Nisha says these are amazing, and Nish is a great cook, Im sure this one is a keeper, gang. ~ jan

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/4 cup Frozen Lemon Juice from Concentrate, or RealLemon
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 (8-ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
Preheat oven to 375. In small saucepan, combine sugars, margarine, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute.
Reserving 1/4 cup, pour remaining lemon mixture into 9-inch round layer cake pan. Sprinkle with nuts. Separate rolls into 8 rectangles; spread with reserved lemon mixture. Roll up jellyroll-fashion, beginning with short side; seal edges. Cut in half. Place rolls, cut-side down in prepared pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until dark golden brown. Loosen sides. Immediately turn onto serving plate; do not remove pan. Let stand 5 minutes; remove pan. Serve warm.

These can be made and refrigerated overnight and then baked the next morning...

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Five-Minute Artisan Bread

December 15, 2007


From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery that Revolutionizes Home Baking by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007). Copyright 2007 by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.


Serves 4

Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance.

* 1-1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (about 1-1/2 packets)
* 1-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
* 6-1/2 cups unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting dough
* Cornmeal

NOTE: I would add sugar to this recipe, as our family always likes bread that has a bit of a sweet taste to it, I would probably add 1/4 cup or maybe even 1/3 cup of sugar to this recipe. ~ jan

In a large plastic resealable container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm (about 100 degrees) water. Using a large spoon, stir in flour, mixing until mixture is uniformly moist with no dry patches. Do not knead. Dough will be wet and loose enough to conform to shape of plastic container. Cover, but not with an airtight lid.

Let dough rise at room temperature, until dough begins to flatten on top or collapse, at least 2 hours and up to 5 hours. (At this point, dough can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks; refrigerated dough is easier to work with than room-temperature dough, so the authors recommend that first-time bakers refrigerate dough overnight or at least 3 hours.)

When ready to bake, sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel. Place a broiler pan on bottom rack of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and repeat oven to 450 degrees, preheating baking stone for at least 20 minutes.

Sprinkle a little flour on dough and on your hands. Pull dough up and, using a serrated knife, cut off a grapefruit-size piece (about 1 pound). Working for 30 to 60 seconds (and adding flour as needed to prevent dough from sticking to hands; most dusting flour will fall off, it's not intended to be incorporated into dough), turn dough in hands, gently stretching surface of dough, rotating ball a quarter-turn as you go, creating a rounded top and a bunched bottom.

Place shaped dough on prepared pizza peel and let rest, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it in lidded container. (Even one day's storage improves flavor and texture of bread. Dough can also be frozen in 1-pound portions in airtight containers and defrosted overnight in refrigerator prior to baking day.) Dust dough with flour.

Using a serrated knife, slash top of dough in three parallel, ¼-inch deep cuts (or in a tic-tac-toe pattern). Slide dough onto preheated baking stone. Pour 1 cup hot tap water into broiler pan and quickly close oven door to trap steam. Bake until crust is well-browned and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven to a wire rack and cool completely.

We ALWAYS double this recipe, and often TRIPLE it...

I remember the day Mother gave this to me. She actually had no recipe, so we stood in my kitchen, me with a pencil, she making noodles, and I was furiously scribbling what she was doing. I've made these countless times, they are just wonderful. Ahhhh, memories ~ jan

Combine 1 beaten egg, 2 Tablespoons milk (evaporated milk or half and half) and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add enough sifted all purpose flour to make a stiff dough - about one cup.

Roll very thin, almost paper thin, on floured surface. Let stand twenty minutes to let the dough rest before attempting to cut them.

There are two methods of cutting them - you can either roll them up loosely in a roll, and slice 1/4 inch wide, or you can cut them into thin strips with a pizza wheel.

Store in covered container if you don't use them immediately.

Drop into boiling broth and cook, uncovered about ten minutes, or until tender. Makes 3 cups cooked noodles.

OLD FASHIONED RAISIN PIE

2 c. Sun Maid raisins 2 c. water 1/2 c. packed brown sugar 2 tbsp. cornstarch 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tbsp. vinegar 1 tbsp. butter grated lemon rind Pastry for double crust Combine raisins and water; boil 5 minutes. Blend sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt. Add to raisin and cook, stirring until clear. Remove from heat. Stir in vinegar and butter; cool slightly. Turn into pastry lined pan. Cut lattice strips and weave into basket weave design as top crust. Seal edges of lattice to bottom crust. Bake at 420 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon finely shredded key lime or lime peel (set aside)
2 teaspoons key lime or lime juice
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Coarse sugar (optional)
Lime Icing (recipe follows) (optional)
Green colored sugar (optional)

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, salt and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and lime juice until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour and the lime peel.

2. Place the unchilled dough into a cookie press fitted with a template. Force dough through cookie press, forming desired shapes, 1 inch apart onto ungreased sheets. If you like sprinkle the cookies with coarse sugar.

3. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 6-8 minutes, or until edges are firm but not brown. Transfer to wire racks and let cool. If you like, drizzle with Lime Icing and let stand 20 minutes until set. Or, if you like, dip unsugared tops of cookies in Lime Icing and sprinkle with green sugar. Let stand until set.

Makes about 84 cookies.

Lime Icing: In a small bowl, stir together 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1-1/2 teaspoons lime juice and enough milk (2 to 3 teaspoons) until icing reaches a drizzling consistency. If you like, tint pale green with food coloring. Makes about 1/3 cup icing.

Nutrition facts per cookie: 41 calories, 2 g fat, 8 mg chol, 9 mg sodium, 5 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 0 g pro.

Source: Midwest Living, December 2007 issue

Bread Pudding
1 loaf raisin bread
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup whole milk
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ TBSP pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350F.
1.Tear raisin bread into pieces and place into baking dish(mine was a 9 by 11).
2 Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and pumpkin together in a large bowl. Add the sugar and whisk until combined. Add the heavy cream, milk and pumpkin pie spices. Whisk until completely incorporated.
3.Pour the custard over the bread. Press down the bread pieces until the bread is soaked with the custard.
4.Place pan into another pan that will hold a water bath. Bake the bread pudding for 45-55 minutes. You may want to check at the 45 minute mark to see if the custard is setting up, if not cook for another 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and serve warm with butterscotch sauce.

Butterscotch Sauce

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and margarine in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in cream and vanilla immediately. Cool; store in the refrigerator.
Stir before serving over ice cream, puddings, or desserts.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups of butterscotch sauce.

This is a family favorite. We all love this recipe. If you can let it age for at least 24 hours in a covered container, it really mellows and the flavors are incredible.

~ jan

2 cups sugar
3 eggs lightly beaten
1-cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded carrots
2 cups shredded coconut
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple (drained)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup raisins (optional)

Instructions

(Preheat over to 350 degrees) In a medium bowl combine sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla and mix well. In a large bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, mix well. Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and mix well. Fold in carrots; coconut, pineapple and walnuts mix well. Spoon batter in a 9x13 glass pan bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or in two 9" layer pans.

Let cool before frosting. Frost with cream cheese icing. When I make this in a layer pan, I put a layer of nuts on the frosting between the layers and coconut, and then I put a layer of chopped nuts on top of the frosted cake as well.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons of melted butter
2 tablespoons of milk or half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 box of powdered sugar.

Combine ingredients and beat well. I mix mine in the Cuisinart. Spread on cooled cake.

1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1/4 large red or green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 small chicken bouillon cubes
1-1 1/2 cup boiling water
2 cans black beans, undrained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 lemon, juice of
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. In a pot, combine the first six ingredients; simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Add half a can of beans, salt and cumin; cook for 5 minutes.
3. Puree soup (I use an immersion blender which makes it easy to do it right in the pot).
4. Add the rest of the beans to the soup.
5. Combine the cornstarch with 1 1/2 tablespoons of water.
6. Add the lemon and the cornstarch to the soup; cook until thickened.

The best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made were with Alton Brown's recipe. He starts with melted butter and uses bread flour which works well. Try this in your recipe, these cookies don't last very long around here!

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Hardware:
Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
Parchment paper
Baking sheets
Mixer

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixer’s work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

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