Ingredients

• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flower
• ▢ 3/4 cup dark brown sugar , packed
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 12 Tablespoons butter , room temperature, cut into 12 pieces
• ▢ 3/4 cup molasses (dark molasses)
• ▢2 Tablespoons milk

For the frosting:

• ▢ 2 Tablespoons butter , room temperature
• ▢ 2 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons milk

Instructions 

• Add flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt to a mixing bowl and mix.
• Add the butter pieces and use a pastry blender to cut the butter in until the mixture resembles fine meal.
• With a mixer running on low speed gradually add the molasses and milk and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.
• Divide the dough in half, forming each into a ball. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, or place in the freezer for about 20 minutes, until firm, if you’re in a hurry. (Refrigeration is mandatory or the dough will be too sticky to handle).
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove one dough sheet from the fridge/freezer and place on a well floured counter. Lightly flour the top of the dough and the rolling pin and roll out the dough (dust with a little more flour if needed), until it’s about ½ inch thick. Cut gingerbread men and place them on prepared baking sheets.
• Refrigerate the gingerbread men for 5 minutes (meanwhile you can roll out the other dough ball).
• Bake the cookies until set in the centers and the dough barely retains and imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes (depending on the size of your cookie cutter). Do not overbake!!
• Remove the cookies to a wire rack. Allow to cool to room temperature before frosting.
• Store gingerbread cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.

For the frosting:

• Add butter, milk, and 1 cup of powdered sugar to a bowl. Mix until smooth. Add additional cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add frosting to piping bag if desired.

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried pinto beans
• 12 oz bacon, chopped
• 1 small yellow or white onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (remote the veins if you prefer less heat)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 15 oz fire-roasted tomatoes
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped (unless you hate cilantro, then leave it out.)
• salt to taste

Toppings (optional)

1. Chopped cilantro
2. Sliced Jalapenos

Instructions

1. Place the dried beans in a colander, rinse well, and remove any debris or shriveled beans.
2. Set the pressure cooker to saute and cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pressure cooker and place it on a paper towel lined plate. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat (or leave all the fat, if you prefer.)
3. Add the onions and jalapenos into the pressure cooker and cook stirring often, for about 2-3 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute.
4. Press the keep warm/cancel button on the instant pot. Stir in the beans, tomatoes with their juices, broth, water, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, oregano, bacon, and cilantro into the instant pot.
5. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally- this will take about 35 to 40 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

• 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) bourbon whiskey
• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 ounce (1 1/2 tablespoons) pure maple syrup (or simple syrup)
• Garnish: Orange peel and a cocktail cherry
• Ice for serving

Directions

Add the bourbon whiskey, lemon juice, and syrup to a cocktail shaker. Fill with a handful of ice and shake until very cold. Strain the drink into a lowball or an Old Fashioned glass. Serve with ice, an orange peel and a cocktail cherry.

Notes

You can use any variety of whiskey, but sweeter flavors may work better.

Original recipe from: https://www.ecouplecooks.com/naturally-sweetened-whiskey-sour/

INGREDIENTS

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1¼ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup mascarpone, plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, or sour cream
• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 4 large very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)
• ½ cup chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (optional)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat 8½x4½” loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a generous overhang on long sides. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat brown sugar, mascarpone, and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend after each addition and scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed.

Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas and mix just until combined. Fold in chocolate and/or walnuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.

Bake bread until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60–65 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let bread cool in pan 1 hour. Turn out bread and let cool completely (if you can resist) before slicing.

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/banana-bread

Ingredients

• 2 TBL unsalted butter
• 1 TBL minced garlic
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 TBL balsamic vinegar
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves 

Instructions

• Reserve 1 TBL of drippings
• Warm drippings then add garlic and shallots, saute and stir frequently until tender about 1 minute
• Add red wine, balsamic vinegar, rosemary sprig and thyme sprigs, bring mixture to a rapid simmer over high heat.
• Allow wine mixture to reduce until thickened, about 1/4 a cup, 3 to 5 minutes
• Add in beef stock and rapidly simmer over high heat until the sauce is reduced and thickened to about 1/2 cup about 4 to 5 minutes
• Remove rosemary and thyme- discard.
• Turn off head and whisk in 1 TBL of butter
• Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of coarse salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Jelly, jam, or marmalade, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, lightly beat flour, milk, eggs, nutmeg, and salt until just combined. Batter will be slightly lumpy.
2. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add flour mixture and transfer to oven. Bake until pancake is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Sprinkle pancake with sugar and return to oven for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with lemon juice; serve immediately with jelly, jam, or marmalade.

This spiced tea recipe is a inherited tradition for us.  Great when you’re getting a cold, or on a cold snowy day.  Enjoy.

• ½ container Crystal Light Lemonade (82.5 oz container)
• 1 9oz container of Tang
• ½ cup sugar (think we usually use about 1/2 that amount or a ¼ cup)
• ⅓ jar Nestea unsweetened instant tea (3oz jar)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon 
• ½ tsp ground cloves

Pam’s Rib Rub

Ok ladies, so story we didn’t get together to mix this up! I just mixed up a batch and here is your base. Is you like a sweeter rub, add a little more sugar, half cup. If you like it a little hotter, add another half tsp cayenne.

Rib Rub

• 2 Tbsp. Smoked Spanish paprika
•  1 Tblsp . Ground ancho chili pepper
•  1\2 Tblsp. Chili powder
•  1 Tblsp. Chipotle ground red pepper
•  2 Tblsp. Cayenne red pepper
•  2 Tblsp. Garlic salt
•  3 Tblsp. Northwood fire seasoning
•  1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
•  1cup loose pack Brown sugar

Mix well, rub on both sides of rib rack.  Place ribs in 9×13 pan add 1\2 bottle of beer, cover with foil and bake 325 for 2 hours, then grill to crisp up. Baste with some bottled BBQ sauce while grilling.

You can customize to you own taste after first batch!

Note from Cindy – I like to get this all set up and let it marinate in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours before putting it in the oven.  I also have used this for roasts (beef or pork) and it turns out really good (minus the grilling part).

A perfect tomato bisque taken from http://littlefrenchbakery.com/blog/tomato-bisque-soup-a-la-sous-vide

This won first place in a soup contest at Nelnet.

• 1 stick of butter, plus 2 T
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 quart milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 cans (large) diced or whole peeled tomatoes (diced and crushed if whole)
• 1-2 fresh chopped tomatoes
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons dried Basil leaves
• dash of cayenne pepper and/or tabasco to taste
• 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper (to taste)

In a large saucepan, melt the  stick of butter.  Add the flour and stir quickly to creat a roux.  Cook for a minute two, then stirring/whisking constantly, add the milk.   Continue stirring over medium heat until the mixture starts to thicken.  Then add the cream.  Continue stirring/cooking until the mixture thickens.  Do not heat to a boil.  Remove from the heat.

In another stock pot or large saucepan, melt the remaining 2 T of butter.   Saute and onions, green pepper and garlic until the onions are translucent.  Add the tomatoes and basil and bring to a simmer for 30 minutes.  If you like the texture a more uniform, use an immersion blender to further chop the cooked tomato pieces.  Be sure to reduce the heat to barely a simmer, then add the white sauce.   Add the cayenne and/or tabasco and adjust seasonings.    Hold under a boil to prevent separation.

At this point, if you have a sous vide system, preheat the water to 172-175 degrees F, and place the bags in the water after removing the air.  Hold until ready to serve.  When ready  to store, prepare an ice water bath and emmerse the bag in the ice water for at least 45 minutes.  Add ice as needed to keep the water very cold.

Serves about 6.