Easy Cream Cheese Truffles

Super easy, no bake, cream cheese truffles are rich, decadent and bite sized.
Truffles make the perfect gift or dessert to bring to a party.  Also the perfec t snack when you're craving something sweet.  This recipe makes 8 truffles and can easily be doubled or tripled.

Ingredients

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chocolate
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Optional Toppings

powdered sugar
unsweetened cocoa powder
shredded coconut
melted chocolate
chopped pecans or walnuts
Crushed Oreo Cookies
dipped in melted chocolate and peanut butter
Dipped in melted chocolate + coconut oil. This creates a candy shell and is so good!

How to make Easy Cream Cheese Truffles

1. Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in 30 seconds increments until fully melted.
2. Add melted chocolate and cream cheese to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix until combined and smooth.
3. Slowly mix in powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour to chill.
4. Roll into 8 truffles and top with your favorite toppings.
5. For powdered sugar, cocoa powder and shredded coconut. Simply place them each in small bowls and roll one truffle at a time in the mixture to coat.
6. For chocolate covered with pecans, melt chocolate in the microwave (you may have to thin it out with cream or milk). Roll the truffles in the melted chocolate and then roll in the pecans.
7. Store the truffles in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Sophie Schaffer's Fresh Yeast Rolls & Cinnamon Rolls

My great friend, Gayle Schaffer, makes the best yeast rolls ever.  She's been visiting me from Virginia, and we decided to make these yeast rolls.  

She told me she wanted to make them with me so that I could really get the feel for the process.  And I'm so glad she was here, because it really is a process.

In the future, I will make this recipe a day ahead and reheat the rolls for my family holiday gatherings.

We started about 1:00 pm. and finished about 7:00 pm. 
A six hour process. 

You know it's going to be special when you deliberately spend
that long making it.  

I also had to purchase a stand alone mixer,
which I've been wanting to buy for a long time. 
Notice the hook connected to the mixer. 

NOTE - First Gayle said, the kitchen needs to be very warm. 
You don't want any drafts.  

Ingredients

1 stick butter
2 cups whole milk
2 Packages Platinum Yeast by Red Star (the best) optional use Red Star Rapid Rise.
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
King Arthur's Bread Flour

Directions

Melt Milk and butter over medium heat until just warm.

Test temp with your finger.  Too much heat will kill the yeast when added. If it's too warm, set it to the side for a bit.

Combine about 1/3 cup warm water (not hot) with the 2 yeast packets.  Stir to dissolve.  
Add yeast to warm milk and butter and set aside.  No heat.  It will look lumpy.  Let the yeast foam up, about 20 minutes.  With experience you can tell just by looking at it, when it's ready.

In a medium size bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar,
1 teaspoon salt, and 2 beaten eggs.

Add Warm butter, milk, and yeast to this mixture.

(In this picture, the red measuring cup is the yeast before adding warm water)

Using a stand alone mixer, with the bread hook, on a slow "2" speed, begin by adding 2 cups bread flour.  Occasionally scrape the sides of the bowl. Increase mixer speed to a "3" speed. Continue adding flour 1 cup at a time. Approximately 5-7 cups total flour.  We ran the mixer about 1 minute before adding additional flour.

Spread 1 cup flour on the counter and pour dough mixture out onto the flour, scraping the edges.
Do not wash this bowl.  Butter all around the bowl, clear to the top.  We'll use this bowl to let the dough rise.

Knead the dough adding a bit more flour, 1/2 to 1 cup, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Kneading hints - After pouring out on the counter, pull in a little flour when it gets sticky.  Using the palm of your hand, knead this approximately 100 times. About 10 minutes. You'll feel it drawing up and becoming more elastic.  Knead another 30 times.  Dough should be very elastic by then.  We did not use all the dough on the counter.  Do not clean up the flour on the counter.  We will continue to use it later.

Put dough in the buttered bowl.  Roll it around the bowl a little to butter the dough, and cover with a tea towel.  Set aside to rise, in your warm kitchen.  Depending on the conditions inside, and even outside your house, will determine how long the dough takes to rise.  It will take approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hrs. to have the dough double in size.  It took us every bit of 2 hours.  

After the dough has doubled, it just fell out of the buttered bowl.  Work the dough minimally again.
We divided the dough in half because we are going to make 2 kinds of rolls

Do not use anything on the baking pans.  Not spray PAM or oil of any kind.

A Parkerhouse Roll - Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to desired thickness.  Using a biscuit cutter or a thin rimmed glass, cut our a circle.  Then stretch the dough just a little, fold it over once, and place on a light colored cookie sheet.  We pinched the two sides together with a little flour, so they won't come apart while rising a second time.  Now we will cover the rolls with a tea towel and set in a non-drafty area of the kitchen to let the rolls rise again.  It will take another 1 or a little longer to double in size again.  

Hot Rolls - We added the leftover dough from the cut out rolls to the second half of the dough, and kneaded gently again.  We handled the dough delicately.  Do not over work the dough.  We are going to make balls with this dough, about a 2-inch round size.  Don't press the dough together.  

Using a light colored 9x13 pan, we placed the balls 3 across and 4 long.  Cover with another tea towel, and allow to rise, doubled in size, about 1 hour.  The same as the Parkerhouse rolls.

After the rolls have doubled again, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
Do NOT use the Convection setting on your oven.  Use the traditional oven setting.   
Bake rolls approximately 12 minutes.

First picture here is before they rose.  Second picture is out of the oven.

Gayle said to me a dozen times, "Do not open the oven door", as I watched them bake.

It smells SO GOOD in my kitchen!

ENJOY 

Cinnamon Rolls

Roll out dough into a rectangle.  Melt 1/2 to 3/4 of a stick of butter, and brush the inside of your dough.  Mix Brown Sugar and Cinnamon in equal parts and sprinkle over melted butter.

Then Roll it up like a jelly roll, and pinch the dough together.  Slice about 3/4 to 1 inch thick and place in a light colored 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle left over cinnamon & sugar mixture evenly over top of rolls.

Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise until doubled in size.

Bake cinnamon rolls about 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Foolproof Prime Rib

The Holidays call for something special and a Prime Rib Roast from Harter House is always special.  Harter House will season your prime rib for FREE with Pappy's, Santa Maria, or Jerry's Prime Rib Rub.

For the longest time I could not get my Prime Rib to be as good as I could get at a nice restaurant. I was constantly trying new recipes, never quite getting it perfect or at the very least, my results were never consistent. Then I tried this recipe and thought it was the best roast I had ever made and I got rave reviews. Both of these recipes are similar. The first recipe does not actually say how long to leave the roast sit in the oven before you turn the oven back on, but 2 hours was what I tried and it worked great.

Foolproof Prime Rib

This method for Prime Rib Roast is browned on the outside and rare on the inside – regardless of size!

Allow your Prime Rib Roast to stand at room temperature for at least an hour. If your Prime Rib is frozen, thaw completely and bring to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Rub the roast with spices - Salt, Pepper, Garlic– (See rub recipe below or I like our NEW Jerry's All Purpose Rub  OR I've used Montreal Steak Seasoning also)

Then place Prime Rib Roast on a rack in a pan – Rib Side Down, fatty side up.

Roast for 1 hour. Turn oven off. Leave roast in oven but

DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR.

Allow to sit in oven at least 2 hours.

Thirty to forty minutes before serving time, turn your oven on to 375 degrees and reheat Prime Rib.

(This recipe does not say allow to rest – but I would definitely allow time for the roast to rest before slicing)

IMPORTANT: DO NOT REMOVE ROAST OR OPEN OVEN DOOR FROM TIME THE ROAST IS PUT IN AND UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO SERVE.

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Another method says;

Let stand for an hour at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Rub dry herb mixture all over and into Rib Roast.

Place roast on a wire rack inside a roaster pan, and with the ribs down. Put the roast in the oven and roast uncovered for 1 hour. After the 1 hour turn off the oven without opening it. In 4 hours, turn on the oven to 370 degrees and roast 30 minute more for a medium rare.

Remove roast and let rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

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Spice Rub:

2 TBL Onion Powder, 2 TBL Died Rosemary, 2 TBL Black Pepper, 1 TBL Garlic Powder, ¼ Cup Paprika, ¼ Kosher Salt.

I use an Au Jus Gravy mix and add dripping from my roast pan for the gravy.

If guests do not want any pink in their meat, let their prime rib slice sit in the gravy for a short time and all the red will be gone and the meat is supper tender and juicy.

Be sure to pickup a creamy Horseradish Sauce

to serve with your Prime Rib Roast.

Grilled Ribeye Steak with Cabernet Mushrooms

This recipe for Grilled Ribeye Steak with Cabernet Mushrooms is the last of the incredible grilled steak recipes Chef Brandon Douglas taught participants at the “Sizzling Summer Steaks” event that was part of the “Made from Scratch” cooking classes in 2013 at the Winrock Institute on Petit Jean Mt.

Chef Douglas says the ribeye is his favorite steak cut because of the wonderful marbling of fat this cut features compared to leaner cuts of beef steak. He says the fat adds to the sweet, rich flavor of this recipe. He combined sliced baked sweet potato wedges when he plated the finished steak and mushroom sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry cabernet sauvignon
• 2/3 cup green onion sliced in rounds
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
• 3 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped; plus sprigs for garnish
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup demi glaze or Beef stock
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 Harter House Ribeye Steaks, 1-1/2 inches thick
• your favorite mushrooms, rough chopped or whole
• Baked Sweet Potato (Optional)

Directions

1. Make small cuts with knife into fat around the edge of steaks. Rub with your favorite seasoned salt steak rub and pepper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Clean grill grate and preheat grill to high heat.
3. Place steaks on hot grill for three minutes on each side to sear. Reduce grill temperature to low and close the lid. Continue cooking steaks an additional five to 10 minutes for medium-rare, turning halfway through. Let steaks rest for five minutes before serving.
   OPTION - cook till Medium Rare on the grill.
4. As steaks cook, add olive oil to saute’ pan. Add mushrooms, garlic and saute’ until mushrooms become tender. Excluding green onions, add remaining ingredients and reduce until sauce forms. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. Pour on top of finished steak. Garnish with green onions and remaining olive oil. Serve with baked sweet potato.

EASY Prime Rib

 

Harter House Supermarkets will cut the Bone from your Rib Roast 
and tie it back on, making for easy slicing.

Harter House will also season you roast for FREE 
with Pappy's or Santa Maria Seasoning.

Seasoning

Cracked Black Pepper,

Kosher Salt

Garlic.

(or your seasonings of choice)

Instructions

Bake in a 350 degree oven -  approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours - depending on size.

The important part is to use a meat thermometer.

Remove the prime rib from the oven when your meat thermometer says 120 - 125 degrees.

Allow the meat to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.

 

NOTE

If your slices look too rare, let the slices sit in the Au Jus Gravy for just a bit.

It will brown right up and be very tender.

And Don't forget the Horseradish sauce. YUM.

Baked Mac and Cheese

 

When you find something that's wonderful, you tend to cook it often.  This recipe is special.  ~Shelly

Ingredients

Macaroni:

 8 oz macaroni (elbow pasta)
1 tbsp unsalted butter (or 2 tsp oil)

Topping:

2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 1)
2 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
1/4 tsp salt

Sauce:

4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup flour , plain / all purpose
3 cups milk , warmed (low or full fat)
2 cups freshly shredded cheese, gruyere best (followed by cheddar and Colby) (Note 2)
1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese , or more other cheese of choice (Note 2)
3/4 tsp salt

Seasonings (optional):

1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp mustard powder

Instructions

Pasta:

• Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add macaroni and cook per packet directions MINUS 1 minute.
• Drain, return pasta to pot, add butter and toss until melted. Set aside to cool while making the Sauce (Optional - Note 3).

Topping:

• Mix together Topping. Set aside.

Sauce:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large saucepan or in an ovenproof skillet (I use my 9" Lodge cast iron skillet), melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add about 1 cup of the milk and mix to dissolve the paste into the milk. Then add remaining milk and mix until lump free (use whisk if required).
• Mix in salt and Seasonings if using.
• Cook, stirring/whisking regularly, for 5 - 8 minutes until thickened to a cream consistency. When the Sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon, you should be able to draw a path with your finger.
• Remove from stove, add cheese and stir - cheese doesn't need to melt.
• Adjust salt to taste.

Assembling:

• Pour Sauce into pot with Macaroni. Stir quickly, then pour back into the skillet (I did this) or a baking dish (Note 4). Sprinkle with breadcrumb topping.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until top is light golden. Don't bake too long otherwise you'll bake away the Sauce!
• Serve immediately! I sprinkled mine with a bit of fresh parsley.
  
  

Notes

1. Panko breadcrumbs are larger pieces than normal breadcrumbs which creates a really nice extra crunchy topping. Can sub with normal breadcrumbs.

2. Cheese

• Main Cheese (2 cups) - my favourite is gruyere, for flavor and melting quality. Can use any flavored melting cheese. Other cheeses I like for this include: cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, provolone. 
• I like to use mozzarella for the 2nd cheese (1 cup). It melts really well into the sauce, has that nice stretch, and isn't as oily like other cheese can tend to be. However, you can just use more of the Main Cheese. 
• Always grate your own cheese for cheese sauces. Store bought shredded cheese have anti caking agents which don't melt so can give the sauce a slight powdery texture.
  
  

3. Tossing pasta with butter provides a light coating that helps prevent it from bloating while baking in the sauce. This is also the reason why I let the pasta cool before mixing in with the sauce. Optional step - can skip it.

4. Baking dish size - 2.5 Qt  (10 cup) baking dish. A 9 x 13" / 23 x 33 dish is perfect for a double batch, a little too big for a single batch (spreads too thinly, you want more depth).

5. PREPARE AHEAD: Mac and Cheese is best made fresh but if you need to make ahead, this is the best way: Cook pasta and toss in butter, cool. Make cheese sauce per recipe, then cool with LID ON (important, to avoid evaporation). Make topping. Store all components separately in the fridge until required. Mix sauce and pasta, top with topping then bake per recipe.

REHEATING LEFTOVERS: Best way is to microwave to make warm then spray top with oil (or butter) and crisp under grill/broiler.

6. Nutrition per serving. 6 servings as a generous side - you will be surprised how far 8oz stretches with a load of cheese sauce! Will serve 4 generously as a main.
This recipe comes from; RecipeTinEatsFollow the link for step by step directions.

Slow Roasted Bone-In or Boneless Boston Butt

Make this Boston Butt recipe when you have the time to slow roast it in the oven. The lemon and herbs flavor the meat while the low temperature makes for a succulent and tender pork dish.

 
Ingredients

1 (5-lb.) bone-in pork shoulder roast (Boston butt)
2 lemons, halved and divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 garlic bulb, unpeeled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Garnishes: roasted garlic cloves, baby carrots, radishes, lettuce leaves

How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°. Rub 1 lemon half on all sides of pork roast, squeezing juice from lemon. Stir together oregano, salt, and pepper; rub on roast.

Step 2

Place roast on a lightly greased rack in a roasting pan. Separate garlic cloves (do not peel), and place around roast. Drizzle olive oil over roast and garlic cloves.

Step 3

Squeeze juice from remaining 1 1/2 lemons into a bowl. Stir together juice and chicken broth; pour into roasting pan.

Step 4

Bake at 350° for 3 1/2 - 5 hours, until fork tender, or desired tenderness.  (I like to do 5 hours)
. 

Shred pork into large pieces using two forks, if desired. Garnish, if desired.

Pork Tacos

Pulled Pork Sweet and Tangy

Best Sugar Cookie Recipe

 

This is my favorite sugar cookie recipe.
I am planning to have a cookie baking party with girlfriends this weekend.
I can't wait.

Ingredients

3 cups All Purpose flour, measured then sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Traditional oven setting, not convection.
Line several cookie baking pans with parchment paper.
Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

Place the softened butter and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer.
Cream the butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.  (Don't skimp on the time)
Then turn the mixer on low and add the eggs and vanilla extract.  Scrape the bowl.

With the mixer running on low, slowly add the flour mixture.  
Scrape the bowl and beat again for 30 seconds.

Pour some extra sugar into the bowl to coat the cookie dough.  
Scoop the dough out and roll into 1-inch balls.  
The dough should be soft and delicate - don't over-handle.
Shake each ball in the sugar bowl to coat, then place on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart. 
Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press down on each ball, until it's 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick.

Bake each sheet of sugar cookies for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden and the centers are just barely set.  Cool completely on the cookie sheets.

Optional Butter Cream icing, but great with no icing.

Panko Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

4 Harter House Tenderized Pork Cutlet.

2 egg, beaten
1/2 Cup buttermilk (or whole milk)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teas cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup peanut oil for frying

4 Kaiser rolls, split
4 teaspoons mayonnaise, or as needed (optional)
4 teaspoons ketchup, or as needed (optional)
4 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard, or as needed (optional)
4 leaves lettuce (optional)
4 slices tomato (optional)
4 slices onion (optional)
4 slices pickle, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Start with 4 Harter House, tenderized, Pork Cutlets.
2. Beat the eggs and milk together in a shallow bowl, and whisk in the garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, marjoram, oregano, salt, and pepper until the spices are well blended into the mixture. Place the flour in a shallow bowl.  Place the panko in another shallow bowl. 
3. Dip each flattened cutlet into the seasoned milk-egg mixture and then into the flour, back to the egg mixture then into the panko crumbs, thoroughly coating the cutlets with crumbs. Set the breaded cutlets aside on a piece of parchment or waxed paper; do not stack.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet until the oil is shimmering. Gently lower the cutlets, one at a time, into the hot oil, and fry until golden brown on each side, about 8 minutes per cutlet. Drain the cutlets on paper towels.
5. Preheat oven broiler, and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
6. Spread the Kaiser rolls open with the cut sides up, and broil until the rolls are toasted and hot, about 1 minute. Top each roll with a fried cutlet (hopefully the sides of the meat will hang out of the roll by at least an inch on each side); top each cutlet with choice of mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a pickle slice, if desired.

YouTube - Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
This recipe uses saltines and flour.
It also recommends to let the cutlet marinate in the egg and milk mixture about 4 hours.