Caramel Cookies

14 T unsalted butter
1/4 C granulated sugar
2 C packed DARK brown sugar
2 C + 2T unbleached all-purpose flour (10.5 ounces)
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 T vanilla extract

1. Brown 10 T butter. Remove to large heatproof bowl and stir in remaining 4 T cold butter to melt. Set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350,* Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In pie plate (or other shallow dish) mix granulated sugar and 1/4 C packed brown sugar, rubbing between fingers until well combined. Set aside. Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder together in medium bowl and set aside.
3. Add 1 3/4 C brown sugar to cooled butter. Mix until no sugar lumps remain. Scrape down sides of bowl and add egg, yolk, and vanilla until fully incorporated (don't need electric mixer for this - just rubber spatula). Scrape down bowl. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined - about 1 minute. Make sure no flour pockets remain (I usually mix a little bit with my hands - don't over do this!).
4. Divide dough into 24 portions, rolling into balls. Toss balls in sugar mixture to coat and set on baking sheets - 12 cookie balls per sheet.
5. Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned and still puffy and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will have cracks and look raw between cracks). 12-14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not overbake.
6. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature.
   

Uncle Danny's Pork Chops (BBQ)

Funnily, Uncle Danny has no memory of this recipe. Weird.

8 pork chops (for this recipe I like the bones)

2 T of oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 T brown sugar

2 T vinegar

1/4 C lemon juice

1 C ketchup

3 T worchestershire sauce

1/2 t mustard

1 C water

salt & pepper to taste

Brown chops in oil. Combine remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 min. Pour sauce over the chops and bake in 325* oven for one hour.

Whit's Ribs

4 1/2 lb. country style pork spare ribs

2 1/2 C ketchup

2 1/2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce

3/4 teaspoon red pepper

3/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 C Tarragon vinegar

1/2 C sugar

6 cloves of cut garlic

1 T minced onion

1 C salt pork liquid

Boil large piece of salt pork (about as big as your fist) in water for 1/2 hour. Reserve 1 C liquid (I usually reserve 1 C and freeze the rest for next time!)

Boil the ribs in water for 1/2 hour to pre-cook ribs.

Boil all ingredients (except ribs), including salt pork liquid for 5 minutes. Remove garlic.

Put ribs into a pan and pour sauce over top.

Bake 2 or more hours at 300* - basting every half hour.

Ravioli Lasagna

Ravioli Lasagna

1 pkg. frozen cheese ravioli (I like the square kind =)
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar (26-28 oz.) favorite spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Brown the ground beef. In the bottom of the 8x11 in. pan spread about 1 c. of the spaghetti sauce. Put in one layer of frozen ravioli and cover with 1/2 of the meat and then 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat the layering with one cup sauce and remaining ravioli and ground beef. (sometimes I add more cheese here) Top with the remaining sauce and bake uncovered in 425 degree oven for 30-35 min. Top with the remaining cheese and continue to cook until the cheese is melted.

Pizza Bianca

Ingredients:

3 C (15 oz) flour
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 C water
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
5 Tablespoons olive oil
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes drained in colandar for 30 minutes (need 3/4 c for recipe)
6 oz mozarella cheese

Add first three ingredients to kitchenaid with dough hook (this is VERY wet dough). Mix on low for 3-4 minutes (scraping sides as necessary).

Let rest for 20 minutes. Add yeast and sugar and mix for 1-2 minutes on low. Mix on high for 6-10 minutes - until glossy and starts to pull away from the sides.

Oil bowl with 1 T EVOO (also oil the spatula). Scrape dough into bowl with spatula and then add 1 T EVOO on top of dough. Flip dough over and coat well in oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until triple in volume (2 - 2 1/2 hours).

Prepare (sheet pan) pan with 2 T EVOO all over pan. press dough into pan from center out. If it gets difficult to press out, let rest 5 min and then finish pressing out dough. Let sit 5-10 minutes until bubbly. Poke dough with fork all over (30-40 times) to prevent large air bubbles.

Put into preheated oven (preheat at 450* for one hour with stone on middle rack) on top of pizza stone (still in the pan) for 15 minutes.

Combine tomato with 1 T olive oil and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Put tomato topping on pizza dough and then 6 oz. mozarella cheese.

Back in oven 5-10 minutes until cheese is browned.

Run spatula all around under the pizza, lift it to cutting board and slice with pizza cutter.