White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzels

White-Chocolate Peppermint Pretzels | Karri Perry; Blue Ribbon Favorites 

1 bag pretzel chips/crisps

1 bag white chocolate chips

4-5 candy canes crushed into tiny bits

2 drops peppermint 

extract-not a drop extra…

On a rimmed baking sheet, add parchment paper. Add a single layer of pretzels.

Crush candy canes: place unwrapped candy canes in a zip top bag, with a kitchen mallet or rolling pin-crush candy into small bits. Set aside.

Pour the white chocolate chips into microwave safe bowl. Heat in 20-30 second intervals stirring at each interval, until smooth. Add the peppermint extract and stir. 

Fill a piping bag with the melted white chocolate/peppermint extract mixture. Clip the end of the bag (make a small cut)

and drizzle over the pretzels.  Add crushed candy cane bits to top the pretzels. Continue to drizzle and top with candy cane bits.

Allow to set up, break apart and store in and airtight container.

Orange-Cranberry-Pecan Sticky Rolls

Orange-Cranberry-Pecan Sticky Rolls | Karri Perry, Blue Ribbon Favorites 

Ingredients for Dough:

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast - (I used Platinum Red Star brand in a packet)

1/4 cup warm (100-110 degree) water + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 Cup milk-room temperature or slightly warmed to 100 degrees-no hotter.

2 eggs

2 oranges- 3 tsp orange zest (reserve 1tsp for filling), reserve juice from fruit 

1 tsp orange flavoring (I used orange emulsion)

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + a little extra for rolling

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons unsalted softened butter

Ingredients for Filling:

4 Tablespoons softened unsalted butter

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

Pinch cloves

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

1 cup fresh cranberries-rinsed

1 tsp orange zest

Sticky Sauce:

6 Tablespoons butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tablespoons heavy cream 

1 cup rough chopped pecans and 1/4 cup whole pecans-(do not toast these ahead-because they will bake on bottom of pan)

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray an 9x13 inch casserole with non-stick vegetable spray, set aside. Line with parchment if not serving immediately after baking.

For the Sticky Sauce:

In a microwave safe bowl, mix together the brown sugar, salt, butter, orange juice, and cream.  Heat 1-3 minutes-stirring once, until butter and sugar are melted and a sauce forms. Pour the prepared sauce into the prepared 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle evenly with the chopped and whole pecans (un-toasted) pecans. Set aside.

Warm 1 cup of milk-or let sit out for an hour to remove the chill

IMPORTANT**

 (If you warm the milk in the microwave, be sure it is not warmer than 110 degrees... if it's too hot...

the yeast will die...and the recipe will not work.

Remember 110 degrees is just a touch warmer 

than body-temperature at 98.6 degrees.

 If you are not sure what 120 degrees

 feels like, use a thermometer.

Add one packet of instant dry active yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons

1/4 cup of warm water

Add 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar.

Let yeast/water/sugar mixture sit for 3-5 minutes.

In a stand mixer-or in a bowl with a large spatula:

Add the salt and the sugar, milk, eggs, zest, orange flavoring, and softened butter, then add the yeast/water-mix to combine.

Add 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, one cup at a time until a dough forms. Do not knead-do not over-mix.  Once dough forms, leave it be. Dough should be soft and supple.

Once combined, let the dough rest in a greased bowl, covered for 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Be sure the dough is resting in a warm, draft-free location.

After the dough has risen,

Turn the dough out onto a floured piece of parchment paper.

Roll the dough using a floured rolling pin.  

If the dough is sticky, add flour, a little at a time until the dough is workable.

Roll into a large 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick rectangle

About (9"x 12")

Make the filling:

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Pinch cloves

1/8 tsp salt

Spread 4 Tablespoons of softened butter over the dough using an off-set spatula.

Sprinkle the butter with the sugar/cinnamon filling, followed by 1 tsp zest, cranberries and chopped toasted pecans.

Roll the dough into a log.  Use the floured parchment to help roll the log evenly.

Cut the log in half and then cut about 6 equal slices out of each half.  Place the cinnamon rolls into large casserole dish with the sticky sauce and pecans.  Be sure to leave at least 1 inch in between each roll so they have room to rise.

Cover and let the (rolls) dough rise 30-45 minutes

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven-on the middle rack

for 25-35 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown

and set in the center. Sticky sauce will be bubbling.

Let cool 5-10 minutes. Using a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet-or a large platter… place on top of the finished rolls and invert pan to reveal the sticky sauce and pecan topped rolls.

If sticky buns are left in pan to cool… you’ll need to either have used a parchment sling to lift them -or return the pan of rolls -covered,  to a warm 250 degree oven for 10 minutes to soften up the sticky sauce.

Banana Salad, Lach Bananas or Dressed Bananas

 Banana Salad or “Lach Bananas”

Recipe from: Grandma Julia Lach of Bracken County, Kentucky 

This is a vintage… and dare I say ‘antique’ recipe from our family… handed down through the years, shared and enjoyed for generations.  My great-grandmother, Julia Lach, lived from 1865-1966.

How wonderful for our family that these recipes live on…  We will certainly remember our loved ones and our heartfelt Thanksgiving memories of years gone by… This banana recipe has been there for all of our Thanksgiving days…  it is a tradition and it’s truly a treasured staple on our menu every year… it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without this unique dish. 

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar

Dash of salt

2 Tablespoons flour or cornstarch 

2 eggs lightly beaten

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup water

Bananas 

2 cups finely chopped roasted peanuts

Fancy leaf lettuce for serving-optional 

Directions:

In a saucepan off the heat, combine the sugar, salt and flour. Set aside. 

In a bowl, mix together the eggs, water and vinegar, stirring well.

Add the egg-water-vinegar mixture to the sugar-salt-flour mixture.  Stir well. Place the saucepan over medium heat, stir during the heating and until mixture thickens and boils for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and then cool. Transfer the cooled dressing into a covered container and refrigerate —the banana dressing will thicken as it cools.

Assemble just before serving.

To prepare the bananas:

Peel 4-8 bananas. Discard peels. Cut bananas in half and then quarter. Coat each banana slice in the dressing. 

Dredge each dressed banana slice in the chopped peanuts.

Place the prepared bananas on a platter or large plate lined with leaf lettuce. Can also be served on individual plates.

Serve.

Turkey Puff Pastry; A Baked Brie & Cranberry Appetizer

Puff Pastry Turkey-Baked Brie & Cranberry Appetizer | Karri Perry-Blue Ribbon Favorites

2 sheets puff pastry-follow box directions for thawing

Heart and leaf  2-inch cookie cutters

Brie wheel

Prepared Cranberry Sauce

(Or use a few Tbs of prepared jam, like apple chutney, fig, or your favorite)—you can leave plain too-skip the jam or cranberry sauce

Chopped nuts 1/4 cup (optional)

Egg wash-1 large egg beaten, 2 tsp water/brush

Aluminum Foil

Parchment paper

Paring knife

Roll out one sheet of puff pastry. Cut out one heart shape, and 5-7 leaf shapes. 

Leaves will be turkey 

feathers and feet, heart will be the turkey body.

Using the extra dough and a paring knife-cut a small 1 inch circle for a head, a triangle for a beak, and a small strip of dough for a waddle. Set aside. 

On a baking sheet with parchment paper, roll out the second puff pastry sheet. 

Place the unwrapped Brie wheel in the center. Top with 4-5 Tablespoons cranberry sauce or jam and sprinkle with nuts if using.

Wrap the Brie with the puff pastry, covering completely, press edges together to seal.

To create the turkey design: 

Add 5 feathers along the top of the covered Brie, creating an arched fan.

Place the heart in the center.  (The heart will appear upside down-point facing up)

Add a small circle (at the point of the heart) for the turkey head.

Place the beak and waddle 

Place two leaves at the base for feet.

Gently brush with egg wash.

Bake on middle rack of preheated 400 degree oven for 30-45 minutes-or until turkey is puffed, golden and the cheese is fully melted.

Use a piece of foil to lay across the turkey if it starts to brown too quickly.

After the turkey is baked, remove from oven, let sit for 5 minutes. 

Transfer to a platter, serve with apple slices and crackers.