Eclairs

1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs

Preheat 450 degree!!
Boil butter and water.
Add in flour and salt. Turn off heat.
Stir until ball forms and dough comes away from sides of pan.
Put dough into your mixer. Mix dough for a few minutes to cool it down.
Once the steam has lessened start adding ONE egg at a time. Leave the mixer going so the egg has time to incorporate and they don't scramble.
Put the sticky, wet dough in a large ziplock bag.
Cut a hole and pipe onto parchment paper or greased sheet.
Bake for 15 min at 450. Keep oven closed.
Turn down the oven to 325 degrees and bake for 20 min more.
After the final 35 minutes open the oven and tap a shell lightly to check that it is light and sounds hollow.
Place on Cooling Rack.

Fill with a vanilla and whipped cream pudding mousse.
Top with Chocolate ganache.

tips: I drew the size of eclair I wanted on my parchment and then flipped it over and followed the pattern so they were all the same size. You can do whatever size you want. Remember they do puff so don't put them too too close together.
To fill; just cut the tops off and fill that way. Or pipe the filling in from both ends to make sure you fill the entire thing. I think cutting the tops off is easier.

candied nuts

1 lb. your choice of nut

1 c. sugar

2 tsp cinnamon (i reduced to 1 1/2 tsp)

1/4 tsp. salt

6 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

preheat oven to 350. Spread nuts in a single layer on pan and toast for 8-10 minutes or until they start to brown. In a medium saucepan stir together sugar, cinnamon, salt, and milk. Cook over med-high heat for 8 mintues or until 236 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla immediately. Add nuts and stir to coat well. Spoon nuts onto wax paper and immediately separate with fork. Cool and store in airtight containers. 

*chef's note:  i think i cooked mine in a pot that is too small. my almonds didnt get coated very evenly.  also, i didnt have a candy thermometer and i think i over cooked it. having said that- this was my first time making it. and i still got a pretty good batch and they were yummy!

White Chicken Chili

Fast, flavorful and filled with fiber! Traditional chili takes a twist with ground chicken, white beans and green chilies. From eatbetteramerica.
Prep Time:35 min
Start to Finish:35 min
makes:6 servings (1 1/3 cups each)

1 lb chicken, ground or chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 medium zucchini, chopped (about 3 cups)
2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans or 2 cans (15 to 16 oz each) great northern beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

1. In 4- or 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, cook ground chicken, onion and garlic over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until chicken is no longer pink.
2. Stir in all remaining ingredients, except cheese. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender.
3. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): In step 1, cook chicken 6 to 8 minutes. In step 2, cover and simmer 12 minutes.

Most people added some sour cream and carrots.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes

Whisk together:

1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour

2 TBSP sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp each cinnamon, ground ginger and salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Pinch of ground cloves

In a separate bowl, stir together:

1 c. milk

6 TBSP canned pumpkin puree

2 TBSP melted butter

1 egg

Fold wet mixture into dry ingredients.

Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat; pour ¼ cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 min per side; serve with butter and syrup, makes 8-10.

(first published: Oct 2006, Martha Stewart)

Buttermilk Variation:

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

(mix in to make very thick pancakes! Let batter “sit” for a few minutes after mixing, before cooking.)

Vanilla Syrup

1 c. whipping cream

1 c. sugar

½ c. butter (1 cube)

2 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients. Cook on low heat until butter is melted and sugar dissolved. DO NOT BOIL!!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Taken from Just Cook Already check their blog for more good looking pumpkin recipes!

COOKIES:

2 sticks butter (1 cup), at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree

1 large egg

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

ROLLING SUGAR:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp allspice

1. In a large bowl, cream butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and pumpkin puree and beat well. Mix in egg and vanilla, scraping down sides of the bowl to incorporate all of the ingredients.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon. Beat flour mixture into liquid mixture a little at a time until incorporated.

3. Cover dough with plastic and chill at least an hour, or until dough becomes slightly firm.

4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or spray with nonstick spray). Mix rolling sugar in a small bowl.

5. Remove cookie dough from refrigerator. Use a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 Tbsp.) or a large spoon to scoop out dough and roll into balls. Use your hands to roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar and make sure they’re coated really well. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Use a glass with a nice, flat bottom to dip in sugar and flatten the balls.

6. Bake at 350°F. for 10 to 14 minutes, or until they are slightly firm to the touch. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes or so, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

{tip: immediately transfer your cookies to a cooling rack. most people don't know that they'll continue to bake on that hot pan and often burn the bottom of the cookie!}

Yield: About 3 doze

Molasses cookies with Pumpkin Dip

Cookies:
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. Crisco
2 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. molasses
4 c. all purpose flout
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
3/4 tsp. salt
- additional sugar

In mixing bowl cream butter, Crisco and sugar together. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add molasses; mix. Combine flour, soda and baking powder, spices and salt. add to creamed mixture and mix. Shape into small balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches a par on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375º for 6-7 min. Cool 2 minutes before removing to wire rack. Serve with pumpkin dip.

Pumpkin Dip
1/4 Dark brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 c water
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves

Combine the sugars, water, and spices in 1 qt. glass measure. Mix well and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stir. Add pumpkin and mix well. Microwave on high 3-5 minute, cool in refrigerator. (This part is called Pumpkin butter and can be kept in fridge for several weeks.)

To complete the Dip
Add 1-8 oz. packager cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Mix well and fold in 1 - 8 oz. Cool Whip.

Recipe Book

Received a recipe book for a wedding gift. "America's Most Wanted Recipes" It has all sorts of recipes in there from everyone's favorite restaurants. If you have something you want, send a request and I'll check the book. There are a ton I've never heard of but also some good ones. Such as Applebee's; Arby's; Cheesecake Factory; KFC; Red Lobster etc.