Hard Cooked Eggs – Steaming Method

What you will need:

about 1.5 quarts of water
up to a dozen eggs (single layer in pan)
a pan with a steamer basket and lid

1. Put the eggs into the steamer basket.
2. Fill the pot with about 1.5 quarts of water, enough that you can simmer for about 20 minutes, but not so much that the level of the water is higher than the bottom of the steamer basket. 
3. Set the steamer into the pot and turn on the heat.  Cover the pan with the lid.
4. Bring the water to a boil, and then turn down the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Allow the eggs to cool enough for you to handle – you can peel them immediately or whenever you are ready to eat them. and apparently they're so easy to peel you can do it with one hand. Eggs will not have that dark green ring around the yolk either.

Chipotle Butter

1/2 c butter, softened (one cube)

1-2 canned chipotle peppers, diced (seeds removed, if desired)

2 Tbsp sauce that comes with the peppers

1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1 Tbsp chopped, fresh cilantro

Dash garlic powder

1

In a small bowl whip the butter, with an electric mixer, until smooth and fluffy. Add the minced peppers, chipotle sauce, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic powder. Whip until incorporated. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and chill. (The longer it sits, the deeper the color and richer the flavor.) Just before serving put a teaspoon of the cold butter on cooked steak or burgers and allow it to melt over the top. For bread, leave softened for easier spreading. Makes 24 servings.

It might sound weird to put this on meat, but when I worked at Lone Star, they "jucied" every steak before it was served, and their "juice" consisted of equal parts lemon juice and butter.  (Actually, I believe it was a butter substitute, but you get the main idea.)  Anyway, this sounds good and I think it'd be great spread on an opened sourdough loaf and grilled under the broiler.  

Ginger Crinkles (Cookies)

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 ½ sticks butter, slightly softened

¼ cup Molasses

1 large egg

Scant ¼ cup finely diced crystallized ginger

1 1/3 cup granulated vanilla sugar

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a small bowl.

2. Whip the butter and sugar until lightly and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl frequently.

3. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.  Fold the crystallized ginger into the cookie dough with a rubber spatula. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

4. Preheat the oven to 375˚F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Put the Bourbon Vanilla Sugar into a small shallow bowl. Shape dough by tablespoonfuls into balls and roll lightly in the vanilla sugar. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets 2-inches apart and bake on the lower middle rack in the oven for 7 to 9 minutes. The cookies should be golden brown and still slightly soft in the center. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet set on a baking rack for 2 minutes then remove cookies to a baking rack to cool a few minutes longer.

Yields:  About 3 dozen 

Kentucky Butter Cake

3 c all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 c real butter

2 c sugar

4 eggs

1 c buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla extract

BUTTER SAUCE

1 c sugar

1/4 c water

1/2 c butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour bundt pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside. Cream: 1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, and then blend in eggs, mix in buttermilk, and vanilla, adding alternately milk and flour mixture into creamed mixture. Pour in bundt pan and bake for 1 hour.

2.  Butter Sauce: In medium sauce pan on medium heat mix sugar, water and butter, bring to low boil , stirring until sugar is dissolved, add vanilla, When cake is still very hot, leave in bundt pan, poke small holes in top and drizzle butter sauce over cake, Transfer to dish and dust with powder sugar, serve warm.  Oh so good, If you prefer your cake with more sauce , just make a double batch. (one cube of butter = ½ cup.) 

Cheese Bread from Jillee's mom

1 loaf french bread, sliced lengthwise
3 Tablespoons chopped green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, then spread out on sliced french bread. Place bread onto a foil lined baking sheet and cook at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on it after about 10 minutes). Allow to cool for a few minutes and slice.

And apparently once you buy green onions, you can re-grow them again and again, just submerge the ends (the root ends) in water, put in your windowsill, and new green onions will grow an inch in just a few days.  After a week or so you'll have a little crop you can snip and use again.  Gotta try this. Thank you, Pinterest!

Decadent Chocolate Cake

Cake:

• 2 stick butter
• 6 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 c water
• 2 c sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 c milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in 2 quart or larger saucepan; add cocoa and water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in sugar Add salt, soda and flour, and stir well. Blend in eggs, milk, and vanilla. Bake in a 9x13, greased cake pan in 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes

Frosting:

• 1 stick butter
• 6 Tbsp powdered cocoa
• 6 Tbsp milk
• 1 Tbsp hot water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 lb confectioners sugar, sifted

Melt butter in a medium saucepan; add cocoa and milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add water, vanilla, and sifted confectioner sugar, and mix well. This frosting is not stiff. Frost cake while cake is hot and frosting is still warm. Let cool before cutting.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

Dressing:

·        1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

·        2/3 cup light sour cream

·        1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce

·        1 teaspoon ground cumin

·        1 teaspoon chili powder

·        4 teaspoons fresh lime juice

·        1/4 teaspoon salt

·        1 spoonful Adobo sauce (optional) for an extra kick

Combine ingredients and stir well.

Salad:

·        4 cups shredded romaine lettuce

·        2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)

·        1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

·        1/2 cup diced peeled avocado

·        1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion

·        1 (15-ounce) can black, Kidney, or Pinto beans, rinsed and drained

·        1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained

Be sure to use romaine lettuce as it is sturdy enough to stand up to the moist ingredients and won’t wilt as quickly. Combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately, but salad is still good the next day.