Homemade Oreo Cookies

For the dough:

1 1/3 c. Cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. Flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 c. Sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Filling:

1 stick butter, softened
1/2 c. Vegetable shortening
3 c. Powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Prepare the dough:  sift together the cocoa powder, flour, and salt.

Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla,  incorporating each ingredient before adding the next.  Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Divide the dough into two pieces; place one piece between two lightly floured sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Repeat with other piece of dough. Refrigerate both rectangles, covered with parchment paper, until firm, at least one hour or up to several days.

Using a two-inch round cutter, cut the dough into 64 circles. Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets and chill about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Bake cookies until they are set and slightly darker around the edges, about 20 minutes.  Cool completely on wire racks.

Prepare filling: using a mixer, cream butter and shortening until fluffy.  Beat the powdered sugar and vanilla.

Flip half of the cookies upside down.  Top each with one level tablespoon of filling. Press the remaining cookies on top to make sandwiches.

Emeril's Hash Browns

5 medium baking potatoes (about 4 lbs), scrubbed clean
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 c. diced yellow onions
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. Essence (recipe follows)
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

ESSENCE:
2 1/2 Tbsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. dried leaf oregano
1 Tbsp. thyme

Place the whole potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and summer until half-cooked and almost tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle.  Take the skins from the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice.

Heat the oil and melt the butter in a skillet over high heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds.  Add the potatoes, Essence, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook without stirring, but shaking the pan occasionally to keep the potatoes from burning.
until the potatoes begin to color and crisp on the underside, about 4 minutes.  Turn the potatoes being careful not to mash, and continue cooking until uniformly golden.  

Great with meatloaf or as a breakfast side with eggs and bacon.

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

1 pouch complete crust from Krusteaz Lemon Bars Supreme Mix
8 oz. (1 c.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 pouch lemon filling mix from Krusteaz Lemon Bars Supreme Mix
1/3 water
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease 8x8x2-inch pan.  Press full pouch of complete crust firmly onto bottom of pan.  Bake 8 minutes (will be pale).  Place cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl.  Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until smooth.  Add 1 egg and vanilla.  Continue to mix on low speed until smooth.  Pour cream cheese mixture evenly over hot crust.  In another bowl, stir full pouch lemon filling mix, water, and 3 eggs together using a whisk until eggs are well incorporated.  Pour lemon filling over cream cheese layer.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until center does not jiggle when shaken.  Cool completely and cut into squares.  Store covered in the refrigerator.  Makes 16 bars.

Pre-made Pancake Mix

8 c. all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp. baking powder
6 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt

Mix all together and store in air-tight container.  On serving day, combine the following:

2 c. mix
2 eggs
2 c. milk or buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla

Crockpot Beef and Broccoli

1 lb. boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips
1 c. beef consumme
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar or honey
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. cooled sauce from crock pot after being cooked
Fresh broccoli florets

1. Place beef in crockpot.

2. Combine beef consumme, soy sauce, brown sugar/honey, oil, and garlic.  Pour over beef.  Cook on LOW 6-8 hours.

3. Stir cornstarch and sauce from crock pot until smooth.  Add to crock pot and stir well to combine.  (If sauce is not thickening, try bringing your sauce to a boil over the stovetop with the corn starch mixture. Boil until desired consistency.)

4. Add broccoli to crock pot.  Stir to combine.  Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on HIGH.  (The sauce has to boil for it to thicken.)

Crockpot Kalua Pork

4 lbs boneless pork butt or shoulder 

2 Tbsp Rock Salt
3 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
2 C. water
a few cloves of crushed garlic (optional)

Place all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on high 5-6 hours or low 8-10 hours. (Low is best.) Remove meat, cool for a bit and then shred with 2 forks.


Skim fat off from the liquid in crockpot and then add meat back into the juices to serve.

Puffy Omelet

(I made this when I was in a pinch when I had no milk to make pancakes.  

4 eggs

2 Tbsp.
4 beaten egg yolks
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper (optional)
1 Tbsp. butter

Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until frothy.  Add water; continue beating about 1 1/2 minutes or until stiff peaks form.  Fold in egg yolks, salt, and if desired, white pepper.  In a large ovenproof skillet heat butter until a drop of water sizzles.  Pour in egg mixture, mounding it slightly at the sides.  Cook over low heat about 6 minutes or until puffed and set on the bottom.  Bake in a 325 oven 10-12 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Loosen the omelet from the sides of the skillet with a spatula.  Make a shallow cut slightly off-center across the omelet.  Add filling ingredients as desired to larger side.  Cut omelet in half.