Gingerbread House Recipe and Instructions

1c butter, room temperature
1 c light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 t lemon peel
1/2 t orange peel
2 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
1 c dark corn syrup or golden molasses (I use molasses)
2 eggs, beaten
6 c flour (approximately)
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t baking soda

Decorative Icing, recipe follows
2 c granulated sugar for joining parts, instructions below

Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
Mix in peels and spices.
Bring corn syrup or molasses to a BOIL and stir into butter mixture until thoroughly blended.
Beat in eggs.
Sift 4 cups of flour with sale and baking soda
Add flour to the mixture and stir well.
Use as much of the remaining flour as necessary to give a dough smooth enough to roll but one that is still very soft and pliable.
Roll in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Cutting out pattern:
Divide dough into several sections and roll each out on a lightly floured board to 1/4" thickness.  CAREFULLY SLIDE ROLLED DOUGH ONTO 2 large lightly greased baking sheets.  Place paper patterns on dough and cut around them, being sure to cut TWO of each piece.  This pattern is simple but you can cut out windows, add doors and shutters or anything else you like.  If you do not cut out doors and windows, they can be drawn in with the frosting or make with candy.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes or until pieces are an even golden brown.  Remove smaller pieces first if they brown sooner.  Cool on a rack.  Meanwhile make icing.  Decorate the sides, front and back of the house.  The roof will be decorated after the house is assembled.

Decorative Icing (Royal Frosting)
1 box powdered sugar (1 pound)
2 1/2 T meringue powder
1/4 c warm water
1/2 t vanilla

Put all ingredients in a small mixing bowl.  Beat on low speed until moist.  Then on high speed for 5 minutes or until frosting is stiff and holds a peak.
Note: If frosting becomes soft and loses it's peak put it back int eh mixing bowl and beat again until stiff.  Also keep a moist towel over the portions of icing you are not using to help keep it from drying out.

Joining parts:
Melt 2 cups of sugar in a heavy bottom, 12" skillet over low heat.  Stir constantly.  When sugar is all melted, turn temperature to warm.  Dip edges to be attached into melted sugar and QUICKLY join sections together.  Hold a few seconds as it dries.

Note:  DO NOT ADD WATER TO SUGAR!

Brisket

3 pounds second-cut brisket
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 tablespoons neutral oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium white onions, peeled and thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 sprig thyme
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
3/4 cup dried apricots or prunes
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste 
1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) beef stock
1 bottle red wine (I use Cabernet)

1. Rub brisket all over with salt and pepper and allow to sit out at room temperature for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, the moisture that the salt releases from the meat should be reabsorbed into the meat. If the surface of the brisket is still beaded with moisture, allow the meat to sit out at room temperature a little longer.
2. Preheat oven to 325° F. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat and sear brisket for 5 minutes on each side, or until a nice crust forms. After searing, remove the meat from the pot and set it aside.
3. Melt butter in the Dutch oven and add onions, garlic, thyme, carrots, and tomato paste and cook over medium heat until onions are soft and slightly browned — about 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Return brisket to Dutch oven and add the apricots or prunes, beef stock, and red wine. The brisket should be completely submerged in liquid — if it isn’t, add water or more stock until it is.
5. Cook in the oven until the meat is falling apart, about 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
6. When the meat is done, remove it from the Dutch oven, set it on a platter, and cover in foil to keep it warm. Boil the liquid over medium heat until it reduces to approximately 4 cups — this should take about 25 minutes.
7. After it has reduced, strain the sauce through a sieve and taste it to adjust seasoning.
8. Cut brisket against the grain in 1/4-inch strips and serve with sauce and stewed apricots or prunes, onions, and carrots.

Cheddar Beer Dip for soft pretzels

• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 Tbsp butter
• ½ cup milk
• ¾ cup Pale Ale
• 12 oz sharp cheddar, freshly grated
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• Start by making a roux. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.Whisk in the milk and beer. Cook until thickened slightly, approximately 3-5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the freshly grated cheese and spices. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Repeat this process with the remaining 2 dips. Serve immediately with warm, freshly baked pretzel bites.
• Salt & pepper
  
  

Chicken Enchiladas

Enchilada Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons of cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 cup mild or medium salsa verde
1/2 cup sour cream

Enchiladas
3-4 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
3 avocados, peeled and chopped
8 flour tortillas

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In medium sauce pan, saute garlic in butter for about 1 minute on Medium – High Heat. Stir in flour let it cook for about 2 more minutes.
2. Next stir in the chicken broth, cumin, salt, pepper and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream, and salsa verde until smooth (or at least as smooth as you can get.)
3. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Add about 1/2 cup sauce to the bottom of the pan. and spread out until bottom of the baking dish is evenly coated.
4. Lay out a tortilla and add chicken, shredded cheese, and avocado to the end of the tortilla and roll. Then place the rolled tortilla seam-side down and repeat until the pan is full.
5. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Cover with 1 cup of cheese and bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.

Candied Jalapenos

http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2011/09/candied-jalapenos-cowboy-candy/

Roasted Asparagus

•  
• 24 large asparagus spears (about 2 pounds), trimmed and peeled
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Aged balsamic vinegar
• Parmesan, for shaving
•  
•   Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange asparagus spears in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle oil over asparagus and turn to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and just tender, 18-20 minutes.
  Transfer asparagus to a platter. To serve, drizzle vinegar over hot asparagus and use a vegetable peeler to shave Parmesan over the spears.
  
   http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Asparagus-365157

Cheescake Cookie Cups

Cookie Cups

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 tbsp milk

one 15.25 oz box cake mix, any flavor

Cheesecake Filling

12 oz cream cheese

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

graham cracker crumbs, optional

 

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

2. Add egg and milk and mix until combined.

3. Add dry cake cake and mix thoroughly. Dough will be thick.

4. Wrap dough in clear wrap and refrigerate 3-4 hours, or overnight.

5. Grease a mini muffin tin.

6. Make balls of about 1 1/2 tsp in size and press into the bottom of each mini muffin cup. Press the center down just a bit to make a slight indention, where you'll add the cheesecake filling later. You want each cup to only be about 3/4 full, or they will rise out of the cup when baked.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes, or until edges are barely golden.

8. Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool for 3-4 minutes. If the center doesn't still have an indention, use the end of a wooden spoon (or something similar) to press down a bit in the center of each cookie.

8. Remove cookies to a cooling rack to cool.

While the cookies cool, make the cheesecake filling:

1. Beat cream cheese until smooth.

2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

3. Use a spoon or piping bag and tip to add cheesecake filling to the center of the cooled cookie cups.

4. Top with graham cracker crumbs or sprinkles, if desired. Store covered in refrigerator.