Whole Wheat Butterhorns

2 packages dry yeast
1 3/4 cups warm water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons. oil
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2-2 1/2 cups flour
6 tablespoons soft butter
 (hs note: I also ended up using one egg, lightly beaten to give the rolls a quick brush before popping them in the oven.)

1. Dissolve yeast in water.
2. Add brown sugar, oil, honey, salt, and 1 1/2 cups whole what flour. Mix well.
3. Stir in remaining whole wheat flour and enough flour to make a stiff dough.
4. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise about 1 1/2 hours.
5. Divide into 3 equal pieces. Shape into balls. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
6. Roll each ball into a 10-inch circle. Spread with 1/3 butter (hs note: I used melted butter). Cut each circle into 8 wedges (hs note: like pizza slices). To shape rolls, begin at wide end of wedge and roll toward point. Place on greased baking sheet.

7. Cover and let rise 20-30 minutes. (hs note: this is when I brush the dough with the egg wash to get a nice golden crust). Bake in 375F oven for 12-15 minutes. Brush with milk or butter while still warm.

Pecan Pie sans corn syrup

Ingredients

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy, and stir in melted butter. Stir in the brown sugar, white sugar and the flour; mix well. Last add the milk, vanilla and nuts.
3. Pour into an unbaked 9-in pie shell. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees, then reduce temperature to 300 degrees and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until done.

Onion Mashed Potatoes

This is a recipe I got from Ellen Palsson (Craig's mom, for those who know them)

Sweet Onion Mashed Potatoes

6 tablespoon butter
2 cups chopped sweet onions (such as Walla Walla or Vidalia)
2½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt


In a small saucepan, melt butter and gently sauté chopped onions over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the onions have softened and turned a rich golden brown; set aside.
While onions are cooking, boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain well and mash thoroughly with a potato masher.

To the onion mixture, add milk and salt and warm gently, then whisk into potatoes; adjust seasonings and serve.

Scallops with garlic butter

Ingredients:
I lb fresh sea scallops
1 tablespoons melted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. In a small heat safe bowl or measuring cup combine butter, shallot and garlic. Microwave about one minute or until butter is melted. Place scallops in a shallow baking dish. Pour the garlic/shallot butter over the scallops evenly. Combine oil and bread crumbs and sprinkle over scallops. Add salt and pepper. Bake until opaque, about 10-12 minutes.

Original recipe here.

Here's what I did differently: I didn't have any green onions so I chopped up half of a regular onion and sauteed it in the butter and some olive oil, then added the garlic (will definitely do the regular onion again). This last time I also added 3 pieces of bacon...soooo good.  I poured that over the scallops and added the rest of the olive oil (I probably put in 3 Tbs altogether) with the bread crumbs as well as some lemon juice and the salt and pepper. I took them out after 10 minutes and considered pan searing them for a minute, but didn't (though I bet it would be good). I don't usually like scallops, but these were really good! I served them over whole wheat spaghetti.

Chocolate Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients

• 1 8-inch (6 oz.) prepared chocolate crumb crust (or graham cracker, my fav I think)
  
• 1 3/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) chocolate chips
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
• Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
• 2 oz. semi-sweet baking bar, made into curls *

Directions

MICROWAVE morsels in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH power for 1 minute; STIR (or otherwise heat on the stove stirring constantly). The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted. Cool to room temperature.

BEAT melted chocolate, cream cheese and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until light in color. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm. Top with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate curls.

*CHOCOLATE CURLS:
Carefully draw a vegetable peeler across edge of a bar of Semi-Sweet Chocolate.

(this is the pie that Brie and I discovered last year and it's AMAZING. Brooke made it too at Thanksgiving and we all loved it!)

Originally from here.