How to cook sauerkraut

Ingredients

• 6 medium red potatoes, cubed


• 2 tablespoons canola oil


• 1 small onion, halved and sliced


• 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch pieces


• 1 package (16 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained


• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Homemade ice cream recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream


• 2 cups half-and-half cream


• 1 cup Sugar In The Raw

Directions

• Combine all ingredients, stirring to dissolve sugar completely. Fill cylinder of ice cream maker no more than two-thirds full; freeze according to manufacturer's directions. (Refrigerate any remaining mixture until ready to freeze.) Serve immediately or store in covered containers in freezer.

Editor's Note: For raspberry or strawberry ice cream, substitute 2 cups fresh or frozen berries for 1 cup half-and-half. Puree berries in a blender or food processor; stir into the other ingredients before freezing.
Editor's Note: To prepare recipe without an ice cream maker, place a 13x9-in. dish in freezer until cold. Prepare cream mixture as directed; transfer to prepared dish. Freeze until edges of mixture begin to set, 20-30 minutes. Using a hand mixer, beat mixture until smooth. Freeze, covered, until firm, about 3 hours longer, beating again every 30 minutes.

Homemade bisquick

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
½ cup melted butter (you can use shortening if you don’t want to refrigerate your mix if you prefer)

Directions:

1. In a stand mixer combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until well mixed.
2. While mixer is going slowly pour melted butter into bowl to distribute evenly. If you are using shortening, cut in the shortening.


3. Allow to mix for 1 full minute.
4. You can mix this by hand, and I have, but I find using my stand mixer gives it a more even distribution- especially the butter. This will give you more consistent results in your baking.
5. Transfer to an airtight container like a mason jar or freezer bag and store in refrigerator or freezer for 3-4 weeks.

Use an equal amount of homemade Bisquick in place of the store brand in all your recipes.

Apple pie filling recipe

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the sugars, flour and spices; set aside. In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Add sugar mixture; toss to coat.


• Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim even with edge. Fill with apple mixture; dot with butter. Roll remaining crust to fit top of pie; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in crust.


• Beat egg white until foamy; brush over crust. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover edges loosely with foil.


• Bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 20-25 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.

Hash brown

Ingredients

• 4 medium floury potatoes, peeled (like Maris Piper or King Edwards)


• 1 medium onion


• 1 egg, beaten


• salt and pepper


• vegetable oil, for frying

Method

Coarsely grate the potatoes and onion into a clean tea towel and then squeeze out the excess liquid by twisting the towel. Place the mix in a large bowl.

Add the egg, a good couple of pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper (you need to salt the mixture well otherwise the hash browns can be quite bland). Mix the ingredients well.

Heat a good glug of oil in a heavy based frying pan and when the oil is hot (but not smoking), add spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the pan and flatten into patties about 1cm/½in thick. Flip over once browned and crispy – about 2–3 minutes each side.

Fruitcake recipe

Method

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a deep, 20cm round cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Put the whole hazelnuts, plus 1 tbsp each of the sugar and flour, into a food processor and whizz until the hazelnuts are as fine as you can get them.

Add the butter, remaining sugar and eggs to the processor, then tip in the vanilla, spice, ¼ tsp salt, remaining flour and baking powder. Whizz until smooth. Remove the blade, then stir in the grated courgettes, apple and dried fruit.

Spoon the mix into the tin, smooth the top, then scatter with the chopped hazelnuts, pressing them into the batter a little. Bake for 1 hr 10 mins (see tip, below), covering the top loosely with foil after 45 mins, until the cake is risen and golden. Cool in the tin for 20 mins, then remove and cool on a wire rack.

Chili mac and cheese

Ingredients

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 cups (8 ounces) macaroni

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small red onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

8 ounces lean ground beef

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

One 15-ounce can kidney beans, undrained

One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 ounces cream cheese

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar, plus extra for garnish

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3 green onions, chopped

Corn chips, such as Tostitos Scoops, for serving