Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

½ cup vegetable oil                   

2 cups sugar                       

2 tsp. vanilla                      

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

4 eggs                                        

2 cups sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt                   

½ cup nuts, chopped

Sifted powdered sugar

Directions:  Cream oil, sugar and vanilla.  Beat in eggs; then melted chocolate.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, blending well.  Stir in nuts.  Chill 2-3 hours.   Form 1” balls.  Roll in powdered sugar.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Comment:  Family favorite.

Fluffy Banana Milk Chocolate Pancakes (banana & chocolate optional)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted until browned and cooled slightly

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 heaping tablespoons light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg, separated

1 cup buttermilk

1 ripe banana, sliced

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips or chunks

nonstick spray or canola oil for cooking

softened butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup for serving

Directions: In a small saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Melt until the butter begins to crackle and froth. That's the water cooking out of the butter. Continue cooking, keeping an eye on the butter until the crackling subsides and the butter begins to brown in speckled bits across the bottom of the pan. The butter will have a nutty sell. Once the butter browns, immediately remove from heat and transfer to a small dish to stop the butter from cooking and possibly burning. Allow to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

Separate an egg, placing the egg white in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid.

In a small bowl or in a 2 cup liquid measuring cup whisk together egg yolk, buttermilk, and browned butter.

Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir to just combine.

Place the lid on the mason jar with the egg white. Shake vigarously until the egg white is frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg white to the batter and stir to combine.

Heat a nonstick griddle pan over medium heat. Add canola oil or non stick cooking spray lightly. Dollop batter by the 2 tablespoonful onto the griddle. Top with one or two banana slices and a few chocolate pieces.

When the underside is golden brown, carefully flip and cook until golden brown on the other side.

Remove to a plate and allow to rest is a slightly warm oven (about 250 degrees F) until all of the pancakes are cooked and ready to serve.

Top with softened butter, powdered sugar, and maple syrup for serving.

Recipe from Joy the Baker

Texas Sheet Cake

2 sticks margarine               4 T. cocoa

1 cup water                         2 eggs

½ cup sour cream                1 tsp. baking soda

2 cups flour                         2 cups sugar

½ tsp. salt

Icing:

1 stick margarine                4 T. cocoa

6 T. milk                             1 lb. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla                       Pecans, chopped

Directions:  Boil margarine, cocoa, water.  Cool slightly.  Beat in eggs, sour cream and soda.  Add while hot, flour, sugar, and salt.  Pour into greased and floured jelly roll pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 22 minutes.

Icing:  Boil margarine, cocoa and milk.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla.  Beat until thick.  Ice cake.  Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Roast Jerk Chicken

2 green onions                     1 jalapeno chili

1/8 cup canola oil                3 cloves garlic

2 T. lime juice                     2 T. soy sauce                     

1 T. brown sugar                 ¼ tsp. allspice                    

½ tsp. salt                           ¼ tsp. pepper

1 whole chicken

Directions:  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line large, rimmed baking sheet with foil; place rack on foil. 

In a blender or food processor, blend green onions, garlic, chili, oil, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, allspice, salt and pepper until smooth.

Arrange chicken on rack.  With hands, gently loosen chicken skin from meat.  Spoon some green onion mixture into chicken cavity and under skin.  Rub remaining all over outside of chicken.  Tuck wings behind breast and tie drumsticks together with butcher’s twine.

Roast 1 hour.  Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.  Roast another 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked (165 degrees).

Comment:  Not spicy, just flavorful. 

Caramel Shards

2 tablespoons water

150 g (3/4 cup) sugar

Directions: Have a sheet of parchment paper ready on a heatproof surface. Measure the 2 tablespoons of water into a heavy-bottomed pan. Cover with the sugar and place over medium-low heat until the sugar starts to dissolve. Resist the temptation to stir the pan, as this can cause crystallization. Once the sugar starts to dissolve, turn up the heat to medium-high until the sugar is a dark golden brown.

Pour the caramel onto the parchment paper in a thin and even layer. Leave to cool, then use a sharp knife to chop into smallish shards. Be careful, as the caramel can be quite hard.

Use right away or store in a plastic bag or sealed container in the freezer. Do not store in the fridge or it will soften, melt together, and become tacky.

Comment: Use in The Violet Butterscotch Blondie.