Mexican Chocolate Chewies

From: Homesick Texan

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pecans, roughly chopped
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. While oven is heating, arrange the chopped pecans in a skillet and place in the oven for 5 minutes or until they’ve turned a bit darker brown (but not black) and smell fragrant. Mix roasted pecans with the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, chipotle chile powder and salt.
3. Stir the egg whites into the dry mixture by hand (or beat with a stand mixer on low) just until the batter is well mixed. Stir in the vanilla and chocolate chips. Drop tablespoon-size portions of batter on the sheet an inch apart, about six per sheet, as these cookies will spread during baking. Bake for 15 minutes or until crackling on the surface.
4. Remove sheet from the oven, lift the parchment paper with the cookies still on it off the sheet, and cool on a rack. Allow cookies to cool for 20 minutes before removing from paper, as they’re very delicate. They will keep for a few days in an airtight container.

Makes 36 cookies.

Chestnut ice cream

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• pinch salt
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup chestnut spread
• 1/2 cup chopped sweetened chestnuts

Directions:

1. Make an ice bath in a large bowl using ice and water. Place a medium bowl in the bath and then place a strainer over the bowl.
2. In a small pan, heat 1/2 cup of cream, the milk, the sugar, and the salt, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat. Lightly beat the egg yolks, then add just a drop or two of milk. Mix the milk into the eggs, then add another drop or so, continuing the process a couple more times until the eggs are tempered. Add the rest of the milk to the eggs, then pour the mixture back into the pan. Heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the spatula. Pour the mixture through the strainer, whisk in the remaining 1 cup of cream and the chestnut puree, then stir until cooled. Pour into a jar and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or preferably overnight.
3. Transfer the ice cream base to an ice cream mixer and freeze according to the machine’s instructions. When the ice cream is just about ready, add in the chopped chestnuts

Braised Lamb Shanks with White Beans and Tomatoes

From: Lean on Lamb

Ingredients:

• 2 celery ribs, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes and juice
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons herbs de provence
• 3 – 4 lamb shanks, depending on size
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 14oz can white beans (great northern or cannellini)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Add the shanks to hot oil and cook, browning each side, about 4 minutes per side (if necessary, cook in batches). Remove shanks to a clean plate and set aside.
2. Add onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste, herbs de Provence, garlic, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
3. Add broth, tomatoes and beans; bring mixture to a simmer. Nestle browned lamb shanks into broth mixture; cover and cook in the oven until the meat is tender and easily falls off the bone, about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours depending on size of shanks. Place shanks in individual shallow bowls or plates. Divide vegetables and sauce among bowls.

Indoor Pulled Pork

From: Cook’s Illustrated (January 2010)

Serves 6 to 8

Note: Sweet paprika may be substituted for smoked paprika. Covering the pork with parchment and then foil prevents the acidic mustard from eating holes in the foil. Serve the pork on hamburger rolls with pickle chips and thinly sliced onion. Alternatively, use 2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce thinned with ½ cup of the defatted pork cooking liquid in step 5. The shredded and sauced pork can be cooled, tightly covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat it gently before serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons table salt
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
• 1 boneless pork butt (about 5 pounds), cut in half horizontally
• ¼ cup yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika (see note)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Dissolve 1 cup salt, ½ cup sugar, and 3 tablespoons liquid smoke in 4 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge pork in brine, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. While pork brines, combine mustard and remaining 2 teaspoons liquid smoke in small bowl; set aside. Combine black pepper, paprika, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and cayenne in second small bowl; set aside. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Remove pork from brine and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Rub mustard mixture over entire surface of each piece of pork. Sprinkle entire surface of each piece with spice mixture. Place pork on wire rack set inside foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Place piece of parchment paper over pork, then cover with sheet of aluminum foil, sealing edges to prevent moisture from escaping. Roast pork for 3 hours.
4. Remove pork from oven; remove and discard foil and parchment. Carefully pour off liquid in bottom of baking sheet into fat separator and reserve for sauce. Return pork to oven and cook, uncovered, until well browned, tender, and internal temperature registers 200 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 1½ hours. Transfer pork to serving dish, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.
5. FOR THE SAUCE: While pork rests, pour ½ cup of defatted cooking liquid from fat separator into medium bowl. Whisk in ingredients (see below).
6. TO SERVE: Using 2 forks, shred pork into bite-sized pieces. Toss with 1 cup sauce and season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately

Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups ketchup
• ¼ cup light or mild molasses
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon table salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. While pork rests, pour ½ cup of defatted cooking liquid from fat separator into medium bowl; whisk in sauce ingredients.

Lexington Vinegar Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cider vinegar
• ½ cup ketcup
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¾ teaspoon table salt
• ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl with ½ cup defatted cooking liquid (in Step 5) and whisk to combine.

South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow mustard
• ½ cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl with ½ cup defatted cooking liquid (in Step 5) and whisk to combine.