Batter Bread

Ingredients

• 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

• 1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)

• 1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoon salt

• 3 eggs

• 5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

• HONEY BUTTER:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1/2 cup honey

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, salt, eggs and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
2. Do not knead. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
3. Stir the dough down. Spoon into a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
4. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.
5. Combine the honey butter ingredients until smooth. Serve with bread. Yield: 12-16 servings.

*Can be baked in two loaf pans for easier cutting.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie Bars

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 2 Tbsp
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup [2 sticks]  butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 [11.5] oz package milk chocolate chips plus 1/2 cup, divided
1 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, toasted and divided

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Toast for 6-8 minutes until golden.  Cool completely.  Spray a 9 x 13 inch metal non-stick baking pan with baking spray or butter.  Sift together the oats, flour, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.  Beat for 2-3 minutes, then add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.  Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
Mix in one [11.5] oz package of  milk chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped nuts by hand.

Spread into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips and chopped nuts.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.  Cool completely then cut into bars.  Yield: 24 bars

from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen

Skillet Oreo Brownies

Mix up a batch of brownies.  (Feel free to use your favorite from-scratch recipe)

Prepare your cast iron skillet. (Everyone does this differently it seems, so just make sure you prepare it in a way that will ensure your brownies will not stick.)

Pour 1/3 of your brownie batter into your prepared skillet. 

I used 19 Oreos and placed them over the batter.  Pour remaining 2/3 of batter over Oreos. Be sure to cover them all! 

Bake for about 35 minutes.  Since the skillet retains heat so well you will want to remove them a couple minutes before they are completely done.  I inserted a toothpick at 35 minutes and when it was removed there were a few tiny wet crumbs.  This is good.

Take the brownies out of the oven and let them sit for about five minutes.  Then scoop some vanilla ice cream over the top and drizzle with a few crushed Oreos.  You can also use some Hot Fudge.  Maybe even some marshmallow topping.  Or caramel.  Or butterscotch sauce.  Enjoy!

Coconut Pound Cake

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter
• 1¾ cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons coconut extract
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 2½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Coconut Glaze

• 1½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and coconut extract together for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add eggs one at a time and beat an addition minute per egg.
4. In a separate large bowl, mix and combine dry ingredients together.
5. Add dry ingredients alternatively with the buttermilk to the butter/sugar/egg mixture.
6. Fold in shredded coconut.
7. Grease and flour either 2 large bread pans or 3 small bread pans.
8. Pour batter and bake at 350 degrees F for 55 to 60 min.
9. Let loaves cool and pour glaze over them.

Coconut Glaze

1. Whisk glaze ingredients together until smooth.

from Chef-in-training.com

Warm Potato and Corn Salad

·         2 pound Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes (halved)

·         4 Ears Corn

·         Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

·         1 Clove Garlic (smashed)

·         1 bunch Thyme

·         1/4 cup Walnuts (toasted and coarsely chopped)

·         1 bunch Scallions (sliced)

·         1/4 cup Freshly Chopped Parsley

·         1/4 cup Golden Raisins

·         1/3 cup Olive Oil (plus more to drizzle on potatoes and corn)

·         3 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

·         1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

·         1 tablespoon Honey

·         Drizzle the Corn with Olive Oil, Salt, and Freshly Ground Pepper. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until lightly charred. Cut the kernels off of the cob.

·          

·         Place the Potatoes, a drizzle of Olive Oil, a smashed Clove of Garlic, a pinch of Salt, Freshly Ground Pepper and the Thyme on a double layer of foil, and seal up in a packet. Place on the grill and cook until Potatoes are fork tender, about 30 minutes.  In a

I    large bowl, whisk together the Olive Oil, Red Wine Vinegar, Mustard, and Honey with a pinch of Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper. Add the Corn, Potatoes, Walnuts, Scallions, Parsley, and Golden Raisins. Toss everything to coat and serve warm.

Photo --shown with Grilled Lamb Chops from ABC news

Lazy Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients

• 12 ice cream sandwiches, any flavor
• Ice cream, any flavor- softened
• Ice cream topping, such as caramel, hot fudge, strawberry, etc.
• Whipped Topping

Instructions

1. Line an 8" x 8" pan with saran wrap. Using half the sandwiches, make a single layer.
2. Cover the ice cream sandwiches with softened ice cream- try to make an even layer. (used about ⅓ of a tub of Cookies 'n Cream.)
3. Cover the ice cream with a thin layer of hot fudge
4. Finish the layers off with the remaining ice cream sandwiches.
5. Throw the pan in the fridge for about an hour so the ice cream can harden.
6. nce the ice cream has hardened, invert the pan onto the plate you'll serve it from.
7. "Frost" the cake with the whipped topping.
8. tried to get fancy and made lines of caramel & chocolate sauce, then dragged a toothpick in alternating directions to create the design.
9. Return the cake to the freezer until ready to serve.