Buttermilk Rolls

March 25, 2010 by
 These are so soft and amazing. They are now my go-to roll recipe for holidays. And the best part? The dough can be made up to a week ahead of time and all you have to do the day of is shape, raise, and bake. I’ll be making these for Easter Dinner. And the nice thing is, they make so much you can have them for a few dinners.
BUTTERMILK ROLLS
1 T yeast
3 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp salt
6-7 cups flour, more or less
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp baking soda
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Let proof for 2 or 3 minutes.
Mix the buttermilk, 3 cups of flour, and yeast/water mixture together thoroughly in a large bowl.
Let stand at room temperature until double in size, about 2 hours.
Add sugar, eggs, salt, remaining 5 cups flour, oil, and baking soda.
(Add another cup or two of flour if needed, remember this is a very soft dough though.)
Mix well and knead for 7- 10 minutes.
(At this point I put half in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge. It will keep for 7 days, and be ready to make rolls whenever you need them. Keep in mind that even half of this recipe makes alot of rolls so you may want to use even less.)
FOR REGULAR ROLLS: Shape into balls (size depends on how large of rolls you want), and place on a greased cookie sheet.
FOR PAN ROLLS: shape as you would regular rolls, but place in a greased cake or pie pan.
FOR CLOVERLEAF ROLLS: Shape three small balls of dough, place in a sprayed muffin cup.
FOR CRESCENT ROLLS: Divide dough into thirds.  Roll out each portion of dough into a circle, aprox 10 inches across.
Cut into 8 wedges.
Roll each wedge up, starting at the bigger end and ending at the point.
Place on sprayed cookie sheets. Let rolls rise until double in size, 1-2 hours. (Dough taken from the fridge will take longer because it will be cold.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
VARIATION: Parmesan Thyme rolls: Brush tops of rolls with melted butter before baking, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh thyme (you could use rosemary or another herb if you want.)
Recipe adapted from The Sister’s Cafe blog.
Filed Under: Bread, Yeast, Holiday Recipes

Roasted Red Potatoes

March 12, 2010 by
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Some of the most simple dishes are also the best. Nothing  time-consuming or difficult here. Roasting is one of my FAVORITE techniques. It requires practically no “talent” in the kitchen. I promise you can make these, whoever you are, and I promise you’ll love them, no matter how uneasy or comfortable you are in the kitchen.
ROASTED RED POTATOES
Red potatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
herb of choice (or none at all)*
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a large cookie sheet with nonstick spray (or a glass 9 by 13 inch pan).
Scrub potatoes, leave peel on.
Cut into wedges.
Spread out in a single layer on cookie sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and seasoning.
Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
*I use rosemary alot with these, but I sometimes use a no salt garlic seasoning mix, or herbs de provence, you can really do anything you want. Sometimes I even use just salt and pepper.
Filed Under: Holiday Recipes, Side Dishes

Pie Crust 101

February 26, 2010 by
This is how I pretty much always make my piecrust. It seems silly so many buy premade piecrust. It’s simple, cheap, quick, easy… why WOULD you buy one? And you can even make some yourself for the freezer. And if you don’t allready have a pastry blender… why? It’s cheaper than those piecrusts in your freezer 🙂 And it’ll come in handy for making  biscuits. Now, some like to use shortening, lard, or margarine in their crust, but I swear unsalted butter makes the best, most wonderful and flaky piecrust. So just follow along, I promise it’ll be the best piecrust you’ve ever had. And don’t worry about making the perfect edge. It’s homemade and should look accordingly. And if you really struggle with it, just flop it about and call it a “rustic” pie. (I won’t tell)   🙂
PIECRUST
Makes one piecrust, large enough for a deep dish
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, COLD
4 T ice water, YES, ICE water
Mix flour and salt together in a bowl.
Cut butter into flour using a pastry blender.
(Push down and turn)
Continue until butter is the size of peas or so.
Drizzle water into bowl, one tablespoon at a time.
Mix in with a fork after each addition.
Stop when the dough is just starting to clump together.
Turn out onto plastic wrap.
You should be able to press together into a ball.
Wrap tightly with the plastic wrap, forming a disc.
Chill in the refrigerator for a half hour to hour.
Remove plastic wrap and place on a lightly floured mat or counter.
Using a rolling pin, roll from the middle outwards in all directions.
Roll out large enough to have a small overhang on pie pan.
Fold into fours.
Place in a pie pan, putting the middle corner in the center of the pan.
Drape into corners of pie pan.
Using kitchen scissors or a knife, cut around edge of pie pan.
Crimp edge with fingers.
See? Wasn’t that easy? Now, if you want some premade ones for the freezer, just make them in disposable pie pans and put in a freezer plastic bag in the freezer.
And if you want a two-crust pie, just double the recipe and crimp the two edges together after filling the pie and topping with the second crust.
*BONUS RECIPE! Use your leftover crust, or even double it, and roll out, cut in strips, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 400 degrees until golden and delicious!
Filed Under: Holiday Recipes, Pie

Fall Salad

January 22, 2010 by

I call this “fall salad” but we have it any time of the year. It’s one of my favorite salads. I have to admit, salads are one of my most favorite things in the world. All kinds of them. We always had a gigantic garden every year when I was growing up, and we canned alot, but we also had tons of fresh veggies all summer. I think we had tomatoes every night with dinner. Sliced thick, raw, sprinkled with salt & pepper….it never gets old. Although now I do like to sprinkle them with chiffonade of fresh basil. And if I’m feeling fancy schmany a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. yum.. But I have to fill my raw vegetable cravings with salads and such when the tomatoes are out of season and taste like air from the store. We make this dish alot for a side dish when company comes over, everyone always seems to love it.  I did not give amounts, just trust your own judgment on what you like. And be sure to use the Onion Salad Dressing on it. It’s perfect together.

FALL SALAD

Romaine lettuce (tear, don’t chop-it won’t brown as much)
Red onion, very thinly sliced
Apple or Pear, sliced
Dried Cranberries, chopped or left whole (Store in the freezer for longer life)
Toasted Walnuts, chopped

Toss lettuce with onion, pear, and dressing. Sprinkle walnuts and cranberries on top.

Filed Under: Holiday Recipes, Salad / Dressings

Deep Dish Apple Pie

January 8, 2010 by

Pie. This is one of those things EVERYONE should know how to make. I am totally shocked when I see on BAKING blogs…BAKING blogs, that they use pre-made pie crust. This is such a simple skill to learn.  In fact when I went to a vocational school part-time during high school to study culinary arts. One day myself and another student (a fellow country girl) were making piecrusts and our chef instructor casually said he could never make piecrust right. ???? (Insert shock and amazement) I promise- you CAN do this. It is so simple. And imagine how special your friends and family will feel when presented with a homemade pie? This pie crust is so simple. You can make a bunch up and store in the freezer in ziplocks. When you need one, just set on the counter for a little to partially thaw, then roll out as usual.

Here we go, step by step: 

 DEEP DISH CINNAMON APPLE PIE

PIECRUST:
1 cup unsalted butter, cold & cut into cubes (If you use margarine instead-omit the salt)
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
8-10 T ice water

Put butter, flour, & salt in a food processor* and pulse lightly until resembles wet sand.

Add the water, 1 T at a time, pulsing briefly after each addition of water.

Keep adding water just until the dough begins to gather in larger clumps.
Turn dough out and divide in half. If it seems overly sticky, just dust with some flour.
If using right away, wrap in saran wrap and put in fridge for at least 30 minutes. If storing for later, store in a ziplock in the freezer.
Now, after chilling, I like to roll out on a large flexible cutting mat lined with plastic wrap. Lightly flour surface, and top of dough disc.

Roll out, working from the center and rolling to the outside, rotating the mat as you go. Dust lightly with flour if sticking.
Now transfer to pie pan either by folding into quarters or roll onto rolling pin and rolling off into pie pan.
*If you don’t have a food processor, just use a pastry cutter to cut butter in, then a fork to toss water with dough.

PIE FILLING
10 cups apples, cored & peeled & cut into wedges
3/4 cup sugar (plus more for sprinkling)
4 T flour
2 T cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
2 T lemon juice
2 T butter
Egg wash (1 egg yolk mixed with 1 T cream)**

Prepare apples & drizzle with lemon juice.
Mix sugar, flour, & spices in a bowl, then mix into apples.
Pour into piecrust lined pie pan
Dot with butter.

Roll out second disc of dough the same as first, then place on top.
Using a knife or scissors, trim the edges. (I like a little overhang though)
Press the two crusts together, going all the way around pie.
Now fold under, and you can use your fingers to crimp the edge if desired, or if it’s tricky for you, you can also press a fork around edge to give it a design.
Cut 4 slits in top of pie and if desired, use crust scraps to cut out little shapes and place on pie.
Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with a couple spoons of granulated sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 55 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool to room temperature, and serve with vanilla ice cream, of course.
**OR brush with a beaten egg white for a shiny crust, can also sprinkle with sugar
OR just brush with milk, or just cream or 1 egg white mixed with 1 T water, Then the sugar.
(Egg wash gives a golden brown appearance)

Now, that wasn’t hard, was it?

Filed Under: Holiday Recipes, Pie

Magical Mash

January 6, 2010 by

So, I make this dish probably 3 out of every 4 sundays a month.  It may not look like anything super-special, but my family can’t seem to get enough of it!  These mashed potatoes don’t require gravy, they can stand on their own! And until now, this has been my secret recipe…. so consider yourselves lucky! : )

MAGICAL MASH

5 lbs russet potatoes
1/4 cup butter
8 oz cream cheese
2 T chicken base
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup milk
2 T Johny’s Garlic Seasoning

Wash, peel and boil until fork-tender.

Drain, and add the rest of ingredients. Mix until well combined and mashed. Alternatively, you can use a potato ricer on the potatoes and then add the rest of the ingredients. Yummy!

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Filed Under: Holiday Recipes, Side Dishes