Candied Orange Peels

Halve and juice 5 lbs of oranges
Boil the peels 3 minutes and drain. Repeat 2 more times.
Pull out of pan and let cool on a cookie sheet.
Loosen and pull out membranes.
Cut into strips

In le creuset, combine 8 cups of water and 6 cups sugar. Bring to a boil and dissolve sugar.
Add oranges, simmer 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Put oranges on a grate on a cookie sheet, let dry for at least 8 hours.
Toss in a bowl of sugar.
Shake off excess sugar.
Store in an airtight container.

https://www.facebook.com/SunsetMagazine/videos/10154790399882848/

Perfect Pie Crust

Ingredients:

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter3 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon kosher salt1 tablespoon sugar1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening6 to 8 tablespoons (about 1/2 cup) ice water



Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling 
from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Repeat with the top crust.



Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.




http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/perfect-pie-crust-recipe.html

Thanksgiving Cranberry Soup

http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Chilled%20cranberry%20soup

Gayle Gordon's Black Bean, Roasted Corn, & Avocado Salad

1 cup red quinoa, cooked with broth
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1-15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups roasted corn kernels
1 avocado, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Cilantro Salad dressing
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
zest of 1 lime
sea salt & fresh ground pepper

Heat olive oil in a saucepan and add quinoa. Heat until quinoa starts to "pop". Don't burn. Add chicken or vegetable broth and cook until fluid is absorbed. Set aside to cool when done.

While quinoa is cooking, combine beans, corn, avocado, tomatoes, and onion. Top with salad dressing and toss gently.

Add salt, pepper and lime zest to taste. Add 1/2 of cilantro and gently toss once more. Set aside.

When ready to serve, spread quinoa on a large serving platter and top with bean and corn mixture. Garnish with remaining cilantro. Serves 6-10 as a warm weather side dish.

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Makes 80 cookies (depending on the cookie cutter size; you can halve or quarter the recipe)
See 2019 tips below recipe

• 1 1/4pounds unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4cups sugar
• 4large eggs
• 2teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8cups all-purpose flour
• 1egg white
• Finely chopped walnuts or sliced almonds (optional)
• Sanding sugar (optional)
• Dried citron or candied cherries, finely chopped (optional)

1. A day before baking the cookies: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or by hand, in a bowl with a wooden spoon), cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one by one, mixing after each addition, then the vanilla. Gradually work in the flour until a dough forms. Wrap the dough in waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Heat the oven to 350° F. Whisk together the egg white and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Cut the dough into quarters and keep three-quarters cold while working with the first quarter.
3. Generously flour your work surface. Lay down the dough. Flour again. Roll the dough into a large circle, about 1/8-inch thick -- and no thicker! Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes. It helps to dip the cutters into flour between every 2 cookies; this will prevent sticking. Place the cookies on ungreased baking sheets. Brush with the egg wash and decorate with chopped nuts, sanding sugar, or diced citron -- whatever you like!
4. Bake the cookies until they are lightly browned on the edges, 8 to 10 minutes -- I like to turn the baking sheet 180 degrees after 5 minutes to help them bake evenly. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely. (Repeat with the rest of the dough.) Place the cookies in a tin or storage container with a tight lid and let age 1 to 2 weeks to bring out the flavor. (I have eaten them at Easter, 4 months later, and they were still delicious.)
http://food52.com/recipes/19858-holiday-cut-out-cookies  

2019 Tips:

Halving the recipe was enough for all kids (& adults) to decorate cookies

Day before making them, place the balls in the fridge. I think it helped to do 3 balls for half the recipe, then flatten the balls. When we went to cut them out, i took a knife and cut those discs in half, then rolled them out with a rolling pin thinly. 


Use lots of flour!

Browned Butter Pumpkin Bread

• 3 Cups Sugar
• 1 Cup Browned Butter
• 3 Large Eggs
• 1 16-Ounce Can Solid Pack Pumpkin
• 3 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 Tsp Ground Cloves
• 1½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Tsp Fresh Ground Nutmeg
• ¼ Tsp Of Powder Ginger
• 1 Tsp Baking Soda
• ½ Tsp Salt
• ½ Tsp Baking Powder
• 1 Cup Coarsely Chopped Pecans (Optional)

1. Preheat Oven To 350°F.
2. 
   
3. Butter And Flour Two 9x5x3-Inch Loaf Pans.
4. 
   
5. Melt Butter In Heavy Large Skillet Over Medium-Low Heat. 
6. 
   
7. Cook Until Edges Curl And Butter Is Dark Amber (Do Not Burn), Stirring Occasionally, About 6 Minutes.
8. 
   
9. Beat Sugar And Brown Butter In Large Bowl To Blend. Mix In Eggs And Pumpkin. Mix In Cloves, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger And Salt. 
10. 
    
11. Sift Flour, Baking Soda And Baking Powder Into Another Large Bowl. 
12. 
    
13. Stir Into Pumpkin Mixture In 2 Additions. Mix In Pecans, If Desired.
14. Divide Batter Equally Between Prepared Pans. Bake Until Tester Inserted Into Center Comes Out Clean, About 1 Hour. Transfer To Racks And Cool 10 Minutes. Using Sharp Knife, Cut Around Edge Of Loaves. Turn Loaves Out Onto Racks And Cool Completely.
15. Loaves Can Be Wrapped In Foil And Frozen For Up To 1 Month.
16. Update- i made this in two 8x4 pans and 1 mini loaf and baked for roughly 45 mins.

White Bean Chicken Chili

1 tab olive oil

1 lb boneless chicken breast, cubed

1/4 cup chopped onion

1- 14 oz can chicken broth

1 19oz can beans (if 4x recipe, use 1 lb bag dried cannelini)

4 oz can chopped green chilies

1 clove garlic

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp cilantro

1/2 tsp salt

heat olive oil in large pan over med high heat

add chicken stirring often till just slightly cooked

remove chicken with slotted spoon

add onion to pan and cook 2 min. stir in broth, green chilies, garlic, cumin, cilantro, oregano, salt

simmer 30 minutes

process 3/4 of beans and chicken in cuisinart & stir into soup. 

simmer 10 minutes

garnish w/shredded monterey jack and green onions