Chocolate Buttercream

Frosting for 9x13 sheet cake:

• 1 1/2 sticks butter (softened)

• 1/2 cup cocoa

• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder

Frosting for 9” 2 layer round cake:

• 3 sticks butter (softened)

• 1 cup cocoa

• 5 cups powdered sugar

• 1/2 cup milk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

Peppermint Domino Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup dutch-processed cocoa

• 1/3 cup water

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 1/4 cup flour

• 10 oz pack of white vanilla flavored melting wafers

• 1 pack candy canes (unwrapped and crushed)

Preheat oven to 325 F. Cream butter, sugars, vanilla and salt. Beat in the cocoa. Dissolve baking soda in water and mix into dough. Stir in flour and then chocolate chips. Place dough by spoonful on greased baking sheet. Bake 14-16 minutes until the edges are done, then pull out to cool, transfer to cooling racks with spatula. Once cool, drizzle with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy cane.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Matt’s Famous Pecan Pralines

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 3/4 cup brown sugar

• 6 tablespoons butter

• 1/2 cup evaporated milk

• 8 ounces pecan halves

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Melt butter, sugars, salt, and milk in a pot on medium heat. Add pecans and stir constantly, slowly bringing the temperature to “soft ball” 234-240 degrees F. Remove from heat, add vanilla and continue stirring for about 3-5 minutes. Just as it begins to thicken, use two spoons to scoop and drop bite size pieces onto parchment paper. Enjoy after they cool.

Makes 1 1/2-2 dozen (depending on size)

WARNING: DO NOT TOUCH HOT SUGAR!!

Banana Crisp Muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 eggs

• 3/4 cup milk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 2 sticks butter (melted and cooled)

• 3 bananas (2 mashed, 1 chopped)

• 1 cup granola

• 1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut

• 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

• additional 3/4 cup each of granola and coconut mixed together for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, milk, vanilla and butter and stir until combined (do not over-mix). Add mashed banana, chopped banana, granola, coconut and chopped nuts and stir until combined. Spoon batter into lined muffin tin and top with additional granola and coconut (about a tablespoon of toppings per muffin). Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, allow to cool 5 minutes and then remove from muffin pan and place on cooling racks.

Makes 24 muffins. Store in fridge for 2-3 days.

Classic Pie Crust

Single 9” Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 1 1/2 sticks butter (very cold, cut into small cubes)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 5 tablespoons water (ice cold)

Double 9” ingredients:

• 3 cups all purpose flour

• 3 sticks butter (very cold, cut into small cubes)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 8-9 tablespoons water (ice cold)

In a food processor, pulse flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand. Gradually drizzle in ice water and pulse until mixture clumps. Once mixed, pour pie dough onto plastic wrap. Form into ball and flatten out into disc. Cover in plastic wrap and chill for one hour. Roll out dough to 1/4” thick and large enough to cover pie plate. Carefully lay over pie dish and trim excess overhang so dough is flush with plate. Flute edges and freeze for 30 minutes. Add your pie filling and bake as directed or until golden brown. To blind bake- dock chilled pie crust with fork, cover with parchment or foil, then fill with pie weights. Bake at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes. Carefully remove crust from oven and remove weights and parchment. Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees F and bake 15 more minutes. Fill with any no-bake filling.

Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

• 2 egg yolks

• 1 whole egg

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (about1 lemon)

• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature and cubed)

• 1/8 teaspoon of salt (omit if using salted butter)

Fill the bottom of double boiler with 1-2 inches of water. Place on high heat and bring to boil, then reduce heat to low to maintain a steady simmer. Add all ingredients, except butter, into the top of double boiler and whisk nonstop with a silicone whisk. (This keeps eggs from curdling). Continue whisking until it thickens like a hollandaise (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and mix in butter. Cover with plastic wrap touching the curd to prevent film from forming on the top. Once cool, its ready to use or store in airtight container.

Makes 1-1/2 cups. Refrigerate for up to 10 days, store in freezer up to 6 months.

Classic Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

• 2/3 cup butter (melted)

• 1 1/4 cups sugar (divided- 1/2 cup and 3/4 cup)

• 3 8oz bricks cream cheese (softened)

• 1 cup sour cream

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 3 eggs

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and wrap the bottom of a 9” spring-form pan in foil. Mix graham cracker crumbs, butter and 1/2 cup of sugar, then press mixture into spring-form pan. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar with mixer until blended. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on a low speed after each addition until well blended. Then pour mixture over crust. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until the center is almost set (do not remove from oven yet). Turn oven off and open door slightly, let the cheesecake set in oven for one hour. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and let cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. Loosen the cheesecake from the rim of pan with a knife and remove the rim.

Makes 16 servings (depending how you slice it), keep refrigerated up to 3-4 days.

Red Velvet Cake

Cake Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups flour

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder

• 1 1/2 cups coconut oil

• 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)

• 2 large eggs (room temperature)

• 2 tablespoons red food coloring

• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting Ingredients:

• 2-8oz bricks cream cheese (softened)

• 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 9” round pans. In a large bowl, sift- flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa. In another large bowl, whisk- oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla. In a stand mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined and a smooth batter is formed. Divide batter between the three pans and bake for about 30 minutes, rotating pans to bake. Let cakes cool on racks after popping them out of the pans. Beat the cream cheese, sugar and butter until fluffy (about 5 minutes), then add vanilla and mix. After the cakes are completely cool, frost and layer them, and top with chopped pecans or walnuts.