English Toffee
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
1 1/3 Cups Sugar
1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup
3 Tablespoons Water
1 Pound Bittersweet Chocolate
1 Pound Ground Pecans
Melt the butter and sugar in a medium size saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the corn syrup and water. Boil over a high heat until the candy thermometer reads 300° F. Pour onto a greased cookie sheet. Melt the chocolate over a low heat in a small saucepan. Evenly spread the toffee with the melted chocolate. While the chocolate is still warm cover with the ground pecans. Cool for 20 minutes and then cut into pieces. Serves 10
Peanut Butter Kisses
Simple to make!
INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Cup Softened Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Creamy Room Temperature Peanut Butter
½ Cup Sugar (Plus a Bit More For Coating)
½ Cup Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
36 Unwrapped Chocolate Kisses
In a medium sized bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a separate medium sized bowl beat the butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes with an electric mixer. Add the sugar and the brown sugar and beat for 3 more minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat for 30 seconds. Slowly add the flour mixture beating for 2 minutes. Transfer the dough to a medium sized clean bowl and refrigerate overnight. You want to be able to roll into balls so the dough needs to firm up. When you are ready to bake the cookies preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1 ½ inch balls. Roll the balls into the extra sugar. Set the dough balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Gently flatten the cookies. Bake for 18 minutes until they are just light golden brown on the bottoms. Remove the cookies from the oven and press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Return the cookies to the oven and bake for 1 minute. Remove from the oven and cool for 2 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 36 cookies.
Spiced Apple Cider
INGREDIENTS
8 Cups Apple Cider or Apple Juice
1 Medium Sliced Apple
1 Vanilla Bean Split Lengthwise
¼ Cup Honey
¼ Cup Maple Syrup
3 Whole Allspice Berries
3 Whole Cloves
2 Cinnamon Sticks
1 Star Anise
Peel of 1 Orange
Peel of 1 Lemon
In a sachet bag or piece of cheesecloth, combine the allspice, cloves, cinnamon sticks, anise, lemon & orange peels. Tie the cheesecloth with kitchen twine. In a large cooking pot combine the apple cider, apple slices, vanilla bean, honey and maple syrup. Add the spice bag. Cook over a medium heat for 15 minutes. Make sure not to boil. Remove from the heat and throw away the spice bag. Serve immediately. Can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week. Serves 6
Butterscotch Pie
INGREDIENTS
¾ Cup Brown Sugar
¼ Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Unbleached Flour
2 Cups Scalding Milk
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
3 Eggs Separated
1 ½ Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Baked Pastry Shell
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Combine the brown sugar and white sugar with the flour. Gradually add the hot milk. Stir constantly to make a smooth mixture. Add the salt and cook in the top of a double boiler for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally until thickened. Pour part of the hot mixture slowly onto the well beaten egg yolks. Stir constantly. Pour back into the double boiler. Mix well and cook not more than 3 minutes. Stir constantly. Add the butter and stir until melted. Cool. Add the vanilla and stir. Pour into the baked pastry shell. Make the meringue by beating the egg whites until they are stiff. Add the sugar and beat. Gradually add the vanilla and beat until well blended. Cover with the meringue using the remaining egg whites. Brown in the preheated 300° F oven for 20 minutes. Makes 1 pie.
Creamy Ranch Dressing
Who doesn’t love Ranch Dressing?! This dressing is great over mixed greens or used as a dip.
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Mayonnaise
1/3 Cup Buttermilk
1/3 Cup Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Chives
1 Minced Garlic Clove
1 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground White Pepper
½ Teaspoon Salt
In a small bowl whisk all of the ingredients together. Place in a covered container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. This dressing may be kept refrigerated for 1 week. Makes 1 ½ cups.
Cauliflower With Bread Crumbs
I absolutely LOVE this cauliflower side dish. Lots of butter and bread crumbs makes it so delicious! When I have leftovers I puree it in the food processor and spread it on sandwiches.
INGREDIENTS
1 Head Cauliflower
½ Cup Butter
½ Teaspoon Coarse Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
½ Cup Bread Crumbs
Remove the outer green leaves from the cauliflower and wash. Break apart into flowerets and cook uncovered, in a medium sized pot, in salted boiling water until tender but not mushy. Drain in a colander and set aside. Heat the pot over a medium heat and add the butter. Cook the butter until almost melted and then add the salt, pepper and bread crumbs. Stir until combined. Add the cauliflower and stir into the butter and bread crumbs. Cook for 3 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and place in a serving dish. Serve warm. Serves 4
Root Beer Float
I remember many a Root Beer Float at the A&W Drive-In when I was young. I still love Root Beer Floats. They are so simple to make and are delicious!
INGREDIENTS
2 Quarts Chilled Good Quality Root Beer
8 Scoops French Vanilla Ice Cream
8 Ten Ounce Drinking Glasses or Float Glasses
Place 1 scoop of ice cream in each glass. Top with 8 ounces of Root Beer. Serve immediately with a straw and a long handled spoon. Serves 8
Tortilla Soup
I really like Tortilla Soup. I used to buy it from Fresh Direct and then decided to make it homemade. Super good!
INGREDIENTS
1 Chopped Onion
4 Minced Garlic Cloves
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Oregano
28 Ounces Crushed Tomatoes (Canned Will Do Fine)
11 Ounces Chicken Broth
1 ¼ Cups Water
1 Cup Cooked Corn Kernels
1 Cup White Hominy
4 Ounces Chopped Green Chile Peppers
¼ Cup Chopped Cilantro
2 Boneless Chicken Breasts
Crushed Tortilla Chips
Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Chopped Green Onions
Cook and cut the 2 boneless chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. In a medium sized pot heat the olive oil over a medium heat sauté the onion and garlic in the oil
until soft. Stir in the chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth and water. Bring the pot to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes over a low heat. Stir in the corn, hominy, chilies, beans, cilantro and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Top with crushed tortilla chips, cheese and chopped green onion. Serves 8
Pumpkin Biscuits
These Pumpkin Biscuits are melt in your mouth good! Easy to make too!
INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Tablespoons Plus 1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Plus 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
¾ Cup Pumpkin Puree
¼ Cup Melted Butter
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 450° F. In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add the pumpkin puree and melted butter to the flour mixture. Stir well. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 8 times until the dough is smooth. Roll the dough to ½ inch thick. Use a 2 inch round cutter or the mouth of a glass. Cut the dough. Reroll the scraps once. Place the biscuits on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until they are lightly golden. Serve warm with butter and honey. Makes 1 dozen biscuits.
Brownie Bites
All you need is a round biscuit cutter!
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Butter
2 ¼ Cups Sugar
1 ¼ Cups Cocoa Powder
1 Tablespoon Espresso Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
4 Large Eggs
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Cups Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Chopped Pecans (Optional)
Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a saucepan melt the butter over a low heat. Add the sugar to the melted butter and stir. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa, espresso powder, salt, baking powder and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs. Stir until smooth. Add the flour, chocolate chips and pecans (optional). Stir until smooth. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30 minutes. The brownies should feel set on the edges and barely set in the center. Remove from the oven and cool for 1 hour. Using a 1 ½ inch round biscuit cutter cut out as many circles as possible. You should get about 38 circles. Wrap well to store. When you are ready to serve, garnish the Brownie Bites with whipped cream, cherry topping or shaved chocolate. You can save the scraps and crumble on top of ice cream for a whole different dessert. Makes 38 Brownie Bites
