Jiffy Corn Casserole

½ cup butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 15 oz can creamed corn

1 15 oz can corn (kernels) drained

1 8.5 oz pkg Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

Preheat the oven to 375⁰ and move the rack to the middle position. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish.

In a medium-to-large mixing bowl, add the eggs, sour cream, creamed corn, canned corn, and melted butter. Stir until smooth.

Stir in the corn muffin mix (don't over-mix).

Pour the batter into the casserole dish and smooth it out.

Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until the middle has set and the top is golden. Rest 10 minutes before serving. 

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar

6 T butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces 

½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature

½ tsp salt

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, stirring constantly. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. This takes about 6 minutes. Stir constantly, especially around the bottom edges, and be careful not to let it burn.

Once the sugar is completely melted, reduce the heat to low and stir in the butter. Cook and stir constantly until the butter is melted and well combined. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove the pan from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. Keep whisking until it comes back together, even if it takes 3–4 minutes. It will eventually—just keep whisking. Return to heat when it’s combined again.

Once the sugar is completely melted, reduce the heat to low and stir in the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added. (If you’re nervous for splatter, wear kitchen gloves.) Cook and stir constantly until the butter is melted and well combined. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove the pan from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. Keep whisking until it comes back together, even if it takes 3–4 minutes. It will eventually—just keep whisking. Return to heat when it’s combined again.

Very slowly and carefully pour in the heavy cream, stirring constantly. Since the heavy cream is colder than the hot caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble and steam when added. When all of the heavy cream has been added, stop stirring, increase the heat to medium, and let it boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils. If you’d like to be precise and use a candy thermometer, the temperature should reach 220°.

Remove from heat and stir in the salt. The caramel will be a thin liquid at this point. Allow to slightly cool and thicken before using. Caramel thickens considerably as it cools.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

Shortbread Crust:

½ cup butter, melted

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

¼ tsp salt

1 cup flour

Apple Filling:

2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced (¼ inch thick)

2 T flour

2 T sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

⅛ tsp ground nutmeg

Streusel:

½ cup old-fashioned oats

⅓ cup brown sugar

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ cup flour

¼ cup butter, cold and cubed

homemade salted caramel or store-bought caramel sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 300°. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper leaving enough overhang on all sides. Set aside.
2. Make the crust: Stir the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir until everything is combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove from the oven.
3. Combine the sliced apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until all of the apples are evenly coated. Set aside.
4. Whisk the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
5. Turn the oven up to 350°. Evenly layer the apples on top of the warm crust. It will look like there are too many apple slices, so layer them tightly and press them down to fit. Sprinkle the apple layer with the streusel and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the streusel is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight). 

Lift the parchment out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into bars. I usually cut them into 16 smaller bars, but you can cut them into 12 larger bars. Once cut, drizzle some salted caramel sauce on top of each. These apple pie bars can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or even cold.

Turkey Gravy

Turkey pan drippings

¼ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp dried thyme or rosemary 

1 T chopped fresh parsley leaves or 1½ tsp dried parsley 

Salt & black pepper, to taste

Strain pan drippings through a fine-mesh sieve & discard solids. Reserve 2 1/2 cups pan drippings & set aside.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and thyme or rosemary until lightly browned, about 1 minute.

Gradually whisk in reserved pan drippings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Teriyaki Chicken

1½ lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skinless

½ tsp salt

Ground black pepper, to taste

½ tsp garlic powder

2 T soy sauce

1 T brown sugar

Teriyaki Sauce

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup mirin

2 T rice vinegar

2 T water

1½ T brown sugar

2 cloves garlic minced

1 T ginger grated

1 T sesame seeds

1 tsp cornstarch

Chopped green onions for garnish

In a medium bowl, combine chicken thighs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature (or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator).

Preheat the air fryer to 425°F (220°C). Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer in the basket, leaving space between pieces. Cook for 11–13 minutes (no need to flip) until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

While the chicken cooks, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.

When the chicken is done cooking, add the sauce to a large skillet and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sauce thickens and becomes sticky, about 1-2 mins. Turn off the heat.

Add the chicken to the skillet and quickly coat the chicken all over the sauce. Remove the chicken from the pan and save any remaining sauce for dipping later.

Cut the chicken into strips and serve hot with steamed rice and vegetables. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Alternate Cooking Methods:

Pan-Fry or grill: You can pan-fry or grill the chicken on each side for 4-6 mins. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165F.

Oven: Bake the chicken in the oven at 400⁰F for 20-25 mins. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165⁰F.

Serve with rice.

Honey Butter Chicken

1.5 pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless

2 T soy sauce

1 T honey

1 tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Honey Butter Sauce:

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup honey

4 garlic cloves minced

¼ cup water

3 T butter

1 tsp cornstarch

In a large bowl, add chicken thighs, soy sauce, honey, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Marinate for 10 mins (or up to overnight).

Preheat air fryer to 425⁰F for a few mins. Add chicken thighs (don’t overcrowd and cook in batches as needed) and air fry for 11-14 mins until browned and cooked through (internal temperature should be 165⁰F or more)

While the chicken is cooking, combine soy sauce, honey, garlic, water, and cornstarch in a cup or bowl and set aside. In a medium shallow pan on medium heat, add butter and let it melt down then add the sauce and cook down for 1-2 mins, until thickened. Remove and set aside.

Once chicken is done, pour the sauce over the chicken and coat evenly (save a little sauce for dipping later). Serve chicken with fluffy white rice, veggies, and other sides you desire.

If you don't have an air fryer, you can pan-fry the chicken on each side for 4-6 mins or bake them in the oven at 400⁰F for 20-25 mins. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165⁰F.

Southern Banana Pudding

For the vanilla pudding:

2 cups whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

¾ cup granulated sugar

36 grams (¼ cup) all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

4 large egg yolks, plus 1 large egg

1 cup heavy cream

For the vanilla Chantilly cream:

2 cups chilled heavy cream

½ cup powdered sugar

½ tsp vanilla

For the banana layer:

1 box Nilla wafers (roughly 100 cookies)

3 ripe bananas, sliced to your liking

Make the vanilla pudding: 

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and vanilla paste and whisk over medium heat, being careful not to let the milk boil.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, salt, egg yolks and whole egg, then whisk the cream. Pour a few tablespoons at a time of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking between additions, until the mixture becomes loose enough to pour. Return the mixture to the saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly so that you don’t scorch the bottom, until the mixture thickens into pudding, 10 to 15 minutes. It should coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Once thickened, remove the pan from the heat and strain the pudding through a sieve into a bowl to remove lumps. Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap and let cool to room temperature.

Make the Chantilly cream: 

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl with an electric mixer), beat the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium speed until you have stiff peaks (meaning when you remove the whisk from the cream, the whipped cream makes a point that stands straight up). Refrigerate the whipped cream until ready to use (up to 4 hours).

Assemble the banana layer: Arrange a layer of whole Nilla wafers over the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan or dish. Spread the cooled vanilla pudding on top of the cookies, making the layer as even as you can. Add the sliced bananas over the pudding, then spread the whipped cream over the bananas. Garnish the top with more crumbled vanilla wafers.

Cover the pudding with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving (or up to 4 days).

Naan Bread

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp instant dry yeast

2 tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

¾ cup plain yogurt or buttermilk

1 cup warm water

4 tbsp butter, melted

1 tbsp minced cilantro

Combine flour, yeast, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed to combine.

Add yogurt and water to the mixer bowl. Starting on low speed, beat until the mixture forms a shaggy dough, then switch to the hook attachment and knead for 4 minutes on medium-low speed. It may look very sticky at first but will come together as it kneads (don't add more flour).

Generously flour a work surface. Dump out the dough and sprinkle it with flour, too. Knead once or twice to form a large ball. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and form each piece into a ball by rolling the dough between your hands.

The dough is still quite sticky at this point, but you can work with it. Dampen your hands to make it easier.

If the dough is impossibly sticky, add more flour.

Oil a sheet of parchment paper. Place dough balls on top and roll them around to coat with oil. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and let rise 1 hour.

Flour a work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll each dough ball flat to about ¼” thick, if not slightly thinner. Lightly flour dough as needed.

Lift the dough off the counter and use your hands to gently pull it into a thinner, slightly oblong shape. Let it rest 10 minutes in a single layer.

Meanwhile, preheat a cast iron pan for 5 minutes on medium-high heat. You’ll know it’s hot enough when you sprinkle it with water and it beads and evaporates immediately.

Add one naan to the pan. Cover the pan and cook until bubbles start to grow on the top of the naan (about 30-60 seconds).

Flip and cook on the other side until the dough loses its shiny, raw look and starts charring in spots (about 30 seconds more). For more dramatic puffing up and charring

Caramel Sauce

2 C sugar

1 C water

Bring to a boil

Add:

1 stick butter

Cook 5 minutes

Add:

1 ½ C heavy cream

Cook 10 minutes 

Pour into glass jar & refrigerate

Teriyaki Sauce

¼ c soy sauce

2½ T brown sugar

1½ tsp cornstarch 

2 tsp minced garlic

½ tsp ginger, optional

Whisk together in small saucepan until thick. Pour over desired protein. 

BIG Batch Pie Crust (freezer ready)

5 lb bag of unbleached flour

2 T salt

3 lb can of Crisco (the whole can)

3 c ice cold water

Mix flour & salt in large bowl. Add Crisco. Use a potato masher & mix until big pieces remain. Then use your hands to press & crumble the flour into the Crisco. Mix until crumbly. Make a well in the center. Add all of the water. Mix until flour absorbs the water. Divide into 16 discs & wrap in plastic wrap. Place in a large zip bag. Freeze until ready to use. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 1-2 hours. Roll out while still cold. 

Tender Crockpot Beef Tips

3 lb beef tips (or "stew beef", or beef chuck cut in 1½-inch cubes)

1 T cornstarch

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 T neutral oil

To Sauté and Deglaze:

1½ cups chopped onion

8 oz chopped brown or cremini mushrooms, optional

4 tsp minced garlic

2 T tomato paste

For the Slow Cooker Liquid:

3½ cups beef broth

1 tbsp minced fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried (or rosemary) 

1 bay leaf

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 T soy sauce

1 T Dijon mustard

½ to 1 tsp kosher salt to taste

To Thicken Gravy:

2 T cold water

1 T cornstarch

Garnish:

1 T minced fresh parsley

Pat beef dry. Toss with cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Brown beef in batches without crowding. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.

Add onion and mushrooms (if using) to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes, until darker and fragrant. Pour in a splash of the broth to deglaze, scraping up all browned bits. Transfer everything to the slow cooker.

Add the remaining broth, thyme (or rosemary), bay leaf, Worcestershire, soy sauce, Dijon, and salt to taste. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.

Whisk cold water with cornstarch until smooth. Stir into the slow cooker and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the gravy is silky and lightly thickened. Discard bay leaf.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or rice.

All Butter Pie Crust

1 ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoon granulated sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ lb (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

½ cup cold water

½ cup ice

2 T cider vinegar

In a large bowl, stir the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and coat with the flour mixture with a bench scraper or spatula.

Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture, working quickly until mostly pea-size pieces of butter remain (a few larger pieces are okay; be careful not to overblend).

In a large measuring cup or small bowl, combine the water, ice, and vinegar. Sprinkle 2 T of the ice water mixture over the flour mixture. Mix and cut it in with the bench scraper or spatula until fully incorporated.

Add more of the ice water mixture, 1 to 2 T at a time, using the bench scraper or your hands (or both) to mix until the dough comes together in a ball, with some dry bits remaining.

Squeeze and pinch with your fingertips to bring all the dough together, sprinkling the dry bits with small drops of the ice water mixture, if

necessary, to combine.

Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to preferably overnight to give the crust time to mellow.

If making the double-crust version, divide the dough in half before shaping each portion into flat discs.

Do Ahead: The dough can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap tightly and keep chilled, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Thieves Household Cleaner

30 drops thieves essential oil

1 tablespoon castile soap

distilled water

Mix essential oil & castile soap together in 16 oz amber spray bottle. Fill to top with water. Use to clean & disinfectant household surfaces. 

Homemade Thieves Oil

60 drops clove essential oil

30 drops cinnamon bark essential oil

15 drops rosemary essential oil

20 drops eucalyptus essential oil

50 drops orange or lemon oil

Mix together in a dark amber bottle & use as needed.