Salted Butter Caramel sauce

Salted Butter Caramel Sauce







Source: Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp. salted butter (in tbsp.-sized slices)
• 1/2 cup + two tbsp. heavy cream, at room temperature

Directions:

1. Melt the sugar over medium to medium high heat in a larger pot than you think you’ll need, at least 2-3 qts. As the sugar heats, whisk or stir to ensure that it heats evenly.
2. Cook the sugar until it liquifies to a nice, dark copper color. Add the butter all at once and stir it in. Then, pour in the heavy cream (The sauce will foam up quite a bit when you add it; this is why you want the larger pot.). Remove the pot immediately from heat and whisk it until you get a smooth sauce.Note: You use it right away or pour it into a jar and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks. When you take it out of the fridge, it will be thicker, but 60 seconds in the microwave brings it right back to its original consistency

Sweet Potato Cookie Bars

Sweet Potato Cookie Bars
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
2 c. dark brown sugar, packed
3 c. all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 1/2 c. sweet potato puree (I used fresh sweet potatoes and began with 2 large ones. You can easily substitute canned sweet potato puree. If you do opt for fresh, please see below for instructions on preparing your sweet potatoes.)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ancho chile, ground
1 tsp. canela, ground (ground cinnamon may be substituted)
1- 10.5 oz. bag of mini marshmallows
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease 2- 8″x8″ baking pans and set aside.
To prepare the sweet potato puree, peel the potatoes and cut each into 6-8 smaller pieces (chopping the potatoes reduces your cooking time significantly). Place potato pieces in a large pot of boiling water (you’ll need at least enough water to cover the pieces) and boil for approximately 20 minutes or until fork tender. Remove cooked potato pieces from heat, drain, and set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and continue mixing as you add the cinnamon, salt, ancho, and finally the flour. Mix just until a uniform batter forms.
As soon as the sweet potato pieces are cool enough to handle, mash with a fork and fold the puree into the batter. Pour the batter into your prepared pans and bake for 28-30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cookie bars comes out clean. Remove the baked bars and top with the marshmallows.
Turn on your oven’s broiler to its highest setting – creating the toasted marshmallow topping for this dessert is simple to do, it just requires some attention so that your bars don’t burn. Once your broiler is on, put your marshmallow-topped bars on a rack under the broiler but at the bottom of the oven so that there is at least a foot of space between the bars and the broiler flame. Keep the oven door cracked so that you can watch the marshmallows toast and, if your oven is anything like mine, you will likely need to carefully rotate the pans as the marshmallows toast so that they toast evenly. My oven has a few ‘hot spots’ and if I don’t dishes that I’m broiling, one small area will scorch. You want the marshmallows to be a dark golden brown on top – as soon as they’re the color you like, remove the pans to cool.
If you opt to cut circle bars like I did, you can carefully remove the bars to the freezer for 5 minutes so that they’ll cool quickly and harden slightly. I used a 2″ fluted metal cookie cutter that I ran under a little warm water before I started cutting. Once your bars have cooled slightly, simply press down firmly with your cutter until you reach the bottom of the pan. Rotate the cutter slightly and pull it straight out – it should come out holding the bar that you’ve just cut out. Push the bar out onto your serving piece and cut another. You’ll likely want to wash your cutter after every 3 bars or so, just so that you can keep cutting neat bars. Of course, the scraps between the circles are for the chef.
YIELD: approximately 12-14 circle cookie bars or 18 square cookie bars

Red Sauce

 Red Sauce


1 large onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
Olive oil
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
16 oz. tomato sauce
1-2 Tbsp. sugar (to taste)
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of baking soda (to help neutralize the acid)
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add remaining sauce ingredients and combine well. Bring to a simmer and add meatballs. Simmer on low, uncovered, until desired consistency is reached–about 25-30 minutes for a sauce that’s of medium consistency .

Cranberry Margaritas

A festive cranberry margarita recipe perfect for holiday dinners and parties.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup 100% cranberry juice* (see note below)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided* (see note below)
• 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) fresh or thawed cranberries
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice (5-6 limes)
• 3/4 cup tequila
• 1/2 cup orange liqueur

Instructions

1. Pour the cranberry juice into the blender, reserving 1 Tbsp.
2. Sprinkle 3 Tbsp sugar onto a small plate.
3. Use the cranberry juice to coat the rims of 4 to 6 glasses (6 to 8 oz each) and then dip the glasses into the sugar. Fill with ice and set aside.
4. Reserve 12 cranberries and place the rest in the blender along with the water, sugar, lime juice, tequila, and orange liqueur.
5. Blend 30 seconds, or until smooth.
6. Pour through a strainer to catch the cranberry pulp.
7. Pour the strained margarita into glasses and garnish with reserved berries.

Notes

Yields: 4 servings

Classic Lasagna

Classic Lasagna
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Ingredients:
12 lasagna noodles
1 lb. Italian sausage
2/3 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup minced flat-leaf parsley, divided
3 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
15 oz. tomato sauce
2 cups water
1½ tsp. Italian seasoning
1½ tsp. basil
1½ tsp. oregano
15 oz. part-skim ricotta cheese
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 large eggs
2 tsp. garlic salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions, until al dente. (I always add a couple extra noodles, just in case one breaks during cooking.) Drain and set aside. (I like to lay out the noodles so that they are flat and separated, to avoid them sticking to each other or curling up. It makes the assembly process easier.)

In the meantime, in a very large skillet or saucepan (12-14 inches), crumble the Italian sausage and cook over medium-high heat until it just begins to brown. Add the onion, garlic and 1/3 cup of the parsley to the pan and continue cooking until the sausage is completely browned and cooked through. Mix in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, Italian seasoning, basil and oregano. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining parsley, ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, eggs, garlic salt, and pepper. Mix well until blended.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spread 2 cups of sauce in a thin layer on the bottom of a 9 x 13″ baking dish. Layer with 4 lasagna noodles. Top the noodles with half of the cheese-spinach mixture and spread evenly to a thin layer. Top with about a third of the remaining sauce mixture, and sprinkle with 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella. Layer again with 4 more noodles and the remaining cheese-spinach mixture. Spread half of the remaining sauce mixture over the top, and sprinkle with 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella. The final layer will be 4 noodles, the remaining sauce, and a layer of shredded mozzarella. Cover tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and return to the oven for 10 minutes more. Allow to cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Source: adapted from Allrecipes

Pumpkin Chicken Enchildas

Pumpkin Enchiladas




2 - 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I used slow cooker chicken)

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

2 cups water

      ground pepper to taste

2 cups water

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, chopped

1 teaspoon chili powder

6 (8-inch) flour tortillas

1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a small skillet sprayed with nonstick spray, over medium heat cook the chopped onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken, remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a small bowl mix together the pumpkin, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, water, sea salt, and pepper. Pour 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish.
4. Lay tortillas on a work surface and spoon the chicken mixture on half of each tortilla, dividing evenly. Spoon a little pumpkin sauce onto each tortilla, top with a sprinkle of cheese. Roll up the tortillas and place, seam side down, in the baking dish.
5. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling. Let cool 5 minutes before servin

Toffee Buttercream Cupcakes

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Yield: about 30 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. espresso powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup toffee bits

For the ganache and toffee layer:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½-2 cups toffee bits

For the frosting:
5 large egg whites
1½ cups sugar
4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ tsp. coarse salt
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup caramel sauce

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and butter and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the coffee, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix each addition just until incorporated. Fold in the toffee bits with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Add the cream to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate; let stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk together until a smooth ganache forms. Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until completely incorporated. Transfer the bowl to the fridge or freezer to chill the ganache to a pipeable consistency, whisking every 5-10 minutes to ensure even cooling. When slightly thickened, transfer to a pastry bag fitted with your tip of choice. Pipe a ring of ganache around the top of each cupcake, leaving a hole in the center. Add the toffee bits to a bowl and dip the ganache portion of each cupcake into the toffee bits, pressing very gently to adhere. Let the ganache set.

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites and the sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes. (The bowl should be cool to the touch.)

Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated. If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (or longer - don’t worry, it will come together!) Blend in the salt, vanilla, and caramel until smooth and completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip with the frosting and pipe a frilly pile of frosting on top of each cupcake, filling the hole in the center of the ganache. Top with additional toffee pieces, if desired.

Source: adapted from Bakers Royale, originally from Alice Medrich

10






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Yield: about 30 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. espresso powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup toffee bits

For the ganache and toffee layer:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½-2 cups toffee bits

For the frosting:
5 large egg whites
1½ cups sugar
4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ tsp. coarse salt
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup caramel sauce

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and butter and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the coffee, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix each addition just until incorporated. Fold in the toffee bits with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Add the cream to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate; let stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk together until a smooth ganache forms. Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until completely incorporated. Transfer the bowl to the fridge or freezer to chill the ganache to a pipeable consistency, whisking every 5-10 minutes to ensure even cooling. When slightly thickened, transfer to a pastry bag fitted with your tip of choice. Pipe a ring of ganache around the top of each cupcake, leaving a hole in the center. Add the toffee bits to a bowl and dip the ganache portion of each cupcake into the toffee bits, pressing very gently to adhere. Let the ganache set.

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites and the sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes. (The bowl should be cool to the touch.)

Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated. If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (or longer - don’t worry, it will come together!) Blend in the salt, vanilla, and caramel until smooth and completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip with the frosting and pipe a frilly pile of frosting on top of each cupcake, filling the hole in the center of the ganache. Top with additional toffee pieces, if desired.

Source: adapted from Bakers Royale, originally from Alice Medrich

10

Punpkin French Toast Casserole

For the French toast:

1 loaf French bread (about 16 ounces)

5 eggs

4 tablespoons melted butter

3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups of milk

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of cloves

For the praline topping:

2 sticks butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

For the French toast:
1. Slice the French bread into slices 1/2 inch thick. Arrange bread in one layer on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Set aside remaining bread slices.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the remaining ingredients until well combined.
3. Pour half of the egg mixture over the bread.
4. Top with the remaining slices of French bread and pour the remaining egg mixture over the top.
5. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
For the praline topping:
6. Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium sized bowl.
7. Pour the remaining ingredients into the belted butter and stir until combined.
8. Pour the topping over the French toast casserole.
9. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes.
10. Serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup.