so if you want more crispy bacon taste, put less bacon into the filling).

BAKE 50 min.or until center is set and top is golden brown.

Home on the Range Thoughts of the Day

To Do Is To Be-----Descartes
To Be Is To Do-----Voltaire
Do Be Do Be Do---Frank Sinatra

Irish Stew and Beer Bread

Brigid's Beer Bread

3 cups SIFTED (you must do this if you don't want a door stop) self rising flour
pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
12 ounces ale
1/2 teaspoon of herb seasoning
3 Tablespoons of butter - melted

I love Guinness and Rosemary. Sam Adams is also good, with a pinch of oregano and a small handful of cheddar. I've used just a pinch of fresh dill and a Octoberfest ale. This is one you can make your own.

Sift flour and stir in sugar and salt and seasoning. Add in room temperature ale and stir gently until just blended. Put into loaf pan sprayed with Pam and pour melted butter over the top. Bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes.

Irish Stew (hat tip to Jim at Closet Cooking for the base recipe and food photo styling).

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound lamb, cut into bite sized pieces
1 onion coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon flour
1 large bottle or can of Guinness (or other dark stout)
beef stock (have at least a quart home made or a couple large cans of store bought beef broth)
Seasoning - a couple of tablespoons of chopped rosemary and thyme, a dash of oregano is also nice
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 large potatoes or 4-5 yukon golds cut into pieces.
4 carrots (cut into bite sized pieces)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot.

Add the lamb and brown well, but on no more than low/medium heat

Add the onions and saute until tender, about six minutes

Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir.

Add the Guinness and enough beef stock to cover the meat.

Add the seasoning, bring to a boil, reduce to low and cover and simmer until the meat is tender. About 2 hours on LOW. Check about 3/4 way through and add a little more broth or Guinness if needed to keep the meat well braised.

Add the potatoes and carrots and just enough additional beef stock to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until they are tender, about 20-60 minutes depending on how big of pieces you cut. (If you use the Yukon golds the cooking time will be on the low end)

Remove Bay leaf. Garnish with fresh parsley (optional) and serve.

Cherry Coffee Cake

Berry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
adapted from
RecipeZaar


Ingredients
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4-1 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg (not that's not a repeat, another egg).
1/2 cup sour cherry preserves
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour bottom and sides of 9 or 10 inch spring form pan.

Combine flour and 3/4 cup sugar.

Add the butter to the sugar-flour mixture and cut with pastry blender or fork until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture.

To remaining mixture, add baking powder, soda, salt, sour cream, one egg and almond extract; blend well.

Spread batter over bottom and up sides of pan 2 inches (batter should be 1/4 inch thick on sides).

Combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 egg; blend well.

Pour over batter in pan.

Carefully spread preserves over all.

Combine reserved crumbs and sliced almonds.

Sprinkle over top.

Bake 55 minutes or until filling is set.

Cool 15 minutes.

Remove sides of pan.

Serve warm or cool.

Refrigerate leftovers.

Chocolate Eclairs

Chocolate Eclairs
from: Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé.

The Éclairs consist of three parts, the dough, the pastry cream and a chocolate glaze

Pastry Dough:

• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup water
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter,
cut into 8 pieces
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature

1) In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil.

2) Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium and start to stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough comes together very quickly. The bottom of the pan may develop a slight crust, this is normal. You need to just continue stirring for a further 2-3 minutes to dry the dough. After this time the dough will be very soft and smooth.

3) Transfer the dough into a bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using your hand mixer or if you've had enough coffee, continue by hand. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each egg has been added to incorporate it into the dough. As you add the first egg you may notice the dough separates. This is normal, by the time you add the rest of the eggs and mix well the dough should be thick and shiny and when lifted it should fall back into the bowl in a ribbon.

4) The dough should be still warm. It is now ready to be used for the éclairs.

Notes:
1) Once the dough is made you need to shape it immediately.

2) You can pipe the dough and the freeze it. Simply pipe the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets and slide the sheets into the freezer. Once the dough is completely frozen, transfer the piped shapes into freezer bags. They can be kept in the freezer for up to a month.

Baking the Éclairs

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide the oven into thirds by positioning the racks in the upper and lower half of the oven. Line two baking sheets with waxed or parchment paper.

2) Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 2/3 (2cm) plain tip nozzle with the warm cream puff dough. Pipe the dough onto the baking sheets in long, 4 to 4-1/2 inches "fat fingers" Leave a couple of inches of space in between each dough strip to allow them room to puff.

3) Slide both the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 7 minutes. After the 7 minutes, slip the handle of a wooden spoon into the door to keep in ajar. When the éclairs have been in the oven for a total of 12 minutes, rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking for a further 8 minutes or until the éclairs are puffed, golden and firm. The total baking time should be approximately 20 minutes.

If you wish to wait a bit to fill, they will keep for several hours in a cool, dry place.

Crème Pâtissière - Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
(Adapted from The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts)
1 3/4 cup Half and Half
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 of a Vanilla Bean
4 Egg Yolks, large
1/2 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Flour
Pinch of Salt

1. Heat half-and-half in a medium saucepan until warm. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer or by hand, ribbon egg yolks and sugar until very thick and pale yellow and there is no presence of sugar granules. Stir in flour and the salt. Very gradually add warm half-and-half to yolk mixture stirring with a whisk or using your mixer.

3. Transfer mixture to a saucepan and add the inside of half of a vanilla bean. Cook over medium-low heat stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. When mixture begins to bubble (must boil) continue stirring for 1-2 minutes (lower heat if necessary).

4. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract and strain into a bowl. Refrigerate. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Notes:

This can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for two or three days.

In order to avoid a skin forming on the pastry cream, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the cream.

Tempering the eggs raises the temperature of the eggs slowly so that they do not scramble.

Chocolate Glaze

(The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts)

* 8 ounces Callebaut semi-sweet chocolate chopped.
* 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
* 2 Tablespoons corn syrup

In a double boiler, melt chocolate. Remove from heat. Add vegetable shortening and corn syrup. Stir. Let cool to desired consistency. This will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks. You can reheat for application in a microwave or with a double broiler. It does work best if you glaze right away though.

Assembling the éclairs:
1) Slice the éclairs horizontally, using a serrated knife and a gently sawing motion. Set aside the bottoms and place the tops on a rack over a piece of parchment paper.

2) The glaze should be barely warm to the touch (between 95 – 104 degrees F or 35 – 40 degrees C, as measured on an instant read thermometer). Spread the glaze over the tops of the éclairs using a metal icing spatula. Allow the tops to set and in the meantime fill the bottoms with the pastry cream.

3) Pipe or spoon the pastry cream into the bottoms of the éclairs. Make sure you fill the bottoms with enough cream to mound above the pastry. Place the glazed tops onto the pastry cream and wriggle gently to settle them.

The éclairs should be served as soon as they have been filled. (like that is going to be a problem)

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Whisk in a bowl.

5 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream

In a pan, fry up about 8-9 ounces of spicy breakfast sausage. Sprinkle with a shake of red pepper (to taste) and a 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of Penzey's Northwoods Fire Seasoning (a mix of salt, chipotle pepper, hungarian paprika, tellicherry black pepper, garlic, rosemary, thyme and cayenne).

Chop two cups of of diced veggies (I used chopped frozen broccoli which I nuked just long enough to thaw).

Mix cooked/drained sausage with veggies and egg/milk mixture. Stir in

1 box stove top stuffing - I used cornbread style.

Stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cups cheese. Bake at 375 in deep casserole dish for one hour, covered. Remove lid, sprinkle with about another half cup cheese and bake 5 minutes longer, until cheese is melted.

I served with Pillsbury cresent rolls smeared with a half teaspoon of Jalapeno Jelly and 1/2 teaspoon of cream cheese, then rolled up.

For a milder dish, this is also excellent with sage flavored stuffing with smoked ham or turkey, using Penzey's Ozark seasoning or seasoning of your choice instead of the red pepper and fire seasoning.

Chicken and Noodles -HOTR Style

The chicken and noodles was easy. In a pan I sauteed some onion and a heaping half teaspoon minced garlic, then added sliced grilled chicken from the barbecue, and just let it sit on warm for the flavors to mingle while I made the sauce and noodles. Cook a small/medium sized package of thick home style noodles. The sauce was made from what was in the refrigerator.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (or teaspoons garlic powder)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup half and half
• 3 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 ounces grated Romano
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• dash of red pepper flakes (less than 1/8 teaspoon)

DIRECTIONS - Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce thickens pretty rapidly when removed from heat.

While this is cooking, nuke or lightly grill couple of cups of fresh veggies til tender crisp.

Toss cooked sauce with hot pasta, chicken mixture and veggies. Serve with grated cheese and extra red pepper flakes.

Bacon Florentine Style Quiche

1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
1 package thawed spinach - drained thoroughly and pressed so there is no water left.
1/3 cup mayo
1/3 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup shredded Mozarella Cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
6 or so slices of bacon cooked until slightly crispy and chopped
1 prepared pie crust

Sautee onions and mushrooms in a little olive oil (just enough so they don't stick) until the onions are caramalized and starting to turn golden. Stir in spinach, remove from heat and mix well.

Mix mayo, milk and eggs, whisking well. Stir in veggies, cheese and seasoning. Pour into unbaked pie crust, top with bacon and bake 45 -50 minutes at 375. (check at 40 minutes as ovens vary).

Zucchini Walnut Bars with Buttercream Frosting

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
3 tsp vanilla (real, NOT imitation)
2 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup chopped nuts

Beat eggs, sugar and oil well. Stir in other ingredients. Bake in a 15 x 17 pan at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool.. This recipe makes a lot. Good for work or a church supper.

Frosting

1 stick butter
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cups powdered sugar.

Cream butter, cheese and vanilla until mixed, then beat in sugar until smooth.

Breakfast Pizza with Cornmeal Crust

Breakfast Pizza with Cornmeal Crust
h/t to What's for Sunday Breakfast? for the concept.

* cornmeal crust pizza dough (see recipe below) for 1 sixteen inch pizza.

*3/4 to 1 cup of your favorite salsa
*4 eggs, scrambled with 3 tablespoons of milk and salt & pepper added and cooked in 3 teaspoons of melted butter
*1 cup cup of good quality, spicy, breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled (can substitute Chorizo, if desired)
*8 ounces of shredded pepper jack/cheddar/mexican blend
*pickled jalapenos (or plain jalapenos, you wimp :-) amount to taste

Preheat the oven and pizza stone to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Pre-bake the pizza crust for about 5 minutes. Remove carefully from the oven and top with the salsa. Next, evenly sprinkle the cooked scrambled eggs and sausage (cooked and drained) over the salsa. Top with shredded cheese and jalapenos. Bake at 400 degrees for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the crust is golden around the edges. Serves 3-4 hungry people.

NOTE: I've had friends short on time make this with the frozen Vicolo Corn Meal Pizza Crust Shells (available at Whole Foods Markets) Bake the topped frozen shell on a preheated pizza stone (400 degrees) for 10-20 minutes. Makes two 8 inches pizza or cut recipe toppings in half.

Cornmeal Pizza Dough
h/t Bob's Red Mill Baking Book by John Ettinger and Bob's Red Mill Family,

SERVINGS
Makes one 16-inch, two 12-inch, four 8-inch or eight 4-inch pizzas

INGREDIENTS
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (105 degrees F. to 115 degrees F.)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste, optional
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

PREPARATION
1. In a small bowl, add the sugar to the water and sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir to dissolve and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine well 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of the unbleached white flour with the wheat flour, cornmeal, salt, and red pepper flakes. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the yeast mixture and the oil, and using a wooden spoon, vigorously stir the flour into the well. Begin at the center and work slowly outward, until the flour mixture is incorporated and the dough just begins to come together.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough gently, pressing down with the heels of your hands and pushing the dough away from you before partially folding it back over itself. Use a dough scraper to pry up bits of dough that stick to the work surface. Shift the dough a quarter turn and repeat. As you knead, gradually add just enough of the remaining flour until the dough is no longer sticky; you may not need all of it. Continue to knead until the dough is smooth and shiny, with good elasticity, about 10 to 15 minutes more. The dough should feel springy and be slightly moist. Too much kneading may result in a tough crust.

4. Oil a large bowl, shape the dough into a smooth ball, and place the ball in the bowl. Turn to coat the dough with the oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise until it doubles in size, about 90 minutes.

5. Punch the dough down and use within 2 hours. (If you are not going to use the dough within 2 hours, turn it into an oiled bowl to coat again, tightly cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. When the dough has doubled again, in about 5 to 8 hours, punch it down, re-cover it, and leave it in the refrigerator. You can punch it down a total of 4 times, but after that, it gets tough. Use the dough within 32 hours or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 4 months.)

6. Break the dough into equal pieces for smaller pizzas or keep whole for a large pizza.

7. Use your hands or a rolling pin to shape the ball of dough on a lightly floured surface. Press and stretch it gently to the desired shape and thickness. The thinner the crust, the crispier it will be.

8. Leave the dough to rest, about 15 minutes, or place in the refrigerator for thinner crust (because the dough doesn't rise as much in the refrigerator), until you're ready to prepare. A 400 degree oven usually works well.

Prebake on preheated pizza stone for 5 minutes, then carefully remove, place toppings on and bake another 10-20 minutes (watch carefully, ovens vary) until crust is golden around the edges and the cheese is bubbly.

Cornmeal Crust Pizza with herbs and pepperoni

Excerpted from Bob's Red Mill Baking Book by John Ettinger and Bob's Red Mill Family,

SERVINGS
Makes one 16-inch, two 12-inch, four 8-inch or eight 4-inch pizzas

INGREDIENTS
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (105 degrees F. to 115 degrees F.)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste, optional
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

PREPARATION
1. In a small bowl, add the sugar to the water and sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir to dissolve and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine well 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of the unbleached white flour with the wheat flour, cornmeal, salt, and red pepper flakes. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the yeast mixture and the oil, and using a wooden spoon, vigorously stir the flour into the well. Begin at the center and work slowly outward, until the flour mixture is incorporated and the dough just begins to come together.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough gently, pressing down with the heels of your hands and pushing the dough away from you before partially folding it back over itself. Use a dough scraper to pry up bits of dough that stick to the work surface. Shift the dough a quarter turn and repeat. As you knead, gradually add just enough of the remaining flour until the dough is no longer sticky; you may not need all of it. Continue to knead until the dough is smooth and shiny, with good elasticity, about 10 to 15 minutes more. The dough should feel springy and be slightly moist. Too much kneading may result in a tough crust.

4. Oil a large bowl, shape the dough into a smooth ball, and place the ball in the bowl. Turn to coat the dough with the oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise until it doubles in size, about 90 minutes.

5. Punch the dough down and use within 2 hours. (If you are not going to use the dough within 2 hours, turn it into an oiled bowl to coat again, tightly cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. When the dough has doubled again, in about 5 to 8 hours, punch it down, re-cover it, and leave it in the refrigerator. You can punch it down a total of 4 times, but after that, it gets tough. Use the dough within 32 hours or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 4 months.)

6. Break the dough into equal pieces for smaller pizzas or keep whole for a large pizza.

7. Use your hands or a rolling pin to shape the ball of dough on a lightly floured surface. Press and stretch it gently to the desired shape and thickness. The thinner the crust, the crispier it will be.

8. Leave the dough to rest, about 15 minutes, or place in the refrigerator for thinner crust (because the dough doesn't rise as much in the refrigerator), until you're ready to top the pizza.

Note from B - Bake as per your regular pizza recipe. (several are on my sidebar).

I topped with the thinnest coat of tomato sauce, perhaps 3 tablespoons, LOTS of cheese, pepperoni and a sprinkling of dried Italian herbs. It's a crisp/tender crust that paired well with the herbs and cheese.

Bacon Waffles

from www.joythebaker.com
Brown Sugar Bacon Waffles

For the Bacon

10 slices of bacon

1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with non stick cooking spray and line with foil. Arrange bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar. Place in the upper third of the oven and bake until sugar is caramelized and bacon is brown and crispy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately remove bacon slices using a pair of tongs. Place them on a cutting board (not paper towels, they’ll stick!) to cool before chopping. Once cool, chop the bacon into bite size bits and set aside.

For the Waffles

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cups canola or grapeseed oil

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Set up your waffle iron on a level, clean surface and turn on to preheat.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and brown sugar. Whisk to blend. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold. Once almost fully incorporated, add the bacon bites. Stir. Try not to over mix the batter or the waffles will become tough. It’s ok if a few lumps remain in the batter.

Cook according to your waffle machine instructions.

Serve with maple syrup and strawberries.

Shrimp Eggs Benedict - Home on the Range Style

Eggs Benedict Home on the Range Style   

• Water
• 1/4 cup distilled vinegar, divided
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 6 slices bacon
• 3 plain English muffins split
• HOLLANDAISE SAUCE, recipe follows
• 2 teaspoons finely finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• Zarina Bellas Hot and Sweet Green Sauce (to taste)

Directions

Pour enough water into 2 large skillets to reach a depth of about 3 inches, and divide the vinegar between them. Bring both skillets to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Crack an egg into a cup and carefully slide it into the hot poaching liquid. Quickly repeat with all the eggs. Poach the eggs, turning them occasionally with a spoon, until the whites are firm, or to the desired degree of doneness, about 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs and transfer to a kitchen towel. Lightly dab the eggs with the towel to remove any excess water.

While the eggs are poaching, cook the bacon in a skillet until tender crisp. Drain the bacon grease but do not wipe down the pan (leaving just a smidgen of leavings in there). Cook the shrimp until done (or buy pre cooked shrimp and reheat).

To serve, toast the English muffin halves and divide them among plates (this makes three, I can usually eat just one, some folks will want two).

Here is the good part but it is optional: To add a little kick to these I add a couple drops of Zarina Bellas Hot and Sweet Green sauce to just a teaspoon or so of softened butter (just enough butter to spread the hot and sweet around) and smear that on the toasted muffin before assembly. It adds a nice oomph to these eggs benedict without overpowering. The sauce is American made, by a lady in Pensacola and her husband. Good products.

https://www.juniordavis.com/zarinabella/news.asp

Top each half with a slice of bacon or two and set an egg on top. Spoon the hollandaise sauce over the eggs and garnish with the parsley. Serve immediately.

• Hollandaise Sauce
• 1/2 cup plus two tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoons cold water
• 1 1/2 teaspoon strained freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground white pepper or a pinch of cayenne pepper

In a medium pan, completely melt the butter over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and set it aside for 5 minutes. Skim and discard the white foam that rises to the surface of the butter. Carefully ladle or pour the clear golden butter into a container with a pouring spout. Take care not to add the milky solids and watery liquid at the bottom of the saucepan. Set the butter aside in a warm spot.

Pour enough water into a medium saucepan to reach a depth of about 2 inches. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the egg yolks and the cold water. Whisk until the yolks are light and frothy. Place the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly and vigorously until the yolks are thickened and light, about 3 to 4 minutes. (If the eggs begin to scramble, or the mixture is cooking very quickly or gets too hot, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk to cool). Remove the eggs from the heat and whisk for 30 seconds to cool slightly.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and set the bowl over the hot water. Slowly drizzle the butter into the eggs while whisking constantly. Whisk in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, to taste. (If the sauce is very thick, add a few drops of warm water to adjust the consistency so it is creamy and light.) Serve immediately or keep the hollandaise sauce in a small bowl set over warm, but not hot water, for about 30 minutes or in a warmed thermos for about an hour.

Yield: about 3/4 cup. Enough for three servings.

Chocolate Bourbon Brownies

Bourbon Brownies

1 1/2 sticks UNSALTED butter
3 1/2 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon real vanilla (not imitation please)
2 to 3 tablespoons bourbon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour (whole wheat pastry flour can be substituted)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 inch metal baking pan with foil and spray foil with cooking spray. This will make removal of the brownies easier.

Melt butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. When butter starts to melt and coats pan bottom, add unsweetened chocolate and reduce heat to LOW. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted. Add the granulated sugar to melted chocolate and continue to stir over low heat for one or two minutes. Remove and let cool, while you prepare the rest of it.

Beat eggs with an electric mixer for 3 minutes (eggs should be very light). Add brown sugar to eggs and continue beating for another two minutes. With mixer going, add melted chocolate mixture to egg mixture. Scrape sides of bowl down and beat in vanilla, bourbon and salt. Add the flour and stir just until mixed. (do not over mix, there may be some small lumps in the batter, which is typical with brownies).

Pour into pan the pan and bake for 26-28 minutes. Do not overcook. Brownies usually look a little undercooked when finished.

Let cool on wire rack until room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for a 2-3 hours or overnight. The chill time is important as the texture of these brownies will improve as they sit, and the bourbon flavor has time to fully develop, although it is very subtle.

Lift from pan and cut into small squares.

Glaze (optional)

4 (1-ounce) semisweet chocolate baking squares
1/4 cup butter

Microwave chocolate squares and butter in a 1-quart glass bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring twice. Spread on warm (not hot) brownies.

Venison Meat Sauce

1 pound venison or ground beef
1/4 pound Spicy Jimmy Dean or Bob Evans ground breakfast sausage.
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
19 oz can plain tomato sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp salt
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
¾ tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp nutmeg
1 finely grated large carrot
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ cup red wine
3-4 drops Scoville Brothers Singing Smoke hot sauce
4 oz maple cured bacon, chopped into small pieces and fully cooked to crisp.

Simmer all the ingredients except the wine and the meats, for about an hour. Then add the meat which has been cooked and drained and the wine. Cook on low, covered, for another 30 minutes (or you can just cook the whole thing all day on low in a crockpot). Just before serving, finish the sauce by adding . . .

¼ cup whipping cream (do NOT whip it first. . . . on great, now I have that song "whip it good" in my head and it won't go away, 80's flashbacks are the worst).

Serve over 1 ½ pounds fresh pasta, cooked. Top with grated Parmesan.