Popcorn Balls

Rating: 4 of 5 


Ingredients:
Popcorn Balls

•      1 recipe Perfect Popcorn, butter omitted, recipe follows
•      1/4 cup cocoa nibs
•      7 1/2 ounces light corn syrup, approximately 2/3 cup
•      7 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 cup
•      4 1/4 ounces molasses, approximately 1/3 cup
•      1/3 cup water
•      1 teaspoon kosher salt
•      1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•      Unsalted butter, for shaping

Perfect Popcorn

•      3 tablespoons peanut oil
•      3 ounces popcorn kernels
•      1/2 teaspoon popcorn salt
•      3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:
Popcorn

1. Put the oil, popcorn and salt in a large, 6-quart, metal mixing bowl. Cover with heavy-duty aluminum foil and poke 10 slits in the top with a knife. Put the bowl over medium heat and shake constantly using tongs to hold the bowl. Continue shaking until the popcorn finishes popping, approximately 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and carefully remove the foil. Stir in any salt that is on the side of the bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave. Slowly drizzle over the popcorn, while spinning the bowl. Serve immediately.
2. Combine the popcorn and cocoa nibs in a very large mixing bowl. Make sure to remove any unpopped kernels.

Popcorn Balls

1. Combine the corn syrup, sugar, molasses, water, salt, and vanilla in a 3 1/2-quart saucepan and put it over medium heat. Cover and bring to boil, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the lid and clip on a candy thermometer. Continue to cook until the mixture reaches 250 degrees F. Take the pan off the heat, remove the candy thermometer and immediately pour the mixture over the popcorn. Stir to coat the popcorn evenly. Cool until the mixture can be handled safely, about 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Using a large ice cream disher, scoop the popcorn mixture into 3-inch rounds onto a parchment lined half sheet pan, smoothing with buttered hands as needed. Cool completely. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or put them in an airtight container. Store for up to 2 days.

Caramel Apples

Ingredients:
Caramel 

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Salt

6 apples

Directions:

1. Mix 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling the pan (do not stir), until the mixture is light amber and a candy thermometer registers 320 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. 
2. Remove from the heat; slowly whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream, then 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Return to low heat and whisk until smooth. Let cool until the caramel is thick enough to coat a spoon. 
3. Insert sticks into the stem ends of 6 apples and dip the apples into the caramel, letting the excess drip off. Roll in toppings if desired, then let cool on a parchment-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

Barbecued Baked Beans

Rating: 5 of 5

Notes: This recipe called for way too much water. I used small white navy beans, and I had to drain most of
it to prevent overcooking them... fortunately, they still tasted amazing. I also had to cook it for an extra hour and a half. I used a French Press to make the coffee. The barbecue sauce and mustard were both flavored with different types of beers.

Ingredients:

• 4     ounces bacon (4 slices), chopped fine (Hickory Smoked)
• 1     onion , minced
• 4     cloves garlic , minced
• 1     pound dried small white beans (2 cups), rinsed and picked over
• 8     cups water
• 1     cup strong coffee (black)
• 1/2     cup barbecue sauce , plus extra for seasoning
• 1/4     cup packed dark brown sugar
• 4 1/2     teaspoons brown mustard (prepared)
• 1     tablespoon mild molasses
•     Tabasco sauce (or something similar)

Instructions:      1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
      2. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in the beans, water, coffee, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, mustard, molasses, 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cover and transfer to the oven. Bake, stirring every hour, until the beans are tender, about 4 hours.
      3. Remove the lid and continue to bake, uncovered, until the liquid has thickened to a syrupy consistency, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Season the beans with additional barbecue sauce, Tabasco, and salt and pepper to taste.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Rating: 5 of 5

Notes: I used a cast iron skillet because I love the flavor of how iron interacts wth tomato sauces. Unfortunately, it wasn’t big enough and I had to divide it in half between the skillet and my soup pot. I also let my sauce simmer for way longer than specified, it gave it some additional flavor.

Ingredients:
Note: The meatballs and sauce both use the same onion mixture.
Onion Mixture
•    1/4 cup olive oil
•    3 onions , chopped fine
•    8 garlic cloves, minced
•    1 tablespoon dried oregano
•    3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Easy Marinara
•    1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
•    1 cup dry red wine
•    1 cup water
•    4 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
•    1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
•    1/4 cup fresh basil leaf
•    Salt
•    1 - 2 teaspoons sugar , as needed
Meatballs
•    4 slices hearty white sandwich bread
•    3/4 cup milk
•    1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage , casings removed (I used 1 spicy Italian sausage and 1 mild Italian sausage)
•    1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
•    1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
•    2 large eggs
•    2 garlic cloves, minced
•    1 1/2 teaspoons salt
•    2 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck

Directions:
1. For the onion mixture: Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onions until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer half of onion mixture to large bowl and set aside.
2. For the marinara: Add tomato paste to remaining onion mixture in pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in water and tomatoes and simmer over low heat until sauce is no longer watery, 45 to 60 minutes. Stir in cheese and basil and adjust seasonings with salt and sugar.
3. For the meatballs: Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Mash bread and milk in bowl with reserved onion mixture until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, except ground beef, to bowl and mash to combine. Add beef and knead with hands until well combined. Form mixture into 2 1/2-inch meatballs (you should have about 16 meatballs), place on rimmed baking sheet, and bake until well browned, about 20 minutes.
4. Transfer meatballs to pot with sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over pasta.

My First Wedding Cake

I will post the official recipe when Ashley gets a hold of the professional photos.

Scalloped Potatoes with Creme Fraiche

Rating: 5 of 5

 Ingredients:

•      2 cloves garlic, smashed
•      3 tablespoons unsalted butter
•      3 pounds waxy potatoes (such as Yukon gold or Yellow Finn), peeled
•      3 cups half-and-half
•      1/2 cup creme fraiche
•      2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•      2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
•      1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
•      Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
•      1/4 cup chopped chives

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the garlic all over the inside of a 3-quart baking dish, then mince it. Grease the dish with about 1/2 tablespoon butter.

Slice the potatoes about 1/8 inch thick (a mandoline works well). Combine in a large saucepan with the minced garlic, the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, the half-and-half, creme fraiche, flour, thyme, mace, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the chives and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, shaking it to distribute the potatoes evenly. Bake, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 1 hour 5 minutes, occasionally spooning some of the liquid over the top (If you like a nicely browned, crunchy top, don't spoon liquid unless your potatoes are burning.). (I added an additional 20 minutes at 450 degrees to brown the top.) Let cool 10 minutes before serving.