Tangy BBQ Sauce

Lets face it, buying bbq sauce from a jar is easy and convienent. Unfortunately, I don't like over half of them. Too tomato-y tasting. I like a slightly sweet, yet tangy sauce. WOW, does this one fit the bill! I hope you enjoy it too.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups ketchup
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 4 tsp hickory-flavored liquid smoke
• 2 TBS butter
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, mix together the ketchup, tomato sauce, brown sugar, wine vinegar, molasses, liquid smoke and butter. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, celery seed, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper.
   
2. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for up to 20 minutes. For thicker sauce, simmer longer, and for thinner, less time is needed. Sauce can also be thinned using a bit of water if necessary. Brush sauce onto any kind of meat during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Christmas Dinner '07

Merry Christmas!

We spent a wonderful but quiet Christmas with just our family this year. So I decided to keep our dinner simple too. Our menu of Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Stuffing, Cranberries, Green Beans, Cheddar Bay Biscuits (think of your favorite seafood place!), and homemade apple pie was a raving success with my family! Now I say simple, but yes, everything was homemade and I started cooking the day before. Still, my kids ate everything!!! That is what a call a successful dinner!

Super Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 4 slices provolone cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (fresh, not the stuff in the can!)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 1 1/2 quart or larger casserole dish with butter or nonstick spray.
2. Layer half of the potato slices in the bottom of the casserole dish. Dot with half of the butter cut or pinched into small pieces. Arrange half of the garlic slices over the potatoes, then pour half of the heavy cream over. Sprinkle one cup of Cheddar cheese over the layer, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering of potatoes, garlic, cream and Cheddar cheese, then top with the slices of provolone cheese. Season again with salt and pepper.
3. Bake for 1/2 hour in the preheated oven, then sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top. This will create a semi-hard cheese crust. Continue baking uncovered for another 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when tested with a fork.

Amandine Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh or frozen green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, bring beans and water to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the beans are crisp-tender; drain and set aside. In a large skillet, cook almonds in butter over low heat. Stir in lemon juice and seasoned salt if desired. Add beans and heat through.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 4 cups baking mix
• 3 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 1/3 cups water
  
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the baking mix, cheese, and water. Mix until dough is firm. Using a small scoop, place dough on the prepared pan.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Combine the melted butter, garlic powder, salt, onion powder and parsley. Brush over baked biscuits immediately upon removing from oven.

Grandma's Apple Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie**
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

**You can use a pre-made pie crust, found in the refrigerated section near the Pillsbury cans of biscuits, or you can use the recipe below that I used. You need time to make good pie crust, so plan to start the pie the day before!

Butter Flaky Pie Crust

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, chilled and diced
• 1/4 cup ice water

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
2. Roll dough out to fit a 9 inch pie plate. Place crust in pie plate. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

Perfect Pie Crust tips!! - keep it cold & work it sparingly. Here's how: Chill water with ice cubes and set aside in refrigerator. Cut very cold unsalted butter into cubes & cut it in the flour with a pastry blender (or pulse in food processor) until it resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer to large bowl & gently toss water into crumbs 1 tsp at a time with a fork. Do not use food processor to incorporate water - it's too easy to overwork the dough. The dough should have small bits of butter - this makes the crust flaky. Cool off hands under cold water, pat dry, gather the crumbs into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate. Previously, I over-worked the dough, used too much water, and/or didn't keep the dough cold enough, which made the crust tough and soggy. *update* You'll probably need to roll out the dough twice. First roll out is usually crumbly, uneven, and has large breaks. Gently gather in edges to form another ball and roll out again. Smooth, round, even crust should be easier the second roll out.

Pomegranate Margaritas

Can alcohol be good tasting and good for you? OK, that might be stretching it a little, but pomegranates are high in anti-oxidants. So this has to be a tiny bit good for you...right?? A girl can dream...

Ingredients:

• 4 cups pomegranate juice
• 1 cup lime juice
• 4 tbsp. orange-flavor liqueur
• 1 cup 80 proof tequila

Directions:

1. Pour pomegranate juice into ice cube trays. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Pop cubes from tray.
   
   
2. In a blender, combine lime juice, liqueur, and tequila. Turn blender to highest speed and gradually drop in juice cubes, whirling until slushy.
   
   
3. Pour margaritas into glasses

serves 8 (ahem, or 2 if you are a tequila fan...like me!)

Tip: You can freeze the pomegranate juice cubes a day or two ahead. For juice, whirl pomegranate seeds in a blender or food processor, then pour through a fine strainer into a container. Serve margaritas in salt-rimmed glasses.

Mississippi Mud Cake

Healthy? No. Yummy? YES!! This is a fun dessert to bring to other people's homes for the holidays.

Ingredients:

• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon whiskey
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Heavy cream, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F.
   
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the whiskey, sugar, chocolate and water. Stir over low heat until the chocolate is just melted and the mixture is smooth. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together and gradually beat into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
   
3. Pour the mixture into a greased and line and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Leave the cake in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out to cool.
   
4. Serve warm or cold with cream and decorated with a sprig of mint, if desired

Swedish Sugar Cookies

This is a recipe that has been in my family a long time. It is my favorite sugar cookie recipe, although it is not a cookie cutter recipe (which I adore - you should see my collection!!). This is a prepare ahead recipe, as the dough does need to be chilled. I promise, it's worth it! I often sprinkle colored sugar on these before I bake them for a splash of color (particularly at Christmas time!!)

Ingredients:

• 1 c powdered sugar
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 c butter, softened
• 1 c canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 1/2 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Mix sugars with eggs, butter, vanilla and oil. Set aside
2. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Blend well, and gradually mix into sugar mix. Mix well.
3. Refrigerate dough until firm.
4. Form by the TBS into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Flatten with a glass that has been buttered and dipped in granulated sugar.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
7. DO NOT OVER BAKE - cookies should look almost done when you take them out of the oven.