Peach Cobbler

1/2 C. butter
1 C. flour
2 C. sugar, divided
1 T. baking powder
pinch of salt
1 C. milk
4 C. fresh peach slices
1 T. lemon juice
ground cinnamon or nutmeg

*when using canned peaches, just drain the syrup and dice.  No need for the 2nd cup of sugar or the lemon juice.

Melt butter in a 9x13 pan.

Combine flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Pour over the melted butter.

Bring remaining 1 cup of sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly (omit this step if using canned peaches); pour over batter-do not stir.  Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve cobbler warm or cool.

Cranberry Brie Bites

1

package (17 1/4 oz) frozen puff pastry, thawed

1/2

lb Brie cheese

1

cup cranberry sauce (purchased or homemade)

Preheat oven to 375°F. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the sheets into approximately 3 inch x 3 inch squares. Press each square into a muffin cavity. 

Cube the cheese - about a 3/4 inch cube for each (you may have a little cheese left over). Place a cube of brie in the center of each puff pastry square. Top the brie with a small dollop (about 2 tsp) of cranberry sauce.
Bake about 10 minites or until puff pastry corners are toasted lightly brown. 
Let cool 5 minutes before serving. 

• Either homemade or store-bought cranberry sauce will work great in these Brie bites.
• For best results, be sure to thaw puff pastry according to package directions so it is easier to work with in this recipe.
• Other sweet toppings like raspberry or strawberry preserves, or orange marmalade can be used if you prefer to save the cranberries for Thanksgiving dinner. The key is to use something sweet to compliment the sharpness of the cheese. 
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Cranberry Apple Coleslaw

Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 T. apple cider vinegar  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Coleslaw

• 1 small cabbage , shredded (6 - 7 cups packed)
• 1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots
• 2 large gala apples , sliced into matchsticks (about 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds or 1 cup slivered almonds
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

1. In a mixing bowl whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, honey and apple cider vinegar until smooth, while seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
2. In a large bowl toss together cabbage, carrots, apples, green onions, almonds and cranberries. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately for best results.

Spicy Buttermilk Onion Rings with Ranch Buttermilk Dressing

Onion Rings:
1 medium sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch rings
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons Tapatio (or another hot sauce)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Vegetable Oil

Ranch Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch salt
Pinch pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dill, minced
1 teaspoon chives, minced
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, minced
3 tablespoons buttermilk

1. Place the onion slices in a medium bowl and toss with salt and hot sauce. Pour in the buttermilk, submerging the onions in the buttermilk/hot sauce mixture. Allow the onions to soak in the buttermilk for 15 minutes.

2. In another medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, garlic powder and pepper.

3. Line a baking sheet or large plate with a bed of paper towels. To a cast-iron skillet, add oil until it reaches about 3-inches up the sides. Heat the oil until it reaches 360 degrees F.

4. While the oil is heating up, it’s a great time to make the ranch dressing. To a small bowl, add the yogurt, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, lemon juice and herbs. Mix until it’s thoroughly combined. Add the buttermilk and stir. Since I was using it as a dipping sauce, I favored a thicker consistency, but feel free to add a tablespoon or two more of buttermilk until you reach your desired consistency. Set aside.

5. When the oil is hot, remove the onions from the buttermilk and transfer them to the flour mixture bowl, dredging them on both sides until coated. Gently place in the hot oil until light brown on both sides, about 3 minutes, and turning them once. Transfer the onion rings to a bed of paper towels. Repeat until you’ve fried all of the onion rings.

Note: This recipe is great to double. If you’re doing a bigger batch, I suggest heating your oven to 200F and transferring the done fried onion rings to the oven to keep warm while you continue to fry up the rest of them.

Yields about 15 onion rings (I’d say that’s perfect for an appetizer for 4 people)

Blueberry Scones

2 C. flour
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
4 T. COLD butter, cut into small pieces
1 C. fresh or frozen blueberries (partially thawed if frozen)
2/3 C. heavy or whipping cream
1 egg
1/2 t. fresh grated lemon zest

Stir together dry ingredients. Add butter, using a pastry blender, until it looks like coarse crumbs.  Stir in blueberries.  Mix wet ingredients and slowly pour into dry ingredients and stir until soft dough forms.  Knead dough in bowl 3-4 times until dough just holds together-don't over mix or the scones will be tough,  Divide the dough in half. On floured surface, form two 6-inch circles. Cut each circle into 6 wedges.  Use a wide spatula to place wedges on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake @ 375 for 22-25 minutes.  Make a glaze with lemon juice and powdered sugar to drizzle on top.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 C. sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 C. buttermilk
1/4 C. melted butter
blueberries

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Beat the eggs with the buttermilk and melted butter.  Combine the dry and the wet ingredients into a lumpy batter, being careful not to overmix.
Heat some butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Spoon 1/3 cup of batter into the skillet and sprinkle the top with some of the blueberries (or pecans for Jonathon). Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats

Rice Krispie Treats are just about my favorite thing to eat.  This recipe takes them to a new level of awesomeness.  From the Smitten Kitchen

4 ounces (113 grams) unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
1 10 ounce bag mini marshmallows
a heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups (160 grams) crispy rice cereal

Butter an 8-inch square cake pan with 2 inch sides.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat.  It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden, and finally start to brown and smell nutty.  Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do.  Don't take your eyes off the pot as, while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows.  The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and the cereal together.  Quickly spread into the prepared pan.

Coconut Relish

1 8 oz. pkg. sweetened shredded coconut
1 jalapeno, seeded
1 T. Dijon mustard
3 T. mayonnaise
1/4 C. coconut syrup
1/4 C. water

Blend the coconut, jalapeno, mustard, mayo, syrup, and water in a blender until liquified.
Pour into a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cook the mixture at a gentle boil for 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool before serving.

Coconut syrup can be made with equal parts sugar and water, and coconut flavoring.

White Chicken Chili

1 pound chicken breast, raw, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 t. garlic powder
1 T. vegetable oil
In a large pot, sauté the above ingredients until cooked thoroughly.

Add the following:
2 cans great northern white beans with juice
1 can corn
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
1/8 t. cayenne (optional)
2 cans chopped green chilies

Stir well and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Add:
1 C. sour cream
1/2 C. cream

Honey Balsamic BBQ Sauce for Meatballs

1 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup ketchup

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce  

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper

Combine ingredients for Honey-Balsamic BBQ Sauce in a saucepan then stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring every so often, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until sauce is thick and has lost its vinegary bite, stirring every so often.

I use the frozen meatballs from Costco; bake them on a cookie sheet according to the directions, and then cover with the sauce.  

Orange Marmalade Ginger Glaze for Ham

• 1 cup orange marmalade
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger root
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients for the glaze; mix well.
3. Place your ham on a baking rack, add a little water to the bottom and cover the entire pan with tin foil.
4. Follow package instructions for cooking your ham. Your cooking time will vary based on the cut and type of ham.
5. Brush glaze on your ham during the last 20 minutes of baking. Return your ham to the oven and continue baking, this time with no tin foil.
6. When ham is done (internal temperature information is in the notes), remove from oven, cover, and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.