YW - Royal Icing (for gingerbread houses)

ROYAL ICING

3 egg whites*

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

4 cups (1 lb.) unsifted confectioners’ sugar

Food coloring (optional)

Vanilla, lemon, peppermint or other extract (optional)

*Meringue powder works just as well; use 1/4 cup meringue powder combined with 1/2 cup of cold water in place of the fresh egg whites.

 

Royal Icing  directions:

In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Sprinkle in the sugar gradually, whipping all the while. The more you whip the icing, the stiffer it’ll be and the faster it will harden up. If you want to “paint” with the icing, you can use food coloring to create different colors and thin the icing  with a few drops of water so it will flow.

Note:   Royal icing needs to be kept covered, because it will dry quickly and become lumpy if exposed to the air. The easiest way to store the icing for long periods of time is in a plastic pastry bag or zip-top food storage bag. If you have disposable pastry bags, using an uncut bag as a sleeve for the bag you are piping from is an easy way to keep everything from drying out.

YW - Gingerbread

Gingerbread Recipe

6 cups all-purpose flour (+extra for kneading)

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

4 teaspoons ground ginger

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon black pepper (I use ½ teaspoon)

1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ½ cup of dark unsulfured molasses

2 large eggs

Directions:

​In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder together and set aside.

In a separate large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until the mixture is ​fluffy.  Add ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and salt.  Beat in molasses ​and eggs.

Mix the dry into the wet ingredients just until well combined.

​Divide the dough into thirds and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for ​30 minutes or more.

Heat oven to 350 F (177 C).  Roll out dough on a well-floured surface and cut into ​desired shapes or house.

​Bake for 12-15 minutes or until slightly firm.  Cool completely.

YW - Judd Marvelous Meatballs

2 lbs. ground beef

20 saltine crackers, crushed to crumbs

½ C. flour

½ C. milk

1 tsp worchestershire sauce

1 tsp parsley flakes

1 tsp. salt or onion salt

½ tsp minced onion, or a tablespoon of finely diced fresh onion

½ tsp pepper

¼ tsp garlic powder

10 drops of hot sauce (1/4 tsp)

1/8 tsp crushed fennel

1 egg

 

Mix all ingredients.  Shape into meatballs, preferably with a 1” cookie dough scoop.  Makes about 48.  Bake 25 minutes in 400º F (204 C).  Or pan fry until brown outside, then pour spaghetti sauce over and simmer until no longer pink inside.

YW Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Penuche Glaze

COOKIES
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. white sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts


Penuche Glaze
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. milk
1 - 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, egg, and vegetable oil.  Mix well.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture.  Add milk, vanilla and mix well.

Add chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet.   Make balls on the smaller size - about 1 in.

Bake at 350 F (177 C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

While cookies are baking, make glaze.

Measure out all ingredients to have ready.  You will have to work fast.

In a medium saucepan, heat butter and brown sugar over medium heat until bubbly.

Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  Add milk and powdered sugar.  Stir until smooth.

Keep over low heat.

Remove cookies from sheet and allow to cool briefly.  Using a knife or pastry brush, paint each cookie with a thin coat of glaze.

Makes 5 dozen cookies.

YW Spiced Apple Cider

1 gallon apple cider
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 can (6 oz. size) frozen lemonade, thawed from concentrate
1 can (6 oz. size) frozen orange juice, thawed from concentrate
1/2 c. packed brown sugar

Combine 2 c. of the apple cider and spices in a large pot.  Bring to boil.

Add remaining cider, juices, and brown sugar.  Allow to simmer about 10 minutes.

Makes about 20 cups

YW Easy Apple Crisp

6-8 apples; peeled, cored and sliced thinly
3/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. margarine or butter, softened

In a large bowl place apple slices and sprinkle with 3/4 c. white sugar.  Mix lightly.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt margarine or butter.  Add flour, oats, brown sugar, and mix well.

Lightly grease 8X13 in. baking pan and fill with apple mixture.

Top with flour mixture.

Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 35 minutes.

Note: Other fruits might be used.  Adding cinnamon might be good too.

Ice Cream, oh such yummy ice cream!!

Ben & Jerry's Sweet Cream Base

2 large eggs                                                                        1 cup milk

2 cups heavy or whipping cream                                                3/4 cup sugar

In a bowl whisk eggs until light and fluffy, add 3/4 cup sugar in increments, whisking in between each addition.  Continue whisking eggs and sugar until combined.  Add cream and milk and whisk until combined.

From here, you can take the sweet cream base anywhere.  Two teaspoon of vanilla extract will get you a nice french vanilla.  Or peppermint extract can be the base for chocolate chip mint.  Crushed cookies for cookies-n-cream, malt powder and shaved chocolate, sprinkles, nuts, candy bar chunks, strawberries, toffee bits...the ideas are endless.

One of my favorites is my own version of mint chip.  I add 2 teaspoons of good quality Nielsen-Massey pure peppermint extract to the sweet cream base (McCormick's brand flavoring is fine too but if you are as serious about your mint ice cream as I am, you will want to invest in some of this good quality flavoring-plus it's perfect for holiday peppermint hot chocolate). Shave about 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate with a sharp knife.  Add the shavings to the liquid mixture.  I personally like the shaved chocolate texture better than the frozen chunk of a chocolate chip.

Tips (some things I've learned after making lots of batches of ice cream):

•                 Use the freshest eggs you can find.  This might mean farm to table eggs from your local market or the best quality you can get at the store.  I'm using Ethiopian eggs and they are great-never had an issue.

•                 If you decide against the eggs in your ice cream, you can expect to get a less rich and creamy ice cream.  It will not freeze well so you will need to eat it all at the time you make it or else you will have icy ice cream from freezing.  

•                 If you are really squeamish I'd suggest sticking with a frozen yogurt or sorbet recipe.  Ice cream should be made with eggs for emulsifying the butter fat.  I feel really strongly about this.

•                 Refrigerate your liquid base mixture for a few hours before putting it in your ice cream maker.  This is key.  The churning process will not freeze room temp liquids properly.  Best to start off as cold as you can.

•                 For cookies, candies, nuts, or other add-in you will want to add them when the ice cream is mostly done churning in the machine.  Simply pour the add-in in the top and let it slowly mix with the paddle.  

•                 Freeze your add-ins before adding them or else they will warm your churned ice cream.

•                 Chocolate chips (or shaved chocolate from the bar) are fine to add to the liquid mixture before hand because they will not melt in the liquid while refrigerating.

•                 Freeze your ice cream maker's freezer bowl overnight before use.  

•                 Have the churning paddle inside the freezer bowl before you pour in the liquid mixture.  

•                 Churn the ice cream for a good 5-10 minutes past when you think it's done.  The more air churned in the more fluffy and divine the texture once frozen.  

•                 Cool your storage bowl in the freezer so the bowl is cold when you transfer the ice cream. A bowl with a air tight lid is ideal for keeping the ice cream fresh in the freezer for many days.

Make ice cream the night before you plan to serve for best frozen texture (see fluffy texture in the first photo).  We eat the ice cream the same night I make it all the time,  the texture is more like soft serve and it melts really fast.