Blue & Yellow Muffins

6 Tbl unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
4 finely chopped garlic cloves
1 1/2 c milk
4 eggs
2 Tbl honey
1/2 c finely diced red bell pepper
2 jalapeno finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
2 Tbl finely chopped cilantro
1 cup blue cornmeal
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/3 cup flour
1 Tlb baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp kosher salt

1. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and preheat oven to 400.
2. In a small pan melt butter, add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook for 30 sec. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Divide mixture evenly between 2 bowls.
3. In another bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, honey red pepper jalapenos, corn and cilantro. Pour mixture into a measuring cup and add half of the mixture to each of the large bowls with the onion mixture.
4. Put the blue cornmeal and yellow cornmeal in 2 separate bowls. To each bowl add 2/3 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking pwd, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 2 tsp salt. Mix each cornmeal mixture into a bowl with the liquid mixture.
5. Pour an equal amount of each batter side by side into each muffin cup and bake for 16 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 min and then remove to a cooling rack. The batters can be made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated. Makes 18 muffins

Brownies

8 eggs

2 tsp salt

2 cups of butter, melted (yes, that's right)

1 1/2 cups cocoa

4 cups sugar

4 tsp vamilla

3 cups flour

1. Beat eggs with a mixer in a large bowl. Then add sugar, salt, vanilla and beat for 1 min.

2. Add melted butter and blend. In another bowl mix flow and cocoa with a whisk until well blended.

3. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix until well combined.

4. Spread onto a greased cookie sheet (12 x 17) and bake at 350 for 20 min. Cool for 15 min and spread with frosting.

Frosting

4 cups pwd sugar

1/2 cup soft butter

1/2 cup cocoa

milk

Blend pwd sugar, butter and cocoa with enough milk to make the frosting easy to spread. Spread over the brownies. Keep spreading as the frosting melts to make it nice and even on top. Allow brownies to cool before cutting.

Yes, I used real butter and exactly the amount of cocoa called for. They are very good!

Giada's Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/4 tsp yeast
5 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
Olive oil, for drizzling

*Giada's instructions were to knead by hand, but I just did it in my KitchenAid, and it turned out perfect

Put water in mixer. Add yeast, stir until dissolved. Let sit for about 5 minutes.

Add flour and salt, mix until smooth and elastic. Drizzle the inside of a clean bowl with olive oil. Put the dough in the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Set in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Using a fist, deflate the dough in the center and cut into 3 equal size pieces. Form the dough pieces into 3 balls and place into 3 oiled bowls. Cover and let rest 1 hour. May refrigerate for up to 1 day wrapped in plastic wrap.

Dutch Oven 7-Up Chicken

1/2 lb bacon, cut in chunks
6-7 boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
garlic powder
1 onion, chopped
2 cups baby carrots
8-10 small red potatoes, cut in half
2 chicken boullion cubes
1 cube butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can sprite, 7-up, or cream soda

Brown bacon in dutch oven. Take out and set aside. Drain most of grease out of oven. Cut chicken breasts into half or thirds. Brown chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Add chopped onion, bacon, carrots, and potatoes. Then add boullion cubes, butter, soup and soda. I usually don't use quite all of the soda. Put lid on oven. Cook approx 45 minutes. Stir one or twice while cooking to check moisture. Add more liquid if needed. Can either use 14 coals on top and 12 coals on bottom, or use a camp chef burner on low heat with with 14 coals on top or a tent to circulate the heat.

Mom's Hot Fudge Syrup

1 cup sugar
3 TBSP cocoa powder

Cook over low heat for 3 minutes stirring constantly.

Add:

3/4 cup milk
2 TBSP butter
1 tsp vanilla

Boil for 2 minutes. To make thicker, boil longer

Broccoli Apple Salad

4 med. apples, chopped
4 med. crowns of broccoli
2-3 green onions
Sliced Honey Roasted Almonds
Craisins

Dressing:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup mayo

Mix together apples, broccoli and green onions. Add almonds and craisins. Mix up dressing, add to other ingredients and serve.

Cranberry Pecan Cookies

I am slightly embarrassed to post this recipe, because it isn't completely from scratch. However, they are pretty tasty, so I thought I would share.

1 tube sugar cookie dough (16.5 oz)

2/3 c. chopped pecans

2/3 c. vanilla or white chips

2/3 c. craisins
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until edges are just starting to turn golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pan.