Breakfast Sausage #1

I had to add a number to this recipe because it is a first attempt. I am sure that there will be many more to follow. I love being a taste-tester for these experiments! Scott is great in the kitchen!

2 tsp dried sage
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 pinch ground cloves
2 pounds ground pork (not too lean)

Mix spices together. Add them to the ground pork and mix thoroughly. (Can use a hand mixture to speed up the process.) Allow the meat mixture to chill in the refrigerator for 18-48 hours for the flavors to blend.
Shape into patties and cook thoroughly on a skillet.

It was delicious! Scott is especially good at breakfasts!

Next time he plans to add tarragon and reduce the cloves. I volunteer to be the taste-tester again!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Preheat oven to 350*.

1 cup creamy peanut butter

• (The organic variety does not work well here. Neither does the low-fat version. Just use the inexpensive, store brand that does not separate in the jar.)

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
Hersey chocolate kisses
Additional sugar for rolling balls.

Cream together peanut butter, sugars, vanilla, and egg, until mixture is creamy and smooth. add baking soda and salt. (Really, there is NO flour.) Roll walnut-sized balls of dough. Roll the dough balls in sugar. Bake on a sheet at 350* for 8-10 minutes.
The cookies will be very soft as they come out of the oven. Top each cookie with an unwrapped chocolate kiss while it is still hot, soft, and pliable. Remove cookies from sheet after 10-15 minutes, or after the cookie has set.
These are always a hit! They look good, taste good, and are very easy.

Liquid Corn Starch

Disclaimer: This recipe is not intended to be eaten. It is a recipe for homemade starch. Take a look!

We used this recipe to make the book-themed backdrops for Jenny and Andy's wedding. We used some old, hinged closet doors. They were painted and then we added the pages from To Kill A Mockingbird. We used a paintbrush to apply the starch mixture to each page and adhere it to the door. Then a second coat of starch was added to seal the pages. It worked great! This starch was a much better alternative to the chemical-laden versions I found at the hardware store. It is easy, affordable, and a beautiful product.

2 TB cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

Dissolve the cornstarch in the water completely. Then slowly add the mixture into 3 3/4 cup boiling water, whisking continuously to avoid lumping. Bring the mixture back to a boil. It should be a viscous, opaque mixture. Remove from heat. Cover the pot and allow to cool completely. (I let mine stand overnight.) It is then ready to use!

• Allow the mixture to cool completely before use.
• Easy application with a large paintbrush. We also tried to "dredge" each page in a shallow paint tray and used our hands to "squeegee" the excess off. 
• This mixture is removable from solid surfaces with water. This can be a great advantage if you want to rearrange your pages. However, it is not great when working outside with potential rain! (Don't ask!) 
• High humidity can also release the pages.
• Seal all of the pages (or fabric, or whatever) with one final coat of starch.
• Don't worry if the children (or dog) tastes the starch. You can be confident in the contents because you make it!
• The pages will darken with the moisture of the starch. They will lighten again as they dry. Do a test page first to determine the shading.

Almond Flour Brownies

This is one of those serendipitous recipes that is even better than a traditional recipe. I would choose to make these brownies even if I were eating gluten! You've got to try this! Sorry there's not a photo to share. They get eaten too fast!

Preheat the oven to 350*. Prepare 8x8 pan by buttering the bottom and sides; coat this with a thin dusting of cocoa powder, Shake off any excess.

Combine these first four ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder.

In a second, smaller bowl combine:
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a double boiler, melt:
1/2 cup butter
4 oz semisweet baking chocolate (or 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips)

Beat together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Slowly pour the melted chocolate mixture into the butter and egg mixture while mixing briskly. Do this step slowly to temper the eggs, not cook them. Mix to incorporate fully. Add the chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and mix completely. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Top batter with 3 oz chopped semisweet baking chocolate (or 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips).
Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting for service.

• This recipe doubles nicely for a 9x13 pan. 
• I can't recommend making the almond flour. There is a very fine line between the flour and almond butter. I use the Honeyville brand of almond flour. It keeps very well in the freezer. 
• Milk chocolate does not do justice to this recipe. Stick with semisweet or bittersweet. 
• The original recipe called for instant coffee granules. I have never used them.