(chili and) cinnamon rolls

i hear the trend nowadays is to serve cinnamon rolls alongside a bowl of chili. true? my mom served this pairing recently - real, warm, spicy comfort food.

cinnamon rolls, to me, aren't supposed to be stiff and dripping with cream-cheese frosting. the cinnamon rolls i had as a kid - at least every christmas morning - were my great-grandma's recipe: light, tender, almost melting in your mouth. (she was also famous for the flakiest pie dough that folks said 'had wings'. her pie crust has ruined me for any other pie...except that sour cherry pie cheryl made last summer. OH! but i digress.)


so if you're going to try your hand at this chili-and-cinnamon-roll trend, may i suggest this recipe? [you'll just have to get over the scant amount of vegetable shortening it calls for. one bite and you won't remember it anyway.]

Hazel's Cinnamon Rolls:

scald 1 c. milk (that's just til bubbles form around the edge of the pan), take off heat.

dissolve 2 pkgs active dry yeast in 1/2 c. warm water. (i add a small pinch of sugar to the bowl, too.)- don’t dissolve until milk is scalded.

to the slightly cooled scalded milk, add:
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. salt
1/4 c. shortening

stir together. add the yeast to the liquid mixture, then mix in:
2 beaten eggs
2 c. flour

mix well.
add 1 cup of flour at a time (up to 2 cups), beating into the dough. it may be wetter than you're used to - don't fret (yet)!
turn out onto well-floured surface & knead, adding flour (up to 1 more cup) as needed just until the dough is elastic (about 5 minutes).

place in greased bowl & cover; let rise til doubled, about 1-1.5 hours. (i set the oven to 170F, then turn it off before placing the dough bowl inside, covered with a barely-damp towel.
punch down dough; let it rest 10 minutes in the bowl.
melt two sticks of unsalted butter - have it on hand along with your cinnamon & sugar.
divide dough in half.
roll each half a 15” x9”ish rectangle.
brush dough somewhat liberally with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar generously, to taste.
roll up dought lengthwise; seal ends.
cut in half, then in half again. (each quarter should yield 3-4 cinnamon rolls.)
grease a 9x13 pan or two cake pans; pour melted butter in, and sprinkle some brown sugar in the bottom of pan.
put rolls in pan, spacing evenly.
cover & let rise til doubled, approximately 1 hour.
while rising on counter, preheat oven to 350F.
bake 12-15 minutes til lightly golden brown.
turn upside down on foil & empty pan immediately.
let cool; then wrap in foil. they also freeze well in the foil & a freezer bag.

European Peasant Bread

From _Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day_.  My friend Xandy introduced me to this bread when I was visiting her in Seattle and I instantly knew I had to make it.

I like this bread a lot.  I've been halving the recipe, so I can actually eat it all before the 14 days are up.  I like that it makes 1 pound loaves, which seem really manageable.  I like making them in round boule shapes, but you can make them oblong or whatever you like.  The BEST part of this recipe is that you can store the dough in the fridge for 14 days (I keep it in a disposable ziploc container and write the date I made it on the lid in permanent marker) and make it when you want it.  It's good and crusty and the flavor gets better the longer the dough is in the fridge, I think.

Okay.  Here goes.

Ingredients (makes 4 1-pound loaves):

3c. lukewarm water
1 1/2 T. instant yeast
1 1/2 T. salt
1/2 c. rye flour (I just use whole wheat, but rye makes it more peasant-y I think)
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
5 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
cornmeal

1.  Mixing and storing the dough: Mix the yeast and salt with the water in a 5 qt. bowl or lidded (not air-tight) container. (I do it in the bowl of my kitchenaid, using the dough hook).

2.  Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon or stand mixer with a dough hook.

3.  Cover (not airtight--I used a kitchen towel), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and flattens on top (approx. 2 hours).

4.  The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold.  Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight--following Xandy's lead, I use a disposable ziploc container) container and use over the next 14 days.

5.  On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1 pound (grapefruit size) piece.  Dust with some flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.  Allow to rest on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel (available at Target for $10) for 40 minutes.

6.  20 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 F, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack.  Place an empty broiler tray (or cookie sheet with sides) on lower shelf.

7.  Sprinkle the loaf liberally with flour and slash a cross, scallop, or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top, using a serrated bread knife (don't forget to do this--I did and the loaf was crazy tall and skinny.  Weird.)  Leave the flour in place for baking; tap some off before slicing.

8.  Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone.  Pour 1 c. of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door (I think this makes the crust crusty).  Bake for about 35 min., or until the top crust is deeply browned and very firm.  Adjust baking times according to size of loaf.

9.  Allow to cool before slicing.  Eat and enjoy!

You all would appreciate a good bran muffin recipe, right?

Mix:
3 T. canola oil
2 eggs
2 T. honey and or/molasses
1 c. milk

Mix (in another bowl):
1/2 c. wheat flour
1/2 c. white flour
1 c. bran (I buy in bulk at Whole Paycheck)
3 t. baking powder
pinch salt
1/4 c. sugar
raisins (optional)

Mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients only until combined.

Pour into 12 lined muffin cups. Bake 18 minutes at 425 degrees.

These are not tough at "healthy" tasting-- they are light and yummy. And, rumor has it, they do wonder's for Ben W.'s intestinal tract.

My pizza dough

Darby and I were chatting yesterday about what we've been making for dinner. (Now that I think about it, I answered her question, but failed to reciprocate the question...) Anyway, I told her we make pizza once a week because we can turn it into whatever we want it to be and then make a simple cheese pizza for the kids. Everyone is pleased.

Tonight Kyle and I are having anchovies, pesto, red onions and peppers. Kids will have cheese as usual.

Here's the dough:

Throw into large food processor with dough blade attached:
- 1/2 c. wheat flour
- 2.5 cups white flour
- 1 (heaping) teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 T. kosher salt

process until mixed

Sloooowly add 1 to 1 1/4 cups room temp water interspersed with adding 2 T. olive oil. The entire addition should take a minute and a half so it "kneads" the dough for you. When it has pulled away from the side and forms something like a ball, I take it off the base, throw a towel over it and plop it in front of my heat vent for about 2 hours. (You can let it rise all day in the fridge if you like...)

At dinner time I punch it down and if I have time let it rest for 10 minutes before I spread it out onto a greased cookie sheet. Add toppings and bake at 500 until done!

Zucchini bread (makes 2 loaves)

A great thing to make now since zucchini is in season. This recipe is adapted from my friend Molly Brandt's recipe. She also tipped me off to the great idea of shredding and freezing 2 cup portions of zucchini so you can make this bread easily all year long.

1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2/3 c. vegetable or canola oil
1/3 c. applesauce
3 eggs
2 c. grated zucchini, not peeled
2 c. white flour
1 c. wheat flour
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts (optiona)
2 t. vanilla

Grease and line loaf pans with parchment or wax paper. Cream together the brown sugar, white sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs. Add zucchini. Mix together the flours, cinnamon, soda, powder and salt. Add to zucchini mixture. Fold in nuts and vanilla. Bake in 2 loaf pans for 50-60 minutes at 325 degrees.

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread (makes 2)

That is actually simple to make, faster than most bread recipes, is super light and fluffy, rises well and tastes yummy. (Believe me, this recipe was HARD to find. We've made our share of rock-hard, super dense loaves) This recipe is courtesy of my friend, Keri Misawa.

3 c. whole wheat flour
1 T. instant yeast (also called BreadMachine yeast or RapidRise)
2 c. hot water (Keri said it was important it was 110 degrees, so I use a thermometer)

Mis together in a Kitchenaid with a dough hook. Mix until completely moist.

Add:
1/3 c. oil (I used canola, Keri uses light olive)
1/3 c. honey (I've also used a mixture of part maple syrup and corn syrup)
1 1/2 t. salt


Mix, then add white flour slowly until dough pulls away from the bowl sides of the Kitchenaid (about 2 to 3 cup white flour) Put on second speed for about 2 more minutes. It should be "satiny" and you can stretch it easily. Form into 2 loaves, and press down into two loaf pans (I use the smaller). You only need one rise!! Let rise for about an hour. Bake 20-30 minutes at 350.

Italian Muffins

Caron requested this recipe. These are savory muffins, by the way-- better to be served with dinner than with orange juice at breakfast.

Italian Muffins

1/4 c. dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water to soften
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
2 T. sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg
1/4 c. oil
1 c. fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/2 c. hard cheese, grated
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
3/4 c. milk

Oil 12 muffin tins.

In skillet, cook mushrooms and garlic in a bit of oil until most of liquid is evaporated.

In med. bowl, mix flour, cheese, sugar, powder, salt and soda. Make a well and pour in the combo of egg, milk, and oil. Stir in mushrooms and chopped tomatoes (drained) just until moistened.

Spoon batter into cups. Sprinkle with more cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

By request.

Lindsay wanted me to re-post this recipe for the bread that we Dyers are slightly
addicted to.  We still make it often-- my new addition is to cover the loaf in sesame
seeds before I make it. Yum!

3 cups (430 grams, to be exact) of all-purpose flour
scant Tablespoon of coarse salt (like Kosher, don't use table)
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (also known as RapidRise OR Breadmachine yeast)
about 1 5/8 cups of water
extra flour for dusting

 In large glass or plastic mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and yeast.
Pour in water and mix with wooden spoon. The dough will be sticky and kind of shaggy looking.
This is normal even though it looks wrong. Cover bowl with plastic wrap
and let stand for 16-20 hours. (Can be at room temp., unless house is
really cold) The dough should be bubbly looking and should be stringy when
the bowl is tipped. Turn dough onto a WELL floured surface.
With a bench scraper pull out both sides of the dough and fold over each
other into thirds. (It will be VERY sticky) Give a quarter turn and do it
again-- flouring all the while. Oil the bowl a bit and toss it back in. (Update: I now just leave the dough IN the bowl, grab a rubber scraper and "fold" it a few times. I don't oil the bowl in this case and it works just fine.)
Cover it with plastic wrap and let stand for another 2-3 hour rise.

Place a medium cast iron pot with lid OR any casserole WITH LID into oven
WHILE you pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Let the casserole dish heat for at
least 30 minutes. Remove dish, sprinkle bottom with flour (or sesame seeds).
Transfer dough to hot pot, sprinkle with a bit more flour, (some salt and
sesame seeds),cover with lid and return tooven. Bake 30 minutes WITH lid,
remove lid and bake 15minutes more. Shake it out onto cooling surface.
Wait AT LEAST 45 minutes to slice. (Another update: We now use 2 c. of white flour and 1 c. wheat and really like the results)