Jessica's Joyful Kitchen

Prep Time: 45 minutes Bake Time: 1–2 hours, depending on pan size Soaking Time: 12–24 hours for dried fruit variation; 1–2 weeks for cake maturation Total Time: About 2–3 weeks, including soaking and maturation Servings: Varies by pan size Category: Dessert Notes After Making I know my favorite time of year is upon us...when it is time to bake my fruit cakes! I was never a fan of fruit cake until I had my grandmothers back in high school, since then I have been a firm believer in a good, homemade fruit cake wrapped in cheese cloth and soaked in brandy. Several years ago I spent an afternoon getting a lesson from my grandmother on how to make them, and walked away with a treasured memory and a wonderful recipe. Ingredients Traditional Candied Fruit Version 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt 1½ teaspoons (4 g) ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground nutmeg 3 cups (340 g) pecans 12 oz (340 g) candied pineapple 12 oz (340 g) candied cherries 12 oz (340 ...

4 small baking potatoes, thinly sliced 4-6oz shredded cheese Cajun or chili powder seasoning EVOO s&p bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss potatoes with EVOO, seasoning, and s&p. Place them on baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until crisp on the edges. Sprinkle with cheese and place back into the oven until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with bacon, optional.

Prep Time: 15 minutes Bake Time: 18–22 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes, plus cooling Total Time: About 40 minutes Servings: About 18–24 cookies, depending on cutter size Category: Cookies Notes After Making I love this recipe because you can immediately use the dough and it doesn't require any chill time in the fridge beforehand. Ingredients Cookies 10 tablespoons (142 g) unsalted butter, softened ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar 1¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional) ¼ teaspoon salt Icing 1⅓ cups (160 g) powdered sugar 1 tablespoon butter, softened  1/2 teaspoon vanilla  1-2 tablespoons (30 mL) milk or water, as needed Food coloring (optional) Instructions Cookies Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and sugar. Mix until smooth. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice (if using), and salt. Mix until well blended. Knead the dough by hand until it form...

Prep Time: 15 minutes Bake Time: 25 minutes Cooling Time: 1 hour Total Time: About 1 hour 40 minutes Servings: 9-12 brownies Category: Dessert Notes After Making Ingredients Brownies 10 tablespoons (142 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pan ¾ cup (165 g) packed dark brown sugar ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar ½ cup (85 g) bittersweet chocolate chips 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 large eggs, room temperature (about 100 g without shells) ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour ¾ cup (64 g) dark Dutch-process cocoa powder 2 teaspoons (5 g) cornstarch ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine table salt ¾ cup (128 g) semisweet chocolate chips Peanut Butter Ganache (Optional) 5 tablespoons (71 g) unsalted butter ⅓ cup (80 mL) whole milk 1 (10 oz / 283 g) package peanut butter chips 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar Toppings (Optional) ½ cup (about 25 g) crushed kettle-cooked potato chips ½ cup (about 50 g) broken sou...