sweet pork

this is the best sweet pork. way better than the boring old brown sugar and salsa recipe :)

3 lb. pork loin
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 t. dry mustard
2 T. chili powder
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 cans coke
1 T. Adobo sauce (this is the key to this recipe and it's kind of hard to find. i tried smith's, walmart, lee's, and finally found it at macey's)
1 t. cumin powder
1 t. salt

cook 8-12 hours in crockpot. shred and serve.

spudnuts

photo found on flickr.com- my kitchen was a floured mess and i didn't want to bust out the camera.

every year for mike's birthday, we make homemade donuts and have friends and family over to celebrate. it's definitely a two-person undertaking! however, the work is worth it and it's a fun tradition we have to make them together.

1 quart milk

1 cup shortening

1 T. salt

1/2 t. lemon juice or vinegar

1/4 t. nutmeg

2 yeast cakes

4-5 eggs

2 cups mashed potato flakes

1 cup sugar

enough flour to make a soft dough. i used at least 8 cups of flour, and a couple more cups when rolling out the dough

scald milk and add shortening. stir until well-mixed; set aside to cool to room temperature, then add yeast. combine salt, lemon juice/vinegar, nutmeg, and sugar. beat eggs and add to sugar mixture. add potato flakes and milk mixture, then slowly add flour until dough is slightly sticky but pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

let dough rise until it doubles in size (2-3 hours). roll out on floured board and cut. let them rise for another hour or so. cook in hot oil.

some people like to sprinkle powdered sugar on them; we prefer to dip them in a glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.

enjoy!

Baklava

Anyone who has never tried Baklava should. It is so easy to make. I was surprised.

1 package phyllo dough with 2 rolls

1 pound chopped nuts. (I used walnuts)

1- 1 1/2 cup melted butter

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup white sugar

1 cup water

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch pan. Chop nuts, place in bowl and toss with 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon, set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. (keep phyllo dough not yet using covered with a damp cloth) Place 8 sheets phyllo dough in the bottom of the pan, brush EACH layer of dough with the melted butter. Place 1/3 of the nut mixture, then repeat the layers 8 layers phyllo dough each brushed with butter, then a layer of the nuts, then one more time. After the last layer of nuts place 6-8 more layers of dough EACH brushed with butter.

Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You need to cut this now so after it bakes the sauce you pour over it goes into each square. And it isn't as easy to cut once it is baked. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

While baklava is cooking make sauce. Boil 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water until sugar is melted (just barely to a boil and it is done). Add vanilla and honey, then simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Don't cover to tightly because it can go soggy. SO GOOD! This is Jacki's favorite dessert now. We first tried it at the Living Traditions in Salt Lake. You can't find good baklava very many places, that's how I ended up trying to make it.

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

Seriously, this is the BEST spaghetti sauce I have ever had. No bottle sauce can touch it. It is worth trying! Sorry I don't have a picture.

One 28-ounce whole plum tomatoes (use San Marzano they are hard to find but worth it. I found mine at Smith's Marketplace).

5 Tablespoons butter (I used margrine and it worked fine).

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and halved.

Heat a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add all of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low to keep a steady simmer. Cook for 45 minutes, stir occasionally. Discard onion and serve over pasta.

I didn't discard the onion. I cut the onion after I took it out of the sauce and mixed little chunks back in. It was so good!!! (It needs salt but you salt it to taste)

pumpkin pie cake

crust:
yellow cake mix (set aside 1 cup for later use)
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted
mix together and press in bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.
filling:
16 oz. pumpkin
1/2 c. milk
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 1/3 t. pumpkin pie spice
mix together and pour over crust.
topping:
1 c. cake mix
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. soft butter
mix together and crumble over cake.

bake at 350 for 1 hour.

russian apple pie cake with caramel sauce

cake:
5 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1 t. cinnamon
2 t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla
3 apples, peeled and diced

in large bowl, beat together eggs and sugar for 2 minutes. add flour, baking powder, cinammon, and vanilla; stir until combined. grease an 8 x 8" pan. pour 1/3 of the batter in the pan, spread all the apples on top, then pour the rest of the batter on top. cook at 325 for 35-40 minutes. serve warm with caramel sauce

caramel sauce:
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
2/3 c. evaporated milk
2 egg yolks
1 t. vanilla
1 t. flour

melt butter and sugar over medium heat. whisk milk into mixture; add egg yolks and mix well. add flour and vanilla. stir until thick and remove from heat. you'll want to lick the pan. and maybe drink the sauce. it's that good.