Tall Henry's Almanac

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Shoofly Pie

Ingredients:

Crumble Mixture--

- 5 1/2 oz Flour by weight

- 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, cold

- 4 oz Dark Brown Sugar by weight

- 1/4 tsp Salt

Pie Filling--

- 3/4 tsp Baking Soda (neutralize acidity of molasses)

- 3/4 Cup Boiling Water

- 8 oz Molasses by weight

- 1 Egg, beaten

- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Supplies:

- 9" Pie Crust, Thawed

- Fork

- Parchment Paper

- Dry Beans

- Food Processor

- Blender

- Measuring Cup

Method:

- Dock bottom of pie crust with fork and line inside with parchment paper, fill with dry beans.

- Bake in oven at 425°F for 10 minutes.

- Remove Parchment and Beans and bake Crust another 7 minutes.

- Allow Crust to cool as you prepare remaining ingredients.

- Mix Flour, Butter, Brown Sugar, and Salt in Food Processor until combined into crumbles.

- Save 1/4 cup of the Mixture to use as topping.

- Combine Baking Soda and Boiling Water

- Add Egg into blender on stir, and add Molasses, Baking Soda Water, and Vanilla Extract

- Add larger portion of Crumble Mixture and allow to fully combine.

- Pour Mix into Pie Crust, top with remaining Mixture, and bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes until the pie puffs slightly and starts to dry and crack on top.

- Remove onto rack and allow to cool for 2 hours.

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Paprikash

Ingredients:

- 1 Tbsp Butter

- 1 Tbsp Flour

- 3 1/2 Cups Milk

- 1/2 Cup Sour Cream

- 1 Tbsp Paprika

- 1 Onion, Diced finely

- 6 Chicken Thighs, Boneless

- Rice or Späzle Noodles

Supplies:

- Quart Saucepan

- Medium to Large Skillet

- Wooden or Silicone Spatula

- Whisk

Method:

- Add Milk, Sour Cream, and Paprika into Saucepan and heat on low, whisking together, until smooth and until whisps of vapor rise.

- Melt Butter in the skillet on low heat and add Flour, stirring constantly until fully mixed.

-Add diced Onion and allow to sweat on medium-low heat for a few minutes.

- Add Milk Paprika mixture.

- Stir on medium heat until smooth and thickened.

- Add Chicken Thighs and simmer covered until fully cooked.

-Serve with Rice or Späzle noodles

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Wassail

Ingredients:

- 6 Fuji Apples

- 1 cup Brown Sugar

- 1 cup Water

- 72 oz English-style Ale

- 750mL Madeira

- 10 Whole Cloves

- 10 Whole Allspice Berries

- 1 Cinnamon Stick, 2-inches long

- 1 tsp Ground Ginger

- 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg

Supplies:

- 8x8 Glass Baking Dish

- Apple Corer

- Large Slow-Cooker

- Cheesecloth

- Kitchen Twine

- Ladle

Method:

- Preheat oven to 350°F

- Remove cores from Apples and set in the baking dish standing upright

- Fill Apples with Brown Sugar and pour Water into the dish

- Bake until tender, about 45 minutes

- Pour the Ale and Madeira into the slow cooker and add Ginger and Nutmeg

- Put the Allspice Berries, Cinnamon, and Cloves in the cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine

- Set to medium and bring it to at least 120°F (do not allow to boil)

- Add the baked Apples and the liquid from the dish into the cooker

- Ladle into cups to serve

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Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

- 500mL Milk

- 100mL Dark Chocolate

- 70g Sugar

- 5g Cocoa Powder

- 1mL Vanilla Extract

- Pinch Salt

Supplies:

- Medium Saucepan

- Measuring Cup at least 500mL

- Whisk

- Silicone Spatula

- Small Bowl

Method:

- Add Cocoa Powder and Sugar to the small bowl and mix together well, then mix into the Milk in the measuring cup with whisk until combined

- Add Mixture to saucepan, add Vanilla Extract and Salt, and put on low-medium heat

- Stir while simmering until nearly boiling

- Add chopped-up Dark Chocolate and lower heat while mixing together

- Serve in 2 mugs or (optional) small bowls served with sweet brioche bread to dip

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Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

- 24 oz Brioche Bread, cubed and staled

- 5 cups Half & Half

- 3 Eggs

- 3 Egg Yolks

- 1/2 cup Sugar

- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar

- 1 Cinnamon Stick

- 15 Whole Cloves

- 15 Whole Black Peppercorns

- 1 tsp Dry Orangepeel

- 1 tsp Grated Nutmeg

- 2 oz Spiced Rum

- Chocolate Morsels

Supplies:

- 6-cup Blender

- 6-quart Dutch Oven

- 2-cup microwave-safe glass

- Small Strainer

Method:

- Set Bread in dutch oven and add Chocolate Morsels, allowing Chocolate to fall between cubes

- Pour 2 cups Half & Half into microwave-safe glass and add Cinnamon, Cloves, Peppercorns, Orangepeel, and Nutmeg; microwave for 1 minute and stir, then microwave another minute

- Add Eggs and Egg Yolks into blender and stir on low until color lightens

- Add Sugar and Brown Sugar slowly, followed by 3 cups Half & Half

- Add Spiced Half & Half through strainer

- Add Rum and turn blender off

- Pour the Custard into the dutch oven, press Bread flat, and allow Bread to absorb for 2 hours before adding to oven

- Preheat oven to 325°F

- Bake covered 1-1/2 to 2 hours, then remove and allow to cool 30 minutes

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Chili Pie

Ingredients:

- 1 can Chili

- Corn Chips

- Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Supplies:

- Loaf Pan

Method:

- Preheat oven to 350°F

- Spoon out and flatten half-can of Chili in bottom of loaf pan

- Break Corn Chips into medium pieces and layer as desired on top of Chili

- Spread shredded Cheese as desired over Chips and flatten out

- Repeat steps to make second layer

- Set covered in oven for fifteen minutes, then remove cover and bake until cheese on top is golden

Optional - serve with Sour Cream

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Taco Ring

Ingredients:

- 16 oz Crescent Roll Dough

- 16 oz Ground Meat

- 15 oz Black Beans

- 1 oz Taco Seasoning

- 3/4 cup Water

- 8 oz shredded Mexican Cheese

Supplies:

- 14-inch Round Sheet Pan

- Large Skillet

Method:

- Preheat oven to 350°F

- Cook Ground Meat until browned and drain excess liquid

- Pour in Taco Seasoning, Water, and drained Beans

- Bring to a boil and allow to simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

- Arrange Dough Triangles onto sheet pan in a ring, points radiating outwards with half the triangles' length on the pan

- Take the skillet off heat and mix in the Cheese

- Spoon Mixture onto Crescents in a ring

- Fold each flange of Dough over the Mixture and connect to the inside edge of the ring

- Bake until Dough is cooked

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Graham Praline

Ingredients:

- 12 full Graham Crackers

- 2 sticks Butter

- 1 cup Brown Sugar

- 12 oz Chocolate Chips

Supplies:

- 10x15 Baking Pan

- Silicone Spatula

- Saucepan

Method:

- Preheat oven to 350°F

- Place Graham Crackers, broken into 48 rectangles along perforations, into pan. Leave space between to let Toffee get underneath.

- Melt Butter and Sugar together in saucepan, allowing to boil for one minute while stirring.

- Pour Toffee over Crackers and smooth out over whole surface.

- Bake for 12 minutes.

- Remove from oven and sprinkle Chocolate Chips over the top, then spread out when melted.

- Allow to cool for several hours in refrigerator, then break into small pieces and store in fridge.

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Tomato Rice

Ingredients:

- 1 large Tomato

- 2 cups Rice

- 1 tsp Salt

- 1/2 tsp Pepper

- 2 tsp Olive Oil

Supplies:

- Rice Cooker

- Paring Knife

- Wooden or Silicone Spatula

Method:

- Wash Rice then add water for cooking along with Salt, Pepper, and Oil

- Cut stem out of Tomato, removing cone-shaped plug and leaving Tomato otherwise intact

- Set Tomato hole-down in the middle of the rice cooker

- Cook rice as normal

- Once cooking has finished, break apart Tomato with spatula and mix together

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Mississippi Pickles

Ingredients:

- 32 oz jar Dill Pickles (Spears)

- 2/3 cup Sugar

- 1 pouch Unsweetened Cherry Kool-Aid

Supplies:

- Quart-size Cup

- Spatula or Spoon

Method:

- Pour off pickling brine from jar into cup, leaving pickles inside

- Mix in Sugar and Kool-Aid and stir until all Sugar is dissolved

- Pour as much as possible back into jar and tightly close lid

- Refrigerate for one week, turning the jar over once a day to ensure even saturation

[tallhenrysalmanac]

Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients:

Cake--

- 4 oz Unsalted Butter

- 6-3/4 oz Cake Flour

- 1 tsp Baking Powder

- 1/2 tsp Salt

- 8 oz Sugar

- 5 Eggs

- 1-1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

- 12 oz Evaporated Milk

- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk

- 8 oz Half & Half

Frosting--

- 2 cups Heavy Cream

- 8 oz Sugar

- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Supplies:

- 9x13 Pan (with nonstick spray and flour)

- Stand Mixer

- Silicone Spatula

Method:

- Preheat oven to 350°F

- Place room-temperature Butter into stand mixer and mix on medium speed with paddle attachment until softened and lightened in color

- Add Sugar and mix on medium speed until the consistency of mashed potato

- Add Eggs one at a time, waiting until one is fully mixed before adding another

- Mix together Flour, Salt, and Baking Powder and add in three parts into batter, mixing on low speed

- Add Vanilla Extract and mix for thirty seconds more

- Pour batter into pan and smooth out into corners

- Set pan in oven as flat as possible and bake 20-25 minutes until cake is golden-brown

- Allow cake to cool for one hour before taking skewers and poking holes straight down through the cake across the whole surface

- Mix together Condensed Milk, Evaporated Milk, and Half & Half, and pour over cake

- Allow to sit for five minutes before covering and placing into refrigerator overnight

- For frosting, add Heavy Cream, Vanilla, and Sugar into stand mixer and start to mix on low with the whisk attachment until it begins to thicken, then slowly increase to medium-high until the frosting is at medium peaks

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Graham Crackers

Ingredients:

- 1/8 tsp Ground Cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

- 3/4 tsp Aluminum-free Baking Powder

- 1-7/8 oz All-Purpose Flour

- 3 oz Dark Brown Sugar

- 8-3/8 oz Graham Flour

- 3 oz Unsalted Butter (cubed small and chilled)

- 2-1/4 oz Molasses

- 1-1/2 oz Whole Milk

- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Supplies:

- Food Processor

- Parchment Paper

- Rolling Pin

- Two long, 1/8" thick Dowels

- Cookie Sheet

- Fork

- Rolling Pizza Cutter (optional)

Method:

- Preheat oven to 350°F

- Process ingredients together and press into 1/2"-thick disc

- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes

- Roll dough out into 1/8"-thick rectangle on parchment paper and cut and dock with fork

- Bake for 24 minutes on cookie sheet until color lightens slightly

- Allow to fully cool before removing from pan

[tallhenrysalmanac]

Table Cracker

Ingredients:

- 5 oz Whole Wheat Flour

- 4 3/4 oz All-Purpose Flour

- 1/3 Cup Sesame Seeds

- 1/3 Cup Poppy Seeds

- 1 1/2 tsp Salt

- 1 1/2 tsp Aluminum-Free Baking Powder

- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil

- 6 1/2 oz Water

Supplies:

- Food Processor

- Parchment Paper

- Rolling Pin

- Two long, 1/8"-thick Dowels

- Cookie Sheet

- Rolling Pizza Cutter (optional)

Method:

- Preheat oven to 450°F

- Add Flours, Seeds, Salt, and Baking Powder into food processor and pulse while adding Olive Oil

- Pulse while adding Water until dough begins to form

- Turn out dough onto Floured surface and knead until combined

- Roll into cylinder and cut into 8 sections, and roll out each into a disc

- Place a disc between two long sheets of parchment paper and roll out using the dowels to gauge thickness

- Repeat with each disc, leaving each thinned dough on one sheet of parchment paper

- (Optional) Cut dough into cracker-sized sections with pizza cutter, leaving all stuck to parchment paper

- Set each on cookie sheet, dough-side up, and bake 8-12 minutes

- Allow to cool before separating from parchment paper and/or breaking into pieces

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Crustless Spinach Quiche

Ingredients:

- 10 oz Frozen Chopped Spinach

- 2 Cups Small Curd Cottage Cheese

- 8 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese

- 1 stick Butter

- 2 Tbsp Flour

- 6 Eggs

Supplies:

- Sieve

- Mixing Bowl

- Whisk

- 7x11 Casserole Dish

Method:

- Thaw and drain Spinach

- Preheat oven to 325°F

- Mix Spinach with Cottage Cheese and Shredded Cheese

- Melt and add Butter along with Flour

- Beat and add Eggs

- Lubricate casserole dish, pour in quiche mix, and smooth flat

- Cover with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes

- Remove tinfoil and bake for another 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown and set

- Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving

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Pasta Lucerne

Ingredients:

- 1 lb, 12 oz Diced Tomato

- 14.5 oz Diced Tomato

- 16 oz Ciliegine Mozzarella

- 1 lb Rigatoni

- 1/4-1/3 Cup Olive Oil

- Salt

- Pepper

- Basil

- Sugar

Supplies:

- Extra-Large Saucepan

- Extra-Large Pot

- Dinner Plate

Method:

- Mix Tomato with Salt, Pepper, Basil, and Sugar to taste

- Fill pot with water and set to boil

- Simmer Tomato sauce until liquid reduces

- Boil Pasta until al-dente then add to Tomato sauce along with Olive Oil

- Drain Mozzarella and chill on plate in freezer for 10 minutes

- Allow Pasta and Sauce to simmer on low

- Add chilled Mozzarella and mix together

- Allow to simmer another 10 minutes before serving

[tallhenrysalmanac]

Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

- 1/2 Cup Flour

- 1/2 Cup Quick Oatmeal

- 1 Cup Brown Sugar

- 1/2 Cup Butter (Room-Temperature)

- 3/4 Tsp Cinnamon

- Apples

Supplies:

- Mixing Bowl

- 8x8 Square Pan

Method:

- Preheat oven to 375°F

- Mix Flour, Oatmeal, Sugar, Cinnamon, and Butter into big crumbles in Bowl

- Slice Apples and heap into Pan

- Cover Apples with Mixture, leaving no gaps

- Bake 30-40 minutes until Apples are soft

*Goes well with Vanilla Ice Cream

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Dulce de Leche

Ingredients:

- 32 oz Whole Milk

- 12 oz (by weight) Sugar

- 1 Vanilla Bean, split down the middle

- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Supplies:

- 1-1/2 Qt Saucepan

- Wood or Silicone Spoon

- Canning Jars

Method:

- Wash and dry Jars and set aside for use

- Add Milk, Sugar, and Baking Soda to Saucepan and put on medium heat until Sugar dissolves

- Lower heat to low-medium and add Vanilla Bean

- Simmer while stirring for 30 minutes, then remove Vanilla Bean

- Continue simmering until mixture reduces, caramelizes, and thickens

- When mixture has consistency of melted caramel, turn off heat and carefully pour into Jars

- Tightly seal lids onto Jars immediately and allow to cool for vacuum seal and allow to cool to room-temperature