Fried Chicken and Cheesesteaks

 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.  

Do you have a few extra hours today?     Want to spend them by the stove making as many calories as humanly possible in one pot?  And you have a candy thermometer at the ready?   Do you have real cream, butter and good vanilla?    Have I got the recipe for you!   I decided to try my hand at homemade caramels, so I read about 3 dozen recipes, decided I didn't want "microwave in seven minutes" or "open a can of sweetened condensed milk"  I wanted a recipe that belonged in my circa 1908 house ...      So I settled on this one:  http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2014/12/10/moms-caramels/ with a few modifications: In a large pot (I used a seven qt dutch oven), combine: 1 qt (4 cups) heavy cream 3 cups white sugar 3 cups brown sugar 1 pint (2 cups) corn syrup 1 pound (4 sticks) butter, sliced into pieces 1 Tbs kosher salt Mix them all in the pot, then move to stove on medium-low heat....

the JOY cookies, stocking and star above are from this recipe. Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 2/3 cup sugar 2 sticks cold butter, cut into chunks 1 large egg yolk 1 1/2 tablespoons light cream (or half and half or heavy - I've used all three at different times) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Mix flour, salt, sugar together in bowl of mixer or food processor.      Add butter and mix until it's a crumbly consistency.     Whisk together yolk, cream and vanilla, then knead into butter/flour mixture.   Divide dough in half and roll out each piece between two sheets of wax paper or parchment.    Chill on a baking sheet in your fridge, on the porch in December or in the freezer for even a few weeks.   Preheat oven to 325 and line baking pans with parchment.  Cut desired shapes with cookie cutters, re-rolling and re-chilling scraps.      Bake about...

A yummy new cookie, I put together with a variation from a rugelach dough! 2 cups flour 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup vanilla sugar 2 sticks cold butter, cubed 1 (8oz) package cold cream cheese, cubed 1 egg yolk 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp almond extract squeeze of orange juice In a food processor quickly blend flour, salt and sugars.   (Just use a cup of powdered sugar if you don't have vanilla sugar).     Add butter and cream cheese and pulse until crumbly - about 12 pulses.     Whisk together egg yolk and flavorings and add, then run food processor until dough forms. Split dough into four pieces, and roll out between parchment paper.    Chill (I put mine out on my porch in December).     Then cut with round cookie cutters.   (I used the mouth of a standard canning jar).  Transfer each round to a parchment lined baking pan. Place a small (about 2 tsp) bit ...

Why brine, you ask? It infuses the meat with flavor, and is something of a guarantee against tasteless shoe leather meat. Works great with turkey as well! The leading actors: Salt (1/3 Cup), Sugar (1/2 Cup), Loose Decaf tea (scant 1/4 cup) - mix these into 4 cups boiling water. The supporting actors: ginger, whole cloves, whole allspice, whole peppercorns, onion (fresh or dried). Add to the boiling mixture: This smells wonderful. Too bad for you this isn't a scratch and sniff blog! Add a cup or two of apple cider: When the mixture is cool enough, put the pork chops in plastic bags: Pour the brine over the pork chops, and refrigerate overnight: