~ Homemade Bread ~

Ingredients

2 and 3/4 teaspoons of yeast
517 ml lukewarm water
Lard (amount the size of an egg)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
Enough bread flour to make a soft dough (496 g -720 g)

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Directions

1.  In a small bowl, dissolved the yeast in 110 ml warm water. 
2. Set aside for about 5 min 
3. In large bowl, combine the lard, sugar, salt and the remaining water. 
4. Add the yeast mixture and stir to combine. 
5. Add the flour, 60 g at a time, mixing until the dough is elastic and doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl 
6. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let the dough rise until double in size, about 1 ½ hours in a warm, draft free place.
7.  Punch the dough down and form it into two loaves with your hands. 
8.  Place each half into a greased 5x9 in loaf pan. (So making 2 loaves of bread) 
9. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise again until the dough is level with the loaf pan, about an hour. 
10.  Preheat oven to 163 C Bake bread for about 45 min. 
11.  The bread will sound hollow when tapped. 
12.  After removing bread from the oven, brush with butter or margarine for a softer crust. 
13. Remove the bread from the pans and cool on a wire rack. 
14.  After completely cool, it can be stored in a sealed bag and frozen for up to 6 months. 
15. If bread is stored in a sealed plastic bag at room temperature, it should be consumed within 4 days.

This recipe was submitted by one of the FCR Forum Moderaters @MacKenzieTwin

~ Macaroni and Cheese ~

Paul's  Note: I use twice as much cheese as recommended and bake it until the top is slightly burned (yummy!). I normally triple the recipe since it makes wonderful leftovers. 

Ingredients 

225 g  Mueller's Elbow Macaroni
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
715 ml milk
2 tablespoons butter
454 g shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 191° F 
2. Cook pasta 6 minutes. 
3. Drain. 
4. Combine cornstarch, salt & pepper in medium saucepan. Stir in milk until smooth. 
5. Add butter, stirring constantly. 
6. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 
7. Boil 1 minute. 
8. Remove from heat. 
9. Stir in 325 g cheese until melted. 
10. Add cooked pasta. 
11. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole. 
12. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. 
13.  Bake uncovered 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. 

Submitted by @Bluestocking of the FCR Forum

~ Gerry's Gallery Christmas Party Cocktails ~

Blood Orange Hot Toddy*
Ingredients

60 milliliters bourbon whiskey (or whiskey) 
2 tablespoons blood orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups hot water 355 milliliters
orange slices
star anise ingredients



Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail

Ingredients

475 ml chilled pomegranate juice
360 ml limeade
1 (750-ml) bottle well-chilled Champagne

Preparation

1. Combine juices in a large pitcher. 
2. Slowly add Champagne and stir. 

Sticky Toffee Pudding Eggnog **
(requires 48 hours to make) 

Ingredients

950 ml of Heavy Cream
284 ml of Sticky Toffee Pudding
6 Eggs, separated
50 g of  caster Sugar
150 ml of Cognac
150 ml of Dark Rum
1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

 Method

1.  In a container with a tight-fitting lid, pour the cream over the sticky toffee pudding 
2. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days 
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with sugar 
4. Stir in the Cognac and rum 
5. Strain in the infused cream through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids 
6. In a medium bowl, whip 700 ml of infused cream until stiff 
7. Fold the egg-yolk mixture 
8. In the large bowl, beat the egg whites with salt on a high speed to stiff peaks 
9. Fold the beaten egg whites into the whipped cream 
10. Refrigerate the eggnog until chilled (2 hours) 
11. And serve glass mugs when ready! 

Mistletoe ***

Ingredients  

1 part fine Cherry infused Vodka  

Splash of tonic water 

Rosemary-infused ice 

Cherry

Directions 

1. Fill a Collins glass with rosemary-infused ice. 
2. Pour all ingredients into glass and garnish with a cherry.

*http://karalydon.com/recipes/blood-orange-hot-toddy/

** From https://www.drinkstuff.com/blog/christmas-concoction-sticky-toffee-pudding-eggnog/

***http://www.cosmopolitan.com/food-cocktails/g2586/christmas-cocktails/?slide=2

~ Jasper's Plum Jam ~

"A wild plum." Jasper said with his mouth full. "Jam should be good come fall."  ~ Freeman's Field

Ingredients

About 3 pounds plums

3 cups of  caster granulated sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

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Directions 

1. Rinse plums and remove pits. Finely chop or force plums through a food chopper.

2. Place plums in a heavy-bottomed, 4-quart pot, stir in sugar and lemon juice and let stand for 15 minutes.

3. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat—about 10 minutes–mashing the fruit with a potato masher. Stir occasionally to make sure the fruit does not stick to the bottom. Bubbles will rise to the top of the mix. You will see chunks of fruit in the mixture. Skim foam off top and lift and discard skins with a fork if desired. Cook on until the showing mixture thickens and clings to a spoon, falling off in clumps, another 10 minutes or so.

4. In the meantime, scald half-pint jars in a large pot with a fitted rack. Soak lids in a pan of hot water to soften the rubber seal. Lift jars out of hot water one at a time, draining water.

5. Ladle hot jam into hot jars using a wide-mouth funnel or transfer the jam to a heat-proof pitcher and pout into jars. Leave ½ inch headspace. Slide nonmetallic spatula between jam and jar to release trapped air bubbles.

6. Wipe rims and threads of jar with a clean, damp cloth. Remove lid from hot water and place on jar. Screw each band down evenly and firmly until resistance is met. Place jars rack and lower into boiling-water canner until they are covered by about 1 inch of water.

7. Put lid on canner. Bring water to a boil. Process ½ pints 10 minutes at a gentle but steady boil. (Start keeping time after water comes to rolling boil.)

8. Turn off heat and remove canner lid. Let canner cool 5 minutes then remove jars and set them upright on a dry towel or rack. Do not retighten bands. Let jars cool 12 to 24 hours.

9. After jars have cooled, check lids for a good vacuum seal: pressing the center of each lid. If center is pulled down and does not flex remove the band. If the lid does not flex and cannot lift it off, the seal is set. Wipe lid and jar with a clean, damp cloth. Label each jar. Store jam in a cool, dry, dark place. 


 Recipe contributed by FCR Forum member Dizzy who found it on harvettotable.com

~ Cinnamon Rolls ~

Ingredients

Cinnamon Rolls 
780 g strong or hard flour 
475 ml warm water (40-46 C) 
100g sugar
160 g brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 packages active dry yeast 
2 eggs
160 g butter or margerine (can also use up to 75 g of lard)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Icing
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 tablespoons milk

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Directions

Cinnamon Rolls

1. In a large bowl combine 240 g of flour with water sugar salt and yeast
2. Beat the mixture for 2 min with a wooden spoon (I use a stand mixer), then add the eggs and 75 g of fat.
3. Stir until well blended.
4. Gradually add the remaining 540 g flour to mixture and stir until firm dough is formed.
5. Cover bowl and set in a warm area to rest for 20 min (I cover with a wet dish towel)
6. After resting, punch dough down, divide it in half and form into two balls.
7. On floured surface, roll one ball out as thinly as possible.  (I go for a rectangle shape)
8. Brush 42 g of the softened butter or margerine evenly over the dough.
9. Sprinkle with half the brown sugar and half of the cinnamon.
10. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll. And cut into slices about ½ in thick (I get about 12 slices. Easiest is to cut roll in half and set the two halves next to each other and cut each into thirds)
11. Place slices about ½ inch apart in a buttered jelly-roll pan (casserole dish works for this also)
12. Repeat  the same steps 1-6 with the second ball of dough.
13. Place the rolls in a warm area and allow to rise for about 45 min or until double in size. (I cover again)
14. Preheat oven to 177 C
15. After the rise, bake for 15-20 min until golden brown.
16. Allow to cool for 15 min.

 Icing

1. Add sugar to bowl and stir in heavy cream and vanilla until mixture resembles a thick batter.
2. Add milk one tablespoon at a time, stirring until smooth – about 3-5 full minutes. Mixture may look lumpy at first but just continue to stir and it will come together.
3. Pour over hot cinnamon rolls. 
4. Devour. 
5. Buy new (bigger) pants.

 Contributed by Falls Chance Forum Moderator @MacKenzieTwin

~ Funnel Cake ~

"They stood at a magic show eating some sugary confection that Riley referred to as a funnel cake..."   ~ Mustang Hill Chapter 2

Paul's Notes:  This recipe requires a funnel.  Guests may enjoy a variety of different toppings, so a good host will have a variety of options on hand. 



Ingredients

• 120 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 2 Tablespoon caster sugar
• 237 ml whole milk
• 1 egg
• icing sugar
• strawberries, sliced (optional)
• Whip Cream (optional)

Other topping options could include: 

apple pie filling, lemon curd, cherry pie filling, hot fudge, Nutella, ice cream, rainbow sprinkles, marshmallow topping, chocolate chips, bananas, peaches, butterscotch sauce, cinnamon, maple syrup, chocolate sauce

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Instructions

1. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl beat brown sugar, caster sugar, milk and egg until well blended.
3. Add half of the flour mixture into the egg mixture, beating just until incorporated and then beat in the other half of mixture.
4. Let the funnel cake mixture rest for about 10 minutes. Pour the batter into a liquid measuring cup to make it easier to pour into the funnel. Prepare your desired topping while waiting like slicing strawberries, etc)
5. Heat oil in a skillet to about 185 to 188 degrees C.
6. Pour a third of the mixture into a funnel. Use your finger to cover the end of the funnel.
7. Hold the end of the funnel close to the oil and then remove your finger.
8. Quickly make circles in the oil using a spiraling motion.
9. Fry until lightly golden, about 1-3 minutes and then flip. Fry the other side until golden.
10. Remove funnel cake from the oil and let drain on a paper towel.
11. Garnish and serve immediately with powdered sugar, strawberries and whip cream. 

This recipe comes from Divas Can Cook 

~ Dr. Clara's Pfeffernussen ~

Makes 3 Dozen

Ingredients

142 grams icing sugar
270 grams all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
160 grams firmly packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
85 grams unsulfured molasses
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the icing sugar in a brown paper bag.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. Place butter, brown sugar, and molasses in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Pinch off dough in tablespoon amounts; roll into 3 cm balls. Arrange balls 3.5 cm apart on prepared baking sheets. (Dough can be frozen at this point, covered tightly with plastic wrap, up to 1 month.)
4. Bake until cookies are golden and firm to the touch with slight cracking, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Working in batches, place cookies in paper bag; shake until well coated. Let cool completely on wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

recipe comes from marthastewart.com

~ Maine Fish Chowder ~

David sniffed suspiciously at the soup and Paul handed him a spoon.

“Suck it and see.”

David gave him a acerbic look but dipped the spoon.

At home in the boarding house, the daily soup generally held whatever they had heads of, tails of, leftovers of, the ends of vegetables, the beauty of fish stock was that it needed so very little but its natural self to taste at its most wonderful. If you knew fish, you knew that stock. David tasted it cautiously and Paul grinned at his reluctantly prompt second spoonful.

“You see? I get the concept. We used to have a pot of that on the fire all the time. Where do you know fish from? You’ve lived around a harbour, haven’t you?”

“Grew up on one.” David said briefly, dropping a cube of bread into the soup. “And sailed in the merchant navy among other things. Bit of time with a Halifax crew on a schooner before I came in land.”

~ Keeper's Yard

Makes about 14 cups; serves 8 as a main course

Ingredients

Fish Stock or use Raise the Dead Chicken Stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, very thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, very thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, very thinly sliced
2 dried bay leaves
1 bunch roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and stems
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 large (13 cm or more) or 2 small (10 cm long or less) fish heads from cod or haddock, split lengthwise, gills removed, and rinsed clean of any blood
1.1 - 1.4 kg fish frames (bones) from sole, flounder, bass, and/or halibut, cut into 5 cm pieces and rinsed clean of any blood
60 ml dry white wine
About 2 liters very hot or boiling water
Kosher or sea salt

Chowder
115 g meaty salt pork, rind removed and cut into 1 cm dice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions (14 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch dice
6 to 8 sprigs fresh summer savory or thyme, leaves removed and chopped (1 tablespoon)
2 dried bay leaves
2 pounds Yukon Gold, Maine, PEI, or other all-purpose potatoes, peeled and sliced 1 cm  thick
1.2 L  Fish Stock or Chicken Stock
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.4 kg skinless haddock or cod fillets, preferably over 2.5 cm thick, pin bones removed
350 ml heavy cream (or up to 475 ml if desired)

For Garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

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Directions

Fish Stock

1. Melt the butter in a heavy 7- to 8-liter stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables become very soft without browning, about 8 minutes.
2. Place the fish head on the vegetables and stack the fish frames evenly on top. Pour in the wine, cover the pot tightly, and let the bones sweat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they have turned completely white.
3. Add enough very hot or boiling water to just barely cover the bones. Give the mixture a gentle stir and allow the brew to come to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, carefully skimming off any white foam that comes to the surface, trying not to take any herbs, spices, or vegetables with it. (Using a ladle and a circular motion, push the foam from the center to the outside of the pot, where it is easy to remove.)
4. Remove the pot from the stove, stir the stock again, and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and season lightly with salt. If you are not going to be using the stock within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible. Cover the stock after it is thoroughly chilled (it will have a light jellied consistency) and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Chowder

1. Heat a 4- to 6-liter heavy pot over low heat and add the diced salt pork. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the pork is a crisp golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cracklings to a small ovenproof dish, leaving the fat in the pot, and reserve until later.
2. Add the butter, onions, savory or thyme, and bay leaves to the pot and sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes, until the onions and softened but not browned.
3. Add the potatoes and stock. If the stock doesn’t over the potatoes, add just enough water to cover them. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, cover, and cook the potatoes vigorously for about 10 minutes, until they are soft on the outside but still firm in the center. If the stock hasn’t thickened lightly, smash a few of the potato slices against the side of the pot and cook for a minute or two longer to release their starch. Reduce the heat to low and season assertively with salt and pepper (you want to almost overseason the chowder at this point to avoid having to stir it much once the fish is added). Add the fish fillets and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and allow the chowder to sit for 10 minutes (the fish will finish cooking during this time).
4. Gently stir in the cream and taste for salt and pepper. If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder after it has chilled completely. Otherwise, let it sit for up to an hour at room temperature, allowing the flavors to meld.
5. When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat; don’t let it boil. Warm the cracklings in a low oven (94 °C) for a few minutes.
6. Use a slotted spoon to mound the chunks of fish, the onions, and potatoes in the center of large soup plates or shallow bowls, and ladle the creamy broth around. Scatter the cracklings over the individual servings and finish each with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and minced chives.

From Epicurious

~ Sesame Pork Rips ~

Note from Paul: Sometimes you have to make the Cavemen happy...

“Because filo pastry is swishier than sushi and a threat to testosterone. You’re Neanderthals, both of you.”

~ The Pumpkin Patch

6 servings

Ingredients

Ribs
1 medium white or yellow onion, sliced
160 g packed brown sugar
60 ml soy sauce
120 g ketchup
85 g honey
2 tablespoons apple cider or white wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2.25 kg country-style pork ribs

Garnish
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons green onions

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Directions

1. Place white or yellow onion slices in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Combine brown sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in large bowl.  Add ribs and turn to coat, place ribs on top of onions and pour sauce over meat. 
3. Cover.  Cook on low 5 - 6 hours in a 6.5 L slow cooker.
4. Place ribs on serving platter.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions, serve sauce on side.
5. Devour. 

Submitted by Rolf 

Panzanella - Tomato and Bread Salad

David abruptly got up, went into the pantry and re emerged with a handful of bacon cut directly from the large smoked leg of pork kept hanging from the hook in there, in typical David fashion more hacked than sliced, which he dropped on the counter as he pulled out a skillet. Philip swallowed oatmeal, carefully keeping his voice level.

“David......”

“I’m not starting the day on damn rabbit food.” David dropped the skillet on the stove top, and added the bacon with utter finality, enough of it to be quite clear that it was not just his own interests he was defending. “The grownups get bacon.”

~ Jackson High

Ingredients

5 vine tomatoes roughly chopped and crushed (squeezing in your hands is fine) 

1/2 cucumber cubed small

1/4 red onion chopped small

1 garlic clove finely chopped, or a teaspoon of garlic puree

2 tablespoons of good olive oil

1/2 tablespoon of good balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

1/2 loaf of fresh, crusty bread 

large handful of fresh basil leaves torn up. 

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Directions

Put the bread in the oven to warm until lightly toasted. Mix all the other ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Tear the bread into bite sized chunks and stir into the salad. Put aside and let sit for ten minutes to half an hour to let the flavours work together before you eat. 

Submitted by Ranger

~ Spanakopita ~

“Ok, what is that?”

“It’s a potato, gruyere and spinach spanakopita. I felt like making one so stop pulling faces. Tell Jasper dinner’s on the table.”

Riley leaned over the table to lift and peer under a few lids of the dishes there and rolled his eyes.

“We’re eating vegetarian tonight? We grow fricking meat, it’s our main crop, the freezer’s bursting at the seams –”

“So this will make a wonderful change, won’t it?” Paul said serenely, moving to let Dale get plates out of the warming oven.

“I bet David wouldn’t have eaten that,” Riley said half under his breath to Flynn as he headed to the door. Paul gave him a cheerful smile, bringing a bowl of salad to the table.

“No, but then I wouldn’t have spanked David for being rude about my cooking.”   
 ~ The Pumpkin Patch

Ingredients

320 g spinach

2 springs of fresh dill

4 shallots chopped

300 g gruyere cheese

100 g ricotta cheese

40 g hard grated cheese like parmesan

5 eggs

2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

60 mg olive oil

375 g pack of filo pastry, either fresh or well defrosted if frozen

185 g melted butter. 

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Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. 
2. Grease a flat baking sheet.
3. Remove stalks from spinach, wash, drain and shred the leaves. 
4. Mash up together the gruyere, ricotta, parmesan, eggs, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, pepper and oil. 
5. Add the spinach leaves, mix well and set aside. 

Now the fun part!

1. Spread the filo sheets out on a table or counter and cover with a dry tea towel and then a damp one to stop them drying out. 
2. Take one sheet at a time. brush the top surface with the melted butter, fold the bottom upward about two inches. 
3. Spoon spinach cheese filling in a line along the bottom leaving about an inch on either side, fold the pastry over the filling and then roll it up so it forms a long sealed roll. Twist it into a coil and place on your baking sheet. 
4. Repeat with each filo sheet, but keep wrapping each new roll onto the original spiral so it makes a continuous spiral until your pan is full or you run out of filling. 
5. Bake for about 40-50 minutes (keep checking) until crisp and golden, and let rest for about 15 mins before cutting into wedges like a cake and eating. 

(Meanwhile get out and defrost the hamburgers for the fussy folk.) 

Submitted by Ranger

~ Sugar Free Apple Pie ~

Paul brushed his hands off. “I’ll think about what to feed stroppy executives. I’ve had a lot of practice, it shouldn’t be a problem. I can handle gluten free, vegetarian and nut allergies-”

~The Brig

This pie is delicious...you would never know it was sugar free!

Ingredients

Pie Crust
300 g  flour
Fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
226 g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus more for greasing
About 80 ml ice-cold water

Apple Pie Filling
3 tablespoons cornflour
25 g Splenda sugar replacement
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1800 g peeled cored sliced Granny Smith or other baking apples (about 8 medium)

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 205°C.
2. Put the flour and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse a few times until the mixture begins to become mealy and the butter forms plainly visible pea-size nuggets
3. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon salt in the water. With the motor running, pour in the water and let mix, just until the dough pulls together. Do not over-mix the dough. If it appears dry and is not holding together, add a few additional tablespoons of water.
4. Form the dough into a ball, flatten, and wrap in cling film, and refrigerate until ready to use.
5. Lightly flour a pastry board and a rolling pin and unwrap the dough. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and keep the second piece refrigerated. Tamp down the dough with the rolling pin and gently begin to roll it out into a circular pie shape by rolling evenly in one-eighth turns to keep the rolling even. When the dough is rolled out to an even thickness of about 3 mm and is about 30 cm in diameter, it is ready to be transferred to a 23 cm pie dish.
6. Lightly butter the dish, lift the dough with the rolling pin by partially rolling the dough up on the pin, center the dough in the dish, and unroll. Pierce the dough in several places with the tines of a fork.

Apple Pie

1. Combine cornstarch, Equal, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Sprinkle over apples in a large bowl and toss to coat. Arrange apples in pie crust.
2. Roll remaining pastry into circle large enough to fit top of pie. Place over apples. Seal edges, trim and flute. Cut a few slits in top of pastry to allow steam to escape.
3. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is golden and apples are tender. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Recipe comes from Mike at the Falls Chance Ranch Yahoo Discussion Group

Pie Crust from Food Network

~ Lamb Pasties ~

Shaking off the bowl, Dale returned it to his saddle bag and accepted one of the still hot lamb pasties from Paul.

“This is the nearest I could get to our ‘crop’,” Paul explained, “Since we’re blessing what’s in the woods rather than the trees themselves. What tree did we just wassail?”

“A wild plum.” Jasper said with his mouth full. “Jam should be good come fall.”

“Liquor for breakfast.” Riley, looking warmer and definitely cheerful, leaned against Boris to eat his pasty. “I could get used to this.”

~Freeman's Field

Ingredients

Puff Pastry
75 g  salted butter, chilled and cut into 1 cm cubes
75 g lard, chilled and cut into 1 cm cubes
200 g  plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
½ tsp salt

50 ml cold water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 large free-range egg, beaten, for egg wash

Mint Sauce
bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked
pinch table salt
1 tbsp caster sugar
50 ml  white wine vinegar

100 ml boiling water

Lamb Filling
100 g  lamb leg steak, diced into 1.5 cm cubes
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ tsp dried rosemary
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ large red onion, finely chopped
½ large sweet potato, chopped into small cubes
1 medium carrot, chopped into small cubes
½ bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
½ tsp dried oregano

50 g frozen peas, defrosted

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Directions

Puff Pastry

1. Put the butter and lard in a bowl and briefly mix. 
2. Put the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and, using your fingertips, briefly rub about a quarter of the butter and lard mixture into the flour (you should still see lumps of butter).
3. Add 50 ml cold water and the lemon juice and mix until it comes together to form a dough. Roughly shape the dough into a rectangle.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle about the thickness of a pound coin. With a short end of the rectangle facing you, scatter the remaining lard and butter over the top two thirds of the dough. Fold the bottom third over the butter, then fold the top third down. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, then roll out the dough into a rectangle as before and repeat the folding. Turn, roll and fold the dough another two times, then wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
5. Take the cooled pastry from the fridge and repeat the rolling and folding one more time, then return it to the fridge for another 20 minutes.
6. Roll out the pastry to about 3 mm thickness. Cut out 6 circles, approximately 13 cm  in diameter using a small saucer or bowl as a guide. Any offcuts can be rolled out again to make more circles.

Mint Sauce

1. Sprinkle the mint leaves with a little salt and finely chop. 
2. Transfer to a jug and pour over about 100 ml  boiling water. Add the sugar, stir well and leave to cool. 
3. When cooled, stir in the white wine vinegar.

Filling

1. In a medium bowl combine the lamb, garlic and dried rosemary. Add half of the mint sauce and season with salt and pepper. Cover with cling film and set aside.
2. Add the onion, sweet potato, carrots, parsley and oregano to a separate bowl. Add the rest of the mint sauce, season with salt and pepper and mix well. Finally add the frozen peas and mix again.
3. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4 and line two large baking trays with baking parchment.

Lamb Pasties

1. Put a few spoonfuls of the vegetable filling to one side of each circle and top with a few pieces of lamb – you need enough to fill the pastry but not so full that the pastry will split open. Fold the pastry over the filling (to encase the filling) and use a little water to help the edges of the pastry stick. Crimp the edges using your fingers and place on a baking tray. Repeat until each baking sheet has six pasties on them. 
2. Brush each pasty with beaten egg and bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden-brown. When cooked, use a fish slice to lift the pasties onto wire racks to cool before serving.

recipe comes from pbs.org

~ Buche de Noel ~

It was one of Paul’s large chocolate and cherry cakes, which contained a chocolate filling that Dale had no word for but was rich, thick, mixed with the black cherry sauce and was just tart enough to set off the sweetness of the chocolate. They never had much of a shelf life in the house, Paul was generally lucky if one survived twenty four hours after he made it. Flynn handed Dale a knife and dug in the fridge until he came up with a dish of whipped cream. Dale cut a large slice, put it on a plate and dug out a couple of forks, and Flynn spooned a large dollop of whipped cream onto the plate. Paul was an old fashioned man who appreciated proper ingredients; no whipped cream cans made it into the house, this was thick, proper hand whipped cream that reminded Dale of the clotted cream he’d had and loved on scones as a child.

~ The Brig

This is the Christmas variation of Paul's Cherry Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
Flourless Chocolate Cake
6 egg whites
150 g  caster sugar 
6 egg yolks
30 g  unsweetened cocoa (not Dutch process)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dash Salt
25-50 g icing sugar

Black Cherry Sauce
1360.5 g fresh, pitted cherries or frozen black cherries
75 g caster sugar
60 ml water
½ lemon, juiced
60 ml cherry juice
2 tablespoons cornflour
½ teaspoon vanilla (optional)
1 teaspoon Amaretto liqueur

Note
You may want to double the Black Cherry Sauce to have some to serve on the side

Meringue Mushrooms
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
150 g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
85 g plain chocolate, melted

Whipped Cream Filling
355 ml heavy cream, chilled
50 g icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Note
You may want to double the whipped cream to have some to serve on the side

Ganache Topping
230 g good quality plain chocolate chips
120 ml heavy cream

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Directions

Black Cherry Sauce

1. Remove pits and stems from 2 pounds of cherries and place in a small sauce pan (you may use frozen cherries for this step). Add water and sprinkle with sugar. Bring the cherries to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 
2. Place a fine sieve over a mixing bowl. Scoop the cherries into the sieve a little at a time and press the cherries with the back of a wooden spoon to release the juice and pulp into the bowl. Scrape the skins out of the sieve and repeat until all of the cherries have been juiced. 
3. Return the juice to the sauce pan over medium heat and stir in the lemon juice. Combine the bottled cherry juice with the cornstarch to make a slurry and stir until there are no lumps. Slowly pour the slurry into the sauce pan while whisking. 
4. Gently simmer until the cherry juice reaches the desired thickness. It will become thicker as it cools. 
5. Just before removing the sauce from the heat, add the remaining one pound of pitted cherries and fold into the sauce. Allow the sauce to return to a boil and immediately remove from the heat. The cherries should retain a firm texture. 
6. Let the sauce cool and pour into a jar. Keep refrigerated for up to one week. 

Meringue Mushrooms

Paul's Note these are much easier than they seem. 

1. Preheat oven to 93°C with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt in bowl of stand mixer on high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Beat in sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition, and continue to beat at high speed until meringue is very stiff, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and beat again until very stiff. 
3. Sift cocoa over meringue, and fold it in gently but thoroughly. 
4. Spoon meringue into a pastry bag fitted with tip. Holding bag vertically, about 1 cm above baking sheet, pipe meringue into 25 mounds, ranging in size from about 4 - 5 cm in diameter, to resemble mushroom caps. 
5. Still holding pastry bag vertically, pipe remaining meringue vertically into 25 "stems," 3 - 4 cm long lengths (make different lengths), making each base about 2.5 cm in diameter and tapering top end by pulling up on bag. (Pipe extra caps and stems with any remaining meringue in case of breakage.) 
6. With a finger dipped in water, gently tamp down any peaks of meringue on caps to make a smooth mushroom cap. 
7. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through, until mushrooms caps are crisp and firm to touch, about 1 hour 45 minutes. 
8. Turn off oven, then leave meringues in oven, with door closed, 30 minutes to dry. Slide parchment with meringues from baking sheets onto racks to cool. Cool completely. 
9. With tip of a sharp paring knife, cut a small hollow the diameter of the tapered top of mushroom "stem" in center of the underside (flat side) of each mushroom cap. 
10. Spread chocolate generously over flat bottom of a cap with offset spatula or back of spoon, then insert narrow end of stem. Let cap rest, stem end up, on a tray or baking sheet. Attach remaining stems to remaining caps, and let stand, stem ends up, at cool room temperature until chocolate is set, about 1 hour. 

Cooks' notes: 

1. To melt chocolate, melt finely chopped chocolate in a dry metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
2. Meringue mushrooms can be made 1 day ahead and kept between sheets of wax paper in airtight cookie tins.
3. Good luck if your family leave any to actually make it on the cake.  I have to hide them from Jasper and Riley. 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat oven to 190°C
2. Grease bottom of a 43cm x 3cm x 31cm jelly-roll pan; line with waxed paper; grease lightly.  In a large electric-mixer bowl, at high speed, beat egg whites just until soft peaks form when the beater is slowly raised. 
3. Add 50 g caster sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form when beater is slowly raised. With same beaters, beat yolks at high speed, adding remaining 100 g caster sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat until mixture is very thick—about 4 minutes. 
4. At low speed, beat in cocoa, vanilla, and salt, just until smooth. With wire whisk or rubber scraper, using an under-and-over motion, gently fold the cocoa mixture into the beaten egg whites, just until they are blended (no egg white should show). 
5. Spread evenly into a pan. Bake 15 minutes, just until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip. Sift icing sugar, in a 43 cm x 31 cm rectangle, on clean linen towel. Turn cake out on sugar; lift off pan; peel paper off cake. 
6. Roll up, jelly-roll fashion, starting with the short end, towel and all. Cool completely on rack, seam side down—at least 1/2 hour. 

Whipped Cream Filling

1. To make the filling: Combine ingredients in medium bowl. Beat with electric mixer until thick, and then refrigerate. 

Chocolate Ganache

1. Cook the chocolate chips and heavy cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. 

Buche de Noel

1. Unroll cake; spread with Black Cherry Sauce to 1 inch from edge 
2. Spread with Whipped Cream Filling to 1 inch from edge; re-roll. Place, seam side down, on plate. 
3. Pour and gently spread the Ganache over the top, but not the ends of the roll 
4. Add Meringue Mushrooms 
5. Slice and serve! 
6. Serve with additional Black Cherry sauce (optional) and Whipped Cream on the side (optional)

• *The Overall Buche de Noel, Flourless Chocolate Cake and Whipped Cream Filling recipes come from Mike, a member of the Yahoo Falls Chance Discussion Group
• The Black Cherry Sauce is from http://www.everydaysouthwest.com/
• The Meringue Mushrooms came from http://www.epicurious.com/
• The Chocolate Ganache recipe comes from http://www.foodnetwork.com/