Christmas Wishes Sugar Cookies

With the holiday madness in full swing lets take a moment and fix a treat. Baking cookies for a loved one helps fill the home with aromas of the season. Again by remembering portion control (you don't have to eat the whole batch) these light and airy bits of sweetness can put a happy memory in our hearts. 
 

This batch was intended for portioning out in little zipper bags to hang on neighbors door. It is an especially kind way to remember older people who perhaps are missing friends & family this season. Single people are not immune to the “family pressures” being pushed at you from all sides. The craziness of overspending and running out of time, etc just is not “restful” and a simple gift of 2 or 3 homemade cookies can bring wonderful smiles and warm fuzzys to remind us why we are celebrating! If you are worried about overindulging, freeze the bags and set one out at night for a little treat with breakfast coffee.

Ingredients

48 servings 86 cals

• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour (or 3 cups cake flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
  

• 1½ cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.

4. You want to form this dough chilled, so split it into two bowls for the refrigerator. Chill it for an hour. When forming cookies and the batter gets warm and sticky, switch bowls.
   
   
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

6. Shape into balls of rounded tsp. At first I used a small ice cream scoop. However this made balls slightly larger than an inch wide. These cookie really spread out leaving almost a sheet of wonderful tasting cookie. Since this was not what we are looking for, I switched to a melon baller and made cookies smaller than an inch.

6. Roll each in colored sugar and place onto dullside foil lined cookie sheets. Be sure to place them apart because they spread a lot.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Bake 8 minutes in the preheated oven, Stick to 8 minutes – they will be fine and not overcook.

9. Slide the foil onto a cooling rack and the sheet is ready for the next. Let stand on cookie sheet about 10 minutes, or until close to room temperature, then use a spatula to transfer to a dish.
   
   

Make sure you take them out in 8 minutes, even though they won't be a golden brown. They will firm up once out of the oven. Ten minutes and they turn crunchy after they've cooled.

You can use this recipe to make a huge pan cookie to layer it with fruit and a cream cheese frosting to make a cookie pastry.

It warms my heart to be able to create something special like these lacy cookies for my Master.

For our music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3eAaxQVaHE

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes 

by 

Dan White http://www.amazon.com

/dp/B00F315Y4I

/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via 

@amazon

Bourbon & Brown Sugar Chuck Roast

Sometimes you want a special dinner. One that tastes like it came from an expensive restaurant, but the budget wont allow. Here is an easy to put together well balanced meal that does take time but hardly any effort.

The aroma will melt even the coldest, shopping weary body. Instead of a fancy dessert, peaches & cottage cheese. Instead of a heavy gravy, how about just home mashed potatoes? Balance it out with fresh broccoli and you have all of the best the fancy establishments could offer.

Ingredients:
2½ to 3 lb chuck roast cut into big pieces

2 slices of bacon cut into thirds
1 tsp. Each kosher salt + pepper
4 Tbs. brown sugar
½ cup bourbon

½ cup Triple Sec orange
6 cloves garlic sliced
2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
1 cup beef broth
1/3 cup flourDirections:

Pre heat oven to 275 degrees

Slice the garlic in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the chuck roast with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a 9 by 13 baking dish, combine the brown sugar, bourbon, garlic, Triple Sec, and broth and whisk together blending it all together well. Sit the meat in this and cover for at least 15 minutes. Then uncover and flip the meat to coat the other side. Recover for 15 more minutes.

In a dutch oven over medium high heat cook the bacon until it releases its grease. Remove to paper towels. Using tongs, remove the meat from the marinade, shake off excess, and put on a large plate holding the flour. Flip to coat well and cut into portion sized pieces.

Put meat into the hot bacon grease and sear on all sides. Reduce heat and slowly add in the marinade plus another ½ cup of broth. 
Throw in the cooked bacon.
Cover tightly with a lid and put in the preheated oven for 2.5 to 3 hours. During the last ½ hour check to see if it needs more broth.
Remove with a slotted spoon. If you like, you can make a gravy from the cooking juices in the pot, but it is not necessary. 
 
Dish out a cup into a sauce pan. Stir in a slurry made of 1 tbs corn starch and 2 tbs water. Stir until thick.

Serve with broccoli and a side of home mashed potatoes.

Serving Size: 1/4 roast

Calories 310 Calories from Fat 100 Total Fat 11 g Cholesterol 85 mg Sodium 240 mg Exchanges: 1 Fruit; 2 Vegetable; 4 Lean Meat;

What a wonderful aroma will fill your house. It is an intoxicating blend that could have come from behind a set of double swinging doors leading to the kitchens of a fine dinning establishment.

This well balanced meal says: “This is how you pamper yourself. “This is why it is worth it to get dressed, go into town and pull out the plastic card.” Only You have fixed this in your own kitchen!

For our music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40JYlSdBVfM

So excited to serve this to my well-traveled Master to relish at His own dinner table.

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes 

by 

Dan White http://www.amazon.com

/dp/B00F315Y4I

/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via 

@amazon

Root Beer Pulled Chicken

Are you a bit stuffed with heavy holiday eating? It was wonderful but you have been eating turkey for days and want a break. Dazzle your table with a blast of summer from the crock pot! Serve this light meal for those nights when you are worn out from shopping, or doing the countless things that have to be done before – YIKES Christmas!

Besides this goes great eaten off the coffee table while you watch your favorite game or holiday movie. With of course a plate load of cookies? I'll never tell. Save some back to reheat quickly for a little unexpected get together.

Ingredients:

Marinade-sauce:

• 1 cup of root beer (this also works with Diet Pepsi!)
• 1 cup of your favorite barbecue Sauce
• 1 yellow onion grated and juice
• 3 Tbs yellow mustard
• 1½ Tbs of brown sugar
• 1 Tbs of Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp each salt and white pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
  

The night before:

Grate the onion. You don't need to do this quickly, be careful as your skin in NOT a flavor we are looking for. If you have a small piece of onion left over, don't worry, you have plenty in the bowl.
Add the brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper and garlic powder. Stir well.
Now spray the cup measure before pouring the bottled sauce into it so that it will all release into the bowl, then flush out the cup with the root beer.
Whisk together gently it wont take much.

Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry. Place each into a zip-top bag and evenly pour the mixture. Be sure to use it all. Place in refrigerator overnight.


The Next Day:
Wipe out the slow cooker and spray. Set on low.

Pour the chicken and sauce from each bag into the pot and cover. Let this cook on low for five hours.

At that time:
lift the cover and pull apart the pieces of chicken with forks. It should shred easy while in the pot. Because it is so well cooked, even stirring the contents will probably do the job. Be careful, the sauce will be very hot and it might splash.

Best to serve on nice toasted egg buns.
Goes nicely with bread & butter pickles and a creamy coleslaw. Recipe to follow.


Best easy coleslaw:

1 container plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tbs lemon zest

1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp sweet pickle relish

1 tsp mustard

1 14 oz. bag shredded coleslaw mix

Mix the dressing together at least an hour before serving. Cover and let sit in refrigerator to blend flavors.

Then put the bagged mix in a large bowl and stir in the dressing when ready to serve.

Toast the buns, but instead of using butter, try using a very light touch of mayonnaise!

Use a big slotted spoon to fill the sandwiches. Add pickles and serve with a side of creamy slaw.


What a great surprise at this time of year. Slave took plates around to neighbors who don't cook anymore.

For our music today:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUfy4JkObOE


So happy to be serving my Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes 

by 

Dan White http://www.amazon.com

/dp/B00F315Y4I

/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via 

@amazon

Lynchburg Liver

Beef liver can offer an inexpensive diversity to your monthly menu. The problem is; “How are you going to get him to eat it?” A generation has been raised on over cooked shoe leather masquerading as liver. Here we find by the judicious addition of scientifically proven “Man Pleasing” ingredients they will be asking: “When are we going to have liver again?” Use the magic of bacon & Jack Daniels along with garlic & onions!

Like any other food humans have eaten for thousands of years, liver has good and bad points. This is not for me to delve into. To paraphrase Star Trek's “Bones” McCoy: “Damn it Jim, I'm a cook not a doctor!”

Ingredients

1-2 lbs beef liver

1 cup milk (or water with lemon juice)

2 Tbs butter

½ cup cake flour

3 cups chicken broth

3 slices bacon

4 cloves garlic chopped

1 medium yellow onion sliced

2 Tbs maple syrup

1 Tbs Jack Daniels

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a baking dish.

Rinse liver and place in bowl or dish covered in milk. Let sit for an hour.
If holding kosher try water with juice of a lemon or 1 or 2 Tbs of vinegar.
Pat dry.

Dredge in ½ cup cake flour, sprinkle with salt and pepper then place in baking dish. Save the four.

Slice the onions and mince the garlic. Place in separate bowls.

Fry 3 pieces of bacon until desired “done”-ness and remove to paper towel.
 
Add onions to skillet with the bacon grease and lower the heat. Stir and cook until turning slightly brown. About 10 – 15 minutes.

Add garlic and reserved flour to the pan and stir until well moistened. Slowly stir in the chicken broth and let thicken as you stir occasionally. Careful that it does not burn.

When nicely thick, remove from heat and stir in the maple syrup and Jack Daniels. Taste and adjust any seasonings to your preference.

Lay pieces of bacon in the baking dish and arrange liver in one layer on top.

Pour the sauce over to cover. Then seal the dish with foil and bake for a full hour.

Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 25 minutes.

Transfer the pieces of liver to a platter with a slotted spoon and place the bacon on top. If gravy is thin, pour into a sauce pan with a slurry of 4 tbs water and 2 tbs corn starch. Heat and stir until desired thickness.
This serves well with mashed potatoes or noodles and a side of a broccoli.

What a surprise for your table tonight!
For music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOY6Sd9Q82Y


So happy to honor my Master Indy with a Maple & Jack Daniels version of liver!

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes 

by 

Dan White http://www.amazon.com

/dp/B00F315Y4I

/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via 

@amazon

Alexander & Roberts pie

Since it is the time of Thanksgiving, lets take a moment to be thankful for a couple of brave Pilgrims you might have never heard of. Don't forget to read of their life in the Plymouth Colony after the recipe.

The left-over turkey is starting to run out, yeah! Here's is an interesting reinvention of the classic English shepherd's pie. This uses up remains of the big meal and a few items from the pantry. So it does not take a big chunk out of the food budget that has already taken a big hit.

Really turkey is a great protein that can and should be eaten on more than two days of the year. Try some in all kinds of dishes.

Ingredients:

1 cup cut up left over turkey (approx)

1 cup of a can peas and carrots

12 oz of turkey gravy or a 15oz can cream of celery soup

1 can creamed corn

1 sleeve of butter type crackers (like Ritz)

3 tbs butter

2 tbs flour

Optional: fried onions for a topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole dish and sit aside.

Cut up the turkey into small pieces.

Open and drain the can of creamed corn.

Drain the peas & corn.

Heat 1 tbs butter or oil in skillet over medium heat. Stir in the turkey and let cook until the edges start to have a touch of brown.

Add the peas and let warm up before adding the gravy or soup. Stir occasionally until well blended.

 

In a medium bowl mix the drained cream corn with a sleeve of crushed crackers, stir in the flour. You want this to be very thick.

Spoon the turkey mix into the bottom of the casserole dish. Next layer the corn mixture on top and dot with remaining butter dabs. Sprinkle the top with some of those left over fried onions.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until golden.

Serve with a bread and have a wonderful hearty meal that will knock the chill off the autumn day and clear out all those left overs.

What a great new idea to serve your Master.

For our music, how about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMFH29gywpI

Serving my Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes 

by 

Dan White http://www.amazon.com

/dp/B00F315Y4I

/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via 

@amazon

John Alexander and Thomas Roberts

While the “first” Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1622, our story today starts in the summer 15 years later. Two hard-working English men living at the Plimouth colony faced the possibility of execution after being convicted of a serious moral offense. That horrible crime these two men committed was love. John Alexander and Thomas Roberts had been "caught" in a gay relationship.

Though the penalty was death for being gay, neither man was executed.

Alexander, who was presented in court as being the "seducer" (and therefore considered more responsible) was branded with a hot iron and banished from the colony. Roberts was allowed to stay, though the court forbade him from owning land or participating in the political process (in time, he proved himself "reformed", and Roberts was allowed to own land and to vote). They both received severe whippings.

The colony needed every pair of strong adult hands and couldn’t afford to lose both workers. The judges would have known both of the defendants and were more reluctant to send neighbors (and maybe friends closer than they cared to admit?) to their deaths.

The court records are few (and only a handful of records of other people). What remains give us an idea of what life was like for gay men. Remember that everyone knew everyone else in that colony, so while same-sex relationships with another Pilgrim may have been too-risky for most married men, a tribe of nearly naked Native American guys were living nearby. (Many Natives didn't have the same prejudice towards gays as Pilgrims).

Since we know that some of the female Pilgrims were having sex with male Natives, it's reasonable that some of the married husbands enjoyed gay sex with Native American men.

Many historians also believe that in addition to gays, court documents suggest that bisexuality among married men probably occurred as often then as it does today.

So while there were most certainly others, let us remember and be thankful for the brave LGBT Pilgrims and Native Americans who carved out and built the country we live in today.