Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

I have not had good luck with recipes I've been trying lately. So, I dug up this one that is SO rich. If you love the combo of peanut butter and chocolate, this is the only way to make rice krispie treats.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Mary Clyde

1 C Karo syrup
1 C sugar
1 C peanut butter
about 6 C Rice Krispies
1 to 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cook Karo and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Stir in peanut butter. Take off heat and add enough Rice Krispies to absorb liquid.

Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in microwave and spread on top.

Cool and cut.

Sweet Potatoes with Carmelized Apples

Kate H. put out a compilation of family recipes this year around Christmas--really, it was one of the best presents I got! I've never made a recipe from Kate that hasn't soon gone into my regular meal rotation.

These sweet potatoes are delicious (and so much healthier than my Thanksgiving recipe); we love them with apple-maple glazed chicken breasts.

WHIPPED SWEET POTATOES WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES
Susan Hamilton and Royal Hansen

4 large sweet potatoes (3 lbs)
3 Tbs unsalted butter, softened we use Earth Balance margarine; canola oil would work also
2 Tbs heavy cream I like vanilla soy milk, but the plain is fine, too; or rice milk if soy won't work either
1/2 c applesauce
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 apples, peeled and cored
3 Tbs sugar

Place sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet; pierce each several times with a fork. Bake until very tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Cut open potatoes and scoop out flesh into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add 2 Tbs butter and cream, and beat until smooth. Add the applesauce and ginger. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to an oven-proof serving dish and bake at 375°until heated through (10 minutes).

Cut apples into 1” pieces. Melt remaining Tbs butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and sugar; sauté until golden and nicely caramelized, 8 minutes. Top potatoes with apples and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Coconut and Macadamia Nut Banana Bread

I love banana bread. Below is an Asher-safe version that I make at least once a month (sometimes, every week) because my kids love it for breakfast.

I'm not usually one to tinker with a favorite recipe, but when I saw this one, I just had to try it. I don't think I use the word, "sublime" much, but it fits for this recipe. Really, it seems a shame to call it plain old "banana bread." Will you think less of me if I can't help but wonder what a drizzle of chocolate ganache would do?

Banana Bread
Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/8 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg we use egg replacer
3 medium bananas masher they should be pretty "trouty" as my mom would say
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c oil

Grease 8x4x4 bread pan. In med mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, bakin soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

In mixer, combine egg, bananas, sugar, and oil. Add dry ingredients and mix until just moistened.

Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes until knife comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

With a gluten-free baking replacement, this bread can easily be a Top-8 allergy free item.

Chocolate Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze

This is easy, moist, and so yummy. I've made it three times in three weeks... and have been having it for breakfast, lunch & dinner some days. :) I got the recipe from my grandmother-in-law, but I also found it on allrecipes.com.

1 box Swiss Chocolate (or other chocolate) cake mix
1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix (the small box)
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup or more semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grease and flour a Bundt pan. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil, eggs, water, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F. (I think one hour is too long... I went with about 50 min.)
Allow to cool. Glaze with Vanilla glaze.

Vanilla glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 TBSP milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 TBSP butter

Melt the butter and add to rest of ingredients. Mix until creamy. You may need to add more milk slowly to get the consistency that you want.

Thanksgiving in February?

I had a nice big turkey in my refrigerator... and I was wanting a nice big Sunday dinner for a change (I usually never step foot in the kitchen on Sundays)... so I got a recommendation from my sister to use Emeril's turkey recipe. It was DELICIOUS! (Maybe next Thanksgiving, you'll remember to look here for an easy and tasty way to prepare your turkey!)

Emeril's Big Bird with Giblet Gravy (found here)

Ingredients

• 1 (10 to 12-pound) turkey (reserve giblets, neck and livers for the gravy)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 rib celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 orange, halved
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon Emeril's Essence (found in the spice aisle OR recipe found here)
  
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 recipe Giblet Gravy, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and fit a roasting rack inside of a roasting pan.

Transfer the turkey to the kitchen sink and remove its wrapping. Using your hands, search inside the cavity for the neck, gizzards, heart and livers - remove these from the inside of the turkey and set aside, refrigerated, for the gravy. Rinse the turkey well inside and out with cold running water. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels and transfer the turkey to the prepared roasting pan.

Season the inside of the turkey with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the onion, carrot, celery, orange halves, thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Using kitchen twine, tie the ends of the turkey's legs together as if they were trying to cross their legs. Season the outside of the turkey evenly with remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of Essence. Rub the butter evenly over the entire turkey. Transfer the turkey to the prepared roasting pan and place in the oven.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and carefully remove the turkey from the oven. Combine the chicken stock and the apple cider, and using a turkey baster, baste the top of the turkey evenly with 1/3 of the chicken-apple liquid. Return the turkey to the oven and cook for an additional 1 3/4 to 2 hours, basting twice more during this cooking time with the remaining chicken-apple liquid. The turkey should be a nice golden brown color, and the juices should run clear when you insert the tip of a knife at the joint of the leg and thigh. An instant read thermometer inserted into the joint of the leg and thigh, without touching a bone should register 165 degrees F when the turkey is cooked through. (If the turkey begins to look too browned, cover the top loosely with aluminum foil until it is done.)

Remove the turkey from the roasting pan and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Reserve any juices left in the roasting pan for the gravy.

Giblet Gravy:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Giblets, liver, and neck from 1 turkey
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1/3 cup minced celery
• 1/3 cup peeled and minced carrots
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium, heavy pot, melt the butter and the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the giblets, liver, and turkey neck, and cook, stirring until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic, and saute an additional 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine, stirring to incorporate any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock, thyme sprig, and any reserved juices from the bottom of the roasting pan, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Strain. Adjust seasonings with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm with Emeril's Big Bird.

Yield: about 3 cups