Tierney Baked Beans

Yield:6-8  servings

Ingredients

1 TBSP dried onion [ 1 large onion, diced]

2 (16-ounce) cans pinto or kidney beans [or combination thereof], drained and rinsed

1 TB [ or a tad more, to taste] prepared yellow mustard

1/4 cup light brown sugar, [ or a tad more, to taste]

1/4 cup ketchup

2 TBSP favorite BBQ sauce

1/4 cup maple syrup or molasses

1 TB lemon juice, [ or a tad more, to taste]

1 cup water

1/3 cup bacon bits

Directions

cook all together, covered, for 60-90  minutes on med-low, stirring occasionally.

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Caramel Rum Sauce

* For a non-alcoholic version Rum Extract works great!*

1 loaf French bread, torn into bite sized pieces

4 large eggs

2 cups milk

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

3 large ripe bananas, sliced

2 tsp.vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2 TBSP dark rum [or 1tsp rum extract]

2 tbs.'s banana liqueur (optional)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1] Tear bread into pieces in large bowl. 

2] In separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and sugar, until well blended. Stir in vanilla extract, cinnamon, rum, liqueur, pecans, and bananas.

3] Pour mixture over bread pieces, mix well, and let stand for 10 minutes. 

4] Place mixture into a 13x9 inch, buttered baking dish [ I like the mash mine down at this point to make it more dense like some of the Bread Pudding I had in New Orleans, but it is COMPLETELY up to you if you want to do that too] and cover with foil. Place baking dish in a larger shallow baking pan filled with 2 inches of water.

5] Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. 

6] Remove foil and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, or until golden brown and a knife comes out clean. 

Caramel Rum Sauce

1 cup whipping cream [ I used half n half and it worked fine]

1  1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup light or dark rum [ or 2 tsp rum extract]

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Bring whipping cream to a light boil in large saucepan, over medium heat, stirring often. Add brown sugar and continue to cook at a low rolling boil for  5 minutes, stirring often. 

Remove from heat and stir in rum, butter, and vanilla. 

Let cool for about 10 minutes. Ladle over bread pudding. Enjoy!

Maple Pecan Bars

Makes one 8×8 pan (9-16 bars, depending on how big you slice them)

For the crust: 1 stick  butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling: 6 tablespoons butter, diced
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Crust Prep:

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8×8 pan with foil, leaving a couple inches overhang. Spray or butter the foil.

Beat butter and brown sugar for several minutes. Add flour and salt, beat until thoroughly combined. Dump the mixture (it will be crumbly) into the prepared pan and press it evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes. When the crust has about 5 minutes left to cook, start the filling.

Filling Prep:

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally and simmer for one full minute. Stir in the pecans and pour the filling evenly over the crust.

Return to the oven and cook for an additional 20 minutes.  Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and cool completely before cutting into squares.

Sausage Cheese Balls

Sausage Cheese Balls

Makes 3 dozen


1 LB preferred brand and heat level Breakfast Sausage [Turkey sausage is awesome too!]


3/4 cup, plus 1 or 2 TBSP Bisquick


2 cups shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese


1/4 tsp onion powder


1/4 tsp celery salt


1/4 tsp garlic powder

optional: 8 oz Cream cheese: reduced fat or Neufchatel [confession: I can NEVER remember how to spell that!] work great here.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir well. Form into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet; bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. 

Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe II

I had to make my own purple, don't judge me too harshly.

Plan ahead when making this, as it requires roughly 2 hours for rise time, plus filling and rolling time--before cooking. THEN more time for cool down before you can frost it.

**IMPORTANT NOTE**Most traditional King Cake recipes make two cakes-- I have cut this one in half for just ONE cake!**

Ingredients

Traditional King Cake

This traditional Mardi Gras dessert makes two king cakes each topped with a creamy glaze and festive gold, purple, and yellow sugar sprinkles.

• Yield: Makes 1 cake (about 18 servings)
• Cook time: 10 Minutes
• Prep time: 30 Minutes
• Stand: 5 Minutes
• Rise: 1 Hour, 30 Minutes
• Bake: 16 Minutes

Ingredients

• 8 oz sour cream [I made this with fat free greek yogurt the 1st time and it turned out like a moist delicious danish. Not big like the cake, but SO SOOOOOOO GOOD!]
• 3 TBSP sugar
• 2 TBSP butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• PECAN FILLING:
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 3 TBSP melted butter

• Creamy Glaze
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted 
• 1 tablespoon milk 
• Purple-, green-, and gold-tinted sparkling sugar sprinkles

Preparation

Cook first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts. Set aside, and cool mixture to 100° to 110°.

Stir together yeast, 1/4 cup warm water, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a 1-cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.

Beat sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, and 1 cups flour at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until smooth. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add enough remaining flour (3 1/2 cups) until a soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough, and divide in half. Roll each portion into a 22- x 12-inch rectangle. Spread 3 TBSP softened butter evenly on rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Stir together 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle pecans evenly over butter on rectangle.

Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at 1 long side. Place one dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal. 

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 20 to 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 375° for 14 to 16 minutes or until golden. Slightly cool cakes on pans on wire racks (about 10 minutes). Drizzle Creamy Glaze evenly over warm cakes; sprinkle with colored sugars, alternating colors and forming bands. Let cool completely.

Cream Cheese-Filled King Cake: 

Prepare each 22- x 12-inch dough rectangle as directed. Beat 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 (8-ounce) packages Neufchatel [ or reduced fat] cream cheese, softened; 1 large egg; and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. 

Tierney's Irish Cream [Forget Bailey's!]

Is it St. Paddy's Day yet? No? Hmmmm. Well in anticipation of that fine Irish Holiday I bring you, my Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur.


• 1 cup whiskey (inexpensive middle of the road is okay) *I used Mac Gregor's Scotch Whiskey and it was fabulous.
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup Half-n-Half
• 1/3 cup chocolate syrup
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Directions:
Ok, here's where it get super tricky. Prepare yourself.

In blender, combine all ingredients; blend until smooth.
Store tightly covered in refrigerator up to one month. Shake well before serving.

Cheesy Corn Casserole

As I am posting this, my mouth is literally watering. It's kinda embarrassing actually.

Cheesy Corn Casserole
found this at http://countrytimerecipes.alphamaids.com and of course I couldn't leave well enough alone. So here's my take on it.

1 8.5-ounce box corn-muffin mix (Jiffy)

1 16-ounce can corn, drained (Even better, cut off same amount of fresh corn off the cob)

1 16-ounce can cream-style sweet corn

1 1/2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese [I’m a cheese FIEND, so I erred on the side of excess]

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter,[I used coconut oil and it worked great]
1/2 tsp salt *optional*
1/2 tsp onion powder *optional* [

1 cup sour cream  [I used fat freek Greek Yogurt and it was wonderful]

3 eggs, beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and pour into a 9 inch pie baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until lightly browned.

Makes 10 servings.

Summer Squash Casserole

EVERY Christmas and Thanksgiving this is a crowd favorite with leftovers fought and squabbled over!

• 4 large squash thinly [1/4 inch] sliced (6 cups)

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 1 10 3/4 ounce can cream of chicken soup

• 1 cup Full fat sour cream

• 1 tsp salt

• black pepper to taste

• 1 cup shredded carrot [2 medium carrots]

• 3 cups Pepperidge Farm herb-seasoned stuffing mix

• 1/2 cup butter [1 stick], melted

**For  a little variation, try adding a bit of zucchini too**

**Optional: add 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese to soup mixture

Preparation:

Cook squash,carrot and onion in frying pan on medium high stirring frequently for 10 minutes [until tender].  

Combine soup [or broth mixture], sour cream, and pepper to taste. Fold in cooked veggies. 

 Add melted butter to stuffing and spread half of the stuffing on the bottom of a 9x 11 inch baking dish. Spoon vegetable mixture on top. 

Sprinkle remaining stuffing mixture over the top.

Bake at 350° until heated through, 30 minutes. 

Makes 6 servings. 

Joe’s Southern Sage Cornbread Dressing

Favorite Family Holiday Staple with my husband's family. Sooooo GOOD!

This makes a single 11X13 casserole pan

Things You'll Need:

• 1 batch southern cornbread [recipe to follow]
• one small batch of Bisquick drop biscuits [recipe to follow]
• 1 large onion and 3 stalks celery chopped in blender/food processor 
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 1 tb butter or margarine
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 6 or 7 cups low sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 7 or 8 eggs
• 1 1/2  .5 oz. bottle of McCormick's Rubbed Sage (plus optional 1 additional teaspoon of poultry seasoning powder )

FOR CORNBREAD:

• 1  1/3 cups milk
• 1/4 cup veg or canola oil [or butter]
• 2 cups Martha White Self-rising Corn Meal Mix [*NOT corn Muffins- they are too sweet*]
• 1 egg

bake at 450 degrees, in greased pan [9x9, or 9 inch pie plate] 20-25 minutes.

FOR DROP BISCUITS:

• 1 cup and 2 TBSP  Bisquick
• 1/3 cup milk

stir and drop by heaping spoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet [or lined with parchment paper]

bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes

1. Make 1 batch of each cornbread and one batch of drop biscuits 
2. Once breads are done, it’s best if you let them sit out and dry out over night, but if you’re in a hurry just go ahead and crumble both up into a large bowl and add all the other goodness over the top. *Hold off on the last cup of broth to see how juicy everything is without it.*You want it soupy, like ketchup[runny but still thickish] Maybe like gravy, or stew??? Trying to come up with a good comparison. Hopefully these give the right idea.
3. Bake in 450 degree oven for about 40-50 minutes or until a rich golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean

Perfect Roast Turkey in just 2.5 hours!!!

20.5 lb turkey COMPLETELY cooked, start to finish, in 2.5 hours!

2.5-Hour Roast Turkey
1 18-22 pound turkey (I’ve used both a 20.5, and a 21.5 pound turkey with great results)

• Juice of 1 lemon                                                                              
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
  
• 2 TB poultry seasoning [ I used McCormack’s Roasting Rub French Herb seasoning] 

butter brown paper Grocery bag [Kroger still carries these.]

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and let it pre-heat for half hour. Meanwhile, remove giblets and neck and wash the turkey. 

Thoroughly rub inside of the cavity of the turkey with seasonings. 

Combine the lemon juice, salt, pepper and seasonings in a small bowl. 

With your hands, rub the entire turkey with the lemon juice mixture. Try to get some under the skin of the breast to really flavor the meat.

Place the turkey breast down (this is opposite of how a turkey is normally cooked – so just flip the turkey upside down) in a large roasting pan. Place the roasting pan in the hot oven for as many minutes as the turkey weighs (ie.20 lb. turkey = 20 minutes). Bake for the allotted time.

Meanwhile, grease a large brown paper bag with softened [NOT MELTED] butter on both sides [Took about 2/3 of a stick]. 

Remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully make a tent out of the paper bag and drape it over the turkey, taking care to tuck the sides of the bag into the roasting pan. **MAKE CERTAIN NONE of the bag edges hang over the edges of the roasting pan  where they might drip down onto the heating coils and cause a fire.  

Turn the oven down to 400 degrees and cook the turkey for two hours 10 minutes.
Remove the roasting pan and turkey from the oven and let turkey sit, covered, for 20 minutes. 

Remove turkey from the roasting pan. 

The paper bag should be greased with butter on both sides and tucked in like picture below. With my large roasting pan, I still had to trim about 8 inches off the side of the paper bag so it wasn’t too long to tuck in. My bag touched the top of the turkey and it was fine.

**I’ve read a few variations of this recipe where they staple or otherwise seal the bag— but I can’t figure out how that happens when working with a 500 degree turkey.**

Buttery Danish Kringle-Just 3 ingredients!

Entenmann's used to make a fabulous Almond Danish ring, but don't anymore. The yeasty recipe I have posted on this site tastes just like that, whereas this easier one is as good, but with a butterier undertone to the melt in your mouth crust.

I didn't do the braid thing, I just rolled it out, put the filling down the middle and folded both sides over the middle pressing them together, then cut slits to kinda look like the braid pattern. Worked great, but faster.

*I found this beauty at allrecipes.com*

The recipe is from Denmark

Danish Kringle:

INGREDIENTS for single danish

* 1/3 cup butter

* 2/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour

* 1/3 cup sour cream--don't use reduced fat, it won't rise or hold together right in oven.

[REALLY! That's IT!!--just 3 ingredients]

 Almond Filling: 

1/2 cup Almond paste

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 TB soft butter

1 TB flour

Pecan Filling:

3/4 cup pecans 

1/3 cup brown sugar 

1/4 cup butter

1TB flour

** or try cream cheese mixture and preserves for filling:

sweeten the cream cheese with a few TBS of powdered sugar and maybe add some flavoring as well, then add a some preserves.

Glaze:

1.25 cup powdered sugar

1 or 2 Tbsp water [depending how thin you like it. Start with just one until everything is mixed together, then add a bit more at a time, until it's like you want.]
1 TB melted butter or margarine

1/2 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, cut butter into flour until crumbly, leaving pea-sized chunks. Stir in sour cream, and mix well; dough will be very sticky. Form dough into a ball. Cover tightly, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.

After refrigeration quickly form the dough into a rectangle, and flour lightly. On a heavily floured surface, roll out to approximately 12x17 inches. Position lengthwise on the work surface-- [Parchment paper already placed on baking sheet.]

Along the long edges of the dough rectangle, use a sharp knife to cut 4 inch long angled lines about 1/2 inch apart. Spoon filling along the length of the rectangle's uncut center. 

Alternating from one side of the dough to the other, fold each 1/2 inch wide strip towards the center, crisscrossing the filling in a braid-like fashion. Lightly press together the ends of the strips to seal. Sprinkle with slivered Almonds or Pecans. Arrange on prepared baking sheet. 

[Easiest way for this is just prepare on Parchment paper already placed on baking sheet.]

 In preheated 375 degree oven, bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for approximately 30 minutes. While the danish is cooling, prepare the icing. When cooled, drizzle in fine streams over warm danishes. 

Spiced Orange Glazed Pork Roast

Spiced Orange Glazed Roast
 This is one of those dishes that smells a-ma-zing while it is roasting. Starts your mouth watering for it's sweet cinnamony, orange and brown sugar encrusted goodness long before it's sliced and on the plate in front of you.
Goes great with sweet potatoes and broccoli as sides.
My husband suggested I serve this as an alternative main course to Christmas dinner. I think I will.

3 lb pork tenderloin Roast
~Glaze~
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2-1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4-1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
Mix all glaze ingredients together in a bowl and slather over top of roast.

**These are approximate measurements of everything but the marmalade and brown sugar-- with the rest I just sprinkled them all individually over the entire top of the roast once I had it in the pan.
 I cooked the 3 Lb roast uncovered for about 80-90 [25-28 minutes per lb] minutes at 325 degrees, so there was no pink at all but it was still tender.

Cheesy Goodness Brocolli Casserole

Many moons ago a girlfriend of my brother's introduced our family to this delightful cheesy broccoli goodness and it's been a favorite recipe of mine ever since that first beautiful encounter with its amazing flavor combination and crunchy, buttery, Ritz cracker topping. Have some baking even as I type this in preparation for Thanksgiving-- Part Deux--dinner at my Aunt's house in about 90 minutes. Can't wait!  I'll no doubt have to restrain myself during the 40 minute drive to keep from shoving my fingers in and shoveling some in by the handful.

*This is a double batch*

16 oz Velveeta [or 1 cup 2% milk and 2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese]
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cans cream of Mushroom soup [ Cream of Chicken can be used instead without noticeable difference to flavor]
2 pounds Broccoli Florets, Thawed
2 TB butter
1 large onion
2 sleeves of ritz crackers
4 TB butter for cracker topping

Saute onion in butter till soft, mix in soups and velveeta until well blend and melted. Stir in broccoli, coat well.
 Spread into 11x13 greased casserole pan.
Crush 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers, cut in 4 TB melted butter. Spread across top of broccoli mixture.
Bake uncovered, 350 degrees, for 30 minutes.



Tah dah! Greatness is yours!

German Cinnamon Roasted Nuts! Heaven, I'm in Heaven!

I've struck Gold I tell you!  GOLD!!! You know those German Nut vendors that make their appearance at area malls during Christmas time? You know the ones-- those culprits who stir up that heavenly aroma of roasting almonds and pecans coated in sugar and glorious cinnamon that beckons to you on a cloud like you see in old cartoons, with the curling finger? You don't know how it happens, but you find your feet are suddenly no longer on the ground and you're being carried, ever so willingly to the source of such wonder. Such divinity. 
Well, I have finally found the recipe to EXACTLY replicate that, some would say, religious experience, right in your own kitchen! Filling your HOME with all of it's mouthwatering aroma, and flooding your taste buds with joy unspeakable as well.  And in the spirit of the coming Holiday Season, yes, I'll share.

German Cinnamon Roasted Nuts
Ingredients

    * 1 TB butter, soft
    * 1/8 tsp salt
    * 1/2 cup sugar
    * 2 cups raw almonds or pecans--I used BOTH almonds and Pecans and actually found the glaze to be plenty enough to coat 3 cups of nuts.
    * 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    * 1 tsp. vanilla
    * 1/4 cup water


Preheat oven to 250. Cover a 13x17” baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease well.  Combine everything together [all at one time] in a small sauce pan over med-low heat, stir until well blended, then, once butter and sugars have melted nicely,  add water. This thins things out a bit an really helps everything get coated evenly. Toss in the nuts and coated them well before spreading onto the prepared pan. Bake for one hour, stirring half way through. Allow to cool, then store in an airtight container.

In my experience, they smelled so wonderful I got impatient, [who me? I know!] and pulled them out after 50 minutes. They tasted perfect-- JUST like the ones I paid mucho $$$ for at the Mall during Christmas time shopping!
 Woo hoo!

Ultimate Divine Broccoli Casserole

Ultimate Divine Broccoli Casserole

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp garlic powder [or a dash more if you love garlicy goodness!]

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

12 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp salt

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen broccoli florets-- thawed

~Topping~
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed.
1 or 2 TB margarine , melted and poured over crushed crackers, blend well.

**OPTIONS** you can add cauliflower to this or even a cauliflower/broccoli/carrot blend, and it's very , very good too! Thank you Aunt Diane for introducing me to that delectable wonder oh so many moons ago!! I almost ate the entire 9X13 casserole myself over a 3 day span of time, I kept going back so many times for more!


~DIRECTIONS~
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together first 7 ingredients
3. Place thawed broccoli into a very large mixing bowl. Add goop mixture to broccoli, and stir together well. Spread mixture into prepared baking dish, and cover with Ritz mixture .
4. Bake, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes--until bubbly and lightly browned

Cheesy Squash Casserole

This recipe stems from the basics of a long time family favorite a family favorite at both Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners for as long as I can remember. I let a couple of other recipes I found online influence me a bit on this by adding the garlic and cheese, and experimenting with crushed Ritz crackers as the topping instead of the stuffing I've always had on it. 
I mean, really, can you go wrong with cheese or Ritz crackers? Not in my book.

Either way, it turns out, the results are delicious, and as in tonight's case when I found I had no stuffing in my pantry come cook time-- I now have options. I like options.
Cheesy Squash Casserole
1 lb yellow squash [ at least 3 or 4 good sized]
1 cup onion -[2 TBSP DRIED/minced onion]
1 large carrot shredded [ or 2 , if you're like me and love a good carrot]
1 tsp salt
~The Soup Mixture~
8 oz sour cream
1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese - I use extra sharp cheddar
1/2 tsp garlic powder, and onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
~Topping~
1 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers cut in with 3 TB BUTTER

~Directions~
*Chop the squash and onion and shred the carrot.
*Cook all 3 in medium sized pot by just covering the squash, onion and carrot with water and salt.
*Bring to a boil and let cook until done but still firm—10 minutes.
*While these vegetables are cooking, in another bowl mix the sour cream, garlic, pepper, dash of salt, and cheese.
*Add veggies to sour cream mixture, stir well
*In greased 9X9  baking dish add veggies mixture, top with cracker goodness.
*Bake for 30 minutes uncovered, at 350 degrees until bubbly and the topping is lightly browned.

**to use broth instead of using condensed soup: save water used when boiling veggies together. Measure out 2 cups and add 1/3 cup flour to it. Whisk until all flour is completely blended in and simmer, whisking often to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes until thickened.**

DANISH KRINGLE *Almond or Pecan*

Almond and Pecan DANISH KRINGLE
*recipe makes 2 danishes*

DANISH:

2 c. flour
1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. cold butter
1/2 c. milk scalded then cooled
1 egg, separated
1 pkg. active dry yeast [2.25 tsp]
1/4 c. warm water 105 degrees

Instructions:

• Measure flour, sugar, salt: cut butter into mixture.
• Cool milk; stir in egg yolk.
• Pour into bowl with first ingredients.
• Add yeast to warm water and let stand a few minutes.
• Add to flour mixture and mix thoroughly. Dough will be very soft.
• Cover bowl tightly and chill at least 2 hours (-- best results *OVER NIGHT*, but no more than 48 hours in refrigerator).

*Divide dough into 2 parts.
*Beat egg whites until frothy.
*Roll out one part of dough into 6 x 18 inch rectangle or as thin as you can
*Spread filling down middle.
*Fold one side over it - then the other side. Pinch dough to close the fold.
*Carefully slide Kringle on greased baking sheet and form it either in an oval or horseshoe shape. Dough will release some filling out of seams.
*Brush with egg glaze.
*Cover and let rise in warm place 45 minutes [or until doubled] .
*Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes , [or 375 for 10-15 min] until golden brown.
*Drizzle with glaze when cool. Sprinkle immediately with nuts. ** Makes 2 Kringles.

Almond Filling:
1/2 cup Almond paste
1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soft butter
1 TB flour

Pecan Filling:
3/4 cup pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1TB flour

Glaze:
1.25 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp water
1 tsp vanilla
** or try cream cheese mixture and preserves for filling:
sweeten the cream cheese with a few TBSP of powdered sugar and maybe add some flavoring as well, then add a some preserves.
********************************************************
Alternate Directions:

1.Pour water and milk in a cup and add egg. Beat with a fork to mix. I add any flavorings in this liquid mixture as well. Set aside.
2.Put flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl and mix to incorporate.
3.Cut butter in thin slices. Using a knife, cut butter slices into flour mixture until pea sized lumps.
4.Pour liquids quickly using hands to fold the ingredients. (I usually mix with a fork, since the heat in the hands can melt the butter...and you don't want that!) Do not overdo the stirring ...you don't want the butter to melt into the dough. It will be sticky and sort of dry with lumps of butter at this point.
5.Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
6.Take dough out of fridge and let it get to room temperature [about 30 minutes?]. Roll out 20 inch square ( or thereabouts). The dough might be a bit scraggly but as you do the turns it will come together wonderfully. *You want to see little butter pieces throughout the dough. This will make the pastry flaky.* Fold into thirds (like a letter). Turn dough so that closed fold is on your left (like the spine of a book). Roll dough out again and repeat 3 more times ( I always do 4).
7.Cut in 1/2 to yield 2 pastry doughs.
You should see layers of dough when you cut it in half.
8.Refrigerate covered for at least 30 minutes. 

Take out of fridge and roll into any shape you like. Spread filling down middle. Fold one side over it - then the other side. Pinch dough to close the fold. Carefully slide Kringle on greased baking sheet and form it either in an oval or horseshoe shape. Dough will release some filling out of seams while baking.
*Put on parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with egg glaze. Let rise till doubled (1-1/2 hrs).
*Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool add glaze and nuts or Maraschino cherry slices .

**You can do a classical braided version by rolling out a rectangle size 1/4 in thick.

On each side of the rectangle cut about 1/2 inch strips at a slant(sort of like making straight Christmas tree branches) leaving about a 2 inch space. You want them to be the same number of strips on the right side and on the left side. Place filling in the middle and braid overlapping the strips**

Divinely Moist and Delicious Pumpkin Bread

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 60-70 min.
*YIELDS 1 9X5 loaf*

Ingredients:


1 cup pumpkin puree [I add a heaping TBSP or 2 more, just because]
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter [or I like to use coconut oil]
1 cup white or brown sugar--*or*—1/2 cup each 
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 TBSP ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves-- *or*-- allspice
2 tsp vanilla extract

**optional ** I like to do a thin layer of chopped pecans [about 1/3 cup] and brown sugar [1 or 2 TB] along the bottom of the pan under the batter*

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 9x5 pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, Vanilla, and sugar until well blended. Then add: flour, baking powder and soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Stir until well blended [no flour visible]. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 60-65 minutes in the preheated oven. ****40 minutes into cook time -- lay a piece of Aluminum foil [large enough to cover] over top. *Don't fold it down, just lay it on top.* This keeps the top from over-browning.

Done when toothpick or knife inserted into center comes out clean.