Brussel Sprouts with Bacon Jam

 

It tastes better than my photography skills allow .

I used 3 slices of bacon since the jam had bacon in it.

I had purchased bacon jam in Amish country in Ohio. I finally figured out what to do with it, besides salad dressing. 

1 lb. Brussel Sprouts cleaned, stemmed and quartered.

3-5 slices of bacon, diced

3 Tbsp. Jam ( bacon, apple, maybe orange?)

1 Tbsp. Apple cider vinegar 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place sprouts in a oven proof pan . Bake 10 minutes. Stir. Bake another 10 minutes. The crunchier the better.

While the sprouts are baking, cook the bacon until crispy. You can remove and get rid of fat.. But, I don't. Carefully mix in jam then vinegar. Stir until blended and let it simmer.

Once the Brussels sprouts are  finished, pour into the skillet and stir. Enjoy!

** You could use any light colored jam or jelly. Have fun with it. 

Pumpkin Orange Cheesecake

Pumpkin Orange Cheesecake

Laura Whiting 

Description:

Makes one 9 inch cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Biscoff cookie crumbs or graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted 

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 

16 oz pumpkin puree 

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) 

Two eggs 

3 tablespoons orange juice 

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine crumbs and butter, press firmly on bottom and halfway up the side of a 9 inch springform pan. In large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into pan. Bake one hour and 15 minutes or until set. Cool. Chill. Garnish. Refrigerate leftovers.

Stuffed pepper appetizer

1 lbs Bob Evan's sausage (or any breakfast sausage)
2 bags of small bell peppers
16 oz philedelphia chive cream cheese
Cheddar cheese, shredded ( we prefer sharp, but mild is fine)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash peppers then cut peppers in half, lengthwise and remove the seeds and ribs. Set aside.

In a large skillet,  brown sausage, breaking into small bits.

Once sausage is browned, reduce the heat , and stir in the cream cheese. Mix in and once melted turn off the heat. This won't take long. 

Stuff the peppers, be careful not to burn yourself. Lay peppers ona cookie sheet. 

( I recommend a silpat or parchment paper on the tray.) Then sprinkle cheese over stuffed peppers. You can stop and refrigerate at this point.  

Oven at 350 degrees. Bake about 10 min.,  until cheese melts. Serve warm. Caution guests will eat this off the bake sheet if you aren't fast enough.  Always a big hit.

Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Pears and Pear Brandy Cream Sauce

Pork tenderloin with Caramelized Pears and Pear Brandy Cream Sauce

Pork:

2 Pork tenderloins (about 2 ½ pounds total wt.)

2 Tbsp. Herbes De Provence

1 tsp. kosher salt (go easy on the salt)

½ tsp. black pepper

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

Pears:

2-3 firm but ripe Anjou pears, peeled, halved, cored and cut into 1/3 inch thick wedges

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1-2 tsp. sugar

Pear brandy Cream Sauce:

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

½ cup chopped shallots

1 tsp. dried thyme

¼ cup pear brandy (or reg. brandy or white wine)

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup pear nectar (or low sodium chicken broth)

Pork prep:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle the pork with herbes de provence, salt, and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large ovenproof skillet over high heat and brown the pork on all sides. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the pork 18-22 minutes or until the thermometer reads 145 degrees. Remove the pork from the skillet and keep warm. Tent with foil. Warning the handle is hot! (I have burned my hand, more than once!)

Meanwhile, while the pork is roasting, cook the pears. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the pears and sugar and saute until the pears are tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

When the pork is done, transfer to a platter and lightly tent with foil to keep warm.

In the same pork pan, melt butter. Add shallots and saute until tender; stir in thyme. Remove from the heat and add the pear brandy. Return the pan to the heat and bring to a boil reducing the brandy down to a glaze, scraping up any browned bits. Add the cream and pear nectar: boil until thick, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve: Reheat pears if needed. Slice the pork into medallions. Spoon the pears into the center of platter. Arrange pork around pears & pour sauce over the pork. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Serves 8

Cranberry Walnut Multi Grain Bread With Double Orange Blossom Honey Butter

Cranberry Walnut Multi Grain Bread

1 1/2 cups warm water (105-110 degrees, esp. not over 120 degrees - kills yeast!)

1/3 cup molasses, pref. un-sulfured. (I use regular)

1 T. rapid rise yeast

3 cups total bread flour, divided

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup rye flour

1/2 cup while wheat flour

3 T. cocoa powder, sieved

3 T. vital wheat gluten (Important step- you need to do this- it makes bread rise). Store in fridge

2 tsp. espresso powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup good quality dried cranberries (should be pliable not hard nuggets)

1 cup chopped walnuts (or your favorite nut)

2 generous T. walnut oil (store in fridge- will go bad)

Cornmeal for dusting

Put dough hook on mixing bowl. Place warm water, molasses and yeast in the mixing bowl. Let stand until mixture is foamy.

Meanwhile, combine 2 1/2 of bread flour with whole wheat, cornmeal, rye, wheat  gluten, espresso, cocoa and salt. Whisk well.

Add flour mixture to yeast mixture & mix on speed 2 ~ 2 min.

Add the cranberries, walnuts, and oil & mix on speed 3 for another 2 min. or until mixed. Con't on speed 3, add rest of the flour- 1/2 cup- a little at a time until a dough ball forms.

Knead in the bowl speed 2 for 4 minutes.

Put in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap- not a towel to preserve heat. Let rise in a draft free place x 2 hours or so.

Knead in, gently, any stray berries or nuts. shape into a 13 x 4 loaf. Place on a large bake sheet covered with parchment paper. Spray lightly with Pam and sprinkle cornmeal for dusting.

Cover again with plastic and let it rise 40 min.

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Cut 5 diagonal slices across the top. Bake on center rack so bottom doesn't burn. Bake 35-45 min. (Until center temp 205). The bread should sound hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

Double Orange Blossom Honey Butter

Whip 1 stick unsalted softened butter until fluffy. Beat in 2 T. good orange blossom honey or more, to taste. Add 1/8 tsp. orange oil or 1/2 - 1 tsp. orange extract.

Makes a wonderful combination

This recipe was from Rita Heikenfeld's Gifts from the Kitchen Class.You could easily make smaller loaves. This also makes great sandwich bread. Mmmmm sliced turkey, a light cheese.....enjoy.

Rita says "It doesn't matter where the recipe came from, it only matters where it's going"

Easy Reubin Dip (Page 5)

It is starting to feel like fall around here and I am a little bit German. This recipe has been calling our names!

Easy Reuben Dip

1 (16-oz.) jar sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry
1 c. mayonnaise
1 (8-oz.) cheddar cheese, shredded
4 pkgs. Corned beef, chopped small
1 (8-oz.) Monterey Jack, shredded
Mix everything and place in an 8 x 8 dish. Bake 350 degrees until hot. Serve with rye
bread crackers.

Note: A great Oktoberfest dish!

Butternut Squash Pizza

1 Boboli-type ready made pizza crust (Or make your own)
1 small butternut squash- peeled
olive oil
salt & pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mozzarella (I would use 1 cup), grated
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese (again I'd use 1 cup), grated
20 sage leaves minced (You can freeze sage leaves fyi)
1/2 lemon juiced (You can freeze lemons too)


Heat oven to 400 degrees.

 Slice off the top and bottom of the squash, Cut half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Slice crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces. Place on a cookie sheet. Brush w/ olive oil and sprinkle w/ salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes (until lightly browned and tender to touch).

 Turn up oven to 450 degrees!

Brush pizza dough with olive oil. sprinkle on minced garlic. Then sprinkle the cheese evenly over the crust. Arrange the butternut squash. (Play- make a circle or spell something....have fun).

Bake (on a stone if you have it) I use a cookie sheet or nothing. Bake at 450 degrees 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts and just starts to brown.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with minced sage leaves and lemon juice. Cut. Eat

PECAN PIE BARS (Page 81)

From my friend, Cheryl

 Crust:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Filling:
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. Karo light corn syrup
4 eggs
3 T. unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 c. pecan halves, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan with no stick quick release foil. (Do it.)
 Cookie crust: In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment at medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (it will change color and become lighter.)
Beat in flour and salt on low speed, stopping to scrape sides as needed, until well mixed. Press into the prepared pan evenly and bake for 18- 20 minutes,watching it closely towards the end, until golden brown. While it's baking prepare the filling.

Pecan filling: In a separate bowl, beat eggs, syrup, sugar, melted butter and vanilla, until well blended. Stir in pecans. As soon as the cookie crust is finished, you pour the pecan filling onto the hot cookie crust and return it to the oven for 25 minutes, until it is nice and firm around the edges Cool completely and cut into desired size.
Note: Nice recipe for making tiny pecan pieces, instead of dealing with the mess and limited quantities of the standard pecan pie. This is from a friend in N.Carolina named Cheryl.

GINGERBREAD WAFFLES (Page 96)

IMPORTANT- the cookbook doesn't have the molasses (My error! Sorry!)
GINGERBREAD WAFFLES
3 c. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated if you can
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs
1 1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. molasses 
1 c. canned pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
2/3 c. dark brown sugar packed
1/2 c. butter, melted, plus extra for the griddle/iron

Preheat waffle iron. Sift all the dry ingredients and spices together, set aside. Mix
eggs, sugar,pumpkin,milk, molasses and melted stick of butter. Combine with dry
ingredients. Lightly butter waffle iron. Pour on batter as directed by the waffle iron
instructions. Don't overfill. Serve with syrup, whipped cream or fruit.
Fun holiday or winter breakfast.
I freeze these (flat) and they pop in the toaster nicely. Honestly I like them better frozen, then toasted.

Caramel Corn (Page 95)

6 quarts popped pop corn, remove unpopped pieces (They hurt later!)

2 sticks butter
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
2 c. brown sugar, packed

 1/2 tsp. baking soda
 1 tsp. vanilla
(Peanuts are optional)

Pop 6 quarts of popcorn and place in a 200-250 degree oven, to keep warm.
In a heavy saucepan, melt 2 sticks of butter. Stir in sugar, syrup, and salt.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and add soda and vanilla. Stir, then gently pour
over popcorn. (I do small amounts in a big bowl, until covered.
Place on 2 large pans.(I spray lightly, don't use foil as pictured)
Bake 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
Break into bits and serve.
Note: Easy gift idea and fun for the family to make.

Cranberry Almond Cake

Cranberry Almond Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
8 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature
7 oz. almond paste (found in the baking aisle- not marzipan)
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs , room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla extract (never imitation!)
1/4 cup milk at room temp.
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries (you can buy these around the holidays and freeze them)- picked through & coarsely chopped
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350.
You can do this in a buttered & floured bundt pan (recommended), loaf pans or even cupcakes
Sift together flour, salt & baking powder. Set aside. Beat together butter & almond paste. Add the sugar & beat until light & fluffy ~ 2 min. longer.Beat the eggs in 1 at a time, scraping down between each addition. Beat in vanilla.With mixer on low speed alt. flour mixture with milk, Stop and scrape down as needed.Fold in cranberries.
Transfer to pan and smooth with a spatula. Bake 45-50 min. (less for cupcakes) Consider checking at 42 min. with a wooden skewer to test doneness- should come out clean. Cool for 15 min. in pan, then invert on a wire rack. Once cool, dust with confectioner's sugar.
Do Ahead: I bake this and then slice, freezing the slices.