TFL Buttermilk Rolls

From here.

The rolls are baked in an 8in springfoam pan and when they rise, they basically smoosh together attractively.

Buttermilk Cluster
Makes 12 to 18 rolls, depending on size

Ingredients:
6 to 6 1/2 cups (750 grams) bread or all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 envelope (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry or instant yeast, or 1 15 gram cake fresh yeast
1 tablespoon warm water
1 3/4 to 2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon honey

Glaze:
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Topping:
1-2 tablespoons seeds (poppy, sesame) or grains (cracked wheat, rolled oats)

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Combine the warm water and yeast in a small cup and allow to proof for 10 minutes.

Pour the yeast, buttermilk, and honey into the flour mixture and mix well. If the dough is so dry that some of the flour won’t stick, add a bit more buttermilk or water. If the dough is too sticky to knead, more like a batter, add more flour by the tablespoon until the correct consistency is achieved.

Knead by machine or hand for approximately 10 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth, and set aside to rise until the dough has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.

Divide the dough into 12 to 18 pieces. If you are a stickler you can scale them so that they are even, but I just cut them roughly the same size. Shape each piece into a neat ball and place in a round dish or spring-form pan close together.

When all of the rolls are in the pan, cover again with plastic or a damp towel and set aside to rise again for 45 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425.

Uncover the rolls and brush gently with the egg wash. Sprinkle on the grain topping, if you like. I used cracked wheat.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the rolls are firm and spring back when tapped.

Unmold the rolls from the pan and serve warm.

Crispy Sweet Potato Fries

Cut sweet potatoes into matchstick size. Roughly 1/4 in by 1/4 in.

Wash thoroughly.

Create slurry, 1 part corn starch, 1 part water in flat bowl.

Coat matchstick sweet potatoes in slurry, place in flat dish or on metal mesh sheet.

Heat peanut oil to medium high heat.

Drop matchsticks in, one by one, for a batch a handful at a time. Because of the cornstarch, the matchsticks stick together if you put them all in by the handful. Let cook on medium high heat until cornstarch is solidified and matchsticks are a light golden brown. Put into dish with a few paper towels in it to drain.

Make seasoning: salt, garlic powder, black pepper, white pepper, paprika.

Make dip: 1 part just mayo, 1 part ketchup. Cholula to taste.

WHEN READY TO EAT: Get a second dish, line it with paper towels. Heat oil to medium high/high heat. Fry matchsticks a SECOND time. They will brown up really really fast now. Take them out, drain the oil on the paper towel covered dish, season well. Enjoy with the dip.

YUM YUM YUM.

Corn Fritters 2

Corn Fritters

Ingredients:

3 fresh boiled or roasted corns on the cob; take a knife and cut the kernels off of the cob
1 c all purpose flour
1 egg
1/2 c milk
2-3 tbsp sugar (or brown sugar, or maple syrup, or other natural sweetener)
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 jalapeno, finely diced or sliced
1/2 tsp paprika
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 c corn meal (optional)

Directions:

1. Blend half the corn kernals and the milk together.
2. Add rest of wet ingredients to corn milk blended mixture.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.  Mix well.
4. Add corn and jalapenos last.
5. Let sit 10 minutes.
6. Use small cookie cutter scoop to drop dough into fryer.
7. Deep fry on medium heat.
8. Serve warm.

Dip:

Ingredients:

1/2 c yogurt or sour cream
2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
dash salt
dash paprika
dash cumin powder

Directions:

1. Mix well.
2. Serve with fritters.

One Hour Rolls

KAF Recipe

TImeline: Proof 5 min, Add flour, RISE 20 min, Deflate and make balls, RISE 20 min, Bake 20 min

Makes 12 rolls

1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 cup warm milk ( 100 – 110°F)
1.5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
4 teaspoons yeast, instant preferred
3 to 3.5 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

DIRECTIONS:

1. PROOF: Combine the water, milk, butter, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir well and let sit for 6 to 8 minutes, or until you see the yeast begin to foam.
2. Add 2.5 cups of flour and mix by hand or with the paddle attachment until the dough forms a rough, shaggy mass. The dough will not form a ball at this point, but will be just shy of coming together.
3. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time and blend with the dough hook until a smooth ball begins to form.
4. Knead by hand for about 10 minutes, or by machine for 4 to 5 minutes until a soft, smooth ball of dough is formed. The dough should feel elastic and slightly tacky to the touch.
5. Lightly spray your work bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Spritz the top of the dough with spray as well and cover lightly with plastic wrap or a shower cap.
6. LET RISE for 20 minutes at room temperature or until the dough is full and puffy.
7. Gently deflate the dough and pat out to a rough rectangle about 8 inches by 12 inches. Cut the dough into 4 long strips, then cut each strip into 3 portions for a total of 12 dough balls.
8. Shape into round balls as you would shape meatballs, using your cupped hands to roll the dough. Spritz your hands with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
9. You can place the rolls into any of the following pans, well greased or lined with parchment paper: One half-sheet baking pan or 2 quarter-sheet pans. Two 13″ x 9″ x 2″ pans. Four 8″ or 9″ round baking pans OR a combination of any of these pans.
10. After the rolls are in the pans, cover again with your plastic wrap and LET RISE at room temperature for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until well rounded and full looking. If you are baking now, preheat the oven to 350°F.
11. Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and an internal thermometer reads 190°F. You can brush the baked rolls with melted butter if desired. Serve warm, store leftovers in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.
12. If you want to freeze the unbaked buns, place in the pans as described in step 6 and allow to rise for 10 minutes. Wrap airtight and freeze for up to 4 weeks. To bake, thaw overnight in the fridge, then unwrap and bake as directed.

 

KAF Hard Rolls

Yield: 12 small rolls.

STARTER

1/2 cup cool water
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/8 teaspoon instant yeast

DOUGH

all of the starter
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup lukewarm water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

EGG WASH

1 large egg white mixed with 1-2 tablespoon cool water

Instructions

DAY 1: Making the starter: (15 minutes)

Mix the starter ingredients together until smooth, cover, and let rest at room temperature overnight.

DAY 2: Making the rolls: (4 hours rise time, 3 hours fridge time, 30 min bake time) — these rolls are an ALL DAY affair.

1. Combine all of the dough ingredients and mix and knead them together — by hand, mixer or bread machine — until you’ve made a soft, somewhat smooth dough; it should be cohesive, but the surface may still be a bit rough. It may also stick to the bowl just the tiniest bit.
2. LET RISE 1 HOUR, then deflate and turn over.
3. LET RISE 2 HOURS, then deflate and turn over.
4. Shape dough into 12 balls.
5. LET RISE 1-2 HOURS, UNTIL PUFFY.
6. REFRIGERATE the rolls, covered, for 2-3 hours.
7. Preheat oven to 425 F.
8. MAKE EGG WASH. Brush onto rolls.
9. Slash a 1/4″ deep cut across the top of each roll. Immediately put the rolls into the oven.
10. Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re a deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.
11. OR, for best crunch, open the oven door, and allow the rolls to cool in the turned-off, open-door oven.

Hard Rolls (Half Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 packages (1 tbsp) active dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
1 c warm water
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 c gluten flour OR bread flour
2-2.5 c soft wheat flour OR cake flour OR pastry flour

cornmeal
egg wash (1 egg white + 2 tbsp water)

Directions:

1. Combine yeast, sugar and warm water in large bowl. Let stand until frothy.
2. Mix salt and gluten flour and add to yeast mixture.
3. Add soft wheat flour, 1 c at a time, until you have a firm dough.
4. Remove to a lightly floured board and knead until no longer sticky, around 10 min, adding flour as necessary.
5. Place in oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface of the dough.
6. Cover and let rise 2 h or until doubled in bulk.
7. Punch down the dough.
8. Turn out onto a floured board and knead for 2 min.
9. Cut dough into 24 pieces and form into balls.
10. Place on baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal.
11. Slash the tops of the rolls.
12. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 min.
13. Place 4 custard cups of boiling water on the corners of your oven rack.
14. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
15. Brush rolls with egg wash.
16. Place the baking sheet on the rack and bake for 25 to 30 min
17. Bake until the rolls are nicely browned and sound hollow when tapped.
18. Remove to a rack to cool.

NOTE: Original recipe has a salt water wash, and requires the oven be opened every 5 minutes to reglaze with salt water. Opening and closing the oven so many times increases the cooking time. Glazing with salt water makes the buns ridiculously salty. KAF has the same recipe, seems like they borrowed heavily from James Beard, and just changed his salt wash to an egg wash. Having made the original James Beard recipe, I can totally see why.

Indian Corn on the Cob

INGREDIENTS:

1 corn on the cob, boiled or roasted, as you prefer
butter
lime juice
salt
chile powder

DIRECTIONS:

Take boiled corn, dip in butter.

Squeeze lime juice on top, and sprinkle with salt and chile powder.

Enjoy!

Olive Garden Breadsticks

Recipe inspired by Breadsticks in James Beard’s Beard on Bread
This is NOT the Olive Garden recipe, but used to describe how the breadsticks come out, texture wise.
(For example, these are not Pizza Hut style breadsticks).
[For the record, these are WAAAAAY better than Olive Garden breadsticks]

Makes 8 breadsticks

In bowl:

2.5 tsp yeast
2.5 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/8 c oil
3/8 c warm water

Mix well, let proof in bowl for 3 min.

Add:

3/8 c warm water
2 c flour

Alternate flour and water until you have a loose dough.

Knead for a few minutes until springy (like rotli dough).

Dough should be soft but not sticky. Add just enough flour for dough to not be sticky. The amount of flour to get to this point may be less or more than that stated above.

Let dough rest for 5 min under towel.

Cut dough into 8 pieces the same size.

Let rest 5 min under towel.

Get pan ready:

I use a nonstick pan and cover it with a silpat.

Coat lightly with yellow corn meal (around 1/4 c).

Get oven ready: heat to 175 F and then turn off.

Make breadsticks:

Take the 8 pieces, roll them into a log the same height as your pan.

Place breadsticks on prepared nonstick pan with silpat and corn meal.

Place in warmed oven to rise for 20 min.

Make garlic butter.

Mix:

1 stick butter, chopped and melted in microwave for 30 sec
3 cloves garlic, shredded
1/2 tsp salt

Take breadsticks out of oven. They should be slightly poofy.

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Using kitchen brush, brush breadsticks liberally with garlic butter. Be careful not to deflate the poof. The poof makes your breadsticks light and airy instead of hard and chewy.

Sprinkly with:

Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese

Bake for 20 min, check. Add another 5 min to make breadsticks cooked and barely light brown. Add another 5 min to make breadsticks dark brown and crunchy (I did not do this!).

I like the breadsticks after 25 min in the oven, their taste and texture is like Olive Garden breadsticks (but so way better).

Enjoy!

Note: If you have leftovers, wrap in aluminum foil. When you want to eat them, take the wrapped and covered breadsticks (like when you’re making a baked potato) and place in a 300 F oven for five minutes or so. The breadsticks will come out almost like they were freshly baked.

You can freeze unused breadsticks too, then reheat as above in foil. These take like an hour to make including bake time, so I’m not sure why you’d freeze them instead of baking them fresh. But just so you know you can.

Note2: Recipe doubles well.

Note3: You can make bigger loaves instead of the small stick size for small sandwich bread. Bake time will increase, I don’t know how much. I think making three loaves from the above recipe should cook in around 45 min or so. This is all a guesstimate, YMMV.

Easy Potato Soup

In 4 c pyrex container (I use the 4 c measuring cup), add:

2 c diced potatoes
1 diced or sliced carrot
1/4 tsp finely diced jalapeno pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

Boil until cooked, about 20 min.

On stove at med heat:

Add 2 tbsp butter, let melt.

Add 1 tbsp flour, mix until cooked.

Add 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 c finely chopped onion.

Mix well.

Add water when flour is pinkish color.

Mix well until no lumps remain.

Add potato mixture. Mix well.

Let boil until well integrated (5 min?).

Can add a splash of cream or sour cream if so desired. (This makes cream of potato soup)

Enjoy topped with shredded cheddar cheese if so desired.

Whole Loaf Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

1 whole loaf of bread (I use the hoagie rolls they sell in Sams’ Club for something like 5 for $4)
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp salt (to taste!!!!!!! amount is approximate!!)
4 cloves garlic (to taste!!!)
1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (or bottled italian seasoning)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Mix butter, salt, garlic, and rosemary until well blended.
3. Cut slices in hoagie roll vertically, not all the way through.
4. Place hoagie on aluminum foil on top of cookie sheet or jelly roll pan.
5. Stuff slices with spoonfuls of butter mixture.
6. Top hoagie roll with any leftover butter after stuffing the slices.
7. Roll up the aluminum foil around the hoagie. It should be completely covered. You can use a second sheet of aluminum foil if you have to.
8. Bake covered for 30 min.
9. Uncover hoagie roll. Bake uncovered for 15 min.
10. Enjoy!

NOTE: You can also add cheese to the butter mixture – cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack.