Yeast Rolls

This recipe is one of the easiest which involves yeast.  It is adapted from the Mary Mac's Rolls recipe in Being Dead Is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten
2 packages active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
6 cups flour

PREPARATION

• Pour the boiling water over the shortening in a large bowl.  Add the salt and the sugar then let the mixture cool.  

• Add the eggs.

• Meanwhile, place the yeast in a separate bowl with the warm water for five minutes.

• Stir the yeast mixture into the shortening and egg mixture.

• Mix in the flour, one cup at a time.  Place dough in a greased bowl then place in the refrigerator for at least two hours.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap.

• Roll the dough out on a floured board.  Cut the rolls out with a donut cutter or a drinking glass.  Brush with melted butter and then fold them over.

• Place in a buttered pan and brush with more butter.  For an 8-inch square pan, you should be able to fit 15 to 18 rolls.

• Let rolls rise 1 1/2 hours in a warm place.

• Bake at 375 degrees or until brown on top, about 12 minutes.

Thanksgiving 2009

Well I've been tagged with making Thanksgiving Dinner this year.  Here's a preview of what I'll be serving with recipes previously posted here at And I Helped!

Perfect Roast Turkey

Stuffing

Turkey Gravy

Roasted Vegetables

I'll also make Cranberry Sauce, Caesar Salad as well as Yeast Rolls (and place the recipe here soon).  The rest of the family will bring feta and olives (hey, we're Greek!) and desserts.

© 2009, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Focaccia Bread

Basically a double-recipe of the Pizza Dough for a large 11 x 17 jellyroll pan..

INGREDIENTS

1 1/3 cup lukewarm water (105–115°F)
2 (1/4-oz) package active dry yeast (5 teaspoons)
2 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for brushing
3 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon table salt
Optional: rosemary, roasted garlic


PREPARATION

1.Stir together water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t foam, discard and start over.) Stir in oil, flour, cornmeal, and table salt, then stir until a dough forms. Add chopped rosemary (about 3 tablespoons) if desired.

2.Knead on a floured surface, dusting with more flour as needed to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes (dough will be moist). I use my Kitchen Aid mixer at medium and the dough hook for 5 minutes.

3.Put dough in an oiled deep bowl and turn to coat with oil. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

4. Punch down dough and then place on to well-oiled jelly roll pan. Pat out dough and let rise in warm place for another hour.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush top of dough with olive oil or with egg wash. Dimple dough with thumb. Place pieces of roast garlic on top if desired.

6. Bake for 20 minutes until crisp and golden brown on bottom.

Pizza Dough

This can be made into small pizza crusts and grilled. Doubled recipe will make a large 11 x 17 jellyroll pan size pizza.

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup lukewarm water (105–115°F)
1 (1/4-oz) package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for brushing
1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt


PREPARATION

1. Stir together water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t foam, discard and start over.) Stir in oil, flour, cornmeal, and table salt, then stir until a dough forms.

2. Knead on a floured surface, dusting with more flour as needed to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes (dough will be moist). I use my Kitchen Aid mixer at medium and the dough hook for 5 minutes.

3. Put dough in an oiled deep bowl and turn to coat with oil. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

4. Punch down dough and divide into 6 balls. Roll out 1 ball of dough 1/8 inch thick (about 7 inches in diameter) on a lightly floured surface. Brush off excess flour, then transfer dough to a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover surface of dough completely with plastic wrap. Roll out remaining balls of dough in same manner, covering with plastic wrap and stacking rounds. Wrap baking sheet with more plastic wrap. Chill dough until firm, about 2 to 4 hours or overnight.

Adult Macaroni and Cheese

I call this "adult" macaroni and cheese because I usually make it with a cheese other than the standard cheddar - gruyere, emanthaler, parmesan, asiago. It makes a great side dish on a cold winter day!  This recipe is based on one from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins with my own variations.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound penne or other pasta
4 cups milk
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
6 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper
12 ounces cheese, grated

PREPARATION

1. Boil the pasta in a large stock pot with salted water.  Use the time alotted on the package but subtract one minute - you want the pasta to be slightly underdone.

2. Drain the pasta and set aside in a large bowl.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.

4. In a large sauce pan (or in a large microwave-safe glass measuring cup in the microwave), bring the milk to a boil and immediately remove from heat.

5. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over low heat.  Add the flour and whist over low heat for about 5 minutes but make sure it doesn't brown.  Remove from heat.

6. Add the hot milk to the flour mixture, and whist well.  Add 1/2 tsp of the paprika, season with salt and pepper, and return the pan to the heat.  Cook over medium heat, constantly whisting for about 5 minutes or until mixture thickens.  Remove from heat.

7. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce.

8. Butter a 13 x 9 x 2 glass baking dish or casserole and pour in the pasta/sauce mixture.

9.  Sprinkle the grated cheese over the pasta and then sprinkle with the remaining paprika, salt and pepper.

10.  Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes until hot.

11.  Remove the dish and if desired, place under a broiler - watching constantly - until the top is golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Serves 8.

Variations: look for hard or semi-hard cheeses to use but I have also used some cream cheeses such as fontina.  When using a creamier cheese, I mix the cheese into the pasta instead of sprinkling on top.  Also consider using cheese combinations such as asiago and gorgonzola.  Another variation is to add a can of chopped, drained tomatoes to the pasta mixture as well as cooked mushrooms - the goal is to add items which won't contribute moisture to the dish and make it soupy.

Cornmeal Currant Biscotti

I believe this recipe originated from the Baking with Julia cookbook and television series on PBS.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp finely grated lemon peel
1 cup raisins OR dried cherries, cranberries, blueberries, currants, OR chopped dried apricots

PREPARATION

1. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or a fork. Set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, vanilla and lemon peel and beat until light and fluffy.

3. Add flour mixture, stirring until all ingredients are moistened.

4. Add dried fruit, mixing with your hands if necessary. Shape dough into a 12"x2" log and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. Bake in the middle of a pre-heated 350̊ oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until lightly browned and cracked on top. Cool 5 to 10 minutes.

6. Transfer loaf carefully to a cutting board. Using a long serrated knife, cut loaf on the diagonal into slices about 3/8"-wide. Lay slices, cut side down, on cookie sheet.

7. Bake about 10 minutes or until cookies are barely beginning to brown at edges.

8. Set pan on a rack. Cool cookies completely before stacking or storing. May be stored, airtight, for at least 2 weeks. Makes about 30 biscotti.

Notes: the batter is very soft and I spoon it into a log and shape it with a spatula to about 12" or 13" x 2-1/2" or 3". The dough spreads to about 5" wide while cooking. I slice the biscotti about 1/2" thick. I regularly double the amount of lemon peel. I have been known to add 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 Tbs lemon juice and 1/4 cup flour successfully to the dough. For my own tastes, I much prefer dried cherries or cranberries in this recipe (I find raisins too sweet in it). It generally bakes in about 30 minutes in my oven at 350̊, plus another 15 minutes, after slicing, standing up on the cookie sheet.

Chicken Stew

The cold weather is upon us here in Chicago and it is time for me to switch to the "winter menu" as I call it. Lots of soups and stews - items that can cook all day and fill the house up with wonderful smells. A great way to braise tough cuts of meat and make them tender.

While I like chicken soup, I never cared to make it since most recipes start with a raw chicken and have you skimming the broth for what seems like forever. My solution: start with a rotisserie chicken from your local supermarket.

A rotisserie chicken is already cooked and seasoned. Plus you can make a large batch of stock from one chicken. I usually turn my stock and the picked over meat into chicken stew and serve with dumplings or biscuits.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups chopped onions
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large rotisserie chicken, cooked
Water
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup flour
1 14 oz can evaported milk
8 oz mixed frozen vegetables

PREPARATION

1. In large stock pot, place onions and oil over medium heat. Cook for five minutes until onions are soft.

2. Meanwhile, remove large areas of meat from the chicken. Break carcass apart and place in stock pot when onions are soft. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over medium high heat.

3. Boil chicken carcass for about one hour or until most bones are free of meat. Cool.

4. Strain stock using a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Pick over bones removing pieces of meat. Place meat in a separate bowl. Keep stock warm, at a simmer.

5. In a large dutch oven, melt butter over low heat and add flour. Cook for five minutes, stirring constantly, to make a roux. Add 2 cups of hot stock to roux and cook until thickened.

6. Add remaining stock and pieces of meat. Add can of evaporated milk. Bring to a boil.

7. Add frozen vegetables and season to taste.

8. Variations: Add chopped rosemary while cooking onions. Add more frozen vegetables or greens such as kale or swiss chard. Also add roasted garlic.