Beer Cheese Dip

Beer Cheese Dip

• ½ to ¾ cup beer
• 3 T. Ranch flavoring
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened.
• 8 oz sour cream

Mix cream cheese with ranch seasoning until well blended, then add in sour cream. When that is thoroughly combined, add beer until you reach the desired consistency, then mix in cheese. This is excellent served with pretzels. 

Butter Rum Sandwich Triangles

Butter Rum Triangle Sandwiches

Cookie

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

1 cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons light rum or milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons large grain sugar

Filling

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons light rum*

1 to 2 tablespoons  Half & Half

Combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar and pecan pieces in food processor bowl fitted with metal blade. Cover; process 45-60 seconds or until pecans are very finely chopped. Combine sugar mixture, 1 cup butter, 2 tablespoons rum and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed.

Divide dough in half; shape each half on lightly floured surface into 10-inch long roll. Place onto waxed paper. Flatten sides to form triangle, using waxed paper to help shape triangle. Wrap each half in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.

Heat oven to 375°F. Cut each log into 1/4-inch slices with sharp, serrated knife. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle triangles with large grain sugar. Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine all filling ingredients except half & half in small bowl. Beat at low speed, adding enough half & half for desired spreading consistency. For each sandwich cookie, spread3/4 teaspoon filling on bottom of cookie. Top with second cookie, sugar-side up. Squeeze together gently.

*Substitute 1/4 teaspoon rum extract or same amount of dark rum.

-These cookies are better the next day.

- Use 2 rulers to shape triangle by pushing sides flat with rulers on opposite sides at the same time.

Recipe from landolakes.com

Fudge

2 cups sugar
1 cup cream
2 squares (1oz each sq) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 tsp salt
2 T. light corn syrup
2 T. butter ( not marg)
1/2 t. Vanilla

Dissolve sugar, cream, salt, chocolate, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil to 236-240 degrees, or until a little mixture dropped in cold water forms a soft ball.
Remove from heat. Drop 2 T butter in. DO NOT STIR! Cool to 110 degrees without stirring. Add 1/2 t vanilla and beat until candy looks like glass (will have a dull sheen). Add 1/2 c nuts if desired. Turn into a 9x5 greased pan. Cool & cut.

Recipe from Louise Anspach from Mullen.

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour,
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder (use one without aluminum)
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold

1 cup buttermilk 

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor.
3. Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour until it resembles course meal.
4. If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistency is achieved.
5. Add the buttermilk and mix JUST until combined.
6. If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk. It should be very wet.
7. Turn the dough out onto a floured board.
8. Gently, gently PAT (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick. Fold the dough about 5 times, gently press the dough down to a 1 inch thick.
9. Use a round cutter to cut into rounds.
10. You can gently knead the scraps together and make a few more, but they will not be anywhere near as good as the first ones.
11. Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet- if you like soft sides, put them touching each other.
12. If you like"crusty" sides, put them about 1 inch apart- these will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together.
13. Bake for about 10-12 minutes- the biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom.
14. Do not overbake.
15. Note: The key to real biscuits is not in the ingredients, but in the handling of the dough.
16. The dough must be handled as little as possible or you will have tough biscuits.
17. I have found that a food processor produces superior biscuits, because the ingredients stay colder and there's less chance of overmixing.
18. You also must pat the dough out with your hands, lightly.
19. Rolling with a rolling pin is a guaranteed way to overstimulate the gluten, resulting in a tougher biscuit.
20. Note 2: You can make these biscuits, cut them, put them on cookie sheets and freeze them for up to a month.
21. When you want fresh biscuits, simply place them frozen on the cookie sheet and bake at 450°F for about 20 minutes.

 http://southern.food.com/recipe/southern-buttermilk-biscuits-26110

Chicken Chili

4-5 lb fryer
8 cups water
2 T chicken base

Boil chicken until it's tender and falling apart- approximately 1 hour. Debone the chicken and shred meat. Save broth.

1 medium onion, diced
12 oz beer
2 cans RoTel
2 (4oz) cans green chiles
3 (15oz) cans Great Northern beans, drained
1 (15oz) can black beans, drained
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic

Boil onions in beer until they are tender. Add to pot with chicken and broth. Add RoTel, beans, and chiles, and spices. Simmer 20-30 minutes.

Elderberry Jelly

Elderberry Jelly

Cut off the leaves and remove as many of the big branches as you can 

3c juice

¼ c lemon juice

4 ½ c sugar

1 box pectin

Boil approx. 15 minutes after the sugar is added