National Maple Syrup Day

Caramelized Bacon

• 2/3 cup grade A or B maple syrup (not the fake stuff)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 pounds beef or turkey bacon

Preheat the oven to 325oF. In a small heavy saucepan mix together the syrup, mustard, and sugar and heat slowly on low heat, stirring often. Cook until syrup thickens, about 10 minutes. Set aside. Fry bacon in a large pan on medium-high heat using a “bacon weight” to keep the bacon really flat as it cooks. When the bacon is cooked to your liking, drain the bacon on a paper towel. Lay the flattened bacon on a jelly roll pan and brush the glaze on both sides. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. 

The Peggy

A scrumptious holiday sneeky in honor of one great lady 10 people

• 4 cups vodka
• 1/2 cup patron citronage
• 1 1/2 cups cranberry juice
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 1/2 cups frozen limeade (1- 12 oz can limeade)
• 1 cup mint leaves (smack and chop) to get the flavor
• 5 egg whites

You can either put all in a blender or a big container with a lid and shake ,shake,shake for 3 minutes I prefer this "sneeky" Over ice I like to put cotton candy on top because it is fun!!!!! It puts a smile on people's faces. A slice of a clementine would be good or even froze sliced strawberries thrown in. note: You need to puts ice to the top then fill it ¾ with the peggy so the cotton candy only touches the ice and not the drink. Then it will eventually melt in.

ENJOY!!!!!!

Caramel Chocolate Brownies

CARAMEL CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

• 1 ½ cup flour
• 1 ½ cup oatmeal, regular old fashioned oats
• 1 ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 ½ sticks butter (6 oz) – cut into pieces – chilled
• 12 oz chocolate chips
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 14 oz bag of caramels, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in Food Processor. Add butter and process about 10 seconds. Remove 2 cups from bowl and reserve for topping. Press remaining mixture into 9x13 pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Bring cream to simmer in a heavy saucepan. Add caramels and stir until smooth. Pour over chips. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs.

Bake 15 minutes until golden brown.

Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce

St. Francis’ Cranberry Sauce

Makes approximately 3 cups

• 3 Cups cranberries
• 1 1/2 Cups of St. Francis Old Vine Zinfandel
• 2 Pears
• 2 Oranges
• 2 Apples
• 1 12 oz. can of limeade
• 1 Cup of apricot jam
• 2 teaspoons of fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon

Chunk up the pears, peeled oranges and apples. Add the wine and limeade to medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the cranberries and the chunked up fruit along with the fresh ginger and cinnamon. Stir continually for 5 minutes and then reduce heat to a simmer. Continue stirring until the sauce is thickened to your liking. Turn off heat. Fold in apricot jam and let cool.

Tips:

Great to store in a canning jar.

Option:

Use marmalade if you do not have apricot jam.

National Noodle Day

This is my buddy Chris' amazing recipe for simple Clams and Linguine   **No shrimp.

• 6 tablespoons of olive oil
• 15 cloves of garlic
• 1 box Whole wheat linguine
• Sweat it for 6 minutes
• Then add 2 Cans of Geisha Whole Clams
• And 2 cans of Snow Chopped clams Juice.
•  Bring to a slow boil. 
• Stir every few minutes.
• Then add the chopped parsley, stir, back to a low boil, a pinch of oregano, stir cover, then let simmer.
• The pasta needs to be whole wheat.
• It will cook in 6 minutes. 
• Strain it. Add olive oil and serve.
• Parma, or Romano cheese sprinkle.

Chocolate-Pumpkin Layer Cake

• 20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) soft unsalted butter, more for greasing
• 2 cups flour, more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup plain pumpkin purée, canned, frozen or fresh
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 10 ounces unsweetened chocolate, preferably 99 or 100 percent, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use a little butter to grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter and flour the paper. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream 8 tablespoons butter and the granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in pumpkin purée. Mixture may look slightly curdled. Stir in flour mixture about half a cup at a time until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans.
3. Divide batter into pans and bake in middle of oven until springy to the touch and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, run a knife around edges, invert onto racks and peel off paper. Let cakes cool completely.
4. In a large bowl, blend remaining 12 tablespoons butter and confectioners’ sugar together. Blend in chocolate and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
5. Place one cake layer, smooth side up, on a platter. Ice top. Place second layer, smooth side down, on top; ice top and sides of cake.

To make ahead: For fully frosted cake, put in freezer unwrapped; when frozen hard, wrap in plastic, then foil. Remove wrapping before defrosting.

Unfrosted cake layers out of their pans can be wrapped first, then frozen up to three weeks.

Frosting can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated, then brought to room temperature for at least one hour.

National Dessert Day

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Garnish with chopped pecans and a fresh raspberry or strawberry.

Cook's Note: Frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or pipe it on with a big star tip.