Clam Chowder

I typically triple this recipe; add extra clams and I like it thinner so light on the flour and will add more water or half and half if needed.

1- 6oz Minced Clams

1- 12oz can Whole Baby Clams

1 Cup Celery

2 Cups diced potato.

1 12oz can whole kernel corn

1 Cup chopped onion.

1/2 Cup flour

3/4 Cup butter

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 qt. half and half 

In a heavy saucepan combine the liquid from the clams, onion, celery, potatoes, corn, and water to cover. Simmer for 10 minutes or until tender. 

Meanwhile-- Combine in another saucepan the butter, flour, salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Add half and half and blend well. Cook until a bit thick. 

Combine both mixes, adding the clams.

Add a chicken Bouillion cube for every 2-3 cups of water. 

Wrangler soup

4 lbs ground beef
2 onions peeled and chopped
4 28 oz cans tomatoes
4 16 oz cans tomato sauce
4 17 oz cans whole kernel corn, drained
4 15 1/2 oz cans kidney beans
4 1 1/4 oz pkgs taco seasoning mix
Sour cream, chopped chives and shredded sharp cheddar cheese
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat brown the beef.  Drani excess drippings.  Add onion, tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, kidney beans and taco seasoning; cook until bubbling,  Garnish with sour cream, chives and cheese.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Makes 20 servings
Recipe easily half's or quarters

Marshmallow Heavenly Brownies

Mix Heavenly Brownies following instructions.

Using a "Whoopie" pan (shallow cupcake pan), spray pan with cooking spray, place a flat cookie of your choice (Chip Ahoy, Thin Mint, Graham Cracke...) cover with Heavenly Brownie mixture.   Bake at 350 for 10 min.  Remove from oven place large flat marshmallow on top of each brownie.  Return to oven for 3 to 5 min until marshmallow is soft and starting to melt.  Remove from oven place a Hershey's kiss or Hershey's chocolate square of top of each.  Remove from pan while still slightly warm.

HEAVENLY BROWNIES

From my high school friend, Donna.  Best brownies ever!

1/2 cup butter
2 oz unsweetened chocolate (2 squares)
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
Walnuts optional

Heat butter and chocolate together until melted.  Remove from heat. Add eggs (one at a time) and sugar.  Mix until glossy.  Add remaining ingredients mix well.  Bake in 9X9 pan sprayed with cooking spay at 350 for 25-30 minutes. 

Yummy! 

Candy Tempetures

To make CANDY, a mixture of sugar and water, called a sugar solution is created. (Sugar, alone, can be boiled, instead.) It is then boiled on the stove, creating a sugar syrup, whereby the water evaporates and the sugar concentrates in it, causing the temperature in the mixture to rise the more it is cooked. The highest temperature that the sugar syrup reaches tells you what the syrup will be like when it cools.

This CANDY - SYRUP TEMPERATURE CHART indicates two different methods of determining when the solution has been cooked to its proper sugar concentration, depending on the recipe being made: One is by TEMPERATURE using a candy thermometer to record the syrup's boiling point in degrees F; the other is by using the COLD WATER TEST to determine the syrup's density when it cools.
SARAH SAYS: Always test your Candy Thermometer's accuracy before using in each recipe by placing it in boiling water. At sea level, it should read 212 degrees F. If it reads above or below this number, consider buying a new one or make the necessary adjustments when making your candy recipe.

TEMPERATURE - SYRUP'S BOILING POINT AT SEA LEVEL Measure with a Candy Thermometer	CANDY	COLD WATER - SYRUP'S CONCENTRATION TEST
Water boils at Sea Level 212 degrees F	Water, Simple sugar syrups	NOTE - For Higher Altitudes: There are modifications that need to be made to candy recipes. For every 1,000 feet/300 meters above sea level, subtract 2 degrees F. For degrees C, for each 900 feet of elevation, subtract 1 degree C.
Thread Stage 215° F–234° F /101° C–112° C sugar concentration: 80%	Sugar syrup, fruit liqueur and some icings	Thread: At this relatively low temperature, there is still a lot of water left in the syrup. The liquid sugar may be pulled into brittle threads between the fingers. Or, take a small amount of the syrup onto a spoon, and drop it from about 2-inches above the pot. Let it drip into the pan. If it spins a long thread, like a spider web, it's done.
	Jelly, candy, fruit liqueur making and some icings	Pearl: 220 - 222 degrees F - The thread formed by pulling the liquid sugar may be stretched. When a cool metal spoon is dipped into the syrup and then raised, the syrup runs off in drops which merge to form a sheet.
	Delicate sugar candy and syrup	Blow or Soufflé: 230 - 235 degrees F - Boiling sugar creates small bubbles resembling snowflakes. The syrup spins a 2-inch thread when dropped from a spoon.
Soft-Ball Stage 234° F–240° F /112° C–115° C sugar concentration: 85%	Fudge, Fondant, pralines, pâte â bombe or Italian meringue, peppermint creams and classic buttercreams	Soft ball: A small amount of syrup dropped into chilled water forms a soft, flexible ball, but flattens like a pancake after a few moments in your hand.
Firm-Ball Stage 242° F–248° F /116° C–120° C sugar concentration: 87%	Caramel candies	Firm ball: Forms a firm ball that will not flatten when removed from water, but remains malleable and will flatten when squeezed.
Hard-Ball Stage 250° F–268° F /121° C–131° C sugar concentration: 92%	Nougat, marshmallows, toffee, gummies, divinity, and rock candy	Hard ball: At this stage, the syrup will form thick, "ropy" threads as it drips from the spoon. The sugar concentration is rather high now, which means there’s less and less moisture in the sugar syrup. Syrup dropped into ice water may be formed into a hard ball which holds its shape on removal. The ball will be hard, but you can still change its shape by squashing it.
Soft-Crack Stage 270° F–290° F /132° C–143° C sugar concentration: 95%	Taffy, Butterscotch, Candy apples	Soft Crack: As the syrup reached soft-crack stage, the bubbles on top will become smaller, thicker, and closer together. At this stage, the moisture content is low. Syrup dropped into ice water separates into hard but pliable threads. They will bend slightly before breaking.
Hard-Crack Stage 300° F–310° F /148° C–154° C sugar concentration: 99%	Brittles, hard candy(lollipops)	Hard Crack: The hard-crack stage is the highest temperature you are likely to see specified in a candy recipe. At these temperatures, there is almost no water left in the syrup. Syrup dropped into ice water separates into hard, brittle threads that break when bent.
CARAMELIZING SUGAR 320 ° F + / 160 ° C + Sugar (sucrose) begins to melt around 320° F and caramelize around 340° F.	Thermal Decomposition	If you heat a sugar syrup to temperatures higher than any of the candy stages, you will be on your way to creating caramelized sugar (the brown liquid stage)—a rich addition to many desserts.
330 - 360° F / 165 - 182° C Above 330° F, the sugar syrup is more than 99% sucrose.	From flan to caramel cages, etc.	Caramel: Syrup goes from clear to brown as its temperature rises. It no longer boils, but begins to break down and caramelize.
340° F /171° C	Light caramel for syrups, color and flavor	Caramel - Light Brown: The liquefied sugar turns brown. Now the liquefied sugar turns brown in color due to carmelization. The sugar is beginning to break down and form many complex compounds that contribute to a richer flavor. Caramelized sugar is used for flan syrup, dessert decorations and can also be used to give a candy coating to nuts.
355 - 360° F /179–182° C	Spun sugar, sugar cages	Caramel - Medium Brown: The liquefied sugar darkens
375 - 380° F /190–193° C	Coloring agent for sauces.	Caramel - Dark Brown: The liquefied sugar darkens further.
410° F /210° C	None	Black Jack: The liquefied sugar turns black and then decomposes.

399

High Altitude Cooking

High Altitude Cooking

Adjustments	Altitudes
	3,000 ft	5,000 ft	7,000 ft	10,000 ft
Flour Increase each cup by:	0 to 1 tablespoon	0 to 2 tablespoons	3 to 4 tablespoons	2 to 4 tablespoons
Baking Powder or Baking Soda Decrease each teaspoon by:	0 to 1/8 teaspoon	1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon	1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon	1/2 to 2/3 teaspoon
Sugar Decrease each cup by:	0 to 1 tablespoon	0 to 2 tablespoons	2 to 4 tablespoons	3 to 4 tablespoons
Liquid Increase each cup by:	0 to 2 tablespoons	2 to 4 tablespoons	3 to 4 tablespoons	3 to 4 tablespoons
Fats (may not be necessary) Decrease each cup by:	0	0	0	1 to 2 tablespoons in very high-fat cakes and some cookies

Snickerdoodles

SNICKERDOODLES (Kent's Favorite)

1 cup soft shortening (1/2 Crisco + 1/2 butter)

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs (room temperature)

2 ¾ cups flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. soda

¼ tsp. salt
2 T sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Blend flour and all dry ingredients, set aside.

Mix shortening, sugar and eggs thoroughly.

Blend dry ingredient into the egg mixture,stir gently. (I let the mixture set in the refrigerator for an hour.)
Heat oven to 400.

Roll mixture into ball the size of small walnuts.

Roll balls in a mixture of 2 T sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon. (If desired half plain sugar)

Place 2” apart on ungreased cooking sheet (I use parchment paper).

Bake 8 to 10 min.

Makes about 5 dozen 2” cookies.

Option: 
    1) add 1/4 tsp. almond extract & press an almond on top
    2) press a Hersey's Kiss on top of each roll

Lemon Blueberry Cake

Lemon Blueberry Cake

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes

Yield: About 16 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cake flour (Regular flour – 3 T + 3 T corn starch)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp lemon extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sour cream
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, at room temperature, rinsed and drained well

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 12 oz cream cheese, softened (1 1/2 pkgs)
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp lemon extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• Blueberries and lemon slices, for garnish (optional)
•  

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 3 9-inch round baking pans and line the bottom of each with a round of parchment paper. Butter parchment paper and lightly dust pan with flour, shaking out excess.
• Sift cake flour into a mixing bowl. Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk for 30 seconds, set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (if you don't have the paddle attachment that constantly scrapes sides of the bowl while mixing, then stop mixer occasionally throughout entire mixing process and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl), whip together butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest until mixture is pale and fluffy. In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, measure out milk then stir in sour cream and lemon juice, let rest 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix eggs into butter mixture one a time, then stir in lemon extract and vanilla extract. Toss blueberries with 3 Tbsp of the flour mixture. Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with remaining flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture alternating with 1/2 of the milk mixture and mixing just until combined after each addition. Gently fold in blueberries. Divide mixture evenly among prepared baking pans. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 24 - 27 minutes. Cool in baking pans about 20 - 30 minute then invert onto wire racks to cool completely. Once cool, frost with cream cheese frosting and decorate with blueberries and lemon slices if desired. Store in an airtight container.
• Cream Cheese Frosting:
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitter with the paddle attachment, whip butter until pale and fluffy. Add cream cheese and mix until smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla and lemon extract and powdered sugar and blend several minutes longer until smooth and fluffy (if frosting seems slightly runny, you can chill it for a bit before frosting cake).