Sauerkraut Balls 8 slices bacon ý cup finely chopped onion 1 clove garlic, minces -----we leave this out 1 can (16 oz.) sauerkraut drained ý cup mashed potatoes 1 Tablespoon parsley 1 ý cup finely crushed corn flakes 2 eggs beaten Oil Fry bacon in large skillet crisp, drain &n crumble. Pour off all but 2 T. fat. Add onions & garlic to fat in skillet. Cook & stir until onion is tender. Remove from heat, stir in bacon, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes & parsley. Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto waxed paper lined baking sheet. Gently form ball shapes. Cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap, refrigerate until firm or overnight. Dip sauerkraut balls in eggs. Roll in crushed corn flakes. Heat oil to 375ð, fry until golden brown about ý minute. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot. Can be fried 24 hours in advance & reheat in 400ð oven about 10 minutes. We fry, cool, and freeze. This is my MIL's recipe for Sauerkraut Balls. We don't put the garlic in them. The Cheesy Bacon Chicken Tater Tot Bake is in the crockpot, smaller version, and with frozen hash browns instead of tater tots. The convenience store was out of tater tots. Note: My 3 quart crock pot is full to the top with only 2 chicken breasts, and not all of the cheese. We will be eating at 8:00! Oh well, I will be snacking in the mean time! Tami

I made Ina's Apple Crostata the other nite. It's our favourite apple pie, by far. I thought of taking a pic, after we'd already had our pieces. Apple Crostata (Ina Garten) Pastry: 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons granulated or superfine sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 pound (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, diced 2 tablespoons ice water For the filling: 1 1/2 pounds Macintosh, Macoun, or Empire apples (3 large) 1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn the dough onto a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate one for at least an hour. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Flour a rolling pin and roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a baking sheet. For the filling, peel, core, and cut the apples into eighths. Cut each wedge into 3 chunks. Toss the chunks with the orange zest. Cover the tart dough with the apple chunks leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle. Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the appl

I have been searching for easy recipes for things to bake for our annual Garden Club plant and bake sale which is coming up soon. I came upon this wonderful looking and sounding treat! I hate that I have to make all these decadent things but can not eat a bite! Peanut Butter Fudge Pie with Pretzel Crust Ingredients 3/4 cup crushed pretzel 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted 1 cup hot fudge sauce, plus extra for drizzling 3/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup peanut butter chips 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 1 cup milk 1 cup heavy cream 3 egg yolks 2 tablespoons butter 1 tsp vanilla Instructions 1. Make the crust by stirring together the crushed pretzel, flour, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add in the melted butter and stir until combined. Press the crust mixture into a 9 inch pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool . 2. Pour 1 cup hot fudge sauce into the baked, cooled pie shell. Spread out to cover the bottom and smooth. Set aside. 3. Combine sugar, cornstarch, milk, cream, peanut butter chips, and peanut butter in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly ,until mixture begins to bubble. This will take several minutes. Once it bubbles continue stirring for 2 minutes. The mixture will begin to thicken. 4. Mix a little of the hot mixture into the egg yolks (do this part quickly), beating quickly to avoid cooking the yolks with the hot liquid. Stir the warm yolk mixture back into the remainder of the peanut butter mixture and cook for an additional 90 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla and continue stirring until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. 5. Pour peanut butter custard into the pie shell over the fudge sauce. Allow mixture to cool for 30 minutes before putting it in the refrigerator to finish cooling. Let it cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. 6. Extra fudge sauce can be drizzled over the top for decorating. Add some more crushed pretzel and a little shaved chocolate if desired. Just wait until the peanut butter custard cools before adding the drizzles and toppings otherwise you'll end up with puddles of chocolate. Peanut Butter Fudge Pie with Pretzel Crust www.thestayathomechef.com

LOL Patti! You and your sweet tooth! You are so cute. Lucky, I'm thinking the same as Patti.....shouldn't you be on vacation and away from the computer? OR do you just miss us?? Heeheee This is in my to-try binder and the reviews were all great. Five-Spice Chicken with Hoisin-Maple Glaze (Fine Cooking) 2 Tbs. dark brown sugar 1 Tbs. sweet Hungarian paprika 1 Tbs. minced fresh garlic (about 3 large cloves) 2-1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder 1 tsp. ground fennel seed 1 tsp. dry mustard Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 lb. bone-in chicken pieces (legs, thighs, breasts, and wings) 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 2 Tbs. pure maple syrup 1 Tbs. soy sauce 1 Tbs. honey 2 tsp. Asian sesame oil 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger 1/4 cup peanut or canola oil Tip: Indirect grilling is a must for chicken on the bone so the chicken can cook through before the outside burns. Don't glaze the chicken until just before it's done, or the glaze will burn; watch for flare-ups after the glaze goes on. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, garlic, 2 tsp. of the five-spice, fennel, mustard, 1 Tbs. salt, and 2 tsp. pepper. Put the chicken pieces in a 9x13-inch baking dish and rub the spice mix all over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and no more than 6 hours. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill fire for indirect cooking over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine the hoisin, maple syrup, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and the remaining 1/2 tsp. five-spice powder. Lightly brush the chicken pieces with the peanut oil and arrange skin side down over direct heat. Cover and cook until grill marks form, 3 to 5 minutes. If the chicken flares up, immediately move it to indirect heat. Flip the chicken and mark the other side, 2 minutes more. Move the chicken to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking over indirect heat. Cover and cook, occasionally rearranging the pieces to ensure even cooking, until an instant-read thermometer registers 165F (breast pieces) to 170F (leg pieces), 30 to 45 minutes. Generously brush the glaze on the chicken and flip glaze side down over to the hotter part of the grill. Cook until the glaze is bubbly and deep red, 30 to 60 seconds. Brush more glaze on the top of the chicken, flip, and cook for 30 to 60 seconds more. Serve immediately.