The BEST Pinto Beans!

3 1/2 cups dried pinto beans, sort out rocks and bad ones
1/2 cup brown sugar
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. molasses
12 oz. lean bacon
3 cups tomato juice
1 tsp. dried mustard
1/2 large onion, chopped

Put beans in large pot and cover with water and salt well. Cook beans until soft. Check often as you may need to add more water. When beans are completely cooked drain them, setting aside a few cups of the bean broth, and add tomato juice, spices, molasses. Slowly cook onion and bacon in frying pan. Drain. Add to beans. Add enough of the reserved bean broth to cover beans by one inch. Let this simmer slowly and watch carefully as beans seem to scorch easily, for about one to two hours. Excellent served with cornbread!

Fruit Cake Cookies

1/2lb Claxton fruit cake, chopped
1 yellow cake mix
1/8tsp almond flavoring
1/3c oil
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir with a spoon, as to not break up the fruit cake too much. Roll into walnut sized balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-13min. Store in an airtight container. These keep very well, if they last long enough.

Jam Bars

3/4c butter
1c packed brown sugar
1 1/2c flour
1 1/2c oatmeal
10oz jar of jam or preserves (any flavor you like)

Cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and oatmeal. Mix well. Press half the mixture evenly, into a greased 9x13 pan. Spread with jam, then sprinkle remaining crumbs over top. Bake at 400 for 20-25 min. Cool, then cut into bars.

Fruit Loaf Cake

2 pkgs dates, chopped small
2c walnuts, chopped small
1c pecans, chopped small
1/4lb candied cherries, chopped small
1/4lb candied pineapple, chopped small
7oz coconut
2 (14oz) cans sweetened condensed milk

Heat oven to 250. Grease a 8x4 loaf pan. Mix the dates, nuts, fruit and coconut in a bowl. Add the cond. milk and mix well. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 90 min. Let cool. You can serve immediately or you can wrap in foil and can be stored for a week.

*I suggest that you let it sit for a couple days before serving to blend flavors.*

Peanut Butter Spread

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups creamy peanut butter
7 oz jar marshmallow creme

In a small saucepan combine the first 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool completely.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine peanut butter, marshmallow creme and vanilla extract. Beat on low just until combined. Slowly add in the brown sugar mixture. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Store in refrigerator up to 3 months.

Serve on toast or biscuits. Wow.

Roasted Veggie Dip

8 ears corn, cut off
2 large poblano peppers, halved and seeded
1 large red bell pepper, halved and seeded
6 roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
2 large red onions, sliced ½ inch thick
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2½ cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 (8-ounce) packages Oaxaca cheese, shredded
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 pound fontina cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 450°. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with foil.
Place corn and peppers on one pan. Place tomatoes and onions on other pan. Bake corn and peppers, stirring corn occasionally, until they appear blistered, 30 to 35 minutes. Place peppers in a resealable plastic bag. Seal, and let stand for 10 minutes to loosen skins. Remove skins from peppers, and chop.
Bake tomatoes and onions until they appear blistered, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly, and chop. In a large Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add garlic, cooking for 1 minute. Add cream, corn, peppers, tomatoes, onions, cayenne, garlic powder, and salt, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cheeses, stirring until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.

Caramel Cake with Caramel Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups self-rising flour
1 cup whole buttermilk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with nonstick baking spray with flour. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper; lightly spray again.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour to butter mixture in thirds, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla. Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans, smoothing tops with a spatula.
Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center of layers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let layers cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, discard parchment paper, and let cool completely on wire racks.
Spread Caramel Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Drizzle with reserved 1⁄3 cup caramel from Caramel Frosting. Garnish with toasted pecan halves, if desired.

Caramel Frosting:

1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Add brown sugar; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves (do not boil). Remove from heat. Stir in whipping cream. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat at high speed of an electric mixture until spreading consistency, do not over beat. Spread immediately on top and sides of cake.

The BEST Peanut dipping sauce!

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

In a small bowl, whisk together all 5 ingredients until smooth. Serve with your favorite egg rolls.

Pineapple Cake

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 t baking soda

¼ t salt

2 eggs

1 cup real maple syrup

1 t vanilla

1- 20oz can crushed pineapple

In a large bowl combine flour, soda and salt.  Mix to combine.  Add remaining ingredients and mix until all is combined well.  Pour into a greased 9x13. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. 

Maple Frosting

 1 cup milk

3T cornstarch

½ cup real maple syrup

½ cup butter, softened

1 t vanilla

In a small saucepan combine milk and cornstarch and blend together until cornstarch is dissolved.  Add maple syrup.  Using a wire whisk, mix and cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and is nice and thick.  Set aside to cool.

Using a mixer cream butter and vanilla.  Add cooled milk/maple syrup mixture and beat at high speed until the frosting is nice and fluffy. 

Frosts a 9x13 size cake