Cinnamon Maple Cream Syrup

This recipe came from Studio 5 - Amy Richardson

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 water
* 1/2 cup maple
* 1//2 cup heavy cream
* 1/2 tsp vanilla
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Method:

In a small saucepan, bring sugars and water to a boil. Boil until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and whisk in maple syrup, cream, vanilla, and cinnamon. Serve warm or cool, according to preference.

Serve with Pumpkin Cornmeal Waffles

Makes 2 1/2 cups

Pumpkin Cornmeal Waffles

This recipe came from Studio 5 - Amy Richardson
(serve with cinnamon maple syrup)

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups flour
* 1 cup corn flour or finely ground corn meal
* 3 3/4 tsp baking powder
* 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 2 tsp cinnamon
* 1 tsp ginger
* Dash of cloves
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup pumpkin purée
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 1 cup whole milk
* 6 tbsp butter, melted
* 1/2 cup chopped sea salt pecans

Method:

In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, corn flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, buttermilk, milk, and melted butter.

Add to flour mixture and stir until just moistened.

Cook waffles on low according to manufactures instructions until lightly browned and crisp.

Serve with hot with Cinnamon Maple Cream Syrup and sweetened whipped cream and garnish with salted pecans.

* Waffle batter can be made the night before and refrigerated.

4-6 servings

Easy Microwave Caramel

2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup light Karo Syrup
1 Cup Butter (2 cubes)
1 Can Sweet & Condensed Milk
1 tsp. vanilla

(optional: 1 cup cream)

In a large glass bowl, combine sugar and corn syrup. Stir together. Add butter, cut into slices (to help with faster melting). Microwave until butter is melted (approx. 2 minutes). Stop microwave and stir making sure that butter and sugar is melted. Once Butter and sugar is melted, add sweet & condensed milk. Microwave for 12 minutes, stopping to stir every 3 minutes. Add vanilla once you are done.

**Optional cream may be added with sweet & condensed milk. It will make the caramel softer and more like a "dipping" or fondue caramel.

Mindy's "Soft Batch" Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C. Crisco
1 C. Butter
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Brown Sugar
4 eggs
1 package vanilla pudding
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 C. Flour
1 bag of chocolate chips

Cram crisco, butter and sugars. Add Vanilla. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to wet ingredients. Add Chocolate chips last. Bake at 350 for 9 minutes

Serious Vanilla Ice Cream

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2005

3 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
9 ounces vanilla sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Place the half-and-half and the heavy cream into a medium saucepan, over medium heat. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the sugar and whisk to combine. Temper the cream mixture into the eggs and sugar by gradually adding small amounts, until about a third of the cream mixture has been added. Pour in the remainder and return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170 to 175 degrees F. Pour the mixture into a container and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and once it is cool enough not to form condensation on the lid, cover and store for 4 to 8 hours or until the temperature reaches 40 degrees F or below.
Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. This should take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Serve as is for soft serve or freeze for another 3 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.

Ranger Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups corn flakes
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until well blended and smooth. Sift flour, soda, baking powder, and salt into a separate bowl. Add corn flakes and oatmeal and sifted dry ingredients to the creamed mixture; stir in coconut and vanilla. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350° for about 10 to 12 minutes.

Makes about 6 to 7 dozen ranger cookies with oats and coconut.

Corn Casserole

1 c. whole kernel corn with juice
1 c. cream style corn
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 (8 oz.) box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

In 2 quart baking dish, mix together melted butter, slightly beaten egg, sour cream, muffin mix, salt and pepper. Add corn and mix thoroughly. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 8-10

Blueberry Boy Bait

2 C. Flour
1 C. Sugar
2/3 C. Margarine
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1 C. milk
2 C. blueberries

Beat egg whites stiff, then in a separate bowl, mix flour and sugar. Cut in butter until “pea size”. Take out ¾ C. of the mixture and set aside. Add to the remaining dry mix, the baking powder, unbeaten egg yolks, and milk. Stirring gently, fold in the egg whites. Spread in sprayed pans (2) 8-9 inch rounds. Arrange 1 C. blueberries per pan over batter. Sprinkle with extra mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
Mini Chocolate Chips
Chocoloate bark

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Then add vanilla pudding. Mix well. Stir in milk and vanilla. Then slowly add baking soda and flour. Finally add chocolate chips. Use a cookie scoop to make balls, then roll to smooth with your hands. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate bark in microwave. Dip balls into chocolate. Bottom first. Let rest on wax paper. Once dry, dip the top.

Creamy Harvest Vegetable Soup

1 medium onion, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups chicken stock

5 – 6 medium red potatoes, cubed

vegetables of choice (carrots, zucchini, peas, corn, etc.)

1/2 cube of butter (1/4 cup)

1/2 cup of flour

4 cups milk

4 – 8 ounces cream cheese

2 cups cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1 shot of Tabasco (optional)

In a large pot, saute onion in 1 T. olive oil. Pour in chicken stock and chopped potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

Prepare remaining vegetables into bite sized pieces. In a large pan, saute vegetables until starting to soften and golden. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add butter and allow to melt. Slowly whisk in the flour and allow to cook for 1 minute while stirring to make a roux. Whisk in the milk and allow to thicken.

Pour thickened milk into the stock pot with stock. Add the remaining vegetables. Add cream cheese (in small pieces at a time). Add grated cheddar cheese. Allow cheeses to melt. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Slow-cooker Taco Soup

1 package of ranch dressing mix
1 can black beans, undrained
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1 can tomato sauce
1 can of corn, undrained
1 small can chopped green chili’s
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 lb ground beef, browned
1/2 onion, diced, cooked/softened with beef
1 package of dry taco seasoning mix

Brown ground beef and onions.

Put everything into a crock pot and cook for at least 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

Serve with corn chips, sour cream, and grated cheese.

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

Bar:

4 eggs

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

15 oz can pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Icing:

8 oz package cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Combine eggs, sugar, oil an pumpkin. Mix at medium speed until pumpkin mixture turns color, from dark orange to pale orange, (about 5 minutes). Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Spread the batter into a greased 9 X 13 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes.

To make icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in vanilla, and spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash
4 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 onion, finely diced
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp fresh thyme

Cut butternut squash in half and remove seeds. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on halved butternut squash, and on the un-peeled garlic cloves. Place on a cookie sheet, cut side down, with garlic cloves in the "cavity" where the seeds were.

Bake at 375 degrees uncovered for 1 hour.

Remove Skin from squash, and peel garlic.

In a large pot, saute onion in 1 tbs olive oil until soft.

Add squash, garlic, thyme, and chicken stock to pot. Bring to a simmer, then either blend in batches in a blender or use an immersion blender to blend in the pot. Salt and pepper to taste, and add cream at the last minute.

**Variation: you can also add some chopped apple to the pot when you are sauteing the onion. It adds just a hint of sweetness.

Hot Fudge Ice Cream Sauce

2 c. sugar
1 c. cream
3-4 T. corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 T. cocoa
1-2 T. butter

Boil all of the above ingredients (except vanilla) until a soft ball stage is reached. Do not over cook. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve over your favorite ice cream. We like it with vanilla ice cream, fresh strawberries, and toasted coconut.

Pumpkin Apple Chocolate Chip Muffins

2-1/2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. solid pack pumpkin
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 c. peeled and shredded apples
1 (6 oz.) pkg chocolate chips

In Mixing bowl combine eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Stir just until moistened. Stir in apples and chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Do not overbake.

OUT BACK MAC 'N CHEESE

12 oz. Rigatoni Pasta
1/2 lb. Velveeta Cheese, Cubed
3 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Paprika
1-1/2 c. Milk

Prepare rigatoni. Drain and set aside. In a large saucepan on medium heat melt butter and add flour, stirring constantly. Mixture should thicken. When flour thickens add milk, salt, paprika, and cheese cubes. Stirring constantly until the sauce thickens but yet is smooth. The cheese sauce should resemble an extra thick cream. If too thick add a little more milk. Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir gently.

Chili Beef Macaroni

1 Lb. Ground Beef
2 Cups Uncooked Macaroni
2 Cans Tomato Soup
1 Can Corn (drained)
2 Tbsp Minced Onions
1 Can Sliced Mushrooms (drained)
1 pkg. Chili Seasoning Mix
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper

Brown your hamburger. Cook macaroni for 8-10 minutes, drain & rinse. Mix all ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Can be topped with cheese if desired.

Sugar Cookie Bars

1 cup butter; room temp.
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla & mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt & soda & stir with a whisk to combine. (or, if you are lazy, like me, just add the dry ingredients and sprinkle the soda and salt all around before mixing!) Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased 13 x 18 pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and then frost.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter; room temp
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (if desired)

For frosting combine butter and shortening until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk & mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Spread over cooled cookie.

Barbara's Honey Chicken

(This is my friend, Barbara's recipe - one of her families favorites)

4 chicken breasts
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
2 T mustard
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put chicken in a shallow baking dish. Combine melted butter, honey, mustard and salt. Pour over chicken. Bake one hour, basting every 15 minutes or so.

Sweet Potato Casserole

2 large (29 oz) cans yams, drained
2 eggs
1/2 c. canned milk
1/2 - 1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp butter flavoring

Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut (optional)
1/3 cup butter
chopped pecans

Drain and mash the yams in a bowl. Add milk, eggs, vanilla, butter, sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and butter flavoring. Mix until smooth. Pour into a greased 8x8 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with topping. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Bowtie Chicken Salad

2 packages of bowtie pasta
2 -3 chicken breasts
1 - 2 lbs red grapes
celery, finely sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar

Cook bowtie pasta, per manufacturer's directions. drain, rinse and set aside. Cook chicken breasts and cut/shred into bite-sized pieces. Add to pasta. Cut grapes into halves and add to bowl. slice celery and add to bowl as well. In a separate bowl combine mayonnaise, milk and sugar. Pour over pasta and mix to combine. Refrigerate before serving.

Chicken Salad Pumpkin Bread sandwiches

You have to trust me - these are super yummy.
A sweet/savory mix of fall goodness!

2 cans of chicken meat
1/4 cup of sliced almonds
Mayonnaise
green onions, sliced
celery, finely sliced
salt and pepper to taste
pumpkin bread, sliced

Make chicken salad by draining chicken, and combining with mayonnaise, green onions, celery and salt and pepper. (use quantities to your taste - less onions if you like less onions, etc.) It should be a fairly fine mixture - not too chunky. Make sandwiches using the pumpkin bread.

Bacon Wraps

2 cans whole water chestnuts
1 package bacon
1 jar salsa
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap each water chestnut with 1/2 strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Set into a shallow baking dish. Put into the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine salsa, mayonnaise and brown sugar. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Remove water chestnuts from oven and transfer to a new pan. (or drain excess bacon grease if you want to use the same pan). pour sauce mixture over water chestnuts and return to oven for approximately 20 minutes or until bacon is crispy.

Beef Stroganoff

2 lbs steak sirloin, cut into strips, bite size
1/4 cup butter
6 oz mushrooms (fresh)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cans beef stock
2 onions, chopped finely
1 1/2 cups burgandy (this is optional- may substitute more beef stock)
1 clove mince garlic
1/3 cup flour
2 cups sour cream

combine flour, garlic with salt and pepper to taste . Dredge beef in flour mixture. Melt butter in dutch oven then brown beef in the butter. Set aside. Saute onions and mushrooms. Add beef back to pan, then add cream of mushroom soup and beef stock. Simmer for 1 hour on medium heat, stirring occassionally. Add sour cream and serve over noodles or rice.

Leftover sauce freezes nicely.

Poppy Seed Dressing

1 1/2 Tablespoons of poppyseeds
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 of purple onion, thinly sliced.

Combine all ingredients (except onion) and pour over the sliced onion in a container with a lid. Let sit overnight in your refridgerator. remove onion slices and serve. Great with spinach salad.

Spinach Salad

1 lb of bacon (cooked and crumbled)
1 package of fresh spinach leaves (baby spinach is best)
1 can sliced water chestnuts (drained)
1 block of swiss cheese
1 red onion, thinly sliced (use half in salad, half for poppy seed dressing)
1/2 lb of white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced

Combine all ingredients. Dress with poppy seed dressing just before serving. You can use Brianna's Poppyseed dressing if you are short on time or make it homemade. (see recipe on blog)