Toffee

This was my first attempt to make candy -- well -- at least my first in a very long time -- and the first try came out overdone -- waaay overcooked.  The second attempt -- much better -- but a bit underdone -- I think the third time will be the charm.


Here's the trick -- candy thermometers are fine -- but you MUST stop cooking it when it's the color of peanut butter -- and Medium High heat -- is WAY too high.  I put it just below Medium once the butter and sugar started to boil.


Also -- screw buttering the pan -- you need to butter the pan -- AND use a silpat  -- and shoot -- I buttered that too.  Other than that -- it's the Paula Dean recipe

Ingredients
14 tablespoons (1 stick, plus 6 tablespoons) butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dash salt
1 (6-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips or thin chocolate bars
Directions
Generously butter a cookie sheet.

Put butter, sugar, and water in a heavy pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a bubbling boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove spoon from pan, and cook to a very brittle stage (300 degrees to 310 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Or, make a cold water test: candy will separate into hard, brittle threads when dropped in cold water. Remove from heat and add nuts to mixture. Add vanilla and salt. Pour onto prepared cookie sheet and spread to 1/4-inch thickness. Cool slightly, top with chocolate chips or chocolate bars, and spread as it melts. Cool completely and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Penuche Pecan Bars

4 large eggs
1 # light brown sugar (2.5 cups - packed)
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 # pecan halves (4 1/2 cups)untoasted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

preheat the oven to 350 degrees -- middle rack

Prepare a pan (9 x 13) by lining the inside with foil, buttering the inside well -- set aside.

In a double boiler (yes -- it sounds like a pain -- but these are WORTH it) beat the eggs and stir in the sugar (make sure there are no lumps) cook for 20 minutes stirring frequently and scraping the sides with the spatula

sift dry ingredients together.

put the pecans in a large mixing bowl.

after the eggs are cooked -- stir in the vanilla - pour the mixture over the nuts -- coating well, add in dry ingredients and stir to mix.

pour hot mixture into the pan and spread it out smooth.

Bake for 25 minutes -- a toothpick test will come out slightly wet

stand until cool.

turn out remove foil and refrigerate for an hour to overnight (sometimes I freeze it after I cool them in the fridge and cut them later.
Cut into small pieces as they are rich rich rich

they will be sticky when you first cut them but will dry out nicely and are a huge favorite (tasting a bit like pecan pie)

Jill's amazing cranberry sauce

2 bags fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
2 cups orange juice
the zest of one orange
2 oz candied ginger -- whole -- but if you love ginger you can chop some of it up


Combine all ingredients.
Cook on Medium high until cranberries burst
reduce to med low heat and cover
cook for about 20 minutes

Pick out ginger (large bits) before serving

We're going to try to use the leftovers (if there is any) in a tart shell -- this is the most wonderful sauce I've ever tried.

If you have ginger lovers -- they may want to eat the ginger that you take out -- it's spicy and delicious

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

4 to 6 servings

2 pounds Brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried (I've never used these)
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Directions
Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the bottoms off the Brussels sprouts and trim off any damaged outer leaves. Soak them in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes and drain them well. Cut them in half and put them into a roasting pan. Add the thyme, oregano, pine nuts, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the olive oil and vinegar and toss everything well to coat. Put the roasting pan into the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Give everything a good stir and cook for 25 minutes more, or until the Brussels sprouts are nicely browned and caramelized. Serve immediately.

Espresso Kahlua Brownies

3/4 cup unsalted butter -- cut into pieces
4 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped
3 large eggs
2 cups + 1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2tsp vanilla
4 1/2 Tbsp instant espresso powder
3 Tbsp Kahlua
1 1/8 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
36 espresso beans

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Butter and flour 13 inch baking pan. In double boiler melt butter and chocolate until smooth. Cool to luke warm. Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, espresso powder and kahlua in mixer until thickened and pale. Beat chocolate mixture. Sift together dry ingredients and beat into batter until just mixed.

Spread batter into prepared pan and arrange espresso beans evenly so one bean will be in the center of each brownie.

Bake 30 to 35 min. until toothpick comes out with crumbs adhering to it.

Cool completely. Cut into small squares.

Maple Biscotti

1/3 cup crisco
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup real maple syrup (lightly grease cup before measuring)
2 1/4 cup cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
3 egg whites

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Cream crisco and sugar until fluffy. Stir in syrup. Sift together dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients and milk to shortening mixture alternating dry and milk until incorporated. Beat egg whites until fluffy. Fold eggs into batter until just mixed. Pour batter into 9" square pan that has been greased and lined with wax paper and grease the paper too -- (important -- this is very sticky dough)

Bake 45 minutes. Cool completely. Slice and lay slices on cookie sheet. Bake at 275 degrees until crisp flipping pieces part way through.

chill -- lovely maple-y biscotti.

Pizza Crust (Alton Brown)

2 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup warm water (about 105 degrees)
2 cup bread flour
1 tsp instant yeast (for bread machines)
2 tsp olive oil (for bowl)

Use standing mixer. Place sugar, salt, olive oil water 1 cup of flour & yeast in the bowl. Mix until it comes together. Add remaining flour and mix it until it forms a ball.

Change mixer to dough hook. lube hook w/olive oil. Knead w/mixer on medium for 20 minutes. Pinch off a tiny bit - flatten into disk and stretch. If it forms a window stop kneading - -otherwise go another 5 - 10 min until it does.

Cut dough into 4 pieces. Roll each into a ball. Place in oiled pan and cover with plastic. Place in fridge for 24 hours.

Heat pizza stone in 500 degree oven.

Wet hands w/water and rob on counter top -- roll balls on surface between hands until dough tightens -- cover with a towel and rest 30 min. Flatten dough slightly and stretch into a thin disk. Place on pizza peal -- add toppings.

bake 6 to 7 min -- remove from oven with peel.

Cool 3 min - and slice

also works great for making grilled pizza.