Fried Chicken and Cheesesteaks

 Riffing on a recipe a friend shared for homemade ranch, but with what I had on hand:  1 cup mayo 1 cup plain kefir (or whole milk plain yogurt) 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar zest one lemon, chopped fine juice of one lemon ground black pepper or white pepper chopped chives (dried or fresh) chopped dried onion or a finely diced shallot 2 teaspoon dried roasted garlic  1 tablespoon sugar 1 tsp salt  mix well, serve over fresh salad greens or anyway you prefer salad ... 

 A lovely mushroom soup worthy of Pennsylvania winters - you could even savor a bowl near a crackling fire while gazing out on a silvery gray landscape worthy of a Wyeth painting ... perhaps one of the gorgeous sycamore that overlooked the Gilpin house at Brandywine Battlefield when it was visited by General Lafayette and was still there in my teen years when I gave tourists tours of the house.  RIP majestic tree.   

 A slightly quicker version a Southeast Asian peanut sauce:  4 cubes of frozen minced garlic  2 T  Gochujang sauce 1 cup natural peanut butter 1/4 C tamari (or soy sauce if you don't need GF) 1/4 cup brown sugar combine in pot and gently heat, whisking until it forms a smooth thick sauce.   I served with shredded beef, white rice and lightly sautéed cabbage and it was quite the hit! 

 1/4 cup mayo ~ 1 oz ginger past or finely grated ginger 2 tsp tamari 2 T  orange juice splash of sesame oil 2 T honey

mix well: 2 cups ricotta 8 eggs 1/2 cup milk 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt dash of almond extract dash of vanilla extract drop or two of orange oil zest of 1 lemon   add:  4 cups almond flour    Heat griddle to medium heat, grease with butter.    Scoop batter onto hot buttered griddle, smooshing down a big if necessary.   Brown on both sides.  

  Ingredients: 3 1/2 lb chuck roast kosher salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp white pepper 1 tsp ground mustard 1/2 tsp powdered rosemary 2 tablespoons butter 1 carrot, minced 1 celery stalk, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 small onion, minced 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1/2 cup dry red wine, cabernet or merlot 3 1/2 cups beef stock 6 thyme sprigs OR 1 tsp dried thyme 2 rosemary sprigs OR 1 tsp dried rosemary Optional secret ingredient: 1 packet unflavored gelatin Directions: Preheat oven to 300°F. Cut roast into approximately 4 chunks along the fat veins. Liberally salt all sides with kosher salt. Sear all sides until well browned in dutch oven on stovetop, remove to plate. Add minced vegetables and butter to dutch oven and let cook uncovered, scraping up browned beef residue. There should be a good bit of steam as the vegetables cook down slightly. Mix wine, tomato paste, broth, and spices together, add to vegetables. Cook down slightly. Add browned roast chunks into the li...

 2 sticks butter, melted and slightly cool in blender:  4 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 T vanilla 1 t almond extract dash orange oil 1 t salt   2 C flour 2 t baking powder mix together dry ingredients, egg mixture & melted butter, whisk well.    Refrigerate overnight.  Preheat pizelle iron, brush with melted butter, bake 90 seconds each

 Spray two silicone egg bite pans (7 bites each) with non-stick spray.  Into the bottom of each cup:   1 T chopped roasted red peppers 1 T shredded cheese blend together:  5 eggs 1 C whole milk yogurt 4 oz cream cheese  2 T pesto  split egg mixture between egg bite holes One at a time, steam the egg bite pans in instant pot - 1 C water in pot, trivet, then egg bite pan, tented with foil.  Use "steam feature" for 8 minutes, then natural release a few minutes.  

 Do you want your tea to be just like Lucy's first visit into the wardrobe?   An appropriate cake for a girl and a faun sharing a pot of tea.       Grease a 13 x 9 pan, preheat oven to 350   In mixer bowl stir together: 3 cups flour (or sub GF) 2 cups sugar 4 tsp baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tsp salt freshly grated nutmeg dash of mace   then mix in: 2 cups sour cream 4 eggs   Pour into 13 x 9 pan, then  use mixer and beater: swirl: cream together  3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) butter, softened 3/4 cup brown sugar 2 Tablespoons cinnamon (I like to use some each of cassia and ceylon if you have two types on hand) 1 teaspoon cardamom  (any other warming spices you'd like) put well creamed soft mixture into a zip-top bag, snip tiny corner of bag and swirl over the top of the cake.   It will sink in during baking.    Bake ~40 minutes, until tester comes out clean. If desired make a glaze:  2 cups ...

 Adapted from the Colonial Williamsburg Chowning Tavern recipe to feed less than a tavern full of people  mix together well: 1 quart mayo 8 oz cream cheese, softened  1 T salt 1 T black pepper 1 tsp cayenne pepper 2 oz horseradish 1 oz Worcestershire sauce 1 T hot sauce (like Texas Pete) 1 lemon, zested and juiced   couple tablespoons chopped shallots or finely chopped sweet onion ~ 1/2 jar of roasted red peppers, drained and chopped stir in: 1.5 pounds shredded cheddar cheese - I prefer a mix of yellow and white extra sharp cheddar, maybe with a bit of smoked cheddar or dubliner as well   Serve with crackers and/or veggie slices.   Could easily be converted into a cheeseball.   

Brown and then cool 5 sticks of butter soften 4 sticks of butter    Preheat oven to 300 Cream combined butter with 3 C brown sugar Once well creamed (color light), add 10 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time Press into ungreased 1/2 sheet pan, as evenly as possible. use fork to pierce all over shortbread.    Bake approx 50 minutes.    Cut immediately, but do not try to remove from pan until completely cool. Brew a pot of tea and enjoy!

  A very soft sugar cookie, no rolling!    Preheat oven to 350 (convection) Mix together: 1 1/4 cups sugar zest of one lemon, one grapefruit, one orange   Cream sugar mixture with:  2 sticks butter, room temp 3/4 cup canola oil (yes really!) 3/4 cup powdered sugar  With mixer whipping, sprinkle in:  1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/2 teaspoon salt   When that is WELL CREAMED (light color), add: 1/4 cup orange juice 1 T vanilla dash of orange oil and/or bergamot oil, if you have it 3 large eggs Mix very well, then add one cup at a time:  5 3/4 cups flour This is a VERY wet fluffy dough.   Drop using a 2 T scoop onto parchment on a baking sheet.    They don't spread much.    Spray the bottom of a small glass (or glass yogurt container) with oil, then into granulated sugar and flatten cookie.    Repeat - dip in sugar - flatten a cookie - dip in sugar ...

  3/4 c shortening 1 c sugar 1/4 c molasses 1 egg 2 tsp baking soda 2c flour 1 tsp cinnamon  1/2 tsp cloves 1/2 tsp ginger  1/2 tsp salt Sift dry ingredients from soda to salt in a big bowl. Melt shortening in the stove on low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and let cool a bit, then add sugar/molasses/egg (I add the sugar first to cool down so the egg doesn’t scramble). Add wet ingredients to dry and mix in the big bowl. Chill for at least 30min, then roll into 1” balls and roll in sugar. Place 2” apart on a well greased** cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 8-10min. 

 preheat oven to 375  Cream together: 2 cups butter, softened 2 cups powdered sugar  add:   6 egg yolks 2 T vanilla 2 teaspoon almond extract when well combined add:  2 C almond flour 3 C flour make cookie dough in 2 T size balls, roll in a half/half mixture of almond flour and granulated sugar.   Use back of round 1/2 teaspoon to press an indent into top of cookie.   Add tiny bit (1/2 tsp?) blackberry jam into each indent.     Bake 11 minutes, until edges lightly brown.     Variation:   make balls, but flatten with back of a glass, no indent, no jam.    Sprinkle warm cookies with powdered sugar.  

  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.