BRANDY PLANTAINS A LA MODE

Ingredients-
2 very ripe (black skins) plantains, peeled
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 oz brandy
1/2 cup wine

Steps-
Chop off both ends of plantains, then slit skin lengthwise to remove it.
Melt butter in a skillet.
Carefully (don't splatter melted butter!) place the plantains in the skillet.
Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and then sprinkle over plantains.
Cook for five minutes and then remove from heat.
Remove the plantains and place in a dish
Add wine to the empty skillet and stir thoroughly with sugar and cinnamon remnants.
Pour the sauce over the plantains.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and pour brandy over the plantains.
Make sure kids and pets are out of kitchen
Set plantains on fire and allow the flames to go out by themselves.
Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Eat it all, don't save leftovers.

CAROL'S CHAMBORD BROWNIES

These brownies are OMG delicious!

Ingredients for bottom/brownie layer:

1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 can Hershey's syrup
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt

Mix the above ingredients and pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Let cool. Once cool, make the icing layer:

Ingredients for middle/icing layer:
1 stick softened butter
1 lb powdered sugar
Option - 2 to 4 tsp chambord or raspberry liquor (you can use any flavor that appeals to you. Just remember that it has to go well with chocolate)

Mix all ingredients until fluffy and spread on top of cooled brownie layer

Ingredients for top layer:
12 oz (2 cups chocolate chips)
1.5 sticks butter

Melt butter and chocolate together and then pour on top of icing layer. Once chocolate has set, cut into squares.

PINEAPPLE KUGEL

(Chef Kevin Ryan)

8oz pkg wide egg noodles

6 eggs

5 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

8 oz can crushed pineapple and it's juice

1.25 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

8oz can pineapple slices

option - 1/4 cup maraschino cherries

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1. boil noodles in salted water until just starting to soften

2. rinse and drain

3. beat eggs and melted butter together

4. mix in sugar, crushed pineapple and its juice, vanilla and cinnamon

5. stir in noodles

6. spread into a greased 9x13 baking pan

7. place pineapple rings and cherries on top for decoration

8. bake at 350F for about 50 minutes until golden brown

BASBOUSA

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2 sticks butter, unsalted

1/2 cup chopped almonds

extra almonds for decoration on top

1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup semolina flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Syrup-

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

juice from 1/2 lemon

Option- 1 TBSP rosewater

Option- whipped cream

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1. Preheat oven to 400F

2. Fry almonds in 1 stick of butter until slightly golden

3. In large bowl, mix yogurt and 3/4 cup sugar

4. One at a time, mix in almonds and their butter, semolina, baking powder and vanilla extract until well blended.

5. Pour into oiled 9x9x2 pan and put into oven

6. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes.

7. Make syrup right away while basbousa is baking

8. Stir together 1 cup sugar, water and lemon juice over medium heat until thick enough to coat spoon.

9. Mix in rose water and stir 2 more minutes

10. Remove from heat and put into refrigerator right away.

11. Once basbousa is finished in oven pour cold syrup on top.

12. Cut basbousa into squares or diamonds and put back into oven for another 5 minutes

13. Once basbousa is finished, pour 1 stick melted butter on top

14. Spread whipped cream on top or put dollops on individual servings

NUT & DATE FUDGE / RANGINAK

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 lbs white/vanilla chocolate bark, wafers or chips (craft stores, baking aisle at market, candy supply stores). Can also use "confectioners coating"
1-14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 tsp salt
1.5 tsp white vinegar
1 lb pitted dates
1/2 lb walnut halves (halved again, so you have quarters)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup slivered pistachios or almonds for garnish
1 tsp vanilla extract

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1. Put one piece of walnut into each date and fold it closed
2. Arrange dates facing up into a wax-paper lined 8 or 9 inch pan.
3. In large sauce pan, melt bark/wafers/chips over very low heat.
4. Once melted, stir in salt
5. Remove from heat
6. Stir in chopped walnuts, vanilla, condensed milk and vinegar. Mix well
7. Pour carefully around and then over dates/nuts, filling in crevices
8. Garnish with pistachios or almonds across the top
9. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature once cooled.

BAKLAWA / BAKLAVA

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. Filo pastry sheets

1 lb melted, rendered butter (melt for 30 minutes over low heat, put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, scrape off & discard top residue)

1 lb ground, unsalted cashews or pistachios

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Syrup-
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
2 TBSP orange blossom flavoring or juice of 1 lemon or orange
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1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix nuts, sugar, allspice and cinnamon
3. Cut pastry sheets to fit 9x15 baking pan. Keep them covered with wet towels to prevent drying out
4. Spread one sheet across bottom of pan and brush with melted butter
5. Add alternating layers of sheets and brushed on butter until you have it 20 sheets deep
6. Pour nut mixture on top and spread evenly
7. Put layers of pastry & melted butter on top until all sheets have been used
8. Slice with knife into squares/servings
9. Bake for 1 hour at 350
10. While baklawa is baking, make syrup-
11. Combine sugar and water in pan and bring to boil
12. Continute to stir until syrupy - about 10 minutes
13. Mix in orange blossom flavoring
14. Put in refrigerator immediately
15. You need to baklawa to be done and the syrup to be COLD before combining
16. Once these conditions are meet, pour the cold syrup on top of of the warm baklawa.

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Mississippi

Sweet Potato - Pecan

Pie

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1 pie shell
2 cups cooked & peeled sweet potatoes
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 slightly beaten large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
dash salt
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup pecan halves
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1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Prick bottom of pie crust with a fork bake for 12 minutes.
3. Set aside to cool.
4. Mash sweet potatoes and combine with half of the butter (1/4 cup).
5. Let cool.
6. Add to sweet potato mixture one at a time: heavy cream, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, spices.
7. Beat until fluffy
8. Pour mixture into pie crust.
9. Bake for 20 minutes. Keep oven on after removing pie.
10. Combine remaining 1/4 cup of butter with corn syrup and pecans
11. Pour evenly over top of pie.
12. Put pie in oven and bake 25 minutes longer. Do toothpick test.
13. Serve with whipped cream.

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ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS-

MY DAUGHTER'S FAVORITE

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1.5 cups raw, whole pumpkin seeds

1 TBS melted butter

salt

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1. Wash pumpkin seeds. Seeds will float and pumpkin guts tend to sink so use that to your advantage. Let dry by spreading out on foil or cookie sheet. Don't use paper towels - they'll stick.

2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 C)

3. Toss seeds with melted butter and drain off excess butter

4. Spread seeds out on nonstick cookie sheet. Lightly sprinkle with salt.

5. Bake about 45 minutes until golden brown. Stir every 15 minutes during baking.

6. Line container with paper towel to absorb any remaining moisture from the butter.