Spelt Dinner Rolls
Spelt Dinner Rolls
Spelt flour is one of my favorites for making breads. Whole grain with all the fiber and nutrition of whole wheat flour, it has a softer texture. It is easy to work with and rises light and tender. Spelt doesn’t require as much kneading as other flours, too. For this recipe I just divided the dough into 12 pieces for pretty good sized rolls. You could divide the dough into up to 18 pieces if you prefer smaller dinner rolls. If you have family members who aren’t crazy about the heavier texture of whole wheat you might want to give spelt flour a try.
Spelt Dinner Rolls
3 ¼ c. whole spelt flour
1 pkt. Active dry yeast
1 c. water
¼ c. honey
¼ c. oil
1 t. salt
1 egg
Place 2 c. flour, yeast and salt in a medium bowl. Heat together water, honey and oil until warm (120-130 degrees) Add water mixture to spelt mixture and beat on low speed of electric mixer for 30 seconds, or until moistened. Add egg and beat on high 3 minutes. Stir in enough spelt to make a soft dough. Cover bowl with towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Grease a baking sheet and set aside. Use a rubber scraper to transfer dough onto floured surface. Divide dough into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into dinner roll shapes, using extra flour to prevent sticking. Place on baking sheet and cover with a towel. Allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Cover and let rise until doubled, another hour. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes or until rolls are light brown on top. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Makes 12 rolls.
Oatmeal Bread
Oatmeal Bread
There is something about the smell of baking bread that always makes me remember my childhood and going to the movies. I know that sounds odd but there is an explanation. When I was a kid there was a neighborhood movie theater. It was close and we would walk there to see movies. On the walk home we walked past a local bakery. Late at night they would be baking bread and other goodies for the next day. The air would be filled with the aroma of baking bread.
This oatmeal bread is one of my favorites. With the addition of molasses the bread has an earthy sweetness that works well with the oatmeal. It is versatile. You can make 2 round loaves, or bake it in loaf pans or even make dinner rolls out of it.
Oatmeal Bread
5-5 ½ c. flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 ½ t. salt
1 1/3 c. water
¼ c. milk
¼ c. molasses
¼ c. butter
1 egg
1 c. old fashioned oatmeal
In large bowl mix 1 cup of the flour with yeast and salt. In small pan heat together next 4 ingredients until warm. Pour into bowl with flour mixture and beat 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup additional flour and egg and beat 2 minutes longer. Stir in oatmeal and 1 cup more flour and stir, adding enough flour to form soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead, adding flour as needed until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough on a greased bowl, turning to grease top and cover, allowing to rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Grease a large baking sheet and set aside. Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a ball and place on prepared sheet. Cover with towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until done. Loaves are done when they sound hollow when tapped lightly. Makes 2 loaves.
This versatile dough can also be shaped into loaves and places in 8×4-inch greased loaf pans. Baking time will remain the same. Dough can also be divided into 24 equal pieces and shaped into dinner rolls. Bake rolls at 375 for 15 minutes.
Buttered Lemon Brussels Sprouts
Buttered Lemon Brussels Sprouts
I love Brussels Sprouts. Even loved them when I was a kid. They always looked so cute- like little baby versions of a cabbage. I like simple preparations so I often just steam them and toss with butter and a little salt. I also enjoy them roasted with onions and garlic. I picked up some really beautiful Brussels sprouts at the local market and decided to cook them up with a little citrus, too. I washed them and trimmed off the bottom of their stems. Then I steamed them until they were just tender- about 5 minutes. I placed some butter in a skillet and added the sprouts along with a zest of lemon and some celery seed and sea salt. I cooked them over medium heat until the sprouts just started to get a little brown. They were wonderful. Simple and really tasty. Sometimes, with veggies, simple is the best. I loved them cooked this way. Now what to do with that cauliflower…..
Lobster and Roasted Corn Chowder
Lobster and Corn Chowder
It is not often that I go to use up leftovers and have a lobster to work with. After a lovely time at my cousin Gary and Arlene’s house for a clambake I was given a lobster to take home. What an incredibly thoughtful thing to do. I also got some corn that had been grilled and a baked potato. Even before I got home I knew I had the makings for a great chowder. Perfect dish for a chilly day. Who am I kidding? I would eat this if it were 100 degrees out.
The next day I started by breaking down the lobster and separating the meat from the shell. I wanted to use the shells to make a stock. For the stock I placed the shells in a pot with an onion, sherry, celery, a carrot, parsley and covered it all with some water. I also had a couple of ears of corn that had been cooked on the grill. I cut off the kernels to use in the chowder but placed the cobs in the pot with the lobster shells for more flavor. I cooked it for about an hour. I added some salt, pepper, minced garlic, hot sauce and paprika as it cooked. Strained it and set it aside.
In a pot I placed about three of tablespoons of butter and the same amount of flour. I heated them up together, stirring until smooth. I added the warm lobster stock and cooked, stirring often until it had thickened up nicely. To this I added my last summer tomato- a small Roma, diced, the reserved corn kernels, a diced baked potato and some fresh chopped parsley. I also added about half a cup of half and half.
I heated it all up together and let it simmer together 5 minutes or so. I added the reserved diced lobster at the last minute and just let it warm through before serving. Seriously, it was amazingly wonderful. Comforting and elegant at the same time.
Heath Bar Cupcakes
Heath Bar Cupcakes
Swamped by leftover Halloween candy I wanted to find a way to use some of it up. I have a dinner tonight and I am bringing dessert. Adding crushed up Heath candy bars to a classic vanilla cupcake seemed like a great idea. The cupcakes came out just right. Then I made a simple vanilla buttercream. I frosted the cupcakes and added a sprinkle of crumbled Heath Bars to finish them off. Pretty and tasty, too. If you are looking for a way to re-purpose some of the leftover candy you might want to try this recipe. I used a small food processor to crush up the candy bars. That worked out really well.
Heath Bar Cupcakes
¾ cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup half and half
2/3 c. crushed Heath bar candy bars, plus extra for topping the cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with 12paper liners. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cupcakes are done when they springs back to the touch. Frost cooled cupcakes with vanilla frosting and sprinkle with a little crushed Heath bar. Makes12.
Vanilla Buttercream
10 T. softened butter
1½ c. powdered sugar
2 t. vanilla extract
Beat butter and powdered sugar together until smooth. Add vanilla and beat until fluffy. Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes.
Halloween Candy Mini Cheesecakes
Kit Kat Mini Cheesecake
Due to really cold, wet weather I found myself with a lot of leftover Halloween candy. I needed to make a dessert for a dinner later tonight so I decided to use the candy in the dessert. I came up with a couple of ideas and wanted to share them with you. The first idea I came up with was mini cheesecakes. I’ve made them before so I used my recipe and just folded in crushed candy bars. Once the cheesecakes cool they deflate a little so I also added some crushed candy bars to the top to make them look nice. Only change from the original recipe was a slight decrease in sugar to compensate for the extra sweetness of the candy. I used what I had leftover, but I am sure a lot of different candy bars would work. I used a small food processor to really crush up the candy bars. I made 2 batches, one with cookies and cream candy bars and the other with Kit Kat bars.
Halloween Candy Mini Cheesecakes
12 vanilla wafers
2 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla
2 eggs
2/3 c. crushed candy bars plus 1/4 c. crushed candy bar, for topping
Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 wafer in each. Beat together remaining ingredients (except candy) for 1 minute with electric mixer. Fold in candy. Divide this mixture in the muffin tins, filling each 3/4 full. Bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees. Cool and decorate with extra crushed candy. Makes 12. These can be frozen.
Cookies and Creme Mini Cheesecakes
Leftovers
Roasted Beet Salad
Roasted Beet Salad
I got these beautiful beets a couple of days ago. Very fresh and the leaves are even dark red. I had been thinking of how I wanted to cook them. Decided to roast them and then go from there. To roast beets just wash them and trim off the greens- leaving about an inch of the stems to reduce bleeding. Place beets in a roasting pan and drizzle with a little oil. Cover pan and place in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Smaller beets will be cooked in less time- about 35 minutes. Really large beets could take up to an hour. I always check by poking one of the beets with a fork. Let the beets cool a little and then remove the peels. I use a knife to do this. They come off quite easily.
Now I just had to decide how to use them. I decided to use three of the small ones to make a salad for myself and a friend. Here is the recipe.
Roasted Beet Salad
1 small head Bibb lettuce, washed and sliced into thin slices
2 c. beet greens, washed and sliced thin
1/4 c. olive oil
3 T. red wine vinegar
2 t. sugar, optional
3 small roasted beets
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/4 c. hulled pumpkin seeds, toasted
1/4 c. dried cranberries
sliced cooked steak, optional
coarse sea salt- I used pink salt
Combine lettuce and beet greens in a mixing bowl. Combine olive oil with vinegar and sugar, if using. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss over the greens. Slice beets. Divide greens on 2 salad plates. Arrange half of the beets on each salad and top with the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle with a few grains of the sea salt and serve. Makes 2 luncheon salads.
Roasted Beet Salad with Steak
My very red beets
Aunt Josie’s Cabbage Soup
Aunt Josie’s Cabbage Soup
As the weather gets colder I find myself making more and more soup. This is one of my favorites. It is simple to make and loaded with flavor. The recipe came to me through my Mother who got it from my Aunt Josie. While I normally make it in a soup pot it can be make in a crock pot- after the onions and sausage have been browned a little. Ready in no time it is a great solution when you want home made soup but don’t have a lot of time.
Aunt Josie’s Cabbage Soup
1 T. oil
1 c. chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 ½ lbs. Cooked smoked sausage, sliced or diced, I use turkey sausage
3 carrots, peeled and cubed
8 cups coarsely chopped cabbage, a small head
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 c. tomato sauce
2 qts. Water
1-t. salt or paste type soup base
pepper to taste
3 medium potatoes, cubed
2 T. oil
1/3 c. flour
1 t. paprika
Sauté onion in oil until browned. Add garlic and sausage and cook until sausage is browned. Add vegetables, sauce water and seasonings and cook, covered 15 minutes. Add potatoes and cook, covered, 15 minutes more. In bowl combine oil, flour and paprika and stir until smooth. Ladle some hot soup into flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Repeat a few more times, until flour forms a paste. Pour this mixture into soup and simmer 2 minutes, until thickened. Serves 10-12.
Halloween Sugar Cookies
Halloween Sugar Cookies
I had a program with 50 kids last week and we made these cookies. A simple sugar cookie, it was an easy decorating task even for the younger kids. I cut the cookies with a large pumpkin shaped cookie cutter, but you could use bats, cats or other Halloween shapes. I made a simple butter cream and added orange food coloring. I also made some chocolate frosting for the stems. The decorations are just a candy called Sixlets. I used them because they are nut- free and some of the kids have nut allergies.
Halloween Sugar Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
3 T. milk
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Beat in milk. Heat oven to 375-degrees. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to about 1/3- inch thickness. Cut out with lightly floured cutters and bake on ungreased baking sheet for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 3 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool completely. Frost when cooled. Makes about 4 dozen.
For tinted dough you can add red and yellow food coloring to butter mixture before adding flour and cut out as pumpkins. For chocolate sugar cookies you can add ½ c. cocoa to flour mixture before adding to shortening and reduce flour by ¼ cup. This dough is great for bats and cats.
Classic Butter Cream
1/3 cup butter
4 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
In a bowl beat butter or margarine until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/4 milk and vanilla. Slowly beat in remaining sugar. Beat in additional milk, if needed, to make of spreading consistency. Tint with food color, if desired.
Easy Chocolate Butter Cream
6 T. butter, softened
1/3 – 3/4 c. cocoa, depending on how dark you want your frosting.
2 2/3 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
Cream butter. Combine cocoa and sugar. Beat cocoa mixture in alternately with the milk until frosting is spreading consistency. Beat in vanilla. You may need an additional tablespoon of milk. Makes about 2 cups.
Flaming Ghost Cake
Flaming Ghost Cake
I posted a recipe last year for Halloween called a flaming Ghost Cake. The fun part is setting the eyes of the cake on fire. Debbi Snook, from the Plain Dealer, asked if she could use my recipe and I said yes. Last Tuesday she sent a photographer to my class in Mentor so he could get a picture. The picture and recipe are on line at the PD. My picture is the one you are seeing. The better picture was taken by the pro from the PD. It is in the link below. Let’s face it- food is more fun when you set it on fire. Boo!!
http://www.cleveland.com/food/index.ssf/2014/10/flaming_ghost_cake_lights_up_h.html#incart_river
