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.

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"

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.

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.

Do Ahead Gravy & Rita's Herbed Butter Recipe (Page 44)

I made Diane Phillips Make Ahead Gravy, but used a few Tbsp. of Rita Heikenfeld's herbed butter. Very nice to have this double batch of gravy done-just need to add the drippings!
Rita's Herbed Butter is on page 44 of my cookbook-
6 T. unsalted room temp. butter, 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, 1 Tbsp. each chopped fresh parsley,thyme and rosemary,1/4 tsp. fennel seed- ground....I used a coffee grinder. Just mix it up and take out a tablespoon or two for the gravy. I rub the turkey/chicken under the skin, then over the skin with the rest of the butter. Freezes great!
Diane's Gravy Recipe is pretty basic:
6 T. unsalted butter, 6 T. flour- whisk continually x2-3 min, then slowly add in 4 cups turkey/chicken broth. Cook, stirring continuously, until it boils/becomes thick. Salt & Pepper to taste. Freezes for 6 weeks. On the big day reheat & add pan drippings. I doubled it & it's done!

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

This is from Diane Phillips' book "Happy Holidays from the Do-Ahead Diva"
I had the pleasure of attending 2 of her classes last week & she was just a delight to meet & learn from. This is a great book!

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
8-10 med. russet baking potatoes peeled & cut into 1 inch chunks,
6 Tablespoons ((3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes in salted water to cover until tender. Drain.
Butter the dish (I use foil pans for freezing) w/ 2 Tbsp. of butter. Sprinkle a 1/4 cup Parmesan evenly over the bottom.
Place the hot cooked potatoes in a large bowl.Add the sour cream and softened cream cheese & 2Tbsp. butter,1/4 cup cheese & chives. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper.
Place in prepared dish. Dot w/ final 2 Tbsp. butter and sprinkle with final 1/4 cup cheese.
*Wrap tightly & freeze for up to 1 month. Bring to room temp before baking.*
Bake the potatoes x 25 min, until golden brown.
Follow up These held up very well and tasted very good after 2 weeks of freezing.