Showing posts with label Breads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breads. Show all posts

Friday, January 3, 2014

Bacon, Mushroom and Cheddar-Stuffed Rolls

 These rolls are just pretty.  Pretty to look at, pretty on your plate, and pretty dang good to eat.

Begin by sauteeing about 9 slices of bacon. (No lovelier words began a recipe...)

Then dice 6 mushrooms.  

Wait...what's that you say?  You'd like a mushroom-dicing lesson?!  Really?  OK! 

First lop off the stem.  Then slice through the mushroom horizontally.

Then flip it back to right-side-up.  Slice through it six or seven times vertically (with the cuts coming toward yourself).  Then rotate the mushroom and slice through it again,

Until the little darlin' is neatly and evenly diced.   (It's much like my nerdy little "how to dice an onion" tutorial.)

Six to seven mushrooms diced will yield almost 1 cup. 

Let's return to the bacon.  Blot it well with a paper towel, and chop it up. 

In the skillet in which you cooked the bacon, remove all but about 1 tablespoon of the grease (or, if that gags you out...just use a tablespoon of olive oil or butter in its place).  Throw in the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until they get all browned and bubbly and delicious.  Transfer the sauteed mushrooms to a bowl.

Slice up a few green onions (and 5 cloves of garlic...forgot to snap that pic)...

Remove the mushroooms from the pan (but, by golly, do NOT wash it!).  If the skillet's on the dry side, toss in a tablespoon of butter.  Saute the garlic for about 1 minute over medium-high heat,

 Then toss in the green onions for about thirty seconds or so. 

 Pour the garlic and green onions in the bowl with the mushrooms,

And then add about 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, and a cup of grated cheddar cheese.

If you'd like to, by all means, use your own homemade rolls for this recipe.  I love Sister Schubert's rolls, and they work fantastic here (and saved me a whole lot of time).  I set the frozen bag on the counter when I began sauteing the bacon, and by the time I was ready to stuff them, the rolls were thawed. 

Cut an eye-shaped wedge out of the rolls.  

(But be careful not to slice through the bottom of the roll.)

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, place the rolls on the sheet, 

...and stuff them.  Then sprinkle over a bit more of cheddar cheese.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until the filling is hot and the cheese has melted.  Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve warm.  (They reheat very well, if you need to make them ahead of time.  Just keep the rolls well-wrapped in the fridge and cover them with foil when it's time to reheat before serving.)

Bacon, Mushroom, and Cheddar-Stuffed Rolls
Makes 12 rolls

9 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease)
6 mushrooms, diced (stems removed)
4 green onions, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dijon (I used coarse-ground)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup + 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
 12 (purchased) smooth-topped dinner rolls (do not use cloverleaf rolls)
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish, if desired)

Saute bacon in large skillet.  When done, remove bacon and place on a plate that's been lined with paper towels.  Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease; discard the rest.  In the same skillet you used to saute the bacon, heat the reserved bacon grease and add the diced mushrooms.  Saute over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until they are evenly browned.  Remove from heat.

Chop bacon and place in a medium-sized bowl.  Add cooked mushrooms to the bowl.  In the same skillet (don't wash it!; if it seems dry add another tablespoon of butter), saute the garlic for 1 minute over medium-high heat until fragrant (don't let it brown).  Add the green onions and saute them for only 30 seconds or so.  Place the garlic and green onions in the bowl.  Add mayonnaise and mustard to the bacon/green onion mixture in the bowl.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheddar cheese.  Set mixture aside.

Make an almond-shaped cut into each of the rolls, bring mindful NOT to pierce the bottom of the rolls.  Remove that cut piece from the center of the roll.  Place rolls on parchment-paper lined baking sheet.  Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of the bacon/cheese mixture into each of the rolls.  Top each roll with 1/2 teaspoon of the reserved cheddar cheese.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes, or until filling is hot.  Garnish each roll with the chopped fresh parsley.

Recipe inspired by Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Apple-Cinnamon Pull-Apart Loaf with Rhodes Bread

I first blogged about this wonderful recipe two years ago.


Since 2011, this Apple-Cinnamon Pull-Apart Loaf, which uses Rhodes frozen dough balls filled with an apple/brown sugar/cinnamon mixture then sealed and tossed into a baking dish together, has become my most popular blog post, accounting for nearly 25% of my total blog traffic.  (Thank you, Pinterest.)

So when the kind folks from Rhodes bread contacted me and asked me to repost it, I gladly obliged.  In fact, I even remade the bread actually using their frozen white dinner rolls. (When I first blogged about it in 2011, I made my own dough).  

While this recipe takes a bit of time to prepare (thawing dough, letting it rise, etc.), it is SO WORTH IT.  I have prepared the loaf the night before and simply warmed it in the oven before serving the next morning for breakfast.  

Please note:  choosing a baking pan is very important in this recipe.  If you use a 9" x 5" loaf pan, just be aware that this dough will rise to great heights.  I like it as such because I think it's gorgeous when turned out on a serving platter.  However, PLACE THE LOAF ON A BAKING SHEET WHILE IT'S IN THE OVEN, otherwise it will spill over and make your oven smokey and your kitchen stinky.   Some of my fabulous readers have suggested using a Bundt or tube cake pan.  Both of these were great options; you will just need to adjust the baking time (remember:  smaller pan = increased baking time; larger pan = slightly decreased baking time.)


Here's how to make it:

Thaw 16 Rhodes frozen rolls.  (At room temperature, this takes about 4-5 hours, although there is a "quick-thaw method" on the package instructions...).

Combine a mixture of chopped Granny Smith apples, cinnamon, pecans, brown sugar, and lemon juice. 

Cut each dough ball in half.

Flatten dough into a circle, add a teaspoon of the apple mixture to the center of the circle.

Fold up the edges and pinch them together, sealing it like a little dumpling.

Toss it in a greased loaf pan (or bundt pan...see note above!). 

Repeat.
Add all filled dough-balls to the baking pan. 

Top with remaining apple-pecan mixture, loosely cover with greased plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until double (about an hour).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place loaf pan ON A BAKING SHEET, remove plastic wrap, and bake for 40-50 minutes (again, the baking time depends on the pan you decided to use).  Cover with foil for the last 10 minutes to prevent over-browning.

Allow bread to cool for 10-20 minutes in the pan.  Then loosen edges and remove loaf from pan, transferring to a serving platter.  Drizzle with icing, if desired. 

Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Here's the printable recipe. 

Remember:  to bake this loaf, you can use either a 9 x 5" loaf pan or a well-greased Bundt pan.  This bread will rise to a lovely height in a loaf pan, so please be sure to set a baking sheet beneath the loaf pan to prevent apple and pecan bits from landing on the floor of your oven.

Apple-Cinnamon Pull-Apart Loaf
Makes 1 loaf* (use either 9" x 5" loaf pan or bundt pan)

16 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed (or use your own dough recipe)
3 medium-size Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Zest and juice from half a lemon (about 2 teaspoons of juice)

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 teaspoons water or milk (use more for icing with a thinner consistency)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cut thawed rolls in half. Combine apples, sugar, nuts, cinnamon, and lemon juice and zest. Flatten each roll half into a 2-3-inch circle. Place 1 teaspoon apple mixture in center of each dough circle. Pinch edges together to seal, forming a ball. Place filled balls in a sprayed 9x5-inch loaf pan (or use greased Bundt pan).  Spoon remaining apple mixture evenly over the top. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and let rise until double. Remove wrap, place loaf pan on a baking sheet to catch any spill-over, and bake at 350°F 40-50 minutes. Cover loaf with foil last 10 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning. Cool for 10-20 minutes.  Use a knife to gently loosen bread from the edge of the pan, then remove loaf from pan transfer bread to a serving platter.  Combine icing ingredients, and drizzle over warm loaf.  Serve warm, if desired. 

Recipe slightly modified from Deborah of the Taste and Tell blog

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Paleo Banana Nut Bread (Grain-Free, Dairy-Free)


Moist, tender, rich and dense.   

 Everything you want your banana bread to be.  
(Plus it's grain and gluten-free.)

We have some of the world's greatest neighbors.  

I love them like family.

They recently "went" gluten-free, and are now stepping into a Paleo diet.  Do you even know how excited this makes me??  I love to cook and bake for these precious people, and to now have a reason, a PURPOSE to make Paleo things for someone besides myself?  I can barely stand it.  

Last week a summertime cool front blew in.  The skies were dark and stormy; it felt like fall.  My oven pretty much turned itself on, begging to bake this Paleo Banana Nut Bread. 

Coconut and almond flours are becoming common shelf items at many grocery stores.  They team up to make this bread dense and moist.  The olive oil is undetectable, in case you were worried.  :)

I doubled the recipe below and used a standard 9" x 5" loaf pan plus three of the mini loaf dishes you see in the photos above.  This stuff is made for sharing!  

Enjoy!

Here's the printable version of the recipe.

Paleo Banana Nut Bread
(Makes one 9" x 5" loaf)

3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves (optional)
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 eggs
1 cup mashed (very ripe) bananas (about 2 bananas)
1/4 cup honey or pure maple syrup
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a loaf pan (I used a standard 9" x 5" pan; use a smaller loaf pan for a "taller" finished banana bread loaf) with coconut oil or olive oil.  Line with parchment paper, if desired.  Set aside.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the olive oil, eggs, mashed bananas and honey.  Mix wet ingredients well and then add to the dry ingredients.  Stir until just incorporated.  Add nuts, if using, and gently stir just until incorporated.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.  Bake for 40-50 minutes (depends on loaf pan size), until top is very golden brown and cracks begin to appear.  Insert a toothpick in the center of the loaf; when it comes out clean, the bread is done.

Allow to cool in pan.  Then slice and serve.  

Recipe slightly adapted from here

    Monday, March 25, 2013

    Poppy Seed Bread with Lemon-Honey Glaze (Dairy-Free)



    The north wind howls around the corner of the house:  winter's stubborn icy grip has our early springtime under siege.

    Scrubbing the dinner dishes tonight, I stared glumly out the kitchen window, noticing that my daffodils are doing perfect downward-facing-dogs into the snow and mud.   And this wind is causing strange things to happen to the falling snowflakes: I can watch a single flake quickly dart toward the ground, then sail upward, slowly spiral toward me, then violently crash into the window pane.  Very odd indeed.

    I believe I've ingested more tea and coffee this winter than ever before.  On it's own, that wouldn't be so bad, but it seems my afternoon teatime habit is usually accompanied by a baked good. 
    Like a slice or two of this moist Lemon Poppy Seed Bread.

    (This may sound strange, but you can omit the poppyseeds if necessary.  I personally love the texture and color the seeds lend to the bread, my kids weren't wild about them.  Besides, poppyseeds aren't a common pantry item.  And I think the bread would be great without them.)

    Due to our littlest guy's recent tummy issues, we've been inching toward becoming dairy free. In this bread recipe, I used coconut oil and milk for the butter and regular milk.  I also used maple syrup and honey in place of the sugar.  

    Enjoy!

    Printable Recipe

    Lemon Poppy Seed Bread with Lemon-Honey Glaze (Dairy-Free)
    Makes (1) 8x4-inch loaf

    1 cup whole wheat flour
    1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    Zest of 1 lemon
    2 tablespoons poppyseeds
    3/4 cup softened coconut oil (substitute same amount of butter, if desired)
    1/3 cup honey
    1/3 cup maple syrup
    3 large eggs
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
    1/8 cup coconut milk (substitute regular milk, if desired)

    Glaze:
    1/4 cup honey
    Zest of 1 large lemon
    Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons lemon juice)

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place an oven rack in the center of the oven.  Prepare the loaf pan by coating with softened coconut oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper.  Then coat the top of the parchment with additional coconut oil.  (Or just use cooking spray.)

    Whisk together the flour(s), baking powder, salt, lemon zest and poppy seeds.

    In a large mixing bowl, stir/beat the softened coconut oil with a wooden spoon until it's mostly smooth.  Add the honey and maple syrup and continue to mix until the liquids are well-incorporated.  Add the eggs, one at a time; scrape down the mixing bowl between each addition.  Mix in the vanilla. Add the lemon juice.  Stir well.

    Pour about half of the wheat mixture into the coconut oil/egg mixture and gently stir.  Pour in the coconut milk and stir.  Pour in the remaining wheat mixture.  Mix just until incorporated.

    Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  If your oven heats unevenly (like mine does), be sure to rotate the bread around the 30-minute mark.

    To make the glaze, whisk together the honey and lemon juice.  Set aside. 

    After the bread is done, place the loaf pan on a wire rack.  Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.  Run a sharp knife gently around the edge of the bread to loosen it up a bit.  Transfer the bread to a serving platter (while it's still warm).  Poke the bread with a small knife or ice pick, if desired, and then slowly pour the glaze all over the bread.   Serve warm or allow bread to sit overnight:  that's when the best flavor will develop.

    Recipe inspired byThe Joy of Baking

    Monday, January 7, 2013

    Orange-Glazed Sweet Rolls


    A little bit sunshine for these dreary winter days... 

    Orange rolls. 


    Today is "reveal day" for the Secret Recipe Club.  That means I post something I prepared from the blog of another club member.  But as members of the club, we are to keep our assignments under wraps until today.  It's quite a bit of fun to find out who had whose blog and what was prepared.  

    I was assigned to the blog called the "Cookbook of Trial and Error"  (love that honesty).  While I do not know the blog author's first name, I do know that her cooking doesn't seem very rookie-ish.  She has many wonderful items to choose from, including a great Challah bread recipe.  I laughed out loud when I read the chain of events that occurred while she was making it.  And I am so encouraged to try it myself.  I {heart} authenticity.

    There is a little tea room in our town that is famous for their orange rolls.  The rolls are big.  Salty.  Sweet.  Tender.  Perfect.  I've been on the hunt for a good orange roll recipe for years (even though I've resolved none can match the tea room's...and I'm OK with that).  Seeing this recipe on Cook Book of Trial and Error's blog made it an easy selection.  Although I was a bit aghast that she listed the total calories of each roll (there are some things about which I'd rather remain ignorant), I will spend a little extra time on the treadmill now.   I had waaaaaay more than one. 

    I mostly kept true to the original recipe.  But I did double it.  Because making only 9 rolls in my household would result in mutiny.

    (The only thing I did change was that I let the glaze boil for a bit longer than originally suggested, making it thicker.)

    Please do bring the eggs (and the sour cream) to room temperature first.  If you don't remember to do this far enough in advance, simply immerse the eggs in a bowl of warm water for several minutes.  Cold eggs will impede the rising of the dough.

    Printable Recipe

    Orange-Glazed Sweet Rolls
    Makes about 9-10 medium-sized rolls

    For the dough
    2 and 1/4 teaspoons/ 1 package active dry yeast
    1/4 cup lukewarm water (110 – 115F)

    1/4 cup sugar 
    1 tsp salt
    2 large eggs, at room temperature
    6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
    1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
    3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
     

    For the filling
    3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened 

    2 tbsp orange zest (about 3 medium oranges), finely grated
    1/2 cup sugar 


    For the orange glaze
    6 tbsp sugar 
    2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
    1/4 cup sour cream 

    3 tbsp orange juice

    For the dough:

    In a small bowl, combine the yeast and the warm water.  Swirl them around together and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes or until the yeast dissolves and becomes bubbly.  (This is called "proofing" the yeast, so if this doesn't happen, the yeast may be old or ineffective.  Better to find out now than an hour down the road when the dough won't rise.)   

    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, eggs, melted butter, and sour cream until smooth.  Stir in the dissolved yeast and 2 cups of the flour using a wooden spoon.  Gradually add in the remaining 1.5 cups of flour.  (At this point, you may have to begin working with your hands.)

    On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 6-7 minutes.  Place the dough in a large oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with greased plastic wrap, and then top the plastic wrap with a clean dish towel.  Place the covered bowl in a warm place to rest and rise for about 1.5 hours.  After the dough has risen to about double the size, you can refrigerate it for several hours or overnight (make sure the bowl is well-sealed so the dough won't dry out), or you can proceed with the recipe without refrigeration.

    Lightly dust a work surface with flour.  (Flour the rolling pin, too.)  Roll the dough out to about a 14"x18" rectangle (about 1/4" thick).  Spread the softened butter over the dough, leaving about a 1-inch border on the edge.  Mix the grated orange zest with the sugar.  Sprinkle the zest/sugar mixture over the butter and press it down lightly.  

    Place the 18-inch-long side of the dough closest to you.  Beginning with the shorter sides, roll the dough over once on each side.  Then from the bottom of the dough (the end closest to you), tightly roll the dough away from you.

    Cut the ends of the dough off with a serrated knife.  (You can also use a piece of string or floss to cut the dough.)  Discard ends, if desired.  Then cut the dough into 1.5" rolls ("saw" gently with the knife...don't press down with the knife or the rolls will lose their circular shape).  Place the rolls in a lightly-greased 9-inch cake pan.  Cover the rolls with greased plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes.  

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

    Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the middle roll is soft but not raw. 

    For the glaze: 
    When the rolls are almost done baking (the last 15 minutes), begin on the orange glaze. In a small pot, whisk together the sugar, softened butter, sour cream, and orange juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to boil the glaze for 5-6 minutes, until mixtures begin to thicken.  Remove from heat and allow the glaze to rest until rolls are done.

    Once the rolls are removed from the oven, pour the glaze over them. Serve warm.

    Recipe from Cook Book of Trial and Error (originally from Gingerbread Bagels...but the link is not working)

    Tuesday, November 13, 2012

    Garlic Bread Buttermilk Upside-Down Biscuits

    When I first began this blog, I was terrified to look at other food blogs.

    So monstrous was the magnitude of self-doubt that my passion to write, cook and share was in danger of being sucked out to sea by the strong undertow of insecurity.

    My early photographs are unappealing, and there's a large part of me--that pride-controlled portion which strives to project unwavering perfection to the world--that wants to delete every post prior to 2012.

    Other bloggers seemed to have it together:  mouth-watering photos, magazine-worthy styling, and devoted followers who just couldn't wait to scroll to the bottom of posts to comment.

    As for me & my blog?  Not so much.  
    But solitude and isolation are lonely, barren, and ultimately unfruitful places to remain.  I eventually began to peruse other blogs, leave genuine comments, and develop relationships with the hearts behind the blogs.  And I soon realized that the thing I so deeply desired for myself and for this blog wasn't perfection but community

    Community doesn't just happen. 

    It has to be pursued.

    And the fruit of this pursuit has been involvement with people who love the combination of beautiful food and beautiful photographs as much as I do.  Connection.  A sense of belonging somewhere in this vast online world.

    This recipe is the result of my throwing the "I can't look at other food blogs" blinders into the ravine behind my house.  I found these buttery, garlicky biscuits on the beautiful site of Katherine Martinelli; she prepared it from another food blog for our recent Secret Recipe Club reveal day.

    And all of these connections serve as confirmation that stepping out of insecurity and into a circle of community is a wonderful thing.

    Arriving at comforting, bread-y goodness couldn't be any easier (or faster) than this.  It's like upside-down cake in biscuit form.  Melted butter, minced garlic, and dried thyme pool in the bottom of a baking dish and welcome the biscuit dough.  Once baked, the biscuits are inverted onto a serving dish, revealing the gorgeous browned color of the biscuits and the toasted perfection of the garlic.  A food marriage made in heaven.  The recipe takes about 35 minutes from melting the butter to removing the finished product from the oven.

    Garlic Bread Buttermilk Upside-Down Biscuits
    About 14-16 servings

    1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
    3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    1 teaspoons dried oregano (I substituted thyme)
    2 and 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (all-purpose flour can be also be used)
    1 tablespoon sugar
    4 teaspoons baking powder
    2 teaspoons salt
    1 and 3/4 cups buttermilk

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

    Grease an 8x8 baking dish (an 8- or 9-inch cake pan works well, too).  Combine the melted butter, minced garlic, garlic powder, and dried oregano (or thyme) in the baking dish.  Set aside.

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Pour in the buttermilk and mix until smooth.  The batter will be thick.  

    Spread the biscuit dough on top of the melted butter/garlic mixture, using an off-set spatula to get it as smooth and even as possible.  

    Bake biscuits for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

    Let biscuits rest in baking dish for 5 minutes after removal from oven.  Then invert onto a serving dish, slice, and serve.