Crème Brulee French Toast

1 loaf of challah or brioche (any soft/spongy bread)
¾ cup unsalted butter
1 ½ cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons corn syrup
8 eggs
2 ¼ cup half and half (or cream for a richer variations)
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoon orange brandy
¼ teaspoon salt
powdered sugar

1. Cut bread into thick (3/4 to 1 inch) slices and remove the crust. Cut pieces into 1/3 rectangles. Set aside

2. In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in brown sugar and corn syrup and pour into a 9x13 pan.

3. Layer bread in a single layer over sugar mixture. (squeeze in as many pieces that will fit, piecing in smaller slices where necessary)

4. In large bowl (or mixer) whisk together eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, orange brandy and salt.

5. Pour over bread. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 8 hours or over night. (you can weight the casserole with another dish)

6. Remove bread from refrigerator and bring to room temperate.

7. Preheat oven 350 degrees.

8. Bake uncovered 40 to 60 minutes in center of oven until puffed and lightly browned.

9. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Mango Chicken Curry

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp fresh minced ginger
2 Tbsp curry powder (your choice)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup Mighty Mango Naked Juice 1/2 cup chicken broth (or enough to cover bottom of pan)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/4 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup apricots (optional)
Salt and pepper 

Saute chicken until all sides are slightly browned.

Add all ingredients and cook for about 18 minutes or until chicken is done.

Remove chicken and reduce sauce to desired thickness.

Add chicken back in and serve.

Optional
Add coconut milk to thicken sauce.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon white wine sauce

Ingredients

• 
  Preparation1/2 pack of bacon, chopped (or desired amount)
• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved 
• 1/2 cup white wine(approximate)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1. 1. Boil Brussels sprouts for about 8 minutes until water starts to turn green and you can smell Brussels sprouts.  

1 a. At same time start heating a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon, and sauté until bacon begins to brown or desired texture. Remove pan from heat. Remove the bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving drippings in pan (discard the remaining drippings depends on how fatty the bacon is, I usually keep it all).

1. 2. Drain Brussels sprouts and return to pan brown for several minutes
2. 3. with remaining bacon drippings carefully add white wine (can pop and burn you). stir for about a minute. 
3. 4. Combine Brussels sprout, bacon and wine sauce.
4. 5. Add pepper  to taste. 
5. 6. Serve. 

baking powder biscuits

2 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

5 1/3 tbsp. butter

2/3 cup milk

preheat oven to 425⁰.  sift dry ingredient together. cut in shortening until it has the consistency of coarse cornmeal. stir mixture gently with a fork while adding enough milk to form soft, but not sticky, dough. knead on a lightly floured board for about 20 strokes. roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness and cut with biscuit cutter. place on baking sheet and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.  16 2’ biscuits.

Re: Pizza

• One bowl pizza dough
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 table spoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups flour ( spoon flours into measuring cup don't over fill)

First add items to mix in one item at a time in order adding the flour last.
Gradually add the last cup of flour, as you don't want the dough to be
too dry.

Let rise for one hour. Short on time you can rise in microwave. Put in
 microwave for ten minutes on the lowest power setting. Mine it 1 (10%
of normal power)

After putting on your ingredients.
Put in a preheated oven @ 475 degrees and cook for 18 minutes or desired crust.

Friday Night Slow-Cooked Brisket and Onions

serves 4-6

3-4 pound beef brisket, ideally local and grass-raised
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 large onions
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce

Unfold the brisket and cut into two equal pieces that will fit in your saute skillet or cast iron pan. Film the skillet with oil, and heat over medium high heat. Salt and pepper the brisket. Sear until a golden brown crust appears on both sides of the meat. Remove and place in your slow cooker insert.

Add a little more olive oil to the pan and heat over low medium heat. Slice the onions into thin half moons and saute gently until they are soft and lightly caramelized. Add the minced garlic and cook until tender and fragrant. Add to the slow cooker insert, tucking under and around the meat.

Heat the broth to boiling and stir in the two sauces. Taste and adjust. Pour over the meat.

Cover and cook in the slow cooker on low heat for 6-8 hours or until the brisket falls apart. Or hurry it along like we are and cook on high for 5 hours. This runs the risk of a slightly tougher brisket.