Jill Symons 2007

1½ cups pecans toasted in pan and cut into bits
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 ¼ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs + 2 large yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup dried cranberries
zest from one lemon

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In electric mixer, combine baking powder, flour, sugar and salt. Add whole eggs, yolks and vanilla to dry ingredients. Mix on medium low until sticky dough is formed. Stir in pecans, cranberries and zest.

Turn dough out onto well floured board, sprinkle with flour. Knead slightly, shape into 9" x 3 ½" logs, then transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
Let cool enough to handle (about 10 minutes), reduce oven to 275 degrees.

On cutting board, slice logs on diagonal into ½" thick pieces. Return pieces, cut side down on baking sheet, to oven. Bake until lightly toasted, approximately 20 minutes, then turn over and bake an additional 20 minutes or until slightly dry.

Cool on wire rack, store in airtight container.

Jill Symons 2007

1 1/2 C confectioners sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1t cream of tartar
2 3/4 C flour
1C butter
1/2 t almond extract
1t baking soda

Mix confectioners sugar & butter with electric mixer - add egg & flavorings. Sift dry ingredients and blend with butter mixture. Divide into fist size balls and refrigerate - dust with flour and also flour rolling surface… roll out using favorite cookie cutter shapes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes

I ice these with a mixture of powdered sugar, vanilla and water... usually in white with red hots as accents. Best after a few days! (if they last that long!)

Jill Symons 2008

1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces good bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds beef chuck cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac or good brandy
1 (750-ml) bottle good dry red wine, such as Burgundy
2 to 2 1/2 cups canned beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen small whole onions
1 pound mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate. Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside. Toss the carrots, onions, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 2 teaspoons of pepper into the fat in the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol.

Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Add the wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours, or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove. Combine 2 tablespoons of the butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium pan, saute the mushrooms in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned, and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

serves 6 - absolutely wonderful!

Jill Symons 2008

1 Cup BUTTER
1 Cup light brown sugar
1 pkg. milk chocolate chips
40 Saltine crackers
1 cup pecans, chopped

jelly roll pan

Line jelly roll with foil and spray foil with Pam. Lay Saltine crackers flat on foil.

Melt sugar & butter together, on the stove, until 'foamy'. This is touchy - make sure that the sugar and the butter have melted together - and when the bubbles foam up - that the sugar crystals have melted.

Pour over the Saltines and spread evenly. Bake at 350 degrees 10 minutes. While mixture is still hot, sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Let melt for 1-2 minutes and then spread chocolate out evenly over the top. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the chocolate, gently press into chocolate with bottom of a glass.

Cool and refrigerate until hard. Break into pieces and serve. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.