OYSTER STUFFING

OYSTER STUFFING

Melt in a large sauce pan:
1 1/2 sticks of butter

Add and sautee until translucent:
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 cup celery chopped

Stir in 12 oz fresh oysters with the juice

Pour over bag of seasoned stuffing - I use Bell's (a New England brand) but any brand is good. Use the 20 lbs turkey sized box/bag of stuffing for this recipe. DO NOT USE CORN BREAD STUFFING.

Add 3 cups of warm water*, toss with a fork to blend. Cover and let sit 5 minutes. Stuff the mixture in to the cavity of the turkey just before baking. Or put in a covered casserole and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

*For a moister stuffing add up to 1/2 cup more water.

Peanut Brittle

PEANUT BRITTLE

Based on a recipe by CJ Upchurch


In a microwave safe bowl mix well:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup RAW peanuts*

Microwave for 3 minutes on high

Remove, stir and microwave for another 3 minutes on high

Remove and add:
1 TBS butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract

Stir and microwave for another 2 minutes on high

Remove and add:
1 tsp baking soda and a dash of salt

Stir. Pour onto buttered foil-lined cookie sheet** and let set until cool.

Break up into bite sized pieces and enjoy!


* RAW peanuts can be hard to find. Try H Mart. Peanuts in the shell have usually been boiled and roasted - you must use raw peanuts or the brittle will burn.

** Prepare the sheet before you start cooking. The brittle hardens quickly.

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE FROSTING

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Based on a recipe by Martha Stewart

Mix in a bowl: 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

In another bowl mix: 6 oz room temperature cream cheese, 1 1/2 sticks butter - softened, on medium high speed until smooth. reduce to medium-low speed and slowly add sugar-cocoa mixture until combined. Add (in a slow, steady stream) 9 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled. Add 3/4 cup sour cream; beat until combined.

Makes 4 cups of frosting. Plenty to frost a 2 layer cake or 24 cupcakes.

ONE-BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE

ONE-BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE
Based on a recipe by Martha Stewart

Mix in a bowl: 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp salt. Beat on low speed until just combined.

Add: 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup buttermilk*, 3/4 cup warm water, 3 TBS canola oil, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat until smooth - about 3 minutes. Batter will be runny.

Divide batter between 2 Baking-Pam-sprayed 8" rounds.

Bake at 350 for about 33-35 minutes. Cool in pans for 15 minutes then remove from pans and finish cooling on wire racks.

Optional - makes 24 cupcakes. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

* to make 3/4 cup buttermilk: put 3/4 tsp lemon juice in a 3/4 cup measuring cup and then fill the rest of the way with milk.

Frost with SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE FROSTING