Croissants?!? Yes Please!!!

My family and I went on a little hiatus from South Asian life this past year.  We were in the US from August to the first of February.  We returned to our South Asian city, only to find it was time to move to a different apartment.  It's been a good move for us, but now, about a month later, we're finally settled in and getting back to a routine.

I've been wanting to try making croissants for a long time, but never really had the courage (or a good reason to muster up the courage).  A friend in my city had received a package with a special ingredient, and wanted to make her grandmother's chicken salad and have us all over for lunch.  Well, if that's not a reason to figure out how to make croissants, I don't know what is. I spent some time looking over lots and lots of recipes, and finally settled on this one. It has really cool .gifs. (If you don't know what those are, it's okay, I didn't either before I saw them here!)  They're moving pictures, not like a movie, but sequenced to show action, that gave me a fantastic idea of what the process was supposed to look like.

I learned a lot through the process. Like, the butter inside melts much faster in north Indian heat. : )  And, if I were to do it again, I would roll (and fold) them out twice each time I took them out, to get more layers, because mine didn't have as many layers as the original recipe did.  But all in all, for a first attempt, they turned out great.

One thing that surprised me is that it was about one hour of active work.  And that was spread out over about 15 hours.  I started in the afternoon, made the dough, let it rest in the fridge, and then took it out ever hour on the hour to roll and fold four times (I think!). I lived by the kitchen timer that day. : )  Then the dough rested overnight, and in the morning, I got up, rolled them out and shaped them, and let them rise 2 hours, then baked them.  It wasn't near as hard as I imagined it being. : )

Here's pictures of how mine turned out, and a link to the original recipe!

Be brave in your kitchen! Tackle something previously scary this week! : )

Croissant Tutorial at Top With Cinnamon . com

This is the dough after it's final roll and fold, when it's cut and ready to rise overnight in the fridge.  I was surprised at how many layers there were, but it's nowhere near what the original poster's dough looks like.  Mine definitely looks hot and tired, thanks to the Rajasthan heat! :)

Finished product!  They were yummy with that chicken salad! :)

Bierocks!

I grew up eating these.  My family has a German background, and I guess that's where it came from.  : )   

Since I have a spouse who doesn't appreciate the simplicity of the bierock itself, I've had to tweak it a little to make it an enjoyable meal for everyone in my house. : ) You can also make it a good vegetarian option by substituting channa deal(yellow lentils) for the chicken.  One of my favorite things about this recipe is it makes 12 bierocks, which means two meals for us!  I always freeze 6 of them (wrapped in saran wrap and foil) and pull them out later for a quick meal.  

Here's what I do!  It's a nice little comfort food meal, especially if you serve it with onion rings. : ) 

Bierocks


Dough:
2 ¼ t. Dry Yeast1 c. Warm Milk¼ c. Sugar¼ c. Vegetable Oil1 t. Salt 2 Eggs, Beaten4 c. Bread Flour, More As Needed

Filling:
½ c. Onion, Chopped1/2 kg chicken keema2 T. Vegetable Oil.
4 c. Cabbage, Cut Fine
3-4 T. Amul creamy cheese
1 t. Worcestershire sauce

Salt, Pepper And Cayenne Pepper To Taste


Directions:
Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm milk. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine oil, salt and eggs; add yeast mixture. Add 1 cup of flour and beat for 1 minute. Beat in ½ cup of flour at a time, until dough pulls away from sides of bowl.
Knead in remaining flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
Place dough in a well-oiled large bowl and loosely cover. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. 

To make filling, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add meat and onion and cook until meat is browned, stirring to crumble. Add cabbage and cook until wilted. Add cheese and worcestershire.  Season with salt and pepper. Let cool. 

Punch dough down and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough in half. 

Roll each half into a letter-sized rectangle (roughly 8 by 11) and cut each rectangle into 6 squares. 

Spoon ¼ or ⅓ cup filling into center of each square. 

Bring opposite corners together at the center, pinching corners and seams to seal.

 Place seam side down on a large baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise 20 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Grandma's Yeast Rolls

I always love it when I'm able to get a recipe out of my grandma.  She's one of those grandma's who seems to cook by instinct.  Nothing is ever measured, and it's all in her head.  I did manage to get her to write this down as a birthday gift for me.  Her rolls are always the star of the meal at Thanksgiving. You can use this recipe for more than just rolls, it works for sandwich bread and for burger or hot dog buns. 






Grandma's Yeast Rolls

¼ c, Warm Water
1 T. Sugar
2 ½ t. Yeast
1 c, Scalded Milk
1 c, Water
¼ c, Crisco Or Oil
1 t. Salt 
¼ c, Sugar

Directions:
Combine ¼ c. warm water, T. sugar and yeast.

Combine scalded milk, 1 c. water, oil, salt and sugar.  Allow to cool.  Add milk mixture to yeast mixture after cooled.

Add 2 c. flour and beat until very smooth.  Add 1 more cup, beat,  Continue adding ½ c. at a time until dough is very stiff.  Then knead on a lightly floured counter top.  Place in a greased bowl and allow to rise until doubled.  Punch down, and let rest 15 minutes.

Divide dough into 12 even pieces.  Take each piece and divide in two, rolling each piece into a ball. Place two balls in one muffin cup.  Once pan is full and all rolls are made, allow to rise another 30-45 minutes.

Bake at 375 for approximately 12 minutes, until golden brown.  Brush with butter last minute of cooking, if desired. 

Bruschetta

I found this recipe in a Top Secret Restaurant recipes cookbooks.  It claims to be a Cheesecake Factory recipe.  Wherever it's from, it's great!

Bruschetta
1 1/2 c. chopped roma tomatoes
2 T. diced red onion
1 large garlic clove
2 T. chopped fresh basil (if you can't get this, substitute 1/2 t. dried basil)
1/2 t. red wine vinegar
1/4 t. salt
dash of pepper
loaf of French Baguette (use the Classic French Bread recipe!)
1/4 t. garlic salt

Combine the tomatoes, red onion, garlic, and basil in a medium bowl.  The tomatoes and onions should be chopped uniformly.

Add 1/2 T of oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, and mix well.  Cover the bowl and let sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour. (Sometimes I don't do this because I don't plan ahead).

When you are ready to serve the dish, preheat your broiler and slice the baguette in one inch slices on a 45 degree angle.  Combine the remaining 1 1/2 T oil with the garlic salt. Brush the entire surface of each slice of bread (both sides) with the oil until the surface of the bread starts to turn brown.

Arrange the slices like a star or spokes of a wheel on a serving plate.  Pour the chilled tomato mixture in a neat pile onto the bread slices where they meet at the center of the plate.  Garnish with Italian parsley. 

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

These are just like Cinnabon.  Really, really good...  Don't be afraid of cinnamon rolls!  They're not as hard as they seem.  I always make these and roll them out, put them in a pan in the evening and put them in the refrigerator to do their second rise overnight.  In the morning, pull them out and set them on the counter for 30-45 minutes to get to room temperature while you let the oven pre-heat.  Then, bake them up! Cinnamon rolls are best eaten hot and fresh. (I'm sorry this picture is so terrible, it does NOT do these justice!) I've been wanting to post this recipe for a long time, but have been holding off for a picture... this is better than nothing, I guess! : )

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
2 1/4 t. yeast
1 c. warm milk (110 degrees)
1/2 c. castor or breakfast sugar
1/3 c. butter
1 t. salt
2 eggs
4 c. flour

Filling: (I almost always double this part)
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 1/2 T. cinnamon
1/3 c. butter, softened

Icing:
8 T. butter
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. cream cheese
1/2 t. vanilla
1/8 t. salt

For the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl.   Add sugar, margarine, salt, eggs, and flour.  Mix well.

Knead the dough into a large ball.  Put in a bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, until it is approximately 21 inches long by 16 inches wide. It should be about 1/4 inch thick.

To make the filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.  Spread the melted butter over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the surface.  You want the cinnamon mixture to go all the way to the edge of on three sides of the rectangle.  On the side that will be the outer edge, leave about 1/4-1/2 inch of dough uncovered by cinnamon.  Make sense?  You will roll toward this edge.
Working carefully, from the long edge, roll the dough down to the bottom edge.  Cut the dough into approximately 2 inch wide slices, and play in a lightly greased baking pan.  At this point, you can refrigerate it over night.  OR
Bake ten minutes or until light golden brown. (It usually takes me a bit longer then ten minutes).

While the rolls are baking, combing the icing ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy.  When the rolls are done, spread generously with icing.

Oh. My.  : )  Delish!

Perfect Pancakes

These are our favorite Saturday morning pancakes!

2 c. all-purpose flour
4 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
2 c. buttermilk (2 T. vinegar, fill to 2 c. with milk)
2 T. vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife.  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.  Combine buttermilk, oil, and eggs. Add to flour mixture, stirring until smooth.

Spoon about 1/4 c. of batter onto a hot nonstick griddle.  Turn pancakes when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.  Makes about 15-16 pancakes.

Sometimes, I add 1/4 c. flour if the batter looks too runny. I like a nice thick batter that will set up into thick, fluffy pancakes.  You also want your pan nice and hot, so that the batter starts cooking immediately instead of running all over the pan.  But not too hot that they burn before cooking through! : ) 

Easy Drop Biscuits

These are quick and easy, and so light and fluffy.  I'll often make some up to go with soup, pasta, or for breakfast.  So yummy and fast!

Drop Biscuits

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1/4-1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. (6 T.) butter, cut into small squares
1 c. milk (even better with homemade buttermilk!)

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Using a pastry blender, cut in butter til mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  (I've also found I can do this with my hands, just rubbing the butter into the flour until it's mixed together).  make a well in the center of the dry mixture.  Add the milk all at once.  Using a fork, stir just till moistened.

Drop dough onto grease baking sheets.  I normally fill a 1/4 c. or 1/3 c. with batter, and spoon it out onto the baking sheet.  Makes about 8-10, depending on how big you make them. : )

Donuts!

Donuts are something I love to eat, but I tend to only make them two or three times a year. But since I found this recipe, I'll be making them more often. : )  Especially since I figured out I can make the dough the night before, stick it in the fridge to have it's first rise over night, pull it out and cut them in the morning and fry them up.  With a few minutes work the night before, they turn into a pretty quick breakfast, relatively speaking. : )

Dunkin Donuts

2 ¼ t. Yeast
2 T. Warm Water
¾ c. Warm Milk
2 ½ T. Butter, Softened
1 Egg
⅓ c. Granulated Sugar
1 t. Salt 
2 ¾ c. Flour
3 c. Vegetable Oil
Glaze:
⅓ c. Melted Butter
2 c. Powdered Sugar
½ t. Vanilla
⅓ c. Hot Water
1 c. Chocolate Chips (For Chocolate Glaze)

Directions: 

In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the milk, butter, egg, sugar, and salt, and blend with an electric mixer until smooth. Add half the flour and mix for 30 seconds. Add the remaining flour and knead the dough with flour-dusted hands until smooth. Cover the bowl of dough and leave it in a comfy, warm place until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour. You can tell that the dough has risen enough when you poke it with your finger and the indentation stays. Rollout the dough on a heavily floured surface until it's about ½ inch thick. If you don't have a donut cutter, and don't intend to buy one, here's a way to punch out your dough: you can use a standard 15 ounce can.  Be sure to wash out the can very well, and punch a hole in the opposite end so that the dough won't be held inside the can by a vacuum. However, here in South Asia, you can usually find a cutter for those veda things from South India that they put into sambar.  That's what I have and it works great! When you've punched out all the dough (you should have about a dozen unholed donuts), it's time for the holes. Find the cap to a bottle of lemon juice or Worcestershire sauce, or any other small cap with a diameter of about 1 ¼ inches. Use this to punch out holes in the center of each of your donuts. Place the donuts on plates or cookie sheets, cover, and let stand in the same warm, comfy place until they nearly double in size. This will take 30 to 45 minutes. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Bring the oil to about 350 degrees. It is easily tested with scrap dough left over from punching out the donuts. The dough should bubble rapidly. Fry each donut for about 30 seconds per side, or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on paper towels. For either the plain or the chocolate glaze, combine the margarine or butter with the powdered sugar in a medium bowl and blend with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and hot water. Mix until smooth. If you're making the chocolate glaze, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds. Stir, then microwave another 30 seconds and stir again until completely melted. Add to the plain glaze mixture. Blend until smooth. When the donuts have cooled, dip each top surface into the glaze and then flip over and cool on a plate until the glaze firms up, about 15 minutes.

Mango Coconut Muffins

I'm loving mango season! :) Can ya tell?  When I made these, I'm pretty sure I added some regular milk at the end, maybe 1/4 c. to make the batter the right consistency. But I can't remember exactly.  Do what you think is best!

Mango Coconut Muffins

2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. fine salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. sugar, plus more for topping

2 large eggs

1/2 c. coconut milk (1 juice box size box)

2 mangos, chopped into small bits

1/2 c. sweetened shredded coconut, plus more as the batter needs

1/2 c. slivered/chopped almonds (optional)

Brush muffin tin with butter.  Combine flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a medium bowl and set aside. 

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Scrape down the sides, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Fold the flour in 3 parts into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk in two parts, until just combined.  Fold in mango, coconut, and almonds if using.  Do not overmix.  Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin and sprinkle tops with sugar.  Baked about 25 minutes.  Cool muffins in pan on a rack.  Serve warm.  This made 11 regular size muffins. 

Pita Bread

So I had posted a recipe previously that I found on a blog somewhere that I'd been using for pita bread. But my success with it kept deteriorating to the point where I would maybe get one out of 8 or 10 to puff correctly. I decided to start over and figure out a new recipe. Here is what I came up with, that resulted in 100% puffing! :)

Pita Bread

3 c. flour

1 T. yeast

2 t. salt

2 t. sugar

1 1/4 c. water (110-115 degrees)

2 T. olive oil

Dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm water. While the yeast proofs, measure the flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Once the yeast is nice and foamy, add it and the olive and stir with a wooden spoon until it gets combined and shaggy looking. Turn it out on to a floured surface and knead for 5-8 minutes. Longer the better. Set it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat it with oil, to rise for 1 1/2 hours. (I always put a cup of warm water in my microwave, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and shut it up in the microwave.)

Once dough has doubled, punch it down and turn it onto the floured surface. Divide into 8 portions by splitting it in half over and over. Keep them covered while you roll one out with a rolling pin. The pita needs to be about 6 inches in diameter and not too thin. Place each pita on a piece of foil (about 6x10 inches, so you can pick it up on each side and move it), and stack them on top of each other. When they’re all rolled and stacked, cover them with a towel for another 30 minutes. (Place them next to the oven to keep them warm and rising while the oven preheats!).

Preheat your oven to 250C while the pitas are rising. Place two at a time in the oven directly on the grill rack. Bake until they are fully puffed and just starting to brown. Remove them and peel the foil off the bottom and place them in a bowl lined with a towel or fabric and cover them to steam while the others cook.

Classic French Bread

This is probably the easiest, fail-proof bread recipe I have. Four ingredients. Maybe five. : ) All of which most of us have on hand at any given time. This bread takes about 15 minutes to put together. Just give it a try! :)

Classic French Bread

2 1/4 t. dry yeast

1 c. water water (100-110 degrees, very important it's in between there!)

3 c. flour

1 t. salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water. (I put the water in a liquid measuring cup, heat it in the microwave until it's the right temp, then dump the yeast in, stir, and let it sit till it starts to bubble and foam). Let stand about five minutes.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups: level with a knife. Place flour and slat in a food processor and pulse two times to blend. WIth processor on, slowly add yeast mixture through the food chute; process until dough forms a ball. Process 1 additional minute. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 4-5 times. (Kneading means pushing the dough, folding it in half, turning, pushing again, then folding, turning, etc. One push-fold-turn sequence is one knead).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with oil, turning to coat top of dough. Cover dough, adn let rise in a warm place free from drafts for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. (I cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel, then put a small cup of water in the microwave, heat it up, then put the bowl inside and close it up. Keeps it nice and warm.)

Punch dough down and shape. You can either shape it into approximately a six inch round loaf, or you can make a baguette. For a baguette, gently roll the dough out into a 18x9 inch rectangle. Roll it up tightly along the 18 inch edge (so you'll have a 9 inch baguette), pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets. Pinch the seam to seal.

Either way, when dough is shaped, cover and let rise another 30 minutes or until double in size. (I just do this rise on the kitchen counter).

Preheat oven to 230C. Uncover dough and make 3 diagonal cuts, 1/4 inch deep. Combine 1 T. water and 1 egg white and brush mixture over the top of the loaf. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes, or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

It's really easy, especially if you have a mixer. I use my Bajaj Food Factory. :) If you don't have a mixer that will do this, you can do it by hand, it just won't be quite as easy. Just add the water/yeast mixture a little at a time and combine thoroughly before adding more.

Rachel's No Knead Yeast Rolls

RachelR says:

If you want to impress your family or dinner guests with homemade bread but don't have a lot of time, make these rolls. They are super easy and don't require any kneading. You have to cook these in a muffin tin because the mixture is very wet and the rolls won't hold their shape very well in a regular pan. But they will pull apart and melt in your mouth. Yum!

No Knead Yeast Dinner Rolls

2 Tbsp. shortening OR butter
3 Tbsp. white sugar
1 c. hot water (it has to be hot enough to melt the shortening or butter)

Mix these three together. When the mixture cools to 110 degrees, add

1 pkg (.25 oz, 1 1/4 t.) yeast

Let this set about 5 minutes to get your yeast active. Then blend in

1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 c. flour (I did half whole wheat flour and they were great!)

After you've mixed all this together, set aside. The mixture will be very wet. Just cover it and keep in a draft free area and let it double in size. Then spoon into a greased muffin tin. (This recipe just makes 8 rolls, so be sure to fill your empty cups with water to ensure even baking.) Again, set aside and allow the rolls to double in size again.
Bake at 425 for 10 minutes.

After mine rose the second time, I brushed with butter, then sprinkled a little rosemary on top, then brushed with more butter, then sprinkled just a little sea salt on top. Just an adaptation from the Pioneer Woman!

Macaroni Grill Bread and Penne Rustica

So I was sort of back. :) I'm moving slow right now, and not having a whole lot of time for internet and writing or even for myself. Life with three kids is wonderful, but life without a house helper is a bit rough! I have a lady doing the floors, but that's it. I feel like every night is consumed with household chores. But tonight I have a bit of time to give you some recipes I've been thinking about!

As one who loves Italian food and especially the Macaroni Grill, these recipes are some of my favorite. The bread is just right, and even without a few of the called-for ingredients, the pasta is really good too...

Macaroni Grill-like Bread

1 T. dry yeast

1 T. sugar

1 c. warm water (110-120 degrees)

2 ½ c. white flour

1 t. salt

2 T. fresh rosemary chopped or 2 t. dried rosemary chopped

1 T. canola oil, peanut oil, or olive oil

2 T. butter

Place yeast, sugar, and water in large bowl or food processor and allow mixture to become bubbly. Mix in 2 cups of flour and the salt. Add one tablespoon of chopped rosemary. Knead for about ten minutes by hand or in food processor about 30 seconds until smooth and elastic. Add flour if necessary. Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover with a towel. Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled.

Punch down dough and divide in half. Let dough rest about 5-10 minutes. Grease a baking pan or cookie sheet. Shape the dough into two small rounded oval loaves. Melt margarine or butter. Brush over the top of the loaves. Sprinkle remaining one tablespoon of rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface. Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450˚F. Lightly sprinkle coarse salt over the loaves. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned.

Ummm... these are so good.

So now for the pasta...

Macaroni Grill-like Penne Rustica

Granita sauce:

2 t. butter

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 t. Dijon mustard

1 t. salt

1 t. chopped dried rosemary

1 c. Marsala wine (I always substitute 1 c. chicken broth here, but this really makes the sauce).

¼ t. cayenne pepper or red chili powder

4 c. (32 oz.) heavy cream (I usually use less than this, 2 1/2-3 c, or half cream and half milk).

Penne Rustica:

1 oz. pancetta or 4 slices of bacon, chopped (if you have it... if not, it will be okay!)

1 pack Large or Jumbo Sumeru prawns

3 grilled chicken breasts, sliced

1 recipe granita sauce

1 lb. uncooked penne

3 t. pimentos, minced (I never have this!)

3 T. butter

1 t. chopped shallots or ½ c. chopped onions

1 c. grated parmesan cheese, divided

½ t. paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

6 sprigs of fresh rosemary for garnish

For sauce:

Saute butter, garlic and rosemary until garlic begins to brown. Add marsala wine and reduce by one third. Add remaining ingredients and stir til combined. Set aside.

For pasta:

Preheat oven to 475˚F. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, sauté pancetta/bacon until it begins to brown. Add butter, shallots/onions, and shrimp. Cook until shrimp are evenly pink but still translucent. Add chicken, salt, pepper and mix thoroughly. Add granita sauce and ½ c. parmesan cheese and simmer until sauce thickens.

In a large bowl, combine shrimp and chicken mixture with pasta. Place this into single serving dishes or one large casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and pimentos and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 475˚ for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs. Serves 8.

This is one of my favorite dishes... love it! Hope you enjoy it!