Fried Chicken and Cheesesteaks

  First prep 12 oz of Buttersworth original hard candies.    Unwrap, put them in a gallon ziploc bag, put bag into an old pillowcase or fold into a dishcloth, and pound with a mallet or the bottom of a heavy sauce pan:       Preheat oven to 350 degrees  Cream together:  2 sticks butter, at room temperature  1 cup brown sugar Then add:  2 eggs 1 T vanilla 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt When well combined add in: 2 cups flour 1 cup rolled oats Then add:  12 ounces hard butterscotch candies (prepared as described) Drop by the tablespoon onto parchment lined sheet pans, 3" apart.    Small balls, socially distanced.   These cookies seriously spread, y'all.       Bake ~10 minutes.   If your oven is uneven, turn the pans halfway.    Let the cookies cool on their tray, undisturbed.      Then store cooled cookies between layers of parchment.  ...

Mix in bottom of stand mixer bow: 1 cup warm tap water 1/3 cup oil 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons yeast  Let proof (get big and frothy) for a few minutes beat together: 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg   add egg, salt and butter in with yeast mixture, mix    2 tablespoon softened butter Start adding bread flour, 1 cup at a time.      You want a dough that is not sticky.    3 to 4 cups bread flour Let stand mixer knead for about 10 minutes.     Let stand for a couple minutes, then turn on for a few seconds to beat down.  Meanwhile grease the bottom of two 8" square pans  (or one 13 x 9 or two pie plates).     Divide dough into 18 balls, 9 per pan.     Preheat oven to 400.   Cover with a warm towel and allow to proof for 20-30 minutes.    Brush top of each roll with a bit of cream mixed with honey.    Bak...

 When only the chocolatiest will do .. First prep 12 ounces of dark chocolate - break into small pieces or coarsely chop.    I used 85% dark from Aldi.   Lightly whisk together in a large pot (I use my 7 qt dutch oven): 3 cups white sugar 1 cup cocoa powder 1 tsp salt 3/4 cup corn starch Mix in: 12 egg yolks 1/2 gallon (8 cups) whole milk Slowly heat on stove, stirring almost constantly until it starts to thicken.   This will take 12-15 minutes.     When it starts to thicken turn off the heat, still stirring.       Add:  2 Tablespoons vanilla prepared 12 ounces of dark chocolate Mix chocolate into pudding mixture and let it sit a minute, then whisk until combined.    Add in: 1 stick butter, cut into 8-10 pieces.     Whisk until smooth and shiny.   Scoop pudding into cups - I ended up with 38 servings.  ...

 Grease or spray a half sheet pan.     Preheat oven to 350. 1 stick butter, browned 2 sticks butter, melted Mix together dry ingredients in an extra large bowl: 3 cups flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt Combine browned and melted butter, stir in: 3 cups brown sugar then:  2 Tablespoons vanilla extract 4 eggs Gently mix wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then stir in: 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped  (I accomplish this by putting nuts into a gallon ziploc bag and taking out my frustration with the bottom of a heavy saucepan!) Spread on prepared half-sheet pan.    Bake approximately 25 minutes until lightly golden brown.  

A beautiful, buttery, understated pound cake.     Elegant with an afternoon cup of Earl Grey.    Perfect with sliced strawberries and whipped cream.   cream together: 3 sticks butter, softened 3 cups white sugar meanwhile mix together: 6 eggs 1 T vanilla extract (dash of orange or other citrus oil, optional) 1 tsp salt 1/4 cup sour cream, 3/4 cup milk mix liquid into creamed butter/sugar. mix in 3 cups flour until just combined. Pour into two loaf pans lined with parchment paper.     Place in oven and turn oven to 325.    It took mine about 90 minutes, but start checking at 75 minutes - see if a knife inserted in center comes out clean. 

3 1/3 cups jasmine rice 6 cups chicken stock 1 12oz bag frozen chopped butternut squash large handful (about 1/2 cup) of craisins / dried cranberries 1/2 an apple sliced dash of salt (depending on the salt level of your stock/broth) First, you must get up at 6:30and slice about ten apples for the homeschool group.     Make sure you save about half an apple from the kids lunch, then bring it home, let it age on the counter for about two hours, and then chop finely for the rice.     (or you could just chop an apple, skin on, but what fun is that??) Throw ingredients into Instantpot, stir exactly four times (ok, it doesn't matter) and hit "rice" button.  

A variation on the Pioneer Woman's Pumpkin cake - more spices, added blackstrap molasses, doubled the recipe for two 13 x 9 (two potlucks same weekend), and adjusted to use one large can of pumpkin: - preheat oven to 350, prep two 13 x 9 pans - grease or spray them with cooking spray  - fill and start tea kettle - Melt 1 pound of butter stir in: 1 29oz can pumpkin puree add: 2 Tbs blackstrap molasses 1 Tbs cinnamon 1 Tbs ginger 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp ground allspice 1 tbsp vanilla some freshly ground nutmeg (would have added the cardamon if I found it quick)  stir in: 1 3/4 C boiling water meanwhile whisk together in a big bowl: 4 cups flour 4 cups sugar 4 tsp baking soda and in a small bowl mix: 1 cup plain kefir  (or milk with a bit of sour cream or plain yogurt equaling 1 cup) 4 eggs Fold it all together the give up and get out your hand mixer until blended (this is cake!  not too much mixing!).  Divide batter b...