Salty Peanut Squares

1 package (10 ounces) Frito Corn Chips, lightly crushed
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup milk chocolate chips, melted

Place half of the corn chips and peanuts in a greased 13X9 inch pan; set aside.  In a large saucepan bring the corn syrup and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until blended. Drizzle half of the mixture over corn chip mixture in pan. Add remaining corn chips and peanuts to remaining syrup in pan, stir to coat. Spoon over mixture in  13X9 inch pan; press down lightly. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top. Cool before cutting. Makes about 2 dozen.

Deep Dish Caramel Apple Pie

Oil Pastry:

2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (no substitutes)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 egg

Apple Filling:

6 medium apples, peeled and sliced
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
28 caramels, unwrapped
1/2 cup half-and-half
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

For the pastry, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly. Combine the oil, water, and egg in a bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Add to the flour mixture and mix to form a smooth dough. (I like to use my hands for this part) Press over the bottom and up the sides of a 10 inch spring form pan.

For the filling, combine the apples, 1 cup sugar, flour, lemon juice, zest, and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Toss lightly to coat the apples. Spoon into the prepared spring form pan.
Combine caramels with the half-and-half in a medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Drizzle over the apple mixture.
Combine cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and egg in a medium saucepan. Melt over low heat stirring until smooth. Spoon over the apple mixture. Sprinkle with the walnuts.

Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature. Serves 8.

Buttery Soft Pretzels

4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 - 115 degrees F)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping

Directions

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.

When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned. Makes 12 pretzels.

For Supper Club: You may want to double this recipe. If you are planning on having another type of bread for dipping with the fondue then you don't need to double this. Its up to you.

Green Beans with Caramelized Onions

1 Pound of Fresh Green Beans, ends trimmed
2 Tablespoons of Butter
1 - 2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar
2 sweet Walla Walls Onions
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Bring enough salted water to a boil to cover the green beans in a saucepan. Add the green beans and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking. You can chill them in the refrigerator for up to a day at this point and then finish the salad the next day.
Cut Onions in thin slices and cut each slice in half. Melt the butter in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 10-15 minutes until the onions are golden brown, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the brown sugar. Add Vinegar and mix well. Add the green beans and cook until beans are heated through.

Supper Club: follow all the steps, but after cooking the onions and vinegar do not add beans. Allow onion mixture to cool, then place in microwavable or oven safe serving dish with the green beans. When you get to the host house you can microwave until heated through or place in a low temp oven for 10-15 minutes.

Orzo and Wild Rice Salad

4 ounces of Wild Rice (about 3/4 cup)
4 ounces Orzo (about 3/4 cup)
Salt
1 cup Pecan halves
1/2 cup dried Cranberries
1/4 cup snipped fresh Parsley (flat leaf Italian or regular is fine)
1/4 cup sliced Green Onions
1/4 cup Sliced Celery
1/2 cup Raspberry Vinegar
1/2 cup Orange Juice
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in large saucepan. Add small amount of salt and wild rice. Cook for 45 minutes, or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Bring 4 cups water to boil in saucepan. Add small amount of salt and Orzo. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and Rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Place pecans in a non-stick skillet. Cook until toasted on medium heat. You can add a smidgen of butter if you like.  Set aside to cool.

Combine the cooked rice, orzo, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, parsley, celery, and green onions in a pretty glass bowl. 
Whisk together the vinegar, orange juice, olive oil, sugar, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Pour over rice mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill for 8 to 12 hours.

This recipe can easily be made the day before serving. The flavors seem to marinate together when it sits for awhile in the fridge.


Brisket with Barbeque Beer Sauce

1 5-6 pound Brisket, trimmed close
2 pounds of Carrots, chopped into large pieces
2 large Onions, cut into quarters
1 (12 ounce) bottle of beer
1 cup Ketchup
1/2 cup low sodium Soy Sauce
1 bottle Chili Sauce
1 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
6 Garlic Cloves, coarsely chopped

Arrange brisket with the fat side up in a roasting pan and generously salt and pepper.  Place the onion and carrots over and around the brisket. Combine the chili sauce, beer, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic in a bowl and mix well. Pour mixture over brisket and vegetables. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 4 to 5 hours or until cooked through. You can occasionally baste top of brisket and veggies with sauce from bottom of pan.  When finished cooking, remove from oven and allow to sit for 30 minutes before removing from pan.  Slice brisket across the grain, this is very important or your meat will be tough! (Brisket is usually rectangle so you will usually start slicing on the short end) Save juices from pan and return meat to juice in the pan until ready to serve.  Place sliced meat with carrots and onions on a large serving platter.

Wisconsin Beer Cheese Fondue

1 clove garlic
1 pound well-aged Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/2 tsp. Dry Mustard
3 Tablespoons Flour
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 Cups Beer
2 Tablespoons Chives, chopped
1 teaspoon  Hot Sauce
Veggies and Bread for dipping

Cut the top off of the garlic clove and rub the inside of your fondue pot with it, then discard. Toss the cheese in a plastic bag with the flour to coat evenly, set aside. Pour 1 1/2 cups of  beer into fondue pot and heat until almost boiling, turn heat to low.  Add cheese by handfuls stirring to melt each addition. Add remaining beer and stir until smooth. Add Worcestershire sauce,  DryMustard, and hot sauce, stirring to blend.  Sprinkle chives on top.  Keep fondue pot on lowest setting so cheese does not scorch. If mixture gets too thick just add a little beer and stir until desired consistency.  Serve with blanched veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, green beans) and bread cubes.

Supper Club: I would suggest Doubling this recipe and using an electric fondue pot (I have 3 if you need to borrow one) so you can keep the heat low. I have used summit pale ale for this in the past, but any Oktoberfest, or dark lager like Sam Adams would be good as well. I would NOT use a stout beer.
This should be made right before you go to the host house, or have all ingredients ready and heat up at the host house. You dont want it to sit for too long before it gets eaten! We will be serving with pretzles, but you can also have a few veggies for dipping!












Lake Minnetonka Iced Tea

1 cup Vodka
1 cup Tequila
1 cup Gin
1 cup Triple Sec
1 cup Light Rum
2 cups Coca Cola
1 cup Sour Mix

Mix well in a large pitcher, serve in tall glasses over ice, garnish with lemon slices.
If you don't have all these liquors on hand you can buy a pre-mixed version. T.G.I. Fridays makes a good mixer.  This is one of those drinks that go down really smooth and suddenly you are really drunk...so be careful how many you drink!!




J'nets Broccoli Cheddar Soup

2 teaspoons granulated chicken bouillon
1 quart hot water
1 onion, chopped
1 head of celery, chopped
1 (20 oz.) bag of frozen broccoli florets
2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Pound Velvetta, cubed
1 stick of butter
milk or half and half
grated cheddar cheese
salt and white pepper

1. Melt the butter in a stock pot or dutch oven
2. Add the onion and celery, saute until tender
3. Add the broccoli, cook until just tender
4. Add the water, cream of chicken soup, and bouillon
5. Bring it up to a boil, boil for 5 minutes stirring frequntly
6. Reduce heat to low and add Velvetta cheese
7. stir until cheese is melted.
8. Remove from heat, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately. Garnish each bowl with grated cheese.

** If your soup is too thick you can add milk or half/half until the right consistency. Soup should be very creamy. Do not let this soup simmer or boil after you add cheese, it will scorch very easily and ruin the taste.

New Orleans Beignets

1 envelope active dry yeast 1/4oz.
1 1/2 cups warm water, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening (I use butter flavor Crisco)
6 1/2 to 7 cups all purpose flour
Canola oil for frying
powdered sugar for dusting

Combine yeast , 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 tsp. sugar in bowl of heavy duty stand mixer; let stand for 5 minutes. Add milk, eggs, salt, and remaining sugar.
Microwave reamining water until hot, stir into shortening until melted. Add to yeast mixture. Beat at low speed gradually adding 4 cups of flour until smooth. Gradually add remaining 2 1/2 to 3 cups of flour, beating until a sticky dough forms. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl; turn dough over in bowl to grease top. Cover with saran wrap and chill for 4 - 24 hours.
After chilled turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares.
Pou oil a depth of 3 inches in a dutch oven; heat to 360 degrees F.  Fry dough in batches, 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels or a wire rack and immediately dust with powdered sugar.  You can keep these warm in a 200 degrees F. oven for up to 30 minutes.

** these are sooo good! if you like sopapillas you will love these! **

Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Lemon Cream Sauce

1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (4-ounce) fresh salmon fillets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Lemon Cream Sauce, recipe follows

Directions:
In a shallow dish, combine the pistachios, salt, and pepper. Dredge the salmon in the pistachio mixture, pressing gently to coat.
In a small skillet, heat the oil and garlic over medium heat. Add the salmon and cook until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium; turn the salmon and cook until salmon flakes easily with fork, about 2 or 3 minutes more. Transfer the fillets to serving plates. Serve with Lemon Cream Sauce, and garnish with chopped pistachios, if desired.

Lemon Cream Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour, whisking to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium; stir in the broth and cream and simmer until thickened, whisking frequently, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, whisking to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Pour into a serving dish and serve with the salmon.

Beer Bread

I know you can get a beer bread mix from one of those home parties, but I can't justify paying that much when I can make the same thing from scratch for much cheaper.  I think this one tastes just as good as the expensive mix.

2 1/2 cups self rising flour
1 bottle of beer (your choice...I always use a light beer)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 stick of real butter, melted

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a large loaf pan and set aside.  combine flour and sugar in large bowl, add beer and stir until well blended. The batter will be very sticky. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Pour melted butter over top of batter.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle of the loaf.  Let set for a few minutes and then turn out onto a cutting board or cooling rack. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before cutting.  This bread goes great with homemade chili.

** be sure to use a LARGE loaf pan with this recipe or you will end up with butter all over your oven**

General Tso's Chicken

Sauce: make ahead and refrigerate until needed
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
1/4 Cup Water
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh Garlic
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh Ginger
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1/4 Cup Sherry, optional
1 can condensed Chicken Broth
Put everything into a quart jar with a lid and shake it up, then put in the fridge. Just shake it up again when you are ready to use it.

Chicken:
3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into chunks
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
1 egg, beaten
1 Cup Cornstarch
2 Cup sliced Green Onions
1 Tsp. red pepper seeds
Peanut or Canola oil for frying

Mix chicken, soy sauce, and 1/2 Tsp. pepper seeds. Stir in egg. Add cornstarch, and mix until chicken pieces are coated. Deep fry 7 or 8 chicken pieces at a time in 350 degree oil until chicken pieces are crispy. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all chicken chunks are fried.
Place a small amount of oil (1 Tbsp.) in wok, and heat to 400 degrees. Add onions and remaining pepper seeds. Stir fry about 30 seconds. Shake sauce mixture, and then add to wok. Cook until thick. If it gets too thick, add water to right consistency. Add chicken pieces to sauce in wok, and cook until all is hot and bubbly. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with fried or steamed rice.

*I make a tame version of this recipe for my family, but you can kick it up a bit by adding more pepper seeds or using small dried red peppers with the seeds removed. I serve this with Jasmine rice.**