Brown Sugar Smokies

Ingredients:
1 pound bacon
1 16 oz  pkg little smokies
1 cup brown sugar, or to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each strip around a little sausage.  Place the wrapped sausages on toothpicks.  Arrange on a baking sheet and sprinkle liberally with brown sugar.  Bake until bacon is crisp and the brown sugar melted.

Easy Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients:
1 lb savory sage or original recipe sausage roll
1 lg onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 14 oz pkg cubed stuffing
1 tsp poultry seasoning
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, crumble sausage.  Add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally until sausage is brown.  In a bowl combine the sausage mixture with the cubed stuffing. Add the poultry seasoning, broth and butter.  Toss to combine.  Pour into a 13x9 inch pan.  cover.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes

Kayli's Brownies

Ingredients:
 

8 (1oz) squared unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup butter
5 eggs
3 cups white sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 cups white sugar

1 cup heavy cream
5 (1oz) squares unsweetened baking chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking pan. Place 8 oz of baking chocolate with 1 cup of butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high until the chocolate is soft and the butter has melted, about 2 minutes. Sitr to mix. Place the eggs, 3 cups sugar, and 1 Tbsp of vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the melted butter-chocolate mixture. Beat in the flour until just combined (do not overmix). Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with fudgy crumbs, about 35 minutes. Cook in the pan before frosting.

To make frosting, combine 1 1/4 cup of sugar with heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat, and stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and let hte mixture simmer for 7 minutes without stirring. Remove the cream mixture from the heat, and stir in 5 oz of baking chocolate and 1/2 cup butter, stirrin gto melt and blend the chocolate. Add 1 tsp vanilla; whisk until smooth. Place the frosting in the regrigerator and stir every few minutes until the frosting is chilled and thick about 30 minutes. Frost the cooled brownies and cut into squares. (I have yet to be able to make this work--I can never get it to thicken--so I just add in some powdered sugar until it's as thick as I want)

Kayli Chocolate Chip PB Cookies

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and egg until well blended. combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until moistened. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Drop by Tbsps on to lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 min in the preheated oven, until the edges start to brown. Cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Ben's Super Secret Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp  chopped onion
4 Tbsp butter
6 cups of pumpkin or squash
3 cups water
4 cubes of chicken bullion
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/8 tsp cayenne
2 pkgs of cream cheese
Optional: Super Secret (gives soup a sweet and spicy flavor)Add:
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup agave syrup

Directions:

Saute onions and butter.  Add all other ingredients except cream cheese.  Remove from heat and add cream cheese (do not cook the cream cheese).  Blend everything in a food processor or blender.  Serve.

New York Cheesecake

Ingredients:
For the crust:
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 additional tbsp., melted for greasing the pan
4 oz (approx. 8 whole) graham crackers, broken into rough pieces and processed into fine, even crumbs  Its a good idea to weigh them on a kitchen scale if you have one.
1 Tbsp sugar

For the cheesecake:
2 1/2 lb (5 8oz pkgs) cream cheese, cut into 1 inch chunks, at room temperature
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks plus 6 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:
to make the crust, adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 F.  Brush the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan with 1/2 tbsp. of the melted butter.  In a medium bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, 5 tbsp. melted butter, and sugar.  Toss with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moistened.  Transfer the crumbs to the springform pan and use the bottom of a ramekin to firmly press the crumbs evenly into the pan bottom.  Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around the edges, about 13 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.

Increase the oven temperature to 500F.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium-low speed to break up and soften it slightly, about 1 minute.  Scrape the beater and the bottom and sides of the bowl well with a rubber spatula ; add the salt and about half of the sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute.  Scrape the bowl; beat in the remaining sugar until combined, about 1 minute.  Scrape the bowl; add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla.  Beat at low speed until combined, about 1 minute.  scrape the bowl; add the egg yolks and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.  Scrape the bowl; add the remaining eggs 2 at a time, beating until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl between additions. 

Brush the sides of the springform pan with the remainng 1/2 tbsp. melted butter.  Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills in case the pan leaks.  Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake 10 minutes; without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake until the cheesecake reads to about 150 degrees on an instant read thermometer inserted in the center, about 1 1/2 hrs.  Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool until barely warm, 2 1/2-3 hrs.  Run a aring knife between the cake and the springform pan sides.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours. 

To unmold the cheesecake, remove the sides of the pan.  Slide a thin metal spatula between the crust and the bottom of the pan to loosen then slide the cake onto a serving plate.  Let the cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve. 

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup oil
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 pinch salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pan with paper liners. In large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, applesauce, oil, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the cupcake springs back when lightly pressed. Cook in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Rich chocolate frosting:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
18 oz semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2 oz pieces (I like ghiradelli 60% chocolate chips)
2-3 cups powdered sugar

Heat the heavy cream and butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Place the chocolate pieces in a bow. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Stir it in and then use a mixer to blend it together well until you have the consistency and sweetness you like. Frost the cupcakes.