Divinity - From Paula Deen

Ingredients

 2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
3   egg whites
3/4 cup cold water
1 cup white corn syrup
4 cup sugar

Directions

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water.  Stir only until sugar has dissolved. Do not stir after this point. Cook syrup mixture until it reaches 250 degrees on a candy thermometer, bringing it to a hard ball stage.

Mini Sausage Wreath

Ingredients

Mini Sausages

Refrigerated Crescent Dough Rolls

Red Bell Pepper

Diced Rosemary

1/3 cup Butter

1/2 cup BBQ Sauce

1/2 cup Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to the temperature specified on the package of Refrigerated Crescent Dough Rolls. Drain the liquid off of the mini sausages.

2. Unroll the crescent dough and separate at the perforations to create 4 rectangles. Press together the remaining perforation in each rectangle. With a knife or pizza cutter, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 8 strips making a total of 32 strips.

3. Wrap one strip of dough around each mini sausage. Lay out the crescent-wrapped sausages with their sides touching on an ungreased cookie sheet in a circle forming a wreath shape.

4. Bake for 11-15 minutes or until golden brown. Melt 1/3 cup of butter and brush the butter on top of the crescent-wrapped sausages. Sprinkle the rosemary on top of the butter.

5. Cut a red bell pepper into a bow shape for garnish. Combine the BBQ sauce and cranberry sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until heated through. Serve with wreath for dipping

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes from Pinterest

 

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes | Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees F and line  wells of cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Chocolate cupcake recipe adapted from Alice Medrich for Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker

• 1 cup (4.5 ounces) all purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7.3 ounces) sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) SCHARFFEN BERGER Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm
• 2 large eggs
• ½  teaspoon  peppermint extract
• 1 tablespoon  instant coffee (recommended: Starbucks Via)
• 1/2 cup hot coffee
• 3/4 cup chopped peppermint Andes

Instructions:
1. Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a blow and mix thoroughly to combine. Add the butter, eggs, and peppermint extract and beat on medium speed for one minute. Add the butter and egg mixture and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the instant coffee and the hot coffee. Beat for 20-30 seconds until the batter is smooth. Fold in chopped peppermint Andes. The batter will be thin enough to pour. Divide it evenly among the lined cups. Bake 18-22 minutes just until a toothpick inserted into a few of the cupcakes comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool. Frost the cupcakes when they are completely cool. Store and serve at room temperature.
TIP: For light tender cupcakes, spoon flour and cocoa lightly into measuring cups (instead of dipping the cups into the flour or cocoa) and then sweep the measures level without tapping or shaking them.
Peppermint Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 5 large egg whites
• 11/2 cup sugar
• 4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Instructions:

1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 150 degrees F while whisking constantly.
2. Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium  high speed (speed 8 on a KitchenAid stand mixer) until mixture cools and doubles in volume and forms soft medium peaks; about 10-12 minutes).
3. Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. The mixture may appear clumpy and almost curdled looking at first-this is normal. Keep mixing and it will become even and smooth again.
4. Add salt and peppermint extract and mix to combine.

Chocolate Pouring Sauce

• 2/3 cups dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
• 4-5 tablespoons water, warm

Instructions:

1. Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine.
2. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine.
3. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached.
4. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.

To Assemble Cupcake:

1. Frost cooled cupcakes with buttercream frosting. Freeze frosted cupcakes for ten minutes.  Drizzle chocolate pouring sauce over frosting (reheat chocolate pour in microwave as needed to keep pouring consistency).  Sprinkle chopped peppermint Andes on chocolate sauce. Finish with a peppermint candy on top.

Black Pepper Jerky

Recipe: Black Pepper Jerky

Found this recipe and am going to have to make it for my Jerky loving friends.  I found this recipe on the internet in the Food and Wine Magazine.  Going to make this for Wyatt.

Ingredients

1. 3 cups amber ale or lager
2. 2 cups soy sauce
3. 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
4. 2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns, plus 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper, for sprinkling before drying the meat
5. 2 pounds trimmed beef top round or bottom round, about 1 1/2 inches thick

1. DRY THE MEAT: In a large bowl, combine the ale or lager with the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and the cracked black peppercorns.
2. Cut the beef into 1/4-inch-thick slices, either with or against the grain.
3. Add the beef to the marinade, a few slices at a time, stirring well to coat each slice with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 200°. Set a large wire rack on each of 3 large rimmed baking sheets. Remove the beef from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange the beef on the racks, leaving 1/4 inch between slices. Sprinkle with coarsely ground black pepper. Bake for about 4 hours, until the jerky is firm and almost completely dry, but still chewy. Let cool completely on the racks before serving.

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

1. medium organic Meyer lemons (3 pounds)
2. 3 cups sugar

1. Rinse the lemons and pat dry. Halve the lemons crosswise and juice them, reserving the juice. Using a spoon, scrape the pulp and seeds from the halves. Using a sharp knife, slice the peels 1/8 inch thick.
2. In a large, heavy saucepan, cover the strips with 8 cups of cold water and bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute. Drain the strips and rinse under cold running water. Blanch two more times; the final time, drain the strips but do not rinse them.
3. Return the strips to the saucepan. Add the reserved juice and the sugar. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then skimming any foam, until the marmalade sets, about 30 minutes.
4. Spoon the marmalade into 5 hot 1/2-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top, and close with the lids and rings. To process, boil the jars for 15 minutes in water to cover. Let stand at room temperature for 2 days before serving.

Make Ahead The processed marmalade can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening.

Nutty Granola - Great Gift Idea

My husband loves granola.  I am making batches of this for him to take to work after the holidays so that he can eat healthy!

Ingredients

1. 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2. 1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
3. 1/2 cup unsalted roasted almonds
4. 1/2 cup unsalted roasted pumpkin seeds
5. 1/2 cup unsalted roasted sunflower seeds
6. 1/4 cup wheat germ
7. 1 teaspoon salt
8. 1 tablespoon hot water
9. 3/4 cup honey
10. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
11. 1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. In a bowl, toss the oats, nuts, seeds and wheat germ. In a small bowl, dissolve the salt in the hot water. Whisk in the honey and oil. Stir the liquid into the nuts to coat thoroughly, then spread on a large rimmed baking sheet.
2. Bake the granola in the center of the oven for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until nearly dry. Turn off the oven and prop the door open halfway; let the granola cool in the oven, stirring. Toss the granola with the raisins; store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Notes One serving 306 cal, 36 gm carb,18 gm fat, 2.5 gm sat fat, 7 gm protein, 3 gm fiber.

Graham Cracker Pound Cake - Great Christmas Gift

: Graham Cracker Pound Cake

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Ingredients

1. Vegetable oil spray
2. 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3. 1/2 cup granulated sugar
4. 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
5. 1 1/2 cups cake flour
6. 1/2 cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs, from half a sleeve
7. 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
8. 1/4 teaspoon salt
9. 3 tablespoons whole milk
10. 2 tablespoons heavy cream
11. 3 large eggs
12. 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray an 8-by-4-inch glass loaf pan with vegetable oil spray. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter with the granulated sugar and dark brown sugar. In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour with the graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the whole milk, cream, eggs and vanilla. Beating at medium speed, add the dry and liquid ingredients to the butter mixture in 3 alternating batches.
2. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the lower third of the oven for about 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn the pound cake out onto a rack to cool completely.