Ranch Wings

Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken wings, split at the joint, tips removed
3 1-ounce packets ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Freshly ground pepper
3 large eggs
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/4 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup honey

Directions:
Toss the wings with 1 packet dressing mix in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours.
Whisk the flour, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 packet dressing mix in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, 2 tablespoons water and the remaining packet dressing mix. Dredge the wings a few at a time in the seasoned flour, then dip into the egg mixture and return to the flour mixture, turning to coat. Transfer to a rack.
Heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Fry the wings in batches until crisp and golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Whisk the hot sauce and honey in a bowl. Serve with the wings.

Buttermilk Donuts With Maple Glaze

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup mashed potatoes (use 1 cup boiling water and 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes or buds)
4 and 1/2 cups flour, DIVIDED
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs until frothy. Add sugar and beat well. Add buttermilk butter, vanilla. Stir in mashed potaotes. Sprinkle exactly 3 and 1/2 cups flour, plus powder, soda, salt and nutmeg over the dough. Stir until just blended. The dough will be extremely sticky. Line a dinner plate with waxed paper. Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour on top of waxed paper. Gather sticky dough up and press onto waxed paper; sprinkle the top with remaining 1/2 cup flour. If you need to pat atop a little more flour to be able to work with the dough, go ahead and sprinkle/pat it on top but DO NOT mix it in. You can refrigerate dough for a couple of hours at this point if you want, but not for too long or the dough will turn black from the potatoes.

Let the dough rest on the plate for five minutes. Meanwile, heat large heavy pot with 1 inch of oil until oil is about 375 degrees. Turn donuts out onto flat floured surface. Pat the dough into a square only slightly larger than the plate. The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick. Do not knead in the flour that have you sprinkled on the donuts. It will cook away on the outside. Cut donuts with donut cutter, or use the top of a prescription pill bottle for donut holes. Holes are the best in my opinion. Fry donuts until pale golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Cool for five minutes before glazing.

Maple Glaze: Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons maple extract and about 4 tablespoons cream (or milk) until smooth. Double this for entire donut recipe or make half maple, some sugar and some powdered sugar donuts/holes.

"Watermelon" Ice Cream

Ingredients:
1 container raspberry sherbet -- at least 1.5 quarts
1 container lime sherbet -- at least 1.5 quarts
About 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Soften the container of lime sherbet for the rind. Be careful and don't soften too much or you will have a gooey mess! Take a larger size mixing bowl; I prefer to use metal, and spread it evenly around the bottom and sides of the bowl. Freeze until hardened. Depending on the temperature of your freezer, that can take up to six hours.

When the lime sherbet rind is frozen, soften the raspberry sherbet and stir in chocolate chip seeds. Put raspberry sherbet mixture inside of the lime sherbet rind and then freeze for at least six hours. When you are ready to serve, you can put the mixing bowl in a pan of hot water for about 2 to 3 minutes; then invert on serving tray. If your watermelon is unfrozen too much, refreeze for a little longer.

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

Note: one of the great things about making your own ice cream is that you can control the amount of sugar or fat! You may want to use cream instead of the fat-free half and half or full-fat half and half. You could also use whole milk instead of the 1 percent milk. Because of the fat in the peanut butter, I don't think these other fats are needed.
Ingredients:
1-1/8 cups good quality, but NOT natural peanut butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1-1/4 cups 1 percent milk
2 cups fat-free half and half
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped in small pieces and additional ones to garnish.

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, use a handmixer to combine the peanut butter and sugar until smooth. Add the milk and mix on low speed until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the half and half and vanilla. Pour the mixture into the freezer bowl; turn on the machine. Mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. Five minutes before mixing is completed, add the chopped candy though the top and let mix in completely. The ice cream will have a soft texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Because I like a harder ice cream, I usually freeze it for about 2 more hours. Remove from freezer about 15 mintues before serving. Garnish with additional Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Candy Corn Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Sugar

Directions:
Mix 1 cup sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and almond extract, and egg. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Color one part of dough with orange coloring; color another part of dough with yellow coloring. Form all three dough parts into rounds and cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.After refrigerating, roll each of the colored doughs into a 5 inch by 24 inch strip; you could vary this. Trim the edges.

Then, combine the three strips. Weigh each of the colored dough disks to make sure there is an even amount of each. Trim the edges. Roll the dough up evenly and carefully.

Once it is rolled up, you can begin to cut it into slices of about one-half inch. A bread knife worked really well. Before baking, sprinkle sugar on each cookie.

Before baking, sprinkle sugar on each cookie. Bake at 350 for about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from cookie pans and place on cooling rack.

The only tricky part is making sure that you achieve the correct stiffness. If the dough is too soft, refrigerate longer. If the dough is too stiff, let sit out on the counter.

Buttercrunch Toffee

Ingredients:
1 cup almonds, pecans or hazelnuts
1 tablespoon water
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips or 3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions:
1. To Prep the Almonds: Spread the almonds on a baking sheet, and bake them at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring them halfway through so they toast evenly. Let them cool, and chop them finely.
2. Set aside half of the chopped nuts. Place the other half on an ungreased baking sheet, and gather the nuts into an 8-inch circle. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine the water, butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar over medium heat. (Don’t overstir!) Cook the mixture until it reaches 300 degrees F. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla until just combined.
4. Pour the mixture onto your circle of almonds.
5. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the toffee, and set aside for 2 minutes while the chocolate melts. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate over the toffee.
6. Scatter the remaining half of your almonds over the chocolate. Let the toffee cool completely.

Nedra's Baked French Toast

Ingredients:
1 cube butter per pan (makes 2-3 pans)

2 C milk
6 eggs
1/2 c brown sugar
2 T cinnamon
2 t vanilla
bread

Directions:
A baking stone works best (jelly roll pan). Melt in each (2) pan 1 cube of butter while oven is preheating at 400 degrees. Mix all other ingredients then drench the bread in the egg mixture. Remove the stone when butter is melted and dip one side in the butter than turn over and place in the pan. You can fit about 6 slices per pan. Bak for 10 minutes, then flip and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Cinnamon Bread

Ingredients:
1 cup Milk
6 Tablespoons Butter
2-½ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
2 whole Eggs
⅓ cups Sugar
3-½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
⅓ cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
Egg And Milk, Mixed Together, For Brushing
Softened Butter, For Smearing And Greasing

Directions:
Melt butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but don’t boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch, but not hot. Sprinkle yeast over the top, stir gently, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Combine flour and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and eggs with the paddle attachment until combined. Pour in milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add half the flour and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the other half and beat until combined.
Switch to the dough hook attachment and beat/knead dough on medium speed for ten minutes. If dough is overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour and beat again for 5 minutes.
Heat a metal or glass mixing bowl so it’s warm. Drizzle in a little canola oil, then toss the dough in the oil to coat. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and set it in a warm, hospitable place for at least 2 hours.
Turn dough out onto the work surface. Roll into a neat rectangle no wider than the loaf pan you’re going to use, and about 18 to 24 inches long. Smear with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the butter-smeared dough. Starting at the far end, roll dough toward you, keeping it tight and contained. Pinch seam to seal.
Smear loaf pan with softened butter. Place dough, seam down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix a little egg with milk, and smear over the top. Bake for 40 minutes on a middle/lower rack in the oven.
Remove from the pan and allow bread to cool. Slice and serve, or make cinnamon toast or French toast with it.

Cheese Garlic Bread

Ingredients:
2 Loaves French bread
1/2 C. Butter, softened
1 C. Shredded Asiago cheese
1 C. Shredded jack cheese
1 C. Mayonnaise
1 bunch Green onions, chopped
2 Cloves garlic, pureed

Directions:
Split French bread loaf into halves horizontally. Mix butter, cheeses, mayonnaise, green onions and garlic in bowl, blending well. Spread the cut side of bread halves with spread. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes, then place under broiler about 3 minutes longer. Cut into slices & serve.

Cashew Chicken Over Puff Pastry

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup cashew nuts, coarsely chopped
2 cups uncooked chicken, chopped
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
3/4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:
Heat 1T. butter and cook cashews until lightly toasted. Remove nuts from pan. Heat 2T. butter, saute chicken and onions stirring often. Add chicken broth and broccoli. Cover and cook until broccoli is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce; stir into chicken mixture. Stir over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and add cashews.

Parmesan Cream Sauce
2 T.butter
2 teaspoons flour
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add flour; cook and stir with wire whisk 1 minute. Add cream, whisking vigorously until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in Parmesan.

Snickerdoodle Bread

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup cinnamon chips (1 pkg. Hershey’s)
2 T. flour

Topping:
2 T. sugar
2 t. cinnamon

Directions:
Combine 2 1/2 cups flour and baking powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream butter and 2 c. sugar, salt and cinnamon until fluffy, about two minutes. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and sour cream and mix to combined. Add flour mixture stirring until just combined. Coat the cinnamon chips with 2 T. flour and stir into batter.

Spoon batter into four/five greased mini loaf pans (5 3/4 x 3 1/4 x 2 1/4. Don’t fill more than 2/3 full.) Combined 2 T. sugar and 2 t. cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of batter in the pans. Bake at 350º for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into a crack in the center of the loaf comes clean. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.
Note: You can also make this in two 9×5 loaf pans. Bake at 350º for 60 to 70 minutes until a toothpick inserted into a crack in the center of the loaf comes clean.

Thai Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 teaspoon Tabasco or cayenne pepper sauce
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
8 (9- to 10-inch) flour or wheat tortillas
8 ounces Monterey Jack Cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 cup thinly slice green onions
1/2 cup diced roasted salted peanuts
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:
Brown chicken in a large non-stick skillet until it is cooked through. Mix together ginger, hot sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce, and lime juice. Stir into chicken.

Lay 4 tortillas on the counter and spread 1/3 cup cheese over each. Spread 1 cup chicken over cheese. Sprinkle some onions, peanuts, and cilantro over cheese. Spread another 3/3 cup cheese over top.

Slide one of the cheese-covered tortillas into a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. (I used an electric griddle.) Place one of the remaining tortillas on top. Press down with a wide spatula to remove any air pockets. Cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes, checking frequently, until bottom tortilla is crisp and browned.

Turn over, cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Repeat this process for remaining quesadillas. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Pesto

Ingredients:

2 C. firmly packed basil leaves, washed and dried
6 garlic cloves
¾ C. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ C. roasted pine nuts
1 C. (4 oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
*optional: 1 vitamin C tablet (keeps the pesto from going brown)

Directions:
Place the basil in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the garlic and pulse several times to make a rough chop.
Add the olive oil in a slow steady stream down the feed tube, with the motor running. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl several times.
Add the pine nuts, Parmesan, salt, and pepper and puree about 1 minute longer until the mixture is well blended and smooth.
*(Note: If adding a vitamin C tablet, add it along with the pine nuts).

Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use or up to 2 weeks.

You can also refrigerate this in ice cube trays in one tablespoon amounts. After it is frozen, remove from the trays and store in freezer bags for up to 6 months. Take out only as many cubes as you need. Or freeze pesto in Pyrex baking pans, turn it out onto a cutting board, and cut into recipe size chunks

Peach Jam

Ingredients:
4 lbs peaches (7 cups or so)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups sugar

Directions:
Peel and slice peaches. For a peeling trick, place peaches in boiling water for 15-30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and dunk in cool water. Gently rub to loosen the skins from the fruit (I use a paper towel). Place slices in a large non-reactive pan. Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the fruit. Don’t stir–just let the sugar sit and seep into the peaches. It will help release the natural juices of the fruit. Allow to sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours.

Place pot on stove and bring to a vigorous boil. Using a potato masher or other handy kitchen tool, begin to mash down the peaches. Then using a wooden spoon or stick, continue stirring the peaches as they cook down, 25-30 minutes, or until they reach the gelling state. Using a funnel, pour the hot mixture into clean, dry class jars leaving about 1/4 inch at the top. Cap and screw on lids, leaving them rather loose. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes or steam canner.