1 Bowl 1 Hour Perfect Dinner Rolls

While I posted a link to the original recipe I got from My Kitchen Cafe quite a while ago, I didn't realize until recently when I was looking at the recipe on Melanie's blog again that other than the ingredients list, I really don't make these rolls the same way. I thought, that being the case, and since I have so many friends and family that ask for this recipe so often, that I should share what I'm actually doing.

The original way to make these rolls works just fine, don't get me wrong, but I have added in a few shortcuts that work really well for me - including changing the type of yeast I use - which makes these really pretty quick to make. I can start and finish the recipe and have hot rolls to eat in about 1 hour. It may take some time to get that fast due to shaping all the rolls, but once you get the hang of it, you'll get faster and faster too. Even then, it will probably only take you about an 1 1/2 hours at the very most. This recipe makes perfect, soft, light dinner rolls every time. What I really love about the recipe is that the ingredients list is short and lean, with stellar results.

If you are looking for an easy, fairly quick soft dinner roll recipe that delivers wonderful results - look no further!

Perfect Dinner Rolls

Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon instant yeast
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into measuring cup, then leveled off

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes.

To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups of the flour - on low speed with the paddle attachment incorporate the flour to create a wet, sticky mixture. Still on low speed, add 1 cup of the remaining flour and incorporate. Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining 1 cup flour. On low speed, mix the dough to incorporate the final addition of flour until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the speed to medium and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl - turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 20 -30 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently deflate into a rectangle. Cut it in half vertically, then each half vertically again into thirds so you have 6 equal strips of dough. Cut each strip of dough into fourths by cutting horizontally to make 24 little squares of dough. Take each piece of dough and cup it lightly under the palm of your hand on a clean surface. Press lightly and start rotating and rolling the dough ball quickly so that it forms a nice little ball of dough. Once you get some practice, you can do this with both hands at the same time and really speed up the process.

Place each rolled piece of dough into a lightly greased 9x13 baking pan in rows of 4 about 1/2-inch apart. Cover the rolls in the pan with a lightly greased piece of plastic wrap and let rise to double while your oven is preheating to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) - about 20 minutes. If you want an even more golden color to the rolls, brush them with a little melted butter before baking. Bake for 13-15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve warm and enjoy!

BBA #6: Ciabatta

I made the poolish version first, found it delicious and easy to work with.

I did use some milk in the dough as well, as one of the options.

Sometimes life just happens in funny ways. Sometimes bread is just made in funny ways. Sometimes bread just looks kind of funny. In this instance, that is pretty much what this Ciabatta bread was all about for me.

The sixth recipe section in the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge is the Ciabatta, which had several different options for how to make it. I have actually made Ciabatta a few times in the past, but these recipes were vastly different than the one I used before. The funny thing about this for me is the fact that I am just now finally posting this bread. You see, I actually made this in week one - but the past few weeks have just been filled with other things going on and I am just finally getting around to posting this. Thankfully, I'm not the only one!

What is funnier to me is that I actually made this twice since we started the challenge. You know, sometimes things just work out that way. So, since it is very late at night and I just don't want to wait any longer before I get this going (because I have the next challenge all ready to post too!) I am just adding my rather weak thoughts and notes about the Ciabatta bread under each photo and hope you will forgive my total lack of writing prowess and wit tonight.

Perfect holes and beautiful texture - this tasted soooo good!

Ciabatta made with biga mixture - didn't go so well and didn't taste as good to me.

The loaves I made with the biga were more difficult to work with and didn't end
up with the proper texture at all - probably more my fault in not handling gently
enough or something, but I really didn't like this version.

Totally just personal preference for me here but I loved the version made with the poolish. It was easy to work with, turned out just right, tasted lovely and we really enjoyed it. The biga was not quite as easy to work with for me and I really didn't enjoy the results for all the extra steps that were involved.

We ate the first loaves from the poolish with butter and just scarfed it down. The other loaves we turned into french toast since the texture was already rather heavy anyway. I will definitely make the poolish version again in the future!

Comfort Food 2008 - Chicken Pot Pie

Comfort Food. Mmmm... my favorite kind of food (and not fitting into my clothes still attests to this fact). Sigh. Back to the comfort. One of my earliest memories of cooking with my mom is of her making Chicken Pot Pie with biscuits on top. I think I was probably just 6 or 7 at the time because I remember it being in the house that was across from our town's high school.

I can go for a few months without making it, but without fail, the first day there is snow, there is Chicken Pot Pie at our house. Over the years I have had a lot of other versions, but the biscuit topped is my absolute favorite. Pastry crust just isn't enough bread for me. Mine just has simple veggies in it and a homemade gravy and biscuits, so even kids like it.

When I read about this Cook-Off on IMBB being hosted by Garden of Eating I am pretty sure it was snowing here in Utah (after all, we are supposed to have the "Greatest Snow on Earth"). Either way, here is my entry, for what is my absolute favorite comfort food.

How do I like it best? Pretty much, just lots of it... and I love making way too much so that I can have the leftovers for the next couple of days. It always hits the spot and is always satisfying.

Mom's Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite size pieces
1 can chicken broth
1 cup water
3 medium size potatoes, peeled and diced into small bite size pieces
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 can corn
1 cup frozen peas
2 tsp chicken bullion granules or base
1/4 cornstarch
1/4 cold water
1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the potato pieces in a saucepan and cover well with cold water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until fork tender. Remove to a 2 qt oven proof casserole dish, reserving two cups of the potato water.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine the chicken broth and water and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Once the liquid boils, reduce the heat to a slow simmer and add the chicken pieces. Simmer approximately 7 minutes or until cooked through. With slotted spoon, remove the chicken to the casserole dish, reserving the liquid.

While the chicken and potatoes are cooking, prepare the biscuits as directed below.

In another medium saucepan place the carrots and cover with water. Bring to boil and cook 5 minutes. Add the frozen peas and can of corn with enough water to cover. Bring back to a gentle boil and cook til the carrots are tender but not mushy, approximately 4 minutes more. Drain and add to the casserole dish.

Combine the reserved broth and potato water in a large saucepan. Add the chicken bullion and whisk. Bring to a boil. Combine the 1/4 cup water with 1/4 cup cornstarch and stir with fork until well combined. Slowly add the cornstarch slurry into the broth mixture, whisking constantly. Season with the pepper and parsley flakes. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. It should make a thick gravy. Stir enough gravy into the casserole to well coat everything.

*Top with the partially baked biscuits and place on a foil-lined baking sheet (in case of bubbling over). Place the dish into the oven and bake until gravy is bubbly and the biscuits are done and nicely browned, approximately 7 minutes more.

Remove from oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Biscuits:
(Use your favorite biscuit recipe, or this one... when I am short on time I even use the frozen biscuits you can get from the grocery store.)

1/4 cup lard or shortening
2 cups flour
1 level tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the lard/shortening into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in the milk a small bit at a time, adding just enough so that the dough rounds up and leaves the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out until it is 1/2-inch thick. Then with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits and place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes, or until they are puffed and starting to set. Refer back to the * above.

NOTE: Another shortcut I use when short on time is to add enough of the milk to make the biscuits a drop consistency and replace the shortening with butter to make a drop biscuit topping.

Enjoy!

Sticky Buns - Courtesy of Steamy Kitchen

In the typical hilarity that is my post-pregnancy life, I am now gaining the weight I needed to gain during the pregnancy and having all the cravings. Not entirely fair since now I would like to eat healthier, but let's face it, it's winter and we are homebound til May (and here is the public service announcement to really wash, wash, wash your hands this season!). Everyday I start out with the intention of eating better and exercising. So far (see, I AM an optomist!) that hasn't happened.

Now, I'm not in any way blaming all of you beautiful bloggers with your tempting treats and delicious looking dishes just crying out for me to cook and try. I'm not. I'm just admitting that I am weak. Aside from that, I know that I will never fully modify the way I eat. So, really the goal is to just eat more healthy things too and to exercise. I figure since I had a c-section only 3 months ago now, that I am still on the front end of this guilt trip.

So, on to the cravings. I am a carb freak. You know those diets where people give up carbs... yeah, me, never gonna' happen. Not a chance. Don't hold your breath. I live on carbs. Sadly for me, the craving comes in with the delicous cinnamon roll (of which I will blog in the near future I am sure) and its evil fashionista twin - the sticky bun. With its toasted pecans and glistening golden caramel, who can resist. Certainly not me.

This lead me to my craving dilemma of the past three weeks. No time with an active 4 year old boy and a time demanding (alright, all-consuming) preemie at home to care for. Seriously, it was hard to find time to cook before the baby got here, but when he came 7 weeks early, the world got rocked (at least in our corner). So, here I am with a huge craving for this comforting item (and after going through 28 days in the NICU with a preemie and then bringing him home while still in shock) I think I am completely entitled to indulge. (Yes, that is me justifying making these).


Anyway - thanks to Jaden over at Steamy Kitchen, I found the time to make these Sticky Buns. As I told Jaden on her post I was completely twitterpated when I saw this recipe. It looked wonderful and the process would actually afford me the time and lee-way to make the rolls without being on a set schedule. The beauty of making the dough and leaving it alone til I was ready, instead of the other way around, was awesome. The only thing I did a little differently (aside from having too much dough for my pan) was to add a little honey and cream (only about a tablespoon each) to the caramel topping mixture.

Oh, and this is what I used the rest of the dough for. Just a quick loaf that we used for grilled ham and cheese sandwiches to go with some cream of tomato soup a couple of days later.

Legume Love

I just got started on blogging a few months ago for our family. None of my family are really as into food as I am, and frankly find my foodiness slightly disturbing at times. "She has an entire bookcase of nothing but cookbooks and binders of recipes? What is wrong with her!" and "Why can't you just buy french bread like a normal person?" are refrains I have often heard from loved ones who think I am a little whacked in the head.

I admit, I have always been a bit obsessed over what goes in a certain dish, or reading cookbooks, or how things taste one way when combined with other ingredients, and completely different when done another way. Sigh... they do all think I am weird. So, onward to having my own food blog.

Why? Because I have to share my alleged "weirdness" with others who think like me. I'm not gettin' that at home, therefore, I look to you, dear foodie friends around the world, to be that part of my life. Then, perhaps only then, will some of the strange looks I get when I bring the homemade tortilla chips ("she made chips?!") not sting quite so much.

On to the "My Legume Love Affair" Event. This event is presented by The Well Seasoned Cook . It is funny that this is my first blog event, because, frankly, I do have a bit of a love affair with the lovely legume going. Always have. Black, green split, pinto, red kidney, cannellini, etc. I love 'em all. So, in honor of the legume and this event, I decided to make my version of hummus. I came up with this recipe a few years ago after tasting a similar idea at California Pizza Kitchen. While theirs is spicer and not baked, mine takes a different twist, adding a parmesan and bread crumb topping and baking in the oven til hot and puffy, and if I do say so myself (and I do), delicious.

It has just enough fresh rosemary to really bring out that flavor without overpowering the other flavors. I like just the slight hint of heat in mine. Feel free to get crazy and adjust what you like. That is why I love this dip. I serve mine with homemade piadine (an Italian flatbread) for dipping, but there really isn't any limit on what you can do. Use what you love or whatever grabs your imagination, but a warm flatbread with a little brushed olive oil and salt sprinkled on it is by far my fave.

Oh, and the loved ones that think I'm obsessed, love to go to town getting their share of the spoils when this is on the counter. It never does seem to actually make it further than that as soon as it is done! Typical, huh. ; )

The pictures really don't do it justice (oh, I can't wait to get a new camera!), but this comes out a beautiful golden brown and the hint of the salt on the piadine is divine! Enjoy (I did)!

WHITE BEAN TUSCAN "HUMMUS"

For the Hummus:

1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained, 1/4 cup juices reserved

1 T tahini

1 T fresh lemon juice

2 cloves garlic

1 T fresh rosemary, stemmed

3 T freshly grated parmesan

1/8 t freshly ground red pepper flakes

1 pinch kosher salt, or to taste

1 T extra virgin olive oil

For the topping:

1/4 cup dry italian-style breadcrumbs

1/4 c freshly grated parmesan

1-2 t extra virgin olive oil

Combine the parmesan and breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Slowly add enough of the oil to help the crumbs get slightly wet and sticking together.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (Farenheit).

Place all the Hummus ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. with the processor on drizzle in the olive oil and continue to process until well combined. Pour the mixture into a small baking dish that has been brushed with a little olive oil (I use an 8-inch square).

Sprinkle the top with the bread crumb mixture and place the dish in the preheated oven. Bake 20 minutes, or until slightly puffed and the top is golden brown.

Serve warm with the piadine.

(NOTE: You can also skip the baking and serve this at room temperature with a little more olive oil drizzled on top if you like.)

PIADINE (NapaStyle, Michael Chiarello)

(Makes about 2 pounds dough, enough for six 8- or 9-inch piadine)

1 envelope active dry yeast

1/2 cup lukewarm water

About 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface

1 cup cool water

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons gray salt (I use regular fine sea salt or kosher)

Whisk together the yeast, lukewarm water, and 1/2 cup of the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Dust the top lightly with flour, cover the bowl with a tea towel, and leave the sponge to rise until the flour dusting "cracks," showing the yeast is alive and well, about 20 minutes.

Add 3 cups of the flour, the 1 cup cool water, the olive oil, and the salt. Start kneading at low speed, then increase the speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed to produce a slightly moist and soft dough. Knead with the dough hook attachment until smooth and silky and the dough adheres to the hook.

Dust the dough lightly with flour and, using a pastry scraper, scrape it out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly, folding the dough over on itself. Shape into a ball, flatten slightly, dust lightly with flour, cover with a towel, and leave to rise on a floured surface (or in a bowl) until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch down and portion into six balls. Roll the balls one at a time into an 8- to 9-inch round and grill as described below.

Wipe some olive oil on a grill pan and preheat over burners until it begins to smoke. Adjust heat to medium. Brush the hand rolled piadine forms with a little olive oil before cooking then lay on the hot grill. As the dough begins to "bake" and turns golden brown on one side, carefully turn over to finish the cookery. Season the cooked side with a little salt (I use a little kosher salt, or sea salt). When the piadine are golden and slightly crisp on both sides transfer to plate.

(NOTE: If you want to make the dough ahead or not use it all at once then after it has risen, punch the dough down, wrap, and freeze for up to 1 month if not using immediately. Defrost and let rise in a large bowl in the refrigerator. When ready, bake in the grill pan as usual.)