Chocolate Flourless Cupcakes

20 oz. (3½ cups) semi-sweet chocolate
9 oz. (2 sticks and 2 tbsp.) butter, softened
½ cup water
¾ cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
2 large eggs
3 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Melt chocolate, and put it into a mixing bowl while warm (not hot!) fitted with paddle attachment. Add the softened butter to the melted chocolate on low speed, piece by piece until incorporated. Heat the water, sugar and salt until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the warm (not hot!) water mixture to the chocolate mix once the butter is incorporated. 

Add eggs and egg whites to the mixture slowly on the first speed. Mix until incorporated, and then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix again to make sure batter is combined. Fill the cupcake cups to a ¼ inch from the top. Bake mini cupcakes at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Bake standard cupcakes at 300 degrees for 60 minutes. 

Swig Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup powder sugar
2 Tbls water
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. bakind soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tarter
1 tsp salt
5 1/2 cup flour

Directions:

Cream together, butter, vegetable oil, sugars, water, and eggs. Combine dry ingredients and add slowly to mixture until combined. Dough should be a little crumbly and not at all sticky. Roll into golf ball sized balls. Mix 1/4 cup sugar with a pinch of salt in small dish. Stick the bottom of a glass into it then press down on cookie ball. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Make yummy frosting below. See photos (curtesy of vintagerevivals.com):

Sour Cream Frosting or Greek Yogurt:
1/2 cup butter (room temp)
3/4 cup sour cream or I used greek yogurt and it was delicious
about 1/2 lb package of powder sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
food coloring

Directions:
Cream together butter, sour cream and salt. Slowly add powdered sugar. When it gets so thick its not frosting like add a splash of milk. Alternate this process until your frosting is desired consistency. Add food coloring and whip on high for 1 minute. Technically you are suppose to keep cookies unfrosted in fridge, and then frost cold cookies right before serving.

Sweet Baked Ham (from leftover ham)

Ingredients

• 5-7 pound precooked bone-in ham (see note!)
• White distilled vinegar (around 1-3 cups)
• Water
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground dry mustard
• 1 Shelby dog

Directions

1. Place the ham in a large pot and cover with 2 parts water to 1 part vinegar until the ham is covered by at least an inch or two of liquid. Bring to a boil and cook, boiling vigorously, for 2-3 hours, until the meat easily falls off the bone. Liquid will most likely splash out during cooking if your pot is as full as mine so take care that the hot liquid doesn't splash on anyone nearby. Once the water/vinegar came to a rolling boil, I lowered the heat to a bit above medium. It maintained the vigorous boil but didn't splash as much. Be prepared that due to the vinegar in the recipe, it is going to smell like vinegar as it boils. I opened a window and turned on the vent above my stove and all was good in the world. My friend, Mel, who gave me the recipe, boils her ham outside on a camp chef-like stove. Great option if you have one.
2. After the allotted time, carefully remove the ham from the pot, discarding the liquid, and let it cool until it is easier to remove the meat from the bones. Shred the ham, discarding the fat and bones, and place half in a 9X9-inch baking dish (or a similar size). In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and mustard. Sprinkle half of this mixture over the ham. Layer the rest of the ham on top and sprinkle with the remaining sugar/mustard mixture. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
3. Send your Shelby dog outside w/ the bone.  She'll lick it clean then spend the rest of the day trying to eat the bone.

I found the recipe here: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/03/sweet-baked-ham-the-most-unique-and-delicious-ham-ive-ever-had.html

Shelby and what's left of her ham bone.