Rogers Yums!

I was going to make simple chocolate chip cookies, then decided to add some dried apricots.  Cutting the apricots into small bits with a knife was tedious, so I experimented with other techniques.  Along the way, I started adding other ingredients.  After weeks of experimentation, I settled on this recipe as my favorite version. I found the dried apricots, dates, and mango at Costco.  They don't always have them in stock, so get them when they're available.  They're very good quality and also make excellent snacks by themselves! It may seem odd to use butter with butter flavored shortening, but this really gives it the best combination of flavor and texture, in my opinion. While the cookies are good warm, I prefer them cold.  After they're cooled enough to hold their shape, I bag them and stick them in the freezer.  They stay fresh for a long time that way. Feel free to make substitutions.  For example, you can use pecans instead of almonds, dried...

I was playing with the Our Best Bites Mint Brownie recipe, and I came up with a version that tastes remarkably similar to chocolate orange sticks. One change I made was to the chocolate. Instead of using baking chocolate and chocolate chips, I used a dark Belgian chocolate bar from Trader Joe's. This required reducing the sugar in the brownie batter a bit, and increasing it in the glaze. Then, of course, I made an orange frosting instead of using mint. I don't bother lining the pan with foil or parchment paper.  That would be useful it you wanted to remove the brownies from the pan before cutting them, but I find that cutting and serving from the pan works just fine. Brownies 6 ounces Trade Joe's Pound Plus 72% dark chocolate 1 cup butter 4 large eggs 1 3/4 cups sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/4 cups flour Frosting 2 cups powdered sugar 4 tablespoons butter, softened 1 teaspoon orange extract 1/3 - 1/2 cup orange marmalade orange food coloring Choc...

We had a stale French bread baguette, so I made bread pudding.  I found a recipe that looked good at  https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/pressure-cooker-raspberry-orange-bread-pudding/ , but there were some problems.  First, I didn't have all the ingredients.  Second, I had the wrong size pan.  Third, I wanted to pair it with a different sauce.  (I guess that third problem wasn't technically a problem.)  So, I made a bunch of changes to the recipe and came up with this version: Pudding Ingredients 4 large eggs 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/3 teaspoons orange extract zest of 1 orange 2/3 cup orange juice 12 ounce can evaporated milk 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted 1/4 cup milk 10 cups cubed stale bread (1-2 inch cubes) 1/3 cup dried cranberries or strawberries 1 1/3 cup frozen raspberries Sauce Ingredients 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk + 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar) 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon baking soda In a lar...

When life gives you grapefruits, make cookies!  If you like chocolate and orange together, you'll enjoy this recipe. Grapefruit Chocolate Chip Cookies 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup shortening 1 tablespoon grapefruit zest 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons molasses 1 tablespoon grapefruit juice 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour 1 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips Brown the butter, then chill it until it's just solid.  If you want to save some time, you can skip this step.  (But, don't skip this step.  It's worth taking the time.) Preheat oven to 350.  Cream the browned butter, shortening, grapefruit juice and zest, eggs, sugar, and molasses together until it's smooth and slightly fluffy.  Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and vanilla, and mix well.  Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop 1 1/2 tablespoon balls and bake for 11-12 minutes.  When they barely start to brown on the...

Here's a very quick and easy beverage that I enjoy.  Add a dash of ground chipotle and a couple dashes of smoked paprika to a small glass of orange juice.  Give it a stir and then let is sit for a couple of minutes before drinking it.

It's the perfect time of year to make freezer jam with your favorite berries. How do I know you're reading this at the right time of year?  First the recipe, then I'll explain why. Recipe 1 3/4 pounds (3 1/4 cups) crushed strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 box MCP Pectin 1 cup light corn syrup 2 pounds (4 1/2 cups) sugar Wash, stem (if strawberries), and crush fruit.  Measure pulp and lemon juice into a 4 quart pot.  Stir in pectin slowly and mix thoroughly.  Set aside for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Add light corn syrup and mix well.  Add sugar gradually.  Stir well to dissolve completely.  Pour into clean jars (leaving 1/2 inch of space at the top) and put on lids.  Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours, then move to the freezer. Origin This is the recipe that used to be included in boxes of MCP Pectin , except that I converted a couple of the volumes to weights.  This is esp...