Butterscotch Pudding>Heaven on a spoon

I can not think of one thing that brings back those special memories of childhood and my Granddaddy like flavor of butterscotch. Like all good Granddads he always had those individually wrapped discs of hard candy in his vest pocket for sharing with me. Sweet and buttery with the slightest hint of caramel it quickly became a favorite flavor.
Like all kids young and old a favorite desert was and still is pudding, rich silky smooth custardy goodness that feels like velvet on your tongue. Its cool creaminess when combined with the flavor of butterscotch is pure heaven on a spoon. Enjoy!


Prep time: 10 min                                  Cook time: 50 - 60 min


Ingredients:

3 egg yokes
2tbl unsalted butter
1/4 tsp  Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup  milk  (2% or whole)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract


Tools: 4 ramekins, 9X13" baking dish, whisk



Directions:

Place the ramekins in the 13 X 9 baking dish and and place it on the center rack of your oven. Fill the dish until the water comes 2/3 the way up the side of the ramekins Remove the ramekins from the baking dish. Close the oven and preheat to 325 º F.

Set a 2 quart sauce pan on a med lo burner add the butter. Once it has melted add the brown sugar, molasses and salt. Allow the brown sugar to melt whisk in the heavy cream and the milk to combine. Heat this mixture until small bubbles appear at the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat.

In a med sized mixing bowl whisk the egg yokes and the vanilla. Slowly in a thin stream introduce the hot milk/sugar mixture whisking constantly to keep the eggs moving so they do not cook. continue to whisk in the rest of the dairy
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Ladle into the ramekins and place them into the water bath. Bake for 50 - 60 min until it is just set at the edge and jiggly in the center. Remove the ramekins from the water bath  and place on a cooling rack for 1 hour cover with kling wrap and transfer to the refrigerator chill 3 hrs.
Serve with a dollop of whip cream and or gingersnap cookies.

Chili> Texas Red

As the cool weather approaches I get a craving for on of my favorite comfort foods, Chili. Some times known as a bowl  Red. True Texas chili has no beans. This has sparked many a debate with more fire than some bowls if have had. Hey if you like beans in your chili go for it, as for me I'm a traditionalist and I will take the beans on the side.
A good Bowl of Red is thick, deep,spicy and silky in texture. It will warm the soul like wearing a quilt on the inside, packed with bold flavors it is like a fiesta in your mouth. Some recipes call for top round diced into less than 1/2 " cubes and some use ground beef. Like beans it is a personal choice or what ever I have on hand at the time. The real magic is in the spices, blended to give the chili its character. Now I am not speaking of that container in the back of the cabinet that says Chili Powder that is as tame as a kitten.What I am making reference to is blending your own to get the taste just right. Spices, freshly ground really bring it to this fiesta, allowing you to adjust the heat to your level of tolerance. I am a chili head and I like it a little spicy so you many want to exercise a little caution with this recipe and cut the peppers back to 1/2 the amount for a milder batch. Enjoy!


Prep time: 10 min                 Cook time: 31/2 hrs.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground sirloin
1 small spanish onion grated fine
3 cloves garlic pressed
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tbl paprika
1 tsp red pepper flakes or 1 chili arbol crushed with seeds
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tbl ancho chili powder
2 tbl cumin powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 15oz can tomato puree
1 tbl *masa harina
2 cups of water

*Masa harina is corn flour used to make tortilla, if you do not have it pulverize 6 tortilla chips

Directions:

 Place a heavy bottom pot over a medium heat and add 1 tbl of oil warm the pan until the oil gets a shimmer to it.
Add the ground sirloin, or what ever meat you are using into the pan and break it up with the back of a spoon. Add 1/2 of your spices and the onion, tomato puree and 2 cups of water stir bring to a low boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan continue to cook at a simmer stirring occasionally. Add water as needed.
At the 3 hour mark add the rest of the spices and the masa stir and simmer another 30 min.
Serve with queso fresco and black bean Quesadillas. 

Doughnut Muffins

I'll admit it I have a doughnut problem. What can be better than fried dough, slightly sweet with a hint of nutmeg dusted in cinnamon and sugar, parked along side a steaming fresh cup of coffee? Some may say a muffin of some sort or maybe you are in the middle somewhere between the hole and the paper. Regardless of your stance on one thing we can all agree, they are both pretty tasty.
As much as I like doughnuts I would rather let some one else do all the frying I don't like all the cleanup involved and during my last check up the Dr. gave me the long face over my cholesterol. So looking for ways to get it under control and still satisfy my cravings I went in search of a recipe that would solve the problem. That is when I discovered Doughnut Muffins.  The resulting recipe is a collimation of ideas from several recipes along with some personal imitative to reduce the calories and the bad fats but retain all the good taste and texture. Enjoy!

Prep time:  10- 12 min                          Bake time: 15 min                  Yield: 1 dz 


Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter flavor vegetable oil
1/2 cup splenda
2 tbl + 2 tsp splenda brown sugar subistute
1 egg + 2 egg whites
1 1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup water
2 2/3 cup Universal Baking mix

Topping
3 tbl melted unsalted butter
2 tbl sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon combined


Tools: Muffin tin, paper liners, pastry brush


Directions:

Preheat  your oven to 425º F, put the paper liners in the muffin tin and set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer combine, light & dark splenda, eggs, oil and vanilla. beat on med speed for 2 min

Slow the mixer to the slowest speed and add 1/3 of the baking mix and 1/3 of the water mix 1 min then repeat until all of the baking mix and water are in. Beat on med for 3 min.

Spoon the batter into the liners filling 3/4 full, bake on the center rack 15  min. remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan 10 min then remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temp

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Brush the top of each muffin with melted butter and dust the tops generously with the cinnamon sugar, or inject with your favorite jam for jelly doughnut muffins.