Dark Chocolate Pecan Bars

Great for Thanksgiving! Ooey-gooey.

Ingredients:

- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 2 cups pecan halves or pieces
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13x9" glass baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cocoa powder in the pan, tapping the pan so that all buttered surfaces are coated with the cocoa, then shake out any excess cocoa powder.

Use a hand mixer on low speed to beat together the 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Then gradually add the 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 cup brown sugar, until well combined into a coarse crumb texture.

Press the crust into the prepared 13x9" pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the corn syrup, 3/4 cup brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla to the eggs; whisk together. Fold in the pecans, chocolate chips, and coconut.

Pour the filling into the baked crust. Bake for an additional 22-27 minutes, or until the bars are set. If desired, sprinkle the baked bars with flake salt for a garnish. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into bars.

Aunt Nancy's Cranberry Orange Relish

Great at Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:
- 1 bag (12oz) whole fresh cranberries, well washed and patted dry
- 1 thin skinned, seedless orange, well washed and dried
- 1 cup sugar

Directions:

Make sure there are no seeds in the orange. Cut the orange into quarters, then chop roughly.

Place the orange pieces and cranberries in a food processor and chop them up.

Transfer to a glass or ceramic serving bowl and add the sugar. Cover with plastic; let stand for 24 hours. Refrigerate after that; this will keep for 2 weeks.

Cauliflower Gratin

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower
1 c heavy cream
1/2 c milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. butter
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. nutmeg
1 c. cheddar cheese
2 t. fresh thyme (or equivalent dried)

1 T olive oil
1/4 c. Italian-style bread crumbs
1/2 c. parmesan

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Prepare and boil cauliflower florets in pot of salted water for 2-3 minutes, then drain. Do not overcook (cauliflower will cook in oven later).

3. Combine cream, milk, and garlic in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer for 3 minutes.

4. Combine cauliflower, cream mixture, melted butter, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and cheddar (if using dried thyme, add it here or wait until the very end for fresh thyme). Transfer to baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.

5. Combine olive oil, bread crumbs, and parmesan in small bowl. Remove foil, add bread crumb mixture, and bake another 10-20 minutes.

Virginia Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper

- 1 lb lump crabmeat, drained
- 2 slices white bread, finely crumbled (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 tablespoons canola oil

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix the first eight ingredients until blended. Fold in crab until well coated. Gently stir in bread crumbs until well blended. Shape into twelve 1/2-inch-thick patties.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add crab cakes in batches; cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes on each side.

Bacon strips with Dijon Mustard

1/2 lb (6-7 slices) bacon (Thick-style is best)
2 T. mustard (Dijon is best)
1/2 c. brown sugar

Line a cookie sheet or pan with aluminum foil so that the foil extends over all four sides.

Cut bacon slices into thirds. Spread one side of each strip of bacon with mustard.

Break apart any lumps of sugar and place on a plate. Dip the mustard side of bacon into the brown sugar and place on cookie sheet with sugar side up. Do not overlap strips, it will be very sticky.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Watch carefully the last few minutes to prevent burning, but it needs to be crispy so don't under-cook it either.

It will be very sticky so serve on a single layer, on a plate that it won't stick to.

Quinoa breakfast bowl

1/3 c. cooked Quinoa (I cook 1 cup at a time and save the extra for later)
Dried cranberries or gogi berries (may be soaked for 10 minutes to re-hydrate some)
Banana (mashed and/or sliced), blueberries, or other fruit
1/4 c. milk (or almond milk)
1 T. or more maple syrup, to taste
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 T. walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds or other nuts/seeds

Combine ingredients. Quinoa can be warm or cold.

Honey Tilapia

1 egg
2 t. honey
1-2 c. crushed crackers
1-1.5 lbs fish (tilapia, walleye...)
canola oil
lemon, parsley, tartar or other sauces, as desired

Beat egg with honey in one bowl. Crackers in another (with salt, if needed). Dip fish in egg, then crackers.

Cook in a skillet for 3-5 minutes per side, over medium heat or until golden and fish flakes easily.