Sticky buns

Dough
Egg, large, room temperature plus enough water, 80°F, to equal	1 1 cup
Oil	3 ½ teaspoons
Sugar	1/3 cup
Salt	1 ½ teaspoons
Flour, bread	3 ½ cups
Yeast, active dry	2 teaspoons
Filling
Butter, softened	½ cup
Sugar	1/3 cup
Cinnamon, ground	1 tablespoon
Pecans, chopped	½ cup
Topping
Butter, melted	¾ cup
Sugar, brown	¾ cup
Pecan halves	1 cup

1. Place dough ingredients, as ordered, in your bread machine, select the Dough setting, and then Start.
2. Place dough on a lightly floured surface, roll to 12x16-inch rectangle, and spread with butter; combine remaining filling ingredients, and sprinkle over dough.
3. Roll up tightly, jelly-roll style, starting with the longest (16-inch) side, and cut into 1-inch slices.
4. Combine topping ingredients, and spread into a 9x13-inch baking dish; line dish bottom with pecan halves.
5. Place slices on the topping mixture, and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
6. Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
7. Use oven mitts to carefully invert onto a heat-proof serving tray; the syrup will be dangerously hot.

Cheese grits

Water	3 cups
Grits, quick variety	¾ cup
Cheese, sharp cheddar	2 cups
Evaporated milk	¾ cup
Butter, softened	1/3 cup
Eggs, beaten	2
Tabasco	¼ teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	1/8 teaspoon

1. Preheat oven to 375°F; butter a 2-quart baking dish.
2. Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan; slowly stir in grits.
3. Cover; reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
4. Add 1 ½ cups cheese, milk, and butter; stir until melted.
5. Add eggs, Tabasco, and pepper; stir well.
6. Pour into dish; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
7. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Used a velvety 9-month-old white cheddar from Australia's Murray's Bridge.

Egg noodles

Flour, all-purpose	2 ½ cups
Salt	Pinch
Eggs, beaten, room temperature	2
Milk, room temperature	½ cup
Butter, room temperature	1 tablespoon

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt; add eggs, milk, and butter.
2. Knead dough until smooth, about 5 minutes; cover bowl, and let rest 10 minutes.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 1/8 or ¼-inch thickness; cut in desired shapes or lengths.
4. Air dry before cooking.
5. Cook for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling water with a pinch of salt.

Ranch hand steak

Buffalo or beef, ground	1 pound
Egg	1
Cayenne, ground	1 teaspoon
Celery, chopped	1 cup
Onion, chopped	1
Crackers, crushed	1 cup
Mushroom soup	1 can
Water	1 cup
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine meat, egg, cayenne, celery, onion, and crackers; form into four patties.
3. In a skillet over medium heat, brown both sides of the patties, and place in a shallow baking dish.
4. Combine soup and water, and pour over patties.
5. Cover, and bake for 30 minutes.

Time: 40 minutes (10 minutes active; 30 minutes baking) • 4 servings

Better banana pudding

Sugar	1 cup + 5 tablespoons
Flour, all-purpose	½ cup
Salt	½ teaspoon
Milk, whole	2 cups
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon + ½ teaspoon
Butter	1 tablespoon
Eggs, separated, room temperature	4 yolks 4 whites
Vanilla wafers	1 box
Bananas, very ripe	5
Cream of tartar	¼ teaspoon

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Line the bottom of a 9x9-inch dish with wafers.
3. Peel and slice bananas into ½-inch rounds; cover slices with plastic wrap to prevent them from darkening as you make the pudding.
4. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup sugar, flour, and salt; mix well, and set aside.
5. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, beat yolks well.
6. Add flour mixture to yolks, alternately with the milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla, stirring constantly.
7. Bring to a gentle boil and, when the mixture thickens, add the butter, continuing to stir.
8. Continue to boil and stir until the mixture achieves a pudding-like consistency; remove from heat.
9. Layer banana slices on top of the wafers (don’t be stingy with the banana slices—line them up from edge-to-edge).
10. Spoon half the pudding over the slices, and spread evenly.
11. Put down another layer of wafers, banana slices, and then pudding.
12. In a mixing bowl, beat whites at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
13. Add cream of tartar, and then gradually add 5 tablespoons sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
14. Fold ½ teaspoon vanilla into the whites, and spread over the pudding, sealing the sides of the dish.
15. Bake until meringue browns, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Time: 35 minutes total (20 minutes active; 15 minutes baking) • 6 to 8 servings