Pumpkin and Mint Cookies

http://delishhh.com/2011/11/13/pumpkin-mint-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Pumpkin Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields: 40 cookies | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 15 minutes

½ cup sugar
1 (1/2 cup) stick butter room temperature
1 egg
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup mint chocolate chips

Turn oven onto 350F

Mix sugar, butter and egg in a mixer until fluffy.  In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt and set aside.  Then in a third bowl mix the peppermint, vanilla, pumpkin and mint chocolate chips.  Then mix the three bowls together into one just until combined.

Using a tsp add these cookies with an inch apart on a cookies sheet with parchment paper or silicon liner. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Harry Potter - Butterbeer

BUTTERBEER
Start to finish: 1 hour (10 minutes active)
Servings: 4
1 cup light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
6 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda


In a small saucepan over medium, combine the brown sugar and water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reads 240 F on a candy thermometer.
Stir in the butter, salt, vinegar and 1/4 heavy cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the rum extract.
In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until just thickened, but not completely whipped, about 2 to 3 minutes.
To serve, divide the brown sugar mixture between 4 tall glasses (about 1/4 cup for each glass). Add 1/4 cup of cream soda to each glass, then stir to combine. Fill each glass nearly to the top with additional cream soda, then spoon the whipped topping over each.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/07/02/harry-potters-butterbeer-recipe-uncovered/#ixzz2BR0YPO69

Harry Potter Cooking

http://hpcooking.blogspot.com/

Harry Potter - Coconut Ice

You Will Need:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups whole milk
2 Tbs golden syrup or light corn syrup
1/4 stick (2 Tbs) unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup ground dessicated coconut (shredded sweetened coconut is fine)
few drops red food coloring


1. Grease an 8 x 8" square pan and line with parchment or wax paper.
2. Combine the sugar, milk, golden syrup, butter, heavy cream, and salt in a LARGE saucepan (as you cook, it expands like crazy, so you should definitely use a 4qt pot or larger).


3. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the butter is melted and the ingredients are combined.
4. Clip a candy thermomenter to the side and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 238 degrees. This takes at least 30 minutes. Be patient and DO NOT turn up the heat!


5. Remove the pan from the heat and wait until the mixture cools to 125 degrees. This also takes a long time; you may want to place the pot in an ice bath to speed up the process a bit.

Note that it's no longer white :(

6. Remove the thermometer and add the vanilla and coconut. Beat/stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture loses its glosses and is very thick (10-15 minutes). You really might want to enlist some help!



7. Assuming your mixture is still light enough, add a couple drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly (or get really fancy and scrape half the white batter into the pan, then dye the other half pink and pour it over the top!).



8. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Cool completely before cutting into 1" squares. Store in an airtight container (it keeps for several weeks).



Yummy! Despite the fact that my coconut ice has yet to turn out the correct color, it is still quite delicious! I definitely recommend that you give it a try! Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Bread

Butternut Squash/Pumpkin Bread

1 cup butternut squash or pumpkin purée
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 inch loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the butternut squash puree, eggs, oil, water and sugars until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.

3. Stir the dry ingredients into the butternut squash mixture. Combine just until incorporated; do not over mix. Pour into the prepared pan.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Cocoa Steak

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cocoa-rubbed-steak-with-bacon-whiskey-gravy-recipe/index.html

Bret's Glowing Buffalo Wings of Awesomeness

Bret's Glowing Buffalo Wings of Awesomeness

(Makes about 6 cups of sauce)
2 red bell peppers,
1/2 cup of water
1/3 cup of chopped onion4 cloves chopped garlic
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 stick of butter
4 oz of Chipotle Tabasco Sauce
1/2 c. lemon juice1 tablespoon jam (hot pepper, or apricot)
1/3 cup of spicy ketchup


1 large nectarine

Glowing:
6 Cherry Peppers

or
Blazing:
6 Cherry Peppers
2 Jalapeno Peppers

or
Inferno:

6 Cherry Peppers
2 Jalapeno Peppers

3 Habanero Peppers

Choose heat level and use only the peppers listed.  If Blazing is chosen, only use 6 cherry peppers and 2 jalapenos, not 12 cherry  peppers.

Use the broiler in the oven to grill the peppers, cut red bells in half and place all peppers on a cookie sheet.  Place in broiler on high heat.  Turn the peppers every five minutes until browned on all sides.

Chop onion, tomato, garlic while the peppers broil.
Melt butter in large frying pan.  Add onion, tomatoes, and garlic, tobasco and saute.

Once peppers are browned, remove fro cookie sheet.  Remove stems, and add to a blender with a 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of cider vinegar and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend on high and allow to percolate.

Let all cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Immediately pour into blender and add the percolated cayenne pepper sauce. Blend on high for two minutes. Add the lemon juice, jam and ketchup, and blend again for a few seconds. Pour back into the pan where you melted the butter, and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Marinate the chicken wings in sauce for 1- 2 hours.  Place in baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.