Eggs Benedict

Sauce
In a blender mix-
2 egg yolks
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Then slowly into the blender
pour 10 ounces melted hot butter
You must do this step very slowly, if you want your sauce thick and smooth
Add Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook your eggs- we ususally fry ours, but some prefer poached
Cook Canadian Bacon
Toast English muffins
Assemble!
note- This sauce usually makes enough for six eggs benedict-

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

Cream:
2 c. shortening
1 1/3 c. sugar
2 c. loose packed brown sugar
Add 1 at a time:
4 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
Sift together and add:
4 1/4 c. flour
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 bag milk chocolate chips
Bake at 350 for approx 9 mins
This is our most favorite chocolate chips! Enjoy!

Glazed Cranberry Pork Roast

3 1/2 lb. boneless rolled pork loin roast
1/2 c. green onions, chopped
4 T. butter, divided
1/4 c. fresh squeezed orange juice
1 bay leaf
1 16-oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 c. chicken stock
1/2 c. pecans, chopped
1 T. cider vinegar
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
3/4 c. apricot jam

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place pork roast on a rack in a roasting pan and roast uncovered on a rack in the middle of the oven for 1 hour.

3. While the pork is roasting, melt 1 T. butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute green onion in the butter for 1 minute. Add orange juice and bay leaf and stir constantly for 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth or stock, cranberry sauce, cider vinegar and pecans. Stir constantly until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to low and stir in the salt, pepper and remaining butter. Stir until the butter is melted. Remove and discard bay leaf. Remove 1/4 c. of cranberry sauce and pour into a small bowl. Cover the remaining sauce and remove skillet from heat.

5. To the cranberry sauce in the small bowl, add the apricot jam and whisk well to blend.

6. After the pork has roasted for 1 hour, brush cranberry apricot glaze over the meat. Return the roast to the oven and bake an additional 45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the roast read 160 degrees.

7. Remove roast from oven and let stand 15 minutes before slicing. During this time, warm the sauce reserved in the skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally. Serve the sliced pork roast with the reserved sauce.

This recipe is out of my Jackson Hole cook book. I think I will try it with a pork tenderloin next time. May have to change the cooking time a little bit.

Baked Chicken Reuben

4 chicken breasts split, skinned and boned
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 16-oz. can sauerkraut (drained)
4-6 slices of Swiss cheese
1 1/4 c. Thousand Island dressing
1 t. fresh chopped parsley (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Place chicken in a single layer in a greased 9x13 baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread sauerkraut over chicken and top with cheese slices. Pour salad dressing evenly over cheese slices.

3. Cover with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until juices run clear when breasts are pricked with a fork. Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley.

Now I know that some of you are not going to want to try this recipe because of the sauerkraut. You do not taste the sauerkraut after it is baked. Just try it once, I'm pretty sure you'll like it. After it is baked you could place one of the chicken breasts on rye bread and eat it like a sandwich. Or if you have leftovers, heat it through and then put it on some rye bread.

I found this recipe in my Jackson Hole cookbook.

Rum and Eggnog Cakes

This is one of Grandma Nukaya's favorite holiday cakes, it must be the real rum.

1 1/2 c. butter
3 eggs
2 1/4 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. ground nutmeg
1 c. diced mixed candied fruits and peels
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. chopped pecans
2 T. flour
1 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. dairy eggnog
3/4 to 1 1/4 c. rum or 3/4 to 1 1/4 c. orange juice please 1/2 t. rum extract
(I use the real rum)
Eggnog Glaze

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour twelve 4-inch individual fluted tube pans or one 10-inch fluted tube pan; set aside.

2. In a bowl mix 2 1/4 c. flour, baking powder and nutmeg; set aside. In another bowl, toss together candied fruits, raisins, pecans and the 2 T. flour; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds on high. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition.

4. Alternately add flour mixture and eggnog to butter mixture, beating on low speed just until combined after each addition. (DO NOT overbeat.) Stir in 1/4 c. of them rum or orange juice mixture. Fold in fruit mixture. Pour into prepared pans.

5. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow about 30 minutes for the 4-inch pans or 55-60 minutes for the 10-inch pan. Cook in pan(s) on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan(s)

6. Using a toothpick, poke holes all over each cake. Soak a double-thick square of 100 percent-cotton-cheesecloth in the remaining rum or orange juice mixture using 1 c total of the mixture for 4-inch cakes or 1/2 c of the mixture for the 10-inch cake. Chill remaining rum or juice mixture. Wrap cakes in moistened cheesecloth. Place in resealable plastic bag(s). Chill for up to 2 days to mellow flavors, drizzling with 1/4 c. or the remaining rum or juice mixture after the first day.

7. To serve, remove cheesecloth and drizzle cake with Eggnog Glaze; let dry.

Eggnog Glaze

In a small bowl, stir together 1 c. powdered sugar, 1 T. dairy eggnog, 1 T. corn syrup, and 1/2 t. light rum or 1/4 t. rum extract. Stir in enough additional eggnog, 1 t. at a time, to make a glaze of drizzling consistency.

To Bake Ahead

Prepare, bake, and cool cake as directed through step 5. Place in a freezer bag; seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. thaw in the refrigerator. To serve, drizzle with 1/4 c. rum or orange juice mixture, then with Eggnog Glaze; let dry.

Cranberry-Orange bread with Grand Marnier glaze

1 1/2 c. unsalted butter (softened)
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 c. orange juice
1 c. sour cream
2 T. fresh grated orange zest
2 t. vanilla extract
4 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. dried cranberries
2 c. powdered sugar
7-8 T. Grand Marnier

1. Preheat oven to 330 degrees. Will make either 2 large loaf pans, 3 medium or 6 small pans.

2. Cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add orange juice, sour cream, orange zest and vanilla. Mix until blended.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture and cranberries to wet ingredients; do not overmix.

4. Bake bread. 60-70 minutes for large loaves, adjust for others. I usually bake the medium size for 45 minutes, but the temperature is a little lower on this recipe so just check it after 45 minutes.

5. Meanwhile in a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and 7 T. Grand Marnier. Glaze should have consistency of thick maple syrup or corn syrup. If it is too thick, thin with an additional tablespoon of liqueur.

6. Let loaves cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a cooling rack set over a large baking sheet. With a thin skewer or long toothpick, poke holes in tops of loaves. Drizzle the glaze so that it coats the top, runs down the sides, and seeps through the holes.

7. Let loaves cool completely, then slice and serve, or wrap and freeze (see Notes)


Variation:

Cherry-Almond Bread with Amaretto Glaze

Substitute 1 c. milk for the orange juice, omit the orange zest, and substitute 2 t. almond extract for the vanilla. Substitute 1 1/2 c. halves tart dried cherries for the dried cranberries. Add 1 c. chopped almonds in step 3 when you add the cherries, bake as directed. To make the glaze, substitute 6-7 T. amaretto for the Grand Marnier.

Notes:
Loaves can be made up to 1 month ahead and frozen. Bake and glaze loaves and allow them to cool completely. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, put in zip-lock plastic bags, and freeze. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and defrost at room temperature.

I have made these for the holidays and they are good.

Coconut-Cranberry Chews

1 1/2 c. butter or margarine (you know me I use butter)
2 c. sugar
1 T. grated orange peel
2 t. vanilla
3 1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 c. dried cranberries
1 1/2 c. coconut

1. In a bowl mix butter, sugar, orange peel and vanilla until smooth.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt and add to butter mixture beat on low about 5 minutes. The recipe says that it will come together like a cookie dough, but it has never happened for me so I squeeze in a little (not much) of fresh orange juice.

3. Stir in cranberries and coconut.

4. Bake at 350 for 8-11 minutes. (Shorter time will make cookie chewier; longer time crispier cookie. (I like them chewy)

I made these twice and everyone has loved them both times. It is definitely a keeper. I got this recipe out of the sunset magazine. A lady by the name of Nancy Jamison sent in this recipe and I was lucky enough to try it.

Potato Gratin

Fine Cooking Magazine

2 to 2 1/2 lb. potatoes
2 1/2 c. liquid
(cream heavy or light)
half and half
whole or lowfat milk
lower-salt chicken broth

Toppings
bread crumbs with melted butter
pecans, walnuts or almonds:
1/4 to 1/2 c. coarsely chopped
cheese finely grated


Optional Ingredients:

Meat:
bacon
pancetta
smoked ham
canadian bacon
hot or sweet italian sausage

Herbs & Spices:
fresh parsley
fresh thyme
fresh rosemary
Smoked paprika
Nutmeg
cayenne

Cheese:
choose 1 or more for a total of up to 6 oz.
cheddar, grueyer, come, fontina, emmentaler, aged gouda, goat cheese, mild blue cheese

Sauteed vegetables:
Yellow onions
shallots
fennel bulb
mushrooms (make mix a few)
leeks (white and light-green parts only)
artichoke hearts (drained and coarsely chopped)
garlic

Simmer potatoes in your choice of liquid, 1/2 t. salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover partially. Cook on medium to medium-low heat stirring occasionally and gently until barely tender when pierced with a fork 8-12 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking. Fry meat, saute vegetables, grate cheese and make topping of your choice.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the potatoes to baking dish, spreading them evenly. Layer on any combination of optional ingredients arranging them evenly on top of the potatoes. Top with the remaining potatoes, spreading them evenly, and pour over any liquid remaining in the pain.

Evenly scatter your choice of toppings over the potatoes. Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes. Let the gratin set for at least 10 and up to 30 minutes before serving so the liquid if fully absorbed.

A few ideas that might be good:

1. Potatoes, heavy cream and chicken brother, bacon, parsley, Fontina, mushrooms, garlic; top with bread crumbs and parmigiano.

2. Potatoes, chicken broth, sweet sausage, cheddar, onion; top with parmigiano.

3. I did potatoes, cream/half-n-half, shallots, onions bacon, cheddar. It was great. I want to try the sweet sausage with the caramelized onions, shallots and garlic. I think the second day will be even better because the flavors will blend together. Let me know what you guys try.

To Reheat:

You can store tightly wrapped leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, cover with foil and make in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Miso Soup

Ingredients:

4 c. water
2 t. hon-dashi (1 bag hon-dashi)
1/2 box tofu
3 T. miso pase
1/4 c. green onion (chopped)

How to Cook:

1. Put soup stock in a pan and bring to a boil.
2. Cut tofu into small cubes and add them to the soup.
3. Scoop soup stock from the pan and dissolve miso paste in it.
4. Return the soup in the pan.
5. Stop the heat and add chopped green onion.

*Remember not to boil the soup after you put miso in.
**Makes 8 servings.

Egg Rolls

#1

2 lb. ground beef/pork

4 garlic cloves (minced)
1 T. fresh ginger (minced)
1/2 white/yellow onion (minced)
4 T. peanut oil
2 T. sugar
1/4 c. sho-u (soysauce)

#2

1/4 head cabbage (diced)
1/2 carrot (diced)
1/2 c. peanuts (mashed)
2 green onions (chopped)
1/2 c. bean sprouts
eggroll skins
1 egg white

Cook all ingredients in #1 until no liquid remains, then strain and add #2 ingredients together.
Roll in skins and seal with egg whites.

I don't know how to cook these we will have to ask Christopher.