Sunday, January 18, 2015

One Hour Dinner Rolls

One Hour Dinner Rolls

Ingredients
  • 3 3/4 - 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp rapid rise yeast
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup cool water
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces, plus more for tops
  • 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
     

Directions
  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer whisk together 4 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt.
  • To a medium bowl add water, milk and butter and heat in microwave on HIGH power until it reaches 115 degrees on a thermometer, about 1 minute 15 seconds. Stir to partially melt butter (you just want to make sure it's softened through).
  • Pour milk mixture into dry mixture in bowl of electric stand mixer along with lemon juice. Set mixer with a hook attachment then set mixer on low speed and gradually increase to medium-low, knead about 3 - 4 minutes until smooth and elastic while adding additional flour as necessary (dough should be lightly sticky but manageable).
  • Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and rest 5 minutes. Meanwhile butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
  • Drop dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into an evenly level square, about 9 by 9-inches. Cut into 16 equal portions (don't have to be exact). Shape dough into 15 balls, while using excess dough from the 16th portion to add to smaller rounds as needed, and place shaped dough portions into prepared baking dish.
  • Dampen hands with water and brush tops of dough with the water (just so they don't dry while rising in oven). Transfer to oven, close oven and turn oven off, allow rolls to rise 20 minutes (don't open oven door). Remove from oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees (this should take about 5 minutes, so just allow rolls to rest on counter while oven preheats).
  • Bake in preheated oven 14 - 16 minutes until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and run the top of a stick of butter along tops of rolls just to coat. Serve warm. Store in an airtight container

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Vanilla Bean Honey Butter Sweet Potatoes

Vanilla Bean Honey Butter Sweet Potatoes
  • 8c cubed sweet potato (~3/4-inch cubes)
  • 3/4 – 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 vanilla bean pod
  • 1-2 teaspoons sucanat (brown sugar will work in a pinch)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/4t salt
  • honey to top (~1 tablespoon)

     
  • Wash, peel + cube your sweet potatoes, into about 3/4” cubes.
  • Steam your sweet potatoes until fork tender, about 10-15min.
  • While cooking, slice your vanilla bean pod down the center and scrape all of the beans out.
  • Mash the potatoes any way you like.
  • Slowly add the milk, until the consistency you’re looking for has been met.
  • Whip in the vanilla beans + salt, until combined..
  • Place in an oven safe baking dish, dust the top with sucanat, and broil until golden brown. Broiling time will vary, but it took me about 8min. Check often to prevent burning.
  • Top with melted butter, chopped walnuts, and an all over drizzle of honey.
tips/substitutions: Feel free to leave the skins on and boil or bake your sweet potatoes.  Use any type of milk you like.  The vanilla milks [almond/hemp/rice/etc] might be a great addition in this, but remember that will add a bit of sweetness. Coconut oil is a great sub for butter here to make vegan. Feel free to top with maple syrup instead of honey if desired. Sub any type of sugar if you don’t have sucanat. Sub 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, instead of the vanilla bean if desired.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Squash Soup

Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 cubed squash
1/2 a roughly chopped onion
3-4 peeled carrots
Chicken broth
1 tbsp butter
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup heavy cream

Put squash, onion, carrots & chicken broth in a pot and heat until the veggies are very tender. Put into blender with the butter and salt/pepper to taste. Put soup back in the pot and heat it with the cup of heavy cream. Serve piping hot.

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Homemade Cranberry Apple Sauce

Homemade Cranberry Apple Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 Red Delicious Apples peeled, cored and sliced
  • 12 oz Fresh Cranberries
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Cloves
  • 1/2 tsp Nutmeg


    DIRECTIONS:
  • In a large sauce pan add Water, lemon juice and sugars.
  • Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
  • Add cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
  • Add cranberries and apple slices.
  • Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins.

  • Can be served hot or cold.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Pirate Apple Betty Gluttony Cake

Pirate Apple Betty Gluttony Cake

Yellow Cake Mix
1 stick butter (softened)
1 + 1/3 cup water
Walnuts
1 stick butter (melted)
1 more stick butter (melted)
1 + 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tbsp molasses
1/2 cup rum (this is the pirate part)
Cinnamon
Nutmeg

 

Directions

1 Mix Cake mix with 1 softened butter & water.
2 put 1 melted butter stick in bottom of 9x13 pan
3 put walnuts in butter (enough to loosely cover the bottom of the pan)
4 sprinkle 3/4 cup of the brown sugar over the top
5 spread cake mixture over the top - bake at 350 for 35-40 mins (should be bubbling) prick with fork many times (will let the glaze soak in)
6 take last stick of melted butter, rest of brown sugar, molasses, rum and enough nutmeg & cinnamon to satisfy taste - mix & pour over the top of the cooked cake.

Can be served warm or cold.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Warm Brussel Sprout Slaw with Bacon

Warm Brussel Sprout Slaw with Bacon

Ingredients
  • 3/4 pound thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced in a food processor
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 Granny Smith apples—peeled, cored, coarsely shredded and squeezed dry
  • 1 teaspoon thyme leaves


    Directions
    1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels; reserve 1/4 cup of fat.
    2. In a large, enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter in the bacon fat. Add the Brussels sprouts in batches and cook over high heat, stirring, until softened but still bright green, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the apples and thyme; cook, stirring, until the apples are warmed through. Transfer the slaw to a platter, scatter the bacon on top and serve

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Buffalo Hummus

Buffalo Hummus


INGREDIENTS:

2 cans (15 oz. each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste) or peanut butter
1/4 cup FRANK'S® RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
⅓ cup water
Crackers or pita bread + fresh dipping veggies (celery & carrots)

COMBINE chickpeas, 1/3 cup water, tahini, Frank's RedHot Sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt in food processor. Cover; process until very smooth.

PLACE dip into serving bowl. Cover and chill 30 min. before serving.

SERVE with crackers or pita bread and vegetable dippers.